Continuing my hip hop posting (which means raver anthems will be coming soon), DJ Ayres drops this timely Jay-Z mixtape. Just under 80 minutes of beats from your youth, Ayres examines Hova’s early career:

Here are a bunch of my favorite Jay-Z songs, mostly album cuts with a few freestyles and secret joints thrown in for good measure. Since Jay “retired” and came back, his music hasn’t sounded as urgent or hungry to me. He sounds like he’s coasting along, so I wanted to go back and pull out a bunch of his music that made you bob your head, marvel at his flow, puff out your chest, or even raise the little hairs on the back of your neck. The feelings you got from songs like “Where I’m From,” “D’Evils,” “1-900-Hustler” and “You Don’t Know.” Not included: #1 singles you’ve heard a million times, lazy one-take flows, lyrics about inventing the button-down shirt, songs dissing rappers who would later be signed to Jay-Z’s label, and songs produced by Eminem.

Tracklist in the comments.

NYC lady about town and good Crooked Disco friend, Jess Jubilee aka 4AM Jess (of Nightshifters, Trash Menagerie and Flashing Lights fame) dropped this fresh remix of assorted bass heavy bangers for your late night listening pleasure. Featuring new tracks from Rob Threezy, Dexplicit, Joker, High Rankin and more… proper headphones are well recommended.

Lee Coombs has long been the godfather of Tech Funk, that wonky subgenre of breakbeat currently pioneered by Coombs, Elite Force, Meat Katie and currently hammered by, NAPT, Calverton, the Beat Vandals and Slyde amongst others. Well today the U & A Records head honcho takes a 180º turn and drops this mixtape of more chilled beats.

“Something a little different this time. I get sent and buy loads of music that i can’t really play in the clubs because it’s more chilled out or down tempo or too old etc. So, I’m doing a series of mixes featuring some of these and favourite old skool tunes mixed up in an Eclectic stylee. Its just for fun so don’t expect weeks of work compiling the tracks and making sure they are all remixed and re edited like my mix compilations! It’s just really what ever tracks i came across at the time of digging in the digital crates”

Lee Coombs - Eclectic Sessions 1 - Tracklist

1 Little Boots - New in town - The Golden filter remix
2 Underworld - Ring Road
3 Leftfield - Song of Life
4 Mercury Rev - Senses on fire - Fujiya and Myagi remix
5 Franz Ferdinand - No you girls - Vince Clark remix
6 Depeche Mode - Wrong - Trentemoller club mix
7 Unkle - Heaven - King Unique remix
8 The Freakazoids - What is a dj
9 Depth Charge - Han Do Jin
10 Ladyhawke - Back of a van - Mock and toof remix
11 The Faint - Battlehymn for children - Tensnake remix
12 Paul Rutherford - Get real
13 The Juan Maclean - One Day - Marc Romboy remix
14 Snoop Dog feat Pharrell - Acid drop like its hot - DJ Stylex Mashup

Holland’s own Kraak & Smaak have been laying down some groundbreaking funk as of late with a sound that comes across with a reference to the retro but sounds as fresh as any of the more adolescent genres making headlines these days. They recently dropped this 60 minute One Shot mix which kicks off in a deeper realm hinting a bit towards chicago house even, then gets into some lively funky tracks. Listing in the comments.

Download Kraak & Smaak One Shot Mix

Over the weekend it looked like Mixtape Monday was heading straight for Toddla T’s recent Essential Mix of pure fire (you can grab it here if you have not heard it yet.) But then this little jem from Sammy Bananas (Fool’s Gold) and Skinny Friedman (Philadelphyinz) showed up. A Night at the Player’s Club is a “30 minute blend of stay fly music gives you a slice of the Player’s Club neatly wrapped in crisp tuxedo packaging. Please accept this token and we hope you will join us sometime!”

For our fellow New Yorkers, Player’s Club goes down every Wednesday night up stairs at Pianos and is always Free.

Download A Night at the Player’s Club here.

Continuing my mixtape obsession with “stuff people don’t play in the states yet,” this week’s mixtape is a full 80 minute workout of UK Funky from DJ C & Lil Dave, residents at the Cambridge’s Signal party and scribes at the awesome Dun Know Da Blogspot.

Funky (which I really wish had a better name since its hard to talk about and not confuse with Funky House or Funky Breaks) is a sort of logical evolution from the softer, sexier side of UK 2 Step that blew up a few years back through ambassadors such as Shanks and Bigfoot, Bump and Flex, Artful Dodger and - of course - Craig David. This is kind of where I wish US R&B went (or will go) as it keeps the vibe real smooth but adss nice tribal-inspired percussion and some sweet bassline work. It reminds me a lot of the basement at Centro Fly a few years back when Dinesh, Reid Speed, and others would tear up the 2-step/garage sound at Drive By and people would dance til 4 in the morning.

Download Radio Signal Promo Mix (DJ C & Lil Dave)

So I’ve been trying to hunt down some of El Remolon’s music for a minute now to post up here and it’s finally happened by way of this mixtape for ZZK Records for his new LP Pibe Cosmo. El Remolon is Argentinian Andres Schteingart (a.k.a Drole)’s side-project in which he explores local Latin American music forms. In short, that means a bit of Digital cumbia, a bit of electro reggaetón, and even some dub reggae. What makes El Remolon stand out in the world of same-same cumbia beats, however, is his use of minimal, IDM, and dubstep textures within the rhythms. The result is something that shows a total control of sound as the organic and synthetic marry seemlessly. Throw in some mashed-up bits of more traditional european-influenced electronic music - such as a Jahcoozi remix - and you’ve got something that really stand’s out.

Tracklisting in the comments and you can pick up the new album here.

Taster Tuesday this week comes with pure club fire from Las Vegas’ own Risk One. DJ Risk, one of the “BumSquad DJz” is a top shelf performer with a turntablist background. From his success as a Crooklyn Clan remixer, to his Las Vegas residencies, his eclectic and unpredictable abilities will have you begging for more. Seamlessly weaving between styles and genres, he clearly stands apart as one of the most creative and technically well-rounded DJs on the market. His dance floor arsenal spans from exclusive mashup to classic party-joints, hip-hop to house, and everything in between.

Risk dropped us two electro-tinged joints for you all and one sweet mixtape for the Speakeasy Boutique in Denver. My favorite is a mashed-up blend of DJ Class’s “I’m the Ish” and David Guetta’s “Love Is Gone.” This is a guaranteed banger and a nice break from all the DJ Class Baltimore remixes out there. Grab all the tracks and the mixtape below.

Risk One x DJ Class x David Guetta - The ISH is Gone (Ft. Lil Jon)

Hatiras ft. MC Flipside - Autograph Copy (Risk One Warp Remix)

Risk One Speakeasy Boutique Mixtape

Mixtape Monday comes by the way of the awesome bloggers over at Noise Porn to celebrate the release of Rico Tubbs new EP ‘Knuckle Sandwich Remixed’ (out May 4th). “Rico describes himself as a ‘bona fide legend’ but his talent isn’t just hot air. With the backing of Annie Mac, Sinden and Krafty Kuts, he’s surfing a global wave of success.” There’s plenty of electro, fidget, and breabeat around on this one featuring remixes by Udachi, B.Rich, High Rankin and more. Tracklist in comments. Enjoy!

Download Rico Tubbs Knuckle Sandwich Remixes Minimix

Here’s a rare(ish) live set pitting two top jocks in their prime head to head. The year is 1999 and the setting is the Brixton Academy. Armand Van Helden was riding high on a string of top release for Strictly Rhythm including the smash U Don’t Know Me. Fatboy Slim was spearheading the international phenomen of Big Beat. And so, in what could have only been titled A Date With Destiny, two titans collided for four hours of mayhem. It kicks off with a full set of heavy house from Van Helden dropping bangers from Basement Jaxx, Mr. Oizo, Daft Punk and more. Then it’s Norman Cook’s turn with such classics as Groove Armada’s I See You Baby and Leftfield’s Planet Phat.

But the real jem is the final set, a tag-team/battle set to put a grand pin in 90’s dance music. Grab each of the sets below and you can read a full review of the night here.

Round 1 - Armand Van Helden

Round 2 - Fatboy Slim

Round 3 - Armand Van Helden Vs Fatboy Slim