…Hello  Who is things how is life? it’s midummer over here (in Stockholm, Sweden) Nice,nice….wish I had time to go to Sonar (a huge festival in Spain) this year. I’m a little slow today and it feels totally right to spend the day doing stuff that I’ve been saying for aaaaaaages that I should do (talking about chilled-out stuff E g Kev Brown has this beat commentary-thing going on that he posts on his blog. He walks through how he made a certain beat, his thoughts andsometime he drifts away into some other stuff . I can’t remember if I heard this one already that I’m linking to right here, but let’s Sunday-chill toghter on this one ‘Commentary VOL II’ 

Loooooove.hugs and kisses

//K

www: kisseyasplund.com

blog: somewhatstrangelife.blogspot.com

twitter: /kisseyasplund

Right now I’m in Stockholm streaming Billy Ocean over spotify and enjoying the pleasant feeling that it’s toooooo much rain outside…I simply just don’t have to feel guilty about staying in .

…and somehow when it’s like this, even thou I’m a futuristic-beat-lover, I just feel like going commercial-retro. I used to work in a clothing store …this cheesy print-it yourself company…like a AA but for ; Scandinavia women-  plus 50- that liked viscose ANYWAY me and the girls that used to work there either played latin-style music on the floor (because that would somehow up sales…I guess the women got dreamy and started to reminisce to their Spanish vacations) Or we played this cd with Chaka Kahn …and I remember how much I ADORED ‘I love you, I live you‘. I would always make me so happy, the dull felt totally ok…it is without a doubt approved also as a feelgood song for rain Sundays like this…

… ok if I can come with one feelgood recommendation for today that is of the new kind. I would say go for Lucinda Slim & The lonestars;

…. ‘All this time’

loove,hugs and kisses

//Kissey

www: Kisseyasplund.com

Twitter: /kisseyasplund

blog: Somewhatstrangelife.blogspot.com

I will miss this year’s Soundset 09 in Minneapolis which kind of sucks.  However, I was just blessed with this free mixtape featuring some of the artists performing at this year’s event. Enjoy.

Download

Tracklisting

Soundset 09? Intro
The Truth – Jake One f. Freeway & Brother Ali
Guarantees – Atmosphere
A Day In The Life – Handsome Boy Modeling School f. RZA, The Mars Volta & AG
State Of Emergency – Toki Wright
Ace Cowboy – Aceyalone f. The Soul Of John Black
Cave In – Cunninlynguists f. Cee-Lo Green
Star Destroyer – Eyedea & Abilities
Trap Door – Jake One f. MF Doom
Ballskin – DOOM
Hollywood Driveby – Immortal Technique f. Psycorealm & Sick Symphonies
Clickety Clack – Sage Francis
Low Light Low Life – P.O.S.
Don’t Sleep – One Be Lo
Live Freestyles On The Mix Chronicles – Brother Ali
Game Over (Go Big Or Go Home Boy) – Doomtree
Smithereens – El-P
Passin Me By – The Pharcyde

It has been over 5 years since the Rhymesayers duo Eyedea & Abilities graced us with a full length release.  The album E&A was released back in 1994. Since then, Eyedea has done different side projects, and Abilities now lives in Milwaukee.  I got wind of a fortcoming record from Milwaukee’s DJ Deadbeat and Kid Millions.  They both told me the music on E&A’s record entitled “By The Throat” was amazing.  Abilities beats were on another level.  Well, as of today, Rhymesayers announced the release date for E&A’s “By The Throat” (July 21) and dropped a track for free download. The track is called “The Story” and it is on some other level.  Check it out for yourself.

Eyedea & Abilities – “The Story” (Download)
[audio:http://www.needledrop.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/eyedea-_-abilities-this-story.mp3]

Minneapolis and St. Paul has become a city that has become a major player in Hip Hop within less than 10 years. In some cases, even bigger than Chicago partly due to the label Rhymesayers home of Atmosphere, POS, Brother Ali, and others. Also the support of the venues, bloggers, and even commercial media to some extent has helped put the Twin Cities on the map.

On Sunday, May 24th, the Twin Cities influence on Hip Hop will come to fruition once again with Soundset ’09. Probably one of the biggest Hip Hop festival of the year (even bigger than Rock The Bells). This time they move the event from the ‘tiny’ confines of the Metrodome parking lot to the ‘pastoral’ Canterbury Park in Shakopee. The line-up features a who’s who of indie hip hop including Atmosphere, Pharcyde(all original members), Eyedea & Ablilities, Prince Paul, MF Doom, Brother Ali, P.O.S.,  Aceyalone, Freeway & Jake One, and more. Tickets are only $30 in advance for a couple of more days.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hgvz1d5s5g]

There is even a car show and contest!!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoGq4e-kGR0]

What is it with soft drinks and alcoholic beverages getting involve with releasing music and putting on tours.  You Mountain Dew has Green Label Sound, Red Bull has Red Bull Music Academy, Southern Comfort had the SoCo Music Experience and now Bacardi is getting into the act. Well I guess if the major labels can’t step up their game, someone else will. Recently Bacardi created B-Live Share and release music from Groove Armada. Bacardi hosted parties at this year’s WMC, and now has create a tour featuring some amazing artists including Major Lazer, Q-Tip, Santigold, MSTRKRFT, Matt & Kim, and more. The tour is called B-Live Tour 2009. The tour kicks off on May 30th in Phoenix

– Saturday, May 30        Phoenix, AZ (DJ Jazzy Jeff, Steve Porter)
– Wednesday, June 3       Denver, CO (DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ AM)
– Thursday, June 11       Milwaukee, WI (Q-Tip, Auto Erotique)
– Friday, June 12         Chicago, IL (Q-Tip, Z-Trip)
– Wednesday, June 17      New York, NY (DJ A-Trak, DJ AM, Auto Erotique)
– Thursday, June 18       Boston, MA (Major Lazer, A-Trak, Matt & Kim, Steve Porter)
– Friday, June 19         Philadelphia, PA (Major Lazer, A-Trak, Drop The Lime)
– Saturday, June 20     Washington, DC (Major Lazer, Matt & Kim)
– Thursday, June 25       Louisville, KY (MSTRKRFT, Z-Trip)
– Friday, June 26         Cleveland, OH (MSTRKRFT, Z-Trip)
– Saturday, June 27       Columbus, OH (Ghostland Observatory, Z-Trip)
– Friday, July 3          Atlanta, GA (MSTRKRFT, A-Trak, Matt & Kim)
– Saturday, July 4        Orlando, FL (A-Trak, Jazzy Jeff, Matt & Kim)
– Wednesday, July 8       New Orleans, LA (DJ AM, Jazzy Jeff, Matt & Kim)

I don’t know how I miss this, but I did.  From the land of my old stomping grounds, Wale, Tabi Bonney, The Five One is a band out of the DMV(DC, Maryland, Virgina).  The Five One consists of 4 members represented by colors: Red, Blue, Green and Gold, and they actually wear their colors so not to be confusing.

“By personifying Colors they are expressing themselves not only with the art they create but as art itself, which represents a lack of emphasis on individual identity, and an emphasis on creating music that strives to speak for everyone.”

In the beginning in 2009, The Five One set out to release a remix/cover every week on Thursday. The project is called 5109: The Remix Album. They have remixed everyone to Lykke Li, White Stripe, Kanye West, Kenna, Bob Marley and more. So far they have 18 remixes which are available for free download. Personally, I am really digging the Vampire Weekend remix entitled District of Colossus. Check out the video below and help yourself to some free music.

District of Colossus from Deuce Day World on Vimeo.

I’m a big fan of fan made music videos. Some of them are really good, and better than the original video.  This fan made video was for the song Robocop off of Kanye West’s 808 and Heartbreaks. The video was created by Myk Dawg.  It looks like he chopped up an old 8 bit video game. On the contrary, It is a completely original and made from scratch.  I can see Kanye West actually doing something like this.  You can check it out below via Youtube or you can download a better quality from Myk Dawg’s site.  Note: Myk Dawg also have other videos in a similar style on his site.

Check out his video for DJ Shadow’s “This Time”

DJ Shadow – This Time from Myk Dawg on Vimeo.

2009 is shaping out to be a great year for music.  Amp Live of Zion I and the amazing Rainy Dayz Radiohead remix project is set to release a new project of electro hop on his label Child’s Play a parent of Om Records.  Amp Live is setting himself as the next Danger Mouse.  He is becoming  one of the producers that can take hip hop to the next level.

Turntable Lab is offering a pre-release of Amp Live’s new music. They are releasing the first single “Gary Is A Robot” which features fellow Bay artist Trackademics and Micro Jaxson.  The song sounds like where Daft Punk left off. You can grab the release now from Turntable Lab.

Amp Live – “Gary is A Robot feat. Trackdemics and Micro Jaxson
[audio: http://www.needledrop.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/ampbot.mp3]

Mos Def is returning to true form with his forthcoming album The Ecstatic to be release on Downtown Records which is the same label as Santigold, Amanda Blank and Gnarls Barkley. From his epic “Life in Marvelous Times” to his new song Casa Bey, Mos Def is going to have one of the most anticipated albums of 2009.

His new track from his new album is entitled Casa Bey, and it samples Brazilian funksters Banda Black Rio‘s classic “Casa Forte”. Check it out and download it for yourself courtesy of RCRDLBL. Now when are we going to get a Black Star album!!!

Here is the original Casa Forte from Banda Black Rio

While I was checking out the Red Bull Music Academy’s Various Assets from their promotion package, I came across this artist by the name of Piper Davis out of Vancouver, Canada.  Her voice was so intriguing I had to find out more about her. She attended the RBMA Barcelona session back in 2008.  Her voice as the spirit of the funk queen Betty Davis with an icy tinge of Bjork and the angst of Le Tigre. The music has a definite Matthew Herbert feeling to it.

Patch working found sounds and African drumming influences via her laptop, backed up with bass and drums, the result of Piper Davis’ eclectic approach is a minimalist take on ‘80s new wave beats with pitched-down, jazzy vocals bubbling up underneath: a sound described by Piper herself as ‘electro-blues’. (via RBMA)

As a teen in Calgary she started singing and improvising over house dj sets, and now not only she sings, but produces her own music.  Check her out, and while you are at it, sign up for her song of the month club at her site and get to know her more. You can also follow her on twitter.

In the meantime, check out some of her songs

Piper Davis – “Academics”
[audio:http://www.needledrop.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/05-academics.mp3]

DJ Neighbor & Piper Davis – “Rhinestone Cowgirl” (download)
[audio:http://www.needledrop.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/01-rhinestone-cowgirl.mp3]

Piper Davis – “Like A Stone” (download)
[audio:http://www.needledrop.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/like-a-stone.mp3]

Piper Davis & Natalia Lafourcade – “Young Professionals” from RBMA Various Assets
[audio:http://www.needledrop.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/1-04-young-professionals.mp3]

Here is a mix she did for RBMA which highlights some of her favorite music and influences.

While the sound of Retro-Soul is almost everywhere, the sound of future soul and electro-soul or whatever the media is calling it today is bubbling under the surface with artists like Kissey Asplund, Muhsinah, Georgia Anne Muldrow, J*Davey and others. Will there be an Amy Winehouse for this new type of soul? To be honest, I don’t know. But I can I tell you this: the duo of New Look is group not to be overlooked. I first spotted New Look over at our friends at Wrong Lips.

The Brooklyn based New Look comprises of singer/model Sarah Ruba and husband, producer and multi-instrumentalist Adam Pavoa. Their sound has its foundations in 80′s R&B similar to J*Davey, but brings in more experimental sounds without sound experimental.

They have free downloadable EP entitled How’s My Hair and a track they collaborated with Detroit based electronic artist Jimmy Edgar(Warp Records). Check it out for yourself.  Here is one of my favorite tracks from the EP.

New Look – “Everything”
[audio:http://www.needledrop.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/04-everything.mp3]

Download New Look’s How’s My Hair EP
Download New Looks’ Function of Love (with Jimmy Edgar)

This is probably one of the coolest schools in the world.  For almost 10 years, The Red Bull Music Academy has been putting on two week sessions with musicians, dj, singers, producers from all over the world in various international cities including Barcelona, New York, Berlin, Sao Paulo, and Melbourne. For two weeks, the artists attend lectures, workshops, tour the city’s music scene, and collaboration.  This year’s session returns to where it all started – London.  In my opinion London’s music scene especially the underground is really on the cutting edge.  The application process begins May 11th, but you can download the application and get crackin’! If you get accepted to the academy, you will receive an all expense paid trip to London to partake in the Red Bull Music Academy.  The London sessions will be held in February. Don’t know what the academy is about.

Here is a little summary:

The Red Bull Music Academy is an event that travels the world. A yearly celebration of all the journeys and breakthroughs, all the dreams and intricacies that go into the music we love. For two weeks, you’ll be checking gear, chatting on tunes, and spinning in clubs, while getting a rare glimpse into local musical hybrids in a different country. Inbetween times, you can talk to people from around the world who started revolutions in sound. They’re the people we look up to, and they’re looking to you for a fresh perspective in turn.

The application phase for the Red Bull Music Academy 2010 starts May 11, 2009 and ends July 27, 2009 – look out for the Application Package (including this year’s edition of the Various Assets compilation CD) hitting a record store, clothing boutique or bar near you very soon. All application info and materials will also be available on this very website.

The Academy is intended for anyone with a strong yen for music and a desire to be involved in its evolution: DJs, producers, MCs, singers, sound engineers, broadcasters, laptop lapdancers, soulful songwriters – they’ll all be considered. You’ll need to be 18 or over when the Academy workshops starts… but there’s no other age limit.

No particular set of skills is necessary. For each Academy, two groups of 30 participants are chosen to represent a wide range of cultures, musical backgrounds and set of skills. There are no set quotas for any country or genre of music. Therefore everyone has an equal chance of coming along – as long as they have a creative vision, an honest attitude and an open approach.

Here is a little taste of some of the music that was made in the Academy in Barcelona in 2008.

Our Friend Purusit Grooves was in attendance in Barcelona and made this track with Legendary Dennis Coffey

Pursuit Grooves and Dennis Coffey – “Renew”
[audio:http://www.needledrop.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/2-11-renew.mp3]

Piper Davis & Natalia Lafourcade – “Young Professionals”
[audio:http://www.needledrop.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/1-04-young-professionals.mp3]

Here is little video from the 2007 RBMA Session

It is on like Donkey Kong.  I have been supporting this band for over a year, and now you get a chance to see why (if you live in Madison or Milwaukee).  This Saturday (4/25/09), in my hood of Riverwest, Atlanta’s The Constellations will be performing live along with Milwaukee’s Kingdomnada, and yours truly. Tune into Rhythm Lab Radio tonight at 10pm(cst) to hear a special interview and guest mix from The Constellations’ frontman Elijah Jones.

(note: The Constellations will also be performing a in-store at Urban Outfitters off of Farwell at 4pm on Saturday(4/25/09).)

One of the most creative cats in Hip Hop, Del The Funky Homosapien is back with a new album, but there is a catch. He wants you to have it for free.  The album is called “Funk Man (the stimulus package)”.