Archive for the ‘music’ Category
they say hello they say hola and they say bonjour February 25th, 2010
I stand by my statement last week that the US music industry is strides ahead of ours over here - but UK music is experiencing a rebirth, and growing from strength to strength. These are beautiful times for us, and tracks like this can hold it against the best. Pass Out is masterfully produced and Tinie Tempah’s lyrics are pertinent and true. Like him, I used to listen to You Don’t Want to Bring Arms House, and I’m pissed I never got to fly on a Concorde…
download here
Posted in music | Comments (0)
all black everything February 17th, 2010
Jay Z is king. Musically he is unequivocally superior. In business he has proven to be up there with the best. And his 14 year career is marked with too many achievements to list. Success was a word coined to describe people like him. But…
Empire State of Mind Part II, the solo version from Alicia “Augello Cook” Keys is perfect, even without the king of rap’s midas touch. Her vocals are so silky smooth that they sum up everything that is alluring about New York: the city lights, the cultural diversity, the American Dream. I can’t argue that she is an astoundingly talented musician, but apart from in a couple of exceptional cases, I am not amazed, or touched by her. With this song however, she has achieved something amazing: whilst reaffirming that the US music scene is way beyond that over here (can you imagine Beverley Knight coming up with a track of this stature about London?), she has made me wish I was American. Ok New Yorkers are a different breed from most Americans, but the principle is there. What’s more her voice is so seductive I’d give up everything I’ve got and up sticks in a flash to share that life with her.
This is already, and surely will always be a classic of our times…
Download here
Posted in music | Comments (0)
go lower than the grades on your report card February 5th, 2010
How Low has got more than a touch of You’re a Jerk about it - but typically from Luda it’s balanced with a dirty south twang. Add Ciara’s silky vocals [don't watch her lyrics] and Pitbull’s trademark Miami-Latin flow and this official remix is as close as it comes to the complete package. Listen/download here, or catch it in your local hip hop spot…
Posted in music | Comments (0)
pain in the neck October 6th, 2009
Whether you love autotune or hate it, whether you love Jay-Z’s D.O.A or hate it, and whether you love T-Pain or hate him, what he said about Jigga while on stage in Las Vegas last weekend was foolish and shortsighted. However, this apology - in the form of a remix of Drake’s Successful - is sincere and humble. For that he deserves respect - despite his lack of dignity earlier in the week. If you didn’t know about the bad blood between T-Pain and Jay you may well have missed the storm [in a teacup?] by now - but listening to this, especially the 3rd verse [3minutes 07seconds], will fill you in on the latest [and possibly final] chapter in the story…
And if you like it enough, you can get hold of the download here
Posted in music | Comments (0)
dirty cash i want you / dirty cash i need you more October 1st, 2009
Please forgive me. Tim ‘The Big Dog’ Westwood doesn’t really deserve one line on here - but in this special case I’m going to break that unwritten rule and post one of his videos. For the plain and simple reason that no matter what anybody says, for some inexplicable reason he attracts the biggest names on his show, and by the law of averages every now and then he’s bound to host something special. Like this freestyle from Dylan the Villain. Not only is Dizzee freestyling over New Boyz’s You’re a Jerk, but he continues to mention Patrón and his fitted cap collection. For those reasons - plus the fact that his album has just dropped - here it is…
Posted in music | Comments (0)
i stay geeked up September 23rd, 2009
This track is simply too dope to be ignored. The hook is overly catchy, and the neon video equally attractive. At the very least you have to give the New Boyz props for a) sporting skinny jeans in a hip hop video [even if you hate them], and b) getting cool kids across the globe triumphantly proclaiming I’m a jerk…
Posted in music | Comments (1)
give it to me right September 2nd, 2009
Complimenting the earlier post shouting the virtues of Ms Dynamite’s recent work, here is her great cover version of Melanie Fiona’s amazing Give it To Me Right. The combination of Melanie’s smooth vocals and Dynamite’s distinctive flow is a seductive and catchy version of a track that is already taking the world by storm…
Listen here
Posted in music | Comments (0)
are you gonna bang though? September 2nd, 2009
Carnival 2009 was graced with good weather and a great atmosphere. Yes clouds covered the sun at various points, and there was the ubiquitous madness you’d expect, but by and large it was another great year - added to by the string of guest appearances that graced the stages. While JME opted for an afternoon in the cinema instead of the streets of west London, the likes of Bashy [above,left], Dynamite [above, middle], and Gracious ‘Napaman’ K [above, right] gave impromptu performances at Rampage. The Migraine Skank was always going to be big at this year’s carnival, and Gracious‘ performances on both Sunday and Monday didn’t disappoint… but it was Dynamite who got the trees shaking. It was Dynamite at her best, and buoyed by garage classics as well as grime transition tracks [including Lethal B's POW – the fact they even played this was testimony to the Sunday cowd], the hyped crowd welcomed Dynamite like the true legend of Uk music that she is. Her performance of Bad Gyal smashed it. To hear the full version, click here. Elsewhere the sounds were littered with other funky guest appearances, including Egypt, and Funky D [who performed Are You Gonna Bang, see video below].
Lastly, to anybody who got hold of one of the 250 capicú stickers distibuted on Sunday, thanks for sticking to your word and logging on…
Posted in music | Comments (0)
it’s complex August 28th, 2009
This cover shoot for Complex Magazine’s August/September Design/Style issue features Keri Hilson and illustration from French designer/artist So-Me. The cover shoot been widely written and talked about for a hot while now – and time is fast sailing by. So rather than let this fall by the wayside - and in keeping with the Capicú mantra to deliver the freshest and finest, but not necessarily the newest – here it is. One cover story [below] features Keri shrouded in So-Me illustrations, which are hotter than the sun right now. So-Me has previously worked on the videos to Kanye’s Good Life, and Crookers/Kid Cudi’s Day n Nite, and the featured combination is on point.
The other cover story [below] has Capicú favourite Kid Cudi enveloped in illustrations by the graffiti artist Auger. Like So-Me, Auger’s style is distinctive and on fire – if a touch more polarising. The result is a style annual with 2 photographic/illustrative covers so colourful, engaging, playful and striking that they’re guaranteed to brighten up news stands and the weblog world alike…
Complex Magazine’s August/September issue is available now
Posted in design, fashion, music | Comments (0)
naNO shame August 21st, 2009
I know I said previously that it’s shameful to cover up your cutting edge technology with a protective case - and then proceeded to post the Arlanda iPod case from Want Les Essentials De La Vie - but that opinion doesn’t apply to the nano. Simply because it’s just not that cutting edge. Yes the technology is largely the same as it’s older brother [the touch] and cousin [the iPhone] but it is undeniably the budget version, and the design confirms that. It is the Porsche Boxster of mp3 players. Don’t get me wrong, it had it’s advantages - namely portability and convenience - but to be honest, the iPod nano isn’t beautiful. So, after all is said and done it’s fair to conclude that you can be forgiven for, or even encouraged to, cover the nano up with a case of superior design. Like the 45 Nano case from Vancouver based Contexture Design for example. Fasioned out of salvaged cassettes [that are then gutted, routered, and rebuild to house your nano], it is of a completely different ilk to the Arlanda iPod case - but deserving of credit for what it is. Harking back to bygone days, the cassette - which has itself become a design icon in recent times - is guaranteed to appeal to youthful trend setters and nostalgic older generations alike…
Available via their website
Posted in design, music | Comments (0)