Tall Black Guy - 8 Miles To Moenart

"The cross roads where I was living at was 8 Mile and Moenart in Detroit"

One of our artist of the year 2012, Terrel Wallace a.k.a. Tall Black Guy sure seems committed to stay a top of that list. We've had his album  "8 miles to Moenart" spinning in our headphones for almost a week now and it won't let go. Last year he hosted Bastard Jazz's compilation Tempo Dreams exploring new beatmakers worldwide. Among others Brussel's own Monkey Robot featured in our Beat Generation interview Series #4.

Based on that compilation and of course his earlier reworks expectations were high. Here's our track-by-track review of the album:

1.You Look Like A Tall Black Guy Intro 01:16
This intro was sent out as a first taster to the album and features a clip from the old Cosby (!) show cutting up the quote "Just because a guy is tall and black doesn't mean he's good at playing basketball". Ace instrumental, would wouldn't mind hearing a full track of that.

2.The Dark Streets 06:31
The hi-hats. The groove that sneaks up on you about a minute and a half in. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised by the electronic influences but I am. Regulars know we're suckers for the whole slo-mo-house but we didn't expect TBG to deliver the next banger on that playlist. Up there with classic nightbus slo-mo-tracks like Seiji's "I can't let go" and DJ SIS more recent rework of Luniz "I got 5 on it".

3.Funeral Biz / Welcome To Detroit Interlude 04:21
Three tracks deep and here's the next surprise: Remember LTJ Bukem's Earth series? Man, I used to love what his label Good Looking put out in the mid-nineties. Here's a 2K13 take on that sound from TBG. Organic, chords and a laid-back groove to make ya' head nod.

4.From Home To Work, And Back... 02:53
It's got that Slum Village vibe like a forgotten B-side to The look of love. Dope!

5.Mon Amie De'Troit (ft. Ozay Moore) 04:22
First single off the album and a love/hate narrative about his hometown. Featuring smooth low-key vocals by Ozay Moore (formerly known as Othello of hip hop crew Lightheaded).

6.The Motor Is Running 05:50
Is where we wish Timbaland would take his sound in 2013. Interstellar track to make your mind wander.

7.There's No More Soul (ft Diggs Duke) 04:00
Beautiful soundtrack to those late night driving downtown. I imagine Detroit cabbies keeping their occupied signal on to keep grooving to this.

8.Rain Into The Nite - Outro 08:12
Two part track finishing up the album. The outro part might be one of our favorite instrumental grooves so far this year. It's got the broken beat, the vocoder, the chords - simply put a beautiful end to a sublime album.

9.Floating (Hidden track) 5.03
If this hidden bonus track is supposed to give a taster of what's to come from the TBG-studios over the year, we won't be disappointed. Another slow late night groove that would fit nicely on Dwele's next album. In fact, all of these instrumental songs tell a story. It would be very interesting to see what would happen if Terrel invited say Dwele, Hawk House, Rogiers and Miles Bonny to the studio to take it to the next level...

In summary:
All in all, in a fast-paced-what's-next-kind-of-world, "8 miles to Moenart" is a keeper. It's that hidden green back yard garden you sometimes stumble upon walking through a metropolitan area. Sit down, take a breather, take a sip of your favorite beverage and kick back with Tall Black Guy.


Available now via First Word Records & Spotify

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Miles Bonny - For my real folks mixtape

Miles Bonny - one of our top artists in 2012 keeps bringing heat. This time he's "cleaning up his muscial life" by putting together this EP with songs that won't see a commercial release. The cover is a crowd sourced effort with fans sending in photos of enjoying Miles music.

Stand-out tracks: Smoke alarmed & Sunny feat Lindquist & Greer.

Get it while you still can!

Download: Miles Bonny - For my real folks mixtape

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Beathearts top selections 2012 - TheStrom

2012 was a good year. A very good year. Going through our posts and playlists over the past year it was easy to identify great tunes. But it was equally hard to single out an all through solid album - a future classic. There were many good efforts from the likes of Frank Ocean, Actress, Robert Glasper and others but very few of them ended up on repeat for us. At least in their entireties. For that reason I decided to put forward the top selections of 2012 in three sections:

* Top 5 artists of year (instead of releases) that impressed me the most in 2012
* Best tunes of the year (Spotify link)
* Top 3 expectations for 2013

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ARTISTS OF THE YEAR

1.Prince (!?)
You say what?! I haven't quite been able to figure out why but it's been a crazy year for Prince. Prince Roger Nelson of the 80s that is. For an artist that hasn't released a single track (that we know of) Prince has been huge 2012. It might have started already last year with the return of Prince live in session at festivals around the world. Then Jam & Lewis and the Time reunited as the Original 7even and released the Condensate album. That sparked a "Nu-Prince-Movement" that's been pulsating all year:

*Wax Poetic put out a Prince special edition including no less than two mixtapes of peak performances from the man.
*All year we've been flooded with Prince edits and covers from the likes of Dâm-Funk, Frank Ocean et al.
*Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip has been tearin' the roof off with his DJ sessions when dropping the 1984 obscure Morris Day & Prince jam session Cloreen Bacon Skin.

If that doesn't convince you there's a new biography entitled Prince by Matt Thorne and the other week there was a TWO (!) day seminar at the London Institute of Contemporary Art analyzing the Prince's work.

All we can say is that his importance for most of the new music we listen to today cannot be overrated. One of the greatest tributes that's been on heavy rotation for us was the Wax Poetics mixtape vol.2:

Download: Wax Poetics - Prince mixtape part 2

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2.Tall Black Guy

Without a doubt one of the artist that we have spun the most this year. His edits, compilations and original tracks have been off the hook. His Tempo Dreams compilation for Bastard Jazz set a new standard for beatmakers to live up to.

Our stand out track of the year from TBG was his totally unexpected remake of James Brown's I feel good. You've gotta have guts to take on a classic tune and flip it into something completely different. We've said it before but it's like a part 2 of Waajeed's Tron track. Absolutely genius!

Download: Tall Black Guy - What's good

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3.Buscrates 16-bit Ensemble
What can we say. Orlando Buscrates Marshall has had an amazing year. As a producer for Kiara, as a group member in East Liberty Quartet, as a remixer as well as a solo artist he has blown us away all year. If Dâm-Funk is the king of boogie - Buscrates is most definitely next in line to take the reign.

*Best release: Buscrates - Funktropolis EP

*Best remake: Vesta Williams - Don't blow a good thing (Buscrates re-edit)

*Best production: Kiara Reves - Shine on

Buscrates was also the first artist in our Beat Generation Interview Series. 
Download: Buscrates - Phoenix rising (Beathearts Beat Generation exclusive)

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4.Miles Bonny
Ever since we got Miles Bonny's seminal track Still Miles with DJ Day back in 2009 he's been on our radar. Numerous EPs, collaborations and albums later his sense of quality is second to none.

Miles toured heavily this year with Brenk Sinatra (as S3) in Germany and Poland going back to his Polish roots.

Miles been putting out amazing releases all year and all you regulars might recall that S3's album Supa Soul Sh*t was our album of the month in November.



Download: S3 - Don't stop

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5.Frank Ocean
No matter what you think about the hype there's no denying Mr. Ocean's huge influence on the soundtrack to the world 2012.

From the first underground mixtapes and bootlegs to TV-commerials and inflight entertainment he's taken the world by storm. With incredible productions and solid harmonies in my ears his sound is the 2012 equivalent to Gamble & Huff in the 70ies. Channel Orange was one of very few solid albums of 2012 and we have high hopes of what's to come in 2013.

Download: Frank Ocean - Sweet

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TUNES OF THE YEAR
Like I said we've been absolutely overwhelmed with great tunes all year. Below I've compiled a few of my favourite tracks to brighten the daily subway ride. If you've got Spotify there's a playlist link below. If not we've compiled all available download links.

Spotify playlist: Beathearts top selections 2012

Download: Joey Badass - Waves 
Download: S3 - Don't stop
Listen: Mala - Cuba Electronica
Download: Vesta Williams - Don't blow a good thing (Buscrates edit)
Yuna ft Pharell & Dizzee Rascal - Live your life (Not officially released - hunt it down!)
Listen: Wiley - Scar
Listen: Actress - Rainy dub
Listen: Yasiin Bey - Niggas in poorest
Listen: Tall Black Guy - What's good (JB flip)
Listen: Nas - The don
Download: Donaeo - When angels sing (TEED remix)
Download: Alexis Davis - The lift
Listen: Buscrates & Kiara Ravae - Shine on
Listen: Martino - Reasons (Sigg Buggz remix)
Download: Jeremih - Keep it moving
Listen: Ikiz & Melo - Over and over
DJ Spin & DJ Rashad - Let me baby
Download: Souls of Mischeif - 93 til infinity (Hannes Fisher remix)
Robert Glasper ft Ledisi - Gonna be alright
Listen: Daphni - Jiaolong
Listen: Frank Ocean - Super Rich Kids
Listen: Electric Street Orchestra ft Mad Mike Banks - Scorpio
Listen: Naderi - Stormy weather

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EXPECTATIONS FOR 2013:

1.The return of Waajeed

Waajeed will be huge in 2013. On a recent BBC Radio 1 show Waajeed revealed four projects that will see the light of day next year: Jeedeci, Electric Street Orchestra, Tiny Hearts and new label Dirt Tech Reck. If you missed out get a preview of the tracks below.




2.Enter T-E-E-D

We've had T-E-E-D a.k.a. Orlando Higginbottom on our radar all year and he was responsible for one of best remixes of the year reconstructing Donaeo's When Angels sing. His mixtapes and remixes have popped up everywhere we turned and we have very high expectations for what's to come in 2013. Check his essential mix from BBC below:

>T-E-E-D - BBC essential mix


3.Maya Jane Coles

Starting off as a producer and only recently jumped on the 1's and 2's, Maya still put together one of the best mixtapes of the year for DJ-kicks. (Listen on Spotify). It's sublime blend of minimal, experimental but oh so funky deep house tracks. With the quality of her mixes and own releases expectations are through the roof for her upcoming album. Rumors say it will feature Miss Kittin among others and have vocals on all tracks. Watch this space!

Download: Maya Jane Coles - BBC essential mix

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Last but not least we want to thank you all for an amazing year. We can't thank you enough for all the amazing feedback and input we've got from you all since the start. Followers, artists, labels, journalists, DJs and partners.

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

One,

Thestrom & Antwan

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Album of the month: S3 - Supa Soul Sh*t

Ever since we got Miles Bonny's seminal track Still Miles with DJ Day back in 2009 he's been on our radar. Numerous EPs, collaborations and albums later his sense of quality is second to none.

For his latest album Supa Soul Sh*t he's teamed up with Austrian beatmaestro Branko Jordanovic a.k.a. Brenk Sinatra under the S3 moniker.

The album is 21 tracks thick and has potential to become a future classic. The smooth production and soulful skits somehow reminds me of Slum Village's Fantastic Vol.1. It has been in the making for three years with Brenk on the breaks and Miles on vocals and his signature flugelhorn (as in the photo above).

Of course there are tracks that stick out like 10 minutes and Rain don't stop me now but Supa Soul Sh*t is something as rare as an album that works as an album as opposed to just a collection of tracks.

Tracklist:

1. S3 Intro 00:10
2. Seein Doe 02:30
3. Chakal 04:49
4. Get This Money 03:44
5. Bro Skit 01:10
6. Don´t Stop 03:57
7. Deeper Skit 00:56
8. Sprinkle 04:27
9. Chronic Break 01:13
10. Dr. Strange 03:50
11. All I Know 04:20
12. Make Her Smile 00:50
13. 10 Minutes 03:37
14. Hanged Skit 01:30
15. Let It Rain 03:46
16. Rain Don't Stop Me Now 03:27
17. Lystics 03:43
18. Really 02:01
19. Stars Shine 04:04
20. Time Out Skit 02:53
21. Movin On 05:20

S3 is currently on tour in Germany and Poland going back to Miles Polish roots. Miles grandfather was born in Poland, deported to Siberia and later fled to the US where he changed name from Bonikowski to Bonny (hence Miles Bonny).

S3's Supa Soul Sh*t is available for digital download right now via Bandcamp. The vinyl release is dropping on October 26th via Melting Pot Music.


Download: S3 - Rain don't stop me now


Download: S3 - Don't stop

Want more? Get digging in Miles Bonny back catalogue on Bandcamp

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Hiatus Kaiyote - Tawk Takeout

Melbourne based collective Hiatus Kaiyote are on a roll and getting hype from across the board. From Gilles Peterson naming their debut Tawk Tomahawk Album of the week to Erykah Badu's recent tweet that sums it all up nicely: "OK. I'm done. In love."

To top that off, legendary magazine WaxPoetics just dropped a remix album as a special feature. With next shit remixes from artists like Mark de Clive-Lowe, Shafiq Husayn, Anthony Valadez and the omnipresent Miles Bonny. As if that wasn't enough it's a free download. Get it while it's available!

Download: Hiatus Kaiyote - Tawk Takeout

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Melting Pot Music 10 year compilation

The always intriguing Cologne based Melting Pot Music and HHV.de will celebrate their 10th birthday on Oct 2nd. For that occasion they've put together a great compilation featuring exclusive tracks from among others S3 (Miles Bonny & Brenk Sinatra) and one of the dopest beatmakers this year Figub Brazlevic. Great new music and it's available now as a free download. Get it while it's there!

Download: MPM x HHV.DE 10YRS Compilation

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