openin the 2011 lists.

The music industry have been waited for it for a few weeks : the 2011 Pitchfork Top 50 Albums. A lil' bit of this, a lil' bit of that, a lot of stuff I don't have the lightest idea about, and a few albums I heard. It's mostly hype, well, what did you expect from Pitchfork ?

never ending sodade.

2011 is closing on a sad note, as the news of Cesaria Evora's death is slowly spreading. Gaining late international fame thanks to a couple of French producers, it's normal that, as a French child, I grew up with her international hit, "Sodade", in my ears. Then, in my early 20's, I developed an interest for the queen of Mindelo, accumulating all the music I could from her. 

Her voice breathes sadness and bitter stories, but it's sweet and comforting anyway. The language barrier isn't even an obstacle, as her voice is simply an instrument. A beautifully sounding one. 

Earlier this year, I did a stop in Cabo Verde, Cesaria's petit pays (and here you go with 20Syl's banging remix), and searched for records. Sadly enough, I couldn't find any vinyl, so I had to be satisfied with the CD of her early works I found in the record store located on the central square of Praia, the capital city. 

A few months ago, on this blog, I relayed the news of her retirement ; she said she was tired. Her body was tired. Morna was losing its most famous ambassador. 

Today, I'm sad and so should you. Cabo Verde must be grieving right now, but I'm sure there will be a party afterwards, and it'll be awesome. 

RIP Mrs. Evora. 

from "Automatic Changer" to "Let It Bleed".

I warned y'all there would be more posts about cover art on this blog. 

So here you go with an article of the world famous The New York Times. This one is about Robert Brownjohn's work on the cover art of "Let It Bleed" by the Rolling Stones. 

The publishing of this article was motivated by the recent auction of the original cover art. But, instead of a simple explanation on Brownjohn's work for the Stones, you really get a glimpse inside Brownjohn's career. The man, for instance, is responsible for the graphic design of the "Goldfinger" and "From Russia With Love" James Bond movies. 

Unfortunately, consumed by heroin, the man died in 1970, only one year after he completed the artwork for "Let It Bleed". An instructive read indeed. 

lucky guys.

In the never-ending quest for records, some guys are luckier than the average music lover. These guys know the right people. And, well, they are music publishers themselves. These guys are Egon and Madlib. 

Recently, Egon wrote a contribution to his "Funk Archeology" series, in which he tells about Madlib and himself purchasing records directly from jazz trumpeter Stanton Davis' own collection. 

The read would make any record collector very jealous. But kindly enough, Egon made a few finds available to listen.

But, just one thing Egon... "[Stanton Davis] later explainted that he had accepted our offer because he knew his records were going to collections where they'd be cleaned, sleeved and appreciated". Excuse me, really ?

soleil rare 18 - noir et blanc.

It's time for some French rap. Real recognizes real. 

Mc Solaar - Obsolète. 

The Godfather of French rap. Solaar is a dope lyricist, no doubt, but to a lot of his early fans, he lost his way around the way of fame. Still, his two first albums remain in the must-have. 

"Obsolète" features Jimmy Jay behind the boards and the turntables, and introduced storytelling in the possibilities of French rap. Solaar's rhymes and flow are unforgettable. 1994 surely was a sweet time. Nostalgia. 

Rocé - Il Assume Pas. 

Another one to be ranked as a dope lyricist. Rocé started his career with his brother Ismaël making beats for him. The son of Adolfo Kaminsky, famous resistant and activist, Rocé inherited strong beliefs and a obvious ability to develop ideas, social concerns and political topics. 

Introduced to the audience with two remarkable maxi records, Rocé waited a few years to release his first album, "Top Départ", in 2002. To this day, it's still one of my favorite records. The track "Il Assume Pas" was produced by DJ Ol' Tenzano, the beatmaker of underground group Less' Du Neuf. 

La Rumeur - De L'Eau Dans Mon Vitriol. 

Activism and consciousness are La Rumeur's business. These guys have been talking sense since 1997, when this "Premier Volet : Le Poison D'Avril" hit the crates. Their first efforts were powerful EP's. 

Ekoué's flow on this track had a big impact on the rap scene, along with the production style of the discreet Soul M & Kool G. 

For the story, in 2002, the former minister of interior affairs, Nicolas Sarkozy (now president), took La Rumeur to the courts over an article Hamé, another member of the group, wrote against the police. The litigation lasted 8 years, until Hamé got discharge. Needless to say La Rumeur is still angry. 

Rocca - Le Hip-Hop Mon Royaume. 

From Colombia descent, but made famous in France, Rocca raps in both French and Spanish. He is/was a member of various groups, such as La Cliqua (with Raphael, Daddy Lord C and Kohndo), La Squadra (with Daddy Lord C), Tres Coronas...

This track was featured on a compilation by the label Arsenal Records, which housed one of the finest crews of young rap dogs from the Parisian area. 

Today, Rocca changed a big part of his original formula, which was made of a bass voice, a slow flow and NYC-inspired beats. Too bad... still, his early tracks are classics. 

Fabe - Lettre Au Président. 

If you're looking for a list of French rap best lyricists, Fabe gotta be in it. As a pioneer, Fabe wasn't really recognized as a dope rapper ; he had to sign on a Swiss label, Unik Records. Fortunately, soon enough, heavyweights like Cut Killer and IAM supported him, which resulted in Fabe being played on the radio. 

Produced by DJ Stokfry, this song aims at former French president, Jacques Chirac. The album, "Le Fond Et La Forme", released in 1997, is pretty dope, mellow but lyrically mastered. Fabe then released one album a year, without compromising to mainstream rap. Three years after this album, at the top of his career, Fabe decided to leave it all, dived into religion and quit rapping. The end. 

Passi - Les Flammes Du Mal. 

It's an understatement to say that "Ma 6-T Va Crack-er" was an influential movie in the French rap scene. The casting of the record included the finest French rapstars, and even an American icon, KRS-One. Back then, collaborations between French and American rapstars were rare and always quite an event. 

The soundtrack was cohesive, thanks to the production team, made of the brothers White & Spirit. 

Passi, then a member of Ministère A.M.E.R., used this track to launch his solo career, with success. Good lyrics, nice production. 1997 again, and yes, it was a nice year. 

Sefyu - Sénégalo-Ruskov. 

A former apprentice at the Arsenal football academy, Sefyu found a way into rap thanks to ground-breaking mixtapes and singles such as "La Vie Qui Va Avec" and a rare concept, the "sénégalo-ruskov", hence the title of his song. Mixing his origins and the clichés of Russian coldness, Sefyu step by step became one of the main players in the French rap game. His gimmicks and his constant attitude are his signature. 

It's not the most impressive beat you'll hear in your life, but it's pretty efficient. 

K.Ommando Toxik ft. Oxmo Puccino & Sefyu - Pucc' Fiction. 

This calls for an explanation. "Pucc' Fiction" is one of the ultimate classics of French rap, originally sung by Oxmo Puccino (with a featuring by now top dog Booba), in his Time Bomb era (whoa, this brings back lots of memories). The youngsters of K.Ommando Toxik made a remake out of it, and invited Sefyu to... outshine them. It's not the best move you could make in a career, but Sefyu really stole the track, with his signature voice, flow and gimmicks. Plus, he adopted Oxmo's succulent storytelling, making the track a nice listen. 

Idéal J ft. Démon One & Rohff - L'Amour. 

"L'Amour" is one of these tracks that makes you love an album. Its heady sample and uncommon drum pattern were a good start, thanks to beatmaker Chimiste, then a in-house producer at Arsenal Records, the label that released the album "Le Combat Continue" (and somehow disappeared afterwards). Then come the rappers, each one with his own asset : Kery James brought his lyricism, Démon One from Intouchable brought his unique flow and Rohff put his charisma on the table. Overall, the three rappers brought their A game on a difficult topic, the absence of their respective fathers. 

RIP Mehdi. 

laser loves vinyl.

Just for your own information, if you didn't know that you could read a vinyl record through the laser technology, here is the proof. 

The development of this technology started in the 1970's  with a main goal : to avoid the contact between the vinyl plate and the diamond needle. The development benefited from the involvement of Stanford University, but unfortunately, the CD invaded the market, and made the vinyl irrelevant (for a few years). 

When the vinyl came back in full effect in the late 1990's, the laser turntable got resurrected by the ELP company. 

Basically, you get the same functions than for a CD player, fast forward, backward, skipping tracks etc... but of course, you lose the special touch of the cell, the special sound of the needle when it hits the plastic... So what's the use ? I guess only pure audiophiles could answer. And guys with a few extra bucks, because this baby has a price, with an average rate of US$ 10 000. Yes. And oh, you can add accessories, to reduce clicks for example. Just add a few thousand dollars for each add-on. Damn. 

the man Syl.

Thank the Creator, first, Syl Johnson had a shot to record and bless us with his musical genius ; second, he's enjoying right now a second birth to the industry. Thank Numero Group also, which bought the whole Syl's catalog.

And now, thank The Oxford American for writing a whole webpage about Syl. And extensive, yet fun read.

soleil rare 17 - iron wings.

Miriam Makeba - Quit It.

The queen. Mama Africa. The youngsters can't remember the years of apartheid, and what coloured and mixed people had to go through in South Africa back in the days. From abroad, Miriam fought the regime, and got banned in return. She returned to her homeland only when Mandela got out of jail, in 1990. 

This track, "Quit It", is one of her world successes, showcasing deep lyrics about addictions. It's sweet, but it's like listening to your grandma whispering harsh truth to your ear. 

It was sampled, among others, by French rapstar JoeyStarr for "Gaz-L". 

Mustafa Ozkent Orchestra - Karadir.

If you ever find this album in its original pressing, keep it, don't tell anyone and worship it. Because it is probably one of the rarest LP's of Turkish psych music. Which means it's highly wanted.

This sample galore gets heavy on the drums and has more funk to it than your average US funk record. The flavor is unbelievable. 

Mustafa Ozkent may not be the most famous Turkish contemporary musician, leaving this position to Baris Manço and Erkin Koray. But the talent is equal. A compulsory listen. 

Hector Lavoe - Mucho Amor.

La Voz indeed. Puerto Rican salsa singer Hector Lavoe got famous alongside band leader Willie Colon, as the band singer. Because of Lavoe's drug addiction, Colon cut him from the cast. This resulted in Hector Lavoe spreading his wings as a solo act. The two remained friends nonetheless and kept working together. 

"La Voz" is Lavoe's first solo album, released on Fania Records. It was produced by Willie Colon. "Mucho Amor" wasn't the main hit on this album but still is a nice introduction to salsa music.  

Gal Costa - Sebastiana.

Simply one of the best albums ever. Released in 1969, the eponymous album counts among the must-have albums of Brazilian music. It was recorded under the guidance of Rogerio Duprat, and includes Gilberto Gil and Caetono Veloso among the musicians. 

Gal's voice here goes fast, as the music takes her into a frenetic rhythm. Highly enjoyable as it gets stuck in your head. Nice production work also. 

Rahul Dev Burman & Mohd. Rafi - Naag Devta.

Mr. Dev Burman is the ultimate legend of Bollywood film scoring. His talent for creating timeless melodies is undeniable. Moreover, his music constitutes bridges between the Western pop styles and Indian pop music. "Naag Devta" is one of these tracks in which Rahul went brutal on the beat, adding lots of small elements to a simple rhythm. Add on top of this the echoed voice of Rafi, and powerful choirs, and here you go with a Bollywood anthem. Curry funky shit. 

Kwan Jit Sriprajan - Panatibat.

I already said it, but it's not one's reflex to link funky music and Asia. But a few diggers proved otherwise. And this phenomenon has an explanation. The American influence spread over the years in Asia, along with the construction of its army camps and bases. And in the South-East Asia area, the Vietnam war had an incredible influence on music. Bangkok became the leisure spot we know and local bands included foreign influences to their sets. "Panatibat" is a nice example of Thai pop, although more influenced by traditional Thai music than by touches from abroad. 

Get over tha language barrier and let your body respond to this. 

Jacques Schwarz-Bart feat. Jacob Desvarieux - Déshabillé.

These two need an introduction to those who are not familiar with Caribean music. Jacob Desvarieux is the leader of Kassav', the most prominent band of the French West Indies. He's well known for his rough voice, which makes everything he says very sensual. Jacques Schwarz-Bart, aka Brother Jacques, is a Guadeloupean now NYC-based saxophonist and producer. People know him as a backing musician, for jazz and nu soul acts like D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Eric Benet, Me'shell, or Roy Hargrove. 

"Déshabillé" has a relaxing effect, thanks to a flawless production, mixing flutes, light but firm percussions, and discreet acoustic guitar and bass. Not your conventional zouk hit, but so soulful. 

Mulatu Astatke - Yèkèrmo Sèw.

I don't think Mulatu Astatke still needs an introduction. Creator of the ethio-jazz genre, he almost single handedly put Ethiopia on the map of world music.

I included this song in the selection, but if you've seen "Broken Flowers" by Jim Jarmusch, you already know it. 

So good. 

Rolling Beats - Don't Ask Me Why.

This sound comes from Indonesia and, oh God, it's funky as hell. Yeah, garage rock is not a Western exclusive. The lyrics are very simple, the style reminds of the early Beatles, the drumbreaks are on point, and you'll go "la la la" in a blink. 

Actually, the Rolling Beats flew out of Indonesia, because of the political regime, and chose to land in Netherlands, where they had a little success on the garage scene. 

For your info, the 7" went for almost £200 on eBay.

Boubacar Traoré - Pierrette.

African music lovers, get over here as Boubacar Traoré and his guitar are featured in this selection. Mali can be proud of having this voice and these fingers in its local roster. Traoré's life is a novel.

A popular composer in the 1960's, he remained a poor musician and was forced to silence when the political regime changed in 1968, because of his support to the previous president. Boubacar Traoré chose to remain silent for 20 years, then emigrated to France, where he became a common construction worker. When a British producer finds one of Traoré's few recordings, he tracked him down, and made him record "Mariama" in 1990. Since then, Boubacar Traoré has been living off his music. 

True story. beautiful story, just like this song. Feel the chills.

Jank.

If you like cover art, and like to read about graphic design, you might know Jeff Jank, better known as the art director for the Stones Throw label. He is responsible for the graphic madness displayed on projects by Jaylib, Madlib (and his various aliases), J Dilla, MF Doom, Madvillain, OhNo!, Dudley Perkins, and many many more (including David Axelrod). 

The man is discreet, but gained in the recent years more exposure, thanks to the success of some Stones Throw's releases. His interviews are always a nice read, as it allows ignorants like me to know a little bit more about the creative process behind the making of a record cover. Also, Jeff Jank always takes pleasure in losing the reader along the way, using a lot of contradictions, and strange ironic sentences.

So, here are a few interviews and sites found on the web : 

- the latest one, by EgotripLand, in which Jank explains the art of Madvillain's debut. 

- his empty website.

- an interview by Brain Mag (in French), in which Jank details his favorite record covers (at the time).

- a short weird "designer of the week" interview by Cosign.

- an old interview by Feed Me Cool Shit.

- Proxart also had Jank speaking about "Madvillainy".

- a Stones Throw's version of a Jeff Jank anthology.

I might eventually write other posts about cover art... stay tuned. 

weekend treats.

FRSH SLCTS is a website founded in 2008 by the man Kenny Fresh, a long-time partner of beatmaker and music producer Waajeed. So, it is clearly beats-oriented. 

Now, Kenny happens to know lots of people in this particular scene, and is able to make his website live by making free music available to anyone. Mr. Fresh sums up the project in these words :

Hi, I am a website. All of the music is free and cleared with the artists and/or their respective labels. Don't let it live just on your laptop - put it on your headphones, play it in your car, DJ it out, etc. etc. All you need to know. 

A few beatmakers already provided free projects, for the WKND BEATS series (the series got stopped for 2 years before being reborn), the last one being the talented Dibia$e. Previous collaborations included Hi-Res, Will Sessions, Daru, etc.   

Get your fix. 

Khmer pop.

  

If you missed the previous post about Cambodian music, here's your chance to redeem yourself. This website is the home of the most interesting Khmer music. Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea, Pan Ron and So Savoeun were the biggest pop stars of the pre-Khmer rouges era ; get their whole stories, links to music and video and countless info about them there. 

Quentin Oizo.

Do you like weird ? Yes ? Well, to appreciate Mr. Oizo/Quentin Dupieux's deliveries, you have to love absurd. 

Except for the commercial anthem "Flat Beat", that had everyone frenetically and violently nodding his head, Mr. Oizo always had to fight against the critics. Or (and I think it's the case, based on his "grand n'importe quoi" - understand "big whatever" - philosophy), he just doesn't give a shit. After all, you don't produce a world hit such as "Flat Beat" without having a special touch and, you could say, a hint of talent. 

So, since "Analog Worm Attack", Mr. Oizo released projects which left mixed feelings among the (rarely open-minded) audience :  "Pourriture", "Moustache (Half A Scissor)", "Lambs Anger" (a personal fav) and a bunch of EP's, remixes and singles.

Staying steady on the same tracks, Mr. Oizo now releases a new album, called "Stade 2", a reference to a French cult sport TV show. Guys, it's pure hard electro, with a lot of distortion, heady cuts (honestly, I can't use the word "melodies"), and it's highly orgasmic. Play it loud to your friends, and the crowd will be divided in two ; you either love it or hate it. In one word, "Stade 2" is fresh. 

This being said, Mr. Oizo is really Quentin Dupieux, a film maker who started in this game alongside the iconic Michel Gondry. He directed commercials for Levi's (starring his puppet Flat Eric), music videos for label mate Laurent Garnier (at the time Mr. Oizo was part of F Communication), Alex Gopher, Sébastien Tellier, and of course Mr. Oizo. 

But Quentin Dupieux really gives his best in his movies. Starting with "Nonfilm" in 2001, his video career is a strange series of absurd projects. "Steak" followed and got murdered by the critics. Then "Rubber", the story of a lone psychopath tyre. Weird to the fullest. 

And now, Dupieux announces his newest movie, "Wrong". A program in itself... The teaser is already out and surely makes the wait fun. Expect the best of the worst. 

finally returnin' ?

I've been sleeping on the news, but it seems D'Angelo is really coming back from (possibly) hell. A European tour is already scheduled, with dates in Sweden, Denmark, France, Netherlands, and England. 

?uestlove recently confirmed the tour, but will most certainly leave the seat behind the cans to fellow drummer Chris Dave. Other musicians are already booked. 

The same ?uesto also launched a bomb in an interview with Pitchfork : D'Angelo's new album, 12 years after the prodigy that was "Voodoo", is almost done. The main remaining step will certainly be to convince D'Angelo that the album is ready to live by itself. 

Another question that the ladies could ask is : will D come back in shape, or as he last appeared in the news ? Whatever, y'all gotta read what ?uestlove has to say about the neo soul prophet, as he explains a few things about D's latest experimentations. 

Can't wait. 

soleil rare 16 - ain't nuthin new.

Donnie - Classifieds. 

Born in Kentucky in 1976, Donnie did not choose the most recognizable name for a Google search. But the few facts one can grab about him can explain a lot. 

As a child, Donnie moved to Atlanta, and grew up between the Pentecostal church and the remembrance of his cousin, the great Marvin Gaye. With such an inspiration, Donnie devoted his life to music very early. Now, his style reminds of Donny Hathaway. 

After a remarkable first album "The Colored Section", Donnie released a sophomore of equal quality "The Daily News". That was in 2007. Now, it calls for a sequel... Let's be clear, Donnie's music isn't your usual R&B. It's plain soul, just like old times. Live instruments and powerful choruses, Donnie took the whole recipe and makes dope music out of it. That's the kind of stuff you will hear on "Classifieds". This man could save black music.

Prince - Cinnamon Girl. 

For now, black music stands of this little man's shoulders. Prince is probably today's best live act in the world, and blessed us with classic albums. But in the net of his unstoppable creativity, he also released tons of average (or less understandable) music. That must be the fate of geniuses. Another paradox with the man is that, despite his obvious abilities to play all the instruments that can possibly be used, he often used machines to create music. 

Two of his "recent" albums, "The Rainbow Children" and "Musicology" signed Prince's return to acoustic music. And wow, what a result. "Musicology" might be in the best Prince's albums ever. "Cinnamon Girl" showcases loud drums, crazy guitar riffs, and overall a perfect songwriting. The perfect mix of rock, soul and funk. Well, Prince all the way. 

Miguel - Ooh Ahh !

"Ooh Ahh !" was available on the "Mischief -The Mixtape" project that Miguel released for free in 2008. Although being one of today's most promising R&B talents, Miguel remains pretty discreet. He released his first album in 2010, but seems to count of featurings to keep his name alive. He collaborated with underground acts Blu, Wale, Asher Roth... 

The truth is Miguel seems to be worth a lot more than a few sung choruses, considering the ton of shitty music that pollutes the FM waves all day long. So, please Miguel, get your shit together. 

Platinum Pied Pipers feat. Neco Redd - American Pimp. 

There's more in Waajeed than a simple Dilla's protégé. Somehow, it seems that he was feeling comfortable sitting in the shadow of the MPC monster, until he expressed his creativity with his own band, Platinum Pied Pipers, alongside Saadiq (not Raphael though).  

With its heady and stomping drum pattern, its dark piano and Neco Redd's Truth Hurts-styled voice, "American Pimp" will make your head nod. Maybe even make you dance a little bit. Let your ass get funked. 

Michael Jackson - Dirty Diana. 

You just can't front. MJ rules and "Dirty Diana" (for Diana Ross, not Lady Di) is one of his best songs, featured on the "Bad" album. Michael is responsible for both the music and the lyrics of this song, making it obvious that the legend was talented enough to exist outside the shadow of Quincy Jones (although Mr. Jones is credited as producer of the song). 

"Dirty Diana" is branded a pop song, but touches rock like never in MJ's repertoire. 

The main help was provided by guitarist Steve Stevens, who gave this hard rock feel to the track. Folks, this song hit the top of the charts in 1988, and could still rock any crowd. MJ forever. 

Peven Everett - Do It Again For The Last Time. 

Another underrated singer, Peven Everett is a bridge between R&B and deeper soul. But who knows him outside a few black music lovers ? that's a pity, because he deserves a better career. Who knows he released an album, "Medicine Man" in August this year ? Even Discogs doesn't. 

On "Do It Again For The Last Time", Peven barely sings whole verses, rather short sentences, making it clear he's talking to someone. The feeling also is clear, it's a love song, y'all. Peven Everett is that kind of guy, a young R.Kelly, singing love all day long.    

Mary J. Blige - Sweet Thing. 

Do you remember that time, when Mary J. Blige was called the "Queen of hip-hop soul" ? I think it came from Puff Daddy, now Diddy. Well, it's true Mary shook a lot of lines with her debut album "What's The 411 ?", executive produced by the Bad Boy nabab in 1992. 

The whole album, and of course "Sweet Thing", breathe the air of 1990's R&B, inspired by veterans like Whithney Houston and Chaka Khan. That was the time of "hip-hop soul" and "new jack swing" (who uses these genre names now ?). "Sweet Thing" is a cover of a Chaka Khan's song, but Mary J. owned it without a doubt.  

Raphael Saadiq - Oh Girl. 

Raphael Saadiq enjoys a wonderful career. But, like many music geniuses, his incredible abilities kept him in the back for a long time. With a career starting in 1984 (yeah, the guy is now 45 years) as a backing bass player on Prince's world "Parade Tour", you would expect more than 4 solo albums under his belt. 

Along the way, Raphael was part of Tony!Toni!Toné!, Lucy Pearl, The Ummah, so you can't say he remains inactive. But still, his own name remained unknown. He collaborated with the cream of rap, R&B, and pop, including songwriting credits for another neo soul star, D'Angelo. 

Released in 2008, "The Way I See It" marked Raphael Saadiq's return to an old school flavor, almost impersonating Motown style. As a matter of fact, "Oh Girl" sounds like a Marvin Gaye's song. Fans knew for a long time that Raphael could deliver such an album, and there's no denying Saadiq vocal abilities are on point. Critics were all positive and I joined this trend. Since then, ex-rappers Aloe Blacc, Mayer Hawthorne and Pigeon John followed Saadiq on the singing road. Inspiring then. 

Frank Ocean - Acura Integurl. 

I've already been a follower of Odd Future when this free mixtape by Frank Ocean surfaced, in February 2011. Considering Tyler and Earl's violent first tracks, I was surprised they sponsored an R&B singer.  but curiosity won and soon enough I kinda fell under the charm. Inside OFWKTA, Frank Ocean is the mature guy standing in the back or on the side. 

When I copped this project, I predicted that the whole pop world would be all about Frank Ocean six months later. Even though I was a little bit too confident (for my defense, his album has been postponed without any releasing date), since then Ocean was featured on Jay-Z and Kanye West duo album, wrote for Beyoncé, and was even covered by new rap-star Justin Bieber. All this without a proper album on the shelves, only this mixtape. I won't tell everything about Ocean's story, but it's interesting enough to deserve a link. 

Well, bla bla bla, i'm talking, but "Acura Integurl" isn't even on the mixtape ! It was released shortly after as a video. R&B with harsh words. Love it. Enjoy the future. 

openin subscriptions.

Like they say at the UFC, "here we go !". Yes, record labels are opening their 2012 subscriptions. What is this exactly ? 

Back in the days, when DJ'ing implied buying lots of records, some labels were trying to promote their records through the record pools. It started in 1975 and the process was quite simple : if you were a DJ, you could subscribe to a pool, and then periodically receive records to play in your sets. There was no diggin', you just received random stuff. Like in a box of chocolate, you never know what you're gonna get. 

Record pools are less popular nowadays, as everyone's DJ'ing with Serato or on CDJ, using mp3 files as the main ressource. Digital days... but pools still exist nonetheless.

Long story short, vinyl-based labels recycled the formula and offer subscriptions, just like you would subscribe to a magazine. Usually, they function on a 10 (or around)-record deal, for an average price of $150, plus benefits, in terms of exclusive mp3 and such. It does not seem like a bad deal, if you live in the area of the label, because shipping cost can dramatically increase the rate. Like for record pools, buyers can have a rough idea of what they will get in their mailbox, most of the time the closest future releases, but they don't know the whole catalog of the offer. So, to subscribe, you obviously to have an open mind, to like surprises, and to trust a particular record label. 

Anyway, this was just to inform you that labels like Numero Group and Light In The Attic launched their 2012 campaign. Get your credit card ready.  

Knxwledge.

Who the hell is Knxwledge ? The guy keeps dropping consistent beat music week after week. Ok, 4-track EPs are not albums but still... his shit is plain beats, made of chopped samples and synths. 

Getting info about this talented beatmaker wasn't an easy task. He's that kind of guy who has a day job, makes beats at work on his computer, and deliver the heat over the web when the night comes. 

Among the pile (so to speak, it's only .mp3 files) of mini projects, Knxwledge also released an album, "Klouds", through the fast growing Irish label All City Records, home of French beatsmith Onra. Though, once again, the album is only available in digital format. Well, as a matter of fact, the Philly boy is the product of his time, enjoying a wide exposure on the internet (let's say... Facebook, Tumblr, Soundcloud, Bandcamp and I forgot about MySpace, because it's no more relevant) while making few appearances that would allow us to know more about him and his creative process.  

It's only right to say his style reminds, among the beat scene, of the Brainfeeder stable. Well, the connection already exists, as Teebs is responsible for the artwork on "Klouds", and is likely to be in charge of the artwork of the sequel. It wouldn't be surprising that, after his recent collabo with genius MC Blu, Knxwledge would sign with Flying Lotus' label. Now, that would be a combo. 

For now, his last EP : "Konsistensi", for streaming here. 

Sa-Ra Creative Partners : a retrospective.

Sa-Ra Creative Partners, better known as simply Sa-Ra, are well-known musicians in the microcosm of the music industry. But outside of it, they are relatively unknown. Why is that ? Maybe because they mainly act as producers, in the shadow of stars like Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu. Their efforts as Sa-Ra Creative Partners are quite confidential and most of the time sounds awesomely weird. 

It's been some time now since they last released something meaningful, preferring solo efforts by frontman Shafiq Husayn. 

Through their collaborations and their own discography, The Smoking Section was able to make 3 mixes that are available for download. So, here are I (Voyage To Venus), II (Mission To Mars) and III (Exodus To Earth).

soleil rare 15 - amour et violence.

I already wrote about Sébastien Tellier. His song "L'Amour Et La Violence", from his album "Sexuality", has been stuck in my head for quite some years now. For the story, it's the sequel of Sébastien's previous hit "La Ritournelle". 

So, here I present to you a few remixes of the track that has been done since its release. Some of them are official, others were found randomly over the web. All in all, they all tried to keep the magic that surrounds the original song. 

Love and violence indeed, with the following tracklisting : 

- L'Amour Et La Violence (original) ...chilling...
- L'Amour Et La Violence (Floating Points Mix) ...acid-jazz feeling...
- L'Amour Et La Violence (Allure Remix) ...funk-oriented...
- L'Amour Et La Violence (Boyz Noize Remix) ...techno-influenced...
- L'Amour Et La Violence (K6000 Remix) ...Kavinsky-styled...
- L'Amour Et La Violence (Nico Pusch Bootleg Remix) ...minimal electro...
- L'Amour Et La Violence (Boyz Noize Euro Mix) ...just dope...
- L'Amour Et La Violence (Le Défi Remix) ...make it house...
- L'Amour Et La Violence (Acid Washed Land Of Daktari Remix) ...dubstep-like...

And just for more love and violence, here are a few videos of Sébastien Tellier playing the song live :

- at the Maison de la Radio.
- at L'Olympia.
- on a TV set.

some more Serge, by Alain.

These two giants are dead. But their music still is the reference of the French avant-garde. At the height of their anti-conformism, they even decided to collaborate ; it was for Bashung's "Play Blessures", in 1982. An old but hardly mature Gainsbourg helped a young but successful Bashung to craft the words of his ground-breaking effort. 

Alain Bashung then wanted to break his image of pop singer, supported by hits like "Gaby, Oh ! Gaby", which was too much reminescent of "yé-yé" vedette Jacques Dutronc. "Play Blessures" flopped, just like Gainsbourg solo albums, including "L'Homme A Tête De Chou", which sold a miserable amount of 25 000 copies at a time when people were actually buying records. 

So, when in 2005, two men, Jean-Marc Ghanassia and Jean-Ckaude Gallotta, decided to set up a dance performance based on Gainsbourg's seminal concept album, they contacted the then pope of French music, Alain Bashung. The next year, Bashung took two days to record the whole 12 songs of the original album. In 2009, a few journalists had the opportunity to listen to the whole album, which was set to be performed live a few months later ; this project could not be fulfilled, as Bashung died of lung cancer in March 2009. The best song of the album, "Variations Sur Marilou", leaked nonetheless, and even got a video a few weeks ago.

Now, the whole album, re-sung by Bashung, is done, and available to anyone. Bashung may not be as perverted and mischevious as Gainsbourg, but his voice gives a dark yet warm feeling to the project. It's freaking moving to hear the voice of a dead, just like if this project was being played live.  

One other thing : there's a limited edition of the album in CD that looks like a multi 7" edition. I got cheated, so be warned, it's a CD. The only vinyl edition available is a LP. Silly me... Still, the quality of the album remains, only I got a CD instead.

Babu's top 10.

Babu's selection fits on this blog, because it's very eclectic and, despite the fact that the guy has a solid hip-hop background, he's able to appreciate other genres, with very wide tastes and interests. And more than that, he relates everything to his first love, hip-hop. Damn, Babu should post on this blog... 

Well, he made a top ten record list for the Wax Poetics website, and it includes Herbie Hancock, The Bar-Kays (with a killer cover art), Franck Pourcel, James Brown, Earth & Fire (not to be confused for Earth, Wind & Fire), and other acts from Japan, Germany and more. 

You should definitely have a glimpse of Babu's selection. 

some more blazin' reissues.

At first, I was not attracted to reissues. I usually find remastering a useless effort and kind of a treason to the original artistic views of the artist. Moreover, sometimes the cover art on reissues looks like a cheap Xerox-copy. And, well, reissues obviously don't have the value, neither sentimental nor financial, of original issues. 

But when I dug deeper into rare (in terms of available copies) records, I found interesting records to be out of my league, financially speaking. And when it comes to music from far away countries, I get frustrated by doubling (if not more) the price with the shipping fees (when I purchased through eBay) or with the cost of travelling (when I treat myself with some vacation).

So, all in all, purchasing re-editions makes great music available to the common listener I am. Most of the time I still have to pay a little extra for shipping, but more and more small labels makes it worth it. Their products are usually very similar to the original issues, in terms of sound and artwork. [I take advantage of this post to beg labels : please stop stamping your logo on the cover of the record, people care less about the back. I'm talking to you, 4 Men With Beard and Finders Keepers, despite the fact that I like what you guys do...]. 

Ok, so, all that to say that some reissues of dope records are now available or about to be : Votary just re-released "Solar Flares" by Sven Libaek. This record, issued by Peer in 1974, had already been reissued, but on CD by Vadim Music. This record is a must-have, so any reissue is very welcome.

Speaking of Vadim Music, they are about to reissue a magnificient album from the godfather of library music, Janko Nilovic, titled "Psyc Impressions". This one should be available in December. 

December will also be the month of the release of Kim Jung Mi's "Now", a Korean masterpiece recorded in 1973 under the guidance of Shin Joong Hyun. Lion Productions, responsible for the Cambodian "Groove Club" series, has opened the pre-orders.
And I almost forgot, Now-Again released "Hell Below" by East of Underground, a band made of American soldiers stationed in Germany during the Vietnam War. Well, actually, the box set is comprised of three LPs by four different bands (East of Underground, The SOAP, The Black Seeds, The Sound Trek) and this must be good.

DJ Jazzy Jeff.

In case you doubted it, DJ Jazzy Jeff is not a greedy man. The unstoppable touring DJ makes a lot of music available for free on the web. 

Besides his "Summertime" mixtape he made with buddy mixtape king Mick Boogie, check Jeff's talent as a performing DJ in his "Do-Over" mixes, as a producer on his collaboration with Ayah, as a remixer in "My Faves" etc etc. A legend for real.