Ernest Gonzales – Been Meaning To Mix This

It seems the first time we posted this the file got corrupted and wouldn’t download. It’s now been updated and resent to our RSS and iTunes. Apologies for the inconvenience.

We return to the Friends Of Friends label with our latest guest mix, this time taking in the work and forthcoming release of Texas-based producer Ernest Gonzales. The label and the man should be no strangers to regular listeners – ever since FoF started hitting us back in 09 when they launched we’ve been firm fans of their fresh approach to music and packaging and Ernest’s music has featured in the last few shows ever since his EP dropped in the autumn of 09 and the label kindly sent us a preview of the album which hasn’t left the daily rotation in 3 months. It’s that good.

With all this in mind I decided that this was the perfect occasion to get the label, and Ernest, in for a guest mix. A few email exchanges and weeks later and they duly delivered with a beautiful guest mix that serves as the perfect appetizer for the album, ‘Been Meaning To Tell You’.

This album, Ernest’s second, is for me already one of the early contenders for albums of the year – and this is not the kind of thing I’d say (or type) lightly. It’s a dreamy excursion into the mind of its maker, combining hip hop, electronic and folk sensitivities into a mix that transports the listener away into his or hers own imagination and taps into whatever they might be feeling. Or at least that’s how it’s made me feel. The ’story’ behind the album is explained briefly by Ernest on the website:

Dear Devyn,
Ok, so I’m not the best person when it comes to expressing myself and how I feel for you but I want you to know that this album is for you. These songs are all the things I’ve been meaning to tell you…all the words, thoughts, and emotions that are so hard for me to express. The pages in this book serves as a map to help you find your way back home in case you are lost…and this website will let other people also say the things that they have been meaning to tell someone.

With love,
Ernest

In true FoF fashion the release itself comes as a mighty package bringing together 30 artists alongside Ernest, both on remix and art duties. The album will be available alongside a full-colour book featuring original works inspired by each of the songs. And alongside this will be 16 remixes. Here’s the official blurb regarding what is available, and how:

The album wouldn’t be a Friends of Friends project if it weren’t something special so Ernest and FoF invited over 30 people to the mix! The final collaboration includes 16 tracks from the likes of Daedelus, CYNE, Faunts, Yppah, matthewdavid, & Copy and is accompanied by a full-color art book featuring original works from 14 visual artists. The book will be available in physical form from FoF Music as well as in the digital bundle in all formats (as a .pdf) including as a download with the 180g white vinyl released by Tall Corn Music.

So to recap the album, and book, will be available in both physical and digital formats. An early digital release of the album is currently available on the site, though I believe it doesn’t include the remixes yet. If you missed it you can also purchase the EP which preceded the album, ‘Self Awakening’, and which features 5 of the album remixes from people such as Take, Mexicans with Guns and Yppah to name a few.

To say we’re hyped about this release is a bit of an understatement, and if you’ve read until now you’ve probably already figured that out. We’ve seen the book (well its digital counterpart anyways) and the art is great – a perfect addition to the music. Combined with the remixes, you’ve got the sort of package that should have maximum appeal to music fans. The amount of thought and effort that has gone into it shines through the art.

With the release in early February, this mix is an introduction to the influences and friends that make the record including show favourites like Yppah, Nosaj Thing and Daedelus. I’ll let Ernest explain how he approached it:

This mix is a little bit of friends, mixed with artists/friends that helped with the remix album, plus music that I feel influenced Been Meaning To Tell You and a bit of newer stuff I like.

So without further ado, get stuck in and when you’re done I recommend you head over to the album site and get your ordering on, you won’t regret it. Look out for more previews of the album in forthcoming shows.

Download Ernest Gonzales – Been Meaning To Mix This (right click and save as)

Tracklist
1. Bibio – Haikuesque (When She Laughs)
2. Nosaj Thing – Fog
3. Aether – Caparra
4. Ocuban – H. RATNANI
5. Architeq – Sleeping Bear Lament (Take Remix)
6. Adventure Time – Water Plop
7. Caribou – Hammerheads
8. Yppah – Gumball Machine Weekend
9. Faux Pas – Changes
10. The Beatles – Tomorrow Never Knows
11. Four Tet – Smile Around the Face
12. Shinichi Osawa – Star Guitar
13. New Order – Ceremony
14. Cars and Trains – Some Lonesome Street Corner (Ernest Gonzales Remix)
15. Upon the 49th Day
16. Daedelus – Rabbit Ears

Rhythm Incursions July 09 pt2

As promised we round off July (just in time too) with another 80 mins of fresh new music, exclusives and all that good stuff. Summer is generally a quiet time for music, but it’s fair to say that this year is a bit of an exception with quite a few releases worthy of your attention that have either just come out, are about to or will be out once summer ends (that last part not applying to anyone London obviously, as summer seems to have already ended).

In no specific order we’ve got new music Blue Daisy, Foreign Beggarz, Poirier and Face-T, Shackleton, Shortstuff, Floating Points, DJ Buzz, Disrupt, Elaquent, Tranqill, XLII, Nosaj Thing, Lorn, Guilty Simpson, Fulgeance and more.

Having realised that the last few mini features have all been about west coast producers (without meaning to) this month we turn our attention to Europe, and Austria in particular with 5 tracks from the young producer Dorian Concept – a man who’s been a pleasure to discover and follow with a truly unique take on the whole beat/electronic hip hop thing, backed by some of the most ridiculously exhilarating synth melodies. Peep this really good interview with the man by On-Point for further proof/explanation. The 5 tracks span Dorian’s short but fairly intense discography so far.

So that’s about it for July, stay tuned for more guest mixes in August as well as the regular show, sometime towards the end of the month. For now though, sit back, relax and enjoy!

Download the show! (right click and save as)

Tracklist:
Shafiq Husayn – Nirvana – Plug Research
Guilty Simpson – Stress – Stones Throw
DJ Buzz – Stardust ft Frank Nitty Dorian Concept – Personal Records
Floating Points – Truly – Forthcoming Eglo
Moderat – Rusty Nails (Shackleton remix) – Bpitch Control
Shortstuff – Rustling – Ramp Recordings
Martyn – For Lost Relatives – Aus Music
Poirier – enemies ft Face T – Forthcoming Ninja Tune
Mount Kimbie – Serged – Hotflush
Foreign beggarz – No More ft. Jehst, Kashmere, 2tall – Forthcoming Dented Records
Om Unit – So Sirius – Unreleased, Om Unit myspace
Diamond District – In The Ruff – Self Released, download from website
Mini feature starts – Dorian Concept
Dorian Concept – Leave Before It’s Too Early – Project 168
Dorian Concept – Two Hour Power – TrebleO
Dorian Concept – Sweet Yard Sale – Nod Navigators
Dorian Concept – Fort Teen – Nod Navigators
Dorian Concept – Seek When is Her – Earstroke records
Mini feature ends
Nosaj Thing – Coat of Arms (Daedelus remix) – Alpha Pup Records
Notorious Big – Suicidal Thoughts (Lorn remix) – Unreleased, Lorn myspace
Blue Daisy – Space Ex – Black Acre
Illa J – Sounds like Love (In Space remix) – Delicious Vinyl
Dak – Stand This – Leaving Records
Tranqill – The Supplier – Unreleased, download here
Bretzel Zoo – Shugaring Emrod Baywatch – Eat Concrete Records
Dam Funk – On & On – Stones Throw
XLII – DOn’t Sleep – Forthcoming Fubar Recordings
Elaquent – Ronin Code – Self Released, download from Myspace
Disrupt – Bruce Lee – Jahtari
Architeq – Birds of Prey (Debruit remix) – Tirk
Fulgeance – Sour Soca – One Handed Music

FoF remix contest

The good people over at Friends of Friends have announced the release date for the remix EP of their first release, which we announced a few months back and tracks from which we aired on the show in March. On top of that they’re also launching a remix contest for one of the tracks from the original EP.

‘Friends of Friends Remixed’ features remixes of the original tracks by Daedelus and Jogger from Nosaj Thing, Mexicans with Guns, Grahm Zilla, Michna and Eliot Lipp among others. The remix EP will be released on July 28th. In addition T-shirts made exclusively for the first release are still available on the label’s site. The t-shirts come in a bundle with a copy of the EP and a download card for the remix EP. Check the FoF site for details and to buy.

As for the remix project, visit this link for full details. By submitting your email address you’ll be sent the stems for Jogger’s ‘Nice Tights’ track and then the rest is up to you. See below for additional details:

One winner will be selected by FOF Music and Jogger, the second by you, the fans. Both winners will have there remix posted on the MXP4 FOF Music widget, along with the original and official remixes. Winners will also receive a merch pack with music, t-shirt, stickers and other surprises. The contest will run from June 18 to July 19, 2009. Winners will be announced on or around July 22.

The MXP4 FoF widget is embedded below and you can use it to buy the releases, view videos, photos and stream music as well as more.

That’s it, get stuck in, remix, share and most importantly buy the music if you like it and support the label and artists. And look out for more from FoF in future Rhythm Inc shows.

Download Jogger – Nice Tights (Mexicans With Guns remix)

Rhythm Incursions: March 09

Despite having come down with a nasty bit of flu we soldier on this month with another show full of musical goodness, including plenty of new and exciting forthcoming bits. Just ignore the gruff tone of voice. EDIT: I’ve also just realised I forgot to edit the intro, so it doesn’t repeat for ten seconds. Apologies all but I thought it best to put the show out rather than wait another couple of hours. It goes with the whole being ill thing.

2009 continues to be a pretty interesting year, with each month bringing new releases from new and established artists and labels, and we’re not about to complain. This month is no different with our selection box full of some great music including new bits from the likes of Bibio, AM Architect, DOOM, Take, Lorn, Daedelus, Nosaj Thing, Martyn, Hudson Mohawke and many more. From downtempo moods to straight up hip hop boom bap to deep dubby styles and mashed up electronica and chiptune, it’s all covered one way or another.

The mini feature this month looks at the recently launched Friends of Friends label out in L.A., which we wrote about a few weeks back. As usual check the playlist below for full details, and links to where you can buy the music. If you like what you hear, go out there and support the artists.

And stay tuned to the site for more guest mixes in the coming month, including the last of our L.A. specials and a guest mix from the Musique Large label in Paris, as well as more to be announced. For now though, sit back and enjoy!

Click here to download the show!

Soundspecies – Can We Call it Love – Burntprogress
Mono/Poly – The Beatles – Unreleased
Starkey – Miracles (Jamie Vexd Remix) – Planet Mu
Vangel – Broken Jazz Hands – Equinox records
Bibio – Odd Paws – Mush Records
AM Architect – What If – Exponential
Martyn – Vancouver – 3024
Architeq – Sleeping Bear (Take remix) – Tirk Records
Paul White – Alien Nature Extended version – One Handed Music
Mini feature starts
Daedelus – C’est Super – Friends of Friends
Jogger – Nice Tights – Friends of Friends
Daedelus – LA Noturn (Eliot Lipp remix) – Friends of Friends
Jogger – Nice Tights (Nosaj Thing remix) – Friends of Friends
Mini feature ends
Nalepa – Monday (Glitch Mob remix) – 1320 Recordings
DOOM – Ballskin – Lex Records
Debruit – Echtah – Musique Large
Lorn – Of Hearts – Unreleased / Forthcoming Brainfeeder
Hudson Mohawke – Monde – Warp
Quarta330 – Ahirskew – Maltine Records (free download)
Dorian Concept – Her Marshmallow Secret – Kindred Spirits
Fink – See It All – Ninja Tune

Friends of Friends – a friendly kind of label

We received word of a new label in the last week or so which combines great music with an interesting concept that makes the most of the current situation in the music industry.

Friends of Friends is the name of the label. Based in L.A their first release features L.A ‘legend’ Daedelus and Jogger. We’ll let them explain the concept in more detail:

The concept in short for our inaugural release is FoF invites an artist to join the FoF family by signing on to do a split EP; they in turn invite another musician or group to complete the split release and commission a designer to create the EP’s artwork on a limited edition T-Shirt which will include a download card (100% seed paper card). Included in the download will be the release, exclusive remixes and special content: ie videos, mixes etc

So as you can see it’s definitely not your average release but what really struck us is that this is exactly the kind of release and idea that can help bridge the current issues between physical and digital and how artists can make money in an age where music is seen as increasingly disposable and people want the music product free but are actually willing to pay for good quality, relevant physical products like t-shirts, designs etc…

The release features 3 tracks each from Daedelus and Jogger, and the remixes come from the likes of Nosaj Thing, Thunderheist and more. We’ve had the EP for a while now and we’re definitely liking the sound of it. Expect to hear some of the music in coming shows and if like us FoF caught your interest and raised your curiosity then head over to the site to check where and how to buy. The first EP is out now.

http://www.fofmusic.net

Rhythm Incursions: best of 2008 aka ‘get stuffed or die trying’

Right then. You might have been wondering when the hell this mix was going to be online, and rightly too considering we announced it a while back. In the end, with life and other fun things getting in the way we decided to hold it back until the festivities were starting, kind of like a virtual serving of extra stuffing. And being that it’s the season of over indulging and excess, this month’s show is a best of 08 mix special: no talking, just 70 mins of some of the best and our favouritest music of the year. Whether you’re enjoying the festivities with the family, alone or with friends, away or at home, at work or on holiday (I did work last on xmas day so I know it’s not an impossibility, big up those who are!) we hope you enjoy our last show of the year.

Not only does this show include some of our favourite singles and album tracks from 2008, it also comes with a xmas-sized mini feature looking at the ouput of the Hyperdub label, which gets label of the year by a long mile, regardless of genre.

2008 has definitely been an interesting year musically to say the least. Trick remarked earlier on in the month that album wise it hasn’t been an exceptional year, which I’d have to agree with to an extent. A few albums do stand out, like say The Bug’s ‘London Zoo,’ and between putting this mix together and doing the obligatory end of year list thing over on my blog I’ve come to the realisation that this year it’s much more singles, EPs and certain album tracks that stand out for me. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing either.

This end of year special podcast reflects all of this with tracks from some of the year’s stand out albums, singles, EPs, and even a couple of unreleased numbers that have created quite a lot of interest on and offline. This show is also definitely a bit of a who’s who of the artists and the labels that have populated our tracklists on the regular since Rhythm Incursions moved to its podcast-only format back in June, with the likes of Nosaj Thing, Flying Lotus, Kode 9, Maga Bo, The Bug, J Dilla and more.

Another thing reflected in the mix is the return of the producer to the front in certain corners of the hip hop world (see explosion of interest around Flying Lotus for proof of that) and how this return has been distinctively led by a more awkward and experimental approach to instrumental tracks, also echoed in the work of certain producers affiliated with the dubstep, grime and other electronic scenes. While far from encompassing everything that happened this year, these two musical ‘tendencies’ have definitely had a big impact on fans, producers and DJs alike.

So that’s about it. We’re officially done for 08. Massive thanks to you the listeners for your continued support and a big big shout to the entire Rhythm Incursions clique: Mr Trick, Waxfactor, Carlo, Joey Beats, Dday One and the extended fam. Also a big thank you to all the artists and labels who have supported the show this year through their music and guest appearances.

Look out for more of the same in 2009, as we roll out some very tasty guest mixes and new shows from all the regulars in January (who knows Waxfactor might even come out of his hiding lair). If you’re new to the show then be sure to check our archives and the feed where you can find all the previous shows available for download (and there’s been some corkers this year).

And finally if you’re still feeling somewhat hungry or are looking for something else to get stuck into, then check out Turntable Radio’s own festive offering, which is none other than the entire Season’s Beatings series of festive mixes. These went live at the same time as this mix, so get stuck in yo!

See you in 2009.

Peace

Laurent

Click here to download the show!

Tracklist:
Daedelus – Hours: Mins: Secs – Ninja Tune
Radiohead – Reckoner (Nosaj Thing remix) – Unreleased
Ras G – Jus Feel – Poobah / P Vine
2tall – The Most High ft. Kashmere – Content
Starkey – Gutter Music – Planet Mu
Joker – Gully Brook Lane – Terrorhythm
The Bug – Ganja ft. Flowdan & Killa P – Ninja Tune
Trim – Thief In The Night (prod. Radioclit) – Soulfood
Maga Bo – Fire ft. Xuman – Soot Records
Big Boi – Royal Flush ft. Andre 3000 & Raekwon – La Face Records
Onra – The Anthem – Bo Bun Records
Mayer Hawthorne – Just Aint Gonna Work Out – Stones Throw
Best label of 2008 mini-feature – Hyperdub megamix
Burial – Archangel
Zombie – Test Me For a Reason
King Midas – Cool Out
Kode 9 & Spaceape – Konfusion
Cardopusher – Homeless (Quarta 330 remix)
Ikonika – Please
Kode 9 vs LD – Bad
Ikonika – Millie
Zombie – Spliff Dub (Rustie remix)
King Midas – One Ting (Dabrye remix)
Samiyam – Moon Shoes
Mini-feature ends
Mr Beatnick – I Know All the Bitches ft. Ahu (Simbad slow mix) – Altered Vibes
Afta1 – Honey Dip – Circulations
Paul White – For You and For me – One Handed Music
Mike Slott – Deux, Three ft Muhsinah – All City
Free the Robots – Times Like This – Equinox Records
M.I.A – Paper Planes (Diplo remix) ft. Bun B & Rich Boy – XL Recordings
Madlib – Blow The Horns ft Guilty Simpson – BBE
Flying Lotus – GNGBNG – Warp
Hud Mo – Ooops – LuckyMe x Wireblock
The Roots – Get Busy – Def Jam
Flying Lotus – Infinitum (Exile remix) – Warp
Scuba – Twitch (Jamie Vex’d remix) – Hotflush
J Dilla – Trucks – Stones Throw / MCA