Could Santogold be the shot in the arm the music industry needs

April 27, 2008 | 2 Comments

As some of you may know (unless you been under a rock), that Santogold genre-bending album comes out this Tuesday. We have been playing her on our show since February of 2007. She is in our top albums of 2008. Honestly, I have not seen so much buzz and high praise for a new artist in a long time. Even Bud Light gets it by featuring her song “Creator” in their national campaign. The commercial is everywhere and everyone is talking about that song in the commercial from AOL to MTV to blogs. However, Bud Light is not stopping there.

The national campaign for Bud Light Lime will feature the music of multigenre performer Santogold. A remix of her song “Lights Out,” as well as the ringtone, will be released online next week at budlightlime.com.

In addition, a CD sampler, with up to 18 tracks, will be released in June to tastemakers and music blogs. Tentatively titled “Bud Light Lime + Fader Presents,” it will feature existing music from such indie labels as Downtown Records. (-Kamau High, Billboard)

The interesting and amazing thing about the phenom known as Santogold is that all of her marketing and buzz came from blogs, not the labels. This to me is a shift or even a revolution in the music industry. I think bloggers will be the future of the music industry. Look at sites such as Pitchfork and Stereogum(which was recently purchased by Buzznet), and Iheartcomix. These blogs have more influence then the Rolling Stones, Spin, and other magazines like them. The majors are dead, but something better will rise from the ashes, and the Santogold release could be the be start of a new revolution in music. Don’t forget to catch her on Conan O’Brien on Monday, April 28th.

Check the Wired article Five Reasons MP3 Blogs Could Be the Next Record Labels

Posted by Tarik | Filed Under Music 

Under the Scope: Sam Amant

April 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment

On this “Under the Scope”, we feature artist out of London by the name of Sam Amant. She is orginally from France. We have feature some of her music on Rhythm Lab Radio. What makes her special is that she is a one woman show. She sings, does all the production, and puts on a great show. Think Grace Jones meets Prince meets J Dilla with a little Bad Brains.

Sam Amant is a solo artist - so solo she doesn’t need a backing band. Instead, she has a sampler and a shiny red Stratocaster. She hits the go button, and all of a sudden she’s freaking all over the stage - ripping out a mutant-soul vocal while beats bounce off the walls. She thrashes frenziedly at her shiny red Stratocaster and generally conjures whirlwinds from the ether. Underneath all the energy-bomb stuff, you can discern Proper Songs,Originals songs..A new Style..

“a post peel act John Peel would’ve liked” BBC.co.uk

Sam Amant - “Ding Ding Down”

Sam Amant - “Try”

Here is an excerpt of an interview with Sam Amant. Click here to see the rest of the interview.

Posted by Tarik | Filed Under Music, Under the Scope 

Playlist: Weekend of April 18th

April 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Here is this past weekend playlist plus a special guest mix from Chanda Khatso aka DJ Viv Lucien.

Listen

First Hour (Mixed by DJ Tarik)

Tor - “Black Girls Remix”
George Kranz - “Din Da Da”
Tom Scott - “Today (Bladerunners Edit)”
Newcleus - “Jam On It (Goldrocc remix)”
Chamillionaire - “Ridindirty”
Cobra Krames - “In His Kiss”
Tarrus Riley feat. Sizzla - “Who’s Gonna Save Us”
Sono Rhizmo - “Gimme Gimme”
Phoenix - “If I Ever Feel Better”

Guest Mix DJ Chanda Khatso aka Viv Lucien (download)

Dan Electro - I’ve Got That Feeling
Linkwood - ‘R.I.P’
Taylor McFerrin - Georgia
Moodyman - I’d Rather Be Lonely {2nd half}
Ok Ma - Make Me Cry {D’Nell’s Beat Mix}
Steve Spacek ft. Jay Dee - I Want You, I Need You
Tommy Sparxx - Misery
Soil & Pimp Sessions - A.I.E. {Cobblestone Jazz Remix}

Second Hour (mixed by DJ Don Cuco)
Playlist Unavailable

Posted by Tarik | Filed Under Music, Playlists and Shows, playlists 

Playlist for the Weekend of April 4th

April 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Listen

Hour 1 (Mixed by DJ Tarik)

Sally Shapiro - “Jackie Junior (Junior Boys Remix)”
Pursuit Grooves - “Cadence”
The Carps - “Heaven’s Gate & Hell’s Flames feat. The Cool Kids”
The Roots - “Rising Up feat. Wale & Christte Michele” (Def Jam)
Bits & Pieces - “Don’t Stop the Music”
Grand Analog - “Around This Town”
???? - “Rocky Theme” (Flamin Hotz)
Hot Chip - “Ready for the Floor (LA Riots vs. Villains Rmx)”
Kid Cudi - “Day ‘N’ Nite (Crookers Remix)” (Fool’s Gold)
Ghislain Poirier - “No More Blood (Deadbeat Remix)” (Ninja Tune)
Bell - “It’s Oh So Quiet” (Stereogum)
Cadence Weapon - “House Music”
TRC - “Raindrops feat. Ideal”
Afrika Bambaata & Soulsonic Force - “Planet Rock”
Cobra Krames - “It’s My Party” (Flamin Hotz)
Creature - “Brigitte Bardot”
Cut/Copy - “Midnight Runer”
Lizzy Mercier Descloux - “Sun Is Shining”

Hour 2 (Mixed by DJ Don Cuco)
Playlist Unavailable

Posted by Tarik | Filed Under Music, Playlists and Shows, playlists 

Playlist for the weekend of April 11th

April 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment

I want to apologize for not updating you with our playlists.  Better late than never.

Listen(via Real Audio)

Hour 1 (Mixed by DJ Don Cuco)
Playlist Unavailable

Hour 2 (Mixed by DJ Tarik)
Second Line - “Roll With Me, Rock With Me”
Busta Rhymes - “Don’t Touch Me”
Metaform - “Crush”
Hi-Tek - “The Sun God feat. Common”
Kid Cudi - “Dat New New” (Fool’s Gold)
Sam Sparro - “Cottonmouth”
DJ Dolores - “Flying Horse”
BLK JKS - “Lakeside”
Dessa - “Veteran” (Doomtree)
The Constellations - “Step Right Up”
Michael Jackson - “Don’t Stop (Mike Mago Edit)”
New Young Pony Club - “Get Lucky (Outlines Remix)”
He Say She Say - “Awkward”
Busy P - “Rainbow Man”
Amy Winehouse - “B Boy Baby feat. Mutya Buena”
Ghostface Killah - “Charlie Brown (DJ Mehdi Remix ft. Mapei)”
Fugazi - “Long Division (Emnyd’s Disco Edit)” (cdr)

Posted by Tarik | Filed Under Music, Playlists and Shows, playlists 

Free Mix: HVW8-Music is My Art

April 11, 2008 | Leave a Comment

The amazing art & design production house HVW8 has put together another great mix with DJ House Shoes.  You can grab it here.

Playlist:

Frank Cunimundo Trio - feeling Good
No Won
Guilty Simpson - Chief Pat Pockets (Haircut Prod.)
Khrysis
Ca$h I$ King - Fiyah Ring (Exile Prod)
Fat Ray + Black Milk - Take Control
Solidier Blend to…
… Real Thang on the fly
Nobody Better (Swiff D Prod)
J*Davey - La La
Invincible feat. Finale - The Locust (House Shoes Prod)
Kool G. Rap - On the Rise Again (Premier Prod)
Roc Marciano - MC’s (Roc Marciano Prod)
Big Tone - Paid Laid and Played(Big Tone Prod)
House Shoes - Murder
Paul White (CDR)
Paul White (CDR)
14KT - The Meaning (CDR)
14KT - Chinese Connection (CDR)
Pete Rock w/ Royal Flush - Questions
Lil Wayne/Juelz Santana -Do My Thang
Fatt Father - For the Hood (www.myspace.com/fattfather)
Danny Brown w/ Big Herk and Phat Kat - What Up Doe (Nick Speed Prod)
De La - rosario dawson
Wasted Youth w/ Baatin - Us
Snowman - Drum Language
Frank Cunimundo Trio - We’ve Only Just Begun
Dillalude (R.I.P.)
Portishead - The Rip

Posted by Tarik | Filed Under Music, mixes 

Under the Scope: Idle Warship

April 7, 2008 | 1 Comment

Talib Kweli and Res are Idle Warship

Who is Idle Warship? Most of you out there know of Talib Kweli, but how many you know of Res. She is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, and musician. Her 2001 release called “How I Do” is probably one of the best R&B album in the last 10 years that you never heard of. “How I Do” was also co-written and produced by an unknown (at the time) Santogold.

Fast forward to the present. Res is catching some new buzz. She has new material on her MySpace page and apparently new tunes with Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes, and a new collaboration with Talib Kweli called Idle Warship. If you check out Idle Warship’s myspace, you hear a very diverse sound. Check out a little bio…

Read more

Posted by Tarik | Filed Under Music, Under the Scope 

A Re(Post): A Bjork Tribute

April 1, 2008 | 3 Comments

Here is a re-post from the RadioMilwaukee blog I write for. It is the new Tribute Album to Bjork’s second Album Post.

Bjork Tribute

Ok. Time to be open with all of you. I am a Bjork groupie. I fell for her when I first heard Sugarcubes’ song “Birthday” back in the early 90’s. I don’t know what it is. It could be her elf-like appearance, her icey but comforting voice, the fact that she is from one of the most interesting places on earth - Iceland. Who knows. You know what I am not alone….

Bjork-PostThe guys over at the music blog Stereogum just released “A Tribute to Bjork’s Post” 12 covers of Bjork’s sophmore album. One of the most beautiful albums released in the last 20 years. And you know what it is free. Yep free. Two of some of my favorite things: Bjork & free. At first I thought it was some April Fool’s joke and the download would be some ad for Viagra. Nope it is nothing but goodness, sweet goodness.

The guys over at Stereogum have done other tribute albums including Radiohead’s “OK Computer” and REM’s Automatic for the people (both are free).

The Bjork Tribute album includes covers from Liars, Dirty Projectors, High Places, Bell, Pattern Is Movement, Evangelicals, Xiu Xiu, Final Fantasy & Ed Droste, White Hinterland, El Guincho, and Atlas Sound. Check some of the liner notes.

From the essay: A Post on Post(from Stereogum)

Björk launched Post’s kaleidoscopic mix of electronic and dance music, her inimitable voice, and fantastical, personal lyrics into a very different, almost alien post-grunge landscape. In 1995 Bush (the band) released Sixteen Stone, Slash’s Snakepit debuted with It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere, Tommy Lee married Pamela Anderson for the first time, and Shannon Hoon died of a drug overdose. Elsewhere, Alanis brought us her Jagged Little Pill and the Pumpkins put out their vast double album, Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness. (Also, remember the ubiquitous Beatles Anthology?) ….

While Björk continues sailing, searching out newer sounds, take a listen to how a dozen of our favorite artists — many of them bands we’ve told you To Watch in the last year — tackled her older ones. Liars deconstruct “Army Of Me” and up its distorted fuzz. No Age remove “It’s Oh So Quiet”’s choruses and big band, turning it into a melancholic Jesus & Mary Chain-tinged love song. El Guincho whittles “Cover Me” into pure rhythm with dark, spiraling, waterlogged loops and a steady snare hit…

Here is a little sampling of the album. You can grab the full one here.

Read more

Posted by Tarik | Filed Under Music