Friday 25 May 2012

Bass cannons and trouser wobblers

Easy now - Upstart here for the first time in loooongtimes. I'll blame a lack of internets during my time in Berlin, but really it's just chronic laziness. Still, despite not having posted here for a couple of months, I've been snuffling away for musical truffles like a big metaphorical piggy.

But I think rather than bore you all with my lukewarm banter, I'm just going to crack on with the bangers.

First up: Stumbled upon this massive banger while out in Berlin: IMF by Terry Lynn

This for me is the biggest tune I've heard this year, so imagine my surprise when I found out the album came out in 2008! If you can already see me goggle-eyed and amazed, imagine my further surprise when I found out as I was writing this post that THE WHOLE ALBUM IS AVAILABLE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD.

Yes, that's right, I'm shouting, partly because it's phenomenally awesome and partly because I need to distract my work colleagues from the fact that I need to change my trousers now...

Ahem... moving swiftly on, next up is Bust a Fuze from southern UK's mysterious mastermind WBBL. Crank up your bass cannons in advance:

Hells yea.

If your neck is not yet broken from nine minutes of ferocious bouncing, wrap your lugholes around this - Benji Boko's mahoosive remix of Roots Manuva classic, Witness:

This tune is coming out on Benji Boko's Remix album, released (I believe for free, it's actually a little unclear) on the 28th of May, which is this Monday. Get updates by signing up for Benji's newsletter, here: http://eepurl.com/dfGIU

Ready for another bassy funkgasm? Spark up a fat one for DJ Voita, Mr Cocoman and The Solid Vibes:

I think that's what they're asking for anyway...

So one last bouncy tune before I steer back towards MusicalMana-licensed genres - gird up your swing pants and wiggle to this little gem from Kid Kasino:

I'm finding it harder to track down Glitch Hop and Glitch that really floats my boat at the moment - lots that I'm hearing recently just sounds like a re-hash of the Glitch Mob or Koan Sound... Having said that, Mouldy Soul, in my opinion, never fails to crank out the bangers.

Chilled it may be, but don't underestimate The Harangu:



And now, the dubstep. Whether you are a Skrillex-hater, a Skrillex-lover, or downright Skrillex-agnostic, this beat from Skullee is BRUTAL:



So that's it from me, aside from a resolution to post more often! And now, before I get in trouble with MoM, here's a picture of a fish:



Love and kisses, Upstart

Saturday 24 March 2012

UK Glitch Hop on Glitch.fm #1-5 - Get the set!

If you've been wondering where I've been for the last month or so, I've been busy setting up the UK Glitch Hop community and our weekly show's on Glitch.fm. We've just finished the first rotation of five shows, which is all the space we have on Soundcloud to archive, so get 'em while they're hot!

Tune into Glitch.fm every week from 10pm-12am GMT for fresh UK glitch hop with me (Morbidly Obese Midget), Your Niece (Uppercut), William Breakspear (Skanky Panky), Mouldy Soul and Colony Productions, plus sick guest mixes from the best British producers out there. My next show is this Wednesday 28 March when I'll have a guest mix from Inaudible and another secret weapon tbc.

I'm also mostly blogging over at UK Glitch Hop now, where you can read interviews with DJs and producers, get a monthly round-up of the best tunes and mixes and all the latest news about events near you.

Big ups yoo-kay! Let's keep it poppin' innit

Monday 5 March 2012

DJ Peachimpy-Ra - Raumble in the Jumble


LO Peachi ear: Just an udder mix from me. Basically, essentially, fundamentally a collection of all my favourite downtempo dubstep from the last year or so. Deep, rumbling, powerful base with some lovely melodies and vocals is the theme, Many thanks to Mihkal and Mimosa for inspiration. Wish I could mix like them, but fuggit, it'll do ;-) Enjoyeous!


Playlist:
Breathe - Minnesota
Afterglow - Phaeleh ft. Soundmouse (Akira_Kiteshi_Remix)
Sharps - Growth
ThirdEyeHigh - Eastern Sun and Obscure (RDRemix)
Your Love - Mimosa
First Light feat Rayelle
Magical World feat Nelly Furtado - Bassnectar Remix
CAPS LOCK ft. MIA - MiHKAL REMiXXX
Perfect Flaw - Mimosa
Love Songs - NitGrit
Out of your comfort zone - Gladkill

Sunday 12 February 2012

MiHKAL - Sonic Seduction & Live & RE:CREATiON


LO Peachi ere again! Here's a link to another lovely wobbly deep downtempo dubstep mix from MiHKAL. Very much in the same vein as his amazingly beautiful Snuglife mix, previously on this blog here. This one is like a big bass blanket to wrap around you in these cold days of winter issintit! Some great tracks from Mimosa, Gladkill, Love & Light and a nice remix of an Emancipator track. Enjoy!


To get a free copy follow the buy link on the soundcloud listing above, which goes to their facewaste page and LIKE it and then scroll for it in the very first PLAY tracks box. Took me a while to find it, but there is some other stuff in there you might like too (and some stuff I can pretty much guarantee you wont ;-)

And almost more importantly here's another EPICALLY AWWGSUM MIX of a MiHKAL live set at RE:CREATiON- this is a beautiful mix full of lovely PHAT wobbling grinding and bumping bass resonating around with layers upon layers of lovely sounds to tantalise and titilate your taste buds! Starts pretty mellow but then heads a bit more up-tempo and then goes through the roof, but still all with a lovely undercurrent of wompy bass. MMmmmm tasty! Then it mellows out again and finishes with a beautiful track by Gladkill - just stunningly emotional! Great mix essentially! Pour this into your ears and all over YOUR FACE RIGHT NOW!!! Can't believe it's free!!! salsa impressionante!!


Tracklist - Sonic Seduction:
1. Gladkill - Let You
2. Dirty Vegas - Days Go By (MiM0SA Remix)
3. Marty Party - Just Because of You
4. ill-Esha - Pretty Banger
5. Love & Light - You're the Reason Why
6. Swordfight - We Will Never Know
7. ChrisB. - There And Back Again
8. PANTyRAiD - Beba Gettin' the Money (MiHKAL MASHUP)
9. Emancipator - First Snow (Ooah Remix)
10. Random Rab - Apparently
Much Gratitude to Syd Woodward & The Do Lab
Bookings Contact: Sylvie@streetritualartists.com
((( ∆ )))

TRACKLiST - LIVE & Re:Creation :
Emancipator - First Snow (Ooah Remix) - (1320 Records)
Simplex - Theia - (Soundcloud)
R/D - Your Misty Eyes Are M.I.N.E - (The Designed Disorder)
Deathstar - Seismic - (Soundcloud)
Yeah Yeah Yeah's - Maps (Sugarpill's TehSlideBass Remix) - (SoundCloud)
ill-Esha - Cherry Blossoms - (True Score Theory)
Hanssen Ft. Chadwick - Rising sun (Splatinum Remix) - (Dubstep Records)
Pillow Fight - Hand on the Steel - (Prime Dub Records)
Minnesota - Push it - (Tycho Records)
Phetsta - Dance All Night - (Technique Recordings)
Stephan Jacobs & Love & Light - The One ft. Delvo - (Muti Music)
DCarls - Runaway - (Simplify Recordings)
Ben Samples - Drop Bombs (ChrisB Remix) - (Daly City Records)
Unlimited Gravity - THose Little THings - (Bandcamp)
Slim THugz - Fistful of Dollaz ft. Yound Joc - (Bandcamp)
Ghetto Sexuual - Planetary Two Step - (Abstract Logic Recordings)
ChrisB & David Block - In The Name of - (Simplify Recordings)
Sugarpill - Delirious - (Simplify Recordings)
Guttstar - Hot Mess - (Soundcloud)
Gladkill - Out of Your Comfort - (Made in Glitch)
...Much Gratitude to all the artists, and to my friends & family for all your love, support, reflection, creation and inspiration...

Saturday 11 February 2012

DJ Peachimpy-Ra: Re-Radiance Bump&Bounce


LO Peachi ear: Just a quicky to post a new mix from your's truly. First time back after a while and, well the best thing I can say about the mixing is that there aren't many of them and they are over quickly! I am not pretending to be a great DJ, I just enjoy it. So getting over quickly leaves plenty of quality time for what is hopefully a nice selection of bumpy funky dub-steppy tracks. Nice and light and uplifting to listen to - well that's the aim; it cheers me up anyway! I hope it's infectious. The title is a dedication to a good friend of mine who I hope rebounds and finds her radiance again. She deserves it ;-)


If you like the second track as much as I do then check out Archnemesis' free albums here.
Particularly proud of getting JPods Hobo Style in there (and mixing it with Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Bob Marley..LOL! - no respect!)... but you escaped a really cheesy Pimpsoul remix of Ducksauce's Barbara Streisand - so count yourselves lucky ;-)

TRACK LISTING
Mooqee, Beatvandals - Backup
Archnemesis - Hey Now
A Skillz - Got the Rhythm (feat. Beardyman)
Smoove, Turrell - I Can't Give You Up - A Skillz Remix
Aretha Franklin - Rock Steady (Parker Remix)
Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Under The Bridge - Pimpsoul & Funk Hunters Commercial Drive Remix
JPod remix - Hobostyle
Bob Marley - Get Up Stand Up (JPod Remix)
Sub Focus - Rock It (J-Roc It Edit)
DAFT PUNK - HIGHLIFE WBBL REMIX


STAY RADIANT Y'ALL! RRRRAAAAAAA! x

Thursday 2 February 2012

UK Glitch Hop January round-up

2012 has kicked off to a strong start for UK Glitch. Here's what I've gorged myself on this month


The Tunes 
Mouldy Soul's released yet another kwality EP, this time through BroKen Records


The man with the stagnant spirit has also reworked Hedflux and Neurodriver's psy breaks banger Energy Vibration into an off-kilter mechanical squelch-fest for the Broken Robot remix competition.



The last I heard from KURSA was dubstep tune that showed a lot of potential but was a bit too jump up. Further investigation reveals that the man actually has more funk than that. Bonnibelle is a badass mid-tempo lazer bass blaster to be released very soon through those purveyors of quality free music from the psychedelic underground, Wonkay Records. Grab the Hackney test track below, while you wait.


Hiding away down in deepest darkest Brizzzzol have been The Beat Dweebs, who profess to making music that makes you go 'Uuuuuhhh...' S'gotta hella lotta funk. Works for me.



Pistol Shrimp's got an EP coming out on Prime DUB and it's all about this track. It's like Bobby Tank having a bubble bath with Koan Sound. Love it.

 
Following hot on the heels of Mouldy Soul's Shimi Sonic remix last month, Dephicit's previewed this nice little number out soon on Riddim Fruit:

Another nice release from Brighton's Donky Pitch, this time in the shape of man like Boss Kite

 
On the even more off-kilter Brainfeeder style side of things, Illum Sphere from Manchester gets airtime from a lot of Low End Theory residents. This went up on his Soundcloud just before the New Year, with a release expected soon

New one for me this month, downtempo glitch schizznit from Drowzy Beats in Brighton. This is exactly what you need to put on after a hectic day at work. Kick back and enjoy!




And lastly some guy called Rat posted this to the UK Glitch Hop Facebook page, which sounds kinda nice.


The mixtapes 
My find for the month has been Jae Nimbus. I went to Elixir of Life  for NYE, but had enough if the party after Slackbaba and Shpongle. I wished I stayed becuase two days later Nimbus posted this mix onto UK Glitch Hop. Mostly self produced tunes, it bodes very well for his first release through Broken Records. Keep an eye out for him playing in Brighton and further afield. Even better, book him to play your party!


Automaton's uploaded this DJ set from Beta Birmingham's Anty Riot Squad album launch party on 22nd December 2011 @ The End, Birmingham. Got lots of big classic tunes in there along with some heavy fresh ones.


Track Listing:
1. Mouldy Soul - Whine and Shine [Colony]
2. Pretty Lights - Still Night [Pretty Lights Music]
3. Prefuse 73 - Choking You [Warp]
4. Mimosa - Another Day [Beatport]
5. Sedge Warbler - Octopus Lover [Skanky Panky]
6. Modeselektor - Dark Side Of The Sun (feat. Puppetmastaz) [Bpitch Control]
7. eDIT - Artsy (feat. The Grouch) [Alpha Pup]
8. Figgy - Dr Gonzo [Soundcloud]
9. Bassnectar - The Sound [Amorphous]
10. Dj Shadow - Walkie Talkie (Spanky Panky Allstars Mix) [Skanky Panky]
11. Tipper - Covered In Lobsters [Tippermusic]
12. Koan Sound - Max Out [Screwloose]
13. Enya - Boadicea (Vespers Remix) [Vespers]


For fans of mid-tempo and variety, you can't do much better than Orangudan's Kneee Deep in Glitch. It's a brilliantly mixed journey through glitch funk, techno, hip hop and breaks. Beware the monkeys.

Pink Lady - Feed Me
Feeding Time - Mouldy Soul
Talking Smack - K+Lab
Come N Get It - J.Me.J
Tom Cosm - Bubble Butt - Tom Cosm
Gameboy - Mr. Bill vs Black Samurai
Night Of The Living Kebab - Messy Mass & Baba Gnohm
Assbref - Skeetaz
Majoram - Mr. Bill
Talk Box (Original Mix) - KOAN Sound
Android Porn - Kraddy
Ahi Haka (Original Mix) - K+Lab
Cyber Dojo Lazer Training - Zen Death Squad
Blackjack - Samples
Falling Into The Mine - Mad Zach
Glitch Villain - Mad Zach
Simmer Gently - Blunt Instrument
Skurry - Skeetaz
Mashington - Mad Zach & R2 The Specialist
What If Jimi Was A Monster - Mouldy Soul
Covered In Lobsters - Tipper

Agent Smith cut his teeth playing funky breaks and has the turntable scratch skills to boot. He's now applied his skills to the world of funky mid-tempo glitch with some extremely ear pleasing results. More like this please!
Track list- Talk Box- Koan Sound
What if Jimmy is a monster- Moldy Soul
Creamy Taco- Opiou
Yippy cheese face- Moldy Soul
One Sure Curative- Slack Baba
The light we bring- Love and Light
Robo boty- Opiou
Global declaration- Omega
Freeze dried cellophane- Ali Berger
Busted Up- Staunch
Slappy cans- Opiou and Mollusk
How we do- J Pod
Lunatics- Vent
Rae! Good thymes- Opiou
Social know how- JFB

More psychedelic leaning wobble from Rama Oood. I'm glad to see the downtempo rooms at psy parties are continuing to be the havens of glitchy squelch that they always should be. Just need to get rid of that other room now.


If all that wasn't enough, here's one last set from Dj Prokogy who's been in touch via Soundcloud. Keep up the good work in spreading that glitch love y'all!


The Fat Man

Sunday 29 January 2012

Rama OOOD - Wobble Chops


Hey Peachi ear! Just a quicky to hook you guys up to this lovely squelch-fest of a mix from Rama OOOD. Or as his mum knows him "Ramsay Melhuish" - who claims to be part of the UK psychadelic trance furniture as an original member of the trance production team of OOOD that's been going since 1994 issit! Well we don't really do psy-trance on this blog so I'll take his word for it, and probably the closest we get is Hedflux style psy-tech-funk, which has a few psy-tranc'esque licks to it - but non of that torturously dull 4/4 drum beat bass. Basslines can be fun and varied guys!! Anyway check out this free download from Rama OOOD as its just a lovely mellow voyage through a pulsating and flowing world of sqishy wibbly bass that'll wobble your chops off if you don't watch out.... apparently!



I actually found it hanging out next to Mouldy Soul on a soundcloud search for more hypersquelch and I can see why! If you haven't listened to Mouldy Soul and you like this kinda stuff then check out their new EP Hypersquelch - I particularly like Yippee Cheese Face - great name, great track! Bought it and gonna keep it... so ner!

...and hasn't Rama OOOD got MASSIVE feet ;-) Enjoy! squelch squelch squelch

TRACK LISTING - (Genre: Psychedelic WonkStomp)

Beardyman – Kitchen Diaries
Ray Charles – Good Thyme (Opiuo mix)
Galactic Booty Activation – Ninjas brothas motha
Opiuo – Creamy Taco
Bondi Junkie – GooseBumps
Galactic Booty Activation – Lightning and Rain
Opiuo – Forensic Lick
Mr Bill – Chubby Bubby
Govinda – Universal On Switch
Slack Baba – Perverting Mankind
The Mollusk – Coloured PencilsOpiouo – Moose tooth
Opiuo – Slip (Vent mix)
Galactic Booty Activation – Precious cargo
Opiuo – Bogan Protein
Galactic Booty Activation – Structural Liberation
Ill Esha & Dewey B – H.A.A.R.P
Spoonbill – Hejow
Mr Bill – Perfectly Peppered

Wednesday 25 January 2012

Morbidly Obese Midget's Heroes of 2011

Better late than never...
Ghetto Funk
My year began with a Jpod mixtape discovered via the Ghetto Funk blog. They've been consistently the best blog for free tunes, mixtapes and top dollar releases, but when your rooster includes Featurecast, Fort Knox Five, Basement Freaks, J-Pod, Stickybuds, Funkanomics, Pimpsoul and Nick Thayer to name just a few, then you can't really go wrong can you? Check out the VIP membership option for 2012
  Icons Vol 2 - The Ghetto Funk Remixes by Ghetto Funk

Simplify Recordings
My favourite glitch hop label of the year with consistently strong releases and a roster that covers DCarls, ill-esha, Knight Riderz, Stephan Jacobs, Minnesota, Love an Light, K Theory, +verb, Freddy Todd and Sugarpill. Nuff said.

Simplify Mix Sessions 7 by Simplify Recordings

ill.gates
For playing more sets at Burning Man than almost all the other DJs put together. Well, not quite, but it was a stupid number. I heard 30. He's also always got time for other musicians and fans, running workshops all over the world and online. Oh.... and he's released another dope album full of collaborations.

  ill.Gates & Mimosa - Never Alone [Free DL at illgates.com] by ill.Gates
  ill.Gates, Opiuo & Vent - TriLLogy [The Ill.Methodology] by ill.Gates
  Ill Gates - Under Mi Wildflower - Free DL by ill.Gates


Parker
Another Ghetto Funk affiliate and he of 'Where's my Monkey' notoriety. Parker opened and closed 2011 with top notch mixtapes and has upheld a track record of solid releases throughout, both as one part of the Beekeepers and with his own remixes. I love his variety, samples and ability to move between styles - glitch hop, ghetto funk, d'n'b, dubsstep, electro swing. Plus he's a lovely guy and played a banging set for the handful people that were there to see him in Guildford earlier in the year!

  Parker - From Behind The Bookcase...Mix (2011) by Parker*
  Parker - The Monkey Butler Did It...Mix (2011) by Parker*


Bassnectar
Because I'm sick of everyone crediting Skrillex for creating the dubstep scene in the US. Bassnectar has done more than anybody to promote bass music stateside and he deserves all the props he can get. Plus his first UK shows for 7 years at Fabric and Secret Garden Partys were off the scale! I wasn't the biggest fan of Divergent Spectrum, but this free remix EP is badass

  Divergent Spectrum Remixes [FREE DOWNLOAD] by Bassnectar 
 
Spinforth
In the last few years Soundcloud has become the de facto tool for marketing and discovering new music to audiophiles. One half on Hong Kong Ping Pong, DJ Spinforth deserves a knighthood for his weekly Soundcloud Scour at Ghetto Funk, which he's been persistently updating since the start of the year, each edition complete with a hilarous comedy photo. Sir Spinforth we salute you!

  Spinforth's "Durty Disco 1st Birthday Set" 30 09 11 by Spinforth

Too good to be free: Archnemisis, Nastynasty & Thriftworks

I'm not sure what's sparked it, but in the last year so there have been a slew of seriously good albums and EPs offered for free download via Bandcamp. Here's three recent releases from the US that are too good to be free...

First up Archnemesis, who share a label (1320 Records) with Nalepa, Prefuse 73, Virual Boy, Knowa Knowone and Eskmo. They're a new discovery for me, thanks to the brilliant Sample this Music blog. Reminiscent of Pretty Lights,who gives his music away for free too, it sounds like they've done a lot of organic sampling to get that really listenable, feel good, 'real music' vibe. People's Radio is music that's worth paying for, but you can download it for free here.
  Archnemesis - Peoples Radio by PlayThisSongLoud.com  


Nastynasty has a well established habit of giving away his best tunes for nothing. The Memorabilia EP is a good taster of the range of his sounds, from floaty subs to bubbling bass and off kilter funk, often lifted with deliciously soulful vocals.


I first came across Thriftworks on An-ten-nae's Acid Crunk vol.3, but this whole free album, the seond he's given away, is very much more on the downtempo side of the whomp fence. Lovingly produced, delicate and painfully beautiful, it's got an atmospheric desert-city-under-the-stars feel to it. Magical.

Friday 20 January 2012

Mary Tale - Empress Relentless (Mary Melt) Mix


Hi all, Peachi ahoy after a long absence - forgive me. I guess I just haven't been listening to much new music recently apart from chasing up Morbjits MM updates. He's gona all glitch hop though, so I think its time to get back to some heavy tech funk breaks and who better to kick things of with than a favourite of the MM blog Mary Tale (artist formerly known as Mary Miss Fairy and treasured Ra-family member). Tis another belter from her with the kind of epic build-ups and drops remiscent of her legendary Paris Burners - Moulan Rouge set, [made it into Morbjits top three for 2011] - that set nearly took the roof off and fried a few onion garlands and burnt the bagettes!! [to be slightly racialistical - forgive me Monsieur Polo OohlaRa]

Before reveiwing Mary Tale's new mix, just a heads up to some SOPA and PIPA goings-on in the USA, to do with piracy and copyright infringment and freedom of the internet, that might seriously affect the whole internet by closing down sites like this. And I don't mean just this blog, but the host company for this site and any other media sharing sites, like: youtube, wikipedia and wordpress. To find out why check out this TED video that explains how they may become liable for user copyright infringments and managing that may become prohibitive. Then get informed and then get active, If you're from the US then get intouch with your government representative, if your not an Amerkan (mmmgay) then hassle your Amerkan friends to do so. It seems this bill wont pass, but a similar one may do soon, so stay informed and get active where necessary. Cheers!



Now onto the main event. Mary Tale's 'Empress Relentless Mix' is a corker, check it out:

Empress Relentless Mix by MaryMissFairy

I particularly like the first third as there as some really good build up tracks that drop into some massive drops. Mary has a great ear for tracks that do this and this makes listening to her set really high energy because you're on a roller coaster ride the whole way through. Although it seems to go a bit happy hardcore at around 13mins for a bit, it bounces back with some real brain melters in the mid section too. Very hard to describe the high energy tracks in there, but the best compliment I can give Mary's mixes is that I save them for special occassions and I have to be full on to listen to them. Not for the faint of heart and beware yee who wander across the mix half arsed, cause you will be dominated by the fembots of hard bass!! Which reminds me that I loved the tagline that comes with this mix:
"Like being beaten up by dominatrix robots whilst watching cute as a button anime characters Carlton dance for you...essentially"
- obvious innit, once you've listened to it!! I wasn't so sure about the drum and bass dessert at the end from about 47mins onwards but it wasn't too bad and you know, by now, she can do what she wants as you kneel before the Temple of the Empress Relentless taking it like the bass slut you are.... ehem... cough cough... OK, maybe that's just me then! ;-)


So Mary didn't make it freely donwloadeable on Soundcloud, sort of by mistake, but she said its OK for you to get your versions of the full mix via this blog. So here's the link and ENJOY!

Thanks for a great set MMF-Ra. Looking forward to hearing you live again sometime x

Wednesday 11 January 2012

Morbdily Obese Midget's top 10 releases of 2011


Zen Death Squad - Cyber Dojo Lazer Training (Made in Glitch)
While Tipper's mid-tempo wobble has dominated the glitch hop charts at Addictech this year, the best UK Glitch Hop release for me has been ZDS's Cyber Dojo Lazer Training. Here's a trio of UK producers who took the US by storm with their live show on their autumn tour. They've been locked away writing over Christmas so I'm expecting big things for 2012.
    Cyber Dojo Lazer Training EP by Zen Death Squad

Koan Sound - Funk Blaster EP (OWSLA)
These Bristolians have been releasing bass for a while now, but their debut on Skrillex's label took me completely by surprise when I heard Funk Blaster on Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show. The Max Out EP was good, but this sounded like nothing else on the radio... until Doctor P and Flux Pavilion release Superbad! There seems to be quite a trend for this kind of funked-up not-dubstep at the moment for which I'm wholly in favour. Check out Must Be The Feeling on Nero's album, DCarls All In (see below) plus Bobby Tank's Vanquish EP for more in this direction. They even make Skrillex sound better: Skrillex – Kill Everybody (KOAN Sound Remix) (right click save as to DL).

  Funk Blaster by KOAN Sound
  Kito & Reija Lee-This City (Asa & KOAN Sound Remix) by Mad Decent





DCarls - All In (Simplify Recordings)
DCarls has release a string of shit hot EPs on Simplify and a recent banger Jump featuring UK rapper Maksim through Play Me. It's All in that gets my vote for all it's pure funked out glory though, incredible
  All In (OUT NOW on Simplify Recordings) by DCarls

DJ Deekline & Ed Solo - King Of The Bongo / 
Stickybuds - Guaranteed (Hot Cakes)
I think this just about qualifies as 2011. Deekline & Ed Solo's Hot Cakes series has been a non-stop hit factory of classic d'n'b / breaks remixes for the last few years and I've been giving this double A side with Stickybuds heavy rotation all year. D'n'B versions of Aloe Blacc's Need a Dollar and Adle's Rolling in the Deep also worth checking out.

  Deekline + Ed Solo Present ~ Stickybuds - Guaranteed (Jungle Cakes 007) by Stickybuds~
 
Yet Again - Jpod the Beatchef (Swing Set Sounds)
I seem to remember this coming out in 2010, but since I Need a Dollar didn't get a UK release until 2011 and I've been playing it every chance I get, I'm including it here. This is Jpod at his bouncy, soulful remixing best. Later in the year the EMS EP with the Root Sellers on vocals was brilliant laid back mid tempo glitch hop and he's just released his first debut album Halfsteppin through his own Swing Set Sounds label. In a much apprecited gesture, you can buy FLAC, wav and MP3 all for one price directly from the label. You can also get instrument tools to cook up your own sounds on Ableton. Brilliant.
  yet again by JPOD the beat chef


ill-esha - Reverie (Muti Music)
ill-esha makes lush music and Reverie is such a beautiful laid-back bass album. I usually reach for it after a party, but it's also perfect in headphones on a nice day. Has had one of the longest rotations on my mp3 player this year.
  The Golden Mean (MUTI 090: REVERIE) by ill-esha
  Brandy & Monica - Boy is Mine (ill-esha remix) by ill-esha


Love and Light - Crunk Junkee (Simplify Recordings)
2011's been an epic year for this duo from Reno, Nevada, with two EPs on Simplify followed by an awesome collaboration with Stephan Jacobs and their first album in the autumn. Their set that I caught on the Temple of Boom at Burning Man was amazing.
  The Light We Bring by Love and Light


Benny Benassi - Cinema (Stephan Jacobs remix)
After the promise of 2010, 2011 has been an amazing year for Stephan Jacobs with the Mad Era and In the Vortex EPs plus brilliant collaborations with NiT GRiT, Ben Samples, Love and Light and +Verb. The set I caught at Burning Man for Dub Scouts completely absorbed me. Check out his recent memekast for a taste of how good he is. This Benny Benassi gets my Jacobs tune of the year award though, with Pizza Party's Don't Stop (below) a close second.
  Benny Benassi - Cinema (Stephan Jacobs Remix) by Stephan Jacobs
    Stephan Jacobs & NiT GriT (Pizza Party) - Supreme by Stephan Jacobs

Guttstar - Double Helix and Catch a Drift EPs (Bandcamp)
Has released two lush, melodic lovestep EPs this year Double Helix and Catch a Drift. Grab 'em both at his Bandcamp
  Sync by Guttstar
  Decompress (Free EP - Double Healix - tinyurl.com/644t5v9) by Guttstar


Rizzle Kicks - Down with the Trumpets (Island)
As the soundtrack to my summer, and with a nostalgia that makes me remember summers at school 10 years ago, this is my pop pick of the year. Always gets people dancing and smiling!
  Down With The Trumpets by Rizzle Kicks



Scubaroots - Babylon Pharmacy (Inflatable Records)
Ok, this was a 2010 release, so a bit of a cheeky bonus, but it's been another soundtrack to this year. Soulful reggae, ska and hip hop combined in a feel good album by a band who are even better live! The other 2010 discovery for me this year was Lotek's International Rudeboy. Like Roots Manuva in dub, but more variety.
  05 Dr Love by Scubaroots
  06 Welcome To Paridise by Scubaroots

Thursday 5 January 2012

Morbidly Obese Midget's top 3 DJ sets of 2011

Your Niece / Bassnectar, The Collysilium, Secret Garden Party, UK
The Collysilium and the Bearded Kitten scaled up big time at this year's Secret Garden Party. The hay bale amphitheatre was about twice as big as last year. During the day it played host to mud wrestling and all manner of silliness, then at night it turned into the best dancefloor on site. Headlining the Saturday night was none other than US bass music pioneer Bassnectar himself, his first UK festival appearance in 5 years. On just before him was Your Niece, who's been pioneering West Coast crunk on these shores since before everyone else cottoned on, up for his biggest support set to date. He certainly didn't disappoint. Together they delivered well over two hours off unadulterated bass pleasure while the Collysilium went completely nuts. Amazing.

marymissfairy at Winter Wonderland, Paris, 19 March 2011
We took Mary to Paris as a last minute stand in and the French burner community had no idea what hit them. By far the best set of the night. She never disappoints.
  One night in paris by MaryMissFairy


Lee Burridge, Dawn at the Robot Heart, Black Rock City, USA, 3 September
I could have chosen Mim0Sa's set at Fractal Nation, Stephan Jacobs at Dub Scouts, or any number of afternoons dancing at Distrikt. Purely because it was one of those beautiful moments where so much comes together, though, my favourite set at Burning Man 2011 has to be Lee Burridge on the Robot Heart at dawn on Saturday morning. Beautiful, minimal blissed out, groovy music in a truly amazing place with truly wonderful people.