Continuing the rundown of 30 stand out tracks of 2008. Part 1 and explanation is here. Tracks are not in any particular order.
Ghislain Poirier – No More Blood ft. Face T (Megasoid remix) – Ninja Tune
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Buy the single / Myspace / Download Megasoid remixes
Megasoid had a pretty good year in 2008 with their souped up hip hop sound and talent for turning in ground shaking remixes complete with grinding synths and chest pounding bass (see selected track for a good example of that). They’re leading the Montreal contigent when it comes to new school partyin’ alongside Ghislain Poirier, who they remix here on a track taken from his latest album. The duo, composed of the man once known as Sixtoo and Hadj from Wolf Parade, are working on their debut album for Ninja Tune and have a bunch of dope tapes available online (link above). Music to sweat to and possibly fight to as well if you’re excessively drunk and so inclined. Sweating and grindin’ is probably more advised though. This remix was released in 2007 but given a solo 7″ release in Jan 08, hence its inclusion. Plus I was late picking up on it so.
Harmonic 313 – Call To Arms – Warp
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2008 saw the return of Mark Pritchard’s Harmonic project, with the 313 guise taking a different approach to the previous Harmonic 33 one. The easiest, and laziest in a sense, way to describe Harmonic 313 would be a Detroit-inspired mix of hip hop, techno and bass music. Scratch a little more though and the productions fit right alongside those of other producers, from L.A. to Glasgow via Paris, representing one facet of a new hip hop sound that is taking things forward, as exemplified in this track with its staccated rhythm and driving melody. Look out for the album in 2009 and more futuristic stylings from a producer who’s put in work over the years to say the least.
Hudson Mohawke – Ooops – LuckyMe x Wireblock
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One of my top 3 tracks of the year by far. Hud Mo turns the original on its head in an epic way and makes it more than fit for any dancefloor or large pair of headphones. And then it’s also got the lyrics about doing things to one self, which when put into a club context makes the whole thing even better and possibly post-modern too, or something. The rest of the EP offers more party music distilled through the kind of productions hip hop is in need of. This release is also responsible for truly sending this young Scot on its way to being another one to watch in 09 and the future, if he wasn’t already. EP and album on Warp next year.
Jay Electronica – Exhibit A (Transformations) – Guitar Center
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If there was one MC to capture your ears and imagination this year, it was Jay Electronica. His self released EP was the lyrical discovery of the year for me, with Jay painting captivating new pictures atop beats from likes of Madlib and Dilla. Dropping towards the end of the year, this track is a prime example of his ability to twist words in ways that are reminiscent of the likes of Nas or Kane in their prime but are still unique enough that it doesn’t sound like a rehash or poor attempt at repeating something already done. And then you have Just Blaze on production, and that’s definitely not bad thing. Album in 09 please?
Joker – Gully Brook Lane – Terrorhythm / Soul Jazz
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After possibly more than a year on dubplate, one of Joker’s defining riddims was released this year and it still sounded as fresh as it did first time round. At 19 years of age, Joker is not only one of the most promising producers to come out of Bristol and the grime scene, he also manages to blend together elements of grime, dubstep and hip hop in a way that many fail to make remotely interesting. I have to go with Kode 9′s description of Joker’s use of synths: ‘it sounds like Wiley stuck in an elevator with 80′s group Cameo… when you hear them on a dancefloor those synths sound like a giant laser frying everyone’s brains. I love that.’ Word. Definitely top 3 tracks of the year business and a track that makes me want to go mental everytime I hear it.
Joker & Rustie – Play Doe – Kapsize
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I could have chosen one of Rustie’s solo tracks but this is the one track of his that really stood out for me this year. A good example of a collaboration gone well, it manages to unite distinct elements of both producer’s trademark sounds into something that packs as much punch if not more than two separate productions would. And then there’s the ridiculously catchy synth lines and melodies. More retarded dancefloor business that is sorely needed in all the genres referenced in the track.
Kode 9 & LD – 2 Bad – Hyperdub
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Not content with heading the output of the best label of the year (and one of the best labels of the last few years), Kode 9 dropped this single with LD in November and continued to show that pinning him down to one sound or one style was a hopeless and fairly pointless thing to do. The single continues Kode’s laudable work of giving dubstep ‘what it thinks it doesn’t need,’ and it ain’t just dubstep either with London’s Funky movement heavily apparent in the drums. Whatever you choose to call it, fact is it’s bad. And not bad meaning bad either.
Lil Wayne – A Milli – Cash Money Records
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Proof that commercialism doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have creativity and a certain amount of innovation. A beat stripped to its bare necessities, no chorus and rhymes about money and fame from someone who’s found both in recent years. On paper that doesn’t necessarily have the pop appeal you would associate with commercial hip hop today (apart from the lyrics maybe), and yet it found pop success as easily as any sugar coated, pop friendly hip hop track. There’s plenty to be talked about there for sure, and writers better at it than me have, but when it comes to the music you just need to sit back and let the simplicity hit you upside the head. Ill but not sick for sure.
M.I.A – Paper Planes (Diplo remix) – Ninja Tune
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One of the catchiest and most popular riddims of the year, revocalled by everyone from Jay-Z to african singer Esau Mwamwaya and which made it even further into the public consciousness by being chosen for the Pineapple Express movie trailer. Its popularity is understandable too, with a melody that gets instantly stuck in your head and a chorus that makes use of grime’s main drum staple, the gunshot, to very effective result. Whether or not you like M.I.A, this bangs and if you don’t like her you’re spoilt for versions that don’t use her vocal. What more can you ask for? This version is taken from the forthcoming Diplo compilation album which is out early 09 on Ninja Tune. It’s also available on the Paper Places remix EP (link above).
Maga Bo – 3akel ft. Bigg – Soot Records
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Maga Bo’s ‘Archipelagoes’ album is definitely one of this year’s stand outs, painting a sonic picture of the African continent by combining urban bass and drums with evocative samples of its diverse musical styles and vocals from Senegal, South Africa, Morocco and Zanzibar. This track drives forward relentlessly with a hypnotic quality and lyrics that sound like a call to arms. If The Bug’s ‘London Zoo’ is the sound of London, then Maga Bo’s ‘Archipelagoes’ could well be the sound of the African continent heard through an urban, globalised filter.
Part 3 of the best of 2008 will be online in the next week or so.
Nice update. Those Joker tunes are fecking mint! Ill have to check him out. I think all ive heard from him is a tune on an ekelon mix i have.