Don't Stray

Pedro - Fear & Resilience (Prefuse 73 remix). Pedro makes hip hop in the same way that DJ Shadow and Prefuse make hip hop. It's beats, but they're dirty and glitchy and have a life to them. So it's really no surprise that when it came time for his remix EP he grabbed Scott Heron, Fourtet and Danger Mouse. All of the remixes are fair. I posted the Prefuse because it's the one that most people would be interested to hear. However, the track by british-based Cherrystones is a much more compelling listen.

Anyway, Scott turned in this remix while out on tour, but he doesn't phone it in. I haven't heard his track for the Mars Volta, but my guess is that it has paycheck written all over it. Maybe that's just the cynic in me. This track is here is typical Prefuse, with glitchy, stutter-step beats, with the occasional random orchestra breakdown thrown in for good measure. This EP will drop on the 26th, and you'll be able to get it through his site, or at Forced Exposure

Ada - Maps. Yes, this is a cover of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs song by a german techno artist. But it's not all four-on-the-floor thumping rhythms. It's a stretched out slower techno dream ballad. While it sort of crawls along for a bit, it really starts to get good towards the end when the guitar melody from the original is brought in. It's sort of a silly song, but I like it.

The rest of the album, which comes out on the 18th, is solid melodic techno with equal parts floor fillers and mood music. Having only put out 12"s in the past on Areal Records, this is their first full length, and it's pretty promising, if you like this sorta thing. It's also being released as a double 12" (this would be track D2 in that case), but the cd has two extra tracks. There's also a pretty good cover of Everything But the Girl's "Each and Everyone" that's over Ada's Blindhouse beat. It's worth a listen.

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I'll be heading to NYC for the big CMJ shin-dig this weekend. While I hope to check out some good music, the show I was most looking forward to has been cancelled. The Bumblebeez, Wolfmother, Cut Copy, two-drunk-guys-from-the-Avalances show has been called off. Damn, huh? Needless to say, the Robots are bummed, and hopefully things will work out for the best with our great friends at Modular People.

Also, if anyone wants to put a face with a name, feel free to stop by the CMJ convention. I'll be on the panel at 12:20 on Friday. Should be interesting, I think. Otherwise, I'll be around all weekend, so drop me a line. The rest of the Robots will be there as well, nerding it up. So feel free to stop by.

And if you have any suggestions for bands to check out, shows to see, people to meet, let us know. It's a crazy weekend, with lots going on, so I'm sure there are plenty of things falling through the cracks.

Finally, I still don't have a job. So if anyone out there wants to help me out in that area, it would be awesome. Thanks.