/

Discontent

Posted by Stuart Buchanan - 08/11/08 at 06:11:23 pm

‘Discontent’ is a new blog that picks up where Fat Planet left off - hard to define as yet, as it’s just an infant, but head there now for downloads from Portugal’s kuduro crew Buraka Som Sistema, Tremor (from the Zizek community in Argentina), new Architecture In Helsinki - remixed by Radioclit and featuring Marina from Bonde Do Role, new dubstep mixes from Ikonika (Hyperdub) and Belgium’s 2562, some Finnish skweee courtesy of Mesak and a new dj mix from Mumdance. Get it all at http://discontentblog.com/

Fat Planet Facebook Group

Posted by Stuart Buchanan - 07/10/08 at 09:10:48 pm

Having resisted the urge for quite some time, I’ve caved in and started the Fat Planet Facebook group. Come join and shoot the Facebook shit, keep up to date with future possibilities for the blog and radio show.

www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=27787234731

Fat Planet: So It Goes

Posted by Stuart Buchanan - 29/07/08 at 08:07:42 pm

If you’ve noticed Fat Planet slowing down over the last few months, then you’re onto something. And, yes, there is a story to tell.

Back in the nascent days of the Fat Planet blog (2004), it was a lonely place - there were few, if any, other blogs mapping similar territories. It was a voyage of discovery for me as much as it was for anyone else - the discovery that the internet had made the notion of physical distribution of music entirely redundant. What once took months, took minutes - what once would never have been heard outside of its point of origin, was now travelling 360 degrees. The net result, of course, was the increased exposure to a stunning proliferation of new sounds and styles.

In my music appreciation, I have always hungered for originality - when I hear a new sound or style, something fresh and unique, I always get an intensely physical reaction (sweats, goosebumps, rush of adrenalin). Of course, this is true of any creative avenue - new art, new text, new performance - when you witness something unique, it’s an incredibly special moment. Your next (almost involuntary) reaction is to share your experience, tell your friends, get everyone along to witness the very thing that you connected with - and create more connections, and deeper connections, in the process. It was that sense of shared experience that birthed Fat Planet and it’s what kept it going for so long.

In recent times, since the so-called music ‘blogosphere’ erupted in size and scale, this need for connecting through a shared experience has been augmented with a parallel desire “to be the first cab of the ranks”. Sharing has suddenly become a competitive sport, and the net result is ‘hype’. And this new breed of hype is an unstoppable beast - a viral outburst of pandemic proportions. It’s not without good reason that the world’s most popular music blog aggregator is called “The Hype Machine” - so much of what passes along RSS feeds is simply that, hype. Sound without substance, style without context. And over the last 12 months or so, hype (and its attendant hipsters) has moved beyond the standard indie-electro, Anglo-American axis and is embracing music from all around the world.

At first, this was good news - there was more exposure, more music - but it didn’t take too long for the cracks to show. Generally, it swiftly reverted back to the same “sound without substance” issue - links to files, links to YouTube clips, with a quick “Check It” noted alongside. I felt like I was being pulled from node to node, witnessing many wonderful things, but there’s no guide by my side. It’s as if I’ve been parachuted into an unknown location with no guidebook, no common language, no currency. I can be impressed, but I can’t engage and I can’t connect.

For this (I believe) the phrase “global ghettotech” was coined - the practice of lurching from one hyped node to the next, gorging on the fruits without considering the true story behind its genesis. When the dominant language is not your own, it begs the question - how do you connect, beyond the beats and the breaks? If something moves you rhythmically, but you can’t engage on a language level - how much of the picture are you missing? How does this affect your engagement? And if we then promote that in blogs, on radio and in clubs - what exactly is it that we are putting into the ether?

It’s taken me a while to figure out my place in this dialogue, and I swung erratically between both sides of the fence. This ongoing exchange between Matt Shadetek / Dj Rupture / Wayne&Wax helped to clarify:

- Matt Shadetek - “BABEL (DANCING IN TONGUES)”

- ref: also Wayne’s many articles on the subject of “global gobbledicrunk” and this interview series which directs the same question to Wayne, Rupture, Diplo and Maga Bo

- also recently @ Unfashionably Late

Matt’s article hammers the point home: “if you’re gonna be playing, promoting, repeating and multiplying music into the world, slow down and make a commitment. Know about it, provide [it] in an authoritative way and give people something coherent - so that if there’s ONE other person in there who understands what’s being said, then there’s communication happening. Which in my mind is the underlying goal of all artistic practice”.

Or more succinctly from Rupture: “how [do you] share music your audience might not understand without peddling exoticism or rudely ignoring the specific verbal content of the lyrics?”

The dilemma is thus: with limited time and resources, do you promote more music without context or promote less music with context? It might seem like it’s a no-brainer (the latter, right?), but as blogging (in my case) is done when time permits (juggling jobs, family, friends, radio show), the time rarely permits to post long articles or discussions. Posts of late have been short, info-light and largely context-free. I hope you enjoyed the music, even if you didn’t get the story. However, posts without context now seem entirely redundant, and it’s not what I ever envisaged Fat Planet to be.

There IS a job to do - that of being an authoritative and authentic conduit between this type of music and an audience hungry to learn. Sadly I fear Fat Planet has, for some time, not been that conduit. Instead, accusations of surface-level engagement can be fairly applied.

And so, where to now? Slang Tang, the podcast series - as an adjunct to the radio show - will continue (find it at slangtang.com). However, due consideration needs to be applied to the next chapter of the Fat Planet blog - until then, we’ll leave it here. Thanks for visiting and for being part of the story.

So it goes.

Continuing:
www.slangtang.com / www.stuartbuchanan.com

Stereotyp presents : Ku Bo

Posted by Stuart Buchanan - 25/07/08 at 08:07:39 am

Austria’s Stefan Moerth is a producer who rarely disappoints - under his Stereotyp alias, Stefan has been brewing variations on an electronic dancehall tip for last decade. His collaborator list includes the likes of Wu Tang’s Cappadonna, Lady Saw, Al Haca, Ras B, The Bug and Tosca, with releases primarily landing on Kruder & Dorfmeister’s G-Stone label. Early last year, he unveiled a new project - Ku Bo - billed as “the club oriented, voodooesque side of Stereotyp”. The first 12″ ‘Rebola / Um Korpo’ was something of a successor to his 2006 ‘Funk Mundial’ release, as he reunited with Brazilian-born, Austrian resident Joyce Muniz. The follow-up ‘Turnerment / Mela’ brought Sao Paulo’s Fefe MC into the fold for another label-cited “tropical-tec banger”.

Their latest mixtape gathers most of the cuts from those 12s, as treats to half a dozen tracks that have yet to see the light of day. The next single lands later this year, with an album released scheduled for February 2009 on Man Recordings.

mp3: KU BO - Mixtape Summer 2008

KU BO MIXTAPE TRACKLIST

01. Parolar De Veso Remix feat. SD Boys
02. Rebola feat. Joyce Muniz
03. Turnament Version feat. Yasmine Seydi
04. Turnament feat. Fefe MC
05. Uepa feat. Joyce Muniz
06. Um Korpo feat. Joyce Muniz
07. Kubo Precut
08. Lem Lem feat. Joyce Muniz
09. Tindao

GOTO: myspace.com/kubo1

BONUS: Here’s another treat from Stereotyp - a live set from last year feat MC Coppa

mp3: STEREOTYP - Stereolive feat MC Coppa

Xao Productions - Birthday Mixtape

Posted by Stuart Buchanan - 19/07/08 at 01:07:03 pm

New baile funk mixtape from Xao Productions - a Rio / NYC JV, aka MC Gringo, DJ Comrade and Kokos Kypros - celebrating the crew’s first birthday. DJ Comrade in the mix.

zshare: http://www.zshare.net/audio/15320069b6cef388

Plastic Caramelo: “Glampeta” Pop

Posted by Stuart Buchanan - 19/07/08 at 12:07:31 pm

Plastic Caramelo first spun my way via the Girlcore blog, wherein they raved about the inclusion of “one really hot Colombian” Tatiana. Girlcore know their shit, and were ahead of the curve in posting this before a couple of other blogs turned up the dial. The NYC collective dropped an email last week which explained more: they brand their work “glampeta” - a self-defined amalgam of “Colombian dancehall, cumbia and champeta”. Whilst that’s moderately true, the eponoymous debut track also wraps the sound in 110% sugar coating, giving it a fluro-pop shine and paving a direct route to wide radio airplay. The results are therefore a mixed bag - but, like most good pop, there’s still enough to enjoy a few times over. The crew behind the project is ‘La Fabrica’ - a ten-piece collective of media artists, fashion designers and music producers. The Girlcore-cited Tatiana directs the clip with Christian Castagno.

GOTO: myspace.com/plasticcaramelo

Villa Diamante: XLR8R Cumbia Podcast

Posted by Stuart Buchanan - 08/07/08 at 07:07:38 pm

Another week, another cumbia mix - this time from the prolific Villa Diamante, in support of the forthcoming Zizek North American tour. The mix features an excellent selection of some of the main players in the emerging digital cumbia scene, as well as few surprises thrown in for good measure (Toy Selectah’s Refix of Santogold is a must-hear). Get the podcast and tracklisting at xlr8r.com. Zizek tour dates at myspace.com/zizektour.

LINK: VILLA DIAMANTE Zizek Ubran Beats Club Podcast

This Week on Fat Planet Radio: In Conversation with ‘The Bug’

Posted by Stuart Buchanan - 06/07/08 at 05:07:15 pm

This week on the Fat Planet radio show, I’ll be talking to Kevin Martin - aka ‘The Bug‘ - the ragga, dubstep and electronic producer whose new album ‘London Zoo’ was recently released through Ninja Tune.

The Bug has been releasing dark, deep and often brutally-heavy beats for well over ten years, but ‘London Zoo’ is only his second, full-length solo record and his first in five years. On Fat Planet on Sunset, he talks about the intensity of life in London, how his early work foreshadowed the birth of dubstep, and about working with some of England and Jamaica’s finest MCs - such as Warrior Queen, Tippa Irie, Ricky Ranking and Spaceape. I’ll also be playing some choice cuts from the new album along with a batch of pivotal tracks from The Bug back catalogue.

Fat Planet on fbiradio.com - Thursday 10th July at 6pm (Australian EST, +9hGMT).

Fat Planet Selector : Spoek, MC Gringo, Wonky, Geko Jones, Shaanti

Posted by Stuart Buchanan - 29/06/08 at 02:06:39 pm

| SPOEK MATHAMBO: NOTES FROM SPICE ISLAND

Self-titled “neoelectricafrobot”, Cape Town’s Spoek Mathambo is a busy boy, verging on coming on like an over-acheiver. Aside from his ongoing work with Marcus Wormstorm as Sweat X, and his recent Playdoe project with Sibot (aka DJ Fuck), he’s also started to notch up a catalogue with French producer, Dj Edjotronic which he dubs “African Elektrics - Peep Game”.

MP3: SPOEK & DJ EDJOTRONIC Club Med Max Mode [zshare]

MP3: SPOEK & DJ EDJOTRONIC Big Butt Girl [zshare]

……………………………………………………….

| MAN RECORDINGS: MC GRINGO & SUMMER BASS SENSATION

We have some pet favourite labels at Fat Planet, and one of those we treat with special care and attention is Man Recordings. They’re bringing the goods again this week with the latest release from Rio-based German ex-pat MC Gringo, dipping from his recent baile funk output back into his past, where he earned his beans performing in ska and reggae bands. Toddla T drops two outstanding remixes on a dancehall / ragga tip.

Stream: MC GRINGO Alemao (Toddla T Remix) [Real Player Stream]

German readers will find Man Recordings ‘Summer Bass Sensation’ with a dream line-up of Crookers, Bonde Do Role, The Count & Sinden, Edu K, Mc Gringo, label boss Daniel Haaksman, DJ Beware and Deise Tigrona hitting Ferropolis in Grafenhainichen on Saturday 19th July.

……………………………………………………….

| TELL US WOT U CALL IT: WONKY

There’s nothing quite like a light-hearted debate around naming conventions for new genres. Before ‘grime’ became the alpha tag, there were a few variations - most notably, Wiley’s ‘Eski’ - and the debate bled into Wiley’s own production “Wot U Call It”. History is repeating itself again with wonky (or, as represented on a poll on mashit.com, lazer-bass, ragga-clash, wub, bouncement or street-bass). Wonky has, it seems, already been appropriated for other microgenres, so the discussion is likely to fuel a few forum inches for some time to come.

Whatever we call it, if you’ve been listening to Rustie (pictured), Hudson Mohawke, Zomby, Megasoid, the aforementioned Toddla T or similar heavy, low-end, distorted ragga / dubstep / glitch (see why it needs a name?), you’ll know that it’s been brewing for well over the last year or so. Here’s two mixtapes that provide some clarity, one from the mighty Megasoid (with their own wonky rubs of the likes of Bangers & Cash, ODB, Bonjay and Dr Dre), and another from Glasgow’s Lucky Me, with Hudson Mohwake, The Blessings, Mike Slott, Rustie and (one to watch) Nadsroic.

MP3: MEGASOID Speed Knots Mixtape v1 [Megaupload]

MP3: XLR8R PODCAST: LUCKY ME Mixed by The Blessings [Info]

……………………………………………………….

| GEKO JONES: NEUVA YORK TROPICAL

New mix from Geko Jones from Dutty Artz features a crop of unreleased tunes and tracks from Cuba, Canary Islands, Angola, Dominican Republic and much more, culled from WFMU’s ‘Nickel & Dime’ show.

MP3: GEKO JONES Nueva York Tropical [Info]

……………………………………………………….

| VIDEO SELECTOR: SHAANTI & LEMBER HUSSAINPURI ‘Disco Warrior’

From the album ‘Shaanti Presents Mighty Asian Beats’ [Info]

……………………………………………………….

Zombie Disco Squad Baile Funk Mix

Posted by Stuart Buchanan - 22/06/08 at 04:06:46 pm

New baile funk mix, with classics old and new, from London’s Zombie Disco Squad - ushered in by Edu K.

zshare: Zombie Disco Squad - Baile Funks Not Dead

1. Baile Funks Not Dead Introduction by Edu K
2. MC Seu Kuke - A casa do seu kuke
3. Bola De Fogo - Atoladinha (Enterradinha)
4. Os Hawainanos - Vem Kikando
5. Luciano DJ - Alter Baile
6. Carlinho e Celinho - Jogo de Bicho
7. SD Boys - Uh!Uh!Uh! Ta Tomando
8. MC Frank - Cabelo Encolheu
9. Tati Quebra Barraco - Boladona
10. Dennis DJ - Xacoalhado de skol
11. MC Primo - Diretoria
12. Scottie b ft. Moleque Bil - Mais Ela
13. MC Biro Leyby - Cria asa Periquita
14. Jack e Chocolate - Danca do Mexico
15. Amandinha - Essa e pra Virar
16. Edu K ft. Deize - Injecao TNT
17. Bonde Do Popo - ?
18. DJ Wally - Danca do Calango
19. DJ Luciano Oliveira - Funk Carioca
20. Montagem - Ta Mancando
21. Sandrinho - Organ Donor
22. Montagem - Black box
23. Sandrinho - Yazoo
24. MC Pe de Pano e Rael - Ela ta Doida
25. MC Cindinho e Doca - Rap Da Felicidade
26. MC Camita - Mexe Com Meu Marido
27. Bonde do Come Quieto - Ela Balanca mas nao para
28. Gailoa das Popozudas - Late que Eu to Passando
29. Bonde Do Tiagro - O Baile Todo
30. ? - Tres tenores
31. Tati - Mirante
32. Gilberto DJ - Chumbo Quente

Search