DJ Stylus – The Vibe Conductor

The pre-Thanksgiving session was fresh. No one was there then everyone came through all at once. I almost made Brett repeat his set because he played so many hot records early on. But then he had more hot records so it was all good.

To mark the occasion of an old friend being the first Refuge guest DJ, this recap will be a bit different. The first two tunes are under the heading of…

Joints That Brett Rocked That I Will Be Adding To My Sets Immediately:

Bennson – “Let The Love” (Yam Who Remix)

I’ve been running the album version since it came out almost exactly a year ago. But skimming through the remixes online made me miss out on the Yam Who joint that didn’t command my attention until I heard it in the club. In that context it sounds like Tom Browne in his prime consulted on the recording. That means all kinds of dancefloor win is involved. If I still had hair, I think that this song could make me spontaneously sprout a jheri curl. And by the way, dude is from Australia.

I was totally unfamiliar with this one, despite so many big name cats playing it. A little digging hipped me quickly. This is one of those studio alchemists with multiple names for multiple projects, one of which was also on Raw Fusion. I don’t get down with techno but this cut is right in that deep house lane that flirts with techno but stays soulful. Theo Parrish should be proud of this young German who bears his influence. All I envision when I listen to this is some low-lit, sweaty club rub-n-grind action. It’s not just me, is it?

Vibe Conductor Pick:

Ok-Ma – “Bwoy Gal” (Lanu Remix)

One of those not-new-but-new-to-you joints. I’m never mad at those, but just annoyed that I never really have the right space to play this tune, or when I do I forget to pull it out. That’s why I started this party. The Opolopo mix is broken beat for pop sensibilities and is my favorite but Lanu’s version gets the booties shaking.

Nostalgia Pick:

Eddie Kendricks – “Date With The Rain”

Out of hundreds, this is may be the best song about rain that I’ve ever heard. And that’s saying something. Epic b-boy record too.

I’m looking forward to kicking it with some new friends tomorrow. Might you be one of them?

While I was bemoaning the bone-chilling weather and its effect on my gathering, a couple rolled in and turned the back of the room into their own special dancefloor.

Vibe Conductor Pick:

Kaidi Tatham – “I’m High”

This song almost broke my iPod’s repeat feature. The album was only released in Japan so it can be difficult to track down but diligence will reward you. Kaidi Tatham is the Herbie Hancock of broken beat. In the seven years since his last solo project as Agent K, he’s blessed us with DKD, Silhouette Brown, 2000 Black and a gang of features, remixes and collaborations. Google all those names, he has more than a few. Jazz chops combined with electronic techniques and soulful sensibilities – that’s where the magic happens.

Peoples’ Pick:

Benny Sings – “Unconditional Love”

If you didn’t know about all the soul in the Netherlands, there’s always time to catch up. It’s hard to describe Benny Sings to folks who haven’t heard him, but they always ask “Who is this?” This video is more helpful than any description.

Nostalgia Pick:

The Brand New Heavies feat. Grand Puba – “Who Makes The Loot?”

Classic Hilfiger and backpack flavor! I sure wouldn’t be mad at a Heavy Rhyme Experience vol. 2.

Digging In The Crates Pick:

Kashif – “I Just Gotta Have You (Lover Turn Me On)”

I’m also healing relationships at Refuge. You didn’t know?

Working on something special for next week with someone who’s got a hot hand in the game right now.

The newest incarnation of his Cuba After Market project. Next installment to hit iTunes on Nov. 27, 2009.

And of course, the first single’s been kragenoff. Did you catch the Vibe Conductor cameo?

And then there’s that new Kev Brown vid. Shot by Apex. Edited by the Humble Monarch himself, young Roderick.

Finally liberated an important SD card from Jamil’s clutches. Now we can reminisce on the first minutes of 2009.

Part 1

The warm-up.

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Part 2

The clock striking midnight with maximum room capacity then busting the lightweights upside the head for about an hour.

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Part 3

Going deep and hitting a few peaks.

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Part 4

A little more head crack and then dénouement.

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When an international dance music star needs to borrow your studio to finish a remix on deadline, you show him where the beer is kept, step aside and record reams of mental notes. Kinda makes all those RBMA rejections hurt a bit less.

Even more so than last year, this list was an excruciating exercise due to a glut of options rather than a shortage. 2008 was a great year for black music. I won’t even address the type of coonery that could make one feel otherwise because what’s the point in even giving that any mental energy when you can immerse yourself in so much exciting stuff?

I’m not ranking these. And as much as nOva might try to clown, I’m keeping the Honorable Mention section. Folks need to know about these records. I can sacrifice a little brevity for that purpose.

And now, the picks.

Skillz – (For Real) He Don’t Own Me
[purchase: Amazon]
Skillz has been my hero since the Superfriendz days and early album cuts with Dilla. But while he’s carved out an an enviable career touring, ghostwriting, dropping those yearly Rap-Up’s and being a quintessential emcee’s emcee, I wasn’t sure I’d ever get a bonified hit out of him, until he dropped this massive tune on The Million Dollar Backpack. The hook is pop craft at its finest, the beat is magma and Skillz wraps it all up with his signature wit and storytelling. This is the epic summer jam that too many folks missed out on. I’ll be picking this back up as soon as spring blooms next year.

Busta Rhymes – Don’t Touch Me (Throw Da Water On ‘Em)
[purchase: Amazon]
Busta’s personality has taken some belligerent turns in recent times but when he’s balancing his ignorant and gully side with fun he can still blast off with one of the illest deliveries in hip-hop. This joint came out of nowhere like a sucker punch to the throat. Text messages and emails all blowed up like “Son!! DID YOU HEAR THAT NEW BUSTA SHIT?!?” Bussa Bus gave us a little reminder of his old self, activated the third lung and had the clubs and radio back up into high BPM mode for a change. POWERFUL IMPAK! BOOM!!

Q-Tip – ManWomanBoogie feat. Amanda Diva
[purchase: Amazon | iTunes]
When this comes on, you can’t tell me that I’m not Prince Ken Swift. I mean, you might as well dance, gettin’ down Zulu, yes? This joint could have been on a Blackbyrds album right next to “Rock Creek Park”. And why is this bamma rhyming around the bass line though?!? Exponential increase in funk quotient with that maneuver. Abstract Poetic FTW! Give this man his props for being an ill emcee, please, not just a dude with a nice voice and a rack of hits. It’s The Renaissance y’all. So hard to choose a favorite cut off of that joint.

Simbad feat. Melo – After The Dance (Bugz in the Attic remix)
[listen/purchase: Bagpak | iTunes | Traxsource]
Bugz in the Attic remixes are generally epic. It’s like they’re trying to redefine music every time they touch someone else’s material. Who knows what Marvin would have thought of this cover but I don’t think anyone has ever done anything like this to any song in his catalog. Scandinavian soul man Melo keeps the loverman essence in the vocal while Bugz craft a jazz fusion band on a rocket ship backdrop for the track. The syncopation is so dizzying but satisfying. All the downbeats are upbeats. Monstrous tune. Now would also be a good time to recommend Melo’s full length debut Off My Chest.

photo: Jan T. Scott

2000 Black feat. Lady Alma – Move Over
[listen/purchase (full album only): Dusty Groove | Juno ]
I’d been waiting a long time A Next Set A Rockers. It’s an obsession built from years of tracking down rare Kaidi Tatham and Dego 12-inches on GEMM. Several of these brain popping slices of wax made their way onto the album, its arrival announced by a smash choon called “So Right” which couldn’t have had a better title. But it was “Move Over” that ended up hogging entire tables worth of playlist space on my Last.fm page. Where Lady Alma usually belts out the jams and preserves her sweet voice for ballads, she coos all over this driving broken beat workout, balancing the frenetic production with a silky vocal. How much do I have to shout to the world that I deeply love this woman?

IG Culture – Girl U Need A Change Of Mind feat. Bilal Salaam
[listen/purchase (full album only): Dusty Groove | Juno]
Sneaky ass Bilal was just walking around DC all quiet like, not telling anyone he’d been recording with one of the Mt. Rushmore heads of future soul. IG’s Zen Badizm album is Japanese import only so some diligence is required to obtain it. But what a rewarding acquisition it is, crowned in my opinion by this slick cover of the Eddie Kendricks classic. This one never fails to draw curious folk to the DJ booth. Jamil had been slaying ‘em at Marvin with this well before I finally caught on.

The Roots feat. Wale & Chrisette Michelle – Rising Up
[purchase: Amazon | iTunes ]
This jont GO HAAARD, young! Them Roots bammas off the muscle with that socket, joe. Got Wale representin’ the uhhrea. And the youngin Chrisette Michelle is fat to death too. Bammas is crankin’ for real.*

I can’t believe The Legendary didn’t get a Grammy nom for this. It’s straight murderation. Cats were on their “we’re baaaack!” shit, as if “75 Bars” and “Get Busy” didn’t drive that point home hard enough.

(*consult this resource for translation assistance.)

Foreign Exchange – House Of Cards
[purchase: Amazon | iTunes]
“Daykeeper” was the tune that hit us all right between the eyes but “House Of Cards” got under my skin. Muhsinah makes the chorus soar majestically with her particular brand of magic. And how insane is that bridge? AND this joint is in 7/8?!? Makes it feel like it’s galloping towards you before lift-off.

Pirahnahead – TimeLoveLIFE
[listen/purchase: Traxsource]
I’ve already raved about this tune but the praise is worth repeating. Campaigning for this song is like doing God’s work, it makes my soul feel like it’s going to burst with energy. The sentiments in the lyrics are particularly applicable to current events. Do yourself a favor and track down everything with the name Pirahnahead on it. It’s all deep, powerful and emotionally stirring music. Househeads rejoice. Detroit, holla!

Reel People – Ordinary Man
[listen/purchase: Amazon | Traxsource]
I was stanning for this album SO HARD in ‘08. It’s hot from end to end, which gave me lots of options to slip a tune from it into damn near every live gig and recorded mixset I did this year. It was the first recommendation off the top of my head to everyone who asked me for tips on interesting new music. For a stretch of about a month, it was all I listened to, and it still hasn’t gone out of heavy rotation. Folks wonder why I’m always bugging out about what the Brits are doing over yonder. This album is a perfect reason why. But how to choose just one song? “Alibi” started out as my favorite, with Darien crooning over a sexy latin scorcher. Then I got stuck on Omar’s “Out of Love”, one of the most danceable emotional laments I’ve ever heard. Ultimately, the funky retro synth pop of “Ordinary Man” won out. You’ve got to appreciate the work of Michael McDonald, Steely Dan, Rod Temperton and Greg Phillinganes to feel me on this.

• Honorable Mentions
Janet Jackson – Can’t B Good
Beady Belle – Apron Strings
Erik Rico – Forever
Black Milk – Give The Drummer Sum
J-Live – The Upgrade Featuring Oddisee & Posdnuos

1. Takuya – Summerjam
2. Caron Wheeler – UK Blak
3. Anthony Hamilton – Nobody Else
4. Sade – Turn My Back On You
5. Femi Kuti – Blackman Know Yourself (The Roots Remix)
6. Moodymann – People Make The World Go Round
7. Dionne Farris – 11th Hour
8. Chaka Khan – What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me
9. Maxwell – Now/At the Party
10. Whole Darn Family – Seven Minutes Of Funk
11. Starpoint – Bring Your Sweet Loving Back
12. Strange Fruit Project – Good Times
13. Blackalicious – Make You Feel That Way (DJ Eurok Kenyatta mix)
14. Pimps of Joytime – Street Sounds
15. Alice Russell – Remember To Forget
16. Paul Hardcastle – Rain Forest
17. 4Hero – Star Chasers (4hero Version Excursion)
18. Restless Soul feat. Zansika – And I Know It (Dub)
19. Agent K – Feed The Cat

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Jamil drops Cee-Lo’s “I’ll Be Around” right at midnight. Booties start shaking and moving all around. Somehow we get to “Sounds Like” and “Golpe Duro Calinda”. No mercy and no prisoners. Can you feel it?!

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1. Blue Girl – Q-Tip
2. Why – Eric Benét & The Roots
3. The Hop – Radio City feat. Bajka
4. Summertime – Mos Def feat. Esthero
5. Very First Time (hip-hop 01) – Aloe Blacc
6. Simply So (Sa-Ra Rmx) – GB feat. Steve Spacek
7. Keep On – Up Hygh feat. Phonte & Big Pooh
8. Love You Can’t Borrow – M1 feat. Q-Tip
9. Speak – Olatuja feat. Ty
10. U Better Run – Rasiyah
11. Amongst Pride – DJ Roddy Rod feat. Wayna
12. Ever (After) – Lyric L
13. The Gift Pt. II – Up Hygh
14. I’ll Be Around (Kev Brown remix) – The Spinners
15. The Light – Reel People feat. Vanessa Freeman
16. Listen For It (original vocal) – Markus Enochson feat. Ingela Olsson
17. Having Your Fun (Phil Asher remix) – 4 Hero
18. Our Time to Shine – Modern Groove Assembly

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