MOG - jeej's Posts

People Under The Stairs - The Wiz

jeej — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:38:38 GMT

J.A.M - Jazzy Joint feat. Jose James

jeej — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 05:52:24 GMT

The Natural Yogurt Band - Away With Melancholy

jeej — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:44:29 GMT

Review originally posted (with sample track) at >>jus' like music.

Unless you know The Natural Yogurt Band personally, then the chances are the only info you will be able to find about them is via a Jazzman Records press release for their debut LP Away With Melancholy. And to quote that press release;

"The cd they sent was accompanied by no credentials. There was no promo sheet name-dropping the famous DJs who are playing their music, no pretentious CV stating who plays what and who used to play with whoever; no info, no blurb and no gumph. In other words they just sent me a plain cd, which was refreshing, because at the end of the day all that matters is whether it’s any good or not, right?"

Yes, that is all that matters. Just makes my job a bit harder (or easier, depending on which way you care to look at it). Out now, through the aforementioned Jazzman Records, Away With Melancholy is not only available on CD, but 2×10″ vinyl - that’s not something you see every day, but if it was meant to be a subtle hint towards how special this LP is… it worked a treat cos I snapped it up as soon as I saw it. Plus if Gerald and pals at Jazzman get excited about something, then it’s usually worth checking out!

Tracklisting…

01. Chapter One
02. Chit Chat
03. Better Days To Come
04. Thoughts
05. Voodoo
06. Pipe Dreams
07. Latin Illusion
08. The Woods
09. A Broken Rose
10. Space Echo
11. Soft Cheese
12. Lament For Piano

The Natural Yogurt Band is made up of ex-Little Barrie drummer Wayne Fullwood and producer/musician Miles Newbold. What they have created here holds blends of both jazz and funk, but don’t be confused, this isn’t jazz-funk - this is a surreal mixture of the elements, combined to create something altogether… different. Cinematic in parts, damn right funky in others, but mellow and modal as well. You’ll struggle not to appreciate the delicate intricacies and tight instrumentation within Away With Melancholy.

Wayne Fullwood described the album as "a pastiche of different moods" and with that he was spot on. Some of my favourite jazz LPs mesmerise and enthrall me, and besides the obvious quality of the records, it’s always because of the moods and stories that the records tell. The journeys they take you on. I was ecstatic and delighted to stumble upon a modern creation that could give me such an experience on par with the old diamonds in my collection. This is a true wonder and will captivate the ears of both funk and jazz connoisseurs from far and wide.

With rumours of Stones Throw chomping at the bit for the rights to an American release, I’ve no doubt that you’ll be hearing much more from The Natural Yogurt Band very soon. Grab that double 10″ whilst you still can!

Review originally posted (with sample track) at >>jus' like music.

Natural Self - The Art Of Vibration

jeej — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:19:49 GMT

Natural Self is without a doubt one of my favourite producers. His ability to shape and manipulate the bass elements throughout his creations is unique, he is the percussive demon. A prolific DJ and fine purveyor of genres from hip-hop through to funk, Natural Self is the unsung hero of the independent British music scene. With previous releases on both Breakin’ Bread and Tru Thoughts, Natural Self is back with his second full LP on Tru Thoughts. It’s called The Art Of Vibration, it literally just dropped and is available now!

The Art Of Vibration is a 13 track monster of a record. It kicks off with a stomping Introduction, firm beats with mean brass stabs, then it is straight into Welcome To Ascension, a dramatic hip-hop track laden with multiple layers of strings. Here we find trademark Natural Self arrangements - exquisitely placed sounds, spliced and presented with finesse and grace. The sound throughout this LP is unique in comparison to the alternative material you might currently find on the shelves. There are beautiful orchestral elements to this music that take it above and beyond what you may ordinarily expect from a funk breaks or hip-hop LP - both strings and brass used perfectly to create such tight and wonderful creations.

This isn’t purely instrumental though. Andreya Triana, who you may recognise from the Flying Lotus track Tea Leaf Dancers, appears on the fantastic track The Rising (out now on 12″) - plus Canadian emcee Abdominal features on the track Breathe Deep, lending an ever impressive and (literally) breathtaking cypher. Oh and don’t forget that Natural Self (real name Nathaniel Pearn) himself lends vocals to a few tracks on the album - a man of many talents indeed!

Essentially, The Art Of Vibration is an eclectic blend of hip-hop beats, funk stylings and latin rhythms. What makes this LP standout from the crowd, besides the obvious production qualities, is it’s execution - easy enough to spot the influences, but composed to such a high grade that it feels as one. Plus as I mentioned previously, no-one seems to craft bass in their beats quite like Natural Self. Obviously subjective, but from my point of view there is not much better than well crafted, organic beats - and Natural Self is the organic-bass-break master.

The Art Of Vibration is one of 2008’s winners and I hope it receives the attention and accolades that it duly deserves.

Upcoming Live Dates:

Jul 25 2008 - 10:00A - CARGO, London
Aug 1 2008 - 8:00P - Armenistis, Armenistis
Aug 23 2008 - 10:00P - CULT CLUB, Moscow
Sep 6 2008 - 8:00P - BIG CHILL BAR, London
Sep 11 2008 - 10:00A - SALA APOLO, Barcelona
Oct 4 2008 - 10:00A - JELLY JAZZ, Bristol

Review originally posted (with sample track) at >>jus' like music.

Podcast: JLM25

jeej — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:35:38 GMT

Out now...

- Jus' Like Music Volume 25 -

Here's the tracklisting...

1. Skibadee - Tika Toc
2. Prince Fatty - Milk and Honey
3. The Herbaliser - Can’t Help This Feeling
4. Natural Self - The Rising
5. Flying Lotus - Parisian Goldfish
6. Sir Smurf Lil - Candlelight
7. Giant Panda - Get Ready To Fly
8. John Legend - Green Light
9. Quitzow - Better Than Ever
10. Ratatat - Mirando
11. East of Underground - Smiling Faces Sometimes
12. Clutchy Hopkins - Love Of A Woman
13. Lizzy Parks - Prayer
14. Quiet Village - Victoria’s Secret
15. Ella Fitzgerald - I Get A Kick Out Of You (Cinematic Orchestra Remix)

This is the feed URL to subscribe to: http://feeds.feedburner.com/juslikepodcast

The Herbaliser - Same As It Never Was

jeej — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:14:52 GMT

Same As It Never Was is The Herbaliser’s sixth LP and it’s out now on !K7.

As I mentioned the other week, this is somewhat new territory for The Herbaliser. Incorporating extra members on a more permanent basis with a focus on finding a more organic sound than before. I’m sure, like me, you’ve seen The Herbaliser travel through the various elements of hip-hop, turntablism and electronica, and although these stylings can be heard throughout Same As It Never Was, there has been a definite shift… as promised really.

What we have here is an LP spanning twelve tracks of pure dynamite. Don’t be alarmed, at times it will sound very different to what you’ve come to expect from the guys, but that is exactly the point: Same As It Never Was.

01. Same As It Never Was
02. On Your Knees (feat Jessica Darling)
03. Just Won’t Stop (feat Yungun Aka Essa)
04. The Next Spot
05. Can’t Help This Feeling (feat Jessica Darling)
06. Amores Bongo
07. Street Karma (A Cautionary Tale) (feat Jean Grae)
08. You’re Not all That (feat Jessica Darling)
09. Blackwater Drive
10. Game Set &Match (feat More or Les)
11. Clap Your Hands (feat Jessica Darling)
12. Stranded on Earth (feat Jessica Darling)

The horn driven intro track of the same name, Same As It Never Was, contains elements of turntablism and features emcee samples. It’s a perfect appetizer for what lies ahead. Live instrumentation coupled with exquisite vocals, whilst keeping the hip-hop foundations that were shaped and formed over many years.

Vocalist Jessica Darling features throughout and lends her strong, yet gritty, skills to no fewer than five tracks on the album. Jessica is the perfect compliment to this new found sound - a sort of musing between big beats and funk in a typically Herbaliser fashion. I think it is important for artists to branch out and grow, discovering new avenues and sounds, but it is also key to ensure that your newer creations keep elements of what has served so well in the past. For me The Herbaliser have done just that. This is totally different to Take London, or pretty much any of the previous albums, but you can still hear that it’s The Herbaliser, not mistaking that.

Same As It Never Was doesn’t abandon pure hip-hop by any means. Just Won’t Stop features UK hip-hop emcee Yungun. A bouncing track featuring a cultural narrative from the aforementioned lyricist. Also, long time collaborator and female emcee extraordinaire, Jean Grae is back once more on the track Street Karma (A Cautionary Tale) - the guys did well to get her on board considering all the rumours circulating about Jean’s supposed retirement. Anyway she delivers as strong as ever on this track. Another emcee on Same As It Never Was is the American rapper More Or Les. He commented on Jus’ Like Music when I initially mentioned the imminent release of this album and man does he have skills!

There are some killer tracks on this album, like Can’t Help This Feeling - an absolute banger of a funk-hop track featuring Jessica Darling. You’ll recognise the lyrics for sure - but once that chorus kicks in… wow… gives me goose bumps. Stranded On Earth is also an amazing track - absolutely beautiful and serves as an outro to the album, yet again laced by the wonderful talents of Jessica Darling, it lies somewhere between The Cinematic Orchestra and Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra - just magic.

The album seems to evenly space the tracks by their specific styles. So that the vocal funk tracks are separated by instrumental and hip-hop tracks - This works well as there is a consistent, unique, element throughout. Would be easy to miss the target with such a tactic, but with strong material and tight production, I doubt there was ever a concern that this wouldn’t work.

For some, Same As It Never Was, may not immediately hit the target, especially if you have preconceptions of a typical Herbaliser album. However I do genuinely believe that the tide is changing and people are, generally, more accepting and willing to keep an open mind when hearing new music today. The ‘growers’ often turn out to be the best LPs in the long run anyway. I shudder to think what my life may have been like if I’d only listened to certain albums just the once and then abandoned them. Personally, I have quite eclectic tastes anyway, and although I was slightly surprised by the change in direction for The Herbaliser, it was a very pleasant surprise. With an open mind anything is possible. Great work guys.

Review originally posted (with sample track) at >>jus' like music.

Jose James - Park Bench People

jeej — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:54:41 GMT

Black Grass - Three

jeej — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 10:08:25 GMT

That’s right people, it is the return of Black Grass! Mex is back with his third album on Catskills, funnily enough titled… Three.

Out now on Catskills, Three is a tight and eclectic blend of sounds, ranging through broken beat to hip-hop to funk to latin and back again. The album features guests such as; J-Live, Dionne Charles (from Baby Charles) and Koaste. You’ll no doubt be delighted to know that Three is an early candidate as one of the albums of 2008 - what we have here is a collection of 13 tracks spanning multiple genres and styles, whilst maintaining a consistent vibe with a typical Black Grass feel. The hip-hop stylings are present and combine seamlessly with the apparent influences that make Black Grass the class act we’ve all come to expect.

The track Bass Man is the lead single from Three. The ragga beat and soulful groove will get those dancing feet moving for sure. Bass Man features vocals from Benjammin’ and I’m certain you’ll be hearing this across dance floors all summer long. It is out now on 12″, CDS and Digital Download - the b-side features the track Set It Straight feat. J-Live. Grab it now from the Catskills eShop.

Back to Three, here’s the tracklisting:

1. Alright 2. Without Your Love (feat. Dionne Charles) 3. Set It Straight (feat. J-Live) 4. Bass Man (feat. Benjammin’) 5. Splash The Cash (feat. Koaste) 6. Makin’ Emcees Run (feat. Aaron Phiri) 7. How Much Can You Take? (feat. Dionne Charles) 8. Quetzalcoatl Returns (feat. A Key and Cissy) 9. Hold Fire (feat. Dionne Charles) 10. This & That (feat. The Good People) 11. Bless (feat. Ruben Da Silva) 12. Stormy Weathers (feat. Jah Marnyah) 13. Away (feat. Rider Shafique)

Alright is a laid back summery hip-hop track that in a way reminded me of some classic Grand Central material, ala Aim, Rae & Christian or Fingathing. Then it’s straight into Without Your Love, a latin laden disco style breaks track. But then comes Dionne Charles’ rich vocals and they really take the track to the next level - the combination of Dionne’s soulful solace and the funky groove of Mex’s beats simultaneously remind me of a classic sound, whilst delivering a fresh aural experience. It’s tight.

J-Live features on the track Set It Straight, a hip-hop track with a very catchy guitar riff. Steadily flowing under said riff is a strong, yet steady, bassline, oh and of course a thumping beat. And J-Live? Need you ask? Sharp lyrics with a smooth flow, J-Live is on top of his game on this one.

Bass Man is the previously mentioned lead single from Three. Encompassing dub and ska elements, Mex enlisted the vocal skills of Benjammin’, and he provides a ridiculously soulful cypher. This is an uplifting and energetic tune that will storm dancefloors like armed police on a drug raid. Make sure you cop that 12!

My good man Koaste lends his talent on Splash The Cash. Koaste lays down some of the sharpest and most witty lines you’re likely to hear come out of the UK this year. Catch him touring with the Black Grass live show. Next up is Makin’ Emcees Run featuring Aaron Phiri, another talented emcee. This is one catchy uptempo hip-hop track, another one for the dancefloor surely.

Dionne Charles returns on How Much Can You Take? Currently one of my favourite tracks from the album. I’m a sucker for funk and I’m a huge Baby Charles fan anyway. Dionne’s voice is both raw and sweet and fits perfectly with the funky break Mex has created, this is a tight track with a strong focus on rhythm, organ and horns - perfect. Quetzalcoatl Returns is an hispanic sounding downtempo breaks track. It’s quite cinematic in its execution and displays essences of such contemporaries as Wax Tailor, Aim and perhaps even Quantic to an extent. It’s beautiful, with its exquisite strings and Saharan sounds - multiple influences and inspirations spliced to create a strong instrumental composition.

Hold Fire sees Dionne Charles’ third and final appearance on Three. A soulful, steady funk track with a killer bassline. The combination of Dionne’s hook and the ultra catchy horn stabs makes for an addictive chorus in what is yet another laid back dancefloor filler for Black Grass. Straight after is This & That featuring The Good People, an American hip-hop outfit hitting just as hard as the other cypheric masters heard thus far. Keeping with the laid back jazzy breaks hip-hop style, it goes down as easy as a cold beverage on a hot summers’ day.

The tail end of Three begins with a melodic Balearic beauty in the form of Bless featuring Ruben Da Silva. With slight carnival tones and sugar sweet vocals, this is definitely one to chill to. But don’t get too comfortable, the penultimate track is the ragga tune Stormy Weathers featuring Jah Marnyah. Dutty reggae verses accompanied by a slick reggae chorus laid smack bang on top of a monster beat. The final track is Away, a dubbed out hip-hop track featuring Rider Shafique. This Rider Shafique dude lies somewhere between Roots Manuva and Jahmali - his delivery is both distinct and concise, smooth and sharp. The blend of guitar stabs and eerie organs over a steady beat give a perfect outro scenario of the chilled persuasion.

I mentioned at the start of this review that Three was an eclectic blend of sounds, but ultimately what is apparent, after giving Three a good listening to, is the stylistic consistency that it presents. It is one thing to attempt to appeal to a wide spectrum of listeners and to feature multiple guests, but another to stamp your creation with a unique watermark. Despite the efforts of those that came before Black Grass with the aim of reaching a larger audience, not many have actually hit the target with such accuracy. Three commands the listener blissfully through 51 minutes of laid back hip-hop’esque sounds with some of the tightest production you are likely to hear this year. A few listens of Three will turn your summer up to 11, because this one goes up to 11, it’s got 1 more.

Upcoming live dates:

Jun 5 2008 - Oxford Arts Factory - Sydney, New South Wales Jun 7 2008 - We Love Sounds Festival - Melbourne, Victoria Jun 8 2008 - We Love Sounds Festival - Sydney, New South Wales Jun 9 2008 - We Love Sounds Festival - Brisbane, Queensland Jul 4 2008 - Boarding Pass Festival - Greece Jul 10 2008 - Powder Rooms - Barcelona, Spain Aug 3 2008 - The Ivy - Glasgow, Scotland Aug 23 2008 - Beachdown Festival - Brighton, London and South East Aug 31 2008 - Jersey Live Music Festival - Jersey, Channel Islands

Review originally posted (with sample track) at >>jus' like music.

Roots Manuva - Buff Nuff

jeej — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:46:58 GMT

Jamie Lidell - Little Bit Of Feel Good

jeej — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:08:13 GMT

Dr. Octagon - Blue Flowers

jeej — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 22:03:45 GMT

Amy Winehouse

jeej — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 08:48:24 GMT

Daedelus - Fair Weather Friends

jeej — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 00:02:12 GMT

DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist - Hard Sell Intro

jeej — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:58:25 GMT

KRS-One - Step Into A World

jeej — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 09:25:18 GMT

Yila - Astronaut feat. Scroobius Pip

jeej — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 10:18:03 GMT

Sharkula!

jeej — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:26:02 GMT

Khoiba - That Reason

jeej — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 23:57:50 GMT

Four Tet - Smile Around The Face

jeej — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 23:45:13 GMT

Tony Rudd VS The Freelance Hairdresser - Machadaynu

jeej — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 12:37:29 GMT

Daedelus Live

jeej — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 08:15:33 GMT

Flying Lotus Live

jeej — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 23:36:44 GMT

Darondo - Didn't I

jeej — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 05:45:38 GMT

Kutiman - Music Is Ruling My World

jeej — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 23:00:28 GMT

The Best of 2007

jeej — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 07:48:24 GMT

I'm not really one for writing lists on here, so I'll just post the link to my blog entry detailing 84 of the best albums from last year: The Best of 2007.

Includes: Pepe Deluxé, Beastie Boys, CocoRosie, 4hero, Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra, Y Society, Nostalgia 77 Octet, Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, Me&You, The Sweet Vandals, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Ohmega Watts, Speeka, The Cinematic Orchestra, The Quantic Soul Orchestra, The Heliocentrics and loads more.

Xmas Podcast

jeej — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 00:16:16 GMT

My podcast host is being a bit of a shit, so I manually uploaded the podcast so as to not see it go to waste!

You can download it here

This is the tracklisting...

1. The Quad City Djs, 69 Boyz & K-Nock - What I Want For Christmas 2. Cage - Hells Winter 3. Foreign Beggars - On a Winters Day Ft Ravi Shakti 4. Hard Call Xmas - My Christmas Bells 5. Binky Griptite & The Dee-Kays - World Of Love 6. The Heliocentrics - Winter Song 7. Shawn Lees Ping Pong Orchestra - O Come All Ye Faithful 8. Badly Drawn Boy - Donna and Blitzen 9. Binky Griptite & The Dee-Kays - Stone Soul Christmas 10. Jay Bharadia - Snowy Day 11. The Soul Saints Orchestra - Santas Got A Bag Of Soul 12. The Motifs - Winter 13. Backini - Snow 14. Mike Ladd - Nancy And Carl Go Christmas Shopping 15. Emiliana Torrini - Snow 16. Lootpack - New Years Resolution 17. Badly Drawn Boy - I Love N.Y.E.

>>just like music

Old Skool Hip-Hop Allstars on Arsenio Hall

jeej — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 02:15:40 GMT

M.I.A. - Paper Planes

jeej — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:12:24 GMT

The Funk

jeej — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 07:51:16 GMT

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights

jeej — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 20:45:42 GMT

The Quantic Soul Orchestra - Tropidelico

jeej — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 11:08:38 GMT

Coming at you in full effect, The Quantic Soul Orchestra are back with a vengence… and a third album: Tropidelico. Duo for official drop 22nd October on Tru Thoughts, this one will knock your socks off with its latin rhythms and funky vibes.

Will Holland (the mighty Quantic) has been killing it live style with the QSO for a few years now, and as well as the aforementioned QSO album releases, there have been some sevens and also last year’s Spanky Wilson album, that was pure dynamite by the way. Now we are on the cusp of a third full QSO release and no doubt you want to know just what is in store. Perhaps I can help.

Tropidelico is both 12 tracks and fourty-eight minutes strong. There is a distinct latin sound throughout the album and that is immediately evident with the opening, self-titled, track Tropidelico. You’ll have to get your cha-cha on to this feverish starter. I love the paired extremes in this track - the subtleties and complexities. In ways it is understated with the lowkey approach, but the layers are exquisite, they entice and trap. For all its subtleties, it is at times a tad dramatic - in a good way, mind - even those less accustomed to such blatant latin sounds should appreciate the pure energy.

The second track is Panama City and this falls into slightly more familiar funk territory. The brass is strong, and the funky guitar stabs are hypnotic. An early theme to spot in this album, aside from the latin sounds, is the energy it exhumes. It’s addictive stuff indeed and Panama City will have you reaching for your dancing shoes! That said, you’d just as equally be comfortable listening to this in a more chilled state of mind or other relaxed surroundings.

She Said What? features J-Live, the established and incredible hip-hop emcee. He flows nicely over the mixture of latin keys, cowbells, bass and drums. A definite head-nodder, and more evidence that the mood of this release is set not to change.

Track number four is Melodious Wayfarer and it has some cool attitude going on. I’m particularly feeling the drum arrangement on this funk/latin effort. I can just imagine this one kicking arse live. It almost seems audacious in a way that the stylings of funk and latin could be blended in such a way, but then on the other hand… it sounds so damn natural. The rhythms, the brass, that damn energy again. Even if you wanted to hate this I doubt you actually could. I mean what’s not to like! Then it’s into Regi Bugalu, a slightly calmer, but moodier, deep affair. This is rich and smooth as silk. An album like this could turn anyone into a fan of latin music.

A short, but soulful Interlude takes us into Lead Us To The End (featured on #21 of the JLM Podcast). The sweet sound of Noelle Scaggs accompanies this funky ditty. Currently one of my favourite tracks on the album, although it is a bit like choosing a favourite child! The guitar riff gently dances around the infectious rhythm to the sweet swoon of Noelle’s on-point vocals. Simply blissful. San Sebastian Strut takes us deep into the Columbian quarter - an instrumental piece intent on possessing your hips against your own will. The instrumentation is flawless with its amalgamation of sounds - varying from piano to maracas to brass to congas to bass, it goes onwards and upwards.

Track nine of the scheduled twelve is Marrakech. I own a few tracks by that name, but none quite hit the spot like this one. Intentionally raw sounding, this could have come from Lalo Schifrin himself - had a Bruce Lee movie been filmed in South America of course. Who Knows will be recognisable to either jazz affeciandos, RJD2 fans or perhaps both. The bluesy vocal provided by Kabir is as strong as the music it follows. This has a real loungey feel to it, the brass over bass gives it such a powerful backbone.

Father may also leave you thinking “where do I recognise that from?”. The glockenspiel rides over guitar stabs and steady percussion to provide a gentle but energetic aural experience. I love the mood, sombre yet uplifting. It’s soulful and steady. The last track is totally latin: Los Olvidados closes the album in much the way it was started.

Tropidelico is a very strong album. There is no escaping the latin components, they make for 90% of the guts of this album, but alas no-one is trying to hide this fact. Sure if you don’t ordinarily dig such obvious latin tones, yeah you may not feel this, but as I said earlier: I feel that this album would have a greater chance of turning the most casual listeners into latin fans. I stand by a theory that says regardless of genre, with the right people behind the music, success will be met. Forgive me for the negative stance to this conclusion, as I do regret it, but I wanted to ensure that any skeptics would listen to this album and surely make an educated judgement. No doubt most will love this album as much as I do.

Review originally posted (with sample track) at >>just like music.

DJ Woody - Flutine

jeej — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:49:09 GMT

Just Like Music Podcast Special...

jeej — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 08:58:26 GMT

No.21 is a special hour long episode. I just had so much to share!

This is the track listing...

1. Speedometer - Are You My Woman? 2. The Quantic Soul Orchestra - Lead Us To The End 3. Hot 8 Brass Band - We Are One 4. 2tall - Newniss (feat. Dudley Perkins) 5. The Heliocentrics - Age Of The Sun 6. Quasimoto - Hydrant Game (Instrumental) 7. Daedelus - Experience 8. Madvillain - Accordion 9. DJ Day - Closer (feat. Aloe Blacc) 10. Dabrye - My Life 11. Wagon Christ - Shadows 12. Jay Bharadia - Mother Culture 13. Husky Rescue - Hurricane (Don't Come Knocking) 14. Dntel - Rock My Boat (feat. Mia Doi Todd) 15. Little Dragon - Twice

The feed URL for the podcast is http://www.switchpod.com/users/justlikemusic/feed.xml - so whack it in your iTunes or whatever and get downloading!

Patrick Watson - The Great Escape

jeej — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 20:44:44 GMT

Squarepusher - My Red Hot Car (Girl)

jeej — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 11:57:55 GMT

Little Dragon - Twice

jeej — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 11:28:57 GMT

Wagon Christ - Shadows

jeej — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 07:29:43 GMT

2Tall - A Beautiful Mind (feat. Dudley Perkins & Georgia Anne Muldrow)

jeej — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 10:38:05 GMT

Dan Deacon - Ohio

jeej — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 12:41:16 GMT

Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators - If This Ain't Love

jeej — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 00:07:42 GMT

Just Like Music Podcast

jeej — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 23:22:52 GMT

Volume 17 of the Just Like Music Podcast is now available to download. It includes the following artists; The Avalanches, Kanye West, The RZA, Beastie Boys, Aim, Lotus Tribe, Otis Jackson Jr. Trio, Fingathing, Four Tet, Elbow, RJD2.

The feed URL for the podcast is: http://www.switchpod.com/users/justlikemusic/feed.xml

And the URL for the blog is: http://jeej.wordpress.com/

Thanks. :-)

Wu-Tang Clan - Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)

jeej — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 11:57:50 GMT

Hifana - Wamono

jeej — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 09:15:13 GMT

Pepe Deluxé - Spare Time Machine

jeej — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 12:07:49 GMT

With over half of 2007 already been and gone, now is the time that we start to get an idea of what the top albums of the year have been. Spare Time Machine, the new album by Pepe Deluxé, dropped just last week and it is definitely one of my fav albums of the year by far. I wanted to make that perfectly clear within the first paragraph of my review - we can all get a bit lazy when it comes to reading reviews, so if there is one thing I’d like people to skim-read here… it’s that Spare Time Machine is one fantastic album.

If you haven’t a clue who I’m talking about, then shame on you, but don’t worry, you are forgiven. Pepe Deluxé are a Finnish duo signed to the British label Catskills. The fellas have been messing with electronic downtempo sounds since the mid nineties, but with this new album they have taken a new direction. The new album sees a venture into the more psychedelic pop and rock sounds, and it works oh so well.

The Mischief Of Cloud 6 is the opening track and I actually purchased the 7″ vinyl of this one the other day. This is an upbeat track comprising of a highly addictive melody and very retro vocals. The blend of electronic instruments and more organic instruments gives a good result. One thing I really like about this track is the drums - nothing beats raw sounding drums, and these certainly have attitude to boot. Overall it just sounds extremely well produced, the culmination of the psychedelic slant on the proceedings along with some great guitar riffs helps to give that well rounded sound - essentially it is retro-pop, but there really is nothing bad at all to say about it.

Next up is Ms. Wilhelmina And Her Hat, and already at this early stage in the album it becomes pretty obvious that the theme to the album, as mentioned earlier, is that whole slant on psych-pop/rock. Not usually a genre I’d find myself immersed in ordinarily, but hey, if it’s good music… it’s good music! This track goes from eastern chant like vocals into a really heavy bassline, this will be the one to get your foot tapping. For the group Spare Time Machine was also their first time experimenting with original lyrics and they are definitely in keeping with the musical style.

Track three of ten is Go For Blue, one of the more ‘poppy’ tracks on the album, but it still maintains the level of depth held by its predecessors. I guess one theory would be that any genre or style can sound good if it is produced the right way, but not that many artists are actually brave enough (if brave is even the right term) to do it. Pepe Deluxé have shown their diversity and talent with this album - it all sounds so natural and complete. Heavy guitar and strong vocals marry with the melody to create another catchy tune.

I love the intro to Last Of The Great Explorers, slightly drawn out in an almost DJ Shadow style, then in comes the heavy guitar and gruff vocal - sublime. Albeit dipped in a certain level of retro, this sounds extremely fresh, perhaps this is just a good time to be reminded of certain sounds. I’m certain this will appeal to fans of all corners of rock, pop and dance music.

Pussy Cat Rock is the shortest full length track on the album and is straight up 60s high energy rock. It will get you dancing for sure, even as a sort of bridging track it contains enough to warrant repeat listens and interest. Seemingly a lot of effort was put into every facet of Spare Time Machine, nothing sounds rushed or incomplete.

The melodically sweet Apple Thief comes up next, a pairing of male and female vocals backed with guitars a plenty. Very downtempo and very uplifting. Fantastic use of rainfall bridges to the middle part of the song, a country sounding guitar ditty, it’s actually pretty beautiful. God knows what made the guys make music in this style, but I am so glad they did. Just like Joanna Newsom’s Ys caught everyone off-guard last year, this album has done the same but for 2007. The back end of Apple Thief gains a bit more energy, the chorus is addictive as hell and the drums are fantastic - great song.

Lucky The Blind is currently my fav song on the album, I say ‘currently’ because I am sure it will keep changing as the weeks pass, but that’s a great dilemma to have! This track is essentially split into two parts; Lucky The Blind and Vacuum Cleaning Monster. The first part is a catchy ditty that will keep you moving like you’ve got ants in your pants - brilliant instrumentation matched with shadowed male and female vocals, it’ll put a smile on your face. Then midway through, the track breaks down into ethereal electronic keys, then moody western’esque guitar and vocals, before the big crescendo - finally it pushes into the second half of the track, which sounds totally different but somehow fits like a glove. The drum break nearly pushed me over the edge. The chorus is cool too: “there’s another sideburn sucking blackhole… a vacuuming cleaning monster”.

The longest track on the album is Captain Carter’s Fathoms. You’d be forgiven for thinking the beginning sounded like one of the newer Prodigy tracks, it’s pretty full on. But very quickly that descends and a spine tingling guitar, pipe, and drum session builds into a steady but unstoppable machine. This is a tense and liberating piece of music, could be from a film score. It is very orchestral in a certain sense and definitely carries an air of theatre about it.

Forgotten Knights Prelude is a short prelude and pretty self explanatory. Sounds like it came straight from A Clockwork Orange! Right right brother! However, Forgotten Knights itself actually sounds more like a grittier version of a sort of crossover between Lenny Kravitz and Maroon 5. Hmmm, not entirely sure that sold the track very well. Anyway, trust that this is the least psychedelic track on the album, but it is still very good. A nice outro track indeed.

There are a few things to note about Spare Time Machine; I do genuinely believe it is accessible to just about anyone, but at the same time I don’t think everyone could just put it on and immediately appreciate it. It is a bit of a grower. Took me a few listens to truly start to digest it. This was the same with Joanna Newsom’s Ys, as mentioned previously, and that went on to be the best album of 2006. Definitely purchase this album and definitely give it the time it deserves. It is also one of those albums that is best listened to from start to finish, a bit like the new Beastie Boys album The Mix Up.

Review originally posted (with sample track) at >>just like music.

Pepe Deluxe - The Mischief Of Cloud 6

jeej — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:52:59 GMT

Beastie Boys - Intergalactic

jeej — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 14:36:51 GMT

Kid Acne - Worst Luck

jeej — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 23:08:52 GMT

Benny Sings - Let Me In

jeej — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 12:09:33 GMT

Fiona Apple - Not About Love

jeej — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 07:14:09 GMT

The Real Tuesday Weld - The Ugly & The Beautiful

jeej — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 05:42:08 GMT

Mr. Scruff - Get A Move On

jeej — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 09:09:17 GMT

Royksopp - Eple

jeej — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:20:52 GMT

UNKLE - Burn My Shadow

jeej — Fri, 25 May 2007 22:53:22 GMT

Lord Finesse - Return Of The Funky Man

jeej — Mon, 21 May 2007 10:53:54 GMT

Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid - Brain

jeej — Sun, 20 May 2007 08:42:40 GMT

Bonde Do Role - Office Boy

jeej — Sun, 20 May 2007 07:12:55 GMT

Massive Attack - Live With Me

jeej — Sat, 19 May 2007 02:11:29 GMT

Plastic Little - The Jump Off

jeej — Thu, 03 May 2007 10:31:33 GMT

Ghost - Seldom Seen Often Heard

jeej — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 11:18:53 GMT

Clark - Herr Barr

jeej — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 11:27:15 GMT

John Robinson - Invisible Man feat. 20/20

jeej — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 12:01:21 GMT

Elizabeth Shepherd Trio - Four

jeej — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 11:51:24 GMT

The Bamboos - Rawville

jeej — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 08:14:45 GMT

As promised, here’s a full review of the upcoming album from The Bamboos on Tru Thoughts: Rawville. The album will be available from all good retail stores on 7th May, just over a year after they released their debut album Step It Up. Rawville features twelve tracks that span a total of just over 48 minutes - each staying true to the Bamboos’ patented funk sound, but with a few twists this time round.

Things kick off with The Bamboos Theme, a four minute long, exhilarating entree to the proceedings. It’s high energy stuff, crammed with melody and fast paced beats. The culmination of different instrumentation, intertwined and fused within one-another, makes for quite an intro. Straight after comes the first guest appearance, Tru Thoughts queen-bee Alice Russell on Bring It Home. On this track we see the funk sounds of The Bamboos combine with the soulful tones of Alice Russell to create an extremely addictive and melodic track that wouldn’t be out of place somewhere in the back-catalogue of any famous old-time funk soul combination - alas with the unique, and very modern, grit of these highly talented individuals.

Last week I featured the first 7″ release from this album Get In The Scene feat. Ohmega Watts and that track is actually number three on Rawville. Like I said in that feature, this track is an upbeat affair, with a fantastic blend of funky guitar, brass and wood along with the smooth and dynamic flow of Ohmega Watts. The track has a very laid back air about it, but manages to maintain the upbeat groove, perfect summer time track really. The next track is one of the main reasons I purchased The Witch by The Broken Keys on 12″, it’s the Bamboos’ very own remix! Those that know the original track will know what to expect, but for those that don’t… The Witch is a heavy track with a killer bassline and The Bamboos have worked their magic with an all instrumental version with that distinctive Bamboos funk sound.

My Baby’s Cheating (I Sure Got The Feeling) feat. Fallon Williams sees the third use of a guest vocalist on the album thus far. Fallon lends his gravelly, yet deeply soulful, voice to a track that rides along the crest of a Hammond organ wave whilst carving it up around the sharp brass stabs. I can just tell that performed live this would really get a party started - I defy you to sit still whilst this one is playing! Now switching slightly further into the soul realm we have I Don’t Wanna Stop feat. Kylie Auldist - think roughly along the lines of the latest Amy Winehouse material, but perhaps in a more optimistic vein. This reeks of 60s soul, laced with brass and keys, chirpy melodies and genuinely authentic and silky vocals from Kylie Auldist. This will appeal to anyone from casual pop-picker right up to dedicated soul enthusiast - very accessible stuff indeed.

Still on the soul tip Head In The Clouds feat. Tyra Hammond sees the variation in sounds visit heavier beats and slightly darker melodies. This track in particular really expresses how The Bamboos are moving with their sound, the subtle blend of styles and sounds - in particular the heavy beat matched with the soulful vocal, where the track breaks down and builds again. Like the last track it is accessible to anyone, but if you are wanting to look deeper, there definitely are details there to be found. It’s these intricacies that fascinate me most, how upon first impressions things can seem simple enough, but if the right efforts are applied, then so much more can be discovered.

Happy is a track that has been previously released on 7″, it’s dark, it’s instrumental, and it’s bloody infectious! A steady funk beat starts, joined by a tentative bass and some cool keys, slowly building and teasing. It’s quite tense in an upbeat kind of way, then half way in boom the brass crashes the party… but it’s still building, it eventuates into an organ crescendo of blaxploitation proportions, then back into that steady chorus before a crazy percussion breakdown. Huge replayablity factor with this one and sure to get a funk crowd moving - class. Then we are graced with the second appearance of Ohmega Watts on Rockin’ It. Essentially it is Ohmega, a steady beat, groovy bass and some brass stabs - but melodically speaking this is fresh, like something Ugly Duckling might look to achieve if they played with a live funk band.

Pussy Footin’ was on the same 7″ as Happy and is another instrumental track oozing with class. Along similar lines as Happy, Pussy Footin’ is not as dark, but as equally focused on the progressive nature of building melodies. Stacked chock full of groove, armed with crazy keys, deep bass and an atmosphere that was resurrected from somewhere in the 70s. The penultimate track on the album is actually the title track: Rawville. It’s an instrumental track that beautifully marries the organ and the brass, with percussion and bass playing their parts as groomsmen and bridesmaids respectively. The enter a cameo from guitar and you’re left with what would appear to be the soundtrack to a million different funky situations. The final track is Tongan Steel, which funnily enough does have some pretty mean drumming going on. This is as groovy and catchy as can be expected, The Bamboos excel in this area, it’s no secret. Tongan Steel proves to be a good outro piece, with its consistent melody and tight instrumentation - just another example of what sharp talents these fellas are.

Rawville says a few different things to me, I’ll condense and conclude these thoughts thus; I’m satisfied, personally, that the guys are progressing their sound by furthering themselves with how they create their music. This is evident via the collaborations seen on this album and the sounds presented. The Bamboos have proved that they can indeed create funky tracks that are also soulful and match their skills wisely with vocalists, and also an emcee in the shape of Ohmega Watts. Albeit too easy to type cast a funk outfit and pressure them into experimenting, I feel that they’ve pushed the boundaries without losing touch with their roots. They’re as funky as ever and it was good to hear as many instrumental tracks as tracks featuring vocalists. This album will definitely help to attract new fans, but I’m sure will also please the already existing fanbase.

Review originally posted (with sample track) at >>just like music.

Groove Armada - Get Down

jeej — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 04:50:49 GMT

TTC - Telephone

jeej — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 09:46:23 GMT

Turbulence - Notorious

jeej — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 06:22:31 GMT

TM Juke - Skin

jeej — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 05:50:44 GMT

The Herbaliser - Something Wicked

jeej — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 05:42:17 GMT

Unklejam - Love Ya

jeej — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 14:24:51 GMT

Beatbox Recipe

jeej — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 02:49:55 GMT

4hero - Play With The Changes

jeej — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 21:15:02 GMT

Do you know 4hero by name? I’d bet you at least know them by sound. 4hero have been around since the early 90s and are seen by many as UK pioneers of the jungle and drum ‘n’ bass scene, fast forward to 1998 and the group obtained a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize for their album Two Pages. Jump forward again to 2001 and 4hero dropped the album Creating Patterns, it was this album that included what has now become a bit of a renowned calling-card for the group, the track Les Fleur.

4hero have always managed to create fresh and innovative music, incorporating a plethora of sounds from varying genres. Often delving into their jungle roots, whilst exploring lighter, more soulful jazzy sounds. But it isn’t their mere efforts that have earned them acclaim in the past, but their results. Many have tried to ‘mash’ genres and sounds, yet ended up with an aural nightmare, but 4hero always come up smelling of Les Fleur… or roses.

And so fast forward for me one more time, if you will, right up to February 2007, teetering on the edge of the brand new album release; Play With The Changes. In the past, 4hero have hit us with d’n'b sounds, electronica, jazz, cinematic pieces, the list goes on, and this time they are back and back with a bang. Added to the roster of sounds for Play With The Changes are soul and blues. That’s not to say it is a first for the guys, but more just to explain the extra emphasis of this new record. The album is 14 tracks long and due for release through their own Raw Canvas label on Monday (5th of Feb). Not that you need any more excuses to go out and buy it on monday, you should still read on and see just what I thought of Play With The Changes.

The first track is Morning Child feat. Carina Anderson. Within the first 2 seconds you know it is 4hero; dramatic strings and raw beats. Then Carina’s vocal comes in, frankly it’s angelic. The track gives me goose-bumps, don’t paint me soft, but I think it is beautiful. The breakdown strips the track to bass, piano, steady beats and Carina… “open your eyes to the morning wont you?” …then bam a big beat and back into those dramatic strings, partnered with strong brass - I just love the structure to this track. Take My Time features the ever-talented Jack Davey. A sort of neo-soul excursion, dripped in smooth, yet clean execution. In a sense it sounds to me as if what a Ty track would sound like if he was a lot more laid back soul than raw hip-hop - it’s a classy joint indeed.

The third track is Look Inside feat. FACE and it kicks it to us straight away with some jazzy d’n'b stylings. The strings are there, as is the fat bassline and kicking beats. FACE adds a beautiful component to an already groove-ridden track, it feels very complete. The beat, although comparable (or recognisable) to d’n'b is perhaps actually a lot closer to more uptempo lounge sounds, and it works a treat. Sink Or Swim feat. Lady Alma is up next, and it’s got real dirty bass and a 2-step kind of beat going on. Lady Alma is yet another silk-laden songstress to grace this album, she is as smooth as she is soulful.

Give In features the talents of Darien Brokington and Phonte. By this point one thing that really stands out about the album is simply the quality of production. The beats are solid, all the layers are in all the right places, and most importantly the tracks sound like complete compositions. Darien and Phonte mark the first extra male presence on the album, and man it’s all good. This track appears to be quite simple with its soulful melody and vocals, but if you listen carefully it is actually very intricate. Phonte’s rap is nicely placed and works well also. The title track is number six of 14, Play With The Changes. Larry Mizell and Tilita Long lend themselves to this subtle and funky creation. A beat balancing on the boundary between latin and jazz, with a song structure paying homage to sounds of old, whilst offering invigoration - but all the while the evidence points to something extremely soulful and melodic, one to nod your head to, upbeat and positively brimming with solace.

The halfway point in the album sees Something In The Way feat. Bembe Segue & Kaidi Tatham. This is a very upbeat track, once again incorporating that 2-step style beat pattern, but this time with a jazz-funk melody. I can see this appealing to both fans of lounge and also soulful jazz, I mean often those are the same thing, but often they can be totally different too. It just feels more like a ‘proper’ fusion of the two sounds have been used to create something that only 4hero could even dream to achieve. Once more it is all about the execution. FACE returns for Stoke Up The Fire, a real head nodder. The energy to this track is good, it feels hectic without becoming overwhelming. The balance has been found and exploited, I just couldn’t sit still. The use of electric guitar as a melody laced on top of catchy beats and a heavy bassline works very well with the soulful vocals.

Sophia is track nine and it brings us back into the realms of the cinematic arena. The beats are impressive, sound so raw and fresh, the strings add atmosphere for sure, and the keys pull it all together. Another beautiful piece. But sneakily there are elements of jazz funk in there, I’m not entirely sure why I think it is sneaky, but it just feels like it has been subtley placed at the breakdown - I’m talking in minor Shaft (yes John Shaft!) proportions - don’t get me wrong though, it works fantastically! A brilliant instrumental track. Then we have Superwoman, the longest track on the album at 7m50s. Sounds like it could have been a rare 80s Motown b-side that never really saw the light of day. It’s definitely yet another good example of the production prowess on the part of 4hero.

You may remember The Awakening from Volume 6 of the Just Like Music Podcast - if not, what are you playing at? Get subscribed! This track features the lyrical talents of Ursula Rucker, as she gracefully dances around the funky beat, brass stabs, mean bassline, and strings. You can view the new video to this track below…

Why Don’t You Talk is track number twelve. A funky jazz style instrumental piece that features more instruments than you could shake a stick at. It lies somewhere between Quantic Soul Orchestra and Georgia Anne Muldrow (minus the vocals), a big compliment in my books. The inclusion of these few instrumental tracks, I believe, has really helped to make the album a complete listening experience. Then Bed Of Roses has a blatant low-key d’n'b thing going on. Jody Watley adds some deeper soulful vocals to the proceedings - her sound is like a spliced recreation involving Jill Scott and Alice Russell. The bringing together of cinematic strings, subtle d’n'b beats, keys, and soul singing is a beautiful amalgamation of artistic intent and, ultimately, creation.

The final track is Dedication To The Horse, a shorter track, deliberately suited as an outro. This is instrumental and focuses on electric guitar (think Hendrix style) and hectic live sounding beats. A definite head-nodding, finger tapping, closing ceremony to what has been a fantastic listening experience. Marc Mac and Dego have really outdone themselves with Play With The Changes. Anyone that has read a few of my past reviews will know that I personally worship the idea of a track becoming more than a track; a complete composition. As I mentioned a few times in this review, the production on this album is exquisite. To attempt something is one thing, but to achieve something is another matter entirely - I believe they’ve achieved a lot with this album. I sincerely hope Play With The Changes does 4hero proud, they certainly deserve to do well with it.

Review originally posted (with sample track) at >>just like music.

Coldcut - Timber

jeej — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 12:31:19 GMT

A classic from '97...

Circle Circle Dot Dot - Jamie Kennedy and Stu Stone

jeej — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 11:46:14 GMT

Merriman Weir - Loving You

jeej — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 12:19:42 GMT

Jackson Jackson - Intelligent, Evolved and Insane

jeej — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 22:23:33 GMT

Jackson Jackson - Intelligent, Evolved and Insane

The Best of 2006

jeej — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 12:45:15 GMT

It’s been a long time coming, but finally I am ready to detail my very own personal favourites of 2006. I think it was a great year and I’ve actually managed to compile a list of around 40 albums to discuss. I’ve never been one to easily rank my preferences - I just find it so bloody hard - so I’ll go into a little bit of detail on my favourite five of last year, and then I’ll just list the basic details of the remaining. Either way you should know that every album deserves to be mentioned as one of the best of last year, and hence is very much worth checking out. So if you find yourself reading this list and you stumble across something you previously chose to ignore, or you’ve just never heard of it… please, spare some time to check it out, that’s one of the reasons this blog even exists!

Joanna Newsom - Ys (Drag City) What an album! It took me two full listens to truly start appreciating it, but Joanna Newsom’s Ys is an orchestral alternative-folk album, highlighting once more her incredible talents as a ‘harper’, singer, and writer. Each time I listen it just grows on me more and more. I even find myself at times craving to hear it. Keep an open mind, hit play, and just take it all in.

Daedelus - Denies The Day’s Demise (Ninja Tune) Previously I had heard Daedelus’ last album, that was a bit of an alternative electronica/hip-hop effort featuring MF DOOM on a few tracks, it was pretty good. Randomly I spotted this album in a shop and took a listen - I knew straight away it was something special. Just like Joanna Newsom, this one wont take everyone’s fancy, it’s a bit out-there, but absolutely beautiful in a bizarre electronica kind of a way. This album just sweeps me up and takes me away every time.

J Dilla - Donuts (Stones Throw) If you hear someone saying that Donuts is crap cos “all the tracks are really short, it’s stupid”, ignore them, they’ve clearly missed the point… also feel free to smack them in the face. This is pure genius from the late Mr Yancey (RIP) - as much as there was beauty in Newsom’s 5 track masterpiece, Ys, there was as much in Dilla’s 31 track banger, Donuts. Listen deeply and closely to these tracks, the production is so adventurous and intricate, not many people can pull off stuff quite like this. The album is also laced with cryptic messages to his friends and family - Dilla is already sorely missed, Donuts is a harsh reminder as to why.

Dr Rubberfunk - My Life at 33 (GPS Recordings) I’ve pretty much run out of superlatives to use on the Doc. I wrote a detailed review of this album back in December, so it’s worth reading that to get the full picture. With this album, Simon Ward managed to create something organic that paid homage to the roots of funk, whilst invigorating that same sound with a fresh approach. The music was upbeat, rich, and inspiring. If you even so much as remotely enjoy upbeat and funky sounds, you’ll be sure to love My Life at 33.

TM Juke - Forward (Tru Thoughts) If you’re a fan of Tru Thoughts, then TM Juke surely needs no introduction, but it always surprises me how quite a few people I speak to have never heard of him, that is a crime y’all. The Juke was responsible for producing Alice Russell’s second album, My Favourite Letters. If you are still lost, you have some catching up to do. Forward was TM Juke’s second album, a soulful record expressed through electronic experience and classical execution - this album was nothing but original, vibrant, and highly addictive.

Nightmares on Wax - In A Space Outta Sound (Warp)
Ammoncontact - With Voices (Ninja Tune)
Loka - Fire Shepherds (Ninja Tune)
Cut Chemist - The Audience’s Listening (Warner Bros.)
Bonobo - Days To Come (Ninja Tune)
Quantic - An Announcement To Answer (Tru Thoughts)
Darondo - Let My People Go (Luv N’ Haight)
Count Bass D - Act Your Waist Size (Fat Beats)
Madlib The Beat Konducta - Movie Scenes Vol. 1 + 2 (Stones Throw)
Gotye - Like Drawing Blood (Independent)
Ty - Closer (Big Dada)
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black (Universal Island Records)
Atmosphere - You Can’t Imagine How Much Fun We’re Having (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
Ghostface Killah - Fishscale (Def Jam)
The Broken Keys - Gravity (Tru Thoughts)
J Dilla - The Shining (BBE)
Murs & 9th Wonder - Murray’s Revenge (Record Collection)
The Bamboos - Step It Up (Tru Thoughts)
Dr Who Dat? - Beat Journey (Lex Records)
The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble (Planet Mu)
Youngblood Brass Band - Is That A Riot? (Layered)
Aim - Flight 602 (Atic Records)
All Good Funk Alliance - Social Comment (Funk Weapons)
Surreal & DJ Balance - Future Classic (Hiphop Is Music)
The Coup - Pick A Bigger Weapon (Epitaph)
The Procussions - 5 Sparrows For 2 Cents (Rawkus)
Tanya Morgan - Moonlighting (Loud Minority Music)
Eulorhythmics - Extended Play (All Natural Inc.)
Muzykoterapia - Muzykoterapia (Asfalt Records)
Oh No - Exodus Into Unheard Rhythms (Stones Throw)
Ugly Duckling - Bang For The Buck (Fat Beats)
Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope (Sire Records)
Spank Rock - YoYoYoYoYo (Big Dada)
The Roots - Game Theory (Def Jam)
Georgia Anne Muldrow - Olesi Fragments Of An Earth (Stones Throw)
Cadence - Creative Commerce (Domination Recordings)

Want to quickly mention a few excellent EPs that came out in 2006; Sirka Ragnar - I Am, You Are, He/She/It Is, The Q4 - Sound Surrounding EP, Grudle Bay Riots - DJ In Korea EP, Foreign Beggars - Slow Broiled Ilk EP. As far as labels went, Ninja Tune and Tru Thoughts really came through for me last year, plus I made a few new discoveries, like Melting Pot Music out of Germany - they’re releasing hot and funky vinyl all the time, and now a lot of it is available on CD too. There was also a good few remix albums out in 2006, like; Alice Russell - Under The Munka Moon II, Jamie Lidell - Multiply Additions, Quantic - One Offs Remixes & B Sides, DJ Krush - Stepping Stones - The Self-Remixed Best (Soundscapes), and DangerDoom - Occult Hymn. 2006 also saw the release of DJ Format’s FabricLive 27 CD, one of the best (if not THE best) FabricLive CDs I have heard, and also Foreign Beggars’ brilliant Bukkake Ski Trip mix CD - UK hip-hop at its modern finest.

If 2007 turns out to be half as good as 2006, then I’ll be happy. Onwards and upwards though - In the words of Hird, “always moving on”. I’m discovering new music every day, and a lot of it ends up in the relatively new Just Like Music podcast - speaking of which, volume 6 went up yesterday, this is the track listing…

1. Ty - Closer feat. Maceo 2. 4hero - Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) feat. Terry D 3. All Good Funk Alliance - Major C 4. Nightmares on Wax - Deepdown 5. Eulorhythmics - Sociology 6. Quantic - Ticket To Know Where Featuring Ohmega Watts 7. Nostalgia 77 Octet - One For Man 8. Surreal & DJ Balance - Speak Facts 9. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Tracks of My Tears (Quarterbar Redo)

Article originally posted at >>just like music.

just like podcast

jeej — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 21:53:17 GMT

Hello friends. The other week I created a podcast and shared the link with bout half a dozen pals. Seems some enjoyed it, so I’ve made another one. I don’t see any reason why the whole world shouldn’t hear it, so along with volume 1, you can download volume 2 at this RSS feed URL: http://www.switchpod.com/users/justlikemusic/feed.xml - just subscribe using that address and you will be good to go.

A few words on the podcast; the podcasts are a showcase of what I have been listening to lately, they are for trial purposes. If you like what you hear… great… now go buy some stuff. Similarly, if a PR/label person or artist isn’t happy with me using their stuff on the podcasts, bear in mind these things; the tracks are at 96kbps and are blended in at the end/beginning - hence they aren’t exactly clean and crisp copies, and therefore not suitable as top grade pirate material! I hope that you see things from my perspective - that is the perspective that sees these podcasts as a way to help people discover your music, and not as a way for people to get your stuff for free. Either way, we’re all different, and if you want something removed, just say the word.

Volume 1 includes tracks by; The Broken Keys, JoolsMF, Daedelus, Adventure Time, TM Juke, Dr Rubberfunk, Count Bass D, Oh No, Bonobo. Volume 2 includes tracks by; DJ Krush, Darondo, Ghostface, Amy Winehouse, Gotye, Murs, 9th Wonder, Pure Essence, The Isley Brothers, Musetta, The Q4.

No doubt these podcasts will be as sporadic as my blog entries on Just Like Music have become, but it would be great to get some feedback on them. I hope you enjoy what you hear, and maybe even discover some great artists you’ve never heard of before - we shall see!