Ata Kak

Some fierce voguing excellence from Awesome Tapes From Africa.

This is what your parents were doing while you were a baby, y'know.

Also, let's take a second to break down how forward thinking a lot of the fashion choices in this thang are. Take the woman at 0:45 for example - I very rarely see people pull off coordination and look so damn clean while doing it. Same goes for the juking gentleman following her.

Everyone who's into throwing on so many different colours that they look like the hangover shit of a unicorn, please reform your style accordingly.

Still can't say that I'm feeling the dress shirt & jean jacket combination that comes later on though. No thanks guys.

(Cough, keep in mind that you're reading "fashion advice" from an often sub-par dressed white dude from the burbs...)

Snap! It's....

Beck "Lawrence from Euphoria" ft Wilco& Fiest
(Skip Spence Cover)

Jam session to witness, in person, before death...

Fatboy Slim & David Byrne "Dancing Together"
ft. Sharon Jones

David Byrne has, once again, updated his colorful website with new streaming music off his latest collaborative project with Fatboy Slim, a concept album about the life of the first Lady of the Phillipines, Imelda Marcos.

On this latest track, the duo recruited vocal powerhouse Sharon Jones to portray Lady Marcos in the telling of the story when “Imelda takes her first trip abroad as first lady and has a great time. She hangs out with celebrities, socialites, and old East Coast money,” as Byrne puts it.

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings "I Learned The Hard Way"

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings will be releasing a new album, I Learned the Hard Way, on April 6th and they are giving away the album’s title track for your listening pleasure.

Like most of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings’ increasingly impressive and consistent body of work, “I Learned The Hard Way” finds a unique and special way to combine huge horns and Sharon Jones’ massive voice with one of R&B and soul’s most discussed topics, without making it sound redundant. Click Here to listen/download.

Quadron "Pressure"

There’s something… something to be said about the sense of recognition and knowing you sometimes experience when listening to a song for the first time. While rock critics and music bloggers laud and yearn for the unknown, the innovative and cutting edge, the sense of instant relate-ability and reliability is often taken for granted, or worse yet, mistaken for convention and derivation. Just wanted to plant that little seed in your brain before introducing you to this sweet, sweet winter gem.

With bass lines reminiscent of those reinforcing tracks sung by a Knowles sister and a voice delicate enough to draw Lykke Li comparisons and commanding enough to draw Chrisette Michele comparisons, Denmark’s Quadron fell from the sky sounding like an eclectic mix of the songstresses that allow me to sleep soundly at night. Their self-titled debut album was released to iTunes on January 26th. The album will be out March 23rd everywhere else. Here's the video to my favorite song off their album so far:

Band Of Skulls

Band of Skulls - I Know What I Am from Shangri-La Music on Vimeo.

Who: Band of Skulls, a British trio whose shit-kicking, bare-bones brand of gritty rock & roll earned them a spot on the Twilight movie, New Moon.

Sounds Like: White Stripes fans will dig Band of Skulls’ swampy, heavily blues-influenced jams, especially the psychedelic stomp of “Light of the Morning” and the hard-charging “I Know What I Am.” But these guys aren’t just blues-rock formalists: they occasionally veer into complex prog-rock territory on tracks like the sprawling, appropriately-titled “Impossible.” “That song was definitely a breakthrough for us,” says singer-guitarist Russell Marsden. “We realized we can make a wider, more epic version of our sound. [Drummer] Matt [Hayward] came up with the guitar hook, this lovely and complex finger-picking pattern. But I just dumbed it down.”

Vital Stats:

• Singer-bassist Emma Richardson is a obsessive record collector — she’s amassed thousands of albums over the years. “I have a big old wall full of them,” she says. “Even thought it’s not in any order, I know where everything is.” Favorite album? Tom Waits 2004 LP Real Gone. “I listen to it at least once a week,” she says. “It kicks ass.”

• Band of Skulls cut their debut, Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, at Radiohead’s old studio in Oxfordshire, which was a huge thrill for the band — even if Radiohead only use it as a storage space nowadays. “They just keep their awards and gold records there,” says Marsden. “But it was still inspiring for us to be around the stuff of our favorite band from Britain.”

• Band of Skulls were shocked to hear that Twilight producers wanted to include the track “Friends” on the soundtrack to the movie, alongside heavy-hitters like Death Cab for Cutie, Thom Yorke and the Killers. And not because it would offer them huge exposure — the song that’s included is a rough-hewn cut they didn’t intend to send out. “When we sent out this CD, it had this extra song on it from our sessions, which we were unaware of,” says Marsden. “And they came back to use and asked for that track and we were like, ‘How the hell did they have it?’”

Band of Skulls - "Cold Fame" (Live at The Troubadour in Los Angeles 12-11-09) from WorldofConcerts on Vimeo.

Words by Kevin O'Donnell
from

Ready Set - The Candidacy Mix

Ready Set - The Candidacy Mix

In an attempt to do whatever it takes to win the mayoral campaign for smoke town Brad Higham aka Ready Set is taking it the web (which is like the new 'streets'). Beginning with a highly publicized campaign poster on www.somepicturesofmyfriends.blogspot.com and now releasing his candidacy mix on Jerk Slow / Move Fast (follow the link above)... one can only wonder how many cigarettes Luke Sheldrick will have to smoke to keep Mr. Ready Set off his sassy little heels... I guess only time will reveal who will win this battle of the titans.

wait&see

Big up to John & the Guelph Connection

Alexander McQueen

"The news that Alexander McQueen has killed himself is particularly devastating because it always felt to me like he’d be the last man standing. He was restless, but so pragmatic with it I assumed he had what it took to endure the extreme situations he placed himself in. He was also an arch romantic with a pessimistic streak. It produced some of the most beautiful, shocking images in the history of fashion, but it’s a state of mind that can lead to endless disappointments. The death of McQueen’s mother last week would have validated his pessimism. It would undoubtedly have taken away his most vital support. It’s awful to imagine him trying—and failing—to cope, and one can only hope that, if he was looking for peace, he found it. For everyone left behind, there will eventually be consolation, however scant right now, in a body of work whose power will never die."

—Tim Blanks

**The images above are from his final women’s runway show, held in October 2009. The collection, according to press, "was casting an apocalyptic forecast of the future ecological meltdown of the world.”***

No Longer about 'Music'

MTV changed its logo for the first time in roughly 30 years on Monday.

It was a minor change with major symbolism. The network -- known more for its scripted reality show programming these days than the music videos and industry it revolutionized -- dropped the “Music Television” tagline from the Frank Olinsky-designed original.

With the new look, MTV had those “Jersey Shore”-watching millennials in mind. Via the press release:

“It represents a new visually defined MTV, stimulating its past, present and future and embracing its diversity. Everything from Jersey Shore, to the VMAs to collaborations with the MoMA. The logo is part of MTV’s re-invention to connect with today’s millennial generation and bring them in as part of the channel.”

And with that, “Music Television” can officially rest in peace.

HypeBeast

Tom Ford Eyewear 2010 Spring Campaign

Clearly pushing his career to the next level British actor Nicholas Hoult is the star of Tom Ford’s new campaign. Assisted by the alluring veteran model Carolyn Murphy, the “Single Man” presents the acclaimed designer’s latest collection of eyewear. Ford himself went behind the lenses for this campaign to grace his creations with artistic shots.

Rock Candy x Chouette
"Beauty & the Beast" Watch Collection

Two emerging accessories brands out of Hong Kong, Rock Candy and Chouette have recently come together to create a two-pack of watches dubbed the “Beauty & The Beast” collection. The watch set is the first of three product launches as it embodies the polar opposite representations of each respective brand. The “BEAUTY” BLK EDITION features a a minimlaistic black case with a full Pave dial and 502 black CRYSTALLIZED Swarovski Elements while the “BEAST” BLK EDITION is done in completely in black except for the hot pink hands.

Lacoste Red! 2010 Spring/Summer Collection

Lacoste welcomes its Red! Collection for Spring/Summer 2010. Red! is aimed at the brand’s more youthful audience, presented only at selected boutiques. Lacoste Red! is highlighting the “Comics” theme, inspired by American fantasy heroes such as Superman and Spiderman, while using graphic touches which evoke the theme. Very poppy and graphic, stripes have a hand drawn aspect while colors are underlined in black or white.

Via: HypeBeat

There is a God....

Pussy Kitchen Remix Competition Update

So if you don’t already know, Jerk Slow / Move Fast’s ‘Pussy Kitchen’ remix competition is well under its way. If you haven’t already heard this deadly collaboration between Sassy Mouth and the Bow Wow Dawgs… you can download the original HERE. If you’re a confirmed or potential competitor, here’s an update on the final deadline and a general summary of the rules:

Final Deadline for submission is February 21st 2010

- All additional sounds/samples are welcomed except original vocals

- One remix submission per artist

- All remixes must be submitted to jerkslowmovefast@gmail.com, be sure to included your name/group, your remix title, where your from, and any other information you see fit

- After all the remixes are submitted and posted, we will begin a voting period which will last until March 1st

A package containing all the samples from the original 'Pussy Kitchen' track are being hosted by Tyrannosaurus Records [T-RECS] at http://www.justabeauty.com/audio/pussyKitchen/


The remixes have started coming in, so keep your eyes open for a couple releases leading up to the final deadline...

Hatiras Interview

We recently had the opportunity to interview Hatiras, leading up to his show in Guelph, to talk about topics such as fashion, vinyl and touring . The night itself exceeded my expectations with an impressive roster of openers, majestic lights and non stop ravers! Hatiras + Fiance were absolute charmers and down to earth. It was a privilege to meet both and if you ever get a chance to go see him, don't miss the opportunity. For more pics from the night check out Fresh Media's Site.

1) I noticed your bright frames have become your go to fashion accessory and trademark as of late. How did this relationship develop?

Haha that’s funny. Well I never really thought of them as a trademark but I have worn them on a few occasions at shows in Guelph, Japan and Burning Man. Maybe they should become a trademark...
The whole sunglasses thing, which I will not take complete credit for, came to me when my fiancee and I started a strong friendship with a crew of magical Newfoundlanders that ride unicorns, live under a neon rainbow in a colored house and worship a massive Christmas tree - except that it isn’t a Christmas tree - and they don’t really “worship” it - nonetheless, it’s a tree decorated with 100’s rare and colorful sunglasses. Through this friendship I was allowed to pluck a few pairs of sunglasses from the tree - and then inspired to commence my very own collection of cheap, cheesy yet magical shades. Hence the yellow and black frameless pair you speak of.

2) When I first started listening to your mixes I did a little research and found out that you’ve been involved with house music pretty much your whole life. More specifically I always found it interesting how you used to be a rave promoter/host/MC. How did this background influence your career as a DJ?

To be honest I started as a DJ first. I was twelve, and I recorded music from the radio onto my boombox double tape deck - of course this was in the 80s when house music was in its infancy. I passed the tapes along to friends, family and the occasional stranger. Soon I was known as the handsome little kid who was a little too obsessive about spreading electronic music.

Years later I decided to throw my own parties. My rave company was called Liquid Adrenaline and it grew to attract thousands at each event. I did this to spread my love for the music even further. Eventually, due to years of chronic exposure to the music I caught a disease called making-music-itis. After releasing a few singles on Chicago based International House Records (IHR) I decided I was ready to play my own music to a crowd. So I started out by doing live performances at my own events, as well as at smaller shows nearby. This generally consisted of trucking my entire studio into a venue and working with analog equipment on the fly.
Soon after, I was lucky enough in that my third record was a massive international hit (“Spaced Invader”). At that time, the requests to tour globally came pouring in so fervently that I decided to make DJing and producing my number one priority. I continued to throw events for a couple more years but things got really tough with promoting in the early 2000s that I decided to finally pack up my promoters hat and move full steam ahead with DJing and producing. I haven’t looked back since.

3) When considering your role as one of Canada’s premiere DJs and the owner of two record labels, you have no doubt benefited from ‘electro’s’ rise in popularity. Although house and electronic music have always had a loyal following on a smaller scale, it has now garnered mainstream recognition in North America and become a source of inspiration for a great deal of Top 40 acts. Why do you think house / electronic music is finally enjoying such unprecedented success in North America?

House and electronic music have always been popular to those in the know. But, before the Internet, the massive labels would invest money in flashy videos and well-groomed boy bands to confuse the youth into believing that the music they were selling was good. Now, with the rise of the Internet, music has become democratized again. People have access to listen to the music they truly like, and not only to the music they are fed. The statistics online are undeniable. People flock to places like Beatport to buy the latest electronic beats. Youtube videos of electronic music are everywhere. DJs all over the world are posting their mixes online. The major labels are recognizing this undeniable momentum and, many of them are changing their strategies to try to tap into that market by hiring underground DJ/producers to make beats for their pop acts. To a degree, it is exposing the music to a larger audience. But, as usual, the pop world is generally well behind the fast evolving, cutting edge underground.

4) MC Flipside has made a name for himself both as a ‘hip-house’ MC [ala his ‘Hi Friend’ collaboration with Deadmau5] and a DJ in his own right. When playing with Flipside onstage, do you aim to create a more old-school drum and bass vibe or simply approach it as two DJs joining forces and take from there?

I’ve known MC Flipside for over 15 years now. Strangely enough, growing up mostly in Toronto we both have very similar influences in music. We both appreciate drum & bass, classic house, soulful garage and nasty electro. Because of that, working with him isn’t really work. We have an absolute blast on stage together and the crowd feels that. We don’t need to plan things - we may take turns DJing, he may be on the mic most of the time, heck, I may even get on the mic. The best description of what one of our shows together is like would be: a voyage of chaotic happiness (with flawless mixing, programming and lyricism of course) ;)

5) Due to the technology associated with DJing that has been developed over the past decade, collecting vinyl is no longer an occupational necessity. In response to this trend, have you started buying records more suitable for personal enjoyment?

I no longer purchase vinyl to DJ with. But I will occasionally hunt for old and rare vinyl to either draw inspiration from, or, to steal a few samples from (which I would then mangle and mutate in the studio so much that nobody would even know where it’s from). I do most of my DJ shopping at Beatport and check all the charts, as well as follow producers I like. I also play quite a lot of my own material and receive more promos and demos per day than I know what to do with. In terms of recent playlists - I just delved back into listening to Daft Punk’s classic “Homework” album. I think that a lot of those funky, disco-ey yet bangin’ sounds are going to be big again in 2010.

6) What’s your average annual touring schedule composed of as an internationally renowned House DJ?

Some DJs boast about doing 300 shows a year. That may work for them, but to me, that would cause a massive imbalance in my life. I like to pick and choose my shows and balance between touring, producing music, playing video games, bumming around, hanging with friends and family and catering to my cat. My schedule is hectic enough as it is doing anywhere from 3-8 shows a month. Any more and it starts to get really unhealthy for me. I love doing what I do, but I want to live well into my old age as well. In terms of favorite spots: well, recently I’ve noticed a really great, up and coming vibe in places like Texas (Mcallen, Laredo, El Paso, etc.), Newfoundland and Guelph. Other cities like Tokyo, Toronto, Los Angeles, etc. are already quite established but there is something special about a city where the scene is just exploding.

Make sure to keep posted with all of my music releases, weekly radio show, upcoming tour dates and tour galleries at Hatiras.com - thanks for the love :)