The mail's here.

To me, finding good music is akin to sifting through the daily mail...stuff you don't want to get, a few things you don't know why you still get (Burger King birthday month cards, I'm looking at you) and maybe...just maybe...something you wanted to get. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen very often. So what do you do? Enjoy every piece of mail you get. Yes, even those birthday month cards from your local fats food chain. Burger King at least cares enough to remember the month.

Here are a few pieces of mail I've been listening to recently. A grab-bag, if you will.

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This first track is a recent banger from Made To Play head honcho Riva Starr. A sensual, warped sax line behind spastic bass and tambourine, this track does everything right, and unlike most electro house cuts, doesn't overstay its welcome, coming in at around 3 and a quarter minutes. A second wavering sax line rolls in to give the track a spicy, rhythmic, body-shaking mentality. Short, sweet, spicy, and unrelenting, this most recent Riva Starr outing can be digested by anyone, and is perfect to kick off late-night parties. LEMON!

Riva Starr - Trompe D'Amour

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If Eminem was the tough guy as a young, white rapper, then Josh Martinez inevitably was the shy, nerdy, white rapper. Unfortunately, Josh Martinez is a name probably none of you have ever heard before, despite the man's presence in the world of underground rap. Martinez brings a fierce, at times sensitive, viscerally goofy flow and punch to his lyrics, but as every rapper has that soft-spot song for every girl, Martinez's rings especially clear. Over a laid-back, mellow beat that almost hums "bright, shiny, happy day", Martinez reminiscences on his romantic past, his shyness, and his honest appreciation of a new girl in his life. Yeah, yeah, I know we've all heard it before, but the chorus is the best part of the whole song, as Martinez waxes (admittedly goofy) poetic: "’m just a dude and I do things the way dudes do. Cause I’m glued and stuck on you but I say do what you need to do. I’ll be here, drinking a beer, looking around, holding it down. Thinking of you…" The man is a goofy genius. A beautiful, honest song, perfect for nights with that special someone... Check Josh Martinez on Camobear Records, which released his two best albums, "Midriff Music" from '04, and "World Famous Sex Buffet" in '07. Enjoy.



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This final track is a massive, anger-filled techno cut from UK producer/DJ Alan Fitzpatrick. Released on Swedish label Drumcode, "Face of Rejection" is a warm, heavy techno cut that screams subtle anger and frustration in, well, the face of rejection. An ominous bass kicks things off, slowly building before an angry piston hiss knocks things into high gear, and the track begins to gain momentum, continuing the menacing kick and snarling bass, before echoing, hissing hi-hats wrap the track in a cloud of visceral rage and power. A one-trcik pony this track might be, but damnit, it's quite a powerful "trick".





That's all for now. This happens to be exam weekend, so I should probably get back to studying. Or continue sorting my mail.
Have a great weekend folks.
-NL