So the new trend is to get as many beat makers on your track as possible and Producers are becoming the superstars now. But so many are compromising their artistic vision to suite artists and we need to counterbalance that. Take me for example, I’m working with an r&b vocalist and also working with some MCs, but at the end of the day when I’m by myself, I make music that is ‘experimental’: no high hats, kicks slightly off, wierd noises.

As producers we need that release. I’m sorry Kanye Lovers, but his old stuff form himself will always be my favorite stuff. This new theory of dumbing it down needs a counterwieght or we’re all gonna be stuck with dumb music full of the same samples our grandma’s used when they were crocheting and making headbanging beats back in the day.

outro!

Muhsinah / Day Break EP / iTunes

I’ve firstly got to say thanks to Andrew Castillo @ DreamTeam. His cutting edge podcast put me on to this young lady from NYC. Abstract, contemporary soul and funk music just the way I like it, and believe me, just the way you like it! The EP is currently only available on iTunes (but there will be a CD version in March) this music is gonna be massive worldwide! Think Georgia Anne Muldrow, think Madlib, think 70s Tribe in 2008, think Stereolab. You gettit? She makes beats, she sings, she produces, she delivers a funky message. Creative independent music like this always makes my ears prick up and take notice. Check my http://www.offlimitsradio.com/music/48_Off_Limits_Show.mp3 for some killer tracks.

Trust these ears!

I’d like to introduce to you one of the new contributors to the Urban Landscapes site. Most people know him simply as Raggy. He’s a UK-based selector with a serious musical appetite, matched only by his astute knowledge the deeper undercurrents jazz and soul (and his record collection).

Like Rocky Rococo, Raggy has graciously accepted to share his contributions with us. This is the first of two postings he’s done. Looking forward to more. Enjoy!

Lenny Marcus / Bat In The Hat / Private

I can seriously feel a jazz funk revival just around the corner! It’s about time, dance floors worldwide need that energy! So, we’ll continue wetting your appetite and thoroughly spoil you on every show. On show #48 we get d-i-r-t-y and rare with Lenny Marcus’s “Farewell Welfare”. The 23 year old pianist self produced and self made this LP on his very own private label 30 odd years ago - so there can’t be too many of them about! You just know that when vinyl ONLY gets a release on the artists own label then that gets my ears standing to attention. It shows their ambition to get the music heard regardless. You can hear “Farewell Welfare” on http://www.offlimitsradio.com/music/48_Off_Limits_Show.mp3

Get digging, this one is B-A-A-A-D!

Ugh, it’s super late and I’m still awake! That’s what I get for grabbing a big cup of hot expresso at 7:00pm, and being amped up with sketching out a new iteration of the show’s web site.

Speaking of amped, I was looking for some info on Om Hip-Hop, the hip hop imprint of the Bay Area-based house label, and I’ve stumbled upon a page on the label’s relatively new blog. It’s a fascinating entry on a bootleg project that almost never saw the light of day. It’s a bootleg hip-hop project using tracks from Radiohead’s recent album, courtesy of producer Amp Live. And oy, does he has some serious MC’s on this one! And yes, the production is dope.

So head on over to the blog, read the story, and if you so choose grab both the EP and the accompanying artwork.

Continuing on with my essential picks after a bit of an absence, yet another podcast that may be well worth your time to check out is Broke N’ Beat Radio. Hailing from Philadelphia, Argo is the man who runs things.

Unlike Urban Landscapes and many other such shows, it’s all music here. You won’t hear Argo read back the tracks played, and you won’t hear him in fact at all. That’s how he likes it, and that’s how fans of the show seem to like it too.

In addition to spinning his own sets, he’s amassed a fine roster of exclusive guestmixes coming from the likes of Mad Mats (Raw Fusion, Sweden), Domu (Treble-O, UK), Pablo Valentino (Faces Records, France), and Nickodemus (Wonderwheel/Turntables On The Hudson, U.S.) among many others, adding a variety of tastes, styles and music to the mix.

Give the show a try.

Site: Broke N’ Beat Radio
Subscribe to the Podcast

Got this a few days ago, but nearly forgotten about this.

You’ve probably heard of keyboard maestro/producer Mark de Clive-Lowe. You might have also heard of revered vocalist Bembe Segue.

You may know them by their joint project called The Politik. You might have even known that an album from The Politik dropped last year.

Now comes a new competition. Not only is The Politik putting the vibes out for producers aspiring and pro to take a stab at remixing goods from its album, but there’s a separate competition to create new album artwork.

All of this will culminate to become the new Politik remix album, to be released sometime this year.

Time to let them have their say…

Bembe Segue and Mark de Clive-Lowe welcome you to The Politik Remix Album + Artwork Competition.

We had a lot of fun making the album in London and Vancouver and now it’s everyone’s chance to have a go at flipping it. We’ve uploaded remix parts for the entire album plus the original raw artwork.. share this link and info with everyone who might be interested… labels and crew people, pass this email onto your artists and networks.

This competition is open to anyone and everyone who’d like to have a go at remixing one (or more) songs from The Politik’s debut album. The winning remixes will be compiled into the official remix album The Politik Remixed to be released on both physical and digital formats. The second part of the competition is an artwork remix competition for the cover art of the official release. Download the original artwork by Joshua Mays and have a go at reworking it in the spirit of the Remix.

All entries must be received by April 14, 2008.

For more information, download links for all the files and the submission info click:

http://studio.mashibeats.com/ThePolitikRemixComp.html

Listen to the original album at http://thepolitik.imeem.com.

Best of luck to the participants; looking forward to hearing the winners!