Tag Archives: mixtape

Have yourself a bass-filled Valentine's Day

Posted on February 14, 2012 | Leave a comment

Whether or not you celebrate the aggrandized Hallmark holiday that is Valentine’s Day, enjoy these romantic mixes from some of the finest producers in the bass music world.

First up is the latest installment of Luvstep, by Dirty South Joe and Flufftronix. The previous Luvstep mixes have perfectly encapsulated the leading edge of romantic, melodramatic dubstep, a standard this mix meets. Tracks by Clams Casino, Sinjin Hawke, and Clicks & Whistles mingle with exclusives and obscurities. A highlight is the pitch-perfect Sibian and Faun track “I’m Sorry.”


For the fifth time, leading bass purveyor Hudson Mohawke drops a mix of classic slow jams in honor of the day. This is the music your parents would get down to, and it must have worked, because you exist. HudMo clearly knows his stuff. And in a tasteful – and fitting – tribute to Whitney Houston, he closes with her classic ballad “Didn’t We Almost Have It All.”


Deadboy is no stranger to the soulful side of dance music, and his offering is somewhere between the previous two. His mix for London’s Wifey club night moves effortlessly from Hall and Oates to Dizzy Rascal to (HudMo’s remix) of Blackstreet. There’s something for everyone here; think of this mix as a heart-shaped box of chocolates for music lovers.

http://www.mixcloud.com/wifey/wifey-deadboy-valentines-day-special/

Download: Luvstep 3
Download: Hudson Mohawke’s Slow Jams Chapter 5
Download: Deadboy Valentine’s Day Mix for Wifey

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Review: Mz. Bratt – Elements

Posted on July 26, 2011 | Leave a comment

Mz. Bratt – Elements (2011) [Self-Released] // Grade: B

Mz. Bratt first appeared on the grime radar in 2006, appearing on Mary Anne-Hobbs’ essential Warrior Dubz compilation. On Terror Danjah’s “Give It To ‘Em,” the then-15 year old established herself as a grime spitter with skills beyond her years. With a smattering of material since then, listeners have awaited a more complete release from Mz. Bratt. With the Elements mixtape, fans are even closer to seeing what Bratt has to offer.

Mixed by DJ Kayper, another female performer making waves in a male-dominated scene, Mz. Bratt offers her grimey but precise flow over beats from some of the best in the business. A member of of Wiley’s A-List Music crew, Mz. Bratt kicks off the tape with an intro from Wiley himself, who spits a bit over Lethal Bizzle’s grime anthem “Pow 2011.”

The tape starts off strong with Bratt’s single “Selecta” a Redlight-produced piece of dubstep meets bashment; Bratt’s swagger rides the breakbeat-driven track right into the Hi NRG grime of “Sidechain,” which reunites her with Terror Danjah and Wiley. Next up is a track that should be familiar to dubstep fans: first it was DJ Zinc’s “Nexx,” then it was Ms. Dynamite’s “Wile Out,” and now it’s Mz. Bratt’s “No Way Out.” “No Way Out” demonstrates Bratt’s singing talent, before it is perfectly mixed into Flux Pavilion’s massive wobbler “I Can’t Stop.”

After that non-stop start, Bratt slows it down with “Sleeping with My Memories,” a luvstep jam that features frequent grime-collaborator Ed Sheeran; Bratt is at her best with this type of evocative storytelling. The respite from bangers is a brief one: Bratt takes on Travis Porter’s “Make It Rain” with some ratatat rap.

Here’s where the tape loses focus. “Killin Em” and “Get Dark” sound like Swizz Beatz and Neptunes tracks, respectively. Bratt’s rapping is still on target, but forgoing her UK roots doesn’t do her any favors. For her pop crossover to land, it will have to be on songs like “Speeding,” which features Dot Rotten behind the boards and on the hook. The beat rolls with the energy of dancehall, before fading into a Bratt freestyle over Tinie Tempah’s crossover hit “Wonderman.”

The next generation of grime belongs to artists like Mz. Bratt: performers who do grime and pop, old and new with equal skill. Don’t sleep.

Download Mz. Bratt’s Elements For Free (Click Here)

Originally posted on the Mishka Bloglin.

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Review: P Money & Blacks – Blacks and P (via Mishka)

Posted on July 12, 2011 | Leave a comment

P Money & Blacks – Blacks & P (2011) [Self-Released] // Grade: B+

In American hip-hop, “OG” signifies “original gangster:” an old head who has roots and credibility in the rap game, the streets, or both. The same is true in UK grime (UKG), but in that country’s underground scene it has a dual meaning. “OG” is also Organised Grime, a rising South London crew who embody the same ideals of US OGs. Headlining Organised Grime are MCs P Money (who appeared on Starkey’s street bass masterpiece Ear Drums and Black Holes) and Blacks, a duo who recently released the Blacks and P mixtape.

From the first pulses of the Darq E Freaker produced title track, it’s evident that this is pure grime: symbiosis between unforgiving dubstep beats and hyped-up MCs who spit more than they flow. The tape’s behind-the-boards talent is as impressive as its vocalists; producers like Royal-T and Teddy Music are grime heavyweights. For fans of heavy, aggressive dubstep – with its sinister melodies, midrange wobble and all that bass – Blacks and P is over an hour of fire-starting battle tracks.

Along with original compositions, the duo refreshes some major, classic tunes (it is a mixtape, after all). Blacks freestyles over Nero’s luvstepper “This Way,” saving his ammo for the wobble-heavy verses and letting the female vocals breathe. “Saxon” by Chase and Status is the perfect soundscape for Blacks and P-Money to go hard over, as they do on “Timid.” For grime OGs in the audience, they even remix the recent update of Lethal Bizzle’s anthem “Pow” (a song so brutal and violence-inciting that it was infamously banned in several UK clubs).

A highlight of the mixtape arrives relatively early on in the form of “Effing OG.” The theatrical Lex Luger-meets-Girl Unit trunk rattler is an edit of 18-year old producer S-X’s “Bricks.” The chorus is more mission statement than hook (I stepped in like “Who runs this town?” / We can do this thing like it’s a Western shoot out / They’re looking at my face like “who the hell is he?” / Do your research, I’m a fucking OG), and the song features one of P-Money’s wittiest punchlines: “these rugrats are worse than Angelica.”

The question of grime’s mainstream appeal has been a source of contention since Dizzee Rascal’s 2003 breakout. But while an artist like Tinie Tempah partners with Kelly Rowland and Ellie Goulding for a top ten record, P Money and Blacks stay true to UKG’s namesake griminess rather than attempting a crossover. These OGs wouldn’t have it any other way.

Buy P Money & Black’s Blacks and P Over at iTunes Now!

Originally posted on the Mishka Bloglin.

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Mixtape Monday: Kreayshawn / James Drake / Dev79

Posted on June 27, 2011 | Leave a comment


Kreayshawn X The Bay

This 20-minute tape by El Paso’s Nato Vato Taco mashes the Based Goddess‘ tracks with classic Bay Area beats and verses by the likes of E-40, C-Bo, Luniz, Mac Dre, Dru Down, C.I.N, IMP, and Potna Deuce. The result is equal parts hazy and hyphy, a reprieve from constant replays of “Bumpin’ Bumpin'” and “Gucci Gucci” (the latter of which has been pulled off YouTube for a mysterious Terms of Service violation). At the very least, it will help you with your Kreayshawn fix until Mishka/Clan Destine release Murdered in Memphis (teaser below).



Bombé & Mr. Caribbean – James Drake Mixtape

Another mash-up mixtape, this time blending the music of James Blake and Drake. While not relevant since at least The Grey Album, creations like this capture the zeitgeist like a firefly in a bottle: fleeting, but fun while it lasts. Exploitative? Sure, but the common ground between the two artists puts a new spin on old favorites. Blake’s R&B influence lends itself to Drake’s lazy boy rapping, and DJs Bombé and Mr. Caribbean dig deep into Blake’s catalog for some understated combinations.



Dev79 presents Street Bass Bootlegs

Here’s another angle on rhythm and bass: grimey, street bass remixes of radio rap songs. Everyone from Wacka Flocka to Gucci Mane to Daddy Yankee gets the hood-step treatment. Highlights include BD1982’s remix of Aaliyah’s “If Your Girl Only Knew” and the 6blocc edit of the Rye Rye / Starkey collab “VHS Go.” I’m increasingly weary of anything resembly dubstep remixes, but Philadelphia’s Dev79 has the low end under control; check out his take on the Travis Porter hit “Make It Rain.”


Download: Kreayshawn X The Bay
Download: Bombé & Mr. Caribbean – James Drake Mixtape
Download: Dev79 presents Street Bass Bootlegs

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Review: Blaqstarr – The Mixtape

Posted on April 12, 2011 | Leave a comment


After The Divine comes The Mixtape, Blaqstarr’s follow-up to the transcendent EP released earlier this year. At 25 tracks and just over an hour, the singularly titled mixtape is a definitive look at Blaq’s past, present and future.

Classic collaborations, like “Get Off” with Diplo and “Tween Me and You” with Nadastrom, are reminders of how far Blaqstarr’s sound has come. Compare those with ones with Steve Aoki (the nu-disco “Control Freak”), Will.i.am (the wavering, La Bouche-referencing “Meet Me Halfway”), and Akon (the auto-tuned ballad “Teardrop Shorty”). Gone are the Baltimore club beats; these new tracks are four-on-the-floor crowd pleasers, not the slick and sexy songs he built his name on.

But for fans of Blaqstarr’s old school material, not all is lost. His team-up with DJ Excel, “Rain Came Into My House,” is pure Bmore swagger. “Handstand,” with production by Switch and VIIXIIV (aka Sugu Arulpragasam, M.I.A.’s younger brother), is raw and sludgy. And one of the tape’s finest moments is a remix of the gunshot banger “Tote It,” featuring Lil Wayne (which has been floating around as “Told Y’all” for a while).

In an ironic turn, Blaqstarr teams up with the members of Black Star. “War of Roses” features Talib Kweli, and sounds like Steppenwolf with a club beat, and the moody, hip-hop infused “Kiss Me On My Lips” with Mos Def would fit in on The Divine.

Blaqstarr is a man stuck multiple worlds: the club sounds of his Baltimore home, the shimmering dance music of his LA residence, and the future funk of his boundless imagination all loom large in his work. The Mixtape, while straining under these pressures, does an admirable job of finding the common thread between varied genres and lets Blaqstarr shine.

Download: Blaqstarr – The Mixtape

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Keeping club music alive: DJ Sega's Sixer Series

Posted on April 5, 2011 | 1 comment

Forget what club music charlatans say: Baltimore club moving up I-95 to Philadelphia and Newark (and out to Chicago) is and was a beneficial development for the sound.

Exhibit A in the Brick Bandits dominance of club music is DJ Sega. Sega just wrapped up his Sixer Series Collection with its third volume of twenty minute workout plans.

Each volume has featured a mix of Sega’s originals and remixes. Touching on hip-hop (“Runaway”), R&B (Beyonce, R. Kelly), progressive house (Pryda’s “MIA to ATL”), and even dance classics (“Everybody Dance Now”), Sega’s steady hand supercharges the familiar into something much more fierce. As for originals, tracks like “Rock Dem Hornz” and “Bitch Right Now” are instant club classics.

Baltimore club has a knack for capturing the zeitgeist; Jonny Blaze’s “SpongeBob” remix is the chief example of this. DJ Sega continues the tradition by crafting “The Angry Birdz Theme” out of samples from the ubiquitous iPhone/iPad sensation.

[wpaudio url=”/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/DJ_Sega-The_Angry_Birdz_Theme.mp3″ text=”DJ Sega – The Angry Birdz Theme” dl=1]

After a club slaying turn at last month’s Clockwork party, Sega returns to DC for this month’s edition. If you missed this last time (and even if you were there), see the future of club music first hand this Friday. To hold you over, grab all three volumes of the Sixer Series.

Download: Vol. I – The First 6-pack

1. riot music – (donaeo + skream x dj sega remix)
2. mia to atl to phl – (pryda x dj sega remix)
3. music sounds better with you – (stardust x dj sega remix)
4. why don’t you love me – (beyonce x dj sega remix)
5. runaway – (kanye west x dj sega remix)
6. u don’t like me – (diplo + lil jon x dj sega remix)
7. rock dem hornz sega – (dj sega) – Bonus

Download: Vol. II – The Second Batch

1. rock dem hornz sega – (dj sega)
2. K-swift’s hold up 2011 – (dj sega)
3. Shiftee (onyx x dj sega remix)
4. Next To You (dj class + rose royce x dj sega)
5. everybody fuck now (sissy penis factory + c&c music factory xdj sega)
6. down low (r kelly x dj sega)

Download: Vol. III – Closer to Home

1. bitch right now – (dj sega)
2. body bag remix (johnny Nelson x dj sega)
3. look at me now part 2 (chris brown + busta rhymes + lil wayne x dj sega)
4. philly shit remix (young chris x dj sega)
5. wall-e 2012 (gimmie a wallie) (ybe x dj sega)
6. the angry birdz theme (dj sega)

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Trevor Martin’s Halloween mix keeps it spooky

Posted on September 23, 2010 | Leave a comment

Halloween is over a month away, which gives you just enough time to digest Trevor Martin‘s latest mix, MARTIN: This is Halloween.

The 70 minute mixtape is perfect for All Hallows’ Eve, both lyrically and sonically. As we’ve become accustomed from his live sets, Trevor bobs and weaves across genres, seamlessly mixing punk, metal, hip hop, and EDM of all flavors – sometimes in one edit. His remix of Lil Jon’s “Get In Get Out” adds the industrial grind of Ministry before turning into crunkstep with a touch of Rusko. Similarly, Waka Flocka and Deftones is a match made in Hell that only Trevor would think of.

There’s plenty of stuff from Trouble & Bass (and friends), a necessity for anything Halloween-themed. Little Jinder’s “Youth Blood” is a perfect fit for our vampire-obsessed culture, and anything by Deathface is a no-brainer.

Like any punk worth his ink, Trevor includes plenty of rawk: Danzig, Sick Of It All, and even Dio show up in between more dancefloor-ready material. It’s a testament to his skill that none of it feels out of place.

So check out the mix, before I start making trick or treat puns. And pay attention for some surprising drops that I won’t spoil here.

Trevor Martin – MARTIN: This is Halloween

Lil Jon – Get In Get Out (Trevor Martin New World edit)
Usher – Hot Tottie (Edit)
Waka Flocka/Deftones – On My D*ck Now (138 Edit)
12th Planet & Datsik – Open Your Eyes/On My D*ck (138 Blend)
Symble – Meet Me Outside
We Bang – Smash The Floor (Edit)
Lil Jon/Diplo – U Don’t Like Me (Heroes and Villians Remix )
DJ Khaled – All I Do Is Win (Trevor Martin‘s Quick Edit)
Jinder – Vampire (12th planet and Flinch Remix)
Underdawg vs. AfroJack – Watcha Say
Flinch – Midnight Hustle (Udachi Remix)
Heart Attack – Switchblade (Jonny Blaze Remix)
Hyper Crush – Ayo
WTF/Dead Prez – It’s Bigger Than Hip Hop (Sidney Samson Remix)
Chapter House – We Are The Beautiful
AC Slater – Transatlantic Riddim
Janes Addiction – I Would For You (edit)
AC Slater – Calm Down
Horx Ft Redman – Shut The Lights Off (Adam F & Sigma Remix)
Gorilla Zoe – Hood N***a (DJ Baddmixx Remix)
The Cure – Want
DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince – Nightmare on My Street
Fat Boys – Ready for Freddy
Danzig – Long Way Back From Hell
Placebo – Infra-red
Mos Def – Boogieman
The Used – Buried Myself Alive
At The Drive-In – Enfilade
Sick Of It All – Scratch The Surface (138 Hands Up Edit)
Craig Mac/Biggie Smalls – Flava In Your Ear
Fabolous – Breathe
Dr. Dre/Ice Cube – Natural Born Killaz
Dr. Dre/Snoop – Deep Cover/Murder Was The Case
Kanye West/Nicki Minaj- Monster
Dio – Holy Diver
Drop Top – Machete (High Rankin Remix)
Deathface – The Horror
DMX – Damien III
Goofee – Flow (Torro Torro Remix) Bill Fold’s Fr33ky Moombahton Edit
Proxy – Raven (Skinny Friedman Moombahton Remix)
Nadastrom – Sabina Moombahton
The Cure – Burn
45 Grave – Party Time (Zombie Version)
Red House Painters – Lord Kill The Pain

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Lil' Elle's "All A Dream" mixtape

Posted on August 7, 2010 | Leave a comment


DJ Lil’ Elle is back with another hour-long mix entitled “All A Dream.” As the cover art suggests, the 20-odd songs here hint at summer days passed – appropriate as August flies off the calendar. Elle mixes Top 40-friendly dance tracks with throwback and underground hip-hop with ease. You can see how she’s secured weekly parties at Science Club and Policy (in addition to the monthly KIDS party): Lil’ Elle’s understanding of song selection is bar none.

Highlights include in-the-know favorites “We No Speak Americano” and “Sex Sax” alongside classics by Stevie Wonder and Andre 3000. Grab this mix and catch Lil’ Elle at her DC gigs before she heads westward.

Tracklisting for DJ Lil’ Elle’s “All A Dream” August 2010 Mix
00 Ellen Page Intro
01 Fatboy Slim – The Joker (Steve Miller Band Cover)
02 The Shins – Australia (Peter, Bjorn, & John Remix)
03 The Roots & John Legend – The Fire
04 Aloe Blacc – I Need a Dollar (Chrome Remix) ft. Wu-Tang Clan
05 The Kickdrums – Tell Me Stories
06 Stevie Wonder – My Cheri Amour (DJ Scene Remix)
07 Andre 3000 – Behold a Lady (SR Intro Edit)
08 Ellie Goulding – Under the Sheets Remix (Audio1 Edit) ft. Chiddy Bang
09 Aeroplane X Friendly Fires X Flight Facilities – I Crave Paris
10 Erik Hassle – Hurtful (Penguin Prison Remix)
11 Chromeo – Don’t Turn the Lights On (SR Intro Edit)
12 MIA – XXXO Remix ft. Jay-Z
13 Nas & Damian Marley – As We Enter Remix (Audio1 Edit) ft. Tinie Tempah
14 Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP – We No Speak Americano (Vocal Edit)
15 Miami Horror – Make You Mine
16 Sky Ferreira – Stand Back (Stevie Nicks Cover)
17 Zero 7 – Destiny (Fred Falke Remix)
18 Princess Nyah – Butterflies (Donaeo Remix)
19 Kid Sister – Daydreaming (Telephoned Dreams Version)
20 Calvin Harris – Stars Come Out
21 Drop the Lime – Sex Sax (Club Mix)
22 Two Door Cinema Club – What You Know
23 Cee-lo Green – What Part of Forever

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