Because Of You... I tried Shazam!
2012-06-29 by The Double KMichelle Amador – Because Of You (Yoruba Soul Mix)
This is a track that has cropped up for me a couple of times recently – I first heard it about 3 weeks ago on the radio (probably on Flex FM I think) and then again yesterday when I was pointed to an old Rahaan Mix.
Both times it completely grabbed my attention, it’s got a really sleazy, hypnotic groove and this amazing vocal, reminiscent of Nicolette’s voice but with a quality all of it’s own.
So I tried Googling parts of the lyrics to find out what the record is – this works for most songs these days (well at least the ones I’ve wanted to find out about), but there’s not a single hit for this. Next I tried the good old-fashioned way of asking someone who might know – our own Kevvy K – but he didn’t. He did, however, suggest trying Shazam (just call 2580 from your mobile phone, pop pickers) which I’ve not done before. At 50p a go it seems pretty expensive to my innate frugality, but what the hell I gave it a whirl and second time lucky it came up with the goods (it failed the first time but told me to turn it up very loud and try again!).
Turns out it’s from way back in 2007 so sorry if it’s old news to you, it still sounds completely fresh to me, I’ve had it on four times this morning already!
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Alboy's Best of 2011: #1
2012-05-09 by The Mighty AlboyBlawan – “Getting Me Down”
###THE GRAND FINALE!!!###
This track is easily the stand-out floor-killer from 2011. I first heard it on Blawan’s mix on FACT magazine- which is a superb and often absurdly deep acid/house workout, linked below- and when this track drops at 26’55” it completely blows up!
Love everything about this track- the grinding muted bass growl, the plucky percussion, and the completely mutated mashing of the original Brandy vocal- even that it was only available as a limited pressing single sided 12” (and I’ve got one!)
Like any self-respecting Yorkshireman Blawan is no one trick pony and isnt tied down to any one style- his releases on Hessle Audio and good old R&S records mark Jamie Roberts out as a man to watch (or listen to, anyway).
Awesome stuff, and no other tune came close to topping it in 2011.
and just for jolly, here’s the original track:
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Alboy's Best of 2011: #2
2012-05-08 by The Mighty AlboydBridge – “Inner Disbelief”
I know the suspense must be killing our listeners (both of them), so time I brought this pitifully late list of ten tunes that only have anything to do with 2011 because of my own out of whack listening habits, to a close.
At number 2, a sublime piece of drum n bass from prolific and multi-talented producer- and exit records officianado Darren White aka dBridge. A long time producer, dBridge was one of the three original members of Bad Company back in the mid/late nineties, and before that, part of the production crew on Lennie De Ice’s we are ie. So he goes waaaay back.
This track- which was released on Exit Records in Dec 2009- features dBridge on all aspects of the track- including lyrics and vocals. It’s built for the floor, but it’s got a broad streak of the blues running through it. As you’d expect from a track called inner disbelief. As Mr White says:
“The thing about my lyrics is that they do generally start off quite bleak, but I try to resolve them in some ways. As much as I do write about how much of a prick I am, I do want things to be better; there is hope.”
Not a lot of people know…
Darren’s brother is Steve White aka Steve Spacek, of Spacek Sound System fame.
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Alboy's Best of 2011: #3
2012-04-12 by The Mighty AlboyGhost Poet – “Survive it”
Just a beautiful track this, from South London (Tooting Bec!) lad Obaro Ejimiwe, aka Ghost Poet.
If you havent got his LP peanut butter blues and melancholy jam, then you’re missing out- like Ghost Poet missed out on the Mercury Prize in 2011. Shoulda been his…
Cool video too:
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Alboy's Best of 2011: #4
2012-04-12 by The Mighty AlboyScottie B – “I’m Ill”
This is from 2008, but Scottie B is from waaaay back. This track is a BMore version on Lil Wayne’s a milli, from Scottie’s Mr International EP and it’s proper lairy.
There’s a great interview on auralstates about how they started out coming up with the BMore club sound, and how they were influenced by the UK hip house and rave scene in the early 90’s. They both worked in record stores in Baltimore and would get UK stuff on import:
SB- Anyway the records from the UK were coming. They were hip house, and we were playing the instrumentals. Eventually we started making records just like the instrumentals. Those were the tablets for what we ended up doing. We mostly used different samples, but they used the Lynn Collins too. They relied on sampling notes from famous records, and we sampled words from hip-hop records. Instead of making the track a minute long and then crazy, which is what they started doing, we made the whole three or four minutes work for what we needed.
SC- It’s exactly the same way hip hop started, when you take into consideration we were playing the breaks of these imported records. It was only hot for about 20 seconds, but that drum pattern in that particular break is what started the whole thing. It was all about the drums. These UK records would start with drums, and that would be hot to us. Then is would get into the rave part, which was the shit that didn’t work for us. All those hoover synths.
SB- In fact, we used to take Hoovers and Spray Cans and only play the drums in the beginning.
So that’s the beats sorted…
As for the rhymes, apart from the big bass thump, Miami Bass influenced downbeat thing, I don’t really get the whole dirty south thing. But then I found out about Sizzurp (or “that Purple Drank”) and it kind of made a bit more sense:
Sizzurp original formula:
Promethazine w/Codeine syrup
Any fruit flavored soda
A jolly rancher
Put it all in a styrofoam cup and enjoy
Reckon that would you drawl and want to listen to some slowed-down bass-heavy shit!
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Alboy's Best of 2011: #5
2012-04-10 by The Mighty AlboyActive Minds – Hobsons Choice (Boys Mix)
This one definitely not from 2011- but thanks to the present day interest in bass music, UK Garage has enjoyed a bit of a revival of late.
I was reminded of this belter from 1998 (holy moly- that’s 14 years ago!) by 4tet’s very fine Fabric mix, where it features and stands proud among present day output.
Recorded by west London boy (quite liderally- he was a mere 17 at the time) Jess Jackson and put out on a limited edition 500 copy white label. Proper bit of 2-step/reese bass toughness.
He’s now in Los Angeles and looks to be working with Peter Andre. How the world turns…
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Alboy's Best of 2011: #6
2012-03-27 by The Mighty AlboyAddison Groove – footcrab
Ok- so back to 2010 (even late 2009) for this release, but being as I dont get out too often these days, it didnt reach me until 2011.
Tony Williams- aka Headhunter and Addison Groove- making a massive contribution to the “post-dubstep” ouevre by taking on the influence of Chicago Juke to create this massive snapping killer tune about crabs that like to nip your toes, and make you dance like this:
Beautiful 808 drums, chic samples and layering make this tune simultaneously a deep, soulful groove and a hyped, pounding, jump-up hype anthem.
My second slab of vinyl of the year…
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Alboy's Best of 2011: #7
2012-03-26 by The Mighty AlboyJoy O- “Sicko Cell”
Aha! finally a tune actually released in 2011!
And this was the first track that made me go out to a record shop, seek out and buy an actual freshly minted slab of vinyl. A very nice slab of 180g vinyl it is too.
Awesome tune from Ray Keith’s nephew David O’Grady- formerly and amusingly known as Joy Orbison, now simply Joy O.
Following in the tradition of a long line of tunes about over-indulgence, for which I have always had a soft spot.
Other greats include:
4Hero’s Mr Kirk’s Nightmare
Adonis Too far gone
Any others????
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Alboy's Best of 2011: #8
2012-03-22 by The Mighty AlboyRamadanman- “work them”
So these are the best tunes that I didnt post in 2011. I think pretty much everyone else posted this one (probably in 2010 when it came out), but just for completeness and in case you missed it- a nice bit of “post dub step” goodness from Ramadanman (excellent name!) aka Pearson Sound aka David Kennedy.
Having been for me- as well as every other 30yo+ was-there-back-in-the-day-and-everything-was-better-then commentator- generally (with a few exceptions) dubstep is an undeniably deep, but otherwise poe-faced and joyless genre. 2011 was the year that dubstep- or post dubstep or whatever- thanks to labels like Swamp 81 and Hessle Audio started to become fun, and even fun-ky.
I’ll bang up a couple of others that fall in this category.
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Alboy's Best of 2011: #9
2012-03-21 by The Mighty AlboyLCD Soundsystem- “I Can Change” (London Session)
Thought this was from 2011, but dammit, it was released in Nov 2010.
This is just a great tune- James Murphy’s lyrics are splendid, and musically it’s highly reminiscent of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (who are still going, can you believe?). This from the London Sessions recordings, which are particularly fine- found it hard to choose between this and all my friends.
2011 was a poignant year for LCD Soundsystem. Frontman James Murphy had turned 40, and he had previously said “I’ll just do this until I’m 40, and then I’ll do something else” which he duly did- so 2011 saw LCD play their last gig- at Madison Square Garden NYC. The place was packed out, and a friend of mine told me he left at the end of the set to beat the rush. This was after the first hour or so- only to find out on the way home that the show had gone on for another two hours. Strictly no re-admissions, unfortunately…
Here’s a live performance of this tune on Jools HollandDownload MP3 (0:00min / 0MB)
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