[MP3] Just Blaze – BEHOLD! (Exhibit J)

Y’all should already know revered hip-hop producer, Just Blaze is also a massive house music head. It’s a Jersey thing. Check out this house treatment Blaze has based around one of his productions, the track “Exhibit A” by Jay Electronica.

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[Audio] The bbe Laid Back Mix Series pres. the Boddhi Satva – Africa Mixtape

This is nice! Peep the science here:

Hailing from Central African Republic, Boddhi Satva vowed early in his career to make a statement through a signature sound of his own. Ancestral Soul was born.

Boddhi’s debut album INVOCATION is available now on BBE Records, after it was released in Africa in 2011 by Vega Records, the label of the legendary Louie Vega. Louie hand-picked Boddhi in 2008 to be an elite producer for Vega Records and resident of Vega DJ tours. INVOCATION confirms the solid place that Boddhi established for himself in the house music landscape.

[via @GillesPeterson]

A Look at the Polaris Long List: 5. Azari & III – Azari & III

This is another one of the few albums I was familiar with before getting into my epic journey of long list-nominated album listening. As I had said before and during the Polaris Salon I was a panel member of (which you can listen to HERE if you missed it, click podcast #1): the Azari & III album is fantastic! Like I also said, I can probably count the number of truly great (non-compilation/DJ Mix) house music albums on two hands and this just might be one of them. The album references early, classic Trax Records vibes but gives them a fresh, shiny coat of paint so it feels modern and new and not dated or like a pastiche.

I was privy to some discussions that tried to justify the worth of this album because of the sociopolitical subtext of the lyrics and their commentary on AIDS, addiction, homophobia etc. I think that’s cool but I actually don’t have an issue with celebrating a record that is “just dance music” or a “soundtrack to partying” if it’s great at being that. What’s wrong with being excellent within those parameters anyway? Do you know how hard that is to make an album that works as music a real DJ could credibly play in his sets at the club and also as an at-home listening experience? Azari & III managed to thread that incredibly tough needle and do both with their album.

If you love dance music or even if you’re on the other end of the spectrum and think electronic music is not ‘real’ music or something that makes for a great album listening experience and should stay in the clubs, then you need to check this out. On my short list and proudly so!

[album stream via Hypetrak]

[Event] Jeremy Glenn is opening for James Murphy of DFA/LCD Soundsystem in Toronto May 4

At The Hoxton. That is going to be one epic-ass night! CLICK HERE for event details and click below for one of Jeremy‘s most recent remixes:

Update: had to switch out the original image for the new one above. Apparently the party is actually an official after-party event for the screening of Shut Up And Play The Hits at Hot Docs. For those not knowing, SUAPTH is a documentary about the ‘last ever’ show by LCD Soundsystem at MSG last year. Hit the jump to see the trailer.

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[Album Stream] The Azari & III Album is Fantastic

Another one I missed from last summer!

I can probably count the number of truly great (non-compilation/DJ Mix) house music albums on two hands. This self-titled album by the Toronto act, Azari & III just might be one of them. Fantastic. I was getting early, classic Trax Records vibes in places while listening to the album which I just got put up on in the last week or so. Y’all need to check this out, serious!

[album stream via Hyeptrak]