Pirate Soundz - DJ Whistla & Rockaway on Sub FM

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DJ Whistla became a seasoned radio and rave dj whilst playing for Addiction 95.2 FM in London during the late 1990s. When Addiction eventually stopped broadcasting, Whistla was asked to join the legendary Eruption 104 FM, thus continuing to rinse out.
At the end of 2000 he took a break and went travelling over Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand for 20 months!
Whistla is now back living and djing in London, playing for the internet pirate sound of SUB FM.

Here is DJ Whistla´s Warehouse Meditation Radio Show on http://www.subfm.com/ featuring Rockaway from 16th May 2006:

Sub FM - DJ Whistla & Rockaway 16-May-2006
(158 MB, 192 kbps, tracklist in the comment!)

"Some weeks we're just reasoning, reading or playing recordings. Others, you'll get a heavy slice of roots, revival, and dub music. All in the interests of promoting self-knowledge amongst I´n´I, so that peace may cover this earth, as the waters cover the sea." (Rockaway)

To find out more about DJ Whistla and see when he is playing near you, visit his website www.djwhistla.com and his blog on http://www.whistlafm.blogspot.com/ with a lot of interesting mixes ready for download.

Down The Dirt Road - Mississippi Blues

Drawn from vintage 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s 78s, "Down the Dirt Road" does a wonderful job of presenting Mississippi's country blues tradition on a single disc, with signature songs from Charley Patton (""Down the Dirt Road Blues""), Tommy Johnson (""Canned Heat Blues""), Skip James (""I'm So Glad""), Big Joe Williams (""49 Highway Blues""), and Bukka White (""Fixin' to Die Blues""), along with tracks by lesser-known figures like Garfield Akers (""Dough Roller Blues"") and Tommy McClennan (""Cross Cut Saw Blues""). There are countless blues compilations out there, but this one has obviously been carefully assembled, and it presents the pure Mississippi roots of the genre.

The tracklist is in the comment.

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(mp3, 160 kbps, ca. 80 MB)

Maze Out Soundsystem - Foundation Mix

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Always ready to mash up di dancehalls the french "Maze Out Sound System" was founded at the beginning of the year 2002. Madselekta and Mista Walee on the mic are playing roots, reggae, dancehall and ragga. They made some very nice mixes for us:

Here are a wonderful foundation mix - starting with the always charming "movie star riddim" - and a top-of-di-time dancehall mix.

Foundation mix:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RBWEO601

Dancehall mix:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YSXC2A8T

(mp3, 192 kbps, tracklists are in the comment).

For more infos check out www.mazeoutsound.com

Pop Fiction - The Song In Cinema

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Pop Fiction's unique essays individually consider one song within a cinematic context. Unlike previous collected volumes about pop music in film where a generalised approach has been adopted, it offers instead a close examination of these two most pervasive and significant mediums in contemporary culture. The collection introspects, assembling the pop song into various guises and documenting how individuals dissemble the multiple roles that the pop song plays in all and one audiovisual moment. The song as: ghost, role-play, memory trigger, narrator, marketing device, translator, alienator, membership rite, etc.

Download the book in pdf-format:

Matthew Caley (Editor), Steve Lannin (Editor):
"Pop Fiction: The Song in Cinema"

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DJ Judochop - A Bunch Of Ragga Jungle Mixes

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Heavy rolling basslines, reggae samples, hypnotic beats, deep dubby effects - there was a time when "ragga jungle" was the most uplifting dance sound in town.
This label was given to a substyle of jungle music that emerged circa 1993 and has heavy influences from ragga and dancehall.
This style is credited with engaging the black community within the jungle scene. Ragga jungle is now a niche sound, with a small number of labels releasing music that can be categorised in this manner - but it still sounds great:

If you want to taste the sound, try some of DJ Judochop (Arizona, USA) mixes, done "for my fake radio show to my three cats, two spawn toys, and picture of your mom."

DJ Judochop - Jump In Tha Fiyah:
http://www.mixupload.com/uploads/mlfiles/
judochOp!..jump_in_tha_fiyah-mixupload.com-April-08-2006_11.06_pm.mp3


DJ Judochop - I Got My Bong, I Got My Weed...:

http://junglistradio.info/mixes/01%20-%20judochOp!..i%20got%20my%20bong.i%20got%20my%20weed%20out.smoke%20wit%20me%20son.mp3

The tracklists are in the comment.

If you like that sound, you will find a bunch of Judochop-Mixes on http://junglistradio.info/mixes/

Keith Hudson - Flesh Of My Skin, Blood Of My Blood

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Keith Hudson is one of the key innovators of Jamaican music of the 70's, belonging to that rarified group of producer/artists that includes Lee Perry, Niney the Observer, Yabby You and Augustus Pablo. Blessed with the ability to draw the very strongest recordings from the island's top talent, Hudson's music remains largely elusive and is highly sought after. Like those mentioned above, Hudson is an enigmatic figure capable of producing musical extremes that by turns infuriate, intimidate and inspire - his legacy is still largely undiscovered.

Ominously known as "The Dark Prince of Reggae," Keith Hudson was born into a musical family in Kingston, Jamaica in 1946. His musical education began as Hudson worked as a sort of roadie for Skatalite and Jamaican trombone king Don Drummond. By age 21, Hudson, who had been trained as a dentist, sunk his earnings into his own record label, Inbidimts, and had a hit with Ken Boothe's recording of "Old Fashioned Way." Not long after this chart success, the suddenly hot Hudson was producing some of the biggest names (and soon-to-be biggest names) in reggae — John Holt, Delroy Wilson, Alton Ellis, and the great toasters U-Roy and Dennis Alcapone, all of whom benefited from what would be Hudson's trademark production style: groove-centered, bass/drum-dominated, lean and mean stripped-down riddims. By the mid-'70s, Hudson began releasing more solo work, hitting paydirt from the start with his 1974 debut, "Entering the Dragon" and his intense second record, "Flesh of My Skin", an ominous, dark record that earned Hudson his title as reggae's "Dark Prince." In 1976, Hudson relocated to New York City and worked pretty much nonstop, producing as well as recording solo records up until 1982. He succumbed to lung cancer in 1984, at age 38, robbing reggae of one its greatest, most adventurous, and unhearalded producers and performers.

Here is the record that "demonized" Keith Hudson: "Flesh Of My Skin, Blood Of My Blood" - a doom-and-gloom bass-heavy retreat into the dark recesses of one's psyche. Loaded with intense, at times violent imagery, this is an intense record with oppression and racism as its main subject matter. Interestingly, according to reggae scribe Steve Barker, the original master tapes have disappeared. As a result, the album only exists in a remixed version, not by Hudson but by his engineer Sid Bucknor.

Keith Hudson - Flesh Of My Skin, Blood Of My Blood
(mp3, 160 kbps, ca. 40 MB)

Bassacar Soundsystem

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We don´t know much about this west-german soundsystem called "Basscar" - but they have done some nice riddim-mixes they want to share with us:


Sweet dreams riddim mix:
www.bassacar.de/sweetdreams.mp3

Superior riddim mix:
www.bassacar.de/radio%20riddim%20mix%203%20-%20superior.mp3

Some more can be found on www.bassacar.de, check it out and enjoy!

Pop & Provocation - A Discussion

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There´s an inspiring discussion going on in the german weekly "jungle world" about the interesting topic "pop & provocation".

On many occassions pop-cultural provocations are directed towards "political correctness". Does that mean provocation can´t be a part of subversiv political strategy anymore? Is a calculating break of a taboo just another marketing strategy?

You can find these exciting essays on www.jungle-world.com or go directly to these links:

http://www.jungle-world.com/seiten/2006/21/7815.php
http://www.jungle-world.com/seiten/2006/20/7774.php
http://www.jungle-world.com/seiten/2006/19/7732.php
http://www.jungle-world.com/seiten/2006/16/7597.php
http://www.jungle-world.com/seiten/2006/14/7486.php
http://www.jungle-world.com/seiten/2006/14/7484.php
http://www.jungle-world.com/seiten/2006/14/7483.php
http://www.jungle-world.com/seiten/2006/14/7487.php
http://www.jungle-world.com/seiten/2006/14/7488.php

Sorry, all these essays are in german language...

"Satisfaction Guaranteed - Pt. 3" - Roots Reggae Mix

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Hit tune after hit tune!

Here´s another high quality roots reggae mix, strictly foundation style. A relaxing and uplifting selection, definitly matching the mood of a warm early summer evening.

The tracks are well selected and mixed by Semik of the Hamburg based Massaya Sound System (http://www.massaya.de).

Semik presents „Satisfaction Guaranteed Pt. 3: To The Foundation”

(68 minutes, 192 kbps)

1. I Crosdale – Set Me Free
2. Black Uhuru – Plastic Smile
3. Dennis Brown – To The Foundation
4. Dennis Brown – Easy Take It Easy
5. Jacob Miller And The Inner Circle – Forward Jah Jah Children
6. Jacob Miller – Tenament Yard
7. Gregory Isaacs – Financial Endorsement
8. African Brothers – Righteous Kingdome
9. African Brothers – Hold Tight
10. Johnny Osbourne – Truth And Rights
11. Al Campbell – Take A Ride
12. Bob Andy – Unchained
13. Michael Rose & Black Uhuru – Born Free
14. Dennis Brown – Africa
15. Linval Thompson – Reader Then Dread
16. Linval Thompson – Please Officer
17. Joseph Hills And The Culture Posse – Police Man
18. John Holt – Police In Helicopter
19. John Holt – Youth Pon De Corner
20. Horace Andy & Earl Flute – Don’t Think About Me
21. Johnny Osbourne & The Techniques – Purify Your Heart
22. Jacob Miller – Forward Ever
23. Culture – I’m Not Ashamed
24. Errol Dunkley – A Little Way Different
25. Delroy Wilson – Beat Down Babylon
26. John Holt – Strange Things
27. Toots & The Maytals – Revolution
28. Bob Marley – Dem Belly Full
29. Max Romeo – One Step Forward

King Tubby´s Rastafari Dub (1974 - 1979)

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"Dub creates new maps: sound sculptures, sacred sites, balm and shock for the mind, body, and spirit - turning the rational order of musical sequences into an ocean of sensation."
- Journalist David Toop on the genre that Tubby built.

King Tubby is to this day synonymous with dub - he is the dub pioneer and the remix godfather! He was a man who had a passion for fiddling with sound equipment, and turned that passion into a new musical genre and a veritable art form. He may have started his career as a repairman, but before he was done, his name was one of the most respected around the world. He worked with virtually every artist in Jamaica, and his name on a remix was like gold, a seal of quality that was never questioned. In the 70s Tubby's sonic science transformed the way music was made and listened to in Jamaica and around the world.

King Tubby started his musical career as a sound system repairman in the late 1950's in Jamaica. In 1964 he set up his own sound system, "Tubby's Hometown Hi-Fi" and discovered dub while working as a disc cutter for reggae producer Duke Reid.
He designed the circuitry for Lee Perry's legendary Black Ark studio. The dancehall producer King Jammy's served his sonic apprenticeship with Tubby. In 1989 he was shot dead outside his home. The murderer has never been brought to justice.

King Tubby didn't make any bad records in the '70s. "Rastafari Dub" is another classic '70s dub album in the impressive Clock Tower catalog. On this record, King Tubby works his effects magic on the vocals of the era's best singers. Johnny Clarke's "King of the Arena" opens the album with small tastes of smooth vocals echoed, reverbed, and dropped in to create the thick King Tubby sound. Those who enjoyed Jacob Miller's vocals on "King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown" will appreciate "Rastafari Dub" for its up-front use of the original vocal tracks. The production is in the finest roots tradition, and only falls short of "King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown" because the originals don't have the godlike perfection that Augustus Pablo and Jacob Miller brought. "Rastafari Dub" is King Tubby at his best, working behind the boards with the best material available to him at the time. The album has no shortcomings other than its former obscurity.

King Tubby´s Rastafari Dub (1974 - 1979)
(mp3, 192 kbps, ca. 60 MB)

Al Haca Soundsystem - Spreadin The Sound!

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The Al-Haca Sound System has been around for about 8 years now, founded in the middle of the nineties by Selecta and Party promoter Alex "Pehle" Pehlemann, Selecta Hardy Dinse & Selecta Cartsen in the harbor city of Greifswald, North-Eastern Germany. The DJ's were mainly inspired by Roots, Reggae and Dub vibes, but always spreading a lot of different musical styles - dubwise, always searching for the true and right vibe, always musically open-minded.
Over the years they played (smoked and dubbed) together with The Rootsman feat. Dayjah, The Disciples, Dr. Israel, Soothsayers and the Different Drummer Sound System. The crew remixed tracks by Rootsman, Sizzla and others and released some own tracks. As a true sound system they are famous for their fx section combined with hand selected dub tracks . To be honest, they dub it all... Dancehall, Soca, Ragga, Reggae - all in the mix & full fx.

Here´s "Who the fuck is RQM?", a mixtape compiled, mixed and dubbed by Cee & RQM of Al Haca:

1. Intro
2. Watch Me Flip - Stereotyp & Al Haca (Klein)
3. Nuclear Sunset - The Tape vs. RQM (Kitty Yo)
4. Red Pill - Atom Hockey (unreleased)
5. Homeboy´s Blender - Jahcoozi/Pure Breed (Kitty Yo)
6. Slices of Zen - Stereotyp (unreleased)
7. Earth (Stereotyp Remix) - UTZ (Meta Polyp)
8. Minimal - The Tape vs. RQM (Kitty Yo)
9. Fokus (Al Haca Remix) - Tolcha (Meta Polyp)

Download MP3 (34:14min, 47MB)

Al-Haca did a nice set at the "Halcyon Recordstore" Brooklyn NYC: Listen to RQM & Cee with a boom session, spreadin the sound:

Download MP3 (59:22min, 108.7MB)

You will find an interview with Al Haca Soundsystem on http://www.diffdrum.co.uk/artists/interview.php?id=3

Gotan Project - Politics And Musical Traditions (Interview)

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"You don´t have to cry to be heard", says Philippe Cohen-Solal, member of the Gotan Project. The band just released the new album "Lunático", mixing traditional tango sounds with dub, rap, classic elements and desert rock.

Here is an interview in german language with the Gotan Project members about politics, musical traditions and modernism:

http://www.jungle-world.com/seiten/2006/18/7691.php

"Politics are a part of our life. We haven´t ever made political music in a classical sense. Thus far we aren´t a political band. But that doesn´t mean that we are indifferent to the world and to what´s happening in this society."

DJ Shir Khan - Breezeblock Meta-Polyp Mash

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Shir Khan (Tolcha/Meta Polyp) did a 30-minute exclusive dj-mix for the Breezeblock on BBC Radio 1, the leftfield and electronica show.
Get ready for brandnew hotties from Jahcoozi, The Tape, Data MC, Stereotyp, Tolcha, Al-Haca, Siqnature, Studio R, Autodrive and Jake. The soundwaves that destroyed all disbelievers... From abstract, to street poetry, to future-dub, to heavy bass hop, to berlin/vienna sickness, to blip, cut´n´paste and minimal madness...
Mary Anne said: "It's absolutely amazing, we're all in total awe of it, one of the best mixes we had on the show for ages."

Now for a limited download for you:

http://www.dj-shirkhan.de/shirkhan/downloads/radio/shirkhan-breezeblockmix-bbc.mp3

The playlist is in the comment.

From Alien To The Matrix - Reading Science Fiction Film

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Roz Kaveney, an expert in science fiction literature and film, has written an entertaining and enlightening new read on the genre. She explores the history of science fiction film and literature, the recurring themes and characters across the genre, development of special effects technology and the advent of CGI, the business and culture of movie franchises, and the legitimization of "geek culture" through the blockbuster successes of sci-fi movies. Films discussed include Dark City, Strange Days, the Star Wars series, the Terminator films, the Alien quartet, and Galaxy Quest.
Roz Kaveney is a freelance writer and editor, who also contributed to The Encyclopaedia of Fantasy and The Cambridge Guide to Women Writing in English.

You can download the book in pdf-format (1,99 MB):

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Thanks to the original uploader for the interesting lecture!

Ishkur´s Guide To Electronic Music

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Not really new, but still a good entertaining and - with more ore less limitations - informative website: Anybody who's heart belongs to music undoubtedly knows that there are a million and one sub-genres and classifications of music that help pigeon-hole the sound and style into one particular bracket or another.
For many of us it may not be necessary to know the differences between hardstep, techstep or darkstep drum´n´bass.
But for those about to know a helpful person called Ishkur did an astonishing guide to the wonderful world of electronic music. He/she has graphically broken it down and clearly drawn lines and separated the sub-genres (some of which you may never even heard of) and made it much simpler (if not more confusing) to understand - with the support of audio examples of each style!
Check it out and educate yourself on a rainy afternoon:
Ishkur's Guide To Electronic Music

Grime Night 2005 - Plasticman Mix And More...

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In August 2005 "The Savior", "boups" and the "Grimelock" dj-team invited Mark One, Plasticman, Dmz, Logan, and the Mc's Jammer, JSD and Skepta for a special grime night at Le Gazon.

Things went wild in an open air on a summer evening.

Some mixes of that evening are avaibles here!

Pictures of this incredible night can be found here.

Thanks again to www.grimelock.com!

Dub Dentist - Taking On Hip-Hop With An Iron Fist

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Sometimes the world of blogs helps to dig up some incredible treasures:

Over at the wonderful and ever inspiring "Another Nos Product by MoogPower" (link in the side-bar) an artist called “Dub Dentist” published some great music in the comment section of MoogPowers “Creation Rebel”-posting (strongly recommended!):
The Dub Dentist took accapellas by Saul Williams, Ursula Rucker and KRS1 amongst others, combined them with groovy sub-sonic basslines and some wicked sounds and created excellent spoken word remixes. Definitely worth checking out!

By the way: Dub Dentist mentioned that he is hoping to get an official album out in September – looking forward for this!!!

Big up for your great work, Dub Dentist!

Lee Perry Presents Megaton Dub Vol. 1

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Certainly eccentric, Lee "Scratch" Perry is reggae's most influential producer, with a career that spans the entire history of the music.
He started at Coxsone Dodd's Studio One label, first as a talent scout, then as producer. Moving on to other labels, he recorded hit after hit for Jamaican artists, assembling the original Wailers and producing their earliest — some say best — tracks.
Perry has also done extensive solo work, composing, arranging and singing his own records. With the help of a studio band, the Upsetters (named for one of his aliases), Perry has forged a dub reggae style that's idiosyncratic and revolutionary — full of shifting, echoey rhythms and weird sound effects. His characteristic sound is unique — extended grooves layered like fog, with odd vocals and percussion shimmering in the dense mist.

This hard-to-find album collects 10 tracks of pure Scratch dub: Sometimes odd, sometimes wonderful and crucial.

Lee Perry: Megaton Dub Vol. 1
link dead
(mp3, 192 kbps, ca. 52 MB)

Tracklist:
Dem No Know Dub
Conscious Man Dub
Such Is Dub
Corn Picker Dub
Rasta Dub
Freedom Dub
Megaton Dub
Dreamer Dub
School Girl Dub
Simon The Sorcerer

The 27 Murderers - New Grimelock Mix

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The Grimelock dj-team started in 1998 mixing drum &bass and organizing free parties under the alias Crazy Crew. In 2000 the crew becomes the "Naya Sound System" and gets its weekly internet radio show on boups.com as well as shows on Radio Panik (Brussels), FM Brussels and Jungletrain internet radio.

In 2004 they discovered the Plasticman's catching breaks and dark subbasses on an massive sound system. Under the new alias 'Grimelock' they turned to grimey, dubstep and underground garage.

Here´s their new mix "The 27 Murderers", featuring some Grimelock exclusives and a lot of grimey burners: Listen and download.

The tracklist is in the comment.

Thanks to www.grimelock.com.