DJ Taye, Jalen, & DJ Manny [TEKLIFE ] - Lets Get Blowed

Bring back the animal dances.

Wildlife's place is not at the zoo, but on the dancefloor. Let the critters party!

But some explanation, perhaps is in order. Jazz and its assorted eccentricities - recording contracts, jam sessions, and crippling dependence to a lengthy list of substances - still exist to this day. For some reason, though, the same cannot be said its dancing; part of the legacy for one ironically named mam. James Reese Europe was a renowned military man, and also able to lead a band. If for no other reason, then, the man is associated with a slew of incredibly named ragtime dances including (but not limited to): the turkey trot, the jitterbug, and the bunny-hug.

Dj Rashad, on the other hand, became the face for a much more literally labeled movement. Equally as bizarre as the above conundrum, it seems that footwork is not often featured on these pages. For all its glory, and not due to the author's lack of interest, the next progression ghetto house is hardly even mentioned. And why? The sounds are futuristic. Intentions are pure. If but for a moment, the aforementioned Rashad, alongside Spinn, were able to refocus the music and the movements more so than on the festivals and the fun.

Fortunately, the push continues. Released yesterday, "Let's Get Blowed," is a three-way effort by a collection of Ghettoteknitianz As a whole, the track recalls West-Coast vibes (primarily because the source is Snoop Dogg and Pharrell). Bass and what sounds like a keytar both dip their hands into into the funk/club pot. And while fast, variety is presented. Another, more harmonic, synth provides a nice finish as well. FOr their part, percussion is eclectic and eccentric. Hi-hats, claps, and snares are all programmed to taste while wood-blocks provide additional drumming assistance.

A strong effort suitable for bedroom or dancefloor enjoyment, which is also available for download.



Notable Mention: Chris Crack (ft. Cutta) - "On My Mind"

Purely in the interest of geography is the next track presented.

With two loosies in as many week, Chris Crack released a song today titled "On My Mind." Featuring Cutta on the hook, the newdealcrew MC delivers three verses, largely of the boasting variety; which is not so much criticism as a point of fact. Of note, though, is that Crack does use a different flow wheneverr the beat - chock full of 808s and dark grapes - comes back around to him. Where Crackavelli begins with his usual quick and fidgety style,  "On My Mind," sees him transition towards slower, more traditional delivery until ultimately reaching a more hybrid, word-association style (and shouting out Slim G in the process).

Another solid effort from the man trapping out of his addict, reminding any A&R's that, "I don't need no documentary just check stubs / I'm next up like Jesus, stay blessed"




- J.N.

Khalil Nova x Zone6Sinister - "Griffit$u Pt. 2

For a moment last week spaced seemed less distant than the final frontier. Humans on the verge of colonizing Mars?

Possibilities are endless. The Shining Being below, however, prefers the thrill of exploring strange new worlds instead.

Anything within twelve planets the Distortion God does not acknowledge. If it does not make Sitchin, it does not make sense. The Novacouncil only never concerns itself with small things anyway, so no resource needest be spared. Furthermore, any actions taken by the chairman merit full attention.

808s OF LIFE 2 MARCH 13th 2015 #808OL2
— Shining Being (@KhalilNova) February 27, 2015

So readers can now take note. A launch date has been set for the next mission. The follow up to the Mishka co-signed 808s of Life set to be released later this month

Until then, mere mortals are left imagining as Nova  is sits with a katana and a vape on his castle rolling astro. Joined by Zone6Sinister, all the staples are present. Cosmic waves provide harmony. Hi-hat triplets lay the foundation for a beat. But the song below is noticeably different. The kosmische style has, after all, become more commonplace than when The Art of Transcendence dropped in 2012. In a nod to recent production trends, perhaps, a piano carries the melody. As soon as the introduction ends, though, the evolution proves much deeper. Without any warning the tempo shifts. Over a quick 2/4 beat from a mysteriously compressed snare drum, the bass oscillates inspiringly. Nova drops sixteen bars over two verses with a flow more polished flow and improved metaphors.

Good things appear to be in the pipeline, but only time will tell.




Notable Mention: Tev'n "My Paramour (draft 1)"

The connection here is decidedly stretched.

Even worse, the only unwritten rule of this section appears to have been broken. Nothing on these pages is holy anymore.

But, for what it's worth, the second selection makes for formidable crying material. Released yesterday, "My Paramour (draft 1)" was released yesterday. Similar to the title above, however, the song does continue to expand upon the style of 2014's Solitude. Drums are sparse but effective. A kick drum that sounds in some what muted provides the main beat. Additional percussion is easy to find, just not in the form of drums. The element of depth would surely make Varese, or even Burial, proud, as the distant sound of sawing provides incidental assistance. Each of the three repeated verses is accompanied by screwed vocals and a single piano key strike the harmony.

But repetition aside, the song is a more than worth checking out.


- J.N.

A Noggle Brain Trust, LLP. website

Dj Firmeza [PDDG] - "Vasco de Gama Lisboa"

"Are we living in the new Age of Expansion?"

With the fairest of intentions a a brave explorer proposes steering a ship aboard which the crew will dance their way around the Cape of Good Hope.

Certainly serviceable click bait, the tale at hand is of a different nature. Contrary to certain Italian voyagers, Vasco da Gama was the real deal. Not everyone is able to promise and deliver. While Columbus accidentally stumbled across an inhabited land, albeit unknown to the European continent, expecting instead the the Far East. On the other hand, Da Gama reached Asia; and in much more stylish headwear.

But, irony in abound. In a cruel twist of fate, the song at hand does not concern itself - as other beat-makers have done - with distant Eastern lands. Instead, Firmeza looks West. Released today (available for download but, in the author's opinion, in limited numbers) the song below evades a good label like good sense an Amazon-bound German.

 Titled "Vasco da Gama Lisboa," the song is a mid-tempo afro-house that stands alone. With a punishingly heavy jazz/funk bassline Firmeza slowly crafts what could pass off as an old salsa record. The bars are sixteen beats each, which allows for the congas - responsible for the primary beat - and kick drum to join. Seemingly out of New Orleans, the instrumentation is a baritone sax on the backline alongside a trumpet each for harmony and melody. Even the structure is worth mentioning. Firmeza spares no effort. Laid out as Introduction-A-Reprise-B-bridge-C-A the producer make a strong point in a condensed about of time.

If any readers have no yet heard Firmeza's second installment to his "Mix Mandamentos Afro," the are advised to do so.



Notable Mention: Caranganhada (Prod. Talixo Beats) "Ghetto Zouk, V3"

The second selection is not nearly as momentous. Similarities are found in neither approach or in sound. It is true, though, that the track's point of reference is also an really excellent mix; this time in the form of Dadifox's surprise zouk set over the holidays

Despite being produced by Talixo Beats, the song does appear on Dadifox's SoundCloud page. Titled simply, "Ghetto Zouk V3," the track is deliciously mastered. A track of the vocal variety, the additional support is provided by a female named Caraganhada. Electric guitar provides just one clue into the extensive roster of sound. Snaps and snares provide the main beat but the bass is the only sound that really matter. Good instrumental if nothing else and available for download.



- J.N.

A Noggle Brain Trust, LLP. website

RaphaaelVááz [RV Records] - "Ghetto Tarraxo"

No one, in history, has ever vouched for the entertainment value of watching paint dry.

And the author has no intent of changing the status quo.

At any rate, the paint in question - pulled from a music video by the group Badcompany - is from from being dry. It is the anticipation that matters, anyway; fitting, if for no other reason, than because the song at hand is of the slower variety. Released earlier today, and titled, "GhettoTarraxo," the track is self-explanatory. Carried by a digital snare/hi-hat/kick rhythm, RaphaaelVááz syncopates with a woodblock. But the percussion no starry night. The song below is synth heavy, featuring three at the same time; one for each percussion, rhythm, and harmony. Certainly no worthy of any ear abse, though, the track's only drawback is lack of variance. Just one unique section appears. The bridge following the second chorus, for example, is merely a loop of the introductory section. Likewise, the sole verse is the chorus with select elements redacted.

While not the best work in the Margem-Sul producer's canon, it does serve as an adept overview. If nothing else, RaphaaelVááz makes clean, compact, and easily accessible material with an ear for melody



Notable Mention: Dejaý Vanyfox & RaphaaelVááz - "Eu e Tu"

The second selection, however, is much better track

Featured below is a week old track. Released by the very young SBM beat-maker Vanyfox, it follows a similar outline as "GhettoTarraxo." The duration fails to tell the whole story, though. While it may appear to be a brevemente being compared to a mix ready track, save for a bridge, the structure is identical. Snare and kick drums establish a slow tempo and a djembe syncopates. The longer, 16-bar phrases allow for room to breathe. As a result, the melody feels rich and developed; as a kizomba song should. In addition to three synths is a xylophone that dares to touch the art and leave a mark all over it.

Strong number, well worth the repeats.



- J.N.

Dj Nedwyt Fox - "Dama Misia"

To be bold is to be paid attention.

Potentially being misunderstood is a caveat. Boldly going is another matter entirely.

But for the time being, bold will suffice, as it accurately description of the track below. Nedwytfox is an independent beat-maker. Titled, "Dama Misia" the track is a fast-tempo afro-house that follows the Alto Nivel style; which is to say, the song progressively unpacks from Carrot Top's trunk. While the primary rhythm is undeniably kuduro - composed of hi-hat and snare - the cymbal maintains a steady eight beats while the kick/snare move the song forward. Claps are indispensable in this highly percussive song. The synth must not not be forgotten either; and all of which appear in the introduction alone. With a sound not unlike chickenscratch keeping pace with the percussion, synths are allowed to carry the melody. The bass creeps in and out, but it grooves heavy all the while. Not to be over looked are the transitions, accomplished by effects, repetitions, and changes in the drum pattern.

Nedwytfox has been on a tear so far in 2015. Dancefloor track or kizomba beat, the output speaks for itself. Most impressive, though, is the potential upside from a relatively low-key producer.



Notable Mention: LyCoOx "É So Aviso"

A similar playbook has worked plenty well for Dj LyCoOx a.k.a. DLycox.

Point being, the man's escapades are no secret to these pages. The TMP producer has muscled himself into the upper tiers of his seem my sheer volume of work. But while the Paris based beatmaker has long made it a habit to build with any fam, "É So Aviso," is a solo track. LyCOox, it seems, find himself in a comfortable place. The mastering is crisp; of note only because the Dance Mamba continues to explore the lower end of the sound spectrum. Percussion is still typically busy - and of greater interest that the syncopated vocals are the multipurpose chimes - on the fast batida. Transitions are handled by LyCoOx's favorite drum effect. The back end bridge is interesting too.

It seems the new brand is terror, which, other than a branch from the Metal tree, continues to bear sweet fruit.

- J.N.

Dj Edyl0x [Paname Beats] - "Funana Kanga Boiiyz"

No shortcuts exists.

Try as one might, there is simply no way to successfully hack into the very transistor of success.

The pages of B-Side A-hole are decidedly different. Were a Dj - nearly any Dj, really - to release a funana beat, its chronicling would veritably be guaranteed. Such is the case with Dj Edyl0x. Instrumental and just past ninety seconds, the song that follows, released over the weekend, is fast. Made up of two-sections - one varying melody, the other varying percussion - "Funana Kanga Boiiyz" is carried by two accordion synths. The harmony cannot be undersold. The beat is primarily tom and snare while a certain Christopher Walken's advice is taken to heart where syncopation is concerned.

From the author's point of view, nothing negative can be said about the song. And if the recent collaboration with Luxembourg's Mulatoh (which is, in the author's opinion, quite good) goes to show: Edyl0x is versatile without having to stretch himself thin between styles.

Notable Mention: Deejay Kvn "Funana Ratcha Bai"

To the above point, I can't vouch for Deejay Kvn. As a matter of fact, I've only every heard two songs by him. First, an afro-house remix medley of Mauro Pastrana's "Ma Vida"  and "Botao," among other tracks. The "trump card" comes from the French connection of Paname; not unlike the beat-maker above.

Second is the dizzying effort below. Also, done in a montagem style, "Funana Ratcha Bai" features much more than accordion. Each track is of the vocal variety. While each bassline is must hear, guitars, synth, and horns are heard as well. In refined style, transitions are seamless. Tracks are played over each other, blending, then fading out. Exhausting to listen to, but well worth the listen (and available to download.)

- J.N.

DJ Set I can't Ado Much About - Bebe Pouco"Beats da Staff Mix - Brincadeira"

Life can be a drag.

Mornings, afternoons, nights: an entire world is out there ripe for the taking.

But such an endeavor, surely, would require more energy than the average, non-chemically assisted person can muster. Kevin Gates, the author presumes, has his ways. And the worst has not even been mentioned. Far from occuring in isolation, fatigue returns again and again, pale and terrifying, like a ghost-child in some Guillermo del Toro boarding school nightmare.

And rather than use the allocated of space to promote any unGodly combination of guarana, taurine caffeine, and sugar, the following Bebe Poco mix will be plugged instead. Posted under Produtor Big Vado's account, the five-minute tracks serves as a sampler. Akin the similar efforts from TMP and Txiga - or even Bebe Poco's 2014 L.S mix -  it covers the DDPR crew's recent highlights.

The reasoning for the selection, simply enough, is that he energy level is maintained at a healthy dopio esspresso level. With brincadeira as a tag, the energetic expectations are set and surpassed. The majority of songs are batida. Although synth melodies are the common currency, traditional elements are heard as well. The occasional bassline captures the imagination, the brief trap/EDM portion is largely unexpected.

Of note, too, are the Bebe Poco's transitions; rarely repetitive, usually imaginative, and so smooth. Worth the listen and available for download



Notable Mention: Dj Willicox feat. Bebe Pouco "Vem me Durmir"

Further solidifying his jump to the Djs Di Puro Ritmo, a dupla appeared between Bebe Poco and WilliCox two weeks ago. Titled, "Vem me a durmir," the song below is done in an afro-house style. Both digital and analog drum samples are used. The transitions between the three sections - each separated by a chorus - are cheesy, but nothing out of the ordinary. Syncopation spots short of inflicting any real damage while the melody stirs sighs of redundancy, but the bassline is phatty and it's available to download. You win some, you lose some



- J.N.