"The Tight Five" - Playlist: 9th May 2010

Artist: Various Artists
Title: Shapes 10:01
2LP
Label: Tru Thoughts

This week's show saw a number of songs taken from the outstanding Tru Thoughts compilation Shapes 10:01, so it's only fair it's highlighted as one of the "Top Five".

Three tracks this week: the bassline-heavy, dusty reggae vibes from Fredo (straight up exclusive to this compilation) ; the tastefully dubstep-saturated Flux Pavilion remix of Quantic's Mishaps Happening ; & the wobbly ol' Andy H remix of Petrified, Dazed, from the beautiful Kinny.


Artist: Hepcat
Track: I Can't Wait
From the album RIGHT ON TIME
Label: Hellcat

One of Hellcat's earlier releases came courtesy of a ragtag bunch of Southern Californian kids calling themselves Hepcat & playing a tasty blend of reggae, rocksteady & impressively authentic-sounding ska. Any of the tracks on Right On Time slay me every time, but I Can't Wait never fails to put a smile on my dial.


Artist: SJD
Track: Rising, Falling, Rising
From the album SOUTHERN LIGHTS
Label: Round Trip Mars

The opening track from SJD aka Aucklander Sean James Donnelly's 3rd album, Southern Lights, released by Stinky Jim's label Round Trip Mars (click that link, it's worth a peek!) could be described as a floor-filling orchestral dance track. If you had to. What can't be argued is the fact it is possessed of a killer bassline.


Artist: Lewis McCallum with Tama Waipara
Track: New Someone
From the album SYNTHEOLOGY
Label: Finch

Speaking of killer basslines, Lewis McCallum is another local artist more than capable of conjuring up a bassline with murderous intent (witness tracks like Fly Or Die from his debut album Wake), having laid out a clutch of them on his new album, Syntheology. This track has the sexy broken flavour of a classic cut from the likes of Daz-I-Kue or Dego from 4 Hero.


Artist: Slugabed
Track: Quantum Leap
12"
Label: Planet Mu

A fresh cut from Brighton-based producer Slugabed, who lavishes dollops of thick, low end sound over his grimy, dubstep & hip hop stew all over his Planet Mu debut EP, Ultra Heat Treated - from which this outstanding instrumental cut is taken. If you dig Hudson Mohawke, Burial or Breakage, then I reckon you might be into this as well.