Evening, morning, afternoon... whatever time it is when you read this I do hope all is going well. Today on the blog is something special and hopefully something that I will be doing a lot in the future. This one is for all you music lovers out there. This is the first in a series of compilations I will be putting out. Some with the help of some friends, some just songs that I will do on my own. I thought for the first compilation I would enlist the help of my partner in crime and fellow disco deviant, Sir Daniel Lee Harvey. I have been friends with Daniel for a couple of years now and man has this guy introduced me to some fantastic pieces of music so naturally I thought I would ask him to contribute five songs for the comp. Daniel and I are both involved in the fantastic online magazine, Seven Shades of Black ran by the legend that is Soraan (who hopefully will aid me in a compilation sometime!).
The idea behind the compilations is simple. Providing the readers with a nice collection of musical treats. The idea is to create compilations based on themes but I figured for the first one we would just share five songs each that we are listening to a lot. Really happy with how this has turned out and hopefully if anyone is reading, you will too. So without further or do, let's take you through the tracks:
1. Sven Libaek- Music For Eels
Pete: To start off the compilation I thought I would use this lovely little number. I think this is from a documentary about sharks from the 60's or 70's. It just seemed right that the compilation should start with this, really sets a happy tone for the rest of the album!
2. Oddisee- Clara Barton
Daniel: Oddisee grew up in Mary Land which is in the Mid Atlantic Region of America. He was surrounded in Hip Hop and Soul as well as the myriad and influence of musicians on both sides of his family. A friend of Oddisee introduced him to hip hop production and showed him the basics to dissecting a track and creating a whole new ambiance out of it. From then forward Oddisee focused upon beat making and within time, he joined the Low Budget Crew, a legendary family of producers, mcs and djs. Oddisee grew his reputation through networking with already established rappers and released several collaborative albums that would show a palette of different music approaches he showed an interest to. This late solo album in particular is a favourite of mine; it has such a fresh take on the sound we are all use to when comparing soul and hip hop together.
3. Sir Mack Rice- Dark Skinned Woman (Parts 1 and 2)
Pete: I came across this fantastic track when I chanced upon one of the many amazing compilations of the fantastic Stax Records and fell in love with it straight away. I must confess I don't really know of his other work but going by this song, I am in for a treat. The introduction to this song is amazing and needs to be sampled if it hasn't already!
4. Jimmy McGriff- Criss-Cross
Daniel: What can I say about this one, that it’s Jimmy McGriff. I have so much admiration for this record due to how the instruments all blend in with each other through deep jazz and funk rhythms. It’s the kind of music that circulated the Bronx and other urban circles in 1970 and today it still remains an integral part of cultural history. I think the music illustrates the true meaning of what the genre is about. I’ve been a fan of this record since my early teens and first discovered it when I was voyaging Out Of Time in Ipswich. The album cover wasn’t different from the rest that other funk groups were creating. It had the pose of a black woman looking flirtatious and innocent, but I knew it was going to be good, there was just something about it. The name didn’t ring a bell nor did the title, but I decided to take my chances. I got home and played it straight away on the turntables in my bedroom. The needle began to slip on the groves and then you would get the sound of the bass rumbling through the sub woofer and then slight dapples on the jazz organ which would integrate with a beat from the drum. Its good music and simply that, my favourite track on the record will have to be this one, everything about it is mouth-wateringly delicious.
5. Space Ranger- Plastic Love (Featuring Captn K)
Pete: Now this song blew my mind when I first heard it. I took a chance on an album called What About The Magnetic Fields? by Space Ranger after hearing some re edits on Youtube and melted when I heard this track. It's one of those tracks that has a great juxtapostion like 10CC's beautiful "I'm Not In Love". It's a song that is quite beautiful and almost sensual but has a sad contrasting message to it. It was hard to put just one track on the compilation from this fantastic album but I think I have found one that fits in perfectly with the rest of the tracks.
6. Lucio Battisti- Prendila cosi
Pete: As if one beautiful song wasn't enough. I thought I would treat you lovers out there (stay blessed) to one of the prettiest and genuinely beautiful songs that my ears have ever been treated to. This has to be one of my favourite songs of all time... especially more poignant now that I have someone in my life I can share and dedicate this song to (I love you so much baby if you are reading). I first discovered this song in a brilliant edited form from the fantastic and highly recommended Super Value0 Super Funk compilation. My heart melted then and when I heard the full version... it melted all over again. A stunning song that you can share with your loved one or just listen to so you can have a skip in your step. Just listen to the chorus and the fantastic use of trumpet and strings. Beautiful!
7. Rocco Raimundo- Give Me Your Love
Daniel: For starters, I thought he sounded like a bit of a porn star and I wasn’t very touched by the opening of the track, it had a continuous bass and drum line, very ministry of sound, but once you got deeper, it pulled you in with these contagious hooks. The echoes on the vocals as well as the slender cuts from rhythm to rhythm marry each other very nicely. There are not many djs or producers that can manage to insert a new aspect without damaging or diluting any of the original elements. It’s a track that can get anyone dancing, with or without your John Travolta white suit.
8. CFCF- COMETRUE (D eon Remix)
Pete: I first heard this fantastic remix on Beats In Space a while back. If you don't know what BiS is then you are seriously missing out. What can I say about this track? CFCF is one of my favourite produces from recent years with a string of fantastic songs and remixes under his belt. I just love the almost Asian sound that is has. It has an almost dreamlike feel to it too. It's a shame summer has left us. Imagine listening to this when the sky is a deep orange on a cool summers evening lay on a field with friends... oh boy!
9. Dudley Perkins- Flowers
Daniel: This song was recorded sometime in the summer of 1999 however it was left unreleased until 2002. It was the first record Dudley Perkins released and if you think about the time it was originally produced, the sound coming off it has a futuristic kind of nostalgia. I always have had a liking for Perkins flow, it isn’t too bouncy or concise; it just falls on through with the day-dreamy kicks of the beat. He raps on subjects that have relevance to issues happening within today society and on that note alone, I can quite happily say, he’s adds to the contribution of philosophical lyricism and yes I'm speaking on Gil Scott Heron and Sly Stone level.
10. Suff Daddy- VICES
Daniel: Suff Daddy, you will need a neck brace at reaching distance when listening to his beats. I’ve picked this one out because it has a fractured backbone of vocal samples, electronic bass lines and scratches. It’s something you would expect to hear in some ghetto on another universe. Suff Daddy is someone who likes to mould together other fractions of genres. He manages to create a seamless beat from putting two completely creations together. On this track in specific, if you listen to the intro, there is a run of woodwind and then it follows in with the thunderous crash of vocals and bass. Suff Daddy is a scientist when it comes to music construction and if you listen to more of his work, than you will begin to see the formula.
So there you have it guys. The link to the album is down below as well the link to the Seven Shades Of Black Facebook page where you can check out more fantastic articles, pictures, music from the rest of the SSOB crew. I would like to thank Daniel for not contributing some fantastic music for the comp but for the fantastic words on each song. I would also like to thank him for helping me build a fantastic library of music... thanks so much man, you are amazing! As are you guys, hope you like compilation.
PDx
InnerSpace Volume 1
Seven Shades Of Black Facebook
1. Sven Libaek- Music For Eels
Pete: To start off the compilation I thought I would use this lovely little number. I think this is from a documentary about sharks from the 60's or 70's. It just seemed right that the compilation should start with this, really sets a happy tone for the rest of the album!
2. Oddisee- Clara Barton
Daniel: Oddisee grew up in Mary Land which is in the Mid Atlantic Region of America. He was surrounded in Hip Hop and Soul as well as the myriad and influence of musicians on both sides of his family. A friend of Oddisee introduced him to hip hop production and showed him the basics to dissecting a track and creating a whole new ambiance out of it. From then forward Oddisee focused upon beat making and within time, he joined the Low Budget Crew, a legendary family of producers, mcs and djs. Oddisee grew his reputation through networking with already established rappers and released several collaborative albums that would show a palette of different music approaches he showed an interest to. This late solo album in particular is a favourite of mine; it has such a fresh take on the sound we are all use to when comparing soul and hip hop together.
3. Sir Mack Rice- Dark Skinned Woman (Parts 1 and 2)
Pete: I came across this fantastic track when I chanced upon one of the many amazing compilations of the fantastic Stax Records and fell in love with it straight away. I must confess I don't really know of his other work but going by this song, I am in for a treat. The introduction to this song is amazing and needs to be sampled if it hasn't already!
4. Jimmy McGriff- Criss-Cross
Daniel: What can I say about this one, that it’s Jimmy McGriff. I have so much admiration for this record due to how the instruments all blend in with each other through deep jazz and funk rhythms. It’s the kind of music that circulated the Bronx and other urban circles in 1970 and today it still remains an integral part of cultural history. I think the music illustrates the true meaning of what the genre is about. I’ve been a fan of this record since my early teens and first discovered it when I was voyaging Out Of Time in Ipswich. The album cover wasn’t different from the rest that other funk groups were creating. It had the pose of a black woman looking flirtatious and innocent, but I knew it was going to be good, there was just something about it. The name didn’t ring a bell nor did the title, but I decided to take my chances. I got home and played it straight away on the turntables in my bedroom. The needle began to slip on the groves and then you would get the sound of the bass rumbling through the sub woofer and then slight dapples on the jazz organ which would integrate with a beat from the drum. Its good music and simply that, my favourite track on the record will have to be this one, everything about it is mouth-wateringly delicious.
5. Space Ranger- Plastic Love (Featuring Captn K)
Pete: Now this song blew my mind when I first heard it. I took a chance on an album called What About The Magnetic Fields? by Space Ranger after hearing some re edits on Youtube and melted when I heard this track. It's one of those tracks that has a great juxtapostion like 10CC's beautiful "I'm Not In Love". It's a song that is quite beautiful and almost sensual but has a sad contrasting message to it. It was hard to put just one track on the compilation from this fantastic album but I think I have found one that fits in perfectly with the rest of the tracks.
6. Lucio Battisti- Prendila cosi
Pete: As if one beautiful song wasn't enough. I thought I would treat you lovers out there (stay blessed) to one of the prettiest and genuinely beautiful songs that my ears have ever been treated to. This has to be one of my favourite songs of all time... especially more poignant now that I have someone in my life I can share and dedicate this song to (I love you so much baby if you are reading). I first discovered this song in a brilliant edited form from the fantastic and highly recommended Super Value0 Super Funk compilation. My heart melted then and when I heard the full version... it melted all over again. A stunning song that you can share with your loved one or just listen to so you can have a skip in your step. Just listen to the chorus and the fantastic use of trumpet and strings. Beautiful!
7. Rocco Raimundo- Give Me Your Love
Daniel: For starters, I thought he sounded like a bit of a porn star and I wasn’t very touched by the opening of the track, it had a continuous bass and drum line, very ministry of sound, but once you got deeper, it pulled you in with these contagious hooks. The echoes on the vocals as well as the slender cuts from rhythm to rhythm marry each other very nicely. There are not many djs or producers that can manage to insert a new aspect without damaging or diluting any of the original elements. It’s a track that can get anyone dancing, with or without your John Travolta white suit.
8. CFCF- COMETRUE (D eon Remix)
Pete: I first heard this fantastic remix on Beats In Space a while back. If you don't know what BiS is then you are seriously missing out. What can I say about this track? CFCF is one of my favourite produces from recent years with a string of fantastic songs and remixes under his belt. I just love the almost Asian sound that is has. It has an almost dreamlike feel to it too. It's a shame summer has left us. Imagine listening to this when the sky is a deep orange on a cool summers evening lay on a field with friends... oh boy!
9. Dudley Perkins- Flowers
Daniel: This song was recorded sometime in the summer of 1999 however it was left unreleased until 2002. It was the first record Dudley Perkins released and if you think about the time it was originally produced, the sound coming off it has a futuristic kind of nostalgia. I always have had a liking for Perkins flow, it isn’t too bouncy or concise; it just falls on through with the day-dreamy kicks of the beat. He raps on subjects that have relevance to issues happening within today society and on that note alone, I can quite happily say, he’s adds to the contribution of philosophical lyricism and yes I'm speaking on Gil Scott Heron and Sly Stone level.
10. Suff Daddy- VICES
Daniel: Suff Daddy, you will need a neck brace at reaching distance when listening to his beats. I’ve picked this one out because it has a fractured backbone of vocal samples, electronic bass lines and scratches. It’s something you would expect to hear in some ghetto on another universe. Suff Daddy is someone who likes to mould together other fractions of genres. He manages to create a seamless beat from putting two completely creations together. On this track in specific, if you listen to the intro, there is a run of woodwind and then it follows in with the thunderous crash of vocals and bass. Suff Daddy is a scientist when it comes to music construction and if you listen to more of his work, than you will begin to see the formula.
So there you have it guys. The link to the album is down below as well the link to the Seven Shades Of Black Facebook page where you can check out more fantastic articles, pictures, music from the rest of the SSOB crew. I would like to thank Daniel for not contributing some fantastic music for the comp but for the fantastic words on each song. I would also like to thank him for helping me build a fantastic library of music... thanks so much man, you are amazing! As are you guys, hope you like compilation.
PDx
InnerSpace Volume 1
Seven Shades Of Black Facebook
No comments:
Post a Comment