Winter Solstice Mix

Today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day (and longest night) of the yearly cycle.  From here, it can only get brighter, at least for another 6 months. Optimism for the future, looking back at the past, and awareness of the present...

In honor of this particular day (12-21, gotta love the symmetry there as well), I've put together a very random grab-bag of goodies to share, celebrating the past, present, and future in various degrees.

Included are the following:

-One 45rpm single from 1956 that was likely the first record to "sample" other records (and thereby the birth of Hip-Hop culture, at least on a theoretical level if not on one of musical nature and direct influence).

-The Future of Hip-Hop (Don't Don't you you want want to to come come to to the the Echo Echo Party Party?)

-Also in the model of futurism, two of my favorite tracks from the "5 Years of Hyperdub" 2-CD set. UK club dub in effect!

-Another modern electronic piece with a distinctly African flavor from Mapstation's new album "The Africa Chamber"

-A couple of interesting percussive pieces from two different ensembles of European hippies from the 1970's... Popol Vuh and Relaxace.

-Readings of a few works from Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa, who was a favorite of none other than Tropicalia legend Caetano Veloso.

-A classic tune about mining entitled "Dark as a Dungeon" from the Maddox Brothers and Rose, featuring the lovely voice of a young Rose Maddox. This one's from 1949 and it's super deep, especially the excellent harmonies that serve as a wonderful example of just how beautifully family-oriented groups like this one are capable of singing together. They don't make them like this anymore...

Feel free to listen to them in whatever order you'd like. Enjoy!

Winter Solstice Mix

Erdem Helvacioglu - Altered Realities (2006)

This is another recent favorite, especially in the late night hours when I want something mellow but not necessarily sleep-inducing. This album is a wonderful mellow soundscape that transforms the guitar into something that sounds much more like a synthesizer. Turkish musician Erdem Helvacioglu apparently recorded the whole album live using only a guitar and various effects, with all of the sound processing done on the fly in real time... Wow! Seriously, his setup must be incredible, since it sounds so much more produced and fleshed out than one would imagine someone being able to do without the aid of some post-production.

But the real beauty of it is in the unique sounds he shapes with such simple means, the mood the record captures, and the vibe it creates. Magical, hazy and blissfully spacy...

alter your reality

Valet - False Face Society (2009)

Newest release from Valet (aka Portland, Oregon resident Honey Owens). It's an EP of 3 long-ish pieces, and definitely a little less focused / more exploratory than her previous record, the excellent Naked Acid. If you like this one, you should definitely search out her other solo releases, as well as the work she has done with Nudge. Super limited to just 500 LP copies, but I think it deserves to reach more folks out there... hope you enjoy!

False Face Society's Child