The MakeShift Mixes

I wanted to write a long (like we’re talking long) overdue post about a fantastic blog known as Another Night on Earth. It is put together by Christopher Keys, who’s bio states the following about him…

• Age: 39
• Gender: Male
• Astrological Sign: Libra
• Zodiac Year: Monkey
• Industry: Arts
• Occupation: graphic designer, dj
• Location: Johannesburg : South Africa

Now that you know everything there is to know (aside from his shoe size), it’s important to also know that the blog itself features some of the best new, and often unsigned or soon to be, original music, dance edits and mixes in the genres of disco (space or otherwise), soul, funk, psychedelic, afro-beat and really any other music that shows real taste and feeling. Chris also has a very long list of other blogs in his blogroll that I have yet to explore but have a feeling will also knock my dancing socks off. Oh, and I must say thanks to Chris for giving me a smashing review too; that never hurts. ANOE is definitely not just another blog on the net.

I wanted to give a big shout out to The Gang of Two for their new blog. I know that AndyCapp has been very busy updating the categories to span their musical influences in great internet detail. If you have the time, I recommend checking out the resource for a wide variety of info. on bands from A Certain Ratio to Was (not) Was to artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Currently, they just have track listings for their mix CDs but no word on whether they will be offered for download.

Regardless, a great read from some of Toronto’s finest. Don’t be fooled by the pic

So happy to finally have my cover art done for my Nothin’ But the Dirt EP.

Many thanks to my best mates Christopher Critchley for the photography and Elizabeth Lusk of Gestalt Design for the design and art direction.

The term “nothin’ but the dirt” comes from Newfoundland if anyone is interested and basically means trash, gossip, lewd or scandalous. It is meant to reflect the themes on the EP; money, sex and fashion. This EP really stemmed from my conflicts with those 3 things being such a part of the popular consciousness and my love/hate relationship with them all.

The design is an idea I had to do what essentially the lyrics do in the songs; be tongue in cheek. I thought the literal image of dirt alone would might lose the meaning and make it seem there was some kind of organic connotation; hence the addition of the $20 bill, red underwear and yellow pump shoe.

All of the songs can be heard on my myspace site and I hope to have a CD version for sale on CD Baby or on a label by January.

Here’s a freebe mp3 of the song In The Scene from the CD.

My new favorite album is the Danish duo Owusu and Hannibal’s “Living with Owusu and Hannibal”. It’s out on the fabulous Ubiquity Records and gathers up all the soul and electronic elements I love with production that is second to none.

Do yourself a favour and check it out.

Shouts to AndyCapp for the recommendation!

In attempts to further expand a “fan” base, I have gone on what I call a “spriending spree”. Spriending or SPAM friending is the term I am hoping to coin that is essentially spaming people on myspace.

Does this work? Who knows. In the age of digital music and myspace, who says that having more friends gives you greater exposure? In my experience, I will go to the new friend’s space maybe 8 out of 10 times if they appear to be musicians but will usually add them anyway?

So does myspace really do anything for anyone other than give them some free web space to put funny movies, pictures and their music up?

Perhaps a little more niche spriending is required. My count seems to be going up but how many people are tuning in?

More on this to come. Your thoughts?

Appropriate for the season, artist/musician Johnny Random plays the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite exclusively with bicylce parts.

If you read this blog or listen to this podcast, you’ll realise one wasn’t done this week. This is true and also not true. I will be switching the format to a bi-monthy for reasons of time. I truly wish I did have the time and resources to provide more interviews and mixes but am absolutely swamped.

To better prepare for my next mix however, I am currently re-organizing my record (yes vinyl) collection to become better aware of my inspirations in music.
In times of confusion, basic tasks can become quite focusing.

P.S., check out this review of the new Lindstrom record on Stylus.

This mix should either be dubbed, “The Influence of Iannelli” or “Madliberation” due to so much use of music given to me by my friend Vince Iannelli of the Dead Edits and music by or involving producer, artists Madlib. Throw in the Koushik double-bill and Chrome Children and we may as well call it a tribute to Stones Throw.
Here’s the listing for the “internet seekers” and music geekers

1- “Louise” Armando Travajoli - (Italian Girls Like) Ear Catching Melodies [Dagored]

2- “La Storia Cominica” Gigi & M. de Angelis - See (1)

3- “Be With” Koushik - Be With [Stone’s Throw 2006]

4- “Falling For Grace” Julien Jabre - Kitsuné Midnight [Kitsuné]

5- “Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love” Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds of Fire [Columbia 1973]

6- “2Cb Trip with Sa-Ra” Sa-Ra Creative Partners - Dark Matter and Pornography Mix-tape [Tube Records]

7- “Tape Hiss” Madlib Tha Beat Konducta - Movie Scenes Vol-1&2 [Stones Throw 2006]

8- “The Swing More Interlude” MakeShift - Unreleased

9- “Younger Than Today Pt. 1″ Koushik - Be With[Stones Throw]

10- “African Walk (Zamunda)” Madlib Tha Beat Konducta - Movie Scenes Vol-1&2 [Stones Throw 2006]

11- “Dime Piece (Remix feat Dwele)” J-Dilla - The Shining [Okay Player]

12- “Baby I’m Scared of You” Womack and Womack - Journey Into Paradise: The Larry Levan Story [Rhino/WEA]

13- “Clouds” Chaka Khan - Journey Into Paradise: The Larry Levan Story [Rhino/WEA]

14- “Pyramids (Change)” Madlib Tha Beat Konducta - Movie Scenes Vol-1&2 [Stones Throw 2006]

15- “You Gotta Know” Fannypack - Kitsuné X - Kitsuné

16- “Here in the Night” Kelly Polar - Love Songs from The Hanging Gardens [Environ]

17- “The Comeback (Madlib)” Madlib Tha Beat Konducta - Movie Scenes Vol-1&2 [Stones Throw 2006]

18- “I Was A Lover” TV on The Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain [Touch and Go Records]

19- “Leave Me Alone” Ellen Allien & Apparat - Orchestra Of Bubbles [BPitch Control]

20- “Blow Your Horn Featuring Ohmega Watts” Quantic - An Announcement to Answer [Tru Thoughts]

21- “Love Movin’ (Feat. Black Thought) - The Shining [OkayPlayer]

22- “Toe Fat (Ghettozone)” Madlib Tha Beat Konducta - Movie Scenes Vol-1&2 [Stones Throw 2006]

23- “Take It Back” Madlib - Chrome Children [Stones Throw]

24- “Monkey Suite” Madvillan - Chrome Children [Stones Throw]

25- “The Count” Simian Mobile Disco - Kitsuné X [Kitsuné]

26- “Future” Cut Copy - Kitsuné Midnight [Kitsuné]

27- “Fantasy” MakeShift - Unreleased

On the extravegance of recording budgets during the 70’s…

…[Steely Dan] used to take more than a week to mix one track, so it’s expensive to be influenced by their studio habits! …, but I love the exagerated way of life from that era: “Please, bring me another grand piano- this one’s no good!”

- Ed Motta, Brazillian Musician, Composer and Record Collector.

Taken from WAX POETICS #18

All those songs about women and it’s not a feminist album?

Find out why on this week’s show, an audio review of Dani Siciliano’s “Slappers” on K7.

If you go to the website be sure to check out the interview.

Enjoy and please send comments!

MS.