Version culture may be one of the more elusive corners of the music industry as new riddims and their deejays circulate faster than we can organize them. So rather than trying to ride this many crested wave, I often turn to the incomparable Heatwave blog where my long-held love of Dancehall is constantly re-sparked.

Growing up on an island, we held the (mostly) naive notion that Dancehall and its roots were somehow soulfully connected to our water-bound lives of banality and bourgeois boredom. Tensions abound here, but Dancehall, Reggae, and its culture was steeped so heavily in my community that some have gone on to produce professionally and even adhere, however faithfully, to principles of Rastafarianism.

9/11 sizzles in everyone’s minds, that morning as clear as day for those in the West watching the horrors of the East , and amidst the tumult of my adolescence and the day itself, I bought Anthony B’s “That’s Life”, less symbolic than a distraction from the days events, but I’ll never forget peeling off the plastic and losing myself in croons and chats of peace, pseudo-feminism, and love.

Rarely do I offer the latest in Dancehall business, but lately it has landed in my hardrive and stuck to my play button like sticky icky. As I stumble and trip to the end of one of the last quarters of my college career, I curl my lip and wine to this quatro of solid gold hooks and chats over the Rooftop Riddim. With relentless energy and a truly diverse approach from each deejay, I’ll be bouncing and wining all the way to Austin on Mavado’s despairing laments of love and loss (my personal favorite) and Beenie Man’s rudeboi steez.

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Flippa Mafia – Naah Lef Him Again

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D’Angel – Come Over

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Charly Black – Turn Me On

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Beenie Man – Under Curfew

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Mavado – House Top

P.S. Yes, I’ll be in Austin for a blissful week of music and people. If for some reason you recognize the anti-gravity hair, show love!

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The symbolic analysis above was borrowed from Autostraddle’s lengthy, biting critique of how Taylor Swift is, in fact “a feminist nightmare.” According to “Riese,” a contributor over at Autostraddle, America likes Taylor Swift because she embodies “a palatable conservative ideology in the form of a complacent, repressed feminine ideal. It’s working ’cause Swift writes good songs and America is terrified that its children have been scarred by Britney Spears’s psychotic vagina and Miley Cyrus’s obnoxious adolescence.”

The author explains that Swift’s music videos reinforce gendered double standards such as the virgin/whore dichotomy, then goes on to address the fact that the narratives within those music videos are quite unimaginatively lifted  from bad 90’s teen films. And yeah, nobody’s original, but some people are more creative with their copying and reproduction than others.

Most importantly, she worries that Swift may set a dangerous precedent towards the “vanilla-fication”  of popular music, to which Rob Harvilla over at the Village Voice responds, “Are we all aware that 2008′’s Album of the Year trophy went to Herbie fucking Hancock, doing Joni Mitchell covers? That Steely Dan beat Eminem? That the allegedly august company Swift now joins includes Natalie Cole, Norah Jones, “Smooth”-era Santana? Peep the past decade of AOTY victors and our virginal heroine comes out looking like the goddamn Sex Pistols.” Fair enough.

Brandon Soderberg also chimes in with a discussion of whether or not Ke$ha’s commodified “edginess” is any better than Swift’s ernest innocence. Among other things.

Anyways, I thought the diagram was brilliant, the debate is interesting (if a little sensitive), and that in fact it is DEEPLY shameful that Swift beat out Gaga and Beyoncé for the big Grammy win.

While we’re on the subject of gender, music, and sexuality, I stumbled over to Patent Leather Daddy the other day, only to find a FABULOUS mix/compendium that’s packed with everything from Gaga remixes and Nicki Minaj to Hudson Mohawke and Marilyn Manson.  All of which is accompanied by an equally FABULOUS little film from Anthony over Hotgymnast.com…  anyone know if this man is serious or not? I guess it doesn’t matter.

Anyways, the mix is an eclectic blend of off-kilter, noise-y indie vibes, ethereal 4×4 beats, and epic half-step hip-hop syrup.  It displays an unusual curatorial instinct, and manages to make me give a few moments of tolerance to jams that I would usually skip immediately.  And it’s TOTALLY PERFECT FOR GETTING YOURSELF AMPED AND READY 4 DA GYM.

Some highlights from the mix include:

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Soldier of Love (Kastle Remix) – Sade

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A Human Disaster (House of House Remix) – The Juan Maclean (This track takes a while to warm up when it gets in the groove pocket it really nails it and stays there for a while)

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Ooops! (Hudson Mohawke Remix) – Tweet ft. Missy Elliot

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Russian Roulette (LoCiti Remix) – Rihanna

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HeavyFeet have been busy strapping on extra weight to their already hefty arsenal ready to cause more damage to dancefloors up and down the country than an obese elephant from doncaster in a pair of jimmy choos!

Like Mary Shelley they’ve pulled together some grotesquely catching tunes to form a monster of a mix stitched together fresh for Spring. If you’ve been following their promo mixes you’ll understand that they are hyped ready to galvanise even the stiffest critics.

Not satisfied with having their names on the lips of every content insurance employee in the land they have also decided to raise their own herd AKA label entitled Stamp! Beats.

Over the next twelve months HeavyFeet will release twelve singles, each comprising of an original vocal track, a club mix and guest remix. The original of each monthly release will be given away for FREE. Stamp! Beats launches on 05.04.10 (UK way round as in 5th April innit)

Super Size never felt so right.

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Roisin Murphy – Momma’s Place (HeavyFeet Remix)

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HeavyFeet – Spring 2010 Promo Mix

01. Hot City – Sweat [Ramp]
02. Pearson Sound – Indellible [Aus Music]
03. Pearson Sound – Wad [Hessle Audio]
04. DJ Gregory – Triby [Faya Combo]
05. Doc Daneeka – Drums Of The Deep [Fabric]
06. R1 Ryders – Right Foot Forward [Rq Ryders]
07. Deadboy – U Cheated [Well Rounded]
08. Jovonn – Trama (K2 Beats) [Defected]
09. Edu K – Broken Tap [Anabatic]
10. Radioclit – Secousse (ROund Table Knights Remix) [Mental Groove]
11. Roisin Murphy – Momma’s Place (HeavyFeet Remix) [CDR]
12. Aniki – Suck My Disco (Nom De Strip Remix) [CDR]
13. The Young Punx – Juice & Gin (Riva Starr Remix) [Mofo Hifi]
14. Nouveau Yorican – Boriqua (Harvard Bass Remix) [Sound Pellegrino]
15. Robbie Williams – You Know Me (The Count & Sinden Dub) [Virgin]
16. L-Vis 1990 – United Groove (Cosmin TRG Remix) [Mad Decent]
17. Nick Thayer – The Zombies (HeavyFeet Remix) [Passenger]
18. Suncycle feat. Mavado – No More (Redlight & Toddla T Remix) [Suncycle]
19. Serocee – Badeng (MJ Cole Remix) [CDR]
20. Fast Eddie – Yo Yo Get Funky (Nick Thayer Remix) [Giant Pussy]
21. Skitzofrenix feat. Golly – Droppin’ That [Sneakerz Muzik]
22. HeavyFeet vs. Virus Syndicate – I Spy… (HeavyFeet Club Dub) [Stamp! Beats]
23. Apster & Firebeatz – Skandelous [Made In NL]
24. DJ Sneak – You Can’t Hide From Your Bud (Gramphonedzie Nu Skool Remix) [Magnetic]
25. The Young Punx – Ready For The Fight (Black Noise Remix) [Mofo Hifi]
26. Deekline & Wizard – Gimme A Piece Of That Booty (HeavyFeet Remix) [CDR]
27. Wiley – Never Be Your Woman (Andy George & Jaymo Dub) [Virgin]
28. Blatta & Inesha feat. RQM – Bite Your Lip (Congorock Remix) [I Dischi Della Valigetta]
29. AC Slater – Play The Record Again [CDR]
30. Drumsound & Bassline Smith – Clap Your Hands (House Mix) [Technique]
31. Drop The Lime – Set Me Free (NROTB Carnival Mix) [Trouble & Bass]
32. Rob Threezy – Your Love [T&A]
33. Cosmin TRG – Tribal Flex [Tempa]
34. Marcus Visionary – St. Vincent [Liondub International]
35. HeavyFeet vs. Virus Syndicate – I Spy… (AC Slater Remix) [Stamp! Beats]
36. Breakage feat. Newham Generals & Rodigan – Hard [Digital Soundboy]
37. Jack Sparrow – The Chase [Tectonic]
38. D1 – Jus Business [Dub Police]
39. Skream – Burning Up [Digital Soundboy]
40. SL2 – DJs Take Control 2009 [New State]
41. Slipmatt – Hear Me (Junki Munki Remix) [Can You Feel It]
42. Danny Byrd feat. Liquid – Sweet Harmony (Jungle Mix) [Hospital]
43. Motive – Screwtop [Bingo Beats]
44. Heist – Moonshine [Co Lab]
45. Baobinga & ID – Jah [CDR]
46. Drumsound & Bassline Smith – Speed Freak [Technique]
47. Original Sin – Ark [Playaz]
48. Xample feat. Jakes – No Respect [RAM]
49. Bassment Jaxx – Twerk (Sub Focus Remix) [XL]
50. Adam F & Horx feat. Redman – Shut The Lights Off (Adam F & Sigma Remix) [Breakbeat Kaos].

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Hello new friends, Max Pearl (aka, DJ Kat Fyte) here checking in as the newest contributor to Trash Menagerie.  For my first post, I’d like to take all of my new readers on a guided journey of those winding corridors and dark hiding-places that I like to troll as I make my way through the blogosphere.  That means recommendations, people!

I’d like to keep it multi-media, as much as possible, so here are a few treasures that deserve some exposure, from audio-visual art music to critical commentary on the state of the contemporary moment.

First up, here’s an astoundingly well-edited promo video for the current reigning champion of the drum machine, AraabMUZIK.  I’m pretty sure that everything you’re hearing in this masterpiece is generated by this dude triggering samples off of the MPC console he’s working with, even the gnarly chug-a-chugs!

In this day and age where DJs are exchanging their turntables for laptops and MIDI controllers, yet trying to find ways to keep digital DJing as impressive for the eyes as it is for the ears, an MPC prodigy is pretty much exactly what we’ve been looking for to satiate our tiny attention spans.  SOMEBODY BOOK THIS DUDE AND I WILL GLADLY ATTEND YOUR PARTY AND BUY EVERYONE BEER.  By the way, ‘dude does much of the production for the one-and-only Cam’ron and the Dipset crew. Makes sense.

araabMUZIK Live MPC set Part 2 from Death by Electric Shock on Vimeo.
[This is part 2 of 3 parts, by the way. I encourage you to troll Google until you find the other two. But this is by far the most technically awesome.]

WARNING: THIS NEXT BIT GETS A LIL’ GEEKY
But seriously, if you like bass music, you like critical rants and conspiracy theories about technologies of control, and you’re as floored as I am by the Afrofuturist philosophies espoused by everyone from Lee Scratch Perry to Sun-Ra to British theorist Kodwo Eshun, I would highly recommend you pick up a copy of Kode9’s new book, Sonic Warfare.

In the simplest terms, he addresses the use of sound as a structuring technology- a sonic architecture, if you will- from night-time sound bombs used to create an environment of paranoia and fear among the colonized, to high-pitched frequencies used in malls to prevent teens from gathering, all the way through to the careful crafting of good or bad vibes by soundsystems operators in the context of the global dancehall session.  Kode9, by the way, is the curator behind the virtually infallible Hyperdub record label, a leftfield electronica institution that’s centered around wonky hip-hop and dubstep, with releases from acts like Ikonika, Burial, Zomby, and Joker.  Act like you know.

Lastly, let me round out yet one more border to which my artistic and cultural interests extend, and make the jump from super METAL gangster beats and Sonic Warfare over to the contemporary state of Latin American and Caribbean party music!  I don’t mean to blow up anybody’s spot if you’ve been hoarding music from this bizarre little outlet in the global digital, but these guys deserve some props!  Check out the wonderful, regularly-updated music blog, Flow Cartagena, “EL BLOG OFICIAL DEL DANCEHALL Y REGGAETON,” for seriously cutting edge reggae/hip-hop everything.  Much of the music available at this site is from amateur producers and remixers, and a lot of it is unreleased, bootlegged, or really poorly mixed and mastered.  Still, you can find some gems if you’re willing to hit up google translator and spend an hour navigating the sketchy mess that is this website’s interface.

One of my favorites is this track here, an upbeat, layed-back hip-hop joint from Jiggy D and Mosta Man.  Just so you trust me that this site is in fact quite bangin’.

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Street Music – Jiggy D Ft. Mosta Man

(192kbps but somehow it still sounds good on a big system)

Anyways, till next time ya’ll, glad to be a part of this fabulous publication.

Mwah!

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My friends from DISCOTexas are very productive people. And they sell / give away good music too.

Not much time has past between the release of Forbidden Cuts Vol1 and Justin Faust’s “Holdin’ On”. The Bavarian synth magician (we got copyright on this term) doesn’t fail to impress once again with a solid House EP, which contains two original tunes and three remixes by none other than Moullinex and Nightriders.

Here are the tracks in 128 kbps. Go buy the full glory on Beatport or Juno and listen to the tracks on your big soundsystem at home, on the dancefloor or through your headphones while cruising on an old beat up scooter.

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Justin Faust – Holdin’ On

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Justin Faust – Holdin’ On (Moullinex Remix)

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Justin Faust – Holdin’ On (Nightriders Remix)

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Justin Faust – Holdin’ On (Nightriders 909 Remix)

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Justin Faust – Witty

While  I was happy to have these tunes in my inbox, Rockets from  DISCOTexas collective sent me a remix he had just finished for the Californian band Butterfly Bones.

It’s a wonderfully crafted, dreamy piece of pop. No hands in the air, just both eyes closed and whirling away…

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Butterfly Bones – Crystal Caves (Rockets Remix)

I think all new bands from California should get a Rockets remix.

Show some love to Justin Faust, Moullinex, Nightriders, Rockets and Butterfly Bones.

P.S. Go listen to a new mix (the 2nd installment of “Professional Lovers”) by Moullinex on Soundcloud.

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Hey TM readers! Just saw this link to Zombie Nation’s eBay auction for his Akai MPC 4000 on Future Music and wanted to spread the word for any of you that are into MPCs or rainforest conservation:

Now here’s a brilliant idea. Rather than gracefully retiring his trusty Akai MPC4000 to the great loft in the sky, Zombie Nation is auctioning his online for charity! Yes, get a top MPC with celebrity heritage AND do your bit to help the rainforest too.

“This MPC has travelled with me to many countries and seen quite a lot of clubs It’s also the machine I made my last album, Zombielicious on,” he tells us. “It’s modded with an DOM 4GB disc and comes with an additional hard disk, CD ROM and the eight output option. It’s still covered in my gig stickers including one that says “HD up”, which means “Head up, don´t look on the display like a nerd!”

Reason for sale? “I switched to the MPC 1000 recently, simply because it weighs 12 kilos less, which makes my life a lot easier! But this 4000 works great and is the most advanced hardware sampler ever built.”

So why the charity auction? “I wanted it to go to someone who appreciates the story of this machine which gave me a lot of great moments. The final auction price will be donated to WWF for rainforest conservation project in memory of Daniel Hansson – founder of Elektron Music Machines – who was a big supporter of the WWF. Remember: Paper has two sides so print doublesided!”

“The highest bidder will receive a copy of the proof of donation of the full amount as well as a signed photo of me and the MPC plus a list of all the dates and clubs this MPC travelled with me.”

The auction goes live on the 1st of March and you can find the page here. Bid generously and let us know if you win!

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