A bilingual blog by Carmelo Ruiz-Marrero dedicated to all things fun, like music, cinema, comedy and sci-fi. Contact: ruiz@tutanota.com - Un blog bilingüe de Carmelo Ruiz Marrero dedicado a todo lo que sea divertido, como música, cine, comedia y ciencia ficción. Contacto: ruiz@tutanota.com
June 5 2014 I first learned of this album from my schoolmate Tomás Rodríguez-Barceló. We were in the same classroom in Colegio San Ignacio in the seventh grade. Then we both switched schools and did not hear from each other... until one afternoon when I was in 9th grade I was visiting a friend in Rosa Bell School in Guaynabo, someone who looked like a total stranger to me said hi and talked to me as if we knew each other. I specifically remember he strongly recommended I listen to Genesis' Duke album. Some time later I learned that that pale, skinny student with no hair was Tomás. He had cancer. He did not live to enter the 10th grade. I cannot listen to any song from Duke without remembering Tomás. Fare well my friend, wherever you are.
Adrian Quesada of Ocote Soul Sounds, Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath, The Echocentrics, and Spanish Gold.
Check out Adrian Quesada guest DJing at NPR's Alt.Latino.
Here is what the show's co-host Félix Contreras had to say:
We asked him on the show in hopes of gleaning some insights into that most ethereal of music-industry gigs: record producer. It's a role that's part therapist, part conductor, part visionary and part techno geek. Here, Quesada gives us a peek into the music and culture that forms the DNA of his bands — including Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath, a Latin funk outfit that's currently getting its Ozzy on. Like many of the artists we feature on Alt.Latino, Quesada is the product of a bi-cultural Latino environment: Musica Tejana rubbed elbows with hip-hop for this child of the MTV generation who grew up on the U.S./Mexico border. To me, the music he makes with his bands (or while producing others) has a soft, almost unnoticeable accent, sort of like my grandfather's. My grandfather was fluent in English, but his rural New Mexico roots were always present in his speech. That influence is obvious in a band like Grupo Fantasma, the retro cumbia and rock outfit that, until recently, Quesada helped lead for many years. But I can also hear it in the mellow, spacey funk romp of Ocote Soul Sounds, a studio project he developed with fellow visionary Martin Perna of Antibalas.
Puro Instinct performed live at dublab during the Spring 2014 Proton Drive. This set gets as dreamy as it can get, with full on pads that take you to a far away island off the coast of Spain. Last time I checked Puro Instinct seems to be almost finished with a new record, some are probably included in this performance, for sure one to never forget.
Puro Instinct - Live Sprout Session (05.06.14) 00:36
Safety Scissors – Live dublab Sprout Session & DJ set (07.26.13)
After a long absence from the dublab studios, Safety Scissors returned to dublab with new music and live set. So refreshing to see his sound evolved after all these years. As always, his music is playful, mysterious, joyful and dark. A new period indeed for one of dublab’s all time favorite artists.
Safety Scissors - Live dublab Sprout Session & DJ set (07.26.13)
Jokers of the Scene isn't a new outfit—the Toronto pair has been remixing and releasing records since 2006—but until recently, the duo of Linus Booth and Chris Macintyre hadn't truly managed to distinguish itself. Despite the group's varied output, Jokers of the Scene often felt inextricably tied to the late-'00s bloghouse circuit, most likely due to the project's long-standing affiliation with the Fool's Gold imprint. As such, we were pleasantly surprised when the duo offered up End Scene, its first full-length, a few weeks back. The album, released by Throne of Kanada (a joint effort between the Throne of Blood and New Kanada labels) finds the JOTS boys significantly widening their musical palette, as the LP includes sophisticated nods toward classic house and techno, ambient music, and even some '80s pop. At its core, End Scene is a remarkably sophisticated listen, and one that gave us confidence that Booth and Macintyre were more than capable of putting together a quality mix for the XLR8R podcast series.
On the whole, our podcasts tend to be rather straightforward affairs, as most DJs simply strive to assemble a precisely mixed collection of club-ready tunes, perhaps with a few curveballs or forgotten classics thrown in to add a bit of color to the proceedings. Those sorts of mixes are all well and good, but Jokers of the Scene opted to put together something a little more elaborate. Make no mistake, it's not that the duo's mix is overly complex or that some kind of impressive technical approach has been implemented—some of the podcast's transitions don't even involve beatmatching—but when listening to the music on offer, it's clear that the pair sought to create a genuine listening experience. Over the course of more than 70 minutes, Booth and Macintyre spend plenty of time flirting with the dancefloor, but they never manage to completely set up shop there, preferring instead to indulge themselves in gauzy soundscapes or kitschy vintage electronic pop tropes. As a result, the podcast covers a lot of ground, yet one never gets the feeling that Jokers of the Scene are working without a map. After spending a number of years in the electronic wilderness, it seems that the duo has finally figured out exactly where it wants to go.
01 Larry Heard "Journey to Deimos" (Black Market International) 02 Alice Coltrane "Krishna Krishna" (Avatar Book Institute) 03 Jokers of the Scene "Stoned in Death Valley" (Throne of Kanada) 04 The KLF "Last Train to Trancentral (Pure Trance Version)" (KLF Communications) 05 Wally Badarou "Endless Race" (Island) 06 Wendy & Lisa "Honeymoon Express (Honeymoon Instrumental)" (Columbia) 07 Sheila E "Koo Koo (Remix)" (Paisley Park) 08 K. Leimer "Entre'acte" (RVNG Intl.) 09 Jokers of the Scene "Risk Business" (Throne of Kanada) 10 Ryuichi Sakamoto "Adelic Penguins" (Midi Inc.) 11 The Rotating Assembly "Orchestra Hall" (Sound Signature) 12 808 State "Lift" (Tommy Boy) 13 Jokers of the Scene "Endless Scene 2.1" (Mount Analog) 14 Haruomi Hosono with Friends for Earth "SFX" (Teichiku) 15 Portion Control "Raise the Pulse" (Illuminated) 16 Kissing the Pink "Mr. Blunt" (Magnet) 17 David Sylvian "Home" (Virgin)
Text from the RA web site: Instead of a biography on Lone's Discogs page there's a quote from the Warp artist Bibio. "I could spot a Lone track by hearing one or two bars," he says. This was written around the time of Lemurian, Matt Cutler's first album as Lone, but it's just as true today. Put simply, Cutler's music has always been upbeat. He started out making hip-hop on labels like Dealmaker and Werk Discs, and then later moved to a rave-influenced house sound—the rhythms have evolved, but his impossibly vibrant melodic palette has loosely stayed the same. On his standout tracks like "Once In A While," "Pineapple Crush," "Lying In The Reeds" and last year's "Airglow Fires," he took early UK dance music's most sun-drenched tropes and shot them through a modern lens. The ever on-point R&S Records took note, and in 2012 they released Galaxy Garden, Cutler's fourth album. This week its follow-up, Reality Testing, dropped through R&S, and it sees Cutler unite the old with the new: the record is a blend of house and hip-hop that's bound by Cutler's singular sense of nostalgia. If you pick up the album (which we of course recommend) be sure to check RA.420 before hitting play. The mix spotlights the influences that fuelled Reality Testing, which means a humid hip-hop first half, and then smooth upswing into a house-led second part.
Text by Jasmine Garsd: Brazil is in the spotlight right now, both for the dawn of World Cup festivities and for its tense social and political situation. But on Alt.Latino, Brazil has always been in the spotlight: We constantly dedicate shows to the Latin American giant's rich musical history. On this episode, we follow our own tradition and play new Brazilian artists worth hearing. Our guide is Lewis Robinson, a British DJ whose love of Brazilian music is so great, it led him to assemble Rolê, a stellar 43-song compilation that showcases up-and-coming musicians.
The lead-up to World Cup 2014 has been clouded by allegations of financial corruption, and news of mass eviction and clearing of favelas. While sports fans and protestors debate the morality of the impending tournament, there remain a couple of facts that are untouchable: Brazil has always been home to amazing music, and has also produced some of the most exciting football ever (that’s “soccer” to our American readers!). Whether you’re considering watching the World Cup, or possibly raising your voice in concern, Lewis Robinson has compiled a soundtrack to get you in the mood. Robinson runs the ever-dependable Mais Um Discos label, and has just released the extensive Role: New Sounds of Brazil compilation. Here he picks a track from an artist in each of the cities playing host to the Cup.
1976, Genesis toured without Peter Gabriel for the first time. The drummer took over the lead vocals, and he was in turn replaced by the legendary Bill Bruford, of Yes and King Crimson fame. What an amazing combination! It would last only one year. Next year Bruford left, and American drummer Chester Thompson became the band's tour drummer.
World Cup 2014 kickoff! In the first half, we feature new tunes by Mux Mool, Georgia Anne Muldrow, TV Girl, and Jim E Stack. In the second, we celebrate the music and people of Brazil with Maestre Cupijó, João Sobral, Aurora, NIKO IS, Da Lata, and Alexandre Klinke.
Rene Perez Joglár, lyricist and frontman for Calle 13, didn’t mean to become a revolutionary icon for Latin America’s youth.
“They try to put stamps on you,” Perez tells Latino USA in a one-on-one interview. “It’s more simple than that. It’s just a normal guy, writing about the things he sees around him.”
Calle 13 began life as a potty-mouthed rap group from Puerto Rico. They gained attention for their alternative take on reggaeton, with a style characterized by over-the-top sexual humor and smart punch lines. Over years and albums, their music became more serious and socially engaged, addressing topics like poverty, migration and social justice in Latin America. Musically, they absorbed influences from traditional and folk sounds from the region.
Now, nine years after their debut, Calle 13 has released their most introspective album yet, titled Multi_Viral. Featuring guest spots from leftist icons Eduardo Galeano, Julian Assange and Silvio Rodriguez, the album touches on a lot of “big ideas”: on the resilience of the human spirit in “El Aguante”, on the ephemeral nature of life and death in “La Vida (Respira el Momento)” and on the power of ideas itself in “Así de Grandes Son las Ideas.”
René Perez sits down with Maria Hinojosa for a an intimate interview about his new album.
Below, listen to the songs we played in this segment:
We think Puerto Rico's Alvaro Diaz is the next big rapper to watch out for.
courtesy of the artist.TEXT BY JASMINE GARSD:This week on Alt.Latino, we're just chilling out. And by chilling out, I mean bouncing to Álvaro Díaz, a Puerto Rican rapper we think is the next big thing; dancing to Desechables, a vintage post-Franco Spanish punk outfit; and listening to some deep, thought-provoking tunes from Marisa Ronstadt, cousin of Linda.We never do things halfway — and even when we chill out, we rock out. Join us, and as always, let us know what songs are starting your party and helping you unwind.
En los 50 años de carrera musical del bardo rocanrolero británico Pete Townshend, su disco Empty Glass, lanzado en 1980, se destaca como uno de sus esfuerzos más brillantes. Tiene la participación de bateristas como Kenny Jones y Simon Phillips, Rabbit Bundrick en teclados y Tony Butler en bajo. "And I Moved" es una de mis piezas favoritas del disco. Hay que señalar que la letra de la canción, especialmente en la parte que dice "And I moved toward him", parece ser una admisión de homosexualidad, un "coming out". Pero la letra es así porque Townshend originalmente escribió la canción para Bette Middler.
Text by Jasmine Garsd I wish every episode of Alt.Latino somehow featured AJ Davila, even if it's just reading credits, or maybe calling and saying hi in the middle of the show. The Puerto Rican rocker is one of the most enjoyable musicians we've ever had record a Guest DJ set for us. I can't think of another guest who's made me laugh so hard I had to turn away from the mic — but it didn't hurt that he's the one guest to bring beer along with an excellent selection of new Puerto Rican music. Also joining us this week is the talented Ahmed Albizu, who plays bass with Davila and has his own terrific band, called Re-Animadores.
11 de abril 2014 En 1981 la banda Yes había dejado de existir. El bajista Chris Squire y el baterista Allan White seguían trabajando juntos y buscaban formar una banda nueva, y encontraron en el talentoso surafricano Trevor Rabin un colaborador ideal. Con Rabin, quien toca guitarra y teclados, canta y compone, formaron el grupo Cinema y grabaron la canción "Make It Easy". Cinema duró poco y no lanzó ningún disco debido a que para 1983 Jon Anderson, cantante de Yes, se integró al proyecto y Squire y White decidieron hacer de éste una reunión de Yes. Inicialmente Rabin se opuso a la idea, pero acabó aceptándola. Con el lanzamiento del disco 90125 ese mismo año comenzó entonces el periodo más comercialmente exitoso de la banda. Yes llegó a ser uno de los grupos musicales más conocidos de la década de los 80. No fue sino hasta 1991 que "Make it Easy" vio la luz del día, cuando la canción fue incluida como parte de una compilación boxed-set llamada Yes Years. Fue lanzada entonces como sencillo y llegó a número 36 en la lista de Billboard.
courtesy of the artist.TEXT BY JASMINE GARSD:This week on Alt.Latino, we're just chilling out. And by chilling out, I mean bouncing to Álvaro Díaz, a Puerto Rican rapper we think is the next big thing; dancing to Desechables, a vintage post-Franco Spanish punk outfit; and listening to some deep, thought-provoking tunes from Marisa Ronstadt, cousin of Linda.We never do things halfway — and even when we chill out, we rock out. Join us, and as always, let us know what songs are starting your party and helping you unwind.
