Mixtape Monday: Just Blaze, Tall Black Guy, DJ Underdog x Okayfuture + More!

Photo by Catalina Kulczar

We'll be the first to agree that it's been a long and saddening weekend, but if you're anything like us, you've found at least a bit of healing refuge in music. This week Mixtape Monday is bringing you vibrant new live sets from both Just Blaze and Tall Black Guy, along with new compositions from DJ Underdog (courtesy of Okayfuture), Detroit electronic/percussion guru Shigeto, the always-on-target Freddie Joachim and a host of other heavy-hitters. It's time to get lost in the comforting heartbeat of hip-hop. Your week in fresh, exciting sound starts now.

Photo by Catalina Kulczar

A few very lucky souls got to take in an hour of Just Blaze doing his damn thing live at a Boiler Room show in London last week, and the man most definitely did not disappoint. Live video of the entire set exists here, but if you're like us, it's really just the sound that matters. Blaze blends it all, from uptempo house to strutting soul, Jay Z to Nas, Madvillan to Zapp & Roger to, yes, Cam'ron. This one has it all, and it works way, way better than it should because, you know...Just Blaze.

It's a back-to-back affair with us and Boiler Room this week, and we certainly aren't mad about it. At the same gig that Just Blaze threw it all down, Detroit don Tall Black guy also went to work, delivering rare vinyl soul, swirling neo-hip-hop and even a little rattling drum and bass for good measure. It's mainly instrumental and entirely on-point, so get yourself the second half of this two-shot and all will be well.

Bonus: Watch Tall Black Guy's set on video here.

There's no limit to DJ Underdog's capabilities when a pair of turntables and some records are close at hand, and on his new "Unseen" mixtape--made special for Okayfuture--he most certainly brings the goods. There's a mystical quality to it all, a sense that a well-made mix can help you transcend the day to day and levitate on a higher plane of seeing, being, feeling. If you're not much of a mystic, have no fear--the set just thoroughly thumps as well. Progressive rarities and wild free jazz are all a part of the program, and as Underdog himself points out, every track has been released in the last two months.

Tracklist:

1. Unseen Intro

2. S??HA SW??T – Kelela ?GH

3. ALONE - SWISHA SWEET X NATIVE SUN

4. Hridayanath Mangeshkar - Ud Ja Re Kaaga

5. ??? – GALACTICA

6. K? – GOMENASAI

7. ? – DOOR

8. DIANE CHARLAMAGNE & GOLDIE – INNER CITY LIFE

9. EL ? – HOTLINE PERSONEL

10. SIZZLA – MOCKERIES AND PHRASE

11. GWABY HERNANDEZ - ?

12. Kamasi Washington - Change of the Guard

13. Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid- Morning Prayer

14. QUEST (NEANA RMX) PIRI VIP

15. Percussions - KHLHI

16. Mo Kolours – Foundation

17. Imaabs – Cautiverio

18. BwOLONGASSA - DISNA NGAI

19. High Contrast - If We Ever

20. TOTAL ? – PUMP THE BEAT

21. MIKE Q – PUMP THE BEAT

22. DJ WHICK – LEGENDARY

23. ESTA – GOING WITHIN

24. SANGO – RISE

25. ARCA – SWOON

26. PYRO - KIETH JUMA

27. JUKE ELLINGTON – ADDICTION

28. MA NGUZU - SEND ME OUT (KELELA RMX)

29. TMH- LITTLE PLACE

30. PYRO - KIETH JUMA

Detroit composer, beatmaker, drummer and polyglot Shigeto stepped into the spotlight on Gilles Peterson's Worldwide program last weekend, bringing plenty of the vivacious and cycling tones that he's become famous for. The Ghostly International signee recently shared his excellent new Pulse EP, which should be your very next order of listening business after you devour this great mix.

Tracklist:

All The People – Don’t Think (Unreleased)

Shigeto – Need Nobody (Ghostly International)

Floating Points – Nespole (Luaka Bop)

Sun Ra – Angels & Demons at Play (Impulse!)

Prcls – Life Goes On Without You (Unreleased)

Moresounds – Lightness (Original Cultures)

Karl Hector – Untitled (Unreleased)

Black Classical – Running the Voodoo (On The Corner Records)

Mo Kolours – Foundation (One-Handed Music)

My Panda Shall Fly – Yapeu (Deft Remix) (Soundway Records)

Clap! Clap! – (S) Serendipity (Black Acre)

Appleblim – Auburn Blaze (Tempa)

::Worldwide Family Mixtape – Shigeto:: (listen below)

Maalem Mahmoud Guinia & James Holden – Bania (Border Community)

Martyn – Jah Bedouin (Ostgut Ton)

Emanative & Ahmed Abdullah – Lions of Judah (Brownswood Recordings)

Weldon Irvine – Power and the Glory (BMG Special Products)

Ed Motta – OverBlow (Unreleased)

Luke Vibert – Officer’s Club (Planet Mu)

Reuben Wilson – Got To Get Your Own (Chess)

Mndsgn & Seven Davis Jr – Untitled (Unreleased)

Kenneth Whalum – Ghost Town (White Label)

If Freddie Joachim and QSTN are two new names to you, fix that. Now. The two rep Mellow Orange consistently, making and supporting dynamic beat music and on their new "Intervals" mix we get exactly that. Cuts from Brenk Sinatra, The Roots, Mr. Carmack, IAMNOBODI and so much more. There's no easy way to conceptualize/sew up this mix; it just needs to be listened to. You nodding head will appreciate the workout.

Tracklist:

FREDDIE JOACHIM:

Dedication A,B, & C - Eric Lau

Dilllude - Brenk Sinatra

Ssup With Slak - Hazel

Ways You Are - Tuamie

Far Away - Elaquent

Clair De Lune - Aso

Childhood Memories - Freddie Joachim

Kittylitter - Swarvy

The Official Jaylib Cover - DJ Harrison

Live&Loud - Hazel

Sight For Sore Eyes - Visionaries

Off The Dills - Ohmega Watts

Untitled - The Roots

Bet Dap Goom Bown - 20syl

Voices feat. Rita J - 20syl

Womp - Mr. Carmack

A Long Time (Moods Remix) - Amin Payne x Ben Bada Boom

Bom Dia - Cazal Organism

QSTN:

Smile - Zikomo

Unreleased - The Roots

Transit - Colossus

Vibe Out - Ohmega Watts

The Record Shop - Funky DL

OneForDilla - IAMNOBODI

Yeau - Mndsgn

Silken Heart - Melo-Zed

Someone Like That - Slakah

Cosmic Girl - Monomite

Pushin' On - Moods

Hey - Madlib

ElevenOFive - Koen

Doppelgänger - QSTN + Freddie Joachim

Thriller - TBG

A mix that bridges the gap between hard-knocking soul and soulful hip-hop is by no means a tough sell 'round these parts, and on his new set from DJ Vadim promises just that. Listen in and you'll catch DOOM, Kendrick Lamar, Ghostface Killah and more--but be forewarned: this isn't an all-out circa '94 Boombap affair. Vadim has brought plenty of future-R&B type stuff, and the SoundCloud set has just as much to look forward to as the dusty-fingered crate-diggers. Oh what a beautiful, unified thing it is.

Weird haunting bossa-funk, unnamed soul and sweeping psych rock? Marsellus Wallace's new mixtape for LA DJ Collective Rendezvous has it all. Recorded live and direct on location at LA's Hyperion Tavern, this one goes in ways you'd never expect but will be so, so thankful for.

We are ALWAYS excited to host Mr. Wallace in the house of RENDEZVOUS and our man never disappoints. Grail after grail after grail...how else can we describe his sets? Dear friends, you are in for a real sonic treat! Put on your headphones and enjoy...presented here another classic LIVE mix by Marsellus Wallace! Recorded direct onto tape at the Hyperion Tavern on Friday the 13th of November 2015.

Ninja Tune's "Solid Steel" radio program is one of the most consistent and powerful shows on Earth, and in with November 13th installment they have only raised the bar:

Solid Steel in association with Serato (13th November) This week on Solid Steel we feature the recent Radio 1 Essential Mix from Coldcut and DK, minus the talking and available to download. As part of the Ninja Tune 25th Anniversary, Matt Black said "We wanted to represent as many of the current Ninja Tune roster as possible and also throw a couple of classics from the archives into the mix, in addition to some influential and inspirational tracks"

We start with the brand new single from Roots Manuva, plus music from Ninja Tune artists Romare, Beat Spacek, Bonobo, Machinedrum, an unreleased track from Illum Sphere and 'Glassbeadgames' by Martyn and Four Tet, with classic tracks from The Bug, Squarepusher remix for DJ Food, DJ Vadim and cLOUDDEAD remixed by Boards of Canada. Meanwhile Dream Continuum grab a cheeky sample of Coldcut's People Hold On and we hear the Eddie Kendricks track that lyrically inspired said tune. All this plus New Yorks finest Arthur Russell, Konk, jeru and OC, footwork from DJ Spinn & Rashad featuring Danny Brown, Flying Lotus and spiritual jazz from The Prime Element.

Tracklist:

Roots Manuva - Don’t Breathe Out (Big Dada)

Romare - Roots (Ninja Tune)

Reckonwrong - Radio Magic Tracks - (Whities)

Konk - Your Life (What U Want) - (Sleeping Bag Records)

Beat Spacek - I Wanna Know (Seven Davis Jr Midnight Remix) (Ninja Tune)

Klasmos - Looped - (Erased Tapes)

Arthur Russell - See My Brother, He’s Jumping Out (Let’s Go Swimming #2) - (Audika)

Martyn & Four Tet - Glassbeadgames (8 Hours at Fabric Dub) (Ninja Tune)

Lee Bannon - Memory 6 (Ninja Tune)

The Bug - Poison Dart (Ninja Tune)

Wiley - Step 2001 (prod. by Zomby) (Big Dada)

Teeth - Shawty - (502 Recordings)

Moresounds - Altercations - (Astrophonica)

DJ Spinn & Rashad - Dubby feat. Danny Brown (Hyperdub)

Bonobo - Eyesdown feat. Andreya Triana (Machinedrum Remix) (Ninja Tune)

Dream Continuum - Giv A Lil Luv - (Planet Mu)

Funki Porcini - King Ashabanapal (Dillinja Mix) (Ninja Tune)

DJ Food - Scratch Yer Head (Squarepusher Mix) (Ninja Tune)

Machinedrum - Eyesdontlie (DJ Shadow Remix) (Ninja Tune)

DJ Vadim - Terrorist (Instrumental) (Ninja Tune)

Jeru Tha Damaja - Come Clean (Sabre’s 20/20 Bootleg) (No Label)

East Flatbush Project - Tried by Twelve - (Ninja Tune)

OC - Times Up - (Wild Pitch)

Illum Sphere - Ritual (Ninja Tune)

Brother Ahh - Love Piece - (Strata East)

The Prime Element - En El Amanecer Del Tiempo (In The Dawn of Time) - Trova

Flying Lotus - Zodiac Shit (Warp)

Eddie Kendricks - My People, Hold On - (Tamla)

Wife - Bodies - (Left Blank)

cLOUDDEAD - Dead Dogs Two (Boards of Canada Remix) - (Big Dada)

Marcel Lawson and the BBC teamed up to offer a dynamic, uptempo and motivating workout mix, and if you're looking to sweat a bit you should look no further. Of course, it kicks off with "Eye of the Tiger."

Tracklist:

Eye Of The Tiger – Survivor

Turn Down For What x Superthug - DJ Snake & Lil Jon x Noreaga

Talk About It – Dr. Dre

Juicy x Living Room - Notorious B.I.G. x TWRK

Creep (Twerk Remix) - Lemi Vice & Action Jackson

Get Ur Freak On (Twerk Remix) - Neon Steve

Heads High (Twerk Remix) - Mozes & Kid Kobra

Be Real feat. Dej Loaf (Club Killers Remix) – Kid Ink

Candy Shop (Knock2 Twerk Remix) - 50 Cent

Ayo - Chris Brown & Tyga

BaDINGA! x Pump It Up - TWRK x Joe Budden

Party Up x Get Busy - DMX x Sean Paul

Independent x Nasty Girl - TWRK & LAMBO x Notorious B.I.G.

Can't Feel My Face - The Weeknd

Jump Around (The Goodfellas Twerk Edit) - House Of Pain

How Many Times (ML Refix) ft. Chris Brown & Lil Wayne - DJ Khaled

Big Rings x Badman Riddim - Drake & Future x Vato Gonzalez

Simon Says - Pharoahe Monch

679 (Remy Boyz) - Fetty Wap

And we end this week's roundup with a beginning, of sorts. Perth-bred beatsmith Ta-ku compiled a mixtape of his favorite original sample material for Raised By Wolves, and it's a thing of throwback beauty. It spans tracks sampled by many of the greats, including the GOAT himself J Dilla, and is a great way to ground oneself amidst the shifting seas of modern music. From now until next time, keep moving to it.