Restocked with official packaging. Diplo has been all over the place lately, and one of his most recent trips was an assignment to cover the emerging Baile Funk scene in Brazil. The only way I can describe this is a hybrid hip...
expand review hop/ miami bass/ electro funk/ house sound. Kinda like Hollertronix if it was based in Rio. Apparently the kids down there are nuts for it and it causes the same kind of spontaneous club combustion that we see with Go Go in DC, B-more club in B-more, Grime or whatever you wanna call it in the UK, etc. Anyway, this is a 35 minute mix of the stuff Diplo was able to dig up down there, with a little extra flavor thrown on top. Interesting to say the least. -the mgmnt
When Koyote's first mix - the now-infamous Diamond Grills CD, with partner DJ Goon - dropped last year, it flew off the shelf every time we got a handful of copies in (via an NYC-living, Paris-visitng CD mule friend of Koyote's). But...
expand review we got our French connection firmed up now, and Koyote's got another mega dose of bass just in time for the warm weather. Women Respond To Bass 2 is hosted by Parisian rap superstar Cuiznier (of TTC) and is laced with the same genre-hopping party vibe that made Diamond Grills such a hit. Ghettotech, Miami bass, house, Southern rap, even a little drum'n'bass - the common thread here is BASS, and lots of it. Alongside classics like "Bounce Dat Azz" and "Baby Got Back," Koyote throws down sick blends, brand new remixes ("Throw Some D's," "Chain Hang Low") and exclusive tracks from Cuizinier, TTC, DJ Nasty and more. Oh yeah, and he gets drops and daps from just about every Ghettotech legend around, so you know this shit is certified! Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
A peek inside the mind of a serial DJ wacko. The Gaslamp Killer approaches DJing, beats, and life much differently than anyone I know; and it comes through in his DJ sets. Here's some unfiltered clues to Gaslamp's world with 15 unmixed...
expand review psyche gems from his personal stash. No tracklist for all the biters, but access is better than nothing. The final track is a exclusivo Gaslamp re-edit. Also look for an upcoming GLK beats 12" coming to Money Studies in the fall. Recommended. -the mgmnt
Another unmixed comp of dusty psyche gems from Gaslamp's personal stash! GLK is a complete mystery to most of us here in the BK office, but these collections (and his way too infrequent blog posts) tell us all we need to know...
expand review - this man is dangerous. 15 tracks, with no silly things like artist names or song titles to bind your mind. For some original Gaslamp beats, check his track on the Secret Hangout EP or his upcoming 12" from Money Studies. Highly recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
You probably already know every song on Things Kings Do, and while that's not usually a good selling point for a mixtape, it's a great asset to this one. Burlesque's Mike 2600 and his Minneapolis brethren King Otto have mixed up an...
expand review hour of the most well-known, time-tested oldies into something actually fresh and worth listening to. This is the soundtrack to the best wedding reception you've never been to. Sock-hop classics, Motown jams, British Invasion hits, and on and on. "Walk Like A Man," "Satisfaction," "Uptight," "Chantilly Lace," "Tears of a Clown," "Tired Of Waiting," "Same Old Song," "I Hear A Symphony," "Nowhere To Run," "She's Not There," and way too many more to name, all quick-mixed party style. Recorded and co-produced by Andrew Broder from Fog. Highly recommended. -Larri Byrd
Ever since we put out his first 12" here at lab, Spank Rock has been making some serious power moves - Big Dada, tours, and now Fabric Live. Their mix series is as official as it gets when it comes...
expand review to tastemaking in the DJ world. Although this mix isn't rare or obscure it's clear they're all about the jam. The whole crew comes out for this one: producers and DJs XXXchange, Chris Rockswell, Ronnie Darko, Tyler Pope on guitar, MC's Spankrock, Pase Rock and Amanda Blank. They take practically every hot song from last year and mix it into one killer set that's an hour plus. Check some of the selections: CSS' "Let's Make Love And Listen To DFA - Spank Rock Edit," Dominatrix's "The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight," Zongamin's "Bongo Song," Yes' "Owner Of A Lonely Heart," Yello's "Bostitch," Para One "DunDun Dun," Simian Mobile Disco's "Huslter," Bonde Do Role's "Melo Do Tobaco - XXXchange Remix With The Ford Granada," and Gaz Nevada's "I.C. Love Affair." Although, I know practically all these cuts, I'm not really hatin' that much. For anyone that doesn't live in NY, care about music blogs and the creme de la creme of what's new, it's a sureshot. Plus they mix it so clean with Spankrock and XXXchange remixes and Spankrock and Amanda blank spittin vocals, it's hard to believe it's all done live. Recommended for drunk dancin' in the summertime. -C'mish
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Headed by the three man crew of Ayres, Eleven & Cosmo Baker, the Rub guys are back with an even bigger cast of friends and a wider range of remixes for the part two of their idea of a remix album. The...
expand review first volume was one of our best selling cds of the last year (still going strong), so you guys should already know the deal with this. While there's a healthy amount of pure party material here, the selection goes well beyond the drunken kingdom of knee-jerk mashup, featuring original remixes (check Paul Nice's work on "Devil's Pie"), stuff that won't necessarily work in the club but sounds great (Dead Prez over "Cadillac On 22s"!), strange experimentation, etc. Includes remixes by the above mentioned plus A-Trak, Diplo, Low Budget, Mark Ronson, Nick Catchdubs, Max Glazer, DJ Platurn, Crooked, and Brendan Bring Em. 27 tracks, recommended. -the mgmnt
Damn, what to say about this one? It's pretty much automatic. The Rub's DJs Ayres & Eleven follow up their their solo reggae mixes (Sun Lovers & J.A. Goods) with this MEGA dancehall collab. Now, I thought I was up on my...
expand review dancehall classics, but I feel like one of those fucking fratboys who only owns Legend when I look at the back of this CD. Even if you know a lot of the artists here, I betcha most of the tracks will be unfamiliar. 68 tunes spread over two CDs, so getting into names would be kinda foolish... but here's some anyway: Buju, Sizzla, Pinchers, Wayne Wonder, Ini Kamoze, Barrington Levy, Gregory Isaacs, Shinehead, Johnny Osbourne, Beenie Man, Super Cat, Cutty Ranks, General Degree, Spragga Benz, Shabba and lots (LOTS) more. Not to mention the Rub have stepped their duplication game up and these are two real (not CDR) discs in a jewel case... shrinkwrapped! Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
Tom Thumz / Dr. Delay has become one of the most reliable mixtape names at the Lab, always consistent in both music and packaging. (Hope you got one of those Rajaz Meter joints...) Medium Rare #3 is the third volume (dur) in...
expand review his series of rare rap mixes, full of groups and songs that you've probably never heard of, let alone actually heard. (Cobra MCees? Kaotic Stylin? Disco P & The Fresh MC?) Dr. Thumz runs through nearly 50 tracks in the course of an hour - this type of thing, you just need to hear for yourself. Like we've said before, when it comes to this kind of mix, Tom's right up there with another fave of ours, Sloppy White. Also includes some rare tracks from better-known names like PB Wolf, Eric B & Rakim, JVC Force, Main Source. Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
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