Preview Mode Links will not work in preview mode

Air Adam Podcast


Jul 31, 2011

Burnt

"It's like tryna crack encryption codes..."

- Sly

What a month. The tragedy in Norway, Amy Winehouse dying, and maybe the beginning of the unravelling of Murdoch's hold on the UK?

I started doing the selection/recording before most of these events happened, so any coincidences are just that... 

As promised, here are my photos from the Roy Ayers/Pete Rock gig;

@Air Adam Photography on Facebook

Full set @ Example Magazine

and here are my pocket camera shots from the Ice Cube/Naughty By Nature gig, while battling some bully-boy idiots at the front!

@Air Adam Photography on Facebook


Playlist/Notes

The Jackson 5 : Walk On

A live instrumental workout for the boys from Gary, Indiana - their own version of Isaac Hayes' "Walk On By." Been sampled a few times, including to great effect on...

Non Phixion : Cult Leader

Dave One of Obscure Disorder takes his cue from the preceding track, doesn't do anything crazy to it but just does enough - I think it fits the theme brilliantly. Ill Bill absolutely smashes it in the title role as a charismatic, malevolent religious figure and the whole package is finished off by Dave One's brother (the legendary DJ A-Trak) throwing down some of the most ridiculous cuts you'll hear anywhere. I scratch but there are things he's doing on here I can't even comprehend, never mind do. This track was an early selection for this month's show and recorded very early in the month; what with things that have happened since I kind of wish it had been another month but of course, no disrespect intended.

[Tic] Main One : Cross Examination (Instrumental)

Just a cool little instrumental, a nice bridge between the tracks on either side. I think I picked up this 12" in London on the strength of it featuring Smoothe & Trigger and Ski being on engineering duties, but in London most record shops don't have listening posts so I really didn't know what I was getting. Not a classic by any means but on the other hand it fit nicely here so I guess I was meant to find it?

Statik Selektah & Termanology ft. Reks : The Dream

Dark and brilliant. From the free 1982 EP, Termanology and Reks go in on the themes of substance abuse and depression over a killer Statik Selektah beat. If anyone can send me a message and let me know what the sample is on the hook, it would be much appreciated :o)

Pete Rock & CL Smooth :It's Not A Game

Such an ill Pete Rock beat, great one in the headphones or in the car! This is a classic B-side, coming on the flip of the "Lots Of Lovin'" 12" and absolutely winning like Chuck D would say! Not too much to say, except to hope you don't wear out your "rewind" buttons (or your touchscreens) running this one back...

Lake & Cormega : The Oath

Taken from the Lake & Cormega "My Brother's Keeper" album, Ax Tha Bull (!) on production with an alternately tense and dramatic number, could almost be part of a score! It's an all-Queensbridge affair on the mic, but while alleged hard-rock Lake gets the first two verses to himself, it's Cormega who really shines here with a storming close.

Snoop Dogg ft. The Dramatics & Lil 1/2 Dead : Ballin'

Horizontally laid back! Not the best known Snoop track and not one with his most complex rhyme schemes but I love it. From the album "Paid Tha Cost To Be Tha Boss," this is the second collaboration between Snoop & The Dramatics (after "It's A Doggy Dogg World"), with them basically doing a cover but with a dubplate-style flip of the hook from their track "Fell For You." Nighttime rollin'...

[Hi-Tek] Royal Flush : Shines (Instrumental)

Before everyone was giving him his props, Hi-Tek showed his skills using the classic Roy Ayers "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" sample on the B-side to Royal Flush's burner "Iced Down Medallions." Nice 90s joint with that filtered bassline flavour...great month to get this tune in!

Jan Hammer Group : Don't You Know?

Hope people like this, I paid out a fair bit to get myself a copy of this album ;o) Jan Hammer is known to most as the man behind the Miami Vice music, but he's got a long history as a respected composer and pianist/keyboardist in the jazz world. This is from the 1977 "Melodies" album, for those who collect this kind of thing! I played it partly because I really love it, and partly because it allows me to do a clever little mix into...

Da Beatminerz ft. Talib Kweli & Total : The Anti-Love Movement

One month I might try to do an episode made up solely of "opposite" tracks! Couldn't believe it when I realised how close together these tracks are tempo-wise, so this just had to be done. Besides, I'm sure some of you can relate to the conflict in feelings! This is from the essential "Brace 4 Impak" producer project from Da Beatminerz, which I constantly forget isn't a new record anymore. Looking at the link, it seems there are some very cheap deals on this release so do yourself a favour and get a copy - as nice as this track is, it's not even close to the best thing on there!

Roy Ayers : Funk In The Hole (PPP Remix)

From the "Virgin Ubiquity : Remixed" project, a nice pickup from Manchester's Kingbee records. Detroit's Platinum Pied Pipers bring heavy, knocking drums and all kinds of dropped in sounds to the original jazz flavour. 

Edo. G : Fastlane

Boston business here. Edo G (sometimes Ed O.G.) has been doing it since the early 90s (I first heard him on "Be A Father To Your Child") and has that quiet level of respect that those who sell out will never understand. On this opening track from his new "A Face In The Crowd" album, DJ Premier brings a low-key but still solid beat for Edo to reflect on. Nice.

[Kenny The Seagull] Blacklover88rs (Dr.Oop + Two-B) : Don't Bounce (Instrumental)

The man Pressey was the first one to tell me about Dr.Oop, though more on the production side if I remember correctly (I probably don't!) The "Daze Like These" 12" that this came from isn't my favourite, but it did at least yield this beat. That said, it's probably one of those releases I'll come back to years from now and wonder how I slept on!

Smif-n-Wessun : Pete Rock Track

Sound rough, but worth sharing I think! A few years back, Smif-n-Wessun were signed to Rawkus Records (bet James Murdoch wishes deciding which MCs to sign was his only problem), and recorded an album which never came out. It did leak at the time and there were some excellent tracks on it, of which this is one. Not very imaginatively named, but maybe it'd have got a proper title with a proper release. Anyway, there's now a full-length collab ("Monumental") between Los Hermanos Chocolates and Pete Rock which is a solid release - check it out!

A Tribe Called Quest : Midnight

One of my favourites from Tribe's "Midnight Marauders" LP, but for some reason no-one ever talks about it! Anyway, take a little listen and see if it goes up in your estimation :o)

Sly Boogy : Everything

From the compilation "Back 2 Basics" (which I chanced upon in Vinyl Exchange at the right price) the "Wake-Up Show" duo of Sway and King Tech present this slightly off-beat, funky, twitchy bit of west coast flavour - Supa Dave West (who you might know from various De La Soul tracks) is on production and Sly Boogie has the right level of gruffness to ride over it. On top of all that, the "Everything" vocal sample is the kind of icing that makes me want to set off an airhorn!

Little Brother : The Becoming

As Phonte once said, "dope beats, dope rhymes...this Hip-Hop ain't really that hard." One of the most interesting everyman personalities on the mic, he comes here with a couple of verses on how Little Brother came together, and does so on a dope 9th Wonder beat that will get your neck moving if you have any funk whatsoever! Though you might expect a track on your origins to be on the first album, this is actually from Little Brother's second release, "The Minstrel Show.

The White Shadow of Norway : All My Friends (Instrumental)

It was only right to have something from Norway this episode - I didn't have this in my collection but bought it specially as an individual download from his "Instrumentals 2" project. It seems White Shadow is a serious veteran, having started DJing in the late 70s and over time making the move into production; by the sounds of things he's the elder statesman and reference point for the Norwegian scene! 

Grandmaster Flash, KRS-ONE, Afasi, Kase.o, Maccho & Abass : We Speak Hip-Hop

I've had this kicking around for a while and this seemed like the perfect time to play it. An international collection of MCs led by KRS-ONE under the wing of the pioneering Grandmaster Flash, with a message of unity despite superficial differences. What could be better?


Please remember to support the artists you like! The purpose of putting the podcast out and providing the full tracklist is to try and give some light, so do use the songs on each episode as a starting point to search out more material. If you have Spotify in your country it's a great way to explore, but otherwise there's always Youtube and the like. Seeing your favourite artists live is the best way to put money in their pockets, and buy the vinyl/CDs/downloads of the stuff you like the most!