6 Questions: with… Ionik of Traveller Records

Via mailing lists, RSS news feeds, and word of mouth, I find out bout new 7″ records dropping half a dozen times a week. Sometimes I’ll know the artist or label and therefore know it needs checking out, or other times it just sounds cool or looks interesting and I am inticed to delve deeper. A recent excavation unearthed a gem hailing from Finland: Traveller Records. The relevant communication links were opened and before I knew it Masa (aka Ionik) from Traveller Records had sent me a couple of 7″ records. The needle dropped and so did my jaw, “this is the shit!”. Two hot hip-hop joints that have been lauded by the likes of Jon Kennedy, the boys at Fat Beats Records, and the good man Quantic. I grabbed a few words from Masa for this, the latest, 6 Questions…

1. Who Are You? Masa aka Ionik, owner of Traveller Records and a tireless fan of all things made of wax with a pinch of soul.

2. What do you do? Spin records, organize parties, snipe records at eBay, turn down requests, enjoy my new apartment, plus eat mostly this thing “lihis” which is kinda like meat pie but more exotic. I wish we had more snooker coverage on tv.

3. Why do you do it? I just LOVE good music.

4. So what’s new? We just got the Sun Rise Above single out, that’s going to be our last 7-inch. Next up is a two-part 12″ from Detroit that’s looking to be big. It’s our first step into more soulful side of things, that’s all I can say right now. Also in the works is a compilation that’s looking really promising right now, it should be out in late August. Another joint from Detroit also in the lab, so watch the skies people!

5. Who are you listening to at the moment? Mid sixties reggae, seventies soul, New Jersey garage, hip hop from back in the day, and I’m a big fan of late seventies/early eighties US boogie/disco/modern soul scene - the type of stuff that will get me to play louder than the club owners ever want! I just re-discovered my drum ‘n bass jewels recently, summer is here folks.

6. What’s your best nugget of wisdom? If not, why the f*ck not?

Sun Rise Above - Free Your Mind
>> download track
>> buy records @ Traveller Records MySpace page
This download link will expire on 22nd June.

Sounds like big things are going down in Finland! Thanks to Masa for taking the time to participate, much appreciated. Be sure to check out Traveller Records on MySpace and give Masa a shout at travellerrecords@hotmail.com if you have any questions or want to get your grubby fingers on some music!

Useful links:

• Traveller Records MySpace
• Download - Sun Rise Above - Free Your Mind

The Catch Up

Where does all the time go? Fear not, that was a rhetorical question. Alas today’s blog entry is a culmination of info I think you need to receive. Hence: The Catch Up…

Legendary jazz label Blue Note have released four new CDs celebrating their rich history via the music of; Lee Morgan, Grant Green, Jimmy Smith, and Thelonious Monk. I was lucky enough to receive the latter two. For anyone either too young to remember these fine artists, or just not familiar with the particulars of jazz, Blue Note is still going strong and currently holds Robert Glasper (amazing pianist) and a little lady called Norah Jones on their roster. But back in the hey-day of jazz, Blue Note was king and these artists were their proverbial princes. Each of the CDs in this Finest In Jazz series contains seven amazing classics. The artwork on the CD cases is really something too, plus the same designs are available on shirts, so make sure you check those out. If you have a moderate interest in jazz and want to delve a bit deeper, or even if you just want to be aurally reminded of these jazz greats, you’d be wise to check these releases. I’ll give you a small taster…

Jimmy Smith - I Got a Woman
>> download track
>> buy The Finest In Jazz @ Giant Step
This download link will expire on 17th June.

I think it is quite plain to see that Diplo is fascinated with Brazil and its music. But now things are progressing and the artists that he has previously worked with are getting their chance to shine. Up steps Bonde Do Role. This trio are a bit crazy, that has to be said. However, their fusion of baile funk, hip-hop, and punk’esque electro rock is nothing short of addictive. Bonde Do Role’s debut album (outside of Brazil, anyway) has just dropped and it is called With Lasers. You may have caught one of the tracks on the Just Like Music podcast, but here is another for good measure…

Bonde Do Role - Marina Do Bairro
>> download track
>> buy With Lasers @ Amazon UK / Amazon US
This download link will expire on 17th June.

Any regular readers will know I like a bit of funk, and what should turn up on my doorstep just recently? The latest album from The New Mastersounds. The funky fellas from Leeds bring us their 5th album, 102%. I’ve been loving the funk resurgence of late, but their is something special bout this album. It starts with the high energy funk you’d expect, then even goes into a cool cover of Witness by Roots Manuva, but as I listened to this album it seemed to mature and thicken in substance. This is no funk-by-numbers effort. It’s not 14 tracks long, it’s 14 tracks strong - 102% has depth that needs to be heard to be believed. Here is the Roots Manuva cover I was talking about…

The New Mastersounds - Witness
>> download track
>> buy 102% @ Amazon UK / Amazon US
This download link will expire on 17th June.

In other brief news…

The upcoming Pharoahe Monch album, Desire, is a bit of a let down - might be one for the Monch fanatics only.

The new UNKLE album, War Stories, tries hard, but it seemed a tad bland to me - best track is the first single, Burn My Shadow, check out the video on YouTube.

The new Beastie Boys album, The Mix Up, is fantastic. Strictly instrumental as they warned, this is indeed closer to Paul’s Boutique than any of their other releases. This one should appeal to anyone, so as long as you don’t hate instrumentals. I also feel like it could be a bit of a grower, so if it doesn’t get you first time round… don’t give up on it. It is tight as hell, they’ve done a brilliant job. Official drop date is 25th June, but you can take a sneaky listen here…

Beastie Boys - Freaky Hijiki
>> download track
>> pre-order The Mix Up @ Amazon UK / Amazon US
This download link will expire on 17th June.

That lot should keep you in check for a while. Also be sure to subscribe to the Just Like Music podcast (feed url is in the right hand bar of this page), that’s the quickest way to listen to what I’ve been listening to recently. Look out for more interviews on the blog soon and perhaps some other interesting new features, we shall see!

Useful links:

• Blue Note website
• Finest In Jazz website
• Download - Jimmy Smith - I Got a Woman
• Bonde Do Role MySpace page
• Download - Bonde Do Role - Marina Do Bairro
• The New Mastersounds MySpace page
• Download - The New Mastersounds - Witness
• Download - Beastie Boys - Freaky Hijiki

6 Questions: with… Unkle Ho

If you know your Aussie hip-hop you’ll have no doubt tasted the fruits produced by this rather creative chap. Unkle Ho actually produces for The Herd, the group that brought us such tracks as Scallops, Burn Down The Parliament, and their cover of the classic I Was Only 19. Both The Herd and Unkle Ho are signed to Aussie label Elefant Traks, one that I am loving more and more as each day passes. The material released on Elefant Traks is not bound to any rules or constraints, full creativity is encouraged and I believe this helps the artists to flourish and deliver a more developed and well rounded end result. This is entirely the case with Unkle Ho’s latest release Circus Maximus, but enough from me, let’s see what he has to say for himself in this, another edition of, 6 Questions…

1. Who Are You? Unkle Ho, gypsy beats producer from Sydney, Australia.

2. What do you do? Produce music as Unkle Ho and also for 8 headed hip hop beast The Herd. I also help run Elefant Traks, the label that Unkle Ho and The Herd are released on.

3. Why do you do it? Started doing it for fun and haven’t looked back. Hopefully when I’m an old man my crippling arthritis won’t stop me from tinkering on music machines.

4. So what’s new? Well funny that you should mention that, my second album Circus Maximus is now out in shops. People can listen to what I’ve been up to in the two years since the first one.

5. Who are you listening to at the moment? Lots of things, Waiting For Guiness’ new album is great, this Russian band called Billy’s Band, local Aussie band called Because of Ghosts and some top shelf dancehall from Mista Savona.

6. What’s your best nugget of wisdom? Hmm, one who cuts his own wood is twice warmed…

Unkle Ho - Big Bad Rag
>> download track
>> buy Circus Maximus @ Amazon
This download link will expire on 11th June.

Usual etiquette applies; check out Unkle Ho on MySpace, get him added to your friends, then go buy the album! Seriously though, it is a brilliant album. I think I might even create a genre to cater for it… gyp-hop, cos those gypsy beats are banging! Thanks goes out to Unkle Ho for sparing his time to participate.

Useful Links:

• Unkle Ho MySpace page
• Elefant Traks MySpace page
• Unkle Ho website
• Elefant Traks website
• Download - Unkle Ho - Big Bad Rag
• Buy Circus Maximus @ Amazon