Go With The Flow

Gang Gang Dance’s remix of “Velvet” by The Big Pink has been doing the rounds in the blogosphere for the past week or so and with good reason. I try not to go too much with the flow on this blog but this is such a remarkable track that I feel it’s apt to bend a few rules.

“Velvet” is crammed with ideas. Usually if someone wedges a lot of different ideas into a track it’s because the ideas are weak so they stuff in lots hoping that this time, just for them, quantity will triumph quality. It rarely does.

This is an exception. Channelling Nordic space-disco, Balearica, Diplo’s globe-trotting crate-digging and Animal Collective’s narcissistic layering of voices and textures, Gang Gang Dance have created a track that perfectly encapsulates the border-breaking musical adventures of the post-pitchfork generation.

mp3 ---> The Big Pink – Velvet (Gang Gang Dance Remix)

OSG #5

Obscure Sub-Genre #5 - Crip Hop

When hip-hop and rap emerged in the late 70’s it was protest music. From the portrayals of inner-city hardship to the appropriation of the n-word, it disseminated messages of change, which soon caught wind and flew into mainstream consciousness.

As hip-hop (d)evolved into gangster rap, the ethos of positivity and improvement was lost, to the consternation of the older heads. Maybe the battle for equality has been won, signified by Obama’s election victory, yet a quick tour around any US city would illustrate that the ghetto is still a live concept in the 21^st Century.

It has then fallen to a group of people marginalised by mainstream America, to use the tools of hip-hop to voice their opinions, to change the way people view them and how people within the community view themselves.

Ladies and Gentlemen I bring you “Crip Hop”.

From The Spaz Kids’ “I Limpin’ But I Ain’t Been Shot” to MC Mong’s “Spittle Riddim” young people with disabilities have been dropping rhymes and beats to devastating effect and illuminating minds from both within and outside the disabled community.

Crip Hop is a positive musical force that you need to jump on quick y’all.

Real Films Vs Films In My Head

Was mowing the lawn and this came on, a pumping cinematic Italo flecked electro growler.

Mind soon drifted. Bent cops, drug lords and dancing girls. Mirrorballs, dirty neon lights and metallic clothing. Moustaches everywhere including the girls, faint eastern European ones not circus worthy. Murder and mild misogyny. Odd 70s tit, pointy.

The film in my mind sounded awesome.

Then I looked up the track. "Theme From Gutterballs" was for a straight to DVD horror flick from last year about "...a series of bizarre gory murders during a midnight disco bowl-a-rama at a popular bowling alley" and a grusome rape on a pinball table.

Not sure which I prefer.

Yet another killer track from 20jazzfunkgreats.

mp3---> Gianni Rossi - Theme From Gutterballs (via mediafire)

Livin' In The 80s

In honour of the return of Ashes To Ashes on BBC One tonight, here’s a track that almost certainly won’t be on the soundtrack.

Zero Boys’ “Livin’ In The 80s” is a declaration of boredom.

Bored of being force fed a diet of so-called superior bands that were over before you were born.

But the Zero Boys were done and dusted before I was born.

Shit.

mp3---> Zero Boys - Livin' In The 80's (via mediafire)

Sorry Y'all

Apologies for the quietness here but let me explain, in bullet points, because… umm…I miss Powerpoint…

1. I got a job

2. I’m staying somewhere without internet access

3. My web hosting ran out at the end of March, so no mp3s (YSI can suck it)

4. Quite frankly I haven’t heard anything that’s blown my mind since “Castro Boy”

But things change, new stuff gets released, old stuff gets rediscovered. So this period of hush is not a signifier for the end, but a blip...

Sam