Thursday, September 30, 2010

Shit Robot "From the Cradle to the Rave"




Today marks the second day of my Shit Robot play-a-thon. I have been listening to this album constantly since I downloaded it. It's just plain good old pimp robot shit. I would point out favorites but every track is pretty much incredible by themselves. From the Cradle to the Rave is just a bunch of ill-disco-electro-grime with terrific vocal overlays. The guest vocal spots including Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor, LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy and Nancy Whang, and the Juan MacLean, among others.. Don't believe me? Check out the vocals from Alexis Taylor here on SBA:

Shit Robot - Losing My Patience (feat. Alexis Taylor) by smithblogsatlanta

Shit Robot - Simple Things (Work It Out) Feat. Ian Svenonius by smithblogsatlanta

LCD SoundSystem - Home

LCD Soundsystem "Home" from FUNWUNCE on Vimeo.



I absolutely love LCD SoundSystem and this video made me smile on a crappy day. Thought it might brighten yours too. Cheers.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Gold Panda Album Review

Gold Panda - Same Dream China by smithblogsatlanta

This afternoon, I fell into a blissful nap. I awoke in my dream overlooking the contoured earth of central china. The rice terraces stretch for miles and miles. In the background, the mandolin fades in and out with the steady hum of the servers and processors fueling this dream. Electrical impulses streaked across the sky to the deep bass rhythms and simple but complicated hand clap beat.

I absolutely love music that will take me "there." Lying in bed, on the verge of unconsciousness, the music of Gold Panda and my imagination took me far away. The track I posted above, "Same Dream China", is just one of many incredible pieces on Gold Panda's latest release, "Lucky Shiner."

Gold Panda - Vanilla Minus by smithblogsatlanta

The formula for Gold Panda is fairly simple and straight forward. Many of the songs start off with a simple loop. A few of them, like "Vanilla Minus", are unbearably harsh and repetitive in the first bars. That is until the second wave of loops drop. Add in incredible bass line. Add in sweet sounding strings and a dance beat. Now you have something special from what seemed like nothing. The individual components to each song are very simple but the complexity of the composition is what makes this album truly remarkable [and an audio amusement park with headphones].

There have been very few releases this year that have rivaled Gold Panda. The best part about this music obsession is that even with the ridiculous amount of music I go through, I still find music that surprises me. I hope Gold Panda will do the same for you.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Miami Horror "Echoplex"

I am going to keep posting Miami Horror videos until you go out and buy the album. They are the shit. Period. Now watch and listen to the hottest group to drop an album in 2010 so far.

Echoplex from Miami Horror on Vimeo.

ContraVersy - Croque Du Cordes Mixtape



I have a little secret I have been keeping from you all... I have know that this Mixtape has been in the works now for a few weeks. Morrison of the dj group ContraVersy (formerly know as the MyMy Crew) told me him and Jasper had been working on something special. They didn't want to drop the new Mixtape until it was perfect.

I always get excited when I hear mixtapes where I know absolutely none of the tracks. With the amount of DJ sets that I listen to on a weekly basis, I tend to hear the same tracks but just in different orders. On their blog they boast a track line up with tracks of: rubix, French Fries, Boys Noize, Erol Alkan & Boys Noize, Justin Martin & Ardalan and many more. I love that I know all of these producers but each of their tracks on Croque Du Cordes are new to me.

Not only are ContraVersy bringing completely new bangers to my ears but they are mixing it with flawless transitions. Theses guys have always had talent behind the decks but the level of improvement between their last mixtape and now is quantifiable. Guys, it was well worth the wait!





Croque du cordes by ContraVersy

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Touch Bass Alive Promo Mix 1

ALIVE promo mix 1 by TOUCH BASS

Over the past few months I have become of huge fan of this Vancouver Dj. Readers SBA have already been exposed to two of his mixes throughout the past summer. The man is the Mixtape making machine. By the time I start getting into the "newest" Mixtape, he always seems to drop another. This "Alive Promo Mix" is the latest in Touch Basses growing archive of wonderful Mixtapes. If the set list below doesn't make the slyiva in your mouth pool, you are reading the wrong blog...

1. Ocelot - beating hearts (louis la roche remix)
2. Lifelike - love emulator (club mix)
3. miami horror - moon theory (punks jump up remix)
4. evil nine - real love
5. miami horror - sometimes (gloves extended mix)
6. deadmau5 and wolfgang gartner - animal rights
7. underworld - bird 1
8. tomcraft - room 414 (can't get away) (the other version)
9. john dahlback - Olympia
10. ean skizzle - dibby dibby
11. shinichi osawa - push (alex gopher remix)
12. Kissy sell out - joanna (fasial remix)
13. radiohead - pyramid song (zed's dead Illuminati remix)

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Jayou Mix for Oscillate Widley




Jayou Mix For Oscillate Wildly by JAYOU

In April, I stumbled upon Jayou's "to be Mixtape" from a Mad Decent Blog Post. This was my first official introduction to the sound of DubStep.

My curiosity has lead me to download some really bad and some really good examples of the genera. So far my favorites have been Rusko and Jayou. Part of the reason why I like both of these artist is that they tend to bend the genera to touch all kinds of different musical tastes.

Typically when I think DubStep, I hear the grimy bass drones to the same reduced speed two step beat. I know that characterization is really unfair to the genera but I can't help it. Maybe everything Jayou spins is just DubStep that I haven't been exposed to. Maybe the Genera is growing to where you can't characterize it by a "sound".

Many years ago when you said the word "Techno" people automatically heard the "utz-utz-utz-utz..." sound in their head. Now if you hear someone call a type of music techno they are either a 30-something-year-olds like myself or are brand new to electronic music and don't know any better.

Electronic music has branched so far away from the "techno" of the 90s (house, trance, drum and bass, electro, ectro-pop, idm, minimal, two-step, garage, dubstep?). Maybe Dubstep is the "techno" of this next generation. What ever you call this movement, its coming, and I am ecstatic to be along for the ride.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Shit Robot "Tuff Enuff"



New Album Drops 9/21. I'll be all over it. In the mean time, enjoy the visuals.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Miami Horror "I look to You"

I am ashamed to admit that I have not bought the album yet... But this is going to change. Every track I hear by Miami Horror keeps getting better and better. Here is a tasty new video from the group to send you into your labor day weekend. Cheers!

I Look To You from Miami Horror on Vimeo.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Ducksauce "Barbra Streisand" (Fare Soldi Remix)

Ducksauce "Barbra Striesand" Fare Soldi Remix by smithblogsatlanta

"Barbra Streisand" is one of my favorite tracks of the year. Yesterday, when I saw this remix I freaked. Fare Soldi decided to tackle on of my favorites? This is too good to be true. Not only did their version live up to my expectations but they surpassed them. I especially love how they cut and chop the last 3rd of the song. Good work gentlemen! If you want to hear more from the Italian Djs, you can here more tracks on their soundcloud .

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Chiddy Bang Behind the Scenes



Chiddy Bang behind the scenes at Glastonbury from this summer. I literally can't wait for the new album "The Preview." I love everything these guys do from the remixes to to their production work. 2010 has already been a huge year for the duo. Once their album drops, the year is going to get even hotter. Here's a tasty track to hold you over while you wait...

Big Sean - "Too Fake" Feat. Chiddy Bang (Prod. By Xaphoon Jones) by Some Kind of Awesome