TURNTABLE LAB

DJ Sega
Rockstars vs. Clubheadz CD

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, 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.
reviewed by Larri Byrd


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Dwizz
Party Dwizz, Vol.2 CD

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," "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.
reviewed by Larri Byrd


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Dwizz
Party Music (Philly) EP

Part time producer / part time South Philly High School football star Dwizz drops his debut EP on Flamin' Hotz (who brought you Curtis Vodka, Emynd & Bo Bliz, Trouble & Bass). Dwizz's type of "party music" sounds like pitched-up Bmore with bits of ghettotech and lots of energy - Philly's loving it. "Salt Pepper Ketchup & Hot Sauce(1)" - as in "whatchu want on your wings, gurl?" - is already a club anthem over there. (The beat's a hybrid of "Percolator," gunshots and paranoid electro-strings.) Dwizz gets a little more booty bass going on "Toot That(2)," which samples "Pop Lock & Drop It," but mis-steps a bit on "Feelin' So Horny." (Hey, the kid's in high school...) Couple more club-worthy cuts on the B-side: Dwizz chops up MIMS for "I'm Hot(3)," and his "Goodtimes(4)" remix can stand toe-to-toe with Tittsworth's "Jeffersons." Nice artwork and pic sleeve from Flamin' Hotz as always.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
baltimore - vinyl / dubstep + grime - vinyl / ghettotech + bass - vinyl

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Hail Social
Remixes EP

Indie rock darlings Hail Social are the latest entrants into the ever-expanding, always diverse Flamin' Hotz discography... but with six club dudes from Philly on board for remix duties, you know this ain't no indie rock. And, ok, Designer Drugs don't technically reside in the City of Brotherly Love but their blazing electro remix of "Heaven(1)" more than justifies their spot on this record. (Seriously, take a listen - never heard the original, it doesn't even sound like a remix to these ears.) Plastic Little producer Squid comes correct on "The Fall(2)" with a sound that's half downtempo / half ghettotech, while Benny Brows gets a little funky on his version of "All Night(3)." Sleeper pick comes courtesy of Kilroy with an atmospheric nu disco spin on "One U Love(4)." Also includes remixes from Philly party-starters Crimp Your Hair and Turbo Station. First pressing on purple vinyl; pic sleeve artwork by Thom Lessner.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
new rock / dance remixes

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Proper Villains
Big Apple Bounce EP

Flamin' Hotz is back again with more hype ish to tear the party up. This time it's NYC's Proper Villains (aka DJ Jon S) that deliver the goods with a thorough EP of club bangers combining elements of Bmore, Figit House, and NYC heavy bass styles. The thing kicks off with a pounding version of "Ready Or Not(1)" (no not the Fugees, but the original sample source) then goes directly into "Get Down Method(3)" a bmore take of the "Method Man" beat, "Big Booty Bounce(4)" and "Creamy(5)." That's just the first side! Side B gets into more electro-house biz with a remix of Machinedrum's "Late Night Operation(6)" with raps by Theophillus London, then back into the late night baltimore stuff with the kooky "Ugly Woman(7)," "Drop With Me(8)," and "Vampy(9)." Sure to keep the rotten apple (and the rest of the world) bouncin' to the wee hours of the night. Pressed on super-cool black and white marble vinyl.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
baltimore - vinyl

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RCMP
RCMP (Cousin Cole, Pumpkin Patch) EP

disco house from Philadelphia

Flamin' Hotz is back with yet another high quality release, this time from Philadelphian disco duo RCMP, aka DJ Apt One & Relative Q. What's it stand for? I don't know, and they're not telling so you might as well drop it. The tracks are what will really get your attention though, so make sure to check the slick disco-house sounds on "The Bird AKA Ignition(1)," "Ibiza, PA(2)," "USA Groove(3)" and "Mustache Love(4)." Cousin Cole also stops in to remix "Ibiza(5)," working in some beefed up the drums and putting a fresh classic house coating on the track. Pumpkin Patch, another Brooklynite, also contributes a remix of Mustache Love(6), adding some big synths and a wild reverb/panning effect that just won't be done justice by our audio preview. Of course, because it's a Flamin' Hotz release it comes in a super snazzy looking pic sleeve, and the record itself is pressed on thick, clear red vinyl. Recommended.
reviewed by Hires

file under:
new disco / cosmic / edits - reviewer recommended / house / minimal / techno - reviewer recommended / various K-Z / cosmic + balearic + rock-ish

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Todosantos
Acid Girlzzz EP

The acid colors are frying my retinas! And this beat is kicking my ass! Todosantos makes "youthful expression" the understatement of the year, and Flamin' Hotz is treating their EP like a champion horse. Not only do they dress up the single with eye-popping 3-D design (3-D glasses included!) they also throw in an enhanced DVD including MP3s and MP4s of all the tracks and 3 spastic videos for their singles (check their MySpace for previews). The shit is so crazy, if this was a video game, it would come with a disclaimer for seizure-inducing visuals. The tracks "OMG - We Got It(1)," "Acid Boys & Acid Girls(2)," and "Pao!(3)" are just as hype as their look, and introduce their "Tukky Bass" sound, comprised of nu-rave, dubstep, baile, kuduro and ghettotech elements. The hybrid is a super-concentrated party pill made for gettin' straight stupid on the dancefloor. Not only that, you get more hype remixes from Cousin Cole, Leif, a hard dubstep/dance version by Cardopusher(4), and Diplo's homie System D-128's smashing bonus beat(5). Careful with these, it's pretty explosive. Did I mention it's on yellow and red marbled vinyl?
reviewed by C'mish

file under:
baltimore - vinyl / dubstep + grime - vinyl

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V/A
Forca Kuduro EP

First offical kuduro comp at the Lab? Methinks so, and it's courtesy Philly's Flamin' Hotz label, who come with the impeccable packaging as always. (Glossy, spot-varnished pic sleeve, black and red colored vinyl.) If you're not already aware of this mini-musical phenomenon coming out of Angola and Portugal, you could do much worse than to have this as your introduction. Kuduro fuses elements of house and Afrobeat with soca and calypso for a seriously unique sound; combined with the scene's energetic MCs, it's no wonder everyone from Diplo to Radioclit have been jumping on the style. Favorite tracks here are Frederic Galliano Kuduro Sound System's "Ate Quando(1)" and "Continental Kuduro(2)," DJ Patrick's "Sem Maneiras(3)," and DJ Patrick JC's "Do Volate(4)." But you really can't go wrong with any of these. Quality. 6 tracks. Recommended.
reviewed by Van Hammersly

file under:
baile + cumbia - vinyl / dubstep + grime - vinyl

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