Future Classic: Ka “Off The Record”
I’m not sure I really got lyrics at first. When I started listening to hip hop, it was always the beat that caught my ear. The rapper, rhythmic and percussive, added something but never took centre stage. My moment of clarity lay about halfway through It Ain’t Hard to Tell …
Future Classic: BinkBeats “Beats Unraveled”
For the most part, YouTube has sort of ruined the whole idea of cover versions for me. I mean, you check out a video you like and in the side bar you can see about 18 different versions of random people butchering a song in their basement. Of course, whatever …
Future Classic: Skinny Bros & Jonathan Emile
Do you guys remember songwriting duos? I’m sure Timberland and Timberlake rings a bell and of course Paul McCartney and John Lennon are probably the best known duo but what about Isaac Haynes and David Porter or if I dig even deeper into my childhood memories, the Sherman Brothers who …
Future Classic: Swindle & Terri Walker “Running Cold”
Just getting back from my little Europe tour, a really amazing time DJing in Austria, France, Germany and Montenegro. Finally readjusting to the Montreal routine but before I do I wanted to remind myself of a few songs that really stood out from each set. I played this track from …
Future Classic: Ian Kamau “One Day Soon”
I’ve been steering clear of lyrics recently and letting my ears revel in the beauty of instrumentals and beats. It’s been a wonderful experience so far but I must admit, it was a deliberate and bitter decision I made for myself so I wouldn’t end up hating music, or more …
Future Classic: Jessy Lanza “Kathy Lee” (Hyperdub Records)
As I’ve stated before, I am always enthralled when a Canadian artist breaks into the UK underground scene that rules my every being. And it has happened yet again! This time with the mysterious Jessy Lanza, an Ontario based songstress via the ever-powerful label Hyperdub, run by the mighty Steve …
Future Classic: Elaquent “Believing”
Our good friend – and very talented producer from Guelph, Ontario – Elaquent’s music stands out compared to the infinite number of beat tapes, including those from fellow Canadian producers. There’s just something about the swing of his beats and classic approach to production that is grounded in the golden era …
Future Classic: Doc Delay “Morgan”
NYC producer and DJ Doc Delay has always had his own style. His ‘‘Galactic” mix series will give you a taste of where his producer ear is at now and his REM Sleep psych mixes are how I got introduced to him as a DJ. Well, he has finally released …
Future Classic: Ta-ku “Dowhatyoulove”
No stranger to delicate mixes of boom-bap and future sounds, Australia’s very own Ta-ku treats us to a new release, Dowhatyoulove. The 18 instrumental tracks of the records illustrate how little it now matters where in the world people are located, music will still find its way through borders and …