Mixtape Mondays: Wondercore Island Premiere, Chairman Mao, LeFtO + More
Good day and warmest wishes to all you mystic mixtape-seekers. We're back to kick the week off with a sonic revue of best new mixtapes on Earth. Leading off is an exclusive premiere from Wondercore Island, whose Mixtape #4 pulls from some of the best new electro-R&B on the market. Dig deeper and you'll catch LeFtO's newest mix of hip-hop and avant-jazz, and a "Message to the World" in the form of Chairman Mao's latest set. Keep on eye out for mixtape updates coming throughout the rest of the day and be prepared for a downpour of funk, soul, reggae, and hip-hop heaviness.
Wondercore Island has made a habit of putting out smooth and slightly strange mixtapes for our collective listening pleasures. His 4th (and newest) mixtape is no exception to the rule; jilted beats and polytone synths shift and tangle on every track. From the spacey knock of Fortunes to the roving bass of Oisima's "Summertime Shuffle," Wondercore has made a tape that keeps it deep and colorful in every second, every bar. Be sure to check our much-beloved fam Hiatus Kaiyote in the mix's later half, as well.
Chairman Mao is nothing if not consistent. His "Across 135th Street" mixtape series has been a hit around OKP headquarters for quite some time thanks to Mao's ever-steady commitment to classic soul and rare funk singles. In light of recent turmoil across the globe, this newest mix is devoted to socially-conscious funk--music that shuffles and grooves for a fundamental cause. Net Wt. 14 Karat Black sets the tone, and Lonnie Liston Smith and Roy Ayers keep it vital. The fall has always been a time for change and sho nuff the world could use one.
Was it just last week that LeFtO was hitting Mixtape Mondays with a dose of chopped-up goodness? (It was indeed.) LeFtO has wasted no time in giving us another glimpse inside his hip-hop-heavy mind, and his newest mix is a bonafide banger. Pharoah Sanders, Shackleton, Carmack and the ever-ethereal Dorian Concept all feature prominently in the mix. Man, does LeFto, do you ever find time for sleep?
And for simplicity's sake, you can download the whole thing right here.
Tracklist:
pharoah sanders - astral traveling
trian kayhatu - sister
flying lotus - never catch me ft. kendrick lamar
sbtrkt ft. a$ap ferg - voices in my head
photay - no sass
lunice - can't wait to
clap! clap! - kuj yato
eparre oia - ibejy miregum
airhead - shekure
shackleton - vor und zuruck
electric wire hustle - the spirit
monkey robot - generation
flatbush zombies & trash talk - modern mayhem
otis brown III - truth
debarge - i like it
marcus alan ward - king carnivore
mr carmack - this morning was funny
mastah william - one 4 m-phazes
eye q - i am selfish
dorian concept - nest nest
GANGS - take my time
darkhouse fam - bulgarian
ivan ave - find me
homeboy sandman - america, the beautiful
joey bada$$ - big dusty
devonwho - sunder
mono/poly - ra rise
nyak - oddity
This is the stuff that dreams are made of. The good heads at Waxpoetics and WhoSampled worked together with DJ Chris Read to craft a mixtape dedicated to the Notorious B.I.G's seminal Ready to Die, which turned 20 last Saturday.
Like a hip-hop history lecture come to life, the mix intersperses Ready to Die cuts with the source material that so many of its classic samples pulled from. Biz Markie, Black Heat, Curtis Mayfield and James Brown are all well-represented. DJ Read was generous with his use of sampled cuts, and the mix itself is much more old-school than the album that it celebrates. Put it on, crack a bottle and pour one out for Christopher Wallace--R.I.P.
Tracklist:
Notorious BIG – Intro (Excerpt)
Curtis Mayfield – Superfly [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Intro]
Audio 2 – Top Billin’ [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Intro]
Chris Read – Theme #3 (Scratchapella)
Snoop Dogg – Tha Shiznit [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Intro]
Main Ingredient – Summer Breeze [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Things Done Changed]
Biz Markie – The Vapors (Excerpt) [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Things Done Changed]
Dr Dre feat Snoop Dogg & Daz Dillinger – Lil Ghetto Boy (Excerpt) [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Things Done Changed]
Notorious BIG – Things Done Changed
Notorious BIG – Gimme The Loot
James Brown – Coldblooded (Excerpt) [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Gimme The Loot]
Notorious BIG – Machine Gun Funk (Instrumental)
A Tribe Called Quest feat Leaders of the New School – Scenario (Remix) (Excerpt) [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Gimme The Loot]
Ice Cube – What They Hittin’ Foe? (Excerpt) [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Gimme The Loot]
Black Heat – Something Extra [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Machine Gun Funk]
Notorious BIG – Machine Gun Funk (Album Version)
Lords of the Underground – Chief Rocka (Loop) [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Machine Gun Funk]
Notorious BIG – Machine Gun Funk (DJ Premier Remix)
Honey Drippers – Impeach the President (Loop) [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Unbelievable]
R Kelly – Your Body’s Callin’ (Excerpt) [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Unbelievable]
Notorious BIG feat Method Man – The What (Excerpt) [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Unbelievable]
Notorious BIG – Unbelievable
Notorious BIG feat Method Man – The What
Isaac Hayes – Walk On By [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Warning]
Notorious BIG – Warning
DeBarge – Stay With Me [Sampled in Notorious BIG - One More Chance (Remix)]
Notorious BIG – One More Chance (Album Version) (Excerpt)
Notorious BIG feat Faith Evans – One More Chance (Remix)
Notorious BIG – One More Chance (Album Version)
Notorious BIG – One More Chance (Hip Hop Mix)
Notorious BIG – Everyday Struggle
Dave Grusin – Either Way [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Everyday Struggle]
Mtume – Juicy Fruit [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Juicy]
James Mtume – RBMA Interview (Excerpt)
Notorious BIG – Juicy
Notorious BIG – Juicy (Pete Rock Instrumental)
Spoonie Gee and The Treacherous Three – Love Rap (Excerpt) [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Juicy (Pete Rock Remix)]
KC & The Sunshine Band feat George McCrae – I Get Lifted (Loop) [Sampled in Notorious BIG feat Diana King - Respect]
Pan Head – Gun Man Tune (Excerpt) [Sampled in Notorious BIG feat Diana King - Respect]
Notorious BIG feat Diana King – Respect
Notorious BIG – Me & My Bitch
Supercat feat Notorious BIG, Puff Daddy & 3rd Eye – Dolly My Baby (Excerpt) [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Big Poppa]
Isley Brothers – Between The Sheets [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Big Poppa]
Notorious BIG – Big Poppa
Willie Hutch – Hospital Prelude of Love Theme [Sampled in Notorious BIG - Ready to Die]
Notorious BIG – Ready to Die
When Bonobo makes a move, we sit up straight and pay attention. The Brooklyn-based British producer/composer drove us wild this summer at Okayfuture's blow-out in Central Park, and now he's back on our radar with a brand new mix of pulsating house and remixed downtempo delights. Longtime favorite Kaytranada sits snugly amongst the likes of Moderat and Dark Sky on what Simon Green deems to be a solid primer on what's essential in the world of electronic music today. Far be it from us to second-guess this mastermind; your trip to distant digital dreams begins at the push of "play."
Moderat - "Bad Kingdom (DJ Koze Remix)"
Genius of Time - "Juno Jam"
Kaytranada - "Leak Me Alone (feat. Shay Lia)"
Leon Vynehall - "Butterflies"
Dark Sky - "lyp"
Lake People - "Night Drive"
Butch & C. Vogt - "The Infamous (Robytek vs. Shielf Re-Edit)"
Throwing Snow - "As You Fall"
Dorian Concept - "Ann River, Mn"
Nalepa + William Arcane - "Feel"
Mr. Mitch - "The Lion, The Bitch and the Bordeaux"
We'd be happy to bring you a fresh mix of classic hip-hop cuts sliced and diced by DJ Premier. We're even happier to bring you this--something completely different and unexpected. Premo took the reins of Diplo's regular BBC program to drop a riff-heavy mix that's up front about his deep, undying love for rock n roll. From Rush to Steve Miller Band to (damn right, y'all) ZZ Top, Premo's reminding us that classic rock radio is still spinning some of the best breaks ever laid to tape. Go ahead and practice that air guitar.
Tracklist:
Montrose – Bad Motor Scooter
The Doors – Five To One
Steve Miller Band – Fly Like An Eagle
Rush – Tom Sawyer
Steve Miller Band – Take The Money And Run
Alice in Chains – Would
The Police – Voices Inside My Head
Pink Floyd – Another Brick In The Wall (Part 1)
Heart – Magic Man
ZZ Top – Cheap Sunglasses
Rage Against the Machine – Bulls On Parade
AC/DC – Back In Black
Yes – Leave It
Simple Minds – Alive And Kicking
Talking Heads – Burning Down The House
Morrissey – Suedehead
U2 – Beautiful Day
M.O.P. – 187
DJ Premier – My Influences (feat. NYG’z)
38 Spesh – The Meeting (Problems Or Peace) (feat. Kool G Rap)
Nas – Nas Is Like
Ea$y Money – Nothin’ Alike (feat. DJ Premier)
Joell Ortiz – Project Boy (feat. DJ Premier)
Cerrone – Rocket In The Pocket
Isaac Hayes – Ike’s Mood
The Lady of Rage – Chemical Burn
Showbiz – PLAY