Solange "Under Construction"

Seems Solange Knowles is on a mission to discover her own sound, as far away from her sisters as possible, and she's experimenting. I'm not sure it's there yet (for me) but I find her interesting.

Via "Her Damn Blog"

ENJOY, AND LISTEN WIFF HEADPHONES.

Download Under Construction Here

J*Davey - always the 360 visual experience

New video for "Get Together" and photos from J*DaVeY (@ The Roxy 3.3.10 - photos by Dominic Del Bene’s iPhone, via SLT)

J*DaVeY "Get Together" from Veronica "V-Chip" Hinds on Vimeo.

Blu "Amnesia" Video

Apparently we all missed this when it was put up in August, but 2DBZ picked up on it and now its being hailed everywhere as a "new" video from Blu! No matter - it's lovely. I'm reading about Billie Holiday at the moment, interesting lady...

Professor Green - I Need You Tonight Video.

Before.



After.

Video: Matthew Herbert "Leipzig"

I can't imagine the process of making something entirely by yourself - Matthew wrote, recorded, sang, and played all instruments on his forthcoming album "One One", the first part of his trilogy of albums coming out this year. I've heard it and it's exactly what you might expect - interesting, understated, and slightly outside of the box. More on that later... if the video loads too slowly check it out HERE, I'll upload a Youtube version when it's available.

Trent Reznor Interview: Business Model Innovation in Music

This isn't remotely new, it's an interview from April last year with Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails, but after a lot of conversations I've had recently I feel it's relevant. I realise that a lot of the people who visit this site make music, and if you do, I would highly recommend you watch this.



We're all trying to work out how to make money working in the music industry in future, and the obvious answer seems to be by offering something that can't be bought for free - be that experience, connection, skills, or just being part of something. There's no one size fits all solution but I find Trent Reznors' points really interesting - there aren't many people who have sat on both sides of the fence and tried out as many options as he has.

From the man who brought you "Skeen"...

I've watched this way too many times now and still can't stop laughing. Skillit is just hilarious.

Mayer Hawthorne - I Wish It Would Rain (Video)

The juggernaut that is the Mayer Hawthorne campaign continues. They don't make 'em like this anymore.

Yarah Bravo "Good Girls Rarely Make History" Tour

Yarah Bravo is one of the hardest working performers in hip hop, I really don't know how she does it, but she grinds so hard and with such passion. I have the feeling it's something to do with how much she loves what she does; her live shows are always super creative, she has a legion of loyal fans, and she's a real instigator.

Anyway, Yarah sent me over some footage from her recent tour, it looks like it was a blast. More on the lady to come soon...

WE LOVE... VOL 17

Download (Mediafire)

This weeks "cover" is Tranqill, I have so much love for that guy and his talent, it had to be done. The rest is the usual random mixture of songs I love, for you to dance to, cry to, do the nasty and the washing up to... hope you enjoy!
 
Tracklisting
Aloe Blacc - I Need A Dollar
Andreya Triana - Lost Where I Belong - Flying Lotus Remix (Preview Edit)
Bullion - God Only Knows
devonwho - fourthrees (P.U.D.G.E.'s recreation)
(Freddie Joachim rmx) Vikter Duplaix - In The Middle Of You
Grizzly Bear - Boy From School (Hot Chip Cover)
Hudson Mohawke - freek
John Legend - There With You
José James - Code
Justin Vernon - Song For A Lover Of Long Ago
Marsha Ambrosius - Take Care
Nosaj Thing - IOIO
Oddisee - The Supplier Feat. Tranqill
Outputmessage - Mettle
Poirier - Marathon
Polar Bear - Peepers
Ras G & The Afrikan Space Program - End Of Days
Reflection Eternal - In This World
Slum Village - Get Dis Money (IG Culture remix)
Tranqill - Deadly Wintaz

*WE LOVE... is a big one click download of carefully selected individual tracks sourced from reputable blogs & artists we love. Please email us (info@putmeonit.com) if we've uploaded a non-promo track in error or to send us something you love.

FREE: SLik d - Midnight Vibes

 

As we (in the Northern Hemisphere) slowly come out of the cold times, I think it be only fair that we set a soundtrack to pre-empt the sweet, sweet warmer days we've so greatly earnt. Alas, here's a free album from California's SLik d called Midnight Vibes. It's presented as a free download via Bandcamp in conjunction with Apple Juice Break, LRGR Thn Lfe and The Soul Dojo.

Midnight Vibes is a 14-track laid back hip-hop album with SLik d on both the production and emcee/singing duties, but it also features production and co-production from quite a few others, including; Megan, Cam, Hi-Res, Polyester, Fresh Chuck, Bagir, Bhonstro, Two3, Euphonic, Decline, Elaquent, Nefarious! and Danny Perez. You'd be forgiven for not being familiar with many, or any, of those names - but I happen to think that's a very encouraging thing indeed. It shows there are still a lot of talented people out there putting in the graft and trying to establish themselves in the game. So, next time you hear someone say that there's nothing new or decent happening in hip-hop, you can point them in the direction of this post.



Considering that pretty much every track on this release has a differing production credit, it is more like a mixtape or a showcase release - and that's pretty much how it is presented, by all accounts. It's like a taster, a little peak into the world of SLik d and to be honest, I like what I see. Stylistically his sound straddles a line between laid back hip-hop and neo-soul, but there's a refreshing innocence to the music. No pretensions or fronting, just generally pretty damn happy sounds. It's definitely something to lay back and chill to and I'll definitely be banging this out as we approach the lighter evenings and (hopefully) warmer days.

Events this week...

London is so insanely busy this week, and I thought I'd big up some of the events I'll be trying to make it to - I'm sure there's a lot more going on but I am a human.

Saturday 27th - Some Reindeer thing & Tomorroww w/ IG Culture...



I can't quite explain but tonight I'm going to Trinity Buoy Wharf for The Compass series to see an ambisonic narrative poem inspired by the Nord Route - when Sámi herders apparently migrate across arctic tundra with thousands of reindeer every year. All I heard was "audiences will be invited to sit or lie amidst a 12 speaker set-up upon reindeer pelts with lighting and visuals by Yeast Culture invoking the spirit of the arctic tundra, immersing them in a psycho-acoustic experience" - I'm in.

After that if my butt's not too frozen I hope to head down to Market Place for Tomorroww, run by the wonderful Eric Lau, Budgie and Juven where this month's special guests is one of my favourite DJs in the whole world - the legendary IG Culture.

Monday 1st - Polarbear Speaks a film...

Actually that's a big fat lie, it opens on Tuesday March 2nd until the 25th but I can't tell anyone I'm not coming to their event and going to see "Return" instead. In case you don't see the point of Twitter by the way - follow Polarbear, he often makes my day.

Tuesday 2nd - Poejazzi at the Roundhouse

Champions of their field, (well champions of everyone in their field and soon to be champions in their own right), Poejazzi take over the Roundhouse as part of their world domination of 2010 - Year of The Poet.

Wednesday 3rd - Deviation at the C.A.M.P.

Benji B and the crew (big up Zainab for her wonderful piece in the RBMA "Daily Note" on Saving Plastic People), will be trying out the basement of new-ish Shoreditch venue the C.A.M.P. with Skream doing a disco set and the RBMA allstars - oh yes, news on some PMOI events that should be going on there too soon, touch wood!

Thursday 4th - Little Dragon & Jono McCleery + OG Cultures + Statik Selektah & Saigon 

Yes, I will be splitting in to three different people on Thursday, and heading to The Garage for Little Dragon & Jono McCleery (if God could sing...),  Original Cultures at Corbet Place, and Doctors Orders presenting Statik Selektah & Saigon at Madame JoJos. OK I'll probably only end up at Doctors Orders - mainly because I'm so happy DJ Spin Doctor is supporting new hip hop talent in London!

Friday 5th - Taste of Sonar at the Roundhouse. 

It's sold out so I won't gloat but supposedly MF Doom will be there, alongside Matthew Herbert, Roska & Ryoichi Kurokawa...

Saturday 6th - Jonzi D's The Surgery 

I will be making my own migration south, to The Albany in Deptford, because Jonzi's Surgeries in hip hop theatre are always brilliant and for this one he has some of South Africa's best emcees over as special guests - Gini Grindith, Hymphatic Thabs and Krook’d the Warmonger!


...and on Sunday, I will probably die of exhaustion.

Krystle Warren at Soho Theatre, London

People kept asking me 'Have you heard Krystle Warren?'...i went to see her solo acoustic show last night at Soho Theatre and spent the evening with the same beatific look on my face as my friends did when talking about her. She generally seems to have this effect on people. She even managed to make a London crowd sing!... jazz licks sehn!..thats power. I want to review the show but I just drift into superlatives like 'amazing' and 'incredible'... both of which nearly describe that voice. A depth and breadth of feeling and humility that recalls a strange and lovely cocktail of artists like Tracy Chapman, Bob Dylan, Louis Armstrong, Cassandra Wilson and Jeff Buckley.

Catch her live in London til the 27th February.

So heres a slice of whats fine from her latest album Circles out on Because Music, yum yum yum!

José James "Code" MP3 + Blackmagic (belated review)

I've been meaning to write something about Blackmagic for a while, but needed to keep it on rotation for a while. Code came out as a free promo download today but for once I would say don't bother, just buy the album.
  JOSE JAMES - CODE  by  Brownswood

José James seems to exist in a different world... It sounds a bit like this world but without war and farts and being skint, because it's too full of love and beauty and the kind of sex 14 year old girls think they'll have one day. I'm not cynical, but just before I press play (and it is definitely a press play & leave it on album) I have to take a deep breath and leap in with both feet.

That might sound like the prelude to a slagging off but it's not - Blackmagic is akin to heaven once you're in, just don't play it straight after a nasty break up. I don't write objective reviews because it's such a personal blog, (if you're male look away now), and I have to say Mr James is at his best when he moves from romantic and slyly suggestive to put it on repeat and make some babies "in the darkness...". Made for Love and Blackmagic will make you name your first born José, even if you're Nigerian.

It's quite hard to pick stand out tracks when it's such a gorgeously crafted album start to finish, but Love Conversation, a duet with Jordana De Lovely, is a real heart (and review) stopper. Don't try to operate any machinery or do anything sensible whilst it's playing, it doesn't work I tried. On a completely different tip I wasn't expecting Warrior, which I thought couldn't get any more intense until I heard the Sbtrkt remix- I need to hear this at Plastic People, on that soundsystem.
  Jose James - WARRIOR (Sbtrkt Remix)  by  Brownswood

I don't often say this, but I would highly recommend this to anyone I know, and I think you should buy it if you haven't yet - I'll certainly be playing it for years to come. (iTunes US/ UK)

You can catch him live in the UK from 18th - 22nd March

BUG - Cosmic Lab / 20 Winks on Jus Like Music Records

Better late than never! I intended to post this yesterday but time slipped away. Jus Like Music is one of my favourite blogs, and though I don't think very many could truly make the leap and put out music as a label - if anyone can it's them. This is their very first release, a free promo in order to build some support which they undoubtedly have a lot of already. I was actually feeling "Cosmic Lab" by Bug when he sent over an earlier unmastered version, it even featured on We Love Vol 2. A young London based producer, this is one for the beat heads - enjoy.

For more info check out www.juslikemusicrecords.com