Sadat X chatted with me over the phone on February 19 to discuss his upcoming album, Wild Cowboys 2, due out March 23. Stream the weekly radio show Beep Beep Boop Boop here, anytime via KDHX.org. Here’s the interview:
Sadat X Interview with KDHX by beepbeepkate
…and peep the first single, “Turn It Up” featuring Pete Rock:
Turn it Up (feat. Pete Rock) (CLEAN) by beepbeepkate
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The Hood Internet x KDHX: Mashups, Yo!
With over 6,000 Facebook fans, the Hood Internet proves that mashups ain’t goin’ nowhere just yet. It doesn’t hurt that they give away all of their tracks, make creative song titles (and artwork), and have a functioning, up-to-date website.
STV SLV (aka Steve Reidell), half of this mashup production duo out of Chicago, visited Beep Beep Boop Boop at KDHX before their performance at Wash U’s the Gargoyle Friday, February 12. Here are some things he had to say, and his mix for KDHX along with tracklist posted below. Enjoy!
Kate: Some people think mash-ups require little skill. How would you respond to this? Mash-ups seem like a hard thing to become successful with, but you seem to keep busy with gigs etc. What do you feel drives your success?
STV SLV: Ha, there’s certainly some truth to that. Recording software is so readily available nowadays that literally anyone can put a mashup together. But in the same sense, anyone can play guitar, anyone can spin records, etc. Doesn’t mean it’s all going to sound good. ABX and I both have a background in making/producing music and I think that’s why the Hood Internet is able to stand out in a digital sea of mashups. We also work hard at touring and playing DJ sets so that crowds in all sorts of other cities have the chance to come out and dance and have a good time.
What’s the usual mashing process for you?
Cut up SONG A to make an “instrumental” of sorts that’s tailored to the verse/hook structure of SONG B. When applicable, stretch tempo, re-pitch or on rare occasion, auto-tune! Repeat.
Any interesting legal stories?
None yet. But hopefully someday there will be something that Law & Order bases a plot on.
What do you think about the creativity of artists like yourself in the current music industry? What do you predict will happen to artists who thrive on the creativity of sampling etc., in the next 5 years? or ten?
Well, it’s hard to predict where music itself will be in the next 5-10 years. To wit, in the 90s when I was listening to mostly grunge, I wouldn’t have guessed that in 10 years time there would be amazing bands like LCD Soundsystem. So really, who knows. People always want something new, and after a while things like Hood Internet and Girl Talk will become tiresome. Sampling has been around for quite a while, and it’s always taking on new forms, like Washed Out for example: awesome songs that are primarily rooted in sampling. But even that could get old in 5 years. Hopefully grunge has made a full comeback by then. That would rule.
The Hood Internet Mashups, Yo! – Live at KDHX by beepbeepkate
Tracklist:
caribou – odessa
lykke li x holy ghost – i’m good i’m ghost
weezer x glass candy – buddy holly’s imagination
kid sister x walter meego – pro nails forever
talking heads x ellen alien & apparat – psycho break
foals x the chain gang of 1974 – electric dirt
telephoned x the-dream – rockin that thang
drake x birdman x delorean – blowin money at the deli
big boi ft purple ribbon all-stars x ghislain poirier – blazin kryptonite
r. kelly x major lazer – ignition (keep it remixing louder)
ludacris x joker & ginz – how purple can you go
BBU x body language x shuttle – juke this city
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Beep Beep’s Top 10 Albums of 2009 etc.
It’s always hard to choose favorite albums. I want to rank albums by wholeness, by their ability to move seamlessly from track to track, by the order they were perfectly decided on. Mostly, the only way to come close to those things is to have almost every track just be so catchy I can’t help but play them all, separate or together.
Top 10 Albums of 2009
Zoot Woman: Things are What They Used to Be (self-released)
Miike Snow: Miike Snow (Downtown)
The Whitest Boy Alive: Rules (Bubbles)
Major Lazer: Guns Don’t Kill People, Lazers Do (Mad Decent/Downtown)
The Juan Maclean: The Future Will Come (DFA)
DJ Vadim: U Can’t Lurn Imaginashun (BBE)
Candy Claws: In the Dream of the Sea Life (Indiecater)
Deastro: Moondagger (Ghostly International)
Pugs Atomz: Roof Top (SoFlo)
Nosaj Thing: Drift (Alpha Pup)
Best Comeback
GusGus: 24/7 (Kompakt)
Best Show
Diplo @ the Gargoyle & basement afterparty & ride back to hotel
Went to the CMJ Music Marathon in NYC last week. Here are a few videos I took while there. A little shaky, but the sound isn’t bad.
Dum Dum Girls at Music Hall of Williamsburg:
Hercules and Love Affair at “The Fillmore” at Irving Plaza:
VEGA at the Studio at Webster Hall:
Also, the KDHX Membership Drive begins tomorrow, November 5 and lasts through Sunday, November 15. The Beep Beep Boop Boop edition will occur on Wednesday, November 11 from 10pm to midnight CST. Show your support by calling 314-664-3688 during this time or by visiting KDHX.org to keep community radio alive and well in Saint Louis.
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KDHX Membership Drive and Hip Hop Night
KDHX’s membership drive is this week – show your support for community media in Saint Louis by visiting KDHX.org, or calling 314-664-3955. My show is 10pm to midnight tonight! Hit a girl up with some cash.
Also, old school hip hop and 80s night this Sunday, August 2 at the Royale. FREE – more details in flyer below.
Some new releases from Ubiquity have made their way to KDHX – and they shouldn’t disappoint anyone who has high standards set for Ubiquity. A label well-known for re-issuing funk and soul, to releasing fresh new sounds, here’s the latest:
PPP: Abundance (Ubiquity)
PPP (formerly known as Platinum Pied Pipers) started with their Detroit-based production work, and have grown into a mature – and varied outfit. Including vocals by Saint Louis’ own Coultrain, this album transcends from funky horns to synth-drenched neo-soul.
James Hardway: LA Instrumental (Ubiquity)
Funk with a little bit of world tinge to it – Hardway wants you to imagine L.A. in the 70s. Take a trip!
Betty Padgett: Betty Padgett (Luv N’ Haight)
Another nod to the 70s (but from the Florida coast), this is a reissue of Padgett’s 1975 release. She worked with Milton Wright to record the entire album in one night, at just 21 years old. A local Ft. Lauderdale station ran an ad for Pepsi to her song, “Sugar Daddy” – how come they couldn’t have used it for the new Pepsi Throwback ads?
Shawn Lee Presents: Soul in the Hole (Ubiquity)
More straightforward than his movie score-esque work as Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra, you’ll find plenty of vocals on this album, including some by Paul Butler (of the Bees and Devendra Banhart) the eclectic Darondo, and Nicole Willis.
Clutchy Hopkins Meets Lord Kenjamin: Music Is My Medicine (Ubiquity)
While both Ubiquity and Hopkins’ “representatives” continue to mask the identity of Clutchy Hopkins (and some even suggest it’s Cut Chemist of Ozomatli and Jurassic 5), I guess we’ll just have to continue enjoying his music in speculation. The music, even, has a mysterious groove to it.
Nomo: Invisible Cities (Ubiquity)
Recorded during sessions and tours for their last full-length album, Ghost Rock, Invisible Cities continues to build Nomo’s Afrobeat sound with solid horns and driving bass lines. Rigorous touring has put them through Saint Louis not too long ago; hopefully they’ll swing by again soon.
Junior Boys (Jeremy Greenspan and Matthew Didemus) came to KDHX’s studio on Saturday, April 25 to perform an exclusive 30-minute DJ set. They were in town to perform a live set later that night at SLU’s Billiken Club along with Max Tundra. Junior Boys are on tour in connection with the release of their latest studio album, Begone Dull Care.
The DJ set, along with an interview, will be aired this Wednesday at 10:20pm CST during Beep Beep Boop Boop. Tune in at 88.1 FM in Saint Louis, listen live online, or peep the entire show streaming later on.
While Junior Boys are probably best known for their own electronic pop (“Like a Child” and “In the Morning“), it’s always interesting to hear what music an artist is digging – and during the DJ set at KDHX they did just that, playing only vinyl.
Their first time in Saint Louis, I pointed out that if the Arch is that big from Grand Avenue, think of how big it is closer up. Unfortunately, they would be closest to the Arch on Sunday morning at around 6am, sleeping in the tour bus on their way to a Daytrotter session in Rock Island, Illinois.
Check out Rob’s blog post interview with Max Tundra here.
I’ll be chatting with Lady Sovereign this Wednesday, April 22, 10:20pm CST on Beep Beep Boop Boop. From her Def Jam debut, Public Warning, to her latest release, Jigsaw, Lady Sov has proven herself outstanding – she was even the first British artist to reach #1 on MTV’s Total Request Live (TRL) with the video for her song, “Love Me or Hate Me.”
You may have heard “I Got You Dancing” or “So Human” (which heavily samples the Cure) recently at KDHX – we’re digging the new album and are excited she’s taking the time to talk with us! Tune in at 88.1 FM (Saint Louis area), live online, or if you miss it live – stream the show up to two weeks later.
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Hit it! Here are my picks of what’s new in KDHX’s music library (and available other places, too!):
FabricLive.43: Switch & Sinden Present: Get Familiar Mixed by Sinden (Fabric)
This mix (and its longish title) stems from Switch and Sinden’s bi-monthly residency at Fabric Nighclub in London. KDHX got a 30-minute teaser mix that is fresh off the decks – and an eclectic, global dance party. Hey, what DJ wouldn’t want to play in a room with a “bodysonic” dance floor?
Odd Nosdam: T.I.M.E. Soundtrack (Anticon)
It’s easy to hear that this album was made as a soundtrack to an Element Skateboards film. Odd Nosdam scores each track on T.I.M.E. (This is My Element) for a different rider’s style. The laid-back hip hop pulse makes sense for skaters and casual listeners alike. Another stellar release of instrumentals from the Anticon label – and a great pick for music beds.
N.A.S.A. – The Spirit of Apollo (Spectrophonic/Anti-)
Think what you will (Pitchfork) about the 40+ guest appearances on The Spirit of Apollo, the boys from N.A.S.A. sure know how to pack ‘em in. Karen O, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, and Fatlip share the mic on “Strange Enough,” while Tom Waits teams up with Kool Keith for “Spacious Thoughts.” For many of the artists featured on The Spirit of Apollo, this is not their first time collaborating – or even their 50th. If anything, N.A.S.A. (short for North America/South America)showcases a vibrant music community that is all about sharing ideas and remixes.
Various Artists: Nublu Dance (Nublu)
Nublu has grown organically, from live sessions in NYC to a sprouting label. And Nublu Dance seems the most diverse representation they’ve put out so far. While previous Nublu artist releases were easily confined as dance, or world music, Nublu Dance marries the two genres effortlessly while showcasing the label’s artists. Kudu’s “Let’s Finish (Sinden Remix)” is a disco/electro-house classic, while Love Trio’s “Lovers Rock (feat. U-Roy) (Deadbeat Knockout)” is a more laid-back, dubby nod to Tosca. For dance, reggae and other world programmers alike (and another good one for music beds).
Click here for the latest playlist from Beep Beep Boop Boop or to listen to a recent show.
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I’ve mentioned La Blogotheque’s Take Away Shows before, and here’s a video project in the same vein: Not to Be Reproduced. Similar to the Take Away Shows, NTBR posts video of performances in an intimate setting. While focusing on the arts in general, NTRB is a place to watch a variety of videos, from Lykke Li’s revision of Rick Ross’ “Hustlin” to a video work featuring Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth and actress Chloe Sevigny. While it looks like they’re just beginning, I hope they stick to it.
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Lykke Li @ NTBR Part 4 – “Hustlin’” from Drew Innis on Vimeo.