Following from the inaugural mix of our Friends of Friends series last month (here if you missed it) we swiftly follow it up with an exclusive mix from L.A’s Asura, a producer who’s slowly but surely making a name for himself as part of the city’s ever growing, open-minded music scene that encompasses beats, electronic, hip hop, atmospheric and more. Entitled ‘I Am The Homonculus’ it’s a lovely ride through the man’s musical tree as he calls it.

For those new to this series, the FoF mix series features an exclusive mix every month from a close friend of the label complete with an exclusive picture from another close friend of the label. The mixes go out exclusively on Rhythm Incursions and also via FoF’s Soundcloud page (embed below). The picture this month comes from Shaun ‘Sodapop’ Koplow, and has the following story attached to it:

This photo was the result of luck while messing around with my new Panasonic Lumix – GF1. While setting up camp in Joshua Tree for Lazy Brow’s bachelor party, I figured I’d attempt to document things with a few long exposures. I came up with a few shots that seemed exemplary of that night’s bro-motions just fine… this being one of them.

As for the mix, Asura had the following to say about it:

My musical tree spanning the past five years, full of old ones, friends’ ones, and my ones. Los Angeles is represented deep while paying special attention to certain very very important tracks in my development (especially pay attention to “The Big Ship”, “Outdoor Miner”, “I Am A Scientist”, and “Tommib”). Searching for the oppositions of melody/noise, order/chaos, pop/non-pop, and all that good bullshit. Mostly just enjoy, I know I did.

For more on Asura you can check Nonprojects.net and his myspace. Look out for a new split release between the man and Non Project’s Anenon, which should be out later this month via the label and Alpha Pup distribution.

For now though sit back and enjoy this lush musical ride into the influences of one of L.A’s best kept secrets!

Download Asura – I Am The Homonculus (right click and save as)

Asura – I Am The Homonculus – Friends of Friends Mix by FoFMusic

Tracklist:
Asura – All Our Favorite Colors
Gyorgy Ligeti – Concerto for Violin and Orchestra-1. Praeludium Vivacissimo Luminoso
Masanka Sankayi – Le Laboureur
Dimlite – On The Same Picture (feat. Elan Tamara)
Joji Hirota – Fire Dragon
Arthur Russell – Answers Me
Aco – Machi
Supersilent – 6.4
Fennesz – Glide
Brian Eno – The Big Ship
Dak – Rolling Hills
Baths – Hall (Asura Remix)
Kate Bush – Suspended In Gaffa
Matthewdavid – Know You’re Not Alone
Can – Vitamin C
Anenon – Damiel
Grouper – Heavy Water/I’d Rather Be Sleeping
Four tet/Burial – Moth (feat. Ana Caravelle and Bjork)
Wire – Outdoor Miner
Guided By Voices – I Am Scientist
Squarepusher – Tommib
Ana Caravelle – Blackberries (Asura Source)
Asura – Silver Trees
Arthur Russell – A Sudden Chill

The lovely people at Alpha Pup and Leaving Records (Matthewdavid’s new label) hit us up with promos of their new releases recently and also a link to a beat tape by a guy called Durlin Lurt. This beat tape, called ‘Him Jenson’ (no points for figuring out the joke there), is being given away for free by Leaving Records. Very little information is available beyond some blurb from the label…

The 2008 cult classic from Durlin Lurt now has a home. Sounding more fun and filthier than ever, the conceptual work spans the alphabet (twenty six tracks, with many familiar guest features) sampling you-know-who through an experimental hip-hop lens that is unique and absurdly organic.

Doing a bit of digging around I couldn’t find much more, but to be honest I’m quite happy to leave the ‘mystery’ as is and instead focus on the music, which is rather nice. A total trip of a beat tape, it’ll leave you fuzzy headed and smiling, as well as potentially singing random bits from Sesame Street.

The tape features a few guests including Rhythm Inc favourites like Dak and Dibiase.

So without further ado I recommend you get stuck into this excellent freebie and take a little trip for an hour or so.

Download Durlin Hurt – Him Jenson (right click and save as – ZIP file)

TRACKLIST:
01. AAAHH
02. Breathe (feat. LSA)
03. Crayonz (feat. O’Fiber)
04. Danger (feat LeRoi Da MOOR)
05. Eye
06. Falling
07. Gimme 5
08. High
09. In-Out | Here 2 Do (feat. Aahtue)
10. Junk (feat. mgr)
11. KO | Glass Cutter (feat. Mr. Dibiase)
12. Llamas (feat. Tone Liv, Decay & Selfish)
13. Magic
14. Nice
15. OK
16. Peace
17. Quack | the gonzo (feat. dak)
18. Rap
19. Subway (feat. Delofi)
20. Trash (feat. mgr)
21. Understand
22. Vibrate
23. Wet
24. Xxercise (feat. Fat Transfer)
25. YoYo
26. Zowie

“as grimy as a Burger King bathroom”

“i was about to traash this then i smolked a hi biscus plant.”

“Beside the fact that it’s abstract,messy and noisy i don’t get what’s the point.”

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