Mixtape Review: RAtheMC - Heart of a Champion

Next to Phil Ade, RAtheMC is the brightest rising star in the DMV hip-hop scene. She rocked the stage at last October's All Killer No Filler and her Twitter-themed mixtape Trending Topic was one of the best local releases in 2009. Since then, she's been steady grinding, prepping Heart of a Champion, backed by AB the Producer.

Download RAtheMC - Heart of a Champion

Heart of a Champion showcases the same talent and range as Trending Topic. Ra's flow continues to sharpen, and in the Age of Drake, her self-sung hooks are a well-executed necessity. Tracks by AB the Producer are clean soundscapes for Ra to perform over, never repetitive in tone or style. Throughout the tape, samples pay tribute to Ra's forebears: Sade's "Love is Stronger than Pride" on "Pretend" and Lauryn Hill's "The Sweetest Thing" on "Intoxicated."

Ra references DMV leaders Wale, Tabi Bonney and XO; the latter appears on the sweeping "So Gone So Long." Throughout the tape, on songs like "One Shot" and "Heart of a Champion," Ra proves she is focused on one thing: following in their footsteps - and going farther. After Ms. Hill's bewildering performance at this weekend's Rock the Bells, it's clear that the crown is ready to be passed. So why not to RAtheMC?

COP/DON'T COP THIS MIXTAPE

Tracklist after the jump.

Mixtape Monday: Dubstep edition

From the Dubstep Dossier to Future Grooves, TGRI Online is committed to bringing you the newest, cutting-edge sounds in bass-heavy music. Still, we sometimes take for granted the fact that the world at large isn't as familiar with Rusko, Skream and the like as we are - even if they will be soon.


Seemingly with that in mind, DJ D Painter's latest podcast - recorded live from Jamaica - is titled "Dubstep for Dummies." Rather than a history of dubstep, the podcast is perfect for the uninitiated: dubstep of the moment, including remixes of "Forever" and "Womanizer" and a few recent essentials ("Innocence," Sub Focus' take on "Hold On"). Quick and to the point, "Dubstep for Dummies" is the perfect gift for that bass-less somone in your life.



D. Painter Podcast 04 track list:

01. Ctrl Z & Freestylers ft. Navigator - Ruffneck 09 (Excision & Datsik Remix)
02. Drake & Eminem - Forever (Nero Remix)
03. TC - Where's My Money (Caspa Remix)
04. Jakes - Warface 2010
05. Benga ft. Eve - Me N My (Up In The Club)
06. Crookers ft. Kelis - No Security (Rustie Remix)
07. Diplo ft. Lil Jon - U Don't Like Me
08. Liquid Stranger - Mission AD
09. 12th Planet ft. Juakall - Reasons (Doctor P Remix)
10. Ladybox - Cookies Fly (12th Planet & Flinch Remix)
11. Britney Spears - Womanizer (Borgore Remix)
12. Nero - Innocence
13. Rusko ft. Amber Coffman - Hold On (Sub Focus Remix)


While D. Painter drops the 101, Jess Jubilee's recent mix for Dubspot is a masters class in dubstep, UK funky and future grooves. The Nightshifter/Flashing Lights basshead mixes in can't-miss tracks by Ramadanman, Kingdom and Ikonika, along with a brilliant transition from LOL Boy's "123" to Brick Bandit Tim Dolla's "Number Advisory." It's like a twisted Sesame Street lesson.



Dubspot podcast episode 9 - Jubilee track list:

01. Kyla – Daydreaming (Lil Silva Remix)
02. Dj Shaun – D – ALien Spaceship
03. Mujava – Source of Drums
04. Bambounou – Nappy Head
05. Distal – Apple Bottom
06. Ramadanman – Work Them
07. Canblaster – Clockwork
08. DJ Donna SummerxGucci Mane – Fighter (Jimmy 2 Times Aw Man Blend)
09. R1 Ryders – Hydraulic
10. DJ Bigga – Boeke Anthem
11. Untold – Anaconda (Guarachero Refix)
12. Roska – Squark (Guarachero Refix)
13. LOL Boys – 123
14. Tim Dolla – Number Advisory
15. Blondes – Spanish FLy (Brenmar Remix)
16. Kingdom – Fogs
17. Baobinga – Ride It (Untold Remix)
18. Ikonika – Aqueous Cream
19. Jubilee interview

Future Grooves: DJ Nate

Chicago is an epicenter of electronic dance music. It's the birthplace of house music, and like Baltimore, Philadelphia and Miami, it has its own brand of club music as well, the result of filtering house through hip-hop and other underground influences. Chicago house mutated into the stripped down style known as juke house (typified by Cajmere's "Percolator"). In the same way, juke is giving way to footwork: music built for frenetic dance moves that are exactly what they sound like.

The fastest rising footwork DJ is wunderkind DJ Nate. The 20 year old Nathan Clark has been making footwork beats since before he could get into the clubs that play them. His stylistic trademarks are off-kilter drum beats and repetitive, pitch-shifted vocal samples, often with conflicting rhythms. A polarizing style, footwork rejects traditional dance music conventions like four-on-the-floor beats. For the uninitiated, it may sound dissonant and seem un-danceable.

Luckily, the folks at groundbreaking record label Planet Mu saw something in the young Chicagoan. Planet Mu released DJ Nate's Hatas Our Motivation and will be dropping a compilation of Nate's footwork tracks entitled Da Trak Genious (named after his (intentionally?) misspelled moniker) in September. Recognizing the confrontational nature of his music, the title of his EP is instructive. "Hatas our motivation" isn't just a sample: it's a mantra and a motto.

Throughout the EP, DJ Nate crafts beats that are exciting and new. The tracks sound like they will cause irregular heartbeats and seizures: elements collide into each other haphazardly, but when they sync up, it's pure bliss. Looped R&B and hip hop samples practically become percussion instruments and lend a hypnotic nature to the music, especially on tracks like "We Can Work This Out" and "Ima Burn Him."

The strongest track is the finale, "See Into My Eyes," which brilliantly samples the goth pop of Evanescence's "Bring Me to Life." Twisted and pitchshifted, a bizarro Amy Lee mournfully asks "How can you see into my eyes?" over increasingly chaotic drum fills. (The track can be heard at the beginning of this juke battle video).

Between DJs like Willy Joy, Rob Threezy, and now DJ Nate, Chicago is guaranteed to be central to dance music for years to come.

The Verge: Givers

Givers is an impossibly upbeat five-piece from Lafeyette, Louisiana, the Cajun capital of the world. One thing they've absorbed from their home base is the value of a melting pot. On their impressive self-titled EP, the band blends Afro-beat, psychedelic folk, and indie rock sensibilities into an adventurous, contagious sound.

From the first swells of "Up Up Up," Givers oozes fun. Percussionist Tif Lamson exchanges scratchy Ida Maria-like vocals with guitarist Taylor Guarisco over the bouncy drums of Kirby Campbell. Bassist Josh Leblanc, keyboardist William Henderson and Guarisco have a developed give-and-take, alternating between straight-forward rock outs and multi-rhythmic jams. "Up Up Up" has the feel of a Vampire Weekend song - but these kids seem to be having a lot more fun.

"Ceiling of Plankton" starts with a smirking riff but is deceptively mournful. "When you notice all your stars are in line to find me / I'll be there waiting right behind / and when you notice that your heart is bleeding / mine is bleeding, too," croons Guarisco, over Lamson's glockenspiel. The chorus doubles back with a synth-pop feel that is sweeter than frosting from the can. Owing a little more to their Deep South roots, "Saw You First" is more twang than upstroke. This would be hoedown material if it weren't for the bubbling synths and shout-out-loud chorus.

If these live videos and their SXSW hype proves anything, it's that this is a band you need to see live. The energy of these songs cannot be contained on disc or MP3; it's just begging for a sweaty and smiling crowd. They are slated to join Ra Ra Riot on tour, dancing through DC in November at the 9:30 Club. In the meantime, enjoy Givers as the band prepares a debut album, due out this fall.

EP Review: Steve Starks - Git Em

Some album covers prove the adage "a picture is worth a thousand words." The cover art of the Git Em EP by DC DJ/producer extraordinaire Steve Starks is one such picture. Evocative of the blood-soaked cover of Andrew WK's I Get Wet, the photo says more than any review ever could, but I'll give it a try anyway.

Steve Starks - Git Em EP by T and A Records

Released today on T&A Records, Git Em is Steve Starks' second effort for the label, following the TRO/Lydia EP with collaborator Nacey. It contains a couple originals and a host of remixes by like-minded knob twisters. We've written at length about the title track, but it bears repeating: this is a brutal track. Building from a nearly minimal beat into crashing waves of snares and bass, "Git Em" is a mutated ghettotech assault.

The remixes of "Git Em" provide new flavors while keeping the core of the original. Portuguese duo Zombies for Money give it a twisted tribal feel, as if the track came from the darkest depths of a tropical jungle. Dillon Francis adds a four on the floor electro beat, while Munchi dabbles in kuduro. Each remix is a strong tribute to the evolving sounds of EDM.

Starks' "Witness" is a similar audio attack, flipping Eddie Amador's "Rise" into a late night tech house banger. The airy synths and preacher vocals of the bridge give you a chance to catch your breath, but the track is soon back to obliterate your remaining senses. T&A label head DJ Ayres amps up the house influences on his spaced out remix of the track.

Steve Starks - and the rest of the Nouveau Riche crew - continues to push the DC music scene forward. On the Git Em EP, he provides another couple of anthems for the subterranean bassheads that reside at U Hall, while sharing the spotlight with similarly-minded producers on the rise.
Four out of five stars. Buy it today on Turntable Lab, Juno or Beatport.

TGRIOnline x DJ Melo present... Culipandeo: Volumen Tres

Sadly, the Summer of Moombahton is coming to an end. Labor Day is just around the corner, the weather is almost bearable, and the kiddies are heading back to school. Luckily, there is still time to enjoy your favorite twisted tropical tunes. Continuing the TGRI-exclusive series of moombahton mixes is Culipandeo Volumen Tres, brought to you by Phoenix's DJ Melo.



DJ Melo, with a background of spinning reggaeton, house and Latin music, has the perfect pedigree for moombahton. Melo's moombahton edits have been showing up all over the place and for good reason. His mix features tracks by friends-of-the-site Munchi, David Heartbreak, and Cam Jus (including Cam's brand new joint "Even the Gringos"). Melo seamlessly mixes moombahton with more traditional reggaeton into a non-stop party mix for fans of either style.

The Summer of Moombahton may be ending, but the genre keeps moving forward thanks to innovative musicians like DJ Melo. Don't sleep on this mix.

Tracklist after the jump.

Tracklist for Culipandeo Volumen Tres:

1. Dactyl Dactyl - Enter The Ninja
2. Herve - Dibby DJ (Doc Adam)
3. Jadiel - Fashion Girl (DJ Santarosa)
4. Contents Hot - Boombahton
5. DJ Mingo - El Kulikitra
6. Gtronic - Sucker Punch (Prince Klassen Nihonmahton Edit)
7. DJ Naldo - Playero 2010
8. Munchi - Metele Bellaco
9. Jon Kwest - Nice Dreams
10. Kissed With A Noise ft Young Buck - Get Bucked (Skeet Skeet's Moombuckton Remix)
11. DJ Manik - Noise (Geo Geo)
12. Cam Jus - Even The Gringos
13. Ying Yang Twins - Saltshaker (David Heartbreak)
14. Hatiras - The New Jam (DJ Melo)
15. Pickster & Melo - Mas Poderoso (DJ Tranzo Remix)
16. DJ Santarosa - Choloton Ride With Us
17. Jon Kwest vs Don Omar - Get Loose Salio El Sol (Melo Blend)
18. Speedy - Sientelo (DJ Melo)
19. Kid Kaio - Hey (David Heartbreak)
20. Munchi - Pepe Volvio
21. Munchi - Fizzdom
22. SLVRSNKS - And Rock (Tripett)
23. Taio Cruz - Dynamite (Groovematic)
24. DJ Apt One vs Samir - Samir's Island
25. Marcus Rice & Carli - Bira Weed Sax (Heartbreak & Melo)
26. Pickster & Melo - Mas Poderoso (Jon Kwest Remix)

Future Grooves: Kavsrave

All across the UK, groundbreaking DJs and producers are moving dance music forward. And while dubstep and UK funky in London and Bristol get most of the headlines, the sounds of Glasgow are not far behind. Home to artists like Hudson Mohawke and Rustie, Glasgow is the nexus of a style called wonky or aquacrunk. Numbers, a long-running Glasgow dance party, recently became a record label, merging imprints Wireblock, Dress 2 Sweat and Stuff Records.

Numbers signee Kavsrave may not be from Glasgow (he's from Croydon, like Skream), but his sound certainly owes much to the Scottish scene. Kavsrave (aka Jamie Kavanagh) grew up making music and throwing parties with contemporaries Julio Bashmore and A1 Bassline. His debut "Quotes EP" showcases an exciting new sound, with the downtempo grooves of R&B, the midrange synths of wonky, and the wobbly bass of dubstep. Think a smoother Joker.

"PClart" is the Kavsrave track that you may have heard; the Luvstep guys played it at the Mad Decent Block Party. "PClart" weaves hypnotic female vocal samples with morphing synths and a stuttering (but danceable) beat. "Tightly Closed" and "Baggage Handler" follow the same formula, to great success.

For a taste of Kavsrave sound, check out the podcast he did for Numbers to mark the release of his EP. Blasting off with the classic bass groove of Ginuwine's "Pony," Kavsrave mixes his originals with hip-hop (Lil Wayne and Ludacris) and contemporary sounds (Hudson Mohawke and Terror Danjah).

Download Kavsrave - Quotes Mix

Kavsrave also received the ultimate UK co-sign, spinning on Mary Anne Hobbs' experimental radio show. The mix is brief, but at this point, any material from Kavsrave is welcome.

Munchi steps up his kuduro game

Kuduro is to Angola what baile funk is to Brazil: energetic dance music born in the melting pot of local and international influences. Sidestepping a discussion of the pros and cons of globalization, it's fair to say that these amalgamated styles are benefits of cultural exchanges. Kuduro, thanks to the influence of Portuguese musicians, is blessed with both African and Latin rhythms, along with the distinct sounds of mainstream EDM. The genre had an underground hit in 2008 when MIA teamed up with leading purveyors Buraka Som Sistema.

In the spirit of global musical exchange, Munchi, the moombahton king of the Netherlands, is trying his hand at kuduro with his Kuduro Promo.

Download Munchi - Kuduro Promo

Munchi continues to select the perfect tracks for his genre-bending endeavours. His take on "Milkshake" samples bits and pieces of the Kelis hit into something entirely new, and in what he calls a Kuduro-more bootleg remix, Munchi corrupts the French electro of Sebastian's "H.A.L." into a bass-thumping, gun-cocking adventure.



Munchi originals "Minigame 2000" and "Ta Maluco" are stripped down and raw: squealing chiptune melodies, non-stop beats and Angolan chants. The same can be said of the two bonus tracks, leftovers from an earlier version of the EP. However, the highlight of the promo is his remix of Steve Starks' "Git Em." While the original is a Miami-meets-Baltimore percussion grenade, Munchi's version is more of a laser-tag battle. But like the original, it does just what the title says.



Throughout history, musical genres have been created by forces much larger than the musicians themselves, be it slavery, imperialism or globalization. Adding the Internet into the mix accelerates the process without the oppression, letting a kid from Rotterdam make a name for himself with sounds that originated a world away.

The Verge: Sky Ferreira

Meet LA's dirty little secret, singer-songwriter Sky Ferreira. On her resume? Her singing made Michael Jackson tear up, she's worked with Linda Perry and Dallas Austin, and she corresponds with ch-ch-ch-cherrybomb / ex-Runaway Cherie Currie. Oh, and she turned 18 last month.

The Los Angeles lolita has been making Internet waves for a few years now, and it looks like she's finally catching up with the hype. Her grandmother was a hair dresser for the King of Pop, who encouraged her to develop her voice; she sang gospel and opera from an early age. At 15, she reached out to the producers behind Miike Snow (and Britney Spears' "Toxic"), Swedish duo Bloodshy & Avant. With no money but a promise of being "better than Britney," the producers agreed to work with her. One of their first collaborations is her single "One," a slice of futurist, robotic pop. (The song was given the luvstep treatment by BAR9.)

Her closest comparison is to Lily Allen, as she precociously mixes innocent pop melodies with dark and dirty lyrics. Unlike her frenemy Katy Perry, though, this isn't focus-group tested, "good girl gone bad" bullshit. There is an honesty and maturity absent from most of her stateside peers, with a better sense of pop and celebrity than UK counterparts like Ellie Goulding and Marina and the Diamonds.

Speaking of Marina, Ferreira's "17" hits the mark better than Ms. Diamandis' "Seventeen;" the video does Ke$ha's "Tik Tok" better and more realistically, as well. The chorus is very glam, and the verses reveal her lyrical talent, painting an accurate picture of teen girls living beyond their years: "We don't know what to do with her / shes from a different world / and its apparent now this girl is hiding / something in the way she gives a confident excuse."

While she was born in 1992 (!), she has a reverence for musical icons of the past. She names David Bowie, the Runaways, Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot among her influences, and her cover of "Happiness is a Warm Gun" is superb (especially when mixed with "Still DRE" by Skeet Skeet).

For American pop stars, it seems as if the dialectic is between Ke$has and non-Ke$has, Gagas and non-Gagas. Sky Ferreira is proof that you can do both.

Mixtape Monday: Mad Decent Monday Edition

If record labels were elementary school students, Mad Decent would have the most interesting "what I did on my summer vacation" presentation. Between quadrupling their annual Block Party and releasing mixtapes weekly, Diplo and family are doing big things before they pack it up and move to Los Angeles. Here are two recent mixtapes from up-and-coming talents on the label.


Like MIA and Santigold before her, Maluca's Mad Decent mixtape serves as her entree onto the underground scene. While those two found Wes Gully behind the boards, Maluca's China Food is expertly mixed by Paul "The Other Pauly D" Devro with a "past, present and future" theme in mind.

China Food fills the void left after we heard the fiery merengue of last year's "Tigeraso" but not much else from the Dominican chanteuse. Between samples of "Fire" and "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" are house-inflected tropical tunes like "Jungle Violento" and "Loca." Devro curates one helluva tape, letting Maluca flex her Kelis muscles on the moody "Hector" and "Flourescent Beige." Definitely cop this one, for the low, low price of your email address.


Along with moombahton, this summer has been defined by the resurgence of noise pop, especially the sun-soaked and weed smoke variety. Bands like Wavves, Best Coast, and Surfer Blood have led the way with fuzzed-out pop songs that hint at nostalgia and beach vibes. Po Po (brothers Zeb and Shoaib) mine similar territory for Mad Decent.

This summer mixtape, originally recorded for their tour with Sleigh Bells, showcases the experimental garage rock the duo is known for. While most of the tape is noisier and less complete than first single "Bummer Summer," it's still a good placeholder until their fall debut drops.

Future Grooves: Rob Threezy

This column practically writes itself every time the Trouble and Bass residency stops at the U Street Music Hall. Be it B. Rich or Deathface, the preeminent label for bass freaks consistently brings top talent to town. Tonight is no different, as Chicagoans Willy Joy and Rob Threezy and LA's Samo Sound Boy join the T&B crew at 1115 U Street.

You might already be familiar with Willy Joy, rising selector and Kid Sister tour DJ, but what about Rob Threezy?


Threezy, government name Roberto Herrera and formerly known as DJ Rob3 (get it?), is a member of Chicago's Ghetto Division crew. He burst onto the EDM scene with his contribution to The Brick Bandits EP, "The Chase." The Chicago club anthem mixed Bmore beats, rave synths and enough "Woo! Yeah!" samples to raise James Brown from the dead.

He followed up "The Chase" with releases on Fool's Gold, Nightshifters, and T&A, including the uplifting jam "Love to the World" on the Ghetto Pass EP. With a classic soul sample, Baltimore breaks, and Chicago house feel, Threezy weaves three dance styles into a real crowd pleaser.



These days, Threezy's sound is being influenced by the preponderance of ominous dubstep in the scene. Still, his Let's Go Ravers EP for T&A has plenty of his distinct Chicago-meets-Baltimore club feel. The title track is a hand clap and siren filled banger, while "Round House" has a minimal feel reminiscent of Nadastrom's "Ghetto."

On the recently released Heavy Bass Champions of the World, Volume 10, Threezy and Joy go dutch on three tracks. The first, "Run Up," features a melodic breakdown and squealing synths that beg for the Moombahton treatment. Plus, the two manned the tables for the latest T&B smashcast.

Rob Threezy proves that Chicago house and Baltimore club, like peanut butter and chocolate, are just better together. Don't miss him tonight at U Hall.

The Verge: Wavves

Welcome to The Verge: a column dedicated to music on the edge of a breakthrough. If I'm weary of ripping off the BBC, I absolutely loathe doing the same to Pitchfork. Anyway, here's a band who has had some blog love for quite a while, but now is actually worth all the hype.


For the last couple of years, Wavves has been a bit of an underground shitshow. Bandleader Nathan Williams rode the Pitchfork hype (no pun intended) from his bedroom to the mainstage. And predictably, everything came crashing down - Behind the Music style - including a drug-addled performance at the 2009 Barcelona Primavera Sound Festival and a drunken brawl with the Black Lips. After some cancelled tour dates, Williams emerged from 2009 with a new backing band: the rhythm section of the late Jay Reatard, another noisy rock sensation with similarly outsized drama.

With that said, Wavves is polarizing. Some find the blog love unwarranted; others are equally turned-off by the dramatics. But with the recent release of King of the Beach, Wavves might turn haters into believers.

The band's last record, Wavvves, was pure noise-pop and not entirely serious; Williams crammed "Goth" into five titles, with gratuitous mentions of California's sun, beach and weed throughout. King of the Beach continues to mine the oh-so-popular surf rock milieu, but with much more focus. If this is to be Williams' Nevermind, Wavvves was his Bleach (a comparison also made elsewhere). And just how moving from a $600 studio session to recording with Butch Vig allowed Nirvana to tighten their compositions and let Kurt's writing shine, the introduction of professional recording into the Wavves sound is what will take them to the next level.

Right off the bat, King of the Beach presents Wavves in a new light: intelligible! The title track finds Williams defiant and cocky, as expected: "You're never gonna stop me (x4) / the king of the beach." Next, "Super Soaker" jumps between the combo of a terrific start-stop rhythm and Williams' falsetto, and a wall-of-noise that sounds like early Jimmy Eat World.

The self-loathing over power chords of "Idiot" ("I'm not supposed to be a kid / but I'm an idiot / I'd say I'm sorry / but it wouldn't mean shit") and the quiet-loud-quiet dynamics of "Green Eyes" are not going to stop the Nirvana comparisons any time soon. Similarly, the rollicking "Post Acid" leads with a blue-era Weezer melody, even if it packs in considerably more feedback and reverb.

For fans of earlier Wavves, the jangly melodies "Baseball Cards" and "Mickey Mouse" should be buried behind sufficient fuzz and effects. "When Will You Come" cops the "Be My Baby" drum line, and its dream pop owes heavily to Phil Spector.

These days, blogs like Pitchfork will make or break your band. For Wavves, the underground community has already done both. Here's hoping everyone can shake hands and move on, because King of the Beach certainly does.

Two years after his death, Def Jux releases Camu Tao's King of Hearts

Camu Tao, born Tero Smith, was a multi-talented performer and member of the Definitive (nee Def) Jux family. Coming up in Columbus, OH in the late 90s, he worked with underground rap pioneers El-P, Aesop Rock, RJD2, and Cage, among others. His "Hold the Floor" was the archetypal Def Jux cut, with a raw, grinding beat and technically sharp, unapologetic rhymes.

Sadly, Camu Tao passed away after a protracted battle with cancer in 2008, a month shy of his 31st birthday. Not only did he leave behind his family, friends and fiance, but he also left behind the songs that were to be his debut solo album, King of Hearts. Luckily, the album is set to be released on August 17 by Definitive Jux and Fat Possum Records.

King of Hearts paints a picture of an artist on the edge of something special. The album's 16 tracks are a bit rough around the edges, as most were demos when Camu passed. Still, King of Hearts finds Camu reinventing himself in the mold of K-OS and Saul Williams, with a unique style that is difficult to pin down. Moving away from the distinct hip-hop of Def Jux to a more Afro-punk sound, Camu is at ease over programmed beats, chiptune synths and crunchy guitar riffs. "Bird Flu" and "When You're Going Down" are dancefloor-ready pieces of electropunk, equal parts mournful and angry: surely the emotions of a man during his last days.

Whether crooning on "Fonny Valentine," political-rapping on "Ind of the World," or swinging on "The Perfect Plan," Camu is sharp, poignant and emotive. The hook for "Plot a Little," a catchy, Neptunes-like sing-along, captures the album's feel: "Rock for a little bit / fly for a little bit / plot for a little bit / make it contagious." Over King of Hearts, the sonic dabblings of the self-described "rebel to conformity" are definitely contagious.

Download Camu Tao - Plot a Little

The music of artists like Jeff Buckley, Nick Drake, and Joy Division's Ian Curtis is notable for its posthumous influence. Camu Tao's King of Hearts will probably not have as far a reach, but it will stand as a vibrant final farewell from an artist who obviously had much more to share.

GroundScore parties like it's 1995

DC's GroundScore plays a brand of reggae punk fusion reminiscent of Sublime, 311 and Goldfinger. The trio, consisting of frontman and guitarist Zach Bellas, drummer Chase Lapp and bassist Nick Graves, formed in 2008. A series of jam sessions convinced the band to record an album and hit the road.

Healthy Children, the band's genre-melding debut album, will have you looking for your 40 ounces to freedom and asking "who's got the herb?" The music alternates between laid-back, upstroking jam sessions and frenetic thrash punk. Healthy Children kicks off with two reggae-infused james, "Tattoos & Porn" and "Don't Pay Me," before breaking down into a minute of mosh-pit punk, a pattern that repeats over the 12 song disc.

"Hey Kidz / Real Love" is the album's centerpiece, a 7-minute epic that touches on the album's overarching theme, the ironies of so-called "healthy children" growing up America. It begins with an Offspring-esque blast of energy, before settling into a groove that allows Bellas to pull out a few solos. "You Deserve It" is emblematic of the album as a whole, as the band seamlessly blends its diverse influences into a cohesive sound.

GroundScore isn't reinventing the wheel, but for fans of alternative rock in the mid-90s, Healthy Children is a welcome return of sun-soaked SoCal punk. In true punk style, they will be headlining a show at the Red and Black on Friday the 13th.

For a chance to win an autographed copy of Healthy Children, tell us your favorite mid-90s punk revival song in the comments!

Mixtape Monday: Drag the lake

"Abandon hope, all ye who enter here." Inscription at the Gates of Hell, or another post about drag and witch house? You decide! Today's Mixtape Monday takes us to the darkest reaches of the Internet, with new mixes from Salem and the sick folks behind (the NSFW) Put.A.Spell.

Download Salem - I Buried My Heart Inna Wounded Knee

Salem's I Buried My Heart Inna Wounded Knee is a nearly-unlistenable mix of Goth crunk - and I mean that as a compliment. There's no tracklist, but would one really make a difference? Salem drags and screws tracks until they are barely recognizable ghosts of the originals; mixing in the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale" is brilliant. Salem continues to make the i-dose version of purple drank. Their debut full-length King Night is set for a September 28th release, and this mix should stave off the tremors until then.

Put.a.spell (what I'll be calling the force responsible for these mixes, since they're only labeled with the quintessential witch house symbol ‡) recently released two equally disturbing mixes, Summus Exussum Ervum and Beasts in Drag.

Download ‡ - Summus Exussum Ervum

Summus Exussum Ervum, which roughly translates to "burn the high weeds," touches on everything cold and industrial. From Throbbing Gristle to Fever Ray, the mix is the perfect soundtrack for your next invocation or ritualistic sacrifice. Compared to Salem's mix, it is practically Top 40.

Download ‡ - Beasts in Drag

Beasts in Drag is more crunk than Goth, relying on drag versions of Gucci Mane and Playboy Tre (from the Adult Swim x Beaterator ATL RMX album), among others. As the mix closes, it fades from GR†LLGR†LL's gloomy "Lollipop" cover "Slowlickin" to "If You Are But a Dream," by Screamin' Jay Hawkins, the bluesman best known for "I Put a Spell On You." That inclusion alone shows that the musicians behind drag and witch house have a sense of humor, even if it is sick and twisted.

Luvstep Live at the Mad Decent Block Party

As I walked up 12th Street in Philadelphia on my way to the Mad Decent Block Party, I heard the unmistakable, soothing sounds of luvstep. The set marked the live debut of luvstep, the dubstep subgenre identified by Dirty South Joe and Flufftronix earlier this year on their mix of the same name. It was one of the many can't-miss sets during the day. Luckily for those who missed it, the proverbial tape was running and the set is now available for download.

An introduction from Ten Things I Hate About You sets the tone: melancholic, bittersweet, and teeming with raw emotion. The 30-minute mix kicks off strong with tracks by Sky Ferreira and Nero, before revisiting essential tracks (Caspa's remix of the Deadmau5 & Kaskade collab "I Remember") and dropping new popstep heat (the trio of "Hold On," "I Need Air," and "Katy on a Mission").

"PClart" by Kavsrave has been floating around for a few months; the female vocals and wonky bass are a perfect fit for the mix. The same is true of the "Edge of Seventeen"-sampling "Days Go By" by the Boogaloo Crew (who now are part of Future Grooves featuree Dark Sky). The mix closes with some Don Juan DeMarco:

"There are only four questions of value in life, Don Octavio. What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for, and what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same: only love."

For dubstep, a genre derided for its harsh sounds and bromantic attitude, only luvstep can save it.

Tracklist for Luvstep Live at the Mad Decent Block Party
Introduction: KATARINA
Sky Ferreira – One (Bar9 Remix)
Nero – Innocence
Deadmau5 – I Remember (Caspa Remix)
Rusko – Hold On (feat Amber Coffman)
Magnetic Man – I Need Air
Katy B – Katy On A Mission
Professor Green ft Lily Allen – Just Be Good To Me (Joker Remix – Fluff’s Greenless Dub)
M83 – We Own The Sky (Udachi Remix)
Kavsrave – PClart
Bobby Caldwell – What You Won’t Do For Love (DZ Remix)
Guido – Mad Sax
The Boogaloo Crew – Days Go By
The Living Graham Bond – Winter Hunter ft Fiona Bevan (Bare Noize Remix)
Epilogue: DON JUAN

More Moombahma from David Heartbreak

David Heartbreak is at it again. Fresh off an appearance on the Summer of Moombahton compilation and his TGRI-exclusive Culipandeo mix, Heartbreak has released the Dos Moombahma EP, another collection of genre-expanding moombahton.

Download David Heartbreak's Dos Moombahma EP

In a nod to the origins of the genre, Heartbreak twists Kid Kaio's Dutch house "Hey" into a 108 BPM banger. The build and simple chant-along vocals make this one a club keeper.

Like he did on "Whistle Blower," Heartbreak takes crunk 1,000 miles south on "Salt Shaker," his edit of the the classic Ying Yang Twins party anthem. Elsewhere on the EP, he experiments with moombahcore ("Lend Ya Down"), a grimey offshoot of moombahton, and classic dancehall ("Raggamuffin"). For fans of chilled-out lounge sounds, "Novinah" is the perfect mood setter, based on a sample of Drake's "Successful."

David Heartbreak continues to be a producer to watch. The Charlotte DJ has a good ear for hooks and samples that fit the moombahton sound, and he continues to move the genre forward with his melting pot approach to the genre.

Lil' Elle's "All A Dream" mixtape

DJ Lil' Elle is back with another hour-long mix entitled "All A Dream." As the cover art suggests, the 20-odd songs here hint at summer days passed - appropriate as August flies off the calendar. Elle mixes Top 40-friendly dance tracks with throwback and underground hip-hop with ease. You can see how she's secured weekly parties at Science Club and Policy (in addition to the monthly KIDS party): Lil' Elle's understanding of song selection is bar none.

Highlights include in-the-know favorites "We No Speak Americano" and "Sex Sax" alongside classics by Stevie Wonder and Andre 3000. Grab this mix and catch Lil' Elle at her DC gigs before she heads westward.

Download Lil' Elle's "All A Dream" August 2010 Mix

Tracklist after the jump.

Rusko unearths the Lost Dubs

Fresh off some Twitter beef with Deadmau5, dubstep meistro Rusko recently released two volumes of unreleased material, for free and through Twitter. Perhaps inspired by Skream's Freeizm EPs, The Lost Dubs contains some material that pre-dates even his earliest releases, with tracks from 2004 and 2005.

Download Rusko - The Lost Dubs, Volume 1

Download Rusko - The Lost Dubs, Volume 2

As the name suggests, these dubs are steeped in reggae and dancehall grooves, from the slinky guitar chords on "Gyal Dem Inna Codeine Style" to the wandering bassline on his remix of Skream's "Dutch Flowers." The tracks are an interesting look at Rusko's early material: "Jump Up" sounds like an underdeveloped version of breakout single "Cockney Thug."

While these dubplates trace the straight line between reggae and dubstep, they also show synergy between dubstep and hip-hop. "Get down low" mashes a pretty straight-forward rap with wobbly bass for a banger that presages Caspa's "How Low Can You Go" remix.

Unfortunately, there are no hidden gems on these EPs; these are basically demo tapes. Still, the Lost Dubs are required listening for Rusko devotees. A third volume is to follow, which will continue to fill in the blanks of one of the biggest names in dubstep.

Future Grooves: Camo UFOs

While DJs like Zinc have evolved beyond drum and bass, there is a counter-current of younger producers stoking a revival of the Goldie Years. Be it Zomby's "Where Were You in '92" or Skream's big, ravey edits, nostalgia for early 90s dancefloor flavors - drum and bass, breakbeat, and jungle - is at an all-time high.


Camo UFOs, the LA-based duo of Thee Mike B and Nate Day, aim to fill the void. The two jungle fanatics are building a name for themselves with a string of remixes and mixtapes. I first heard of the pair on their R U SICK mix for the Fool's Gold Foolcast. R U SICK is a high-energy hour of synth stabs and Amen breaks. During its finest moments, "Show Me Love" melts into tunes by the aforementioned Zinc; elsewhere, the UFOs pay tribute to ragga jungle (via early Rusko).



As remixers, the duo does a good job of identifying a song's essential core before giving it the Camo UFO treatment; too often a remix loses the essence of the original. They remixed the biggest dance tracks of the last two years, "Mega" by the Count and Sinden and "Pon De Floor" by Major Lazer. Turning "Mega" from electro to jungle is an easy task; chopping up "Pon De Floor" is much more impressive.





A revival is only as good as its revivalists. Camo UFOs find the perfect balance between nostalgia and forward thinking, touching on genres and subgenres that haven't sounded fresh in over a decade. Sometimes the best future grooves come from the past.

The Verge: Bosco Delrey

Welcome to The Verge: a column dedicated to music on the edge of a breakthrough. Last week, this space featured a French band that has mastered 70s yacht rock. Now it's time for an artist whose influences go even farther back.

The most significant aspect of last weekend's Mad Decent Block Party is the continued dominance of the zeitgeist by Diplo. The entire line-up was a tribute to Wes Gully's commitment to popularizing regional sounds from around the country and the world. Club music (DJ Sega and the Brick Bandits), moombahton (Nadastrom), electro-mambo (Maluca), and dubstep (Flufftronix) were just a few of the genres on display, the type of eclectic exuberance that makes Mad Decent an underground phenomenon.

Also performing in Philly was one of the most recent signees to Mad Decent, Bosco Delrey, who, like his Mad Decent family, promises to break new ground. Bosco Delrey is a Memphis by way of Jersey singer-songwriter. His music is best described as rockabilly with a dancehall flair (hallbilly?). Like Jack White before him, Delrey looks and sounds like a relic of a place and time that never truly existed.


Delrey croons like Elvis while strumming wavy riffs over programmed beats and chirps of electronic noise. As a genre, rockabilly refuses to ever die, as there are always musicians and audiences that crave the sound and fury of proto rock and roll, that truly American relic. "Space Junky" is typical of his output (of which there are only five songs), with a throwback melody and modern dance elements.



The sinister sounding "Evil Lives" is fueled by chilling organ chords and a trap music beat. The refrain of "Devil's gonna cut you up" is a flip on Johnny Cash's "God's gonna cut you down." The song - and Delrey's sound - owe much to the man in black. Plus, "Evil Lives" is an anagram for "Elvis Live." Spooky.



Like all Mad Decent artists, Bosco Delrey has free reign to develop organically. Even if that means lo-fi reworking of Gucci Mane songs. Trust in Diplo, and trust in Bosco Delrey.

Dubstep goes pop

As a genre, dubstep has reached a precipice. With successive releases by Rusko and Skream, and the highly-anticipated released by Magnetic Man around the corner, the mainstreaming of dubstep appears to have begun. The beats are still aggressive, the bass is still wobbly, but the music is easier to digest, due in large part to trance-like diva vocals. Unlike the darker, groovier luvstep, this "popstep" is just that - suitable for larger audiences ready to dance. Here are a few of the songs (and videos) you need to know:

Rusko, with a little help from Dirty Projector Amber Coffman, broke the scene wide open with "Hold On." And if the crowds in the video are any indication, he may be on to something. All of a sudden, his upcoming Britney Spears collaboration makes a lot more sense. Also of note: his remix of Lady Gaga's "Alejandro."

Magnetic Man, the dubstep supergroup formed by Brits Skream, Benga and Artwork, has scored a top ten hit in the UK with "I Need Air." The trio destroyed the crowd at Hard NYC, a performance that certainly converted non-believers.

The next single off Magnetic Man's October 4 debut is the shifty "Perfect Stranger," featuring UK funky chanteuse Katy B. The song alternates between downtempo verses and a breakbeating chorus, and it closes out Magnetic Man's recent Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1.

No mention of Katy B can be made without also dropping her solo single (over a Benga track), the addictive "Katy B on a Mission."

For fans of electronic music who want to see the scene grow while also maintaining some sense of musical integrity, popstep is a way forward. While it may be anathema to dubstep purists, wouldn't you rather see the likes of Rusko and Skream headlining three nights at the 9:30 Club?

Mixtape Monday: Hip hop edition

Paradoxically, Freddie Gibbs is the future of hip hop because he is its finest throwback. Hip hop is full of backpackers in rose-colored glasses looking for "Golden Age" rappers. Instead, Gibbs' finds in gangsta rap something resonant to a 28-year-old from Gary, Indiana who has literally fought for all he has. With last week's release of the Str8 Killa No Filla mixtape and an EP of the same name tomorrow, Gibbs continues to demonstrate why he's the valedictorian of XXL's Freshman Class.

Download Freddie Gibbs - Str8 Killa No Filla Mixtape

The mixtape features unreleased cuts and new heat from the EP. Tracks like "Face Down" and "In My Hood" are unrelenting trap music with Gibbs' trademark style. On the 90s g-funk of "The Coldest," B.J. the Chicago Kid plays Nate Dogg to Gibbs' Dre; on "Best Friend," Gibbs mans the chorus himself. The tape closes out with "Slangin' Rocks," where he goes even deeper into rap history.

The lead single on the EP, "National Anthem," finds Gibbs in full Tupac mode, even going as far as including a "fuck the world" chorus. He switches between a syrupy flow and a staccato double-time, and as usual, he's deft at both. To Gibbs, thug life isn't a choice, it's a fact of life. Being good in the game - dealing, pimping, killing - is something you do because you have to stay alive. He's a realist and a pragmatist, and like Tupac before him, he isn't afraid to get political. A perfect example is the clip for "National Anthem," where the question is, 250 years later, has anything changed in America?

Has it really been two years since Ron Browz, Jim Jones and Juelz Santana asked us to "pop champagne?" Time flies when you're living large, like the rappers on this mix by The Rub's Cosmo Baker. Baker continues his History of Hip Hop series with a look at 2008, when Weezy was pushing a million units in one week instead of a DOC mop.

Download History of Hip Hop 2008 by Cosmo Baker

2008 was a fun (if frivolous) year for hip hop. Baker expertly mixes the highlights for over 100 minutes of pure bang. No one has swagga like Cosmo, so don't miss him at U Hall this week for Red Friday.