MIA’s Galang was meant for jazz.

When you think about it, the mashed up rhythms of that track remind me a lot of the imporivsation that is the basis of jazz music.

Glad I’m not the only one who thinks this, as I stumbled upon this very interesting cover from New York pianist Vijay Iyer. The track is from his 2009 Historicity which completely flew under my radar (but not anymore), and also includes covers of Michael Jackson’s Human Nature and Ronnie Foster’s Mystic Brew (um, Electric Relaxation anyone?).

Found this track thanks to Wayne Marshall, who did a mashup of Vijay’s Galang cover with MIA’s original.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The original, for comparison:

Click here to view the embedded video.

We’ve been following Baltimore artist Rye Rye for a hot minute now and I’m glad to hear that she’s FINALLY put out a video for her track “Bang,” which has been making waves on the club circuit. The vid, directed by Mrs. Maya herself, has that grainy, gritty B-More quality we come to expect from the Charm City. Will this track make waves in the mainstream? I hope so.

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Part 2

Name: Marcus KING KONG Dowling
Location: Greenbelt, MD
Website: True Genius Requires Insanity: http://www.tgrionline.com

So, I got asked by Stone to knock out what I thought were the top five songs of 2008. It’s a hard year to do this, as, if you ask anyone who has forsaken popular music in lieu of the musical revolution online that just EXPLODED this year, yeah. It’s hard. If I wanted to do a “Top Five Songs Art House Hipster Blogophiles Were Playing Off Their iPOD When They Saw that Cute Jenny Lewis Lookin’ Chick At Starbucks,” it’s a far far far different list than the “Comprehensive List of Five Songs That Will Make People Say, That Was The Best Music Anybody, Hipster, Blogger, Old, Young or Otherwise Heard in 2008.” That’s what I take this as, so, let’s go!

Without further ado:

Honorable mentions to TI and Lil Wayne, who made this year excellent, but, were oversaturated. Plus, I want to see if I can do this without their ubiquity.

5. Ne-Yo – Closer: The Smokey Robinson of our era finally has hit his stride as a pop auteur, and is now making a string of hits for himself. Closer was the best of all of them as his voice literally flutters and lands on the track. Beautiful, and oh so amazing.

4. Paper Planes – MIA: THE song of 2008. As in, people who intentionally try to be hip viewed this as their HIP song. You know that douchebag in your office who thinks they know what’s up? Yeah. He just started banging this in 2008. A year too late, asshole! And now it’s Grammy nominated. The song has the best hook I’ve heard in five years. Know who else agreed? The people that made Pineapple Express. People will forget that movie. Know who else agreed, Kanye West. He made a whole different part a great hook. That song, fucking priceless.

3. Electric Feel – MGMT: This song sort of snuck up on me and bit me square in the ass. It’s a song you’ve all heard, and wanted to dance, and wanted to sing, but didn’t know who wrote it or sang it. It’s equal parts eurotrash, funk and 80s power pop, and above all else, a song that made 2008 a lot of fun.

2b. I Kissed a Girl – Katy Perry: It’s such a great great great great pop song. Formulaic as a motherfucker, but with so many people breaking the formula these days, it’s great to have this around. From my own blog: “Controversial. I think not. There wasn’t a more insipid track with a more insipid hook on the radio this year. And sometimes, that’s what we need. Anytime Cobra Starship can make “I Kissed a Boy” and Dirt Nasty can do “She Kissed My Girl,” you’ve got something culturally relevant. Even though the lyrics IN NO WAY support homosexuality, it at least got the issue on the table and allowed gays and lesbians to have a rallying point this year. That’s bold, and that’s wonderful. Plus, it’s a hot little track, too. But yeah. it deserves to be this high.”

2a. Flashing Lights – Kanye West: Yeah. This was the track for me that signified that he was the best MC we’ve ever had. He’s on a Michael Jackson level of genius now, and makes us think. This song definitely shows the cracks that being THE artist of artists in our atmosphere can bring, and was a wonderful entry into the universe he’s in on 808s and Heartbreak.

1. American Boy – Estelle: Perfect in every way. Kanye put vocals on there that didn’t overshadow a brand new artist, and make them seem like AMIL to Ja Rule, if you catch my drift. He instead added to her cache of being important and worth listening to. Unrelatedly, it’s the first time a bespoke suit has EVER been in a song. And, Estelle captures a feeling and mood note perfectly. It’s hip, it’s hot, it’s sexy, it’s funky, it’s pop, it’s soul, it’s hip hop. And it succintly sums up 2008.

Even though I cant’ stand this song, ‘Ye turned the phrase “beatmaker” on its end, and essentially pissed off every hip-hop producer I know. It’s a good thing, I promise.

6.) Kid Cudi – Day and Nite (produced by Dot Da Genius)

While most songs this year have become complex autotune monstrosities, Day and Nite thrives in its simplicity.

5.) Kano – Hustler (produced by Mikey J)

With Hustler, the Londoner Kano and producer Mickey J create the East Coast street banger that New York rappers should’ve made this year.

4.) TI, Jay-Z, Kanye West – Swagger Like Us (Produced By Kanye West)

This track redefines the posse cut, and this MIA sample has started the new hip-hop/hipster crossover movement. Look for said movement to dominate 2009 like Autotune did in 2008.

3.) Jay-Z featuring Santogold – Brooklyn Go Hard (produced by Kanye West)

Even though Black people can’t stand Santogold (just check out any comment section on Concrete Loop where her name is mentioned), Kanye and Jay-Z’s track just might give her enough street cred to achieve mainstream status in 2009.

2.) MIA – Paper Planes (produced by Diplo and Switch)

How does song from a relatively unknown UK rapper/songstress about the working poor somehow became one of the most popular songs in America? It’s the quintessential musical rags to riches story. Diplo and Switch created a monster and they didn’t even know it. Oh, and can just I say….best. hook. evar.

1.) Lil’Wayne – A Milli (produced by Bangledesh)

Bangledesh’s sample of a obscure Fatboy Slim UK remix of A Tribe Called Quest became the top anthem of 2008. This track was so hot, even R&B dudes were rapping over this beat.

Having M.I.A. on cover Tom Wait’s Down In The Hole (which we all know is from the Wire) sounds like its ripe for disaster. However, this track is simply brilliant.

I’m really liking this song, and I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because of its utter simplcity? Maybe because the video cost $9.95 to make? Who knows. All I know is that it is a very dope track. I don’t know if this song is official or if its of the “f’ing around in the studio” varitey but I will definately let y’all know. (via Imageyenation)

Santogold - I’m A Lady

Sorry, I had to put that out there.

I haven’t gotten my hands on the full Santogold album yet, but the songs that I have been playing continuously on my Ipod are 5 time’s better than the songs on M.I.A. last album Kala.

I’m not saying that M.I.A. isn’t good. “Paper Planes” was one of the best songs of 2007. But her hole shtick is so heavily reliant on Diplo’s production. Contrast that with Santogold, who has already written and produced one of the best R&B albums of the 90s. Santgold’s album looks to have more scope and depth than Kala, mainly because she is a more experienced artist, and as a frontwoman for the band Stiffed, among other things. On a talent level, you can’t even compare….Santi White is just so much better.

Having that said, you can’t directly compare the two albums. M.I.A. is more bangra/hip-hop, while Santogold traces her roots more to punk rock, but I just had to say something address the “Santogold is biting off of M.I.A. ” comments that are now arising on message board and blog comments.

Santogold is lacking the buzz that M.I.A. got, which is cause for concern (could race be a factor?). If you’re digging this though, make sure to cop her album on April 29th. (And yes, I’m still trying to get that interview her people promised as well as a mixtape drop!)

Santogold Tour Dates
Apr 25 Coachella Music Festival, Palm Desert, California
Apr 28 Late Night With Conan O’Brien, New York
Apr 29 Virgin Megastore Instore , New York
May 16 Wireless Weekender @ Roadhouse, Manchester
May 17 Great Escape @ Digital, Brighton
May 18 Great Escape @ Concorde 2, Brighton
May 20 Noveau Casino, Paris
May 21 Trix, Antwerp
May 22 Tape Club, Berlin
May 24 Dot to Dot @ Thekla, Bristol
May 25 Dot to Dot @ Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
May 26 Bar Academy, Birmingham
May 28 Sound City Festival, Liverpool
May 30 Sub Club, Glasgow
May 31 Castilla y León International Arts Festival, Salamanca
Jun 1 Crawdaddy, Dublin
Jun 2 Scala, London