Straight Outta Ljubljana

House Music Friday is making a stop in Slovenia of all places...



That's where Ichisan & Nakova are from, making them the first Slovenians to appear here at Tonegents. For that, they win a year's supply of Rice-A-Roni, The San Francisco Treat! Which, being from Slovenia, they have never heard of. Trust me guys, you'll love it. Sweet Balearic/Nu Disco vibes from the always quality and excellently named Nang Records. Dig it...

Ichisan & Nakova - Tarantela (ysi)

Have a good weekend kiddos. Don't trick or treat at the meth houses...

Meaty, Beaty, Beardy and Bouncy

I'm not generally one to gush all over artists on this blog, but sometimes I do make exceptions...



Earlier this year during our annual Blog-achella festivities I slathered a heaping helping of savory, frothy man-love onto UK beatboxer extraordinaire Beardyman, all of it rightly deserved. The man live is a mind-boggling spectacle to say the least. But now his studio album is out... how does it match up? As well as it can, I guess. Without the "oh shit" factor of watching the guy do his thing in person, it's all about the tunes... and basically you have a highly original, genre-hopping (but mostly Dubstep) record with a pervasive sense humour that's generally lacking in the dark and angst-ridden world of Wobble. I mean, just look at that album cover. Dude is definitely off his fucking rocker in a very good way. How much of it is his voice and how much is keyboards is hard to tell, but it's not like the guy claims to never use any keyboards (including in the live show) so stop hatin', playa. Just revel in the goofiness (and killer bass) of it all...

Beardyman - Vampire Skank (ysi)

Interesting to say the least. Lots more heavy, heavy beats and extreme silliness on this record for sure. I believe there's a skit in there about Justin Bieber being eaten by a pack of wolves. Man, I can't stop talking about that kid, can I? HE'S JUST SO DREAMY!!! Anyhoo, for more of what the Man of Beard can do live, you need to check this re-donkulous BBC Essential Mix he did earlier this year out as well. Holy shitballs...

Bieber Fever and the Folktronica Flu?

Feeling a case of Bieber Fever coming on, so I'll make this snappy...



Folktronica! That's a pretty stupid made-up word right there... but damn if it isn't a very fucking good way to describe the sound of British act Tunng (the extra "n" makes it extra devil). It's folky, but at the same time very Tronica. BAM! Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself...

Tunng - Wind Up Bird (ysi)

I'm not kidding about the Bieber thing. My nose is running and my left eye is twitching uncontrollably. I know. Weird. Happens when he's in the building. And if you have no idea why Justin Bieber would be in the same building as me... good.

Exchange this!

'Bout time I brought you some of the new-new, so here's one of my current absolute favorites today...



My growing man-crush on Dutch producer Nicolay has been well-documented around here of late, but his marquee project (so to speak) The Foreign Exchange would not be nearly as dope with out North Carolina MC/singer Phonte. I don't think there's another rapper in the world who can sing as well as this guy... dude's voice is like butta. And not some cheap-ass butta... some of that super organic butta from cows that had personal valets that you get at Whole Foods that costs like ten bucks a stick. We're talkin' seriously smooth, people. But more about that later. Phonte just released his very first solo record and it's got more rapping that singing... but lucky for us, he's pretty good at that, too. Dig it... oh, and that's not him on the hook, smart-ass. I didn't say he sounded like a girl...

Phonte - Everything Is Falling Down (ysi)

Great jam, but doesn't exactly prove the point I've been hammering on... so please enjoy this video that I'm quite very, very sure is not supposed to be on YouTube in it's entirety...



Now you know what I'm sayin'... boy can sang. That's black for "sing", btw... #themoreyouknow

Noticing a pattern here...

With the break I unfortunately had to take, it turns out there has not been a proper House Music Friday in over two months. That's a traveshamockery is what that is...



Sometimes the shuffle sets up the comedy so well I think it moonlights as a writer on 2 1/2 Men. I'm kidding of course... because that show is painfully not funny. I'd get bigger laughs from a mass kitten execution. But seriously, check this out. The last HMF installment featured Motor City Drum Ensemble, whom I gave a great deal of shit for not being from Detroit at all, but rather being a pasty little German. So guess who pops up in the shuffle today... an act called Motorcitysoul who are... wait for it... not one but TWO pasty Germans... (long sigh)...

...

...

I think the Germans would get over the huge boner they have for Detroit if they ever actually, you know... went to Detroit. Great music town, don't get me wrong, but I mean-- you know, I don't think I'll say any more. I probably have readers in Detroit. HOW 'BOUT THOSE LIONS!?!?! WOOOOOO!

Motorcitysoul - Space Katzle (ysi)

I'm just waiting now for the next House Music Friday, featuring the Sheisse Eaters... a band from Detroit. BOING...

Funk Travels #46

We've journeyed all over the world in our search for Funk here at Tonegents and today we add yet another new destination...



Nil's Jazz Ensemble was but one of the outfits led by Peruvian sax/flute man Nilo Espinosa, a cat that is still going strong today. And that ends the information I have about Nilo Espinosa. Not a lot out there. But really, what more do you need to know? Favorite color? Boxers or briefs? Exactly. All you need to know is brotherman was dammmmmn funky...

Nil's Jazz Ensemble - Reflexions (ysi)

Now you're not gonna have much luck trying to purchase that record up there in the photeegraph unless you have some eBay skillz and a couple hundred smackers to spend, so click the link below for a nice little compilation called Peruvian Funk that this nugget also lives on...



So Peru got Funk too. Where do we go next? We'll find out when we get there...

Solo Surfer

Another solo project from another Austrian Downtempo Premier Leaguer today...



For some reason, I expect anyone named Wolfgang to live in a castle and walk around with big puffy white wigs on. I expect a Wolfgang to drink out of a goblet at all times and to have a set of hounds that he may release at will. I mean, don't you? Well you should. It's pretty obvious. Anyhoo, when Wolfgang Frisch isn't releasing the hounds all over some fool, he makes dope Downtempo beats... most notably as a member of Sofa Surfers, but here all on his owns.

Wolfgang Frisch - Jericho (ysi)

And because the world is sometimes a wellspring of serendipity, my shuffle landed on this track exactly four days after Wolfgang's brand new one has dropped. Check the deets on his website and go get that one, too...

Yum?

Sometimes I blog hand-picked nuggets personally and lovingly selected for your maximum listening pleasure and then painstakingly craft entertaining yet informative words to surround and nurture them.... and then sometimes I take the easy way out...



So I heard this Willie Bobo tune on KJazz this weekend and was kinda lovin' it...

Willie Bobo - Fried Neckbones And Some Homefries (ysi)

And here's a recipe I totally stole from another blog... SUE ME!

Neckbones

Here’s what you’ll need:

* about 2½ pounds of fresh pork neckbones
* If your supermarket doesn’t carry fresh pork neckbones, it means that the po’ folks don’t shop there. Change supermarkets or move to a better neighborhood. ½ cup cooking oil

* 1 Tbsp garlic powder
* 2 tsps salt
* 1 tsp black pepper
* 6 cups of water
* 1 onion, sliced
* ½ bunch of chopped green onions, about 4

Directions:
* Use the ½ cup of cooking oil and brown the neckbones, turning them frequently.

* When the neckbones are browned, add the chopped green onion, the sliced onion and the spices.

* Add water and bring to boil.

* Cover pot with tight-fitting lid and simmer on low for 1½ hours. Stir once or twice.

* After 1½ hours of simmering,Skim fat if desired.

* Simmer 15 more minutes and turn off fire. Stir once.

* Wait 15 more minutes and eat.


Homefries

INGREDIENTS

* 2 tablespoons bacon grease
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 6 medium-sized peeled, cold cooked potatoes, sliced or diced, about 2 pounds
* 1 medium onion, diced or sliced
* 1 cup finely chopped celery
* 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
* Salt and black pepper, to taste
* Dash of seasoning salt, onion salt or powder, to taste

Directions:

Heat the bacon grease and butter in a large skillet over high heat. When the fat is hot, add the potatoes and other vegetables. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring them often, until the potatoes are nicely browned on all sides. Season with about 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to start.

Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until well browned. Stir, taste, and add your chosen seasonings as the potatoes cook. Add more grease if necessary, but not too much. Home Fries should never be swimming in fat.

When the potatoes are brown and crisp, remove them from the heat. Drain on paper towels and serve.

NOTE – When you cook the potatoes, don’t overcook them, remembering that you have about 15 to 20 minutes cooking time when you are frying them. I cook mine just long enough to elimate some of the rawness, but firm enough to hold their shape. Or, if you prefer, you can use raw potatoes, it’s up to you.

Dudes With Funny Names

We visit one half of one of the all-time dynamic duos today, and I'm not talking about that little twerp Robin...



The status of Kruder & Dorfmeister is so legendary in the world of Electronica that one might very well forget that they never even put out a full length record of original music together.


"Whaaaaaa?!?!?"

It's true! As a matter of fact, both Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister have been far more prolific since they parted ways... Kruder with Peace Orchestra and especially Dorfmeister and his Tosca project (with his buddy Rupert, which is easily one of the 10 funniest dude names I can think of, right up there with Randy, Lance and Bruce). Check the chilly chill...

Tosca - Raymundo (ysi)

You know, Raymundo is pretty funny sounding, too. "Rupert, Raymundo. Raymundo, Rupert." Tee hee.

Because you want honesty...

...I'm going to admit a couple of things to you here today...



I'm not embarassed to admit that, like most white people, I knew nothing Bootsy Collins until he appeared on Deee-Lite's "Groove Is In The Heart". I have no problem with that whatsoever. But the important thing about information is not how you get it, but what you do with it. Too bad I didn't really "do" anything with that information, but that is a pretty good line, no? I think I got that one from an episode of Bosom Buddies... anyhoo, it was more like when I finally discovered P-Funk, I was like "Hey! It's that dude from 'Groove Is In The Heart'!" I'll bet no one at Pitchfork would admit that. BECAUSE THEY'RE DOUCHEBAG POSERS! And while I'm admitting stuff... the real reason I really love this song is because of the extremely dirty remake N.W.A. did. Google it...

Bootsy Collins - I'd Rather Be With You (ysi)

And just for shits and giggles...



You know, I still love that song AND I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS IT! Sing it, baby...

Let's just get this thing up...

I'm just gonna post this one up without the usual banter as it's been sitting around half-written for three weeks...



It's some smooth vocal Soul Jazz from L.A. singer Dwight Trible on a very vintage '70s tip. Spiritual and shit. Dig it...

Dwight Trible - Footprints (ysi)

Back to normal tomorrow, for realsies...