Tuesday is Random

OOPS. I POSTED IT ORIGINALLY WITH SOME DEAD LINKS. THEY'RE ALL FIXED NOW, SO DOWNLOAD AND CLICK CLICK CLICK AWAY.



WHEN AM I GOING TO GET THERE?
Metche Dershe
Ethiopiques Vol. IV - compiled by Mulatu Astatqe 1969
[Download It] [Buy This]

VETERAN'S LEG
Dynamic Syncopation
Dynamis 1999
[Download It] [Buy It]

CROSSHAIRS
DangerDoom
The Mouse & The Mask 2005
[Download It] [Buy It]

I GOT THE BLUES
Labi Siffre
Remember My Song 1975
[Download It] [Buy It]


Yes, it's another odd combination of stuff. All of it just popped up on the ol' Creative Zen Nomad this morning en route to another 5.30 am work shift at the Co-op. Good work, good company, and 4 good songs in my ears.

Briefly:

Mulatu Astatqe = king of Ethiopian music. The Ethiopique collection = top resource for their unique regional sound. Far flung from the trance-like rhythms of the West or the beat-heavy sounds of the East (think E.T. Mensah, as posted before), Ethiopia throws down a more introspective ambience altogether. Astatqe himself is heavy on mood and feel, and the best song by him that comes to mind ("Netsanet," a track that garnered a little more light when covered by MMW on their 2004 summer/fall touring schedule) is no slouch in the power department. Hits me 'twixt the ribs upon every rotation.

I don't know that much about Metche Dershe, although believe me, I'm using my King of Google status to dig up anything I can find. Regardless, he's a fine purveyor of the genre -- this track is slick with the reverb and the electric guitars. Shuffling beat, guitar flourishes and flute flashes leap around the mind as it plays.

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Dynamic Syncopation = stylish jazz-funk mixing from the Herbaliser's producer Jonny Cuba and British DJ the Loop Professor. Soaked in film-noir soundbites and flexing their record collection muscles, this is a tightly-arranged and polished album. It's smart, it's moody, it's a pleasure to listen to.

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DangerDoom = the collab... oh heck, I know you all know exactly what DangerDoom's M.O. is. I just couldn't resist breaking my silence on letting this go unposted before the album release. Why the sudden turn? Because this track is so damn good, and is an excellent example of both the album's style goals and their relative success. An infectious sample and hook + Doom's scratchy/silky rhymes = sheer gold. I also know that you'll all buy this anyway, no matter if it's available on S**l***k or somewhere else. I will invest whatever I can to make sure this genius pair have the scratch to keep on keeping on.

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Labi Siffre = originator of perhaps the most infamous sample in the modern day. Prize for the first to recognize, although it won't take much. A quality song, one that gets you flair points with the neighbours or the barfly totty without doubt.


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More tomorrow. Enjoy the remains of the day. Not the film, but the actual remains themselves. The film isn't that good.