Artist of the Day: Dntel

Jimmy Tamborello likes to take his time. Thirteen years after starting to work under the Dntel moniker and almost six years after releasing his last Dntel full-length, Life is Full of Possibilities (Plug Research), he has painstakingly built and birthed Dumb Luck, an album five years in the making.

Thick with Tamborello’s signature electronic washes and genius beat placement, Dumb Luck is an album lyrically as much about human distance as connection. With vocal contributions from friends Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley), Edward Droste (Grizzly Bear), Valerie Trebeljahr and Markus Acher (Lali Puna), Mia Doi Todd, Grant Olsen and Sonya Westcott (Arthur & Yu), Andrew Broder (Fog), Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes) and Christopher and Jennifer Gunst (Mystic Chords of Memory), the organic instrumentation by Chris Hathwell (drummer, Moving Units) and Paul Larson (guitarist, The Minor Canon) is manipulated, chopped and pasted amidst Tamborello’s skittish beats, house clicks, organ washes and dreamily pixelated symphonies. The result is at once understatedly epic, ethereal and concrete.

Like Mistake Mistake Mistake Mistake (Plug Research), his 2006 release under the name James Figurine, and The Postal Service’s 2003 release Give Up, Tamborello meticulously labored over each element of his bit-crushed compositions in his LA home studio. Fueled by a short attention span, his distaste for working on any one project for extended periods of time meant that this was, like most worthwhile things, a process fraught with redefinition and constant change.

After all, producing, engineering and songwriting initially started out as pre-teen after-school fun for Tamborello, whose early interests were breakdancing music and ‘80s techno pop (and later the sonic tampering of Skinny Puppy and Aphex Twin). In the mid-to-late ’90s, he played in the post-hardcore band Strictly Ballroom and satisfied his ’80s techno pop appetite with the (still active) Figurine; he also played stints in So-Cal pop groups Further and The Tyde. The myriad of friends Tamborello made along the way informed the collaborative element of Dntel; each vocal is viewed as another instrument in the arsenal, helping to create a warm masterwork that is uniquely his (Sub Pop Records, 2010).

You can listen to Dntel's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Dntel



Released Albums:
Dntel - Life is Full of Possibilities
Dntel - Dumb Luck
Dntel - Early Works for Me if It Works for You
Dntel - Somethings Always Goes Wrong

Dntel - This Is The Dream of Evan and Chan EP

Reference:
(2010). Dntel. Last.fm. Retrieved from http://www.subpop.com/bio/dntel

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Artist of the Day: Joey Chavez

In the early ’90s, hip-hop music was introduced to a new sound. The West Coast underground made it a point to step aside from the regional emphasis on g-funk and invent a new style of production. They Drew from the school of chop-based beats that was pioneered by the likes of Premier, Showbiz, and Diamond D, but gave it a unique twist by holding West Coast roots. Joey Chavez was at the forefront of this declaration when he produced seminal records for West Coast staples Dilated Peoples, Aceyalone, Planet Asia, King T, Dr. Doom, Phil the Agony, and Defari. 

An unofficial 4th member of the Dilated team, he always holds a production slot on each of their albums and continues to provide stand-out backdrops for lyricists worldwide. His global fan base hold true as he is universally recognized as a leader in the West Coast hip-hop sound. This instrumental collection complies all of his topnotch releases from the very start of the movement-each, handpicked by him—and is the official re-mastered archive of his work. It’ sure to be an essential piece for all hip-hop heads and collectors (Last.fm, 2010).

You can listen to Joey Chavez's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Joey+Chavez



Released Albums:
Joey Chavez - Music from the Connection
Joey Chavez - The Original Structure
Joey Chavez - Music Minus One
Joey Chavez - After The Heat

Reference:
(2010). Joey Chavez. Last.fm. Retrieved from http://www.last.fm/music/Joey+Chavez

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Artist of the Day: Kero One

Considered by some as a mogul in the jazzy hiphop genre, Kero One, a San Francisco rapper/producer/DJ, stands as a true testament to the do-it-yourself success story.

Using only his homemade studio and personal credit card, Kero One pressed and released his first 12” single Check the Blueprints in 2003 on his own imprint, Plug Label. Without any experience as to how he should distribute his new record, Kero One spent endless hours researching, cold calling, and seeking help from friends. Of the 50 copies that were eventually distributed around the world, one landed in a tiny record store in Tokyo, Japan. A few weeks later, it was found by a Japanese DJ who played it at a club that night and received dozens of inquires, including a Japanese label executive who immediately contacted Kero One and asked for 3,000 copies of the record.
 The record became an underground hiphop classic in Japan almost overnight, and Kero One was invited to tour the country just a few months after. He performed in cities throughout Japan where he was greeted by hundreds of fans waiting to take photographs and autographs, much to his surprise. It was at this point that making a career out of music became a reality.

Kero One went on to finish his first album, Windmills of the Soul, in 2005, handling everything from playing instruments, rapping, and sound engineering. Without a strong label backing or a street team, Kero One handled almost all the business himself. From promotions and marketing, manufacturing, finances, graphic layouts and web design, Kero One personally handed out promos to tastemakers anywhere he could find them. Eventually the hard work paid off, and Kero One quit his job as a web designer in 2006 to pursue music full time.

Since 2006, Kero One has been awarded the title of Best HipHop Album of 2006 from Remix magazine, topped iTunes hiphop charts, received praise from the likes of Emmy award winning producer Will.i.am, and toured all over Asia, Europe, Australia, and the USA. Kero One has shared the stage with artists like KRS 1, Blu + Exile , DJ Cash Money, Dj Kentaro and Epik High (where Kero One participated in arguably the first successful Asian-American hiphop tour). Additionally, Kero One has kept busy collaborating with the likes of renowned acts such as Talib Kweli, Mark Farina, Epik High, and Dynamic Duo. In 2007, Kero One opened his first office and recording studio in downtown San Francisco to house his fledging hiphop/dance/funk imprint, Plug Label, releasing over a dozen records and CDs.

In 2009, Kero One independently released his official sophomore album Early Believers showcasing the talents of some of his favorite vocalists such as UK singer Ben Westbeech, Finland's answer to modern soul," Tuomo, and Portland's Ohmega Watts. Bouncing between soulful jazz tinged tracks to upbeat synth-driven party bangers, Early Believers showcases Kero One’s growth and maturity as a writer, composer, vocalist and arranger.

In 2010, Kero One released his third solo album entitled Kinetic World which again features some of his favorites, including Fashawn, Tablo of Epik High, Dumbfoundead and Othello. In addition, Kero One's interest in the youtube generation has inspired features from young talents such as Esna and Sam Ock (Plug Label, 2010).

You can listen to Kero One's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Kero+One



Released Albums:
Kero One - Windmills of the Soul
Kero One - Windmills of the Soul Instrumentals
Kero One - Early Believers

Reference:
(2010). Kero One. Plug Label. Retrieved from http://www.pluglabel.com/artists/kero/kero_bio.htm

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Artist of the Day: Ammoncontact

Carlos Nino and Fabian Ammon are Los Angeles-based production duo Ammoncontact. Over the past 5 years they have released their unique brand of jazz and funk-influenced hip hop on a wide variety of celebrated indie labels such as Emperor Norton, Eastern Developments, Soul Jazz and Plug Research. Recently these highly acclaimed music makers signed an exclusive recording deal with Ninja Tune.

The majority of Ammoncontact’s releases have been instrumental, with sparse vocal elements and samples and an occasional full on collaboration with a rapper, singer or poet. Their latest - and in every way greatest - work to date, “With Voices,” is a new step for the group, where artists like living legend Yusef Lateef, Dwight Trible (“Love Is The Answer”) and Kamau Daaood (L.A.’s premier poet) are featured on tracks next to Prince Po (Organized Konfusion), Brother J (X-Clan), Abstract Rude (Project Blowed) and many others. Folk singer Mia Doi Todd and DJ legend Cut Chemist (Jurassic 5, Ozomatli) also make appearances.

Friends for over 10 years, Carlos Nino and Fabian Ammon consider themselves musical kindred spirits. Writer/arranger/producer/musician/DJ Nino is very busy in the music world with his projects The Life Force Trio, Build An Ark, Hu Vibrational, Go: Organic Orchestra, The Sound Of L.A. and Spaceways Radio, but he has always made his way back to home-base with Ammoncontact to focus on reaching a hip-hop audience. Ammon stays busy in his home studio making beats and taking care of his young son. Together, the two find time to share ideas and add to each other’s individual tracks. Nino is the primary producer and conceptual mind behind the Ammoncontact releases but the unique sound comes from the support, encouragement and creative input of Ammon, too.

“With Voices” was the result of an effort to collaborate with a diverse cross-section of L.A.-based artists. Nino and Ammon put together the tracks and Nino set out to enlist as many of his friends as he could to participate. The tracks flow naturally as an album and feel linked in a deeper way than is usual on “producer plus guests” albums. Live instrumentation and numerous sample and programming sources make up this soulful and profound sound. Please read the credits to see who did what and sail deeper into the sea of Ammoncontact (Ninja Tune).

You can listen to Ammoncontact's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Ammoncontact



Released Albums:
Ammoncontact - Sounds Like Everything
Ammoncontact - Brothers From Another EP
Ammoncontact - One In An Infinity of Ways
Ammoncontact - New Birth
Ammoncontact - With Voices

Reference:
Ammoncontact. Ninja Tune. Retrieved from http://www.ninjatune.net/ninja/artist.php?id=114#biography

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Artist of the Day: Michna

Growing up in both NY and Miami, Michna (real name: Adrian Michna) is that unique breed of artist that draws from both the urban and the tropical. As a youngster, Adrian started DJing parties with cassettes and playing trombone in a band on the NYC bar circuit including the infamous Lion’s Den and CBGB’s.
After moving to Miami in the mid-90’s, he co-founded the pioneering Secret Frequency Crew, who deftly mixed instrumental hip-hop and electronic into a coherent whole. Their appropriately titled 12” “Miami Eyes,” became an underground hit and caught the attention of a then-unknown Diplo who would ask him for production work. SFC’s debut LP “Forest of the Echo Downs” also put Adrian on Ghostly’s radar as it was one of label founder Sam Valenti IV’s top LPs in 2004.

Currently based in Brooklyn NY, Adrian Michna (aka DJ Egg Foo Young) has become a staple in the NYC club scene, known for his chameleon like abilities. Outside of the club, he has been able to pursue a few hobbies such as building furniture, bicycles, photography, skeeball, and gloss lustre collages. While working on his solo album, he also found time to remix the mysterious Jandek (the only artist ever to do so) and produce on Brazilian group Bonde Do Role’s debut LP for Domino/Mad Decent.

It seems Adrian has found his stride as a solo artist, bringing together his myriad influences into a succinct sonic personage. His debut LP “Magic Monday” and the elevating single “Triple Chrome Dipped” are works of distinction and taste, getting asses on the floor in style (Ghostly International, 1998-2010).

You can listen to Michna's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Michna



Released Albums:
Michna - Magic Monday
Michna - Eggstra EP

Reference:
(1998-2010). Michna. Ghostly International. Retrieved from http://ghostly.com/artists/michna

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