August has come and gone and by the time you read this, I will have completely the first draft of my Boyz II Men book. This process has been challenging and rewarding as it’s the most I’ve ever written, but it’s also forced me to push myself to draw connections and tell stories in a much broader and more in-depth manner than I’m used to. The other day, I said to my partner that writing this book would change me and I was serious, even though I have no idea how.
I do know that locking in to finish this book and being able to concentrate fully has bled into my listening habits. I’ve been able to give a little more of myself to the music, visual art, film, and television that I’ve been engaging with lately. As a person who meditates, I know that concentration, focus, and the feeling of presentness that they bring is one of the best gifts that one can give themselves. In that spirit, here are 5 things that I’ve had the pleasure of focusing on and immersing myself in over the last 30 days.
Critical Point feat. Vikter Duplaix – Messages
I’ve recently revisited Critical Point’s 1999 12” “Messages”, a spacey, futuristic classic of the late 90s/early 2000s Broken Beat scene. I first heard this cut on Vikter Duplaix’s storied DJ Kicks mix from 2002 and it absolutely blew me away. Released on Louie Vega and Kenny Dope’s MAW label, “Messages” captures that utopian spirit that lived in so much dance music from the turn of the century. With a twitchy drum pattern, oceanic bass, and cosmic keys played by James Poyser of The Roots, “Messages” is a watershed production marking the moment when House music and Jazz came together to birth a new movement.
J.O.C. (MC Master Rock) feat. DJ Woody Wood – How It Should Be Done
How It Should be Done is the 2008 mixtape by J.O.C. (fka Master Rock) and DJ Woody Wood. Interestingly, the tape combines early 80s-style DJing and Mcing techniques, to create an homage to Philly’s first generation of hip-hop culture. Whether it’s recordings of J.O.C. doing routines and hyping up the party or Wood cutting up classic breaks like Billy Squire’s “Big Beat”, or Herman Kelly & Life’s “Dance To the Drummer’s Beat”, this mix has the feeling and texture of a classic old school tape.
Pauly Yams – Sleep If You Wanna
Rocking over a DJ Jazz-produced beat, Philly rap legend, Pauly Yams comes hard as nails on “Sleep If You Wanna”. The drums are heavy, there’s a slick Freda Payne sample in the mix and te production is top-notch. Add in the way that Yams holds it down lyrically and you can’t help but wonder why this track went unreleased back when it was recorded. “Sleep If You Wanna” would’ve made waves on any late night mix show back in the late 90s.
Lamont Dozier – Back To My Roots
Lamont Dozier’s “Going Back To My Roots” might be my favorite song right now. Opening with a groovy and memorable opening piano riff, the song is as uplifting and powerful as anything released in the disco era. A masterful songwriter, Dozier proved here that he was just as skilled at crafting dancefloor magic as he was penning ballads. Once we get to the epic vocal chants at the end of the song, we’ve been taken on a journey for the ages. DJs, add this one to your rotation if you’re not already playing it.
Flowchart – Tenjira
Flowchart was the ever-evolving band/sometimes solo project led by late Philly legend, Sean O’ Neal. Recently, I’ve been revisiting records from their catalog and discovering some new things. With its rich, warm synths and simplistic compositions, Tenjira is a current Flowchart favorite of mine. Designed as a musical sleep aid of sorts, the album’s 4 tracks float by in a dreamlike haze. With gorgeous songs like “Nationwide Sleep Disorder”, and the title track, Tenjira sits comfortably alongside Brian Eno’s Music For Airports and Howie B’s Music For Babies as examples of the healing, comforting power of ambient music.
