Schematic Records Present: StiLL iLL

Rom told me about a forthcoming Schematic release and I knew I had to spread the word about it! Next Tuesday the 28th, Schematic Records will unleash StiLL iLL, a collection of tracks from some fine folks who I've mentioned here that are on Schematic (Joe Lentini, o9, Takeshi Muto, Jacque Polynice, Dino Felipe and more) as well as friends of the label. It's gonna be available for digital purchase on iTunes and Amazon with the hope that if sales are good a physical version may be produced. I've listened to the whole thing several times now and it's solid as a rock, so I know people will be pleased. That said, with Rom's blessing, I've got the track listing below with two tracks from the album available for download. Check 'em out because they're really good! SCHEMATIC RULEZ!


StiLL iLL

01 Machine Drum - nosefing
02 Ay Fast - mama4
03 Finesse & Runway - I'm Inside Out
Finesse & Runway are Dino Felipe and Melba Libia. They are awesome! Their self-titled album is available for purchase here.

04 Joe Lentini - ROM STOLE MY PU55Y
05 Bulldozier - doomed
06 o9 - gv rmx
This is o9's previously unreleased contribution to the Glen Velez remix album, External Combustion. That comp is available for purchase here and is really incredible, as is this track!

07 Syndrone - cicadub
08 Audiose My Angel + Nerikatsu - Meanwhile In Vostok
09 Takeshi Muto + Diagoro - Takagoro
10 Jacque Polynice - simbad
11 Subjex - magnetic funk
12 Dino Felipe - don't hang around


PS - Yes, that IS the cover art! Rom told me that guy was sleeping in the street in the middle of the day with the power chord from the VCR wrapped around his leg so he'd wake up if anyone tried to steal his stuff. That's some straight Miami shit right there!

Schematic Records Dukes Of The Stratosfear Tour Revisited

A quick example of what you probably missed:



Schematic rules! Hit their site and support! Much love to Rom, Joe and the whole Schema fam!

December 2009 Mixtape

This mix consists mostly of things I've featured here on the site before. I thought it would be nice to do a quick review of the year's posts for anyone who doesn't dig through every single one. There are a few new tracks in here, but they all relate back to things previously featured here.

I've got a lot of stuff planned for January and I've got my interview wish list all set up, so there will be a lot of stuff coming up soon! On top of that, I'm looking into writing a book, albeit a short one. I've got a few projects in mind that could be very big, but that short book would be the starting point. I'll say more when there is more to say :). For now, enjoy the mix and have a Happy New Year!


The Unheard Music - December 2009 Mixtape

01 Lou Reed - Metal Machine Music (excerpt)
My love of this album may be questioned by some, but I swear it's legitimate. For those that would rather not give it a full listen (or download), here is thirty seconds to either whet your appetite or confirm your fears.

02 Queen - Tie Your Mother Down (Trent Reznor Remix)
Shoulda woulda coulda been released, but it was done for Hollywood Records, and we know how creatively open-minded Disney generally is.

03 Juliana Hatfield - Mountains Of Love
In a perfect world, God's Foot would be available at the very least for download via Amazon or iTunes. On top of that, Juliana Hatfield would get the credit she's due.

04 Crustified Dibbs - Every Record Label Sucks Dick
I wouldn't say EVERY record label, but I know what Dibbs aka R.A. The Rugged Man is saying.

05 Miles Davis - Untitled Original 760330a (Unheard Edit)
This is my own little concoction. I didn't do much to the original sources, just a little snip towards the end of one take and the beginning of the other to put them together. They simply felt far too short on their own. Miles plays organ on this one but no horn. By the way, there will be another Miles post in the near future, but it'll focus on a significant point a little earlier in his career.

06 Team Sleep - Natalie Portman
I wish Team Sleep releases weren't nearly as infrequent as they are, but I'm glad to have their self-titled and unreleased Lovers albums. Awesomely mellow track that doesn't seem to have anything to do with the awesome Natalie Portman.

07 John Oswald - dab
This is the original version of dab from the plunderphonic album. This also includes that album's short intro, btls.

08 Soul Coughing - A Murder Of Lawyers
Great leftover from early in the Cough's career. Good for showing off their less-than-friendly side.

09 Takeshi Muto - Ntak
Romulo Del Castillo and the Schematic crew are in the house!

10 Resident Alien - Ooh The Dew Doo Man
Prince Paul is on my interview wish list. I wouldn't say the Resident Alien album is as good as the De La Soul albums of the same era, but it deserves to be heard and is just as essential. Russell Simmons is why it'll probably never get an official release.

11 Beastie Boys - And What You Give Is What You Get
I don't know that I'll get to talk to The Dust Brothers or Matt Dike any time soon, but they're on that wish list too. As much as I want to talk with EZ Mike and King Gizmo, Matt Dike is the least publicly known and that's simply a crime. There will be a post of some of his best available tracks sometime soon.

12 Prince - Batdance (Original Version)
I think this is the third time I've posted this track. On top of that, this is yet another version from a different source. All the same though, I'll never get tired of this one and it's just another example of how brilliant Prince used to be. Yeah, I said used to, what you gonna do about it?

13 Jungle Brothers - Troopin' On The Down Lo
Goddamnit I want this album to get an official release! The full album isn't as crazy as this track, but it's so deserving to be heard. Props to Skiz, Dan LeRoy, Matt Stein (for that single conversation), David Williams (waiting for that response man! please come through!) and everyone else who has helped me in my search for more details about the lost gem that is Crazy Wisdom Masters!

14 The KLF - What Time Is Love? (The Moody Boys vs. The KLF)
I'd love to write a book about The KLF, but I'd be more than happy to simply read one. These guys are so insanely wonderful. If you're unfamiliar, find the ridiculously large posts I did about them for, in my opinion, a pretty good overview of their career, albeit far from complete.

15 Outro (More Metal Machine Music)
'Nuff said.

September 2009 Mixtape: Summer Ending Sucks

The title of this months tape sums things up pretty well if I do say so myself. Summer this year felt like a blur and it wasn't ever really warm in Ohio, at least not for too long. It's depressing, and it's gonna get cold, and that just sucks. Last year around this time I made a really upbeat mix for myself that kept me entertained for a while, but I feel a little grumpier this year, so this month you get a grimy, dark and funky mix. That said, it might not be the most uplifting thing, but it's certainly entertaining, especially if you like noisy moments! Enjoy!


The Unheard Music - September 2009 Mixtape: Summer Ending Sucks

01 Boards Of Canada - Powerline Misfortune
This is an unreleased track from BOC's Old Tunes, Vol. 2 cassette. It wasn't supposed to see the light of day but someone leaked this tape and two others putting around four hours of early BOC stuff out on the internet. It's not all prime stuff, but it's all interesting. This track, in particular, is rather dark and eerie.

02 Dan The Automator - Bear Witness III (Once Again) (MVO Re-Edit By Starchild Excalibur)
I was asked about Dan's unreleased album Omakase recently and was sad to report there isn't much to report. Bear Witness III was scheduled for the album and was released in advance, but it's not that great a track. This Re-Edit by Starchild Excalibur is kinda rare though as it appeared on a promo-only 12" issued by MCA. I'm guessing that MVO stands for My Very Own. This version doesn't save the original by any stretch, but it's a fun mix to listen to. Play this in your car with the windows down if it's still warm and sunny!

03 The Bird and The Bee - Birds and The Bees
You've probably heard this band on Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice or similar programs. Don't let that sway you, they're still very good. Greg Kurstin, a member of Geggy Tah, does most of the music and production while Inara George, daughter of Lowell George of Little Feet fame, writes lyrics, plays various instruments and uses that hypnotic voice of hers to charm down the heavens. This isn't a happy song, but it is beautiful. Perfect fall music.

04 Black Dice - Smiling Off (DFA Remix)
Black Dice are typically classified as a noise group. That's probably fair and they don't seem bothered by it. For reasons unclear to me, they were on the DFA Records roster, home to LCD Soundsystem, The Juan MacLean, Delia & Gavin and other non-noise inspired artists. Even more interesting, apparently EMI, after signing a distribution deal with DFA, decided that Black Dice should be promoted like they were the next big thing! Now, signing Black Dice to a unique indie that doesn't necessarily share their musical stylings, that's one thing, but expecting a noise group to blow up in the mainstream is simply crazy! That said, EMI pushed and some incredible remixes for their single, Smiling Off, were produced by Luomo, ZZ Pot and the DFA themselves. Luomo and ZZ Pot's mixes take the track further out into the weirdness, but the DFA make it kinda danceable! Prepare to have your mind blown at the prospect of a disco noise record!

05 Mira Calix - Humba
This track, off of Mira's Ilanga 10", came up in conversation when I was talking to Rom from Schematic. Both sides of this record are polar opposites, this being the noisy one, and the B-Side being the peaceful, eerie, ambient one. Beautiful record that is kinda slept on. Rom said that Mira cited a strong Ken Nordine influence in these tracks, with the rhythmic, chant-like vocals being a strong sign. She's got a cover of Boards Of Canada's In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country on the forthcoming Warp20 box that I can't wait to hear, but if you like this you should go to Bleep NOW and purchase a download of Ilanga!

06 Boards Of Canada - 24
24 really isn't the name of this track, although no one knows what it's real name is. This appeared on another leaked cassette of early and unreleased BOC recordings. In this case, the tape is often referred to as Old Tunes, Vol. 1, but that is incorrect as the tape doesn't even have a name. It's now being referred to as the Random 35 Track Tape by fans. Recently, I saw someone had made a video for this using footage from an old film named King Of Jazz. The idea of white men dancing goofy and calling themselves "kings" of jazz is ridiculous, but it's a fun video nonetheless and the track is excellent! You can check it here.

07 Dynamix II - Feel The Bass
Old school classic jam! I hope to be talking to David Noller in the near future about what he's up to and there will be a post about it when that happens. Props to Rom for the connect!

08 Ice-T - The Girl Tried To Kill Me
More poetic subtlety from Ice-T. I had a girlfriend who thought this was the funniest shit she'd ever heard. Great track, all the way from the insane rap to the ridiculous eighties hair-metal guitars!

09 Takeshi Muto - Fuqpulga
This track has been an easy favorite for years. More props to Rom and Schematic. If you enjoy this, you have to get Expect More From A Past Life, a compilation of tracks Rom released as Takeshi and Metic. Very cerebral stuff.

10 Prince - Irresistible Bitch
I shouldn't have to say anything about Prince, but for the uninitiated, this is primal, primitive, electro-funk from the early eighties. This originally appeared as the B-Side on the 12" for Let's Pretend We're Married. Perfect match. Put this on and try not to dance. Now if only he had stayed this funky and energetic.

11 John Wesley Harding - When The Beatles Hit America (Original Version)
This originally appeared on the fourth entry into Sire Records' Just Say Yes sampler series, Just Say Da. Kinda prophetic, seriously funny and, despite the jokes having aged, still insanely entertaining. John tells us, talking blues style, the story of a then yet-to-happen Beatles reunion and the ensuing chaos, all circa 1991. This was actually re-recorded for the reissue of John's New Deal album, but this is the superior version.

12 Steely Dan - Green Earrings
I've run into a lot of people who don't like Steely Dan. That's fine, as I've always felt you either got them or you didn't. This track, though, should be considered a genuine work of genius. The Dan, despite primarily being a studio based group of constantly changing session musicians, always sounded relaxed, funky and in the zone. This track is no exception, and may be the pinnacle of their abilities. I always think of this as money making music. They just sound like they're having the time of their lives and raking it in too. There will be a small post about this track in the near future, but it's contents will remain a secret for the time being.

13 Nazz - Open My Eyes
Proto-pop-punk-rock stuff from Todd Rundgren and crew. Not too much to say about this, just a really great song.

14 Sheila E. - La Vida Glamarosa (The Glamorous Life)
This is a Latin percussion-fueled take on The Glamorous Life from Sheila's unreleased album, Fe. I'm not going to say too much about this here because I will be featuring that album in a post in the near future. For now, enjoy!

15 Failure - Small Crimes
Ken Andrews and Greg Edwards are geniuses. I love all their stuff, but their 1994 album, Magnified, is my favorite. Ridiculously heavy and gloomy, it sounds like the soundtrack to clinical depression. It all culminates with Small Crimes, the darkest and heaviest track on the album, with it's chunky guitars and slower-than-death crawl. Oh, how I LOVE this track and this album! I'd post it here but you can still get it digitally. I don't want to misrepresent the album because it isn't this heavy throughout, but that's not saying it doesn't rock, so go to Amazon or iTunes, listen to some samples and decide if this darkness is strong enough for you!

16 Autechre - Zurich 2001
This was a bonus track on the Japanese edition of Autechre's Untilted album. I'm assuming this is a live excerpt from Zurich in 2001. Who woulda guessed? This sounds like an old Chevy Nova and a Pac-Man machine got together, had violent, painful sex and rode each other raw until they fell apart. Brilliant!