This is going to sound ridiculous, but I actually wrote this post a few weeks ago. For some reason I thought I posted it. Apparently I didn’t. Yeah, that’s how these last few weeks have been for me! On with with it… here’s some new ish.

Dwele - Open Your Eyes
OK, this is kinda of a strange. Dwele covering Bobby Caldwell’s Open Your Eyes, which people bug out on due to Common’s The Light. Funny how things come full circle like that. Anyway, Dwele is the dude so I’m not mad. His new album (dropping very soon - or likely by now) is pretty solid if you got love for neo-soul and the Detroit bump. There’s also a strange Dilla homage on there.

Giant Panda - Cinemax
The boys Giant Panda are back with a new album on Tres. I’ve given it a few listens and haven’t yet really absorbed it, but Cinemax is definitely a jam. Now I’m not going to go as far as to say the album ain’t hitting me right just yet, but let’s just say I ain’t warmed up to it yet. Their last effort was a new classic in my humble opinion.

Atmosphere - Shoulda Known
OK this isn’t THAT new but I wasn’t really checking for it. What the fuck is up with this beat? Ant done flipped his shit up. After the last album they gave away a little while back - I fully expected to hear more Atmosphere to be on the throwback style. I gotta say, this beat is kinda hot and not what I expected from them. Slug, those lyrics about drugs and girls are gettin a little old homie - but I’ll let it slide for this one.

Vast Aire - The Crush
I played the shit out of the Cannibal Ox album when it came out. There were a few things I learn from all that listening; one - El-P is actually a pretty dope producer and two, Vast Aire is a crazy nice MC. That album made me respect El-P. Anyway, I’m feelin this cut - though heard it possibly didn’t make the album.

Hustle Simmons - The Rundown ft. 84 & Fel Sweetenberg
A lot of buzz about these cats right now. Seriously, they had me at the horn stabs. Been playing this a lot lately though, and am excited to hear the album. Dig it.

EDITOR NOTE: Yo, if you can’t figure out how to download these file, click the titles.

EDITOR NOTE 2: Dwele’s Open Your Eyes was actually first released on the Detroit Soul compilation a while back. Thanks to my discriminating readers. I did however discover it was pruduced by the The Platinum Pied Pipers.

Here’s part 2 to the Memorial Day weekend jump off. Bang these in your box and step your party jams up. This here is the funk & soul installment to keep things moving. I will also affectionately refer to it as the “hot records I don’t have” post. So holler if you’re holdin!

The Lafayette Afro Rock Band - Hihache
Lordy, that’s the business. If this don’t make your shake your ass your shit is broke. Seriously. This has been comped to death but it’s still a classic. I’m not gonna lie, I don’t even have the Soul Makossa album. I’ve never wanted to pay what it goes for and I’ve never come across it in the wild. Shit, the Malik album goes for even more… regardless, this cut is a favorite of mine and this is a pretty crispy version.

Ronnie Keaton - Going Down For The Last Time
This is a record I’ve been looking for. Aside from that mean ass break on the front, this song holds it’s own regardless. This was on a Keb Darge comp a little while back and was also flipped by Madlib for Vast Aire’s Look Ma No Hands. The 45 on Konduko (Miami) doesn’t really ever turn up now that those cats shed light on it - believe me I’ve looked. Oh well, it probably never really did anyway but just means it’s gonna cost me more now. Pass one my way if you see it. Meanwhile… All your Ronnie Keaton records are belong to Keb!

Dyke & The Blazers - Stuff
Now that’s funky. A friend just laid a copy of the Funky Broadway comp on me recently so it was nice to get a full clean listen of a grip of Dyke & The Blazers stuff in one place. These cats were much more than just Funky Broadway. Leon Haywood actually played with these guys for a while as well (more on him later, cause he’s pretty bad ass in his own right). Thanks Andy.

Peter Reno - Silver Thrust
How about some funky flute for that ass! When I was traveling in Baltimore (and record shopping of course) i ran into Jason Willett who had a great story about hooking up with DeWolfe and licensing a grip of music from them to release a comp. I got this from him and it’s a cut I had never heard. There’s so much garbage library stuff out there it’s always a treat to hear the good stuff. I actually brought some tasty library joints home from NYC on that trip as well, they may wind up in a future post. No promises though.