Music from your favorite DJ you’ve never heard of. This guy is a friend of mine from a little ol’ city called Buffalo, NY. He sent over this gem and it definitely merited some exposure on URB. Just for some credibility, back in 2006, DJ Cutler won Scion’s national Free Up Your Mix contest for the best remix.

Here’s what he had to say about the current mix:

“Here’s a new mix of tunes from the past couple of years that I’m really digging… As per usual all vinyl (save for track one which isn’t yet on wax). Support these artists and buy their records now before they’re out of print! Feel free to share far and wide and many thanks for listening.

Tracklisting:

1) EMEFE–Stutter (unsigned)
2) The Bamboos–Up on the Hill (Tru Thoughts)
3) The Alan Evans Trio–Croooz (Royal Family)
4) Lettuce– Bowler (Velour/Royal Family)
5) Jungle Fire–Comencemos (Colemine)
6) Antibalas–Dirty Money (Daptone)
7) Ikebe Shakedown–The Viking (Ubiquity)
8) Chico Mann–Mentirosos (wax poetics)
9) Mayer Hawthorne–Long Time (Universal)
10) New Mastersounds–Freckles (Tallest Man)
11) Funkshone–Aberlady Fry (Skyline Recordings)
12) The Bamboos featuring Kylie Auldist–Keep Me In Mind (Tru Thoughts)
13) DJ Format–Beyond Disco (P.B.B Records)
14) J Rocc–untitled (Stones Throw)
15) Freqnik & WDRE–Set It Off Remix (Boro records)
16) Ikebe Shakedown–Tujunga (Ubiquity)
17) Dojo Cuts featuring Roxy Ray–Mamacita (Record Kicks)
18) Quantic and Alice Russell with the Combo Barbaro–Traveling Music (Tru Thoughts)
19) Raphael Saadiq–Movin Down The Line (Columbia)
20) DJ Nu-Mark featuring Quantic–Tropicalifornia (Hot Plate Records)
21) Pseudo Intellectuals–’Round Midnight (LoDo/Druh Slawek Records)

Ask any hip-hop producer about the Moog analogue synthesizer, and you’ll likely hear reverence, sometimes even a gasp. Not surprising since the instrument, the undisputed gold standard of synthesizers, has had a lasting influence on the hip-hop sound over the decades (think ’90s G-funk, a direct descendent of the Parliament sound). Now, Moog Music, the maker of the Minimoog Voyager analogue synthesizer, is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the instrument with a limited edition 24 karat gold plated synth. To mark this occasion, we got DJ Nu-Mark, member of the gold-selling hip-hop crew Jurassic 5, to talk about what the Moog has meant to him.

URB: When did you get your first Moog?

NU-MARK: I started using a Moog in 2000.  I remember looking for the sounds used on Junkyard Band’s “Sardines” record and finding something close, but there are so many eras of the Moog that I wasn’t sure if that was the sound or just a good version of the pad I was looking for.

URB: What part has Moog played in creating your sound? 

NU-MARK: Moog has set the bar as far as sonic dynamics is concerned. I usually use the Moog as a benchmark to match the bass sounds in my production.  So if the bass in one of my tracks doesn’t hold up to a recorded Moog sound or software moog, then I know I need to either use a Moog or work more on my sound to give the track a larger sonic presence. 

URB: The quintessential Moog track? 

NU-MARK: It’s gotta be Jean Jacques Perrey’s “E.V.A.”  I think he captured the entire feeling of the Moog in one track.  He did an incredible job of combining other instruments that meshed with the Moog as well.

To watch the making of the gold plated Moog, click here. 

Who is the best Party Rock DJ in the World? Red Bull Thre3Style World Finals in Chicago Sept. 24 – 29 will determine who holds this title. Eighteen DJs from around the world will descend upon the Windy City to battle in the world’s premier DJ competition. ?uestlove, Z-Trip , Jazzy Jeff, and Gaslamp Killer are among the list of headliners and judges who will perform and preside over the weeklong event series. A city immersed in musical legend, where masters of blues, house, rock, jazz and hip-hop have tred, Chicago offers the perfect backdrop for the world’s foremost party rockin’ DJ competition.

To earn a spot in the World Finals, hundreds of DJs from around the globe battled it out in regional and national qualifiers. At each stage the rules remained the same: 15 minutes to rock the crowd with a set that incorporates at least three genres of music and keeps partygoers on their feet, and the judges impressed.

Representing the US is Seattle’s own Four Color Zack, who ousted 9 other U.S. finalists during the national qualifier in June at Universal City Walk in Orlando, FL. When speaking of his performance at the national finals, the 30-year-old art director said “I nerded out. It’s a give and take relationship with the crowd and to win feels surreal. The road was hard, but to make it to the main stage is something to strive for, it’s indescribable.” Zack will be reppin’ the U.S. this September, as he’ll be competing on home turf and will go head-to-head with the other national champions from around the world.

[Watch Video Here]

One of the most notorious turntable crews of our time, The WORLD famous Beat Junkies, are celebrating their 20 years of existence in Los Angeles. #yowzer

Red Bull Thre3Style National Finals hits Orlando, FL June 21st – 23rd with an amazing cast of competing DJs from all over the United States. Red Bull Thre3Style is an innovative concept that gives highly skilled DJs a global platform to showcase their skills, battle and gain notoriety by rockin’ the dance floor and this year’s competition will prove to be more fierce than ever. The winner of Orlando’s National Finals will make their way to the International Finals in Chicago this September.

This year’s National Finals will feature Headliner/Judges from Jermaine Dupri (So So Def Recordings), Mick Boogie, and DJ Nu-Mark (Jurassic 5) and the battle will span over 3 days from June 21st – 23rd.

Today, check this video teaser which showcases the energy that Red Bull Thre3Style will bring to Orlando later this month.

J-Boogie’s Dubtronic Science or J-Boogie for short just dropped some heavy joints on Undercover, his long-awaited solo release since his work on the immensely enjoyable Soul Vibrations from 2008. Undercover picks up where Soul Vibrations left off, displaying J-Boogie’s diverse styles and tastes in an idiosyncratic yet coherent mixture of influences and experiments. This record, generally speaking, is very very funky. Case in point is “It’s On Fire” with another Bay Area homie, Lateef the Truthspeaker. Another example demonstrating this feel is the larger than life joint “Blue Mountain Dub” featuring Jazz Mafia—what a track, wow. This entire record is an awesome party, one that I’d never like to end. While some songs are weaker than others, there is no wholly bad track on this album—there’s just different flavors that speak to different people, but nevertheless transmit talent and artistry on behalf of their creator J-Boogie. It is sometimes the case that too much of a wide range in servicing different tastes can prove detrimental and detract from the product as a whole.

The more hard-hitting jams on Undercover have to be the title track “Undercover” featuring Chrys Anthony as well as “Go to Work” featuring The Pimps of Joytime. Personally, I can’t get over “Undercover.” Guest Chrys Anthony’s voice is on point on this cut, and the horn samples coupled with the funky bass prove to be a delectable combination impossible to overlook. Going into a jazz solo midway through, this song impresses the earbuds and keeps the finger snaps coming—it’s been awhile since a track hit me with this much audio stimulation. As a result of doing this review I went and picked up the “Undercover” single that contains quite the collection of remixes of this song including one by J5’s own DJ Nu-Mark—but as in most cases, the original is by far superior. Props to J-Boogie for handling this track with care and precision.

With a host of producers and musicians turning to the Latin American for inspiration, there can be a lot of misuse and misinterpretation of some of the influences (given their histories and cultural contexts), Quantic is a good example of what you should be doing when using Latin flavors in your music, and if you have aspirations of making music with Latin rhythms (as you should) he is the model. There is a definite way to treat your sample sources and your influences, and J-Boogie and his band “Dubtronic Science” clearly do this, paying homage to the beloved cumbia of Central and Sudamérica in interesting, pleasing, and novel ways. He does the same for African-inspired tracks like “No Freedom” featuring Afrolicious & MC Zulu. J-Boogie as producer and his entourage of emcees, vocalists and percussionists are a potent and dynamic musical force. Undercover proves his versatility and vision. You heard it here first: J-Boogie is your favorite producer’s favorite producer.

Peep some of the links below to check out “Undercover,” “It’s On Fire” and some other J-Boogie goodness.

J-Boogie’s Dubtronic Science is back with an October 4th album release of “Undercover” via OM Records!! The San Francisco representative is one of the most diverse DJ/producers in the game, and his album “Undercover” is a great representation of his various talents and influences.

The first single and title track to the album, “Undercover” featuring Chrys Anthony is available now via iTunes and features a great remix by DJ Nu-Mark. Today, enjoy the official music video for “Undercover” which is reminiscent of Bollywood’s version of Saturday Night Fever!! You can also stream the entire single for free!

J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science – Undercover feat. Chrys Anthony by OmRecords

FLuD Presents: Beats Per Minute with with DJ Nu Mark from FLuD Watches on Vimeo.

Flud Watches presents the third “Beats Per Minute” video featuring DJ Nu-Mark in celebration of their “BPM” Watch as part of their new Summer collection. The “Beats Per Minute” Video Series showcases some of hip hop’s most influential producers highlighting their craft, while discussing changes in the game, crate diggin’, equipment and their advise to the new generation.

In this episode, DJ Nu-Mark (of Jurassic 5 acclaim) talks about his years of record collecting, the positive and negative effects of new technology, the freedom he now has as a producer outside of a group setting, while finishing up the video with his trademark rubber band trick using the tone arm of a turntable. Nu-Mark is truly one of the most creative DJ/Producers in the game, which he showcases during his DJ sets as he incorporates various toys and tricks to separate himself from the rest. In addition, a lot of folks sleep on Nu-Mark (including Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow) as one of the first producers to perform live on the MPC, which he showcased years ago for Mochilla’s Keepintime live show in 2002 at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles.

DJ Nu-Mark is also preparing the release of his album “Broken Sunlight” dropping Fall 2011!!

J-Boogie’s Dubtronic Science is back with his upcoming album “Undercover” dropping October 4th via OM Records. The San Francisco representative is respected world-wide as one of the most diverse DJs in the game who has also been releasing full length albums for almost 10 years.

The first single for the title track “Undercover” ft. Chrys Anthony is out now and today enjoy the free download of the DJ Nu-Mark (of Jurassic 5) remix, which features Nu-Mark’s precise drum-programming making this remix an instant summer jam. You can also stream the entire single including the original version, DJ Nu-Mark remix, Instrumental and Acapella.

The single to “Undercover” will also be released shortly on vinyl 45 and is for sale on iTunes now.
J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science – Undercover feat. Chrys Anthony by OmRecords

[download]