The young gunna DJ Sega out of Philly has had folks' jaws dropping for a minute with his left field Bmore club tracks and a string of self-released mixtapes; now he's getting major cosigns from no less than four labels (Mad Decent,...
expand review Counterfeet, Ol' Head, Flamin' Hotz) and is about to open a lot more eyes with his tracks on the new Hollertronix EP. But before that, we get this - an official mix CD (nice packaging and all, #2 in the 51:51 Mix Series) featuring remixes from Sega and Tim Dolla, plus Jersey's DJ Tameil and Bmore godfathers Rod Lee and KW Griff. The name pretty much says it all - the "Rockstars" side of the mix features 16 tracks of pure gouda rock (Nirvana, Genesis, Papa Roach, Supertramp, Bon Jovi) in the Bmore stylee, while the "Clubheadz" section has 12 less guilty pleasures (T-Pain, Busta, R.Kelly, Beyonce, 50 Cent, MJ). Seeeegaaaaaa... 28 tracks total. Recommended. -Larri Byrd
DFA honcho James Murphy and fellow LCD-collaborator Patrick Mahoney team up for this sprawling 24 track mix. If you want to gauge the hotness of this release, just know that it sold out straight out the box at our LA store. Yes,...
expand review it's rare we get to see the gears behind one of the most influential underground bands, and the selection definitely does not disappoint. It relies heavily on the current NYC slow-disco sound tapping on releases from Environ, Rong, Balihu, DFA, and numerous white labels. The selection also includes many under the table classics from Donald Byrd, Love Of Life Orchestra, Chic, Was (Not Was), Lenny Williams, and others. Packaged in the usual Fabric metal case. -the mgmnt
It's been a minute since we've had one of these hand-crafted mix things come through here. You get the home-assembled packaging, lovingly burned stenciled CDRs, a vintage rap baseball card, and even custom linear notes on folded 8.5 x 11" detailing the...
expand review background of the mix and the tracklist. The theme here differs from other digger's mixes, as Dula showcases records he got on the cheap (2-3 bucks), picking quality over scarcity. But what maybe obvious to Dula, is mostly likely a revelation to most. It will make you re-think that ugly crate you have hidden in the closet. Two full length mixes on double disc, so more value for that weak-ass buck. -the mgmnt
Remember when Southern music used to be all crazy and dangerous and whatnot? Don't get me wrong, I'm feeling Lil Jon's pop material as much as anybody (when's his Paris Hilton collab coming out? YEAAAAYUH!), but wherefore art the "tear the motherfucking...
expand review club up" anthems? The slow-building, minor-key exhortations to stop being scurred and represent where you're from? Fortunately, Lowbudget still knows how to throw it up. On his latest mixtape, the Hollertronix co-founder drops 24 tracks of adrenalized crunk from beneath the Mason Dixon– from David Banner to Mike Jones and every superstar and underground legend inbetween. Highlights include Juvenile and UTP's whistling, hypnotic "Nolia Clap," the truly amped-up "Knuck if You Buck" by Crime Mobb, and a screwed and chopped version of "Rubberband Man" straight from Low B's home studio. This disc is an essential overview of all the best Southern hip-hop you HAVEN'T been hearing on Top-40 radio all summer, mixed together with scratch finesse alongside a great ear for pacing and overall flow. -Nick Catchdubs
I always thought that Madlib had skipped number 3 in the Mind Fusion series
to create a wrinkle for all the collectors to obsess over. This mini-mystery has now been solved, as he finally delivers the elusive 3rd volume, which was previously only...
expand review available on the recent tour. Like other volumes, this mix is surreal mix of Madlib influences from X-rated comedy records, reggae, jazz, and latin (and that's all within the first section). This one in particular has a strong spacey jazz feel to it. The upper-echelon of stoner music. Approximately one hour. -the mgmnt
Madlib returns to grey areas with two more simultaneous releases in his Mind Fusion series. Much like its surrealist covers, the series is hard to define: not really a mix and not really a compilation. It's an impromptu Madlib stew, put together...
expand review with heaps of randomness and mysterious herbs. The series skips volume three and heads directly to this volume four. The theme here is hip-hop and features indy hip-hop, remixes, freestyles, a sizeable Nas vs. Jay-Z section using Madlib beats, and tracks from Lib's own Crate Diggas Palace archives. Over one hour of music. -the mgmnt
Madlib returns to grey areas with two more simultaneous releases in his Mind Fusion series. Much like its surrealist covers, the series is hard to define: not really a mix and not really a compilation. It's a impromptu Madlib stew, put together...
expand review with heaps of randomness and mysterious herbs. The series skips volume 3, and heads into volume four and this volume five. The theme here is "Dirty Crates From Around The World" aka the fruits of Madlib's many tour travels. The second half of the CD consists of a 36 minute live set from LA's best kept secret, the Do-Over party. Over one hour of music. -the mgmnt
First of all, you can't really beat the $15 CD & DVD combo, especially when it's a Madlib mix and a Peanut Butter Wolf DVD (and you guys already know the Beat Konducta always comes correct on the mix). Previous volumes in...
expand review this series have included Fischerspooner and Black Strobe. For "The Other Side of LA," Madlib blends an eclectic set of tracks from the likes of Quasimoto, Cybotron, Jaylib, Dabrye, Sun Ra, Prince Jazzbo, Freestyle Fellowship and then some. I feel the vibe here really fits that conscious, smoked-out LA mindstate (but what do I know, I'm from BK transplanted from the Yay). For the DVD, Stones Throw head honcho Peanut Butter Wolf gives you a personal tour of all the best shopping spots, food (my favorite part), nightlife, sights and accommodations in downtown LA. It's kind of like something off the Travel Channel, but with dope beats and hosted by PBW so you know you can trust. In addition, PB Wolf throws down a revealing interview about the 10+ year history of Stones Throw, from its early beginnings to becoming the one of the biggest indy labels of today. You also get videos from Dudley Perkins, Oh No, Aloe Blacc and Roc C. Worth every penny, especially if you plan on stopping by LA anytime soon. -snackmaster
It's been a while in the making, but the new mix from East Village Radio all-stars Nick Catchdubs and Mark Ronson is finally upon us. With exclusivos and new blends galore, Radio Radio is exactly what you'd expect from Ronson & Young...
expand review Catch – a total free-for-all, genre-defying and severely fresh. The coolest thing about this mix is the energy level, which stays up in the stratosphere for the duration but never feels tiring or overwhelming – it's just some good-ass summer music, mixed cleanly and cleverly. Highlights include Catch's Hector/Jigga blend (over the "Scenario" remix instrumental!), Ronson's horn-laden remake of Britney's "Toxic" (not a remix, but a remake, in the vein of his Radiohead cover) and Graeme Sinden's "Layla"-sampling remix of Bonde Do Role's "Melo Do Tabaco." New and unreleased tracks from A-Trak & TTC, Lil Wayne, Turf Talk, Robin Thicke and a whole bunch more, too. 26 tracks clocking in at just over an hour. Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
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Double CD set from Tru Thoughts' label head Robert Luis and label artist TM Juke. In the spirit of their Rebtuz white label series, they give up the proverbial goods here, dropping 22 of their personal remixes and re-edits UNMIXED. As...
expand review expected the selection travels all over the place, encompassing hip-hop, reggae, funk, soul, downtempo, dnb, and even some Bollywood. They've gone all out with the packaging with Banksy-inspired graphics, CD graphics that ape Island and Def Jam, and a cheeky sticker (not to mention a "secret" Michael Jackson remix). Recommended for DJs looking for alternative material for their sets. -the mgmnt
I check almost every cd that comes into the lab cause I'm a loser and hang out at the store all day and don't even get paid. There's a basic rule, if Pete is hyping something it probably sucks, and if it's...
expand review getting press too, you can bet your bottom dollar it's really shitty. Most of these cds by lame ass NYU kids are so fucking shitty and unoriginal- bad mash ups, shitty mixing, overly "ironic" song selection and unlistenable electronic booty whatever. Well here's the thing, that's exactly what this is, but it's so fucking good. The Second Cousins cd is ok, a little boring but a good mix, and Woody heard that and wanted to do something like it (I would never admit that if I were him- I would have just talked shit about them instead, so I guess that makes him a better man that me). Anyway Woody enlists Egg Foo to do the collabo. In a couple of months they give me a copy of the final mix and I'm sold in the first couple songs. The technical aspect, mixing, mash-ups, just tech wise it's so much tighter than any of the other stuff like this. These guys took their time and made it really work. Even Jasper, who can't get with a lot of the music here, admits that the mixing is top fucking notch. There is no b-more, no suck oh I mean Spank Rock, no Dipset, and because they stayed away from trends and just made it fun, it stands out in this year's sea of crappy mixes. Gary Numan, Kraftwerk, Miss Kitten, Luke, Daft Punk, The Stooges, Fatman Scoop- they make it all work together, not just playing a couple of songs and then adding some funny noise or sound effects, they mix everything all the way through. Woody and Michna wanted to take this kind of shit up a notch and they really did, toeing the line between Too Many DJ's overly techno shit and the Hollertronix keep it gully bullshit. Pete thinks it's a wanna be Second Cousins but the truth is it doesn't want to be anything. It's such a product of Woody and Michna- they just did what they wanted to, avoided, trendy shit and made one of the best cds I've heard in a long long time. The "Shorty Swing My Way" blend deserves a Money Studies 12 release, but it wont get one cause of politics and bullshit, so I might put it out myself. I'm backing this CD all the way. -Roc
Incase you don't have enough 80's jams in your life Mike Marvel got your back. Over 70 certified 80's hits are throroughly mixed and organized onto these 2 discs ("the mullet" disc or the "jheri curl" disc). I'm sure you can figure...
expand review out what kinda stuff goes on the Mullet disc (rock, new wave, white guys) and the Jheri curl disc (r&b, soul, hip-hop, black guys), and though it's kind of racialist, it works. Expect to hear all your favorites from the likes of (on the mullet disc) David Bowie, Tears For Fears, Talking Heads, Madness, Yaz, Kenny Loggins, Madonna, Soft Cell, Depeche Mode, New Order, (and on the jheri curl) Lionel Richie, New Edition, Cameo, Bobby Brown, Milli Vanilli, Prince, Sheila E, MJ, Jets, and umm.. Harold Faltemeyer (though he probably didn't rock a jheri curl). Over 75 minutes of non-stop music per disc. -snackmaster
Even more 80''s jams mixed by the Bay's Mike Marvel. Like the first two installments of his I Heart the 80's mix series, this one features over 70 certified 80's hits are throroughly mixed and organized onto these 2 discs ("the mullet"...
expand review disc or the "jheri curl" disc). You can figure out what kinda stuff goes on the Mullet disc (rock, new wave, white people) and the Jheri curl disc (r&b, soul, hip-hop, black people), and though it's kind of racialist, it works of for this. Expect to hear all your favorites from the likes of (on the mullet disc) Eddie Money, Asia, FYC, Pet Shop Boys, Billy Idol, The Cure, Police, Queen, Falco, Joe Esposito, Gary Numan, Duran Duran, George Michael (and on the jheri curl) Guy, Billy Ocean, Egyptian Lover, Fat Boys, Doug E Fresh, MJ, Nene Cherry, Sugar Hill Gang, Rockwell, Jody Watley and Rick Astley (who probably should go on the mullet side but I'll le that slide). Almost 80 minutes of non- stop music per disc. -snackmaster
Mike Marvel's back like crack with more 80's jams for that ass. Like the first installment of his I Heart the 80's mix series, this one features over 70 certified 80's hits are throroughly mixed and organized onto these 2 discs ("the...
expand review mullet" disc or the "jheri curl" disc). You can figure out what kinda stuff goes on the Mullet disc (rock, new wave, white people) and the Jheri curl disc (r&b, soul, hip-hop, black people), and though it's kind of racialist, it works of for this. Expect to hear all your favorites from the likes of (on the mullet disc) Bon Jovi, Corey Hart, Quiet Riot, Toto, Bangles, Wham, Erasure, New Order, Men Without Hats, Nena, Debbie Gibson, (and on the jheri curl) Shannon, Bobby Brown, Tony Tone Toni, Time, Tone Loc, Eddie Murphy, Prince, MJ, and Paula Abdul. Over 65 minutes of non-stop music per disc. -snackmaster
Longtime Lab friend Mike the 2600 King comes with another volume in his impressive mixtape library. Mike still approaches things like he's 4 tracking em on a Fostex circa 1998, sweating and scratching his way through his unique record collection. He works...
expand review psyche, funk, hip-hop, and dialogue all into submission until it becomes a midwestern stew. -the mgmnt
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Brand new double-disc comp filled with more of the hip electro we've come to expect from Sydney's Modular label. Disc 1 is a full-on mix assault, featuring 19 tracks selected by Modular and mixed by Thee Bang Gang Deejays. If you haven't...
expand review heard of Bang Gang yet, you will be soon. Around this time in Oz last year, you couldn't walk 2 blocks without seeing a party flyer advertising a Bang Gang gig (or a solo party with crew member Gus Da Hoodrat... yes, Gus Da Hoodrat). Their mix includes tracks from CSS, The Gossip, Futureheads (Digitalism Remix), Klaxons (Van She Remix), MSTRKRFT, The Presets, Jenny Wilson (The Knife Remix), Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Peaches Remix), Justice, Peter Bjorn & John, Hot Chip (Erol Alkan Remix) and more. Disc 2 features 12 unmixed tracks, including some hard-to-find Modular catalog nuggets like the Chicken Lips remix of Wolfmother's "Love Train(1)" and Simian Mobile remixing The Go! Team(2). Also check Ed Banger's DJ Medhi remixing New Young Pony Club's "Ice Cream(3)," SMD's "Hustler(4)," the Riton re-rub of Mystery Jets(5) and the Optimo remix of Franz Ferdinand's "Outsiders(6)." -Chris Lemon-Red
quick audio picks: 123456
Environ label head and one half of Metro Area, Morgan Geist drops his long awaited Unclassics mix, the culmination of the 12" reissue series of the same name. Focusing on obscure electrofunk & disco tracks from the late '70s and early 80s,...
expand review the Unclassics 12"s have presented a tasty selection of rarities that have been influential to the Metro Area sound. This CD collects those initial singles alongside other complimentary tracks, all in a stellar mix. The mix winds its way through a late-night netherworld of post-disco weirdness inhabited by strange Italo and electro-disco tracks like Dischotheque's spacey mid-tempo "Disco Special(1)" and the nerdy electro-funk of Zodiac's "Pacific(2)" - a dead-ringer for a Metro Area out-take. The oddball-beautiful synth-weirdness of Pluton & Humanoids "World Invaders(3)," Victor's proto-house "Go On Do It"(4), and an amazing Alexander Robotnik production about which I could write a book (for starters, the "rapped" lyrics are about, ahem, buttfucking a prostitute) make a for strong articulation of Geist's "unclassic" aesthetic. These are weird and beautiful synth-based dance tracks whose greatness lies in their resistance to the very idea of played-to-death "classics." Tracks like Purple Flash's lush and sublime "We Can Make It(5)" and Gaz Nevada's surreal "Special Agent Man" sound exactly like what you always imagined those ultra rare 12"s would sound like. And though some of these tracks are certainly a bit cheeky in their appeal, Geist's subtle mixing style and masterful track sequencing undercuts any hint of irony that could have potentially marred the proceedings. One of best mixes of the year, and absolutely essential for fans of Metro Area and leftfield disco music in general. 13 tracks in all; highly recommended. -Language
Well whaddayaknow – another gent from SoulStrut, another zany concept mixtape, again well-executed. Morse Code dropped his super mellow Fusion Batches mixtape earlier this year – well-received here at da Lab, and by DJ Jazzy Jeff! – and now he takes his...
expand review game in a totally different direction, compiling almost 70 minutes of candy- and sweets-related tunes and skits. East coast, west coast, down south – it's all here, mixed with soul, R&B and of course songs from Willy Wonka. Artwork by Mike2600, who you may remember from his recent heated arguments about t-shirts on the Lab blog. 32 tracks; 68 minutes. -Chris Lemon-Red
It feels like the meticulously detailed concept mixtape is dying out -- even just a year ago, the Lab was overrun with them -- but SF's Morse Code and J.Nougat got your fix with another volume of that Hard Crack Candy. Over...
expand review an hour of new candy-centric blends and mashes from the duo, ranging from electro to funk to rap (new and old) to, ummm, Willy Wonka. Artists include: Keak Da Sneak, Bananarama, Foreigner, M.O.P., DJ Tameil, Ike Turner, Flo-Rida, Billy Ocean, Gap Band, New Edition, Fat Boys, Lionel Richie, Roger Troutman and more. 37 tracks; 61 minutes. -Larri Byrd
Mix CD from the New York party of the same name, a monthly at APT featuring Language, Lindsey, Duane & special guests. Negroclash was originally a reaction to the painfully weak (and white) sounds of Williamsburg's "electroclash" scene (remember that?), eventually evolving...
expand review into one of the city's most successful monthly parties. It's billed as celebrating all things "electronic and soulful," and they have consistently pulled in guests who not only fit the bill, but actually created this stuff: Afrika Bambaataa, Mr Fingers, DJ Technics, Fab 5 Freddy, Kurtis Mantronix, Pepe Braddock, and Spinna to name a few. This mix includes 24 of their picks & crowd favorites, mixed live by DJ Language. Tracklisting included (thanks!). Cover by Brent Rollins. -the mgmnt
New mix cd from resident lab reviewer and blog herder Nick Catchdubs. If you checked out his last one (Whats Really?), this continues the pace with clever mixes and blends (don't call them mashups), and undercurrent selections of dancehall, southern-leaning hip hop,...
expand review a little rock, and other ‘dubsian fun things which defy categorization. Hardly any vocals here are on their original beats, but Oh Snap never sounds forced or eye-rollingly “cheeky.†He's just in there. From his site: “Honestly, I was going to try and make a really straightforward, well-mixed new hip-hop CD with this one- but I couldn't stop from pressing "record" and going all over the place. My shit happens to be weird club music, danceable joints that are a little offbeat for whatever reason. I like remixing and recontextualizing stuff. But it's funny how being diverse can get you pigeonholed as...being diverse.†You got a problem with that? -the mgmnt
Pandemonium Jones is back in action after a lengthy hiatus and he's created another dope mix, this time for Canadian clothing label Top Shelf Motherfucker. If you don't know Dr. Jones, he's one half of Caps & Jones, creators of one of...
expand review the best mixtapes of the last few years, Moving In Stereo, which dropped a lot of jaws with its genre-blending and quick, party-style mixing. There's more of the same on this CD, which features every style under the sun from Metallica to Afrika Bambaataa to Outkast to Bauhaus. No exclusives, no krazy mashups - just great selections mixed well, plus a bonus booklet featuring some streetwear, cute girls and very Canadian-looking dudes. (Wonder if I would do better up there...) Artists, in no particular order: Wire, Snoop Dogg, Schoolly D, House of Pain, Body Count, The Rapture, Bloc Party, Jay Dee, A Certain Ratio, Richard Hell, Dub Narcotic Soundsystem, KRS One, Billy Squier, Fugazi and many, many more. -Larri Byrd
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