Friday Flashback: Wildcookie

We're only taking you back a couple of years this time around with the collaborative effort between Swedish producer Freddie Cruger a.k.a. Red Astaire and vocalist Anthony Mills. "Heroine" is the first single taken from their Cookie Dough album released via Tru Thoughts in 2011, which talks about how the drug has "helped" artists produced some great music while addicted. The duo still has it available as a free download, so get on it. ENJOY!

VOICE: Carts b4 Horses (a.k.a. Rob) [Official Music Video]

The challenge; create a music video from concept to execution in a mere 48 hours, as part of The 48 Hour Music Video Project, New Orleans. The result is the newest music video from VOICE called "Carts b4 Horses (a.k.a. Rob)" that fuses Afro-Beat and Hip-Hop, making a superb blend that's sure to heat dancefloors. Track production was done by DJ Grazzhoppa. Peep the video, subscribe to her Youtube channel and get the lyrics to this tune in the description of the video. Big shouts to Go 'Head Music for a job well done. ENJOY!

AbJo: The Art of Refixing: The Reprise

Producer AbJo from the Soulection family has released a nifty remix project that gives his unique spin on Sango, Lauryn Hill, Q-Tip, Ta-Ku and several of his own works. Get it at "name your price", but keep in mind that artists put time and money to create these works. ENJOY!

Ohm Studio: Online Collborative DAW

One week ago today Ohm Force released the first ever online collaborative music workstation called Ohm Studio. Having gone through three years of beta testing, this innovative DAW boasts the capabilities of having producers and musicians from different parts of the world to collaborate and edit remotely and in real time, as well as chat live to talk about and give cues for the project that's being worked on.

Using cloud technology, if one collaborator is not online at the time, the other collaborator(s) can save the project and leave virtual sticky notes to let others know where to play and to leave other info for the project. Ohm Studio has much of the same features as other DAW's, such as MIDI/audio recording and editing, as well as VST plugin support.

You can also integrate the Ohm Force Collection:

Ohmicide: Melohman (multi-band distortion)
OhmBoyz (multi-tap delay)
Quad Frohmage (filter bank)
Predatohm (multi-band distortion)
Mobilohm (phaser)
Hematohm (frequency shifter)
Frohmage (filter)
Ohmygod! (comb filter)
Minimonsta: Melohman (synth, by GForce)
Oddity (synth, by GForce)

Visit www.ohmstudio.com to create an account to access the online server. Once you have an account, you can send requests to join projects created by other people or start your own. Please visit their website for additional information and to download.

Radius Etc: Save Me (Remix)

Here's a delightful ditty from Chicago based producer Radius. To put it in his own words:

"2013 update of the 2010 remix I did for The Opus. I never exported an instrumental version, so I went back, minimally tweaked & updated a couple things. Enjoy!"

Busta Rhymes x Kriswontwo: WOOHAH! (Got You All In Check) [Remix]

This has got to be one of the best Busta Rhymes remixes that i've ever heard. My homie Kriswontwo sent me an email to give me a heads up and I was blown away by the thump in my headphones. Check the hypeness for yourself. Just be careful not to turn over any furniture. HA!

Ephemerals: Nothin' Is Easy

There's nothing like raw soul music. London based soul collective Ephemerals are a collaboration of artists from various bands in the metropolitan area who have come together to release their debut Nothin' Is Easy album. If you're a fan of funky soul with a twist of the present, this is an album for you. You can hear plenty of James Brown and Kool & The Gang influences with the instrumentation. Visit their Bandcamp page to get this at "name your price" and show love.

Hior Chronik: Still Foggy (Cosmonaut Grechko Version)

I'm on my "Johnny come lately" thing again, but we should be clear that good music has no expiration date. 21 year old Russian producer Victor Klyuchnikov, a.k.a. Cosmonaut Grechko dropped his version of Hior Chronik's "Still Foggy" earlier this year and I see it has created quite a buzz. Both of these guys have some real talent and I look forward to gaining more insight and to get an ear full of more music from them. Get this one at a "name your price" basis and also check out the Sole' Fixtape Vol.7 that features this one in the mix.

Alina Baraz & Galimatias: Make You Feel

Days ago, I asked on Facebook for people to suggest music and/or artists that I'm not familiar with. One of my many friends by the name of David hipped me to Cleveland singer Alina Baraz and her collaboration with Berlin based producer Galimatias for a seductive tune titled "Make You Feel". They had to have sprinkled some mojo over this while they were producing it, because it will have you doing as the title says. Now go ahead and reduce some space by getting this complimentary download. Enjoy!

Friday Flashback: Lucky Dube

To continue honoring his excellency Nelson Mandela, we visit the sounds of South African world music and reggae artist Lucky Dube (August 3, 1964 – October 18, 2007), with the title cut off his House of Exile (1991) album that pays tribute to Mandela.

Honoring Nelson Mandela

NELSON MANDELA
(July 18, 1918 - December 5, 2013)
Earlier today the world lost another one of its biggest humanitarians of the 20th and 21 centuries. His excellency Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, being the first black South African to hold the office after being elected in the first ever multiracial election in the history of the country. Years before his presidency, Mandela served 27 years in prison as a result of being an anti-apartied revolutionary in his native land. After his release, Mandela's activism earned him more than 250 honors, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Soviet Order of Lenin.

Several tributes through music, movies, art and books have already been done in honor of Mandela, long before his transition into the ancestral realm. One tribute comes from South African singer-songwriter Nomfusi Gotyana, with a tune called "Iqalapha: Nelson Mandela Song" she performs live with her then band The Lucky Charms.

Pieter T: Miss December

Since the day I caught on to the New Zealand music scene, i've been hooked. With their special chemistry for doing Soul and R&B tunes, I keep many of their artists in heavy rotation. Recently, I got hipped to Pieter T and this updated rendition of "Miss December" that was produced by Australian track master Nehzvil. This version doesn't appear on Pieter's Completion, but hopefully there will be a way for us to purchase this single in the near future.

Mecca:83: Translations

Here's a nifty two track release just dropped a few days ago by Mecca:83. It's available at a "name your price" rate, but as usual, don't hesitate to donate. Enjoy!

Le Flah featuring Khaderbai [Dec.7th]

Days ago I received an impressive press release from the Le Flah crew who throws a monthly beat showcase in Zurich, Switzerland that started in Septmber and has already featured beatsmiths Sterneis, Melodiesinfonie and the Tru Comers! thus far. For the month of December, they will feature the hot sounds of Khaderbai. The following is an excerpt from their press kit that describes the event...

Le Flah celebrates the beat in music, on every month's first Saturday. In the rather familiar atmosphere of the Piccolo Giardino in Zurich, beatmakers play their favorite creations for a enthuastic audience, released or unreleased pieces, neatly finished compositions or works in progress, on MPCs, SP1200s, laptops or turntables: headnodding guaranteed! Responsible for swinging hips and stomping feet is the SMK-DJ-Duo (SLM & Khaderbai): WHOOP WHOOP!

The beat playing in the video is "Gymnobéatie #2" that's available to stream or download on his Soundcloud and Bandcamp pages. Check out the promo video, then go get that goodness. Enjoy!

Guy: Groove Me (Buscrates Funk Hop Swing Remix)

Buscrates 16-Bit Ensemble uploaded a remix of Guy's new jack swing dance classic "Groove Me" to his Soundcloud page a few hours ago. It's simple, sweet and sure to get a few headnods out of you. Download and ENJOY!

Friday Flashback: Org Lounge

The sun has set for the day, and a lot of you might have just finished leftovers from the day before, after spending the day with family. For this week, we're going to help you relax a bit by taking you back to 2003 with the sounds of Org Lounge [Ole Roar Granli] and the number 2 track, "Amon Dur" featuring Sister Tone, off his Has It Come To This? LP.

This was another track that I hadn't played in quite some time, but hear it minutes ago at one of my favorite eateries. If you don't have this album, here's another suggestion to add to your music collection. Grab it quick, because it's getting pretty hard to track down in print.

Insightful: Annoying Voices

True story...I'm sitting here in the coffee shop close to my house, grab a cup of Joe, and sit down to rummage the fields of Soundcloud. A group of people sit down at a table close by and there's one guy in the group who's pretty much bullying the conversation. At the same time, I come across "Annoying Voices" by Insightful, while he's continuously running off at the mouth. I don't think i've ever heard the word "shit" so much from one person in one sitting. Anywho...I put on the headphones to listen and crank up the volume to drown this guy out. Finally, I find this picture, enlarge it on my laptop, set my laptop down so the screen is facing them, then make a dash to the bathroom. While i'm walking back to my seat, I noticed they got up to leave. I take it he got the message [finally], since everyone else who kept giving the "will you shut the f**k up?!" deep sighs weren't enough.

All that aside, this song is complimentary. Leave a comment to say thanks while you ENJOY!

UST Woodwind Ensemble: Divertimento For 3 Basset Horns No. 4 in Bb Flat Major KV 439b/IV

This evening, the University of St. Thomas Woodwind Ensemble under the direction of Richard Nunemaker will have a free concert tonight playing the works of Wolfgang A. Mozart, Franz Haydn, Phillip Glass and Phillipe Gaubert. An associate of mine named Kristen will be playing the piece by Mozart below on bassoon. For more details, click on the poster to enlarge or call the number listed.

The Find Presents: Jazzvolution Chapter One

For your mid-day chill, The Find Magazine has released the first volume of what will be an ongoing series of compilations to focus on Hip-Hop beats with elements of Jazz done by producers from all over the globe. For a free download of the compilation, visit their site, but don't hesitate to donate.

Troumaca: The Sun

Locally, we have been getting a lot of rain, so I thought I would post this to add a little sunshine to your morning, regardless if it's cloudy or not. On yesterday via Soundcloud, Brownswood Recordings uploaded a freebie titled "The Sun" by Birmingham, England recording artists Troumaca. Hopefully this is the lure to get you hooked so you will show your support for this band by purchasing their album, The Grace, which is out now.

OiSiMA: Everything About Her (Sweatson Klank Remix)

Australian producer OiSiMA is ready to release his forthcoming Nicaragua Nights album that's coming out in the next few weeks. The first single, "Everything About Her", that features the rich vocals of Annabel Weston has gotten a touch-up from Sweatson Klank doing a remix. Get the free wav download, but don't forget to mention where you got it from. Enjoy!

DJ Kool Emdee: CHILL

Once again the temperatures have dipped into the frigid zone here in Houston [surprisingly]. As we are gearing up for the winter months, I have already put together another mix to get you into the groove. This time around, it's a journey through deep, melodic Dubstep with some soul. Drop me a line in the comments section if you all would like a download of this mix. Enjoy!

CHILL by Djkoolemdee on Mixcloud

Jo Def: Steps

I'm one who doesn't tire easy when it comes to releases on Soulection. I take it they take good care in hand picking good artists. Next up is Jo Def, another dope producer from Cali who I've been listening to for quite some time. His Steps album takes juke/footwork and makes it more soulful. As good as these tracks sound, it was hard to pin down a favorite, as well as a choice for this post. "Swim" takes on a filtered Sade sample, and he does a great job with flipping J-Dilla's voice for "TookItThurr". Then you have "Ask Anything" and "My Heart" that takes things down a notch for more romantic forms. This is one that should grab the attention of music lovers from all over. Out of love, this is a free download. Feel free to donate.

Karaoke Tundra: Krakatit

November newness comes from the Mad-Hop family with the release of Krakatit from Karaoke Tundra. For me, this has got to be one of the best electronica releases I've heard recently, however, the only drawback is the tracks are too short. This is the final part of Karaoke Tundra's "Monster Trilogy" that is inspired by Czech writer Karel Čapek's sci-fi novel of the same name, about a scientist who has invented a nuclear explosive. By the way....it's a freebie. Be sure to say thanks!

DJ Chicken George x J-Boogie: Jazztronic Boogie 3

DJ Chicken George and J-Boogie have struck again with Jazztronic Boogie 3. Who would doubt that this wouldn't be massive coming from two gifted veterans on the wheels. Tune in and get your lunchtime recharge. EFF a five hour energy! [LOL]

J Boogie & DJ Chicken George - Jazztronic Boogie 3 by Dj Chicken George on Mixcloud

Friday Flashback: Nirvana

We're rockin' it this week with the grunge sounds of Nirvana and their smash hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit" from their second album Nevermind (1991). An unexpected hit, which is the band's biggest single, Nirvana were a bit uncomfortable with the new found success at the time. Before recording the album, Kurt Cobain only had a basic melody and a few riffs and hadn't wrote lyrics for the tune. Bassist Krist Novoselic dismissed it as "ridiculous", but Cobain made the band play the riff for an hour and a half. Novoselic recalled mentioning to slow it down a bit, drummer Dave Grohl added a beat and thus it took shape. It's the only song on the album where all three members are credited as songwriters.

Origami Sound: All Stars Volume 1

Earlier today Origami Sound released their All Stars: Volume 1 after reaching 10,000 Facebook followers. As a special thanks for all the support, they are letting music lovers have this album at "name your price" on their Bandcamp page. Let's keep the good vibes going by helping them to double that number and beyond. Enjoy!

ECHO: Morning Dew EP

For a debut EP, Morning Dew is one imaginative piece of work from 16 year old Russian producer ECHO, who hails from Moscow. This is another young talent I stumbled across while browsing for deep, melodic Dubstep tunes for a mix called Chill I did recently. Listening to "After Rain" raised my eyebrows and I knew from the jump that this was the one to add to the mix. He pretty much states that this is just the beginning of more things to come. Let's support him by purchasing. Enjoy!

Célia WA: Di Yo

Here's more Parisian soul music from flautist-songwriter Célia WA from her debut EP released a few days ago called WA. WA in itself boasts some impressive instrumentation, along with the work of Buddy Sativa on Rhodes/piano and Nicky Lars on the MPC programming for tracks 2 and 5. The most interesting track for me was the opener "Di Yo". The flow of the track is delightful. Not to mention the melting pot of musical styles ranging from Reggae, Salsa, Jazz and African rhythms. Stop by her Bandcamp page to get the EP and check out her other sounds on Soundcloud.

Project Mooncircle: Label Love Vol. 6

It's been just a little over a year since the last volume of Label Love series was dropped by the Project Mooncircle and Tru-Thoughts crews. As usual, they have released another eclectic compilation that's enjoyable from start to finish. This is love from the labels at its finest, meaning, you get this "fantabulous" music as a gift. Be sure to follow them on Twitter to send thanks!

Blacc El x Kriswontwo: Clap, Snap, Rock [OUT NOW]

I personally would like to thank Kriswontwo for sending me a fresh copy of the limited edition vinyl of Clap, Snap, Rock all the way from Denmark. I'm enjoying it thoroughly. For those who want to get your hands on your own vinyl copy, please visit his website to order it. Just for visiting, click on the album art and get a free digital download of the title track.

KRISWONTWO.COM: CLAP, SNAP, ROCK

DJ Kool Emdee: Mix Madness

I titled this blend Mix Madness because of the way if flows from Hip-Hop to Drum n' Bass, to Reggae, Jungle and Bass music. If you need a lift to get your adrenaline going, this would be the perfect "ear energizer".

STREAM OR DOWNLOAD: MIX MADNESS

Friday Flashback: Martha Reeves

We're going to take you back to 1974 to the self-titled first solo LP of Martha Reeves, who was the lead vocalist for Martha Reeves & The Vandellas off the Motown label. Martha Reeves was produced by Richard Perry [Planet Records] and reportedly cost $250,000 to make. The album failed to produce commercial success.

My favorite cut is "Sweet Misery", which was penned by Hoyt Axton and was also covered by John Denver. For all my J-Dilla fans, this version was sampled by the Detroit Hip-Hop pioneer for his "Thunder" tune off Donuts.

Friday Flashback: Oaktown's 357

Normally I post the Friday Flashback earlier, but this week we're going to help get you in a dancing mood before you hit the club scene by posting the moderate hit "Juicy Gotcha Crazy" from Oaktown's 357. The song did not chart on Billboard, but did get a good amount of airplay on urban radio.

Diggs Duke: Harsh Words With The Oracle

It is official! Multi-instrumentalist composer Diggs Duke has signed to Gilles Peterson's Brownswood family and is set to release a new album in December. For now, we have a sneak peek of what's about to come with this new venture that will take him worldwide.

Friday Flashback: Mr. Scruff

Trouser Jazz is one of those must have LP's from Mr. Scruff (born Andy Carthy) that was released in 2002 on Ninja Tune. Although the album is very solid from start to finish, the song that really amazes me, even to this day, is "Come Alive" that features the vocals of Seattle native Niko, now is based in Brooklyn, NYC, who has collaborated with AIM to release her own music. The feel of this tune is perfectly matched for its title, giving the sense of feeling free. Press play and take flight!

J-Dilla: Sum Spooky Sh*t

For those that caught my Dilla Jackson mixtape, I used this beat from J-Dilla's Beat Tape '05 to remix the end dialog by Vincent Price from Michael Jackson's "Thriller". This beat was also used for Q-Tip's "Fever" song.

Micahel Jackson: Thriller

The day wouldn't be complete without the official full length "Thriller" video from Michael Jackson and cast. Happy Halloween! [insert Vincent Price maniacal laugh]

Mayer Hawthorne: Wine Glass Woman (Aeroplane Remix)

Mayer Hawthorne is giving away this remix of "Wine Glass Woman" from his Where Does This Door Go album as a courtesy for downloading his new mobile app called "Where Does This DJ Go", that you can download for free via the iTunes store.

Buruntoma: Homenagem ao Heroi

A taste of Africa should satisfy your musical palate with the sounds of Guinea Bissau based DJ and producer Buruntuma. "Homenagem ao Heroi" is helping to push the sounds of his native land far beyond its borders. Growing up in a family of music lovers who listened to artists from all over Africa, he also developed a passion for House music from the United States and Europe while away studying in Portugal by participating in student parties. The discovery of different styles of music from abroad played key roles in him carving his own style of Afro-House. Thanks to the good folks at The Fader, "Homenagem ao Heroi" is available as a complimentary download. Pay them a visit and read the interview on Buruntoma to get a better feel of who he is.

ill-esha: Only Fair (Freddy Todd Remix)

Get your hump day bounce going with this Freddy Todd remix of ill-esha's "Only Fair" that he's been previewing at a few of his shows. Now it's available for purchase via iTunes and Beatport. Some of you may be familiar with ill-esha with her unique style of singing while she does her glitch-hop and dubstep DJ sets.

Javaanse Jongens: On You ft. Jay Bordeaux

The homie Wantigga is letting folks download the Javaanse Jongens single "On You" from their 2008 P.S. release on his Soundcloud page. Better hurry up and grab it because I don't know how long it will be available.

Samuel: Steam Train

Some are describing Samuel as a "future R&B" artist because of the way his vocals blend with the production of Okzharp for his debut Falling Star EP released just days ago on Technicolour Music. As the days are getting cooler, "Steam Train" fits perfectly in your cozy soundtrack to help draw that special someone in closer. This digital goodness is available via the Ninja Shop.

DJ Chicken George: Radio Jazztronica! 3 (ProperlyChilled)

While taking in The Pharcyde and K-otix show on this past Thursday night, I ran into a good friend and one of my all time favorite spin doctors DJ Chicken George who was in town to spin for the weekend. As always, it's good to see my brother and to vibe to his mixes. Stream the latest installment of Radio Jazztronica! he did for Properly Chilled. Thanks to Ant Boogie for taking the photo.

Radio Jazztronica! 3 (ProperlyChilled) by Dj Chicken George on Mixcloud