72waystosuckatdancing

The End, kind of....

2011-06-27T14:58:00.003+08:00

Yeah I'm stopping 72ways. Its been fun, a cool learning experience in terms of dipping my toes into this online world of music fandom. I learnt some stuff, mostly in that my strengths don't really lie in long form music writing. As such I think its best that I try my hand at tumblr instead. Its pretty much what I was doing anyway; some content I thought was cool and a few words here or there. Might be a better fit. But I wanna keep going and engaging with the world of modern music and criticism.

So yeah, if you dug 72 ways, please join me over at my new one danceyourselfclean. The dancing and lack of proper spacing remains, the change is because 72 was originally gonna be a new djing name for me before I decided to stick with Sleepyhead and well, I fucking love LCD Soundsystem. So yeah, hopefully I wont fall down the hipster rabbit hole too far and come up with some cool stuff. Thanks for reading!

Regards,
Cale

CyHi Da Prynce - Whoopty Doo (Ft. Big Sean)

2011-06-15T13:17:00.003+08:00

This is fantastic. Smoothest beat that doesn't have Curren$y currently spitting over it (though he totally needs to). No ID and Kanye have whipped up something that to me is reminicent of old Tribe Called Quest, with jazzy sample, laid back feel and catchy chorus. CyHi and Sean compliment each other well here, letting the beat do most of the work, peppering it with their signature shit talk. Its nice to see weed-carriers have some success.

Neither of these two have ever really inspired me to become good fans of theirs, but they both have their moments. One of my favorites was from "Take It For The Team", where CyHi more or less clowns Big Sean with a story rap about how he tricks him into taking this girls ugly friend. Would be awesome to hear an EP of them going back and forth insulting each other. I think it could be pretty entertaining. Hip Hop needs some more humour in it, and not just punch lines. Just my thoughts...

CyHi Da Prynce - Whoopty Doo (Ft. Big Sean)

The Rapture - How Deep is Your Love?

2011-06-14T11:08:00.003+08:00

This track is astounding! Seriously, I really hope an MP3 version of this becomes available in the next few weeks. I have a support slot for Doc Daneeka thanks to bassey house and beat juggernaut that is Don't Sleep and I reckon this would go down a storm if dropped at the right time. I'm a big advocate of mixing DFA style stuff with the bassey house of the UK and the more vocal the better.

The bands been working with Phillipe Zdar, one half of French house duo Cassius and production genius. And if he can create even half the magic he did with Phoenix's last effort, this new Rapture album is sure to be something special.

Anyways, Modular have been kind enough to post a CDQ stream, which while lacking the hilarious vibe of the that disco ball video, makes up for it in terms of being able to clearly hear the track. Check it out HERE!

Big K.R.I.T. - Country Shit

2011-06-09T01:30:00.003+08:00

If there is any justice in the world, let this song become a massive smash. Let Def Jam let Krit be Krit. May hellfire and brimstone rain down on Atlantic. Thanks....

Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)

2011-06-08T15:38:00.001+08:00

Can't stop listening to this. I have a problem...

Dr. Octagon - Blue Flowers

2011-06-07T17:24:00.002+08:00

Used to listen to this album all the time back in high school. Kinda forgotten about it. Just a thought, but I'd love to hear Rick Ross over this beat. How awesome would be be if after all of this opulence rap, Rick Ross got weird? Like reallllly weeeeeeeirrrrd.

Sleepyhead - History's Greatest Monster

2011-06-05T18:35:00.002+08:00

History's Greatest Monster (Tape for TTN) by Sleepyhead__ on Mixcloud

This is a mix a did a lil while back for a local Perth thing. My mixing wasnt the best, but I think its cool in terms of track selection. Trying to go for a more dancey, party thing, it's a blend of bass music, DFA cowbell rock and weird pop. Got tracks from Odd Future, Fergie (yeah, you heard me), Pearson Sound, Maximum Balloon, Tempa T (TEMMMMMPPPZZZZ), French Fries and The Rapture. Check it out, and enjoy!

Dope Songs of 2011

2011-06-04T15:17:00.003+08:00

I'm not big on mid year ish, but i figured i should prolly collect my thoughts on whats been dope so far this year.

Adele - Rolling in the Deep (Jamie XX Remix)
Huge tune, not much more to say. Funky with the hand claps, soulful on the vocal, heavy on the bass. BIG!

Frank Ocean - Songs for Women
Could have easily picked another Frank Ocean song, but this ones been favorite. R&B with personality.

Tyler, The Creator - Yonkers
Self explanatory really. Regardless of your opinion on Odd Future and Tyler, this song is a serious achievement. Love it.

Cut Copy - Need You Now
Could have easily picked Take Me Over or Pharaohs and Pyramids instead. This is a band that's on top of its game and is probably the best Australian band right now. Too fucking good.

The Weeknd - The Party
Wow Frank Ocean AND the Weeknd. God I'm such a fucking hipster/cultural tourist. But fuck it, its what I've been listening to and geeking out over too. Probably should go back and listen too more Beach House I guess, but its a masterful sample flip. It has me doing my shitty falsetto singing along in the car. Which is horrible. And given how often I was playing it, far too often...

Arctic Monkeys - Suck it and See
I wrote about it the other day, read it again i guess. Alex Turner conjurs up esoteric and wildly clever imagery with the best of them (Matt Berninger and Ghostface Killah)

TV on the Radio - Second Song
This probably should have gone to Killer Crane, but the moment that the guitar and drums come in gives me chills every times. Very few other songs have given me this feeling this year.

Hercules & Love Affair - Painted Eyes (In Flagranti Remix)
Sounds like if The Avalanches made super funky disco. A must have.

Tune-Yards - Gangsta
Sounds like if Dirty Projectors started hanging out with Ratatat. Seriously fun song, seriously cool album. I refuse to the do the capitalization.

Pusha T - Raid
Mixtape is hit and miss. This song is one of the hits.

Cassie - Me & U (Brackles Remix)
This one always gets a spin when I'm DJing. Love it to bits.

Fleetwood Mac - Dreams (Rocco Raimundo Edit)
Yeah this is from last year, but I really only appreciated it this year. 9 minutes of pure bliss. Soundtracked most of my hungover drives home.

Dangermouse - Moment of Clarity

2011-05-30T14:59:00.003+08:00

Grey Album > Black Album.

Blasphemy? Probably yeah, but that just how I feel. Like don't get me wrong, there are amazing songs on the original Black album. 99 Problems, Lucifer, PSA, My 1st Song. However there are duds. Allure, Threat, Justify My Thug, Moment of Clarity.

Actually to call them duds would be inaccurate. The raps on these songs are fine, but the production is lackluster. Allure is probably one of the worst beats I've ever heard. The lyrical content is heavy, but the beats don't match. Its like Jay had been working on the album in his head for years, but the producers weren't on the same page.

What the Grey Album has (after the novelty of the Beatles samples has worn off) is cohesion. It shapes the feel of the song around the content of the raps that are already there so it starts to take shape. Even the use of the Beatles as a sample source gives the album a sense of weight and gravity to match the importance of the lyrics. This is Jay 'retiring', summing everything up and stepping away. It has a reverence to material that the original album didn't have.

This could also just be a product of context. I heard alot of these songs for the first time in the Grey Album form and got chills. When I heard the originals, I was underwhelmed. But thats just me. I don't expect to change anyones mind on this, just my thoughts...

But srsly, the Neptunes version Allure is garbage, so I'm also posting the awesome Ratatat version below. Enjoy.

Jay Z - Allure (Ratatat Remix)

Arctic Monkeys - Suck it and See

2011-05-29T19:00:00.004+08:00

"and those other girls are just post-mix lemonade"

God damn Alex Turner's got songwriting chops. I'm liking the new album so far. Bit less murky than the last album which is good and yeah, pretty enjoyable. Its pretty clear now that they're thouroughly dis-interested in going for massive songs and trying to re-create their debut. I'm fine with this. We'll always have "Whatever People Say I am..." and meanwhile we get to watch this band mature and write really cool songs. Good job.

Frank Ocean - Acura Integur

2011-05-24T18:53:00.002+08:00

Frank Ocean “Acura Integurl” from Team OnSMASH on Vimeo.

I'd also like a girl that's a Lil' Wayne fan. Like you know, not Lollipop Lil' Wayne, but like deep mixtape cut Lil' Wayne. That'd be nice.

LV & Joshua Idehen - Routes (Album)

2011-05-23T16:58:00.002+08:00

This. Get this now. This is too fucking good to let slip under the radar. First things first its probably one of the best dance music "albums" I've heard in ages. And this is coming from someone who revers the Daft Punk albums, you know? Secondly, bass music wise, this is big. Think like We're New Here but better. Like it doesn't have anything quite as magical as NY is Killing Me or I'll Take Care of You, the entire album is awesome, and still has a strong single in Northern Line at the very least. It is produced impeccably by trio LV and the vocals from Idehen are reminiscent of a more serious Ghostpoet, but the result is better that that was found on Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam. This is an album that is the love child of Burial's Untrue and Skinner's Original Pirate Material.

Sorry bout all this, I should stop trying with the comparison thing, it doesn't give the disc any favors. At the end of the day though, this is an album that deserves to be right fucking up there on all the best of lists for 2011. Do not let it slip out of sight.

LV & Joshua Idehen - Northern Line

Drake - Dreams Money Can Buy

2011-05-20T23:52:00.005+08:00

Okay, theres alot to be said about Drake. He can be a little bitch, he can be whiney and petulant. He's a rapper, like Kanye's a rapper. Not technically amazing, but comes up with the lines that get stuck in your head, because they've overextended trying to stuff a little bit too much into a somewhat clever punchline and the awkward delivery stays with you. That being said, he has good songs, and at the end of the day, I'm not mad.

Where he does shine in hip hop however is his ability to carve out his own sound with his solo releases. For a guy who's only put out one commercial release to be able to push a sound of his own, its kinda remarkable (hows that go-go music going Wale?). And its a pretty decent sound. Kind of melancholy sounding, dreamy thing with big drums. Couple this with future collaborations with Jamie XX and The Weeknd, this is a cohesive vision for how he wants to sound. Anyways this leak is a continuation of that and I like it. Interested to see where the rest of it goes. Watch the internet get up in arms about that 'remaining 5' line too haha.

Drake - Dreams Money Can Buy

Mayer Hawthorne - The Ills

2011-05-20T12:33:00.002+08:00

Crappy day today, girl problems and the like. Following on from my habits yesterday, I'm getting back into Mayer Hawthorne at the moment. And as such this song is making me feel better. Sure as hell wont be listening to "Just Aint Gonna Work Out" though :P

The Weeknd - The Party

2011-05-20T00:17:00.003+08:00

Sometimes the hype is right. The tape is a winner, and I'm currently obsessed with the first half of this track. Great use of sampling and its addictive as crack. Long live PBR&B!

The Weeknd - The Party & The After Party by The_Weeknd

Don't Turn The Lights On

2011-05-19T11:03:00.002+08:00

Two versions of the Chromeo song. Both are dope. All three parties are awesome in my eyes.

Mayer Hawthorne - Don't Turn The Lights On

Chromeo - Don't Turn The Lights On (Aeroplane Remix)

The Strokes - I'll Try Anything Once (Demo)

2011-05-18T22:55:00.003+08:00

I should really check out the latest album properly. Though, I wager I'd probably be better off just listening to this and Is This It? for old times sakes.

Lunice - Boiler Room Mix

2011-05-16T19:21:00.002+08:00

BR #51 Lunice from BOILER ROOM on Vimeo.

This is super entertaining. An interesting mix of the #based music from Lil B, Soulja Boy, Young L and Clams Casino, regular hip hop and bass music, its a very fun 50 minutes of music. And while alot of the hype has been around his stopping to explain how to do the cooking dance, at the end of the day its really interesting and a deviation from the norm of bass music. Its also a good demonstration of the value of enthusiasm being shown by the DJ. Sometimes all you need to get a crowd on your side is really get into yourself. If that means sometimes looking like an absolute tit or completely wileing out to Guido, then so be it.

R Kelly - Ignition

2011-05-12T01:27:00.000+08:00

Because until this day, I have never heard the original. Already obsessed.

Wasn't there meant to be more Trapped in the Closet coming out soon? Been too long.

J Rocc - Thank You Jay Dee Act 1

2011-05-10T23:58:00.003+08:00

This has probably been my favorite hour of music I've heard in a while. Not much more needs to be said about J Dilla, mainly cause it's already been said by others, much more eloquently than I ever could. This serves as a stark reminder about how little I know about this artist that I respect so much. Will not be getting much sleep tonight, as I now intend to carry on to Acts 2 and beyond.

J Rocc - Thank You Jay Dee Act 1

Blur - Think Tank

2011-05-09T20:35:00.002+08:00

This is a really good album. Forget about it at your own peril. While I'm too young and not British enough to really understand this band (teenage years spent reading Q magazine drilled this fact into me before I realized that the publication was more or less Anglo-centric bollocks (a similar experience happened with Rolling Stone magazine or at least the Australian version, but the problems with that one was simpler, the writing was fucking shit.)) but I've always really appreciated their stuff; from the Brit-pop that made them famous, to the more avaunt-guard work on this album.

Ambulance is an amazing song once you get into it, really beautiful stuff, as is Good Song and Out of Time. Crazy Beat is a Fatboy Slim-produced last-ditch attempt at the charts, but least its fun and a nod back to those long gone days of Song 2. Jets is just really fucking cool.

This one of those albums that doesn't deserve to be forgotten. I know there's constant barrage of new music to our ears, and there's a more or less agreed upon list of classics to go back to. But remember, every year there is a wealth of quality and interesting albums that score (unfortunately adopting the Pitchfork scale here) a positive 7 to 8 and are subsequently forgotten about once the year is over. Maybe in criticism we should start playing favorites a bit more instead of the 'right' answers. Might mix up the lists a little bit, maybe for the better.

Blur - Ambulance

The Faint - Battlehymn for the Children (Tensnake Dub Remix)

2011-05-09T16:32:00.002+08:00

This is a jam that's been a favorite of mine for a few months now, but I always forget about it when it comes time to play out. Tensnake can truly do no wrong.

The Faint - Battlehymn for the Children (Tensnake Dub Remix)

Wu-Tang Clan - Gravel Pit

2011-05-07T12:07:00.000+08:00

I had forgotten about this song until the other night. I was ustreaming (that a verb yet?) my djing practise and an hour or so into it an old friend requested this gem. I'm fine with rappers making songs at dance tempos so long as they sound like this and feature ninja battles at 2,000,000,000 BC (2000 BC?). Popular music isn't as weird as it used to be...

Young Montana - Sacre Cool

2011-05-06T11:52:00.000+08:00

Really been digging this track lately. Sounds like J Dilla being played at 110 bpm or something. Another one of those tracks I'd love to see how it would go down on the dancefloor. Despite the choppiness, there's a serious underlying funk to the track that I reckon people gotta be down with. Next job is to check out the album.

Grussle - Willie Isz (LV RMX)

2011-05-05T11:47:00.003+08:00

Fucking dopeness. From the dude who brought us "Boomslang".

Grussle - Willie Isz (LV RMX) by LVLVLV