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LABEL SHOWCASE - FREE MP3s, Media Streams and TUNE
Info
Ninja Tune is an independent record label that is based
in London, England (with a satellite office on Montreal
for U.S/Canada business), created in 1990 by the duo
known as Coldcut. Coldcut were pioneers of the emerging
hip-hop/electro scene in the eighties. Inspired by a
visit to Japan, Matt Black & Jonathon More (Coldcut)
primarily created Ninja Tune to act as a vehicle by
which they could release music of a more underground
nature, free from the restraints placed on artists by
major labels (the same restraints that were put on them
via their brief stints with Arista and Big Life).
 The
first releases were heralded by the music press and
aficionados simultaneously. The first four volumes of
'DJ Food - Jazz Brakes', produced by Coldcut, were comprised
of instrumental hip-hop cuts, subsequently giving birth
to the genre called 'trip-hop', and seen as indispensable
tools for DJ's.
The label achieved a level of notoriety quickly, due
to its funky style and commitment to eclecticism. Key
in the labels success was the constantly growing roster
of very different sounding artists.
Without question, Ninja Tune is a massive collective
of passionate music listeners and collectors, just putting
out what they think sounds good. There is no huge calculated
commercial agenda outside of our need/want to put out
good records.
Mr Scruff - Get A Move On
Another outing for the fantastic "Get A Move On" track,
which has fast become a favourite since it was first
released in May 1999. This time, however, the single
also features "Ug" a track not previously available
except on Ninja Tune's Xen Cuts compilation. The demand
for "Get A Move On" has just grown and grown and since
it sold out when first released on Ninja Tune. Its subsequent
deletion meant that though everyone could hear it (just
listen to any TV programme to hear it as backing music)
nobody could buy it - which prompted the nice bods at
Ninja to re-release it.
Mr Scruff has been reaching more people as he's gone
along. France Telecom (the French equivalent of BT)
were suitably impressed with him and used "Get A Move
On" as part of their national TV advertising campaign,
as did Volvo in N. America and Germany - the Scruffy
one didn't see it as something to get excited about.
And he's got more fans. Most notably, Madonna recently
said in Mixmag of music she was playing at home, "And
Mr Scruff I love, that weird little album ('Keep It
Unreal') that's got so much personality". Mr Scruff
was characteristically unimpressed.
The sample track taken from the single is 'Get A
Move On'
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Solid Steel presents DJ Food & DK - "Now, Listen!
Hosted by Coldcut "Solid Steel Presents...." will be
a long running series of mix albums to come from various
Ninja and Big Dada artists - or combination of. First
one is by Solid Steel's co creators DJ Food and show
producer DK. A multiple deck and effects extravaganza
designed to go far beyond the usual concept of a mix
album.
It's fitting, then, that these three turntable technicians
should be behind the mix that kicks off this series.
With a nod and a wink to Coldcut's classic Journeys
By DJ mix of 1995 (voted Best Compilation CD Ever in
Jockey Slut), Food and DK have cooked up a mix, which
actually rewards repeated listening. Drawing on a huge
range of (mainly non-Ninja) music, obscure bits of spoken
word, exclusively made sections and a whole panoply
of derringdo and often seamlessly playing two, even
three completely different records at once (check out
Jeru Da Damaja versus Cinematic Orchestra, and Neotropic
for proof…), these fellows have treated making a mix
album like making any other album, so that the difference
between the DJ and the producer is finally erased. Or
something like that - it's a blind billy of a bouncing
baby of a record whether you want to get theoretical
or not.
The sample track taken from the album is 'Let's Play
Drums'
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track
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ANTIBALAS "Liberation Afro Beat Vol 1
Antibalas (Spanish for "Bulletproof"; literally "Anti-bullets")
is the next generation of Afrobeat. They follow in the
tradition of the Black President, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti,
uniting Nigerian highlife, jazz, funk and traditional
African elements with unabashed political messages.
This Brooklyn-based fourteen-plus piece band hits hard
with the left and the right - monstrous horns and bass
layered over funky polyrhythmic beats and breaks coupled
with furious lyrics challenging and attacking the capitalist
system and inciting insurrection in English, Yoruba,
and Spanish.
The sample track taken from the album is 'Dirt &
Blood'
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track
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CONTINUED
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