GHETTO BASSQUAKE

Bruno M

2010-08-02T21:17:00.004Z

Today nothing more than a great horn laden kuduro track from Angola's Bruno M.

Bruno M - Dança Dos Comba

Secousse August Summer Special!

2010-08-02T11:35:00.011Z

Secousse is gearing up for carnival with a Massive double header of a line up this Friday night. We have an exclusive London show by Brooklyn's highly awesome Latino Tropical bass King, UPROOT ANDY. As well as the welcome return of Congolese/ UK Funky warriors K-Melia.

PUMA presents

Secousse

Friday August 6th

Live

K-Melia

A.J. Holmes & The Hackney Empire

Decks

Uproot Andy

Vamanos

A.J. Holmes

Moroka

& Kastro

Email for half price guestlist: vamanos@ghettobassquake.com

Appietus Hip Life Revolution

2010-07-24T20:03:00.010Z

Fresh from his extended trip around Ghana, Ben from Akwaaba just sent us this great Hip Life track from Appietus. I've gotta confess I'm not normally that big on Hiplife and find a lot of what i've heard a bit too sweet for my tastes but this track is different, taking a more jump up soca style. Appietus's album, The Revolution features many of the big names in Ghana such as 4X4, Tinny & Kofi B. Get it now here or itunes from 27th July. This bumps.

Appietus - Ghana Lady

Edit - This one's even better.

Appietus feat. 4x4 - Miss Doctor

Brussels Tonight !

2010-07-22T22:10:00.005Z

A banger of a summer party at Recyclart in Brussels tonight. BIG live shows from Secousse favourites Harare, A.J. Holmes & The Hackney Empire as well as deck duties from myself, A.J. as Secousse Sound System and Tupelov Sound Crash's DJ Leblanc. All the info is here

FREE FREE FREE !!

Half Colombian Half Mexican Bandit

2010-07-21T22:19:00.001Z

Suitably Trippy new video from Toy Selectah! in Bogata.

Dub Boy's Karnival Warm Up

2010-07-21T15:55:00.004Z

Carnival season is soon approaching here in the UK so hold tight for a BIG mix from Bristol's Dub Boy to get you firing. Blending a great jump up selection of new dancehall jams and a few classics, this has got my summer listening written all over it. Dub Boy has been holding down the jump up dancehall/tropical/funky scene in Bristol for a few years now and he's hooked up with the Steak House Records crew, so watch out for more heat from him soon. This mix was made for Don't Panic but we nicked it.

Dub Boy - Dancehall Nice Again (Direct Dwnld)

Tracklist:

Beenie Man & Richie Spice - Streets Is Getting Hot (Cooking Soul rmx)
Kieth & Tex ft Shabba Ranks - Dukku Dukku (Soul Force rmx)
Mungo's Hi Fi ft Brother Culture - Black Paul Bogle
Mungo's Hi Fi - From Di Ghetto
Mungo's Fi Fi - Bogle Riddim // Rihanna & Assassin - Rude Boy rmx
Demarco - Skull Inna Belly
Assassin - Bam Bam
Busy Signal - High Grade
Pinchers - Bandelero
Papa Levi - Speed Rapping
Super Cat - Come Down
Mikeylous - Country Mi Ting Deh
Leisure All Stars ft Lady Chann - Friday Night (rmx)
Crookers ft Poirier & Face-T - Arena
Busy Signal - Dem Call The Police
Degree - Weh Yu Come From
Elephant Man - Request
Timika Marshall - Whine And Go Down
Red Dragon - Duck
Shaka Demus - Bad Bad Shaka
Busy Signal - Food For Di Pot
Mr G - Guilty Mouth
Alborosie - Blue Movie Boo
Shabba Ranks - Trailor Load A Girls
Risto Benji - Passport Buddy
Leftside ft Syon - Nuh Other Girl
Serani - When It's Cold
Elephant Man - Yuh Are Di Wife
Vybz Cartel ft Gaza Kim - Twice My Age
Beenie Man - VISA // Ward 21 - Cosa Nostra Riddim
Timberlee - The General
Mr Lexx - Dem A Pree // Weedy G - Best Trick Riddim
Mercilous - Country Boy
King General - If I Was A Rich Man
Top Cat - Ganga Smoker
Mr Benn ft Blackout JA - Police (Magic Fly 7" rmx)
Mungo's Hi Fi ft Mikey Murka - Old Time Dance
Mungo's Hi Fi ft Lady Anne - Sound Get A Beating
Mungo's Hi Fi ft YT - Precious Diamond
Lutan Fyah - Yu Looking Hot
Tarrus Riley - Children A Pree We
Busy Signal - Government Gone Luuu
Gappy Ranks - Nerious Joseph - Soul Rebe

Chancha Via Circuito Mixtape

2010-07-20T21:38:00.008Z

Leave it up to dem good folk at ZZK in Buenos Aries to keep pumping out their consistently excellent new school digital cumbia folktonica. Chancha has got to be one of my favourites of that scene. His beats are always swirling with echoes of traditional South American percussion chopped up with the sweet shuffle of cumbia melodies. His new album, Rio Arriba, is dropping soon on ZZK but check out this brand new mix he did for the dudes over at XLR8R featuring some exclusive new cuts from the album.

Chancha Via Circuito - Los Pastores Mixtape

01 Chancha Vía Circuito feat. Miriam García "Coplita" (ZZK)
02 Miriam García & Alicia Solans "Pintar El Sol (Chancha Vía Circuito Remix)" (ZZK)
03 Villa Diamante "Doña María vs. Italtek" (ZZK)
04 José Larralde "Quimey Neuquén (Chancha Vía Circuito Remix)" (Sony/ZZK)
05 Tremor "Caracol (Chancha Vía Circuito feat. Wenceslada Remix)" (ZZK)
06 William Centellas vs. Chancha Vía Circuito "Los Pastores" (ZZK)
07 Black Mandingo "Cumbia Maxonica Rebajada" (ZZK)
08 Chancha Vía Circuito "Río Arriba" (ZZK)
09 K´ala Marka "Florcita del Ande (Chancha Vía Circuito Remix)" (Orccus/ZZK)
10 Chancha Vía Circuito "Cumbión de las Aves" (ZZK)
11 Sonidero Cordobestia "Tinku" (ZZK)
12 Doma Tornados feat. Mercedes Sosa "Antiguos Dueños de las Flechas" (Hipidukimuzik)
13 Los Huanca Huá "Yo Sé Que un Día (Fragment)" (Cabal)

ZZK Summer 2010 North American Tour:
07/20 New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
07/22 Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl
07/23 Martha’s Vineyard, MA @ Martha’s V
07/24 Montreal, PQ @ Divan Orange
07/25 Toronto, ON @ Wrongbar
07/26 Detroit, MI @ The Lager House
07/27 Chicago, IL @ Beauty Bar
07/28 St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN @ Turf Club
07/31 Denver, CO @ Biennial of the Americas
08/01 Salt Lake City @ Urban Lounge
08/03 Seattle, WA @ Crocodile
08/04 Portland, OR @ Rotture
08/05 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
08/06 Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex
*All dates with Tremor, Chancha Via Circuito, El Remolón, and El G

Obviously it's hardly easy running a label like ZZK out of Argentina so they have wisely teamed up with Kickstarter, a cool new fund raising project to help them make a tour video. Check out all the info here.

The Godfather of Livin

2010-07-20T17:12:00.005Z

I went to see Gil Scott Heron the other night. He was extrodinary as you can imagine. Check out this new video from his already classic new album I'm New Here out on XL. Buyable at Rough Trade, Sounds of The Universe,
Itunes and everywhere else.

DJ Vielo Mini Mix

2010-07-20T07:14:00.003Z

DJ Vielo's breakneck speed Funana mixes are always welcome. Like some frantic computer game rampage through jungle drenched in airhorns. Coming in at a bite sized 6.5 mins, Vielo and Anilson bring the Cape Verde bounce like no one else.

Dj Vielo & DJ Anilson - MiXXxxxXXxxx FuNaNa SeMPre Na GaiTa °°ViEniLsOn°°

Dave Quam Juke Mix

2010-07-19T16:07:00.003Z

Everyone in London seemingly wants a piece of Juke/Footwork right now. Following on from articles in places such as The Guardian The Wire's weekly radio show on Resonance FM recently played host to Chicago's influential footwork blogger Dave Quam as he put in a great mix starting with early jacking Trax releases from Jackmaster Funk and traced Chi-Town's house evolution all the way up to present day footwork with tracks by people like DJ Clent and DJ Rashad.

Check it out here

A Lifetime in Oriental Jazz

2010-07-17T17:46:00.007Z

It seems as though The Heliocentrics are on a mission to collaborate with all of my jazz heroes; first Mulatu Astatke, now Lloyd Miller who next Yusef Lateef?.

Check out the opening collaboration Electricone below, buy the collaboration here or here and also definitely get Lloyd Miller's A Lifetime In Oriental Jazz, it's without a doubt the best record i've ever bought based solely on its title, way better than the time i confused ECM's Azimuth with the Brazilian Samba Doido trio Azymuth.

Lloyd Miller and the Heliocentrics - Electricone

Richard 'Nozinja' Mthetwa

2010-07-15T18:28:00.005Z

If you've heard any of Nozinja's productions on the Shangaan Electro record that we posted about here, (just released on Honest Jons), you'll know he has not only crazy production skills but a great ear for a hook. The album is an absolute stormer end to end and was compiled by Outside Music/Afropop Worldwide's Wills Glasspiegel who also signed Janka Nabay & The Very Best. Check out Will's interview with Nozinja below. Nozinja has also turned his hand to vocals on one of the tracks which is definitely one of the highlights for me, his melodic vocals soaring over high speed shangaan instrumentation. Anyways I can't recommend this record enough. Also buyable digitally on itunes etc.

World Cup Winners

2010-07-12T09:16:00.006Z

I'm a bit sad the World Cup is all over. Got to say a big congratulations to Spain even though they nearly got chunks taken out of them by Holland. Also a big shout to Paul the Octopus for killing it in the selections. So here's a great cumbia to help them celebrate by Puebla's Grupo Sonador ..

Grupo Sonador - Cumbia de la Cerveza

ISA In the USA

2010-07-07T21:35:00.007Z

Photo: Artelevisual

Hi New Yorkers,

We're sending over our Colombian-Londion Cumbia Electro Bass mistress, ISA GT over to shake the palms at the Latin Alternative Music Conference this week. Check her out at Que Bajo?! Tonight and Saturday at LAMC. Both of which are guaranteed awesome parties. Check out this brand new mix from her too.

ISA GT - LAMC Mix (mediafire)

Tracklist:

La Cumbia - Isa GT
Los Pajaritos (Feeling Edit) - Erick Rincon
Leyenda - Isa GT
Gota Frita (Orion Edit) - DJ orion
Alerta feat. Isa GT - Dutch Rhythm Combo
Bayakhulma - DJ Bongz Ft. Mampinsha
Funketa - Isa GT
Ritmo Y Flauta - Dj Antena
Pela´O (Cocotaxi Remix) - Isa GT
Toadstool - Para One
NO PASMA - Isa GT + Toy Selectah
Mete as maos a boca (j-wow mix) - Paus
Pa Las Mamasitas (Chief Boima & Orion Remix) - Isa GT

War Dance!

2010-07-07T21:00:00.002Z

Big new riddim from London's The Heatwave with Serocee on the Mic doing his damndest. Whoop Whoop !

Git It

The Heatwave & Serocee - War Dance

Baobinga's Steak House Dinner

2010-07-04T09:22:00.010Z

Steak House is a cool new UK label specializing in tropical Bass slammers, and going by their first couple of releases and we've got a lot of love for them. They've already dropped a debut by ace Portuguese 2 step crunk bass nutters Octa Push and are now have an fire cracker of a new single from the UK's Baobinga. The Raggastep Bass heavy riddim takes influences from garage to bashment and this is definitely one for the dancefloor.

Remixes come from Ghetto Bassquake pals Poirier and MC Rubi Dan. Here is a free Wine Up remix from Atki2 and stream the rest of the release on Souncloud below. Get the whole EP digitally now .
.

Baobinga - Wine Up (Ttki2 Remix) (sendspace)

STEAK 003 - Baobinga - Riddim Team EP by Steak House Records

In The Studio with The Hackney Empire & Radioclit

2010-07-02T10:48:00.009Z

Last winter, on January 2nd when they should have been nursing hangovers, A.J. Holmes and The Hackney Empire went into the studio with producers Radioclit to lay some tracks down for their very first studio recordings. Two days were spent laying their New Electric High Life tropical flavours down on record. 6 months later we're psyched that say that one of these songs will soon be the debut release on our all new Ghetto Bassquake label. The single is called Fraudian Slip and features longtime collaborator, African Mic Terror & Secousse's resident MC, Kastro.

Remixes from Chief Boima, DJ Erick Rincon, Uproot Andy and more.

Watch out world.

Gnawa Festival D'Essouira 2010

2010-06-30T21:43:00.020Z

I just got back from the Gnawa Festival in Morocco. It was great, unlike any other music festival i've been to in Europe. It takes place annually in the fishing town of Essaouira and attracts 200,000 people over 4 days of open air free music. Gnawa and all it's related offshoots and fusions are represented, you name it from Gnawa metal to Gnawa salsa, it's all there. For me, I was more interested in some of the more traditional forms.

It's North African trance roots are heavily apparent as the musicians jam into the night, though the songs originate in healing rituals not unlike Haitian Voodoo ceremonies or the Afro-Brazilian practises of Candomblé. Some of the shows go on till dawn, with the artists stopping only to changing into differnt coloured robes representing for each section (derdeba) of the perfromance, black, blue, white etc... Bands travel from all over Africa as well as the world to perform to massive crowds of people, mostly young lads who all seem to be into reggae too. The vibe was really chilled (and booze free) as hash smoke circled above the crowd and pople dance themsleves crazy. Here's a quick video I took at the end of a show by the excellent Gnawa master, Maâlem Saïd Ouressan.

I also caught a show by the legendary Maalem Mahmoud Guinia who was truly awesome, the deeply hypnotic bass sounds of his three string Gimbri were funky as hell.

Grab a great album download by him over at Snap Crackle & Pop.

Other than the Gnawa music, Morocco proved to be a brilliant place to indulge my growing interest in North African and Arabic stuff. The infamous Jemma el Fna square in Marrakech is an awesome place to hear anything from snake charmer music to all kinds of stuff I couldn't even begin to label. On the subject of snakes, some dude did actually sneakily put a live cobra around my neck while I wasn't looking :(

Anyway as dusk sets over the square and the smells of insense and merguez sausages fill the air, it's a truly special place to hear some of Morocco's amazing solo musicians playing though battered car stereo systems. Sublime Frequencie's Hisaham Mayet has recently release a film on DVD and album called Ecstatic Music of the Jemaa El Fna, a raw collection of some of the sounds. As they say..

For centuries, the Jemaa El Fna (Rendezvous of the Dead) has remained the stage for one of the most spectacular social forums on the planet. By day, this central square in the city of Marrakesh, one of Morocco's great imperial cities, fosters a kaleidoscope of entertainment for its local inhabitants; storytellers, acrobats, magicians and snake charmers all create intriguing displays of bewitching spectacle. As the sun sets, the evening grows frantic with the pulse of the crowd; it is then that the night musicians set up. Free from the restrictions and expectations of light entertainment for a tourist crowd, these musicians manifest ecstatic performances that animate the audience and players alike.

Here is the trailer for the film.

Record shopping was also a great experience. For some reason many of Marrakech's cd sellers are based in between orange juice stalls surrounding the square. I picked up some Moroccan Gnawa and percussion, Algerian Rai and some great comps of Syrian Dabka (Omar Souleyman style).

Here's a nice, sadly unlabelled Gnawa track that I picked up.

Unknown - Gnaoua Traditionnel

And I swear I'll make a little mix of some of the best stuff soon.

Boogat Mixtape

2010-06-30T16:55:00.008Z

You might remember Poirier mentioned this in our interview with him a few months ago. Montreal's MC Boogat drops a fresh mixtape, packed with all kinds of tropical stormers mashed together slickly by Poirier himself. Get it now.

Boogat – Que Pegue Duro y Violento (mixed by Poirier)

01. Pa’ Argentina (El Hijo De La Cumbia)
02. Mejor No Preguntes (Sonido Del Principe)
03. Beat Perfecto (Afrika Bambaataa)
04. La Gloria (Poirier x Gotan Project)
05. Bajo (Schlatchofbronx)
06. No Mames Wey (Pitbull)
07. Pega La Conga (Yerba Buena)
08. El Gran Robo (Cosa Nostra Riddim)
09. Subestimado (Nookie Riddim)
10. No Te Fies In Nadie (Untrust Riddim)
11. La Mezcla (Monobloco)
12. Quedade Lejos de Mi (El Hijo de La Cumbia)
13. Wakala (Punjabi MC)
14. Me voy Pa’ Brooklyn (Uproot Andy)

Secousse This Friday

2010-06-30T15:53:00.007Z

Secousse is back this Friday with our second

World Cup Afro Special

Live

K-Melia

A.J. Holmes & The Hackney Empire

Decks

The Secousse Sound System ft. Vamanos, A.J. Holmes & Moroka

This month we're celebrating the diverse sounds and flavours of Africa, Secousse brings you a special live francophone and anglophone set by K-Melia, who developed their own unique style in Congo's capital, Kinshasa, namely RPK (Rap Purement Kinois), an inspired mix of hip hop, Congolese rumba, ndombolo and pop music. The band are fronted by Secousse's own awesome Mic champion MC Kastro so bigness is guaranteed. Joining them, Secousse's resident tropical party band, A.J. Holmes & The Hackney Empire along with The Secousse Sound System DJs: Vamanos, A.J. Holmes & Morocka.

And get there early to watch the screening the Quater final game: Ghana Vs Uruguay.

All the info is here and at Notting Hill Arts club.

Newcastle This Saturday

2010-06-30T12:52:00.006Z

One of my favourite summertime gigs is playing the epic latino raves by the river at Newcastle's Vamos festival. Come check me throw down loads of tribal, cumbia, Techno Brega and latin party bangers on saturday night. Also a live set by Portugal's Octapush.

FREE FREE FREE !!

All the info is here.

World Cup Rivalry Part 7 - Ghana vs USA! USA! USA!

2010-06-25T21:37:00.006Z

There are three very worrying issues for the 21st century; global warming, overpopulation and the fact that the Americans are sooner or later going to win the World Cup.

Just think how many young Americans will have kicked their first ball in the wake of their famous victory over the English. A resounding win by Ghana, the only African nation left, will however put an end to America's brief fancy with the beautiful game.

To inspire Ghana here's some highlife from the legendary Mercury Dance Band as well as a recording from a Ghanan funeral procession, ie the sound of Ghana once again finishing America's World Cup hopes.

The Mercury Dance Band - Kai Wawa

Ghanan Funeral Procession - Adova

World Cup Rivalry Part 6: Ghana vs. Germany

2010-06-22T23:33:00.005Z

They call him the Ballack slayer. An ominous name that seems like something conjured up from a Tarantino movie. Tomorrow is going to be a must watch because German born Kevin Prince-Boateng is ready and coming for you, German national team!

Ghana is looking like it right now for Africa, so we're gonna put all our strength behind this exciting squad. Plus, Black Star fans are the best.

There are a couple globalista DJ's out there, that will be supporting the German side, so that warrants a little stoking of the rivalry flames (I see you Orion & Sebastian.)

Here's a little Hiplife to get the competative juices flowing, and check out my WFMU post on the new Hiplife documentary Homegrown: Hiplife in Ghana.

Hunter's Music

2010-06-21T20:03:00.013Z

Donso is a collaboration between European electronic musicians and Malian artists working in cultural traditions. The project is produced by Frenchie, Pierre Antoine Grison in Paris, and the music is based around Bambara hunting music and the Ngoni. Their album on Comet Records is out now.

This is a remix of their track Mogoya done by T-Bird and Maxey Blaze out of Barcelona:

Mogoya (T-Bird & Maxey Los Chicos Altos De BCN Mix)-Donso

I have a soft spot for Malian music in electronic style ever since I've heard some of Salif Keita's more contemporary experimentations. Ngoni players like Issa Bagayogo have done remix albums (which I got to be involved with) and check out for Burkinabe Yacouba Diarra the Bay Area's local Ngoni master.

Un Remix Pa Las Mamasitas

2010-06-21T17:06:00.004Z

A few friends collaborated and came out with a tune. DJ Orion and I made this remix of Isa GT's Pa' Las Mamasitas, while I was out in Austin last month. Isa is on her way to the US for an appearance at New York's Latin Alternative Music Conference in early July.

Pa' Las Mamasitas (Boima & Orion Remix)-Isa GT

Follow her on Twitter for up to the minute details on her show. Visit her myspace for all her show announcements. Visit her blog for a peak into stuff she digs, and visit her label to pick up some more great tunes!

Mr and Mrs Vamanos

2010-06-18T22:02:00.004Z

There are tearful eyes all over England tonight and it's nothing to do with a certain football result i feel i played a part in, it's because of the news that tomorrow Vamanos' days as a rum-drinking man about town are officially over.

Being half way around the world i can't attend the ceremony myself but i really hope they managed to book Omar Souleyman

Failing that, Dave Quam put me onto an awesome recording of Wedding Bands From Rajahstan and i think The Village Band who would do an awesome job too

Village Band - Jhumar

World Cup Rivalry Part 5: England vs. Algeria

2010-06-18T15:46:00.007Z

Ok the World Cup is going mad. Some big teams are going down, and I love it. So how do I approach this post? Fruko already came with the pro-Algeria post and some nice Rai tunes. So I'll have to play devil's advocate a little and post something from England. Punk rock legends The Clash's anti-authoritarian jam:

The Clash-Rock the Casbah

Dedicated to Fruko, who is embodying this spirit by supporting Algeria. If this is indicative of anything in the World Cup, and especially if the upsets continue, your allegiances are gonna get confused.

Of course, Algeria heard the message:

World Cup Rivalry Part 4 - Algeria vs England

2010-06-17T17:55:00.006Z

Not being unpatriotic but I promised myself that for the World Cup i'd always support the African team first. Things aren't looking too promising at the moment for the African nations so Algeria will definitely need my support against England tomorrow.

If anyone can inspire Algeria surely it's Cheb Khaled

Cheb Khaled - La Camel

And one more for good luck

Boutaiba Sghir - Dayha Oulabes

World Cup Rivalry Pt. 3: Cote D'Ivoire vs. Portugal

2010-06-14T22:00:00.005Z

I'm ecstatic over the Ghana win, one of my favorite teams in the Cup, and the only African team to deliver a win so far, but Les Elefants carry my hopes to keep the Cup in Africa. I need to give them all my power for when they take on Portugal tomorrow (I didn't do a post for Eto'o and see what happened!?!). Coupe Decale vs. Kuduro mayne. Let's goooo!

Dadawah

2010-06-14T21:45:00.005Z

One of the things i miss most from London would be my regular trip to Honest Jon's in Ladbroke Grove where I'd come away with far too many awesome records for my skinny arms to easily carry so it's very welcome to see from the other side of the world the shop and its labels going from strength to strength.

Not only have they released two of the greatest new records this year in T++'s sampling of old East African 78s on Wireless and Actress' brain melting loops on Splazsh, but their nascent Dug Out reissue label has given us everything from the trippy reggae-psychedlia of Dadawah to RnB inflected Dancehall of Foxy Brown.

Check out an old unmastered version of Dadawah's Seventy Two Nations below, then go a get the new undoubtedly better, new version too.

Dadawah - Seventy Two Nations

Vuvuzela House + 70s Rare Groove

2010-06-14T20:33:00.006Z

The Vuvuzela; an ingenius present from the good people of South Africa who are trying their best to drown out the ignorant comments from your average football commentator.

Now not only can we hear it whilst we watch England fail miserably in the World Cup we can be treated to its joys whilst listening to South African House too

Going back 40 years, the always diligent scholars at Strut are releasing the second volume of their insightful Soweto Township Sounds series with the third to come in early August.

Cop a free download of Mahotella Queens' Nkuli's Shuffle below. A must for fans of Afro Jazz and Rare Groove

Mahotela Queens - Nkuli's Shuffle

Buy volume two here and here.

World Cup Pt 2: US Vs England

2010-06-12T09:53:00.010Z

Oh it's like that is it Boima ?

Fair enough, the US aren't looking like jokers this year. Gotta admit Clint Dempsey has been a fucking legend at Fulham the last 4 years (rap career aside) and it's gonna be weird seeing him against England. But at the end of the day..Shhhh

Conroy Smith - Dangerous

See you on the other side !!

Fader Pitch Perfect Mix Series

2010-06-11T20:27:00.005Z

Also, for more listening pleasure, check out the Nike and The Fader's Pitch Perfect Mix Series. I was invited to do the North America one. Big up to everyone on my mix, here's the tracklist:

Los Rakas, “Abrazame (Uproot Andy Remix)” (United States/Panama/Canada)
Mr. OK, “Poto Mitan” (Canada/Haiti)
M.anifest, “Swing Low” (United States/Ghana)
Tabi Bonney, “Tick… Tick” (United States/Togo)
Toy Selectah, “Half Colombian-Half Mexican Bandit” (Mexico)
Dubbel Dutch, “Throwback” (United States)
Kush Arora, “Humidifier Jammer Club Edit” (United States)
Rita Indiana, “Poderes” (United States/Dominican Republic)
Theophilus London, “Don’t Be Afraid” (United States/Trinidad and Tobago)

World Cup Rivalry Pt. 1: England v. USA

2010-06-11T19:45:00.007Z

Haitian-American Jozy Altidore

A rivalry amongst us Ghetto Bassquakers? Today's matches were great, big up Group A, (my allegiances were torn, so I'm happy all around) but let's get down to the nitty gritty with a friendly taunt... England, what you got?

Wyclef-Ghetto Racine (PJ's Creole Mix)

See you tomorrow!

Afro Cup This Friday !

2010-06-10T19:51:00.008Z

This Friday after screenings of the opening games i'll be playing my favourite

Durban house, kuduro, coupe decale and and lots more jump up African jams. Secousse Sound System ft. A.J. Holmes, Vamanos & MC Kastro begin the World Cup parties at The Afro Cup at Rich Mix in East London also a live set from The Hackney Empire..FREE FREE FREE !!

A Call Home

2010-06-08T22:20:00.005Z

An African Hip House Classic Gets Remixed for the 2010 World Cup. And a (very) brief history of African Rap in the US over at WFMU.

DJS Pareja

2010-06-08T20:47:00.005Z

Comeme's awesome DJS Pareja have served up a fine mix of afro-electro, uk funky, schaffel techno and Tom Tom Club remixes before finishing it off with one of my top two techno tracks of the year so far (MMM's Nous Sommes) over at Del Jardin Latino.

Download the mix here and for those of you with a basic grasp of Spanish there's an interview to read too.

Masalacism Bounce

2010-06-08T20:30:00.003Z

Masalacism, Montreal's awesome blog/radioshow launch what promises to be a heavy hitting label, if their blog has been anything to go by in the last few years. The first release is a digital EP from Montreal-Haitian Creole Hip Hop artist Mr OK, weighing in with some bass heavy dirt raps over Haitian folk samples. The EP Men Mwen features a great remix our own Chief Boima hot off the heals from his own debut release Techno Rumba EP on Dutty Arts.

Download a track and purchase the 5 track EP over at Maslacism.

Buy on itunes or Amazon

Mr OK - Men Mwen

Tracklisting:
01. Mr OK ft Larose – Yaya (Prod Freeworm)
02. Mr OK – Men Mwen (Prod Benkele)
03. Mr OK – Bese Ba (Prod Freeworm)
04. Mr OK – Poto Mitan (Prod Benkele)
05. Mr OK ft Larose – Yaya (Chief Boima Remix)

Check out this interview with Masalacism's Valeo over at The Fader

Kode9

2010-06-08T20:24:00.006Z

Two years after everyone's favourite angsty basshead Kode9 deplored "fashionable tropical music" (in Plan B i think but if anyone can send us a link to the interview it would be muchly appreciated) he continues to lighten up and to dip his toes into some warm tropical waters.

K7 are giving away a free download of his new Marimba sampling funky dub "You Don't Wash" here which is part of his forthcoming DJ Kicks mix.

The tracklisting looks pretty great too, not only does it start with the lush "Once in a while" by Werk Discs' Lone but it takes in everything from Kwaito (Mujava's Pleaze Mugwanti) to the now ubiquitous pitched down Juke of Addison Groove's 'Footcrab'.

Check the Lone tune below

Champeta Champagne

2010-06-08T10:10:00.002Z

I always find it fascinating how Champeta has evolved from Colombian DJs playing African soukous records, influencing bands of the time, to the new electronic soundsystem style - one part Baile funk, one part King Jammys.

Just found a great interview with Edwin, a champeta DJ in Cartagena over The Aesthetic Poet which is super interesting.

For a more visual take, LES ROIS CRÉOLES DE LA CHAMPETA is new documentary (French subtitles) by LUCAS SILVA & SERGIO ARRIA.

Thirty years ago, sailors brought the first African records to Colombia. Since then, DJs and black musicians have reworked these rhythms.
Adding an Afro-Colombian feel and rap and raggamuffin influences, they gave birth to a new musical mixture called Champeta, vibrating the sound systems of black shantytowns.

Check out a clip and purchase the DVD here

Tracing the origins of Champeta in the 50s right up to the 90s (before it turned properly electro), an awesome new compilation called Palenque Palenque! is released this week on Soundways filled with rattling Afro-Colobian party jams.

This is a little taster of the album which is buyable here or here.

Son Palenque - Tungalala (El Sapo)

Also check out this amazing gallery of Champeta Sound Systems at Flickr.

Secousse World Cup Afro Special Party Pics

2010-06-07T15:33:00.013Z

This was a banging party. Massive sets from The Hackney Empire, Afrikan Boy, DJ Edu & The Secousse Sound System. Big up to everyone who came down, it was too much fun. Below are some pics taken by Dave Swindells. More here. And some more over at Vice.

Next dance is JULY 2nd at Notting Hill Arts Club.

Secousse Sound System Radio June Podcast

2010-06-01T10:46:00.009Z

London is getting hotter. Secousse Sound System heats it up a bit more - Myself, Mo and A.J. Holmes playing you some Secousse flavours on the new show we did for London Fields Radio.

Secousse Sound System on LFR

Malcolm Mclaren - Double Dutch (RIP)
Tshetsha Boys - Vomaseve
Big Nuz ft. DJ Tira- Umlilo
El-B & Noodles -We Don't Play (The Heatwave Remix)
Los Rakas - Abrazame (Uproot Andy RMX)
A.J. Holmes & The Hackney Empire - Fraudian Slip (A.J. Holmes Remix) (RELEASED ON GHETTO BASSQUAKE THIS SUMMER)
Unknown Tribal Guarachero
DJ Sbu - Vuvuzela
The Very Best ft Mo Laudi - Angonde (Johan Hugo Remix)
Abelardo Carbona Y Su Conjunto - Palenque
Mfaz Mnonyama - Uyangiganjela
Folo Ebenezer Graff And African Maringer Safari - Fire Fire

Secousse World Cup Afro Special

2010-05-29T15:35:00.006Z

Secousse is back this Friday 4th June with a World Cup Afro Special.

As the World Cup is coming up we thought we'd bring you a very special party of sheer African heat to celebrate. So bring your Vuvuzelas and your flags to rep your team because we've got Massive live sets from Afrikan Boy & The Hackney Empire, with DJ sets from DJ Edu (1Xtra) and The Secousse Soundsystem Ft. Radioclit, Vamanos, A.J.Holmes, Mo & Kastro. Also there will be special exclusive Secousse T-shirt giveaways from PUMA.

You can find all the info at the Notting Hill Arts club.

And here's a wicked freebie from Moroka, the newest memeber of The Secousse Sound System, who put together a great mix of classic and brand new South African Kwaito House.

( New download link)

Secousse SA House Kwaito Mix by Moroka

Tracklist

Thiba/taxi intro-Dj dikota
show dem- jr &hhp
bop killers -Brothers Of Peace Featuring Zulu & Costa
tops off -sdunkero
superman-big nuz
umlilo-big nuz
udaddy onemali-Cndo feat Big Nuz DJ Tira & Phila
Sasho-DJ Sox feat Tzozo & Sosha
I got money-Mzekezeke
Mzimba Shaker ft Baba Mthetwa-Dj Cleo
Choosing love-S'dunkero
Vuvuzele bafana-Sbu
Mugwanti(sgwejegweje)/taxi outro-Dj Mujava

Uproot Andy Summer Euro Tour

2010-05-29T08:16:00.006Z

Brooklyn's Uproot Andy hits the road, bringing his Tropical firepower for a tour of Europe this summer. Be sure catch him with a tonne of awesome guests in your town soon.

He's sent us this exclusive mixtape made up of minimixes from Andy followed by Tete de Tigre, Jay Weed & Douster. Tracklist will be up here soon.

Uproot Andy, Tete de Tigre, Jay Weed & Douster - Brousse Criminal Mixtape

Tracklist

Uproot Andy
Techno Rumba (Uproot Andy RMX) - Chief Boima
Esperanto (Uproot Andy Pocoto edit) - Zombie Disco Squad
Killa Sound ft. No Lay - Zinc
Mayoral (Uproot Andy RMX) - Oscar Aviles
La Fila India rmx - Voltio ft. Sensato & DNC
Sticky Situation (Toddla T RMX) - Lady Chann
El Bebe Ambiente - Nguzunguzu
El Puchi Lockoff (5to Elemento vs Chimpo) - Uproot Andy

Tête de Tigre
Tête de Tigre – Atezca
Jamtech Foundation - Too Fast (Camel Remix)
Sekta feat Spoek – Peter Pan (Julio Bashmore remix)
Femme en fourrure - Dirty Blonde (Madkids Remix)
Loose Village – Kamuela
Shab Ruffcut – Hustler (Melé Remix)
Cubic Zirconia - Josephine (Egyptrixx Remix)

Jay Weed
Egyptrixx - everybody bleeding (kingdom remix)
Nguzunguzu - got u
Girl unit - shade on
Jay Weed - the naos
Roulet - Kitamanda (girl unit remix)
Jay weed - City Staccs
Doc daneeka - Drums in the deep
Mosca - Gold bricks, i see you

Douster
Busy Signal - Jafrican Thing
Marcus Price & Carli - Mat Bira Kvinnor Weed (Kingdom remix)
Crookers ft. Yelle - Cooler Cooler (Douster remix)
Bobmo - Spinning all arround (Douster remix)
DJ sega x Lil Jon - Be remix x Machuka
DVA - Ganja
Shystie - Pull it (Ill Blu Remix)
Douster & Savage Skulls ft. Chords - Rendez-Vous

Uproot Andy Summer Euro Tour Dates

> 27.05 // Uproot Andy + Twist It + Dj Bassleer (Rebel Up!) + Bison @ Bazaart // BRUSSELS (BE)
> 28.05 // Uproot Andy @ Bomb Diggy //AMSTERDAM (NL)
> 29.05 // Uproot Andy @ Worm // ROTTERDAM (NL)
> 02.06 // Jay Weed+ Tete de Tigre + Douster + Bison @ Social Club // PARIS (FR)
> 03.06 // Solo + Uproot Andy + Jay Weed + Tete de Tigre +Guests !! @ La Marquise // LYON (FR)
> 04.06 // Schlachthofbronx + Uproot Andy + Douster @ Distorsion Festival //COPENHAGEN (DK)
> 05.06 // Uproot Andy + Douster + Mowgli @ L'Autre Canal // NANCY (FR)
> 10.06 // Uproot Andy + Jay Weed+ Tête de Tigre @ Hinterhof // BASEL (CH)
> 11.06 // Uproot Andy + Jay Weed+ Tête de Tigre @ Altes Wettbüro //DRESDEN (D)
> 12.06 // Uproot Andy + Jay Weed+ Tête de Tigre @ Superkronik // LEIPZIG (D)
> 18.06 // Uproot Andy - "Dublin Tropical"Birthday Party w/ ZZK Club : Fauna, El Remolon, EL G @ Twisted Pepper-DUBLIN(IR)
> 19.06 // Uproot Andy - "Muevete" w/ DJ iZem (Groovalizacion) @ Notting Hill Arts Club / LONDON (UK)
> 24.06 // Uproot Andy + Bomba Estereo @ Glazaart // PARIS (FR)
> 25.06 // Uproot Andy + Tête de Tigre + Schlachthofbronx + Daniel Haaksman @ Zoo (Usine) // GENEVA (CH)

Shangaan - Old and New

2010-05-21T01:58:00.011Z

Sometimes i spend hours on youtube just burrowing through all of the videos, there are times when i stop and realise i have to stop and that i should have gone to bed two hours ago, but sometimes i find stuff like this

It seems as though Shangaan is really taking off, Eddie Stats has mentioned it not once but twice in recent weeks. Apparently Outside Music's Wills Glasspiegel plans to release some in the near future, that will sit very nicely next to all Kwaito comps which help us to actually hear decent versions of this and not to have to make do with youtube clips.

Vamanos' mate Mo, one of the Secousse Sound System, kindly sent over some old Shangaan mp3s, check this one by Nozinja below

Nozinja - N'wagezani

I'm really hoping somebody out there will create some supermix of sped up beats that takes in Juke, Funana, Bubu, Shangaan and a whole heap of other stuff. When Salem posted a Juke mix on XXJFG a while back they even managed to fit some Gabber in there...

Panama Turf War

2010-05-19T20:06:00.006Z

Everyone's favourite Panamanian-Bay Area reggaetonica hyphie rockers, Los Rakas have just dropped their sick new video for 'Soy Raka'. As you can see it's mad sunny and full of nuts dances I can't do. If you haven't got it yet, grab their Hold Yuh refix by Uproot Andy that Boima posted and their highly awesome mixtape.

Via The Fader

Assume Crash Position

2010-05-17T09:43:00.007Z

Last weekend I was lucky enough to catch the incredible Congolese Trance hurricane of Konono No1. at Matt Groening's ATP (live clip) alongside brilliant sets from Amadou & Mariam and Toumani Diabate.
Anyways, Konono smashed it, like a Brazilian street carnival warped through a rusty Congolese distortion pedal. They've just dropped an awesome new album called Assume Crash Position on Crammed Discs. This is a particularly nice one.

Konono No 1. - Guiyome

Buy it here or here

And for the vinyl lovers Crammed have released a full Congotronic box set featuring an amzing collection of material by Konono No1, Kassai Allstars & Staff Benda Bilili.

Petrona in Space

2010-05-17T07:39:00.012Z

Ok, I have to wrap up this little post fest with the final track (last but not least) of my latest favorite afrolatinoclubremix tracks. New York's Nate Mars comes with a great half time dancehall remix of a Petrona Martinez tune.

Petrona Martinez-ARoRo (Nate Mars Remix)

Nate just released a full length album, Concentric Circles. Buy it here, or iTunes. Check out HIS soundcloud for more!

Do you hear the Sonora?

2010-05-17T07:26:00.011Z

I had a blast running around Texas last March, hanging with friends, drinking too much, going to off the wall parties. I got to take a little break from the madness that was SXSW and hopped down to San Antonio for DJ Sonora to introduce me and Isa GT to the madness that is Sonido Mundial.

I'm headed back to Texas this weekend to play the Peligrosa party in Austin at Club Deville on Friday and then back to Sananto to meet up with Sr. Sonora to play Lava Lounge on Saturday. To understand how fun these are going to be check out this track of Lil' Wayne Afro-Colombian-Dominicanized.

Lil' Wayne-Drop the World (Sonora Remix)

Check his soundcloud for more, and see you soon Texas!

Esta ciudad es una ciudad fantasma

2010-05-13T02:20:00.008Z

Everyone knows the clubbing situation in Buenos Aires has been harsh in the last few years.

Although it gave us the awesomeness of the BumBumBox/Comeme crew, once winter hits we can't be expecting them to play us DJ sets in the park where Ron Hardy tracks are mixed with Peruvian Chica every weekend.

The awesome Fantasma however, have stepped in with a perfectly timed cover of The Specials' 'Ghost Town' (which you can download below) to soundtrack the harshness of an Argentinian winter whilst you in the northern hemisphere enjoy summer.

Fantasma - Ghost Town

This actually takes over Kode9 and The Spaceape's version as my favourite cover of the track. Listen to the close second below and check out more of what Fantasma are up to here

Ghetto Bassbook

2010-05-06T20:50:00.005Z

We made a Facebook Group. Come and join.

Ghetto Bassquake Facebook Group

(Promise not to send you lots of irrelevant messages)

Svenska Palmas

2010-05-05T22:21:00.006Z

Swedish Tropical Master Blasters, High Life are kinda of our Secousse scandinavian cousins. Apart from destroying Stockholm with their awesome parties, they are shit hot good times DJs too. They just did a great mini mix for Radio P3, basically the only decent music station in Sweden. Git It...

P3 Pop Mini-Mix! by High Life

1. Douster - King Of Africa
2. Ida Engberg & David West - Abtaka
3. Yolanda Be Cool - Afro Nuts
4. Africarribean Connections - My Name Is Afro Blue
5. Dj Caloudji, Dj Arafat, Marginal, Serpent Noir & Tevecinq- Pipo
6. Meiway - DJ Tassouman
7. Chief Boima - Jesus Faroter
8. Dj Gregory & Sidney Samson - Dama S Salon
9. Killamu - Sukuma
10. Batida - Yumbala
11. Kassav - Zouk La Se Sel Medikaman Nou Ni

Ethiopique Rockers Throwback

2010-05-05T19:25:00.002Z

Loving this new one from Nas & Damian Marley. Sampling the classic Mulatu Asteke track, Yegelle Tezeta. Released on 18th May by VP. Sounding like some old Wu Tang bizniz.

DMCAaaaaay!

2010-05-04T11:48:00.004Z

I've had only a couple of DMCA take down notices, luckily not a full blog removal like others (yet). The latest came last week removing a post from 2007 - I've actually got a secret back up of this blog over at wordpress so you can see the post here.

In it, i simply posted an mp3 by Collie Buddz. The Z-share link is dead and probably has been for a couple of years. I also included a link to a retailer where the album could be purchased. So, what exactly is Google's issue with this post ? - The dead file share link ? I doubt it. My suspicions are that the DMCA notices attack random post on blogs that share music without actually researching what the blog's background or intensions.

Good job we're outta here asap....

One for Saturday Night

2010-05-02T04:12:00.008Z

On my way out the door, headed to my gig at Little Baobab, I had to share this track, which I'm really excited to drop tonight. Rico of Los Rakas did this after being inspired by the huge response he saw Hold Yuh getting in New York when he visited a little while back.

The track is big, on the way to becoming a crossover smash (it's the keys!) and right now there's a bunch of versions out there, but this is my new favorite.

Rico "Filthy Rich" (Los Rakas)-Abrazame feat. Fabiola

Destroy Borders

2010-04-29T08:22:00.014Z

ZWART LICHT - DUBTRIP (FS GREEN REMIX) from mixin creativity on Vimeo.

Last summer on my trip around Europe I spent some time in Amsterdam visiting a couple of electronic music/hip hop festivals. A couple weeks back on the WFMU blog, I talked about Zwart Licht, the above group whom I saw at the Applesap festival. They got my attention because of their heavy UK Dubstep and US influenced beats, and the reaction they incited in the crowd. See them tearing down the place at Oosterpark, over on that post.

In that post I kind of veer off on my impressions of the racial environment in Amsterdam. I find the cultural production and identity play in immigrant youth culture in Northern Europe so interesting. It seems that in places like the Netherlands, youth of color are carving out a niche to define their place in a nation where people don't traditionally look like them. There is varying degrees of acceptance and backlash, originality and imitation, but perhaps they are on the way to having the kind of cultural impact similar communities have had in the U.S. or the U.K.

And then there's Arizona.

Baloji be on that Rumba

2010-04-29T08:06:00.009Z

LE JOUR D'APRES / SIKU YA BAADAYE (INDEPENDANCE CHA-CHA) from BALOJI on Vimeo.

Something must be in the air (no volcanic ash.) Rumba (or in this case cha cha cha) has inspired an amazing old school referencing video by the greatest music video maker in the world right now, Baloji. Sampling (or covering) Dr. Nico and Grand Kalle it's an independence jam from 1960. Seeing as this is the month for many of the African nations' independence anniversaries, and the Congo's 50th this year, the release is quite timely as well. RUMBA!

Thanks Sonja!

For more on my current obsession with Rumba check my last WFMU post.

Chief Boima's Techno Rumba

2010-04-27T18:54:00.007Z

Not content with posting continuous awesomeness here on Ghetto Bassquake, a massive release from our very own Chief Boima, dropping his all new EP on Dutty Artz. The Techno Rumba single is the next slamming leg in his inspired blend of rolling African riddims with electronic club sounds. Big remixes come from Dutty Artz Tropical hype miesters DJ/Rupture, Uproot Andy & Matt Shadetek.

Techno Rumba tracklist

01 Chief Boima - Techno Rumba
02 Chief Boima - Techno Rumba (DJ /rupture and Matt Shadetek Remix)
03 Chief Boima - Techno Rumba (Uproot Andy Ojalá Rumba Remix)
04 Chief Boima - Baobab Connect

Grab Techno Rumba right now on Itunes or Amazon or Boomkat.

And to go with the single, a very special Afro Latino-Rumba mix by Boima playing some of the jams he plays at his Little Boabab club in SF.

Boima says "What's important about Boabab is that it is an African club in the heart of the city's main nightlife districts where Africans can go to a place that feels like home in America but it's not marginalized as an ethnic club on the outskirts of the city. The music reflects this. Drawing influences from the Mission (historically latin) neighborhood, but also from all of our upbringings as first and second generation Africans, and an identity as black people in America. It is a place where I've been able to bridge the disparate worlds' that I grew up in and create something that represents myself and my diverse experiences through music."

Chief Boima - Little Boabab Mix

Rumba sin Fronteras-Sergent Garcia
Techno Rumba (Matt Shadetek & dj /rupture Dutty Artz Remix)-Chief Boima
Machete-Novalima
Angola (Carl Craig Remix)-Cesaria Evora
SOKINSIKARTEP (LP Version)-Osunlade
Umoja feat Kampi Moto (Original Mix)-Mzee
Mama (Chief Boima Techno Rumbita Remix)-Les Garagistes
Pata Pata (feat Lerato)-Matias Aguayo
Mario-Franco
Techno Rumba-Chief Boima
Agbaza Mimin-T.P. Polythmo
Rumba Cha Cha (Toy Selectah Refix)-Sonidero Nacional
Parkiando (Uproot Andy Ragu Mix)
Señor Matanza-Mano Negra
Ombre-Elle-Gnawa Diffusion
Safari (Featuring Viviane Ndour)-Mokobe
Confession vs. Baile Aleman-Chief Boima
Indelible-Pearson Sound
Droit Chemin-Fally Ipupa
El Latino (Original Mix)-Basti Grub
El Tren featuring Corrales & Prince Nico Mbarga-The King Elio Boom
Techno Rumba (Uproot Andy Ojala Rumba Rmx)
Seka Seka-Mareshall DJ
Cuando Llegare-Amara Toure

Uncarved Radio

2010-04-25T11:29:00.005Z

The always amazing John Eden is back with a great new Uncarved radio show. Among plenty of things, John knows crazy amounts about UK reggae. On this show he unearths here mind boggling genres that you probably never knew existed like 80s UK Digital Soca from the 80s, Rapso ( UK Rap and calypso) and reggae flavoured grime.

Grab the podcast here

John Eden - Uncarved Radio Vol. 4

Botswana's Finest

2010-04-21T11:50:00.013Z

Been waiting for this ever since we posted his amazing first single, Dumelang. From the village of Palapye, home of Ruff Riddims Botswana, Skeat has dropped his first album on the excellent Akwaaba label. It delivers an awesome mash up of Kawaito, Kwassa House and Congolese music, we're loving this High-Life sound.

This is an exclusive cut that is going straight in our record box. This version is @ 128.

Skeat - Relela

Go grab the entire album Basimanyana Mamela Meropa @ 320 now on Itunes .

London Socamerenguetek Tekova

2010-04-17T09:02:00.008Z

Sumsin and Murkules basically brought the party harder than most Djs we've ever had at Secousse. When they're not going apeshit with their crew to a pile up of Soca, merengue, Tribal and dancehall they're taking the party on road with their awesome portable soundsystem to unsuspecting outdoor locations in London. These boys ARE carnival.

Sumsin's new mental soca riddim, Behind is therefore an acid crazed beast. Here's the vocal version.

Sumsin -Behind

Check the Where's Sumsin ? video here and come see them return for more dancefloor destruction at Secousse this summer.

And here is a great party starting mix 'Routes of Socamerenguetek'. As Sumsin says:

Soca merengue house funky tropical bass latin world salsa
A one hour scoot through some of the global sounds feeding sumsin.

Don't mind the cheeses, they're tasteful in the tangy way.

Routes of socamerenguetek by sumsin

TRACKLIST

Anzala, Dolor, Velo – Ti fi la ou te madam
Jumpin Back Slash – Ibhithi Two – Pollinate Records
Animal Collective – My Girls (El Remolon Cumbia Mix)
Lil Rick – All Day All Nite
Sonido Trucha – A Bailar – Space Cumbia
Lyon Ft. Dixson Waz (Prod by K.O.) – Vamo A Montano
Zan Ft. Serani – Hold You Down (DJ Corleoni Mix)
Kevin Little Ft. Lexus – Come See Me
Afrosound – Pacifico
Malente and Dex ft. New Kidz – Lions (Douster Remix)
KMC – Doh Tape Meh
Special Forces – Sidewinder (blnd! 4×4 Mix) whilst Germ MC spikes the mic
Charles ft. DJ Morphius – Abusadora (DJ Sheeqo Beat & DJ Aza Tribal Mix)
Sumsin – Me Tocastes
Chopped Palaver
Sumsin – Sexpot Riddim (Paul Franklynn’s Overboiled Baloo)
Machel Montano – Jumbie – (Remix Riddim DJ Bass Remix)
Tito Swing – El Bolon
Problem C – Galarytis
Unknown Mumbo
Adolescent’s Orquesta – Confianza

Funana Friday

2010-04-16T11:21:00.005Z

In case you need some Funana in your life to get the weekend jamming (at high speed), from a truly amazing new compilation of Cape Verdean bangers called Projecto Funana & Batuku 2010.

Jorge Neto - Salta Rapacinhu

Jorge's jacket in the excellent video is Very Orange and pretty cool.

Bananas!*

2010-04-13T09:36:00.013Z

BANANAS!* trailer from WG Film on Vimeo.

It's no secret that the strangulating exploitative economic controls that US Fruit companies have on farmers in Central America is outrageous. And it's no new thing, it's been going on ever since the days of the Banana Republics. Haven't seen it yet, but Bananas!*, a new Swedish film looks at the current situation between food multinationals and impoverished Nicaraguan farmers who are being threatened, poisoned, infertilised and generally forced to sell their crops for pocket change. Nice one fruit companies. Like they could ever come up with campesino cumbia mixes like this which I picked up in Nicaragua a couple of years ago. Sorry no tracklist.

Pazzandezas - Mix Las Putierrez 2

Check out Bananas!* at The ICA in London and imminent US distribution.

If you didn't grab it before, a tropical mix of Nicaraguan stuff i did - VOLCANICS

Amadou & Mariam (Sabo RMX)

2010-04-12T16:01:00.006Z

We've been big fan's of New York's Sabo for a while. I first heard his summery latin
vibes on a great mixtape he did a few years back called Funky Verano (recommended).

His Sol Selecta's label has been dropping some great Afro-Latin inflected disco for a while. The next one, No. 10, is a stone cold banger and features this exclusive dubby house remix of Amadou & Mariam. We heart it alot.

Amadou & Mariam - Aritstiya (Sabo RMX)

Also check out some new remixes and edits he's got up at his Soundcloud for download.

Buraka Som Sistema-Essential Mix

2010-04-12T09:23:00.005Z

A great punishing new mix from Buraka Som Sistema. As always, tearing up bumping kuduro with all kinds of Afro-Tropical-Electro club awesomeness. The Penultimate track is from Ghetto Bassquake's mate Brixton's Photomachine - Get his Bass heavy 'Burn Up' over at The Fader.

Buraka Som Sistema - Essential Mix ((Hotfile)

Tracklist

01. Barros de Landana — Tambi La Rosa / CDR
02. Wildlife — Jumbe / Phree Music
03. King of Africa — Douster / Mental Groove
04. DJ Gregory & Sidney Samson — Salon (feat Dama S) / Defected
05. Kid Kaio feat Buiza — Broadway / CDR
06. L.B.G. — Dont Stop the Music (Bart B More Remix) / CDR
07. DJ Malvado — Puto Mekie / CDR
08. DJ Cucanas — El Canto / CDR
09. Mosca — Square One / Night Slugs
10. SBTRKT & Sampha — Break Off / CDR
11. Sam Tiba — Barbie Weed / Top Billin’
12. Rye Rye — Bang (Buraka Remix) / NEET Recordings
13. Max Morrel — Back Yard Riddim / Cheaper Thrills
14. Major Lazer Major Lazer — Pon de Floor (Drop the lime Remix) / Mad Decent
15. Oliver Twizt feat Maluca — Loca / Mad decent
16. Girl Unit — I.R.L (French Fries Remix) / Night Slugs
17. J Wow — O Dedo / Mad Decent
18. Nouveau Yorican — Boriqua (Douster Remix) / Sound Pellegrino
19. Nic Sarno — Mana Wasa / Enchufada CDR
20. Roulet — Kitamanda (J-WOW Remix) / Enchufada
21. Bok Bok — Dance Report / Enchufada
22. Beyoncé Beyoncé — Diva (Buraka Bootleg) / CDR
23. Buraka Som Sistema — Kurum (Roulet remix) / Enchufada/Fabric
24. Benga Benga — Night (Buraka remix) / CDR
25. DJ Znobia — Dança da mãe Ju (Buraka Edit) / Enchufada
26. Rusko Rusko — Cockney Thug (Buraka Remix) / Dub Police
27. Elephant Man Elephant Man — Ova da wall (MRK1 remix) / CDR
28. Riton & Primary 1 — Radiates (Joker remix) / Warner Music UK
29. Amanda Blank — Make it take it (Buraka remix) / Downtown
30. Buraka Som Sistema — Luanda/Lisboa (Dj Riot remix) / CDR
31. Buraka Som Sistema — Coozi o mambo / Enchufada
32. MastikSoul — Macarron (Buraka remix) / 4kenzo
33. Skream Skream — Filth / Tempa
34. Stenchman — Puking Over / Bovinyl Moosik
35. Buraka Som Sistema — Sound of Kuduro (Lil John remix) / Enchufada/Fabric
36. Buraka Som Sistema — Aqui pra voçês (Riot’s Buratronic mix) / Enchufada/Fabric
37. Daft Punk Daft Punk — Burning / Virgin
38. L-Vis 1990 — Compass / Sound Pellegrino
39. Project Bassline — Twelfth Step (Melé Remix) / CDR
40. Ku Bo — Kaggua (Batida Remix) / Man Recordings
41. Congorock — Babylon (feat. Mr Lexx) / Fools Gold
42. L-Vis 1990 — United groove (Buraka Remix) / Mad Decent
43. DJ Zinc vs BSS — Blunt Kalemba / CDR
44. Photomachine — Burn Up / CDR
45. Os Korimbas — Jemba Braguez / CDR

Via Discobelle

Guilty Pleasure

2010-04-06T10:10:00.006Z

Soca-Reggaeton refix!

Rhianna - Rude Boy (Wukup Remix)

Debut ISA GT on Man Recordings

2010-04-06T09:07:00.009Z

Isa GT is on her game right now. Mere days after we posted awesome her track with Dutch Rythm Combo she's back with her excellent long awaited debut EP on Man Recordings.

Titled the "Pa´Chikirri" EP, the opener "Pela´o", whisks us to an imaginary Colombian baile funk party (which is probably actually in Brixton or Hackney), blasting an unholy pile up of Champeta, Funk Carioca and ravey beats. 'Pela´o" has been remixed with a banging ghetto tec style by Italian top dogs Crookers, as well as Rio De Janeiro´s Baile Funk-Techno-Brega tropical smasher João Brasil who's turned in a stormer.

Isa GT "Pela´o" (Crookers Remix) from Man Recordings on Vimeo.

"Pa´Las Mamasitas" is a girl power song with a Cumbia influence. Lyrically, it´s on the lack of good guys in London. A radio and club friendly remix comes from Man Recordings boss Daniel Haaksman streamable right hurr..

Isa GT - Pa´Las Mamasitas (Daniel Haaksman Remix) by Daniel Haaksman / Man Rec

Out today to buy digitally at itunes, or Juno

Secousse April Tonite!

2010-04-02T09:44:00.002Z

A massive start to Easter holidays (insert multiple airhorns here)

Secousse @ Notting Hill Arts club. Friday April 2nd.

Live
Harare
The Hackney Empire

Decks
The Sick Girls (Berlin)
Secousse Sound System ft Radioclit, A.J. Holmes, Vamanos & Mo with MC Kastro

Info at Facebook & My space.

Coupe Decale vs. Bounce

2010-03-31T21:01:00.005Z

I wrote a couple more rambling thought posts over at WFMU. On (va) Coupe Decale

And Bounce

I kind of made the realization that the reason why I like Bounce is the same reason I like Coupe Decale. The tracks highlighted, I think seem to compliment each other, and now I'm working on a Sissy Nobby Coupe Decale remix.

Check all the werds here.

Que Penya, Kenya Banga

2010-03-31T19:28:00.019Z

Well now, Just A Band don' gone and blown themselves up. Did you catch the Makmende craze comin' out of Nairobi? The fiber optic cable has apparently arrived and Africa is on your digital doorstep poised to take over your mind. Check out this cool interview with the Just A Band on CNN, whose members seem somewhat surprised by their own successes:

(via akwaaba)

And now you can purchase their album 82 through Akwaaba Music, who is offering the song Ha-He for free!

As Sean Jacobs said, don't SLEEP on Kenya! Masala has been paying attention, and Get Mziki is always up on the new out of East Africa. Just A Band who is helping to define a new sound through high quality production in Nairobi are part of a collective of Kenyan artists under the name Penya Records.

Penya is a studio based in Nairobi run by repatriated Kenyan rapper Wawesh, whose Mjanja track is one of my favorite rap tracks.

He is contrasting the styles of Ogopa Records and Calif Records, who are doing more digital and synthesized productions, by promoting artists who play instruments like Muthoni the Drummer Queen, Sauti Sol, and Stan. They are doing some real high quality produced music AND videos.

Check their Youtube channel. Here is a nice one by Dela that should work for fans of South African House or UK Funky:

And the dope Kenya-Naija collabo highlighted by Masala:

Sauti Sol General Pype, Sasha P-Mara Hio Hio (Direct Download via Masala)

In related news, I want to point out that my friends at the Sauti Academy have put together a nice blog page where you can see some nice videos of jam sessions from the school and the work that they are doing with Nairobi youth.

Their goal is to train local musicians with real instruments and give them the resources to take their music careers into their own hands. When I was in Nairobi this past December, I hung out with the crew on Christmas, we had one of the funniest and fun jam sessions I've ever been a part of. I was also able to attend one of their workshops in a community outside of Nairobi which was very inspirational.

Check for my homie Insect who will be appearing on some Banana Clipz in the very near future, and if you're headed to Nairobi, or feel like supporting a great program, contact Natalie at Sauti Academy.

Pon The Corner

2010-03-30T10:40:00.001Z

We're not massive on mash ups but this one's definitely a heater, from London's Al Fingers. A sweet blend of Pass Out and Richie Spice's evergreen anthem, Marijuana. Smoke it Up.

Richie Spice - Marijuana (Al Fingers Pass Out Refix)

And go grab the Capleton edit too on his site.

Secousse Radio Live from Hackney

2010-03-29T10:48:00.001Z

On Friday night A.J. Holmes and myself played some tunes on London Fields Radio in Hackney.

Download or stream here.

Lucas Seque - unknown
Las Pisikatas - Leyes de Reforma
Dutch Rhythm Combo - Alerta ft ISA GT
DJ Takalani - unknown
JR feat. HHP - Show Dem
Batida - Yumbala
Sleigh Bells - Crown on The Ground (demo)
Problem Child - Party Animal
Xylitol - Alomo (A.J. Holmes Remix)
Radioclit - Tutule Dance
Afrikan Boy - My name is Kunta Kinte (demo)
Erick Rincon - La Bomba Tribal
DJ Juanito - El Punetazo Tribal
DJ Moises - Single Ladies
Duda - Dja Txiga nha bes
Super Combo - Ngombu

Alerta

2010-03-28T22:43:00.001Z

Our good friend, Colombian Tropical-electro star Isa GT has been destroying London and now the world with her DJ sets, live shows and bewildering amount of parties. From Champeta to Bass heavy club shit she's know for leaving the heads ringing and dancefloors sweating. In short, we all love her.

Isa has just voiced a great slinky disco number from Dutch Rhythm Combo's debut album, sure to get the dancefloor grinding.

Dutch Rhythm Combo -'Alerta' feat. Isa GT

Charanjit Singh

2010-03-27T15:45:00.003Z

Everyone's going crazy for this and rightly so, forget Chicago, Detroit or Miami. In the 80's the real party was in Bombay.

I found out about this a few years back in of all places Pitchfork, but had to be content with a dodgy vinyl rip i found on a blog.

Now however you can get a lovingly restored vinyl reissue thanks to Bombay Connection. This is one of the greatest records i've ever heard.

Buy it at Bleep

Radio Secousse 24HR

2010-03-23T15:05:00.009Z

In case you haven't been able to make it down to Secousse yet, you can hear the kind of jams we're playing 24hrs a day on the all new Secousse streaming radio.

Radio Secousse 24HR

Make the Circle BIGGER !!!

2010-03-23T08:45:00.003Z

I got the post Mexico blues but this absolute ANTHEM is making me shake the trees. Straight from South Africa, please make this the World Cup anthem and go buy Show Dem (Make the Circle Bigger) by JR feat. HHP on itunes.

The KrackMaxter

2010-03-22T23:14:00.016Z

Was chatting with Dave Quam about the utter unsung GENIUS of Portugal's DJ Normal Nada. We both realised that we haven't blogged his stuff as it seemed too special to tell the world but both decided that that kind of attitude is pretty lame and NN deserves mad props for making some of the craziest beautiful music out there.

1. He produced possibly the finest Funana track in the world - Duda's Dja Txiga Nha Bes

2. His tight productions range from the hardest kuduro to the most melodic Kizomba, Kuduro, Funana, Tarraxinha, Gumbé, Coupé-Décale that kicks most other producers out of the water.

3. His website is an incredible treasure trove of free music that should be downloaded and rinsed.

4. He has a crazy screaming name drop on loads of his tracks calling himself The KrackMaxster.

5. No one else can claim to making an incredible 2 minute piece of melodic, breakneck speed, beauty like this song, defying any genre. Easily one of my favourite tracks of the year.

Normal Nada - Kukiza k Kuia

Which is from a massive collection of tracks his free downloadable album.

DJ Normal Nada -Estrago Vol 1 (Megaupload)

6. He is a cartoonist and posts up his illistrations as well as a pretty big selection of videos, music software and porn.

CDR Mexica

2010-03-11T17:02:00.002Z

Pleased to say that all three of us from Ghetto Bassquake are in the Americas right now. I´m in Mexico city.
Aside from eating the best tacos I could only have ever dreamed about, I´ve been hunting down some music in the city´s markets. They are huge and kind of swallow you up. The mercardo de Sonora, is the witches market, where I took this photo, was pretty crazy, selling everything from voodoo stuff, (even Afro-Caribbean spirtiual drumming CDRs) to pets - Damn I never knew you could get that many puppies in one cage! So here is some awsome Tribal guarachero that I picked up today directo. More to come soon..

DJ Juanito - El Puñetazo Tribal (Cajete del ojo)

Nakupenda Nairobi

2010-03-10T04:49:00.024Z

I promised awhile back to highlight some favorite tracks from my Nairobi CD-R shopping, but I've been busy in my underground bunker cookin' up nuclear bombs like Iran.

So to catch up a little here's another Hey Baby tune, but this time a smooth pop anthem by my favorite Kenyan producers Ogopa DJs.

Marya feat. Colonel Mustapha-Hey Baby

When I was in Kenya I was digging a track that I mentioned sounded like Kwaito, and was met with confused looks and told that it was actually Kapuka. I don't know if this one is Kapuka or Genge or what they difference between genre names in Nairobi are (ok a little wikipedia-ing says this is Kapuka), but the drums bang, and it's a nice mid tempo tune for when the dance is too hot or nicely warming up.

I do know that "nakupenda" means I love you and that if I get the party right in Austin and San Antonio next week, I'll definitely drop this in a set. If you're in Austin March 17th or 19th, or San Antonio March 20th, come by to one of the parties from the flyers below and say hi:

Van Dyke Parks

2010-03-07T14:13:00.002Z

Bit of a curveball here, but i thought i'd throw it in. I have been going through a bit of a Van Dyke Parks phase recently but i never thought it would give me something to blog about here at GBQ.

Anyway, his misleadingly titled Discover America album is full of good time calypso rhythms that shows there was a bit of the Les Baxter about him.

What struck me most though (and made me post it here) is that the album seems like what GBQ's first signing AJ Holmes and The Hackney Empire would make if their hearts were in Trinidad not Ghana.

Check my favourite track from the Discover America album below and also check out AJ's Myspace page if you don't know him yet

Van Dyke Parks - Steelband Music

Run It

2010-03-05T14:41:00.013Z

Globe trotting Canadian beat slayer, Poirier, was in town the other week for RBMA. Inbetween destroying London´s dancefloors, I caught up with him to see whats going on.

Montreal isn't normally a city considered to have a strong association to Carribean bass music- soca, dancehall etc. How did you get into that sound ?

Generally through dub and reggae. Electronic music also, ragga jungle even. Then I went back into the roots of these styles and found a lot originally came from Jamaican music. I kind of dig everything, from straight reggae, roots stuff. I really like digital dancehall from when The Sleng Teng riddim arrived. And the current dancehall I like too because its so beyond dancehall, beyond pop music, but it is actually pop music to Jamaicans. When you hear Busy Signal or Mavado, they're just fearless of the riddim. If you only heard the instrumental of some of their tracks, you wouldn't think its dancehall. The vocal makes it dancehall. When I first discovered soca it was quite random. I bought a compilation and didn't know if I liked it or not. I was really intrigued and wanted to know what the fuck it was. At some point I realised I liked the dancehall vocals on these fast riddims, people like Bunji Garlin. I guess a lot of music is geographical, music spreads around the world..rap rock, whatever. Your taste depends on how open minded you are.

Talking of borders, you've just released a record with ZZK from Argentina. How did that happen. Did you become inspired by Cumbia, reggaeton and current South America styles ?

Its quite funny as I was aware of it through ZZK and my friend Guillaume (Masalacism) was really into those sounds. I've been playing a little bit. But how the record came together was very random. I knew a rapper from Montreal called Boogat. He used to rap in French but he's also Mexican and Paragyan. I got him in the studio and gave him an old riddim I had, kind of a Hip Hop style beat. It took him 4 or 5 months as it wasn't the kind of style he was used to. I reworked the drum pattern and we got a result. I met Grant from ZZK who was really into it and we made plans on how to realease it. So it was kind of naturally random. It wasn't like I sat down and tried to make reggaeton or cumbia or anything, it just happened to be in Spanish and turned out that way.

Sometimes I have specific ideas about what I want to do and afterward I work out how to release it. Its not like I make music just for particular labels. You know I just want to do the music I feel and sometimes the result is not what i expected from the beginning.

Your next release is the Low Ceiling Ep on Ninja Tune. Tell us about that.

Its the last one in a series of three EPs I've done with them. It all instrumental, kind of electronic/caribbean, no vocals - very danceable. I took one of the tracks, '90's Backyard' and re-recorded with Boogat's vocal on it. Its all flexible. The idea for the EP was dancehall speeds 120 bpm.

You were telling me that you've been working on a documentary. What's it about? and how did you get involved

Its called "Les États-Unis d'Afrique" (United States Of Africa) directed by a friend of mine from montreal called Yanick Létourneau. The film takes a Social political view of Hip Hop in Africa and how generation views that. Its about the music but also what's going around it. I'm doing the soundtrack for the whole film. The aim is not to do just Hip Hop riddims because thats whats in the film. I might do some collaborations,but its all pretty open. I am thinking about a more electronic approach, soundscapes. Its pretty exciting for me as the director approached me as he wanted my sound for the movie. I'm really looking forward to starting work on it as its the first kind of offer I've had on a project like this.

Outside of your own stuff, what kind of music is really inspiring you right now. What artists are you listening to?

I actually like listening to a lot of reggae, old dancehall, some dub stuff as well. Right now I'm really into the Harmonic 313 album. I also really like the El Hijo de la cumbia album. That's stuff I like listening to at home, Burial and more electronic things like that. But I'm not home very much so I don't get much time to listen to much new stuff right now. Sometime I like to go back to classic stuff. I've been listening to the old Plastikman records like Consumed and Sheet One from 94/95, they're really cool. Sometimes its easy to be continually following the new stuff on blogs but then you revisit a record like those and its like, wow, it sounds so fresh. Some of the tracks on Musik sound quite tribal. I should play them in my sets. I just need to find what they would work with.

I guess its the drum rolls..

Yeah drum rolls. It would make sense to mix it with Mujava. I'm really interested when I'm DJing to make relationships between track that people don't normally think about instead of just playing all new stuff like a lot of other DJs. For example, I've been aware of the cumbia stuff for a long time but it took me ages to find the right tracks to fit in with my sets.

You've been recording the Face-T album. How did it come about ?

Face-T is a Jamaican and Québécois artist. On the album I'm making some Hip Hopish riddims, some dubstep riddims and some proper dancehall stuff. Its all dancehall stuff at the end of the day, its all reggae. Face-T is very open minded and has the capacity flow on all these riddims and also the talent to write conscious lyrics, party style, ganja style. He's versatile. That's the idea behind the album - How its all different but the same at the same time. He is also touring with me around the world at the moment as my live MC too.

How is the touring ? You never seem to stop.

Yeah I'm lucky in that I'm not dedicated to one particular style so I'm all over the place at the moment- Europe now, then I'm flying to Mexico, then the USA, then back to Europe. Its a great way to get the music directly to people. But also its great to connect with people around the world. Like in Mexico it was great to hang out with Toy Selectah and in Australia I met The KillaQueenz which was really cool. I'm lucky enough to get to meet some of these artists you read about on the blogs in their counties rather than waiting for them to come to my hometown on tour or whatever. Its really cool.

This track is Poirer's new Running High album out on Ninja April 27th.

Poirier - Marathon

Waka Waka Waka Hey

2010-03-02T20:25:00.022Z

DJ Mai$taH - Waka Waka (Bubbling Remix)

Read a nice story about discovering the origins of this song by heading over to the WFMU Blog. Me and Dave at It's After the End of the World had some fun going back and forth with versions, trying to find the original melody, and what language/meaning the words had.

The post before that was an extended version of my last Janka Nabay post over here. Read that and the entire archive of my WFMU posts by clicking here.

Also shout out to Oakland! I've been having a blast playing here lately. Last week I got a chance to play the amazing People Party, with Eko, Cali, Be Brown, and Cecil. I also joined up for Santero's B-Day at Lukas, and last night the Recess party with DJ Soul Profess. It seems like Oakland is the place to be these days!

Photo by Bryon Malik @ The People Party

LV Kwaito mix for Blackdown

2010-02-26T17:47:00.011Z

Bit late on this one (it's sometimes hard to check emails in Peru let alone check out new mixes and then blog about them) but I thought i'd follow GBQ'S recent Kwaito love by linking to Martin 'Blackdown' Clarks blog which has an excellent mix by Hyperdub'ss LV.

This in turn got me thinking that what makes the Funky/Post-Funky/Future Garage (whatever) axis a great mutation of the 'nuum is that whilst it isn't exactly a step forward (it is more of a step sidewards) it does however open itself up to the rest of the world and allows its DJs to pull in tracks from places like South Africa. Check this awesome Jam City mix, which was posted over at Dot Alt a few months ago, as a great example.

Mamaseh

2010-02-26T11:16:00.004Z

Mamaseh from Old Money on Vimeo.

Some nice and murky SA house innna UK funky tip straight from the depths of New York. This is the B-side to Old Money's new single (buyable). Produced by Fonda of Team Facelift, Mamaseh is rocking Ghetto Bassquake hard right now.

Wiley Swims With The Toads

2010-02-25T22:31:00.003Z

So what was the Toads Theme by Mad Decent's croaky soldiers, Toadally Krossed Out, has now become a new Wiley track. Credited as a Diplo production, Wiley and J2K roll over the beat with their tribute to going fishin in the club. Pretty cool.

Atención!

2010-02-22T22:42:00.015Z

After being lucky enough to hear Toy Selectah's great lecture at the Red Bull Music Academy last week, it really got me thinking (uh-oh) about how one releativly simple style of music has branched out in so many awesome directions, from the Aztec rave of Tribal Guarachero to the Bass kicks of Texan Crunk Cumbia to the even the relatively commercially crossover leanings of Toy's own work with Vampire Weekend. Its all good basically! Toy gave a great overview and background of how the genre has exploded from its folk origins and subsequent widespread commercial success in Latin America to the rest of the world seen in heavily sampled hits from Timbaland to Michael Clies. The raw folk roots of Cumbia lends itself nicely to other metagenres. Adaptability.

DJ Orion of the excellent Texas based Peligrosa blog has made fine collection of editss rely heavily on the actual original Colombian cumbias, using the beats to subtly underpin the riddims, giving the originals a chance to shine and blast for the dancefloor. His awesomely refreshing Baltimore, Hip Hop and Bass driven Cumbia jams are available to download via his pay-wot-U-want Bandcamp site. Go get 'em.

And if you're in the US be sure to check out his live sets at Que Bajo?! in New York and his own Peligrosa parties at SXSW.

EDIT.

Check out the full lecture by Toy Selectah

March Out

2010-02-22T15:23:00.007Z

After the monster that was Township Funk burst out of nowhere (ok the internet) over a year ago, its been pretty quiet for Mujava until now. His massive follow up single is coming out so soon you can almost smell it. A huge party anthem called Mugwanti/ Sgwejegweje out on a new compilation called AYOBANESS - The Sound of South African House released in early may on Outhere Recordings. His trademark military Pretoria drums stomp along underneath some great vocals. But before you get ready to support Mujava's awesomeness with a purchase, here is a special FREE remix from Munich's Tropical Bass Terrorists, Schlachthofbronx which we're loving.

DJ Mujava - 'Mugwanti/ Sgwejegweje (Schlachthofbronx Remix) (mediafire)

Afroturf - Sheffield This Saturday

2010-02-16T09:52:00.005Z

This Saturday, A.J. Holmes and I are bringing the tropical pain to Afroturf in Sheffield. Cannot wait. Come down.

Mix for The Exotic Pylon

2010-02-16T08:01:00.004Z

Last Saturday I played a few records, had a chat with Jonny Mugwump and did a little mix for his Exotic Pylon show on Resonance FM. It was fun.

Grab the the podcast here.

Carnival Carioca

2010-02-14T18:16:00.006Z

As its carnival season, some fresh Funk Carioca. Much has been said about the current stagnant state of Rio funk, but Rio based Soundgoods has dug up some of the better tunes from last year. Some really cool samba, Batacuda (and Star Wars) sampled jams complete with sleeve notes. Head over to his blog to grab it.

Soundgoods - Funk Carioca 2009 Mixtape

BONUS FUNK

Diplo twittered this new mix from the very excellent Sany Pitbull.

SanyPitbull-TwitterFoliaMix

Resonance Radio show Tonight

2010-02-13T16:46:00.003Z

I'm going to be playing some records on The Exotic Pylon show between 22:00 - 23:30 tonight.

On Resonance 104.4 FM.

Expect a tropical medley including some Tribal guarachero, Funana and a bit of Techno Brega. I may even do a little Secousse mix.

A cuppa with J-Wow (Buraka Som Sistema)

2010-02-12T17:15:00.010Z

Regular readers here will know we've been big fans of Buraka Som Sistema's Bass heavy kuduro for time. To coincide with ex Red Bull Music Academy student, now member, J-Wow's appearance at the RBMA party and workshop on Saturday at the ICA, I got the chance to have a little chat with him about what he's cookin up for 2010. ( Sadly didn't find out why he's in that fridge though).

Hey Joao. How's it going ?

All good thanks!

Although dance music styles like dubstep and bass heavy stuff are a big influence, Buraka's roots lie deep in kuduro. Is it still a big influence in your sound? Where you taking it right now?

Yes.. it's still very much defines our sound!!!
we're probably going to take it as far as possible, experimenting all sorts of different and weird drum patterns... right now we're focusing a lot on trying out cool short vocal hooks that work as both voice and percussion.

Who are you favourite Kuduro artists and who should we be watching out for ?

My number one dude is still DJ Znobia.. he's just a very complete package and the most creative of every producer doing kuduro... he really pushes the limits on music production...
watch out for DJ Malvado as well... he's more on a housier branch of kuduro, but still sounds amazing!

Any plans to record in Angola again with kuduro MCs ?

Not for now...

On kuduro blogs based in Angola and Portugal, I've seen your stuff posted up along with Angolan kuduro. This makes me think people don't really see a difference between your music and Angolan jams. Is that something you care about?

They do see the difference, but it has also became part of it.. like a side branch. Most of the Angolan producers like what we do and kind of use it as a reference as well.

Buraka Som Sistema are kind of the stadium kuduro dance act - I've seen loads of people go mental to your live shows that probably haven't heard your style before, especially at festival shows. Do you think you're opening doors for other kuduro acts like Costuleta, who recently played big stadium shows with Kassav ?

I have no idea... we're just doing our thing... and we like to make things big, so we work a lot in having the best live show possible. Although I dont really think our show is a good stadium performance.. I always like the dirty small and sweaty place better.

Kalemba (Wegue Wegue) went to No.1 in the Spanish singles charts, still is I think. Are you finding more mainstream success in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries? Is it an issue for you to try and cross over into English language markets or not bothered?

We obviously think about it.. I'm not going to lie and pretend we don't... but it's not really a number 1 priority...

On your mixtapes and on Black Diamond, you've collaborated with people like Afrikan Boy, Znobia and Aloe Black. Any more guests in the pipeline ? Who would you love to work with?

I think our next release will be as much guest free as possible... but we got a bunch of stuff recorded with Maluca that we're dying to use.

'Rebita' your new track is pretty sick, almost Brazilian sounding with the accordeons. Is it a J-Wow club tool or a new Buraka track ?

It's just a club tool for me to use on my dj sets... I would probably get in trouble for releasing that because of the sample, so I just decided to give it away...

Sweet!

J-Wow - Rebita (Yousendit)

Catch J-Wow along with James Pants, Poirier and loads more at The Red Bull Music Academy this Saturday night.
All info is here.

Every Freakin' Night

2010-02-11T16:44:00.008Z

Moments in Love Mixtape. I love this song, ever since hearing it on the Boyz In the Hood Soundtrack that my mom took away from me in the 4th grade. I love these guys, I love this mixtape. Too damn good! Every track got me shakin' my head (in a good way people!) House, Kuduro, Juke, Chitown Brass Band, 2 step, Booty Bass... Had to share it!

Nzugunzugu-Moments in Love Mixtape (Direct Link)

Head to DJ Rupture's site to get the tracklist

LOVE-FEST BABY

Forever?

2010-02-10T09:05:00.014Z

D.C. Africans! (+ more Sierra Leone pride!)

Wale comes with the video for his Bunny Mack sampling Afro Disco jam! I have to say when Wale reps D.C. through Go Go or Nigeria and Africa it is when he, in my opinion, is at his best.

I'd like to take a second to mention the shock and sadness I feel that Google has decided to take down without warning the Masalacism blog. I hope the Montreal crew is able to recover as much as possible and be reborn under a better more free blogging software. We are planning here to get off of blogger and on to a more friendly platform. Hopefully now sooner than later.

Down South with Poirier

2010-02-09T21:26:00.010Z

Not content with his bashment-soca-dancehall maelstrom, Montreal's excellent Poirier takes his dancefloor armageddon to South America for some latin tinged hammers with the ZZK crew. His new EP Las Americas Vol 1 features reggaeton inspired vocals from MC Boogat and its a killer as you would expect, named Kalima Shop Titi (after him out of Temple of Doom). Remixes come from the ZZK label's macs of the moment Douster, Uproot Andy, El Remolón & Lagartijeando. Its going to be dropping digitally worldwide on Feb 16th.

If your in London this Saturday, be sure to catch Poirier playing at the Red Bull Music Academy party joining J-Wow from Bruaka Som Sistema for a highly recommended, all out bass attack.

Ba-ZOO Ka

2010-02-08T23:07:00.008Z

Batida - "Bazuka"

+BATIDA+ Check our new video! | MySpace Music Videos

We've been on about the awesome album by lisbon's Batida for a while. Now they're dropping a great video for their Bazuka single. Born out of their Fazuma radio show, they're making some of the most exciting lusophone stuff we've heard for a while - melodic kuduro with Angolan folk samples. This video is the result of hours combing the RTV Africa archives and tells the story behind the song. Pedro from Batida says:

"Bazuka" is based on the testimony of a popular in our documentary "É Dreda Ser Angolano", who raises an unanswered question: "Who drafted me?". He was "drafted" as a child, or recruited and forced to fight in war, got lost from his family and survived with serious health problems. We found him in Luanda in 2005. He has a name. He is the unknown soldier of the Colonial and Civil War in Angola. Has "got two pieces of shrapnel from the war, in his head" and faces a new battle everyday: The survival in time of peace. "Ya. That..s all i have to say."

Congolese Cumbia

2010-02-05T18:47:00.019Z

Download this video for free here

In my mind, the sound and visuals of this video could put this in D.F. as much as Kinshasa. The rhythm has a Cumbia feel (probably the tempo), and the visuals contain skeletons and lucha libre masks.

Baloji, Congolese rapper based in Belgium, who did one of my favorite music videos from a few years ago comes with a hot hot single Karibu ya Bintu (Welcome to life in Limbo) from his new album Kinshasa Succursale. The album is out, but I can't find it, so in the meantime grab his previous album, Hotel Impala.

Campaign to put Bubu on MTV!

2010-02-05T18:18:00.012Z

Thanks to Eddie Stats for pointing this out up at Pitchfork! A glimpse into the Salone culture I knew as a pikin. Banquet halls and heavily decorated living rooms.

Check for an interview with Janka in the Fader from last year. His album will soon be released high quality digital and vinyl on True Panther Sounds. Let's get this man paid!

Yeeeee!

We Like To Party

2010-02-04T10:13:00.005Z

This arrived in the in box this morning. Jeeps! An exclusive guilty pleasure remix from Radioclit's Australian tour DJ crate. This one will either send you over the edge screaming waving your shirt over your head or hide in the corner of the room and have a bit of cry.

Radioclit - We Like To Party

Los Chinches Jungle Majik

2010-02-01T16:28:00.015Z

Last year UK/Peruvian Chicha demons, Los Chinches came down to Secousse and smashed it. I first saw them playing their special amazon surf rock at the Carnaval del Pueblo where they made Camberwell in South London sound like the depths of the jungle. They are super fun, and echo the twanging voodoo funk of classic awesome 70s Chicha bands like Los Mirlos, Juaneco Y Su Combo and Los Hijos del sol. So we're really happy that Toy Selectah has done a snaking reggaeton cobra of a remix complete with dem bow drums on their new track. Check it.

Los Chinches - Chicha Love (Toy Selectah RMX)

Go check them playing live shows in London soon.