Beathearts top selections 2013: Best tracks

2013 was an interesting year indeed. Filled with surprises there are not many expected releases that ended up in our top selections this year. Below we've tried to highlight some of the tracks that touched us the most over the year that passed. We've had heroes that came back, quite a few new acquintances and of course plenty of friends that stayed on top of their game.

HEROES WHO CAME BACK
Bahamadia - Dialed up
There were quite a few musical heroes that surprised us with great new material. Lika Bahamadia who out of nowhere dropped the 11-minute dialed-up joint recorded on here phone (!) Another complete surprise was here collaboration with Swedish underground art/dance collective Melo who released a tune entitled "Hollow" ft. Bahamadia. There has been so much talk about her new album "Here" that we keep our fingers crossed that these two tracks are the warm up for that.
Download/buy: Bahamadia - Dialed up

Q-tip & Busta Rhymes - Thank you
We already listed their "Abstract and the dragon" as the mixtape of the year. The "Thank you" track is one of the reasons they convinced us that they're still on top of their game.
Download: Qtip & Busta Rhymes - Thank you

Peshay - Dirty
Back in the day Peshay (Paul Pesce) was one of the drum'n'bass originators. Peshay (alongside Photek perhaps) was one of those producers that whenever he dropped a new dubplate you knew you could could cop it without listening first. I haven't heard any music from him in years until about a month ago when he dropped an jawdropping track entitled "Dirty". 80's infused funk track that sound like a Dâm-Funk rework of Hashim's classic track "Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)". Absolutely awesome!
Download: Peshay - Dirty

NEW ACQUAINTANCES
Kelela & Jam City - Cherry coffee
LA producer and vocalist released this game changing R'n'B mixtape "Cut 4 me" featured producers about to blow up like Jam City, Kingdom and Nguzunguzu. To quote Factmag who appointed it the 5th best release of the year:

"In the way that the Aaliyah-Timbaland-Missy Elliott axis set a high watermark for r’n’b more than a decade earlier, Kelela and her Night Slugs/Fade to Mind collaborators have re-written the rulebook. While her peers hid behind the haze of post-Weeknd wooziness, shamelessly aped ’90s stylings, or continued down well-worn, rap-facing pathways, Kelela bared her soul with a one-in-a-million vitality and a sound unlike anyone else." No doubt!
Download: Kelela & Jam City - Cut 4 me

Hawk House - Tidal tendencies
First mixtape from this South London crew. The group consists of two emcees (and brothers) Sam, Eman, and vocalist, Demae who brought us
Download: Hawk House - A little more elbow room
Official video: Hawk House - Tidal tendencies 

DJ Rashad - Let it go
Probably the footwork release of the year from this Hyperdub artist. His album "Double Cup LP" was not bat but this EP outshone most releases on the scene.
Listen: DJ Rashad - Let it go

FRIENDS THAT STAYED ON TOP
Terry Tester - It's all right
It was no surprise that Danish producer Thomas Månsson featured two of our most listened to releases of the year. The "Mixed ape music"-compilation and his own record "The Short Suite". His Alright track has a unique hypnotic sound that we never grow tired of. A given track for our list of top tunes of the year.
Download: Terry Tester - It's all right

Melo - Save me
First track in years. Hopes of a second album to follow up on his subliminal 2008 release "Off my chest" (Raw Fusion)...
Listen: Melo - Save me

The Good Sin & 10.4 Rog - Tomorrow
One of the most underrated rappers/story tellers, The Good Sin, put out yet another great collab with just as underrated producer 10.4 Rog for the most beautiful rap tune of the year. His "one-release-a-week"-project entitled "Fall Back Season" kicked off the year in style with ten great tunes. We're keeping our fingers crossed they'll kick off 2014 just as strong!
Download: The Good Sin - Fall Back Season
Listen: The good sin & 10.4 Rog - Tomorrow

Panamah
Producer Anders Christensen, guitarist Peter Lützen and lead singer Amalie Stender is the set-up of Danish electronic minimalistic pop trio. Our first encounter was their track "Ikke for sent" as remixed by Boom Clap Bachelors back in 2010. This year their finely tuned "Børn af natten" (Children of the night) kept us humming happily on our way home from a late summer event.
Listen: Panamah - børn af natten

Opolopo & M-Rock
Best edits of the year originated in Stockholm and Toronto...
Download: Kleer - Tonight (Opolopo refix)
Listen/Buy: Daft Punk - Get lucky (M-Rock's bangin' disco mix)

Jose James - It's all over your body
Questlove did his best to keep the hype alive for that third album from D'Angelo. While the world waited for D, Jose James delivered the album and the tunes that D'Angelo couldn't get out. Check his live session for The All Saints Spitalfields Basement Sessions below.

THANK YOU!
That's it. Final post of the year. We can't thank you enough for all the amazing feedback and input we've got from you all this past year. Followers, artists, labels, venues, fellow bloggers, DJs and partners.

If you want to get in touch with new music, ideas, feedback and questions don't hesitate to hit us up right here, on Twitter @beatheartsblog or e-mail: beatheartsblog@gmail.com.

Want more? Don't worry. We'll be back tomorrow with our rundown of our take on the best releases of the year as well as predictions of what to expect from 2014.

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Beathearts top selections 2013: Top 3 Live performances

Great year for live performances! Among others we've been fortunate to experience Prince, Laura Mvula, Nas, Karriem Riggins, The Knife, Remi Panossian Trio, Jam City, Benji-B, Adam Beyer, Joel Mull, Ida Engberg, Junip, Kaah and many more.

In my mind the best three shows of the years was put together by an eclectic trio of performers to say the least: The Knife, Rémi Panossian Trio and Prince!

1. The Knife live @ Subtopia, Stockholm, May 16th 2013

Now, the Driejer siblings are a story of their own. For good and bad they're not compromising which often means that you either love or hate what they're doing. I'll admit I'm kind of a late follower of the Knife's work but since their 2006 album "Silent shout" I've been hooked.

This year was the first time I caught their live show and I must say I was blown away. All too many artists don't care about the venue, are sloppy with sound and light, let their record company chose the warm-up-act at random and often let the crowd wait for hours. This summer, the Dreijer's did the opposite:

They chose a venue normally used by a modern era cirkus with a great vibe. They had organised four or five food trucks serving quality (!) street food, coffee and drinks. Quality food at a concert is in my experience almost unheard of.

They had two warm-up acts to put the crowd in the right mood: first a steel drum band performing Beyoncé covers (!) followed by a Dance-oke group which was like a aerobics instructor leading the crowd to dance to music video clips projected on the walls. It ended with a crazy Bollywood video that lead right into the show with the crowd more than ready for the show. The show didn't really end but just transformed into a 90's rave vibe with DJ's seamlessly taking over with minimal techno set that lasted a couple of more hours. I must say I've never experienced such care into making all parts into ONE event. 

What about the show then? Well, if you're a fan you've probably already read the split reviews. If not, it's crazy. I different from anything else. Is it performance? Is it art? Is it live? Is it play-back? Does it really matter? I thought it was the best show of the year. No doubt.

I haven't found any great live shots from the show except for the Knife own photage. Needs to be experienced live but it gives you a taste.

2. Remi Panossian Trio @ Duc des Lombards, Paris, February 2013
While in Paris last winter one of the live events that caught our eye was by the Remi Panossian Trio at the Duc Des Lombards jazzclub. We had heard about them before but had never really took the time to check them out. The gig turned out to be the release party for their second album entitled BBANG and it blew us away. Experimental but still funky. Jazzy but with an edge.

We couldn't help relating to the Robert Glasper Experiment and wanted to know more. So we hooked up with Remi to bring you part 7 of our Beat Generation Series. They're continuously touring the world but we're very much looking forward to both new recorded material and a live show up north.

Read more: Beat Generation Series #7: Remi Panossian Trio (France)

3. Prince @ Music & Arts, Stockholm, August 4th 2013
Regulars might remember that we chose Prince as one of the artists of the year last year. Beathearts Top Selections 2012. I had never experienced Prince live before and had very mixed feelings before the show. His influence (from his older work) has never been stronger at the same time is his new material just as irrelevant. Either way the show was not what I expected but still great. He avoided almost any hit song (at least the first two and a half hours). Not many artists can do that and still rock the crowd. Actually I can't think of any artist or group that can do that. If I remember correctly he gave the crowd three (!) rounds of encores and performed for well over three hours. Not many artists of his magnitude would give their audience their all. Hats off for Prince Roger Nelson.

Download: Wax Poetics epic Prince mixtape

So what's coming up next year? Well, first off we're very much looking forward to the Kraftwerk 3D show @ the amazing Cirkus venue in Stockholm at the end of January!

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Beathearts top selections 2013: Best mixtape

For a long time the term "mixtape" has been used as a very broad concept. Often as a loose collection of tunes the artist can't clear samples for or won't get or don't want to get a traditional record deal for. This definition of the word "mixtape" prevailed in 2013 but there have been more and more "mixtapes" in the more traditional  meaning of the word. Not as cassettes maybe (except for the awesome Stones Throw releases) but worked through collection of songs skillfully mixed together.

THE MOST CLASSY TAPE OF THE YEAR: Terry Tester - Autumn mix
Terry Tester (CPH) has been doing it for years and his modestly namned "Autumn mix" was another great example of skill, great taste and a genre breaking blend. Download.

4/4 OF THE YEAR: T.E.E.D. - Fabric Live promo mix
Another mix that stunned us was Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaur's promo mix for Fabric Live. Not as broad as Terry's mix maybe but an awesome display of both studio and mixing skills and a fantastic collection of tunes. Stream.

THROW BACK OF THE YEAR: Onra & Lexis - Throw 'em up vol.1 & 2
The maybe biggest surprise of the year was Onra & Lexis (two!) 90s RnB throw-back mixtapes. Fantastic concept and we especially appreciate their collection of the videos. Download.

KILLA TAPE OF THE YEAR: Q-Tip & Busta Rhymes - The Abstract & The Dragon
It's been disputed that it's not a mixtape but (as discussed above) just a loose collection of tracks and only a few new songs. That it was too long over due. That they should've put together a "real" album instead. But in my mind there's no denying that "The abstract and the Dragon" is, if not a mixtape, the killa tape of the year simply because it's an awesome collection of tunes from two of the best rappers of all time. In my mind matched by no-one.

Maybe they could've skipped a couple of the skits but for me it's a nod to Wu Tang's debut album where the skits gave an insight into the minds of the collective for good or for bad and added a feeling of being there with them at the time of the creation.

Raekwon: Yo Meth, where my killah tape at ya? First of all, where the fuck is my tape at!?
Methodman: Yo son, I ain't got that piece son
Rae: How you ain't go my shit, when I let you hold it man?
Meth: Yo, niggas came over to have 40 and blunts kid, that shit just came up missin' man
Rae: Come on man, that don't got nothin to do with my shit man!
Meth: Come on man, I'll buy you 4 more fuckin killah tapes man...
Wu Tang Clan - 7th chamber (1994)

Hightlights? Just check the tracklist below but any mixtape that includes Dilla's masterpiece "Lightworks" gets an extra gold star.

Download: Q-Tip & Busta Rhymes - The Abstract & The Dragon

Tracklist:
01. "Intro"
02. A Tribe Called Quest - God Lives Through (feat. Busta Rhymes)
03. Q-Tip - "Gettin Up" (DJ Scratch Remix) (feat. Busta Rhymes)
04. A Tribe Called Quest - "Steppin' It Up" (feat. Busta Rhymes and Redman)
05. "Thank You" (Kid Capri Remix) (feat. Lil Wayne and Kanye West)
06. "Always Add On Interlude"
07. "The Abstract & The Dragon"
08. A Tribe Called Quest - "Wild Hot" (feat. Busta Rhymes)
09. "Speaks (Skit)"
10. A Tribe Called Quest - "One Two Shit" (feat. Busta Rhymes)
11. "We Taking Off"
12. Q-Tip - "Renaissance Rap Remix" (feat. Busta Rhymes, Raekwon, and Lil Wayne)
13. Q-Tip - "Get Down" (feat. Busta Rhymes)
14. "Butch Sundance"
15. "Shaheem Reid Speaks (Skit)"
16. Busta Rhymes - "Pardon My Ways" (ELE 2 Exclusive)
17. "Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Programming (Skit)"
18. Q-Tip - "For The Nasty" (feat. For The Nasty)
19. "Come On Down (Skit)"
20. Big Daddy Kane - "Come On Down" (feat. Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip)
21. "J Dilla (Skit)"
22. Busta Rhymes - "You Can't Hold The Torch" (feat. Q-Tip)
23. Busta Rhymes - "Lightworks" (feat. Q-Tip and Talib Kweli)
24. "Chris Lighty (Skit)"
25. Q-Tip - "Vivrant Thing" (feat. Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott)
26. Busta Rhymes - "Ill Vibe" (feat. Q-Tip)
27. A Tribe Called Quest - "Scenario" (feat. Leaders Of The New School)
28. A Tribe Called Quest - "Scenario (Remix)" (feat. Hood & Leaders Of The New School)

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Beathearts top selections 2013: Best re-edit

It's that time of year when we look back at all the musical magic that has passed through our inbox the last 12 months. Over the next week or so we plan to go through the releases we really enjoyed in 2013. We'll take your through our favourite tunes, albums, mixtapes, live performances and probably a few more categories. To kick things off, re-edits:

BEATHEARTS TOP SELECTIONS 2013: BEST RE-EDIT

The re-edit frenzy of 2012 calmed down a bit this year but there were still a few very dope releases. SIS's version of Luniz "5 on it", Kaytranada's take on Modjo's "Lady", Oneman's edit of The XX "Chained" the list could go on but finally we also have to mention DJ M-Rock's awesome phillysoul edit of Daft Punk's blockbuster "Get lucky". It's one of those rare moments when the edit outplays the original with a minimal but oh so critical extra touch.



But the track that stood out for us this year was Peter Major a.k.a. Opolopo's rework of Kleeer's classic "Tonight". Peter locked the groove and added the break from what we believe is Edvin Birdson's "Rapper dapper snapper" (?) as made famous by De La Soul on "Me, myself and I".

Anyways, it's a dope ass re-edit of one of our all time favourite 80's boogie funk tracks by Kleeer. Taken of their 1984 album "Intimate connection" and used by DJ Quick among others. Made available again especially for this occasion so get it below while you still can!

    
Download: Kleeer - Tonight (Opolopo boogie bounce tweak)

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Funk 7.0: Dâm-Funk & Snoopzilla - 7 days of funk

"The funk has a chance to be its own again and I'm just providing the red carpet" (Dâm-Funk 2013)

This week Stones Throw dropped the long awaited and inevitable collaboration between L.A.'s finest Damon Riddick/Dâm-Funk (Pasadena) and Calvin Broadus/Snoopzilla/Snoop Dogg/Snoop Lion (Long Beach).

"Funk is the dirty cousin of rock, soul, jazz, classical, house and electronic music. [---]The next phase is beautiful chords and harmonies on top of a hard beat. Imagine the song structure of Prefab Sprout or Thom Bell song (The Delfonics/The Spinners) were put on a funk beat with claps, kicks and basslines. That's the next phase - at least that's where I'm trying to go." (Dâm-Funk 2013 - sr.se p3.soul)

This album is entitled "7 days of funk" and has conceptually been talked about for years but finally saw the light of day on December 10th. It's the logical next step in the development of the funk:

Funk 1.0: James Brown
P-Funk 2.0: Parliament/Funkadelic
M-Funk 3.0: Minneapolis/Prince/The Time
E-Funk 4.0: Electronic Funk, Mtume/Kashif/Juan Atkins/Mantronix
G-Funk 5.0: Snoop & Dr Dre
Nu-Funk 6.0: Dâm-Funk
H-Funk 7.0: Pasadena meets Long Beach to create H-funk - Harmonic Funk

"Funk is being in love but all of sudden the girl you love does something unexpected and you have to pick up the pieces. Funk to me is walk out of the house in the sunset, newly washed car and all of a sudden you get a flat tire and you find yourself in a bad neighborhood and the payphone is broken - and you wonder what have I gotten myself into? That's funk!" (Dâm-Funk 2013 - sr.se p3.soul)

First track off the album is "Faden away". A late night roller about a fading relationship. It's build on a deep lowkey production by Dâm and the newly acquired harmony skills that Snoop first showed off on his "Reincarnated" album.

“We’re the babies of the Mothership. I’ve had funk influences in my music my whole career. Dam-Funk is cold. He’s keeping the funk alive and I knew I had to get down with him.” (Snoop - stonesthrow.com)


As always Stones Throw put alot of effort into the accompanying artwork with house designer Jeff Jank in charge and illustrations by Lawrence Hubbard. Read more about Jeff's work in this NothingMajor interview.

Track by track review:

1.Niggaz hit D pavement

If you expected a slow, laidback intro think again. D and Snoopzilla kicks off with a rare uptempo track. The title flirting with Snoop's old G-image but here evoking that other meaning of hitting the pavement: "You don't work - you don't eat".

2.Let it go

In a suprising but somehow logic move the fellas put down a dope cover of Patrice Rushen's "Feels So Real" (1984).

3.Faden away

The first single of the album. Still sounding fresh after two months on rotation.

4.1 question ft. Steve Arrington

Not the strongest track but I really dig the coming together of three generations of funk with Steve Arrington (of Slave) thrown into the mix. Don't miss out on his first solo album in years released earlier this year. Produced by who? Yep, Dam-funk...

5. Ride ft. Kurupt

Smooth summer track to cruise with windows down and wind blowing. Takes us back to the vibe of one of L.A. funk finest moments,  Dr.Dre's "Let me ride". Swing down, sweet chariot stop and let me ride... :)

6. Do my thang

Noncence  lyrics but bad ass harmonies as an ode to the originators of the mothership connection.  Based on “I Gots 2 Be Done Wit' U” from Dam's "Toeachizown".

7. I'll be there 4 U

Now this is what we've been waiting for!  The sound of what happens when generations meet and new genres are created. Funk 7.0 - Harmonic Funk. Tracks 1-6 are really dope but sounds like good ol' Snoop on top of Dam-funk beats. "I'll be there 4 U" has a blend of a toy-xylophone, an 808-pattern, subbass and lyrics paying dues in the vein of Daft Punk's "Teachers" (1997). This takes us forward for real.

8. Systematic ft. Tha Dogg Pound (Bonustrack)

Another example of what we'd call funk 7.0. Speed up a bad ass dubstep bassline. Add that infamous Dam-Funk funky handclap and analogue keyboard freestyle. Throw on a Dogg Pound reunion and we got ourselves a future classic. 

When we chose what releases to write about we try to pick pieces that takes us places. "7 days of funk" is that kind of record. Now I have yet to pay L.A. a visit but during the last 30 minutes of funk the urge to jump the next flight to LAX has never been stronger. .

Listen: Dâm-Funk & Snoopzilla - 7 days of funk (Spotify)

Buy: Dâm-Funk & Snoopzilla - 7 days of funk (via Stonesthrow.com)

Bonus download: Dâm-Funk - Hood Pass Intact [After 2:AM Instrumental Re-Freak version]

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DJ Terry Tester - Autumn movement mix

Autumn awesomeness once again from Double-T. Terry Tester on point as always on this mixtape put out by INI movement in Amsterdam.

Still on that electronic, soulful boom-bap style - regulars know what we're talking about. New track by Buscrates 16-bit ensemble. A new discovery for me was The Insomniax "A vibe for Chrissy" taken off their Love she wants EP from last year.

Also if you somehow managed to miss Terry's bangers "Be alright" and "Clean up your act" their both still available on the Making Monkey Music compilation below.

Download: DJ Terry Tester - Autumn movement mix
Download: Making Monkey Music Is A Must compilation (ft. Be alright & Clean up your act)

TRACKLIST:
1. Terry Tester: Be Alright
2. Buscrates 16-bit Ensemble: Cut Out The Lights
3. Kas Flow: Schema
4. Twelve Beats: Ghetto Gourmet
5. Blacc El x Kriswontwo: F.W.P. feat. Jaleesa
6. The Insomniax: A Vibe For Chrissy
7. Exampler: The Neverdies
8. Terry Tester: Clean Up Your Act
9. Vincent Van Go Go: The Wound
10. Owusu and Hannibal: Le Fox
11. Terry Tester: Late Night Jawn

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