it's Mix Week
July 16
The Glade festival, yesterday.
I jest, of course. It's July in the South of England. Practically the med, as far as us northerners are concerned. Of course it will be sunny. The blog may be a touch quiet over the weekend though, as most of us are going to be at Glade Festival - we'll report back next week with hangovers and trenchfoot sunburn.
Anyway, this is a week of some great mixes doing the rounds. Besides our two exclusives (stay tuned for a lot more, by the way!) I thought I'd point you to a couple of other classy efforts.
Firstly, the mighty Buraka Som Sistema have just dropped a new mixtape over at www.buraka.tv. It's follows their album of last year, and it's got loads of remixes, edits, re-vocals of tracks and more. It's all Kuduro, as you might expect, and while I was out in Lisbon earlier this year I was amazed to hear how prevalent that rhythm is. It's blaring out of cars, trendy bars, you name it. My personal highlight on here is the remix of Rusko's 'Cockney Thug' - it strips out the horns, takes away some of the jump-up vibes and gives it some real thuggish attitude. The jury's out on the 'Rhythm Is A Dancer'-sampling RIAD though. Good track when it drops, but can you get past that sample? Hmm? Either way, this is your summer listening sorted out for a while. Get it here:
The second one is a Jackmaster mix for Lower End Spasm. I don't know what your opinion is of Jackmaster - do you have one? I do, and it's that he is currently the best DJ (for recorded mixes anyway, never seen him live) out there at the minute. His mixes are consistently the most upfront, varied yet coherent, and interesting you'll find. And he's been doing bloody loads of the things lately. This one swings more towards funky and garage, and features some absolute pearlers, such as tune-of-the-moment 'Hyph Mngo' by Joy Orbison, and the 2001 classic 'Sounds Of The Future' by Menta. The high point though, is undoubtedly the magisterial 'Gold Tooth Grin' by Taz. I know nothing about Taz, and I know nothing about this tune, except that it's the best thing I've heard all week/month/summer. It's just one chord progression, repeated ad-infinitum, with a simple halfstep beat and a cheeky little lead over the top, but it works like a dream. Amazing. Get it.
-----
i.d.
Posted by bassmusic
