Draco – Live at Samarat 2008

It gives me great pleasure to present as the last guest mix this month an exclusive live set from one of the most fascinating bands I saw when I lived in Japan, Draco. They aren’t your usual band, a combination of traditional instruments and electronic musicians but with a little twist, as with most Japanese things.

I discovered them at the Kaikoo Meets Revolution party (organised by our friends from Pop Group) in Yokohama in April 08 where they were one of the headlining acts in the afternoon. I was already familiar with the electronic half of the band (Numb and Saidrum) and so was really curious to see what this new project was about. The show left me speechless, one of the most fascinating and engrossing experiences during my time there, and since then too. Below is a low quality video of some of that show, to give you a little taste.

Draco are composed of electronic producers Numb and Saidrum, sitar player Kenji Inoue and tabla player Masaki Yoshimi. The former are best known for their work in the techno and house scenes, pioneering albums for the Revirth label and live shows based around the Korg ZERO8 mixer which they helped to R&D, while Kenji is a renowned Japanese sitar player who studied his instrument in India and combines traditional sitar playing with a style that resembles how the Japanese shamisen is played, and Masaki is one of Japan’s best tabla players who also studied in India. Together the four formed Draco following a session organised for a DVD documentary in 2007, Boycott Rhythm Machine II Versus. This led to them recording an album, ‘Zero’, which they released in 08 and is unfortunately rather hard to get a hold of outside the country. Following this they continued to perform live at festivals and venues around the country also incorporating visuals into the mix for a truly unforgettable experience. For those interested, Draco means the star that shines magnificently in the northern heaven sky.

I’d been wanting to try and get them on the show for some time now and once more thanks to the wonders of Twitter, I managed to get in contact with Numb and with a little help from our good friend Tatsuki they agreed to send us some Draco live recordings to use for a guest mix. We settled on the live at Samarat, also from 2008, which is a perfect example of the impact their live can make, at least without being there in person.

Massive thanks go out to Tatsuki and Numb for their help and to Draco for letting us air this live show. For more on them check their myspaces: Draco and Numb & Saidrum.

Download Draco live at Samarat 2008 (right click and save as)

Rhythm Incursions – July 2010

We return with our last regular show of the month, as always bringing you 2 hours of musical freshness and this month we waste no time with two mini features and a heap of forthcoming releases and exclusives.

Up this month we have new and forthcoming music from Letherette, Terror Danjah, Svpreme Fiend, Prof Nalepa, Natural Self, 8bitch, Ol, Katzuma, Pale Sketcher, Christopher Willits, Guido, Hudson Mohawke, Exile, Shigeto, DELS, Wrongtom and Roots Manuva, Space Dimension Controller, Lobisomem, Ikonika, Lone, Take, Tokimonsta and more as well as a sneak preview of the new Mexicans With Guns release and a few Planet Mu and Ghostly releases. Alongside all this we’ve got some favourites from Blundetto, Mr Beatnick and O.N.O as well as two mini features.

The first mini feature looks at the recent output of the Soularp label, including releases by producer Erik L and Stray. I was put onto them by Jay Scarlett and I must admit I’ve really been impressed by the overall quality and variety on display. From beats to club bangers via 80s throwbacks, Soularp have been putting out some good stuff and this mini feature helps to shine a little light on that.

Following this our second mini feature looks at the recent Froots remixes release by In Vitro Records, which saw them give the tracks from Jean Jacques Perrey and Cosmic Pocket’s Froots album to an impressive selection of new school hip hop, electronic and skwee producers to flip. The result is a double CD which is just as demented as the original but obviously has a bit more mass appeal. We’ve picked out three remixes from Kelpe, Himuro Yoshiteru and Eero Johannes as a little taster but really you need to check the whole thing as it’s well worth your time.

As always you can direct download and stream below as well as check the full playlist. Subscribers will already have the show waiting in their RSS or iTunes feeds.

That’s it for this month, enjoy the music wherever you may be and stay tuned for the long overdue site revamp next month as well as the usual shows from RIPL, RIRS and myself alongside some tasty guest mixes from DJ Pain and Vangel among others.

Download Rhythm Incursions – July 2010 (right click and save as)

Tracklist:
Mulatu Astatke – Mulatu – Mochilla Timeless
Blundetto ft Shawn Lee – Nautilus – Heavenly Sweetness
Phat Kat – Lovely (Mr Beatnick re-edit) – Free download
Solar Bears – Crystalline (Letherette remix) – Forthcoming Planet Mu
Svpreme Fiend – Killer – Forthcoming Local Action
Onra ft. T3 – The One (Another Waajeed remix) – All City Records
Soularp Records Mini feature starts
Erik L ft Paul Mac Innes & Stray – Disharmonic – Soularp
Erik L & Illingsworth ft. Sene – Time Kills – Soularp
Stray ft 7even Thirty – Close To You – Soularp
Mini feature ends
Prof Nalepa vs INOQ – Harpoon – 1320 Records
Natural Self – Midnight Sun (Prince Fatty version) – Forthcoming Tru Thoughts
O.N.O – Struck a Chord – Rambling Records
Lobisomem – 20000 Africans in Guangzhou – Forthcoming Tall Corn Music
Cristopher Willits – Sun Body – Ghostly International, Free download
Katzuma – Reach 4 Stars – Katzuma
Space Dimension Controller – J2TCOTUS (Kyle Hall’s I’m Only Breathing remix) – Royal Oak
Bilal – Free – Free download
Hudson Mohawke, Robyn Hannibal and Myele Manzanza – Ain’t Nobody Like You – Red Bull Music Academy, free download
Guido – Mad Sax – Punch Drunk
Froots Remixes Mini feature starts
Jean Jacques Perrey & Cosmic Pocket – Fake Off (Eero Johannes remix) – In Vitro Records
Jean Jacques Perrey & Cosmic Pocket – Frothy (Himuro remix) – In Vitro Records
Jean Jacques Perrey & Cosmic Pocket – Six Froots Under (Kelpe remix) – In Vitro Records
Mini feature ends
8bitch – Heart Bit – Unreleased
Mala – Unexpected – DMZ
Terror Danjah – Bruzin’ VIP – Forthcoming Hyperdub
Mexicans with Guns – Icaros – Forthcoming Friends of Friends (exclusive)
Ikonika – Ingredients – Forthcoming Planet Mu
Lone – Angel Brain – Forthcoming Magic Wire
Take – Face the Firing Squad – Dublab, free download
Tokimonsta – Cigarette Lust – Forthcoming Proximal Records
Ol – Primitive Art – Unreleased
Shigeto – Berimbau interlude remix – Unreleased
Exile – OPERAtor – Dirty Science, free download
Baths – Plea – Anticon
Pale Sketcher – Wash It All Away (Cleansed Dub) – Forthcoming Ghostly International
Wrongtom & Roots Manuva – Jah Warriors – Forthcoming Big Dada
El-P – Honda Redux – Forthcoming Gold Dust Media
DELS – Shapeshift – Forthcoming Big Dada

Mr Beatnick – Rhythm Incursions mix

This guest mix by Mr Beatnick has rather been a long time coming, in fact I think nearly a year (without ribbing him more than I already have about it) when he helped arrange a meet with Take and Architeq in June 2009, which led to this rather lengthy but informative three way interview.

Anyways we originally agreed that he’d do a guest mix for the show and then life being what it is it didn’t happen until now. However good things do come to those who wait and somehow in between celebrating his birthday and releasing a free compilation of his music produced over the last 10 years (see below for more on that) he handed in his guest mix. And boy are you all in for a treat.

I think I first met Nick sometime last year after I just came back from Japan. He was one of the people who introduced me to the pleasures of CDR at Plastic People and who helped linked me with a whole bunch of people, like the aforementioned Take and Architeq but also Alex Chase and a few others. It’s fair to say he’s one of the nicest guys I’ve met on the London ‘scene’ but also one of the most clued up when it comes to not just music (man knows his record history) but also people and scenes. We’ve had lengthy discussions about the whole beat thing over the last year and I always enjoy hearing his take on various things through Twitter and his on and off contributions to FACT magazine.

As a producer he’s maybe not been the most pro-active in a sense, but the few releases he’s had have all been of a high quality and he’s definitely a producer who knows his shit and who you should keep an ear and an eye on, if only because when he does do something it’s almost always worth paying attention. Which leads us nicely to the aforementioned compilation he’s just put out online for free to celebrate his birthday and which features 30 tracks from the last ten years, including releases such as ‘Walk’ and ‘Falling Apples’ but also plenty of unreleased beats and remixes. You can get your fill right here in zip format (sendspace link).

As for the mix, well as it turns out he seems to have taken some degree of inspiration from our chats about beats and the evolution of hip hop production over the last decade, as well as from the mix I put out last year alongside Om Unit and Clockwork, A Boom Bap Continuum. As he puts it himself:

It’s my response in a way to the “boom bap continuum” theory laid out by Kper, 2 Tall/Om Unit and Clockwork. Essentially a bunch of boom bap beats in a classic mid nineties style, next to ideas that stood out for me at the time… and then a left turn in the end to some of the more recent twists on the idea.

Which you could also summarise as an hour of crispy headnod audio delicacies which are sure to leave regular listeners pleased as it takes in many of our own favourites from the last decade or so. As always tracklist, download link and stream are all below.

Much love and thanks to Nick for his contribution, and let me say it right now you’re welcome back anytime you want mate

So sit back and enjoy an hour of quality music to put you in the mood for the weekend, or whenever you get round to downloading it.

Dowload Mr Beatnick – Rhythm Incursions guest mix (right click and save as)

Tracklist:
Rhythm Incursions intro
Danny Breaks – La La
Ultra Magnetic MCs – Raise It Up – Instrumental
Pete Rock – One Mike One Dj – Pete Rock Remix (BBE)
Tranqill – Chips And Cheese (One Handed)
Sa-Ra – Frequencies
1st Down – A Day With The Homies
MF Doom – Galangal Root beat
Slum Village – 5 Ela remix (feat 5 elements)
De La Soul – The Bizness (feat Common)
Dj Dez – Place Where U Stand (UR)
Gangstarr – The Militia (Pete Rock remix)
Wajeed – Fat Asia (Bling 47)
Om Unit – Light Grids (all city)
Jon Phonics – A Dying Breed
Cubic Zirconia – D.F.A.D
Paul White – Synthia Dreams (One Handed)
Clause Four – Afro (We Made This Vol 1)
Midi Mark & Dj Cannon – Aragon
Ghostface Killah – Fish (intro juggle)
Lord Finesse – Ghetto (instrumental)
Grand Agent – Know The Legend (instrumental) (produced by Lord Finesse)
Danny Red – Riddimwize (Dj Muggs remix)
Paul White – untitled beat (beat tape 22)
Sir Real – untitled beat
Tightface – untitled beat
Dredi – untitled beat
Georgia Anne Muldrow – Two Shoes
Respite – Pang
Dot Rotten – Bounce
Loops Haunt – Impact Omnihammer (Fortified)
Alex Nut – Wotberry
Fauxhemian – Spectral Funk
Refuge – Sprayed Sparks
Subeena – Picture (Opit)
Mr Beatnick – Turn Your Back (Dub)
Afrika Hitech – 93 Million Miles
Suite For Ma Dukes Orchestra – Take Notice

Rhythm Incursions / Raid System aka RIRS – July ’10

We continue our July installments with the latest RIRS, aka Rhythm Incursions x Raid System, show from Tokyo, presented as always by the dynamic duo that is XLII and Broken Haze. This month the guys are bringing another heavy selection to the table, wider in its styles palette than in previous months and featuring quite a few forthcoming bits from the likes of Eccy, 1000 Names and XLII himself alongside recent and new releases from Blundetto, American Men, Erik L, RLP, Project Mooncircle, edIT, Freddy Todd and more.

As always RIRS comes to you in both English and Japanese and features 4 rounds of selection, 2 from each presenter. Direct download link, tracklist and stream player below. If you like what you hear be sure to go out there and support the artists.

Stay tuned for a guest mix from Mr Beatnick this friday followed by our regular show next week and the last guest spot of the month which will be an exclusive live recording of Draco, from Japan. Full details soon.

Enjoy!

Download Rhythm Incursions x Raid System – July 2010 (right click and save as)

Tracklist:
XLII selection
Blundetto – Mustang – Heavenly Sweetness
John Robinson & Lewis Parker feat. East Koast, Tah Born, I.D. 4 Windz & Dynas – Godz Illa – Project Mooncircle
RLP – Bits N .Dots 2 – Oilworks
Erik L feat. Frank & Dank – Push It Up – Soularp Records
1000 Names – Machine City – Forthcoming Svetlana Industries

Broken Haze selection
AEED – Error Code (Ichiro_remix) – Error Broadcast
Fancy Mike – Death Proof – Stereoptico
SPLATINUM – Pumping Quarterz (Mochipet remix) – Daly City records
Knight Riderz – Voodoo – Free download
Freddy Todd – Grind Baby – Car Crash Set
Mux Mool – Get Better John – Ghostly
Bil Bless – Toothgut II – Self released
edIT – Pound 4 Pound – Free download

XLII Selection 2
XLII – G-Funk Cosmology – Forthcoming
Papuga – Spaceman – Unreleased
Schlachthofbronx – Ayoba (KU BO Remix) – Man Recordings
Eccy – High Society Groove – Forthcoming
Noisia – Split The Atom – Vision
Wolfgang Gartner – Fire Power – Kindergarten
Aaren San – Apes From Space (Dirtyloud Remix) – Aelaektropopp

Broken Haze Selection 2
Nit Grit – Abandoned (Sloth Logic Remix) – Self Released
DJ Fresh – Gold Dust (Flux Pavillion Remix) – MoS (free download)
Bassnectar – Magical World feat. Nelly Furtado – Free download
TORQUX/TWIST – 2012 (NumberNin6 remix) – Wicky Lindows
Freddy Todd – Space 5 Penthouse – Car Crash Set
Zeds Dead – White Satin – Self Released
B.Bravo – Computer love – Frite Nite
Jimmy Edgar – Hot Raw Sex (Machinedrum remix) – !K7, free download
American Men – AM System (Hudson Mohawke remix) – LuckyMe

Friends of Friends mix series: Sven Swift – Fickle Spots

We continue our monthly Friends of Friends guest series with a 45 mins musical journey from Sven Swift, one half of the creative minds behind the excellent net/real label Error Broadcast alongside Flip, and as happens also a friend of ours. So this month is defo a family ting.

As always below are some words from Sven about the mix, an image supplied by him above and a full tracklist + download link and stream player. This month’s mix is a mellow affair, all about the fickle spots as the title suggests. I’m down with them too.

As a child, I’ve been obsessed with the light breaking under half closed eyes. There were these rich, fickle spots just below your sight, and I spent hours trying to focus and come by. Once we got a television set, this afternoon amusement stopped for the sake of colourful images that were no longer my own. Time flies.

With these 40 minutes of beats and textures, I tried to re-create the atmosphere of sitting on the couch blinking into the light of the afternoon sun and doing nothing else besides. This is not a collection of ambient tunes, sure. But the genre borders are blurred in the most adventurous Rap and Garage productions nowadays, and it is easy to get lost with an Abby Lee Tee, fuer.steps or Constrobuz track. Loads of exclusive material here. Please enjoy!

So without further ado get stuck in and be sure to check for Sven’s EB mixtape here. Also click here to check all FoF mixes so far including submissions from Asura and Kper.

Download Sven Swift – Fickle Spots (right click and save as)

Tracklist
01 pharaoh sanders – hum-allah-hum-allah-hum-allah /impulse
02 fLako – hot ish /cdr
03 OL – unexpected* /cdr
04 a-rec – fuck the boss* /error broadcast
05 shlohmo – spoons (shigeto unofficial remix) /cdr
06 abby lee tee – imma richtung himmel ft. def ill* /cdr
07 wols – damage (rework)* /cdr
08 fuer.steps – lunar dust /error broadcast
09 nest – cad goddeu (revised) /serein
10 comfort fit – tinitus* /error broadcast
11 amon tobin – big furry head /ninja tune
12 maguett – zodiak* /cdr
13 chocolate girl – valhalla* /cdr
14 iL – when she wakes up /cdr
15 pixelord – pxlr7 /car crash set
16 constrobuz – my diamonds fruity /cdr

Rhythm Incursions / Primus Luta aka RIPL – July ’10

We roll into the summer with another RIPL show from our man on the East Coast, Primus Luta. With the heatwaves blasting on all continents (well unless you’re south of the hemisphere I guess) he comes correct with 85 minutes of audio delicacies including new and recent releases from the likes of Oriol, FaltyDL, 1000 Names, Machinedrum, Eccy, Mux Mool, Throwing Snow, Darkwan, Erik L, Teebs & Jackhigh, Kuedo and many more.

He also takes time this month to shine a little light on Free the Robots, with an extensive mini feature that works as the perfect primer for anyone not familiar with this Californian producer. A favourite of Rhythm Inc since his first self-released EP 3 years ago, his official debut on Alpha Pup earlier this year has been in heavy rotation since it dropped and Primus Luta shines a light on this releease mainly with a seven track selection that will definitely leave you a fan by the end of it. Free The Robots’ ‘Ctr Alt Del’ is out now on Alpha Pup.

So that’s about it for this month, don’t think you need much more to convince to get on this so I’ll leave you in the capable hands of Primus Luta and stay tuned for guest mixes from Mr Beatnick, Draco and our FoF mix series later this month as well as the usual shows.

Download RIPL July 2010 (right click and save as)

Tracklist:
Oriol – LW – Planet Mu
Falty DL – Because You – Planet Mu
Machine Drum – Mean Mean – Forthcoming LuckyMe
1000 Names – La Boheme – Forthcoming Svetlana Industries
Beautiful Swimmers – Touch Base – Future Times
Hudson Mohawke – Snapdragon – Warp
Gold Panda – You – Ghostly
Say Uhns – A-Team – Say Uhns
Mux Mool – Goblin Town – Ghostly
Qua – Circles (Deru Remix) – Mush Records
Darkwan – JahWon – Tectonic
Africa Hitech – One Two – Warp
LennySlitz – Middle Management – The LennySlitz Project
Black Milk – Welcom (Gotta Go) – Free download
Throwing Snow – Cronos – Forthcoming Ho Tep
Free the Robots Mini-Feature
Free the Robots – Listen to the Future – Alpha Pup
Free the Robots – Turbulence – Alpha Pup
Mochipet – Complex Players (Free the Robots Remix) – Daly City Records
Free the Robots – Jupiter – Alpha Pup
Free the Robots – Word to your Mothership – Alpha Pup
Free the Robots – Lonely Traveler – Alpha Pup
Free the Robots – The Eye (feat. Ikey Owens) – Alpha Pup
Mini-Feature ends
Eccy – Refuse – Slye records
Take – Warm Ruin – All City Records
Teebs & Jackhigh – Comes To Mind (Josip Klobucar Remix) – Svetlana Industries (free download)
AEED – Perfect Flashing (feat Railster) – Error Broadcast
Erik L – Freaky Deaky – Soularp
Arp 101 – Dead Leaf – Eglo
Kuedo – Glow – Planet Mu
Slugabed – Quantum Leap – Planet Mu
Shlohmo – Tomato Smash – FoF Music
Blackpocket – Ura A Sta (Dbridge Remix) – Exit Records
Afta1 – The Time in Between Suite – LOVE
James Blake – I’ll Stay – R&S

Katzuma – From Inner Space

Our latest guest mix comes from one of the pioneers of the Italian hip hop scene who has now transformed himself into a renowned producer of funk and disco under the name Katzuma. In recent years he’s made a name for himself in and outside of Italy for his deep productions taking its cue from classic funk and disco from the 70s and 80s and putting his own cosmic spin on it.

‘From Inner Space’ is a promo mix by Katzuma ahead of his involvement in the latest Original Cultures project, of the same name, which will see him direct a five piece band put together for the occasion and nicknamed the The Expanding Disco Machine. Over four days they’ll be locked in workshops putting together a one hour show inspired by the evolution of black music in America from the funk of the 70s to the early electronic experiment of the 80s. Alongside them will be Opificio Ciclope, a collective of video artists, who will design and produce visuals for the show. You can read more about the project and event here. Check out a trailer for the show below:

For more on Katzuma, check his bio here, and look out for his latest EP ‘Dr Know’ which is out now and features predominantly in this mix. The mix itself is a 25 minutes ride into Katzuma’s musical universe on a deep, cosmic tip.

Enjoy and if you like what you hear check out another promo mix for the event I put together called Beats and Boogie.

Download Katzuma – ‘From Inner Space’ promo mix (right click and save as)

Tracklist
Bob Moog – Not The Machine
Katzuma – Dr. Know (Scuola Furano Remix)
Absolute Voltage – skit
Katzuma – El Chupacabra
Katzuma – Tell Him I’ Holding On (E-The-Hot Sunday’s Dub)
Katzuma – Reach For The Stars

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