French Online site Chica-Chic always asks us for a run-down of our favorites at the end of every year and here they are for you. The list is in no particular order, although UGK's LP was my favorite release of the year and the Tes la Rock single probably my most exciting find and the song I lost it to the most on the dancefloor. All the best in 2008 (two thousand great!)
Top Ten Favorite Singles from 2007
1. Coki "Spongebob" 12" - DMZ Rec.
2. Kovert "Pressure Sound EP" - Sonic Belligeranza
3. Drop the Lime "Sky City Rising" - Broklyn Beats
4. Venetian Snares "Sabbath Dubs " 10" - Kriss Rec.
5. Appleblim / Shackleton "Soundboy's Ashes Get Ground Up and Snorted" - Skull Disco
6. Rusko "Babylon: Vol. 1" EP - Sub Soldiers
7. Kode 9 "Massive Music Find My Way (Kode 9 rmx)" 12" - Hyperdub
8. Tes la Rock "Round the World Girls" 12" - Argon
9. The Bug feat. Flowdan "Jah War" - Ninja Tune
10. UGK feat Outkast "International Player's Anthem" - Jive
Top Ten Favorite LPs of 2007
1. UGK "Underground Kings" - Jive
2. Rotator "Choose Your Poison, Mine is Hardcore" - Peace Off
3. Skull Disco "Soundboy Punishments" - Skull Disco
4. Maga Bo "Confusion of Tongues" - Soot
5. Panda Bear "Person Pitch" - Paw Tracks
6. Lil Wayne "The Drought, Vol. 3" mixtape
7. Disrupt "Foundation Bit" - Werkdiscs
8. Team Shadetek "Pale Fire" - SoundInk
9. M.I.A. "Kala" - Interscope
10. Trimbale "Soul Food Vol. 1" mixtape
Favorite Live Show - Boadrum 77 - The Boredoms' outside concert with 77 drummers on 7/7/07. Just imagine every drummer from every NYC band playing in a spiral in the park on a beautiful July afternoon with the Boredoms conducting. While at times overwhelming and lacking in focus, it was still a great time and free if you could get in ( the line stretched for almost a mile...)
Favorite DJ Set / Party - Mala at Dub War - With the collective consciousness that is the London-NYC dubstep continuum, I'd give it up to Dub War as a whole this year, but Mala's last set back in the fall was definitely a highlight. Dope dubplates, decent mixing and a sick soundsystem...
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Monday, December 31, 2007
TOP TEN FOR 2007
Our Fave music will be posted later alongside a DJ mix of said tracks. For now a larger look at my favorite items this year... probably to be edited more later...
0. BUSH IS ANOTHER YEAR CLOSER TO LEAVING OFFICE. I had a big rant on this topic, but realized none was needed.
1.OTHER PRODUCERS DISCOVERED DUBSTEP. A small, but talented new genre of London-centric producers helped rejuvenate a much larger contingent of electronic producer, from Si Begg to Bong Ra, techno to breakcore, (the Appleblim/Villalobos remix seeming to top the media.) These same producers helped rejuvenate dubstep's already dimming star. Maybe it's all just electronic music after all... Dubstep has worked hard this year, so maybe they deserve to spend their offnights patting each others' backs.
2. WE WATCHED TOO MUCH TV. Weeds, Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Sportscenter, our own videos we had to sound edit, YouTube, Netflix, Top Chef, Globe Trekker, No Reservations, Weird Food, NBA< NFL< MBA, the fucking National Spelling Bee... GODDAMN I HOPE I GET AN iPHONE FOR KWANZA!!!!
3. NYC PARTIES. Most notably Dub War, whose dubstep parties on the old Twilo soundsystem harken 90's all-night memories, but also the Trouble & Bass parties and Funkworthy soundclashes... and our own Pure Fire. Pure Fire's what's become of my ability to promote in NYC. That is 20% of a 5-person DJ crew who holds it down when someone deems it hold-downable. We fight over timeslots, underpromote, overplay, overdrink, undersmoke, undereat and always stumble out relinquished of the need to legitimize our record-spending habits for another week. Guess it's time to make another mix CD. Happy holidays, here's a link to our summer mix.
4. BROOKLYN. Always fascinating, celebrating our tenth year here in May of 2008. Sure the yuppies are taking over the city, but fuck 'em. They're not on my block yet... maybe...
5. UGK. First, Pimp C was released from prison in 2006 and then, after a few delays, we saw the release of UGK's "Underground Kings" double CD. This was easily the best rap record of the year, especially if you pare it down to an 80 min. CDR without so many of the pimp tracks. This shit was played by me every day since it came out with about a week where I gave my roommates a break. Then Pimp C goes and dies last week of natural causes at 33. Damn.... buy this record - you won't be disappointed...
6. CORMAC McCARTHY Oprah hyped "The Road" a post-apocalyptic father-son zombie book and it shot back up the book charts. Then "No Country for Old Men" was made into a perfect movie. Try finding any of his less recent books in the library or book store. Chances are the one you're looking for isn't to be found, even in downtown Manhattan. An elusive author who truly sums up the American underbelly and underclass, McCarthy seems to be having his day in the sun in a year when he didn't even write a book.
7. VINYL Many people have already begun mourning the end of vinyl. Distributors have continued to go under and those who haven't have gotten further behind, waiting for their download shops to be built. Sales are definitely down, but somehow there's hope that the consumer will miss vinyl and enjoys taking home a nice package with good music instead of an overpriced CD or blah MP3. It's also been a great year to buy used vinyl as everyone and their sister decides that all they need in their life is a laptop.
8. PUNK BLOGS. Many of my favorites have already stopped caring about new entries, but from someone who spent all his money buying punk records only to sell them all for rent years later, it's great to have sites with full mp3s and cover art. Some serious gems, including this early Bad Brains track and this rare NYC squatterpunk blazer from Nausea.
9. RADIO. Internet radio to be exact. I didn't listen to as much as I would have liked but enjoyed what I did hear. DJ Rupture's weekly Mudd Up Radio On WFMU was always a treat, as was WreckTech's local Math & Science Show on WNYU. I will be hosting a 40-min. faves of 2007 mix in January on Amsterdam's wonderful Another Nice Mess show. Don't sleep... and all the best in 2008!!!
0. BUSH IS ANOTHER YEAR CLOSER TO LEAVING OFFICE. I had a big rant on this topic, but realized none was needed.
1.OTHER PRODUCERS DISCOVERED DUBSTEP. A small, but talented new genre of London-centric producers helped rejuvenate a much larger contingent of electronic producer, from Si Begg to Bong Ra, techno to breakcore, (the Appleblim/Villalobos remix seeming to top the media.) These same producers helped rejuvenate dubstep's already dimming star. Maybe it's all just electronic music after all... Dubstep has worked hard this year, so maybe they deserve to spend their offnights patting each others' backs.
2. WE WATCHED TOO MUCH TV. Weeds, Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Sportscenter, our own videos we had to sound edit, YouTube, Netflix, Top Chef, Globe Trekker, No Reservations, Weird Food, NBA< NFL< MBA, the fucking National Spelling Bee... GODDAMN I HOPE I GET AN iPHONE FOR KWANZA!!!!
3. NYC PARTIES. Most notably Dub War, whose dubstep parties on the old Twilo soundsystem harken 90's all-night memories, but also the Trouble & Bass parties and Funkworthy soundclashes... and our own Pure Fire. Pure Fire's what's become of my ability to promote in NYC. That is 20% of a 5-person DJ crew who holds it down when someone deems it hold-downable. We fight over timeslots, underpromote, overplay, overdrink, undersmoke, undereat and always stumble out relinquished of the need to legitimize our record-spending habits for another week. Guess it's time to make another mix CD. Happy holidays, here's a link to our summer mix.
4. BROOKLYN. Always fascinating, celebrating our tenth year here in May of 2008. Sure the yuppies are taking over the city, but fuck 'em. They're not on my block yet... maybe...
5. UGK. First, Pimp C was released from prison in 2006 and then, after a few delays, we saw the release of UGK's "Underground Kings" double CD. This was easily the best rap record of the year, especially if you pare it down to an 80 min. CDR without so many of the pimp tracks. This shit was played by me every day since it came out with about a week where I gave my roommates a break. Then Pimp C goes and dies last week of natural causes at 33. Damn.... buy this record - you won't be disappointed...
6. CORMAC McCARTHY Oprah hyped "The Road" a post-apocalyptic father-son zombie book and it shot back up the book charts. Then "No Country for Old Men" was made into a perfect movie. Try finding any of his less recent books in the library or book store. Chances are the one you're looking for isn't to be found, even in downtown Manhattan. An elusive author who truly sums up the American underbelly and underclass, McCarthy seems to be having his day in the sun in a year when he didn't even write a book.
7. VINYL Many people have already begun mourning the end of vinyl. Distributors have continued to go under and those who haven't have gotten further behind, waiting for their download shops to be built. Sales are definitely down, but somehow there's hope that the consumer will miss vinyl and enjoys taking home a nice package with good music instead of an overpriced CD or blah MP3. It's also been a great year to buy used vinyl as everyone and their sister decides that all they need in their life is a laptop.
8. PUNK BLOGS. Many of my favorites have already stopped caring about new entries, but from someone who spent all his money buying punk records only to sell them all for rent years later, it's great to have sites with full mp3s and cover art. Some serious gems, including this early Bad Brains track and this rare NYC squatterpunk blazer from Nausea.
9. RADIO. Internet radio to be exact. I didn't listen to as much as I would have liked but enjoyed what I did hear. DJ Rupture's weekly Mudd Up Radio On WFMU was always a treat, as was WreckTech's local Math & Science Show on WNYU. I will be hosting a 40-min. faves of 2007 mix in January on Amsterdam's wonderful Another Nice Mess show. Don't sleep... and all the best in 2008!!!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Radio Ruido
Firstly, our new Pure Fire 2007 Summer megamix is out online for only $5!!! Whereas the previous mix had all 4 of us doing separate mixes, this one has us mashing shit up in Ableton for a more consolidated view of our record boxes... and look at what dubstep would sound like if it was invented in Atlanta...There's been plenty of dopes sounds coming off the web lately, namely DJ /Rupture's new weekly program on WFMU on Tuesdays from 7 - 8. His debut kicked off with Drop the Lime in-studio droppibg some of his wicked new sounds before tromping off to Europe for a month. It's archived here.
Our own Disco Rallado program has been on hiatus for over a year, but our sponsor Burn.fm has upgraded to the new Openserver title and can be found here with plenty of groovey stuff, namely a Wordsound interview.
Also online is a big new release from Les Trolls available for free download here. It culls live music from their recent tour of the Middle East...
Friday, June 01, 2007
Applecore Mailorder
After two months of data entry and re-entry, ApplecoreMailorder.com is up and running for your pleasure. We have been sitting on a ton of wicked new material while this has been completed, so check the new section for all of our obscure little goodies. We'll be begin selling downloads of the Broklyn Beats catalog by next month and you should notice audio samples of many of the new shop items.
Sparkling or still?
In addition to all of the (maybe you...) ardent Broklyn Beats / Applecore fans' support, our endeavors have also been funded by years of work in the New York City service industry. This is fodder for many a blog entry, but for now I'm focussed on celebrity and idolatry and my place therein. Waiting on tables Downtown, you realize celebrities eat and eat out. My first brush was with Francis McDermott just after Fargo, thinking to myself "She's had the baby?!" My second did affect me, being Clive Barker; writers tended to impress me more since my co-waiters tended to be actors who only read screenplays and certainly not horror. Then there was Bill & Ted, Monica Lewinsky, Ben Affleck, the redhead from "Sex & the City" (a true sweetheart), Bill Moyers, Christina Ricci, Willem Dafoe, Robert Plant (and his entire family w/ that same hair) Leonardo DeCaprio, Common and Q Tip, sadly scared off by rats under the banquet... Celebrities are only a hassle because the management is on you, writing VIP on the kitchen ticket and making sure everything goes invisibly well at the table. Inevitably, the person in question is simply hungry and wants to eat without any pomp, most likely catching up with an old friend, trying to be normal. Good fucking luck... Nonetheless, the only way to get through the job of waiting tables in Downtown NYC and get back to the Brooklyn studios is to wait on everyone perfectly, regardless of who they are, simply moving them in and out, filling the belly and showering the face with smiles and chuckles.
Aside from a brief conversation with David Byrne and waiting on Pulitzer Prize winner Art Spiegelman and his wife numerous times, the specter of celebrity has been lost on me. This is celebrity, eating itself for the sake of tomorrow's star, for the sake of tomorrow's meal. Which brings me, aside from an aside, to my point of meeting two members of two of my favorite bands all in practically the same week. After a decade of rolling my eyes at another VIP table needing bottled water, I found myself on my own time talking with people who in some bizarre alter-universe, were real celebrities, although good luck finding anyone on the street who will share your enthusiasm!
First, there was Hank Shocklee. Public Enemy's Bomb Squad defined controlled chaos and the idea that this guy blasting the airhorn all night at last week's Dub Wars party was actually the originator of "Bring the Noize" and "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos." It made the whole night that much better. Timeblind was along with me on the dancefloor and mentioned the airhorn blaster to me. Unbeknownst, I heard Shackleton instead of Shocklee. Mistaking a member of Public Enemy for a younger white British bloke, I gave Mr. Shocklee a pound in the bar, mentioning how great his Skull Disco imprint was. Somehow I was still giving him the props he deserved and possibly made less of a scene because of the mistaken identity! Alas, maybe meeting your idol is alright as long as you don't realize that you actually are!
Now the funny thing (and reason this is worth writing about) is that it practically happened a second time 9 days later. While having a drink with Doily over Memorial Day we began talking with a couple of strangers at the bar. Talk moved from The Sopranos to Chelsea apartments to plants, gentrification, accounting, bookkeeping, and on and on, the drinks going down easy. At some point I asked the gentleman David where he was from. He said Austin, I asked if he'd ever seen Scratch Acid and he said he was in Scratch Acid!?! Here we are talking with David Sims of Scratch Acid, Rapeman and Jesus Lizard fame. For me, these bands defined my early 20's and I think Lizard was easily the best live band of the 90's. Well, I didn't mean to fawn, but probably did a little. In the end it was just a nice conversation with a couple really nice strangers at a local bar. Nonetheless, I'd seen him play live a good 8 times 15 years ago and came away very happy to have thanked him for highlighting my post-adolescent years in the Midwest. A Jesus Lizard concert in 1992 was a big event, something you planned for, something to look forward to. As far as recorded output, "Liar" and "Goat" may rival Nirvana's 2 LPs for best records of that period.
Anyway, the point is, to reiterate, I hope you meet your idols, your personal celebrities, your heroes, your inspiration and I hope you don't recognize them. Would you like bottled or tap water? Sparkling or still?
Aside from a brief conversation with David Byrne and waiting on Pulitzer Prize winner Art Spiegelman and his wife numerous times, the specter of celebrity has been lost on me. This is celebrity, eating itself for the sake of tomorrow's star, for the sake of tomorrow's meal. Which brings me, aside from an aside, to my point of meeting two members of two of my favorite bands all in practically the same week. After a decade of rolling my eyes at another VIP table needing bottled water, I found myself on my own time talking with people who in some bizarre alter-universe, were real celebrities, although good luck finding anyone on the street who will share your enthusiasm!
First, there was Hank Shocklee. Public Enemy's Bomb Squad defined controlled chaos and the idea that this guy blasting the airhorn all night at last week's Dub Wars party was actually the originator of "Bring the Noize" and "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos." It made the whole night that much better. Timeblind was along with me on the dancefloor and mentioned the airhorn blaster to me. Unbeknownst, I heard Shackleton instead of Shocklee. Mistaking a member of Public Enemy for a younger white British bloke, I gave Mr. Shocklee a pound in the bar, mentioning how great his Skull Disco imprint was. Somehow I was still giving him the props he deserved and possibly made less of a scene because of the mistaken identity! Alas, maybe meeting your idol is alright as long as you don't realize that you actually are!
Now the funny thing (and reason this is worth writing about) is that it practically happened a second time 9 days later. While having a drink with Doily over Memorial Day we began talking with a couple of strangers at the bar. Talk moved from The Sopranos to Chelsea apartments to plants, gentrification, accounting, bookkeeping, and on and on, the drinks going down easy. At some point I asked the gentleman David where he was from. He said Austin, I asked if he'd ever seen Scratch Acid and he said he was in Scratch Acid!?! Here we are talking with David Sims of Scratch Acid, Rapeman and Jesus Lizard fame. For me, these bands defined my early 20's and I think Lizard was easily the best live band of the 90's. Well, I didn't mean to fawn, but probably did a little. In the end it was just a nice conversation with a couple really nice strangers at a local bar. Nonetheless, I'd seen him play live a good 8 times 15 years ago and came away very happy to have thanked him for highlighting my post-adolescent years in the Midwest. A Jesus Lizard concert in 1992 was a big event, something you planned for, something to look forward to. As far as recorded output, "Liar" and "Goat" may rival Nirvana's 2 LPs for best records of that period.
Anyway, the point is, to reiterate, I hope you meet your idols, your personal celebrities, your heroes, your inspiration and I hope you don't recognize them. Would you like bottled or tap water? Sparkling or still?
Monday, May 07, 2007
The End of Tonic, Part 3
It's been a few weeks since Tonic's closure, an odd space of time finding new jobs, showing up at job interviews only to have other Tonic employees waiting their turn. The final Pure Fire "Goodbye subTonic party" went down great with a sizable chunk of the downstairs performers showing up. It was the best sound system we ever had at Tonic accompanied by 4 visual people and my parents who had come from a Les Paul show to sit in the middle of a blisteringly loud set with a film of some French guy flying an enormous kite... Another highlight was the 8-bit grooves of Bubbly Fish playing with O blaat.
Yet another highlight of the final days was the all-employee 6-hour jam session of which I'll spare you the mp3s and leave you with the photo... although we did manage to record 5 hours onto CDs! I recommend any group of people who have been laid off to play music together for 6 hours!
The final night's show was a mad rush of work, containing a lot of drunk people who were very unhappy to see Tonic go. Doily and I ducked out before Marc Ribot was arrested, preferring to sleep after finishing work around 7 a.m. One last half-drunk look back at a long club night and the last of Tonic's. The next time I went by Tonic was a week later and all of the tons of detritus from the basement had been neatly piled in a massive dumpster. The End.
Pure Fire got slippery over at APT last week, our first big move from an Eastside basement to a Westside basement. DJ Rupture tore it up alongside the Pure Fire Crew, including new resident DJ $mallchange. Thanks to everyone who came out to support! Next month we'll be hosting Balkan Beatbox, our favorite act from that whole energetic local scene. June 14th, baby. APT has a wicked system in a wicked room. Come early for our open bar from 9 - 10 and save a round or two!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Synthesized
Synapse mag contents lovingly rendered online while Synthesis Mag posts a sweet little Drop the Line mix blending old and new. Meanwhile I patiently wait for my own Xiosynth to be re-sent. Gotta love NYC mail delivery!
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