Junglist Rob Jones

Come across this guys soundcloud again today - https://soundcloud.com/rob-jones

It's a must see page - it has a selection of some of the best music available

He's got a couple mixes with really rare tracks on that he's obviously put time and money in to collect.

There's 2 Mala mixes (so good), Congo Natty Mixes (a must listen for new comers and believers alike), Burial mixes (listen for some of the best alternative production) and a couple of Jungle mixes.

You have to listen to the jungle mixes - Jungle is a genre of music which isn't getting a lot of the limelight compared to other genres.  No other type of music will make you move like this.  Let's educate the masses. Everyday Junglist

Loads of respect for Mr. Rob Jones for sharing such important music


Some absolute classics on this mix - Junglist Revial Vol 2 - Rob Jones 

Top 5 I'm listening to - 04/03

1. Ikonika - Sea Synths
She released some 'lost dub' tracks last month for free - this one stood out the most to me though.  The drums in this one are really addictive and I love the simple production.  I always find she doesn't get enough air time so go check her out.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/xpzutf - see the link for a free download of all the 'lost dubs'
(look out for the techno house is boring track it's not too bad)



2. Joy Orbison - Sicko Cell
I don't need to chat about how well produced the track - everyone knows it.  I was listening back to a Boiler Room set on youtube (I think Pearson Sound) and this track featured in it.  I've had it on repeat since and have been walking around mumbling about cocaine powder.


3. Pinch - Swish (Distance Remix)


It's a heavy remix - then again the original is as well.  I don't know if it's been released but I want a copy.




4. Datsik - Automatik ft. Messinian
Back to oldschool Datsik - how it should be.  He's used all the classics noises and flow in that track that I liked about Datsik before all of the heavy-to-be-heavy tracks came out.  Really well rounded, listenable track. Vocals too. (check out the ep, it's not bad)



5. Plastician - Pwned

Now I think the production on this is amazing - heavy hitting, original sound but super simple.  I've not heard a great deal of love for this but I think its wicked.  Love the bass noises on it and the drums don't sound like any other track at the moment.  It's part of a 7 track EP - it's been out for a while but give it a listen.

Explosure - forgot to add this on the end!

edit:
 
The Hudson Mohawke Remix - For anyone who hasn't heard it - it's massive, whack ya speakers up.

I did try to edit the other post and only just realised it didn't work, nevermind

M.I.A Mix

http://www.matangimixtape.com/ - I just heard this - Typical M.I.A; it's mad but brilliant.  It's some sort of mini mix for Kenzo or something, I haven't really researched it much I just thought it was cool.

The artwork for it is great, as is all of her stuff.  For anyone that didn't know, she started out studying art and does still occasionally showcase stuff.
This reminds me I really need to get a copy of this http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0847839176/ref=asc_df_084783917612192968?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=hydra0b-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=0847839176&hvpos=1o1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1870047943420357218&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=
doesn't seem too expensive for what I know will be quality.


Pretty legit remix - M.I.A. Ft. Missy Elliott & Rye Rye - Bad Girls (Switch Remix) - M.I.A has produced a load of tracks with Switch so you know you can count on this one 

Explosure

Disclosure - White Noise ft. AlunaGeorge

They finally put out a video for their massive tune. You can't escape the hook - once you hear it, that's it for the day, you can't get rid of it.

I fell for Disclosure after I heard their remix of Jessie Ware (the way they mashed that tune up was sick) and have been following them since.  I thought this video was cool; interesting narrative/ content and well shot without it being too complicated.

The hype for this track was massive from the second they posted it on their soundcloud.  As soon as they knew they were having a official release for the track, I think they should have started work on some sort of video straight away.  They could of added to the hype machine but feel they were a little late on this, releasing the video about a month too late.  Ah well it's decent enough.

I was speaking to my dad about the video (he can't help but love 'White Noise' too) and he was saying how the video was actually really clever.  To him, the guy is in Chicago and enjoying his tunes. He's popping all the old moves and such like, all of which is a nod towards when House music first started coming out of Chicago where it was originally created.  Then towards the end our guy finds the inquisitive younger gal and they start dancing together.  Dad surmised that this represented newer, updated forms of House music being one with the roots of the genre, thus representing Disclosure.

I later found out the vid was actually shot in Detroit.  Clearly Disclosure (or the team that made the video) thought best to give the nod towards Detroit - the birth place of techno house - either way its a nice video for the track.

 
Kevin Saunderson - Bounce Your Body To The Box - Released 1988 - This Detroit sound is definitely the granddad to today's Disclosure's sound - Listen out for the B line drop at about 45 secs - beautiful

Disclosure have quickly risen up, but its not really a surprise - the tunes are massive.  They went straight into number 2 in the charts with 'White Noise' which is pretty impressive considering the age of the brothers.

They're putting out proper down to earth, well constructed tunes purely designed to get you moving.  I think its great they're getting mainstream success.  It all adds to breaking down the majorities mindsets to different and new things.  And House has been around too long for mainstream success to come along and distort the genre - like we keep seeing happening with contemporary genres, unfortunately.

Still can't get over the lads' age too.  Big up.

It's a Trap

Trap has now pretty much integrated itself into the world of dance music. 2012 was a defining year for the genre and solidified itself as a standalone genre away from being exclusively rap music.

What has interested me is the multiple comparisons between the rise of Trap to Dubstep. You can hear why in the music:
 - Similar drum patterns - Heavy sub bass - Experimentation (with samples, synth sounds etc) It's the almost negative comparison like 'oh look, it's like the new dubstep, erghh' - Just let them be man

I had been working on a couple of tracks myself and someone mentioned that the tracks had elements which sounded a bit 'Trappy', I didn't really know what they meant at the time. I listened to a couple of Trap tracks as I hadn't really looked into the genre much at all and was a little late to hear the bandwagon. I thought they were sick though, with very different productions and the tracks hit you with heavy, low bass alongside catchy, messed up hooks. Similar elements to dubstep, which I've been listening to for years, so I thought yeah great. 

  - One of my first faves. Liked the original so I thought this was mad.

So people compare Dubstep to Trap.
inthemix.com put out an article last year called 'Trap music: The new dubstep'

- see the link if interested - http://www.inthemix.com.au/features/53239/Trap_Music_The_new_dubstep

I had to laugh when I read the title, it pisses me off when easy titles like that are used + why does something new have to be a reincarnation of something else, just let it be.

Anyway the article talks about the rise of the genre and what producers have done what etc.
I could see points in it which make sense but most of it, I think, just missed the point.
'Therein lies a parallel between the most popular forms of trap and dubstep – its lack of subtlety. While trap doesn’t spill the same headache-inducing wobbles, for the large part it’s made for punters to get as rowdy, ignorant and “hood” as possible.' - quote from the article

Lack of subtlety?! You for real? - Hate to say it but its typical comment by someone who doesn't actually know what they're on about and hasn't done their research.  Proper heads, other than listeners of the diluted stuff picked up online, know there's plenty of heavy hitting tracks full of subtlety underneath the Dubstep umbrella.  When Dubstep was first emerging no one really knew what it was, so these stupid comments didn't really happen (that is until it blew up on the net, I'll get to that in a bit). 


 - Got to slap a DMZ release in there - it's not subtle, at all... (side note: anyone who hasn't heard anything of Loefah before, Trap or Dubstep fan, get onto youtube, google, whatever and listen to a few tracks) - 

And I think that's where the problem lies with the comparison.  Dubstep is such a broad genre but most people have only heard the 'noisy and messy for the sake of it' tracks.  The comparisons should be made between the experimentation and playfulness in the tracks.  I see loads of similarities between them but have just have completely different roots.



- Different feeling tracks - but if you actually listen there's plenty of similar points - loads of obscure samples, altered noises giving flow the track, similar beat patterns, sub-bass, bit of a build up introducing the track etc etc.I think these sorts of similarities are the reason that people are comparing the genres in this way yet I think the comparisons should be made between the way the genres are spreading and developing. But I still think people should just enjoy the music and just get on with it. -

After the wave of Dubstep being solely spread through nights (FWD, DMZ etc), it began to quickly spread and blow up through the internet.  The genre was able to quickly spread worldwide because dance music listeners could share the tracks online (and in turn this is why the synth based messier tracks became popular so quickly because the tracks could translate well on a laptop whereas sub-bass central tracks would sound empty).

So similarly, Trap has quickly spread online through social media and such like.  The way the genre has exploded is comparable with Dubstep and subsequently so is the debate by its listeners.

I've got to mention Harlem Shake here - you must of been living in a cave to have not heard about the viral sensation (if not, Google it, please). I thought Harlem Shake was a mad tune, months ago when it came out, and can't help but feel a bit annoyed it's kinda turned into a gimmick-gangnameffect-style track.  The craze has however done wonders for Bauuer with him now featuring at an array of festivals this year.  This track alone will bump Trap into the limelight, even if only for a while, and hopefully just do wonders for the genre.

I think the problem with the fast spread of Trap is that we'll be hit by hundreds of copycat producers and the genre will end up sounding like more of the same. To be honest you can already see it happening if you have a browse on soundcloud, but lets give the bandwagon time.

I say bring on the wave of new music.  Lets have more projects like TNGHT and such like who aren't scared of experimenting.  One doesn't have to replace the other, just mix it up a bit.

iPhone Exodus

I accidentally just wiped about 10GB of music from my iPhone. Surprisingly wasn't bothered - guess the clean slate was good. Maybe I should do it more often, make it a monthly thing - or maybe not