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With Spank Rock's Big Dada debut officially blowing the fuck up, Aaron LaCrate and Amanda Blank take it all the way back to last year with this CD single featuring remixes of "Blow," the hottest joint off of Milkcrate's B-More Gutter Music...
expand review mix. The main, unblended mix of "Blow(1)" (which was co-produced by LaCrate and B-More legends Debonair Samir and Scottie B) was never released on CD, so it's dope to have a clean digital version, but that's just the tip of the iceberg here– you also get remixes from 45 King(2), Hollertronix's Low Bee(3) and DJ Equalizer(4). Amanda Blank's "Get Um Gerl(5)" is included here too, another standout from the Gutter Music mix. Of course, the real reason you wanna cop this is to hear NYC bunny/promoter extraordinaire Oxy Cottontail's debut on the mic for "Oxy's Anthem." No sound sample for you! Cop this and hear for yourself. 8 tracks total. -Chris Lemon-Red
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Fans of Bmore club music, get ready - Mr. LaCrate has teamed up with Debonair Samir to make Gutter Music Vol.1. If you liked the Hollertronix/Milkcrate "Bmore Gutter Music" CD we carried a while back, consider this a followup, with some new...
expand review artists and serious club staples. Check "Pssy Mind (1)" for a taste of the dirtiest rhymes spit by Verb. He ain't no Spank Rock, but hey, change is good. His delivery has mad charisma and when it comes to dirt, he takes it there. Also check "Supahead(2)" featuring a super chopped Amanda Blank sample and the E-40 "U & Dat - Gutter Remix(3)" which was previously only available as a promo. Both are hype like BLAM! And of course, It wouldn't be complete without Debonair's classic tracks, "Sirens(4)," "Samir's Theme(5)" and "Say Na(6)" that were only available on vinyl. Get it jumpin' and have at. -C'mish
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17 more unmixed Bmore club tracks from Titts, Ayres and the extended fam.
This volume rounds up many of the tracks from T&A's recent vinyl EPs, including Dave Nada's "Kick Out The Jams(1)," "Where Brooklyn At?(2)" and "Spell On You(3)," A-Trak's...
expand review Stevie-flipping "Sir Duke(4)" from Ultimate T&A, and Million Dollar Mano's popular "They Know(5)" from The Chedda EP.
It's also got new tracks from Tittsworth (a remix of M.O.P.'s "Ante
Up(6)") and Ayres ("Angel of Death(7)" - Slayer!!) plus Top Billin' and DJ Eli. Another useful no brainer for digital DJs. 17 tracks; 55 minutes.
Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
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Another unmixed, DJ-friendly collection from Mr. Ayres. I don't need to tell you how huge Baltimore shit is right now (just check the Lab's top selling records), and outside of the Unruly dudes, Ayres & Titts & Bamabounce have been making some...
expand review of the best club remixes around. This CD collects up a grip of rare, unreleased and previously available tracks from the boys, especially handy to CD DJs, Seratonians and those who missed out on the first pressings of Tittsworth's self-released EPs. My favorite track here is still Tittsworth's remix of The Jeffersons theme song(1), but there's other strong contenders: Ayres' Luda-jacking "Broke Ass Home(2)" has quickly become a staple for a lotta DJs and Bamabounce's mixes of Kelis' "Bossy(3)" and Three Six's "Poppin' My Collar(4)" are pretty damn hot too. For goofy Bmore fun, it don't get much better than Tittsworth's ultra-retarded Milli Vanilli remix(5). A bargain and a half right here. 12 tracks in crisp CD quality. (P.S. Look out for a Money Studies release from this pair in the near future…) -Chris Lemon-Red
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Not for the easily offended! (But you could tell that from the cover.) It's the debut EP from Bangers & Cash, the new project from MC Spank Rock and producer Benny Blanco, and it's about as dirty as you'd expect a Spank...
expand review Rock tribute to 2 Live Crew to be. The live show favorite "Shake That(1)" sounds just as good on record, but how could a track that samples 2 Live's "Fuck Shop" and Splack Pack's "Shake That Ass Bitch" not be? "B-O-O-T-A-Y(2)" pulls sources from no less than three different tracks, but guest vocals from Santi of Santogold really makes the track; same goes for the hoodrat track "Loose(3)" and the guest spot from Amanda Blank, who just sounds better every time she gets on the mic. "Pu$$y(4)" gets a little too dumb for my taste, but "Bitch!(5)" overcomes its subject matter with an epic beat from Benny and a sample from NWA. And if you think the cover is nasty, you should see the back and inside. -Larri Byrd
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Please note, the tracklisting on the Vinyl and the CD are significantly different! Benga has been a major player (along with his buddy Skream) in the dubstep scene since the genre was formed. For his massive debut full length (on none other...
expand review than the much respected Tempa label), Benga has proved he not only has bass for days, but also a versatile, progressive style that can push the dubstep sound forward. From the jazzy, smoked-out intro track "Zero M2(1)," you can already tell Benga's got style that surpasses the usual dubstep fodder. But just when you think it's gonna be a smooth ride, he hits you with the roughness! "Night(2)" is a bass anthem of epic proportions - with it's howling bleeps and pulsing sub bass, this thing is sure to wreck. And there's a lot more where that came from. "E Trips(3)," "Crunked Up(4),""The Cut(5)," and "26 Basses(6)" continue the merciless barrage of low end sounds to shatter a sound bwoy dead. For real, this kid is straight nasty with it! Also features the surprising "Someone 20(7)" with a hybrid sound more akin to new disco and breakbeat to round things out nicely. Recommended listening for all the bass fiends out there. 14 Tracks total. -snackmaster
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The best Bmore producer ever to come out of Houston! Bird Peterson drops his first album since 2001, after spending the past couple years DJing and dominating MP3 blogs with his much circulated club remixes (like the "Wu Tang" joint and that...
expand review crazy Weezy / Black Sabbath mash). Bird's production skills are top notch, and he really lets 'em loose on this album, tossing so many styles in the mix (dubstep, electro, Baltimore, etc.) that you'll be too busy rewinding to notice the dearth of uncleared samples. (Okay, he does get away with a nasty Mohawks bite on "Junkyard Champ(1)"...) Peterson's also got some MCs backing him up this time: Philly crew 215 the Freshest Kids wrecks on "Broke The Block(2)," and Mugsy Flowz (ha ha) out of San Antonio pops up a few times, sounding best on the speedy "Bills(3)." Also worth checking: the 8-bit thumper "Nerdout Wizard Music 1978(4)." In addition to the 10 album tracks, you get five bonus cuts, all remixes, from the likes of Ninja Tune's Yppah(5), Vyle, Beeper City, Cousin Cole(6) and Vex One. 15 tracks; 64 minutes. -Larri Byrd
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Three new tracks, six remixes and a "classic" single for under $8? That's some bang for your fading yankee dollar from three of my four favorite Brazilians. (Right now #4 is a tie between Anderson Silva and Adriana Lima.) "Marina Gasolina(1)" is...
expand review nothing new to Lab heads, but the remixes from Peaches(2) and Fake Blood should be. Besides that's just the appetizer, the real goods here are new tracks like "Miami Beach(3)" (hilarious... it's in English!), "Contaminada" and the bumping, minimal "Cagado(4)." There's also a pair of remixes each for their two previous singles - my picks are CSS' mix of "Office Boy(5)" and the Bitchee Bitchee Ya Ya Ya version of "Solta O Frango(6)." 10 tracks; 37 minutes.
-Larri Byrd
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Now available on CD, including all the remixes! Transatlantic connex! It's Texas legend vs. current Parisian club smasher as Devin meets up with TTC's Teki for 33Hz's "Paris, Texas(1)." Both MCs bring their usual swagger, and I know this will shock you...
expand review but Devin rhymes about weed and girls. But the real clincher here is the smooth-as-shit 33Hz beat, which sounds like it coulda come out of either rapper's hometown with its surging keys and vocoders. Curtis Vodka's synthy, housed out remix(2) is cool, but Architecture In Helsinki(3) pull a nice trick out of their hat with their quirky and minimal (yet irresistibly melodic) style. In Flagranti(4) turn in the strongest remix of the bunch, tossing the original's vocoder'ed hook over a strutting new disco beat with a killer bassline. Also includes a grimey electro remix from Max Pask(5) and a bunch more. 10 tracks total. -Larri Byrd
Fabric gave Diplo free reign on this mix, as he compiles and mixes 26 tracks, many which have been crucial in his sets for the last couple years. Hollertronix-defining stuff like The Cure, Cybotron, Debbie Deb, Hashim, Aphex Twin, Cajmere, MIA, Outkast,...
expand review and Le Tigre. He also reveals some new secret weapons, constantly amazing me how all over the place he is while maintaining his sound. Packaged in a metal case. -the mgmnt
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
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Over at the top secret Mad Decent HQ, we got LOTS of shit cooking for the near future – but none of it was quite ready yet by the time we hit the road for the Diplo / Bonde do Role /...
expand review CSS tour this summer. Solution? We contacted PH and the Money Studies mafia and worked up a likkle collab to hold people over 'til the winter. The tracklist got a little wacky somewhere in the process, so when you're listening to this and going "Sweet goddamn, what is this??" be sure to come back to this review for the answer, 'cause I'm about to give ya the lowdown. First up, we got a pair of mixes that Diplo originally released via iTunes: they're the namesake of the compilation, and Mad Decent Radio is no joke. Conceived as "NPR for the streets," the first mix focuses on Baltimore and the second on New Orleans, and both combine the music of the region with interviews from key players in the scenes. (It's hard to explain without hearing, but trust me, it's cool.) Next up is A-Trak's remix of Bonde do Role's "Melo do Tabaco(1)" – DID YOU KNOW HE IS KANYE WEST'S DJ? WELL, HE IS. Here's where the confusion comes in: Dama Estrela's "Tipicou(2)" got left off the tracklist by accident, which really sucks 'cause it's a FIREBALL of a kuduru track. Then we got the new Diplo production – the upcoming Jungle Fever Riddim – with Dr. Evil (aka Leftside) providing the vocals for "Mary Jane(3)." Diplo adds some effects and rewinds to Wilcannia Mob's "Downriver(4)" for the Mad Decent edit – if you ain't heard these kids, you gotta. Aboriginal rap from like 9 and 10 year old kids in Australia, and they burn the house down. The other unlisted track on here is a top secret sneaky preview of Bonde do Role's next single, "Gasolina(5)." That's all I'm saying – you'll be hearing more about that one soon enough. Just like the first series of Money Studies mixtapes, this is a one-time limited pressing, so buy now or cry later. Remember when you slept on the Second Cousins CD?? -Chris Lemon-Red
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LAB EXCLUSIVO! 300 copies only! Holy chit, could this be any more perfect for the Lab? Not only is it wall-to-wall juke, but it's also totally unmixed and Serato-ready, plus the title is a pun on an office favorite (Jock Jams megamix...
expand review anyone?) and the artwork's got plenty of curves. DJ Benzi has this shit down to a science - this time, he brings us 18 DJ-friendly juke edits from his Chi-town cousins, Chi Boogie and DJ Rashad, aka the Ghetto Teknitianz. You can tell these guys are Chicago natives 'cause the juke is strong within them, and it's no problem for them to flip any track large or small into some hype shit for the dancefloor - all at exactly 160bpm. The remix of Kanye West's "Flashing Lights(1)" is especially sick, putting those jacking house keys back into context and double-timing that hazy female vocal sample. Gucci Mane's "Pillz(2)' was always awesome, but I could never find the right time to drop it in a set - Rashad and Chi solve that problem with their sick edit. I could really footnote every track here, but just check these for yourself: T.I.'s "Top Back(3)," Soulja Boy's "Crank Dat(4)," Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls(5)," Project Pat's "Good Googly Moogly(6)," Lloyd's "Get It Shawty(7)" and "Yo Hips, Yo Thighs(8)," a nasty remix of 50 and Justin Timberlake's "Ayo Technology." 19 tracks; over 1 hour total. Highly recommended. -Larri Byrd
Blaqstarr had a good 2007 (signed with Mad Decent, int'l touring styles, beats for M.I.A. and Young Leek) but it sounds like he's got some mindblowing shit lined up for 2008. Lots of new classics ("Supastarr," "Shake It To The Ground") and...
expand review unreleased tracks on King of Roq, the mixtape/album which was self-released last summer in an edition so small that it barely made it out of Bmore. Most of the songs are laced with the man's inimitable vocal styles, and all have that patent pending bizarre minimal vibe. The best new bits are the re-teaming of Blaq and Woodie from Dru Hill (aka RoqStarrz) on "Let's Go," plus genuinely strange tracks like "Allday" and "I Wanna Touch." I've heard this likened to a Bmore version of Stankonia, and while I don't think it's quite on that scale, it still proves Blaqstarr will be a force to be reckoned with for a while yet. As if that needed proving. 31 tracks, 63 minutes. Recommended. -Larri Byrd
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Now available on CD at the nice price! Mad Decent's most loaded release to date. Diplo called in the Justice League of remixers for this one. If you heard Blaqstarr's Supastarr EP, you know he's not your typical Bmore producer. No gimmick...
expand review tracks here, just dark, crazy original production. "Shake It To The Ground" has been begging for remixes from the start, with its minimal beat and 17-year old Rye Rye's crazy flow. Current remix king Switch and NYC's Santogold team up for a fucking bonkers kuduro-flavo(u)red mix(4), which interpolates... well, you'll know when you hear it. Drop The Lime's remix (2) has been getting tons of play - I used to think this dude was all Kid606, but this is hot as hell and totally ready for the club. All this, plus the original(3) and a dirty, bassy mix from SF's Claude VonStroke(1).
-Larri Byrd
It's a Menage A Trois of BASS! NYC's heavy bass champion, Drop The Lime gets buckwild on 3 decks against Brooklyn's sweetest bass girls in over an hour of heart-racing mixes and rugged beats. The DTL side makes my head spin with...
expand review all the tricky mixing he's doing here. If you've ever been blessed enough to see him perform live or DJ at the infamous Trouble & Bass parties you'll know exactly what I mean when I say, "He's a Bass Monster!" Dude gets so into it, it looks like he's raping his tables! When he gets that crazy look in his eye, it can only mean one thing - DROP MORE BASS! His side is forty minutes long of pure madness. The Syrup Girls also have insane side of the mix. I used to watch Star Eyes do D&B sets at Eclectic in Frisco back in 2000 and I would always would walk out drenched in sweat(literally). Her and Siren are still killing decks today and for those that aren't experienced, here's your chance. Their side, "For All The Dirty Cougars" is a lil' over half an hour of grime, club, dance remixes, and of course bass. No tracklist this time. Just trust, they're not NY's finest wrecking crew for nothing. -C'mish
With fire beats by the youngster and mixing from DJ Dee Squared, this new installment in the 51:51 mix series is Party Dwizz for reals. Get in your Wu-Tang stance, throw this one on and go hard with "Hands Up Thumbs Down,"...
expand review "Salt Pepper Ketchup," "D-Wizz Anthem" and 23 more sounds straight from Philly's dancefloors. It's not really ghettotech, it's not really Bmore, it's just party music. Full disclosure: the sound on certain tracks here is a little fuzzed / blowed out AT TIMES... but it's all for that grimy raw realness, ya heard? 25 tracks; 60 minutes. -Larri Byrd
Title kinda says it all on this one! DJ Gant-Man and Traxman go to work, mixing almost 50 tracks from the extensive catalog of legendary Chicago label Dance Mania, including plenty from Slugo, DJ Deeon, DJ Funk, Waxmaster, DJ Nephets and Jammin'...
expand review Gerald. This is from 2003, but the "classic" nature of the mix means it hasn't really aged at all - if you're wanting an AUTHENTIC mix of Chicago house, juke and ghettotech, look no further. Tracks include: "Every Freekin' Day," "Whores In This House," "Where Da Rats?," "Shake What Ya Mama Gave Ya," "Move Yo Big Booty," "Feel My MF Bass," and lots more. 78 minutes total. -Chris Lemon-Red
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Ghislain Porier, my bass-obsessed Quebecois brother from another, drops his first full-length for Ninja Tune! This is what they call big tings. Ghis is once again joined by collaborateurs like Omnikrom and Mr. Lee G, but his beats still end up stealing...
expand review the show. All of Ghislain's tracks are simultaneously bassy and somewhat abrasive, yet SO DAMN CATCHY and extremely well-crafted. Last time I visited his house, he was holed up in the basement meticulously cutting and pasting every bar onto a track using only CoolEdit and Fruity Loops. This man means business. He also effortlessly switches up between dubstep, ragga, French rap, leftfield dance, and a dozen other styles. Check out the heater singles "Blazin'(1)" and "Dem Nah Like Me(2)" for a start, then proceed to deeper cuts like "Jusqu'en Haut(3)" with Omnikrom, "Go Ballistic(4)," "One Hand Can't Clap(5)" and "Ladies & Gentlemen(6)." 14 tracks total. Recommended. -Larri Byrd
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This one gets the... hooooly chit! Look at that tracklist - it's like they custom built this CD for the Lab. I'm gonna go out on a (short) limb and say this is the best M.I.A. single to date. We get Blaqstarr's...
expand review remix(1) with Rye Rye, Diplo's remix(2) with Bun B and Rich Boy, Scottie B.'s ultra weird Bmore club styles(3) and the DFA(4) getting down like usual. Even Adrock from Beastie Boys(5) couldn't help but get in on it with a reggae-tinged mix of his own. There's a mix here for everybody; drop one at your next gig and *boom boom boom boom* take the money. Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
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Debut album from Ms. Santi White, featuring the singles "L.E.S Artistes(1)" and "Creator(2)" plus production from Switch, Diplo ("Unstoppable(3)"), the late Disco D ("Shove It(4)"), Sinden, Freq Nasty and a guest spot from Spank Rock. Need I say more? More audio picks,...
expand review if you need 'em: "I'm A Lady(5)," "My Superman(6)" and Switch & Sinden's remix of "You'll Find A Way(7)." 12 tracks; 41 minutes. -Chris Lemon-Red
Breakbeat Science's Science Faction division rolls out another mix - last week it was dubstep, and now it's the suddenly ubiquitous Bmore club genre getting the treatment. Aaron LaCrate is the guest DJ here, so the track selection predictably sticks close...
expand review to his own production - in fact, all the tracks are written by either LaCrate or his partner in crime, Debonair Samir. Followers will recognize a few of these tracks from previous outings - the remix of Spankrock's "Blow," Roxy Cottontail's "Oxy's Anthem," etc - but a handful of tracks appear to be new or exclusive to this mix. Kudos for including Samir's "Just Wanna," which was previously just featured on a 12" and features Samir flipping the "Whisper Song" beat into something even nastier. "Kidstuff" is hot too, with a whole gang of lil' kids yelling "Raise your hands up high! Keep 'em in the sky! Everybody on the floor! Dance til your feet get sore!" Overall, it's a solid overview of the LaCrate school of Bmore. 14 tracks; 46 minutes. -Chris Lemon-Red
Holy Sexy Bass Girls!!! What do you get when you combine two of the dirtiest girl DJ crews with over an hour of club madness? Shotgun Wedding Vol. 8! If you haven't heard of them, sick girls represent Berlin's underground mashing club...
expand review sound and The Syrup Girls are NY's infamous club/bass duo. Both crews have an electric attitude, an ear for untame beats, and 'nuff experience to make your average hipster feel out of the loop as a newbie. The Syrup Girls side features everything from dirty south with Luke & Lil Jon, Mike Jones and Trina, bmore from Technics, Top Billin, Baile from Sujinho & Cassiano, NY Bass from Passions, Drop The Lime, Mathhead, and Curses, and dubstep from Skream. The Sick Girls side kills it in a similar mashup fashion with tracks from Emperor machine, hadouken, UFO, Trick Daddy, Marc Mac, MOP. This is by far the hypest mix I've heard in a while, truly repping the bass in all it's forms. -C'mish
If you're going to pick up a dubstep mix, make sure it's this one. Seriously. First of all, it's flawlessly mixed by Skream, who is possibly the best in producer/dj in the genre. Skream's impeccable selection for Rinse 02 consists mainly of...
expand review his own releases and dubplates (check for plenty of unreleased tunes and cuts from the upcoming Skreamizm 4), and needless to say, the shit is HEAVY. Bass for daaaaaaays. But what sets Skream's mix (and production) apart from the rest is that even though it is obviously bass driven, it is also incredibly melodic and mesmerizing. The mix also features tracks from his label mates and Croydon homies Benga, Coki, Mala, Distance, and Zinc. Shota the Database is heavy into the dubstep scene and he assured me, this is one of the best. About 1 hour and 10 minutes long. Recommended. -snackmaster
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Long-running Sao Paolo duo Tetine (aka Bruno Verner and Eliete Mejorado) link up with Soul Jazz for a debut album - only 10 years in the making! - that's crammed with every manner of new wave, punk, electro and baile funk sounds....
expand review If you snoozed on the single, here's your chance to get the sexcellent baile banger "I Go To The Doctor(1)" featuring funk star Deize Tigrona. It's the catchiest song on the album (and unfortunately the shortest too) but that's where the bonus CSS remix(2) comes in handy, with Cansei drummer/covert musical genius Adriano Cintra killing on the production end. There's more funk on "Melo Do Carrao(3)," hushed vox from Eliete on the sinister "Russian Roulette(4)," synth-pop on "Let The X Be X(5)" and the squiggly, almost spoken word single "A Historia Da Garca(6)." 15 tracks; 69 minutes. -Chris Lemon-Red
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