by on

[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/01OnComingFromABrokenHome1.mp3]

Gil Scott-Heron – On Coming From a Broken Home (Part 1)
I’m New Here (XL Recordings, 2010)

I’m New Here, Gil Scott-Heron’s first album in sixteen years was released last week on XL Recordings. The album was recorded between 2007-09 and produced by Richard Russell. On the opening and closing tracks “On Coming From a Broken Home (Part 1 & Part 2) – Scott-Heron offers a tribute to the women of his family, not so much an explanation but a reflections, giving us a portrait of the women who raised him.  Producer Richard Russell provided the perfect backdrop, a sampling the intro (just a few seconds on loop) to Kanye West’s “Flashing Light.”

by on

[youtube width=”524″ height=”393″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsBjvjqjCwA&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

New video from Erykah Badu featuring Lil Wayne “Jump Up In The Air (Stay There)” from her upcoming album New Amerykah Part II: Return Of The Ankh – You already know this is a great song, but pay close attention to the lyrics and you’ll appreciate it even more; plenty memorable lines – (hip-hop) “church never felt this good before,” “my level, far from the devil/have some manners, and say hello to the angels,” “I am on the ceiling stuck like a fan full of dust, like a fist full of bucks…” etc.  As for the video, it has stunning moments; Wayne clearing a cloud of purple smoke to “elevate” with Ms. Badu is one of those.

by on

[youtube width=”524″ height=”393″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=246fZPv-LBY[/youtube]

I first heard this tune at a party in the Bronx, Summer 2005 or maybe ’06– I don’t remember exactly. Big up all Ghanaian massive in the Bronx. I can recall a friend telling me at the time that “You May Kiss Your Bride” was a smash in Accra, on the radio, in bars and clubs, at football marches, and of course at weddings.  This clip also appears on a VCD compilation titled Ghana Vs Nigeria: Super Hits Videos –purchased in a street market in Freetown in December ’09. By the way, if you dig this track don’t sleep on Akwaaba Music’s Move It Chaleh — more recent hiplife goodness among other things (like Monou Sidibe’s incredible “Mali Mousso.”)

by on

Masala got got, then restored, but the whole affair simply served to remind us that we need to communicate – to share sound & ideas – in spaces we control. Places where years of content community-building won’t be deleted by corporate whim.

Think globally, upload locally, tunnel downwards. Rig the submarines. Sink deep. In a post-search mediascape whose senses will we rely on?

YOU. Your content. Your grandma’s chain. Cycling off into the darkness… check it:

“web 3.0: the grand retreat back to our own servers”

by on

El Hijo de la Cumbia has a new video out: La Mara Tomaza. This is a version of classic tune “La Negra Tomasa”, whose tropical mutations Sonido Martines blogs about here.

Bay Area DJ Disco Shawn was on my radio show this Monday, which he kicked off by playing H.D.C.’S Mara Tomaza (from Bersa Discos #1 as well as El Hijo’s debut album, Freestyle de Ritmos, published on Soot).

In addition to great tunes, Shawn shares consistently fascinating observations on cumbia, tribal, and what’s catching his ear from the UK: you can stream it here or grab the podcast (his show will be available as podcast next Monday).

by on

This just landed in my inbox, a big dubstep mix of a new dub tune by foundation artist U-Roy produced by Dub Gabriel. Ming of Ming & FS and Subatomic Sound System teamed up on the remix and it sounds tuff, downloadable below.  There’s also a cool little video with Ming and Emch of Subatomic talking about the process of making the remix and breaking down the remixing process, talking some arranging science for dancefloors and more, always cool to see people pulling back the curtain and helping to share the knowledge.

Dub Gabriel feat. U Roy-Luv n’ Liv ( Ming vs. Subatomic Sound System Remix)-FREE DOWNLOAD!!! by DESTROY ALL CONCEPTS

Friend of Dutty Artz Timeblind also turned in a mix which is a little deeper (as you will expect by now if you know the man) and very nice but not downloadable, you’ll have to buy that one.

Dub Gabriel feat. U Roy-Luv n’ Liv ( Timeblind Remix) by DESTROY ALL CONCEPTS

by on

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fichp4N7Cao[/youtube]

Sticky‘s “Jumeirah Riddim” has been out for some time. It is a massive tune that has appeared on several dope funky mixes.  This Natalie Storm version titled “Look Pon Me” is simply undeniable – sweet, catchy bashment/funky monster.  & don’t sleep, look for the 12″ out on Mixpak – it boasts a Dexplicit remix, guaranteed heat!

by on

[cross-posted to Mudd Up!]

Image

A last-minute note to announce: I’m returning to WNYC’s Soundcheck program at 2pm today, for a live performance and interview with host John Schaefer.

+ + +

This Monday, Boston people can catch me doing an “experimental set” at Beat Research, alongside residents Wayne&Wax and DJ Flack. FREE. @ The Enormous Room in Central Square.

Simultaneously, I’ll be hosting my Mudd Up! radio show on WFMU, with special guest DISCO SHAWN!

discoshawn

Cumbia fans will know his as the innovator, along with Oro 11, of the Bersa Discos label and the Tormenta Tropical west coast club nights. A Bay Area native and former Buenos Aires resident, the Cuban-American DJ is coming to share tunes & discuss cumbia’s latest explorations into Remixlandia, what’s poppin over in the Bay, and more…

by on

If you happen to be in the greater Boston- or have a British style pension for traveling great distances to hear electronic music and turn your brain to mush- then next week should be fairly pleasant. Together Boston is a freewheeling many venue, many genre festival whose schedule looks kind of like a regular week in Berlin, but an absolutely exceptional one in any North American city. Check the website for a ton of great lectures, workshops and parties… After the cut is my ideal schedule for the week with venues and times.

For a quick summary- Rupture on Monday, Kingdom on Tuesday, Untold and myself (at different venues unfortunately) on Wednesday, Sinden on Friday, and an all ages showcase that Ill be playing a special noisy turnablist set at on Saturday. Come say hello!

(more…)

by on

Matt Shadetek at Dubspot

Photo by Clair Lim, at my Logic class at Dubspot.

For those that follow this site you’re probably familiar with some of the things I do, like produce, dj, make records etc. Lately I’ve been doing some new things though, and I figure they’re worth mentioning here because some of you might be into them. The first I’ve mentioned before which is teaching at Dubspot. I love Dubspot, it’s a great place with a great group of people involved. I’ve been there for a bit over a year now and I really enjoy it. I’ve met a lot of great people there, students and instructors and it’s helped me to realize that I really like teaching music. I teach the production in Logic class there where I basically teach people how to operate Logic, the main program I use to make all my stuff, but I also teach the broad strokes of my own low-tek Hi-Fi production ideology. Basically the idea is that it’s not about expensive equipment or perfect anything but more about wading in, getting your hands dirty and having fun making something, which I preach and practice. I teach Logic in small groups of 4-8 people, usually once or twice a week at Dubspot. As a result of the class I’ve developed relationships with some of my students and continued teaching them in private lessons which are basically us working on their tracks together, solving problems, and talking things through.

One of the reasons I really like teaching and helping people produce is that I’ve spent about ten years now developing a pretty specific niche of skills, basically how to produce weird bassy dance-ish music, and it’s great to be able to share that knowledge, guide people away from the pitfalls and cliffs of the learning curve and point them in the right direction. Mainly because people just get so happy when they finally get how to do something that they really wanted to do.

More recently I’ve had a few people approach me to do this but without the teaching component, which has turned into people hiring me to go to their studios and help to finish their tracks, which I’m really enjoying as well, and have decided I’d like to do more of. So, if you’re someone in New York, who’s working on tracks and are looking for production help, be it mixing, arranging, polishing, achieving certain sounds or just help finishing stuff, get in touch. I do have limited time and limited mental stamina for working on stuff I don’t like so please point me at some kind of a musical sample or describe what you’re trying to do in your message and I’ll let you know if it’s something I think I can help with.

My next logic class is starting on Friday, January 29th and will be Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:15-1PM.

Contact me about production through Myspace, Facebook or Twitter.