Video: T2 f. H-Boogie, “Better Off As Friends”
Nearly two years ago we couldn’t stop listening to T2’s “Heartbroken” and were convinced bassline was the second coming of 2-step, bound to completely blow up and smash dancefloors for the rest of eternity (or at least slightly longer than it did). Fast forward to late 2009: not ones to be outdone, Londoners took the more addictive parts of the Northerner-created bassline—namely, the R&B vocals that got more ladies out to the clubs—and totally usurped bassline’s supposed reign with the ubiquitous and syncopated UK funky house. Which leads us to T2’s new single, “Better Off as Friends,” which is as vocally catchy as “Heartbroken” but peppered with techno trickles and a pinch of bassline’s… bassline. According to the source blog (thanks Hattie) this song got signed to Island, so perhaps he’ll be able to inch back into the UK playlists and reclaim some of his lost ground.
Bok Bok & L-Vis 1990, “Night Slugs Dubplates 2009″ Mixtape MP3
Brit badboys Bok Bok and L-Vis 1990 have been purveyors of some of our favorite music this year, between getting creative with new, self-coined genres (dubblestep? hyper bass?) and bodying dancefloors and headphones with their regular Night Slugs club nights and mix show on Sub.FM. They’re about to drop a Night Slugs EP, so to promo it they made this mix of all their actual dubplates, most of which sounds like seeing yourself getting injected with adrenalin from the vein-and-blood cell point of view a la CSI/House. Sprung with boingy syncopated basslines, triumphant twerky synths, they’re working in the most basic confines of genre—bassline, funky, garage, whatever—but have a super fresh, nigh cartoony approach that inspires energy and reflects creativity. Tracklist after the jump. Also if you’re in New York, prepare yourself—they’re playing a bananas lineup at Santos on November 21 with “purple”/dubstep producer Joker.
Download: Bok Bok & L-Vis 1990, “Night Slugs Dubplates 2009″ Mixtape (via Discobelle
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posted on Sep 15, 2009 in MP3 / STREAMS tags bassline, Bok Bok, electronic/dance, Joker, L-Vis 1990, Night Slugs Dubstep
Prancehall’s Bass Odyssey, Part 44
- story THE FADER
Down in flippant London nobody cares about bassline anymore, and neither, to be completely honest, do I really. But now and then I like to casually glance up to northern England to see what’s going on. And right now the main song worth your attention is “Etap Riddim” by Trilla. Before I say anything about it, I suggest feminists look away now. You see, Etap is a European chain of really, really cheap hotels (£17.50 a night) and “Etap Riddim” is an explicit ode to bringing a girl back to one of the rooms and, as all you Americans say constantly, “pounding the poontang”. If Andrea Dworkin heard it she would turn in her grave. If she were actually dead. Oh hang on, she is dead. Then she’ll be doing backflips right now. I like the line where Trilla compares the beautiful act of lovemaking to stabbing someone: “In and out like a knife”. What a delightful mental image. The video above, by the way, is a tribute made by three fans who seem very keen on getting “stabbed” by Mr Trilla.
Prancehall’s Bass Odyssey, Part 34
- story THE FADER
I have a new favourite label: Glasgow’s Dress 2 Sweat. They started off releasing really good old and new Baltimore club stuff (which I always disliked as a genre until I was won over by said label), then recently put out a DJ Deeon 12″ and have forthcoming releases from Manchester’s Piddy Py and Philly’s MOVES!!!. The latter is an alias of Starkey, who is making some of the best dancefloor music in the world right now. Look out for his forthcoming album on Planet Mu. For now, check out “All Skate” under
his MOVES!!! moniker, which sounds like a 4/4 garage 8 bar classic
from the future and will be out on Dress 2 Sweat on November 17.
MOVES!!!, “All Skate”
Prancehall’s Bass Odyssey, Part 33
- story THE FADER
Good news, music fans, Craig David is back. A few hundred extra-large boxes of Maximuscle Progain since the last time we saw him, the crooner has returned with a greatest hits album and a new single, “Where’s Your Love?” Said single, which is surprisingly good given his last couple of albums, features Tinchy Stryder, the least self-assured rapper in the world, looking comfortable in the spotlight for once. Get Witty Boy’s bassline remix below.
Download: Craig David, “Where’s Your Love?” (Witty Boy remix)
Prancehall’s Bass Odyssey, Part 27
- story THE FADER
Wiley has retired from grime for the second time. Beat that, Jay-Z! What Wiley has failed to understand though is what the implications of retirement actually mean because he is still planning to make music. And that’s a very good thing because the latest song I’ve heard from him, “Where’s My Brother” (below), is truly brilliant. His singing voice is pretty decent too. News arrived this week that he has enlisted the, er, talents of Kate Nash and Lily Allen on his new album, I See Clear, but judging by this he will be showing them up in the singing stakes.
Wiley, “Where’s My Brother” (radio rip)
Prancehall’s Bass Odyssey, Part 21
- story THE FADER
It’s been on the cards for a while but I have finally lost my mind. This week, the song which will open my column is an undeniably cheesy, slightly ridiculous funky house track vocalled by a former Big Brother contestant. Above you can see a clip of the song being quite hilariously satirised by the rather amusing Harry Hill on his show, TV Burp. Yet there is something about it which has me hooked. Something which goes beyond the obvious novelty factor of it. By the time you read this, an email from FADER’s online editor will be flying towards me across the interweb informing me my contract has been terminated owing to “irrevocable differences”. Nevertheless, have a listen to the song in question, made by Crazy Cousins (AKA bassline producer Paleface, former grime producer Flukes, and two other guys called Play and Kofi), below.
Crazy Cousins, “Bongo Jam”
Prancehall’s Bass Odyssey, Part 17
- story THE FADER
The Newham Generals have almost been ruined since signing to Dizzee Rascal’s Dirtee Stank label. It seems as if he signed them with the intention of doing little more than getting them to warm up for him at his shows around the world. They’ve been promising an album since 2006, which is yet to show any real signs of being released. It’s destined to be a disappointment. How can it be anything else after leaving fans waiting so long? Apart from a mixtape of some old tracks and a really cheap video for “Frontline”, they have little to show for their career so far.
Anyway, they turned up on Logan Sama’s radio show this week with lots of promises, but also lots of new bars. At the end of the show, they freestyled on old and new grime, UK house and even some bassline—namely Mr Virgo’s “Hypnotiq”, which can be best described, mathematically, as Benga and Coki’s “Night” multiplied by Nastee Boi’s “Bangorz”, to the power of T2. In short, one of the tracks of the summer. Have a listen to the full set below.
Download: Newham Generals freestyle on Logan Sama’s show
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posted on May 22, 2008 in PRANCEHALL’S BASS ODYSSEY tags bassline, Dizzee Rascal, Estelle, grime, Newham Generals, Prancehall's Bass Odyssey
Prancehall’s Bass Odyssey, Part 14
- story THE FADER
I don’t mean to underwhelm but the above is the most exciting thing that has happened in grime this week. Yep, Boy Better Know have enlisted the help of 80s children’s TV presenter and vicar’s son, Timmy Mallett, to promote their all-singing, all-dancing non-phenomenon, the Rolex Sweep. The reason for using former TV favourite Timmy (I would guess) is as a substitute for any actual telly coverage the crew will be getting for the dance. The whole situation is reminiscent of the era when grime DVDs became really popular. The grime scene, frustrated at the lack of TV coverage it thought it deserved, released a load of documentary-style DVDs featuring in-depth interviews with incidental, yet painfully deluded MCs. The DVDs didn’t last very long and neither did most of the MCs.
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posted on May 1, 2008 in PRANCEHALL’S BASS ODYSSEY tags bassline, Boy Better Know, grime, Marcus Nasty, Prancehall's Bass Odyssey, Screama, T2
Prancehall’s Bass Odyssey, Part 12
- story THE FADER
Good morning, America. I don’t mean to bombard you with my repetitive subject matter, I really don’t. But one of the only things worth reporting over here on the shallow side of the pond is once again affiliated to Wiley and his new single, “Wearing My Rolex”.
The day after the “Wearing My Rolex” video was unleashed onto an unsuspecting public, upstanding tabloid publication, The Sun, ran a story reporting the reason for Wiley’s no-show in his own video was owing to his overpowering vulpophobia (fear of foxes). BBC 1Xtra’s Ace & Vis then phoned Wiley to ask him about his phobia and the result of this can be seen in the above video, which looks like one of the funnier moments from Fonejacker. (You Yanks may not be too familiar with Fonejacker but click here if you want to watch all of the show’s best clips. It’s pretty funny stuff.)
To keep you guys entertained before clicking below, why not have a listen to one of the better remixes that can be found on the “Wearing My Rolex” promo CD?
Wiley, Wearing My Rolex (Agent X remix)
