Say Orange! And make it sound.

There are days when everything seems to go smooth and right. Those days put me in a wonderful mood that, if painted, would surely be orange!
And, in music, this is how it'd probably sound:


I totally fell in love with this album from Germany. Is a well balanced mix between jazz, soul and electronic sounds that give birth to a liquid atmosphere, very peculiar. Free download.



I like what anthropologists call "metissage". I like it in every human expression, relationships, culture, music. That's why, I think, my attention is always captured by music that mixes different influences. Like this. From North Carolina. Another free download you don't want to lose.


This band is based in London. This is just an EP - 3 tracks - and maybe is a little expensive, but I liked the energy of this music and the balance between rock and jazz. And listening is free.


If I listened to this band without looking at the page I thought this could be an authentic american rock band with something weird. And the weird is that they're from Taiwan. Easy but pleasant "orange" listening.

Goodbye Gil.

Gil Scott Heron died. He's been a peculiar kind of a prophet, with light and dark sides. He saw a lot of things, he talked about justice, rage, isolation. He talked about life and struggle. He's been great. And this is just a little tribute. Rest in peace.

Gil Scott Heron Tribute by Shpakt on Mixcloud

Gil Scott Heron's been the inspiration for an entire generation of musicians and rappers and poets. This Mixtape is a sample of that path.

With New York in mind

Maybe 'cause I don't see NY since... a lot. Maybe 'cause I really love this song and I listened to it so many times but never got tired of it. I wanted to find out what can possibly become an almost perfect tune when it's mix&mashed. And, I love it even more now!

I'd like to open this post with a magic remix I found on SoundCloud, but even if there's no embed code, I don't want you miss it anyway. Please click on it, it's exagerated:
EMPIRE STATE OF MIND- KARSH KALE FEELIN LIKE A CHAMPION MIX 1.0


Empire State Of Mind (The Big Apple Mix) (2009) by MashMike
A number of tunes dedicated to the BigApple are in this mix. Really nice.

Empire State of Mind - DuBL-G Inertia Mix by DJ DuBL G
Can you imagine Alicia Keys and Massive Attack on the same scene? Now we can.

Kasha - London State of Mind - Empire State of Mind Remix by VividImagery
Did you think that the Royal mics could cope with the NY thing? No way, there's so much London to sing and rap about. And sounds bloody good.

Traveling: India

I've never been in India. I will. But I don't want to go there as tourist, I'd like to travel to India in the very sense of this word. For now, I can only try to learn something about the subcontinent by readings, photos and music. I chose not to include in this journey all the albums tagged India but actually dedicated to Yoga and meditation and virtually recorded everywhere else but in India.
I was looking for sounds more authentical and I found these:


This is an extremely interesting project of field recording. There's music, sounds of nature, streets, conversations directly taken during a travel through India. There are photos too. Just smell's missing.


Nice example of geographic declination of jazz. These tracks are the demonstration that playing jazz doesn't mean blindly reproducing the american sound. In this music you find classical indian inspirations, electronic, and improvisation.


And this is the same process applied to pop music. This Calcutta duo makes a strange and kind of whimsical pop music mostly in hindi, mixing Bollywood athmospheres and folk reminiscences.


Before listening to this album please follow the instructions: put on your sunglasses, get out of your closet that '80s dress that you thought you'd never never wear again and try to remember those dance steps you saw in Bollywood most sugary productions. Press play. Smile.

Happy Birthday Mr.Dylan!

Some people just don't grow old. Think about Jagger, Sting... Dylan! Today mr Dylan turns 70, which is quite impressive because I always think of him as the man under a big hair-bush with an harmonica and a guitar, and not exactly as grandpa.
So I thought that celebrating such a personality is almost mandatory, and I decided to make it my way, diggin'out something that reminds of Dylan, but it's not Dylan.
Ok, I think you understand...

Capítulo 11: Covers para Dylan by Oloop on Mixcloud

This Mixtape is a mad collection of Dylan's covers. There's something for every taste. From the classic of the classics Hendrix version of All along the Watchtower to the delirious My Back Pages by Ramones. An hour and a half of Dylan-not-Dylan.

When I thought of remixing Dylan I just shook my head: impossible. Wrong:

Bob Dylan - Masters of War (scntfc remix) by scientificamerican
This is a very good remix of an extremely beautiful tune. It really works!

Bear McCreary - All Along the Watchtower {INRVISN RMX} by {INRVISN}
And this is a remix of a remix... If you saw Battlestar Galactica you must remember the psychedelic version of All along the Watchtower of the last episode. That one was a Bear McCreary creation. Simply great. This one is possibly better.

Natalie, jazzin' from NY to India

I love finding women that jump out from the cliché of the star-system babe, that are capable to demonstrate their value with the strenght of their abilities. I think I found one of them.
This young woman is beautiful, smart and extremely talented. Not only Natalie John has this velvety and versatile voice, but she also can write good and original jazz tunes. She started as a natural talent at age of 7 in California. But she chose to study and started her jazz carrier in NY in 2006. Now she not only performs and composes but she also teaches in a music Academy of Chennai state, in India. You can take a look at her site and blog to follow her in her travels and discoveries.

Accents of: Salsa

Fin de semana, time to dance and have fun. I can't think of nothing better than salsa and son for having a real good time in good company. And looking for a good salsa rhythm on BandCamp I found out that there's an incredible number of groups playing latin, but almost none of them is located in the latin nations... so it's basically migrated salsa. Far from being bad, it's interesting cause it's more influenced and has sometimes lyrics that escape from the usual amor, corazon, mi vida.


This band is based in NewYork city, but plays authentical cuban son y charanga, with that perfect tumbao that could make stones dance and a tasty touch of jazz.


Those guys seem to be in Montreal and share mixed latin roots, which come out in the tunes: from salsa to regueton, a fresh and young variation for salsa-bailadores.


Salsa has not only become the characteristic sound of the latin community, salsa is also extremely popular in West Africa, some strange "coming-back" phenomenon. This album is from Benin. Totally irresistible.


Another example of migrating salsa. This ensemble counts on thirteen members (which is more or less the basic number to play good timba), based in North Carolina. Latin director and lead voice, very mixed players, with a good, but little too americanized, sound.

What Portishead could possibly be

I was in a trip-hop mood today so I thought about Portishead and how much I loved their first albums. I think I listened to them thousand times and never got tired. And when music is so good is also somewhat fertile, and can give birth to something that you couldn't imagine and still surprise you. These mashups I found, they're simply amazing.

Adele / Portishead / B.O.B./ John Legend - Deep & Sour (Robin Skouteris Mix) by Robin Skouteris
This is a masterwork of mashups. There are something like 6 tracks mixed up, all someway recognizable and all perfectly blended.

Massive Attack vs Portishead - Teardrop on Roads (Mashed by Jaya Prime) by Jaya Prime
Two sacred monsters of music mashed up so well that seem to be born together.

Portishead - Over (Dubstep Refix) Dub & Run 016 by habstrakt
How could anybody resist to a dubstep remake of the tune Over? It's even more trip-hop than the original...

Zubatto, syndicating art&music

This album caught my attention first by the cover print: a sci-fi work of the italian artist Franco Brambilla, reknown for his futuristic work for Urania. Then, I listened to the music and I liked it too. I firstly like finding out that still exist music ensembles made up by more than four musicians. Big bands are so rare nowadays and good ones are even rarer. This is the case. Zubatto syndicate plays jazz in a singular way, mixing lot of different influences with different results, depending on your jazzy taste. And, they use visual art to combine with music in a very attractive way, take a look to the shop offers they have on their bandcamp.

Accents of: Guitar

I have to admit it first of all: I am not a big fan of guitars. Better said, I am not a fan of the couple guitars/rock maybe because I totally am not a big fan of rock. But, surprise! diggin' around on Bandcamp I found some guitars that I actually like and even some rock, at proper doses :)


This is Bach, guys! Four croatian musicians that arranged Bach repertoire for guitars. Result is amazing, and you can see that also taking a look to the quartet blog and all the concerts they give around the world.


A totally different way to play guitar. Is rock, is blues, but is also totally north-african with those scales and rythms that make you fly over a sandy desert just after few notes.


Did I mention that I don't like rock? Ok, I can make an exception now and then. This is one. This guy is an excellent guitarist and his music, well, if you love rock, you got to love this.


To me, guitar is blues, definitely blues. I could not end this post with no other styles. So I found this guy from Boston and I decided that guitars are not that bad...

Celebs like the Net: The Roots

The Roots and particularly the backbone of the band, QuestLove, have always been one of my favourite, ever. Now that I found this... the quotations of this group in my music heart have raised up to the top. This is a free (!!!) mixtape created by the Roots as a tribute to the producer JDilla. Fourteen tracks with the strong presence of QuestLove vibes and the coolness of JDilla tunes.
Of course it's been "legally" cannibalized by almost everyone works or play with music&mixes. Wanna be the next one?

The Roots – Dilla Joints by Hypetrak

Traveling: Argentina

Argentina is big. Huge. Traveling Argentina is like going through a continent, and there's no chance to find a single sound that characterize it. Of course in matter of music Buenos Aires plays the part of the lion and influences the global musical image you can get of the country. So what can we expect from la musica argentina? Pop latino. Most of all. A lot of folk influences by different roots and inheritance, some tango, of course, so hot now all over the world.
Take a look:


This artist plays a modern version of tango with a look to the classics and a jazzy perspective.


Tango, milonga, cumbia, in a urban and modern flow. Simply beautiful.


The real name of Cursi y melancolico is Juan Manuel Godoy. The meaning of the art name says a lot about his music a little "cheap" and much more melancholic. Nice declination of argentinian folk.


The last volume of a trilogy. A melting-pot of different faces, styles, rythms very well mixed. Nice tunes and lyrics from Mar del Plata.

Say Green! And make it sound.

Green is the colour of peace, relax, hope. And if I have to think of a sound I'd say the tiny rain drops that fall on tree leaves. But there are other possibilities.


This is an EP from a british band. Dreamy and kind of fairy atmospheres envelope every track givin to the entire work a smooth, foggy sound, very nice and relaxing. Don't miss the track dedicated to Japan.


This is what goes nearer to that rainy sound I mentioned before. GLP is a musical collective based in Brooklyn experimenting on what I 'd call "molecular" improvisation.


Green sounds to make you dance and "trance". Good mix of rythms and Bpms, better for night uses.


Piano improvisation on the green theme. Trees, leaves, walking in the nature.. that kind of green things.

Celebrating Mr. Marley

A special post to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the death of the king of reggae and the ambassador of the Rastafarian philosophy Bob Marley.
While the star system is releasing tribute albums, preparing big events and doin' his star system job, the independent music world is not far behind. Best said, is far ahead. I chose some works dedicated to this great figure, not caring about the anniversary, but just about the music.

The mixtape #3
Bob Marley & sons together in one compilation of 29 tracks, more than an hour of classics.

Bob Marley Masterpiece by Retro Reggae on Mixcloud

The albums


This actually is a tribute album , with no big names but very very cool and original versions of the most popular Marley tunes from an independent label based in Chicago.



This album is entirely made of mashups between Marley, Hendrix and Notorious BIG. Think it's crazy? Maybe it is, but sounds damn good!

The remix&mashups

So many tracks I found... but I made a choice and these are simply impossible to miss.

Bob Marley - Exodus (HavocNdeeD RemiX) by HavocNdeeDsounD

Bob Marley - Sun is shining (Red House remix) by Red House

Nas vs Bob Marley - One Love (DJ Wax On Remix) by djwaxon

Green or Blue? I'd say both.

These guys from New York City made a wonderful album. I simply fell in love with each track at the first listening. This work is dated almost a year ago but it's so fresh and brilliant you just have to go from beginning to the end.

Mixtapes: #2

More than an hour of music with every kind of variation on deep music, and afro accents. Comes from an independent record label based in Pretoria, South Africa.

Smoove Sessions 007 by Smooveproductions on Mixcloud

Say Purple! and make it sound.

Two of my favourite songs ever were and still are Purple: Purple Rain (Prince) and Purple Haze (Hendrix). So, everytime I think of purple I start singing one of those songs in my mind. But purple is a common color in music. Look at these:


A band based in San Francisco produced this album a year ago. Intense atmosphere with mixed influences.


What happen when a guy from London rethinks the psychedelic work of a guy from Sweden? Don't try to imagine. Listen.


This is quite a strange album that some moments I like some other I don't. It's an attempt of fusion between classical music and hiphop. Some tracks can really work. Some others don't actually convince.


Some healthy pop-rock from Berkeley. Pleasent and well done.

Berliner Wunderbar Jazz

This album is quite old. It was released in 2007, but finding it was such a nice surprise that I couldn't help sharing it.
It's jazz of the best, with an amazing piano and a string quartet that has the fabulous hands of players of the Berlin Philhamonic Orchestra.
The themes are simply beautiful and sooo well played. Good jazz never gets too old to listen to it.

Traveling: Japan

Four days from now it will be 2 months since the earthquake and the tsunami that devastated part of Japan. There's still a lot to do. Maybe more now that media attention has been fading. The world of artists has been in first line trying to help raising funds and focus the people attention on this tragedy. Here some of independent japanese musicians works. A lot to think about, a lot that we still could do.


A collective of electronic artists that tried to capture the sounds and the feelings of the days immediatly following the earthquake. Impressive.


Another cowork between three Tokyo based artists. Beautiful atmospheres and sounds. Can't miss Ametsub tracks (he's got Sakamoto in his fans...).


Another collection, this time the tracks are 50! from artists based in 7 different countries but someway related to Japan. Mostly dubstep, electronic, some hiphop. Tracks were all unreleased or especially created for the occasion. Funds to Red Cross Japan.


I chose this track to close this post because it's totally different from the rest. These two japanese artists play indian music on tabla and sitar. They play extremely well. The perfect demonstration that music belongs to nobody and to anyone.

Mixtapes: #1

I love mixtapes. You can just press play and let it go and you're taken in a world of music that can resemble your favourite radio, without the ads, the interruptions, the talking... You can make your buddies dance for hours without having to leave the party to change music, you can just put your headphones on and make your way to work with the perfect mix.

This mixtape comes from a group based in Brussels (Belgium) that created an interesting project around music and visual arts. There's a radio, a magazine and a website, and the mixtapes. This one is a beautiful melt between jazz, hip hop, funk, and cool atmospheres.

Tome Presents The Ldbk Compilation by Laid Back on Mixcloud

Covers and mashups: Sadeism

The smooth and incredibly graceful voice of Sade has been almost a symbol of 80-90's. Now she's back, right now in tour in Europe.
Obviously she's also a massive presence in covers and mashups, and mixtapes all around the music net. These are just a little, personal selection.

Sade - Smooth Operator - Leon DeeJay Aegean Sunset Mix by leonidas deejay

Jezebel (2010 REMIX) produced by EZ by EZ AKA MRMREMPIRE

Red Light District - No Ordinary Love (Sade cover) by fdaallday

Celebs like Camp: Boris Larramendi

Maybe this is a name that doesn't ring any bell for a lot of you. But if you happen to have some relationship with Cuba, cuban music, cuban movies... maybe you remember the project Habana Abierta and the beautiful music that came out of it.
Well, the mind of most of Habana Abierta tracks was Boris.
Now he lives in Madrid and makes his own music, with the help of a lot of cuban stars, just to name two of them Horacio "el negro" Hernandez and Roberto Carcasses.


If you didn't know him, give this album a try and you'll know why he's a Celeb.

Accents of: Piano

When I started my search for piano music I thought I'd found so many things that I would have to split this post in several parts. I was partially wrong. I mean, there are many many tracks tagged piano, but not so many are really played on piano.
These are:


I liked this album because it has some brilliant intuitions, and a nice general atmosphere. From Nashville.


Blues in its original essence. Blues the piano, blues the voice, rythms and rhymes. Guess what? From New Orleans!


Afshin is a composer that lives in Atlanta but mixes some differents roots. This work is a little "old" (2003), but still very very attractive.


A four pieces suite for piano solo. A classical and still avanguardist and emotional way of interpreting this instrument. By a russian composer.

And yes, there'll be a second part...

That's blues: Alecia.

This is a band with a great gift: Alecia. Her voice has something that comes from old time soul music. The group is kind of a family business, and seems to have a great music inheritance from Chakour father. But seems to have a great future too.

Accents of: 5/4

Music is not just 4/4, a guitar, maybe 2, and a guy who screams on it. Music time is more similar to life time, sometimes is slow and regular, sometimes is syncopated, sometimes it changes suddenly, unexpected. That's when it reminds me of a 5/4 or 7/8 or whatever...
I digged looking for that kind of unexpected and that's what came out.


An interesting album of a Spanish band that sails on odd times with sort of a lightness.


Nobody knows how to play on odd times, very odd times, as arabic musicians. This is a nice example of fusion between two different music worlds from an artists that melts Beirut and Detroit.


Who says that odd times make music hard to listen to? Screaming Maldini is the answer.


This album is an intricate journey in the life of an italian drummer who loves to play with odd times, but also with strange melodies, and short flashes of real life made music.

Celebs like the Net: Ludacris

If you're familiar with myspace maybe you know the operation "Hijack", started by Black Eyed Peas and followed by a bunch of music and screen celebrities.
This time I'd like to spotlight Ludacris page, with a lot of stuff: tracks, videos, links, pictures...

Couldn't help to complete this with a supa-funk Ludacris mashup.

Ludacris & Big Pun Feat Chicago-Street Player-Relative Funk Remix by Relative Funk SoundSystem

Say Yellow! And make it sound

I was looking for a ray of light, in this rainy day. And I found these:



I'm the new big fan of Nikko Gray! Her music is dreamy, sweet, warm. Her voice is beautiful. Simply.


If you're from Italy, you can't help giving your respect to a man that choses this name to make this kind of music. If you are not familiar with Gigi D'Alessio maybe you should google it and notice the difference ;)


I like the freshness and light of this music. Is pop, is acoustic, good sounds and beautiful melodies. From Philadelphia.


This is the yellowest thing I found on BandCamp. These guys from Glasgow are funny and can print a silly smile on your face while listening and jumping.

Covers and mashups: Badumix

Four different ways to say Erykah Badu. Her tunes are sooo cool it's even too easy to mix and mash with'em. Start movin'...

Erykah Badu - Honey (Mark Wayward Remix) by Mark Wayward

Erykah Badu - Bag lady (Slow It Down tenner bag edit) 320kbps - 50 Downloads only by SlowItDownGlasgow

Erykah Badu - Soldier (of Love) (Sade vs Badu Mashup) by audiosavage

Mobb Deep vs. Erykah Badu (Blend) by HowlingMad123

Traveling: Iceland

Before summer breaks in, I virtually travel in the nordic land of Iceland. Atmospheres are soft, but somewhat warm. And yes, Bijork is in the air.


Acoustic and nice. Beautiful melodies and pleasent voice. The perfect soundtrack for dawn and sunset.



Again chilly and spacial atmosphere. Tracks named after the Inuit icey world. With an elegant touch of electronic and drums. What comes out is a touching, enchanting, strange kind of rock.


Take a symphony orchestra and put it in the hands of a strange kind of icelandic genius who takes with him a great amount of electronic stuff. This is the result!


I think that the title means Dreamland (not that great guessing). That's exactly how this album sounds. A dreamy, light, aethereal mix, from a BandCamp pro.