21: When the Fonk Radiates
Hey buds,
My pal Muntz & I are working diligently to bring you another awesome set of tunes representing our current musical obsessions. For me, it’s gonna be all about Georgia Anne Muldrow’s excellent recent (but somehow not latest?) album VWETO II. I also can’t stop listening to the new Deadbrainz cassette, which has been lodged in my deck and my brain for weeks. Stoked to bring you the beats with snap, the lushest soul strings, the on-point bars, and the sweetest grooves.
⁂
LAST WEEK:
AUGUST 07, 2019
Ohhhhhhhhh Rassssssss
Gert Wilden & Orchestra “Girl Faces (Schulmädchenreport 1)” [Schulmaedchenreport]
Freddie Gibbs “Crime Pays” [Bandana]
Jamiroquai “Little L” [A funk odyssey]
Ras G “$2 Cup of Water” [Raw Fruit, Vol. 4]
Smyth “Collard Greens” [Com Postables Vol. 2: Soul Food]
MIKE “Hunger” [May God Bless Your Hustle]
Prince “Erotic City” [The Hits/The B-Sides]
The J.B.’s “Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself And You Be Yours” [Hustle With Speed]
Lord Rhaburn Combo “Disco Connection” [Disco Connection]
Ras G “Track 3” [My Kinda Blues]
Flying Lotus “The Climb” [Flamagra]
Ghostface Killah ft. Raekwon, Method Man and Superb] “Flowers” [Flowers 12”]
The Meters “Cardova” [The Complete Albums 1969-1977]
Sir Nai “Summer Saviors” [Past Time]
Parliament “I Can Move You (If You Let Me)” [Up For The Down Stroke]
Soul 7 “Outside Funk” [Funky Corners]
The Barbecues “Aaya Lolo” [Soundway presents Ghana Special (Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds & Ghanaian Blues 1968-81)]
Freddie Joachim “Backyards” [Beyond the Sea of Trees]
Mount Mocha Kilimonjaro “Dandy’s Fly” [Space Dandy OST]
Funkadelic “One Nation Under a Groove” [One Nation Under a Groove]
Silver Jews “How to Rent a Room” [The Natural Bridge]
Johnny Paycheck “Take This Job and Shove It” [Take This Job and Shove It 7”]
Ras G “WAVES” [Down 2 Earth Vol. 4]
Scientist “Next Door Dub” [The Scientist in the Kingdom of Dub]
Billy Boyo “One Spliff A Day” [Hi Grade Ganja Anthems Vol. 2]
Magic DJ “If Only Flip” [If Only]
Kool & The Gang “Hollywood Swinging” [Wild And Peaceful]
Buddy Miles “Them Changes” [Them Changes]
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I had took a long break from writing updates and sending show links, so I’ll do a little housekeeping and add a few things I intended to send
First up, let’s close the books on the dread year 2018. I’m terrible at getting favorite-of-year lists done in December/before the holidays, but I usually wrap it up before August. My favorite record of 2019 was undoubtedly Nipsey Hussle’s VICTORY LAP. That was the one I kept coming back to in the fall of 2018, and damn I loved the single “Last Time That I Checc’d” with the YG feature. I knew one of his early singles (“Hussle in the Hood,” over the Kriss Kross “Jump” beat), and I was definitely tuned in to the song he & YG released in the summer of 2016 called “FDT” about a certain terrible presidential candidate, but I wasn’t prepared for the quality & philosophy of VICTORY LAP. I cheered for Nip when they announced VICTORY LAP was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Album, and I mourned for Nip when he was gunned down in his neighborhood and home this spring.
I also feel terrible for writing off Mac Miller before his untimely death last summer. I think I had heard some of BLUE PARK SLIDE and dismissed it as frat rap, with the same sort of disdain I hold for Post Malone. Not at all the same kind of music, and I’m bummed that it took Mac’s death and the outpouring of love and respect from so many artists that I admire for me to ride his wave. SWIMMING is a wonderful album, balancing sadness and optimism with gorgeous production.
THE MARATHON CONTINUES
Nipsey Hussle // VICTORY LAP
TOP TIER
Freddie Gibbs // FREDDIE
03 Greedo // GOD LEVEL & THE WOLF OF GRAPE STREET
Tierra Whack // WHACK WORLD
Kali Uchis // ISOLATION
Janelle Monae // DIRTY COMPUTER
Mac Miller // SWIMMING
Drakeo the Ruler // COLD DEVIL (Dec 26, 2017)
La Luz // FLOATING FEATURES
Earl Sweatshirt // SOME RAP SONGS
REALLY GOOD
Kamasi Washington // HEAVEN AND EARTH
Blood Orange // NEGRO SWAN
Father // AWFUL SWIM
Noname // ROOM 25
Phonte // NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS
Snail Mail // LUSH
Mitski // BE THE COWBOY
Yves Tumor // SAFE IN THE HANDS OF LOVE
Pink Siifu // ensley
The Internet // HIVE MIND
Saba // CARE FOR ME
Sudan Archives // SINK
Vince Staples // FM!
Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs, & the Alchemist // FETTI
MIKE // BLACK SOAP, RENAISSANCE MAN, & especially WAR IN MY PEN
Jean Grae & Quelle Chris // EVERYTHING’S FINE
Khruangbin // CON TODO EL MUNDO
Jansport J // LOW
Maxo Kream // PUNKEN
Open Mike Eagle // WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I TRY TO RELAX
21 Savage // i am >> i was
Leikeli47 // ACRYLIC
Ivy Sole // OVERGROWN
PDX Division
Dodgr // “Win is Enough” + 1 million rad features
Sir Nai // EXILE
Free Tillman // MY WAY HOME & ABSOLUTE ZERO
Theory Hazit // SOUL CHOPS
Marquii // C.A.B.O.
Haley Heynderickx // I NEED TO START A GARDEN
V.S.O.P. // IM TRYING
Fountaine // BLUE ? & “Sealab 2021”
Bocha & Sxlxmxn // M.A.A.N.
KayelaJ // HOMAGE
Myke Bogan // JOE FONTANA
Deathlist // FUN
Sávila // SÁVILA
Bloodmoney Perez // TIME IS A MOTHERFUCKER
Maze Koroma // “Menace” & “REWIND”
Various Artists // A BEAT HAPPENING: YEAR ONE COMPILATION’
Quickly, Quickly // PATHS
Old Grape God // PAIN TING
Studenets // SECRET ISLAND
Dead Phone Dummiez // SICK TO MY STOMACH
Covi // ESCALATE WITH ME
Young Shirt Mayne // L’APPEL DU VIDE
Tribe Mars // TRIBE MARS
Mic Capes // “Mansa Musa”
Blossom & Ripley Snell // CLOUT ATLAS :: DORMIVEGLIA
Wynne // “Buzzer” & “Don’t Touch”
Chanti Darling // RNB Vol. 1
Orquestra Pacifico Tropical // EL TREN
⁂
Swimming with Tia, Tio y Ignacia
A rare moment of quiet reflection
Muntz, minding the ones and twos at Dig a Pony
Jos, who must make peace signs and duckface in every picture from here on
I’m bummed to say goodbye to my radio pal Joshua Justice of STATIC AND DISTANCE; he’s moving back home to Michigan in September. He asked Muntz & I to play records at his going away party, so we will be selecting from 9:15 to 10 pm on Saturday night.
Love,
Andy // DJ Mr. Mom
August 21, 2019
North Portland, OR