Man, those guys look hit.

Argue amongst yourselves over how to pronounce Aquasky. It seems like a no-brainer to me that it would be pronounced aqua-sky, but some people insist it is aqua-ski. Regardless of what I think, I find it highly entertaining to be an ass and pronounce it the moronic way.

There’s a lot to say about Aquasky. They’ve been doing whatever it is they do well for as long as I’ve known about them. Back when they were known for drum and bass, and when I had not learned fully to appreciate the genre, they were one of the few outfits I knew and enjoyed. Aquasky was a staple of Moving Shadow (probably one of the most successful dnb labels) dating all the way back to 1995. After a nice long reign over dnb land they slowed things down and switched to breaks for a stint. They did a lot of production under Aquasky vs. Masterblaster and started two of their own labels, 777 and Passenger. Today, they appear to be one of the few groups I’ve come across who have managed to keep up with trends in the club world while not completely losing their edge. You can sample a spattering of their works below.

omni trio – who are you (aquasky remix)

layo & bushwacka! – love story (aquasky remix)

aquasky – 777 vip mix

aquasky ft. ragga twins – all in check

aquasky v masterblaster – loko (masterblaster dub)

aquasky – take it to the floor

aquasky & el hornet – girls and boys

hot chip – over and over (aquasky remix)

bonus: aquasky – have a good time (the count of monte cristal sinden remix)

double bonus: aquasky – give it up (trevor loveys vocal mix)

Aquasky July 2007 mix

Tracklisting
1: Tom Real & Rogue Element ‘Machine’ – Passenger *
2: Unison ‘Electro Gitl (PJ’s mix) – Streetwise
3: Calvin Breaks The Eighties – CBTE001 bootleg
4: Stereo Hookers ‘Dirty Boy (Dirty Dub Mix)’ – Nuuf
5: The Breakfastaz ‘Girls, Money, Drink and Drugs (Devils Gun Mix)’ – Breakfast Club
6: Backdraft ‘Freeze Dried’ – Passenger *
7: Shimon and Nixon ‘I Like You (VIP mix)’ – Fingerlickin
FREESTYLE BY THE RAGGA TWINS
8: Simian Mobile Disco ‘Hustler’ – Kitsune
9: Dylan Ryhmes ‘Muzika (Rogue Element Mix)’ – Lot 49
10: Does It Offend You Yeah? ‘Battle Royale’ – Virgin
11: Jaxx ‘Make Me Sweat (Nick Thayer Boot)’ – Airways
12: Aquasky ‘Have A Good Time’ feat Acafool – Passenger *
13: Meat Katie and D.Ramirez ‘Stop The Revolution (Kid Blue VIP)’ – Lot 49
14: Aquasky & Rob Le Pitch ‘Wasted Music’ – Passenger *
15: Does It Offend You Yeah? ‘We Are Rockstars (Kissy Sellout Mix)’ – Virgin
16: Lad:Nav ‘Justice Breaks’ – Whitelabel
17: Unique 3 ‘The Theme (Rogue Element Mix) – Fat!
FREESTYLE BY SPYDA AND BOMMA (STRUGGLAZ CREW)
18: Noisia ‘Yellow Brick’ – Division
19: Elite Force ‘Return To Mind Funk’ – Used and Abused
20: Aquasky & Friction ‘Control Freek’ feat. Spyda – Passenger

Evil Nine has an album coming out in the near future called They Live! (flashback to the 1988 John Carpenter flick). It’s been 4 years since their last, so I’m not really sure what to expect…they haven’t let me down so far. I’m kind of hoping it will be along the lines of the dance rocks stuff, just Evil’d up, but who knows what Pat and Tom have done. Not me, since I don’t have my hands on a promo copy, yet! When I interviewed them years ago they talked about wanting to take a full band out on tour to do their live shows –a fantasy they apparently will make reality after this album. Use your imagination to figure out the awesomeness that will entail.

Keep up with them at their new blog: evilninelive.blogspot.com

evil nine – technology

evil nine ft. aesop rock – crooked

evil nine ft. juice aleem – pearl shot

evil nine – pearl shot (switch remix)

I’m moving this weekend. Moving sucks but the new place is worth the hassle.

lady sovereign – love me or hate me (yppah remix)

mia – bucky done gun (kissy sell out remix)

dislexik – air of dawn (dj love remix)

james zabiela – robophobia

I don’t really have anything to say today. I’m resting my brain. I like storms.

andy page and danny bonnici – vermouth

dopamine – hold you

bass kleph – bump uglies (dopamine remix)

high 8 – thru time

fc kahuna – hayling (ils remix)

Ah, the elusive white label. That unauthorized mix plagued by copyright laws and licensing fees. The mash-up so delectably cheesy that no one wants to admit they made it. Whatever the reason for the ambiguous pieces of vinyl that used to linger in record shops (do record shops exist anymore?), there were undoubtedly a good number white labels that eventually became some djs’ most prized possessions. Talk about a trainspotter’s worst nightmare.

nin v plump djs – something i can never scam

underworld – cowgirl (atomic hooligan rmx)

goldie – inner city life (ffs rmx)

soft steak taco aka SOTEG – self centered

green velvet v justice – waters over la la land (vandal’s bootleg breaks mix)

justin timberlake – like i love you (stabilizer timberbooty rmx)

purple ribbon allstars f big boy – kryptonite (lp mix)

raw as fuck – another homicide

gorillaz v kosheen – suicide mix

Boy lost in music? Something like that. My friend and I took a road trip to DC many years ago to see BLIM. We spent the whole night going back and forth identifying pretty much every track he dropped, except for one. We just knew it was that next big choon we were waiting for –the one that no one else in the states had heard yet. At least, we thought we knew, but we had no idea. We set out to ask BLIM what it was… “That? That song is 3 years old.” This came shortly after a conversation about how breaks tracks only had a crate-life of 2 months, max. Crushed. Of course, if it’s so old that no one remembers it anymore it shouldn’t be too hard to front that it’s fresh off the presses, right?

blame – music takes you (blim remix)

blue light fever – dj (blim burglar mix)

blim – the sound in my head

Back in the early 2000s, when nuskool breaks were both forward thinking and interesting, Koma and Bones were everyone’s favorite producers. Much in the same way Hybrid created their own distinct breakbeat sound, K+B had their own trademark of whipping breaks, grimey bass and darker progressive melodies. Still alive and kicking, they appear to be on the same “blog house” kick that everyone else on the planet is on theses days. Thankfully they have good taste, but I deeply miss their old sound.

Koma + Bones – Spring 08 Mix (z share)

koma+bones – powercut (rewired mix)

beber+tamra – travelling on (koma and bones remix)

kosheen – hide u (koma and bones mix)

koma + bones v databass – fade in (the program)