In The Pocket

14 March 2012

Live: Taking It Back

Longroom presents
TAKING IT BACK
With Your Hosts and DJs
SAM HILL and NYNTEE
A Brand New Weekly Night Of All Good Music, All Night Long
THURSDAYS from 7pm
LONGROOM
www.longroom.co.nz

12 March 2012

Review: Myele Manzanza 'One'

MYELE MANZANZA
One
[Every Waking Hour]

"You're a nice boy, we like you heaps... but really your drumming is unacceptable any more, OK? Bye bye for now."

I wonder if Myele Manzanza's neighbours see it as a compliment that a selection of their phone messages feature on the opening track of One, Manzanza's debut solo album? A tribute to their patience, perhaps? Patience is one thing Manzanza seems not to have. The young man seemingly moves at the speed of light, having played with everyone in NZ from Recloose to Olmecha Supreme to Scribes Of Ra. Currently one-third of "super-group" Electric Wire Hustle, Manzanza's skills as a drummer are clearly apparent. The first "proper" song here, Big Space, lays those skills out for all to see as it builds into a hard, funky, jazz freakout; while the following track, Absent (featuring the ever-compelling Bella Kalolo) gives us a glimpse into Manzanza's abilities as a songwriter and beatmaker. And it's true: he's a talented motherfucker. The blend of live drumming and programmed instrumentation is spot-on, and all of the ideas presented are well thought through and impeccably delivered, in what is an excellent debut. Having said that, instrumentals like Delay and Elvin's Brew are impressive but challenging to listen to, while the more "straight-ahead" tracks like City of Atlantis (with Charlie K and Ladi6) and On The Move (featuring Rachel Fraser), really shine - perhaps because of a more subtle hand on the production rudder. Though Manzanza himself has stated he was keen to reflect the many aspects of his musical interests, so in that regard, job well done. Other guests include Mark de Clive-Lowe, Isaac Aesili, Steph Brown, Crete Haami, fellow EWH bandmates Mara TK and David Wright, and Myele's Dad, renowned musician Sam Manzanza. As for Myele's neighbours? I reckon they'd just be happy he's spending the next few months based in Europe.

4 stars from 5

Go and purchase One here... I did.

11 March 2012

Playlist: George FM 'In The Pocket with 90' Sun 11 Mar

08 March 2012

Credit To The Edit: Onur Engin

The first in a brand new (but admittedly intermittent) series highlighting some of my favourite edits, reworks and re-rubs of recent times. The whole "edit culture" seems to get bad press from grumpy DJs, but there's definitely some boss among the dross. Here's one: Turkish producer Onur Engin has released a slew of cracking edits, pretty much all of which qualify as 'class'. Cop a few of them on his Soundcloud page, or check his facebook for more info. Two absolute belters below: James Mason's 'Sweet Power Your Embrace' and Kool and The Gang's 'Summer Madness Live'. Get hip to the script flip...

James Mason - Sweet Power Your Embrace (Onur Engin Edit) by Onur Engin

Kool & The Gang - Summer Madness (Onur Engin Edit) by Onur Engin

07 March 2012

Playlist: George FM 'Play It All Back' Wed 7 Mar

Another day, another radio show. I feel pretty lucky to be able to play as much music as I do on George FM - and here's the playlist from 'Play It All In The Back Pocket', where I did my best to fill in for Mr Roger Perry. Check it...

Late Night Tuff Guy | Come Inside Me (LNTG rework)
Marvin Gaye | Sexual Healing (Simon's Dark Keys remix)
Mayer Hawthorne | Um Caso Estranho (A Strange Arrangement version)
Kwick | Nightlife
Sly & The Family Stone | If You Want Me To Stay (Funk Ferret edit)
DJ Steef | Just Let It Lay (DJ Steef edit)
George Benson | Shiver (Space Duke extended edit)
Al Green | Piece Of Mine (Jayl Funk edit)
Sleeve | Hipness
Key-Matic | Breakin' In Space
Gazeebo | Bottoms Up
Jimmy Castor | Supersound (Busta & Some DJ remix)
Picture House | Blaxploitation
Parliament | Aqua Boogie (Slynk edit)
Odyssey | Going Back To My Roots (Fingerman's Maximum Fonk edit)
Dez Andres | A Time To Boogie
Area Social | Dayton's Tonite
Zapp | It Doesn't Really Matter
Majesty's Pleasure | What's The Word (Respect)
Moon Boots | Bills To Pay

Review: Hallelujah Picassos 'Picasso Core Jukebox'

HALLELUJAH PICASSOS
Picasso Core Jukebox
[Fruity Loop Recordings]

"I want to educate people to the fact there are always more possibilities than the situations you have encountered. Naivety is still so strong among people. The Picassos are about social and cultural observation." - Harold 'Roland' Rorschach, Hallelujah Picassos (1992)

I remember coming to Auckland from a rather rural upbringing in Waihi Beach, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and first encountering the Hallelujah Picassos. I was gobsmacked. As a young man wanting to get my teeth into playing in a proper band, these guys blew my mind. They played reggae. They played rock. They played most everything - hard, and loud. I was sold. What's more, they hung out at what became my local: DKD Cafe. What was curious to me was they never really received their dues. Shit, there are kids worldwide right now trying to piece together what these guys did years ago! Perhaps Picasso Core Jukebox (alongside last years' originals collection, Rewind The Hateman) might address that? Probably not. That's a shame, as these guys were the real deal and even now, well over a decade later, the excitement, the genine intent, the sheer passion seeps through these incredibly diverse grooves. Imagine what this sounded like to a fifteen year old kid from the country!? It was like nothing I'd ever heard before. Scratch that. It was like everything I'd ever heard before, thrown together in an aggressive, vibrant, liberating whole. Put aside the decidedly average recording quality on some of these tracks and put yourself into the shoes of early 1990s New Zealanders as the Hallelujah Picassos tore through a set littered with these (severely) re-imagined covers alongside their own material. One of the criticisms these guys have always copped is that their records sounded like compilations. Fuck that. And fuck the Great New Zealand Songbook, while we're at it. If you want some proper NZ music history, and you want to pay respect to some of the actual originators in our scene, buy Rewind The Hateman, and then buy this. Makes me proud to be a Kiwi again.

4 stars from 5

06 March 2012

Playlist: George FM 'Free Range' Tue 6 Mar

04 March 2012

Go Buy It: George FM Yearbook 2011

GEORGE FM YEARBOOK 2011
Now Available In Stores and On Line

The radio station I've been lucky enough to remain involved with for some years now has recently released a compilation of tracks voted on by listeners and mixed by Dick Johnson, and I feel obliged to encourage you to purchase it. Not because of any sense of loyalty to the station, but because it's really rather good. There's plenty of huge songs on there (SBTRKT, Chase and Status, Nero, Toddla T, Magnetic Man and Katy B, Joe Goddard, Two Bears, PNAU and plenty more), and best of all, a stack of local talent - Ladi 6, Tiki and Sambora, David Dallas, P-Money and Dan Aux, MayaVanya and even old Magik himself.

So go on, get your metaphorical wallet out and get amongst...

Playlist: George FM 'In The Pocket' Sun 4 Mar

29 February 2012

Interview: Roots Manuva

COLOSSAL INSIGHT

Roots Manuva has a reputation as a sweet but somewhat grumpy interview subject. Yet when VOLUME magazine spoke with him prior to his forthcoming New Zealand shows, he came across as more of a loveable rogue. Settled back home in Stockwell after an evening spent downing a few pints of bitter (some things never change), Roots Manuva aka Rodney Smith opened up about learning to embrace growing older.

"I'm having to slap myself and wake up to that! For years I wanted to play that down - now it's getting a lot serious. I've got kids of my own that show interest in creativity and music, I work with music projects now that kids are just getting into music at the same age as I was, and I've kind of seen the full responsibility, I'm working things out," he says, chuckling - not for the first time - in his deep, treacle-smothered baritone, "It's like I have to try and package my story and my experience to try and share and give back to them and keep the culture alive, because I think it's a really socially and spiritually significant art form and a worldwide movement that should be celebrated and nurtured."

Roots Manuva has long been held up as a leading light of UK Hip Hop, though it's a term he dismisses. "I can understand it: it starts conversations and it's good hype at the time, but you know, after (long deep breath), after more than ten years in the game now, you gotta look at things a little more thoroughly in their context to the universe and the art and creativity." Even so, it's clear he's still passionate about hip hop music and the lifestyle. "If it wasn't for hip hop I wouldn't be doing music. It was because of people like KRS-One and Chuck D that brought a whole different perspective to the subject matter, it seemed like more than music, and the fact that hip hop as a culture is more than music, that's what was attractive," he pauses, chuckling again, "It wasn't so much like, 'Hey, let's put on lipstick and a wig and flares and let's get famous!' - we're doing this for a living, we're doing this regardless."

Rodney Smith has been 'doing this regardless' for the best part of two decades, first appearing on a handful of singles in the mid-'90s, then dropping his ground-breaking debut album Brand New Second Hand in 1999. His fifth full-length, 4everevolution was released late last year, and many are saying it's his best yet. Certainly it's one of his most innovative, blending reggae, '80s pop-funk, straight up hip hop and even a sung ballad - but it has always been one of Smith's strengths that he is able to take inspiration from all corners and produce something uniquely his own.

"The first sonic palette was obviously Jamaican-made music, or UK Jamaican-influenced music, but at the same time I always liked things like Human League and even Duran Duran," he says. As a young Black man growing up in post-Second World War Britain, he had an increading opportunity to seek out new sounds, but travelling back to Jamaica as a young teenager exposed him to an even greater variety of music. "Jamaicans like cheesy British and American pop more than they like dancehall. I mean, often in a party you can hear something like Michael Bolton alongside the most crazy ragga tunes. That was when I was about twelve. It just blew my mind and freed up my mind to think, hey, I can be into anything!"

Smith says he still has the desire to perform and record music, and continue pushing boundaries while doing so. When asked if his approach to making music has changed since he first began, his answer is typically disarmingly honest - and tongue-in-cheek: "Oh yeah, I think it's just growing up as a professional, tax-paying musician, I kind of learned how to condense and compartmentalise the kind of emotional tantrums into the context of song."

Growing older has become something of a recurring theme in our conversation, with the allied feelings of having an obligation to pass on to the young what has been learned from many years in the business ("A lot of the young kids just think of the pizzazz straight away!") to planning a career beyond being Roots Manuva. "It was always my thing to develop a label and have artists coming through, and the Roots Manuva thing was never supposed to be beyond a couple of records. I just wanted that to be where I just expressed myself. The thing that paid the bills was I wanted to be a jobbing studio owner, or a jobbing beatmaker," he chuckles once more, "It's not really worked out like that at all!"

But it has worked out. Despite an approach Smith himself describes as "A bit more organic, a bit more like if the vibe and the feeling is right", the man has carved himself a place in the hip hop history books, and remains as relevant and vital to music - let alone hip hop - as ever.

Interview originally appeared in Volume magazine

Roots Manuva - Volume's Video Picks
Watch a Roots Manuva video and you're not going to see shimmering silver jumpsuits or giant wind tunnels, yet many are among the more entertaining hip hop videos around. Here are five of our favourites:

* Witness (1 Hope) from Run Come Save Me (2001)
Smith visit his former primary school and competes in the egg and spoon, three-legged and obstacle races, before being chased from the field by an angry mob of kids.
Watch for - 2.59 - when the headmistress, realising he's there to compete rather than host, says "This puts us in a very difficult situation really..." while Smith continues peeling off his tracksuit.

* Again and Again from Slime and Reason (2008)
Continuing the sporting theme, Smith is last man standing for his cricket team who need two runs to win with two balls remaining in the match. The first knocks Smith out briefly, but our hero recovers and smashes the second to the fence, winning the game at the death.
Watch for - 3.30 - the victory dance.

* Buff Nuff from Slime and Reason (2008)
So wrong it's right. Smith as "Bad Ice Cream Man" dispensing his dripping wares to a group of overly enthusiastic, lycra-clad women.
Watch for - 1.40 - oral sex simulation taken to the next level. (NSFW!)

* It's On from Ninja Tune XX (2011)
One of the bigger budget videos from Smith sees him dressed in a sharp suit and backed by a trio of black and white-clad, doll-face painted Japanese dancers. Also one of the few videos in which he looks genuinely cool.
Watch for - 1.56 - when the old man on the beach waves to Smith, beckoning him to play chess.

* Get The Get from 4everevolution (2011)
Fashion tips from the Pim Pimpernel, as Smith goes bag shopping with guest vocalist Rokhsan - while wearing a cravat, yellow-striped trousers and carrying a golf club.
Watch for - 2.06 - where Smith and Rokhsan almost forget the words...

28 February 2012

Live Review: Mayer Hawthorne at Powerstation Thu 23 Feb

MAYER HAWTHORNE
The Powerstation, Auckland
Thu 23 Feb 2012

"This is a show, not a concert! I want to get that straight right now!" Mayer Hawthorne says after he and his band The County have torn through a white-hot version of Maybe So, Maybe No. As far as statements of intent go, his opening words are nothing but honest. From the moment Hawthorne came bounding on-stage he was the consummate frontman, always addressing the crowd with grace and good humour - even free-pouring Hennessey into the front row's upheld beer glasses at one point - while he led his impressive four-piece band through a set peppered with covers ranging from Snoop Dogg to The Doobie Brothers. The County were genuine showmen too, from the bass-player with his LMFAO-styled haircut and leopard-skin towel to the seriously bad-ass drummer, whose vibrant playing gave the songs a driving, exciting backbone. Most of the time that is, as there was an awkward ten-minute stretch of over-egged blue-eyed soul where even he couldn't stop them sounding more like The Eagles than Steely Dan. However, the audience didn't seem to care, lapping up everything Hawthorne laid down, including an inspired take on Snoop's Gangsta Luv and an underwhelming limp through Waajeed's Dilla tribute Jeedo Suave. There's a reason we were prepared to humour him the odd stumble though, and it's important I labour this: Hawthorne and his band had already won us over. He had us eating out of the palm of his hand thanks to storming renditions of Just Ain't Gonna Work Out, Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin', The Ills, The Walk and Long Time, with songs blending into one another, synchronised dance steps from the band and plenty of crowd interaction. That was one of the great surprises of the evening: how many folks knew the words, singing along to almost everything, including I Wish It Would Rain, the b-side of that famous heart-shaped debut single. The other great surprise was the quality of Hawthorne's singing voice. He cops a lot of flak over this, with negative comparisons to his old label-mate Aloe Blacc and question marks over his credibility even singing soul music. Let's set the record straight, shall we? Mayer Hawthorne can sing. He can really sing. He hit all the high notes and seemed to genuinely engage with each and every song. He also engaged with a huge number of punters, if the deliriously ass-shaking crowd on the night - and facebook comments ('I Heart Mayer', 'Swoooon!', etc) the morning after - are anything to go by. Hawthorne claims to make "soul music for hip hop heads", and that's important: this wasn't a soul revue, or a retro-styled throwback concert. This was simple, uncomplicated fun, and we could all do with more of that.

Review originally appeared in Volume magazine

27 February 2012

Playlist: George FM 'In The Pocket' Sun 26 Feb

24 February 2012

Bumps: Funk Moguls v Avicii 'Superstar Levels'

Levels by Avicii is a massive tune worldwide. However, it's not entirely suitable for every d-floor, and there are more than a handful of pretty rubbish edits floating about. This one, by the Funk Moguls, is most certainly not one of those. It's a cracker. Slowing the tempo to 120bpm (but you can pull it back a little further, trust me), the Czech pair throw on an acapella, chop up the hook, slap on a break and voila...

22 February 2012

Review: Best Of Disco Demands

Various Artists
BEST OF DISCO DEMANDS
Compiled and Mixed by Al Kent
[BBE]

It's disco music, but not as some of you may know it: Best Of Disco Demands features all the rare disco music you could ever need - and I really do mean that, as it's an exhaustive, and at times exhausting collection. Thing is, while the full 5CD set (also available on vinyl!) is not really recommended for ingestion in a single setting, there can be little credible argument mounted against Best Of Disco Demands standing as the best disco music compilation of all time. Not for nothing is Al Kent (aka Scottish-born Ewan Kelly) revered as one of the most discerning disco selectors currently filling dance floors. Ripe old classics get the swerve as this spellbinding selection unfurls, encompassing a surprising breadth of disco sounds from African and Latin influences to house-styled four/four, from sweet soul and deep funk flavours to full-throttle, open-hi-hat floor-fillers. This is wall-to-wall quality disco music.

4 stars from 5

My review of Disco Love 2, also compiled by Al Kent, here

Playlist: George FM 'MayaVanya's Pocket' Tue 21 Feb

After a long day in the hot sunshine playing tunes at the Muriwai Golf Course, enjoying an absolutely stunning view of the beach, golf course and homes sweeping up the hillside, I got the call from "the boss" asking me if I would fill in for Maya and Vanya. "Can I get some bottles of wine for Sonia? Good ones?" A few bottles of Cloudy Bay Pinot Gris later and here we are...

Psychemagik | Boogiedrome
Holy Ghost! | Hold On (Blackjoy remix)
Moodymann | Freeki Mutha Fucker (Egyptian Lover mix)
Benjamin Damage & Doc Daneeka | Creeper
Zinc with Ms Dynamite | Wile Out
? | Shake That Ass Bitch & Let Me See What You Got
Switch v Toddla T | I Take It Back I Still Love You (Philly Blunt remix)
Chromeo | Hot Mess (Oliver remix)
Ray Charles | Hit The Road (Philly Blunt edit)
Funk Moguls v Avicii | Superstar Levels
Marco van Bassken | Minnie The Moocher (DJs From Mars Club mix)
Sepalot with Ladi 6 | Go Get It (A.C. Slater remix)
Young MC | Bust A Move (Stickybuds remix)
Gazeebo | You Ain't So Tuff
2 Guys In Venice | Beard & Butter
Bob Sinclar | Ultimate Funk
Inland Knights & Tha Sunloungerz | Weekend
Wiley | Boom Blast
Lana Del Ray | Video Games (Grand Theft remix)
Foster The People | Pumped Up Kicks (LunyP 'Pumped Up' edit)
Spectral Display | It Takes A Muscle (Crucial Three edit)
Sanchez Last Stand | Done With You

20 February 2012

Live: Music Sounds Better With You

Longroom and Peroni present
MUSIC SOUNDS BETTER WITH YOU
A new night of gorgeous grooves, with DJs
Bevan Keys, Jason Eli, Nyntee and Sweetpants
From 7pm til 3am + Free Entry + Drinks Specials All Night
LONGROOM
114 Ponsonby Rd

Live Review: SPLORE 2012

SPLORE 2012
Fri 17 - Sun 19 Feb

The size of the first drop suggested this was real deal rural rain. Sure enough, within seconds it'd arrived, water cascading down the hill to the main stage where Erykah Badu was holding court. Seemingly only minutes later thousands of people were desperately seeking cover in the bar, under tress, flags, awnings and marquees. A few brave souls discarded clothing and danced in togs, while others began the trek home to sodden sleeping quarters. In the glorious Saturday morning sunshine there were tales of collapsed tents, mud-caked sleeping bags and broken legs on the goat track, but that's the rough and smooth of buying into the festival vibe, I guess. Sure, there were a handful of logistical issues (the state of the portaloos and size of some of the queues at peak times), but they're minors and didn't diminish the overall experience. An experience which saw any desire to stick to a timetable cast aside early in the piece. Not only was this incredibly freeing, it meant I was able to see the Cuban Brothers, who were easily one of the funnest acts of the weekend, leading the main stage audience in a sing-a-long tribute to Whitney Houston. It also meant when the bro step and glitch hop of some DJs got a little tiresome I could embrace the full-frontal fruity-fun of the Living Lounge, where acts like Labretta Suede and the Motel 6, Macombee and the Absolute Truth and the In Flagrante burlesque dancers (which, despite being totally NSFW, are well worth a google) encouraged folks to unleash their inner freaks. Aside from the generally positive and accepting atmosphere, it was these 'second and third tier' of performers, artists and extroverts who added the flavour which engaged punters beyond the main stage, while local acts like Funkommunity, The Yoots and Lord Echo were easily the equal of the internationals. Having said that, the really big names didn't disappoint. Mostly. While a lithe and majestic looking Erykah Badu pleased the heads by playing songs from Mama's Gun and Baduizm among tracks from her more recent New Amerykah albums, hers was a set in which she captivated much, though certainly not all of the crowd. Around ten minutes before the rains came, Badu had stopped her band and launched into a monologue about oppression and occupation and the people of Mexico, something which seemed to confuse a great number of the younger audience members, who seemed to like her OK, but were eager for more. Hudson Mohawke had more. More of almost everything, except soul. His blunt trauma assemblage of sounds created walls of noise which saw a significant number of punters seriously lose their shit. Speaking of which, I heard the grassy bank above the main stage on Friday night described as 'Magic Cardboard Hill', and it's not really a festival without that sort of behaviour, is it? The quite remarkable Earl Gateshead showed the Serato-toting DJ youngsters how it's done, spinning dubplates and seven inch vinyl records while getting on the microphone to chat, bigging up the tunes, explaining the history of the riddim or encouraging us to join him in celebrating the "Heroes! Heroes! Legends and heroes who smuggled weed across borders, and through customs!". Quite. Both his DJ sets were among the finest of the weekend, alongside those by Hudge, Mo' Horizons, Spikey Tee and the Soul II Soul Sound System, with Jazzie B and Caron Wheeler who, despite some understandable sound problems following the torrential downpour prior to their set, threw down to those who remained or returned. There are many other moments which stand out, like swimming in the ocean with friends while watching Barons Of Tang work a sweltering mid-afternoon crowd into a dancing frenzy, or sharing in the crazy costumes which the majority of the punters changed into for Saturday night's dress-up theme, 'The Island Of Hooha'. From the heavily-pregnant to the SuperGold card eligible, from tourists who'd built Splore into their New Zealand holiday itinerary to girls in bikinis and gumboots - even those privileged few on yachts in the harbour, lights twinkling under Saturday's cloudless night sky - it was the people who ensured Splore 2012 was a proper party.

An edited version of this review appears in Volume magazine

Review: Various Artists 'Monk's Dream'

Various Artists
MONK'S DREAM
Compiled and mixed by MonkOne
[Turntable Lab/Money Studies]

When I see Ministry Of Sound Club Classics Vol. 83 and Now That's What I Call Music Vol. 137 in music stores it reinforces my strongly-held belief that 75% of the people on our planet are, quite simply, stupid. There can be no more feasible explanation as to how these collections of regurgitated McMusic can continue appearing - like some evil spawning amoeba determined to take over the world by sucking away our collective will to live. At such times I turn to Monk's Dream, a bespoke selection of groove-laden gems covering heavy soul, dusty funk, steel bands, Brazilian hip hop, stomping proto-house and so much more - featuring tracks from Open Sky Unit, Carole Kaye, Johnny Otis, Tito Puente, Dayton, Linda Lewis, Trio Mocota, Hamilton Bohannon and others. Lovingly compiled and mixed by MonkOne aka Andrew Mason (host of NYC's longest-running radio show, Underground Railroad Radio, and co-founder of the beat diggers' bible, Wax Poetics magazine) and first made available in 2002, Monk's Dream was originally conceived as a gift for friends, but was thankfully remastered for (kinda) mass consumption. Genuine quality, top to bottom, and still one of my all-time favourite compilation albums. Now that's what I call essential.

4 and 1/2 stars from 5

While the Monk's Dream mix CD itself is a little difficult to track down these days (maybe try here...?), it's well worth having a look/listen here for more from MonkOne, at RBMA Radio.

14 February 2012

Review: DJ Cam 'Seven'

DJ CAM
Seven
[Inflammable]

Do you remember Trip Hop? DJ Cam does, and on his latest album, Seven, the Frenchman's re-visiting the sound with which he made his name in the mid-'90s. Sort of. But it's just not the same. Trip Hop at its best (Portishead, Massive Attack, Tricky) was challenging, vibrant and alive, always looking to create something of substance. DJ Cam at his best was capable of that. Trip Hop at its worst (I can't bring myself to name names, though I'm sorely tempted...), was self-indulgent, sappy or often just plain boring. Cue Seven. Guest vocalist Chris James appears on three of only four decent moments here (Swim, Ghost and Uncomfortable), with his remarkable range, delicate touch and sheer presence providing the few rare moments of real beauty. The fourth is the CD-only bonus track, A Loop, easily one of the most exciting instrumentals on the album. Many tracks, such as Dreamcatcher and Seven, are cringingly simplistic stylistically, while others meander seemingly without direction, sometimes sounding a little like Massive Attack, or a little like James Blake, or... well, put it this way: this is Cam's seventh full-length album, and the thought put into naming the album seems to reflect the level of musical creativity present. The definition of background music.

1 and 1/2 stars from 5

Live: Bang

Northern Steamship presents
bang.
A new night of Indie Disco, Post Punk, Electronic Boogie and more!
With DJs
Nyntee, Safari Boy and Flex
Free Entry + from 9pm + Sat 25 Feb
NORTHERN STEAMSHIP
Britomart, Auckland City
Northern Steamship

12 February 2012

Playlist: George FM 'In The Pocket' Sun 12 Feb

10 February 2012

Interview: Erykah Badu

ANALOG GIRL IN A DIGITAL WORLD

After fifteen years in the music business, Erykah Badu remains a fiercely indpendent spirit and genuinely inspiring artist. From the multi-platinum success of her 1997 debut Baduizm to collaborations with Dilla, Madlib and Flying Lotus - and her three famous "Baby Daddies" - she confidently walks her own path. VOLUME spoke with her prior to her first visit to New Zealand...

Erykah Badu is as famous for her deeply spiritual - some would say seriously weird - personal beliefs and influence on former partners Common and Andre3000, as she is for her award-winning debut album, Baduizm and the impressive run of releases that followed it, but it really is her music that makes her a true original.

Her sensual blend of soul, hip hop and R&B allied to an undeniably sassy and classy attitude and exotic good looks has set her apart from the pack for more than a decade. It began with a debut album which exposed Badu to the kind of attention most folks would've struggled to deal with - but Erykah Badu is definitely not most folks: "I think it would've been difficult if I hadn't been aware what business I was getting into, because you get into the music industry, you gotta sell units," Badu states, "Then when something wonderful like gaining a cult following, multi-platinum sales and all that stuff happens, that's some extra shit! I had my year like that in '97: won about fifteen awards, two albums came out, met the love of my life - one of 'em - I had a son the same day my second album came out, met The Roots, started the Soulquarians; it was an amazing time for me.Just think: I had my whole life to write my first album. I took my time, and I feel I was rewarded greatly for something."

She pauses, gathering her thoughts: "But even with the career I've been afforded, the large platform I've been given and the great spotlight, we still have to keep evolving in everyday life. I've learned that, no matter what your position is, you still have a responsibility to the people around you and closest to you. My focus is on my evolving."

Part of that evolution has involved collaborating with artists like Common, Dilla, The Roots - all of whom Badu took both musical and personal pleasure from working with: "Common came to my place in Brooklyn one time, and we connected very, very well, became best friends," Badu says, "With The Roots, I had Baduizm, but I didn't have the song I thought would round the album out. So I got on the train, went to Philly, met with Amir and stayed at his house for a couple weeks, and came through with the rest of the album."

She continues: "I got to meet amazing people just doing that: Dilla. Madlib. Bilal. D'Angelo. Sa-Ra. Jill Scott. It connects like that. I think people who vibrate at the same frequency, vibrate toward each other. They call it, in science, sympathetic vibrations."

This was the Erykah Badu I was hoping to hear more from and, as it turned out, she didn't need a lot of encouraging: "I don't know if it's because I just turned 40, but my mind's in another, totally different place now, I don't really give a fuck about anything right now - in the best kinda way," she chuckles, "But since the earth is taking its polar shifts, as it does every 2500 years, it does something weird to the earth's core, makes it heat up and you get these different disasters and things."

"The Mayans said in 2012 there would be a shift, or an ending, or a beginning, or a return of something, and I think it co-relates with what's going on with the planet. Because we are earthlings, very much connected with the planet, made of the same carbon and hydrogen and oxygen as the planet's made of, it's quite natural for us to behave the same way - it's a recalibration."

While Badu's explanations for the turmoil of recent years goes some way to justifying her out-there reputation, it seems there is a growing reaction to perceived injustices globally, from established protest groups to ordinary folks. "I don't know a lot of details about what's going on politically," she admits, "I just feel that our children's minds are a lot different to ours. That's a result of being born in this age and time and frequencies where there's karma that's had oxygen and boron and all those other chemicals that are vital to our bodies, so I think our children are in a more unique, concentrated state."

"We're evolving as a race and as a planet, and I do hope there's some sort of rebirth," she concludes, "But not without the labour pains first."

Considered words from a woman entering her fifth decade, a mother-of-three who has seen more of the world and the people in it than most, and experienced first-hand how harsh the glare of the spotlight can be. Analog Girl in a Digital World maybe, but there can be no doubt Erykah Badu is fully prepared to stand up for what she believes in. We could learn a lot from her.

Interview originally appeared in VOLUME magazine...

ESSENTIAL ERYKAH

'Apple Tree' (1997) from Baduizm
Where it all began...

'Call Tyrone' (1997) from Live
Has a "diss" ever been delivered with such sophistication as this?

The Roots featuring Erykah Badu 'You Got Me' (1999) from Things Fall Apart
After the record label baulked at Jill Scott's involvement, Erykah re-recorded Jill's part and a classic was born - and Jill and Erykah are still friends too.

Guru featuring Erykah Badu 'Plenty' (2000) from Guru's Jazzmatazz
Listen to this track and try not to fall completely in love. We bet you can't.

'Bump It' (2003) from Worldwide Underground
Her languid, lyrical vocals in full effect on a track so laidback it's almost sideways.

Erykah Badu with Common 'Love Of My Life (Ode To Hip Hop)' (2003) from Brown Sugar OST / bonus track from Worldwide Underground
A pairing of the two most conscious artists in hip hop - also romantically involved at the time.

'Turn Me Away (Get MuNNY)' (2010) from New Amerykah Part Two: Return Of The Ankh
A loose-limbed monster groove sampling the Roy Ayers/Sylvia Striplin classic 'You Can't Turn Me Away'.

01 February 2012

Review: Julien Dyne 'Glimpse'

JULIEN DYNE
Glimpse
[BBE/Wonderful Noise]

Dilla sure has a lot to answer for. I'm not (necessarily!) saying Dilla was not (one of!) the G.O.A.T., but I am saying he has spawned a helluva lot of imitators and copycats. Most innovators do, right? Sure, but the problem with his signature beat-heavy, vibe-laden, head-nod style is that you need to have an ear for clever arrangement of the elements in order to keep the listener engaged. Dilla did it brilliantly. Others? Not so much. Julien Dyne? Most of the time, yes, and sometimes with aplomb. Glimpse is Dyne's second full-length solo album, and while it's certainly an exciting progression from his debut, Pins & Digits, it is a continuation of the same feel. It it ain't broke, I guess. Don't get me wrong, he does this style better than most and there are some killer cuts here, like the standout Borritoe, with its rich, shimmering layers recalling Tortoise at their most gorgeous. Others like Koln3 benefit from a straight-ahead groove and monster bass line, while Inner Duplex 2 slides eerily by like some kind of futuristic funeral march for abandoned Atari consoles. Almost midway through Ernst (Rutherford 121) offers a welcome tempo change, but is followed by Rago, Creebin' and Looseends, all of which - as likeable as they most definitely are - provide strong evidence Glimpse works better as a collection of beats than as an album. Having said that, guest spots from vocalists Ladi6 and Parks, Mara TK (Electric Wire Hustle), She's So Rad aka longtime Dyne collaborator Jeremy Toy (Opensouls) and Claire Duncan (Dear Times Waste) add a unique colour. Though there are nineteen tracks in total, the longest doesn't breach the four minute mark and the whole thing's over within fifty minutes, but - and you knew there was a but coming, didn't you? - I'm still left wanting more Dyne, and less Dilla, 'cos there's plenty of Dilla. Which means die-hard beat-heads will probably dig the shit out of it.

3 and 1/2 stars from 5

Check a peek of the album here or on the BBE website.

31 January 2012

Interview: Mayer Hawthorne

A GENTLEMAN'S ARRANGEMENT

The story of the beginnings of Mayer Hawthorne is a good one: performing hip hop music as DJ Haircut, he gave a couple of blue-eyed soul sounding tracks "as a joke" to Stones Throw Records boss Peanut Butter Wolf - who then asked Hawthorne to record a whole album in that style. On the eve of his world tour, VOLUME magazine spoke with the man born Andrew Cohen about being Mayer.

"It was a little daunting at first, for sure," says Cohen, speaking about recording his debut, "But people are really smart and they can sense when something is real and something is fake, so I knew I had to just really be myself."

I'm really glad he brought it up. One of the peculiar things about using different aliases when making music is when only one of the aliases is lauded. The idea of the wonky-angled baseball-cap wearing hip hop DJ Haircut becoming the sharp-dressed ladies man Mayer Hawthorne - essentially overnight - is fascinating, but has seen Cohen's authenticity come into question. "If I was playing a character, well, I'm not a good actor, so I think people would've seen through that and it wouldn't have worked like it did."

Beyond the challenge of writing an albums' worth of material in one defined style, there was also the small matter of fronting a band for the first time. "It was something I'd never really done! I'd never been the lead singer of any group." Cohen had been the bass player, the beatmaker, the one who provided a canvas for the frontmen to paint over. "It was definitely something that took a lot of getting used to, but I had to bite the bullet, dive in to the deep end head first and say 'Am I gonna do this or not?'"

There's little doubt he did it. The first track Cohen wrote as Mayer Hawthorne was also his lead single and an absolute gem. Just Ain't Gonna Work Out was part-Dilla, part-Smokey Robinson, yet all fresh. The door opened to considerable success - and this is where it gets interesting: is it possible for someone who has found such success in one style to progress that sound without losing their fanbase? Cohen thinks so: "That was kind of the main focus for the new album. I thought to myself why am I making this music with just one style, when I grew up listening to every style of music? I was really proud of the new record, I felt like it wasn't retro-soul, it wasn't throwback-soul, it wasn't new-soul - it was Mayer Hawthorne. I felt like I found my own sound on this record."

That Mayer Hawthorne sound is rooted in his upbringing. "Detroit is the shit, man! It's a beautiful place with a lot of creativity, and a lot of amazing culture. It's also a really hard-working, blue-collar place to live, so I'm really grateful for that work ethic that was instilled in me early on."

Cohen grew up in Ann Arbour, Michigan, with an incredibly supportive family."I was really blessed to grow up in a musical household. My Pops taught me to play bass when I was six years old and he still plays in a band in the Detroit area to this day. My Pops was a huge influence on me, of course, he still is!" There's a great piece of footage on YouTube of Mayer Hawthorne and band performing in the Cohen family basement at halftime during the SuperBowl final (there was a massive uproar in the US when Nickelback were announced as the official halftime "entertainment"), with "Pops" on bass.

From a tight family unit growing up to signing with Stones Throw for his debut album, Cohen has had great support as he has become Mayer Hawthorne. "I still talk to Peanut Butter Wolf almost every day, man! Stones Throw are like a family, and I think that's part of the magic of it, you know, that Dam-Funk and Wolf and James Pants and I can go to the record store together and dig for records, and it has nothing to do with releasing our music or performing, it's about our shared love for music."

Ever the gentleman, Cohen has convincingly - and with considerable class - let me know that Mayer Hawthorne is as real as it gets. How do you do?

Interview by David Carroll

FIVE INFLUENTIAL RECORDS FROM MAYER HAWTHORNE'S POPS' COLLECTION

Earth, Wind & Fire 'Let's Groove' (1981)
"That was a huge record for me as a kid."

The Police 'Synchronicity' (1983)
"I remember that was the first record that I actually bought with my own money. It was on cassette tape and because it was my Dad's cassette, and I'd played it so much I wore it out and it snapped, and he made me buy him another one!"

The Beatles 'Rubber Soul' (1965) and 'Help!' (1965)
"My Dad's favourite is definitely 'Rubber Soul' so that was probably the first one that he put me onto; but I remember the 'Help!' soundtrack too. I really loved that one as a kid. There was just something about those tunes that just really connected with me as a little shorty."

The Doobie Brothers 'Minute By Minute' (1978)
"That was a big record for me growing up."

Steely Dan 'Aja' (1977)
"Steely Dan are one of my favourite groups of all time. Man, I got a chance to see Donald Fagen play with Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs out here, and that was one of the most epic moments of my life, seeing them all play together!"

Original interview and sidebar appeared in Volume magazine issue #20
Go check out the whole issue here.
For more on Mayer Hawthorne, try here.
For more about the New Zealand shows, click here.

29 January 2012

Review: Frank Booker Boogie Tape

Various Artists
FRANK BOOKER BOOGIE TAPE
Compiled and Mixed by Frank Booker
[Independent]

SoundCloud really is a bloody marvellous thing. DJs, producers and musicians can upload their tunes, edits and mixes onto their own page on the site for Joe Blow to listen to in his/her own time. Perhaps it's the simplicity which makes it so attractive. Whatevers. The reason I'm blathering on about this (and I probably should acknowledge that if you've made it as far as reading my blog, you inevitably already know wtf SoundCloud is...) is that I've recently been spending a lot more time on the site, and would like to begin sharing some of the goodness I regularly stumble upon. Starting right here: the Frank Booker Boogie Tape is a 50+min "pause tape" of classics soul and boogie tunes from the likes of The Jones Girls, Deodato, Chanson, Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, Unlimited Touch, Central Line and many, many others - there's even an MJ tune (in the form of the classy, understated Todd Terje edit), all lovingly put together by Mr Booker himself. I can't fault a single selection, as they're all top drawer stuff. Get amongst this mix and cop his vinyl releases on Wonderful Noise, Untracked, Fine Art and Sleazy Beats.

4 stars from 5

Check out the whole tape here and you can even download it for free.
Also worth a gander is the Hit It and Quit It Radio Revue Vol. 1, compiled and mixed by Recloose and Frank Booker.

Playlist: George FM 'In The Pocket' Sun 29 Jan

24 January 2012

Review: Jonti 'Sine & Moon'

JONTI
Sine & Moon
[Stones Throw]

Sine & Moon was first made available as a Stones Throw podcast when promoting new signing, South African-born, Australian-resident Jonti Danilewitz, and his debut album Twirligig. The response was so good that Jonti stretched it into a full-length album - with extras and new mixes - which he's now giving away for free. Which is definitely not a sign of the quality found within. While ostensibly a collection of unused tracks and remixes of early songs, Sine & Moon is a coherent and completely engaging album, which blends Madlib, Panda Bear, Stereolab and The Beach Boys into a South Pacific beat stew. Originally recorded on 4-track, the song structures are anything but lo-fi, with a subtlety of arrangement that hints at remarkable things to come. Fans of those musicians mentioned above - along with Savath + Savalas, Julien Dyne and The Avalanches - will find much to enjoy here. Experimental, yet entirely accessible. The kid's done good.

4 stars from 5

"When I think of how to write about Jonti's music, I don't feel like writing at all. I feel like drawing a picture, with watercolours and maybe crayon - colourful, abstract, youthfully curiuos and open to interpretation. Maybe then I'd staple, glue or nail some found objects to it, recontextualising their intended purpose into something strange and beautiful." Jeremy Sole (Radio Host, KCRW, L.A.)

Check out Jonti performing live in the Stones Throw warehouse here.
Download Sine & Moon for free here. Thanks Stones Throw!

22 January 2012

Playlist: George FM 'In The Pocket' Sun 22 Jan

16 January 2012

Playlist: George FM 'In The Pocket' Sun 15 Jan

13 January 2012

Review: Dub Asylum 'Stereo Freeze'

DUB ASYLUM
Stereo Freeze
[Loopy Fruit Recordings]

Dub Asylum is the nom de produceur for Peter McLennan (of noted '90s NZ noisesters Hallelujah Picassos). Stereo Freeze gathers six tracks, old and new, which were recently threatened with permanent deletion thanks to a manky old hard drive. Freed of their former confines, they each stack up very nicely against Dub Asylum's past work. Melodica features heavily on opener Jumping Jack Skank (amid spacious echoes and a bouncing reggae beat) and on the dark, heavily percussive Get It Together (sounding like the theme music for a Jamaican version of James Bond); and the instrumental EP features appearances from Chip Matthews (Opensouls, Anika Moa) and Olly Harris (WBC/Kolab). McLennan belies his Picassos roots with plenty of genres peeking out from between the sweet reggae grooves - Skatta lays down slow-motion Afrobeat grooves for a horn-heavy skank to drape itself over - but dub really is the glue holding this excellent release together.

4 stars from 5
David Carroll

10 January 2012

Bumps: Fat Freddy's Drop 'Shiverman' (Soane remix)

Gee, I hope I don't get in trouble for this! The hard-to-find Soane remix of Fat Freddy's Drop's scorcher Shiverman is a masterclass in tension and release - and a track I seem to get asked about both on radio and live quite often. Apparently it's a tough one to locate, so feast your ears here and enjoy!

And to Soane: get better soon, bro, our thoughts and wishes are with you and yours...