Frrriday/Beat.Connection: Tonstartssbandht

It's pronounced "Ton-starts-bandit."


















Tonstartssbandht -- Black Country -- Tonstartssbandht (2009)

Sound familiar for some reason? Try this:



And the original:

Beat.Connection: Alright alright alright

"So Fresh, So Clean" -- Outkast -- 2000

"Before the Night is Over" -- Joe Simon -- 1977


This doesn't really qualify as a sample so much as a clever adaptation, which might explain why Joe Simon doesn't have songwriting credits on the Outkast hit (via allmusic, if it can be trusted). Also, it's cool how the pizzicatos make the original sound so classy, especially given the hook of the modern interpretation ("so fresh and so clean, clean").

Beat.Connection: Sugah Hill?!!

I scored I wonderful copy of the Grandmaster Flash cut here today -- $5 on Avenue of the Americas.

Apparently Liquid Liquid played a show at Santos Party House last year that I never heard about--hopefully not their last. I'd love to see these fellas play, maybe even moreso than Melle Mel...

Beat.Connection: Enough Already

I'm aware everyone's sick of this coverage, but I chanced upon this fun connection listening to the entirety of Thriller for the first time the other day. The hook of "It Ain't Hard to Tell" demonstrates a great use of an otherwise forgettable piece of a song (3:29), along with "Human Nature['s]" more prevalent synth melody. Check out this excellent map of other Michael Jackson samples below, if you dare:

Beat.Connection: Overnight Megalomania

Remember when it was 2004 and Kanye West was so little known you didn't even realize he produced this song? Sigh.

Still, the way West crafted this beat hints at the streak of artistic genius that he has now been beaten over our heads relentlessly. Like the Luther Vandross sample in "Slow Jamz," Lenny Williams voice has been sped up to the point of emasculation. Yet while the former sits comfortably in *ahem* slow jam territory, "Overnight Celebrity" puts a bit more bump in the ol' bump 'n grind. That up-tempo sway, combined with the somewhat static piano sample makes for a weird (but undeniable catchy) contrast in feel.

Kanye strikes platinum and, just like that, life imitates art.

Also featured on this track is the "hip-hop violinist" Miri Ben-Ari, who also crops up in Alicia Keys "Fallin'" and various College Dropout tracks. Check out her wikipedia page for a full resume.

Beat.Connection: Shapeshifters

Still jazzed about yesterday's post, I wanted to start a little feature highlighting interesting samples. This particular connection I need to credit to Mike Katzif (of NPR fame), who first pointed it out to me.

The allmusic entry for "Shapeshifters" only credits Llana Weaver (Invincible) and Robert O'Bryant (Waajeed) for the song, so it's unclear if the duo actually cleared the sample before using it. Regardless, really clever overlay of the introductory Spanish guitar and organ riff. Both seemingly have been sped up a little bit to adhere to the tempo, but their interaction feels natural -- a phenomenon you'd have to credit to both Waajeed and Tortoise, ultimately.