A-TRAK Enter Ralph Wiggum (Stones Throw) 7" 3.99
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. The newest member of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz releases on 7" on Peanut Butter Wolf's local label.
AESOP QUARTET s/t (8thHB) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. Chicago new jazz group, with Hamid Drake (well known Peter Brotzmann sparring-partner) on drums, Jeff Parker (of Tortoise) on guitar, Ernest Dawkins playing reeds, and Rollo Radford on bass. With special guests DJ Rob Swift of the X-ecutioners doing his turntable thing, and Reggie Gibson (1998 National Poetry Slam Winner, ack!) doing some spoken word stuff.
ALIEN ARMY The End (Hip Hop Slam / Bomb Hip-Hop) cd 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
ALLIES, THE D-Day (Asphodel) cd 11.98
A veritable turntablist super-group featuring the likes of Invisibl Skratch Pikl A-Trak, Craze, Develop, Infamous, J-smoke & Spictakular. The Allies are here to school the world with their turntable wizardry and demonstrate how the turntable might replace the guitar.
AMBIENT BATTLE SAMPLES Phase One (Crypticon) lp 11.98
AQUARIUS BUTTONS 2 x 1" buttons 1.00
Hey, we just got another batch of AQ buttons made up... Spread the word! Show the world your true aQ colors! COOL COOL COOL aQ buttons, now in 6 different vibrant color combinations. 5 new color combos (blue on pink, red on dark grey, dark blue on blue, orange on black, and yellowish green on dark green) and a popular one we had previously (brown on yellow). TWO FOR $1!!! Colors are random, but buy enough and you'll be guaranteed to get 'em all! And of course all feature our spiffy James Gang style logo!! So stylish!
AUTOMATOR A Much Better Tomorrow (75Ark) 2lp 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. Dan Nakamura's 1996 Automator project is newly re-issued with several more tracks to finally make this ep an lp. For all you Kool Keith heads out there, there are some previously unreleased Dr. Octagon (aka Sinister 6000) tracks on here as well - not to mention some scratching from DJ Q-bert. This stuff is so much better than much of the recent Kool Keith offerings. Highly recommended.
BLACKBIRD Bird's Eye View (Alpha Pop) cd 12.98
BLOODCLOTT BREAKS AND SAMPLE TOOLS lp 13.98
BOBA FETTUCINI Arcade Breaks (Mon Mothma) 2lp 12.98
BOMBSHELTER DJ'S EMILE & RADAR Sub-Sonic Skratch Experiment (Swell) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. Arizona DJs Emile & Radar (who along with Z-Trip make up the Bombshelter crew) take their turntable wizardy to the deep realms of dark drum 'n' bass anthems, cutting tracks from Decoder, Dylan, Jonny L, Ganja Kru, as well as a super dark track from Radar.
BREAKVISION ISSUE NO. 1 (Breakvision) dvd 26.00
Quite possibly the first breakdancing dvd ever made, this is a long-ass thing to watch, and at $26 it'd better be! So in that way you're getting your money's worth. Director Jivan Ivan, himself a b-boy, conducts lengthy interviews with the likes of Iron Monkey (who's wavin' a gun around while he talks), Reveal, Cros One, Kareem, Kmel, etc. The interviews are too long but really interesting and very genuine. The breakdancing footage is super varied, from a parking lot in Miami to various gymnasiums, concrete sidewalks, the Freestyle Seesion competition in San Diego, etc. I got dizzy watching so many amazing dancers, quickly learning their individual styles and signature moves. The tone of the whole thing is genuine and passionate, even the very short shoutouts provided by Q-bert, Z-trip, Grandwizard Theodore. As a dvd made by b-boys for b-boys, this is a nice effort. Looking forward to volume 2.
BULLET PROOF SPACE TRAVELERS Built To Last (Stray) cd 14.98
AKA Bullet Proof Scratch Hamsters, this Bay Area "supergroup" is comprised of DJs Eddie Def (Skratch Piklz), Cue (Cue's Hip Hop Shop), Quest (Live Human), Marz, and MC Eddie K.
RealAudio clip: "F%K-WIT-YER-BRAIN"
BULLFROG s/t (Ropeadope) cd 16.98
Bullfrog hail from Montreal and have bestowed two little 3"cds upon AQ over the past year. And now here's their full length -- which contains tracks from the two 3" cds but also lots of new stuff never before heard. Not just a Kid Koala project at all, this band is really finding their sound and running with it, and Koala's turntables are just one part of the delightful equation. They play tone-perfect seventies sweet soul / Parliament-style funk (think "Can You Get to That" from Maggot Brain), complete with falsetto vocals and chiming bwang.bwang.bwang guitar. They also do a Sunday morning style of hip hop that's heavy on the SoCal-esque flowing vocals and wah guitar. Fans of Ozomatli, Jurassic 5, Antibalas -- this music is right up your alley. It's so good!
RealAudio clip: "Ya Ya"
RealAudio clip: "Reverse Psychoogy"
RealAudio clip: "Slow Down"
RealAudio clip: "Reverse Psychology"
BULLFROG Slow Down 3"cd 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. The seven piece Bullfrog hail from Montreal and recently swept thru our town, bestowing just a few cds upon us. This is a 5-song 3" cd (their 2nd 3" cd). Not just a Kid Koala project at all, this band is really finding their sound and running with it, and Koala's turntables are just one part of the delightful equation. They play tone-perfect seventies sweet soul / Parliament-style funk, complete with falsetto vocals and chiming bwang.bwang.bwang guitar. They also do a Sunday morning style of hip hop that's heavy on the SoCal-esque flowing vocals and wah guitar. Fans of Ozomatli, Jurassic 5, Antibalas -- this music is right up your alley. Get one now cos we won't have 'em again.
RealAudio clip: "Slow Down"
RealAudio clip: "Reverse Psychology"
BULLFROG (W/ KID KOALA) 3"cd 7.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE. SORRY Kid Koala plays with the band Bullfrog, an instrumental soul group whose super-mellow, easy Sunday afternoon sounds benefit greatly from Koala's warbly turntable solos. This is a tour-only mini 3" cd unavailable in stores. Contains the 3 songs from last year's Bullfrog 7", plus 2 new pieces. If you're interested, get your copy now because they're sure to run out soon, never to return.
CAT FIVE On The Rise (self-released) 12" 14.98
very very limited pressing of 300!
CATFIVE American Military Operations (self-released) 7" 5.98
In 2001 East Bay's Catfive released a good record filled with unlikely samples -- Fela-style afrofunk, Brazilian batucada, lounge, moments of dub, scratching that sounds like a twisted harmonica -- that worked so well atop a mix of beats and groove. The new 7" is somewhat timely -- a pro-peace, anti-war message -- but as such is maybe a little too predictable, featuring samples of Bush I and II, other politicians, journalists, Elvis, etc. Negativland is funnier, but Catfive's hearts are certainly in the right place. The B-side is a cool gimmick, though. It plays backward -- i.e. the needle starts in the middle and works its way outwards. It's a bunch of cartoon / old movie / tv samples with a similar political bent as side A, but without added music. On transparent red vinyl.
CATFIVE Kataphonics (Hip Hop Slam) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. Remember that amazing Milk Cult record from last year? I'm liking this Cat Five record for the same reasons: it's a winning combination (a bit lighter than Milk Cult) of unlikely samples mixed together in a very accessible, headnodding fashion. Every sound or sample works both as a percussive and a melodic element, whether it's Fela-style afrofunk, Brazilian batucada, lounge music, moments of dub, scratching that sounds like a twisted harmonica, or silly film clips, it all works well, like a hip hop gig filmed in 1920s madcap silent film style. Or DJ Shadow's ditzy younger cousin or something. Cat Five are from East Bay, headed by the guy otherwise known as Balanceman (who released an album on Deluxe). A nice surprise!
RealAudio clip: "Linkage"
RealAudio clip: "Shadrach"
RealAudio clip: "Travelite"
RealAudio clip: "Run 2 the Jungle"
CUT CHEMIST Sound Of The Police (Stable Sound) cd 17.98
Cut Chemist really needs no introduction, he is a pioneer in the worlds of hip-hop and turntablism, being a part of one of the most refreshing and innovative hip-hop acts ever, Jurassic Five, as well as playing in Ozomatli, collaborating with folks like Madlib and DJ Shadow, and releasing his own solo albums that showcase his awe inspiring turntable skills. With Sound Of The Police, you can tell that he and Madlib are in a similar state of mind as far as really appreciating psychedelic sounds from the past and from all around the globe. Here CC takes amazing sounds from obscure records from South America and Africa as well as some modern tracks influenced by those musical movements, to make a seamless hip-hop spirited mix that is as infectious as it is flawless. What's totally mind blowing about this record is that it was recorded live with Cut Chemist creating the mix using only one turntable, one mixer and a delay pedal. No laptops involved in this creation and it really shows, as you hear the warmth and the crackling vinyl of these groove filled sounds that he pieces together into a distinctly hip-hop mix but while still being totally respectful and so appreciative of the sounds being sampled. Definitely turning into one of our favorite end of summer jams!
MPEG Stream: "I"
MPEG Stream: "II"
CUT CHEMIST Sound Of The Police (Stable Sound) lp 21.00
Cut Chemist really needs no introduction, he is a pioneer in the worlds of hip-hop and turntablism, being a part of one of the most refreshing and innovative hip-hop acts ever, Jurassic Five, as well as playing in Ozomatli, collaborating with folks like Madlib and DJ Shadow, and releasing his own solo albums that showcase his awe inspiring turntable skills. With Sound Of The Police, you can tell that he and Madlib are in a similar state of mind as far as really appreciating psychedelic sounds from the past and from all around the globe. Here CC takes amazing sounds from obscure records from South America and Africa as well as some modern tracks influenced by those musical movements, to make a seamless hip-hop spirited mix that is as infectious as it is flawless. What's totally mind blowing about this record is that it was recorded live with Cut Chemist creating the mix using only one turntable, one mixer and a delay pedal. No laptops involved in this creation and it really shows, as you hear the warmth and the crackling vinyl of these groove filled sounds that he pieces together into a distinctly hip-hop mix but while still being totally respectful and so appreciative of the sounds being sampled. Definitely turning into one of our favorite end of summer jams!
MPEG Stream: "I"
MPEG Stream: "II"
CUT CHEMIST The Audience's Listening (Warner) cd 14.98
The longtime dj collaborator and aQ fave turntable wizard Cut Chemist, who over the years has jammed with the likes of Jurassic 5, Ozomatli, DJ Shadow, Shortkut and Madlib, finally goes it alone... well, sorta. He's got a little help from his friends and the backing of a major label. Markedly absent is an abundance of wildly kinetic displays of scratchin' dexterity. With the exception of The Audience Is Listening's final track (and theme song!), his ol' over the top acrobatics on the decks have been tempered into the for the most part even-keeled energetically groovin' tracks. Its potential appeal is far broader. Although he is most renowned as a jaw-dropping turntablist, Cut Chemist has effectively done his part to further define the turntable as an everyday instrument rather than gimmick/trickster accessory -- muting its presence rather than trumpeting it. His beloved wit and playfulness are fortunately still fully intact in his samplin' selection as is evident in tracks such as "Spat". Other standouts surface midway through the proceedings, the sixth track "What's The Altitude" which features Hymnal (who along with Edan and Mr. Lif on "Storm" contributes the scant MC presence on the album -- both tracks shine a little bit extra) and the seventh "Metrorail Thru Space". A solid, skillfully composed and assembled solo debut.
MPEG Stream: "What's The Altitude"
MPEG Stream: "The Audience Is Listening Theme Song"
D.J. REVOLUTION In 12's We Trust (Millenia Music) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
DAN THE AUTOMATOR Wanna Buy A Monkey? (Sequence) cd 17.98
A sixteen-piece "mixtape" created by Dan the Automator. While there are plenty of tracks that he himself originated or remixed (like Deltron 3030, Gorillaz, Lovage) there are also personal favorites of his that he's messed with in typical cool Automator fashion (Tortoise, Zero 7, Bobby Digital, Air, Masta Ace). It all runs seamlessly together, very downtempo loungey. But, Dan, you bought all those weird dancehall 7"s from us, along with Hermann Nitsch, the Sounds of American Doomsday Cults, Daddy's Curses and other full-on oddities -- we'd really *love* to hear you mix THAT stuff together...
RealAudio clip: TORTOISE "Seneca"
RealAudio clip: FANTOMAS "intro"
DAN THE AUTOMATOR Wanna Buy A Monkey? (Sequence) lp 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. Finally available on vinyl!! A sixteen-piece "mixtape" created by Dan the Automator. While there are plenty of tracks that he himself originated or remixed (like Deltron 3030, Gorillaz, Lovage) there are also personal favorites of his that he's messed with in typical cool Automator fashion (Tortoise, Zero 7, Bobby Digital, Air, Masta Ace). It all runs seamlessly together, very downtempo loungey. But, Dan, you bought all those weird dancehall 7"s from us, along with Hermann Nitsch, the Sounds of American Doomsday Cults, Daddy's Curses and other full-on oddities -- we'd really *love* to hear you mix THAT stuff together...
RealAudio clip: TORTOISE "Seneca"
RealAudio clip: FANTOMAS "intro"
DEVIL DUB s/t (Black Hole) cd 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. Bay area "dub" band (which may actually be called Ben Wa, it's hard to tell) that features the likes of Buckethead, DJ Disk, Brain, and M.I.R.V.
DILATED PEOPLES Expansion Team (Capitol) cd 10.98
This LA-based trio, made up of rappers Iriscience and Evidence, and world-class turntablist DJ Babu (also of BeatJunkies) drop their second full length. The rhymes are very deft, the hook-laden samples are creative and fun, and the record will appeal to fans of other SoCal outfits Freestyle Fellowship and especially Jurassic 5. Also featuring the talents of DJ Premier, Da Beatminerz, ?uestlove (The Roots), Guru, the Beat Junkies, etc.
RealAudio clip: "Expansion Team Theme"
RealAudio clip: "Worst Comes to Worst"
DISK, DJ Ancient Termites (Bomb) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. From Shiggerfraggar and Invisibl Skratch Piklz fame! Currently DJing for Primus, MCM and the Monster and GR2, Disk has finally released his solo debut album on the friendly Bomb label, based in Noe Valley believe it or not. This is not nearly as hyper as the Mixmaster Mike record, preferring mellow and subtle trickery that just begs for a club DJ to mess with.
DISK, DJ Ancient Termites (Bomb) 2lp 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. From Shiggerfraggar and Invisibl Skratch Piklz fame! Currently DJing for Primus, MCM and the Monster and GR2, Disk has finally released his solo debut album on the friendly Bomb label, based in Noe Valley believe it or not. This is not nearly as hyper as the Mixmaster Mike record, preferring mellow and subtle trickery that just begs for a club DJ to mess with.
DISK, DJ Tornado Of Urine Breaks (Scarecrow Music) lp 12.98
Eww.
DIVE Sometime / Corvalis (Captured Tracks) 7" 6.98
Yet another band from Brooklyn, who seem to have mastered that eighties shoegaze / new wave sound, and these guys might be the best yet. Featuring members of aQ faves the Smith Westerns Dive offer up a gorgeous A side, all warm and jangly, lush chiming melodies, super washed out and blissy, driving and minimal, the sort of song that could go on for a whole lp side and we'd never get tired of it. The flipside is a bit more downtempo, a little moodier, with some gorgeous darkly driving basslines, and some hazy ethereal vocals, gorgeously fuzzy and woozy, still shot through with those chiming melodies from the A side. Definitely dying for a full length, as it is, been playing these two songs to death!
DJ CRAZE Crazee Musick (Bomb Hip-Hop) cd 12.98
DJ FAUST Inward Journeys (Bomb Hip-Hop) cd 12.98
DJ FRENCHBLOKE AND SON The Unbelievable Haggis Trax (Krank) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. You know DJ Frenchbloke from that "Best Bootlegs" comp -- he spliced together Destiny's Child "Jumping Jumping" with the Dead Kennedys' "California Uber Alles" to amazing perfection. Well, here's a whole lp's worth, though nothing here matches the catchiness and shock value of combining those polar opposite cultural icons, save for maybe Kraftwerk and Tag Team's "Whoop De France" (!) So in an attempt to decipher all originating sources of the rest of the tracks, here goes: Miss Jane's "It's A Fine Day" takes an acid trip (via Opus 3?). Perry & Kingsley get sticky with Sisqo's "Thong Song". Destiny's Child goes gabba courtesy of Chicks On Speed's "Turn Of The Century". Britney, Spongebob Squarepants, Anthony Roter's Little Computer People, "Ring Of Fire", and many others get worked as well. Fun for a few listens and laughs, surely an important novelty item, DJs should spin it for a minute, but ultimately not living up to all the hype.
DJ MILO The Wild Bunch: Story of A Sound System (Strut) cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. The Wild Bunch was Bristol, England's legendary sound system some of who's members went on to form the now both legendary and hugely successful Massive Attack. While Mushroom and Daddy G. both went on to become the core members of Massive attack, it was Milo and Nellee who started and were the bedrock of The Wild Bunch. The group moved quickly from packing house parties with their primitive DJ setup, to becoming one of the most popular sound systems in the country. The crew took cues from Jamaican sound systems and insured their competitive edge by hunting down and spinning the rarest of the rarest tracks for their exclusive use -- one of their earliest conquests was an ultra rare copy of "Wild Style Breaks", an instrumental collection from the hip hop movie Wild Style. Their efforts were greatly enhanced by Daddy G. who, while working in a record store, would hide the hottest new 12"s behind the counter and not sell them to anyone else he thought might be a DJ. This disc is, in a sense, an attempt to recreate a Wild Bunch set. The tracks -- Thelma Houston's "You Used To Hold Me So Tight", Spoonie Gee's "Love Rap", Knights of the Turntables' "Techno Scratch", Cameo's "It's Serious" for starters -- were all picked and mixed by Milo who, despite the fact that his name has faded into obscurity, is generally considered to have been not only the heart and soul of The Wild Bunch, but a catalyst for the eventual formation of Massive Attack. The nicest thing about the collection is that, as segues between many tracks, Milo has included live snippets of between song ambience (lots of whistles and air horns!) from actual Wild Bunch performances, so the set almost sounds like the real deal.
RealAudio clip: SPOONIE GEE "Love Rap"
RealAudio clip: NEWCLEUS "Jam On Revenge"
RealAudio clip: WILD BUNCH "Look of Love, the"
DJ MILO The Wild Bunch: Story of A Sound System (Strut) 2lp 18.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. The Wild Bunch was Bristol, England's legendary sound system some of who's members went on to form the now both legendary and hugely successful Massive Attack. While Mushroom and Daddy G. both went on to become the core members of Massive attack, it was Milo and Nellee who started and were the bedrock of The Wild Bunch. The group moved quickly from packing house parties with their primitive DJ setup, to becoming one of the most popular sound systems in the country. The crew took cues from Jamaican sound systems and insured their competitive edge by hunting down and spinning the rarest of the rarest tracks for their exclusive use -- one of their earliest conquests was an ultra rare copy of "Wild Style Breaks", an instrumental collection from the hip hop movie Wild Style. Their efforts were greatly enhanced by Daddy G. who, while working in a record store, would hide the hottest new 12"s behind the counter and not sell them to anyone else he thought might be a DJ. This disc is, in a sense, an attempt to recreate a Wild Bunch set. The tracks -- Thelma Houston's "You Used To Hold Me So Tight", Spoonie Gee's "Love Rap", Knights of the Turntables' "Techno Scratch", Cameo's "It's Serious" for starters -- were all picked and mixed by Milo who, despite the fact that his name has faded into obscurity, is generally considered to have been not only the heart and soul of The Wild Bunch, but a catalyst for the eventual formation of Massive Attack. The nicest thing about the collection is that, as segues between many tracks, Milo has included live snippets of between song ambience (lots of whistles and air horns!) from actual Wild Bunch performances, so the set almost sounds like the real deal.
DMT (DRUM MACHINE TECHNICIANS) Terminal Illness (Stray) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. DJ Eddie Def (Space Travellers, El Stew, Bullet Proof Scratch Hamsters, etc.) cuts it up on the turntables (and drum machines). The first in a series, the next to feature DJ Cue.
DOSE ONE Hemispheres (Anticon) cd 14.98
Dose One, of underground hip hop phenomenon the Anticon collective, here reissues his 1997 debut and it's a doozy. Filled with hiccupping beats and incredibly deft rhyming. Not doom-laden, like some other hip hop we've been enjoying (ClouDdead, Zion I), this is more fresh and not as heavy but still bass-thumping. Mr Dibbs, Mr Len (Company Flow), J Rawls, etc on the decks and behind the board.
RealAudio clip: "Bronchial Cleansing"
RealAudio clip: "Civilization"
RealAudio clip: "Spitfire"
DR. DELAY Rajaz Meter (Funk Weapons) cd-r 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. Dr. D is a New York DJ best known to us for mashing up obscure '60 psych with current, crunken hiphop hitz. This limited edition cd-r mix, however, is pretty much all '60s and '70s grooves as far as we know -- no hiphop anyway. And it's got our number, 'cause so much of what he's spinning is that Turkish psych stuff we love, mixed in with some old and new Afrofunk a la Ethiopiques and Tinariwen, along with some further exotic flavors that fit. Some names we know/tracks we recognize: Selda, Bunalim, Edip Akbayram, Les Mogol, Erkin Koray, Baris Manco... and of course there's a bunch more we don't, all of it pretty cool though. It's a bit like that Trap Door mix, in a romantic mood. Plus this is a true turntablist mix, featuring 31 short selections (mostly 1-2 minute edits), flowing quite nicely, occasionally enhanced with some scratchy-scratch whip-whip-whap. The discs we have are from the first numbered 250 copy edition, in screenprinted cardboard sleeves.
MPEG Stream: BEYBONLAR "Nenni"
MPEG Stream: VINGUEN "Crazy Heart"
EDDIE DEF, DJ Wax People (Hip Hop Slam) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. From the label responsible for those Invisible Skratch Piklz Shiggar Fraggar show discs, comes this cd (no vinyl) by local SF turntablist DJ Eddie Def (of Space Travellers, El Stew, and Bullet Proof Scratch Hamsters). It's compiled from Eddie's Hemp Lords mix tape series, and features "an extremely hardcore mix of '90s turntablism acrobatics and '80s megamix styles."
FAUST & SHORTEE Another Dope Hip-Hop Mega Mix (self-released) cd-r 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY. The second self-released cd-r from these two turntablists, both of whom have had releases on the reknowned Bomb Records label. This time just a 25 minute excursion, but still with lots of fun party beats and clever turntablist action. Very limited.
FAUST & SHORTEE Certified Cope Hip-Hop Mega Mix (self-released) cd-r 13.98
A self-released cd-r from these two turntablists, both of whom have had releases on the reknowned Bomb Records label. Starts out with a lot of club friendly hip hop hooks and big booty rhythms, before turning more toward "Urban Revolution" style funky turntablism. Very limited.
FAUST AND SHORTEE Digital Soul (Stray) cd 15.98
FAUST, DJ Man or Myth (Bomb) cd 12.98
"The DJ from Hell." Dramatic turntablism, very cool.
FAUST, DJ Man or Myth (Bomb) lp 12.98
"The DJ from Hell." Dramatic turntablism, very cool.
FEMALE CONVICT SCORPION, DJ Bill Cosby Talks To Kids About Drugs (self-released) cd-r 7.98
Local DJ / turntablist / sonic collagist / audio alchemist DJ Female Convict Scorpion (aka Josh Pollock of aQ beloved local psychedelic space rockers 3 Leafs) returns with another twisted slab of mutant fuzz funk, outsider psychedelia, tripped out cosmic prog, and whatever else he has in his record bag, but as always employed in such a way that the original track blur into one twisted single sonic miasma, from which Pollock pulls some seriously twisted musical madness. This time, the framework is Bill Cosby's iconic Talks To Kids About Drugs record, with DJ Female Convict Scorpion, actually showing the kids what being on drugs sounds like, and even to those of us here who don't partake, it sounds pretty goddamn good. Warped and wild, a super psychedelic dance party that sounds a bit like a more lo-fi Andy Votel, with much of this sounding like it could be some obscure Finders Keepers mix/comp. The opener begins with Cosby explaining the purpose of the record, to talk to kids about drugs, and then DJFCS takes over, with a blast of grinding distorted psychedelic skree, bellowed slowed down monster vox, wild tangles of psych guitar freakout, before settling into a serious groove, wreathed in sci-fi FX squiggles, and woozy sonic swells, a swirl of Jeck-like turntable manipulations, some funky wah guitar, deep ominous drones, fluttering flutes, fragments of sixties pop songs, vocal harmonies surfacing then fading away, seriously trippy for sure. And the rest of the record follows suit, with each track incorporating the original, whether as an intro, or slowing it down, so those wise words of wisdom, become a scary demonic invocation, and what follows, is all over the map, one track slips into a sprawl of record crackle and distant shimmer, over which is laid some seventies acid folk vocals, hand claps, and strange alien sound effects, the result is a stunning stretch of alien seventies freak folk (listen close and you'll even hear the Star Trek warning klaxon!), another starts off slow and contemplative, before exploding into some seriously heavy psych rock crunch, made even more freaky when the track begins to skip and locks into a woozy loop, over which DJFCS adds all sorts of warped sound effects, bleating trumpets, the looped bassline transformed into a throbbing droned out thrum, and yet another dissolves into a cloud of swirling druggy murk, before an old spiritual surfaces through the swirl, again the juxtaposition so deftly engineered, that the resulting combination is strangely moving and haunting. And there's so so much more. Like all DJ Female Convict Scorpion mixes, there's much to discover, sonic subtleties that only surface on repeated listens, and even music nerds like us find ourselves constantly trumped by the sources, crazy obscure, we're barely able to pick out any of them, which has a lot to do of course with DJFCS's mastery of weaving all of these disparate sounds and sonic fragments into one, dizzying, seriously psychedelic whole!
MPEG Stream: "Downers & Uppers"
MPEG Stream: "Questions And Answers"
MPEG Stream: "Bill Talks About Hard Drugs"
MPEG Stream: "Captain Junkie"
FEMALE CONVICT SCORPION, DJ Frosoblomster (self-released) cd-r 10.98
Mix number two from mysterious local turntablist and DJ, the brilliantly monickered DJ Female Convict Scorpion, whose mixes are less DJ mash-ups and more haunting artistic assemblages, incorporating free jazz, fuzzy funk, found sounds, bits of dialogue, sampled instruments, stripped down beats, pretty much no genre is off limits, but those genres are basically meaningless once everything is mixed together. From the opening track, with its ominous chiming bells beneath Tom Waits' gravelly voice spinning a yarn, the mix slips smoothly, into a deep laid back minimal grooves, surrounded by swirling sheets of soft focus effects, before the mix shifts, and wailing female vox are draped over a thumping beat, a sea of record crackle, bits of hum and distant whir, Shadow wouldn't be all that far off as a reference, but imagine if Shadow was raised on prog and punk rock and art films and free jazz, then how would a mix of his sound? A bit like this perhaps. The tracks veer wildly from super rhythmic workouts, to drifting minimal soundscapes, strange electronics drift in and out, mournful horns, spidery guitars, strings are bowed and plucked, deep rumbles surface from below, tribal drumming is laid beneath tangled world music voices, creating gorgeous and unintended harmonies, dense clouds of blooping bleeping effects over skittery free jazz skronk, dark reverbed noir-ish guitars shimmering beneath subtle percussion, breathless vocalizing and steel string scrape, deep ritualistic chanting drifting over the sound of sirens, funky drumming and subtle barely there dronemusic in the distance, Really good stuff. Made even better by the fact that we weren't able to identify a single source for any of the sounds within!! Beautiful packaging. Full color printing on thick matte paper, super haunting and tripped out imagery, pressed on black cd-r's each with an actual postage from some other country affixed to the face.
MPEG Stream: "Dum Sechs Unt Glum eine Rum"
MPEG Stream: "Floorshow At The Top OF The World"
MPEG Stream: "The Peaches 'n' Herb Of Freak Folk"
FEMALE CONVICT SCORPION, DJ Wizards (self-released) cd-r 9.98
The latest tripped out DJ mix from DJ Female Convict Scorpion aka Josh Pollack from local psychedelic space rockers 3 Leafs, and like the three before it, on Wizards (named for the genius Ralph Bakshi movie, and featuring a drawing of the movie poster done by a young Josh way back when), Pollack once again displays not just a knack for digging up insanely obscure jams, but for weaving disparate sounds together into utterly unrecognizable but totally mesmerizing sonic tableaus. Just check out the opener, "5 Terrorists", which drapes some strange buzzing percussive Asian stringed instrument, some fluttering flute, and some echo drenched vocals, over some spaced out progged out jamming, pretty impossible to tell which parts Pollack mixed, and how much of the song was already the song, which again is the magic of these DJFCS mixes, and when that first track gradually switches gears, and disappears in a field of ominous buzz, and seems to transform into a drum heavy krautprog groove, it KILLS. And so it goes, low slung slithery funk, strange movie samples, spaced out psychedelia, stuttery old school hip hop, DJ Shadow like moodiness, primitive (but effective turntable manipulation, again hard to say which is part of the music and which is Pollack), strange crooning, weird psych folk, draped over thick sinister chordal swell, shimmery dreamlike ambience drifting into fierce driving fuzzfunk, all manner of backward swoops and swirls, moaning strings, disembodied voices, glistening strings, some of the combinations more moving and intense than the originals, lots of a capellas wedded to unlikely instrumental accompaniment, everything wreathed in echo and reverb and loads of warm record crackle, and just some downright bad ass jams and grooves, not to mention the easy listening Sabbath that finishes things off. Essential listening. And most definitely the DJ you want at your wedding, assuming your goal is to alienate or downright freak out 90 percent of the guests. But that other ten percent, including us (we're invited, right?), will be in whatthefuck weirdo music HEAVEN!
MPEG Stream: "5 Terrorists"
MPEG Stream: "Righteousness Prevails (White Sabbath)"
MPEG Stream: "You Know Nothing, In Fact You Know Less Than Nothing"
MPEG Stream: "Necron 99"
FOG Check Fraud (Ninja Tune) 12" 9.98
A nice 12" from Fog, the one man band from Minneapolis that sits expertly astride the line separating "rock" from "electronica". Gorgeous strummed guitar gives Check Fraud its texture, while numerous sonic interruptions, vocal snippets, and bloopy bleeps enhance it. Kid Koala provides a stunning remix of the piece, slowing it down and making the melody even more pretty and sweet. Very nice. Good for DJs. I'm going to spin this for sure.