DRUM & BASS: A YEAR AND A DECADE

The year 2010 is about to slip away from us and into history. I recently took the opportunity to play some of the year's best drum & bass music on my final Futurhythm episode for the year (broadcast date, December 29th), which has become somewhat of a tradition for the show year after year. Being that it is also the end of a decade, I decided to see just how things have come along since the last decade rolled over and into the next. The show started off with some classics from 1999/2000/2001. Then at the halfway mark, we took a look at some key releases from the year 2010. These are by no means definitive lists or picks, but rather a mix of some of the best in my opinion. Here's how it went down:

2000ish (an excerpt taken from a previously recorded mix)

Q Project - Champion Sound (Total Science Remix) (C.I.A.)
Phantom Audio - Remote Control (Timeless)
Dylan & Ink - California Curse (Outbreak)
Roni Size - Snapshot (Full Cycle)
Total Science - Make Me Feel (C.I.A.)
Ram Trilogy - Titan (Ram)
Uncut - Midnight (Marcus Intalex & ST Files Remix) (Wired)
London Elektricity - Wishing Well (Danny Byrd Remix) (Hopspital)
Universal Project - Rux Flava
Digital - Waterhouse Dub (True Playaz)
A Sides - Crazy VIP (Eastside)
Bad Company - Tumpa (Flashback) (Bad Company)

2010ish

Calibre - Thirst Dub (Signature)
Breakage feat. Roots Manuva - Run Em Out (Digital Soundboy)
Bladerunner - Back To The Jungle (Critical)
Total Science & S.P.Y. - Gangsta (Shogun Audio)
Tom & Jerry - Maximum Style (Serial Killaz Remix) (Tom & Jerry)
Calibre - Broken (Signature)
Break & Die - Slow Down (Symmetry)
Subwave - Darkness Dub (Metalheadz)
Exocet - Demon Seed (S.P.Y. Remix) (Nu Directions)

KARL HAZE - ABOLUTELY "T" FOR TREMENDOUS (OLD SCHOOL MIX)

My latest mix is coming at you hot on the heels of my last one, "The Dean's Address". This time 'round the mix focuses on old school jungle/hardcore selection spanning the years 1993 - 1995. This'll get you primed for Konkrete Jungle this Friday, where I'll be dropping old school cuts alongside Debaser, Mz. Rev, and Saxon. Enjoy the mix, and see you at KJ!

KARL HAZE - ABSOLUTELY "T" FOR TREMENDOUS

1. Smokey Joe - 4 Meg Soundboy (Labello Blanco)

2. DJ Hype feat. MC GQ - Roll Da Beats (Inject The Bass Mix) (Suburban Base)

3. A-Zone - Calling The People (Remix) (Whitehouse)

4. Bug Kann & The Plastic Jam - Made In Two Minutes (Origin Unknown Remix) (Labello Blanco)

5. DJ Gunshot - Wheel & Deal (No U Turn)

6. DJ Dextrous - Time To Move (Suburban Base)

7. Ron Tom - Pirates 1995 (Metamorphosis)

8. DJs Unknown - Volume 3 (Homegrown)

9. DJ Seduction - Samplemania (Impact)

10. Pooch & Wivvy - Riding Rhythm (United Dance)

11. Remarc - Da Vibes (Remix) (Dollar)

12. Question Mark - Volume 3 (Question Mark)

13. Heartless - Lifted (Heartless)

14. Crowd Pleasers - Volume 1 (Crowd Pleasers)

15. Hyper On Experience - Monarch Of The Glen (Moving Shadow)

16. Hedgehog Affair - The Pipe (Sound Entity)

17. Nut-E-1 & Technarchy - You Cannot (Bear Necessities)

18. Van Kleef - Life Began Changing (PP9)

19. Q Project - Champion Sound (Doc Scott Remix) (Legend)

20. Plasmic Life - Water Baby (Brain Progression)

21. DJ Krust - Jazz Note (V Recordings)

22. Photek - Fusion (Photek)

Download: http://postmobills.com/khaze/Karl_Haze-Absolutely_T_For_Tremendous.mp3

KONKRETE JUNGLE

w/ Debaser, Mz. Rev, Karl Haze, Saxon

Friday, October 1, 2010

Lotus Lounge (222 Slater St.)

$10 / 19+

KARL HAZE - THE DEAN'S ADDRESS (New mix for Sept. 2010)

Here's a brand new post and a brand new mix from myself, aptly titled "The Dean's Address" in honour of the recent return to the classroom for many of you. Some new cuts get mixed in with some old ones, and the finished result looks and sounds something like this:

KARL HAZE - THE DEAN'S ADDRESS (SEPT 2010)

1. Paul Saint Jack - Monument (dub)
2. Sonic & Silver - Space Cadet (Space)
3. Counterweight - Kinetic (dub)
4. Break & Fierce - Singular (DNAudio)
5. S.P.Y. - Xenomorph (Metalheadz)
6. Martyn - I Wonder Why (Revolv:R)
7. Alex Reece - Basic Principles (Commix Remix) (dub)
8. LTJ Bukem - Music (Peshay Rework) (Nexus)
9. London Elektricity feat. Robert Owens - My Dreams (Hospital)
10. Commix - Faceless (Marcus Intalex Remix) (Shogun Audio)
11. Klute - Ashram (Commercial Suicide)
12. Spirit - All I Need (Anile Remix) (Inneractive)
13. Randall & Andy C - Sound Control ("What's Up Cuz" Bladerunner Remix) (Stepback Sessions)
14. Total Science & S.P.Y. - Above The Clouds (Shogun Audio)
15. D.Kay & Epsilon - Come Easy (Defunked)

Download and share it as you see fit.

JUST JOE - AMPLIFIED SAMPLE (HIP HOP MIX)

JUST JOE - AMPLIFIED SAMPLE (Studio Mix, 2000)

I recently had the pleasure of having long time friend and partner in crime, Roksteady (aka Just Joe), as my guest on my Futurhythm radio show. I actually met Joe through doing the radio show way back in 1997, when he used to call up on a weekly basis to flip out over drum & bass/jungle tracks I was playing, or to request the ones I wasn't. We immediately found out that we were like-minded d&b heads, and quickly became friends and associates in various DJ "crews".

A few years on from then, Joe jumped into the music production game (The Fix, Cryme). He took to it hard, and was quickly producing shockingly good music. We also wrote many tracks together (Counterweight), collectively getting play in clubs and on radio shows globally. We even managed to get a hand full of them released on various record labels.

Even though Joe is a d&b head through and through, he never shys away from other forms of music, especially reggae (roots, dub) and hip hop. The mix Joe played out on my radio show during his recent guest spot was a old mix he put together about 10 years back, featuring some of his favourite underground hip hop tracks. The music on Amplified Sample spans many years, as well as continents, showcasing an eclectic mix of hip hop from various worldwide scenes. Expect to hear tunes from DJ Food, DJ Spooky, Ninja Tune, Depth Charge (aka J. Saul Kane), and more.

Unfortunately, I don't know all of the tracks on this mix, so as of now there's no tracklist. Joe said he'd get on it though, so watch this space.

BEAU'S ALL NATURAL BREWING CO.

I finally visited Beau's All Natural Brewing Company in Vankleek Hill, ON, after a few years of enjoying their trade mark "Lugtread Lagered Ale" under my belt. It was a pleasant visit, with my father in tow to comemorate Father's Day. We enjoyed a free brewery tour, had some organic BBQ & a pint, and dropped some cash in the gift shop.

Vrienden (sorry, I took a sip of this one before the photo)

We were happily surprised to find out that Beau's brews seasonal and special edition beers, available only through the brewery itself and select bars/pubs/restaurants. My dad and I were fortunate enough to nab a some big bottles of their spring brew, an India Pale Ale called Beaver-River. The gem of the trip was the few bottles of Vrienden we brought back with us. Vrienden is an unfiltered wheat beer that Beau's brewed in collaboration with the Dutch brewery, De Koningshoeven. Unlike most wheat beers (Hoegaarden, Shneider Weisse, etc.), Vrienden is flavoured with juniper berries and maple syrup, as opposed to the traditional use of citrus fruit. It's a refreshing and flavourful beer that was going down proper in today's heat, no doubt.

Their summer brew, a German ale name Festiv-Ale just became available through the brewery as well, and there's a very limited supply of Vrienden and Beaver-River left for sale. Take a trip out to Beau's if you get the chance.

SUMMER'S GRAVITY

Summer has arrived, and with it comes great expectations and grave responsibility. Every year people reach this point and look ahead with the best intentions to milk the summer months for everything they're worth. I call this "summer's gravity": the pressure to not let the summer slip away before accomplishing something. Whether it's a chance to take a roadtrip, to spend time with friends, or a chance to buckle down for a serious cash earning stint at a summer job, there's no doubt that many of us have high hopes for the summer.

Of course, summer always has a soundtrack too. Once the calendar turns on May and June, I reach for a set of records that speak to the essence of summer. Musically, it's a blend of folk song writing, country instrumentation, and a punk rock/indie rock approach to arrangement & dynamics. Really there's no set style or sound though, and I go more on mood and decide whether a song is a "summer song" or not. While not a definitive mix of any one music scene or style, the songs here showcase a few of bands that (to my ears) share similar influences and approaches in their music, and they're all summer songs.

KARL HAZE - SUMMER'S GRAVITY

Tracklisting

Wilco - War On War

The Pixies - Winterlong

The Lemonheads - Paid To Smile

Buffalo Tom - Gravity

The New Pornographers - Crash Years

Wilco - You Never Know

The Lemonheads - Rule Of Three

Dinosaur Jr. - Feel The Pain

Matt & Kim - Lightspeed

BREAKAGE: Spotlight

Breakage is a man that needs no introduction for drum & bass/jungle music lovers. To this day, his anthems from years gone by still speak for themselves. So Vain. Staggered Dub. Rise. What you may not know is that Breakage has recently branched out in his production style, and he has released a highly recommended album called Foundation that crosses and blends multiple genres and tempos.

Check out this mix I've put together that showcases not only some drum & bass cuts from his new LP, but some of his classic releases as well...

KARL HAZE - BREAKAGE SPOTLIGHT

Tracklisting
Breakage - Disco 45 (Remix) (Bassbin)
Breakage - Break-Age (Reinforced)
Nasty Habits - Here Comes The Drums (Breakage Remix) (Reinforced)
Alias - Admit To Love (Critical)
Breakage - Old Skool Ting (Digital Soundboy)
Breakage - Circumference (Inperspective)
Breakage feat. Kemo - Temper (Digital Soundboy)
Breakage - The Look (Scientific Wax)
Breakage - Ask Me (Bassbin)

And if that's not enough, the man himself will be touching down in Ottawa on May 19th, at Ritual Nightclub (137 Besserer St.). Given the scope of Breakage's recent essential mixes for BBC Radio, it's no doubt that we have a night of diverse beats and heavy bass in store for us. Also on the bill are Ottawa's own Counterweight (Threesixty, Karl Haze, Roksteady) and Pandemic.

BREAKAGE (UK), Counterweight, Pandemic
Wednesday May 19
Ritual Nightclub (137 Besserer St, Ottawa)
10:00 - 2:30
19+
$15 @ the door

KARL HAZE - FUTURHYTHM (31.03.10)

This is the most recent mix I've aired on Futurhythm (on March 31st). Fiver's asked for it, and I was already thinking of making this one available for download, so here it is. It's pretty rough & dark overall, and definitely one of the harder mixes I've played on the radio in a while. Check the early Futurhythm classics in there too, reaching back as far as 1997.

KARL HAZE - FUTURHYTHM (31.03.10)

Download: http://postmobills.com/khaze/Karl_Haze-Futurhythm_Mar_31_2010.mp3

Tracklist

A Sides feat. MC Fats - Crazy 2006 (Eastside)

The Pedge - Dubplate Special (Dread)

Future Cut - Whiplash (Renegade Hardware)

Genotype - Extra Terrestrial (Dom & Roland Remix) (Renegade Hardware)

Dylan - Turbulence (Droppin' Science)

Source Direct - Technical Warfare (Science)

Ed Rush & Nico - Torque (No U Turn)

Seba - Shapeshifter (Secret Operations)

Matrix - Mute 98 (Prototype)

NIKE AIR JORDAN 1 - AJKO RETRO

The Nike Air Jordan 1 - AJKO originally came out in 1985 as an affordable version of the flagship Air Jordan 1. The AJKO featured a mainly canvas upper, and a slightly different layout to the Air Jordan 1, which featured a full leather upper. At an original retail price of $50 (compared to the $100 price of the leather 1's), the AJKO was aimed more at the casual sneaker market, but could perform on the court as well.

March 27, 2010, saw the return of the AJKO for the first time ever. Add to this the fact that Jordan brand did very little redesigning (which they are apt to do a little too often) with this retro, this makes for a very special event for Jordan heads and sneaker fans all over.
Two colourways have been released, both a classic Chicago Bulls red/white/black colourway, as well as a red/white colourway, and feature the classic canvas/leather materials. There has also been a simulated "aged" yellowing treatment to the midsole and outsole, which has caused quite an uproar among sneaker afficionados. Whether you enjoy the aged look (which is kind of how OG pairs would look today), or not, don't fret: The yellowing can be washed off with soap, water, and bit of elbow grease.

BONJAY

Good good friends and deft musicians Bonjay are in town this Friday (February 26th) to set fire to the dancehall (aka Ritual Nightclub) and tear down the whole place. Musically, Bonjay are a unique blend of dancehall, soul/r&b, and house music, but really their style can incorporate sounds and influences from a much wider musical spectrum. Listen to one of their latest collab cuts with Emvee, Glitchy Feisty Rub for evidence.

Once you've peeped the freebie, go on and treat yourself to their Gimme Gimme EP, featuring remixes from Poirier, Smalltown Romeo, and Grahamzilla, as well as the O.G. cut from Bonjay.

As for the show, Bonjay will be performing L.I.V.E. alongside a heavyweight line-up also consisting of DJ Heather (Chicago) and Balu (Ottawa). See below for the full details:

DJ Heather, Bonjay (live), & Balu

Ritual Nightclub (137 Besserer St, Ottawa, ON, Canada)

Friday February 26, 2010 10:00 - 3:00

$15 in advance, more at the door (tickets @ Reap & Sew, Norml)

19 +

KARL HAZE :: A Little Bit of Gold and a Pager [Futurhythm 17.02.10]

Straying from the usual jungle/drum & bass I play on Futurhythm most weeks, I opted for something a little different this time around. I started off by dropping a selection of old school hip hop/electro/freestyle records, then making way for some U.S. house. Closing out the set you'll find a few cuts from the UK which showcase the British take on the sounds of acid house/techno. You can hear some early hints of hardcore in those last few tracks.

KARL HAZE :: A Little Bit of Gold and a Pager

Tracklisting
Hashim - Al-Naafiysh (The Soul) (Cutting Records)
The Masterdon Committee - Funkbox Party (Live) (Enjoy Records)
Latin Rascals - Macho Mozart (Dub 1) (Tin Pan Apple Records)
Wired - New York, New York (Out In London Dub) (Fourth Floor Records)
Simon Harris - Bass (How Low Can You Go) (Below Zero Remix) (London Recordings)
Looney Tunes - Just As Long As I Got You (XL Recordings)
Tech Nine - Slam Jam (The Dope Mix) (Strictly Rhythm)
Romanthony - Let Me Show You Love (White)
Mayday - Wiggin (Kool Kat Records)
LFO - Mentok 1 (Warp Records)
Lost - The Gonzo (Perfecto Records)

NORML X UMBRO SCARF

Ottawa's Norml has teamed up with the mighty Umbro soccer brand to bring us this exclusive football club supporter scarf. Designed by Josh from the shop, the scarf features many small details lending the piece plenty of hometown flavour. Front and centre is the NORML name, with a header reading Capital City Rude Boys as well as a footer reading In Union There Is Strength. Giving the scarf a nice symmetrical look, each end features the Norml Crossed Machete logo, and the Umbro name and logo. The material used is super-soft and durable synthetic, and is plenty long for bundling up for protection from the cold and wind.

Cop yours now at Norml.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

For the love of family, music, and kicks. Happy Valentine's Day to you from Turn Away Skull!

THE FIX presents: THE BLAIR ROAD PROJECT

Shift Music steps back up to the plate; this time with a full-length album project from Canadian Badman Press heavyweights, The Fix.

Their greatly anticipated “Blair Road Project” is set to look the drum & bass world straight in the face and remind us all what this music is meant to do: Come straight from the underground, and rip dance floors and soundsystemsapart in the process.

From the lead cut, “The Blair Road Project“, to the absolutely monstrous “Enemies” – drum & bass music doesn’t come any rougher than this! Serious beats and bass for the most hardened break headz. The Fix also delivers the goods for the deeper ‘floors with “It’s You” and “Machu Picchu“; giving you something for your mind as well as for your feet.

Never too shy to mix things up, TheFix collaborate with long-time crew member Counterweight (yours truly!) on the dark & dubby “Pipeline“, and the steppin’“Smothered“, as well as with Shift Music label boss Generic on the merciless “Kingston“.

As further proof of the appeal and range of this album project, The Fix have received dubplate support from radio and club DJs across the board, including Fabio, Digital, Loxy, Dieselboy, Flight, A Sides and more…

The Fix & Shift Music: Back in gear for 2010.

Purchase the album now via Beatport and JungleX.

STUSSY X 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS T-SHIRT

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, are set to start, and Stussy has jumped into the fray with an Olympic theme t-shirt to be sold exclusively at the Vancouver Stussy shop. With a nod to Canada's favourite passtime, the design includes classic hockey images on both sides, like a goalie mask, a puck, and a mouth with missing teeth. The Olympic games and their location are also commemorated with the Vancouver, 2010, and maple leaf hits.

KARL HAZE :: Old School Dropouts Volume 3

I aired a 30 segment of this mix on Futurhythm tonight, and decided to up the whole mix for you to check out in it's entirety. This one's a strictly 1992 affair, with 'nuff anthems to please the majority of you. In other words, if you like old school, you'll probably recognize a tonne of these cuts.

The reason behind the recent influx of old school mix sessions on Futurhythm show is in preparation for my up coming gig at Long Dark Tunnel, in Montreal (Friday, February 12). It's hosted by Corey K & Mayday of The Session crew, and I'm looking forward to flinging down some proper ruffige for the MTL gang. See below-below for full details of the event.

KARL HAZE - Old School Dropouts Volume 3

Tracklisting
1) Intro
2) Phuture Assassins - Future Sound (Suburban Base)
3) 2 Bad Mice - Bombscare (Moving Shadow)
4) Nu Matic - Hard Times (XL)
5) Wax Doctor - New Direction (Basement)
6) Doc Scott - The Rider (Absolute 2)
7) Tek 9 - Just A Dream (Manix Remix) (Reinforced)
8) 4 Hero - Cookin' Up Ya Brain (Sonz Of A Loop Da Loop Era Remix) (Reinforced)
9) Mixrace - The Future Is Before Your Eyes (Instrumental) (Moving Shadow)
10) Run Tings - Something To Dance To (Suburban Base)
11) SL2 - Drumbeats (XL)
12) Energizer 4
13) Doc Scott - NHS (Disco Remix) (Absolute 2)
14) Dance Conspiracy - Dub War (XL)
15) Family Foundation - Express Yourself (Jungle Tekno Remix) (380)
16) Sonz Of A Loop Da Loop Era - Peace & Loveism (4 Hero Remix) (Suburban Base)
17) Hedgehog Affair - Sounds Of House (Basement)
18) Underground Software - Different Ting (Reinforced)
19) Urban Shakedown - Some Justice (Urban Shakedown)
20) SL2 - On A Ragga Tip (XL)
21) Criminal Minds - Baptised By Dub (Whitehouse)
22) Krome & Time - This Sound Is For The Underground (Suburban Base)
23) Acen - Trip II The Moon (Part 2: The Darkside) (Production House)
24) Doc Scott - Drumz VIP (Metalheadz)
25) Top Buzz - Livin In Darkness (Basement)
26) Noise Factory - Set Me Free (Ibiza)
27) Jonny L - Hurt You So (Yo Yo)

LONG DARK TUNNEL
w/ KARL HAZE, Corey K, Mayday
Friday, February 12, 2010 (10:00 - 3:00)
JUPITER ROOM (3874 ST-LAURENT)
free before midnight, $5 after
19+

KARL HAZE :: Futurhythm (03.02.10)

I'm just getting around to posting up last week's Futurhythm show. I played more on the deep tip, but the selection still covers a decent range of styles. Peep the tracklist, and download...

KARL HAZE :: Futurhythm (03.02.10)

Tracklisting
Commix - Life We Live (Soul:r)
DJ Krust - Jazz Note (Total Science Remix) (V Recordings)
Paul Saint Jack - Quantum Leap (Dub)
Generic - Love Is Fake (Dub)
Seba - Snow (Hospital)
Zero T & Mosus - Monarch (Soul:r)
Amit - White Trash (Commercial Suicide)
Total Science - Out Of Touch (Source Direct Remix) (Renegade Hardware)
Schematic - The Gutter (Dub)

Nooka Time Pieces

Realizing how few options there were for displaying time, artist and designer Matthew Waldman sketched, designed, and patented his own unique linear time keeping system. He later put his designs to use on several lines of clean, simple, and effective time pieces under his brand, Nooka.
Nooka Linear Time

Standard analog and digital time formats are abundant in just about every forum of society, be it on the walls in our homes, on the screens of our computers, or on the displays of our cell phones. Nooka's time display does away with the cyclical analog and the stand-alone digital perceptions of time. Instead, a Nooka watch represents time as a series of dots, bars, and lines. This allows for a referential perspective of time at any point of the day or night. Time is acrued visually on the display, and the wearer gets a very real sense of the time that has already passed, as well as the time that is remaining. Confusing? Perhaps at first, but one quickly adapts to (and enjoys) looking at time in a whole new way. Personally, I've had my watch for only a short while, and I'm already used to the less-than-conventional display.

Nooka Style
All Nooka time pieces offer a simple and understated layout, coupled with eye-catching colours and details. Many models boast a one piece polyurethane body and band coupled with a high gloss crystal display, while others combine more classic time piece features (leather band, metallic face & buttons) with the Nooka time layout. In addition to this, all of the different models are unisex and come in a range of colours.

Visit Nooka at their website, http://www.nooka.com/.

MARCUS INTALEX : IN THE SPOTLIGHT

I'm quite excited over here at Turn Away Skull, and it's down to the fact that I'll be road trippin' to Montreal (2 hours down the highway) to see Marcus Intalex on Saturday night (see details for the show below).

Ever since I first heard it, I've loved drum & bass/jungle music. Despite loving the music, the scene as a whole has taken a direction that I've been less enamoured with as of late (circa 2006, till the present). Still, there is good music out there, put forth by a stronghold of producers and DJs that have continued to blaze ahead of the pack. Marcus Intalex is one of them. Intalex and his Soul:R/Revolve:R labels release music that makes a bold futuristic statement while nodding to the past as well... a characteristic that jungle/drum & bass has traditionally been known for.

To get hyped up for the event on Saturday, I've banged out a little spotlight mix showcasing the music of Marcus Intalex. This is by no means a "best of" mix, but more so a chance for those unfamiliar with Intalex to sample the quality and the variety of his output. Check it out.

KARL HAZE - MARCUS INTALEX SPOTLIGHT

Tracklisting

1. Da Intalex - What You Gonna Do? (Flex)

2. Marcus Intalex - Refreshed (Soul:R)
3. Mist.i.cal - Love Thing (???)

4. Mist.i.cal feat. Ras T Weed - Mistical Solution (Soul:R)

5. M.I.S.T. - Warp 1 (Soul:R)
6. Marcus Intalex - Skizm (Soul:R)
7. Marcus Intalex - Zumbar (Soul:R)
8. M.I.S.T. - Outerspace (Soul:R)
9. Mist.i.cal - Inside My Head (Soul:R)
10. Solid State - Just A Vision (Marcus Intalex & ST Files Remix) (Renegade)

MARCUS INTALEX w/ Hosta, Generic, Corey K
Saturday January 23, 2010
4465 St-Laurent Blvd, Montreal
http://www.mtldnb.com/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=7936

PS: It's the day of the show, and I just finished listening to this record this morning. It's a pretty good link between this post about Marcus Intalex, and the previous post about "winter listening" (see below)

Marcus Intalex - Out Of Touch (Revolve:R)

WINTERLONG

Don't get me wrong, I love winter and all it has to offer. I'm one of those types that actually hopes for snow once November rolls around, and who still gets excited when enough of the powder falls that school buses are cancelled for the day. Anybody know what the forcast is for the rest of the week?
When it comes to music in the winter time, I definitely notice a slight shift in my listening patterns by the time January hits. I find that I gravitate a bit more to to listening to music that's a bit deeper, introspective, and often times melancholic. Winter is an "inner" season. In the words of Goldie, it's a "headz" season. It's a time when many people not only hibernate indoors, but they also introvert and hibernate in themselves and those closest to them just a little bit more than usual. Maybe it's the winter coat pulled close to the neck, walking down the street, keeping one's head down to avoid the wind & elements that promotes this. Do you think?
If you feel me, check out these recommendations for classic winter listening.
My Bloody Valentine - Sometimes (Creation, 1991)

Catherine Wheel - The Nude (Fontana, 1993)

Joy Division - Decades (Factory Records, 1980)

KARL HAZE - HEAD CLEANER (old school hardcore/drum & bass mix)

It's been a reallllly long time, since I've banged out a new "official" & "proper" old skool jungle/hardcore mix. I've been hmmm-ing and hawww-ing over what to do with my next one, but in the mean time enjoy this one from about a year back. It has tracks that were mainly released in 1993 & 1994, and spans tonnes of different styles. Download & enjoy. Feedback is welcome, and appreciated.

KARL HAZE - HEAD CLEANER (October 2008)

Download: http://postmobills.com/khaze/Karl_Haze-Head_Cleaner_Oct_2008.mp3

Tracklisting

1. The Dok - Your Love (89 Revival)

2. Nite Shade - Love Has Found Me (Wide Eyed)

3. DJ Trax - High Time (Moving Shadow)

4. ??? - So Afraid (Burning Bush Communications)

5. Naughty Naughty - Volume 6 (Naughty Naughty)

6. Question Mark - Volume 4 (Question Mark)

7. SMD - Volume 2 (SMD)

8. Fat Controller - In Complete Darkness (Uphoria)

9. Naughty Naughty - Volume 2 (Naughty Naughty)

10. Origin Unknown - Valley Of The Shadows (Ram)

11. DJ Hype - Weird Energy (Hells Bells Mix) (Suburban Base)

12. Cool Hand Flex - Shackout (U No Dat)

13. Andy C - Bass Constructor (Ram)

14. Bizzy B - Revolution (Remix) (Whitehouse)

15. Edge Of Darkness - Come Together (Remix) (Bootleg)

16. DJ's Anthem - Volume 2 (Formation)

17. Jumping Jack Frost - Osmosis (Formation)

18. Fast Floor - Plight Of The Innovator (Smooth)

19. DJ Rap & Aston - Jeopardy (Suburban Base)

20. K Rox & Monita - Don't Take It! (Skeleton)

21. M Beat - Rumble (Renk)

22. Austin - Rude Boy (Suburban Base)

23. Citadel Of Kaos - Earthquake (Boombastic Plastic)

24. Uncle 22 - Take You High (Pure Energy)

25. The Last Crusaders - Dark Exploration (Formation)

26. Eze G - World Of Confusion (Unatural Light)

27. LTJ Bukem & Peshay - 19.5 (Good Looking)

28. Appaloosa - Unplugged (Chaos & Julia Set Remix) (Recoil)

29. Photek - Complex (Photek)

Download: http://postmobills.com/khaze/Karl_Haze-Head_Cleaner_Oct_2008.mp3

STUSSY x HAZE T-SHIRT

The forthcoming collab tee between Stussy and graf artist Eric Haze is a win on all counts, says this DJ. It's a nice and simple design, with prominent hits on both the front and back of the shirt (something you don't see as much these days). This one drops in mid-January in Stussy Chapter stores.Eric Haze x Stussy limited t-shirt

ADIDAS x STAR WARS COLLECTION

Skywalker and Vader duel

I'm hoping that hate won't rear it's ugly head around here too often, but I felt that something has to be said about the latest installment in the world of sneaker collaborations. First off, I'm all for sneaker companies enlisting the help of various out-of-house designers (graphic designers, graffiti artists, fashion designers, and whatnot) to help them come up with unique products to bring some freshness to the game.
However lately we've been seeing more and more "mega collabs" between major franchises with very mixed results. There have been famous board game shoes, Japanese toy robot/lion shoes, Wu Tang Clan shoes and a host of others that just barely manage to excite the sneaker heads while at the same time coming up with something wearable. Sadly, most of these collabs just end up being overdone to the point that the sneakers only serve as a collectible item.
And here enters the latest offering from Adidas x Star Wars. Whether you still love Star Wars, or whether you think it's been played out since The Phantom Menace dropped in '99, you can judge these for yourself...

YodaImperial Stormtroopers

Tie Fighter

Darth Vader

Death Star

Don't get me wrong though, it's not all overstated podiatric heinousness. See the following two designs (Skywalker and AT-AT Walker) and check out how the Star Wars tribute is there, yet the shoes are wearable. Take note: with sneaker designs, in most cases less is more.

Luke SkywalkerAT-AT Walker

If you're still curious, see the whole collection (which also includes shoes inspired by the Millenium Falcon, Princess Leia, and the X-Wing Fighter) at Sneaker Freaker.