Zed’s Dead w/ Omar LinX – The Living Dead
So apparently a lot of you out there are fans. The Living Dead is Zed’s Dead newest track to hit the digital dance floors. I’m posting this because Peter Greene, the guy who played Zed will actually be in the upcoming video, dropping in a few weeks. How fucking cool is that? Omar LinX also drops solid gruff bars, channelling a dusted up and dirty 90s Bruce Willis.
For The Record – Beat Junkie’s 20th Anniversary doc
“For The Record” … gotta love the play on words with this one. It’s been twenty years since the legendary Beat Junkies first shocked the Los Angeles hip-hop scene with their progressive approach to turntablism. To celebrate, the group has joined forces with LRG Clothing Company to present For the Record, the Beat Junkie Sound’s 20th anniversary documentary featuring A-Trak, Jazzy Jeff and other DJ legends about the group’s influence and impact on global hip-hop and DJ culture.
With stops in the United States, Europe and Asia, The Beat Junkie Sound tour begins in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 30, 2012 at the Echoplex with a special kick-off performance and exclusive premiere of For the Record before its slated worldwide, online release on July 2, 2012.
And it wouldn’t be an LRG project if there wasn’t some kind of apparel involved. See the limited-edition Beat Junkie 20th Anniversary hats and tees that will be available for purchase the night of the tour launch, premieres and tour dates. Check it all out at http://Fortherecord.l-r-g.com/
Innis & Gunn Canada Day Limited Edition
I sincerely hope Innis & Gunn’s Canada Day Scottish Oak Aged Beer (matured 49 days) brew sticks around for the summer, at least past Canada Day its self, because it was one of the tastiest and strongest (7.7%) I’ve had in a Glasgow minute.
Alongside Ale Malt, they added Aromatic Barley Malt which imparts the beer’s rich toffee colour and satisfying maltiness. They also used Goldings hops from three farms in East Kent to give the beer a bitterness to balance out the core malt sweetness. They then used slowly oak matured the beer to unlock the delicious flavours of vanilla and toffee locked inside the oak grain. What this means in english is an incredibly well balanced beer with rich graham cracker taste, seen sometimes in fall pumpkin-flavoured brews with a distinctive bitterness and subtle fruit flavours.
Official Tasting Notes
Nose: Oak, toffee
Colour: Auburn
Palate: Creamy, with toffee and oak, complemented by a vibrant, spicy Fuggles hop bitterness. Warms and mellows on the palate revealing a delicious malty character with hints of vanilla.
Finish: Biscuit malt and vanilla mellowing with time, balanced by an earthy hop bitterness.
Food Matches: Try with maple-glazed cedar plank salmon or alongside delicious nutty cheeses, such as Gouda.
The packaging for this year’s Canada Day beer has been created by Canadian artist Gary Whitley who won this year’s Innis & Gunn art competition. Being a proud Canadian, Gary was inspired to use the national emblem, the leaf of the Sugar Maple with its distinctive shape and vibrant colour, to add a sense of both drama and fun to his iconic piece.
Gary Whitley has been a professional artist for more than 30 years. His work, which takes inspiration from the great Canadian outdoors, is exhibited across the state of British Columbia and has seen him chosen as a Signature Member of the Society of Canadian Artists. We are proud to showcase his outstanding work in celebration of Canada’s national day.
Palladium Boots Seen on Karmaloop’s “The Product”
As part of their weekly product review video series, the Product, our good friends at Karmaloop give a quick overview of some of our latest styles, including the Palladium Sport Hi, the Slim Chukka, the Slim Snap, and the Pampa Hi LITE.
Hosts Holland Smith and Dani Concepcion present each shoe and talk about their favorite colors, style details, and features, while Chris models each style and chimes in as a die-hard Palladium fan noting that they are “the most comfortable boots” he owns.
Double Helix – Death Grips
New distortion magic from Death Grips. I really ought to get my scanner fixed so I can post up my interview with them published in Coachella’s CAMP Magazine 2012.
Diamond Rings – I’m Just Me
Toronto hero, Diamond Rings continues his global onslaught with his first release on Astralwerks Record, taken from his forthcoming album co-produced with Grammy-nominated Damian Taylor (Bjork, The Killers, Prodigy, UNKLE, Robyn). “I’m Just Me” is consistent with his ambiguous gender-bending visuals and lyrics. The video is fairly in line with his past productions, but according to John O, “[it] marks a shift towards a monochromatic color palette and visual aesthetic predicated on the interaction of light and form.’ Most importantly, ‘I’m Just Me’ represents the beginning of a new journey into the world of Diamond Rings.” The track is available now to download on iTunes.
In case you want more, (like, who doesn’t???), you can check out my interview with Diamond Rings in Spinner, or my review of his NXNE show last summer.
NXNE June 17 – Killer Mike, Ghost Face Killer & Raekwon
Killer Mike (via AOL Spinner)
Killer Mike shifted from Southern gentleman to politically-minded activist assassin and back again over the course of his powerful hour-long set at Yonge-Dundas Square on Sunday. “It’s harder to be poor now more than ever. The government is under-educating us. Take care of the people or they’ll burn this fucker down,” he implored. Most vicious was his rancorous distaste for the deceased ex-US president Ronald Reagan, whom he gave the finger to many times during the night. A lyrical genius, Michael, as he called himself at times, worked many of the glitter billboards ringing Yonge & Dundas Square’s stage into a hilarious freestyle rap, spitting rhymes about AOL, The Dictator, Reebok Crossfit, the CN Tower Edgewalk and more. — Jesse Ship
Ghostface Killah and Raekwon
Ghostface Killah and Raekwon threw back to their glory days during NXNE’s grand finale on Sunday. Most of their set featured classics from their respective mid-’90s solo albums, Ironman and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, respectively, with obligatory Wu-Tang Clan bangers interspersed. But the night truly belonged to Toronto talent like MCs JD Era and Mindbender, who were invited to take on parts of the dearly departed Ol’ Dirty Bastard during key tracks. Canuck DJ Skratch Bastid held things down, standing beside himself in awe for most the way through. After all, who wouldn’t? This night was Toronto history in the making. — Jesse Ship
NXNE June 15 & 16 – Phedre & Christien Summers
Phedre (via AOL Spinner)
Based off of the tragic character from Greek mythology, Phedre is comprised of April Aliermo and Daniel Lee of Hooded Fang, with support from Maylee Todd, Doldrums‘ Airick Woodhead and others. A Toronto indie rock supergroup of sorts, the band brought to life an ’80s-excess R&B space-rock opera with a gold lamé sensibility, if that’s possible to imagine. Flanked by a host of glittery masked backup dancers equipped with massive decorative fans, Phedre delivered their fantastical music on the smallish Sneaky Dee’s stage on Friday using tools like a filtering megaphone, all while directing a soma-induced crowd with floppy peacock feathers. — Jesse Ship
Christien Summers
Christien Summers was formed on a loving four year marriage between Fleetwood Mac, folk and ’80s new wave, as assimilated by Gareth Jones of the Cansecos and the breathy, fun-loving vocalist, Carol Lui. “I’m a new wave baby and I love a good dance party,” she told Spinner backstage after the band’s Saturday show at the Cameron House. Naturally, it turns out that disco is the glue that keeps their rhythms together, as many a sleazy Hustle-inducing beat were looped over the guitar, drums and bass. The upcoming full album release on Upper Class should help elevate Christien Summers to the next level. — Jesse Ship
NXNE Coverage June 14 – Bad Bad Not Good & Bishop Morocco
Bad Bad Not Good (via AOL Spinner)
Bad Bad Not Good are probably the most precocious group to emerge from the Toronto jazz scene in a very long time. Their second set of the night at the Hoxton was announced with an “It was good before, but this time we’re going to go twice as hard, we gonna do this sht!” Their talent has attracted attention from numerous media sources as well as foul-mouthed trendsetter Tyler the Creator of Odd Future. Their show proved that the young’uns can still rock out to experimental saxophones, drums, keys and guitar, and even drop more than a couple stage dives and mosh pits thanks to Gucci, their wildcat mascot. — Jesse Ship
Bishop Morocco (via AOL Spinner)
Bishop Morocco played a dark, haunting and reverb-heavy set at the Rivoli as part of the Arts & Crafts showcase. Soaring, anguish-inducing guitar riffs pleased the crowd. Even when they were uplifting their tone was still plaintive thanks to the deep Ian Curtis-esque baritone channeled eerily well by both bassist and guitarist James Sayce and Jake Fairly. As Sayce said to Spinner after the show as he made a thirsty beeline to the bar, “We’ve been making music together for over 20 years. What’s come out of it is this — an amalgamation of everything we’ve ever listened to.”
Max Burgundy NXNE Coverage (via AOL Spinner)
Max Burgundy got the start treatment in my Spinner NXNE coverage last Wednesday. Here’s what you missed!
Max Burgundy
A Bronx, NY native, Max Burgundy wasn’t fazed in the slightest when he was told his slot at The Crawford would be pushed back to accommodate some of the acts orphaned due to the Rich Kidd showcase cancellation. The half-Puerto Rican rapper delivered an emotionally wrought set that reflected on hard times growing up with alcoholic parents, cynical views on Internet privacy, and fantasizing over doing it with girls at the Museum of Modern Art. Songs borrowed bars from ’90s acts like No Doubt and the Cranberries, which ably reflected his new mix CD, The Death of Mark Fuhrman. It seems he knew Spinner might be in the building as he shouted out, “AOL! A/S/L?”, yet another reference to pre-millennium glory. — Jesse Ship
His new mix tape “The Death of Mark Fuhrman” also just dropped and you can give it a listen here. Max told me pre-show that the title is a reminder that racism and discrimination are still very real things, and despite some progress, not much has changed since the mid-90s. The controversy over the Rivoli show cancellation only furthers the truth.
