quanny sitar

dr. quandary, a boston-based producer, uses psychedelic samples while introducing dusty hip-hop breaks. his first record 'quanny sitar' is a tribute to india, mixing folk traditions with mid-70s bollywood soundtracks. download the record for free courtesy of bandcamp.

wanda vidal

this is a track from one of madlib's projects that takes a distinct step away from traditional hip-hop - yesterday's new quintet. recently i have been on a journey discovering all the madlib-related material out there and with each new turn the music takes, my appreciation greatens. this jazz-based quintet, made up of four fictitious characters, has released a few albums that i highly recommend you check out.



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yesterday's new quintet - wanda vidal [mediafire]

bird's lament

moondog, real name louis thomas hardin, was a blind american composer, musician, and poet, who chose to live on the streets of new york for nearly 20 years. often known as 'the viking of 6th avenue' for his home-made attire based on his interpretation of the norse god thor, he once met charlie parker in the streets of new york and they had planned to jam together. touched by parker's death, moondog wrote the song 'bird's lament' in his memory. it has that wonderfully smooth brass ensemble mixed with the classically upbeat jazz drumming. 'bird's lament' was later sampled by electronic musican mr. scruff in the track 'get a move on' which features on the 1999 album 'keep it unreal'. below you can find the original song...



listen here...



download...

moondog - bird's lament [megaupload]

meet me at the pomegranate tree

will holland, often known as quantic, creates music that draws upon elements of soul, funk, jazz, and salsa, yet retains a very contemporary feel in terms of production. you would expect most music with this range of influence to be dominated by samples, but being a multi-instrumentalist, much will holland's sound is original composition. in this particular song, 'meet me at the pomegranate tree', i love the handclaps, clicks of fingers, and how the bass works extremely well with the drums.



listen here...



download...

quantic - meet me at the pomegranate tree [megaupload]

when it wobbles

a track from RJD2's new EP, 'the tin foil hat'



RJD2 - when it wobbles [mediafire]

as serious as your life

'as serious as your life' was a single released from the 2003 album 'rounds' by four tet, otherwise known as kieran hebden. hebden is primarily an electronic musician under the name four tet, but some of his sounds, melodies, and samples are lifted from or incorporate elements of hip-hop, psychedelic rock, abstract electronica, jazz, and folk music. much of hebden's work has a dreamy atmosphere about it, but 'as serious as your life' is slightly more punchy, and undoubtedly quite accessible. a looped funky riff accounts for the calmest parts of the track, with a mayhem of drums and cymbals interspersed for the hectic elements. the twinkling sitar actually gives the track a less 'serious' feel i think, and relates back to the music-box melody in previous tracks on the album. the real drum samples and stuttered handclaps throughout the song give it a more organic feel, balancing well with the electronically generated sounds, the cut-up rhythms, and the experimental atmospherics.

four tet - 'as serious as your life' [sharebee]

four tet - 'as serious as your life' [mediafire]

the philadelphia experiment

the philadelphia experiment - not to be confused with the alleged US military experiment where a naval ship was rendered briefly invisible - is a collaboration between ahmir thompson (otherwise known as questlove/?uestlove, drummer for acclaimed hip-hop act the roots and producer for artists including common and al green), uri caine (jazz pianist and composer), and christian mcbride (jazz bassist). this one-off album was dedicated to recognising philadelphia's profound legacy of jazz and soul.

even though each member hails from philadelphia, they all bring their unique musical style to this collaboration. caine's avant-garde piano, mcbride's jazzy bass, and thompson's hip-hop drumming style all result in a very funky album unrivalled in originality. they have achieved a completely fresh approach to a style of music which consistently features in 'greatest albums of all time' lists; bringing that style of improvisational jazz into the 21st century. this album is a flawlessly executed homage to the greats of music. in particular, 'trouble man theme' is a rendition of marvin gaye's 'trouble man' which has been transformed into what some people have described as a 'revival-like groove'. not to be overlooked is the hidden gem of a track at the end of the album where mcbride plays a stripped back cover of 'just the two of us' by grover washington jr with a slapped bass rhythm line and handclaps. with repeat listens you can really appreciate the influences behind this highly successful experimental venture.

the philadelphia experiment - 'trouble man theme' [mediafire]

the philadelphia experiment - 'trouble man theme' [yousendit]

da feelin'

nightmares on wax, or dj ease, has a habbit of making low tempo yet infectious abstract hip-hop with influences inclufing funk, soul, and jazz. 'da feelin' was a single released from his lastest album to date, and is a again a song which has a distinct 'summery' feel - probably why i'm listening to it at moment with this week of sun we are having in brighton.

nightmares on wax - da feelin' [mediafire]

recommended album: 'in a space outta sound'