Graham Knox – Dollar

Alex Goose does it again.

If you don’t know by now, Alex is one of my favorite producers, not just because of his consistent output, but also because he’s one of the most versatile beat makers on the planet right now. He’s worked with hip-hop (Danny Swain), Rock and Indie (US Royalty and Jake Troth), and R&B (Brittany Bosco).

But his latest track, Dollar, is my new favorite, and LA singer (via ATL) Graham Knox, skillfully plays with her vocals, complimenting the stripped down palate of percussion. The result is a complex, yet very simple combination, and one of the most unique sounds I’ve heard all year. On top of that add a sultry video of the beautiful Ms. Knox walking through the California desert and you have a more than winning combination.

Click here to view the embedded video.

A little background:

When I was little, my mother always made sure I left the house with a dollar in my pocket. Back then, it meant I could buy a piece of Bubble Yum, and call her from a pay phone if I was stranded in the middle of nowhere. It was my way out of an impossible situation. The song Dollar is one of solidarity, independence, and knowing that in spite of the most dire of circumstances, that a “dollar in your pocket” is going to save your ass.

This track has been on repeat status since the weekend, and it’s easy to tell why. In a world of cookie cutter R&B, artists like Knox and producers like Alex stand out above the crowd.

One of the highlights of the LA trip was hanging out with the homie Alex Goose and new artist Jake Troth. As you well know, we featured Alex in our future producer interview last year, and since then, he’s relocated to Los Angeles from ATL about two weeks ago to hit it big in the industry.

DC people may know him from his work with US Royalty and Phil Ade, as well as working with Danny! (still the most underrated rapper in the game), Brittany Bosco, and the ultra successful Blueprint 3 Outtakes.

Check it:

All in all, 2009 was a great year. 2010 is proving very unpredictable, which in the end, makes the business of writing about music more exiting. I cant’ wait.

The Top 15

15.) Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

French group Phoenix showed up on a bunch of people’s “year end” lists in 2009 and rightfully so. The band managed to fill our need for uptempo rock music, mimicking such US acts like The Rapture, and were rewarded with exposure from a Cadillac commercial and radio airplay here in The States. 2010 should bode well for this band.

14.) Mayer Hawthorne – A Strange Arrangement

Michigan hip-hop producer turned LA based soul crooner Mayer Hawthorne  surprised us in 2009 with his delectable album, A Strange Arrangement. Just when you thought the whole “blue eyed soul” era of music was dying, Mayer comes through and drops such neo-classics as “Green Eyed Love,” and “Maybe So, Maybe No.” Word is, his next album is even better.

13.) Lushlife – Cassette City

In a world where most of the underground is jumping around about Jay Electronica and Mos Def, little known Philly beatmaker Lushlife rolls through and drops one of the best hip-hop albums in recent memory. Yes, it’s “backpacker”, and “left field,” but Lushlife’s laid back beats are  the perfect compliment to a lazy Sunday afternoon.

12.) Passion Pit – Manners

With Empire of the Sun, Miike Snow, and Passion Pit dominating critics lists this year, it’s safe to say that the pseudo-urban white male electro crooner (yeah I made that up) has dominated 2009. Passion Pit started off this year with their iconic track “Sleepyhead,” and their album has been a favorite ever since.  The Boston-area group crafted an album that is both eccentric and accessible at the same time. Even though the blogs sometimes get it wrong (Neon Indian?), Passion Pit is most certainly worth the hype.

11.) Mos Def – The Ecstatic

This album went from a collective “bleh,” to being one of the best albums of the year. Yes, I didn’t like this album at first, but after a number of listens, it continued to grow on me and almost made the top 10. Even though Mos really needs shift his career back Back On Both Sides era, The Ecstatic is a competent effort whose potential is only realized when listened to from beginning to end.

10.) Miike Snow – Miike Snow

While the US was jumping over Passion Pit, the Swedes were already knee deep in Miike Snow. The Stockholm-based group crafted a beautufl collection of left-field pop in their self-titled album. From upbeat tracks to ballads, this album simply wins, and like other Swedes, their visuals are simply out of this world. We already know: Sweden Stays Winning.

9.) Dam-Funk – Toeachizown

LA’s Dam-Funk brings back the 80s with his double disc “Toeachizown,” and album so steeped in back in the day nostalgia that it should come with it’s own bottle of Afro-Sheen. All jokes aside, these types of albums tend to be a huge FAIL if not done correctly. However Dam has curated an album that blends the sounds of the past with the sound of the current so seamlessly and effortlessly that most people cant’ tell if it dropped in 2009 or 1979.
8.) The Kickdrums – Just a Game

Yes, this was a free album, but I would have GLADLY paid money for it. With a sound that mimics fellow Ohioian RJD2, the duo crafted low-fi masterpieces, and unfortunately this album seemed to be overlooked by many in the music press. The transition to hip-hop producer to Radiohead-esque composer might be a daunting task, but Ohio’s The Kickdrums did it like it was nothing.

7.) MSTRKRFT – Fist of God

Unfortunately this album was a love it or hate it type of deal. I love it, the rest of the world seemed to hate it. EDM purists went at MSTRKRFT for “selling out,” while hip-hoppers were left scratching their heads at some of their greats rhyming over 120 bpm. I think the combination is brilliant, and the collaboration with John Legend, “Heartbreaker,” should’ve been a dance club staple.

6.) Alex Goose – The Blueprint 3 Outtakes

Even though none of these tracks ever got on Hova’s album, Alex Goose’s seamless blending of 60s and 70s orchestral samples makes for some of the best hip-hop beats you will hear this year. Let’s all hope that Hova reconsiders these tracks for The Blueprint 4.

5.) Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3

Speaking of The Blueprint 3, well, Jay managed to defy the haters and drop one of the most successful albums of his career. Yeah, Jay phoned it in lyrically, and some of the beat selections are off, but tracks like “D.O.A,” “Off That,” and the pop-tinged “Run This Town,” and “Empire State of Mind,” make up for that.

4.) Skyzoo – The Salvation

The most slept on album of the year, HANDS DOWN! Skyzoo dropped The Salvation this year and nobody listened. It’s a damn shame, but it also shows the shrinking market for East Coast hip-hop in this country. Every song on this album is a BANGER, and produced to perfection thanks to the talents of Just Blaze, Illmind, Black Milk, and 9th Wonder.

3.) Major Lazer – Guns Don’t Kill People…Lazers Do

Say what you will about the hipsters, but their community has spawned some of the best, creative music this decade. Diplo and Switch created one of the best dancehall/reggae record that I’ve heard in a long time. From the club banger “Pon the Floor,” to the radio-friendly “Keep It Goin’ Louder,” to the Auto-tuned baby, this album has something for everyone. After the success of M.I.A. and others, the question needs to be asked…when will the industry give Diplo a seat at the table?

3.) Drake – So Far Gone

Drake is 2009′s success story and So Far Gone is his canvas. While it seems like everybody and their mama dropped mixtapes (including our site), Drake was the only one that harmoniously blended all of his influences–from a duet with Swedish songstress Lykke Li, to rapping with Lil Wayne over Jay-Z’s Ignorant Shit, giving the hipsters AND the hoods something to love. Add to that, the singles that were produced by his Toronto-based production crew–Best I Ever Had, Successful), getting worked onto radio without a major label deal and you have the epitome of the . Want further proof? Drake released this free mixtape to stores and still outsold many rappers proper solo efforts.

2.) Calvin Harris – Ready For The Weekend

With the cost of production equipment falling to record low prices, it seems like everybody is a “producer” these days. However, not everyone has the skills of 25 year old Calvin Harris, whose sophomore CD combines the styles of house, electro, disco and everything in-between. The result, a light, fun, danceable, “floor-filler” of a CD that is the most well-rounded release this year.

1.) Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Part II

Hip-Hop has become a Mexican Standoff. There are now several factions of the genre: Dirty South, hipster, NYC, “Street,” “Classic Golden Era Boom Bap,” etc and there are no plans for rival groups to get along (No Gucci Mane/Tribe collabos?) Out of the ashes of this mess rose Raekwon, who’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx unapologetically brings back the Wu-Tang era, but opened up room for new fans in the process.+

The rest of the Top 50 Albums Below:

50.) The Eels – Hombre Loco
49.) Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon: The End of Day
48.) Rhianna – Rated R
47.) Röyksopp – Junior
46.) Tanya Morgan – Brooklynati
45.) Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You
44.) Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz
43.) Eminem – Relapse
42.) The xx – xx
41.) Gucci Mane – The State vs Roderick Davis
40.) Young Money – We Are Young Money
39.) Muse – The Resistance
38.) Wale – Attention Deficit
37.) K’Naan-Troubadour
36.) Laura Izibor – From My Heart To Yours
35.) Slaughterhouse- Slaughterhouse
34.) Diamond District – In The Ruff
33.) Snoop Dog – Malice in Wonderland
32.) David Guetta – One Love
31.) Miles Bonny – Scorpio INN
30.) Melanie Fiona – The Bridge
29.) Basement Jaxx – Scars
28.) Warpaint – The Exquisite Corpse EP
28.) La Roux – La Roux
27.) Freddie Gibbs – The Labels Tryin’ To Kill Me
26.) US Royalty – Midsommar
25.) Little Dragon – Machine Dreams
24.) Electric Wire Hustle – Every Waking Hour
23.) Danny Swain – Where Is Danny? (Demo)
22.) Fat Freddy’s Drop – Dr Boondigga & the Big BW
20.) Panacea – Corkscrew Gaps EP
19.) Ryan Leslie – Transition
18.) Florence and the Machine – Lungs
17.) J Cole – The Warm Up
16.) Blacroc – Blacroc

Download: Danny Swain – Where Is Danny?

My homie Danny Swain has been through the ringer. Signed to Def Jux a few years ago, his debut project for the label has been in flux. I don’t know if this album Where Is Danny was leaked maliciously or on purpose but I’m rejoicing either way. Most of y’all know that I think that Danny is one of the best underheard MCs of our time, and combined with Future Producer Alex Goose, the duo seems to be unstoppable.

Compared to previous work, Where Is Danny is darker, deeper, and more psychedelic. The beats that Goose drops for this project are insane and unlike anything you will here on a hip-hop album to date.

THIS IS NOT THE FULL ALBUM, just a un-mastered preview of what is in store when the real album drops on iTunes very soon. PLEASE SUPPORT

DOWNLOAD: The Blueprint 3 Outtakes

Alex Goose – Fire

Alex Goose – Hova’s Back

Alex Goose is one of music’s rising producers, creating some of the best hip-hop and R&B beats this decade. Raised in the DC area, and now living in Atlanta, Goose’s inspirations come not from the traditional breaks of hip-hop, but from psychedelic rock and French film scores. In addition, he is a talented graphic designer and photographer and he’s pushing the cultural boundaries of music and design. Alex is also a member of Atlanta’s The Big Up Crew, a art and music collective which includes Couch Sessions favorites Danny Swain and Brittany Bosco, along with designer Brandon Collins.

Last month, Alex dropped The Blueprint Three Outtakes, a collection of his beats that were sent to Hova himself for consideration for his latest album. Needless to say Goose didn’t make the cut, but the Outtakes have become a web success, spawning 10,000 downloads in its first week and getting acclaim from the hip-hop world.

However, Alex is expanding his palate, working with DC band US Royalty for their new project, as well as creating a psychedelic hip-hop album for Danny Swain.

Alex is one of my favorite new producers of the past 10 years, and his star is rising fast. Follow Alex on Twitter and check his MySpace.

Production wise, you’re all over the map. You’ve done Hip-Hop, R&B, and now Rock. However, they all have an almost vintage appeal about them. What are your influences?

My influences are first and foremost Serge Gainsbourg. He was a big face in French music, and he was around in the 50s but was super prominent in the 60s and 70s. He was the man of the moment for a really long time. He did films and acting and ususally would score the music for those films [as well]. I really like his music because he is so versatile. One minute he would be doing chants and the other minute he would be doing psychedelic rock and then the next would be super dramatic film scores. I really value his diversity and sound. His ear was very unique and I felt like he was way ahead of his time. I want to take some of that style and fuse it with what I’m doing and the projects I work on.

Your latest project is The Blueprint 3 Outtakes, which I think is Amazing. What was the story behind that?

Basically what happened was, around the Spring 2008, an A&R from Def Jam/The Roc hit me up on email. Within 2-3 weeks he came down to Atlanta and we met up, and we talked about music and we chilled and whatnot. I sent him some tracks and he was like “yo, I want to send a couple of these to Jay-Z.” I gave him the tracks and he said that he was going to email them to Jay-Z, and and about 2-3 months later the A&R hit me back and said that Jay-Z didn’t hear anything he wanted to use for the album.

I was kinda bummed at first, because I thought that these would be great [for Jay], but at the same time I was really appreciative that I had the opportunity to submit music to Jay-Z. It was a win-win situation for me because Jay is hands down my favorite rapper besides Nas, so it was a great experience to send tracks.

Alex Goose – Dear Daisy

So a few months after that I was like “maybe I should release these?” and other people at the time were like “hey you should put these out.”  I acquired a management team around that time and they were like “you should drop these around the same time as The Blueprint 3″, and I was like “that’s a great idea.” At first I was thinking “maybe I shouldn’t,” but they kind of pushed me and said “you need to do this.”

[The release] was done strategically. I wanted to drop this around the same time as the album. A lot of people were searching Google for The Blueprint 3 and it just so happened that my project was coming up in those Google searches. It kind of started to catch a buzz really quickly.

All of the tracks on that album were sent to him, and about half of them were pretty old. Some of them were created around 2004-2005. When I was looking for tracks to send to Jay-Z, I went to some of my old tracks and basically just revamped some of them. Even back then I was making beat with Nas and Jay-Z in mind, because they are my favorite rappers.

The sound of The Blueprint Outtakes is very 60s vintage, and you use a LOT of horns and orchestrations. How were you able to craft that sound?

It had a lot to do with how I arranged things and the kind of of samples I chose. I don’t really listen to a lot of hip-hop so what really inspired me to make those hip-hop records were the music that I actually listened to. I’m really into Itialian film scores, French pop, psychedelic rock, garage rock, prog rock. Mostly music between the years of 1967-1974. I really just wanted to hear Jay rap over fuzz guitar from a psychedelic rock band, and drums from that time, and horns and strings and stuff like that.

I think it also has to do with how I mixed the album too. I  didn’t particularly try to mix the album like a normal hip-hop album. A lot of people were telling me that the drums were too set back and the kicks aren’t hitting hard enough, and I did a lot of that on purpose. I don’t really study hip-hop mixes, I study how old records are mixed, and a lot of times the drums are set back and the music is up front. A lot of hip-hop music now is so bassy that you didn’t hear nothing but the bass. I wanted to sound like Jay was really rapping over a psychedelic rock record or a soul record that came out in 1968. Kind of like how DOA sounded. That was kind of the direction that I was going in, because I know that’s more of Jay’s element.

No doubt, I feel you. I’m in the same boat where I don’t listen to a lot of hip-hop at all. It all sounds the same to me.

It’s funny that you would say that because I feel the exact same way, and I wanted to make something that didn’t sound so repetitive. I wanted to make something that even people that listen to rock and don’t listen to hip-hop would like it. For example, someone told me “man, when you made that outtakes record, I was disappointed that you made that for a hip-hop artist,” and I was just like wow, that’s crazy. I kind of wanted everybody to like it. I wanted it to be a real eclectic record.

Danny Swain – Manic at the Disco

People should also know that you handled a bulk of the production for Danny Swain’s album And I Love Her, which I feel is one of the most slept on albums this generation. You’re also doing production for Danny’s Latest project. I know you told me a few months ago that you’re going for a more psychedelic vibe, is that correct?

It’s called Where is Danny, because whenever he’s not around, people are asking “Where is Danny?” (laughs) As far as the music goes, we wanted to make something that focued moe on his lyrics. He was real inspired by the Madvillian records, and of course I’m inspired by psychedelic records and we just came up with this minimal concept where each track was a minute to 3 minutes, and sequence them like a movie. Some of the tracks won’t even have a chorus and some of them won’t even make sense. It’s like when you’re listening to things that Ghostface does and you’re just like “I don’t even know what he’s talking about but its good.” Danny loves that, and I think this is just a really fun record. He would write the tracks and I would create a beat in 10-15 minutes instead of me working for an hour to a day.

I know he’s been having issues with his label. Will that album ever see the light of day?

Yeah (laughs). We’re going to self release it. It should be out by next month, no joke.

Brittany Bosco – 8-Trak (produced by Alex Goose)

One of my favorite songs that you’ve produced is Brittany Bosco’s 8-Trak. I’ve always wanted to ask…are those samples or live instruments on that song?

They were samples. Primarily I’m a sample based producer unless I’m working with a band. Primarily I would not sample if I had the resources not to sample, like Mark Ronson used The Dap Kings for all of his tracks. Your’e kind of limited when you sample but at the same time I appreciate the aesthetic and the sound quality. So if I can produce music that resembles that type of sound quality then that’s what I would do.

That’s dope. You’re one of the few producers that’s been able to pull it off. I rarely say “oh, I’ve heard that sample somewhere” with your songs. It feels like it’s an original composition.

Your design as well and one of the things that I thought was amazing was Brittany Bosco’s packaging for her Spectrum EP. How did you come up with that concept?

No budget, no money, no time. Yeah, we didn’t have a lot of money to put into something. We needed a quick turnaround, and we had to put something out in a week, and we wer so pressed on time. We ordered the bubble gold wrap and me and Brandon just fleshed it out real quick. I think we finished [the design] in four hours and we put everything together by hand, and within a week we shot it in the studio. It was that simple man, we had to do something cool with no budget. So many people get a slim jewel case with an little insert and a some graphics on it because its the norm, but when you get a gold package you’re more likely to take a look at it and see what it’s about.

I feel like that whole era of physical packaging is dying now.

Yeah, you have to really give someone a reason to want to buy a CD. You have to make them feel like they’re investing their money into something that make it feel like they are owning a collector’s item, you know?

Who is your design inspiration?

I’m just not into trends. I’m really into things that are simple, clean, timeless and smart. The keyword is timeless. I value a lot of design that came out of the 60s and 70s because it I thought it was very original and the communication was very direct. I feel like a lot of people lose touch with how important communication is as designers. Communication is key and you have to send a message through design. I also value a design with a good strategy in mind as well. I think that everything needs to be done strategically. Like what you said earlier, that you saw the Brittany Bosco packaging and you wanted to hear the music, that’s what I want to do.

So what’s your involvement with US Royalty?

I’m just glad they want to work with me. They heard the Outtakes and they wanted to work with me, and I think that they could see that my boundaries are not just hip-hop. I met them through Chis Black, their manager, and I came to thier show in Atlanta, I saw them perform, and after their first song I was like “I would love to do a song with these guys.” After the show we hung out, and me and John Thornley talked for almost two hours. While everybody is off at the bar getting drinks and getting drunk, me and John were at off to the side talking about music for hours. I think that then I knew I wanted to work with these guys. I think that me and John were on the same page immediately. Hopefully I can get up to DC and work with them for at least a week or so, because I have some great ideas.

Alex Goose’s Top 5 Songs

Warpaint – Billie Holiday

Dangermouse and Sparklehorse – Just War

Jefferson Airplaine – White Rabbit

The Beatles – I Am The Walrus

Skyzoo – Under Pressure

Download/Stream: Alex Goose – The Blueprint 3 Outtakes

You might have heard the name Alex Goose from his production work with Couch Sessions approved artists Danny Swain and Brittany Bosco. Personally, I think Alex is a producer to watch and Hova’s people thought so too, and invited him to submit beats for the Blueprint 3. Unfortunately, none of Alex’s beats made the cut, but he has decided to share them with the world. The download drops today and there will be a special packaged edition (similar to the one from Ms. Bosco) dropping soon.

Danny feat. Von Pea – Hoedown Showdown

Yep, we have some more from Couch Sessions Approved Artist Danny Swain for you. As many of y’all know, I’ve been down with this kid since 2006, and his Def Jux debut, “Where is Danny,” is dropping real soon (finally!). “Hoedown Showdown” is my favorite tracks out of all of the ones I’ve heard so far. Produced by Alex Goose, the track draws from the dark, psychedelic tones that both Danny and Alex was going for. Lyrically, this track is a beast. Get on this.

catch up on Danny, check him on Twitter and MySpace.