I’ve been wanting to go to Dour Festival for quite some time now and never really had the chance. So when I came across this amazing little video over at Laid Back, I figured I had to share it and spread the love. They have done a great job and included some rather cool cats like DJ Day, Exile & DJ Mitsu The Beats. Big up Lefto & the Laid Back crew for posting it and for always sharing quality stuff! Much love! x
Good morning my friends!
I hope all is well with you. Im sitting an listening to the MTV unplugged album with Jay-Z, woke up stupidly early considering how exhausted I am. I think Im still buzzing from the madness that was this weekend. I know it’s been a couple of days since I touched base, but my internet connection has been playing tricks on my again, and this crazy manic weekend took up most of my time again.
I had a slow start on Thursday evening when I met up with Bart from Onda Sonora & Lefto after work. It felt so nice to finally meet Bart, I always wonder in the back of my head if people like him, who’s blogs/websites Ive been reading & following for years, actually realise how much they’ve changed my life. Needless to say, he was absolutely wonderful and Lefto was, haha, yeah Left was just Lefto, we had a good laugh. Im so happy to be extending my music family to Brussels, they are such great people, and I can’t wait to go there this Autumn. They deserve all the love in the world.
Friday evening I spent with one of my friends that was spinning reggae records at the three blind mice near old street. After some rum & ginger beer, all plans of making it a quiet night flew out the window, and I ended up coming home around 6am in the morning. Was not feeling the sunshine on Saturday morning, but dragged my ass out of bed to go and meet up with Julien from Laid Back Radio, who was here in London for a quick visit.
We met up by Charlotte Street in town, went to one of my favourite small authentic Italian coffee shops located just off Tottenham Court Road for a coffee and a little chat in the gorgeous weather. Ended up heading east towards the Shoreditch area to check out some street art (turns out he is a big fan, which was a nice surprise). Checked out Brick Lane, and ended up at Vibe Bar for a drink. It was the perfect afternoon, the sun was shining, the conversation was stimulating, and aaaah, I have so much love for this man in my heart. I respect his views on this whole music thing immensely, and I think the ideas he has for the future and the mentality he has about/behind the Laid Back project really fits in with my own views and opinions, which in these days are rare to come by. So safe to say I had a wonderful time, and I am really looking forward working with the Laid Back crew in the near future. Be prepared for magical things my friends, it’s all coming together!
After we parted I bumped into some friends, and we went back to vibe bar to say hello to Simbad, Lefto & the bPm who were being their troublesome selves. Nice to finally see Thristian again, I have missed that boy so much. I have to come up with a way of somehow working or doing something with him again, I need my weekly fix of that wonderful laugh of his. Anyway, had some drinks, a lot of laughter and a boogie or two, and went to Cargo to see the nextmen. Cargo was absolute madness, and the queue was the craziest Ive seen it since worldwide awards early this year. After failing to sort anybody else out to get in (I wasn’t gonna be the twat who stayed because I was the only person on the list… not how I roll) we decided to move on. Safe to say it became a bit messier after that, and we ended up in Hoxton Square in the park, drinking beer and talking about life (yes it was one of those…) Rolled home in the wee hours of the morning, and bed never felt as good.
Sunday started rather slowly, but I had a “date” with my best friend Cata in the city for some gossip & giggles, so I pulled myself together and went down to see her. After some late lunch, I had to go east to see Jide & his crew for the crooked tongues BBQ party. The sun was shining, so perfect bbq weather, and who in their right mind will turn down free food & drinks combined with great music on a beautiful Sunday like that!? I personally felt that the majority of the people there were a bit too pretentious, and a bit too styled and “poser-like” for my own personal taste, but you win some and lose some. We bailed around 8pm to attend the “Soul Power” after party at Market Place.
Now that party was the perfect finish to an amazing weekend. Organised by the lovely Amelia from Put Me On It & Shook Mag, it was like the perfect party – with great people, amazing music and wonderful vibes. Was a pleasure to finally meet Amelia after only having met her online, and I can honestly say that she is one of the most beautiful people, personality & looks wise, that I have ever met. Much love & respect to that girl, she is amazing, I hope you’ve checked out her blog Put Me On It! Was also nice to Charlie who I hadn’t seen for a couple of weeks. We had a bit of a giggle, and he then went on to playing a set that was simply on FIRE, I dont think there was one single person that was able to stand still during it. That man is a legend and such an inspiration, I feel so lucky and blessed to have met him… (Much love to you Mr Dark, we need to do dinner soon!) Eric Lau played a wicked set as well, and he has personality that just makes you want to run up and give him a big hug (next time I will!) Oh and funnily enough, I found out yesterday that the guy I was checking out in the corner all night was Oddisee. Haha, small world, and a great party.
All in all, another amazing weekend, and I needed yesterday to kind of recover from the madness. But as they say, no rest for the wicked.
Right, this became a very long post, I need to have a shower and get to work. Hope you all have a wonderful day, will drop by a bit later to check up on you. Much love! x
I have been listening to this little badboy of a mix from the amazingly talented Alexander Nut all morning. It is good, really really good. Perfect way of getting into the weekend spirits! So Nuff said, just download it now my friends! Many thanks to the peeps over at Sonic Router who posted it! Go and check out their page, it’s a good one too. Download is below, ENJOY! x
Tracklisting for Alex Nut – Ballers Mix:
Dizzie Rascal – Flyin’ (instrumental)
Tiago – Bable Fish
Rustie – Shadow Enter
?>£>$>$>$$>$ (Floating Points remix)
Dark House – Darkhouse Mediation
Om Unit – Cradle
Dam Funk – Chocolate
Funkineven 1956 ‘She’s Acid’
Floating Points – Peoples Potential
Karizma – Nessesary Madness
Rustie – Bad Science
Afrika Hi Tech – Blen!
Brackles – Get A Job
Brackles & Shortstuff – Sutorita Faita
Untold – Its Gonna Work Out Fine
Pearson Sound – Wad
Tempa T – Next Hype (Plastician Remix)
Joker – Retro Racer
Skepta ft Wiley – Are You Ready
Zomby – Godzilla
Shuanise – Catch
Good afternoon my darlings!
I hope you’re enjoying this very warm and somewhat sunny Thursday afternoon. Need to write some thoughts down that have been circulating in my head lately, and it’s in regards to this whole ”thing” about being a girl and being into/working with music.
There are two reoccurring “themes” that keep popping up every now and again, and I just want to address them once and for all, since they are starting to slightly annoy me:
1. “I didn’t know girls were into this kind of music…”
I hate this expression, and I very much dislike when people say it to me (even if they sometimes say it a good way). What correlation is there between my gender and what music I’m into? NONE, absolutely none. Ok, fair enough, there might not be a lot of girls in certain “scenes” or what ever you want to call it, but I wouldn’t say that it is because of the fact that they are girls and rather listen to some shitty R&B or pop. Trust me when I say that there are plenty of girls out there who love a heavy beat and a fat bass. You might not find them in the places where you think you would, but that doesn’t rule out the fact that they exist. They are just as common as all the guys who like shitty mainstream music.
2. “You’re a girl, so of course it is easier for you…”
Ok, let me first point out that I am a nobody. I was blessed and lucky enough to get accepted and join the Brownswood family 1,5 year ago now, and yes, because of that I got the chance to meet some incredible people. But, I don’t make music and I don’t DJ, and apart from being passionate about music and having the intention of maybe one day start working with it again, I don’t consider myself part of the music scene here in London.
I get a lot of people taking the piss out of me or asking me how I know this and this person, how I know about this and this event etc and for most of them, it almost always boils down to the fact that I am a girl and therefore I get special treatment. And my response to that is: The reason why I know these people, why I get invited to these events, have some of that (what they like to call) “underground music” is because I MAKE AN EFFORT. I listen to their music, I buy their music, I play their music, I go to their events, I contact them and tell them I like their stuff, I write to other people and recommend their stuff, I write in this blog about them, if I can help them in any other way or form I’ll go and help them. I put in a lot of my time and effort doing all these things. Not because I have to or because I want to be cool/be recognised/whatever, I do it because I genuinely love music, because I am passionate about the art behind making it, and because I truly care and want to help these people succeed in every way I can.
You say: I have it easy because I am a girl and that I get treated differently
I say: it is people like you that treat me differently because I am a girl.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean I/we girls have it easier. I constantly feel like I have to prove myself because I am a girl, and I am sure Im not the only one who feels that way.
Bottom line is, when it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter if you’re male or female. If you have the passion and you have the will to push forward and do what it takes to achieve your goals/dreams (whatever they might be) I am confident in the fact that you will.
Right, rant over. Thanks for that, needed to get that out of my system. Much love! x
As you might know, Brownswood Bubblers 4 is being released this month on the 24th, and I don’t know about you guys, but I can’t wait! I have heard the compilation and is it AMAZING! Best bubblers compilation by far in my opinion. However, whilst still having to wait 1,5 week for it to drop, the brownswood fam has been kind enough to treat us all with a little teaser on the shape mixtape. Its a lovely little gem and includes almost all my favourite tracks from all four bubblers compilations. So enjoy my dears, and make sure you get the new bubblers compilation when it’s out on the 24th August, 2009.
Tracklisting for Best of Bubblers:
1. Soundspecies – Can We Call It Love (with Ahu) [BB4]
2. Simbad feat. Steelo – Soul Fever [BB1]
3. Bullion – Get Familiar [BB3]
4. NSM – The Hype [BB2]
5. Katalyst feat. Steve Spacek – How Bout Us [BB3]
6. Cornish Waters feat. Duchess – Walking [BB2]
7. Ayak & First Man – Can We Go Back? [BB1]
8. DJ Day – A Place To Go [BB3]
9. Mayer Hawthorne – Maybe So, Maybe No [BB4]
10. Iman – Who Was I Trying To Fool [BB1]
11. Flying Lotus – Tea Leaf Dancers [BB2]
12. New Look – Everything [BB4]
Let me introduce some of my dear friends from Twitter.
I apologise in advance for the severe lack of glitz, glam & glitter…If your name is not mentioned, please don’t get offended.
The list is already long, but should probably still be extended.I want to start off with Juslikemusic who I have known for a year,
This Saturday is his bday so please head over and give him a big cheer.On my own birthday I had the pleasure of meeting
CubikMusik, gunniessdj, Soul_Identity and Greymatterbeats
I can honestly say that that day was one of my life’s best birthday treats.I am blessed to have the peeps that show me love and are there to support,
Friendly creatures like paulriley1982, futureancient, bmxkris, bkcl, EL3G, Dooks13, onthebuzz, thefunkhouse, and bluevibestudioThen I have the overly talented people who I simply just admire
People like MrBeatnick, BullionNess, The_Real_Semtek, illum_sphere, the8bitch, daddydark and of course, Mr. ScrimshireNot to mention some of the bloggers that know their shit and never disappoint,
Fellow writers and music lovers like putmeonit, OndaSonora, nutriot and on_pointOh, and I need big up the boys that make me giggle, and not just djhoop,
But also his mates, thenextmen and matt_the_goodBefore I round this up I’d like to send some extra love to LaidBackRadio
Not only for the musical inspiration, but for letting me do a show.
OH HOW I ADORE THIS MAN! Love the video & the song too.
Last weekend I had the absolute pleasure of finally meeting Colin, the mastermind behind the amazing website CubikMusik. We met through Twitter a couple of months ago and whilst talking about different things we realized that our birthdays were three days apart. Being two music lovers (and coincidentally loving the same types of music), we set up a “challenge” to make each other birthday mixes. He had to make a mix for me covering the years from 1974 to 2009 (the year he was born to his current birthday) and I had to create a mix for him with 35 songs (which is the age he turned). And below is the result… I don’t really have much else to say, apart from that I hope Colin (and you guys) enjoy this little treat. It was made with a lot of love, so if nothing else, I hope at least that shines through.
Tracklisting for CubikMusik’s Birthday Mix:
01. Indigo Jam Unit – Be
02. DJ Day – What Planet What Station (Instrumental)
03. Jimmy Castor Bunch – It’s Just Begun
04. The Beginning Of The End – Monkey Tamarind
05. Pete Rock & CL Smooth – They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
06. De La Soul – Buddy Feat. The Jungle Brothers & Q-Tip
07. Bobby Timmons – Moanin’
08. The Matthew Herbert Big Band – Just Swing
09. Benny Goodman – Sing, Sing, Sing
10. Rashaan Roland Kirk – Spirits Up Above
11. Silvio Cesar – Samba Do Carioca
12. Elza Soares – Mas Que Nada
13. Antonio Carlos Jobim & Astrud Gilberto – Agua De Beber
14. Fela Anikulapo Kuti – Zombie
15. Jimmy Smith – Got My Mojo Working
16. Mr President – Love & Happiness Feat. Mr Day
17. Donald Byrd – Think Twice
18. Grace Jones – Pull Up To The Bumper
19. Erykah Badu – I Want You
20. Zion I & The Grouch – Trains And Planes
21. Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra – Let Me Blow Your Mind
22. Beat Konducta – Trouble
23. Stetsasonic – Talkin’ All That Jazz
24. Guru – Respect the Architect Feat. Ramsey Lewis & Bahamadia
25. UMC’s – One To Grow On
26. Charizma – Red Light Green Light
27. Freestylers – B-Boy Stance Feat. Tenor Fly
28. Roots Manuva – Witness (1 Hope)
29. Benga – Night
30. Paul White – Alien Nature
31. Waajeed And The Jazz Katz – Want U 2
32. The Long Lost – Woebegone (Flying Lotus’ Luckiest Charm)
33. Robert Glasper – Maiden Voyage/Everything In It’s Right Place
34. Fink – Hush Now Feat. Tina Grace
35. Nina Simone – Blues For Mama
If you haven’t downloaded the fantastic mix he made for me, you should do it now:
74-09 Birthday Mix
So dont forget to tune in TODAY at 2pm London time to listen to my guest radio show on
Laid Back Radio!
If you can’t listen today, this is the schedule for the coming 3 weeks:
Monday’s @ 9-10 am
Tuesday’s @ 8 – 9 pm
Thursday’s @ 9 – 10 pm
Friday’s @ 2 – 3 pm
Note: These are all UK times!
Enjoy and much love to you all!
Morning!
I have the pleasure to announce that my good friend over at CubikMusik , who I have gotten to know over Twitter, has made me a very special birthday mix! We set up a challenge when we realised our birthdays were 3 days apart. He was meant to make me a birthday mix with songs from 74-09 (a song for each year he has been alive) and I was meant to make him a birthday mix with 35 songs (the age he turned). I am completely overwhelmed by this incredible gift and I cant encourage you enough to download it.
My mix for him will be available to download on Sunday here on the blog (as my internet connection is being a bit slow). So until then, head over to CubikMusik, read the kind words he had to say about me, AND DOWNLOAD MY BIRTHDAY MIX!
Much love! x
