The Dreamer Mixtape - Aima The Dreamer

The Dreamer Mixtape - Aima The Dreamer mixed by J-Boogie (2010) 


My best friend lent me this cd when I was home recently. It was great to have some new music to listen to on my ride home (that didn't involve me using the iphone to tape converter in my stereo since the connection there is crazy finicky).


It's some bay area conscious hip hop. The mix veers from hip hop to more house-y in feel but Aima definitely does her thing on every song.

Favorite: "Bom Bom" by Crown City Rockers ft. Aima

How I Got Over - The Roots

How I Got Over by The Roots (2010)

runs like a mixtape, with one song flowing pretty seamlessly into the next.
Unfortunately there are a host of less-than-stellar guest mc spots on this album. Black Thought outshines them all whenever he's on but maybe he's getting tired? They have been doing this for a long time now!

Favorites: "Hustla" - BUMPS!

"Hustla" by The Roots (feat. STS) from Bigger Than Blogging on Vimeo.

"The Day" "Doin' It Again" "Walk Alone" "Radio Days" "How I Got Over" - very heavy Curtis Mayfield influence!
Least Favorite: "Dear God 2.0"

Head First - Goldfrapp

Head First by Goldfrapp (2010)
overall this album is very ethereal with lots of breathy vocals from Ms. Goldfrapp, something you might guess from the album artwork.  It's kind of disco-tinged electronic but not really dancefloor disco.

Favorites: "Believer" "Dreamer" "Shiny And Warm"
Least Favorite: "I Wanna Life"

Cizana De Los Amores - Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

Cizana De Los Amores by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (2010)

yet another solo album from this prolific musician - front man of The Mars Volta (formerly of At The Drive-In).
He's accompanied by a female vocalist on this one. her voice gets kind of annoying at times, epescially on tracks like "Infiel Hasta La Muerte"

Favorite: "Nada De Amor"
Least Favorite: "Infiel Hasta La Muerte"

Explores the Music of Henry Mancini - Quincy Jones

Explores the Music of Henry Mancini by Quincy Jones (originally recorded in 1964; 2009)

Favorite: "Baby Elephant Walk" "Mr. Lucky" "Soldier In The Rain" - hauntingly beautiful harmonica work courtesy of Toots Thielemans

Reach Out! - Hank Mobley

Reach Out by Hank Mobley (1965)


Favorite: "Beverly"

Drift - Nosaj Thing

Drift by Nosaj Thing (2009)

After hearing the remix he did for The XX's "Islands", I wanted to hear more, so I sought out his album from last year.  It's a bit more minimal than I expected but still has some pretty dope beats.

Favorite: "Quest" - even tho it's the intro, it does a perfect good job of letting you know what to expect on the rest of the album. "Light #1" "Us"

The Foley Room - Amon Tobin

The Foley Room by Amon Tobin (2007)


listening to his newest project the other day made me want to go back a little further to his last previous album.  Hearing to this one again, I remembered just how much I liked it.

Favorite: "Bloodstone" ft The Kronos Quartet "The Killer's Vanilla"

Death of The Revolution - Quantic Presenta Flowering Inferno

Death of The Revolution by Quantic Presenta Flowering Inferno (2008) 


Favorite: "Westbound Train"  - hints at the guitar refrain of Al Green's "Love & Happiness", one of my all time favorite songs, but expands from there.
"Cuidad Del Swing" "Alegria En Bella Vista" "Juanita Bonita"

Dog With A Rope - Quantic Presenta Flowering Inferno

Dog With A Rope by Quantic Presenta Flowering Inferno (2010)

Favorite: "Dog With A Rope" "Te Picó El Yaibí (Version)"

Brothers - The Black Keys

Brothers - The Black Keys (2010)


I really like these guys. Was glad to hear a new project from them this year.  Sadly, I did miss them when they were in town a couple weeks back. :(




Favorite: "Tighten Up" "Everlasting Light" "Sinister Kid" "The Go Getter" "Unknown Brother"
Least Favorite: "Ten Cent Pistol" - not that it's bad, just a little too similar to other tracks on the album.

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Phoenix

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Phoenix (2009)

slightly disco-influenced rock from this French band. 

Favorite: "1901" & "Lisztomania" have both been played to death.  I dig the vibe of "Fences".

nice to hear the variation on the L'Aiglon Remix of "1901" on the bonus disc. 

Swim - Caribou

Swim - Caribou (2010)  

very funky. 

Favorite: "Odessa"

no.3 - JJ

no.3 - JJ (2010)


3rd album from this Swedish group (first I've heard from them tho) Very airy vocals. Gets a bit one-note but chill.


Favorite: "My Life" - a partial cover of The Game's song (partial because it's just a cover of the hook that Lil' Wayne sings).

Sound Of The Police - Cut Chemist

going to see The Heavy tonight at the El Rey.  Very excited since I've missed them at least the past 2 times that they played in LA. 

Sound Of The Police - Cut Chemist (2010)

Newest release from this Los Angeles DJ/Producer.  Very funky with all kinds of world beats in the mix. It runs like a mixtape so there's not really one song to like or dislike.  But if you're a fan, you need to pick this up!


There are a couple singles floating around from it tho. The  first I heard was "Adidas to Addis" 

Cosmogramma - Flying Lotus

Cosmogramma - Flying Lotus (2010) 

BEATS!! 

Favorite: "Do The Astral Plane"  

Come Around Sundown - Kings Of Leon

R.I.P. to  my mom.  2 years today.  Hard to believe.  :(

Come Around Sundown by Kings Of Leon (2010)
this all kind of blends together. kind of monotonous really. 

Favorite: "Radioactive"


had the opportunity to work with the production team behind this video shortly after they shot it so I got to see the video in several stages as they edited it. I think it came out pretty great.... the toughest shoots usually do.

Monthly Joints Series - Amon Tobin

Monthly Joints Series by Amon Tobin (2010)

typical fare for this Brazillian-born producer. drum and bass twinged complexities. almost cinematic developments within the compositions.
"Dualistic" - starts off with a nice little handclap. 

Favorite: "Eight Sum" "Technique" "Twelvses"

LP4 - Ratatat

LP4 by Ratatat (2010) 

really funky instrumentals.

to (possibly slightly mis-)quote A-Trak, "The vocal bassline on 'neckbrace' is one of the most screw-face inducing things I've heard in a long time. In a good way". If that's not a recommendation, I don't know what is.

Favorite: "Neckbrace" "Bilar" "Party With Children" - is that a harpsichord I hear? "Grape Juice City" - replete with birds chirping!

Red Velvet Car - Heart

Red Velvet Car by Heart (2010)

First new album from this sister-duo in 6 years! I didn't realize they even had a release that recently....

there are no "Crazy On You"s or "Magic Man"s on here.
nothing's really jumping out at me...

Favorite:
"There You Go" [file is in FLAC, not mp3] "Red Velvet Car"
Least Favorite: "Queen City"