Jan Kohlmeyer - Yuletide DJ Mix

Download here

It's Christmaaaaaaaaasssssssss! As an old rocker from Birmingham once screeched into a microphone, but you'll not find any of the usual christmas perennials on this mixtape.

This is another cracking little mix on the previously featured Paris DJs website. This time they host a funk and soul festive mix from DJ Jan Kohlmeyer, a funk DJ outta Germany. God bless him too, while most people have the one cheesy christmas CD that they wheel out every year, this guy has a whole collection of christmas 45s for us to enjoy by the fire with the family.

The mix gets going straight away with a bit of Stevie Wonder, and doesn't stop for the whole 1h03m, with Kohlmeyer slapping that festive funkiness down again and again. There are a few cheeky little numbers from the gloriously grizzly Louis Armstrong and unsurprisingly the [God]Father Christmas of soul himself James Brown features heavily, but the whole thing is a non-stop flow of thick fudgy christmas sauce all the way through.

The tracks themselves are taken in part from a compliation called Santa's Funk & Soul Christmas Party on Kohlmeyer's own Tramp records, and the whole mix is helpfully narrated by a lovely, but wickedly dead pan German lady, who even gives us recommedation on a YouTube video of James Brown giving us a dancing lesson. I can't think of a better way to end a blog than that, so Happy Christmas everybody:

Immortal Technique - The Martyr

Download here

"If you are listening to this, it is your responsibility to burn this for every single motherfucker you know" is the first thing we hear from Immortal Technique at the start of this album, and who am I to argue.

Immortal Technique (Felipe Andres Coronel) is a Peruvian-born American rapper straight out of Harlem, New York. Listening to this, or any of of his other work, you could be mistaken for thinking that he's not a great fan of the country he has lived in since he was two years old – he is an angry man – but, in my opinion, he's got a lot of love for the USA, he just has a lot to say about some of the people in it and running it.

If anything, this release is a bit more mellow than his previous two, Revolutionary Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, but still, it is refreshing to find some good quality hip hop which is actually saying something for once. The production on the album is good, there are some conscious samples and even some Beatles and Abba behind the spittin', but you gotta listen to the lyrics, Immortal Technique is always about the lyrics.

He tackles heavy issues facing society today head on with a eloquence, intelligence and guile not oft heard and yes he is angry, but he is also a bloody good rapper. Don't bother putting this album on in the background, wait till you can listen to it properly and listen good... 

Boulevard Soundsystem

Link to the mixtape
(Scroll down to the MIXTAPE section, stop when you see this picture)

Straight back in on a strictly reggae vibe! This time from a man like Boulevard Soundsystem, a self-confessed sociologist by day and renegade reggae selector by night, who started out in North Wales and now spins his discs in Athens, Greece. Nice and simple this one, just good solid reggae, track after track.

BS does have a some help along his lickle reggae journey from his buddy MC Brother Culture, who your'll hear bigging up this here blogger's own postcode if ya listening keenly. In general, the mix does trend towards a lover's reggae vibe, particularly on the vocal side; which, if like me, you like a more rootsy consious vibe, can be a bit samey. But the riddims are well selected and nicely mixed, and you'd be have to be a right ole cynic not to enjoy this mixtape. BS seems to know just when to wheel out that next big tune, and without realising it, you'll keep going back to this mix again and again. Serious tricks....

Dub Kweli

Link to the download

Mash ups. When they are good, they are very very good, and when they are bad they are Franz Ferdinand vocals laid over an Public Enemy beat so peeps in Camden can actually dance to it. However, there are some true classics out there; personal favs include The Grey Album by Danger Mouse (The Beatles' White Album cut with Jay Z's Black Album) and The Kleptones' A Night at the Hip Hopera (Queen tracks mashed up with Hip Hop (Yes it really does work!)), both 2004 releases.

This one is a bit younger (2010), but in the spirit of trying to bring you free downloads both past and present, it is a goodun. Our Mashupist is a man like Max Tannone, and if you ain't guessed yet, he very ably lays Talib Kweli tracks over some crucial roots music. Most mash ups works cos they blend elements of two quite difference genres, but good hip hop in the form of Kweli's ever-tight vocals and some nice heavy Jamaican riddims seem like they always belonged together. I always wondered why more straight up hip hop isn't backed by reggae music, some UK hip hop does dabble in it, for example. Maybe it's just that ragga, with that fierce snappy toasting just kinda queue jumped it, but with a quality mix like this, you wonder why it doesn't happen more often.

Max Tannone has cut up other artists in the same vein, includes Jaydiohead (Jay Z and Radiohead), Ghostfunk (Ghostface Killah vs African funk and highlife) and Mos Dub (Mos Def and reggae). All of which are very listenable, but while they sound awesome on paper, the mixing is a little clinical with not much interaction between the two mashed up tracks, leaving them sounding not quite as fresh as Dub Kweli, which is why I brought that one, in particular, to your attention. Enjoying listening to Kweli banging on your eardrum.

'Murda Dem' 140/150 mix

Papa J - 'Murda Dem' 140/150 mix by Papa-J

Before Liquid DnB, Intelligent Jungle, Darkcore, Grindcore, Dubstep, Brostep or any other kind of -step or -core there was Jungle, good ole Jungle. Myself, I don't really care what it is called, as long as it sounds good and isn't House.

This mixtape by Papa J is all about the Jungle, it may or may not all be Jungle, that's is something for purists to bitch about, but it's got Jungle written all over it. For thoses of you who are still in denial about the 90's, they were actually quite a long time ago now, but this mixtape brings it all right back. To be fair to those purists, Papa J (real name: Dave Coughlan), does jumps around the genres a wee bit, but the Jungle is never far away and there are a few classics, some good samples and heavy heavy beats in there.  And, yes, The Winston's Amen, Brother is there too.

I'm gonna try not to sign off with this everytime, but this music ain't made to be playing quietly, so turn that knob to the right, all the way...

Inna a dub style

 

Inna Dub Style by Mr Jim



Ok, so it was only a matter of time, but I've ventured into the Soundcloud realm. Still gonna be selecting strictly downloadable mixes for ya mind, so watch out!

This one is a heavy heavy dub selection from your man like Mr Jim outta Bristol. Mr Jim definitely knows how to select a tune. He has got a load of mixes up on Soundcloud, all on a reggae vibe, and they are all well worth a listen, but this one is a nice-and-tight sweet sweet dubby sound.

Turn the volume up peeps, all killa...

Awesome Tapes from Africa

 

Click here for a link to the mixtape

Yes yes yes, another wicked mixtape to treat your ears to, on a strictly African tip this time. Awesome Tapes from Africa is a man like Brian Shimkovitz from NYC, who on his own blog of the same name, uploads mp3's of cassette tapes covering a cornucopia of African music.

It seems such a shame that so much excellent African music hardly gets heard because of difficulty in locating original vinyl and tapes, and a lack of Western record company-backed distrubution. So peeps like our man Bri, who document and champion this vast wealth of music, are as rare and lovely as the gems that they find.

The mix is a hour-long selection of tracks from Shimkovitz's blog; it is hosted on the XLR8R website, an online magazine in the States, who themselves have a great catalogue of podcasts worth checking out. The mix is neatly summarised on the website, but if you haven't listened to much African music before, it is a great place to start; and if have listened to the odd African album on the tip of the iceberg, this mix will help to delve into the glorious deep below the surface.

My stand out track on the mix is some relaxed Senegalese hip hop by Bill Diakhou (track 4; 18m31s), which wouldn't sound out of place on the soundtrack of a gritty French gangster film. However, all the tracks are killer, with a funky fresh African vibe, and the best thing is that you can go back to the Awesome Tapes from Africa blog and check out the tape they came from. You'll run out of time long before you run out of good music, thanks Bri!!  

Blitz The Ambassador - World People 02

The Mixtape

I got a follower! Thank you, who ever you are (I'm guessing you are a mate of mine, but they all count). To celebrate that fact, here is another blinding mixtape for you to check out.

I'm gonna try to post a mixture of both recent mixtapes (like this one) and ones that have been around a while (like the last one), so stick with me if you like it either brand spanking new or strictly vintage! This particular mixtape was posted a few weeks ago on the Paris DJs website, which is is well worth investing time to explore in itself; I'm sure there'll be more from them on here in the future.

Our man Blitz is a 'Ghanaian-American Afro Hip Hop' artist. He was invited to do the mix for Paris DJs after Seun Keti (son of Fela) gave them the heads up, so some good creds to be going with. There is whole long list of twitter/facebook/myspace/blahdee blah  links on this page, if you fancy checkin his own stuff out, including a mixtape of his own stuff, which I'm downloading as I type!

There's nothing too ground breaking on the mix, but don't let that discourage you! It's on a hip hop/afrobeat/soul-type vibe, and, if I'm being honest some of it is a tiny bit too R&B/urban/whateverthefuckyoucallit, but there are some killer tracks and it is nice and chilled without being toooo chilled, if you know what I mean???

T'Ambassador also flips around a bit, meaning we get some afrobeat, followed hip hop then some modern soully stuff then back to afrobeat...etc, rather than moving smoothly through the genres. That's a good thing though: it keeps you listening and guessing, and is a bit different to most mixes.

Back to those boss tunes I was talking about. Unless there is summat wrong with you, your ears will prick up when you hear Raphael Saadiq's 'Good Man', which sounds as good as any classic soul you're likely to hear. Also, 'Rose Garden' by Shad is a nice lickle bit of mellow hip hop cut up with some great female vocals, (vocals which sound just a tiny bit different from the original by Lynne Anderson). Also, the ever-strong Mos Def's tune 'Auditorium' rocks it, with some haunting strings and top production from Madlib; and the clutch of afrobeat on the mix is crowned by a serious good track straight out of Ghana called 'Kyenkyen Adi M'awu' ('Come back my love') by the gloriously named K. Frimpong and His Cubano Fiestas.

All in all, Blitz builds a great mix with a nice relaxed vibe. If it is a sunny day, and you got to go to work, this mix will definitely make you feel a bit better while on your way, it'll also sort you out when you clock off!

Essential Reggae Show #6

The mixtape
(Click on 'Radio Shows' in the top menu bar)


Ok, so welcome! The very first mixtape comes in with the natty little title of 'Essential Reggae Show #6'. It's a radio show hosted on the website of Scarborough-based record label Aerosolik. It looks like they mainly release hip hop, but they've hosted a cracking reggae mixtape too.

Our DJ/MC on this one is a man like Carlton 'Killawatt' Valley, who has a John Peel-like charm when he messes up a fast forward of a record early on; however, he does know how to select a wicked tune and lines the records up to create a nice seamless vibe throughout. It's mainly rocksteady and roots reggae, but there is a lickle bit of ska and dub in there too, giving us a nice rounded selection of all things Jamaican.

There isn't a tracklisting, which is a shame. I've got to pick out the last track in particular, despite it being the most incongruent tune in the mix. It is quite a dubby track, but with a much lighter vibe than most of the dub you'll hear, bought about by some echo-y guitar and great, well-produced percussion. All of which make it a lovely ethereal sunny-day tune that leaves you with a big smile on your face, wanting to thank Carlton Valley for all his efforts.

The other shows

I'm about to break one of my rules on my first post by covering the other two radio shows hosted by Aerosolik, shows #5 and #4. I've no idea what happened to #1-3, but it is a shame they aren't available. Still, I don't reckon it is worth covering #4 and #5, but I'll give you a little taste here.

 Show #4 has more of a Lovers Rock/Digital reggae vibe, which can be a bit sickly for me, but still worth a listen. Look out for the cover of Peggy Lee's version of Fever about half way through the mix. It is a great example of a good reggae cover, and boy do those Jamaicans like covering songs!

Show #5 sounds like it could be as good as #6, but quite soon in we find that the file is corrupted and unlistenable. What a pity! It is worth downloading for the first track alone, now I say track, it could be a mix, so those of you with a keener ear will have to let me know. Anywaaay, we start off with the familiar whistling used by Morricone in The good, the bad and the ugly soundtrack, which and is underpinned by a lovely slow dubby rhythm that you can't quite place. After some less recognisable lyrics, the singer launches into a reggae version of Billie Jean, and you instantly recognise that elusive melody. This along with the good vocals, slower pace, Morricone's whistling and heavy bassy production make for an absolutely blinding track. Just a shame, once again, I have no idea what it is, but maybe that adds that adds to the mystic.

Welcome to mixtapeselecta

Welcome to mixtapeselecta!

A few months ago my external hard drive, containing all my music on, died. As with most things, I’m still under the delusion that I will get it fixed one day. Until then, I have been forced (reluctantly at first) to trawl the internet in search of free downloads so I've got enough good music to listen.

I soon learnt two things (a) It isn't that easy to find free downloads (b) there is a lot of shit out there. However, there are some real gems. The aim of this blog is to share them with you.

A few house rules before I begin:
1. I will not concentrate, or blog on a particular website. Obviously some websites will have more than one killer mix on, but this is about the individual mixes, not where they are hosted.
2. No techno, house or shit indie. Anything else goes...
3. If i start banging on about The Fall, Mogwai, Dennis Brown or The Disciples too much, stop me and punish me.
4. Feel free to give me a heads up on any good mixes you find, but don't be offended if I don't post, I ain't trying to promote, advertise or follow any trends. If you don't like it, start your own blog.

Finally thanks to Ben Richards, who made me realise you can be both terribly lazy and about 5 years behind the curve and still start a blog; and secondly to a man like Ivan A, who made me a killer mix tape when I was 17, which almost single handedly got me into Jamaican music, cheers guys.

Enjoy the mixtapes peeps

Peas and love

Mightyhansa