soleil rare 3 - bits.

Rza - Flying Birds.

"Ghost Dog", movie by Jim Jarmusch starring Forrest Whitaker, sports a soundtrack inspired by the movie and a real score. The track "Flying Birds" is featured on the score, which is a Japanese release. Partly thanks to the Rza, the movie is full of emotion ; opening with "Flying Birds", you instantly know that the movie is gonna be a winner.

Banging drums and a weird piano, that's Rza's basic recipe since the creation of the Wu-Tang, but it definitely works on screen. The ideal track to start this selection.

Dr. Who Dat? - Viberian Twilight Part 2.

If you asked me why beatmakers love to change names so frequently, I would not be able to answer. But who cares ? So, Dr. Who Dat? is Jneiro Jarel and makes great music, in the same mood as guys like Flying Lotus and his Brainfeeder crew.

This track was featured in 2009 on the compilation "Scion A/V Presents : Blu Jemz Beat Machine".

The sound is complex, it's a wall of sounds, which melodies emerging from behind the curtains and a patchwork of sonic special effects. All together, it sounds relaxing despite a messy first impression.

Infinitskills - Morning Lights.

Some say Infinitskills is a group of 3 beatmakers : EricP., Luigi & Pat Gonzales. Others say they are only 2 : EricP. & Luigi. Considering the cover of "Polarized", and the fact that these last two are Monkey Robot, I really can't say. But again, who cares ? One sure thing is that they come from Brussels, Belgium, and they are clearly underrated. They make dope beats, either using samples or using live instrumentation.

"Morning Lights" sounds like a combination. The vocal inserts are of course samples, the strings also. But what about the drums ? Sounds live. And that heaaaavy bass ? Sounds synth-played.

Anyway, the goal was to showcase the talent of these guys.  

Fat Jon - Spacesuit proper.

You don't know Fat Jon ? Well, his curriculum makes him hardly traceable. Born American, member of the Five Deez, he gained fame by contributing to the legendary "Samurai Champloo" music, alongside the late Nujabes. He also crafted albums with J. Rawls, under the name (or number) 3582. To make it even more difficult, Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician created his own label, and now releases his albums on it.

In a way, Fat Jon labelled his own sound : it's indeed some ample soul.

The combination of flutes, vocal samples and gentle drums makes "Spacesuit proper" a real delight to listen.

By the way, you can usually purchase Fat Jon's albums with your eyes (and ears) closed, as it's always that good...

KenLo - "Bass". 

KenLo hails from Québec, Canada. He became famous over the web and the beat scene by releasing a series of six free instrumental albums, called "Craqnuques" (="neckbreaking"). The track "Bass" is on the "Bleu" album and synthetises KenLo's obsession for basses and drums. A few days ago, it sounded experimental, but now, it's the main sound of the beat scene. It still sounds incredibly dope and will indeed make your head nod.  

J. Rawls - A Tribute To Troy.

J-Rawls is a busy old timer. Yeah, already. He appeared on key projects such as "Black Star" by Mos Def and Talib Kweli. He went the underground way with J. Sands as The Lone Catalysts. He dropped solo albums, and co-authored albums alongside Fat Jon as 3582. Then he collaborated with Declaime, Count Bass D, and John Robinson. 

All that being said, I haven't talked about his Liquid Crystal Project, consisting of several musicians. Two albums were released under this moniker. J.Rawls used them to deliver several tributes to his favorites fellow producers : Jay Dee, Pete Rock, The Beatnuts, Tha Beatminerz...

In this selection, I included "A Tribute To Troy", which is of course an interpretation of "T.R.O.Y." by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth. It includes live instruments, and gives a new dimension to the theme. Sure, the original Pete Rock-produced track remains the reference. But it's nice to hear the same melodies played differently.

Exile - Love Line. 

Unlike some other beatmakers, Exile is really focused on the melodies, even if he chops a lot. His collaborations with emcee Blu made it clear to everyone that he's into jazzy stuff. Your lady will love that track. It's the instrumental version of a song that features Blu. It appears on the "Radio" album. 

Oh I haven't said a word about Exile's career. Well, he was a half of Emanon alongside Aloe Blacc, produced for a bunch of high class rappers, and released albums with emcees Blu and Fashawn. His solo career is also gaining space in the game.

Madlib - Dillalade Ride (Contact Hide). 

I won't talk too much about Madlib's resume, because it's a mess and you can find what you need to know over on the Stones Throw website. Anyway, following J Dilla's death, Madlib was left without his Jaylib counterpart. Not that he never worked alone before, but since they met and collaborated, J Dilla had seemed to be a huge influence on Madlib's way of producing and musical directions. Yes, even when you're great and ingenious on your own, you can still be influenced. 

So, Madlib produced two volumes of this "Beat Konducta" series for the glory of J Dilla. Titled "Dil Cosby Suite" and "Dil Withers Suite", they includes beats that all refer to Dilla in one way or another. 

Here on "Dillalade Ride (Contact Hide)", it's the soulful samples and chopped vocals that remind Dilla's famous beat-tapes. And then some Madlibness. The Yin and the Yang. 

Count Bass D - All Shook Up. 

Count Bass D is a strange animal. I remember buying his first album, "Pre-life Crisis" in a kind of record sale, out of curiosity because of this smiling face on the cover. Smiling does not seem to be an easy thing for a rapper. It was a good listen but it wasn't raw enough for a Wu-Tang fan. 

A few years later, Count Bass D's name emerged out of nowhere, with a complete new sound. 

"All Shook Up" was part of a free instrumental effort, distributed over the internet. It is based on the classic "Shook Ones Pt 2" by Mobb Deep, using the different parts (bass, drums, main sample) in a clever and entertaining game of 1 and 2's on the turntables. It's short, it's fresh, and you could totally imagine Jazzy Jeff or A-Trak doing this live.

Onra - Come Closr (Kicks & Claps Edit).

Before you say anything about the cover, this is the real one, the first one, designed by Onra himself. The album "1.0.8" was originally released as a digital instrumental album. It displays beats crafted with Indian samples. At the time the album was first released, Onra didn't want people to assume he was biting Madlib's style, considering the recent release of "Beat Konducta In India". It was only in a second time that the album got a vinyl release, with a different cover.

I am glad that I followed Onra's career (almost) since the beginning. His work so far has been consistant. His style evolved, proving that he mastered the different steps of beatmaking, at a quick pace. You may not like everything the man dropped, but he never took anyone for a fool, only releasing quality stuff, such as his critically acclaimed "Chinoiseries" (waiting for the part 2...).

This "Come Closer (Kicks And Claps Edit)", based on a sample by Salma Agha, is so melodic that I always hit the repeat button when listening to it. Many times. And it comes with a beautiful video. Enjoy y'all.