Plauge Top Choons June 2011
By nikolatesla | Jun 4th 2011 | Blog Series, Monthly Top Choons, News
Here are the top tracks the Plauge Boyz have been feelin’ lately.
Seppo Hanuri: Ashford & Simpson – High Rise
YouTube
First up some eighties disco/boogie stuff from the ever-reliable Ashford & Simpson. There’s not really a whole lot to say about this track, I think the video (gotta love a VHS rip) really speaks for itself.
Jukola: The Charmels – As Long As I Got You
YouTube
Next up some good ole soul, The Charmels. And yes, if you’ve ever listened to Wu-Tang, you might spot a little sample at the beginning. But this song is a nice little ditty in it’s own right and worth digging up since the whole fifties/sixties soul sound is making yet another comeback. But this song sounds like a real soul standard, doesn’t it? Like “Walk On By” or something.
Azure: Mayer Hawthorne – No Strings Attached (Roller Boogie Remix by DJ Jazzy Jeff)
SoundCloud / HHV
On the topic of old soul revival, here’s Mayer Hawthorne. “No Strings Attached” sounds like Mr. Hawthorne is channeling Nate Dogg (RIP) and that may partly be due to the fact that Jazzy Jeff’s remix of the track transforms the eighties cheesiness of the original into a smooth late-nineties hip hop joint. This is some pure summer BBQ loveliness rite here.
Åke Kanaria: Trademark Skydiver/Young Roddy & Curren$y – Jet Set
YouTubeEsmuntutu: Frank Ocean – Novocane
YouTube
Since I mentioned hip hop (aren’t I just the master of segues?), let’s get some later examples of the genre. Curren$y has been around for a while and I have to admit I like him. He hasn’t really made an amazingly awesome song yet, but he is extremely consistent and good. Frank Ocean is another newcomer, but he’s more akin to Weeknd or Drake, with the whole half-rapping, half-singing (mostly about coke and supermodels) on breezy, synth-driven backdrops.
Nikola Tesla: Gil-Scott Heron & Jamie XX – I’ll Take Care of You
YouTube / BeatPort
In rememberance of Gil-Scott Heron, a truly great and inspirational soul singer, reluctant proto-rapper and activist, I decided to post something new from the man. Jamie XX did a remix of a recent Gil-Scott Heron track and the melancholy deep house vibe seems a fitting tribute to the troubled singer. RIP, GIl-Scott, you will be missed.
Not straying too far from deep house, we got Wax. He’s an upcoming Flow-festival guest and has a really bare-bones kind of approach to making his music. It’s monotonous, minimalistic and repetitive in the best way possible (that is to say, not boring). The dude reminds me a little of Objekt who makes similar sounding stuff, only dubstep.
Wispy: Mr Joseph – Rodigan feat. David Rodigan
YouTube
Mr. Joseph has made a tune with the one and only David Rodigan, a guest at last year’s Flow-festival who I unfortunately missed, but heard played an insane set. Anyhoo, here’s his vocal input on a banging/clanging jungle track by a dude who’s going to be a guest at Steps-club in Volume pretty soon.
drS: Marbert Rocel – Goya (Juju & Jordash Remix)
YouTube / BeatPort
Marbert Rocel has made a tropical and percussive tech/deep house tune for yawls. A summer track of sorts, but it’s more fit for a summer sent in a dingy mosquito-infested rainforest, or maybe some sort of cave somewhere.
milo: John Lord Fonda – Brunette Tatoo
YouTube / Beatport / Spotify
John Lord Fonda is someone I’ve never heard of before, but apparently he likes tunes that are HARD. Like real hard. This track is like a slightly more classy take on old rave songs (anyone still remember those Thunderdome comps?), blended with a Justice-like cinematic atmosphere and a really weird-sounding female vocal.
Lars Palmas: The Radio Dept. – Heaven’s on Fire
YouTube
We sign off with a summer-pop song by The Radio Dept. It’s funny how an extremely smooth soul ballad can invoke instant feelings of summer, but a fuzzy and reverb-y indie-rock track like this can have the exact same effect. This is some poolside, shades on, eating some picnic-lunch type of music. Lovely. Have a good June, you.