Brand new video from Beans latest album End it All.
Beans - "Blue Movie" from anticon. on Vimeo.
Monday, February 28, 2011
La Horde
La Horde
Review: I haven't really seen that many movies lately. Been busy with other things like interviews, music and life. But today I sat down to watch La Horde. A French zombie movie. Disappointed though. Too much focus on the lead characters and too little on the zombies. Came out of watching it quite bored.
Review: I haven't really seen that many movies lately. Been busy with other things like interviews, music and life. But today I sat down to watch La Horde. A French zombie movie. Disappointed though. Too much focus on the lead characters and too little on the zombies. Came out of watching it quite bored.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Interview #4 - Neila
Delivering New Dimensions Of Love
For those who don’t already know, please tell us a little about yourself.
Well, as far as music goes, I go by the name of Neila. I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii but have lived all over the United States. I got into the underground hip hop scene in 7th grade in Hawaii and started to put out cassette albums in 95 after high school when I moved to Tempe, Arizona. So far, I have put out four solo cassette albums, three solo CDs, and one full-length vinyl release. I have also done many collaborations and have had two European vinyl single releases.
You seem to be a bit of a jack of all trades. Apart from music you’re also painting, skateboarding, doing yoga and writing a book. Where do you find the energy to do all this and is there anything of the mentioned that you like more than the other?
More than anything now, I believe that life is what you make of it. Without yoga though, it would be harder to accomplish everything else that I do. I love to paint because it makes me very happy and is very calming. I have been skateboarding since I was a young child but I never got good like my friends. It still is a big part of my life though and I have made paintings for Daewon Song, Rodney Mullen and Chico Brenes because watching them skate makes me smile. I would love to paint for Gonzales though because he is the hippie flip master. My book is a children’s book and it is written and I am working on the illustrations at the moment. I am very excited about it because it features my yeti character as a young yeti facing school on a new planet…I love all the things that I do as they help to keep me grounded and feel alive.
You have described yourself as somewhat of a hermit. What does a typical day in the life of Neila look like?
A typical day, I wake up at 6am for work. I teach special ed at an elementary school. Every hour I teach different grade level from kindergarten to sixth grade. After work I go to the gym and do yoga, run, and lift weights. Then I come home and paint or play scrabble online because I am severely addicted to it. Then I cook dinner and draw and read until I pass out…On weekends I go to the farmer’s market to get food for the week…I think maybe I like my solitude but one day I may be up to sharing…maybe…
You have been around the scene for quite some time now. What influenced you to pick up a microphone to begin with, and what kind of groups or affiliations have you been a part of since then?
It’s been over a decade and it’s more than a scene to me. It is my life and the friends I have made have become my family. I picked up the microphone because it was what we did to have fun and to express ourselves. So I would say my friends influenced me because it was what we did. In Arizona, I lived with Fluid of the Supermarket and we freestyled all night into the karaoke machine in the living room cause it was what we did for fun, it’s how we blew off steam, it’s how we communicated. I started off working with Vrse Murphy of Sacred Hoop and Mantis Claw from Supermarket and we all were really good friends when I lived in Arizona. I used to sell underground tapes back then and that is how I met Rob One (RIP), Orko, Jizzm, Awol, Global Phlowtations etc. When I moved to Los Angeles in 1998-1999, I already had good friends to help me assimilate. I met the Acid Reign crew my first week here and we all lived in West Covina at the time and that’s now the Missing Link album came to be. Throughout the years, Deeskee, evs and Joe Dub have been my rocks, my brothers, and my light. Xinco, Avatar, Omid, 2mex, Matre, the Top to Bottom crew, and so many more are people I consider family….I cannot imagine life without them…
As been mentioned before, you have been struggling with vocal cord cancer. Your condition must have been a major chock to find out about, but also to fight. Would you mind telling us a bit about it? How might your personal struggles affect your professional career and your music?
Well over the summer, I was diagnosed for mouth cancer. After lots of positive affirmation and exercises, it went away naturally. Although I had no mouth cancer, I noticed my voice was slowly deteriorating and since I had quit smoking, I thought the deterioration as due to it. However, in November I ended up in urgent care from an allergic reaction (I am allergic to a lot) and there the doctor referred me to a head and neck specialist for my voice. It all happened to fast, the doctor found a tumor on my right vocal cord. I found out on Christmas Eve that it was cancer and it had taken over my right vocal cord. It was hard to take the news as I teach and rap and both of those things require my voice. Personally, I had to make big choices and fast as to how I wanted to fight and treat the cancer. Along with the holistic route of affirmations, yoga, and diet. I had to choose between surgeries the removal of most of my right vocal cord, which would damage my voice forever. Or chemotherapy for six months five days a week but with a better chance to save or improve my voice. I chose surgery because of my age and because if I did do radiation and the cancer returned, I would have to have my whole voice box removed and never speak again. I am slowly starting to talk again. It hurts and after two months of total silence it’s very hard to talk. We take it for granted and I will never take it for granted again. The universe gave me cancer as a gift. It was a wake up call to slow down and appreciate life and honor my body and soul. I needed to wake up. The doctors said I got it from smoking and drinking and since I rarely drank, I knew it was from the combination of smoking for recreation and smoking cigarettes. I had quit ironically and I am glad that I did because it would be a lot harder to recover if I was still addicted to tobacco. I also would love for other artists and fans to learn from my experience and learn to love and nourish themselves without having to endure the trauma I have lived through. I am happy to be alive and blessed and indebted to all my fans and friends who have helped me be positive, laugh, and SEE how beautiful life really is.
You just released the album Only This One Counts. Was that album planned before you got your diagnosis?
2010 was when I hit rock bottom. I almost died four times from allergies that put me in the ER, I lost my job, I lost my home, I was stalked, my heart was broken, and I was diagnosed with cancer twice! When Rezult and I started the album, we were initially going to do an EP. But things kept happening to both of us and it was like therapy. Over two to three weeks he would send a beat, the next day I would send him the lyrics, and then over and over and the next thing we knew, we had ten songs. Everything was recorded by me alone and everything he did was mixed, produced, and mastered by him alone. It was how we both got through a crazy summer and the title came out fitting or self fulfilling prophecy-ish. I didn’t think my year could get any worse and when everything happened in November, I was in shock, I still am, but I am okay and happy. I have a new home, a new car, a new album, a new voice, and a new outlook on life…I am truly blessed.
Do you have a purpose with your music?
My purpose has always been to express my interpretations of life. I have always said, if I helped one person in this world, I have achieved my goal and I have definitely attained that. I have two lovely girls of fans and friends named after me and have been immortalized in tattoo form on fans bodies so I am so honored and stoked that people feel me and I love every one of my fans and believe I am the luckiest rapper alive because I have such a diverse fan base of all ages.
I’m a bit curious about the status of your old group Record Players. You guys haven’t released anything since 2003. Are there any upcoming records from you in the future?
Well, we never really were a group group but we are still family. I bet if we harass those guys enough, they would be down for a new album. I am always ready…As of now, no nothing is planned but Joe has a bunch of unreleased songs of mine….
Where would you like to be in ten years? Any dreams or goals?
I want to fully and unconditionally continue to love myself and enjoy every moment. I would like to be a children’s book author who raps and does yoga. My goal is to find love in all that is life and to own my own house by a beach one day. My only dream is to keep dreaming. I hope that one day the universe smiles on everyone and all the fighting stops as we are all ONE.
Do you have any final words to sign off with?
I truly LOVE that I am alive and I am blessed to have the fans, friends, and family that I do. I would not trade anything about my experiences or me with anyone. I have had a great adventure thus far and will continue to do so with a smile on my face. Life is TOO SHORT…If you have a dream…take it, live it, and love it…My favorite quote still is, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it…”
http://www.la2thebay.com
- Part of the legendary La2thebay crew
- Vicious emcee
- Talented artist
- Teacher
For those who don’t already know, please tell us a little about yourself.
Well, as far as music goes, I go by the name of Neila. I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii but have lived all over the United States. I got into the underground hip hop scene in 7th grade in Hawaii and started to put out cassette albums in 95 after high school when I moved to Tempe, Arizona. So far, I have put out four solo cassette albums, three solo CDs, and one full-length vinyl release. I have also done many collaborations and have had two European vinyl single releases.
You seem to be a bit of a jack of all trades. Apart from music you’re also painting, skateboarding, doing yoga and writing a book. Where do you find the energy to do all this and is there anything of the mentioned that you like more than the other?
More than anything now, I believe that life is what you make of it. Without yoga though, it would be harder to accomplish everything else that I do. I love to paint because it makes me very happy and is very calming. I have been skateboarding since I was a young child but I never got good like my friends. It still is a big part of my life though and I have made paintings for Daewon Song, Rodney Mullen and Chico Brenes because watching them skate makes me smile. I would love to paint for Gonzales though because he is the hippie flip master. My book is a children’s book and it is written and I am working on the illustrations at the moment. I am very excited about it because it features my yeti character as a young yeti facing school on a new planet…I love all the things that I do as they help to keep me grounded and feel alive.
You have described yourself as somewhat of a hermit. What does a typical day in the life of Neila look like?
A typical day, I wake up at 6am for work. I teach special ed at an elementary school. Every hour I teach different grade level from kindergarten to sixth grade. After work I go to the gym and do yoga, run, and lift weights. Then I come home and paint or play scrabble online because I am severely addicted to it. Then I cook dinner and draw and read until I pass out…On weekends I go to the farmer’s market to get food for the week…I think maybe I like my solitude but one day I may be up to sharing…maybe…
You have been around the scene for quite some time now. What influenced you to pick up a microphone to begin with, and what kind of groups or affiliations have you been a part of since then?
It’s been over a decade and it’s more than a scene to me. It is my life and the friends I have made have become my family. I picked up the microphone because it was what we did to have fun and to express ourselves. So I would say my friends influenced me because it was what we did. In Arizona, I lived with Fluid of the Supermarket and we freestyled all night into the karaoke machine in the living room cause it was what we did for fun, it’s how we blew off steam, it’s how we communicated. I started off working with Vrse Murphy of Sacred Hoop and Mantis Claw from Supermarket and we all were really good friends when I lived in Arizona. I used to sell underground tapes back then and that is how I met Rob One (RIP), Orko, Jizzm, Awol, Global Phlowtations etc. When I moved to Los Angeles in 1998-1999, I already had good friends to help me assimilate. I met the Acid Reign crew my first week here and we all lived in West Covina at the time and that’s now the Missing Link album came to be. Throughout the years, Deeskee, evs and Joe Dub have been my rocks, my brothers, and my light. Xinco, Avatar, Omid, 2mex, Matre, the Top to Bottom crew, and so many more are people I consider family….I cannot imagine life without them…
As been mentioned before, you have been struggling with vocal cord cancer. Your condition must have been a major chock to find out about, but also to fight. Would you mind telling us a bit about it? How might your personal struggles affect your professional career and your music?
Well over the summer, I was diagnosed for mouth cancer. After lots of positive affirmation and exercises, it went away naturally. Although I had no mouth cancer, I noticed my voice was slowly deteriorating and since I had quit smoking, I thought the deterioration as due to it. However, in November I ended up in urgent care from an allergic reaction (I am allergic to a lot) and there the doctor referred me to a head and neck specialist for my voice. It all happened to fast, the doctor found a tumor on my right vocal cord. I found out on Christmas Eve that it was cancer and it had taken over my right vocal cord. It was hard to take the news as I teach and rap and both of those things require my voice. Personally, I had to make big choices and fast as to how I wanted to fight and treat the cancer. Along with the holistic route of affirmations, yoga, and diet. I had to choose between surgeries the removal of most of my right vocal cord, which would damage my voice forever. Or chemotherapy for six months five days a week but with a better chance to save or improve my voice. I chose surgery because of my age and because if I did do radiation and the cancer returned, I would have to have my whole voice box removed and never speak again. I am slowly starting to talk again. It hurts and after two months of total silence it’s very hard to talk. We take it for granted and I will never take it for granted again. The universe gave me cancer as a gift. It was a wake up call to slow down and appreciate life and honor my body and soul. I needed to wake up. The doctors said I got it from smoking and drinking and since I rarely drank, I knew it was from the combination of smoking for recreation and smoking cigarettes. I had quit ironically and I am glad that I did because it would be a lot harder to recover if I was still addicted to tobacco. I also would love for other artists and fans to learn from my experience and learn to love and nourish themselves without having to endure the trauma I have lived through. I am happy to be alive and blessed and indebted to all my fans and friends who have helped me be positive, laugh, and SEE how beautiful life really is.
You just released the album Only This One Counts. Was that album planned before you got your diagnosis?
2010 was when I hit rock bottom. I almost died four times from allergies that put me in the ER, I lost my job, I lost my home, I was stalked, my heart was broken, and I was diagnosed with cancer twice! When Rezult and I started the album, we were initially going to do an EP. But things kept happening to both of us and it was like therapy. Over two to three weeks he would send a beat, the next day I would send him the lyrics, and then over and over and the next thing we knew, we had ten songs. Everything was recorded by me alone and everything he did was mixed, produced, and mastered by him alone. It was how we both got through a crazy summer and the title came out fitting or self fulfilling prophecy-ish. I didn’t think my year could get any worse and when everything happened in November, I was in shock, I still am, but I am okay and happy. I have a new home, a new car, a new album, a new voice, and a new outlook on life…I am truly blessed.
Do you have a purpose with your music?
My purpose has always been to express my interpretations of life. I have always said, if I helped one person in this world, I have achieved my goal and I have definitely attained that. I have two lovely girls of fans and friends named after me and have been immortalized in tattoo form on fans bodies so I am so honored and stoked that people feel me and I love every one of my fans and believe I am the luckiest rapper alive because I have such a diverse fan base of all ages.
I’m a bit curious about the status of your old group Record Players. You guys haven’t released anything since 2003. Are there any upcoming records from you in the future?
Well, we never really were a group group but we are still family. I bet if we harass those guys enough, they would be down for a new album. I am always ready…As of now, no nothing is planned but Joe has a bunch of unreleased songs of mine….
Where would you like to be in ten years? Any dreams or goals?
I want to fully and unconditionally continue to love myself and enjoy every moment. I would like to be a children’s book author who raps and does yoga. My goal is to find love in all that is life and to own my own house by a beach one day. My only dream is to keep dreaming. I hope that one day the universe smiles on everyone and all the fighting stops as we are all ONE.
Do you have any final words to sign off with?
I truly LOVE that I am alive and I am blessed to have the fans, friends, and family that I do. I would not trade anything about my experiences or me with anyone. I have had a great adventure thus far and will continue to do so with a smile on my face. Life is TOO SHORT…If you have a dream…take it, live it, and love it…My favorite quote still is, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it…”
http://www.la2thebay.com
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Awol One & Factor - The Landmark
I don't really know what it is. I love the music of both Awol One and Factor. And when they are to release something together I always get excited. But almost always I feel that something is missing when I hear the end result. Which is a shame since both are amazing artists. I have to be honest and say that I will not listen that much to this album in the long run. For now though I love the songs The Wasp and Never Gonna Take Us Out. But don't get me wrong. It's far from a bad album. Just a bit disappointing.
Rating: 3/5
Ancient Mith - Floor Scraps From a Rough Gentleman
I can't quite remember when I first heard music from Braden Smith a.k.a Ancient Mith, but I'm sure it was as late as last year. I do remember though how much I enjoyed the album Braden Smith & The Walrus and ever since then I've kept my eyes on him. And I'm really glad I did. His latest effort, Floor Scraps From a Rough Gentleman, is nothing less than awesome. Haven't been able to stop listening to it. So for you who haven't heard of him, the closest comparison I can come at the moment is actually to liken him to an early sole or Sage Francis, you know the days when they were better, or at least more interesting, than they are today. Ancient Mith is perhaps not the world's most technical emcee, but I love his flow and his lyrics. And he's got the beats to match it all too. I think this guys is heavily underrated and I think you need to check him out. And luckily for you the album is for free. Just go to http://bradensmith.bandcamp.com/ and enjoy the sounds of Ancient Mith.
Rating: 4/5
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Suicide Girls Must Die!
Suicide Girls Must Die!
Review: Really really bad. In every sense of the word. Had to see it nonetheless.
Review: Really really bad. In every sense of the word. Had to see it nonetheless.
Astronautalis: Daytrotter Session
I'm staying true to word to post whenever Daytrotter have good sessions to enjoy. This time it's Astronautalis. Go here to download the session.
Inside Job
Inside Job
Review: A very good documentary dealing with some of the reasons behind the economic meltdown. If you have any kind of interest in knowing why and how banks and brokers fucked up our economy, then you should watch Inside Job.
Review: A very good documentary dealing with some of the reasons behind the economic meltdown. If you have any kind of interest in knowing why and how banks and brokers fucked up our economy, then you should watch Inside Job.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Interview #3 - edison
A Beat Scientist Connects the Dots
A producer extra ordinare. A modest emcee. One hell of a guy. I give you: edison.
Could you present yourself and give us some edison history?
Hello hullo!
I’m edison...
I am from the north eastern United States, land of snow and cold... trees and roads...
after many an adventure, silly times and hardships...
I find myself a 10 year veteran of San Francisco, the bubble of inspiration, individuality and burritos...
since I was a school aged dude, my mission in life has been to make music...
I’ve never stopped making recordings...
it's just my thing to do...
the instrumental hip hop live electronics thing is just where it all has landed me....
it's a culmination of my interests, instruments and the need to be a 1 man band...
that, and Thomas Edison once electrocuted an elephant, in public, to forward his form of electric current...
oh Edison history......
What are your goals with your music?
I’d say there are many...
first and foremost would be to progress... to be satisfied with the process and to build upon it exponentially...
I think second would be to meet and experience as many peers as possible...
one of the best aspects of putting my things out there and getting to travel around a little bit, is meeting, hanging out with and discussing with other artists...
it is humbling and you realize that there are so many who understand and share your passions and struggles...
team player...
third would be to share my noise with as many people as I can!
forth I’d say is to expand on and contribute to the conversation of electronic music... especially performance aspects...
hip hop is no longer just buying a DJ coffin and having a wall of records...
electronic music is no longer just patch chords and rack mounts...
not to marginalize those things...
but, this thing is changing and it's exciting...
you can forever do more with less....
so, onward....
Are there any upcoming projects that you would like to share with us?
Well, there are always things on burners!
I think the most pressing right now are my 667 series of EPs....
I am attempting to produce 7 EPs with 6 emcees, 6 songs a piece...
we just released the 2nd today!
these first 2 have been on decorative stamp...
rather spectacular folks...
I will also be pursuing some more 900bats.com free beat tapes... etc.
me and brother are working with a female vocalist on a folk type project called Carve and Carry
other than that...
production on a new record will surely begin by years close...
there is also some talk of a Swashbuckling part 2... Dundundahhhhh
You are most known for your productions, but it’s easy to forget that you’re also an emcee. Is that something that you want to get into more, or are you happy mainly being the producer?
Haha...
it is absolutely a love of mine...
the poetry, the imagery...... anagrams... metaphors...
but it is something that I am, at the moment, getting out of...
I’ve had several projects, where I played the role of producer, emcee and engineer...
in the end... I’ve found it detrimental to the focus and function of a project...
it's too many hats to wear...
emceeing is something I learned alongside production...
there was a time I thought I could always do both...
now the focus has shifted I guess...
that is not to say it will never happen again...
One of the things that you are most famous for is your use of the monome. Would you mind telling us a bit about what it is and what was the reason you started using it?
The monome is an amazing little device.
It is a grid of buttons to control your computer with...
each button has an LED in it...
the cool part is... the buttons send info to the computer... and the computer send info to the lights...
in this way, you can program it to act like, or do whatever you want...
its great!
I originally, like many others... found the monome demo videos on YouTube... and it just intrigued me...
after that I found some videos of Daedelus doing some pretty rad DJ things with it and I was hooked...
there is an online forum of folks sharing music and programs they have made...
to sweeten the monome deal, I’ve gotten to meet and hang out with some of the online community...
usually once or twice a year there is a meet up/show/talk...
and they are all really amazing, supportive, intelligent and forward thinking people
a lot of us are meeting up in Santa Fé, New Mexico this May...
I’m just proud to be a part!
What inspires you when you create music?
Hm,
I feel like this is a 2 parter...
on the support side of things:
my family... my friends... the folks, records and videos that got me into and kept me into music... San Francisco... upstate New York.... the places and dudes I meet... the people I’ve gotten the opportunity to collab with... my pre-wife... our cats.... seeing the spirit of all things happening and the sound of everything happening at once..
on the drive part of things...
the rising American corporate flood waters... focus groups, and their affect on the individual... the now music industrial vacuum... internet haters... the idea that all has been done before... genre labels and the great forgetting.....
You’ve just released your latest full length album People are Bad Animals. What kind of response have you received so far?
Yes!
So far, I’ve been very pleased with the feedback I’ve received...
I put a lot into this record... and I think people can hear it...
I felt it was a step up in maturity for me... and that’s exactly what I’ve heard...
we did a video to support the release..
And my video friends are just amazingly talented...
it's come together well and taken off well to boot!
Can people expect to see you going on tour to promote the album?
Ohhhh...
I think they can...
but no plans have been made at the moment...
I will be in Japan for a bit in July, supporting the Swashbuckling Napoleons record...
and possibly an Amsterdam trip at the end of the year...
I’m also getting married in June, so things are a bit crowded in 2011 as is...
either way,
stay tuned....
Being from Sweden it’s always interesting to hear what people know about the music from this area. What do you know about Swedish, or Scandinavian, hip hop?
I must admit...
I am rather ignorant to Scandinavian hip hop...
closest I’ve got is Germany... and they have an amazing scene!
I’ll have to do some research...
hip hop or just music in all forms is experience...
I’m open to it all
What do you do when you’re not making music?
Well, I have a full time job...
part of which involves making music...
other than that...
I bike to work everyday... I kick it with my lady... you know, life stuff...
Any final words or shout outs?
Big shouts to the SF crew....
monome kids...
the homies...
and all my supportive friends that forever roll to my shows and have fun...
thank you..
As for final words...
"To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk."
-Thomas A Edison
"Fascism is capitalism in decay."
-Vladimir Lenin
http://www.edisonsdemo.tumblr.com/
A producer extra ordinare. A modest emcee. One hell of a guy. I give you: edison.
Could you present yourself and give us some edison history?
Hello hullo!
I’m edison...
I am from the north eastern United States, land of snow and cold... trees and roads...
after many an adventure, silly times and hardships...
I find myself a 10 year veteran of San Francisco, the bubble of inspiration, individuality and burritos...
since I was a school aged dude, my mission in life has been to make music...
I’ve never stopped making recordings...
it's just my thing to do...
the instrumental hip hop live electronics thing is just where it all has landed me....
it's a culmination of my interests, instruments and the need to be a 1 man band...
that, and Thomas Edison once electrocuted an elephant, in public, to forward his form of electric current...
oh Edison history......
What are your goals with your music?
I’d say there are many...
first and foremost would be to progress... to be satisfied with the process and to build upon it exponentially...
I think second would be to meet and experience as many peers as possible...
one of the best aspects of putting my things out there and getting to travel around a little bit, is meeting, hanging out with and discussing with other artists...
it is humbling and you realize that there are so many who understand and share your passions and struggles...
team player...
third would be to share my noise with as many people as I can!
forth I’d say is to expand on and contribute to the conversation of electronic music... especially performance aspects...
hip hop is no longer just buying a DJ coffin and having a wall of records...
electronic music is no longer just patch chords and rack mounts...
not to marginalize those things...
but, this thing is changing and it's exciting...
you can forever do more with less....
so, onward....
Are there any upcoming projects that you would like to share with us?
Well, there are always things on burners!
I think the most pressing right now are my 667 series of EPs....
I am attempting to produce 7 EPs with 6 emcees, 6 songs a piece...
we just released the 2nd today!
these first 2 have been on decorative stamp...
rather spectacular folks...
I will also be pursuing some more 900bats.com free beat tapes... etc.
me and brother are working with a female vocalist on a folk type project called Carve and Carry
other than that...
production on a new record will surely begin by years close...
there is also some talk of a Swashbuckling part 2... Dundundahhhhh
You are most known for your productions, but it’s easy to forget that you’re also an emcee. Is that something that you want to get into more, or are you happy mainly being the producer?
Haha...
it is absolutely a love of mine...
the poetry, the imagery...... anagrams... metaphors...
but it is something that I am, at the moment, getting out of...
I’ve had several projects, where I played the role of producer, emcee and engineer...
in the end... I’ve found it detrimental to the focus and function of a project...
it's too many hats to wear...
emceeing is something I learned alongside production...
there was a time I thought I could always do both...
now the focus has shifted I guess...
that is not to say it will never happen again...
One of the things that you are most famous for is your use of the monome. Would you mind telling us a bit about what it is and what was the reason you started using it?
The monome is an amazing little device.
It is a grid of buttons to control your computer with...
each button has an LED in it...
the cool part is... the buttons send info to the computer... and the computer send info to the lights...
in this way, you can program it to act like, or do whatever you want...
its great!
I originally, like many others... found the monome demo videos on YouTube... and it just intrigued me...
after that I found some videos of Daedelus doing some pretty rad DJ things with it and I was hooked...
there is an online forum of folks sharing music and programs they have made...
to sweeten the monome deal, I’ve gotten to meet and hang out with some of the online community...
usually once or twice a year there is a meet up/show/talk...
and they are all really amazing, supportive, intelligent and forward thinking people
a lot of us are meeting up in Santa Fé, New Mexico this May...
I’m just proud to be a part!
What inspires you when you create music?
Hm,
I feel like this is a 2 parter...
on the support side of things:
my family... my friends... the folks, records and videos that got me into and kept me into music... San Francisco... upstate New York.... the places and dudes I meet... the people I’ve gotten the opportunity to collab with... my pre-wife... our cats.... seeing the spirit of all things happening and the sound of everything happening at once..
on the drive part of things...
the rising American corporate flood waters... focus groups, and their affect on the individual... the now music industrial vacuum... internet haters... the idea that all has been done before... genre labels and the great forgetting.....
You’ve just released your latest full length album People are Bad Animals. What kind of response have you received so far?
Yes!
So far, I’ve been very pleased with the feedback I’ve received...
I put a lot into this record... and I think people can hear it...
I felt it was a step up in maturity for me... and that’s exactly what I’ve heard...
we did a video to support the release..
And my video friends are just amazingly talented...
it's come together well and taken off well to boot!
Can people expect to see you going on tour to promote the album?
Ohhhh...
I think they can...
but no plans have been made at the moment...
I will be in Japan for a bit in July, supporting the Swashbuckling Napoleons record...
and possibly an Amsterdam trip at the end of the year...
I’m also getting married in June, so things are a bit crowded in 2011 as is...
either way,
stay tuned....
Being from Sweden it’s always interesting to hear what people know about the music from this area. What do you know about Swedish, or Scandinavian, hip hop?
I must admit...
I am rather ignorant to Scandinavian hip hop...
closest I’ve got is Germany... and they have an amazing scene!
I’ll have to do some research...
hip hop or just music in all forms is experience...
I’m open to it all
What do you do when you’re not making music?
Well, I have a full time job...
part of which involves making music...
other than that...
I bike to work everyday... I kick it with my lady... you know, life stuff...
Any final words or shout outs?
Big shouts to the SF crew....
monome kids...
the homies...
and all my supportive friends that forever roll to my shows and have fun...
thank you..
As for final words...
"To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk."
-Thomas A Edison
"Fascism is capitalism in decay."
-Vladimir Lenin
http://www.edisonsdemo.tumblr.com/
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
sole - Mansbestfriend pt. 5
Time then for the latest installment of sole's mansbestfriend saga. I will be the first to admit that I've been losing interest in his music these last couple of years. His work with the Skyrider Band has felt, if not bad, then at least boring plain and simple. But I will also admit that I'm one of those who keep saying to himself that sole have been making quite boring albums since after Live from Rome. I know that it's far from fair, but I'm only being honest. But knowing that he can outshine most people out there on a good day has meant that I've always kept track of his newer material. And what I've heard from his upcoming Nuclear Winter 2 mixtape have felt very lackluster. So it was with mixed emotions that I sat down to listen to Mansbestfriend pt. 5. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. It feels like a more mature sole here. A man that have lived and seen a lot and understood that it's not about who's talking the loudest, but instead that the importance is in what is being said. I like the productions overall and find myself nod along to them throughout the album. sole is still angry, but also seems to be feeling betrayed, loving and tired at the same time. He is human after all. A good effort.
Review: 3/5
Monday, February 14, 2011
Evak & Edison - Six Pack O' Death
Rating: 4/5
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Death and Vanilla - Death and Vanilla EP
Rating: 3.5/5
DEAD Radio - Better Than Halftime in No Time
Finally it's here! The first 24/7 online radio show for electronica and progressive hip hop. Check here to enjoy quality online radio.
A Band of Buriers - Woe
A lovely song and video from A Band of Buriers, the latest addition to the great label decorative stamp.
A Band of Buriers - "Woe" from BEAR on Vimeo.
A Band of Buriers - "Woe" from BEAR on Vimeo.
Interview #2 - Misanthrop
The Musical Limit Exceeder
Ask the average Swede if he knows anything about German hip hop and most of them probably don’t have a clue. A couple of people might smile sarcastically and say Die Fantastischen Vier and some might mention Snowgoons, but apart from that the silence will be ringing. There are more interesting artists than the earlier mentioned though; Misanthrop from Munich is one of them. I can’t say that I know much about this man, I just recently discovered him when he was featured on the compilation Goosebumps 4.0. His track Kein Video auf YouTube became one of my favorites and I decided to check out his other material. What I found was an artist that had released quite a lot of music and I got interested in the guy behind it. So I tracked him down and asked him some questions.
Ask the average Swede if he knows anything about German hip hop and most of them probably don’t have a clue. A couple of people might smile sarcastically and say Die Fantastischen Vier and some might mention Snowgoons, but apart from that the silence will be ringing. There are more interesting artists than the earlier mentioned though; Misanthrop from Munich is one of them. I can’t say that I know much about this man, I just recently discovered him when he was featured on the compilation Goosebumps 4.0. His track Kein Video auf YouTube became one of my favorites and I decided to check out his other material. What I found was an artist that had released quite a lot of music and I got interested in the guy behind it. So I tracked him down and asked him some questions.
How come you started making music?
I simply had to. From the first cassettes and records I bought, I always wanted to know how music, and especially rap music, was produced and I quickly started making compositions with my computer and other electronic equipment to find out myself. This was in the early nineties when I experimented with many different styles of music. I always wanted to be different from the others regarding my musical taste. In 1995, I started rapping as I was not satisfied with the quality and intellectual level of German rap lyrics in those days. In my humble opinion, one could do it better.
What is your purpose with the music and lyrics?
The intention behind my music is to aim for the hearts of people and touch them emotionally. At the same time, I try to avoid musical patterns of others who already achieved this emotional impact. Otherwise I could just copy those patterns, but I try to discover my own way. As such things work very subjectively, I can only follow those musical attempts of mine, which I personally can bounce my head to. Now the lyrics are more for the people's heads. I am always confronted with people saying that my lyrics are better to listen to than to dance to. I have not given up the idea though of people doing both to my music, and I will carry on trying to accomplish that.
How would you describe your music and could you briefly tell us about the music-making process?
My music is partly sample-based, partly based on synth based sounds. Sometimes I start with a piece of a krautrock, free jazz, a German songwriter or whatever record I could find. It could also be a sample of some south-east Asian music that I have brought home from one of my trips that gets me going. Sometimes a melody pops up in my head which I then play on my controller keyboard. After that I add the drums by playing, programming or by chopping up some drum loops. I might add some additional synth based or sampled layers, and after that a coarse arrangement and then I have got a new beat sketch I can write my rhymes to or send out to my collaborators. Writing lyrics is a bit harder than making beat sketches, but the hardest part is of course to record and arrange everything for the final version. The results might sound like anticon-influenced underground rap or like mid-nineties boom bap mixed with oriental music. It can also sound completely different, the important thing for me is, that every track is unique or at least that is my intention.
Since my knowledge of German is almost non-existent, what kind of subject matters do you usually deal with?
Since my knowledge of German is almost non-existent, what kind of subject matters do you usually deal with?
My lyrics are abstract according to the original meaning of the word, i.e. I do not rap about Rap so much but more about what's going on inside of me or what is, in my own opinion, happening in the world around us, in the outside world. I rather rap about political and social topics which are not covered by many musicians at this level of depth. Currently, I preferably talk about the decrease of western societies and the rise of others, for example of several Asian countries. In my professional life, I deal with these topics every day, so I am very interested in that. Generally, I always rap about my personal experiences, which means that I don't deal with ghetto topics, street problems and party hopping because that wouldn't be real and authentic.
What’s the scene like in Munich compared to the rest of Germany
What’s the scene like in Munich compared to the rest of Germany
This is difficult for me to say. The type of music I am making and listening to is only applicable to a few hundred people in Germany so we have to find each other across city boundaries. The general rap scene in Munich, which I partly know from my connections back in the days and by browsing the event announcements and musical publications, suffers in my opinion from the lack of interest people here have for this kind of music. That does not mean that rap in other cities make people rich and famous. As I sometimes have to deal with the promotion of events like the Rap History Munich and of concerts for friends from overseas or other parts of Germany, I know that it is pretty tough in Munich to get even only a couple of people to visit the events.
Any upcoming projects?
Any upcoming projects?
Yep. I am always working on many projects in parallel, and some of them will hopefully manifest in concrete releases soon. There will be an EP called Fatalist, which I did with THMS from Stockholm, to be published on Milled Pavement in the US. There will be a joint album Gefahren im Anzug with Cocon to be released on our collaborative label postrap. There will be a new album of mine called Das Ungeheuer und sein Kritiker (with the title derived from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Monsters and the Critics) also published via postrap, and then another instrumental EP I did with 88:Komaflash's producer Aqua Luminus III. The releases may be in this order, maybe not.
Last words?
Last words?
Thanks to you for giving me the opportunity to do this interview. Thanks to everyone listening to my music and to everyone relieving me from all the CDs and records stored in my basement. I also would like to thank all promoters giving my friends and me the opportunities to play abroad, especially our friends in Switzerland, they are awesome! Furthermore, thanks to my collaborating friends from which I mentioned a few above already, and of course to the whole postrap posse, to Equinox Records, Analog Alpha, the Knertz collective, Mism Records, New Cocoon, Milled Pavement and to all I might have forgotten. Peace out.
http://www.misantropolis.de/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Misanthrop/241972734000
http://www.postrap.de/
http://www.misantropolis.de/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Misanthrop/241972734000
http://www.postrap.de/
Thursday, February 10, 2011
edison - People are Bad Animals
This is without a doubt one of the albums that I've been waiting for the most. edison's last album, All the Information at Hand, was one of the best albums of 2009. And since then he has made great albums with both papervehicle and Les Swashbuckling Napoleons as well as an amazing EP with Babel Fishh. And People are Bad Animals don't disappoint me the slighest. After listening through it countless times I can't find one bad track. edison is truly one of those producers that have it all. He can make wicked instrumental records on his own as well as making incredible beats for emcees to do their thing to. This is one album that I will be listening to a lot this year.
Rating: 4/5
Mega Shark vs. Crocosaurus
Mega Shark vs. Crocosaurus
Review: Question: How bad does a sequel to a movie have to be so that not even crappy actors such as Deborah Gibson and Lorenzo Lamas wants to be in it? Answer: Mega Shark vs. Crocosaurus. Nice to see that Jaleel White, famous for his role as Steve Urkel, is having a great career though.
Review: Question: How bad does a sequel to a movie have to be so that not even crappy actors such as Deborah Gibson and Lorenzo Lamas wants to be in it? Answer: Mega Shark vs. Crocosaurus. Nice to see that Jaleel White, famous for his role as Steve Urkel, is having a great career though.
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Brad Hamers & Big Pauper - Beyond Our Means Tour 2011
I know I will support this!
Use this link to support.
The Plan:
Brad Hamers (cult poet, musician, collage artist, mental gymnast) & Big Pauper (acclaimed mash-up artist, electronic/psychedelic hip hop producer, circuit bent visual artist and all around crackpot scientist) are fund-raising for their upcoming tour of Europe. With little cash, too many instruments and a suitcase full of art & records, they are headed overseas in May, 2011 to play as many shows as possible, promote their new solo projects and find themselves (with a tape recorder) in the middle of as many interesting situations as they can. Back in the Fall of 2007 Brad Hamers & Big Pauper successfully toured Europe together as Two Ton Sloth, then put out a record with the sounds and experiences they gathered while there. This time they will each be performing their own separate acts, specially cooked up (with secret ingredients) for the occasion. They will be creating and selling art & music on the road, as well as collecting field-recordings for the next Two Ton Sloth project.
Brad & Big Pauper are greatly appreciative of any donation amount you are able and willing to give. With that money, the two artists will be able to reach more cities and more people with their music & art, as well as create more music & art on their travels. In exchange for a pledge (depending upon the amount) they are offering (here on kickstarter only) a variety of unique packages, all containing either one-of-a-kind visual art, video experiments or an exclusive track. Each pledge reward will be entirely different than the next and will be for you and you only. This is a rare opportunity to receive custom-made work by both artists, and at a bargain price. If you'd like a chance to support good art and hard-working artists, here's your opportunity. Brad Hamers & Big Pauper thank you very much...And assure you that your money will be put to good use!
Use this link to support.
Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus
Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus
Review: Second monster movie of the day. And this one was even worse. But not quite in the entertaining way. But hey, at least we got to see Lorenzo Lamas...
Review: Second monster movie of the day. And this one was even worse. But not quite in the entertaining way. But hey, at least we got to see Lorenzo Lamas...
Mega Python vs. Gatoroid
Mega Python vs. Gatoroid
Review: Sometimes you're just in the mood for a really bad movie. And then I mean REALLY bad. And quite honestly they don't come much worse than Mega Python vs. Gatoroid. Which is kind of why I liked it.
Review: Sometimes you're just in the mood for a really bad movie. And then I mean REALLY bad. And quite honestly they don't come much worse than Mega Python vs. Gatoroid. Which is kind of why I liked it.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Monday, February 07, 2011
Beans - End It All
This album is one that I have been looking forward to. Beans debut on anticon. It's been talked about for quite some time. Beans who most people know from Antipop Consortium have never been one of my favourite emcees. He's far from bad, but somehow he's always outdone by the beats themselves. And unfortunately that is kind of the case here too. On End It All he gets the help from producers such as Four Tet, Son Lux, Tobacco and Sam Fog from Interpol. And the productions are all great. But the sad thing about that is that I kind of wished that the album was instrumental. I can't really blame Beans too much, it just seems to be that he constantly have the fortune, or perhaps misfortune, to choose music that is better than himself. The rating would be higher if it was an instrumental record, but still, it's a solid album.
Rating: 3/5
The Insane Warrior - We Are the Doorways
I guess it's best to get it out of the way at once. Yes, The Insane Warrior is the alter ego of rjd2. He decided to release this album as a way of releasing himself of the expectations of doing a new rjd2 record and instead just doing something for the fun of it. But no matter what name the music is done under, it's still a good one. Not everyone has appreciated his change in style over the years, but I have. I've been a fan of him ever since the days of MHz, his success album Deadringer on Definitive Jux, his work as a part of Soul Position and up until his album The Colossus from last year. Few producers out there have the same spectrum as rjd2 and he always comes up with good stuff. So what about We Are the Doorways? I like it. A lot. Check it out for yourselves if you don't trust me.
Rating: 3.5/5
The Streets - Computers and Blues
Few can argue with the fact that The Streets debut album Original Pirate Material wasn't a masterpiece when it came. It had a unique feel to it and was filled with a lot of classic songs. The follow ups however just had a couple of good songs, and to me Mike Skinner soon became uninteresting. And his latest album doesn't change that. To be honest, I can't find one really good song here. Sure, I will always be in love with his British accent and his language, but except from that he just bores me nowadays.
Rating: 1.5/5
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Saturday, February 05, 2011
RJD2 & edison
Friday, February 04, 2011
Interview #1 - THMS
Not quite IKEA
Swedish hip hop. Unless you live in Sweden that is probably nothing you ever come across. Sure, artists such as Looptroop Rockers, ADL and to some extent Stacs of Stamina and Out of the Blue Crew have done their best to get heard out there. But they all rap in English. When it comes to artists rhyming in Swedish though I guess that is something very few people living outside of Sweden have ever stumbled across. So do we have any good ones doing it in our native language? If you ask me the answer is sadly no. There are a few exceptions though, for example the group Mobbade Barn Med Automatvapen made some great songs back in the days. They were the first ones who really dared to play with the language, and to push its boundaries. Unfortunately most artists just follow the typical American template for making hip hop. But as always if you dig deep enough, you find something interesting. Music filled with quality and artists doing the music for their own sakes without trying to copy the mainstream. One of these artists is THMS.
For most people you are probably quite unknown. Can you tell us a little about who THMS is? Give us some history.
I started to write lyrics back in the mid 90´s. In the beginning it was the typical battle lyrics but then a new friend introduced me to Company Flow and I was so amazed that I started to explore new ways to express myself outside the battle lyrics but also sound wise, taking several steps outside the typical hip hop soundscape. At the same time I switched from writing lyrics in English to Swedish. We had a group back then called Dianas Universum and it was all great fun. I went by the name Mr. T back then, but recently change it to THMS because I felt that this name was closer to my own name and more representative of my age.
What are your thoughts of the Swedish scene? Do you have any musical soul mates outside of the immediate circle?
I’m really not into the Swedish hip hop scene at all and I really don’t know that much about the young musicians out there. The Swedish hip hop today sounds more like a blend between euro disco from the 90´s with rap on top of it and techno. Some of it I like but most of it I don’t, but old Swedish hip hop acts such as Stacs of Stamina, Rusiak and Henry Bowers/Kung Henry are still good to listen to and they have inspired me in some ways.
What inspires you in your writing?
I know it´s going to sound cliché but life and things happening around me inspires me, how could it not? And of course also my friends that I make music with. My wife and son is a strong force that drives me to be a better human and that really inspires me. The biggest driving force though is me, I really have to write lyrics and make music to be able to function as a human being.
Do you have a purpose with your music?
I guess my purpose is to do music that I like first and foremost. I really don’t have a big agenda with my music. Of course I hope that some people will listen to it and get inspired and hopefully get moved by it in some way. I am really trying to say something with my music. I just hope that some of the listeners hear it.
You are probably one of the first in Sweden to release an album where there is such a mix of languages. Did this come natural or was it an informed decision? On your latest album Glömda Egenskaper you find Swedish, English, French, German and Japanese.
It all started through the Internet. I got in contact with people from different parts of the world that was into the same sound as me. I did some music with people from different countries and then it felt kind of natural to continue on that road since they have the same taste in music as me.
I did not have a plan when I started recording this album; it just took form by itself. The original idea for the record looked more like a true solo album with only me rapping and a few guests. Then when I began recording, the idea of a "multicultural or multi-language" record took form by itself. Halfway true i really felt that I wanted to do a project album with a lot of people from different parts of the world so it became an international album in the end.
One undeniably gets the feeling that one of the perks of today’s technology is that the world literarily shrinks, and that is creates another possibility to connect with other people. Labels such as New Cocoon and Milled Pavement are really good examples of truly multicultural record companies. What is your thought about that, and do you think that this is something that we’ll see more of in the future?
I really like the fact that the world is shrinking and that the borders are being erased. These types of labels are proof that it is happening, and it´s great for musicians like myself that aren’t really appreciated in my own country to get a broader crowd on an international level. In the future I think that these types of labels will be the standard because if you want to release good music you have to look outside the box. New Cocoon and Milled Pavement is really good at this and is therefore front men when it comes to be a multicultural record labels.
What are you up to when you’re not creating music?
I’m studying to become a teacher in History and Religion so that takes a lot of my time. But first and foremost I spend my time with my wife and son; they are my first priority in life. After that, reading a lot of books, watching a lot of movies and drinking good American micro brew beer with my friends. I also operate a club called Panik Disco with a friend of mine.
What do we have to look forward to this year from THMS?
I have recorded two records that will come out this year via Milled Pavement. The first one is a seven track EP called Fatalist that I have recorded with Misanthrop from Germany. The second one is a full length album called Postintellektuella Manifestet that I have recorded with Joel Siméus. We call ourselves Bokklubben. I’m also in the process to record yet another album called M stands for. It´s going to be a sixteen track album with sixteen different producers and only me rapping, this one will also be released this year.
Do you have any shout-outs or message to the readers?
Shout-outs, ha-ha. So hip hop indeed! Well, a salute to New Cocoon, Milled Pavement and Moshe, Joel "Josef" Siméus and Bokklubben, Misanthrop, 32french, Wormhole, Kaigen, Soda, James P Honey, Staplemouth, Yannic, Plunge attempt, DJMadwrist, MCHandsome, Variex and of course all the other fantastic artists that I have worked with over the years. Special gun salute to beats, breaks and big smiles that are truly one of my favourite places to lay my eyes on.
To the readers, all I can say is simply that it´s so much fun living outside the box, making music with odd and fantastic people is great fun and I hope that you like what I/we do. Support independent music by spreading it as much as you can. Thank you!
http://soundcloud.com/thms1
http://thms1.bandcamp.com/
Swedish hip hop. Unless you live in Sweden that is probably nothing you ever come across. Sure, artists such as Looptroop Rockers, ADL and to some extent Stacs of Stamina and Out of the Blue Crew have done their best to get heard out there. But they all rap in English. When it comes to artists rhyming in Swedish though I guess that is something very few people living outside of Sweden have ever stumbled across. So do we have any good ones doing it in our native language? If you ask me the answer is sadly no. There are a few exceptions though, for example the group Mobbade Barn Med Automatvapen made some great songs back in the days. They were the first ones who really dared to play with the language, and to push its boundaries. Unfortunately most artists just follow the typical American template for making hip hop. But as always if you dig deep enough, you find something interesting. Music filled with quality and artists doing the music for their own sakes without trying to copy the mainstream. One of these artists is THMS.
I started to write lyrics back in the mid 90´s. In the beginning it was the typical battle lyrics but then a new friend introduced me to Company Flow and I was so amazed that I started to explore new ways to express myself outside the battle lyrics but also sound wise, taking several steps outside the typical hip hop soundscape. At the same time I switched from writing lyrics in English to Swedish. We had a group back then called Dianas Universum and it was all great fun. I went by the name Mr. T back then, but recently change it to THMS because I felt that this name was closer to my own name and more representative of my age.
What are your thoughts of the Swedish scene? Do you have any musical soul mates outside of the immediate circle?
I’m really not into the Swedish hip hop scene at all and I really don’t know that much about the young musicians out there. The Swedish hip hop today sounds more like a blend between euro disco from the 90´s with rap on top of it and techno. Some of it I like but most of it I don’t, but old Swedish hip hop acts such as Stacs of Stamina, Rusiak and Henry Bowers/Kung Henry are still good to listen to and they have inspired me in some ways.
What inspires you in your writing?
I know it´s going to sound cliché but life and things happening around me inspires me, how could it not? And of course also my friends that I make music with. My wife and son is a strong force that drives me to be a better human and that really inspires me. The biggest driving force though is me, I really have to write lyrics and make music to be able to function as a human being.
Do you have a purpose with your music?
I guess my purpose is to do music that I like first and foremost. I really don’t have a big agenda with my music. Of course I hope that some people will listen to it and get inspired and hopefully get moved by it in some way. I am really trying to say something with my music. I just hope that some of the listeners hear it.
You are probably one of the first in Sweden to release an album where there is such a mix of languages. Did this come natural or was it an informed decision? On your latest album Glömda Egenskaper you find Swedish, English, French, German and Japanese.
It all started through the Internet. I got in contact with people from different parts of the world that was into the same sound as me. I did some music with people from different countries and then it felt kind of natural to continue on that road since they have the same taste in music as me.
I did not have a plan when I started recording this album; it just took form by itself. The original idea for the record looked more like a true solo album with only me rapping and a few guests. Then when I began recording, the idea of a "multicultural or multi-language" record took form by itself. Halfway true i really felt that I wanted to do a project album with a lot of people from different parts of the world so it became an international album in the end.
One undeniably gets the feeling that one of the perks of today’s technology is that the world literarily shrinks, and that is creates another possibility to connect with other people. Labels such as New Cocoon and Milled Pavement are really good examples of truly multicultural record companies. What is your thought about that, and do you think that this is something that we’ll see more of in the future?
I really like the fact that the world is shrinking and that the borders are being erased. These types of labels are proof that it is happening, and it´s great for musicians like myself that aren’t really appreciated in my own country to get a broader crowd on an international level. In the future I think that these types of labels will be the standard because if you want to release good music you have to look outside the box. New Cocoon and Milled Pavement is really good at this and is therefore front men when it comes to be a multicultural record labels.
What are you up to when you’re not creating music?
I’m studying to become a teacher in History and Religion so that takes a lot of my time. But first and foremost I spend my time with my wife and son; they are my first priority in life. After that, reading a lot of books, watching a lot of movies and drinking good American micro brew beer with my friends. I also operate a club called Panik Disco with a friend of mine.
What do we have to look forward to this year from THMS?
I have recorded two records that will come out this year via Milled Pavement. The first one is a seven track EP called Fatalist that I have recorded with Misanthrop from Germany. The second one is a full length album called Postintellektuella Manifestet that I have recorded with Joel Siméus. We call ourselves Bokklubben. I’m also in the process to record yet another album called M stands for. It´s going to be a sixteen track album with sixteen different producers and only me rapping, this one will also be released this year.
Do you have any shout-outs or message to the readers?
Shout-outs, ha-ha. So hip hop indeed! Well, a salute to New Cocoon, Milled Pavement and Moshe, Joel "Josef" Siméus and Bokklubben, Misanthrop, 32french, Wormhole, Kaigen, Soda, James P Honey, Staplemouth, Yannic, Plunge attempt, DJMadwrist, MCHandsome, Variex and of course all the other fantastic artists that I have worked with over the years. Special gun salute to beats, breaks and big smiles that are truly one of my favourite places to lay my eyes on.
To the readers, all I can say is simply that it´s so much fun living outside the box, making music with odd and fantastic people is great fun and I hope that you like what I/we do. Support independent music by spreading it as much as you can. Thank you!
http://soundcloud.com/thms1
http://thms1.bandcamp.com/
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Neila - Only This One Counts
If you have followed my blog lately you will have heard about what has happened to Neila. She has been forced to undergo surgery for vocal chord cancer. Everything looks good at the moment, but her voice will be different. But enough about that for the moment and let us focus on the music. I've loved her music ever since I heard her and my man Porters 7 inch From Whom the Bells Crow back in 2005. I fell in love with her flow at once and quickly picked up her earlier work, amongst them the masterpiece Vertical Trees with Eternal Leaves. Since then she has been my favourite female emcee. Well, to hell with the female etiquette. She's one of my favourite emcees period. So to sit down and listen to Only This One Counts was a real treat. And I wasn't the least bit disappointed. This albums holds it ground compared to her earlier work, and the production by Rezult is really good. Pick up this album and support not only a very nice person, but also an amazing artist.
Rating: 4/5
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Sherlock
Just watched the 3 episodes of the British television series Sherlock. What else can I say except that it was amazing. Can't wait until they produce more episodes of it. And I have to finish by saying that since Jeremy Brett no one has portrayed my childhood literary idol Sherlock Holmes as good as Benedict Cumberbatch.
PCC - Loose Lips
Good new song and video from PCC. PCC consists of Hobs Sputnik, Tankwonderful and Tyk Diggy and the song is produced by good old Chukchee. Please also be on the lookout for Hobs upcoming album Satellite Strange. It features guests like zoën, dynamo414, Neila, Xololanxinxo, Nomar Slevik, Noah23, and Staplemouth.
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