We always knew Natalie Storm was a fearless one but here’s some more proof if you need it. Her latest project sees her teamed up with Federation Sound and Prodigal Entertainment who bring the beats from around the globe for Natalie to ride – there’s classic riddims like Pum Pum, Answer, Showtime and Bam Bam longside some soca, electro, even classic NYC house.
Dylan from Prodigal’s global ear to the ground ensures that the UK is properly represented with the Wiley-indebted Showa Eski Riddim, Sticky’s Jumeirah Riddim and Redlight’s MDMA.
I haven’t even had time to listen to the whole thing as I wanted to get this out asap but personal highlights so far are the disco filtered house of Wicked (Da Gal A Trouble), Natalie riding Masters At Work on Whine Down Low and Armand Van Helden’s classic Witch Doctor on Put A Spell On You. Also check out the soca madness of Dung Deh.
Download the 33 separated tracks ready for iTunes HERE
Seems like Hij and Lemon have been pulling out more stops than usual over at Grime Forum. Long and the short is, they’re dashing 45 trax off the top of Grime Forum Towers and watching the people go mad like they’re dollar bills. Featuring vocals from the likes of Doller Da Dustman, Rival, Scrufizzer, Merky Ace, Dot Rotten and riddims from S-X, Teddy, Spooky and Maniac (even Wot U Call It gets a run out), the release is obviously not looking for top ten hits or to get recommended on Daybreak. This is grime at its purest and most passionate, from a decent selection of underground MCs and producers. I kinda get the feeling that this is the start of something that people will refer back to – “First heard on Grime Forum Volume 1, ___________ has since risen to the top of the grime scene with sell-out shows and his own line of condoms.”
Bruk’s stand-out performances come from Scrufizzer, Darkos, Slaughter, Ego, and Doller but judge for yourself on the YouTube and SoundCloud and download the whole shebang here.
Sorry bout that my phone just ran out of battery, it’s cool, I’ve put it on charge now. So what were we saying?
Oh yeah I was gunna give you some music n that. What kinda stuff are you looking for? You like all sorts really? Umm let’s see, let me just check what I’ve got here…
How about this one? It’s one of those tribal bits that people have been talking about from Mexico. Guarachero and all that. Here, have a listen:
What do you reckon? You like that? It’s a very good track. I think you should take it. Listen, have that one for free.
Right, what else have I got? OK so juke is pretty fashionable as well, all the cool guys are playing that. It’s that fast music from Chicago you know? Have a little taste of this:
Good huh? Have that one too my friend. The thing is with these tracks I’m giving you is you’ve got options see? You know, you could like play it in a club. Or put it on your phone and listen to it from there. You see? Options. Go ahead, take it.
Alright I’m gunna give you something else too. Just gimme a sec. Have a look at this picture while I try to find something.
OK I got something you’ll like. You know that Hold Yuh tune by Gyptian? The one that bird from Young Money jumped on? I’ve got all these remixes of it, so basically it’s like the tune from that song, but then the singing from other songs put on top somehow. But the singing is still in tune with the music, even though it’s singing from a different song. It’s not like they’ve sung it again on top of the music, I think someone’s literally like taken two different parts from songs and put them together, you know? Look, it’s pretty complicated but just have a listen, you’ll understand.
You see? I’ve got like four of these, all with different singing on top of the music.
Yeah, yeah, Carnival’s nearly here. It’s not like anyone’s been waiting for it all year or anything. To get you in the mood, here are four tracks that have been doing it at other carnivals all around the world in 2010.
First up a plaintive anthem for the gyal dem from St Lucia’s Qpid.
Hailing from Montserrat, Ringtone (file alongside Busy Signal and Voicemail) brings a darkly detuned, broody banger to the party.
The way music’s going on right now people will never pay for it again. Free downloads here, pay what you want, The Zip Files… now Maxsta has written the next chapter of freedom with MaxstEP. Five tracks deep (some deeper than others) with productions from Bless Beats and Target. Just know that Max comes heavily Bruk Recommended.
Maxsta – On The Low Ft Big Shizz (Prod Bless Beats)
Eglo know what it do. It’s the Summer Takeover at everyone’s new favourite club, The Camp. All five acts are doing big things, plus Dr Dre is dropping by for a guest DJ slot, so what more do you want you mug? Lots of songs mixed together or sumfink?
I predicted that Kari Jess would blow up around the time Popcaan, Bramma and Ryno were also getting some attention. I was wrong (the JA music game is never a safe bet at William Hill). So maybe it’s too late for Mr Watkins, or maybe he’ll get a second chance and I can carry on making reckless predictions about people’s careers. Either way, his new piece Voom Voom is a banger, all thundering toms, cypher claps and tightening screwz pon bikes. Kari rides it a little like Busy Signal‘s carnival tracks but it’s no rip off. Grab a 320 below, and DJs: this was recorded in funky bashment compatibility mode @ 122bpm.
When the sun’s out in the city, nothing quite beats garage, not even King Tubby. So in honour of le soleil, here’s three old joints to bump in the whip at the traffic lights of various Milton Keynes roundabouts.
First up, just be careful when Googling my new find dranaL – even though his Soundcloud, Myspace and Facebook are in the top results, there are more Dr Anal’s than you would think possible, so stay focussed.
Apart from that he’s from San Jose, Cali, I can’t find out much about dranaL, and maybe it’s best that it stays that way. His sound suits that faceless producer type vibe and is filled with nuff imagery as it is. He sounds like Boards of Canada if Boards of Canada actually liked hiphop, instead of pretending to. This is fuzzy, timeless, bleached out summer music.
Here are three of his new bitz, but most of his tracks are available for free download on his Soundcloud page. Since posting this, he will have six new traxx guaranteed, so get involved.
