Donk. Donk. Donk.

So there is this thing called Donk. It's really, really bad. It's really, really addictive.



What's Donk you ask?

Donk:
A pipe/plank-sound, that is used in Bouncy/scouse house/NRG music. Hearing this sound in a piece of music, one can easily recognise the genre of music it is.

The sound is most commonly placed midway between beats, in the same place as hi-hats, but can be put in other places for different effects and such. The music it is used in is usually played between 150 and 160 Beats Per Minute.

When dancing, a donk commonly makes the dancer bounce on the donk beat.

It all started (as far as I know) with the insta-classic "Put a Donk on It" by Blackout Crew. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckMvj1piK58 It's fucking infectious despite how awful it is. AND. It's popular as all hell.

Vice TV did a 5 part documentary series on it.
http://www.vbs.tv/video.php?id=12185178001

If you catch Donk fever, you may want to check out this site http://www.donkdj.com/ that allows you to upload ANY song and have it "Donked".

Have fun Donk headz!

Staff Benda Bilili

A friend of mine told me about these guys a while back. I finally listened and understand why he was so excited about them.

From their Myspace page:
Staff Benda Bilili are like nothing you have ever seen or heard before. A group of paraplegic street musicians who live in and around the grounds of the zoo in Kinshasa, Congo, they make music of astonishing power and beauty. The band's mesmerising rumba-rooted grooves, overlaid with vibrant vocals, remind you at times of Cuban nonchalance, at other times of the Godfather of Soul himself. You can hear echoes of old-school rhythm and blues, then reggae, then no-holds barred funk. Four senior singer/guitarists sitting on spectacularly customized tricycles, occasionally dancing on the floor of the stage, arms raised in joyful supplication, are the core of the band, backed by a younger, all-acoustic, rhythm section pounding out tight beats. Over the top of this are weird, infectious guitar-like solos performed by young Roger Landu, (an ex-street kid the band took under their wing), who plays a one-string electric lute he designed and built himself out of a tin can.

The lyrics of the Staff Benda Bilili are wise, ironical advice to the people who live in the streets. In Lingala, "Benda Billi" means "look beyond appearances".

Their story and sound are good reminders that great music doesn't always happen in expensive studios or with the finest instruments and that sometimes the harder the struggle, the richer the music.

As always, it's better for us all to support the artist with some paid downloads, and actual album purchase, etc. But here are two tracks for you in the meantime.

Polio:
https://www.yousendit.com/download/UmNLT205UnFVbTljR0E9PQ

Je T'aime:
https://www.yousendit.com/download/UmNLT20rZDU5bEJFQlE9PQ

Video:

Phoenix.

It's pretty rare to hear a new record and want to listen to the whole thing on repeat.
That's how I feel about Phoenix's record (due out May 25th). It's a straight pop record and I have to admit a bit one dimensional. But it still rules. It's one of those records you can listen to if you're super happy, sad, if you're driving, walking and it fits the mood perfectly.



It's their 4th record and I think it's gonna be a banger.
They're already set to perform on SNL with Seth Rogan on April 4th and I hear a Coppola is directing their video in Germany as we speak.

Oh, the singer is Sofia Coppola's baby daddy. Cute.



You can download the first single "1901" at http://www.wearephoenix.com/.

Hope we get a US tour from them too!

xoxo

2009. The Year of The New.

I promised myself 2009 would be full of "new".
I've never hosted a blog so that's new, right? Well, new to me.

This will simply be a landing spot for things I'm into, be it new songs, albums, artists, restaurants, movies, kitties, puppies, etc.

I know the last thing the world needs is another blog. I know. But. I am a Prisoner of Leisure and can't be bothered to care.

kthnx

PS- Heading Photo credit: Chris Waterton. Taken last weekend 3/20/09 in Palm Springs. It was my FIRST vacation weekend there. And it ruled.
photo also by Chris Waterton