Weekly Kalabi Track – “Worship” [Rated*****]

“Nice Music For Tired Ears”

Kalabi  has been making and producing music for the past twenty years. In the early days, Kalabi [Si Oliver] was playing bass and writing songs for rock, grunge and funk bands. However, for the past decade he has been producing chill out / trip hop  tracks under the name of Kalabi, with releases all over the world with a number of labels. Strongly influenced by Bill Laswell and Jah Wobble (the Radioaxiom album), and Ronnie and Clyde (the In Glorious Black and Blue album) the core concept of his work is “nice music for tired ears”. As if by musical fate, Kalabi sent through some tracks this week when the ears were in need of some seriously serene bassy sonority, and I found myself completely engrossed in his work. With a range of albums including, “The Bubble or the Spirit”, “The Wheel” and “Tone Poems”, Kalabi’s style and composition reflects and matches that of the work of many popular well-known electronic and chill out artists, which are hit with readers and myself.  Kalabi is sending over tracks from a number of his albums, and his work will now be posted as a regular chill out feature on the blog. His work certainly deserved some recognition and should be a big hit with the trip hop fans! Keep and eye out for next weeks collaboration track with UK Hip Hop producer Remulak entitled “Hypnosis”, which features singer songwriter Guy Osborn.

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Submission Recognition Review: Shawn James – Debut Album “Shadows” [Rated*****]

Renegade Raider Reviews is now the ripe old age of one, and in that time I have had the pleasure of listening to and reviewing a host of tracks and demos. Most are very good, but it is not often that I am compelled to hit the repeat button and gasp in shock that the track hasn’t rocketed the charts. Late summer, I was sent through a track from Shawn James who has recently released his debut album Shadows. He described his work as a ‘mix of haunting Folk & hard-hitting soulful Blues’ and I was immediately sold. The first track entitled ‘Midnight Dove’ is simply stunning. The combination of the violin, the acoustic guitar and effortless yet powerful  and emotive vocals produces a harmony of sounds heard so rarely in contemporary commercial music; and it is this that makes this track one of the diamonds amongst the rough, and utterly worthy of recognition.  Midnight Dove is just one of a number of dynamic ballads featured on the album. I would highly recommend any fan of  ‘haunting, soulful folk with orchestrated layers, foot stompin’, loud, raw, rootsy blues, and feel-good soul music with good groove’ to check out his debut album as you will not be disappointed. 

 

The debut album is out now and available to purchase from iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/shadows/id553858269

Alternatively, follow link for artist biography, music, pictures and contact information.  

http://www.shawnjamesmusic.com/fr_home.cfm 

After Music Comes Artistic Inspiration

Follow link: http://thisisartattack.wordpress.com/ 

Album Review: Digital Soundboy Soundsystem – FABRICLIVE 63 [Rated*****]

Launched by jungle pioneer Shy FX as “a new platform for good music, not necessarily genre specific,” Digital Soundboy has established itself as one of the UK’s most exciting labels. Combining Shy’s experience with the expertise and enthusiasm of label-mates Breakage and B. Traits, FABRICLIVE 63 reflects the musical vision of the label and its parties, taking in a staggering 49 tracks for a breakneck tear-up through funk, house, dubstep, dancehall and drum & bass.

“Digital Soundboy’s edition is a near-genius mash of everything good about modern dance music – one of the best FABRICLIVE comps ever.” – DJ Mag

Click here to order your copy.

 

TRACKLISTING:

01	Nina Simone – Funkier Than A Mosquito’s Tweeter [Sony]
02	Bloodfire – Gumbai [Digital Soundboy]
03	Zed Bias – Heavy Water Riddim [Digital Soundboy]
04	M.A.N.D.Y. vs Booka Shade – Body Language [Kammermeier & Merziger]
05	Justin Martin & Ardalan – LEZGO [dirtybird]
06	Roska – The Oracle [Rinse]
07	Seiji – Face Up [seijimusic]
08	Artwork – Red [Big Apple]
09	Baxta – Do Without You [Cheap Thrills]
10	Pangaea – Hex [Hemlock]
11	Tickles – Grinding [Roska Kicks & Snares]
12	Youngstar – Formula 2 [DDJ's Productions]
13	Bok Bok – Silo Pass [Night Slugs]
14	Nightdrugs feat. Moona – Higher (Skanky Remix) [Nightdrugs / Moona]
15	Skream – Wobble That Gut [Tempa]
16	Breakage – Telepathy [Digital Soundboy]
17	The Others feat. Rod Azlan – Total Recall [Dub Police]
18	North Base – Fright Night [New State]
19	Dismantle – Warp [Digital Soundboy]
20	Breakage – Higher [Digital Soundboy]
21	Clare Maguire – Ain’t Nobody (Breakage’s Suck It Up Mix) [Polydor]
22	Roska – 480 BC [Tectonic]
23	Skream – Filth [Tempa]
24	Dismantle – Displaced [Digital Soundboy]
25	Redlight – Source 16 [Digital Soundboy]
26	Dismantle – More Funk [Digital Soundboy]
27	Baxta – Baby Girl [Cheap Thrills]
28	Dark Sky – Neon [50WEAPONS]
29	Die & Mensah – Firing Line [Gutterfunk]
30	Buraka Som Sistema – Hangover (BaBaBa) [Enchufada]
31	Skream – Daim [Digital Soundboy]
32	Breakage feat. Newham Generals & David Rodigan – Hard [Digital Soundboy]
33	Breakage feat. David Rodigan – Together [Digital Soundboy]
34	Die & Break feat. MC Fats & Bugsy – Peace & Dub [Digital Soundboy]
35	Shy FX feat. Kano, Donae’o & Roses Gabor – Raver (Shy’s Guinness Punch Mix) [Digital Soundboy]
36	Musical Youth – Pass The Dutchie [Universal]
37	Mighty Diamonds, Mr Williamz & Yellowman – Pass The Kouchie [Necessary Mayhem]
38	Die & Break – Grand Funk Hustle [Digital Soundboy]
39	Benny Page – Turn Down The Lights [Digital Soundboy]
40	A Sides – One DJ [Clearskyz]
41	dBridge – Little Things [Metalheadz]
42	Breakage feat. Roots Manuva – Run Em Out [Digital Soundboy]
43	Die & Break – Tear Down VIP [Digital Soundboy]
44	Breakage feat. Jess Mills – Fighting Fire (dBridge Remix) [Digital Soundboy]
45	Dub Phizix & Skeptical feat. Strategy – Marka [Exit]
46	Dizzee Rascal – Jus’ A Rascal (Soundboy Special) [XL]
47	Gyptian – Hold You (Shy FX & Benny Page Digital Soundboy Remix) [Ministry of Sound]
48	Rene LaVice – Headlock [Ram]
49	Shy FX & UK Apachi – Original Nuttah [Williams / Lafta]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DS Art – Lexi DJ – Stencil Art [Rated****]

“Some people become vandals because they want to make the world a better looking place.” I have always been fascinated with street art, and this passion was fueled after a recent trip to Berlin; one of the few citites which has such a large and eclectic collection of street art on its walls and streets…I have linked in the following piece because it seems perfectly apt for the content of this blog. Many of you will be familar with some of DS Art’s work which can be found on the streets of East London; but he is now primarily working in the studio. Check out the DS Art website for further work…DS is an interesting artist because he is offering an alternative to the usual stencil work we are so familiar with by combining layering, stencil sketches and bold colours.

http://www.dsart.co.uk/

 

Related articles

• Stamps & Stencils that Work Together (balzerdesigns.typepad.com)
• Photography Street Art by Florian Kolmer (iheartberlin.de)
• Is Banksy back? ‘New’ child sweatshop worker graffiti piece stencilled onto Poundland wall loses affixed Union Jack bunting (mirror.co.uk)
• Color Inside the Lines With Eyebrow Stencils (bellasugar.com)

Raider Review: The Blitz Party – 14 April 2012 [Rated*****]

Girls and guys! If you long for the romanticism of wartime Britain; women donning vintage tea dresses, red lippy and hair curlers, and dashing men in slick military uniform or a braces and flat cap combo, swinging the night away with cocktails, yam and scotch eggs on tap - then you need to book a ticket for the next Blitz party; a fancy dress club night like no other in London. Set under the brick arches of an old underground bunker on Holywell Lane in Shoreditch, this venue is spot on in creating the perfect wartime ambience.

We headed to the Blitz Party last Saturday and had a truly spiffing evening! The entertainment was excellent, as was the authenticity of the glamorous revellers dancing; with any couple who could find room on the heaving dance floor attempting a charming mélange of swing, jive and the Charleston – myself included.  The queues for the bar were long and the cocktails were pricey, but frankly when one is surrounded with such novel jovial wartime spirit, complaints were few and far between. The flash of cameras were constant as groups of friends reveled in the success of their own outfits; heed this warning – you really will look like an oddball if you do not put a touching amount of work into looking like you were born ninety years ago. Everything about the evening was bona fide Blitz! My only complaint was that just as my swinging was really beginning to take hold across the full breadth of the dance floor, our wartime knees up came to an early end at 2:00am. Alas! You are in Shoreditch, so there is no end to the number of hotspots to visit after the french gin is well and truly flowing… and there is nothing like heading to a hipster East London bar swanked up in 40s clobber – take that scenesters!

The Blitz Party is back on May 5th, so get your tickets sharpish as this really has become the biggest thing since Vera Lyn. Tickets cost £20 - follow link to purchase tickets.

Visit the website for more information: http://www.theblitzparty.com/

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Related articles

• Run For Shelter – Blitz Party Here We Come! Saturday 14th April [London EC2] (renegaderaiders.wordpress.com)
• Raider Club Review: XOYO – East London [Rated****] (renegaderaiders.wordpress.com)
• The Animated Blitz XI Party Photos (iheartberlin.de)
• [Video] XOYO vs Ingredients – Dub Phizix and Skeptical feat Strategy – “Marka” (renegaderaiders.wordpress.com)

Global Gathering – We Are Officially Ready To Book Tickets!! Immense Line Up!

Raider Recommendations: Fabric London Presents Rinse 05/04/2012

Purchase tickets here: https://fabriclondon.ticketabc.com/events/fwd05-04-12/

Raider Votes Zero 7 Best Pre/Post-Rave Chill Music![Rated*****]

 

 

Recommended Albums: Simple Things (2001); When It Falls (2004); The Garden (2006)

Africa Hitech – Out In The Streets

Still can’t get enough of this tune, Africa Hitech’s reworking of  the sample “out in the streets they call it murtha” one that has been used many times but this version is a bit special. The track is featured on the 93 Million Miles album.

Raider Artist Recommendations – Skittles [Rated*****]

Dubbed as the English slim by Eminems DJ Green Lantern and already a veteran on the Manchester music scene, Skittles is one for us slow of the mark Londoners to keep an eye out for. 2011 was a big year for Skittles releasing two massive tracks including  his dub inspired  track Tip-i-cal-ly and his latest track DOT2DOT from his album ‘Poor With £100 Trainers’. Having  already worked on many collaborations with other artists and spending the most part of last summer touring festivals with his live band, I suspect 2012 will be another big one for Skittles! A talented lyricist releasing some awesome tracks accompanied with equally impressive videos, keep an eye out for him because he has a lot to offer!  

Available on itunes

 

Raider Book Review: Trafficked – The Terrifying True Story of a British Girl Forced into the Sex Trade by Sophie Hayes [Rated*****]

I digress again from our theme of music and return briefly back to books. I do so to encourage people to read Sophie’s story and to help raise awareness of the horrors that approximately 2.5 million victims of human trafficking experience everyday. I am not an avid reader of non-fiction, but as tragic as this story was bound to be, I could not fight the intrigue to read it. I bought it 2 days ago and was immediately immersed into Sophie’s world, finding every moment I could to read it, through to the early hours of the morning;  I simply could not put Trafficked down. Whilst it was a truly harrowing account of life as a young trafficked female, it is was also the most courageous true story of survival I have read, and I was touched by Sophie’s vulnerability and  bravery. Sophie had the strength and courage to share her story, a story which completely breaks our common misconceptions of trafficking. Finishing it today,  I was compelled to share it here on the blog and to recommend readers to buy this book.  

She was living in a city in the North of England, and was 18yrs old and had no idea about human trafficking. One night she was out with friends, Kas started talking to her, he worked at a bar she went to all the time. He was very flattering and fun but she said no, she wasn’t interested and already had a boyfriend anyway. However, in the following months they developed a friendship, he accepted she wasn’t interested and what came out of it was an amazing friendship. They had swapped numbers and at this point chatted regularly on the phone. After about a year she broke up with her boyfriend of the time and Kas was there, understanding what she was going through and really listening.

 They had known each other for some years now and she trusted him as a best friend. He told her he was off to Italy for a holiday, and she should come along for a weekend to cheer herself up. Tempted by some light relief, some pizza and a chance to get away for a few days, Sophie said yes.

It was when she got to Italy that everything changed.Kas changed. He announced on her first night that he was in debt and Sophie must help by working on the streets to earn the money he needed to pay back. It was the start of a previously unimaginable horrific experience….

You can buy this book online: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trafficked-Terrifying-Story-British-Forced/dp/0007438885/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328802632&sr=8-1

Mixes Worth Checking

What a start to the week, three mixes put out by three amazing producers…

 

First up is Cosmin TRG (pictured above), I first started taking note of this guy under his previous name TRG, when he released broken heart on the hessel label, which also featured an immense remix by Martyn. Since then he has turned his attention to bass driven house which is equally as impressive and his mixes do not disappoint.

http://clr.net/news.pl?id=208

Dubbel Dutch is up next, someone I was lucky enough to meet when he played the big chill bar late last year, a top bloke it must be said. His style of music crosses many different genres from UK Funky and Classic House through to Dancehall, Kuduro and Jungle as well as whatever else he may be feeling at the time. If you haven’t heard of him check out his track “Fem Pressure“.

Synkro had a big 2011 and it looks like he is taking it straight through to 2012. With releases such as “Look At Yourself” and “Viewpoint” every release Synkro puts out does not disappoint. As well as these releases he had tracks featured in array of mixes including Photek’s DJ Kicks album.

http://www.residentadvisor.net/podcast-episode.aspx?id=297     

Raider Sound Cloud Pick Of The Day: T-E-E-D “Tapes & Money” [Rated****]

This an edit for Soundcloud of the new single from Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs.

'Tapes & Money' is released on the 2nd April 2012. Remix package to be announced soon.

Goth Trad

Goth Trad is certainly a pioneer of the dubstep scene, creating tracks that inspired some of the big names, which is even more impressive when you consider that he was doing it from Japan and the scene was little more than some noise coming out of Croydon.

With a new album out “New Epoch” a forthcoming release on the Deep Medi label “air breaker / cosmos” and the free track “alone warrior” released on the xlr8r website he is definitely worth checking out if you haven’t already heard of him.

You can check out the mix he done for tsugi podcast here.