Quarter-Pole 2007 2-CD Mix

April has arrived and therefore 25% of 2007 is over, if my math, which is known to be highly suspect, is correct. The first quarter of the year has been fairly abundant in terms of quality releases. Of Montreal's Hissing Fauna took me aback with its glorious pop numbers reminding me of the glam era. Similarly, Panda Bear brought me back to my childhood days of car rides to the tune of Paul Simon and Brian Wilson. Many of these songs have been previously featured here, which isn't surprising seeing as they are my favourites of the year, thus far. What does the rest of 2007 have in store? New releases from Bjork, Art Brut, and the Beastie Boys sound promising, and hopefully some waves will be made from now-unknowns. Anyways, these 28 songs are a representation of 2007's best, I'm sure you'll enjoy them as much as I have. Oh, and they're not ordered for any purpose other than a tracklisting. Your thoughts and opinions are welcome, don't hesitate to post them!

1. Blonde Redhead - 23
2. Air - Once Upon A Time
3. El-P - Run the Numbers
4. Klaxons - Golden Skans
5. LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum
6. Menomena - Air Aid
7. The Mary Onettes - Void
8. Modest Mouse - Dashboard
9. The National - Fake Empire
10. Of Montreal - Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse
11. Panda Bear - Bros
12. The Ponys - Double Vision
13. Windmill - Fluorescent Lights
14. Maia Hirasawa - And I Found this Boy

15. Prince Ali & Incise - Drift (ft. Thieven & Blue)
16. Venetian Snares - Pink + Green
17. !!! - All My Heroes Are Weirdos
18. The Besnard Lakes - For Agent 13
19. The Aliens - Setting Sun
20. Andrew Bird - Fiery Crash
21. The Apples In Stereo - Energy
22. Dalek - Paragraphs Relentless
23. The Field - Over the Ice
24. Sister Vanilla - Jamcolas
25. Voxtrot - Kid Gloves
26. Tunturia - October 4, 1957
27. Tokyo Police Club - Box
28. Hieroglyphics - You Never Know (Domino Remix)

Free EP: Prince Ali - I Miss 1994

Many are surprised at the degree of spirituality found in hip-hop. Islam, for the most part, swelled with devoted rappers. But it really shouldn't be too surprising considering Minister Louis Farrakhan is the leader of the Nation of Islam, and artists like Rakim and Public Enemy have been preaching loyalty since the '80s. The Islamic sect known as the 5% Nation is another popular belief system, with the Wu-Tang Clan, Poor Righteous Teachers, Brand Nubian, etc. being committed followers. It's not all about gatts and glocks, y'know?

But more to the point. I wrote a paper on spirituality in hip-hop a few months ago, and when I stumbled upon local rapper Prince Ali, I was all ears. Names are important to the 20 year old. First off, he named himself after a historic sultan, bringing in that Eastern influence. His debut EP is titled I Miss 1994, an ode to one of hip-hop's most celebrated years, a year which saw Nas release Illmatic, Jeru's The Sun Rises in the East, and Black Moon's Enta Da Stage. There's nothing that irks me more than an artist that doesn't know his history, but maybe that's just a remnant of my previous history major self. Nonetheless, Ali does know his influences, making allusions to several important rappers, including MC Shan and Toronto-DJ'ed Main Source.

Teaming up with Incise, the production is very down-tempo and poignant, perfectly matching Ali's equally heart-felt MCing. I could certainly do with some more 90s hip-hop revival (in place of post-punk revival, which I'd prefer died). Contributions from Craig G. and Kev Brown are also appreciated. It's no Guru and Premier combo, but for an obviously low-budget EP, this is a great achievement. According to his myspace, his debut LP will be released later this year, and will be titled I Miss 1993 (don't even get me started on how great 93 was!). I'll definitely be posting my thoughts on it when I manage to track down a copy, so check back then.

As mentioned, the EP is available for free download from Ali, so it's definitely worth a listen.

Free Download: Prince Ali - I Miss 1994

And if you're too lazy to download the .zip, here's my favourite from the duo:

MP3: Prince Ali & Incise - Drift (ft. Thieven & Blue)

By the way, if you're at all interested in the 5% Nation (I find it extremely interesting), give the following a skim-over, it was the main source (haw!) of my essay: Islam in the Mix: Lessons of the 5 Percent.

New Beasties Album

"Hi... here's a few things you might wanna know about..

1. we have a new record coming out
2. it's gonna be sick
3. we're playing a bunch of shows this summer (see below)
4. they're gonna be sick
5. we're gonna play some instrumental only shows also
6. better call your doctor..cause they're gonna be sick
7. it's gonna be a gala event
8. we're changing up the website...sick
9. got new gear coming soon...again...sick..
10. go see a tailor and get tapered up..."

Sick indeed. The fact that the Beastie Boys have remained relevant throughout the past 23 years of a vastly-changed genre, it's quite impressive. I didn't like To the 5 Boroughs that much (even though it had 1-2 great singles), but I've loved the rest of their catalogue, so I've got some high hopes. I'll update with additional details when more info comes in. Until then, enjoy the following mp3s, sick...

MP3: Beastie Boys - Check it Out
MP3: Beastie Boys - Sounds of Science
MP3: Beastie Boys - Sabotage

No Sleep Till Brooklyn

Emceeing has lost its way. The days of Rakim, KRS-One, and GZA moving crowds are gone. Hip-Hop is dead. Well, not really, but it certainly is ailing. Sure, I'm old fashioned, but at least I'll admit to it. Don't get me wrong, there's still a number good rappers around; Aceyalone, MF DOOM, and El Da Sensei, for example, but there's just not enough of them. And while it's unrealistic to expect a breeding ground of Pharaoh Monchs and Raekwons, one can dream. I'm a purist. You know, one of those guys who think lyrics should never take a backseat to beats and rhythms. Not to say that production isn't important, but I've all too often heard a rapper that can't cut it without the production crutch to lean on, and even then struggles.

In comes El-P: El Producto by name, MC, producer, and Def Jux CEO by trade. Released yesterday, I'll Sleep When You're Dead is his true sophomore album and first since 2002's Fantastic Damage. He's quick on the mic, witty, and bursting with literary functions that would make even the Genius smile. But what really separates him from the rest of the languid genre is his fierce enthusiasm. My heart tells me that he's reminiscent of Chuck D, but the brain knows no-one will ever re-create Public Enemy's boisterous and racially-motivated anthems. Still, his emceeing is compelling to say the least. It's shrewd, while still maintaining grit and sharpness. And most importantly, it's explosive. El-P has that sheer determination to succeed; that enthusiasm I mentioned. Edgy production further accentuates the experience, providing a sort of Bombsquad noise assault to match the chaotic vocal escapades. He doesn't hide behind the beats, he uses them to complement his rhymes, creating a state of emergency, and a bleak one at that.

The album also features a slew of guest performers: from his label-mates Aesop Rock and Cage, to NIN's Trent Reznor and Yo La Tengo's James McNew. However, it's clear that El-P's cold and cynical execution is the main drawing point at hand. Dude knows his history too, with lines like this, "I'll be drunk on the back of a train / Takin' a piss / Pumpin' BDP through a Raheem kit / With a double D Duracell destiny mega mix, like this" causing me to stop listening and laugh aloud.

To date, this is his premier opus. It's an excellent album, and El-P's vision fully realized. It's aggressive, it's hard, it's capricious, and it's a must-buy.

MP3: El-P - Tasmanian Pain Coaster
MP3: El-P - Up All Night
MP3: El-P - EMG
MP3: El-P - Run the Numbers

See Also:
El-P's interview with Chuck D
I'll Sleep When You're Dead at Metacritic

Nouvelle Musique de Mardi

Music releases don't seem to be that special nowadays, what with leaks and such. Nonetheless, there were quite a few notable new releases today. For now, here are a few mp3s to enjoy. Judging from a few listens, LCD's is excellent at times, though a bit "less good" at others, but I think it will grow on me. Their debut was one of my favourites of the decade, so I expect alot. El-P's is also a booming and very enjoyable listen. If time permits, I'll be able to do some write-ups for a few of the albums.

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

MP3: LCD Soundsystem - Get Innocuous
MP3: LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum

El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead

MP3: El-P - Tasmanian Pain Coaster
MP3: El-P - Up All Night

The Ponys - Turn the Lights Out

MP3: The Ponys - Double Vision
MP3: The Ponys - Harakiri

Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

MP3: Modest Mouse - Dashboard
MP3: Modest Mouse - Florida

See also:

Metacritic's Upcoming Release Caldendar

Hip-Hop 2520 Test #1

Now for some more genre-hopping! Tomorrow will be the first test in my Hip-Hop class. It's a listening test. Basically the prof., a former hip-hop head turned radio host in the late '80s, plays 10 songs (for 3 minutes each) and I've got to write down the artist, track title, record label of association, and the year released, for each of the 10.

For example, this would constitute a perfect mark: Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5 - The Message [Sugarhill (1982)]

The full list of songs we've listened to in class is compiled here. Tonight I've been going through the lot and memorizing the necessary info. Since this is the first test, the roots and influences of the genre are the theme at hand. James Brown, Isley Brothers, Booker T & The MGs, Average White Band, Fatback, Chic, Fatback, Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, etc. Certainly not my usual genre (soul/funk) and I'd first listen to James Chance before the other James, but I'm not complaining!

The following are a few of my select favourites from the list. And of course they're listed in a way to help me study!

James Brown - Papa's Got A Brand New Bag Pt. 1 [King (1965)] [mp3] [buy]
Bobby Byrd - I Know You Got Soul [King/S12 (1971)] [mp3] [buy]
Fatback - King Tim III (Personality Jock) [Perception (1979) [mp3] [buy]
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5 - The Message [Sugarhill (1982)] [mp3] [buy]