Mars-1 just had a show opening at Jonathan Levine Gallery in NYC, as usual it was pretty mindblowingly, awesome work. Check it out here.
Just like a Mars-1 piece, Ipod shuffle mixes take seemingly random and chaotic elements of the universe and find geometric patterns that create a beautiful cohesive landscape of sound/visuals. Or not, it's possible that I just put my Ipod on shuffle and let the machines do all of the work. It's called chaotic curating, a term that I just made up right now. It's all about letting the robots out of the cage and seeing what they come up with. I have to say that they didn't do a horrible job. It may not be a Mars-1 masterpiece but it's definitely a couple steps above a paint by numbers.
The mix is a nice blend of girl groups, soul, some old people music and a small sprinkling of Indie. Download the Mix here. or hit the jump for samples and tracklist.
This mix starts with a track that I had a hard time placing in the soul category. It is actually 60's French pop penned by the infamous Whitney harasser and pop legend himself, Serge Gainsbourg. The track is sung by France Gall
Aww look, he's teaching her how to use a Tommy Gun, see kids that's how you woo a lady. I bow to you Serge.
An english cover version by April March was featured in Grindhouse by Tarantino. It has some soul sensibilities for example the horns and the rhythm section. The music would be perfectly at home backing up a girl group from the States, who really cares though? It's a good song whatever category you put it in. Check it out below.
People could argue with the second song as well but my definition of soul is not very rigid...also I have no standards. From there it goes into Menahan street Band, Curtis, Aretha, James, William Bell's- I Forgot To Be Your Lover, which deserves it's own write up. Stuff like that. Soul Mix 2
This is a new feature called coming soon. We post tracks off of upcoming mixes and gush over them. If you were walking by me in the mall and I was working at Panda Express, when I held out the toothpick and said, "Sampo." This song would be what you would receive, if you were to in fact take the toothpick from my rubber glove encased hand. It's a sample of what's to come. This song is off of Soul Mix 2.
"Big Chief part 2," by Professor Longhair is the fucking jam. From the jump it's got me interested. Then the raucous drums that come in after that piano are like whoa. Nitro, might flow, nice clothes like whoa!! You had me at piano. Add another layer on top of that with the horns and it's getting real funky. Then the Professor comes in and does a smooth ass delivery just riding all over that shit. The phrasing is what does it for me. When he stretches that last part of the word out it just fits right there, the delivery is so effortlessly smooth. It just hits right for me. Granted his delivery is racist as fuck but uhh if we think about it more of like a flow style maybe it takes away that stigma? Say a modern day emcee stepped to the mic and decided he was going to just phrase stuff differently. The verb first followed by the subject or think of his "me" as Juvenile's "Ha." Or like Zumbi in Zion-I's, "Soo Tall."
Make some lovin', keep it cookin Cookin keep it, come on peep it Love's the reason, we all need it Needed are we, Robert Marley Said one love now it's time to party Get on down like Gras de Mardi Love to each and everybody Everybody love to each Try to hear you with that speech Cause life is harder than a peach
When you view, Professor Longhair's phrasing on "Big Chief pat 2" as an awesomely smooth stylistic choice....what you do is....justify a horribly stereotypical racist representation of Native Americans. Haha sorry guys, that shit sounds good though right? The Professor just made a head nodder, I can't help it. It gets the Jay gas face, it's disgustingly heated.
