Within the Breath Left Inhaled

The moment in which life is caught by an instant, the Cyrus clouds ricochet off the summits, the unexpected citrus freeze, a typhoon, a quake, a whisper can elicit a song the blood will pulsate to, and the breath can be exhaled.  What is the feeling in which we all will experience that we cannot talk about?  Some things are left unsaid, and all I can offer you is this whisper...


Within the Breath Left Inhaled Track Listing:

   1. Fat Freddy's Drop: "Midnight Marauders" - Finally, I have been wanting to include this phenomenal New Zealand based band on a mix for you.  These guys have been hailed "World Best Artists" by Gilles Peterson of BBC Radio 1 in 2005/2006.  Please check out Based On A True Story if you like this.
   2. CeU: "10 Contados" - This little Brasilian minx keeps it cool and interesting.  Often including different genres into her material to keep it fresh.
   3. Ali Farka Toure: "Yer Bounda Fara" - One of Africa's most cherished artists from Mali.  His guitar playing and blues influence have been noted as some of the all-time best.  He passed away in 2006, six months before his label released this gem of an album, Savane.
   4. Erykah Badu: "The Healer" - This coming from Mrs. Badu's badass new album, New Amerykah Pt. One.  In the lyrics, you can hear her say, "This one's for Dilla," whom you will hear/read about later in the mix.  But do please check out the track "Telephone," produced by ?uestlove of The Roots, which is dedicated to Dilla - a song based on a phone conversation with Dilla's mother about his visions before his passing.
   5. cirKus: "Fuc All the Doh" - Another song from the album Laylow.
   6. Ghostface Killah & Trife: "Josephine" - Oh SNAP!  Ghostface is widely becoming the king of using the illest beats on record.  Using Amy Winehouse before making it big, MF Doom, Kayne, RZA, as well as J Dilla amongst many others.  This catchy soul beat is accented perfectly by The Willie Cottrell Band and guest spot on the mic, Trife da God - produced by Hi-Tek.
   7. J Dilla: "Lightworks" - Sad, sad, sad.  If you don't know, you know.  You know Dilla (James Dewitt Yancey) if you've heard hip-hop before going back to De La Soul, The Pharcyde, Janet Jackson, Q-Tip, Common, etc. etc.  His Swan Song, Donuts, was produced and mixed and released 3 days before dying from a cardiac arrest most likely caused by the nasty disease, Lupus on February 10, 2006.  We all suffered a little, but his music will not go unrecognized.
   8. Outkast: "E.T. (Extraterrestrial)" - Released on the ATLiens record in '96, this track stands as a footnote to all downtempo hip hop that has been released in the 21st Century.  These 2 artists were always a few steps ahead of the game.  I hope we can hear more from them in the future.
   9. Ike & Tina Turner: "Game of Love" - Perhaps one of the most confessional tracks Tina sang while still with Ike.  Aside from the personal drama, this song is amazing in every element.  The groove between bass, drums, and Ike are impeccable, and the sweet sweet vocals by Mrs. Turner make this one of my favorite tracks.
  10. Culver City Dub Collective: "Big Long Gun" - Oooh, a collective out of Cali doing dub.  This album, Dos, is definitely worth checking out.
  11. O Rappa: "Ja To No Grude" - An experimental Brasilian band rocking, dubbin' and electro-poppin'!  Lado B Lado A, is definitely a mixed compilation of these genres, and worth bobbing to.
  12. Lindstrom: "Fast and Delirious" - From Hans-Peter's Feedelity Affair.  This Swedish gentleman produces some of the finest electronica/dance music around.
  13. Fatboy Slim: "Santa Cruz" - A classic from Britain's Quentin Leo Cook and first album Better Living Through Chemistry.
  14. The Cinematic Orchestra: "Breathe (Live)" - Heidi Vogel's reply to Fontella Bass's beautifully performed song is the decision I made when putting this mix together.  Although it is impossible to out-perform such a singer, in Bass, Vogel's amazingly powerful voice is equally as beautiful, and in a way the 'breath' of the new as Bass's time may be near her end for Cinematic Orchestra.  This was undoubtedly the most haunting and most beautiful song of 2007 for me (off of the Ma Fleur album).