Abstract Index Playlist - February 11/09

A profound tip of the hat to the almighty Boomkat for this week's blog post. For the first time ever, I'm blogging about an MP3 bundle.

Regular listeners to the show know my fondness for all things Wackies. The little studio in the Bronx that could remains underexplored at a time when the reissuing of seventies style dub from Jamaica appears to be winding down. Wackies deserves greater awareness for its Perry-esque atmosphere that dominated these mixes well into the digital era, and all the cultural and technological influences that NYC brought to bear on the music.

I've got about a dozen plus Lloyd "Bullwackie" Barnes and associates reissues through Basic Channel's reissue program, but that didn't prepare me for the insightful and idiosyncratic MP3 bundle called "Bubble Up", compiled for Boomkat's 14 tracks site which offers up a 14 song variation on a theme each week.

The selections here sample from 12" singles and full albums, and run the gamut from skanking club vibes ("Gimme Back", heard this week) to syndrum kissed, country n' eastern grooves ("Take Time", also this week!). This collection brings out something kinky in each selection, which is not the feeling one usually gets with the original albums. Not that the albums are lacking in any way; just that this 63 minute collection highlights the sheer range of what was going on in that studio in a way that a single artist album can't do.

Boomkat sells high quality DRM free 320 kps files, so this collection is a must for anyone with a passing interest in the Wackies oeuvre.

Podcast

boghassa - grupo bombino (sublime frequencies)
soseme makonde - makonde (emi)
ain't nobody teaches nobody nothing - on ka'a davis (livewired)
van gundy's retreat - tim berne science friction (thirsty ear)
the sinking ship - filastine (jarring effects)
broken democracy - leaf system feat. malual luat rmx by rise ashen (balanced)
give me back part 2 - wackies rhythm force (wackies)
new wave hookers - pink noise (inyrdisk)
engagement 2 - joelle leandre/quentin sirjacq (ambianaces magnetiques)
midnight party - tipsy (ipecac)
for my mans - madlib (stones throw)
esp - richard popcorn wylie (dusty groove)
let our love grow higher - eula cooper (numero)
tuane - hammer (wea)
sonido amazonico - chicha libre (barbes)
twilight - intrusion (echospace)
pocket (rebajada) - john oswald (plunderphonics)
cumbia del monte (rebajada) - los flamers (unknown)
return of the emperor - moving in the right direction feat eddie russ (soul jazz)
y mas gan - abyssinians (heartbeat)
enter the kingdom of zion - anthony b & horace andy (vp)
african for unity - version xcursion feat treson (vx)
take time - wackies allstars (wackies)
black man's strain - abyssinians (heartbeat)
satta massagana - abyssinians (heartbeat)
i and i - abyssinians (heartbeat)
african race - abyssinians (heartbeat)
version (straight to i roys' head) - king tubby & the aggrovators (pressure sounds)

Abstract Index Playlist - September 10/08

Lately, I've cottoned on to a few recommendations by my colleague Cam Lindsay who is Exclaim's Associate Editor.

I've seen this album compared to Outhud and LCD Soundsystem and I can get with that. But there's more going on here without being too self indulgent. I'm a fan of any artist who will use a wide variety of rhythms, sounds and songwriting ideas - regardless of genre. Having not paid much mind to GGD's (purportedly more experimental - I'll have to do some digging) work before this, Saint Dymphna presses all my buttons. Grooves bounce from the punk-dub of this week's track "Desert Storm", to fractured Afrobeat, to a "Darling Nikki"-type groove, to a loopy if not entirely succesful collaboration with grime-y vocalist Tinchy Stryder.

When the inevitable 80s inspired synths hit like a sledgehammer, at least they make interesting music rather than barf up semi digested Depeche Mode or Arthur Baker riffs. But the range of ideas impresses, and the flow of the disc is superb. Expect more airplay...

Podcast


demented lullaby - adam niewood (innova)
recall - lina allemano (lumo)
pollen and spores - secret frequency crew (schematic)
desert storm - gang gang dance (social registry)
baiao one two - a filial (verge)
ohlos coloridos - sandra de sa (milan)
la mareada - spam allstars (riverboat)
brother man sister ann - clemon smith (charly)
tour to africa - tarig abubukar & the afro nubians (no label)
secret - adrian miller (black night)
ma hine cocore - vieux farka toure rmx. by yossi fine (modiba)
ahe sira bila - issa bagayogo (six degrees)
18" speaker - ragga twins (soul jazz)
army arrangement (bill laswell version) - fela anikulapo kuti (celluloid)
battle of the righteous man - dub gabriel feat. dr. israel (destroy all concepts)
jah jah live forever - johnny osborne (light in the attic)
don't look back (don't space out) - peter tosh & mick jagger (rolling stones)

Abstract Index Playlist - April 25/07

As i was saying before I so rudely interrupted myself...New York Latin Hustle is another triumph for Soul Jazz.

This comp explores the roots and branches of Cuban rhythms through the works of Puerto Rican and Dominican practicioners in NYC from the 50s to the 80s. The excellent liner notes trace the socio-economic context right back to the First World War. They weave a compelling narrative to accompany the well curated super diverse selection spread over two discs - which bounces from bomba to disco to mambo to funk. Any comp that mixes Loose Jointz into Machito is all right by me.

soulful drums - idris muhammad (prestige)umoja - nicole mitchell & black earth ensemble (dreamtime)
slow blues - zmf trio (drip audio)
jeden tag - hausmeister (nature bliss)
lacie - theodore & hamblin (moteer)
away without leave - nexus feat. fritz hauser (nexus)
ciew mawele - issa bagayogo rmx by adham shaikh (sonic turtle)
griot ba - ba cissoko (totolo)
oile la la - forro in the dark (nublu)
i wanna hook up with you - jimi tenor (ubiquity)
reflexiones - nilo espinoza (vampisoul)
que equivocao'o - telmary (bis)
locos por mi habana - manolito simonet (egrem)
el bolinski en D7 - charlie santiago & eddie montalvo (soul jazz)
balaio de gato - celso machado (festival)
watcha gonna do about it - mustangs (numero)
these eyes - alton ellis (heartbeat)
swing easy dub - dub enforcement agency (indie)
rhythm collision (mad mix) - ruts dc & mad professor (select cuts)
desiree dub - keith hudson (pressure sounds)