Mark Zip Poop ’12



cover of Gaslamp Killer - Breakthrough  Buy New or Used via Amazon
Gaslamp Killer – Breakthrough
Wacky LA Low End Theory DJ makes record. Samples include the requisite “Global” influences and bottomless sub-bass. The addition of California psych and Gonjasufi’s voice are nice bonuses and so the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.



cover of Various Artists - Subway Salsa: The Montuno Records Story  Buy New or Used via Amazon
Various Artists – Subway Salsa: The Montuno Records Story
I remember the first time I ventured down into the Time Square subway station and visited Record Mart. I think it was the second record store I ever visited in the city. I went back often for more lashings of latin music. Here is an excellent 2CD compilation of tracks released on the store’s own label. And it’s a really broad mix of music. Not just salsa and its offshoots, it also has son guaracha, pachanga, rhumba and many other finely sliced genres. Excellent liner notes too.



cover of Bobby Womack - The Bravest Man in the Universe  Buy New or Used via Amazon
Bobby Womack – The Bravest Man in the Universe
The phenomenon of older stars being given new settings is nothing new. In 2010 Gil Scott Herron was given contemporary beats and arrangements for what turned out to be his final recording. XL’s Richard Russell, who helmed that project, is back here. He is joined in production duties by Damon Albarn. The settings are mostly spare with percussion tracks swimming through fields of color wash. Melodies are not overwhelming when present and that means that the tone and timbre of Womack’s soulful voice comes through a treat. I was pleasantly suprised by Lana Del Rey’s guest vocal spot, as her album did nothing for me. The US release appears to have ditched the original artwork, the UK version with Bobby’s (very) flexible hand is stunning.



cover of Madness - Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da  Buy New or Used via Amazon
Madness – Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da
After last year’s mighty “Liberty of Norton Folgate”, it was unlikely that the Nutty Boys would reacha similar level on their 10th record, and indeed they didn’t. But there are real gems here. The bounce is still in evidence, it’s tempered with reflections about getting older and “faint whiffs of nostalgia”. It’s a pity about the album’s title. (Bonus: The single for “Death of a Rude Boy” features a remarkable Andrew Weatherall remix which is an object lesson in the art.)



cover of Mala – Mala in Cuba  Buy New or Used via Amazon
Mala – Mala in Cuba
Mala is part of Digital Mystikz and DMZ and thus his debut LP had to be given the time of day. He went to Cuba and recorded a whole bunch of tracks with local players and then went home and messed about with them. Cultural tourism like that can be tricky, and so it proved here. The record goes two ways, some Mala and some Cuba. The bifurcation of styles is obvious and it feels as though he made unsuccessful attempts to make it flow better. I actually found that the best way to listen to the CD was to pick out the “Mala” tracks and listen to those in one go, and then the focus on the “Cuba” tracks.



cover of   Listen at Core News
Baauer – (in the mix on Diplo & Friends, BBC Radio 1 – Sept. 16, 2012)
Baauer is at the forefront of the new, less crunk-oriented, version of Trap music and has had a breakout year. This mix showed off the various niches into which trap has inserted itself over the last year. You can hear strains of footwork, syrup and glitch. It’ll be in charting mainstream hip hop and r ‘n b before you read this. Baauer’s own 2011 Harlem Shake track is a good workout for your stereo. 2012’s Dum Dum was a minimal trap/hip hop killer. Warning: A tolerance of repetition is required…



TRACK Disclosure – “Latch” Listen at YouTube
TRACK Rudimental – “Feel the Love” Listen at YouTube
TRACK: Major Lazer (feat. Amber Coffman) – “Get Free” Listen at YouTube (Andy C version is completely different, and great, d ‘n b Listen at YouTube)
TRACK: Usher – “Climax” (Diplo prod.) Listen at YouTube
TRACK: Calyx & Teebee – “Elevate This Sound” Listen at YouTube
These tracks (only one of which hit in the US) are all great examples of space. Space between the layers of a pop song, between the beats and rhythms and between textures. As electronic production techniques filter ever upward from the bedroom to the charts, there must be more and more of these tracks



Iggy Azalea - Trap Gold (Mixtape)

Iggy Azalea - Trap Gold (Mixtape)

Saint Etienne – Words And Music By Saint Etienne

Saint Etienne – Words And Music By Saint Etienne

Jessie Ware – Devotion

Jessie Ware – Devotion

Rye Rye – Go! Pop! Bang!

Rye Rye – Go! Pop! Bang!

Hot Chip – In Our Heads

Hot Chip – In Our Heads

Orbital – Wonky

Orbital – Wonky

Grimes - Visions

Grimes - Visions

Adrian Sherwood – Survival & Resistance

Adrian Sherwood – Survival & Resistance

Dwight Yoakam - 3 Pears

Dwight Yoakam - 3 Pears

Staff Benda Bilili – Bouger Le Monde

Staff Benda Bilili – Bouger Le Monde

Iris Dement – Sing The Delta

Iris Dement – Sing The Delta

Flying Lotus – Until the Quiet Comes

Flying Lotus – Until the Quiet Comes

Dum Dum Girls – End of Daze EP

Dum Dum Girls – End of Daze EP

Japandroids – Celebration Rock

Japandroids – Celebration Rock

The xx – Coexist

The xx – Coexist

Fake Blood – Cells

Fake Blood – Cells

Pet Shop Boys – Elysium

Pet Shop Boys – Elysium

Dr. John – Locked Down

Dr. John – Locked Down

Burial – Street Halo/Kindred EP

Burial – Street Halo/Kindred EP

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – Trouble

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – Trouble

George Sibanda – Legendary

George Sibanda – Legendary

Jamey Johnson – Tribute to Hank Cochran

Jamey Johnson – Tribute to Hank Cochran

V.A. – Annie Mac Presents 2012

V.A. – Annie Mac Presents 2012

Netsky – 2

Netsky – 2



Finally, my most exhilarating non-musical moment of 2012: The sight of Felix Baumgartner stepping off that little platform and falling through space towards the curvature of the earth.




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