Turntable Tuesdays: Ri33Z: F00tWoRk FAvAriT3s V0l.02

If you caught that banger of a Footwork tune from Ri33Z on yesterday and love that, i'm sure you're going to like this mix that he compiled of some of his favorite Footwork tunes. Be sure to give a "LIKE" to his Facebook artist page where he has a treat waiting for you. Enjoy!

Shade Cobain: Young Man (Vampire)

Here's a brand new hot 16 uploaded hours ago by Shade Cobain. I don't mean an emcee spitting a verse. I mean a talented producer knocking out bangin' beats on the 16 pads. He promises to have a lot more heat to be released in 2015. Here's your first teaser of what's to come, and you can also check his previous releases on Bandcamp. Enjoy!

Pacman: Some Assembly Required

If you are in the Houston area and have attended any of the Underground Merger sets, then you have heard my homie Pacman rock the mic. Being in Hip-Hop for as long as I have, Pacman is an artist I would happily pass the torch to, to keep the culture alive. To see him perform live, he's the definition of an MC. He can surely move the crowd.

Follow him on Soundcloud, grab the new album titled Some Assembly Required, and keep posted for upcoming shows by him. Big ups to Calamity for handling the production.

Ri33Z: C0MVN1CAT10N$ C0RRVPT3D

A massive shout out of appreciation goes to Ri33Z who hit me on Soundcloud and sent me a few of his tunes to spin. I'm a huge fan of Footwork and bass music, and this guy nails it proper. He sent a message stating that he recently relocated to Denver, Colorado, so if you're a reader in that area, give him some local support and attend his live DJ sets. For my readers worldwide, you know what time it is on the support tip. $$$

Inami: Constant Craving (Saint Evo's Lounge Remix)

Happy Monday! For our early morning riser, we present you with the sounds of Kenyan artist Inami, a stable member of the Celsius Degree Entertainment label also based in Kenya. From my understanding, Inami is a well celebrated artist in her native land. Overcoming being partially deaf and honing her musical talents through her father, her start was with an eclectic band called The Musketeers. After the eventual breakup of the band, she called House music her home because it was the only genre that combined her different musical elements.

"Constant Craving" has been remixed by DJ/producer Saint Evo, a sound described by me as lounge meets afro-house meets late 1980s dance. This track is featured on a special remix project called Re-Incarnation of her Debut EP, Little Lost. The music is what the label defines as Equatorial House, and the plan is to spearhead a new movement to stretch the limits of House music and to put Kenya as a place on the map for the genre. In celebrating Inami's debut, CDE is letting fans download the Re-Incarnation EP for free. Visit their website for more info of upcoming releases by artists in their impressive catalog.

George Avramidis: Rain Song (ft. Evlampia Tsireli)

The winter chill has set in once again here in Houston, thanks to two days of rain that helped to bring in the cold wind. There are a few of us who don't mind taking some time out to relax and hear the rain against window panes and rooftops. It gets sweeter when you add the sounds of jazz trumpeter George Avramidis to your playlist. "Rain Song" is a nice, soothing instrumental track taken from his Protocol album released in 2013. Get this track as a free download to get a taste, then purchase the whole album to add to your music collection.

Darker Than Wax: Kitchen Music (A X'mas Mini Compilation)

Via Darker Than Wax: We wanted to build the concept of this mini compilation around the 'kitchen', as it is very often regarded as the 'soul' of the house where a large portion of daily activities take place. Whether it's preparing food, grabbing a quick snack from the fridge, or simply having a coffee with a mate over an extended countertop, its function does seep quite deeply into how we live. So for this holiday season (if you are having one), we thought it's rather appropriate to curate and share with you a collection of music from our artists and affiliates - A compilation that would hopefully provide and enhance the environment for those who might be preparing that festive feed for loved ones and friends.

After all, music is that one true universal language that injects positivity and good energy.

Big shouts to Darker Than Wax for their roster of artists. Several of my mixes and live DJ sets have tunes blended in for your enjoyment. The following tune by Giorgio Oehlers is in my recent mix titled Soulstice.

MoonGina: Silent Night (No Justice, No Peace)

As the situation with police brutality is getting worse, more and more people are getting outraged and in the streets protesting. In turn, many artists are having their say through their creations. One of those is MoonGina, a singer-songwriter who also dubs herself as a daydreamer, has released a heartfelt cry on her Soundcloud page. This is another one of those tunes that you would have to FEEL for yourself. Thanks to Jimetta Rose for the heads up! #blacklivesmatter

Millennium Jazz Music: Merry Christmas From MJM

I know it's now three days past, but it won't stop me from posting the gifts of music from labels who are thankful for you, the fans, for making it possible for their artists to do what they do. Here's another round of freebies from London based Millennium Jazz Music. Go here to grab the whole thing. Enjoy!

Harikiri: Natsu EP + Remixes

Thanks to a post on Soundcloud by production duo X&G (XIANMUSIC & GASZIA), it led me to a sweet EP titled Natsu by an artist named Harikiri who hails from London. This EP dropped in April of this year, but in the spirit of the holiday season, he's gifting it for a limited time. All you have to do is visit his Harikiri website, sign up for his newsletter, and the EP and remixes are free. This guy knows how to create some bangers. Further support would be helpful to him.

Urban Waves Records: Oh, Oh, Oh! [Compilation]

The gifts of music keep on coming. I got the heads up about this lovely compilation of artists from the Urban Waves Records family by way of Pawcut, one of the producers featured. As usual, make sure you show your love and support for these artists. That's the biggest form of thanks you can give them. Enjoy!

Amin Payne x Blaze: The Groove

Just a copy and paste of the message from the Laruche Records family:

In order to celebrate our 2 year anniversary and with that Christmas time, we thought that some gifts should be required. We always wanted (and will always want) to thank all the people who believe in our journey and show us any kind of support and love. We're glad to share with you guys, this special Christmas free download track, courtesy of our good homie Amin Payne and the French beatmaker Blaze, and hope you will appreciate it as much as we do! Enjoy your holidays and Merry Christmas fam! <3

Friday Flashback: Mr. Hermano: Free As The Morning Sun

Here's one of my favorite tunes that I like to put into my own "spirit music" category. "Free As The Morning Sun" is a cover that is the opening track to the album of the same name by Mr. Hermano, consisting of production duo Ben Mitchell & Chris Fitzgerald. The original was composed and produced by Carlos Santana under the pseudonym "Devadip" for his Oneness: Silver Dreams Golden Reality solo album released in 1979.

DJ Kool Emdee: Soulstice

The wintery season has hit us once again and many people have embraced this chilling cycle. I also took the time to welcome "Old Man Winter" by compiling a mix of soulful tunes to kick off this time of frigid temperatures and white blankets of frost. I hope the group by the same name doesn't mind me borrowing it.

Soulstice by Djkoolemdee on Mixcloud

Mozaic: Gold

Michigan based producer Mozaic has dropped some sweetness on us in celebration of the holiday season. Mo has several collaborative tunes with the likes of Rapper Big Pooh, J. Rawls, Young RJ, and other artists. Be sure to stop by his page to say thanks. Enjoy!

Expansions Collective: Christmas Freebies

As a thank you for listener support, the Expansions Collective record label and radio show is giving away a compilation of singles from their catalog in appreciation. To get this massive collection, all you have to do is give a "LIKE" on Facebook, then you will receive the link to download.

To add to the holiday cheer, Mecca:83 will be spinning some of his favorite tunes from 2014 on Christmas Day on Frission Radio from 8:00 pm - 9:00pm GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) [For the U.S.: 3:00 pm (EST); 2:00 pm (CST); 1:00 pm (MST); 12:00 pm (PST)]. Click here to find the exact time for your time zone. Check out archives from past shows on Mixcloud.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

The Record Realm would like to wish you and yours a happy and safe holiday season. Let's all do our share to insure peace on a daily basis.

Spyder-D: I Hate Being Black

Annie is not the only person who can sing about the hard knock life. The legendary Spyder-D adds to the ranks of tunes from people of color who sing, rap, and do poetry about the struggles of black people in this country. His latest, "I Hate Being Black" is controversial from its title, but is not what you may be thinking. As the saying goes; "You can't judge a book by its cover". Which brings it to my next point of mentioning that Spyder-D has a book on sale now by the same title. You can purchase your copy at My Book Baby: I Hate Being Black.

Happy Birthday: Dynamite Dave Soul

The Record Realm wishes a blessed earthstrong to the one and only Dynamite Dave Soul, curator of WTDK Revolutionary Radio based in Atlanta. Not only is he a master of the mix, but he is one of the few in the culture who has stuck to using vinyl for his DJ sets. If you're ever in the Atlanta metro area, be sure to find out where he's spinning and have yourself a good time. For now, listen to one of his podcasts to give you a taste of what this tastemaker has to offer.

DJ Keva: Triumph & Struggle: A Black Sonic Narrative

Hats off to DJ Keva for curating this wonderful mixture of sound bytes during this time of turmoil. Here stateside, we have been seeing the mass killings of people at the hands of police that seem to be making headlines on a weekly basis. More often, it's news of a black men and boys who are the fallen. We are living in a dark period and I hope this helps to brighten things in some form. Keep on pushing for justice!

Be sure to visit ART ON WAX, sign up for her mailing list and show your support. A lot of gems are posted on her blog.

Triumph & Struggle: A Black Sonic Narrative by Art On Wax on Mixcloud

Friday Flashback: Orbit: The Beat Goes On

The 1980's was a fun time and had a lot of great dance music. For this week we take you back to 1982 with a cover of Sonny & Cher's "The Beat Goes On", produced by Canadian group Orbit in the electro-funk genre and features the vocals of gospel singer Carol Hall. Makes me think back to the days of the roller skating jams where we used to tear the wood up to this track.

Azekel: New Romance

Happy Friday people! To get your day started off on the right foot, here is a fresh R&B tune with some pop appeal that's bound to get you in good spirits. Azekel is the next generation of singers that's making his mark in this vast world of music. Not only is he gifted on vocals, he also produced, wrote, and mixed this tune. Enjoy!

Turntable Tuesdays: Saint Evo's Talking Dums Ep.7

For my House lovers, we're taking a ride with Saint Evo as he takes us on a musical journey through Afro-House. Press play to get your body and soul grooving.

X&G: Home ft. Kidä

After listening to the recent track uploaded by Salt Lake City duo X&G (XianMusic & Gaszia) that features the voice of Kidä, a singer who resides in Los Angeles, I thought, this is the type of R&B that should be played on the radio. Hopefully there will be a way to purchase this or a download link. This is too good to keep to themselves. Enjoy!

Pragmatic Theory: Lightworks

Here are 29 flavorful tracks to help your work day, or at least an hour of it, go by a little smoother. Some of the top names in the underground beat game have contributed to this collection. Big shouts to Pragmatic Theory for making this all possible. I look forward to more good music from this collective of artists. By the way, you can have the whole collection as a courtesy to take along with you.

Kuma x Herzeloyde: Heartwork

Here's a fresh collaborative track from beatmakers Herzeloyde (Melbourne, Australia) and Kuma (Los Angeles), bringing a vibe that's fitting for this fall weather. Both artists display a great deal of versatility in their production, so you should follow them via Soundcloud to keep abreast of new releases and plenty of freebies.

Kriswontwo x Skyzoo: Achievements [Official Video]

As the year 2014 is gradually coming to a close, a lot of great artists are closing out the year with a huge bang...or "BANGERS" [not the British term for sausages], I should say. Leading the pack is my Scandinavian brother Kriswontwo with his brand new self-titled debut. He comes out the gate in full stride with his first single and video that features Brooklyn emcee Skyzoo. Additional choir like vocals are done by Washing D.C. soul singer Nicolas Ryan Gant. Let's not forget the chops from that mean axe by Thor Madsen. Watch and get hype!

Akai AMX Mixing Surface

Akai Professional has entered the DJ mixer world with their latest product called the AMX mixing surface. The AMX is a two channel control surface that works as plug-and-play hardware for Serato DJ, enabling you to use turntables or CDJs with its phono/line inputs. One cool feature about this mixer is being able to navigate your virtual crates on your laptop without having to touch your keyboard by using the search nob located at the top center of the controller. The cherry they added on top of this sundae is another new product called the Akai AFX, an effects controller that works hand in hand with the AMX. For additional features and more info, check out the demo videos below and visit the official Akai Professional website.

JoGoldie: Rainy Days [prod. by Ali Bilal]

Big respect to JoGoldie, the Philly based soul singer who I blogged about in a previous post, who I think has one of the best voices in modern soul, flawlessly gracing various styles of music. Recently she hit me up to send me her latest titled "Rainy Days". Taking the cue from artists in days of yore, this is a continuum to leading the way to declaring freedom of self. Get this goodie courtesy of Vickisun Music. Make sure you continue to support.

DJ Kool Emdee: Fall 2014

Tis the season to see bright colors while a brisk breeze blows. Here's another perfect blend to kick back and relax on a quiet rainy day or chill in your backyard as the sunset enhances the changing leaves. ENJOY!

Fall 2014 by Djkoolemdee on Mixcloud

Jon Lucien: Listen Love

Jon Lucien (January 8, 1942 – August 18, 2007) was a vocalist, songwriter, and musician from the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 1974 he released Mind's Eye on RCA Records and it contains my favorite song by him titled "Listen Love", a funky, yet soul filled uptempo tune with cultural elements. Other than Lucien's outstanding performance on several instruments and vocals, there was an impressive line-up of talented musicians who took part of the project. Most notably, Dave Grusin on piano and percussion, who also conducted the orchestra, and Ralph McDonald on percussion as well.

Pete Rock: Dilla Tribute 2014

The legendary Pete Rock, one of Hip-Hop's most prolific producers has paid homage again to late producer J-Dilla by mixing up tunes from the latter's body of work on Sirius XM's Backspin station a few months ago.

Koda & Bijou: There (A Sol Mechanic Remix)

Los Angeles based producer Koda has collaborated with Montreal based vocalist Bijou to work some electronic magic. A year ago they both dropped their single "There", but a few days ago, a friend of theirs, A Sol Mechanic gave it a retouch and released it on Bandcamp as a gift to listeners.

Beeisthefuture: Twisted Intafuation [Music Video]

About a month ago while at work I met this talented young artist from New Orleans who calls himself Beeisthefuture. After his performance grabbed my attention and to hear more of his tracks, that he produces himself, his sound and style gives him rights to the name. Recently, he gave me a heads up on the new video for his "Twisted Infatuation" single taken from his For You album that he released via Soundcloud. Grab the album for free, but don't forget that artists love support. Enjoy!

Captain Planet: Esperanto Slang

I'm surprised at myself for not having posted in a month. During that long break, I have received a gang of good music that I will share in the days to come. To start things off again, here's the latest from DJ Captain Planet that dropped two days ago, called Esperanto Slang. In his usual music quests, CP conquers dancefloors with his global grooves. I have included several of his tracks and remixes in my live DJ sets and online mixes. Grab the freebie called "Cicada", but don't forget to purchase the deluxe vinyl package that's loaded with goodies. Digital and CD formats are also available for purchase.

Happy Birthday: Michael Jackson

Here we are celebrating the life and legacy of "The King of Pop", Michael Jackson, once again. As usual, you know I had to do a tribute mix in his honor. This one is filled will all remixes of your favorites by DJ's and producers from around the world. Enjoy!

Rock My World 2014 by Djkoolemdee on Mixcloud

Otis Brown III ft. Bilal: The Thought Of You - Part I

Happy Monday readers! Here's a brand new track to help get your work day started off on the right foot. Drummer Otis Brown III gives us a glimpse of his upcoming project titled The Thought of You, due out on September 23rd via Revive/Blue Note. The first of three parts of the title track features vocals from Philadelphia soul singer Bilal. The crew on hand to help kick off Brown's debut as a band leader are pianist Robert Glasper, trumpeter Keyon Harrold, saxophonist John Ellis, and bassist Ben Williams, with organist Shedrick Mitchell and guitarist Nir Felder. Other vocalist to round off the project are singers Gretchen Parlato and Nikki Ross.

You can pre-order the album now on iTunes.


Track Listing:

1. The Way (Truth & Life)

2. The Thought of You – Part I featuring Bilal

3. Interlude I – Truth

4. Stages of Thought

5. The Two Become One (For Paula)

6. You’re Still The One featuring Gretchen Parlato

7. The Thought of You – Part II

8. I Love You Lord/We Exalt Thee/In The Beginning featuring Nikki Ross

9. The Thought of You – Part III

10. I Am Your Song featuring Nikki Ross

11. Interlude II – Life

Stephen Marley ft. Capleton & Sizzla: Rock Stone

As I should be posting more Reggae to the blog, here's one of the latest big tunes from Stephen Marley that features Capleton and Sizzla to ride alongside pon di riddim, taken from the highly anticipated Revelation Part 2: The Fruit of Life album that dropped this summer. This is the follow-up of Revelation Part I: The Root of Life, which won Marley his eighth Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2013. Stephen Marley is currently on tour. Find out more info by visiting StephenMarleyMusic.com.

Georgia Anne Muldrow: Dimensions [Video]

Over the past weekend, SomeOthaShip Connect uploaded the brand new "Dimensions" video from Georgia Anne Muldrow, a follow-up from her Ms. One EP, that takes you on a kaleidoscope journey through the direction of Thomas Piper. GAM's flawless vocal delivery laid over the hypnotic production of Kriswontwo can make you get excited about Hip-Hop again. Not to mention she erases all doubt that there are no women who represent the artform and have messages on life, love and culture. Don't forget to order your digital copy via Bandcamp or iTunes. Vinyl copies will be available soon. Stay tuned!

Rebel Sound: David Rodigan + Shy FX + Chase & Status

I just logged on to Facebook to see this announcement posted on David "Ram Jam" Rodigan's page. For those who are fans of Reggae and Dancehall, along with Drum n' Bass, know how beyond epic this announcement is. Keep it locked right here for more details, which i'm sure will be coming soon.

Friday Flashback: Pamoja: Oooh, Baby

Here's a rare funky Northern soul groove that has recent come back on radar. It's been many years since I've heard this record and am enjoying to hear it again. Pamoja (means "together" in ki-swahili) was a group from Chicago that consisted of songwriter and arranger Keith Stevenson and his former wife, who originally released "Oooh, Baby" as a b-side in 1975 on his own Keiper Production label. Originals of this record are very hard to find because there were only 1,000 pressed for the Chicago area. However, in 2009, Lotus Land Records & Tapes reissued the 45 RPM single with one of Stevenson's other tunes called "Paradise" with a group he later formed called Jewel.

Stram: Unused So Far

It's sort of a lazy Sunday afternoon here at The Record Realm headquarters, and the relaxing soundtrack that's being played in the background on repeat is the recent release from Montpellier, France based producer STRAM, titled Unused So Far. This is one of the hottest beat albums out right now and it's been in heavy rotation bumping through my monitors for the last few days. There's an excellent remix of Aaliyah's "Rock The Boat" that gives a much different twist, in comparison to other remixes of the song. Hit up his Bandcamp page and get this offering as a free download. He has other projects for purchase, so make sure you check those out. They are just as amazing. Enjoy!

Original Concept: Bite'n My Stylee

Before getting a record deal with Def Jam Recordings, the Hip-Hop group known today as Original Concept used to go by the name of the "Concept Crew", hailing from Long Island. Doctor Dre, T-Money, Rapper G, Easy G and Wildman Steve hosted a radio show called “The Operating Room” on WBAU-FM, the same station that featured the Spectrum City DJs (Chuck D & Flavor Flav), now known as Public Enemy.

Original Concept produced two singles; "Can You Feel It?/Knowledge Me" (1986) and "Bite'n My Stylee/Pump That Bass" (1986), before releasing their only full length LP Straight From The Basement of Kooley High! (1988). "Bite'n My Stylee" is a reggae influenced Hip-Hop track, but is a parody of the reggae genre, stating in the opening line; "Wait. I'm not Jamaican." All songs were produced by Doctor Dre', credited as the first person to introduce the "extended bass" sound into Hip-Hop.