Yet more sleeping with this, think it was out the first week of November… Anyway, “The Layover Mixtape” is the brainchild of DJ Skee and West-Coast resident Evidence of Dilated Peoples, as if you didn’t know that. This tape does a good job of raising the hype for Evidence’s new “Layover EP”, which is out November 25th, and the new album with The Alchemist, “The Step Bros” with is set to drop early next year I think. No real surprises with this tape, which is personally what I was hoping for to be honest, its consistent, its Dilated and does boast a few gems; ‘Recognize (Feat. Chace Infinate & Fashawn)’, Let Yourself Go (Remix) (Feat. Phonte) and ‘All Said & Done (Remix) (Feat. Bishop Lamont)’ to name a few. Guest on the tape include Defari, Bishop Lamont, Mickey Factz, Fashwan, Phonte and loads more.

Props have to go to DUBBCNN for the link. Jump on this, more neck-snapping goodness from one of the original indie Hip Hop legends.

Tracklist:

1. The Layover
2. Worldwide (Feat. Defari)
3. Free P
4. Tip The Scale
5. Recognize (Feat. Chace Infinate & Fashawn)
6. Beautiful Day (Feat. U-N-I, Big Pooh, Aloe Blacc, Fashawn, Mickey Factz,
7. Theo & Kes Kaos)
8. Beats Like This (Feat. Montage One, Mitchy Slick, Big Twin, Diz Gioran,
9. Stylistik Jones, Krondon, Rakaa Iriscience & Crooked I)
10. Let Yourself Go (Remix) (Feat. Phonte)
11. Calmly Smoke (Step Brothers)
12. Hits From The Bong 2008 (Step Brothers)
13. Hush Now
14. One SHot (Feat. Granite State)
15. All Said & Done (Remix) (Feat. Bishop Lamont)
16. For Whatever It’s Worth
17. Half Off (Feat. U-N-I)
18. Celeb Reality
19. Bigger Dreams
20. For Whom The Bell Tolls
21. Hot & Code (Remix) (Feat. Casual)
22. The Last Shall Be The First (Dilated Peoples)

Download: DJ Skee & Evidence - The Layover Mixtape

If you fancy getting your hands “For Whom The Bell Tolls, ft. Phonte, Blu and Will.i.am” straight from the “Layover EP” that isn’t mixed together, as on the tape above, you can download it here. Full version, for free.

Nice and late with this one. Last month saw the “The Honor Roll Mixtape” drop from Mick Boogie to add to his ever expanding back catalogue. The tape features artists such as Freeway Little Brother, Talib Kweli, Evidence, Alchemist, 6th Sense Kidz In The Hall alongside the legends such as Slick Rick, De La, Cypress Hill, Naughty By Nature all packaged together as a homage to VH1’s Hip Hop Honors. The tape is hosted by MC Serch, the concept being that all the new artists ‘cover’ classic Hip Hop tracks from the old artists, all mashed up by Boogie. Its well over 20 tracks, super-dope and if you didn’t already know, its free. Bloody brilliant.

Two weeks ago, I was sitting on the beach in Miami with my wife and we were talking about how dope the Honors are every year. And the idea just hit me. So for the rest of our vacation she sat at the beach reading and sunning while I sat under an umbrella with my Blackberry and iPhone and got the thing in motion.

Two weeks later… 20 plus original tracks.. done by your favorite artists in the game… covering your favorite legends. - Mick Boogie

To read more about this release, check out The Smoking Section website where they have a full interview with Mick Boogie, Dan Solomito and 6th Sense.

Mick Boogie - The Honor Roll Mixtape tracklist:

1. Introlude: MC Serch & Mick Boogie
2. Children’s Story: Kidz In The Hall (Double O)
3. Everything’s Gonna Be Alright: Freeway & Young Chris (Kickdrums)
4. How I Could Just Kill A Man: Netic of Game Rebellion (M Phazes)
5. Cypress Hill speak…
6. Hits From The Bong: Alchemist & Evidence (6th Sense)
7. The Bizness: Rapper Big Pooh, 6th Sense, & Butta Verses (6th Sense)
8. Life Is Too Short: Fashawn (Ab)
9. Breakadawn: Tanya Morgan f/ Ragen (6th Sense)
10. Naughty By Nature speak…
11. Uptown Anthem: Marky and Phil Nash (Ab)
12. The Show: Daytona (4 Korners)
13. Insane In The Brain: Izza Kizza (Kickdrums)
14. Too Short speaks…
15. Short But Funky: Mistah FAB (6th Sense)
16. Mona Lisa: Mickey Factz & Jade (Precize)
17. De La Soul speak…
18. Stakes Is High Part 1: U-N-I (6th Sense)
19. Buy You Some: A Pinks & Emilio Rojas (M Phazes)
20. Dirt All By My Lonely: Skyzoo & Mazzi (6th Sense)
21. Stoned Is The Way Of The Walk: Joell Ortiz, Scram Jones, & Loot (6th)
22. Interlude: MC Serch & Mick Boogie
23. Hand On The Pump: Torae (nVme)
24. OPP: Pacific Division (M Phazes)
25. Lick The Balls: Donny Goines & Chip Tha Ripper (nVme)
26. Ego Trippin’: Asheru & The Els (The Els)
27. Stakes Is High Part 2: Talib Kweli (eJones)
28. Freaky Tales: Ra The MC (Judah)
29. Hip Hop Hooray: AP (6th Sense)
30. Hey Young World : 6th Sense (6th Sense)
31. Outrolude: MC Serch & Mick Boogie

Download: Mick Boogie - The Honor Roll Mixtape

GTA - Breakthrough 2008

GTA (Junior Doctor Chima Anya and Ineffable) are back with their new single taken from their imminent full length LP “The Way” out on Phoenix down. ”Breakthrough” - the third single from the highly anticipated debut album has already stood the test of time, having already established classic status as a local anthem in and around Oxford circa 2005. The 08′ version has some new delightfully endearing shuffling drums while retaining the triumphant horns and catchy chorus that made the original shine.

Sampling The O’Jay’s “Darlin, Darlin, Baby” GTA’s rendition is strong enough to stand side by side with the samples last notable outing on Big Pun’s “I’m not a playa” – and that’s really saying something.

[See the post to listen to audio]

myspace.com/gtaunderstand • gtaunderstand.com

The Community League - The Secret Garden

The Secret Garden featuring Special Opps, The Wize and DJ Thundercat produced by Jokz. This is the last song on The Community League’s brand new debut ep - ‘Community Spirit’. It is also the first time that Opp and I worked together on a song. For me this beat is the epitome of tranquility and it needed a suitably laid back subject so Opp and I headed for the hills and peaced out. So, enjoy the song and check out ‘Community Spirit’… or at the very least, go for a walk, it’s beautiful out there. - The Wise

[See the post to listen to audio]

Community League Blog

Capskey & The DON Delux - Beat’emDown (Demo 2008)

I wrote this song over the summer while I was in the United States and Canada. I was reading Micheal Parenti (’The Culture Struggle’), reading a lot of Gore Vidal’s political essays, and watching Alex Jones movies compulsively every day. The one common theme to emerge from all my reading and watching, was the growing power those in authority have over the wider population.

The song is about a policeman preparing to and then going to a protest, and an examination of what I think might be going through his mind. The right to protest is being slowly but steadily eroded in this country, it is reaching a point where any civil unrest is viewed as being in furtherance of terroism: domestic terrorism if you will. I didn’t want to write a simple ‘fuck the police” song. I wanted to show that most policemen believe they are right in what they do, and that is what makes them so easily manipulated, and dangerous.

My mate Joe aka The DON Delux did the beat, we recorded a Demo EP together a couple of years back as Capstar & The DON Delux with DJT (’The Nice to Meet you EP’) and this is the first song we’ve recorded together since… Anyway hope you enjoy the song, ‘innit! - Capskey

[See the post to listen to audio]

myspace.com/capskeyraps

Sloth - Earth Movin’

Huge! another 12″ from the guys who brought you k54! ‘clapback’ is a stonking re-work of shirley ellis’ classic ‘the clapping song’, re-jigged and brought bang up to date! this is a huge summer track! 3 rewinds from dj food at the big chill. carol king’s ‘i feel the earth move’ gets the remix treated via ‘earth move’, transforming the track into a dance floor destroyer! also some big plays at the big chill this year! with extra laid back beats in the form of ‘grace’ and ‘missy strut’ this is a killer 12″, essential for any dj’s record bag! - Rough Trade Record Shop

[See the post to listen to audio]

myspace.com/slothmakesbreaks

Illustrate - Broke

Debut album from the lyrical picture painter Illustrate aka Ollie Bates, outta the headcount camp, 14 choice cuts keeping you locked throughout with production largely from illustrate himself with added pressure from Sloth, DJ Tigerstyle, Rinse Dog and Mike Hostile… - Disorda (Suspect Packages)

[See the post to listen to audio]

myspace.com/olliebates

Who better to give you a little preview than their producer Bare Beats -

“The Kemistry are a new group from East London blending different styles of music together. With different understandings and beliefs about the latest forms of fashion and the latest music crazes, the fusion or these three individual characters (The Kemistry) is a rarity yet a reality. As the one thing we all understood was the music we made, we loved it and it got our souls moving on the same path, like a chemical reaction, that worked in the flavour of it’s substances and the music being a catalyst of three great friendships.

This video was made by cutting up a Public Domain film ‘Frankenstein’s Daughter’ Enjoy .

The trio have a Digital Only EP dropping on the 1st December . ‘The Kemistry EP’ is 20 minutes of niceness and introduces this new act to the world. This video is part of a series of cutting up old b-movies too fit certain tracks . ‘The Core’ is taken from The Kemistry’s forth coming album ‘A Difference’, which is still be made. Look out for more odd music videos coming soon . . . .“

Back to to the mix. Here’s some more words from Jibba -

“Horror fans take note…here’s a mix to satisfy your twisted minds and rupture your tender eardrums. Featuring real clips from some of the best horror films you’ve ever seen…Halloween, Scream, Candyman, the Exorcist and more! With tunes to fit the season’s mood, showcasing dark atmospherics, throbbing bass weight and sinister undertones. Handily fits onto a CD with the artwork also available for print. Liven up those Halloween house parties by putting some real filth on.
Feedback on this mix much appreciated.“

Tracklisting:

1. “What an excellent day for an excorcism”
2. Kryptic Minds & Leon Switch  - Minor Nine [Headhunter Remix]
3. Rob Sparx - Independent Life [TRG Remix]
4. “If you look into the mirror and say his name 5 times”
5. Roommate - Youth Promotion
6. The Others - Bed Bugz
7. Coki - Bloodthirst
8. Cluekid - Monkey Style
9. Sphefrix - Goblin
10. Zed Bias & Joshua Black- Solitary Drop
11. M2J - Raven
12. Santori - Time To Kill
13. Benny Page - Swagger
14. “Certain rules in order to survive a horror movie”
15. Roguestar - Full Throttle
16. “The Amityville Horror”
17. Rob Sparx - Attack Of The Wobble
18. Sariantis - Spark
19. “Halloween Theme Tune”
20. Kromestar - Heavy Mental
21. KA - Insanity
22. “Nightmare on Elm Street” - Outro

Download: Halloween Filth - Dark Dubstep Mix
Stream Live: Halloween Filth - Dark Dubstep Mix

Let me be the first to say this mix disgusts me. Good work.

Tracklisting:

1. Caspa - My Pet Monster - Digital Sound Boy
2. Klaxtons - Its Not Over - Skream Remix
3. Rusko - Mr Muscle - Sub Soldiers
4. Caspa - Louder VIP - Sub Soldiers
5. Caspa - Floor Them - Digital Sound Boy
6. Emalkay - Explicit - Dub Police
7. Sub Scape - Transaction - Dub Police
8. The Others - Africa VIP - Dub Police
9. Unitz - Wait A Minute - Dub Police
10. Rusko - Jahova - Sub Soldiers
11. Caspa - The Terminator - Sub Soldiers
12. TC - Where’s My Money - Caspa Remix – Dstyle
13. Skream - Fick – Tempa

Download: Exclusive Caspa FABRICLIVE Dub Police Mix

Those of you who went to The Big Chill will have no doubt checked Toddla T. This Sheffield born and bread producer is currently tearing up dancefloors/halls/fields/tents across the land. He’s had such a profound effect on our Blunted compradre DJ Indecision that he actually felt compelled to pull his finger out and write something up about Toddla for the website… he must be good.

“People who know me well might have heard me bang on for the last 6 months about a young man named Toddla T.

I first became aware of him, when I saw this strange name was booked to play the dance tent at The Big Chill this year. Having not seen anything about his profile previously, I was intrigued. Then I saw he was slated to produce a couple of beats for a certain Mr Manuva’s new album. Hailing from Sheffield, and only at the tender age of 23, he’s really started making waves having produced Rodney’s single ‘BUFF NUFF,’ his own releases on 1965 records - ‘Manabadman’ , ‘Sound tape killin’ & ‘Fill up mi portion’

Blending abrasive Ragga, House, Techno, Dubstep, Dancehall, Drum and Bass & Hiphop, Toddla T is, quite frankly, one of the few DJ’s I have been genuinely excited about for a long time - I’m anticipating his debut album with baited breath.

Easily the most fun I had at the Big Chill this year was, surprisingly, not chilling out - but running round like a loon for 2 hours while ‘Big T Willy’ did his thing for me and 1,999 others.  Toddla T’s Ghettoblaster is what I hope to be the first in a long line of mixes from the man himself, perfect for bumping loud before you go out on the night. Easily the best DJ mix I’ve heard this year, maybe not to everyone’s taste, but fuck it - at least he’s being original!

Now his website is up proper, you can download it for yourself, and for free! - I implore you! Go to ‘Mixes’ - The link is there as well as his mini mix for Annie Mac - bad!  Hosted by long time associate MC Serocee, this packed with lots of dirt, but above all - lots of fun!

DJ Indecision.

Indecision has recently taken over Promotions at Gramaphone in London. Anyone who wants to keep up to date with it’s goings-on, look it up on Facebook.

Here’s an interesting little nugget. 3 decks and 7 tunes into one, that one being Chase & Status’ ‘Duppyman’. Lazcru can be found smashing up Drum and Bass sets in Oxford as well as running his now infamous Out In The Stix nights. Instead of the standard mix, Lazcru, aka Joe Perry, brings this one tune with 7 teases. I asked him what his motivation was for putting this together. ‘I wanted to do something short like a track so peeps could get an idea of my mixing skills. I tried to squeeze in as many tunes as I could into Chase & Status‘ ‘Duppyman’, it’s a wicked tune to mix & has loads of break downs’.

Tracklist:

Duppyman - Chase & Status - Ram
• Deadline - Digital - 31 Records
• Profiler - Lomax - Bounce
• Trust Me - Roni Size - Talkin’ Loud
• Huggy Bear - Ram Trilogy - Ram
• Strictly - Commix - Metalheadz
• Disco Dodo - Lynx - Creative Source
• Diplodocus - Nosia - Quarantine

[See the post to listen to audio]

Download: 7 Tunes into Duppyman

For those of you that know about Out In The Stix I’ve been reliably informed it’s returning in December/January so watch this space….

Tracklist:

1. Bop & Despot - Microfunk [Counter Intelligence dub]
2. Bop & Dephecta - The Space Between Us (Sileni remix) [still dub]
3. Dissident - Design Yourself [Microfunk dub]
4. Chris Coda - Heading North [Microfunk dub]
5. Syntex - Watch The Bass Now [unreleased]
6. Paranoid Society - 681 morning krusts [Modern Urban Jazz]
7. Bop - Chaosmos [dub]
8. Bop - Lost In This World [dub]
9. Despot - Nowhere [dub]
10. Dissident - Dropshadow Diseases [dub]
11. Bop - Phantasmagoria (part1) [Sonorous dub]

Download or stream: Bop - Autumn Studio Mix for Sonorous Music

If you still can’t get enough then there is a little interview and radio mix at jungletrain.net

Although some would argue that the UK hiphip scene is floundering, I’ve stumbled across something that has renewed my faith.  Rup has teamed up with his 27Beats accomplice Naim. I think what makes this tune something special is the amount of thought and effort that has gone into making it happen.  The tune is being being released on Hear Today Records in late 2008 and they have gone to the trouble of making a dope video to accompany ‘Style That You Like’.

The tune has been describe by HTR as “3 minutes of Rup’s musings over sparse Scandinavian electronica, punctuated by Naim’s infectious vocals. All visualized by illustrator-come-video-artist Rich Clements.”

If you’re feeling this make sure you check out their website.  If this vid is anything to go by then their future projects should be worth looking out for!

By now you know that Shears is one modest mofo. So, when he posted up about this album I thought I’d share it with you all. It’s also in keeping with Blunted keeping up it’s Aussie links so it’s all good. The album also features beats by Lewis-one & Purpose amongst others. Shears had this to say; “Just thought I’d let you guys know about this free album these guys are giving out, I produced track 1 and 11 and it also features stuff by Kelakovski…”

Afore Mentioned is Purpose and Motive, and here is what they have to say about their free release:

We have just finished work our first release titled Red October. It is a full length, all originally produced street release, 14 tracks deep feat. Pagen Elypsis and Pure Product (bris) and production by Purpose, Answer, Shears, Lewis-one, Vokab and Kela.

Tracklisting :

1. Red October
2. Knock Knock
3. Dig A Bit Deeper
4. For What It’s Worth
5. Piece Of Mind
6. History in the Making ft. Pure Product
7. Rich Man
8. Look at you
9. Purple Drank
10. When im Gone
11. Give Em What They Want
12. Carry On
13. Gloves Are Off feat. Pagen Elypsis
14. Long Way Down

Download: Afore Mentioned - Red October

How did the album come about?

I started off by making the MF Doom (Favourite Ladies) & Busta Rhymes remix without thinking I was gonna do a remix album. Then I got hooked on finding accapellas, first from various 12’s of mine or friends, buying from Rarekind, and downloading from the net. I made about 60 remixes over 4 months, and worked more on the ones I liked the most.

What was it that appealed to you so much about making remixes?

I was so into making them cos it was quick and you could get results in minutes and tell if it was gonna work out nice or not. All remixes start by me getting the accapella in time and then building the beat around it. Normally a basic drum pattern and then see where it goes from there, sometime the first idea works and sometimes it takes a few.

OK, cool. So what tracks are your favourites?

My favourites are:

• Dangerous : was getting into using more keyboards / vst’s when I made this.
• The Get Down : a more recent one with lots of Juno (Roland Synth)
• I Go On : I think this sounds like its from Lyte’s early 90’s era.
• REC Room: well happy how I managed to work the whole of an instrumental version of Girl (The Beatles) over this - un-looped!
• Audio Visual : made in my lounge with me on drums, guitar, bass, juno - the fun way to make tunes!
• Change The Beat : love all the sections on this. There were many samples tried, so the ones that made it had to fight to get there.

You must have accumulated a huge number of remixes. What happened to the ones that didn’t make it on to the album?

It would sometimes take a few times to get a remix right, so a lot got made….resulting in the bonus tracks and beats being used for other projects. Grand Agent used about 5 of these beats. I have made an album with Grand Agent called ‘The Ghetto Aint A Place’, it would be good to get a remix album of that too.
I might get into it again at some point but I’m focusing on other stuff at the moment. I’m looking to get other producers to remix tracks for Tea Sea Records to release a ‘non-bootleg’ remix album.

How would you best describe the The Rough Versions?

It’s a bootleg remix album of American rappers. As a fun project that has to be given out free.

Tracklisting:

1. Dangerous - Busta Rhymes [3:45]
2. You Are That Somebody - Aaliyah & Timberland [4:56]
3. The Get Down - The Alcoholiks [3:57]
4. I Go On - MC Lyte [4:59]
5. Audio Visual - J-Live [4:11]
6. Change The Beat - Viktor Vaughn [3:31]
7. Check The Flava - Ak Skills [4:50]
8. Thick - DITC (AG, Big L & OC) [3:15]
9. Tight - Rah Diggah [3:34]
10. Enjoy Your Stay - Declaim [4:43]
11. Freestyle - Masta Ace [3:19]
12. REC Room - Inspectah Deck [2:37]

Download (high quality): Tom Caruana - The Rough Versions

If you like this, follow links to Caruana’s website and make sure you check out the Bonus tracks. Also, shout in TC’s direction for requests acapellas (original & bootleg). Tom is always looking for feedback, so if you have any please drop it in the cheeky box below!

Tracklisting:

1. Dark & Mattio D - The Love Dimension (Miek Re-Work)
2. Devilfish - Manalive (Jon Rundell Remix)
3. Afrilounge - Lux Dementia
4. Milton Channels - You Loose
5. Dougless Greed Feat. Kemo - Deadline
6. Kevin Saunderson - Bassline (Joris Voorn Remix)
7. D-Unity - Shake It
8. Spektre - Deal With It (Kanio Remix)
9. Justin Martin - The Sad Piano (Charles Webster Remix)
10. Joris Voorn - Blank
11. Kate Lawler - 20 Years On Acid
12. Deadmau5 - I Remember

Download: Azonica - House and Techno Mix

Please feel free to leave yer feedback…

Anyways, one of the events he organized was a day graff jam - with a difference. Instead of graffing up buildings, they built a box wall and graffed that instead! Here’s an unedited video of the days events filmed by the Yasemin Sabuncu, for your viewing pleasure!

For more info about ex-a-sketch crew that made it can be found at: ex-a-sketch.com