25.1.10

Tetine



Love this band. Crazy tropical punk. New LP soon come in February.

Ms Dynamite & DJ Zinc - Wile Out



Is this a match made in UK underground music heaven - yep indeed. Heavyweight tune, thanks to a gnarly tumbling electro riddim courtesy of man like DJ Zinc and of course, Dynamite's fearless bashy flow.

24.1.10

Skepta is a BAD BOY



The NEW Skepta single 'Bad Boy'. Produced by Agent X. Download it on ALL digital websites on March 1st 2010. Video directed by 'STAPLE HOUSE'. Video's looking kinda slick.

14.1.10

Brit-rappers get soulful: Plan B & Maverick Sable videos



Plan B's new single - you might remember him as an angry, angsty, powerful rapper but his new sound is rock'n'roll soul and the best bit is it's still got the intensity that makes Ben Drew such a powerful, individual artist.



And this is Maverick Sable another supremely talented acoustic-y singer/rapper. Heavy.

13.1.10

Wiley - Never Be Your Woman (Shy FX mix)



Wiley's next single - loving the way his new material shaping up. Exciting stuff.

12.1.10

Indian Girl - Peter Jackson & Patrick Christopher Directed by Chris Stacey



New video from up and coming R&B dude Peter Jackson. Interesting to see North Americans still banging the Asian-influenced R&B drum - perhaps we can call it the Jay Sean effect?

11.1.10

Current affairs with a double shot of tequila





This the front cover of Ctrl Alt Shift a brilliant new magazine that takes a sideways look at hard-hitting Current Affairs - in other words with all the passion, chutzpah, ire and humour of a magazine edited by Chantelle Fiddy.

It's been an honour to be involved with a magazine that looks so good and is bursting with meaningful, real reading. You can get your daily fix of Ctrl Alt Shift vitalness and join the movement (as that's what it is, this ain't no passive experience) here. Big up Fiddy and the team that made this happen.

Here's what you can find inside the Corruption special:Ctrl.Alt.Shift:

The Corruption Issue focuses on corruption as both a key cause of poverty and the barrier to overcoming it, and represents an ongoing attempt by the organisation to bring a marginalised social and political agenda back into mainstream rhetoric.

"We hope the magazine will reach out to people who wouldn’t traditionally be interested in politics or current affairs, and encourage those people out of their comfort zones and into action”. (Katrin Owusu, Head of Youth Marketing and Innovations at Ctrl.Alt.Shift.)

Highlights include:

•The A-Z: 22 pages of bite-sized chunks, global trends, topics and tit-bits shaking up our world.

•Sarah Maple: The artist described by The Independent on Sunday as ‘the heir to Tracy Emin’s throne’ unveils a bespoke piece of work influenced by corruption and sex.

• Culture club – Richard Shoyemi looks at how Asda’s new Asian range will inspire a generation of fashionistas to swap minge creepers in favour of saris.

• Interview with Tim Westwood – the Radio 1 DJ talks marrying music, activism, and why he wouldn’t take Pimp My Ride to Palestine.

• Ben White: Author of Israeli Apartheid: A Beginner’s Guide, freelance journalist and Middle East expert breaks down the language of corruption.

• Riz Ahmed: fresh from appearing alongside Judi Dench in the movie Rage, the actor and MC finds time to give his take on the effects of corruption.

• Face the Music – Ctrl.Alt.Shift unearths the sounds which are making it big in Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria and beyond.

• Goody Two Shoes: Feature on how Brazilian show company Melissa and designer Vivienne Westwood have met in ethical style heaven.

• Murder he wrote – an investigative feature by Rahul Verma into honour killings in India.

Printed on completely uncoated paper using vegetable ink, the magazine is completely biodegradable and has a cover price of £3.95. It is available from most WHSmith stores and will be available to buy from www.ctrlaltshift.co.uk soon.

New Mystro - UK Rap Up



Homegrown hip hop stalwart Mystro's UK Rap Up - a proper banger.

4.1.10

Independent LP Reviews - AIM & Consequence




Remember AIM, aka Cumbrian Andy Turner, of floaty, melancholic hip hop on Grand Central Records fame? Well he's back - sort of - with a compilation, and here's a review of it that ran in the Independent's Information going out supplement on January 2nd.

Various: Follow The Outline
AITC

Andy ‘AIM’ Turner delicate hip-hop, on cult Manchester label Grand Central, soothed many a comedown and hangover in the early noughties, and a decade on as his label’s debut compilation will do the same. Highlights including Aim’s ambling, headnodding beatscapes, Gripper’s lo-fi cosmic disco and accordion house, and Crowhead’s dark, tense dusty rave, perk the spirt and are the antidote to January blues.



Consequence review which will run in The Independent's Information on January 9th is here. This LP is beyond lush as a Wale-ian (someone from Wales) would say.

Consequence: Live For Never
Exit

Canadian producer Consequence is part of a compelling new d&b movement, Autonomic led by D Bridge and Instra:mental. Whereas modern d&b is busy, intense and aggressive, Consequence, deftly arranges subtle effects (clicks, pops, synths) over throbbing bass. Emotion and tension, are as key components to this music as drums and bass, as are its soothing, dreamy and meditational qualities.

Belated Seasons Greetings

Ok so I've been a proper slacker and posted nothing for about three weeks. I don't feel guilty as I've been taking a break. And as result of feeling rested, relaxed and recharged I will be back on the blog bizzle properly.

Truth be told I've been rubbish with the blog and not really posted much of my writings however I will be endeavoring to post most - if not all - of my scribblings. It's not much use sat on my MacBook or that ephemeral moment you might turn the page in a newspaper or magazine .

Anyways here's hoping you had a good Christmas and New Year and here's the Indian take on it: