Flava Of The Week

So, last night was the much anticipated Santogold UK Album Launch at the delightful Old Blue Last. After being hailed as 'the new MIA,' I was intrigue but skeptical to see if this was to be the case. Don't get me wrong though, everything I had heard up until that point, I had liked: The reggae infused 'Shove It,' the avant-garde tunings of 'Creator' and the sheer accessibility of 'Les Artistes' seemed to me to be the basis for a strong album. So why oh why did the promoter in charge of sourcing a venue, decide to stage the launch at TOBL? Sure its uber trendy, and of course the audience was very much a whose who of credible London & American producers, DJs and the like, but quite frankly this doesn't compensate for the embarrassing quality of sound. Maybe i'm becoming a snob in my old age, but there must have been other options?!

Regardless of this petite rant of mine, she was great. Every track I heard was performed incredibly well, with the attitude and conviction that any artist up against MIA must have, and during the finale that was 'Creator,' that grimey, stinking, hot old pub properly moved. I look forward to seeing her over festival season, and I strongly recommend you go buy her album, as I think for me it will be quite the summer soundtrack. Also of interest, Dave "Switch" Taylor who has produced both MIA and Santogold has also announced that he will be heavily involved in the fourth coming Coldcut album due to drop early next year.


But now down business. Here's a selection of tunes, some old some new, that are currently doing it for me this week.



I would love to be able to tell you a little bit about '8otto', but their myspace is all in Japanese, which, to be honest has proved problematic. However they're signed to BMG Japan, their tunes are banging and I would have thought that its the kind of sound that makes the A&R department at Kitsune wobbly at the knees. Imagine Depeche Mode but heavily distorted and chopped to pieces and your beginning to get the picture. Their a band i'd love to see, just because of the energy they put into their tunes, and by the looks of things their performance. Mental mentality with dance dynamics. However, Britain's finest has done the dirty on this, and actually cleaned it up to some degree. The result? A relatively uncharacteristic house tune. Herve is definitely a producing talent to be reckoned with, and this choice cut proves that their's more to his production skills than the anthems he's most famed for.


Ozero (Herve's Hypnotherapy Remix) // 8otto



Next up we have a new collaboration between Dave Nada and Matt Nordstrom, who are cunningly collaborating under the name 'Nadastrom'. Its early days for this collaboration, however they've got some big tunes, and this remix of Estelle's 'American Boy' is chunky, but in case you hadn't noticed I literally have a fetish for a garage-esque 'wobble.' Regardless, this'll get a graveyard dancing. Clearly influenced by the UK bassline scene, and the likes of Drop The Lime and the rest of the Trouble & Bass crew, these guys havn't wasted any time in getting noticed, and are due to have a release on Dubsided later in the year.


American Boy feat. Kanye West (Nadastrom Remix) // Estelle


Ninja Tune's Canadian signing Ghislain Poirier is an electronic producer who toys with grime influences with regards to tempo and content but strips it back to produce a much cleaner product compared to the UK's equivalent. The result of this is a highly polished production, which somewhat reminds me of the productions of orgasmic and Para One, who of course before they embarked DJ stardom were better know for producing French filth-mongers, and label mates TTC.


Bomb The Blocks Feat. Ms. Persia (Ghislain Poirier Remix) // Bassnectar


Penultimately, here is a track with some of the most shameless sampling you'll probably hear. I got this from Mad Decent, and it has an irresistible charm that you can't help but smile to. Featuring none other than X-Bonde Do Role front lady Marina, thats about all you can say about this track. Enjoy.


Girls Feat. Marina // Cuizinier





Last, but certainly not least, here is Aphex Twin Live From Coachella. Need I say more its fucking mad, and I cannot wait to see the man myself at Bestival this year.


Aphex Twin Live At Coachella 2008