the bottleneck

From Oakland to Auckland…

thebottleneck — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:58:09 +0000

I have been a Heiroglyphics fan since I first heard Del’s ‘Mistadobalina’ on Ready to Roll one saturday morning. Admittedly my favourite Bay Area rapper of that time was probably MC Hammer, but hey I was 11.

I donned the 3 eyed logo on a homemade t shirt and a beanie that I lost on the train. The records stacked higher, and I spent hours milling over how the hell Casual could be so ill.

Heiroglyphics is a superforce. Each MC bringing something original to the table. They go the Full Circle and continue to put out top quality material.

Opio is one of four members in the legendary Souls Of Mischief. Following up 2005’s Triangulation Station, Vulture’s Wisdom, Vol. 1 does not disappoint. The album has been on repeat in my headphones for the last 2 weeks. Produced by Architect, this LP is a serious collaboration of refined yet raw skill.

Opio - Stop The Press

Anyone that references William Defoe, Richard Pryor and gives a friendly diss to Brian Austin Green is fine by me. The DJ Muggs style beat of ’Don Julio’ on which Opio mentions Soundgarden, the chopped up soul sampling of ‘About Love’, Opio ‘taking chances with his freedom’ over some serious switch ups and a trippy outro in ‘Vice Versa’, and the boom bap ‘Original Lyricist’ (complete with Rakim sample) that gels perfectly with Opios running delivery are all good reasons to go cop this album! ’To the People’ is the joint I’m feeling the most. It’s the sort of hip hop you probably wish you made!

Opio - To The People

I was lucky enough to ask Opio a few questions about his recent release. In the interview Opio talks about Rodney Rude, Salsa and Hyphy among other things.

1. The new album has a straight up raw sound to it. I’m really feeling the beats. How do you know Architect?

Architect is a cat that I always respected. His beats been dope from day one. I got up on him thru his early Stones Throw projects. He really set himself apart from a lot of the stuff I was hearing. He’s always doing something creative and original. And that’s the direction we’re going in with this project

2. Vulture’s Wisdom, Volume One is the first part in a triology. Are you going to be working with any other artists on the follow up albums?

Keep checkin our myspace, youtube etc. We have gems to drop. Currently we’re keeping a lot of the details of the other records under wraps right now. We just want to focus on Volume one and allow time for cats to absorb this energy. Phase 2 is coming soon. But I think people will pleasantly surprised when they see what we’ve done…

3. What is on the DVD that comes with the album?

Man to keep it real I’m an insomniac, so whenever I’m at home on the late night puffin that Northern Killa Cali I’m mostly watching cartoons and videos. With the DVD we tried to bring the two things together. Like you’re channel surfing between the 2. It’s hot! We got cartoons as interludes and videos for a lot of the songs on the album. The Original Lyricist video where I’m at the Raiders game really captured the essence of the song. And my man Justin Herman killed it on Some Superfly Shit! He made my raps come to life…

4. When did you first notice the ‘hyphy movement’, Did it fit in to what you and your crew were doing?

Hyphy is not givin a fuck! They been feelin like that in Oakland for as long as I can remember. And history shows that it was like that even before I was born. The “Hyphy Movement” is the new age of that energy. But it ain’t brand new, and it ain’t all funny and jokey. It’s hardcore and underground, pushing away from the status quo because it’s so wild. You can’t contain Hyphy. To many it appears to spiral out of control and that terrifies the mainstream. But underneath, it’s all organized confusion. It fits into what me & my crew is doing because on one level it helps put our life experience in context. People would think that since we’re from CA that we had Crips and Bloods in Oakland. Or that we drove around in 64 impalas with hydraulics. We respect LA but the Bay has its own separate identity. The hyphy movement shows that California has a diversity of thought that doesn’t exist in many places on earth. And the bay is a key element to that identity. We stay connected and respected peep “The House That Hiero Built” in the SF Bay Guardian…

5. I saw you play Jazz Café in London with the rest of Souls of Mischief and Zion I a few years ago. That was a tight show. Do you think you’ll get out to New Zealand any time soon!

I’ve actually been to New Zealand when I was like 12 or 13. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I’ve always wanted to go back. I went to both islands and had a great experience there. I know the dude is Australian but I got to listen to Rodney Rude when out there, I’ll never forget that shit man. I wanna come back. From Oakland To Auckland!!!!

6. Hieroglyphics have kept pretty prolific over the years. Are their any plans for a new Hieroglyphics album?

We have some things in the works as we speak. Be on the lookout, it’s fa sho comin’.

7. Are there any new artists from the Bay Area that we should look out for?

Peep out my man Knobody outta Oakland. He’s the truth…

8. What do you listen to when you’re not listening to hip-hop?

Shit I listen to everything from Salsa to Classical. Recently I’ve been bangin a lot of Isaac Hayes RIP he was a genius and the embodiment of soul. My heart goes out to his family he will be deeply missed.

9. Finally, what are your top 5 current tunes at the moment?

Pursuit of the Pimp Mobile: Isaac Hayes
Hung Up On My Baby: Isaac Hayes
Dope Fiend Beat: Too Short
Creator: Santogold
Too Drunk To Fuck (Live): Dead Kennedys

Thanks man, dope album!! peace

http://www.hieroglyphics.com/
http://www.hieroglyphics.com/opio/

10cc, J Dilla, and Scratch 22

thebottleneck — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:10:05 +0000

Ok, I’m going through a bit of a backbacker/hip hop nerd phase again. I like all types of shit. I’m not even gonna break it down, but I love hip hop and I like to know where that sample came from. Ok maybe I am breaking it down!

10cc wrote most of those songs you knew all the words to as a kid and didn’t have a clue who it was. Come to think of it so did J Dilla. Pharcyde’s ‘Runnin’, ‘Vivrant Thing’ by Q-Tip, and De La’s ‘Stakes Is High’ were up there with ‘I’m Not In Love’, ‘Dreadlock Holiday’ and ‘Art For Arts Sake’ for classic tracks of their time.

Jay Dee had such a skill for digging it was scary. 2006’s Donuts was a mastepiece as far as raw sampling goes. The track ‘Workinonit’ took pieces of 1Occ’s ‘Worst Band In The World’ and ‘worked on it!’

The first time I heard the original Scratch 22 was spinning tunes up at Khuja. I soon found the record and tracked down this mix. DJ AME -’For the love of Dilla and the science of diggin!’. It has most of the tracks from Donuts. right click here

I am not going to link ‘Workinonit’ because you are going to buy that shit innit. I am sure Dilla’s mum could still use the money! http://stonesthrow.com/catalog

Anyway, enjoy the mix, peop the 10cc video (here) and check out a current Top 10 from the one like Scratch 22

Scratch 22 - August Top 10

1 Orchestre Poly Rythmo - Gbeti Madjiro
2 Nina Simone - It Be’s That Way Sometime
3 Hopeton Lewis - Take It Easy
4 Can - Moonshake / Future Days
5 Mujava - Township Funk
6 Optymus Grime ft Billy Fluid - A Billy
7 Beck - Chemtrails / Gamma Ray
8 The Crazy World of Arthur Brown - Fire
9 Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook
10 Sun Ra - Sleeping Beauty

The A.R.C

Orchestre Poly Rythmo - Gbeti Madjiro

Here it is!

thebottleneck — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 10:57:45 +0000

Tokyo Police Club feat. Aesop Rock and Yak Ballz - “The Baskervilles” (Amplive Remix)

MPFREE ALBUM - Murs & 9th Wonder - Sweet Lord

thebottleneck — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:58:15 +0000

Murs’s Warner Bros album ‘Murs For President’ is due out later this year. Expect a bit of everything including the Rick Rock produced hyphy joint ‘Dreadlocks’. Until then though hold tight with this 3rd edition of the Murs/9th Wonder partnership.

Murs & 9thWonder - Sweet Lord.zip (link fixed)

Missing Listening Pleasure?

thebottleneck — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:04:24 +0000

Okeydokes! Fresh out the Bottleshop we have a few new products for you to taste test.

Bobocanon has whipped up this stiff little mix to get down ya. Stuntin on Serato

Bobocanon - Stuntin on Serato Mix

On the production tip Elijah_One cooked this up one evening. Here’s some Baked Fruit for the winter!

Elijah_One - Baked Fruit

Top 10’s updated

thebottleneck — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:51:25 +0000

The Bottleneck Top 10’s for July. Check it out now funk soul mother

Tokyo Police Club/ Amp Live featuring Aesop Rock & Yak Ballz

thebottleneck — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:58:06 +0000

Zion I’s Amp Live earned his ‘indy’ stripes earlier this year with the Radiohead/Rainydayz remix project.

This time the Bay Area beat maker reworks Tokyo Police Clubs tune with the help of some Weathermen.

Haven’t found an mp3 yet but I came across this.

Amplive vs. MGMT ft. Mistah Fab: Of Moons, Birds & Monsters
Download it here.

Madlib’s WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip

thebottleneck — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:52:34 +0000

Madlib’s WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip coming 30/09/08 on BBE’s Beat Generation series

Madlib’s long-anticipated addition to BBE’s Beat Generation series will be released on Rapster/BBE this September 30th. Fitting comfortably into a series whose previous contributors include the late J Dilla, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and Pete Rock, Madlib will deliver one of his most straight forward neck snapping hip-hop albums to date.

WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip CD/2LP
1. The New Resident - Beat Konducta
2. Blow The Horns On ‘Em - Guilty Simpson
3. The Plan Pt. 1 - Georgia Anne Muldrow
4. Tension - Beat Konducta
5. Gamble On Ya Boy - Defari
6. The Ox (805) - MED feat. Poke
7. All Virtue - Beat Konducta
8. Blinfold Test #10 (He Don’t Play) - J.Rocc
9. The Thang-Thang - Prince Po
10. Heat - Madlib
11. Smoke Break - Beat Konducta
12. The Plan (Reprise) - Beat Konducta
13. Life - Karriem Riggins
14. Parklight - Beat Konducta
15. Yo Yo Affair Pt. 1 & 2 - Frezna
16. I Want It Back - The Professionals (Oh No & Madlib)
17. Disco Dance - Beat Konducta
18. What It Do - Liberation
19. Take That Money - Roc ‘C’ feat. Oh No
20. Drinks Up! - Frank N Dank
21. The Way That I Live - Stacy Epps
22. Ratrace - Murs
23. Go! - Guilty Simpson
24. Stop - Beat Konducta

For More Info, Check Out:

www.stonesthrow.com/madlib
www.myspace.com/madlib
www.bbemusic.com

Jazz Fusion Romantic

thebottleneck — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:16:29 +0000

Olwight, here is another 2 for Tuesday serving. These are some classic joints from Return to Forevers masterpiece Romantic Warrior. The performance is from The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1976.

Watch Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and the rest of em turn it loose.

Return to Forever - The Magician

Return to Forever - Sorceress

mmmm records!

thebottleneck — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:50:53 +0000

Good music is good music regardless of how it gets to you. Blogs are raped everyday for their free mp3s. Some artists are pretty much handing over their music for the slightest bit of recognition. Pop Will Eat Itself, It will. I’m feeling it first hand at my place of work….a record store.

Artists and Labels are adapting in different ways. Putting music on the internet has exposed artists music to the world allowing them to tour and sell merch etc from their websites. Living Legend rapper Murs advocates the old Napster days to the fullest.

The coolest shit I have seen by far is the free MP3s with a vinyl album. (MGMT are not only genius for their music!) People like more bang for the buck. A virtually inexpensive idea is keeping vinyl alive. I love it.

Another thing that brings a shred of hope to my eye is the upcoming album Rmxxology from Delicious Vinyl.

My first memory of Delicious Vinyl is a painting my dad did of the instantly recognizable label done up on an old piece of hardboard. He was always on some Pop Art/sign writing shit. I begged for it everytime I saw it. I just liked the look of it. He explained it was from the back of a cassette by his favourite rapper Young MC. Yes my dad has a favourite rapper.

He redrew the logo on some card. I made do till he finally gave in 6 years later. Score!

Delicious Vinyl is one of the longest-running independent labels in hip-hop history. It bought us Tone Loc, The Pharcyde, Masta Ace, Mellow Man Ace, Young MC, Dust Brothers, and J Dilla

Delicious Vinyl founder Mike Ross had an idea: Why not take old school classics and have today’s DJ’s remix them? “The time is right for new artists and producers to take a shot at these classic tracks,” says Ross

Such producers as Eminem, Diplo, Hot Chip, and Peaches have remixed classics by the Pharcyde, Masta Ace and Young MC for the album, which is currently available online and will be released physically on August 11. Some singles have already been pressed and are available now.

Ross said he wasn’t interested in re-molding any of the songs to fit into the mold of today’s hits. “I wanted to make alternative versions,” he said. “I did not want to make dance tracks.”

Ross hinted at the current trend in hip-hop in incorporate “electro-minimal” and disco beats into the songs. He described one remix –Fatlip’s take on “Passing me By” by Pharcyde, a group he used to be in, as an example of how the songs are being re-imagined artistically and not for purely commercial ends.

“It’s almost like a religious hymn, they stripped it down to bare vocals,” Ross said. “It’s like a church choir anthem.”

The remix album also marks the 20th anniversary of Delicious Vinyl. To celebrate the history of the label there will also be a bunch of tour dates with the DJ’s, most likely in the fall, Ross said.

They already have enough mixes for a second volume. “We’ll probably do one of these a year,” Ross confirmed.

Anyway this is my favourite from what I have heard so far. Certified Banger!!!!!!!!

Peaches + Tone Loc - Wild Thing (Peaches RMX)