This thursday Skillz the Dj Game will finally be available to buy for Ipad users! Me & DJ Daredevil from Droppin’ Science have been working on the soundtrack for a couple of years now for the Hong-Kong based production company Playpen Studios, creating specially re-edited & cut-up versions of tracks from the likes of Stones Throw Records, Ministry of Sound, Ninja Tune, Hospital Records & Om Records. I’ve been playing a pre-release version of the game for sometime now & I can tell you it’s a whole lot of fun, the control system is extremely intuitive, & a lot closer to the real thing than previous dj rhythm games!
A whole heap of videos have been released from various sources, I’ve posted up a few of my favourite ones I worked on below, check ‘em out!
Connecticut psych-soul outfit The Stepkids are the first of several new Stones Throw artists to be announced in 2011; three singer-songwriters already destined for great things together. The Stepkids groove is a fusion of punk and jazz, West African and 1960s folk, neo and classic soul, classic funk and 20th century classical. The band produce, engineer and record themselves on a reel-to-reel.
“La La is track of the year so far… if you like Rotary Connection and you want a modern twist on that sound, The Stepkids is for you”
Gilles Peterson, BBC Radio 1
The 12″ single is out in April and fully keeps up with Stones Throw Record’s high production standards with embossed sleeve and multicoloured marbled vinyl. Strictly limited to 1000 pressings.
The next Droppin’ Science party is on February 5 at the Vibe Bar with yet another big night in store.
Last month resident DJs Matman, Nickname and Daredevil ripped the place apart, blazing through fast-paced sets of hip hop & it’s related genres. In February you can expect all this and more as we will be joined by our very special guest, Paul White (One-Handed Music / Now-Again).
Paul White’s production has been generating a lot of noise in recent years, & won himself a lot of high-ranking fans, gaining airplay & support from the likes of Diplo, Mary Anne Hobbs, Benji B and Gilles Peterson. After releasing the acclaimed LPs ‘The Strange Dreams of Paul White’ & ‘Sounds From The Skylight beat tape’ in 2009, 2010′s ‘Paul White & The Purple Brain’ was co-released by both One-Handed and Los Angeles-based Now Again, sister label of the mighty Stones Throw Records.
Check out Paul White’s podcast he produced for Stones Throw records last October.
Check out Paul’s latest releases & happenings here.
Stussy has produced a 3-part documentary on J Dilla’s life during his later years in Los Angeles, interviewing a few of the people he worked with in Los Angeles. Part 1 – Introductions – is here today. Part 2 (Detroit to Los Angeles) will be shown 2/17, and Part 3 (Donuts) on 2/24.
The limited edition J Dilla t-shirt created by Stussy in conjunction with the Dilla Estate and Stones Throw will be released this Saturday, Feb 13, and celebrated with in-store release parties in L.A., Vegas, D.C., Toronto and Vancouver. Check here for dates.
Another Guilty Simpson leak from Stones Throw Records. Madlib on the boards… and not one for the upcoming OJ Simpson album or Madlib’s “Before the Verdict” album either.
If you follow my Tweets on Twitter you may have already heard me going on about Mr Chop. Since dropping his first EP ‘Lightworlds’ last year, and having co-produced & co-written some tracks from MF Doom’s ‘Born Like This‘ LP, he’s just dropped a new album on Five Day Weekend called ‘For Pete’s Sake’ which provides us with some serious dope instrumetal covers of some of Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s most classic jams.
After seeing the Pete Rock & CL Smooth show last week at The Garage, I’ve been listening to not a great deal more than just this album. Just as I was starting to wish some of the tracks would feature CL’s distinctive vocal on, I discover that Five Day Weekend are putting out x2 7 inches doing just that… and day a later, I find the promo’s sitting in my inbox. Nice one.
The first 7 inch is ‘Straighten It Out’ and includes both vocal and instrumental. The second 7 inch is T.R.O.Y. (well they had to really, didn’t they!).
Oh… and the legendary Malcom Catto on percussion can’t be bad either!
Not sure I’m allowed to share all of them, so here’s a lo-res to listen to courtesy of Stones Throw Records for now:
