DUSTY CRATES

The BCH is back!

Brick City House‘s very own Sista Stroke recently recorded an exclusive mix for a Chicago House FM webcast called, “Funk Force” hosted by Seraphim and airs Thursday evenings.

Stroke says:

The mix is called Backseat Bangers, and I did it with a long drive in mind. There’s some great cuts on here from some pretty great producers whose work I’ve really come to admire and love.

Hope you guys enjoy this mix. And please, feel free to pass it on to whomever you think might enjoy some boogie-bounce in their life! Enjoy Music and Freak Freely! Peace, Sista Stroke

And bangin it is, indeed! No need for foreplay with this one. Enjoy!

Backseat Bangers – Sista Stroke (mp3)

A couple of weeks ago, we are embarked on a showcase of new sounds in H-town with BOMBON. The takeaway: people have been waiting too long for this kind of night in Houston!

As cumbia is gaining momentum worldwide, it’s exciting to see how this folkloric tradition has been given so many new mezclas and treatments. The future of South American-inspired electronic riddim has no shortage of color or creativity.

MICHEL CLEIS – LA MEZCLA (ROBB G REMIX) by ROBB G

In the coming months, you’ll hear a collection of fresh uptempo melodies and bass-heavy beats that make up a variety of “Cumbiatron.” From Cumbia, Bajo Tropical, Salsa, Latin Beats, Baile Funk, Reggaeton, Moombahton, y Mezclas AfroLatinos, we have banded together to bring you this full-on Latino experience, without a need for a passport.

To see where the next sound of the Americas is headed next, mark your calendars para saborear BOMBON each month with yours truly, Gracie Chávez, plus DJs Navó, OG Bobby Trill and Tonio.

Starting January 7, 2011 and every first Friday of the month, centrally located Avant Garden (411 Westheimer, 77006) is hosting our first in a series of Latin parties full of irrepressible music, live instrumentation, cinematic loops, spirited libations and excessive dancing!  Now, why would you want to miss the next one?

¡Entonces, ponte los zapatos pa la pachanga!

As some of you may know, Dias de los Muertos happens to be one of my favorite annual holidays. Forget the Halloween hype–these two days in November (1st and 2nd) always remind you to celebrate life! So why not to start early.

Tonight, we kick off a weekend of celebration with Afro-electro beat freestyler Chico Mann in Houston. The lineup, brought to you by Squad Media, includes downtempo maestros DJ Sun and Mr. Bristle, and myself (Gracie Chavez) spinning un Bombón de cumbia and eclectic world beats upstairs at The Mink/Backroom (3718 Main @ Alabama, 77002).

Chico Mann was recently featured on one of my favorite remixer’s excursion, Mexicans with Guns’ “Me Gusto,” which is more of a banger for your soul than it is a soundtrack for the dead. Chico (aka Marco Garcia) describes his native style as “the convergence of electro, Afrobeat and freestyle.” “It’s kind of a statement to this genre of music that hasn’t really been developed until now,” he says.

Check out Chico’s “Oye, Mira, Cuidado!” live clip to see what’s in store tonight. Log on to Soular Grooves to get more insight or listen to my Cumbia Nena mix I recorded live on (now-extinct) KTRU radio station. Then, RSVP on FB to join us tonight.

Pero no se te olvide–Ponte los zapatos porque vamos a bailar!

Eschew 3 is Daniel Allen‘s latest mix that’s best for coasting.

Eschew 3 by Daniel Allen

Get it on SoundCloud. Whee!

I love long weekends and this…

I Love You So (Krusha remix) – Cassius (mediafire)

Roots

About 60 years ago, Jamaican soundsystems gave birth to dub, a variety of reggae music that features sub-bass (bass less than 100Hz), skittering and jittery drums, distortive echo and reverberation effects. The prominent features of dub music, along with reggae’s pioneering use of dubplates, went on to not only shape a growing DJ culture but also continues to influence a variety of electronic dance musics today.

Dubbed

And true to that motif, there’s been a rumble underground since dubstep began spreading in late 2005. Although the now mainstream sound tips its hat to it’s irie origins, sort of, dubstep borrows more from drum & bass and grime. Many would even say that the “dubbed” bleepy, ominous dubstep sound had moved away from, and was out of step with, its genesis.

In ’08, a limited pressing 12-inch “Iron Devil” was released featuring Lee Scratch Perry and Prince Far-I in a dubstep style. It included a tune based on the Perry riddim used on reggae hits like “Disco Devil”, “Chase The Devil” and “Croaking Lizard”. This was the first recorded example of a founder of Jamaican dub style acknowledging dubstep and creating new music in the genre, reinforcing the connection of dubstep to its roots in Jamaican dub reggae.

Soul Iration

So when fellow DJ Meshak dropped this Release the Lions Vol. 1 mix on me this week, I found myself scouring the ‘net to find more on “soul iration,” a French Algerian variation of reggae. Music keeps evolving and people will always put their spin on things creating the next sound.

But as I dig in to hear soul iration while revisiting some roots, I’ve kept this all-vinyl mix on repeat and I suggest you should, too.

Listen. Download.

Release the Lions Vol. 1 – DJ Meshak (Mixcloud)

Release the Lions Vol. 1 - DJ Meshak (Sendspace)

This weekend marks the end of the summertime with most school semesters gearing up within the week or so. And the only way we could cure the summertime blues and send this hot-ass summer off properly was with a gang of even hotter ladies.

The Tipping Point sneaker boutique, in collaboration with Charly East, put together a line-up of local female artists, performers and yours truly to DJ The ArtBreak: Ladies First Edition this Friday night at Betz Gallery (1208 West Gray, 77019). The show starts at 7pm and includes performances by IB3, No Name Jane and Charly East on violin. Free dranks courtesy of Dripping Springs and Grey Goose.

Wear your best skeakys, ladies, ’cause this is the spot to show ‘em out. But if you’re not up on your latest kicks, you can always enter the raffle for a new pair!

Here’s some lady-killer jams to get you ready:

Summertime Blues – Joan Jett (mp3)

Talk to Me – Peaches (mp3)

Dame Lo – Mexicans With Guns from System D-128 on Vimeo.

The Man. The Myth. The Mexican.

Mexicans with Guns releases his next track, “Dame Lo,” off his latest Me Gusto EP (Stones Throw/Innovative Leisure, Exponential). This sexy banger is accompanied by an experimental short film/music video that summons the raucous revelry of any Robert Rodriguez dusty cantina shoot-em-up flick over a Dia de los Muertos celebration.

MWG is making the short trip from SA to HOU this Saturday, August 14th, to put it down at The Backroom (Mink, 3718 Main St, 77006) for us. Pero no se to olvide…ponte los zapatos porque vamos a bailar!

For more on “Dame Lo,” check here.  Read the LA Times article on Mexicans with Guns here. He’s the masked crusader of big beats–big time!

“Dame Lo” – MWG (mp3)