funky house sceptics, let me draw your attention to this

yeah that ill blu set is more than a little bit excellent

some terrific ill blu stuff on their own recent shows as well: a hilariously furious overdriven grime hoover one (which would be fun enough already if it didnt also have a drop into complete and utter MAYHEM)

I haven't listened to the 12 October set yet but if this is what I think it is and also was on the 21 September set then yes it's AMAZING.

They really seem, consciously or otherwise, to be moving into the space that big-room electrohouse found itself in mid-2004 - huge, ravey, overdriven bombastic tracks that eat you alive.

Yes, it's this line (the space between "Meltdown" and the Roll Deep remixes, basically) that I find most interesting in their work.

rankin was on top form the whole show really - who else would try out some new humble god-praising bars and then think out loud "hmm those might need a bit of lubrication". hero obv.

Adding Shantie to the show has had the unexpected effect of making me appreciate Rankin' more again, especially as he's added a few new bars recently. I like that there's (what deej might describe as) a fully-fledged persona that coalesces out of his swing between being an amoral sex machine and feeling guilt about it.

i done another aspie tracklist for that show earlier btw - probably most unnecessary but can put up if anyone really wants.

Please do, if it helps me ID one or two tracks it's appreciated.

yeah a tracklist would be grand

How long does that Ill Blu own-brand section last, incidentally? I have it going from 50mins through to about 1hr06 but then you get the Green Light instrumental and Time To Get Nasty a bit later.

Apparently (so sez dissensus) Funkystepz will be releasing "Fuller" b/w "Hurricane Riddim" on Hyperdub. Unbeatable combo IMO.

How long does that Ill Blu own-brand section last, incidentally? I have it going from 50mins through to about 1hr06 but then you get the Green Light instrumental and Time To Get Nasty a bit later.

I don't think there's a specific section as such: Ill Blu regularly play their own to other stuff in about a 2:1 mix and this set seems to be the same, there are Ill Blu tracks after "Time To Get Nasty" on there as well.

Great set...

dunno if rusty allen (or anyone else) has already heard this but i was just catching up with dj weeksey's most recent archived show and he played 'magaluf' as part of a most beguiling little triptych of minor devine collective solo cuts. i've chopped it out for posterity:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/82097616b8e1182b/

gather round children, it's the idm it's cool to like >:]

http://www.sendspace.com/file/81d289

found this bit of rubbish knocking around too.

G Smallz or someone needs to do an all Devine mix (Murdz' all-Murdz mixes don't count since he's clearly a lesser light vis a vis Mad one) - best way to build the Collective's rep IMO, if only because it knocks people over the head with the existence of an auteur-aesthetic who weren't sharp enough to see it previously.

Also, I should know this but what's the vocal tune near the beginning of the Ill Blu set that goes, "When I wake up in the morning there's a smile upon my face..." and then has the awesome cut-up vocal chorus?

here's that tracklist (couldn't be arsed with timestamps but you'll manage i'm sure.)

Marcus Nasty 20/10/10

??
Carnao Beats ft Teeboy & Kadey - Get Out
L-Vis 1990 - Reprise
?? [lil jazz number - heh only on this show would u ever hear this after what preceded <3]
Rudimental ft Adiyam & Shantie - Midnight Affair
Devine Collective - House Girls Part 8
?? [something in me is saying greyman...]
Chuck Dem Gee ft Roch'L Royale - Round & Round
?? [bah come the fuck on someone must know what this is]
Mercurial Myrmidon - Hey Bongo (Deep Mix)
MQ ft L.E.V - Can't See My Way Back
?? [super minimal bassline #]

--------------30 mins
Fuzzy Logik ft Jada Pearl - All My Love
Kyla - Don't Play With My Heart (Roska Remix)
Mak 10 - 24 Hours
Pioneer & Supa D - Congo Natty
Funk Butcher ft Shea Soul - Pull Me Close
??
Undisputed - Sunglasses (Andy Jay & S-Tee Remix)
Eastwood ft VeVe - Right There
Funkystepz - Fuller
?? [afric lurky bubbler / ye olde "hoold up" sample]
Screama ft Farah - I Can't Lose

-------------- 60mins
Magnum (from Aftershock) - ?
Naughty Raver ft Tribal Magz & Dymund - I Wish (aka Tears)
Bassboy - Drip (Remix)
?? [xylo bubbler]
Screama ft Justice - Tomboy
??
?? [bassline whomp-whomp crowdpleaser]
Funky Twinz ft Angel J - Smile
?? [scottie d?]
Mercurial Myrmidon - Pataptoon (Conga Mix)
?? [tarzan intro - xylo drop - luv this one!!]
Geeneus - Crackish
??
Smoove Kriminal - Stop Dat
DJ Mystery - Room 101

--------------- 90mins
?? [tim was right the first time - this one is extra awesome]
Live - Lion's Den
Hannah Liston - Explore Me (Naughty Raver Remix) (Marcus Special)
?? [bassline]
Bassboy ft Marcus Nasty - Shut Up
Naughty Raver ft Kaysee - Show Me
?? [bah come on someone must know what this pt 2]
Screama ft Farah - Give It To Me [lolz rankin]
?? - Sounds Of The Future

?? [bah come the fuck on someone must know what this is]

Funkystepz, but I can't remember what it's called.

Fuzzy Logik ft Jada Pearl - All My Love

LOVING this at the moment.

Screama ft Justice - Tomboy

?? [bah come on someone must know what this pt 2]

Is this Madfingers? I forget.

?? - Sounds Of The Future

by Lewi White.

This too.

?? [tarzan intro - xylo drop - luv this one!!]

And this.

Weird that's all out of order.

FIXED:

Screama ft Justice - Tomboy

This too.

?? [tarzan intro - xylo drop - luv this one!!]

and this.

?? [bah come on someone must know what this pt 2]

Is this Madfingers? I forget.

?? - Sounds Of The Future

by Lewi White.

xp yes i was thinking that too about a devine mix, although part of me does rather enjoy the mystery gangsta (and the implicit fuck you to self-advertising networky entrepreneurialism i like to map onto it, natch).

also thought similarly about murdz but the ill blu-approved 'dem rasta ways dere' and indeed 'house girls 86' on that weeksey segment have me reconsidering the assumed devine balance of power somewhat.

I haven't been keeping up with funky house all year. What's really good?

your lewi white thing is just cos shants gave him a shout out during the tune right? not rubber-stamping that.

UK Funky 2010 Half Year Report: What's Really Good

Of course I've got enough (incl. youtube links) for a part two now.

your lewi white thing is just cos shants gave him a shout out during the tune right? not rubber-stamping that.

okay fair enough but it seemed tied into the track and it's not like shantie calling out lou, my sons, my daughter.

i was very close to accepting it if it's any consolation! (rankin shouted out some random misleading bloke's name at the start of both 'lions den' reloads otoh though for instance.)

on the earlier subject of funkystepz i would imagine they have material for another hyperdub 12" in 'shocker' and 'warrior', both new stormers from their latest sets. (warrior is a 'spells of yoruba' interpolation iirc.) since this is ilm however i will laud their choice remix of esthero's 'bitch' instead. it is lovely and radiant.

Yes must get onto the Funkystepz set. I am hard up against my monthly bandwidth limit though :-(

monthly...bandwidth... limit? good lord i don't even want to imagine.

here's the esthero remix if it's any help:
http://www.zshare.net/audio/82099988d786bcb4/

Thanks, Tim. Lol at us using the exact same phrase.

i've been jamming only ill blu, thanks to tim

to rtc: cheers, will check when I get home.

What i like about the "Fuller" / "Hurricane Riddim" choice (and this may apply to the new tracks you refer to as well, haven't heard them yet I don't think) is that they combine what is great about Funkystepz and what is necessary for a Hyperdub release without any compromise.

Like, "Hurricane Riddim" is very stern and dramatic and post-grime and "hey look at me i iz very syncopated not house at all" and yet for all that (or even because of all that) it still retains that quintessentially Funkystepz brand of technicolour ridiculousness which is central to at least 80% of their good tunes and is a large part of their appeal for me.

(also both tunes work without MCs as well as with, which sadly wasn't quite the case with "Different Lekstrix" IMO - and that's the most comparable prior "funky anthem makes good on respected label" release I can think of)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJNXXuAxkfk

geeneus what have you done!!!!!

oh i see it's already on rolling pop. wait does this not sound to anyone else a lot worse than the radio rip from time ago? and not just cos it's pitched down.

viz: http://www.zshare.net/audio/76193020824a7b5f/

thx for the line up rtc. the final version of 'lights on' is way worse than the radio rip :x.and to think that it was my most anticipated album in 2010...(after 'katy on a mission', 'louder' and this one, that feeling has just faded)

That Esthero remix is awesome! Surprisingly pretty.

lions den. massive.

loving the 'esthero' rmx, as well.

It's now been posted (in full and high quality) on fact. I'll add the link when I get home.

It is SO FUCKING AWESOME.

http://www.factmag.com/2010/10/29/download-a-new-funkystepz-dubplate-their-remix-of-esthos-bitch/

Also the funkystepz tune from the last marcus set that rtc did the tracklist for is "Rhythm Storm".

gorgeous track. i checked out the original (dunno who "estho" is meant to be) and it's almost kind of a shame they bothered admitting it - literally just the 4 seconds of vocal snatch and murmur and the music is totally new. might've had another hyperdub 12 out of it if they'd called it 'expired applecare' or something...

zzzzzzz btw 'for u' is still out on the 7th, the 'sounds of malibu' ep (ft 'whispers' & 'leave with you' among others) is out on the 22nd, and 'lovers' sometime in 2011 if i heard him right zzzzzzz

Didn't Esthero used to be some sort of trip hop outfit about 10 years ago?

Great news re future releases. No one in the world is better placed than them to do an album right now, they're so spoil for choice in terms of balancing vocal tracks, bangers and curios.

In other news everyone needs to go by the Mike Delinquent Project remix of KCat's "Epileptic":

http://www.junodownload.com/products/epileptic/1638310-02/

Unexpectedly, "Epileptic" appears actually to be about living with epilepsy.

Tune is really good though, should appeal to anyone into Funkystepz' fruitier, bassline-influenced efforts.

leaving aside all issues except aesthetic ... how is that soul jazz tracklisting? i've only dipped my toes in funky and i've never got very deep (loathed the marcus nasty and supa d mix CDs for rinse) but like grime i can enjoy it in small doses (2-3 tracks at a time, very much enjoy when post-dubstep DJs dip into funky) and was wondering whether this would be an appropriate sampler.

If you most enjoy funky when played by post dubstep djs, then, uh, yeah, probably.

r u ready for my lyrical power
lyrical shower

yeah, i like my roska and i like my "rass out" but i'm a bit on the fence about your crazy cousins and lil silvas

on the earlier subject of funkystepz i would imagine they have material for another hyperdub 12" in 'shocker' and 'warrior', both new stormers from their latest sets. (warrior is a 'spells of yoruba' interpolation iirc.)

Okay so "Warrior" is stomping genius. Naughty Raver called and wants his groove back though. "Shocker" a bit more orthodox "hard" funky but still quality.

But what I really want to ID from that Funkystepz set is that "In My System" tune at about 85 minutes. Slamming!

last night's vaunted mc sesh was pretty dry i thought.... like they came in a bit bigheaded and the set never really took off save from whenever topsee touched mic and the last 20 minutes maybe. not sure any of these types of sets have hit the heights of the first one with viper, sharky p etc.

a more specific problem than the new breed needing to show some decorum, show some class however was the generally uninspired mixing, far too submissive in simply facilitating a platform for the mcs. very much bore the point home (that i think tim might have already made sometime during the blackdown "too tracky" fiasco over on the other place) about how it's the intense dancehall-style quick mix deejay skillset that really defines what's best in funky far more so than the individual tracks played in succession.

this is probably gonna be a little overstated by the frustrated meh hangover but i might speculate it could be getting to the stage now where funky's umbilical connection to house is starting to feel the strain, becoming a noose around its neck even. with the boom in new young "proper funky" uk producers since 2008 it's now entirely possible - in someone like smoove kriminal's sets for instance (however much i enjoy them) - to have a kind of an inversion of funky's roots where it's possible to play a set of bona fide all-uk cuts mixed in a sequential standardised house fashion rather than in terms of the ardkore mixing style and outrageous contextual bricolage that once necessarily dictated how regular house tunes could adopt a uk flava. (already i find myself more drawn to the younger dj's who are coming to funky from a more general urban lineage, like dj nate or greyman or whatever, than the housier ones hedging their bets like ma1).

i'm not saying that GARAGE WILL/SHOULD/MUST/ NOW MUTATE INTO 2STEP or anything but i do get a growing feeling sometimes than the footloosian "just house innit" gestation period is perhaps coming to an end, and that either something will happen or nothing will - in the best and worst way respectively.

haha xp'd with tim's humbling positivity goddamnit!

That set's with Supa D on the decks as well isn't it? Not the most exciting of choices really (for all that I prefer him to MA1).

Haven't downloaded the set let alone listened to it, but as a general rule my favourite sets are really rapidfire, lurching, the interplay between softer and harder beats, vocal tunes and instrumentals (the irony being that once they actually become self-consciously "eclectic" I get turned off). I assume this is along the lines of what you're talking about.

In particular (as I tried to discuss throughout the fiasco) the radicalism of the tune-collisions, the creation of mythical beasts out of rhythms dueling with and vibing off one another. Which is something that all prior hardcore genres have done to varying extents but which I think funky has really particularly excelled at, perhaps even made into its own little raison d'être (for good and for ill: remove it and it's like removing a vital organ, for all that the tunes themselves are still present and correct).

What this means for the future I don't know. I tend to think dancehall remains the most constructive "what would jesus do" point of comparison for funky, and what strikes me is that dancehall was at its most vibrant and vibey when you had that combination of tunes drawing sounds from all over the place while using them for emphatically dancehall ends (that is: cranking out riddims unashamedly).

Where producers like Ill Blu and Funkystepz* both "go right" is in being sonically ecumenical while (most of the time) using that pop-genre-scavenger approach to make tunes that in terms of underlying structure and (perhaps more importantly) basic function are none-more-funky. Funky swiping from bassline is, in this regard, a bit like dancehall using bhangra/desi motifs.

What can detract slightly from, say, the Smoove Kriminal dj approach at times (and it's true of a whole host of lesser producers posting their tunes on uk funky) is the preponderance of a certain house-allied organicism, such that the tunes signify an anti-ruffness even when all the funky elements have been accounted for - moreover, they don't signify "melting pot" in the same way.

I much prefer housey signifiers to be deployed as a kind of novelty, in much the same way as you still had "proper" reggae tunes sneaking into dancehall sets even at their most outre. Tunes like "Wind Storm" (where did I get "Rhythm Storm" from??) or that jazzy one you like rtc are good examples of this.

(*devine collective too but more subtly)

not that i disagree at all, but it's probably worth making the minor clarification that i was talking about the more general helter-skelter style of utilitarian dancehall mixing (mak 10ish, if you like) whereas you've built on it further in taking the perspective of the more kaleidoscopic 2003-06 dancehall era, which in addition to its combinatorial possiblities is also representative of funky's elastic boundaries on an internalised track by track basis. (ie was thinking about it in the wake of a mc set so i didnt have the interplay angle toppermost in my mind.)

also that 'in my system' tune is the funkystepz mix of the same-titled tinchy stryder & jodie connor song, you've probably since gathered. remains unreleased afaik.

quite like the sound of the crafty little "drop the bomb baby" track briefly at 28mins on their 29th october set (the one coming after 'bad girl'.)

updated repost of the three marcus show tracklists i've done, couple of recent discoveries in there for the nerds

8th September

20th October

27th October

DJ Naughty - 1Xtra Guest Mix 2-11-2010

DJ Naughty - Untitled
DJ Naughty - Untitled
DJ Naughty - Don't Refuse it
LR Groove - Childs Play
Bait Trouble - Body Language (DJ Naughty Remix)
Mischief Makers - Play My Game (DJ Naughty Remix)
DJ Naughty - 5th Gear
Crazy Cousinz - Bongo Jam (DJ Naughty Remix)
Tim Deluxe - It Just Won't Do (DJ Naughty Remix)
DJ Naughty - Get Down (feat. Song Bird)
DJ Naughty - Rat Race

thanks rtc!

not that i disagree at all, but it's probably worth making the minor clarification that i was talking about the more general helter-skelter style of utilitarian dancehall mixing (mak 10ish, if you like) whereas you've built on it further in taking the perspective of the more kaleidoscopic 2003-06 dancehall era, which in addition to its combinatorial possiblities is also representative of funky's elastic boundaries on an internalised track by track basis. (ie was thinking about it in the wake of a mc set so i didnt have the interplay angle toppermost in my mind.)

Yeah I recognised that these are separate points - I guess sometimes I feel like, and this is surprising to me actually, that there's very few ways in which (esp. that era of) dancehall is not a good influence on or model for funky. Not in the literal sense of Heatwave stuff - though that's fine too - but on a more submerged logic-of-the-music level.

Like, when Blackdown was complaining on dissensus that the emphasis on mixability in funky comes at the expense of full-fledged productions, I just think back to 2003 dancehall which was one of the most sonically rich purple patches I can think of, one that got me as invested in productions-as-productions as anything has, and yet was even more functional and short-attention-spannish.

And more generally I just think dancehall gets all the relevant balances in the same way: discrete "songs" submerging into a party flow, that tension between the producer, singer, MC/deejay and DJ.