Friday, May 28, 2010

New Balance 1300 2010 summer 1300


New Balance continue the 1300 love with a new pack slated for a summer release. Muted grays and blacks are paired with some strong highlight colors over three similar colorways. Included are fuchsia, blue and neon green with that stellar Flimby-made UK quality. Available later this year at select retailers including Crooked Tongues.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Chali 2na & J-Live "Across The Map" leak


Chali 2na's "Fish Market Part 2" (dropping two weeks from today on Decon) finds him paired up with J-Live for a track called "Across the Map." Hope you enjoy it.

Download: "Across the Map"

Monday, May 17, 2010

A-Trak's new mixtape - Dirty South Dance 2



A little something to jump start your Monday - A-Trak's brand new mixtape Dirty South Dance 2, the sequel to 2007's first installment with artwork by Shepard Fairey.


FREE DOWNLOAD HERE


Tracklist:
1. Intro
2. Trizzy Turnt Up
3. How Low Can U Bake
4. We Don't Want No Goblins
5. She Got A Dum Donk
6. Whatever You Shoot
7. Ice Cream On Blast
8. Carte Blanche feat. Kid Sister: Do! Do! Do!
9. Twerk That Driver
10. Vampires Going Ham
11. Loonies To Blow
12. Make The Trap Wile Out
13. O Let's Overdo It
14. Donnis: Gone (DJ Craze Remix)
15. Ain't I A Joker

Friday, May 14, 2010

Chali 2na & Rusko "gadget go go"



So I guess this is Rusko week for me! LOL
Jurassic 5 main man Chali 2na just dropped a new song produced by Rusko!


Download: "Gadget Go Go"

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Rusko Drops "OMG!" on Mad Decent


There is little doubt that as far as America is concerned Dubstep has arrived. From sweaty, smoke-filled clubs in the U.K. the bass heavy, bastard child of garage, grime, & jungle has inexplicably caught the ears and hearts of anybody who happens to take a listen. The genre has it's godfathers (benga, kode9) and it's innovators (Burial, Skream) and now thanks to the Diplo backed, promotional juggernaut that is Mad Decent it seems that it has it's first American Superstar (I mean he's a superstar in America folks...Dudes a Bloody Brit through and through! pay attention). Rusko!
"OMG!" drops like a bomb on the DMZ! Scattering just about everything in it's path. The album has something for everyone. Rusko, born Chris Mercer, not just content to sit back and roll out grimey, sub bass, throb and gristle, cleans up his production and drops glittery, disco ball funk, rootsy dub and even plays with convention by adding southern hip hop icon Gucci Mane to the mix on "Got Da Groove." Oh don't worry, he doesn't disappoint the dubstep massive. Bass rollers abound. The man, alongside his partner Caspa, knows a thing or two about bass wobbles..."Woo Boost" is a dirty, mutated, chunk of the evil bass that simply screams anthem from beginning to end. But suddenly and seemingly without warning Rusko delivers a piece of 2-step, female vocal driven, club madness with "Hold On" featuring Dirty Projectors femme fatale, Amber Coffman.
But enough about the already leaked and over-blogged teaser tracks. The meat of the album is a fulfilling joyride from one end of Rusko's influences and interests to the other. The man eschews the played out, yet oh so trendy, auto-tune for significantly funkier and much more satisfyingly processed Roger Troutman-esque vocals on "You're On My Mind Baby," and "I Love You." Horns, ala "Sussudio" era Phil Collins, swirl their way through a retro eighties driven, synth drum, canyon and somehow end up falling into the earthshaking bass of "Dial My Number." Rusko has obviously been listening to the same soundtrack that Chromeo reintroduced to the world with "Fancy Footwork."
But Rusko doesn't stop there...oh no. "Kumon Kumon" and "Ravers Special" suddenly teleports back to the original hardcore (even before they were calling it jungle) rhythms of the early 90's rave scene. Sped up piano synths, female house vocals, and an amen break intact and waiting for whistles and air horns. Ok maybe the female house vocals were only in my head but I can totally hear them fitting into these tracks.
Rusko is about to be a household name with his recent production for M.I.A.'s latest album and there is little doubt that everyone is gonna have an opinion about the kid. So here is mine. "OMG!" is an astonishingly accomplished debut album from this kid from Leeds. It is the first but I'm quite certain it isn't the last. And I for one cannot wait for whats next!

Download: "I Love You" & "Dial My Number"

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

"PRE-HEAT" MUSIC INDUSTRY PANELS TO KICK OFF THIS YEAR'S TROPICAL HEATWAVE

Creative Loafing and the Homemade Music Symposium present:
WMNF's "Pre-Heat" Music Panels

Saturday, May 15, 1 - 4 p.m. @ CL Space (1911 13th St N #W200 - in Ybor Square above Spaghetti Warehouse)

$5 or FREE with your HEATWAVE wristband


Be a part of the Tampa Bay Music Scene at this year's Pre-Heat Music Industry panels. Held on Saturday, May 15 at 1 p.m. as a kick-off to WMNF's Tropical Heatwave event, Pre-Heat is presented by Creative Loafing and Homemade Music Symposium, and is a way to workshop, network and gain insight from key players in the Tampa Bay Music scene. This year's event features workshops on copyright and entertainment law with Kevin Astl, Esq., a DJ/producers beat workshop with Young Deacon (TampaHipHop.com) and a demo listening session with Bay Area music critics and radio DJs. Tickets are $5 or free with your Heatwave wristband. Food and refreshments will be served.


Music Publishing and Copyright Law - 1 p.m.

Learn how to copyright your work and the in-and-outs of music publishing and licensing. Presented by Kevin Astl, Esq

Producer/Beat Workshop - 2 p.m.

Hear local DJs and producers demonstrate how they create their beats, clear their samples and gain insight on how they collaborate with MCs/vocalists. Featuring DJ Royce (Versatile Entertainment, Acafool), Lazy (WMNF, Red Tide), Spindiana Jones (Tampa Bay Dream Team), Moderator: Young Deacon (TampaHipHop.com)

Demo Listening - 3 p.m.

Our panel of music critics and radio DJs listen to your demos and give their opinions on production and artist development. Featuring Leilani Polk (Creative Loafing), Flee (WMNF), Husky Jon (97x), and Kevin Astl. Bring a cd or mp3 file for a chance to be picked for our randomly-selected-from-the-audience review slot.


Come get some insider music industry knowledge, then stick around for WMNF's Tropical Heatwave that night!

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The Artists and Writers Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and incubating the Tampa Bay area cultural community with events such as the Homemade Music Symposium, Deep Carnivale: A Celebration of Words and the Ybor Festival of the Moving Image.

Please visit artistsandwritersgroup.com for more information