Allen’s Bina

The duo individually known as Diplo and Switch collectively bring the best of each to the studio as Major Lazer. One part saxon soundsystem and one part Ibiza, the album offers a new style that will soon be copied by everyone else in the scene. Don’t be surprised when you start seeing DJs backspinning their records and playing them from the beginning in 6 months. The astute DJ will be on the next style by then.

It’ s important to understand the individual ingredients to best taste the final product. Diplo is arguably the best DJ’s DJ, by which I mean his song selection, his mixing techniques, his production and ear for new sounds is exceptional, but may not be realized by the untrained ear. When mashups became high fahion, he went was already throwing in different electro sounds and off beat rock and ska sounds into his mixes. It seems as though he’s so far ahead of his time that when you first listen to his mix, you are immediately blown away by the creativity and begin the search to find the songs in his mixes. Not that it does you any good to have them, because at 4th or 5th listen you still have no idea where he came up with the idea to drop Vibez Cartel on the track with Rihanna on the verse. Switch shines when given a large canvas and a fine tipped sharpie. His sound is much more minimal than most without being “minimal”. He doesn’t overwhelm the track with 20 tracks mixed down to a thick soup. His post production relies on his mastery of constructing a rythmn with an ear for particular sounding beats and instruments. Good luck finding a sample of a switch track that sounds remotely like his version (aside from his cheeky ones). That compounded by his unique taste for upcoming styles makes an extremely dancable song while leaving room in the mix to go any way you want. Switch would be a dangerous DJ to follow because of his simplicity in style but extremely danceable and smooth beats.

The final album takes the best of Diplo and Switch. The album is overwhelming Diplo in style but definitely has its Switch moments. Together they bring a new Soca / Reggae / Dancehall style that I forsee being the flavor of the summer of 2009, and I’m definitely looking forward to it.

http://www.myspace.com/rickie_dee

direct link

[51:52, 320KBPS, 118MB] 320!!AMEN

01. Roommate + Bassist – “Rub A Dub” **dub**
02. NTRLD – “Up” **dub**
03. Bowzer + Pandemic – “Like Dem” **dub**
04. Miretz – “Citadel”
05. Heavy Machine ft. Big Body – “Stayin Down”
06. Babylon System – “Hyphy”
07. The Black Ghosts – “Full Moon” (Marlow Rmx)
08. Ludwig Coenen – “Green Movement” (XI’s Dangerous Technology Rmx)
09. SP:MC – “Trust Nobody”
10. Noah D + Roommate – “The Bassman”
11. Toasty Boy – “On Something”
12. Toasty – “The Knowledge”
13. Stagga – “Freight Dub”
14. Alborosie – “Police Polizia” (Noah D + Roommate Rmx) **dub**
15. Evidence – “I Say You Say (I Need You)” **dub**
16. Droid – “So Wut”
17. Jakes – “Rock The Bells”
18. Dumbsteppaz – “Princess Gone Dub”
19. Syntonics – “Dont Stop Pop” (Bombaman Rmx)
20. Chase + Status – “Running”
21. Jamie Vex’d – “Saturn’s Reply”
22. Hoax – “Holdtight”

smart and better than most of the stuff thats out there right now.

Whats interesting about youtube is that it really provides nothing in terms of art.  Without user content, Youtube is a facade, which is what makes it great.  It is up to the users to make youtube what they want.  My camera project takes bits and pieces from lots of other ideas I’ve been working on, but mostly from the idea that art should be engaging to the viewer.  That may be in the nature of the topic, the medium used or the angle in which its positioned.

The original idea was to leave 10 cameras around the city wrapped in paper and with enough postage on them to be mailed to me when they were done.  at 13.50 each, the project was quickly scaled down to 7 to accomidate my budget.  Hurdle 2 was the brilliant minds at the post office.  The minds at the post office rival the brains of janitors and whoever picks up the phone when I’m calling customer service.  I clearly remember a time when einstein across the desk at the post office nearly had an out of body experience learning about a cubic foot.  Long story short, They had to be in a package to guarantee postage.

These are the final versions.  They obviously had a couple revisions, but for the most part, its a camera attached to a bag.  theres some simple documentation on the outside explaining whats going on and slips of paper inside with contact info to get back at me.  7 cameras to be left around LA for people to do with them what they like.  I promissed to post the pictures up if / when I get them, but who knows.  This project is as much up to the people who find these cameras as it is mine.

Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21030072@N02/sets/72157619381411425/

to keep updated, email me at allenbina@gmail.com

Without getting too deep into it, there is a certain brilliance some promoters are able to manage.  The rare exception to the rule is when parties remain fun and keep a good crowd while still being easy going.  I fucking love dance right so much so that when i see their logo on a flier, it instantly gains cred.

I met Brad Hoss on a fluke instance at his bar when it was called play.  We ducked in for a couple pitchers while waiting for something else.  He’s exactly what a promoter should be, instantly charming and nice beyond belief.  There were 4 of my friends and 2 other peopel and Hoss just made it seem like that was the perfect number of people to have a great vibe.  In LA, that gets you far, as it should.  Turns out he also does promotions for Avalon which is the black hole for douchebaggery and great music… strange combo.

I got this in the inbox:

That is pretty much what it would take me to go to Avalon nowadays.  I promised myself thrice so far that I would never go back.  I’m usually hyped to see one of my favorite djs play in LA only to find out its going to be among the vest-scarf crowd, sigh.  Three separate instances I’ve had such a bad time, I promissed myself never again.  Free alcohol can change that.

Wait in line, get a bracelet, get in.  I walked up to the bar and asked someone if it was open bar to which their eyebrows replied something like “are you on rocks?”.  Found another bar with a bouncer posted up front and perked up a little.  If i had a tail, it would be wagging now.  Went to the bouncer and showed him my bracelet which seemed to me appropriate to get in, but he misunderstood as me asking him to look at me like a bitch and tell me to fuck off, because in other words, thats what happened.  He told me I had the wrong bracelet but when I asked him what bracelet I need so i can go get it, he told me all I needed to know was that I have the wrong one and I’m pretty much not getting in.   hmmm..

I doubled back to the ticket guy who told me he’s not in charge of that stuff.  I went outside and spoke to the girl who gave me the bracelet.  ”I was told by Preston that there isn’t a free bar tonight”.  I’m showing her my invite, my confirmation and my rsvp saying that there will be free alcohol.  She’s telling me I have two choices: go inside or leave.

On my way out, i chalk up another “I’m never coming back here again” moment to Avalon.  It doesn’t make any sense to me.  Dance right, delicious dance party of massively cool people.  Brad Hoss, ‘nother cool guy whose excessive invites to events on facebook are overshadowed by his niceness and ability to spot you in an instant and say hi.  By the dickhead theorem of mathematics: two things I know are good + one variable = shit; the one variable has to be really shitty to reduce two things I know are good to garbage.  Thanks Preston Gaspar!

So apparently capcom elicits the production of rusko, surkin and clipz for the new bionic comando video game via bigstereo, discodust and maddecent.  makes me want to buy the game

the rusko and surkin tracks are ok, i like the clipz one tho.

http://this.bigstereo.net/2009/05/07/bionic-commando-surkin/ 

http://discodust.blogspot.com/2009/05/bionic-commando-clipz.html 

http://maddecent.com/blog/2009/05/07/bionic-commando/

1. Arc Choir – “Jesus Walks” (Mapleshade) (Kanye West – “Jesus Walks” (Roc-A-Fella))
2. Nu Birth – “You’re What I’m All About” (?) (Biggie Smalls – “Player Anthem (X-Ray))
3. The Whatnaughts – “I’ll Erase Away Your Pain” (Priority) (Kanye West – “Late” (Roc-A-Fella))
4. Main Ingredient – “Let Me Prove My Love To You” (RCA) (Alicia Keys – “You Don’t Know My Name” (J Records))
5. Silvia Striplin – “You Can’t Turn Me Away” (Charly) (Junior M.A.F.I.A. – “Get Money” (X-Ray))
6. The Temptations – “I Don’t Know What It Is, But It Sure Is Funky” (Motown) (Common – “The Corner” (Geffen))
7. Honey Cone – “Innocent Till Proven Guilty” (Fantasy) (Common – “Testify” (Geffen))
8. DJ Rogers – “Faithful To The End” (RCA) (Common – “Faithful” (Geffen))
9. Luchi DeJesus – “Round About Midnight” (?) (KRS ONE – “A Friend” (Jive))
10. Dynasty – “Adventures In The World Of Music” (Solar/Sequal) (Camp-Lo – “Luchini” (Profile))
11. Willie Mitchell – “Grovin’” (Hi) (GZA – “Liquid Swords” (Geffen))
12. Wendy Renay – “After The Laughter Come Tears” (Stax/Altanta) (Wu Tang Clan – “Tearz” (Loud))
13. The Charmels – “I’ll Never Grow Old” (Stax/Altanta) (Wu Tang Clan – “Cream” (RCA))
14. Dione Warwick – “You’re Gonna Need Me” (Invictions) (Usher – “Throwback” (Arista))
15. Billy Cobham – “Heather” (Wounded Bird) (Souls of Mischief – “93 Till Infinity” (Jive))
16. Beherd Wright – “Halboglabotribin’” (BMG) (Snoop Dogg – “Gz & Hustlaz” (Death Row))
17. Jack Bruce – “Born 2 Be Blue” (Atco) (Smith N Wesssun – “Buck Town” (?))
18. Aretha Franklin – “Call Me” (Rhino/Atlanta) (Slum Village – “Selfish” (Capitol))
19. Quincy Jones – “Summer In The City” (A&M) (Pharcyde – “Passin Me By” (Delicious Vinyl))
20. Joe Simons – “Before The Nite’s Over” (?) (Outkast – “So Fresh & So Clean” (Arista))
21. Peabo Bryson – “Born 2 Love” (Unknown) (Nas – “2nd Childhood” (Sony))
22. The Chi-Lites – “That’s How Long I Love You” (Unknown) (Jay Z – “Dec 4″ (Roc-A-Fella))
23. Abdel Halim-Hefes – “Khasiaraya-Gar” (EMI Arabia) (Jay Z – “Big Pimpin’” (Roc-A-Fella))
24. Labi Siffre – “I Got The” (Mr Bongo) (Eminem – “My Name Is” (Aftermath)/Jay Z – “The Streets Is Watching” (Roc-A-Fella))
25. Samuel Johnson – “My Music” (Columbia) (Jadakiss – “We’re Gonna Make It” (Ruff Ryders/Interscope))
26. Milt Jackson – “Olinga” (CTI) (Tribe Called Quest – “Award Tour” (Jive))
27. War – “Magic Mountain” (Rhino) (De La Soul – “Potholes In My Lawn” (Tommy Boy))
28. Ahmad Jamal – “Swahililand” (20th Century) (De La Soul – “Stakes Is High” (Tommy Boy))
39. Gap Mangione – “Diana In The Autumn Wind” (GRC) (Slum Village – “Fall In Love” (Capitol)/Jaylib – “Official” (Stones Throw))
40. David McCallum – “The Edge” (Capitol) (Dr Dre – “Next Episode” (Aftermath))
41. Creative Source – “I Can’t See Myself Without You” (Sussex/Polydor) (Freeway – “What We Do” (Unknown))
42. Average White Band – “Love Your Life” (Rhino) (Tribe Called Quest – “Check The Rhyme” (Jive))
43. Funkadelic – “Let’s Take It To The People” (Westbound) (Tribe Called Quest – “Everything Is Fair” (Jive))
44. Ronnie Foster – “Mystic Brew” (Blue Note) (Tribe Called Quest – “Electric Relaxation” (Jive))
45. The Chi-Lites – “Are You My Woman?” (Brunswick/Eugene) (Beyonce – “Crazy In Love” (Columbia))
46. The Meters – “Oh Calcutta!” (Josie) (Amerie – “One Thing” (Sony))
47. McCoy Tyner – “Impressions” (Milestone/OJC) (Black Sheep – “The Choice Is Yours” (Mercury))
49. Nirvana – “Indiana” (White) (The Roots – “Dynamite” (Geffen))

zshare

The day before easter: rusko in LA.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x3QjeCyfDc]

its hard not to make the religious comparison.  just when i had almost given up on dubstep, rusko brings back dubstep from what i had thought was the death of it.  completely tears his set up, the new live set he does where he plays bass.  if i talk any more about rusko, i’d have to kick my own ass, but woww.

the smog guys were nice enough to invite me out to their event at the echo.  while i didnt catch any of the guys, i did stay the whole night, which is more than i could have said for lots of other nights i’ve been out in la.  i would have loved some comp love though.  they brought in a set of sweedish djs who destroyed it.

so, i learned my lesson, pay attention to fliers yo, and i’m officially to old for 18+ spots.

http://junglescene.com/forums/topic-130-8316-Is_Caspa_the_Guy_Ritchie_of_dubstep_.html

read no evil, type no evil.

most mornings at work start off with a cup of tea or coffee that sits at my desk all day.  every now and then when i stay late at work, i bump into the ladies that clean our offices at night.  we exchange smiles and get on our business.  they pick up people’s coffee cups and wash them.  its a lovely system.

I don’t like to use plastic bottles because they’re a waste of plastic, but when i use them i don’t throw away the bottle.  every few times, i’ll get lazy and open another bottle.  inevitably, sometime in Jan there were about 4 empty plastic bottles strewn around my desk and the cleaning lady threw them away.  the next day, i had another bottle of water and saved the bottle to fill up again.  the day after, i finished the bottle before i had a chance to fill it up again and left the empty bottle at my desk.  the next morning it was gone.

another time.  same situation.  this time i remembered to hide the bottle.  i put it behind my monitor.  that worked for about another week before the cleaning lady caught on and threw it away.

i am now locked into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the cleaning people over an empty plastic bottle.  i can only immagine what is going through her head.  last week, she found it under a stack of papers.  i’m running out of placess.

To explain this:

I stumbled upon this,

which would describe why almost a month after writing it, my blog entry in my personal blog has blown up.  so people have been getting at me from a few different directions.  my friends are letting me know that a few blogs have posted to my blog entry, but that doesnt explain how it blew up.  the guys from smog have been UNBELIEVABLY nice and writing on my blog and on other sites, but my best explanation of how this got out was through paparazzi (which may explain the same photographer, but i digress).  anyways, it was spread from there to a bunch of other sites which spread the word and so explains the spike.  

last night, the subject came up and my friend jake explained to me that apparently I had a hazy understanding of what to expect from the night and that for the most part I was wrong.  from his explanation, he’s right; I had the wrong impression of the night from the get-go.  The night was supposed to be pretty much exactly what it was.  to the best of my understanding now, it was an 18+ night to introduce dubstep into the … scenester / young electro / new rave / new hollywood? scene.  I really don’t have a proper grasp of who they were introducing it to, although I think i’m in the ballpark.  the frankie chan side of the night was definitely there and so was the smog side.  I’ve been to a few le castlevania shows, and i know what to expect from one.  I shouldn’t have had the expectations that I had.

My friends in highschool were mostly douche bags and in my early 20s I broke apart from them and found the indie scene which i really enjoyed for its lack of chauvinism.  the new indie dance scene is full of people who just like to go out and dance and pay less attention to what they are wearing and what cars people drive.  I saw a lot of acting cool at the party, and while I can’t say I wasnt the same at that age, its a little offsetting to see people in their late teens and early 20s somehow tarnish a scene whose core value was not acting cool.

for those of you who don’t know me, i’m painfully nice, expecially to strangers.  i really don’t mind people linking to my blog or saying stuff about me because first of all, it increases my 15 minutes and second, anyone who knows me knows i’m the first to apologize when i’m wrong and the first to clear something up when there is tension in the air.  i think i was wrong in assuming as much of the night as i did even though I didn’t think I was wrong in my critique in its factual basis.  i hope this clears anything up, and i’m sure i’ll be seeing more of the smog guys at their events.  hopefully, i can buy them a beer to clear things up.  big up my little blog yo!

allen

and yes, i think rusko is the tits when it comes to dubstep

/rant