La MoDa Mix Tapes

Low End Calisthenics

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Sat, 19 May 2012 19:35:00 -0400

I'm not one for purity. I think "selling out" is a term naive kids with twitter accounts and curfews throw around (talk to me when you can pay your rent turning knobs and mixing beats. I know I can't). I think lectures from music snobs and online flamewars about what constitutes "real" [fill in the musical genre here] and "commercial" [fill in the musical genre here] are short-sighted and boring. And I don't understand some peoples' insistence on stylistic purity when it comes to mixtapes. Maybe it's my history of wandering from room to room at mid-90s raves checking all the different sounds and styles bubbling up from the main room, side rooms, lounges, and alt stages, or maybe it's just my technologically-enabled attention deficit disorder when it comes to consuming media, but I think sacrificing variety for pedigree or purity/conformity is dull. Who wants to keep cranking out mix after mix of the same narrow subgenres of the same micro/hybrid styles? It's one of the things I love about La MoDa Mixtapes: the variety from one mix to the next, both between Mosart212 and I, and even set to set from each of us. Variety is the spice of life, right?

The mix below starts with some funky, shuffling grooves but transitions into some serious peak-time bangers. I programmed a vocal-heavy selection on this one, trying (and, I hope, succeeding) to keep the energy level high and sprinkling a bit of pop sensibility throughout this mix (again, variety being the spice of life, I don't consider "pop" to be a dirty word, if done right and in moderation).

If you like what you hear, please click the link on the right and sign up for the La MoDa Mixtapes podcast feedburner. And please stay tuned, lots more bass music heading your way!...

Mantisounds - low end calisthenics by Mantisounds on Mixcloud

1. Mr. Sam Frank - Simple Life (Roska Remix Ltd.)

2. Graphics - MacGrackleton

3. Tentsnake - Coma Cat (Stanton Warriors Re Bump)

4. Slyde - Escapism

5. Stanton Warriors - Who Are the Warriors (Digital Sounds Remix)

6. Kanye vs Incredible Bongo Band - Apache Power (Slyde ReRub)

7. DJ Louder - Missin Missy

8. Rihanna - Where Have You Been (Rebel Sketchy Rihedit)

9. Hostage - I Get High (Mooqee B-Breaks ReRub)

10. Stanton Warriors - Tr0n Punk (Stanton Warriors 2011 Tour ReBounce)

11. Slyde - Lucky Disco Pants (Slyde Breaks Mix)

12. The Freakazoids - Freak and Hustle (2012 Remix)

13. Gorgon City - The Truth ft. Janai

14. Peo De Pitte - Grey Tape

15. Mord Fustang, Thomas Bangalter & Elite Force - Lick the Scratch (RVMPD)

16. Roman d'Amour - Make Love Tonight (Peo De Pitte Remix)

17. Roni Size Reprazent - Brown Paper Bag (Lee Mortimer Bootleg)

18. Santigold - Disparate Youth (Gorgon City Remix)

Direct link to MP3

Always

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:46:00 -0400

Really stoked about this mix, I've been really rinsing these "nu jungle" sounds recently. Sub Slayers records has absolutely been KILLING it lately, and there's plenty of the latest offerings from Jay Cunning's outfit on this mix. There's also a lot of Deekline and Ed Solo in this mix, spanning from the very recent to the pseudo-classics (the "Outta Space" booty is timeless!). The last song here, the "Always VIP" remix, is sublime. It rips the vocals from one of my favorite ILS tracks of all time and injects it with some serious jungle sensibilities.

Remember, follow the links on the right to sign up for La MoDa Mixtapes' podcasts. If you had, you'd already be listening to this new mix.....

Mantisounds - always by Mantisounds on Mixcloud

1. Zed Bias ft. Juiceman & Simba - Ring the Alarm (Jigga Up) VIP

2. Yoof - Prophecy

3. GOLD - 45 War

4. Yoof - Gangster4life

5. DJ Deekline pres. Cut & Run - Outta Space (Booty Space Extended Mix)

6. Tayo - Wildlife Dub

7. Journeyman & Barrcode - Positive Vibes (Kieran M Remix)

8. Phuture Assassin - Ganja Madness (Backdraft Remix)

9. Cut La Roc - Freeze (Ben & Lex Remix)

10. Sanxion - Vampyros Lesbos

11. Dan Sena - Song of Siren (RackNRuin Remix)

12. Karton - Chase it High (Left/Right Remix)

13. Sanxion - Tear it Up

14. DJ Quest & Sonz of Mecha - I Got Style

15. Slyde - Hold Tight

16. Eddie Voyager - Sunshine

17. Defkline & Red Polo - Take it Back (Phatman & Robin Mix)

18. Daft Punk - Aerodynamic (Specimen A & James D'ley Refix)

19. Ed Solo & Skool of Thought - Always There

20. Ed Solo & Deekline - Always RIP (Eddie K & Minus Remix)(Deekline & Ed Solo VIP Mix)

DIRECT LINK TO MP3

mosart's got an album

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:32:00 -0500

mosart212 (me) has released an album. its pretty incredible. the feedback on the album has been surreal - in the last week i have spoken/chatted/emailed with some of my musical heros and people who have inspired me - mosart212 chatting with Mike Gao....?! yupp.

The album has been in the works for a couple of years. i had a lot of people basically saying the same thing to me - "dont be a fucking dumbass... get your stuff together and put out an album. its gonna be good." and so i did and it is !

a lot of other people were kinda freaking out about me giving it away for free, but i felt that was the way it had to be for my (re)introduction to the world. i dont feel right charging people for the album, i didnt feel like "grinding" and selling the shit out the trunk uh my car. no disrespect to those who go after it in that way, but thats an avenue i jut didnt wanna tread down, at least not this early in the game. blah, blah, artistic integrity, blah, blah, blah, from my heart, blah, blah, blah enjoy it.

for now you can download the album for free, or give a donation, here

as of this writing there have been close to 800 plays on the tracks in just one week. feel free to pass the album on, blog it, repost it, share it, steal it, give it away. let it be free.

peace

mosart212

HERE IS A TRACK FROM THE ALBUM

DOWNLOAD ALBUM HERE:

PASSIVE/AGGRESSIVE by mosart212

WHTHFCK

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:54:00 -0500

We here at La MoDa will be picking up our posting schedule in 2012, providing more of the same great dj mixes you've come to expect from Mantisounds and Mosart212. First up from Mantisounds for 2012 is a 20 track mix of deep dubby bubbly dubstep and future garage from me. Starts low and stays low, I hope you enjoy!

DIRECT LINK TO MP3

Mantisounds - WHTTHFCK by Mantisounds on Mixcloud

1. Modeselektor ft. Paul St. Hillaire - Let Your Love Grow
2. Radikal Guru - Wisdom Dub
3. J:Kenzo and Rod Azlan - Ruffhouse
4. Truth - Perfect Combination
5. An-ten-nae - What the Fuk
6. Phaeleh - Soulfunk
7. Freestylers - Say Yes (Jinx In Dub Remix)
8. Phaeleh - Broken
9. Silkie - New York City
10. J:Kenzo - Therapy
11. Woz - Junky
12. Schlatchthofbronx - We Nah Fraid
13. Skream & Silkie - Untitled
14. Skream - XMAS Day Swagger
15. Dutty Dubz - Structured Madness
16. A-Track & DJ Zinc - Stingray (Benga Remix)
17. RQM - Atomic Fusion (Son of Kick Remix)
18. Daft Punk - One More Time (George Lenton Remix)
19. Blue Foundation - Eyes on Fire (Zeds Dead Remix)
20. Sebastien Tellier - Divine (Midnight Juggernauts Remix)

mosart212 ... on the air....

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 19:19:00 -0500

direct link to mix

hey kids I'M BACK! mosart212 here, and boy have i missed yallz. been mad busy getting myself ready for the release of my solo debut - PASSIVE/AGGRESIVE, amongst other things. There are so many little loose ends and tid bits and stuffs to take care of when you are self releasing your sweat and blood. Stay tuned for more news on that front...

this mix is a return to form - a mosart212 instant classic - beats from the dustbin, oldies but goodies, rare grooves, and of course a healthy dose of bloops and bleeps, and of course some well placed mega nerdy samples, this time courtesy of the "flatlands: a romance in many directions" audio book... enjoy

2012 the year of LaMoDa/Mantisounds/mosart2(o)12....

Losing Games

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 01:01:00 -0500

So it's been quite some time since we here at La MoDa Mixtapes have posted a podcast. Oh, we've been staying busy (check out Mo's most recent deep-as-a-Chilean-mine offering for BrooklynRadio here), but it HAS been more than a fortnight or so since we last dropped a La MoDa Mixtapes exclusive for y'all.

Since our last official post, the Occupy Wall Street movement was born, the Enormous Room closed, Muammar Gaddafi was ousted, Kim Jong Il stopped looking at shit and Steve Jobs ascended to the great App store in the sky.

Oh, and Justin Bieber and/or Korn killed dubstep. Or something.

I've been trying my best to avoid this topic since I last picked that scab back in January. Being a little long in the tooth, I've tried to take the long view on this whole "dubstep is dead/brohstep makes me sad" topic. I really have. I mean, it all sounds so familiar to me (see: death of jungle, death of trance, death of UK Garage, death of grime, death of hip hop, and on and on and on). But, after a few recent articles/posts from other writers/artists making some valid points, I figured I'd strap on my hip boots and wade into these murky waters. (If you're just here for the music, please feel free to skip to the bottom of this post).

2011 was a big year for dubstep. We saw Britney dip her toe in the pool, we saw Skrillex pop up on the playlists of every high school kid's iPod Nano (and score a grip of Grammy nominations in the process), we learned that the Bieb was going to bless us with his particular brand of wobble pop, and by the end of the year we learned from washed-up nu-metal "pioneer" Jonathan Davis that Korn had in fact "invented" dubstep. In 2011, dubstep sold us cereal and outerwear and cameras. And, depending on who you talk to, this all added up to the "death" of dubstep. And the haterade came out by the GALLON, especially for the man of the moment, Sonny Moore, aka Skrillex.

The "dubstep is dead" keg has been tapped pretty frequently this year (seriously, Google that shit), from a variety of different angles. Rather than rehash the whole trajectory of dubstep, I will just link to an article that I think really captured the whole debate rather succinctly: Who Killed Dubstep? and the follow up article posted on the From Eternity to the Next Beat blog. As the author stated, "Mainstream acceptance doesn't make good music any worse. The purists might disagree, but personally, I don't need to be part of an elite crowd to enjoy music." That pretty much summed it up for me. I don't love Skrillex, but I don't fault that dude his success.

More importantly, some of the djs and producers I respect and enjoy, who are not exactly Johnny-come-latelys in the world of subsonics, seem to feel the same. I mean, if Skream can tip his cap to what Skrillex has done (as he does rather effectively in this interview), then who am I to judge? Anyone who follows DMC Champ and stateside D'n'B player DJ Craze's Twitter feed knows he's also on Team Skrillex. Hatcha, one of the universally recognized pioneers of the sound, seems just fine with Skrillex's success. And Skrillex himself argues that he is not a "dubstep" artist, but an electronic musician who incorporates dubstep tempos and formats into his work.

But the blog commenters and forum posters just can't hate him enough. He has come to embody everything that is "wrong" with "mainstream" dubstep, or "brostep" as the cool kids like to call it. Being rather uncool myself, I find this whole debate tedious, and a little confusing. If the people who "invented" dubstep don't give a shit, why should I? From where I stand, the whole debate can be reduced to a few main beefs:

1. "it's not REAL dubstep." Who gets to define "real" dubstep? And how is it defined? Because as soon as you define it, you set limits, you build walls. Is there a dubstep "formula" one must follow to "qualify?" Doesn't that sound terribly boring? Or, worse, something music writers sit around lamenting because, let's face it, they're the ones who invent these sub-sub-sub genres and they've got deadlines to make and dilettantes to look down upon.

2. "s/he is too young/new to the scene." This line of criticism would argue that anyone who didn't buy white labels from Big Apple Records or go clubbing at FWD>> or tune into pirate radio to hear their dubstep is not authentic enough. This argument always puzzles me. I remember the first few raves I went to, and how enamored I was with the sounds of New York house and Detroit Techno. I'd never been to a NASA party or heard Juan Atkins or Kevin Saunderson play techno in Detroit, but I knew what I liked. And I paid $20 to get in, just like the cool kids....

3. "brostep is ruining the scene." Again, this one confuses me. If 1000 kids show up to see a Skrillex show, and get their faces melted to "brostep," how is this BAD for Mala or Silkie or Von D? If your argument is that those 1000 kids don't know the history of dubstep, or don't care to learn, who gives a shit? Those kids are there to party, not learn. If 100 of those kids leave that show and do their homework, that doesn't make the other 900 kids stupid. But it DOES have the potential to open those 100 kids' eyes to the deeper, more underground sounds of the genre. Is that a bad thing? Furthermore, if 500 kids show up to see N-Type at a club, and only 50 of them actually know who N-Type is, and 50 more think N-Type sucks because he doesn't play enough face-melting drops, who gives a fuck? All 500 of those kids paid the cover at the door, so if anything, N-Type is BENEFITING from "brostep." Skream says as much in the above-linked article: everyone benefits, if only a little, from the expansion of the scene. Maybe they have to put up with a few more stupid requests each night, but really, is that so bad?

4. "s/he doesn't have the proper pedigree." This argument supposes that, unless you have crates full of underground UK Garage/futuristic 2-Step records in your basement, unless your playlist includes sufficient offerings from Horsepower or Tempa, you're not "coming at dubstep properly." One of the main knocks against Skrillex is that he was a metal/emo kid until 2008, and this metal/rock influence brings the "wrong" sort of fans to the scene. Again, this implies a certain level of unsophistication of his fans, due to their lack of pedigree. In addition to #2 above, this argument also dismisses those who arrived at dubstep from a place that didn't include the original Dubstep Warz broadcasts. So if your CD book includes more System of a Down than Digital Mystikz, if your crate contains more Leftfield than Loefah, you're disqualified.

Anyway, as I've stated before, I enjoy all sorts of bass music. Though I've been repping breaks for the last 15+ years, I thoroughly enjoy dubstep in ALL its variations, and I wanted to put together a mix that really covered a broad spectrum of sounds, especially those of the 140 bmp variety. There may be some "brostep" in here, some "fake dubstep," I'm not sure. I don't know, and I don't care.

One of my favorite magazines is Waxpoetics, and the editor's note from issue 46 keeps coming back to me as I consider the "dubstep is dead" argument from this last year. Editor Andre Torres, in discussing the effect that "purists" had on jazz, states "...So though some think they're doing jazz a service by protecting what they feel are traditional elements of the music, they're also doing it a terrible disservice by so narrowly defining jazz that it's forced to stay a niche music forever." To me, purity is boring. And it would be tragic if, in 10 years, we look back and realize that this vibrant, diverse, storied genre called "dubstep" was sacrificed on the altar of purity.

Plus, sometimes you just want your face melted.....

Mantisounds - losing games by Mantisounds on Mixcloud

1. Amy Winehouse - Love is a Losing Game (Lucian X & NAPT Redub)

2. Fugees - Ready or Not (Rastah Mouse Remix)

3. FJH - Borsche

4. George Lenton - RDD

5. Skream - Rollin

6. FJH - Enter the Dragon

7. Torqux & Twist - Relentless (16bit remix)

8. Datsik & Bassnectar - Elevate

9. B-Phreak - Body Check (Random Scarves Remix)

10. RackNRuin - Skanker Riddim

11. NAPT & Lucian X - Blow Your Mind

12. Freestylers - Say Yes (Ben & Lex Remix)

13. 601 - This Year's Champion

14. Ellis Dee & DJ Twista - Touch Me ft. Marie Louise

15. Shakes - Gangbusters

16. Pyramid - Feel Like Jamming

17. Schema - Move

18. Iman - Only You (RackNRuin Remix)

19. Queen Latifah ft. Al Green - Simply Beautiful (Pyramid Remix)

20. Jose Gonzalez - Crosses (The Boogaloo Crew Bootleg)

DIRECT LINK TO MP3

Loonies

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 23:58:00 -0400

took this one back to '94. what!?! I asked my boy Mo the other day, "Do they make classics anymore?" Well, do they?

That was the theme of this mix, the question I pondered. Classics. Means something different to everyone, right?

I'm not saying every song on this mix is a classic, but they sure is a grip of electro jams, nu skool breaks, and techfunk classics from MY formative years sprinkled throughout. Classics should be able to stand next to a track from last week and bark back at 'em, hold their own, right? Never leave your crates, right? A lot of these never leave mine (or wouldn't, if I ever left my basement or still carried crates...)

Don't forget to sign up for the podcasts by following the instructions to the right of this page. ---->

Relaunch is imminent.

Stay tuned....

Mantisounds - loonies by Mantisounds on Mixcloud

1. B.L.I.M. - Loonies (2003, TCR)

2. Stanton Warriors - Dakota (2011, Punks)

3. Thunderball - Rio Mescalito (Mexicans with Guns Remix) (2011, CDR)

4. Florence and the Machine - Drumming Song (Boy 8-bit Remix) (2010, CDR)

5. Left/Right & Digital Pizza - Organizized (Hunter Vaughn Remix) (2011, Sound of Habib)

6. Adam Freeland and Kevin Beber pres. Street Technique - Down (1998, Ultimatum Breaks)

7. Steve Bug vs. DJ T - Monsterbaze (2000, Poker Flat Recordings)

8. DJ Tokyo - Soul Oddity (1996, Astralwerks)

9. Rebirth (Xpando & DJ Trance) - Go Off (1994, Bassex)

10. Metro LA - Hold Your Wig (Bassbin Twins 96 Remix) (2011, CDR)

11. Freestyle - It's Automatic (Dastrix Remix) (2000, Pandisc)

12. Ming & FS - the Human Condition (2001, OM Records)

13. The Martin Brothers - Duck Face (Elmo is Dead & HEDS DubDuck Edit)(2010, CDR)

14. The Young Punx - Ready for the Fight (the Young Punx Gutter Remix)(2010, MofoHifi Records)

15. Groove Diggerz - Rock Da Beat (2010, ADHD Digital)

16. Daft Punk - TRON Legacy (Adam Freeland's 303 Remix) (2011, Marine Parade)

direct link to mp3

What is SOUL?

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:14:00 -0400

direct link to mix

What is soul? How do you define it? for that matter, what is "neo soul" here's the wikipedia definition of it. for me i would define it as "soul music after the 80's". with that in mind i put together a collection of my favorite neo soul artists and some of their best songs -erykah badu/ raphael saadiq/ joss stone/ andre 3000/ and a handful of others i am hoping you'll be able to identify. sure, i left out sade (was never really into her music), and r. kelly ( i dont support that bum ass bum) and others who would most certainly fall under the neo soul banner, and of course folks is gonna grumble about who i did include in this mix, but like i said - its my definition and i am sharing its audible interpretation with you. i hope yall enjoy it! peace and mad love!

mosart212 presents: neosoul

Mongrel

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 22:55:00 -0400

I don't do this for money. I don't do this for fame. I don't dj to pay my bills. I have a job and a family, and I am blessed to be able to go out once in a while and listen to the music I like played on loud hi-fi soundsystems. I am even more blessed to be able to go out once in a while and dj with my friends, to drink beer and mix records that I love in a club on a loud hi-fi soundsystem. It's fun. FUN. It's rarely lucrative. Sometimes it's not even that cool (you ever gone up against two or three competing nights and lost? played to 10 people in a 150 capacity club?). But I try to make sure it's always fun. Should I take it more seriously? Maybe. Could we get more heads in the club if we treated it more like a job? Probably. Should I be spending more time promoting and hustling and grinding and getting my name out there? Definitely. But that doesn't sound fun to me. That sounds like work, and I already got a job.

So rather than go on a long winded rant (I've had one brewing for a minute now), I'm going to cut to the chase and post some music. This shit is fun to me. I hope it is fun for you. If you don't like the mix I posted below, whatever. Not your bag. No big deal. It's OK. 75% of you stopped reading as soon as you figured out this wasn't Mo. That's cool. This mix has been melting my face for a few weeks now, and I thought I'd share. I hope it melts yours too....

Mantisounds - mongrel by Mantisounds on Mixcloud

1. Band of Horses - the Funeral (Butch Clancy Remix)

2. DJ Shadow - Mongrel Meets his Maker (Sonotech Mix)

3. George Lenton - Makura

4. Muse - Knights of Cydonia (Parker Remix)

5. Gella - Vapour Trail

6. Ashes & Dialect - Burning

7. Desmond Dekker - Israelites (Freear Remix)

8. Bassbin Twins - Blow Em Up

9. Peo De Pitte - Burning Up (Bassbin Twins Remix)

10. Far Too Loud - Bass Association (Torqux Remix)

11. Ways & Means - Kick a Hole (Hellfire Machina Remix)

12. Flux Pavilion - I Can't Stop

13. M.I.A. - Internet Connection (Flux Pavilion Remix)

14. Mark Instinct vs Greenlaw - Go In Peace (Dubstep Vocal Mix)

15. RacknRuin - Dazed & Confused ft. Janai & Illaman (SKiSM's Baroque Out Remix)

16. RacknRuin - Pull up That

17. Gella - Wrong Turn

18. Rennie Pilgrem - Erica's Fix (Breakspoll Mix)

19. Squarepusher - Red Hot Car (Girl)

DIRECT LINK TO MP3

here come the judge!

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Wed, 11 May 2011 23:24:00 -0400

direct link to mix

aight so with every mix them LMDA boyz put out they try to try something different, and this is no different. on this mix, mosart212 (are you friends on facebook? if not, let me be the first to say, "welcome back, glad you were able to get from under that fucking rock you've been living at for all them years..." click this link) leaves behind the bleeps and bloops and computer sounds (ok, not completely) and hangs out at the dance partay for a bit, he also tries out some different blending techniques. so like, usually, he will let two (sometimes three, sometimes four) beats just blend and blend and slowly come to a bubble then subtly and slyly - BOOM - new song. but in this mix the blends and mixes happen quickly. not exactly "on the one" but close enough to that concept to create nice transitions. the mix features a couple more edits from mosart, most awesomely, a "voices inside my head" edit by the Police (oh Sting... remember when you were just a creepy, pedophile, weirdo with a cool little trio?) oh and i almost forgot! the mix starts off with a little intro beat called "jeesus break" which features a sample from Ben Folds (oh Ben Folds, remember when you were just a whiney, twee, weirdo with a cool little trio?) and Lefties Soul Connection... oh and bobby brown is featured in this mix too. oh and whitney houston is back in rehab.

on a side note - one of the things i want to work on this summer (moved back to portland yall) is being able to write more expressively (that some shitty writin right durr) about my mixing - i find my self, struggling to explain what it is that i am trying to do differently and what it is that is happening in any given mix, that you should be paying attention to. you know what i mean?

ok without any further ado, here comes the judge yall.........

A.D.I.D.A.S. (all day I dream about samples)

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 22:07:00 -0400

Been rocking this mix in my headphones for a month or so, and I've decided that tonight, on the eve of Boston's Together Festival (which, like last year, started up JUST after our monthly residency went down), I would drop this promo on the old bloggy blog. This mix gets back to my roots: pure, unadulterated party breaks. Lots of updated takes on classic samples/riffs/tracks on this mix, some cheeky, some sublime, all worthy of a Frosty Freeze with a side of Boogaloo Shrimp scampi. I'll be hitting up Breaker's Paradise this week to do some flyering/stickering/promo, pretty stoked about an all-breaks party. This should get y'all in the mood for some kick-snare-kick-kick-snare, hope to see you there.....

Mantisounds - A.D.I.D.A.S. (All Day I Dream About Samples) by Mantisounds on Mixcloud

mantisounds - A.D.I.D.A.S. (all day I dream about samples)

1. Makesome Breaksome - Bong

2. Jurassik - Guns n' Ravers

3. DJ Hero & Matt B - Baddest DJ

4. Kid Kenobi - Breakers Revenge 2010 (Drumattic Twins Remix)

5. Ruby Goe - Beat Breaking Boy (Stanton Warriors Remix)

6. La Roux - Bulletproof (Foamo vs DNF edit)

7. Adele - Hometown Glory (Adsorb Breaks Mix)

8. Stanton Warriors - Seeker (What What What Remix)

9. Odissi - Empty Vodka Bottles (Pyramid Remix)

10. Dustin Hulton - FCK Your Bassline (Curtis B Remix)

11. Lee Coombs & Uberzone - Right Now (Scott Remedy ReRub)

12. Skrillex - Scary Monsters & Nice Sprites (Zedd vs Original)(REL-1 ReDub)

13. Jinx - At Last (Breaks Mix)

14. Stanton Warriors - Still Here ft. Eska (Club Mix)

15. Noisia - Alpha Centauri (Elite Force ReVamp)

DIRECT LINK TO MP3

(cross-posted at Mantisounds)

the revolution is here?

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Sun, 3 Apr 2011 12:04:00 -0400

direct link to mix

as we continue to see dissent, revolutions, executions, white collar robberies, governments crumble, bloggers blogging, fox new yapping, jon stewart speaking truth to knowledge, etc, etc, we ask ourselves here at La MoDa, whataboutus? what are we doing? what are we (and by "we" we mean "us" and by "us" we mean "you") doing about this whole crazy ass crazy train? We, meaning the Mantis and me, we dont know what else to do other than make mixtapes... so with that in mind - here is the latest in a long line of revolution tinged cmopositions. This time i take a couple of interviews about dissent and revolution, from the last couple of years and splice them this way and that, throw em into a mix that is clunky, chunky, wobbly at points, but never falls down. the views on this mixtape are the thoughts of the two men behind the workstation called LaMoDa, if you dont like it, less us know, lets start a dialogue, lets do something... and if you dont like well dont just sit there talking shit about "us"... do something about it....

Revolution

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Sun, 6 Mar 2011 13:18:00 -0500

It has been a bad few months for the powerful on this planet. From Tunisia to Egypt to Libya to Madison, Wisconsin, the underserved and underrepresented have been making their voices heard. These are not your parents' revolutions: information-driven, secular, and televised. It's been amazing to see entire societies cast off the yokes of fear and oppression armed with not much more than smart phones and social networks. History is writing itself as we speak, and it sure reads like a new chapter for millions of people on this planet.

It is against this backdrop that I put together my newest mix. I've been vibing HARD on the new "140bpm jungle" sound that's gripping the underground, harnessing the raw energy of amen madness with the wobble of dubstep and the surgical stutter of top-shelf breaks. This mix starts off with a call to revolution from Ghetto Priest (remixed by man-of-the-moment RackNRuin), which is quite fitting for all my brethren in the Middle East. Skull-cracking dubstep/140bpm flavors get it rinsed right up through Ed Solo's MONSTROUS version of "Egyptian Horns," which I included as a little nod to all my January 25th Massive, and because it's arguably one of the greatest "rave" anthems of all time (I first heard the original on a DJ Overload mixtape from 1995 and the rest is history). Then it's all 140bpm jungle/breaks tomfoolery up through to the last track, Hybrid's epic remix of FSOL's classic "Papua New Guinea."

A wise man once said "If you make nonviolent revolution impossible, you make violent revolution inevitable." Get up. Stand up. Word up.

Mantisounds - Revolution by Mantisounds on Mixcloud

1. Ghetto Priest - Evolution (RackNRuin Dubstep Remix)

2. Skream - Lightning VIP

3. Magic Mash - M.A.G.I.C.

4. Karton - All You Need (Mars Remix)

5. Schema - Savage Henry

6. Ed Solo - Egyptian Horns

7. RackNRuin - Soundclash

8. Altered Beats - Bad Man Soul

9. HeavyFeet ft. MC Mad Rush - Vs Up (RackNRuin Remix)

10. Schema - Rat Bastard

11. La Roux - In for the Kill (Skream Remix)(Future Funk Squad Rerub)

12. Mobius - Champion Hounds

13. Ben & Lex - Soundboy Step-Up

14. Schema - Turn Off the Lights

15. Future Funk Squad - Shakedown

16. Future Sounds of London - Papua New Guinea (Hybrid Remix)

DIRECT LINK TO MP3

this is a man's dub

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 21:07:00 -0500

I was going to do another post on the further escalations in the dubstep wars (commercial/brostep vs. deep/underground/"intelligent" dubstep), but I decided against it, because it seems like too much energy to spend focusing on things people don't like, on division, on negative energy. So the theme for this evening is: the glass is half full. Because, really, does the world need more cynicism? Negativity? Nah. Put some positive vibrations out there. Ponder what you LIKE...the glass is half full...

What do I like? I like bass music. All sorts. I like my bass music like I like my hallucinations: kaleidoscopic, dipped in chrome and neon, aurally expansive, and infectiously groovy. I like combining bass musics of different types to create interesting spectrums and combinations of bass music. Do you like bass music?

You know what else I like? Motown and soul music. I also like face-melting drops, and jump-up-and-grab-you builds. They're a blast (come on, admit it, they make you want to smile)....the glass is half full...

This mix combines elements of a bunch of things I like (bass music, soul music, melted faces, Foreigner, reggae, raves, and funky robots) into one chrome-dipped sonic hallucination. Can you dig it? If this mix makes you want to tap your feet, or nod your head, I am honored to have contributed to and/or assisted you in your sonic-kinetic vibrations. And fair enough if you don't like it, it's not for everyone (hallucinations rarely are). But either way, don't expend too much energy trying to categorize it or put it in a tiny little box: dubstep, brostep, chillout, wavestep, lovestep, future garage, post-dubstep, 2step, drugstep, soulstep, drumstep, sinestep, broken beat, broken heartstep, it's all sort of irrelevant.

A lion doesn't know the word "lion" but he still knows he's a lion...

The glass is half full.

Drink up....

mantisounds - this is a man's dub

1. James Brown - It's a Man's World (Regrooved by Parker)

2. Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman (Cutloose Remix)

3. Brenda Lee - I'm Sorry (Woodhead & Blenda Remix)

4. Gramaphonedzie - Why Don't You (High Rankin & Evolve or Die Remix)

5. Ashes - Dubvine

6. Bassnectar - Magical World ft. Nelly Furtado

7. Jean Jacques Smoothie - Two People (Jay Robinson's 1 Hour Bootleg)

8. Don Diablo ft. Dragonette - Animale (Datsik Dubstep Remix)

9. Bassbin Twins - Eat Em Up

10. SKisM - Power

11. Foreigner - Cold as Ice (Specimen A Remix)

12. Linton Brown - Horndog (Kinzy's Frisky Dog Remix)

13. Jinx in Dub ft. Rider Shafique - Meditate & Relate

14. Althea & Dona - Uptown Top Rankin (Hostage Remix)

15. Chop Shop 45 - Hyphy Gotta Learn Sometime

16. George Lenton vs. Mr. Little Jeans - On Repeat

17. Hostage - Sweet Sweet Riddim (instrumental)

18. Jurassik - Baby (Jurassiksravingmonsterloonymix)

Mantisounds - This Is A Man's Dub by Mantisounds on Mixcloud

(cross-posted at mantisounds)

is it all good?

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:51:00 -0500

direct link to mix

delete delete delete. i have tried writing this post several times throughout the day and all i come up with is delete delete delete. im deleting lots in my life right now. from my job to where i live, tons of things are getting the backspace key. clearing the air for new things (i think)

...2011...

i keep telling myself that there is no way a year that starts off this tumultuous can possibly end the same way. and so i keep my eyes on the future. hopefully i will figure out a way to physically reunite with Mantisounds and get back to making sweet music in person, hopefully i get more gigs and spread the sound to a wider audience, hopefully i figure out why a grown man makes 3 to 4 mixtapes a week and gives them away for free... hopefully you'll stick around long enough to see how all this plays out.

from the first snippet of dialogue "prosperity for who, not for me not for you..." to its schizophrenic song selection, this mix deals in confusion, it doesnt know if it wants to be happy or melancholy. there's change in the air, but the mix..., the mix dont want nothing to do with that, it would just rather put its head down and pretend nothing is happening. the samples in this mix come from old movies dealing with factory life, and automation, and the oncoming future which at times looks as if it will have no room for the children of men...

Ender's Game

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Tue, 4 Jan 2011 09:30:00 -0500

So dubstep has arrived. Officially. I don't say that because it's being used to sell cereal and sneakers and electronics (it's not...yet). I don't say that because Diplo has finally slapped the Mad Decent stamp of approval on the genre with Blow Your Head: This is Dubstep (he has, and it's not bad). And I don't say that because Madonna's new album is all dubstep produced by Skream or Rusko or whoever else might be the go-to dubstep producer of the moment (though I will not be surprised if that's EXACTLY what Madge's new album eventually sounds like, given her flavor-of-the-month output of late).

Dubstep has arrived because it's beginning to eat itself. For all you drum n'bass heads out there who are a little long in the tooth (like me), what's happening in dubstep now is beginning to look an awful lot like what happened to jungle after its initial underground explosion in the late 90s. Jungle was starting to blow up, you started hearing it on main stages and peak-time slots, rather than side-rooms. Artists from different genres started "experimenting" with the sound (cynical interpretation: trying to cash in on a budding new market). The music press started trying to churn out endless sub-genres (jump up, ragga, trance & bass, darkstep, techstep, etc.). And then along came Roni Size and Reprazent: a stable of "old school" jungle cats performing dnb "live" with a drummer (Si Begg) and live vocals. Suddenly, jungle wasn't side-room niche drug music, it was "respectable." (BTW, I saw Reprazent twice live, both times they absolutley murdered it!).

With the rise of all of this "respectable" attention, and the need to compartmentalize everything for the music press, the genre began to split into different camps: the posers who heard the Aphrodite/Jungle Brothers single and decided they liked jungle and/or could sell it to lots of new fans, and the "intelligent drum n'bass"/intelectuals who were "pushing the genre forward" and who looked down on all the jump-up hip-hop sounds, the kids who loved them, and the producers who were making it.

(SIDEBAR: is there a descriptive term MORE obnoxious than "intelligent drum n' bass"? Like, not all that stupid UNINTELLIGENT shit, it's "intelligent." I always felt bad for LTJ Bukem, purveyor of that smoother, broken-beat/liquid/atmospheric jungle sound, because record stores and magazines would aways slap the "intelligent drum n' bass" sticker on his cds and make him seem like some pretentious asshole, which I'm sure he wasn't, and I'm also sure he didn't think his music was "smarter" than anyone else's)

I think that's about where we are with dubstep right now (seriously, google "dubstep" + "commercial" and take a gander at all those complainers!). You've got a lot of people making ear-scorching wobble tunes at 70 bpm that sound great on a soundsystem with hands in the air and pupils dilated, and then you've got a lot of people claiming that the "scene is changing" and the music is getting diluted because the sound is starting to be appropriated by other artists/genres. You've got folks trying to distinguish between "legit/underground/artistic" dubstep and the pervasive (and some would say formulaic) wobble of the more "commercial" stuff. And with the release of Magnetic Man's self titled debut, and the critical acclaim it's received (including from me, who loves me some Magnetic Man), it appears dubstep is having its "Reprazent" moment, and tribal boundaries are being drawn.

I mention all of this for a few reasons. One, I was around for the explosion and subsequent implosion (and rebirth/realignment) of drum n' bass, and I am very interested to see if dubstep follows the same trajectory. And two, this new mix would probably be considered a little more "underground" than previous dubstep sets, embracing artists and sounds that I've heard described as futurestep, future garage, lovestep, breakstep, junglebreaks, 140bpm jungle, etc. To me, it's all bass music, and there's a time and a place for all of it. Like, I generally enjoy microbrewed/homebrew beer, but apprecaite that there is a time and a place for a 30-rack of light domestic beer. Same with bass music in general. Some of it is all drops and builds and face-melting wobble bass designed to slay a dancefloor, and some of it is a little more subtle, a little more intricate, maybe appreciated more in your headphones or in your car. But it's ALL GOOD, homie.

Usually in my mixes I try to incorporate a little of everything (a splash of Anchor Steam, a dash of porter stout, maybe a pint of cider, and a can or two of Bud Light), though this mix is light on Bud Light and heavy on the microbrew. But that doesn't make it "intelligent" or "underground" or better than any other style or micro-genre or sub-category being pushed by the latest issue of Knowledge or Mixmag, because, really, in the end, this is DANCE music, people, not an anthropology class. Don't worry about how "commercial" something is, or how "underground" it sounds. Look around. Are people dancing? Are you? Isn't THAT what's important?

Mantisounds - Ender's Game

1. Liondub & Matt Shadetek - the General Riddim (OG Riddim instrumental)
2. BangaTang - Bashful
3. Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine (Indaskyes & Tracksmyth Remix)
4. Hunter Vaughan - High Hopes
5. Eric Hassle - Hurtful (George Lenton Remix)
6. Bertie Blackman - Peekaboo (Marco del Horno Remix)
7. Excision & Datsik - Swagga (Homegrown & Nils Jumpen Mondays Afternoon Mix)
8. I.D. - Flay
9. the S.K. - Bass
10. George Lenton - Cold Rocker
11. Nero - Something Else
12. Downlink - Moonrock Badman
13. Nero - Bad Trip
14. Excision - Obvious
15. Skool of Thought - Heart of the Hood
16. I.D. - Akusative
17. JSaxton - Kick Snare Ganja Buddha
18. Ludwig Coenen - Green Movement (XI Bas Vapour Dub)
19. Doorly - UK Geee
20. Ramadanman - Offal
21. Redlight - Rock the House ft. the Voodoos
22. Foamo - Centavo (Warrior One Remix)
23. BSD - We Are Elektro

DIRECT LINK TO MP3

P.S. All you sci-fi nerds out there might recognize the cover artwork appropriated above. "Ender's Game" was one of my favorite books growing up. It's the story of Ender Wiggin, a child prodigy recruited into Earth's "Battle School", a training camp orbiting the planet designed to develop the planet's next great generals and warmakers in the ongoing battle against the evil alien "bugger" race (kind of Harry Potter meets Starship Troopers with less campy bullshit and magic wands). If you have not read this book, cop it in paperback (or eBook like the kids on their Kindles) and get busy!

right back atcha MANTIS!

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 16:13:00 -0500

(this is an image that belongs to the graph writer FUNK1)(he's dope!)

...so MANTISOUNDS dropped the illest, sleaziest, funkiest, disco mix the other week... folks are still emailing us and faceboobing about it and causing a stir over how dope it is. and boy is it dope. it inspired me to try and get on his wavelength. so without further delay, here is my debut as PHATMOBERT the funk fatty. I hope you like the track selection, its a mix of all different styles of funk, from that r&b laced ish, to that hardcore horns and claps, mixed in with that crossed-over soul inflected groove.

direct link to mix

Shoot the Moon

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 12:12:00 -0500

"The freak with the top hat is leaving with the basketball. Cover the freak....Tell the men, it's time to shoot the moon!"

I've been promising a disco mix for a while, and this weekend I finally got it together and finished it up. This is 14 tracks of smoked out, dubby disco edits that put a smile on my face. Nice and slow, lots of spaced out effects, slow motion funk for Sgt. Stedenko and the freak in the top hat (mostly for the freak). I used a bunch of edits from Deep& Disco and Munga, who are all killing the disco reedit scene right now. Check their Soundclouds for serious midtempo disco damage.

You can stream the set below, or download the mp3 directly using the link below. Better yet, follow the instructions on the top right side of this page to sign up for the podcasts, which will beam all our sets right into your iTunes/iPod fresh out the oven!

(Ralph Bakshi's "Heavy Traffic" promo, 1973)

mantisounds - shoot the moon

1. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (Cole Medina Remix)
2. Minnie Riperton - Inside my Love (Darren Daz Dalton's Inside my Filter Rework)
3. Ed Wizard & Disco Double Dee - This Joint
4. Kazino - Binary (Munga Rework)
5. Loleatta Holloway - Seconds (Deep&Disco's Once is Never Enough Rework)
6. Sister Sledge - Pretty Baby (Eyan's Deep Space Dub)
7. Sister Sledge - Lost in Music (The Revenge Rework)
8. Mona Raye - Do Me (And Munga Done Did It Rework)
9. Sharon Brown - Specialize in Love (Munga vs. Deep&Disco Edit)
10. Jamiroquai - Alright (Dan & Kris Re-Edit)
11. BeatFanatic - Something Better
12. Richard T Bear - Sunshine Hotel (Musica Hermosas Bounce Edit)
13. Stevie Wonder - Do I Do (U-Tern Edit)
14. Alpha Blondy - Jah Glory (Rhythm Plate's Disco Riddim Plate)

DIRECT LINK TO MP3

(cross-posted at Mantisounds)

3AM Request Line

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Tue, 2 Nov 2010 09:16:00 -0400

I keep trying to switch things up, really I do. I've been working on a sleazy disco mix for you all, and it's coming along fine, but I keep getting distracted by wobbly, face-melting breaks and dubstep when I step beind the mixer! Here's another bass-heavy set I put together a couple of weeks ago that I hope you'll enjoy. It's the polar opposite of Mo's last mix (which I suppose is the point), and definitely will get you humming on your morning commute (legal disclaimer: not liable for moving violations incurred while consuming this product).

As always, flash player and download link below, but please sign up for the La MoDa Mixtapes podcast by following the directions on the right-hand side of this page, and you'll be the first on your block to receive all La MoDa-sanctioned mixes, podcasts, manifestos, and musique concrete! Do it to it!

Mantisounds - 3AM Request Line

1. Jinx In Dub - Bucky Don Dub
2. Steve Bug & DJ T - Monsterbaze (Evil Nine Remix)
3. Koma & Bones - Medium Cool (Bassbin Twins Mix)
4. Bassbin Twins - the Lock
5. Jabbawockeez - Robot Remains (Sangers & Ra Mix)
6. Project Bassline - Drop the Pressure (Cut La Roc ReDrum)
7. Excision & Datsik - Calypso (Elite Force Mix)
8. Giggs & Mike Skinner - Slow Song (Marco Del Horno Dubstep Mix)(Dustin Hulton Breaks Edit)
9. Miike Snow - Black and Blue (NAPT Remix)
10. Ben & Lex - All Da Breakz (Mskr-nt's VIP Remix)
11. Freestylers - This City (Kouncil House Remix)
12. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll (A-Track Remix)(Andy McAllister Reedit)
13. the Prodigy - Spitfire (Future Funk Squad's Dogfight Remix)
14. Specimen A - Just a DJ
15. Access Denied vs NAPT - Remark You Realised (Yreane Mashup)
16. Freerange DJs - Back to the Old Jack (Eshericks Remix)
17. ILS - Sabotage (Deekline & Wizard Remix)
18. Ways & Means - Serious Business
19. Phaeleh - Selecta (Jinx in Dub Remix)
20. Cut La Roc - Looking for the Deep Bass (Schema Remix)
21. Jurassik vs. Skream - Midnight Rquest Line (Jurrassik ReRub)
22. Ed Solo & JFB - I Need You

DIRECT LINK TO MP3

Right is Wrong is Far From Over

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 15:41:00 -0400

direct link to mix

hey kids! we're back with more sonic goodness. here we have a tale of morals and ethics - two things (can morals and ethics be properly described as "things"?) i have been thinking about a lot lately. this mix uses samples from an old instructional film on "making good choices" , the film focuses on a young man who gets in with the "wrong" crowd and here we go are you ready? 1. the store security guard who sees him is friends with his family and he has to "decide" what to do - turn him in OR turn a blind eye (cue sappy music) 2. the police come to the boys house looking for him and his mother has to decide (in a really disorienting internal dialogue scene, that seems to take forever! i mean seriously if i was the cop and after the three minutes she makes me wait on the porch and then says "oh he's not here" i wouldnt believe her! i wouldnt!)- does she turn him in or does she lie to the police?! (cue sappy music) 3. the cop who is interrogating the youngstah wants him to turn in his friends - does the young man do it or not?! this goes on forever, everyone involved has to make a "tough choice" and then at the end the film poses the most serious of questions - WHAT WOULD YOU DO?! its like you're jeesus and what you decide finally matters to someone. so anyways i took all the audio out of the film and then i cut (cut is such a weird verb, i mean it never sounds right to me, i always feel likes its missing a letter or something, like it should be "cutted" as in "i cutted and pasted")and pasted it to make a much shorter morality tale, i then took this tale and cutted and pasted it over a really sweet mix that i feel captures the complexity and ingenuity of the original film production. i hope you fools like it!

Right is Wrong is Far From Over by mosart212

Bring Me a Dream

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 11:21:00 -0400

Good news boppers, it's new mix time from deep inside La MoDa Central! Both Mo and I have been hard at work, with some new goodies in the pipeline to get your toes tapping as the summer says goodbye and the leaves start changing. First up is a new breakbeat mix from me (Mantisounds). I endeavored to create a mix that was a "breaks-through-musical-history" concept, if you will. Starts with some flapper-style swing elements, passes through the early days of pop music (Mr. Sandman), and then storms headlong into the disco era. There's a nod to classic breaks (the Mexican remix), the remix of the year (IMO) from Peo and the Drumattic Twins, and then I finish up with breaks from the future (Slyde and the Stanton Warriors remix). All given the big room tweaked out thump that I can't get enough of.

I played most of these tracks in my set when I joined Atomik in Portland in August, and they went down really well, so I thought I'd do it again and post it up for all to enjoy.

Keep it locked, more treats from both me and Mo coming soon....

DIRECT LINK TO MP3

1 parov stelar - catgroove

2. gramophonedzie - why don't you (krafty cuts re-rub)

3. the chordettes - mr. sandman (mr. no hands wobbly remix)

4. emanuel kosh - make my music (zodiac cartel remix)(krafty cuts re-rub)

5. yolanda be cool & dcup - we no speak americano (johnny dangerously breaks mix)

6. duck sauce - aNYway (andy mcallister remix)

7. stardust - music sounds better (rebel sketchy 2009 remix)

8. the soulbrothers - 21st century disco shit (miles dyson remix)(rel1 re-fix)

9. bombermen - alcatrax vol. 1 (miles dyson breakfast edit)

10. wolfgang gartner - 5th symphony (rel1 refix)

11. drumattic twins - crazy love (peo de pitte 2010 disco edit)

12. plaza de funk - get crazy

13. fort knox five - party pushers ft. mustafa akbar (smalltown romeo mix)(krafty cuts re-rub)

14. mr. b - little acid people (drumattic twins remix)

15. deekline & tim healy - the mexican (krafty kuts re-rub)

16. slyde - move ya body

17. sub focus - rock it (stanton warriors edit)

18. dj zinc - wile out (small fry rerun)

19. yeah yeah yeahs vs a-trak - heads will roll (electric soulside ft. odissi mix)

A rap tape - really?

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:55:00 -0400

direct link to mix

Yes.... on this edition of la moda mixtapes i try my hand at a rap mixtape. this one finds me at the junction of violence and consciousness, objectification and praise. i love hip hop, but i dont always like what i hear or what i see. and yet... there are those instances in which i want to hear the nihilism, i want it in my life. tough days at work are made that much more easier by a little NWA on the way home. this mix is about my inner struggle with a form of art that doesnt always love me back. parts old school, experimental, on the fly, and autobiographical, i hope you enjoy this trip with my inner spirits... the good and the bad.... the sacred and the profane... puts some diamonds and rubies on the cover yo, it'll sell a million copies....

at the clay studio

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 15:12:00 -0400

direct link to mix

i was at the clay studio with my wife. she was making glaze. i brought in my gear and i made a mix. art begets art.

hustle uptown

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:03:00 -0400

Whoa. It's been a minute since I posted a mix on the bloggy-blog. Holding down a 9 to 5 and raising twin babies has been a LOT of work, to put it mildly. Thankfully Mo has been holding it down on the podcast front. But I haven't stopped digging....still searching for the perfect beat. I've been trying to focus what little energy/free time I DO have on the monthly residency I'm throwing called Uptown Hustle at the Enormous Room in Cambridge (Northeast peoples, definitely mark the first Thursday of every month on your calendars). Been pushing a very disco/funk heavy future-retro vibe. Some might even call it "nu-funk" (shit, I call it nu-funk when I'm trying to come up with copy for the flyers).

I probably shouldn't say this, because it makes me sound old, but I remember when "nu-funk" was called "big beat," and before that when it was called "funky breaks," and before that when it was called "trip hop." (...and before that when it was all called acid jazz!) Before magazines needed micro-genres to sell issues, everything that wasn't house/techno or "jungle" was called "trip hop." (shit, no one reads magazines anymore. damn I sound old...) You could find Coldcut next to Mondo Grosso next to Metro LA next to Massive Attack. And it was all in the "dance" section of Tower anyway. Ah, simpler times...

Anyway, since I been feeling nu-funk since before it was called "nu-funk", I figured it was time for me to put together a proper mix to promote the night. A sampling of the sort of disco-dripped, funkafied future retro sound that I've been steering towards as I've taken the helm of Uptown Hustle while Mosart212 is doing his bid upstate. In honor of Todd the Rocket's guest appearance on August 5 at Uptown Hustle, here's a promo mix for everyone who just wants to break a sweat on the dancefloor. Don't try to play this mix sitting down....

Mantisounds - Hustle Uptown by Mantisounds on Mixcloud

mantisounds - hustle uptown

1. bill ben & baggio - pusherman

2. wu-tang clan - c.r.e.a.m. (dj moneyshot's travesty mix)

3. totalcult - brown feeling

4. afrika bambaataa & the soul sonic force - planet rock (dj ayers vs jay.soul remix)

5. fort knox five - the spirit of '75

6. fendaheads - sunrise

7. pale the kid - the doll that made the dice behave (rory hoy & lebrosk remix)

8. maelstrom & nap-z - mash the peas (post life the rat disorder mix)

9. funkanomics - last night a dj saved my life

10. jem stone & j.c. - disco daze (disco mix)

11. oasis - wonderwall (dvw remix)(dj ark rerub)

12. michael jackson - don't stop (dmndays re-edit)

13. grateful dead - shakedown street (tommie sunshine & figure brooklyn fire edit)

14. santigold - brooklyn we go hard (shovit gt mix radio edit)

15. donna summer - bad girls (sonicc remix)

16. michael jackson - get on the floor (summerheadz main mix revamp)

17. harvey mason - groovin' you (morsy mix)

18. rockets - golden strings

19. stardust - music sounds better (kid massive mix)

20. earth wind & fire - let's groove tonight (gogobizkitt remix)

21. brothers johnson - stomp (only children edit)

22. prince - I wanna be your lover (dimitri from paris re-edit)

DIRECT LINK TO MP3

sick in the head

mosart212@gmail.com (Mosart212 & Mantisounds) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 22:31:00 -0400

direct link to mix

hey kids... i am sick... i have been 1. working like a madman 2. travlin 3. doing "gigs" - it was inevitable that i would get sick. i want to give an extra special big shout out to BEAT RESEARCH and DJ AXEL FOLEY for inviting me to rock out in boston. being there reminded me how much i love and miss the snobby, elitist, yuppified east coast!

well, the fact that my body isnt having any more of my shenanigans, and i feel like total crap is shitty for me but awesome for you. here then is a mix i made entirely from my bed. last year when i got sick i created "sickasadog" but back then i was seriously fucking dying, so the mix itself had an air of slow death, a wake-like atmosphere if you will. this time around i am sick but not in that fearing for my life or sanity sort of way, more like, in an annoyed, crampy, nauseus, irritated, bored, itchy, sort of way. the jams on here are a little lessed subdued than the on "sickas..." but they do keep the spirit of contemplation alive.

a note about track lists: for those of you who have not noticed i have stopped including track lists for my mixes. its not that i do not want to give credit where credit is due, but it seems to not really do much of anything. at this point the mixes are a middle of sounds, dialogue, edits, blends, and effects, leaving many to wonder - where does one song end and another begin? that has been my goal since day one. to mix something so perfectly that the whole thing becomes ONE song, one long, elaborate movement. i hope you have been enjoying the mixes thus far, and as usual i hope you like this one. i am now on my way to the bathroom to throw up the soup i had for dinner. i love you. good night.