Moving house

I've moved the Ear Conditioning blog to http://earconditioning.wordpress.com/

It had to be done.

See ya there....maybe.

Ear Conditioning / Substance Abuse

The sports desk presents another edition of all manner of sound.  From the luscious horns and and keyboard work that carry Diplo's  'Sarah'  to the onehundreadpercent roots of Fe Mi Time.

  

I came across South African Dudu Pukwana during my time at Virgin Records.  They distributed the Trevor Herman label that was/is Earthworks.   Great label Earthworks.  Also from South Africa is the contribution from Jonny & Sipho, from the Rhythm of Resistance album.

There's been quite a build-up in the UK press about the forthcoming reunion/30th Anniversary tour by The Specials.  It's been a bit ugly though as the band founder/leader Jerry Dammers is not part of the tour.  Something not quite right here.  I saw a raving review of his latest project the Spatial AKA Orchestra last week and that put a smile on my face.  Kevin Martin told me that Dammers had invited The SpaceApe to do a version of Ghost Town, would love to have seen that.  I always thought the Special AKA album, In the Studio was fantastic.  

Is it really almost twenty years ago that Jane's Addiction played the Marquee venue in London?

• Sonny Boy Williamson / Let your conscience be your guide (Chess)
  
• Jonny & Sipho / Inkunzi Ayi Hlabi Ngokusima (Earthworks/Virgin America)
  
• Fe Mi Time All Stars / Black Rights  (Pressure Sounds)
  
• The Specials / Long Shot Kick The Bucket / Liquidator / Skinhead Moonstop - The Peel           Sessions (BBC/EMI)
  
• Asha Bosle,  Shabir Kumar &  Chorus / Mujhe Dulhe Ka Sehra Gane Do (Music India)
  
• Saul Williams / PG (Witchita)
  
• Jane's Addiction / Of Course (Warners)
  
• Dudu Pukwana / Bayoli (Earthworks)
  
• Flying Lotus / Golden Diva  (Warp)
  
• Akazéhé / Par deux jeunes filles  (Ocora/Radio France)
  
• 2562 / Channel Two  (Multiverse/Tectonic)
  
• Richard Pryor / Africa  (Warner Brothers)
  
• Diplo / Sarah (Big Dada)
  
• Tracelements / Noisy  featuring Scalper
  
• Tracelements vs. D.WattsRiot / Ear To the Wall Version
  
• The Special AKA / Alcohol - The Peel Sessions (BBC/EMI)
  
• Living Colour / Hemp featuring Andy Farley (CBS)
  
• Buddah Music / Loop 05 xi (mp3)
  

There you have it.

This edition of Ear Conditioning will be broadcast tonight in Tenerife via 

Radio Norte 89.4FM at 20h30, 

then it'll be available via Sunhole at 22h00.

I'll make the podcast available tomorrow, here.  

Simone at Lagenda here in Tenerife has asked for a little 15-20minute mix to go on their website/forum, and that should surface soon, along with some mixes from fellow Sunholers, LastOne and Tanin, I think Simone is going to do a mix also, hope so.  Lagenda have been very supportive of my endeavours, much thanks.

Update on the previous post, Charles Holgate:  It appears that he and /Rupture had a lengthy telephone conversation last night, and he asked that the post be removed, and he's going to clarify things.  His ass is getting a bit sweaty methinks, as now if someone fucks with you, all you gotta do is do a post, and it can spread like all over and you tons of people will know that you are an asshole.  Need some tissues for your butt Charles?

Charles Holgate / MC Run with yer Money

There's a new MC in town.....used to be known as MC Nomad, but now called MC Run-with- yer-money!

Checked in with our man DJ/Rupture over at Mudd Up! an hour ago, and bam, one heavy post about Charles Holgate, who was hired to do publicity for the Uproot album in the UK.  

Uproot was a damn fine project that /Rupture mixed for the Agriculture label.  (I had it on this morning, well, yesterday morning)

Turns out Charles Holgate took the money and ran, neglecting to give updates on progress/or lack of, to /Rupture or the label.  Finally after six months he came with some lame excuse about not getting any press, while taking credit for the review that appeared on Pitchfork.

Having worked in press and publicity, I know the game, and he definitely played by his own rules,  thinking that he would get away with it because his client was based in the US, thousands of miles from his London base.  

Just check the link above and read for yerself, should you be interested. 

Charles sucks big time.

I'm sure there's gonna be an update to this.  

This scenario reminds me of when I played at the Aguaviva Festival last year.   When the time came for me to get paid, the booker Alby at La Luciérnaga Producciones avoided my calls and texts like the plague.  Just heard a couple days ago that they went bust.  Fuck you!  

Although, they'll most probably change their name and resurface again.

ps. Charles, you need to update your LinkedIn page, it still says Head of Press at Zzzonked, when you clearly left there over six months ago.  Also, don't forget to add Teef.

¡No al Puerto de Granadilla!

Ear Conditioning / For use in subhuman primates

I was over at the Field yesterday or this morning and he's got a post on racism. He writes how some call him a " 'racialist' 'cos he always on about racism". Then a little while ago, I found this. A story about a Navy Officer who went to work to find a 'Vote Mugabe' poster on the wall behind his desk. We really hate having to go down this road, we really do.

Some think we get up in the morning, have Coon Flakes (yes, that's what one of the guys in our group at school used to say for awhile) and look forward to another day of racist tirades with a watermelon grin on our faces. Whitey please!

Carnaval nah done!

Never in my wildest dreams would I think Groove Armada would do anything that would pleasently stroke my ear lobes. The folks at Mad Decent made it possible with a right calypsoul breakout remix. GA have linked up with a rum producer that ain't Havana Club, to harvest the power of the internet.

S'pose it worked since the promo company working this project sent me the audio file via the 'nets.

Back to the carnaval theme, Ghislain Poirier has been busy busy and the result is Soca Sound System. Did ya eyeball the video in previous post?

Earlier today Zomby dropped a response to Simon Reynolds' article in The Guardian (UK Press) about the relationship between his music and Ketamine. That's him told good an' proper. Got Zomby's ten-minute mix for Radio 1, in the program again. Arpeggiated synthax and cold beats holding court.

Also a return visit to the works of Dub1 out of Virginia, USA

The legendary Lee 'Scratch' Perry gets a reworking by The Moody Boy with Rootical Mr. Manuva along on the mic.

For Spanish speakers and loudspeakers, here is an interview with Filastine that was on RNE last week.

Also a couple slices from the Ghana Soundz Vol.1 album from the tasty Soundways label. That would be a great place to work.

Ear Conditioning - For Use in Subhuman Primates and Cats only

http://earconditioning.podOmatic.com/entry/2009-03-11T04_30_58-07_00

• Filastine / Singularities (Soot/Jarring Effects)
• Ghislain Poirier / Immigrant Visa (NinjaTune)
• Groove Armada/ Crank it Up Mad Decent Remix
• Ashmahan / Naoueit (Club Arabe)
• Zeza Barkak Melbeka / Fatma Ben Meddah from Sprigs of Time (Honest Jons)
• Dub1 / No Weapons (DreadTek)
• Zomby / Mix Session (Hyperdub)
• Pest / Heard ya bird moved in (NinjaTune)
• Lee 'Scratch' Perry / Give Me a Call Mate -Moody Boyz Remix feat. Roots Manuva (On-U Sound)
• 3rd Generation Band /Because of Money - Ghana Soundz Vol.1 (Soundway)
• Oscar Sully & The Uhuru Dance Band /Bukom Mashie - Ghana Soundz Vol. 1 (Soundway)
• Welcome to Jamrock Daddy G Mix
• J-Star meets Ms. Dynamite / Never Fall in Love (J-Star)
• Alan Freed Outro Goodnight and thanks for the use of your speakers.

Ghislain Poirier- Get Crazy

From the Soca Sound System release on Ninja.....Tropical breaks made in the sub-zer0 freeze of Montreal.

[ GPG : GHISLAIN POIRIER - GET CRAZY feat MR. SLAUGHTER ] from Gabriel Poirier-Galarneau on Vimeo.

Mastering Tips

One of my first jobs at Virgin Records in London was in the A'n'R Dept., booking cutting (or mastering) appointments at mastering facilities such as the Townhouse, CBS in Whitfield Street, or Porky's, to name a few.  

For those that don't know, Cutting or Mastering is the final opportunity to tweak the sound, and it's prepared for vinyl and/or cd manufacture.

I'm putting this hear (sic) so I will hopefully remember to come back to it when needed.

Thanks to thedailyswarm.

The Smell of Carnaval

Greetings from Carnaval-drunk Santa Cruz de Tenerife.  The fiesta that is Carnaval in Santa Cruz is coming to an end, mind you,only to spring up in other parts of the island.  Santa Cruz is the biggest open toilet at this time.  While moving to the battling sounds of murga's in one earhole and DJ El Killo  in the other, the stench of a weekend of us pissing on any available space took over...goddam!

Some amazing costumes were to be witnessed however.  

The best for my eyes was the guy with a sheep attached to mid-riff as if he was giving the sheep his manhood from behind.  The surprised expression via the sheep's eyes gave the costume it's crowning glory.  The other top costume was a mobile replica of a swimming pool, complete with two live-action synchronized swimmers. 

This week's program doesn't reflect Carnaval at all, not one iota...sorry, sick of hearing Salsa!

It's a bit loaded with El-P/Co.Flo material for some reason.  I had to play 'Fuck the Law' from the WeAreAllGoingToBurnInHellMeggaMixx2 release 'cos of the killa line:

"My god they got a child convinced with a lie that he'll die honorably"

Former Co.Flow deckwizard, Mr. Len also shows up behind the boards for Kice of Course.

Speaking of  'of course'...of course I had to check out the link to Nickelus F track featuring Portishead.  Well, it's not featuring, he raps over a couple of their tracks....Cowboys and Roads.

For awhile I had a habit of listening to  Nubian Minds' "Black Science" as a wind down to the sonic day.  It has the some of the same subtle Techno sensibilities that Martyn is running ahead with at the moment.

Hey, where the females at?

Sorry for the lack of representation ladies....step forward Voice.  Over a piano laden jazz step of a beat, Voice brings humour and wit to the situation of a rapper trying to make ends meet.

When I found the Nickelus F track over at nahright.com, I also found this gem, Alex the fourteen year old beatboxer....which 12million views on youtube,  everybody 'cept me musta seen this by now, nonetheless, it's brill'.

Ear Conditioning 03 March 2009

• King Midas Sound / Lost - Flying Lotus Remix  (Hyperdub)
  
• Company Flow / No Locks (Rawkus)
  
• Nickelus F / Cowboys featuring Portishead (mp3)
  
• Kice of Course / Like Smack (Dummy Smacks)
  
• Self Scientific vs. Linton Kwesi Johnson / Degrees of Bass Culture 
  
• IQ Productions vs. Kope  (Banana Klan)
  
• J-Zone / No Consequences feat. Huggy Bear (Old Maid)
  
• Ice / Trapped in Three Dimensions - El-P Remix (Morpheus)
  
• El-P / Fuck the Law (Definitive Jux)
  
• Voice / Mediocre (Public Transit)
  
• Freeform Arkestra/ Freeform Theme (Straight Ahead)
  
• LV vs. Dandelion / Takeover Dub (Hyperdub)
  
• Jazzsteppa / Taylor Rain (Studio Rockers)
  
• Ize / Tronka di Mundo
  
• King L Man with Grenouille/ Mariposa  (Ear Conditioning)
  
• Wesley Willis / The Frogs (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
  
• Nubian Minds / Black Science - Restless Soul Remix (Archive)
  

Ear Conditioning is 'earable Tuesdays

FM Radio - Radio Norte 89.4FM  20h30 GMT

Internet Radio - Sunhole www.sunhole.net 22h00 GMT