Audio: Alphabethead - Libra vs Sagittarius

Libra Vs Sagittarius

by alphabethead on 10/10/2011 in MIXTAPES

With Libra Vs Sagittarius I set out to make an entire love mixtape rather than a love song. Put simply, this was a mixtape made for a girl. The selections pertain to the bands we discovered together, gigs witnessed and moments shared. Many of these tracks are now highly evocative touch tones for me; little sonic reminders of those bittersweet times. Should I even be sharing this – I don’t know?

Well, my heart has long since been trampled and looking back at the listing now it’s a motley bunch of tunes. Neither of us had a penchant for pop music so our singalongs and snuggles were most frequently accompanied by Sunn0))) or This Heat! This was compiled December 2009 and stylistically speaking it’s one of my most diverse mixes. Most of the artists featured have entire discographies that warrant a listen. It also features a few of my favourite Wellington acts; Akaname, Thrashing Marling and Leila Adu! A couple of ABC originals in there too.

I hope some of these tunes resonate with you as well. Tracklisting below.

xxAlphabetheadxx -> DOWNLOAD: Libra Vs Sagittarius

Video: Jay Roacher - Cheer Up Jay

Video: Touerttes - Tonight

Tour: Alphabethead & F in Math / Flying Nun

FLYING NUN RECORDS CELEBRATES 30 YEARS THIS NOVEMBER

Throughout the month of November, Flying Nun Records will celebrate their 30th Anniversary. With over 20 shows throughout New Zealand, the anniversary features both old and new Flying Nun acts, along with some very special guests paying tribute to 30 years of the NZ iconic label.

While, it wouldn’t be a party without live music, Flying Nun Records also have exciting new releases and re-releases on CD, digitally and Vinyl. Plus a handful of new bands signed to the label.

While down south, F IN Math and turntabilist Alphabethead launch their tour which promises to include an interesting mix of Flying Nun covers, having given Alphabethead a bunch of Flying Nun vinyl to cut up, re-mix and re-write.

F in Math and Alphabethead
Nov 4 – Christchurch, The new Dux De Lux
Nov 5 – Dunedin, Chicks Hotel
Nov 11 –Auckland, Golden Dawn
Nov 12 – Wellington, Mighty Mighty

Click here to read more

Video: Tourettes & Mathew Crawley Live

Album Review: Tourettes, Tiger Belly

By Scott Kara

6:30 AM Thursday Sep 29, 2011

Expand

Artist Tanja Jade aka Misery and Dominic Hoey aka Tourettes. Photo / Supplied

While Auckland rapper and poet Tourettes (real name Dominic Hoey) is not so much of a smart aleck on fourth album Tiger Belly, he's just as clever, cutting, and hilarious.

Whether he's mouthing off about only having two emotions ("boredom and lust"), big upping himself on Everybody Loves Tourettes (and rightly so too), or at his deadpan best about not being a great swimmer ("I saw Jaws too young."), he is one of local music's top wordsmiths with a refreshing say-it-like-it-is roughness to him.

And with a vast and adventurous palette of music and beats (that could stand up as a record on its own) courtesy of Saan Barratt from country band the Vietnam War, this album is more than a worthy follow up to his eerie, often aggressive, and funny - albeit sadly under appreciated - 2009 offering Who Said You Can't Dance To Misery?.

There are rowdy party highlights like the pulsing dynamism of So Happy, the brutally frank Drug Problem (akin to a hip-hop honed psychedelic Pixies), and opener Tonight is a weird and wonderful mix of frenzied 60s pop, steely surf music, and shouty Beastie Boys back when they were more punk than hip-hop.

Stars: 4/5
Verdict: Less aggressive, more grown up, still funny

Buy Tiger Belly

Audio: Alphabethead - Flying Destar

Flying Destar

by alphabethead on 28/09/2011 in TRACKS

It’s Glitch + Scratching… DOWNLOAD HERE

Under the Radar Review Tiger Belly

Tourettes - Tiger Belly

Tiger Belly

Tourettes

Round Trip Mars
8 / 10

27th September 2011

By Scott Nicolson

Tourettes is one of New Zealands’ most exciting musical entities. Entity is an appropriate word considering the nature in which he ‘gets around’ the musical landscape. From Punk band beginnings, to Fifth Floor in Wellington, to Hip Hop as part of the Breakin Wreckwordz collective, to spoken word performances in recent years, and guest appearances on other artists’ tracks for the best part of a decade – Dominic has certainly ticked some boxes.

Tourettes has also released an album every 2 years since 2005, ‘Tiger Belly’ is his first for the Round Trip Mars label. The first taster was the solid (and somewhat hilarious) ‘Inside My Head’. It has a real punk vibe with live guitars, bass and drums. This no doubt has to do with those involved with the making of this album. Tiger Belly’s album credits include Saan Barratt from The Vietnam War handling all the music and arrangements, and Karl Steven of Drab Doo Riffs’ tracking and producing all the vocals as well as mixing the album. The influence of these two on ‘Tiger Belly’ is obvious in regards to the backing track instrument choices and the overall feel of the album.

To my mind, Tourettes has always been from the dark side of the force, and this album is no exception with the subject matter. Bordering on bleek at times, - ‘Caspa And Alice’ – a sad tale of love, confusion and loss, to the downbeat vocal with a sublime looping melody of stand-out track - ‘World War 3’ featuring Matthew Crawley on chorus vocal duties, to the slightly absurd but genius - ‘Everybody Loves Tourettes’. The latter features vocal snippets of network television news presenters discussing the merits (or otherwise) of Tourettes. That particular track epitomises the Tourettes ethos – equally self deprecating but shouting out those who detract.

Other points of interest are the Ryuichi Sakamoto nod on ‘Valentines For Vampires’, the regular input of group-like chorus chants on ‘Tonight’ and ‘Drug Problem’, waves rolling samples feature on ‘Sat At The Beach’ (and return again on ‘Caspa And Alice’). Spoken word references on ‘…Beach’ and ‘The Phones Ringing’ whilst ‘So Happy’ has the more Hip Hop production for a switch up early on.

Overall, Tourettes has made a very bold, and ultimately smart move bringing together a standout line-up of musicians and producers from different genres. Although the new album doesn’t his feature regular production partner Scratch 22, it does clearly show the man has exceptional dynamic diversity and versatility with his musical choices, and waxing lyrical - Tourettes is as sharp witted, topical, and informed as ever. Make no mistake, this is a Hip Hop record but ‘Tiger Belly’ is an album that is just as refreshing to the indie crowd.

Read more: http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/utr/review/CID/560/N/Tiger-Belly.utr#ixzz1ZDghrz9M

Live: Tourettes, Saan, Mathew Crawley

My Mother Says I’m Talented

28 September, 30 September, 1 October

With a new song on the radio and 20 dollars in the bank, poet and emcee Tourettes is on top of the world.
To celebrate he’s complied a set of his best spoken word poetry and bare-bones arrangements of songs from his latest album, Tigerbelly. Touerttes will be joined on stage by guitarist Saan Barrett of The Vietnam War fame and old golden-tonsils himself, Matthew Crawly.
My Mother Says I’m Talented: tales of love and loss, sex and drugs, sandwiches and masturbation.

Offensive language

• Location:

  The Basement, Lower Greys Avenue,
  Auckland CBD, 1010

• 
  

Video: Tourettes Rehersal

Tourettes-Tonight (Rehearsal) from Saan Barratt on Vimeo.

Video: Cancer - Drip

Drip, by Cancer. from Joel Birch on Vimeo.

Video: WOTW Wellington Footage

RECAP: World of the Weird from L E K R M O I on Vimeo.

Cheese On Tourettes

Tiger Belly by Tourettes

Posted by Cheese on Toast on September 6, 2011 in Reviews · 0 Comments

Tourettes returns with a new album – released, this time, on Round Trip Mars, and with all music written, arranged and produced by Saan Barratt (of The Vietnam War and Dirtbags). To me, and I honestly don’t know how Dom (Dominic Hoey is his other name) will take this, when / if he reads this, Tourettes is not so muchs a rapper or hip hop artist as he is he’s a folk musician and poet. At least, I mean, he’s not hip hop not as that term has come to mean in 2011. But, in fact, if you were to look at the original fundamentals of hip hop at it’s earliest incarnations – I think you could make a strong argument, based in those principles, that Tourettes is more hip hop than Kanye West and Jay Z combined.

Tourettes writes honestly and disarmingly; instead of posturing about being the baddest MF-er on the block, he’d rather explore the darker recesses of one’s psyche or admit that he can’t spell lettuce. (Dom suffers from dyslexia). Many of the songs here, on this record, to me at least, are poems more than they are raps – and this is accented by the musical accompaniment. Most obviously, the poem The Phone Is Ringing sits two thirds in and is my personal album favorite. In contrast to the short, succinctness of The Phone – with it’s minimal ringing soundtrack – clearly a spoken word poem – is Sat At The Beach – an opus-like poem punctuated with a dark distant guitar – calmly before a storm of screaming and squawling that’d I’d love to see re-enacted at any poetry recital to fuck shit seriously up. It’s intense.

The album opens with the prelude Tonight – a scene setter, a statement of intent, if you will. It rolls through your speakers with a sense of difficulty; with an awkwardness usually reserved for, well, for those of us who perhaps don’t fit in to things nicely. Tourettes assures us that just because he’s wasted, that doesn’t mean he’s wasting time. So Happy is sonically dark and ominous – with s tinned out synth that pulses over a low guitar fuzz.

Lead single Inside My Head sits centrally on the record; and it really is a perfect example of how smart and clever Tourettes songs are and how skilled an MC he truly is; his flow on these verses is genius-ly conversational; this is rapping so good that it’s unaffected to meet tempo, rhythm or meter – but it’s perfectly on point and beat. And his subject matter so eloquently expressed; smart and funny.

Caspa And Alice clocks in at nearly eight minutes and is a short story in rap form – poetry meets prose meets beats – and, oh my god, Caoimhe Macfefin (Heart Attack Alley, Drab Doo Riffs) sung chorus is like warm satin as it washes into the song only twice.

The unfamiliar listener might be a little surprised by the guest vocal and guitar on World War 3 – Matthew Crawley; but anyone who knows either man will know that they are mutually massive fans of each-others art. Matthew’s voice is wonderfully heartbreaking, warm and fragile.

Every time I listen to Tiger Belly I find a new favorite song – and every song becomes a new favorite at least two-or-three times; I get the sense that this shall continue as I fail to get tired of this record. I love you, Tourettes. (Now let’s all go have group sex). - review by Andrew Tidball

Video: Alphabethead Interview

Behind The Music: Wasted Youth – Louie Knuxx

A new segment for ayebro readers.. “Behind The Music” is all about bringing you inside information about your favorite releases and better yet its direct from the artist. First up with have Louie Knuxx with “Wasted Youth”. Enjoy.

Artist: Louie Knuxx

Album: Wasted Youth

Realease Date: 28/02/06

So it would have been around mid 05 when I unassumingly began work on the Wasted Youth album. I had written maybe 3 or 4 solo songs in my Kingsland home with no real aspiration or goal in sight. It would have been near the time BreakinWreck had lost a few of our bigger acts to other labels (namely PNC and David Dallas). I had these songs and Cyphanetik hit me up about doing a street album (it obviously later on became a retail LP when shock had a listen to it) which I of course was keen to have a crack at. At this point in my life I didn’t really have much clue about song writing, I hadn’t developed a particular sound and had no idea what I was capable of. Despite this I wasn’t really phased at the seemingly daunting task of writing a whole album, I think the fact Jared (Cyphanetik) had faith in me to do it made me believe in myself to the point where I never even questioned whether I was capable or not. In addition to these factors I didn’t feel any expectations or pressure to deliver which is really liberating as an artist (I don’t think I deserved to be referred to as an artist then but this was definitely apart of the progression that has made me one today). Progress on the album seemed to come together effortlessly, Dan Mawby was great throughout the recording process and my fiance and BreaknWreck people were all really supportive and encouraging.

1. Louie Knuxx vs Ghandi prod by 22
Originally I had written an extremely long verse on this beat to intro the album with, I think it was around 30 bars or something. We recorded it and it really wasn’t strong enough to open the album on so I decided to just talk some shit. In the room we were using as a booth there was a pile of VCR tapes within which I found the Ghandi biopic, the the lil blurb I read is from the back of that.

2. They Call Me prod by 22
I can’t for the life of me remember writing this song but I have a feeling it was near the end of the recording process, from listening to it I can tell I was trying to use this track to show a lil versatility with my vocal dexterity and flows and just talk some shit. I have a habit of writing some fairly witty lines completely by accident and there’s a couple in this song. At the end of the song it fades into my then fiance Astra singing the hook.

3. Fly prod by Exhile
My memory of writing this song is really vivid, mainly because the whole thing took about 15 minutes. One of the those examples of when everything goes right and shit just seems to happen by itself. I’d been recording some album shit with Dan and he gave me this beat, I rushed straight home and wrote the song. When I wrote it the vibe of the beat kinda reminded me of PNC’s “day in a life’ and I used an approach i know Sam (PNC) often used where you just make rhythms in your head with non nonsensical mumblings then fit the words in later. This song got a lot of radio spins and was even on the Air New Zealand in-flight radio program for some time. Was bummed we never shot a vid for this as I’m sure it would have really propelled the momentum of the whole project, FUCK NZ on air!

4. Drink Myself Sober prod by Te Ata
This beat got me gassed, sounded like some classic 50 shit, I wanted to fuck with a different flow on this and did. Tyree later told me he had wanted this beat.

5. Don’t Cry For Louie prod by 22
I had found the sample for this and given it to 22 and he came back with a very cool and different sounding beat, a very biographical song told in a light-hearted manner. I remember struggling with writing this as I didn’t want to come off too arrogant so i signed it off with lines like ‘prolly fucked more girls than you heard of…cunt’ hahah

6. We’re Back God Feat. PNC prod by Saia
Killer Saia beat for this one, a lot of people probably don’t remember but at this time PNC and I had a group called BlackHearts and plans to do a project which never eventuated. Sam smashed his verse on this and it was hard as fuck to hang with him on a beat that was definitely more suited to his style, he also wrote the hook. At the very end you can hear Dom barge in the booth and scream “TOURETTES”!! how apt.

7. NP Till We Die prod by Kase
This beat was weird as fuck to me at first, particularly to try achieve something anthemy on. I had asked Fact to jump on this to begin with but he hated the beat so I went at it alone. All true stories in this shit chronicling little bad bastards being little bad bastards. I’m led to believe this song still gets played a lot amongst NP kids

8. I Gets Gully prod by Saia
This I think is the first song written out of all the ones that ended up on the album, I had a real bad block when i wrote this and decided to just bang out some verses without thinking about them (hence how nonsensical this shit is). You hear my voice fuck out real bad towards the end of one of the verses but being the lazy prick I am it stayed in the final mix.

9. What I Do Feat. Con Psy prod by Exhile
I found this sample when we where really close to completing the album, Maia murdered it with that hook and I put a verse down. We got Dave in and obviously he killed it so I re-did my verse and still got smoked, still really like this song. My fiance and I were non-stop singing Maia’s parts on this round the house for a few weeks after it was recorded.

10. Broke As Fukk Feat. Dirt City & Astra prod by Des Davis
I’m really fond of this song, mainly because all the people who guested are dear to me. Sean (Fact) and I have known each other since we were kids and I’d known Neesh since he was a young buck. They both dropped killer verses and Astra sounded nice on the hook.

11. Uff That Ish Feat. Cyphanetik prod by Lues Fondue
This beat was wild to me when I got my hands on it, it was angry sounding and the lyrics followed accordingly. Jared smashed this, I guess people wouldn’t really know but he’s like my rap dad and Dom (Tourettes) is my rap mom, they nurtured and encouraged me into this shit, was pretty proud to get on a song with pops and tell everyone to get fucked together.

12. That’s Good Feeling Feat. Usual Suspects prod by Saia
This was first done over a beat by Saia’s brother Rez but he had lost the files for it so Saia re-made it. Wanted to do some good vibes shit with suspects and I think we all found some middle ground on this. Love the sing-songy shit Saia did in his verse. Once again that is Astra adding some vox on the hook.

13. I See The Good In You Feat. Maia Rata prod by Exhile
I dont rate this song very much sonically speaking (although Maia’s hook is beautiful) but the words are meaningful and heartfelt. Shit is pretty much just a rhyming letter to a few people I love who were or had been experiencing hardships. This song makes my little sister cry which I guess what I was trying to convey should achieve, trying to put that overwhelming feeling of love you feel for the people closest to you into words in a song is some difficult shit but I guess when it is genuine those people it is meant to touch can feel it. This song was only there for them.

14. Wasted Youth prod by Exhile
This song was also done first time around over a different beat. This song is just straight up and down for poor kids and ones who experienced similar shit to what I did, I was no where near as socially aware then as I am now but i definitely knew the world isn’t a fair place for a lot of people. My loyalty and heart always has and always will lay with those people.:

15. Keep Steppin (Spoken Word)
I fucking hate this shit, don’t even post it! not sure what I was trying to achieve here but the delivery is awful! If anyone tries to play this at my funeral I hope you fall in the grave with me!

16. Lose Ya Body Feat. Tourettes prod by Lerch
Dom likes drugs, I like drugs, Lerch makes crazy beats. Dom slid a nasty line the way of Fast Crew on this. Around that time Fast Crew’s management had called Jared threatening to put a retraining order on me because they thought I wanted to beat them up. Another tidbit for this song, I think if you follow a current NZ group who I wont name you’ll find they have re-arranged a phrase from my hook on this for a hook on their song, I see you!

17. Melancholy Feat. Maia Rata prod by Saia (it was credited incorrectly on the album to Exile)
This was the very last song written and recorded for the album and probably my favorite. This was pretty much just me pouring out everything on a song, acknowledging it all and letting go of it and probably my first experience of writing in a therapeutic fashion (which I do a lot more now). I love this beat so much and Maia once again really enhanced the song with his vocals, originally I had sung those parts he did but it sounded shit.

18. Comedy Hour (Skit)
Not really very funny at all hahaa

—

In hindsight I often refer to Wasted Youth as a fluke or lucky, It was like an unplanned pregnancy that came out kind of beautiful, my new LP has been laborious in comparison but rewarding in different ways. The response the album received was amazing, great reviews, respect from my peers and a family that was enormously proud of me. I think one of the happiest moments in my life was arriving at my release party and seeing the huge crowd of people outside there to celebrate with me (much thanks to D-Form). I very rarely listen to anything off the album but when someone else puts it on the proud and happy feeling that was abundant in that time of my life resurfaces and that’s an amazing thing, it’s like a time capsule in audio form that brings back a lot of fond memories. I’m eternally grateful to Jared, Dan, Dom and all the guests and producers that contributed to the album.

—

Check out part one here and then buy the album here. More “Behind The Music” coming soon..

Source: ayebro.co.nz

World Of The Weird Tour Review

Alphabethead's Wonderful World of the Weird @ Medusa, Wellington - 3 September 2011

04 Sep 2011 // A review by Alistar3000

When I walked into Medusa last night for Alphabethead’s Wonderful World of the Weird tour to find Hamilton’s DJ Indecline mixing and scratching hip hop and punk records, I knew the night was going to be an interesting one.

The colourful circus-like backdrop behind him, and flags hanging around the walls, only added to the atmosphere.

Around 11pm Wellington’s the Shocking and Stunning took to the stage. These guys might like they should be playing hippie folk music but what they churn out is a sort of electronic space funk; all synthesizers, huge drum beats and weird noises. Last time I saw them play they were performing as a two piece but last night they were joined by a bassist and vocalist/odd noise maker, which added another dimension to their sound.

They always manage to get the crowd dancing, and last night was no exception. It’s no surprise; their music just makes you want to move, particularly when the drums get stuck into some funky rhythms.

Shortly after midnight, ringmaster Alphabethead asked for quiet from the crowd and announced to the waiting masses that he was to help us answer three questions: who are we? What are we here for? And, what lies in store for us?

Without further delay he stepped behind his turntables and proceeded to blow our minds with his blend of hip hop, funk and jungle, proving once again that he is without peer in turntablism within New Zealand.

After announcing, through the use of cleverly placed signs within album covers, that he was not alone, he rang a small bell and summoned Auckland MC Tourettes to the stage. After walking out through the colourful backdrop dressed in a bunny costume Tourettes delivered a couple of tracks in his humourous, rapid fire style, covering his usual topics of poverty and general “down and outness”.

He then brought out Christchurch’s Jay Roacher, enquiring about his wellbeing before launching into Jay’s latest single Cheer Up Jay. The two MCs worked well on stage together, interacting throughout their performance, while Alphabethead didn’t stop moving the entire time, racing out from behind his turntables to jump around behind the MCs, getting back just in time to get the next song going.

It was a fantastic night, full of surprises and outstanding performances from everyone. The crowd lapped up every minute of it and didn’t seem to want it to ever end.

source: music. net.nz

Video: Tourettes COT Interview

Interview: Tourettes

Monday, 29th August 2011 3:14PM

Prolific and multidisciplinary artist Tourettes is about to release full length album Tiger Belly. UTR caught up with him to find out what the album's all about, who he worked with to make it happen and the power of joining music to the written word.

Head over here to read the full interview.

Tiger Belly is streaming in its entirety on Tourette's Band Camp, and you can listen to it over there or below

Read more: http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/utr/more/NID/3953/Interview-Tourettes.utr#ixzz1WPG9MJsx

Audio: Tourettes - So Happy

TOURETTES IS ON TOUR FROM SEPT 2ND

MY MOTHER SAYS IM TALENTED

With a new song on the radio and 20 dollars in the bank Poet and emcee, Tourettes is on top of the world.

To celebrate he's compiled a set of his best spoken word poetry and barebones arrangements of songs from his latest album Tigerbelly. Touerttes will be joined on stage by guitarist Saan Barrett of 'The Vietnam War' fame and old golden tonsils himself, Matthew Crawly who will also be performing a set of his own heart breaking ballads.

So come down to the basement and hear tales of love and loss, sex and drugs, sandwiches and masturbation.

Presented as part of Basement Fest. 2011 - basementtheatre.co.nz

Tiger Belly Promo - Tourettes + Tom Scott

Tiger Belly

Jay Roacher Goes Australia

Video: Tourettes Album Promo 2

Tiger Belly album in stores August 29!
Tourettes is on tour September with Alphabethead and Jay Roacher!

Jay Roacher Album In Stores Now!!

Yup, Jay Roacher has blessed us with his third official release on Breakin Wreckwordz, this time a hefty album titled Cheer Up Jay. Thanks to the people at Shock NZ you can buy this album in stores thru out our land. My preference however is the carbon free option digital downloading.. You can do that here!

Free stream the whole album by clicking out Audio link over there on the right!

Video: Jay Roacher - Paradise

Ladies and gentlemen... The new video by Jay Roacher:



CHEER UP JAY - ALBUM IN STORES MONDAY!

JAY ROACHER - TOURETTES - ALPHABETHEAD - NZ TOUR SEPTEMBER!

Video: Jay Roacher vs DND

Audio: Tourettes - Inside My Head

Audio: Jay Roacher - Blood Will Follow

^^ One of my favourite joints off the album (in stores next week!) Jay's doing a video for it too, i hope it's offensive.

Video: Tourettes Album Promo

Look out for Tourettes on the World of the Weird Tour in September with Alphabethead and Jay Roacher

Audio: SFT x Count von Count - Counting Beats [BB230]

SFT x Count von Count - Counting Beats [BB230] by S. F. T.

Audio: Jay Roacher - Jelousy

Here it is! The first single from my soon to be released (soon as in two weeks soon!) album Cheer up Jay. Its called Jealousy, It features some vocals from my friend Topaz, and has an amazing beat provided by one of my favourite producers in New Zealand Scratch 22.

Jay Roacher Jealousy (clean) by jay roacher

Press Release

Oh the fall from grace. The quake city native once touted as the King of emo-grime has had a ruff few years. Since releasing his acclaimed debut album in 2008 (even DJ Sirvere said it was the best underground record he’d heard in ages) it’s been all downhill for Jay Roacher. His long-time girlfriend and the brains behind his label Grymeworks left him, his city suffered the most catastrophic natural disasters seen in recent NZ history, and his only hope of making it, the music industry income, dried up like a smokers top lip. The good news is, the worse things get for Jay, the better his music gets. His forthcoming sophomore album “Cheer Up Jay” is without doubt testament to this.

Everyone has a story to tell and this is Jay Roacher’s. Inspired from his parent’s addiction, his father’s overdose, his experiences with being forced into religion as a child, to his own battles with drugs and depression, his disdain for how society operates, and all his failed relationships with women. Cheer Up Jay is an evolution of his first record but, in Jay’s own words, “without all the glorification of being lazy or attempts to impress in a hip hop MC sense. This record is just how I honestly feel”.

Modern day instrumental mavericks Scratch 22 and Alphabethead are amongst some of the heavy list of producers to wave their wand over the record but some of the most stand out tracks come from little known Christchurch beat-smith and old friend NettsMoney. Tourettes, Louie Knuxx, and Heart Attack Alley’s Caoimhe all lend their voice to Jay’s cry for help too, however, there is no doubt who the star of this record is. Put simply, Jay has a way with words and flows that attracts praise from hip hop fans and foes alike.

The album will be released through self proclaimed champions of ‘weird rap’ Breakin Wreckwordz on August 15 prior to Jay joining label mates Tourettes and Alphabethead on the Wonderful World of the Weird Tour in September. Visit www.breakinwreckwordz.co.nz for updates and sneak previews and of course to get yourself a copy on release. Jay says if more people than he has friends on Facebook buy a copy he’ll move to Japan to pursue a life of pop culture. Considering what he’s been through I think we all owe him that.

Video: Alphabethead - UFO! UFO! UFO!

New video from the bro Alphabethead. He'll be on tour in September w/ Tourettes and Jay Roacher so keep your eyes skinned. Here's what he had to say:

Unrealeased instrumental circa 2009. It’s my take on ESG’s amazing “UFO”. When I lived on Mt Kau Kau I used to frequently see flying saucers knocking about high in the Wellington sky. Unfortunately I haven’t seen a UFO since October that year.

The video features documentary footage from the historical 1956 Washington flying saucer attack.

DOWNLOAD THE TRACK HERE

Video: Old Tourettes + Insomniacs Footage

Video - Alphabethead Trick Mixing

Video: Red Eye Society - Hush (Alt TV)

We filmed this video a few years back for a show on Alt TV which died a few years back, but, for some reason, today it was uploaded.

The last ever R.E.S article in the last ever Groove Guide

Audio: Jay Roacher - Embers

Embers by jay roacher

Absolute Epoch - In stores / online now!!!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN / DOWNLOAD ALBUM NOW!

1. Intro ft. Alphabethead
2. The Man
3. Witness ft Mareko
4. Back in the Day
5. Bitterness ft. Nikki Montana
6. Monkey Business
7. Free as a Bird ft. Arme, Louie Knuxx
8. Hush
9. Dananana ft. I.N.F
10. Behind Closed Doors
11. Blakka ft. Fact
12. Cerebellum Food

[Bonus Track] Good Times Roll (Haz Remix)

Audio: R.E.S Hip Drop Exclusive

The good folk over at The Hip Drop blog had this little exclusive on the go and this to say about the new R.E.S album:

These cats been on the scene for a long time now. I remember when R.E.S came out in 1996. Tomorrow is the official release of their newest album "Absolute Epoch" Which is true to form street music. Wicked rhymes and really solid production. Guest's include the crazy man alphabethead on all the cuts, NZ regulars Mareko and Louie Knuxx, and a very special remix by the one and only Haz Beats!

09 Dananana Featuring I.N.F. by wheresyourbeatsat

Audio: Red Eye Society - Back In The Day

another treat off the absolute epoch album. album in stores monday, share this shit!

Video: Tourettes In Australian Poetry Slam

Tourettes is also known as Dominic Hoey (he's 2/3rds famous. They spelt slam as salm which is pretty fitting if you've ever seen dominic try to spell anything.

Video: A Day In The Life Of Willy Knuxx

A day in the life of Louie Knuxx from Dan de Sousa on Vimeo.

Audio: Alphabethead - Wamp Wamp

By alphabethead on 14/04/2011 in TRACKS

Brothers Pusha T and Malice of Clipse are right up there with Slim Thug and MF Doom as rappers I love first and foremost for their vocal tone and vernacular. Clipse’s shared bloodline mean their voices are almost indistinguishable from one another and mesh beautifully on tracks. In fact, for all the Hip Hop examples that spring to mind it seems that family ties do equate to dope collabs; Rza, Gza and Ol’ Dirty are cousins, Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg (RIP) are cousins, Ill Bill and Necro are brothers etc.

To my ears older brother Malice (second verse) has the ‘colder’ monotone flow whilst Pusha T (first verse) is slighty smoother and flowly! It’s a sublte and fascinating difference especially when they double lines. Despite their fiery subject matter they always remain calm and nonchalant to the point where I actually find their songs soothing. In addition to their courageous beat choice Clipse also have a gift for clunky but catchy choruses (possibly due to The Neptunes influence). Slim Thug is on chorus duties here and it’s his prehistoric ‘Wamp Wamp’ that steals the show. My beat was built entirely around a sample of that one word! I wanted to slow the rapping right down and accentuate the simultaneously exciting and lethargic feel I get from their music. Please give it a listen and play loud!

DOWNLOAD: Clipse X Alphabethead “Wamp Wamp”

xAlphabethead

Video: Riz Kid ft. Jay Roacher - You Aint Gonna Do Shit

Video: Louie Knuxx Interview

There's a Bluebird on my interview - Louie Knuxx chats to Bluebird from Dan de Sousa on Vimeo.

Audio: RES - Bitterness ft. Nikki Montana

from the album ABSOLUTE EPOCH in stores MAY 2ND!

Video: Suspects on Fresh Trailor

i know those guys!

Louie Knuxx - Lotus

Jared mk 1 must have missed this one but I got yous.

LOUIE KNUXX - LOTUS by louie knuxx

Audio: Saia FT - Axelrod 211

Sft - axelrod 211 by Saia F. T.

Audio: Jay Roacher & Nett$Money - Paradise [Chopped and Screwed]

Paradise - Chopped&Screwed version - Jay Roacher + Nett$money by Nettsmoney

Audio: Mareko - Blues VS Crusaders feat, Netik, Seka & BasicOne (produced by Saia)

Audio: Jay Roacher - Death Is The Dancer

Check da bro Jay Roacher spitting some new rap words over this 'free to use' 22 beat...

22 - death is the dancer feat jay roacher by jay roacher

Audio: Alphabethead - Aliceo

by alphabethead on 07/03/2011 in TRACKS

Do tempo changes have a place in Hip Hop?

When I started listening Progressive Rock and Metal and I was amazed at the bands’ ability to expand and contract time and make sudden jumps in tempo. Coming from a Hip Hop DJ background where the beats are fixed, matched and mixed I was intrigued as to how this was done and wondered whether it could be implemented within Hip Hop?

Whilst in the Flower Orphans I played alongside Dean Hunter, an insanely good guitarist. He came from a metal background and was all about highly intricate riffs and complicated song structures. I once asked him how he navigated tempo changes with such ease and he gave me the best advice I could ask for; “Just do it…and when you hit the change, play it with conviction!” This encouragement launched my obsession with tempo changes both within my tracks and live sets. Sudden changes in DJ sets are pretty much taboo so this direction certainly resulted in its fair share of drunken-punter feedback; “stop chopping and changing the rhythm” or just straight up “play something we can dance to!” Advice I will never heed; I take it as a healthy challenge to dance to shifting rhythms!

Alterations in tempo can add excitement and shift the momentum and energy like nothing else. Unfortunately, there are very few examples in Hip Hop. A few that come to mind are J-Live “Them That’s Not” which gradually winds up in speed until finally locking onto a constant tempo. Another is the absolutely phenomenal “Chemical Calisthenics” by Blackalicious with multiple tempo changes and percussive stabs which the vocalist accents perfectly. This is such an exhilarating listen for me – Prog Hip Hop at its finest! Please check that song out if you haven’t already. The Blackalicious song “Alphabet Aerobatics” is another beautiful example of acceleration of the beats.

Aliceo is a Hip Hop instrumental where I was also toying with tempo changes. Nothing too dramatic, just alterations of 5-10 BPM’s between the different sections. My hope was that the listener wouldn’t perceive them as tempo adjustments more as slight changes in feel? Also, near the conclusion of the tune the ‘chorus’ speeds up in pitch whilst slowing down in speed. My last album ‘Electricity’ was all sampled-based Hip Hop and had quite a few of these little tempo anomalies. I hope you enjoy…

Download Aliceo

X.ABC

Ps. My bro reckons that the Sitar used here has previously been sampled by Cypress Hill? Please hit me up if you know for which track?

Free Download: Red Eye Society - Hush

Free download "Hush" here

Audio: Saia Defects to Darkside (Mac)

SFT - Divine Light STMB 208 by Saia F. T.

Saia says:
You know how your PC dies so you have to learn to make beats on a new program cause they don’t have Fruity on Macs? .. Yeah, shot Ableton.

Live: Alphabethead Supporting Lorn

Ex.d Presents…
LORN (Brainfeeder / USA)
with support from....
ALPHABETHEAD / MR MIME / D:UNK LIVE / EXCELLE / FLIPMU
Thursday 3 March// S F B H // Show starts at 9pm
...

Ticket info:
Early Birds.............SOLD OUT
General Admissi.........$23+b.f
Door Sales..............$30.00

Available from www.1-night.co.nz & Real Groovy

Audio: Demo From Suspect Sam

Video - Tourettes Almost Out Of Water ft Anna Coddington

Shot sefe! mean

Video: Willy Knuxx Preaches Sun Smartness

KEEP A FITTED from JJ Peters on Vimeo.

Video: Louie Knuxx Promoting Some Shop

hes rapping and cameo'ing it up.

AFENDS- BURNING BLACKS OPEN from AFENDS on Vimeo.

Video: Jay Roacher - Everything Is Sucks

Video: Jay Roacher vs Barry Bonza

Audio: Alphabethead - Escalation

Music for dark days. This is the sequel to Escalation from a few months back. Another dense tone poem for a scene in your mind garden.

Download ESCALATION II

Live: Cunningham Sheild After-Party

This weekend I'm a be in CHCH with my bros Jay Roacher, Dirty Mackademics and heaps of other bros at the Cunningham Sheild After Party. Heres the flyer and a picture of the Sheild.

Audio: Cyphanetik - Loose Ends

Here's a song I wrote and recorded in 2008 but due to a problem with the beat it has sat on the HD gathering dust the last few years. The song was intended to be my last ever release as Cyphanetik. It may or may not still be that, I can't decide. Anyway, I thought I'd get it out there; better late than never. An ode to the rat race of hip hop popularity.

Cyphanetik - Loose Ends by breakinwreckwordz

Audio: Saia FT - Language & Perception

Sft - Language & Perception by Saia F. T.

Audio: DHDFs x Tourettes - Almost Out Of Water

Free Download: Alphabethead Mixtape (60s & 70s Vol II)

Alphabethead says...I’ve been gathering old vinyl since long before I became a DJ. I got my leg up in record collecting through inheriting countless LP’s from relatives and family friends. In 2000 it seemed all the Baby Boomers I knew were spring cleaning, purging records and discovering the Compact Disc. Recording my extended family’s LP’s onto CD was a small price to pay for getting to keep them! In digitizing vinyl I was exposed to bands I normally wouldn’t touch (I was a strictly Hip Hop kid). Most of these records were vibrant mono recordings by 1960’s ‘British Invasion’ bands such as The Beatles, The Yardbirds, The Animals and The Zombies. Every so often a King Crimson, Tangerine Dream or Kraftwerk album would crop up and leave me forever changed. I can still remember the day Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ arrived on my turntable!

Perusing ones records can give such an insight into the psyche of a person. I was consistently surprised in seeing who listened to what. The most straight-edged investment banker could be rocking out to Captain Beefheart (true story)! An uncle of mine was a devout hunter, rugby player, gardener, and ‘good old’ kiwi bloke. When he passed on I was gifted his modest stack of 25 records, all of which were tender female folk singers; Joan Baez, Melanie, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Joni Mitchell et al. What a guy!

This is my second mix of 1960’s and 70’s music. It’s assembled from vinyl, in various conditions, all of which I inherited – the fuzz, crackle and other spurious record noise are all included! Once again it’s mostly pop and psych although this time a little more hard rocking due to the inclusion of Led Zeppelin, Hendrix and May Blitz, a monstrous band on Vertigo records. I made sure I included some Kiwi groups from the era; The Underdog Blues Band, Human Instinct and The Fourmyula’s quintessential Sixties tune ‘Nature’ all make an appearance. Other tracks of special interest are The Beach Boys lesser known ‘Feel Flows’ which is in my opinion their most psychedelic tune and Spirit’s ‘The Other Song’ which Gonjasufi used as a rhythmic canvas last year. It’s mixed in a Hip Hop style with scratches, drum-breaks and cut-up sample segues! Please give it a spin – I hope you enjoy.

DOWNLOAD: “Music From The 1960’s & 70’s (Volume II)”



DOWNLOAD: “Music From The 1960’s & 70’s (Volume II)”

JC's Legacy Lives On

I'm gonna be heading down Chirstchurch this month to host a new battle comp setup by my bro Mike Pipes. If you haven't seen some of the battles these dudes are doing check this battle between our own Jay Roacher and a very impressive Devast8r. Both these dudes gonna be battling at this event and way better than that it's named after Justin Cunningham. Anyway, this is the breakdown as I understand it.

There is 6 battles, all accapella. I think 3 rounds each, similar to the KOTD/Grindtime battles. The first battle is an exhibition curtain raiser, Hash (Christchurch) vs Hegz (New Plymouth). The other 5 battles are all Auckland emcees vs Christchurch emcees. The city with the most wins take home the Cunningham Sheild (It's kinda like the Ranfurly Sheild but relevant).

Jay Roacher, Orakle, Seka, Basic and Karizma will be representing Canterbury. Spearman, Mike Pipes, Dlar, Barry Bonza and the Devast8r holding down Auckland. Its all gonna be free up on the net to watch or to come down and witness (if you in Chch) so you know this isn't another fly by night promoter trying to cash in on something they know nothing about. Mikes done this shit real good and i'm fully backing it. hopefully this the shit to get some young bucks inspired or pull some old fellaz out the woodwork.

keep posted on this site: www.dirtymackademics.com

Louie Knuxx Euro Tour Dates

07.01.11 Germany Karlsruhe Die Stadtmitte
08.01.11 Italy Cesena Vidia Club
09.01.11 Italy Thiene (Vicenza) Yourban
10.01.11 Switzerland Zürich Dynamo Werk 21
11.01.11 France Decines – Lyon Warm Audio
12.01.11 France Paris Peniche Alternat
13.01.11 UK London Underworld
14.01.11 UK Bristol The Croft
15.01.11 UK UK Leicester Sumo
16.01.11 UK Manchester Moho
17.01.11 UK Glasgow O2 Academy 2
18.01.11 UK Leeds The Well
19.01.11 UK Plymouth White Rabbit
20.01.11 UK Southampton Joiners
21.01.11 Belgium Brugges Entrepot
22.01.11 Netherlands Alphen a/d Rijn Kasteel
23.01.11 Germany Schweinfurt Alter Stattbahnhof
24.01.11 Austria Wien Arena
25.01.11 Germany München Feierwerk
26.01.11 Germany Berlin Lido
27.01.11 Germany Hamburg Molotow
28.01.11 Sweden Stockholm Deadfest
29.01.11 Germany Leipzig Conne Island
30.01.11 Germany Bochum Matrix

Video: Jay Roacher vs Devast8r Battle

Audio: Tourettes - Boys Dont Cry Live on BFM

Boys Dont Cry - Tourettes by Tourettes