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
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Killer debut from San Fran's DJ Lengua, aka visual artist Eamon Ore-Giron. Lengua's dropped some mixtapes in the past and is well known at the infamous Club Unicornio nights in the Bay, but this EP finds him really flexing his skills, foremost...
expand review of which is the ability to fuse loops from traditional Latin tunes and cumbias with chunky, straightforward beats to create seriously infectious tracks. "Cumbia Squares(1)" ramps up with tasty, dusty drums and circular flute / xylophone licks before the repeated "cumbia cumbia cuuumbiiiaa!" chants and accompanying guitar coda seal the deal; the L Pacheco remix(2) sticks to the original's blueprint, extending the track for your mixing pleasure while dubbing things out a bit. There's a little boom bap, organ stabs and some deep percussive flourishes on the upbeat "L Dolor(3)" and some just plain lovely stuff in "L Pacheco(4)," but probably the most immediate track here is the guitar driven "Mi Camino(5)." Tucked away at the end, don't skip the 7+ minute bloopy minimal electronic version of "Low Rider," entitled "Lowrider Mambo(6)." 7 tracks; 30 minutes. Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
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Rockstone-voiced Burro Banton takes on Massive B&'s Kingdom riddim. I'm really feeling this groove, melodic with a big popping snare, it fits Burro's rough vocal as well as smoother voicings like Collie Buddz' "Let Me Know". Flip for the dope instrumental on...
expand review its own. -monk
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Everyone's favorite Max Romeo tune available on 7" for the first time in a while. Wicked Lee Perry riddim, vocal most recently sampled by Kanye West for Jay-Z's "Lucifer", and also well known as a source for the Prodigy in the early...
expand review nineties. B-side features "Hola Zion", a pretty nice track in its own right. -the mgmnt
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These dubbed-out, island-influenced disco tracks eminate from 70s London, where 20th Century Steel Band's Peter Blackman founded Steel An' Skin, a workshop to create and spread new Afro-Carribean sounds in the UK. Their lone album was recently reissued in Japan (with a...
expand review great documentary DVD no less) but the always on-point Honest Jon's has pressed up three of the full-length's nicest cuts to 12" for your spinning pleasure. "Afro Punk Reggae Dub(1)" is an grooving, dubby disco jam with plenty of steel in the mix - nothing fancy or flamboyant about this one, just a really solid track. Flip it over for the good vibes vocal version ("Reggae Is Here Once Again(2)") and the all-percussion 'n' whistles "Gadzo Drumming(3)," which sounds like it could be quite useful in the right hands. Definitely recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
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I wish current rap artists would take a cue from Brooklyn's Akoya Afrobeat. I mean, when is the last time you saw a full length album come out with six songs and no throwaways? I think Snoop's last album had...
expand review twenty-two tracks on it and maybe three were good. Of course, I wouldn't really want to hear Snoop rhyming over a thirteen minute loop, but the point I'm trying to make here is that quality still reigns over quantity. Akoya packs their second album, President Dey Pass, chock full of dynamic heaters with no filler. We've had some of these tunes on separate swift-selling singles, but to hear the entire album as one body of work really puts the depth of these compositions into perspective. Check "Fela Dey(1)" and "Oluya(2)" for the deep and deliberate slow burners. If you've been feeling the recent Nigeria comps from Soundway, you'll definitely want to give these a close listen. "Je Je L'Aiye(3)" featuring Cedric Im Brooks and "Wahala(4)" both have heavy afro funk flavors and are a good measure of Akoya's development since their last album. What I really like about them is the unique flavor that they put into their songs rather than being content to be mere revivalists. Instead they use a juicy bouillon cube of Fela's sound and stir in a lovely assortment of spices from around the globe. Put a cover on the pot and let it simmer in a secret studio in williamsburg, and you get something that tastes salty/sweet like "B.F.B.F. Panama(5)." It moves quickly, but digests nice and slowly. I love the way the horns work themselves into a frenzy right before the breakdown, making the vocals that much brighter when they come in. Lead vocalist Kaleta , who performed and recorded with Fela back in the day, gets authoritative and rugged as he steers the call and response into the sunset, a nice contrast to his more melodic moments throughout the album. There are quite a few Fela collaborators out there (Africa 70 + Eqypt 80 = at least two decades worth of people saying they played with Fela once) and I actually stopped in to see a former horn player of his who was playing at this Nigerian cafe and performance spot around the corner from my crib two New Years' ago. I think there were eight people there. Granted it was three in the morning by the time I got there, but I still felt a little depressed, ate a delicious patty, went home, passed out, woke up the next afternoon and saw that they had closed shop forever. Needless to say, I'm happy to see Kaleta moving forward with a great group of musicians and performers who have no interest in just biting an old sound and claiming the right to do so by association. But then again, that wouldn't be a very Brooklyn thing to do, would it? -Telekinetic Kat
OVERVIEW
Korg's R3 is a full featured synthesizer that delivers powerful analog synthesis and advanced sound creation from a compact digital keyboard paired with a high quality vocoder (mic included). The R3 uses the same MMT (multiple modeling technology) sound generator as its...
expand review big brother the Korg RADIAS giving it thick, bold and crisp analog sounds that will definitely satisfy both beginners and experienced professionals. Its versatile synthesis modeling, ample effects and editing capabilities make it suitable for all types of music from r&b, funk, hip-hop, techno, and house, plus its MIDI I/O and USB connectivity allows it to fully integrate with and grow with your studio.
FEATURES
The R3's top feature is the solid analog synthesis from Korg's MMT (multiple modeling technology) engine. Usually used in much more expensive full size keyboards, this technology delivers full, rich analog sound (via 2 oscillators, 3 envelope generators, 2 LFO filters, + amp and noise generators per voice with 8 voice polyphony) all within the R3's very compact 37 key frame. Unlike many synths this size, the R3 features full size, velocity sensitive keys which makes it much easier to work with (a big complaint about the microKorg is the minikeys) and 2 timbre/8 voice performance power.
In addition to MMT synthesis, the R3 also boasts several features to further shape and tweak your sound. 2 filters with selectable routing are available: Filter 1 is a multi-mode resonant design that lets you continuously vary between various low-pass, high-pass and band reject characteristics. Filter 2 has a switchable, multi-mode resonant design that also includes comb filtering, which can be made to feed back in order to boost multiple series of overtones, giving you amazing potential for generating unique tonal changes. There are also 6 virtual patches available on the R3 that simulate the patch cord functions of older synthesizers (MS and PS series Korgs), a modulation sequencer that can apply time-varying changes to a specific parameter, a 2 band EQ for each timbre with 2 insert effects, and a flexible, editable arpeggiator with 6 different arpeggio patterns built in.
There are a total of 128 preset programs (16 banks x 8 programs) all of which are fully editable and feature a diverse range of sounds from highly complex synths using cross modulation, formant motion and arpeggios, to thick, warm sounds you would expect from analog modeling. The R3 also has 2 external audio input jacks that allow you to process and transform the sound from external audio sources. Create new sounds by playing other instruments and loops through the R3 and using the external audio source as a filter or oscillator.
Also included is a high quality vocoder with 16 channels, adjustable level and pan for each channel, formant shift, formant motion and formant hold functions, MIDI I/O features, USB connectivity and Korg's R3 Editor software to edit and save your programs with your Mac or PC.
OUR OPINION
If you are familiar with the best selling Korg microKorg, think of this as a step up... a BIG step up. The powerful MMT synthesis alone is worth the price of admission, but add to that the full size keys(!), a serious vocoder, MIDI and USB functions and compact portable size and you've got a great addition to your studio set up that won't break the bank. A great synth that is loaded with features you can really get deep with. Recommended. -snackmaster
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