A few of my favourite things 4

The buzz around Obaro Ejimiwe aka Ghostpoet has been slowly but inevitably building all year. I first discovered his soft, sleepy, dulcet tones via blogging stalwarts Cubikmusik & Jus’Likemusic (I forget who was first?), then in February at The Worldwide Awards his performance was so packed, security had to enact a strict policy of one in, one out.
Last week he finally inked a deal with Brownswood with label boss Gilles Peterson spellbound by the Poets everyday tales, sonorous delivery and mix of wonky beats, hiphop & electronica.
“To Something”, his unofficial mix of Fourtet’s “She Just Likes To Fight” featuring another up-and-comer Rox is a new high watermark and its available for a limited time as a Free download. Absolutely beautiful. Count the days to his debut album.
“try, try again, maybe we can start it over, like a record at the end”

Ghostpoet – Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Bandcamp

Read: Ghostpoet tells Cubikmusik about the acts that have most influenced him.

Listen: On his blog Ghostpoet picks out some of his current favs. His description of Katy B… “What a tune!!!” (YouTube).

Ghostpoet – “To Something (feat. Rox)” – FREE Download
[audio:https://www.musiclikedirt.com/wp-content/MP3/few/ToSomethingfour.mp3]
Ghostpoet – “The Sound Of Strangers EP” – FREE Download

ROOTS MANUVA VS WRONGTOM

This month marks the 20th anniversary of Coldcut’s Ninjatune record label, and there are plenty of downloads, the box set to end all boxsets and live dates galore over on their NinjatuneXX site.
In the meantime sister label Big Dada gets on with doing what it does best, releasing the finest hip-hop and Uk Black music (for want of a better term… how do you tie up Big Dada’s output into one easy pigeonhole)?

Having failed to secure NDubz for the originally planned “Dappy Writer” NDubz version of Roots Manuva’s catalogue, Big Dada turned to Hard-Fi DJ and reggae aficionado DJ WrongTom. The resulting work “Duppy Writer” is more than just the usual remix package ,nab a host of DJ’s, maybe a couple of great tracks but no cohesive whole as an LP.
WrongTom and Manuva re-recorded/re-voiced tunes hand picked from across Rodney’s entire catalogue with each song intended to represent a different era in reggae’s long history.

Read Ash Akhtar’s definitive review over on The Line Of Best Fit” where WrongTom explains the idea in detail:
“Motion 82′ is a nod to those early ’80s dancehall 12″s on Greensleeves like ‘Wah Do Dem’ and ‘Diseases’ (produced by Henry Junjo Lawes). ‘Worl’ A Mine’s’ on a Treasure Isle Duke Reed tip. Obviously all the digital stuff owes a lot to Prince Jammy with ‘Buff Nuff’ and ‘Chin Up’ heading into early ’90s dancehall territories like Patrick Roberts’ Shocking Vibes stuff or Mafia & Fluxy. I was going for a bit of a british reggae thing with ‘Dutty Rut’, (Dennis Bovell and his ilk)”.

Roots Manuva – Twitter / Facebook / BananaKlan
WrongTom – Twitter / Website / Soundcloud

Read: Tony McDermott talks about his classic Greensleeves sleeve designs – Must read

Listen:
Roots Manuva Vs. WrongTom – “Butterfly Crab Walk (feat. Riddla)” (MP3)
[audio:https://www.musiclikedirt.com/wp-content/MP3/few/ButterflyCrabWalkfeatRiddla.mp3]

Roots Manuva also features on the NinjaTuneXX BoxSet available to preview & order here.
The Herbaliser – “Something Wicked (Roots Manuva’s Haunted House Dub)” (MP3)
[audio:https://www.musiclikedirt.com/wp-content/MP3/few/SomethingWickedRootsManuvasHaunteHouseDub.mp3]
Wrongtom Meets Silvah Bullet – “Diss Ya Bogle” (Visit Soundcloud for free download)

To celebrate the release of the album Roots Manuva put together a mixtape of his favourite dub tracks featuring dubwise selections from Johnny Clark, Scientist & Smiley Culture.
Duppy Cast by Banana Klan

FOREST SWORDS / NO PAIN IN POP

Following on the Dub theme, Forest Sounds are clearly influenced by the opposing forces of claustrophobia and space at the heart of dub. The “Rattling Cage” 7″ on No Pain In Pop sounds like a previously unheard collaboration between Mad Professor & Ennio Morricone.

Forest Swords – Facebook / Twitter / Myspace
No Pain In Pop – Facebook / Twitter / Website

Listen:
Forest Swords – “Rattling Cage” (MP3)
[audio:http://nopaininpop.com/mp3/2010/06/rattling-cage.mp3]

Roman Photos – Blog / Bandcamp / Facebook
Roman Photos – “Out Of The Sun” (MP3)
[audio:https://www.musiclikedirt.com/wp-content/MP3/few/OutOfTheSun.mp3]

NICOLAS JAAR

Brooklyn based label Wolf + Lamb have released a free EP featuring six edits by Nicolas Jaar. None too subtly hidden behind titles like “The Beach” are re-edits of The Grateful Dead, New Order and remixers favourite Nina Simone.

Nicolas Jaar – Myspace / Facebook
Wolf + Lamb Label – featuring a feast of FREE & tasty bootlegs including Vangelis & Roisin Murphy “Sing It Back”

Read: Nicolas guides “Fabric” through his favourite records of all time.

Listen: Download FREE Nicolas Jar 6 Edits Zip from Resident Adviser

Nicolas Jaar – “Shakedown” (MP3)
[audio:https://www.musiclikedirt.com/wp-content/MP3/few/Shakedown.mp3]
Nicolas Jaar – “Nico’s Feeling Good” (MP3)
[audio:https://www.musiclikedirt.com/wp-content/MP3/few/Nicosfeelingood.mp3]

LEO ZERO

Leo Zero’s edits have featured on Music Like Dirt many times, most recently with his jaw droppingly good Northern Soul extravaganza take on Paul Weller.
He’s now got a compilation of some of his best edits out to buy, and as ever he previews his latest work almost weekly via his Soundcloud page. Check out The Clapping Song below, as referenced by Denis Jones on his new single.

Leo Zero – Soundcloud / Website

Leo Zero – “Clapping Song (Rat Salad Re-Edit)” (MP3)
[audio:https://www.musiclikedirt.com/wp-content/MP3/few/ClappingSongRatSaladReEdit.mp3]
Lissie – When I’m Alone ( Leo Zero Remix ) by Leo Zero

CAITLIN ROSE

Alela Diane, She Keeps Bees, The Earlies… with a label roster like Names Records its inexplicable I didnt get round to listening to Caitlin Rose’s new album sooner. It was always going to be guaranteed love at first listen! Thanks go to the ever dependable Daily Growl for his constant twitterings and posts about her for reminding me to click buy. (Check out her Seven Songs interview)
Despite loving her first EP, “Dead Flowers” released via BandCamp it took Mr Growl declaring on twitter that her newie was his favourite of the year so far, to finally get me to sit down and listen.

Although she’s open to more than simply country, Caitlin is refreshingly unashamed to be labelled as such rather than alt-country or alternative rock. As she puts it “Alt-country feels like a sort of immature betrayal. Like when you’re a kid and you’re just too cool or too embarrassed to go see a movie with your parents“.
Her voice belies her 23 years bringing to mind the best of Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Linda Ronstadt.

Caitlin Rose – Facebook / Twitter / Website

Caitlin Rose – “Answer In One of These Bottles” (MP3)
[audio:https://www.musiclikedirt.com/wp-content/MP3/few/AnswerInOneOfTheseBottles.mp3]

HEDLUV + PASSMAN

Hedluv & Passman are back with an 8bit ode to the joys of technology. Automatic cars, Sat Nav, Amiga’s, routers, and the woes of their dads well shit Windows 98 computer are all covered courtesy of maddeningly infectious if slightly daft beats and rhymes.
“you can learn online how to speak dutch, or find a good site, download lots of free stuff”

DOBIE

Dobie – Myspace / Blog / Podcast
Dobie – “Time Is Running Out” (MP3)
[audio:https://www.musiclikedirt.com/wp-content/MP3/few/TIMEISRUNNINGOUT.mp3]

PRETTY LIGHTS

I’m a bit late to the party with Pretty Lights, the sampling project of Colorado’s Derek Vincent Smith, but better late than ever. “High School Art Class” takes in DJ Shadow, The Avalanches, Go! Team and Unkle in 8 minutes of dancefloor semtex. Hip Hop, Nina Simone, funk, blues its all chopped, looped and added to the mash. The Ep’s a free download too, what’s not to love?

FREE Download of the “Spilling Over Every Side EP”
Pretty Lights – “High School Art Class” (MP3)
[audio:https://www.musiclikedirt.com/wp-content/MP3/few/HighSchoolArtClass.mp3]

THE PSYCHEDELIC SINGH

Amarik Singh aka The Psychedelic Singh doesnt seem to appear on the blogging radar, or indeed any radio bar the BBC’s Asian Network. Quite why is a mystery to me as everyone’s life would be improved by a little slice of Psychedelic Bhangra. Check out two new tracks below, the first of which takes HipHop pioneers The Last Poets down to the Bollywood disco.

HERBAL VERBAL by The Psychedelic Singh

Charkha feat Balkar sidhu by The Psychedelic Singh

GRINDERMAN
This Factory remix of Nick Caves Grinderman project is a slow burning electronic monster. The original version features on Grinderman’s forthcoming album Grinderman 2, released by Mute on 13th September (and on ANTI- in the US on Sept 14).
Pre-order now: Grinderman Website
Grinderman – Evil (Factory Floor Remix 2) by MuteRecords

And finally…
“Radioactivity” Performed by Damien Jurado & Richard Swift. Originally performed by Kraftwerk.
Radioactivity by Richard Swift
Akira The Don’s bob blog always serves up the oddest clips – none more so than Maleja’s dancehall ditty “Tickle My Vagina”.

POLARBEAR
Now that all time MusicLikeDirt favourite PolarBear has got himself a flip camera its time to bookmark his YouTube channel. In his latest missive PolarBear wanders around his gaff, mug of tea in hand, his wee lads drawings on the wall and as always delivers the finest poems/tales around in effortless style.

Cassetteboy returned with his own unique take on “Dragon’s Den”… Will Deborah Meaden be satisfied in Dragons Dirty Den?

And did Frank Sidebottom really write an episode of Pingu!?