Friends of Friends mix series: Kper – My Friends, My Family

It’s with great pleasure that we kick off a new monthly series of guest mixes in conjuction with the Friends of Friends label. FoF should be no stranger to regular listeners, as we’ve been strong supporters of the label ever since it started in late 08/early 09. We’ve worked with them in supporting the releases and spreading the word, and even hooked them up with Om Unit for a forthcoming release, so when Lazy Brow who runs the label got in touch recently about starting a series of guest mixes and asked me to do the first one it was a no-brainer. Not to mention a real honor and pleasure.

Once the mix was wrapped we got chatting about how best to get it out there to as many heads as possible and so the next logical step was to do a Rhythm Inc/FoF team up. So starting this week, once a month we’ll be dropping an exclusive mix as part of the Friends of Friends mix series – each mix will be brought to you by a friend of the label. The next one in the series is already done, but we won’t give out who it is just yet. Expect to be hearing sounds from worldwide producers who are doing things we love. It’s a friend and family thing really.

Each mix will be podcast on Rhythm Inc and also available via FoF’s Soundcloud page and website.

The artwork for this one comes from a friend of FoF, of course. Photographer Oliver Kish snapped this truly incredible picture and had this story to tell regarding how it came about. It is not staged! (click it for a bigger version)

“This photo was taken during my first tip to the blooming poppy fields in Southern California. Thinking the day was over, I turned a corner and there he was, the tinman. I took a quick snap on my original Russian made LC-A, then headed home. I’ve been to the poppy fields since and have never run into the tinman again. Right place, right time, channeling the Wizard…”

As for the mix when I was asked to do this the idea of a theme for it came pretty quickly – showcase music from friends and family worldwide. People I know and have worked with over the years in various music scenes. In my 8 or so years as a music journalist and in various other roles relating to music I’ve had the pleasure to meet and work with some amazing artists, many of whom I feel lucky and honored to call friends, and quite a few who are close personal friends of mine and continually inspire me and drive me on. This mix aims to represent that by showcasing as much of the talent I feel close to – it covers scratch music, jungle, dubstep, beats, hip hop, electro and much more. The mix also reflects the truly worldwide spread of exciting music today and my own times spent in various countries, including the UK, France, Italy and Japan.

The mix itself is a pretty intense ride with 27 tracks in 45 minutes but I hope people get as much enjoyment from it as I did putting it together and that it leads to them checking out the artists and supporting them. The mix features a heap of exclusives, unreleased tracks and forthcoming releases. I have worked with every artist and/or label featured in this mix, so this is truly a snapshot of my friends and family.

So I won’t blabber on much longer and let you enjoy the music. As always embeds for stream and direct download links are below. Subscribers to the RSS or iTunes feeds will have the mix on their way to them now.

I’d like to just thank all the artists for the music but also their support over the years. It’s been a pleasure working with each and everyone of you in whatever capacity and I hope to continue to do so in years to come. And huge thanks to FoF for asking me to do this. It’s truly a pleasure!

Peace

Laurent aka Kper

Download Kper – My Friends, My Family (right click and save as)

Tracklist:
Ken One – Mind Rain – Unreleased (Japan)
Danny Breaks – Hemisphere – Forthcoming Groove Attack (UK)
Dday One – Contamined Energy – Unreleased (USA)
And – Untitled beat – Unreleased (UK)
Onra – Iron – Forthcomig Ubeat (France)
Uncle Lew – Chop Chop remix – Unreleased (Ireland / Canada)
Lorn – Running Ink – Unreleased (USA)
Tatsuki – Kiyasu Breaks – Original Cultures (Japan)
Ernesto Gonzales – Self Awakening (Take remix) – FoF Music (USA)
Othello Grey – Feeling (BJu remix) – Unreleased (Germany)
Fulgeance – Smartbanging – One Handed Music (France)
2phast – MoynaQ – Unreleased (Italy)
Paul White – Body Spirals pt2 – Forthcoming One Handed Music (UK)
Throwing Snow – Elephant Trees – Unreleased (UK)
Grems ft Foreign Beggars – Brockabilly (Machine Drum remix) – Forthcoming (France/UK/USA)
Skyfish – Heso Cha remix – Unreleased (Japan)
Om Unit – Searching – Forthcoming Stretched Records (UK)
ENA – Drop – Unreleased (Japan)
Foreign Beggars – No Holds Barred (Goth Trad remix) – Forthcoming Dented Records (UK/Japan)
Dong – Suzuran (LV + Quarta330 remix) – Hyperdub (UK/Japan)
Lone Wolf – Badman – Unreleased (UK)
100 Mado – Club Asia – Unreleased (Japan)
Jamie Vex’d – Saturn’s Reply – Planet Mu (UK)
The Bug ft. Flowdan and Killa P – Skeng (Kode 9 remix) – Hyperdub (UK)
XLII – Podgy Swing – Raid System/Fubar (Ukraine/Japan)
Om Unit – The Corridor (Shigeto remix) – Forthcoming Terrorhythm (UK/USA)

Rhythm Incursions – February 2010

It’s February, the weather on this side of the world could still be primarily described as apocalyptic and the recession is still going on apparently. All of which means you need some fresh new music and aural pleasures more than ever. Fear not, we’ve got you covered.

Up this month we take a close look at Mux Mool, an NYC-based artist we first discovered thanks to Jakub at Ghostly Int and who will be releasing a new album on the label in the coming weeks. We look at some new and older tracks of his, showing his versatile approach to hip hop and electronic music. It goes without saying we’re big fans.

Elsewhere this month we’ve got lots of new, forthcoming tracks including new Big Dada and Ninja Tune releases by Infesticons, Bonobo, Jagga Jazzist and Juice Aleem, new tracks from Fulgeance, Pixelord, FaltyDL, Daisuke Tanabe, Kyle Hall, Nocando featuring Busdriver, Soul Litchfield, Rudi Zygadlo, Oh No and some tasty exclusives from Wrongtom, Om Unit, Tatsuki and Depakote which you won’t hear anywhere else (unless the artists themselves are bumping it).

So without further ado I’ll leave you for another 2 hours of musical goodness, and excuse my rather gruff tone of voice on the presenting tip but I’ve been fighting a cold (or is that man flu?) for the last week and haven’t been feeling very well. Still you can’t stop the good shit so get stuck in, sit back and crank it up to 11 on the volume dial.

As usual the playlist, see below, includes full links and details to all artists and labels pages/websites where you can buy or download the music. If you like what you hear than go support it.

See you next month for more of the same and look out for more exclusive mixes from Primus Luta and Himuro Yoshiteru in the coming weeks.

Laurent

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

Tracklist:
Jay Electronica – Suckas – Unreleased
The Infesticons – Bombs Anthem – Forthcoming Big Dada
Whitefield Brothers – Gifted (The Oh Remix ft. Edan and Mr Lif) – Stones Throw
Bonobo – Eyesdown (Floating Points remix) – Ninja Tune
Prins Thomas – Uggebugg – Full Pupp
Dynooo – Fuh Real (with Naboobia) – Mac Fly
Depakote – Painful Bells – Forthcoming Highpoint Lowlife
Soul Litchfield – Throw Ups – Saturn Never Sleeps
Singing Statues – Forestry – Self Released, free download via Myspace
Clouds – Timekeeper (Dave Aju remix) – Ramp Recordings
Mini feature starts
Mux Mool – Lady Linda – Forthcoming Ghostly Int.
Machinedrum – Late Night Operation (Mux Moox remix) – Norm Rex
Mux Mool – Ladies Know (Live Edit) – Ghostly Int. (free download)
Mini feature ends
Roots Manuva meets Wrongtom – Tings Proper Juggled – Forthcoming Ninja Tune
Tatsuki – Kiyasu Breaks – Original Cultures
Om Unit – The Timps – Original Cultures
Rudi Zygadlo – The Udu and The Clave – Forthcoming Planet Mu
Eprom – Never (FaltyDL rephresh) – Surefire
Kuedo – Glow – Planet Mu
Pixelord – Quartz Boy – Error Broadcast
Four Tet – Love Cry – Domino Records
Juice Aleem ft. Serocee, Rider shafique, Charles Moopowe, Blackitude, Kosyne, TY, TheWhatSupreme, Justice Hotep – Higher Higher (revox) – Ninja Tune
Kraddy – Android Porn (Fulgeance remix) – Equinox Records
Quetzal – On The Road – Tumba Republic Records
Saukrates – Wednesday – Forthcoming
Daisuke Tanabe – Vestige – Circulations
Epstein – El Condor Deplerta (El Conjuto edit) – Asthamatic Kitty
Southpaw Chop – Sounds So Smooth – Forthcoming Southpaw Chop Music
Pretty Lights – Can’t Stop Me Now – Self released (free download)
Computer Jay – Maintain – Forthcoming Ramp Recordings
Jagga Jazzist – One-Armed Bandit – Ninja Tune
MusSck – Finding Forever – Daly City Records
Nocando ft. Busdriver – Two Track Mind – Alpha Pup
La Roux – Bulletproof (Himuro Yoshiteru remix) – Nytebug (free download)
Kyle Hall – Kaychunk – Hyperdub

Om Unit x Tatsuki x Tayone – Live in Bologna 09 mix

Things have been a bit quiet round these parts, as we work away at preparing some exciting shows, but we’ve still got some tricks up our sleeves. First of which is this exclusive mix of the first Original Cultures showcase which took place in Bologna, Italy earlier this year. Featuring the musical talents of Om Unit (aka 2tall), from the UK, Tatsuki, from Japan, and Tayone, from Italy, alongside special guest Bruno Briscik on cello bass, the mix highlights some of the best bits of a 2h30 showcase that was truly unique in many ways.

Why unique I hear you ask? Well because all of the music played on the night (apart from Om Unit’s solo set) was created in the days prior to the showcase in a series of workshops between the 3 artists. They’d never met each other before, barely spoke the same languages (Tayone speaks no English) and communicated primarily through music. In the space of 3 days, and roughly 24 hours of actual workshops, they put together 12 tracks and a one hour showcase. Alongside all this, 3 visual artists from the UK and Italy also worked for 3 days alongside the musicians to create a visual show to compliment the music. The result included live painting, an animation and Chinese-shadow based visual displays, all of which formed an integral part of the showcase alongside the music.

For more information on what happened during the workshops and to listen to a two-part audio documentary from which this mix is taken, check part 1 here and part 2 here. There are also additional mixes from the workshops to download on the Original Cultures site. Also look out for a video documentary at the end of september.

Be sure to check the website for full details and if your curiosity has been piqued than check this exclusive mix and look out for a full digital release of the entire audio from the showcase later this year.

Download the mix! (right click and save as)

Om Unit x Tatsuki x Tayone ft. Bruno Briscik – Live in Bologna 09
Tracklist:
Tatsuki – solo showcase
Om Unit – solo showcase
Om Unit x Tatsuki x Tayone ft Bruno Briscik – live showcase
Om Unit x Tatsuki x Tayone ft Bruno Briscik – encore

Tatsuki – Original Cultures mix

Continuing the Japanese theme we started last week with our guest mix from Olive Oil, here’s a mix from another Japanese friend and collaborator of ours, Tatsuki. Originally put together for the Original Cultures podcast series, I’m using the slow, quiet summer months to give it another push and put it out for those who might have missed it first time round.

Regular listeners might remember Tatsuki from a guest mix he did on Turntable Radio back in 06. Since then he’s been rather quiet, working R&D at Korg (he’s the man responsible for the Korg Zero4 mixer) and quietly doing bits here and there for friends. He’s probably most well known for his featuring on Krush’s ‘Decks-A-Thron’ from the 2004 Jaku album as well as his work with Danish band Blue Foundation.

This year Tatsuki is taking part in the first Original Cultures series of events, representing Japan in the field of music and for this occasion put together a mix showcasing influences and favourites. Tracklist and download links are below. For more info on the man hit up his myspace, and for more info on Original Cultures check the newly redesigned site.

Also look out for some exclusive audio from the Original Cultures pilot event in Bologna very soon featuring Tatsuki, 2tall / Om Unit and Tayone. Oh and be sure to subscribe to the Original Cultures feed and/or iTunes podcast feed to make sure you get all the mixes coming through – there’s some tasty ones forthcoming.

Download the mix here! (right click and save as)

Tatsuki – Original Cultures radio mix

1. Intro
2. Vice Verzen Instrumental
3. tatsuki* Loop 1
4. Ekaj – Enmap
5. Apes on Tapes – Grand 5
6. Goth-Trad – Acid Steps
7. Dj Baku – Element for Perfect
8. Dj Krush feat Mc Kan – Mosa
9. Dj Shadow x Depeche Mode – Painkiller
10.Dj Krush feat Tatsuki – Deck’s Athron
11.Dj Krush – Kemuri Untouchable Mix

Introducing Original Cultures

Since leaving Japan last year I’ve been working on a project to try and bridge the gap between the art scenes in Japan and Europe. At first I was looking at the music scene, as this is the area I’ve spent the most time working on for the last 7 odd years. The project started taking shape when I was in Italy, it evolved and now it is officially launched. I am very proud and happy to introduce to you Original Cultures: a non-profit project that aims to facilitate and promote cultural exchange between Japan and European countries through the medium of modern performing arts.

The countries currently involved in the project are the UK, Italy and Japan, and the performing arts fields are music and visual arts (painting, street art etc…). The project will hold its first event, our pilot, in the first week of June in Bologna, Italy, from June 3 to 6. Six artists will take part in the pilot, representing each country and taking part in a variety of activities including workshops, seminars, a live showcase and an art installation at the Bologna Music Museum. The artists are: Will Barras (UK), Ericailcane (IT), DEM (IT), 2tall / Om Unit (UK), Tayone (IT), and Tatsuki (JP).

You can view a trailer for the pilot below:

For full details of the project, pilot and more visit the website, www.originalcultures.org and check the links below:
An introduction to Original Cultures
Original Cultures pilot information
Original Cultures activities
Artists bios and info

Any support you can give this would be greatly appreciated – spread it on the internet, tell your friends, tell their friends etc… Become a fan on Facebook, friend us on Myspace, follow us on Twitter, holla on Flickr, view us on Youtube or Vimeo.

Any press/promotional/sponsor related queries can be sent to me. Contact details are on the site or contact me via the blog. You can download a press release for the pilot here.