Combining Grime, Hip Hop and Baile Funk with the Blues and Spirituals might seem like a unholy union but National Parcs' live show is like going to audio/visual church. Playing the first night of M Pour Montreal, no other band presented a show like the National Parcs - a high octane live performance with perfectly synched up, visually stunning videos custom made for every song. On Timbervision, Freeworm provides the hip hop/drum and bass/crazy instruments, Chimwemwe brings rhythm/percussion/charisma and Ian creates a running visual spectacle through it all - and every part is of equal importance. The National Parc's Timbervision is a daring experiment in combining CD and DVD and if you hit their YouTube page, you can experience some of the insanity. Grab these two tunes to experience the frenetic creation of a new genre and hope their live show comes your way soon.
Sounds Like: Sneakmove Minicomp, Bonde Do Role
When I think of Curibita Brazil these days, I have this image of a sweaty raging dance fest. This is because recently, the city has been churning some infectious DJs, like Bo$$ In Drama, and crazy DJs-turned-riotous-bands like Bonde Do Role. Bonde Do Role translates as "Joyride Trolley" in Portuguese and Bonde Do Role needs no instruction on how to have fun. They taught us Americans how in a zealous fashion at this years Coachella- with tiger masks and group dance-offs. Thank you Diplo for finding these tykes and bringing them state-side for summer tour. Today we bring you "Contaminada" - which is baile funk mets Daddy Yankee-esque reggaeton - sung in dirty Portuguese- complete with trumpet backing track, seductive female oohs and frog ribbets.
SOUNDS LIKE: CSS, The Teenagers, Bo$$ In Drama
Download: Bonde Do Role - Contaminada
Bonde Do Role @ Myspace
Download: Bo$$ In Drama - All The Love
What the hell happened to Tigarah? We were super into her baile funk hip hop jams about a year and a half ago, and busied ourselves telling pretty much everyone we knew how she was going to the next big thing, only to be left salivating for some new tracks. Fortunately, SEEN has been on the, um, scene and are reporting that Tigarah is alive and well and living in her native Japan, where she’s been writing new songs and licensing her old ones to video game soundtracks. Thank goodness for that.
Tigarah at the SEEN RCRD LBL blog
Download: Tigarah - Time To Come
Stream: Tigarah - Tokyo Cool Kids
We heard some ripping tracks from a Japanese female MC on NPR about a year ago, and reaffirmed her skills when we checked out her myspace. Tigarah is not the only Japanese MC influenced by America, and not the first female MC who dropped rhymes over Brazilian Baile Funk (M.I.A. takes that one), but her unique Japanese flow over coked-up baile beats is still a sound all its own. She's spent time in Sao Paulo and Rio where she collaborated with local musicians. In 2003, she met her long-time producer, Mr. D in Rio and self-released an E.P. and toured Asia and Europe.
Her new album, "Revolution", is scheduled for a spring 2008 release featuring the singles “Roppongi-Dori” and "Color, Culture, Money, Beauty". The latter is featured in EA’s FIFA 2008 game and apparently a new EA boxing game has a Japanese character who’ll step to the ring to another Tigarah jam. Check out these 2 tracks, including a never released remix by Mr. D for free download, before she storms out the gate in 08.
Stream: Tigarah - Tokyo Cool Kids
Download: Tigarah - Time To Come (NYC Remix)
