rock the dub presents DJ Mayday

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, I ended up a) becoming the Editor over at Dogs On Acid, and b) needing an Assistant Editor. My boy Jeryl put me on to this magnificent writer straight out of Canada by the name of Cara. She hooks up the ill feature work, as well as reviews, but I then found out that homegirl is a DJ by the name of Mayday. She flips all styles, and one of them happens to be Drum & Bass. Over the last few months, Cara and I have become fast friends, helping each other out, trading music and the like. She hit me off with this quick mix of her favorite picks for 2008, focusing on the DnB side of things, and she's hooked up some top selections!

DOWNLOAD DJ Mayday - Better Late Than Never


Tracklist:

[01] Top Cat - The Sweetest Thing (Benny Page and Marcus Visionary Mix)
[02] Chase and Status - Music Club
[03] Dope Ammo and Shortston - Better Believe (Muffler Remix)
[04] Clipz - Loud and Dirty feat Shiv
[05] Cause for Concern - Never Acid Again (*Mayday's Pick for Tune of the Year*)
[06] Break - Is This What You Want?
[07] Shimon and Sparfunk - The Smoker
[08] Fortress - Captivity
[09] Noisia - Stigma
[10] Dieselboy, Evol Intent and Ewun - Midnight Express

Once again, thanks to DJ Mayday for this nice and tidy mix; massive respect to Uriela for the cover art; cap off your New Year's Eve funkery with this one!

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rock the dub presents Just Jeryl

My "Best of" 2008 series would hardly be complete without some Drum & Bass. One of the cats who I consider as a mentor is the one like Jeryl. He's helped me get my foot into the DnB journalism (hey, stop snickering!) door, and is probably one of THEE voices in terms of what's hot or not, whether you like it or not. So, asking him to hit me with a mix of his favorite cuts of 2008 is no nonsense - I know the quality is there. Now, instead of me blabbing on about him and this mix, let me just hit you with his words about each track...

01. Bjork - All Is Full of Love (Chris.SU Remix)

This isn't out yet, but it got sent to me in 2008 and it's literally one of the most beautiful tracks I've heard in a long time. Hungary's finest export since, um, whatever else the hell Hungary exports, slides in a smoothed out reese bass and subtle trance elements with Bjork's inimitable vocal stylings floating over the top. Stunning.

02. Break - Destiny Comes Ringing

Easily one of my favourite producers of the year, Break knows how to throw down proper dance floor destroying drum & bass that never delves into cheese. This piece on Commercial Suicide was a cornerstone of my sets from the moment I got my hands on a TP.

03. Chase & Status - Streetlife

These boys know a thing or two about diversity and this track from their debut album 'More Than Alot' is without doubt one of my favourites. Simple but highly effective, the bassline is deadly deep!

04. Alix Perez - Stray

I've loved Alix' tunes for a long time but something about 'Stray' grabbed me more than usual for some reason. Maybe it's the pure simplicity, the effortless class that seems to drizzle itself over the edges of this track. Who knows, or cares? Beautiful music.

05. Spectrasoul - Alibi

My boys Spectrasoul have been on fire for a good while now. 'Alibi' is easily their best tune in my opinion though, it's just got absolutely everything you could want, a touch of soul, nice production and some filthy bass. This one dropped on Kasra's Critical Music label earlier this year.

06. Brookes Brothers - Tear You Down

Oh lord! Easily the biggest drum & bass track of the year, played by everyone and their mother including daytime playlisting on Radio 1, this track is a fat slab of unashamed dancefloor goodness. Brimming with hefty beats and bass all topped with a slight sprinkling of cheese which is enough to get your mum bopping along to it while not turning your stomach in disgust.

07. Telemetrik & Black Sun Empire - Magnet

I nearly pissed my pants when I first heard this beauty. Released on Telemetrik's debut album 'My Lightyear', this one is absolutely disgusting and features more twists and turns than a labyrinth designed by Escher.

08. Break - Is This What You Want?

I wanted to add a track from Break's rather awesome album and this one instantly stood up and begged to be included. The bass on this one when it drops is just stupid, so incredibly heavy it's not even funny.

09. Unknown - Greater Love

I heard this track on one of Kasra's studio mixes ages and ages ago but it finally came out on a sneaky white label this year and it practically made me moist with excitement. Such a great little bootleg, now, if someone could just remind me what the original is, it's been doing my head in for weeks!

10. Roni Size & DJ Die - Music Box (Sigma Remix)

Without doubt one of the finest updates of a track I've heard in a long time. When I first heard "Music Box remix..." and "Sigma" in the same sentence I was a little concerned as I'd only heard quite in your face dancefloor tracks from them, which is fine, but not what you want in a remix of a jungle classic. Thankfully they completely respected the original and worked out a tidy little rework that supposedly closes the book on the Full Cycle release schedule for good.

11. D.Kay - Wax'd (Remix)

My favourite Austrian steps up with a massive rework of 'Wax'd' for the Metalheadz Platinum Series album, and it doesn't disappoint. So many good tracks on that LP but this one overshadows them all for pure amen and LFO bassline fun. Dutty like Ken (that one's for you, XO).

12. Zero T ft. Steo - Walk Away

Literally made sex mess in my pants when I first heard it. The sampler to Zero T's incredibly Irish debut album 'Cheap Shots' released on CIA earlier this year, this one is all about that incredible vocal and warm, warm bass notes. Slick liquid business.

Finally...

I only made this mix 12 tracks long for a few reasons, firstly because I'm marginally lazy, secondly because I thought it was rather neat that it represented a different track for each month of the year, but thirdly because there were so many other great tunes I just couldn't fit in for one reason or another, either they just didn't mix in key or the vibes were too different etc. So to finish things up I want to shout out to Apex and the Lifted Music crew, definitely wanted to slip something from them in, and Blame for 'Stay Forever', I didn't even include any of my Westbay releases so a big shout to Nathan and all the family. Can't wait to hear my favourite tunes of 2009!

DOWNLOAD rockthedub presents Just Jeryl


Those of you who don't know how to keep up with Jeryl, I'd suggest becoming a fan of him, and of the Westbay Music Group, which he runs with Atlantic Connection. If you want to learn more about Jeryl , check out this "anti-interview" a lot of us did with him earlier this year. Once again, my homegirl Uri did the awesome cover art; hit up her new blog to see more of her sick designs, and get info on how to request her services. Enjoy!

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Trackstar the DJ x RTD 1993 x 2008

I'd have to go through my Gmail, but I'm honestly not sure of where I first got introduced to Trackstar. I think he hit me up on the random about some Hip-Hop, but it doesn't matter, we're cool now. And I've covered an ish-load of his mixes over the last year or so (and I am normally one of the first); dude has a great grasp of great Hip-Hop, whether it's that current fire or that classic flavor. Track has also introduced me to some of St. Louis' finest, including heads like Wafeek, Tech Supreme and Tef Poe, just to name a few. He is a hard-worker, too - both myself and Track share a love of ideas... whether they pan out is another story, but the journey from idea to completion is the best part, no?

This compilation here is all Track's idea. I hit him up about the "Best of 2008" series, just saying "hey, throw in your favorite 2008 tracks", but he flipped the idea: he realized that so many artists from 1993 dropped dope tracks and/or albums in 2008, and decided to explore this in depth. I loved the idea, and when I got the final mix, I was estatic. Superb selection that really shows homeboy's ear for the essense of this thing of ours. I present to you 1993 x 2008...

DOWNLOAD Trackstar the DJ 1993 x 2008


Tracklist:

01 Q-Tip "Move"
02 A Tribe Called Quest "Oh My God"
03 Oddisee ft. Buckshot "Where I Be At"
04 Black Moon "I Got Cha Open"
05 Ice Cube "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It"
06 Ice Cube "Check Yo Self (remix)"
07 Common "Gladiator"
08 Common Sense "Soul By the Pound (remix)"
09 Pete Rock "Don't Be Mad"
10 Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth "Lots of Lovin'"
11 Method Man & Redman "Broken Language 2008"
12 Wu-Tang Clan "M.E.T.H.O.D. Man"
13 Redman ft. Oh No "Lay You Out"
14 Redman "Tonite's Da Nite"
15 Scarface "High Powered"
16 Scarface "I'm Black"
17 The Alchemist ft. Snoop Dogg, Jadakiss & Pusha T "Lose Your Life"
18 Snoop Doggy Dogg "Gz and Hustlers"
19 Saigon ft. Lil' Fame "World War IV"
20 M.O.P. "How About Some Hardcore"

Once again, massive props to Uri for the sick covers. And once again, 'nuff respect due to Trackstar for this work, and his other sick mixes. The Lou is in the building!

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rock the dub presents Nick Argon

 Here's the next installment of my "Best of 2008" mix series. Nick Argon is the head of Argon Records, one of dubstep's finest, most consistent labels. I believe I got put on to Argon first via Skynet's dubstep releases, when I was first really trying to listen to all the dubstep I could. Since then, he's had a bunch of talents cats drop sick productions on Argon; I'm talking heads like Tes La Rok, Babylon System, 12th Planet, Cotti and others, including Matty G, who released his Take You Back album on Argon this year. Argon is one of those spots where there is no real "defined" sound... they just put out quality music, fullstop.

I think Nick was kind of shocked that I asked him to be a part of this "Best of 2008" series, but I had featured a few episodes of Argon Radio, and loved his take on dubstep mixing. What he did was throw up some released and forthcoming Argon material into a slick 30 minute dubstep journey, exclusive for the RTD dubsteppas. Check it out...

DOWNLOAD rockthedub presents Nick Argon


Tracklist:

1. clouds featuring tiiu - under the dancing feet - argon 14a
2. uncle sam - round the world girls (tes la rok vip mix) argon 17a
3. clouds - worms - argon 14b
4. clouds featuring tiiu - under the dancing feet (tes la rok remix) - argon 17b
5. babylon system & spl - shevil - argon 15b
6. 12th planet - element 16 (sulfur) - argon 16a
7. cotti vs mr. party featuring jammer - dem fi know - argon 18a
8. tes la rok & desto - low - argon 20a
9. babylon system & noah d - examination of time - argon 15a
10. babylon system & antiserum - california style - argon 19b
11. matty g - cuttin' n scratchin' - argon lp01a

I want to shout out Uri for knockin' out the beautiful artwork that accompanies this mix. You'll be seeing more from her on this site and in my other ventures. And once again, shouts to Nick Argon, and cheers to Argon Records. We wish you nothing but continued success in 2009, and beyond.

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Pandemonium Jones Splendid Moments 2008

I've known Pandemonium Jones for a little over a decade. While we haven't been the kind of friends who are trading IMs and e-mails every day, we definitely have a special bond; hell, without him initially schooling me in Drum & Bass & Jungle, I might be in the position I am today.

Now, if the name Pandemonium Jones rings a bell, you definitely know about Caps & Jones, the DJ duo who have received critical acclaim for their multi-genre mixes, remix work and exciting club performances. For the end of 2008, I asked some of my favorite DJs (and good friends) to do some "best of 2008" mixes for me. This is the premier mix, and while its not on some Hippity-Hoppity, nor is it on some thugdubsteppery, it has, in Panda's words, "some well regarded joints that sound good together". Grab this one, and be prepared for the other mixes I'm set to drop before 2008 comes to an end...

DOWNLOAD (mirror)

Tracklist:

01. Soy Un Caballo - Robin
02. SALEM - Streets Of Philadelphia
03. Kanye West - Say You Will
04. Fleet Foxes - Blue Ridge Mountains
05. Black Mountain - Wucan
06. Portishead - Magic Doors
07. No Age - Eraser
08. Atlas Sound - On Guard
09. Animal Collective - Cobwebs
10. Hot Chip - We're Looking For A Lot Of Love
11. Nico - I'll Keep It With Mine (Pocketknife's Odd Beauty Remix)
12. Cut Copy - Strangers In The Wind
13. Hercules & Love Affair - Blind (Frankie Knuckles Remix)
14. Amadou & Miriam - Sabali
15. Bon Iver - Lump Sum
16. Benoit Pioulard - Idyll
17. Wolf Parade - Language City
18. Deerhunter - Nothing Ever Happened
19. M83 - Graveyard Girl
20. Beach House - Gila
21. Fennesz - Grey Scale
22. Grouper - Heavy Water/I'd Rather Be Sleeping
23. Mount Eerie With Julie Doiron - Voice In Headphones

Hit up Jones' post about this mix, as some other info, including the Caps & Jones throwdown at Savalas for NYE 2008:

Caps & Jones
NYE 2008
@ Savalas
285 Bedford Ave Between S1st and Grand St
BROOKLYN
21+ 10pm - 6am (!) $10
RSVP to CNJNYE2009@GMAIL.COM for free entry all night

Enjoy! And shouts to Panda Jones for the serious sounds, as per usual!

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