The HighLife

Happy Friday people!  I've been in a great mood all day and it seemed like a good idea to share some of the goodness.  I put up a few On Point posts last week about Dimitri from Paris and Fantastic Plastic Machine, that if you peeped will be a perfect segue into this contents of this post.   There have been a few new releases in the past few months that have got me pretty excited about life.  Mos Def's The Ecstatic, Brother Ali's US, Gossip's Music for Men, the second half of Jay-Z's Blueprint 3, and Ghostface Killah's Ghostdini, Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City, to name a few.   So for those who haven't been on top of their music game lately, here's a refresher course in what you've been missing.  Plus a few other gems from Saint Etienne, Syreeta, The Disco Biscuits, Ugly Duckling, and Pharcyde.  It's music to handle bidness to.   Welcome to The Jumpoff!

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That's all today.  Rock it out this weekend, or at least try to be creative.  Until next time, be easy.
-Afolabi

Latest online webisode from NBC's The Office.  Check out the hottest girl group to come out of Scranton, PA ever; Subtle Sexuality.  Watch as they produce and direct their latest music video, Male Prima Donna.  And then check out the video.  Fierce.



The Music Video

Question.



Common ft Ceelo - Make My Day




Death of A Glamour Girl




Gay Jamaican Cop




I was in Mis-Teeq




Rapping for God




The Black Gay Priest




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All video produced and directed by Andy Mundy-Castle

Today, as we proceed with the globe trotting, we find ourselves in France.  Courtesy of the multi-national jet-setter better known as Dimitri from Paris.  His sound fuses heavy doses of disco and funk with electro, house, and jazz.   All combining to create a welcome atmosphere for that ever elusive social custom known as the dance party.   He was a DJ for Radio NRJ in 1986, and is credited for introducing the first house show broadcast in France.  To add to his swag, he also produced runway soundtracks for Chanel, YSL, Hermes.  You know, just your everyday tailor shops.  He's released a slew of mixes, compilations, and albums that have received wide critical acclaim.   Sacrebleu (1996),  A Night at the Playboy Mansion (2000), and Cruising Attitude (2003) might be all the nudging you need to finally get that disco ball you've always wanted.  Stay classy.  Voici Dimitri from Paris.

During my brief period of highlife convalescence I had the opportunity to explore new territory musically.  Discover new sounds if you will.  Pretty much an exercise in stretching my sonic proclivities beyond their current shores.  A lot of the music I came across is actually by artists from other countries; including this particular artist.  Dj/Producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, a.k.a. Fantastic Plastic Machine,  hails from Japan.  He played the bass, dj'ed, and recorded music in Japan through the 80's and early 90's.  Eventually releasing his first solo effort titled Fantastic Plastic Machine in 1997.  The sound is highly influenced by bossa nova, house, and 60s lounge music, making it almost seem theatrical at times.  He's released five more albums since his debut, and they're all solid.   Here's a little sample, but I highly recommend getting to know more of the Fantastic Plastic Machine.

I don't know how many truly sunshiny days we'll have left before the sun decides it only wants to do half of its job for the next 5 months, and since i can still hear birds chirping it seemed like a good day to break you off with some Zach Deputy.  He a South Carolina native that makes his way around these parts quite often.  His music is never down or sullen, surprisingly soulful, deeply funky, and just downright fun.  He's a one man band (a la Keller Williams), but you forget that once the music gets going. 

He played at the Wormtown sidestage off Shakedown Street at Bonnaroo this year, and i was literally drawn, like a moth to a flame, to the sound.  Phish had their glowstick war, he had the haystack hoedown.  Straight up ridiculousness! And trust me, that hay was not pristine.  There's a video of the Saturday latenight hoedown that i found.  Everyone in it is getting down, except that it's 6:30 am.  There was another dance party further up Shakedown that morning, and if i hadn't already been in one hoedown earlier in the night/morning you might have seen a dude attached to a gigantic 3ft in diameter pink balloon tied to a 20ft string bouncing along to the music in the back of the crowd.   True story.  Anyhoo, check out more of his music. We'll definitely keep you posted about upcoming shows.  It's an awesome live experience.  He's a pretty chill dude too... Here's to sunshine.  This is Zach Deputy (Sunshine, She Say, Haystack Hoedown)

"Don't lose with laughter
what was won with tears."






[images/ryan mcginley]

If you have any doubt that machines could ever really take over the human race, take a look at this "simply" programmed robot which battles gravity and terrain like a CHAMP. Now imagine all of the other obstacles it cab be PROGRAMMED to encounter or avoid. Think Terminator only without AI. What a lonely world it could be for us... Too dark? Okay, then just imagine all the incredible hiking this dood could do :)