Myself & my trusted resident DJ, Doc Adam,
have collaborated w/ Los Angeles-based clothing line, Twelve Bar
to bring you a special two-part Fresh Selects Retrospective mix.

This first installment of The Porch Sessions,
is meant to be a time capsule of sorts –
an audible freeze frame of the first 12 months of music posted on Fresh Selects.
I wanted to compile everything from the site’s first year
just to kind of sum it all up,
put a period at the end of the sentence,
& cement the foundation for us to build on for the next steps.
It can also serve as a starter kit
for anyone who found out about the site after the fact,
as well as a thank you to everyone that’s been down since day one.

I went through all of the posts from the site’s first year
& selected some of my personal favorite tracks,
plus all of the ones that garnered the most response.
Almost all of the songs included in the mix were exclusives
released or premiered thru the site
& they all played a part in shaping the sound & style that I had been going for.
To convey the full progression as it unfolded,
I wanted to put them all in one mix
(which actually ended up being two separate, hour-long mixes
because there was just too much music)
& let them play in chronological order.

Since mixing songs in order of release,
& not by BPM/tempo/mood, etc.
basically goes against all the most basic rules of making a mixtape -
I knew I had to get the very best to make it happen right.
Enter Doc Adam (no pause).
Plus his apartment has The Porch, so it was a no-brainer.

Included are some kind words from the even kinder people @ Twelve Bar,
who presented the mix & co-premiered it on their site today as well,
+ the tracklisting w/ links to all the original posts
so you can get the full versions & back stories on all of the songs.
I’m still in the process of updating some of the older posts
from the first version of the site,
so if you find any dead links just leave a comment & I’ll fix it.

Free download of the one-track, hour-long mix can be found below,
& be on the look out for Part 2 of The Porch Sessions RTRSPCTV coming soon.

There is a lot we could say about FRSH SLCTS – the Portland-based digital label and multimedia platform that has been providing you with the best in hip-hop, soul and cutting-edge music since 2008. All of it would be good. But the main thrust is right there in their name, albeit without the vowels as is their style. Seemingly everything they do is fresh. Freshly presented, freshly considered, freshly packaged, and freshly curated. And that is the second part right there. Because the “selects” element of the name is also key, as they hand-pick artists and songs with the educated touch of a musical magician, never failing to bring out the very best available. And so when the chance came to bring you the exclusive FRSH SLCTS Retrospective mix, an anthology of some of their favorite songs from their early years, we jumped at it.

1. devonwho – Dungeonraps (2088 Archives)
2. DaveNotti – Notti Break #5 (Notti Breaks 2008)
3. PPP feat. J Dilla – Shotgun (Waajeed’s Plinky Remix) (single)
4. TaRaach & Konphlict feat. Big Tone & Kawshus – Socialize (single)
5. TaRaach & Konphlict – 10 Feet High (Giraffe Pussy) (single)
6. Miguel – Overload (Mischief: The Mixtape)
7. Little Dragon – Twice (live) (FRSH KPT SCRT)
8. M64 – Rhythm Of The Drum (single)
9. M64 – Helium (single)
10. Invincible & Finale – Don’t Sleep (single)
11. PPP feat. Coultrain – Angel (Waajeed Remix) (single)
12. Coultrain – The Wanderer (single)
13. SA-RA feat. Bilal – Master Teacher (demo #1) (“Master Teacher” EP)
14. SA-RA feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow – Master Teacher (demo #2) (“Master Teacher” EP)
15. SA-RA – Master Teazer (KenBts.’ Revenge Edit) (“Master Teacher” EP)
16. Hi-Res – Thisworld (FRSH SLCTS – Loose Joints)
17. devonwho – Hold Up Zelda (FRSH SLCTS – Loose Joints)
18. Finale – Ice (FRSH SLCTS – Loose Joints)
19. Knxwledge – Relief. (FRSH SLCTS – Loose Joints)
20. Fatima – Wildchild (FRSH SLCTS – Loose Joints)
21. Noni Limar – Monogamy (FRSH SLCTS – Loose Joints)
22. Super Smoky Soul feat. Guilty Simpson – Knockout Kings (New Worlds PRVW)
23. Karma Stewart – Withdrawal (The Karma EP)
24. PPP feat. Coultrain & Jamila Raegan – Synchronicity (Abundance Mixtape)
25. PPP feat. Coultrain & Jamila Raegan – Can’t You Feel It (Abundance Mixtape)
26. Fatima – Do I Know You? (FRSH KPT SCRT)
27. Ab & Daru feat. T3 – Dirty Soul (A Work In Progress PRVW)
28. Blu – Say Say (FSR #1)
29. SA-RA Creative Partners – High Moon Lust (FSR #1)
30. Cubic Zirconia – I Wanna Freebase You (FSR #1)
31. Johnson&Jonson feat. Miguel – Stadium (FSR #1)
32. Suzi Analogue – SageBurns (World. Excerpts 1-9)

Selected by KNNY FRSH
Edited by Doc Adam
Presented by Twelve Bar
Artwork by Twelve Bar & Dennis de Groot
Hosted by ♎ & ♐ for Team 1984

October 14th, 2010

Today we present you with yet another peak into just what exactly VTech & Fresh Selects’ concert series at Portland, Oregon’s The Fix looked like. And this time its a slice of life from an incredible set – easily one of the night’s best live acts actually – the one and only, Bilal.

Fresh off of the release of his highly VTech-supported, Airtight’s Revenge album, Bilal and his band returned to Portland for the first time in over a year and played an action-filled 90+ minute set to an eager crowd of diehard fans and interested newcomers alike. Featured in the video above is an extended look at their live, much more jam-heavy, rendition of the album’s first single – “Restart.” Highlights include Mick Jagger vs Keith Richards-level chemistry between Bilal and his guitar player, Mike Severson – as well as impromptu scatting, guitarless Hendrix-esque voodoo man dance claps – and much more as only the unique talent that is Mr. Oliver can bring.

Also included, as a bonus, are two bonus tracks from Airtight – the unclearable (& incredible) “Free,” produced by Nottz from the Wax Poetics & Converse 45 series; and the iTunes bonus cut, “Lost My Mind,” via the Label Love Vol. 2 compilation.

And below, we have the complete collection of music videos release for Airtight’s Revenge for your concise viewing pleasure – namely “Restart” (dir. Michael Sterling Eaton), “Robots” (dir. Mikael Colombu) & the immaculate, “Levels” (dir. Flying Lotus).

All of that can be found below. Indulge.

Curated & Produced by KNNY FRSH for Fresh Selects
Filmed by Paulius Kontijevas & Chris Moretti
Edited by Paulius Kontijevas
Audio Mixed by Doc Adam
Hosted by Rev Shines
Opening Act: Shafiq Husayn

Bilal’s band:
Bilal Oliver – vocals
Steve McKie – drums
Tone Whitfield – bass
Mike Severson – guitar
Corey Bernhard – keys
Chris Turner – backing vocals

The Fix DJ’s:
Rev Shines
& DJ Kez
& Dundiggy
& your host Ronin Roc

Alright, so first things first – lets get some FAQ’s out of the way about the Queen Of Doom, Ms. Tiombe Lockhart.

“Where the *#$^ is Tiombe?!” Brooklyn.
“Why wasn’t she on the new PPP??” The whole cast changed, dummy.
“What’s she working on??” Cubic Zirconia.

CZ is a new group consisting of Tiombe and her new partners in crime, Nick & Todd, who are both former members of the group, Men, Women & Children. With their powers combined (Captain Planet style) – they are Cubic Zirconia. Their sound is an amalgamation of both their former entities’ respective sounds, but more than anything – it’s something brand new.

As an introduction to the group, they’ve put together a 30+ minute mix, which as they put it is “a few of our tunes, a few songs we like, and some other stuff mixed in for good measure.” And if you caught the debut of one of their first songs, “I Wanna Freebase You” (included here) in the FSR podcast last week, then you should have an idea of what to expect – but even that is just the beginning. I think it’s always good to shake things up a bit – so you guys don’t get too comfortable. Leave a comment and lemme know what you think of this one. WARNING: THIS IS NOT ON SOME NEO-SOUL OR HIP-HOP SHIT – SO DON’T GO INTO IT WITH THOSE EXPECTATIONS.

You can find the tracklisting below, & the download link after that. Oh, and Eazy-E fans – be sure to listen to the mixtape all the way through to the end. Trust me.

2011 UPDATE: In 2009, CZ followed up this mixtape with another freebie, Ready To Slide (now included below) as well as a string of singles & remixes throughout the following year. In 2011 – Cubic Zirconia now consists of Tiombe Lockhart, Nick Hook & Daoud Sturdivant – and in July, the group officially signed to A-Trak & Catchdubs’ label, Fool’s Gold Records. Below are all 6 of their music videos they have released since this was first posted.

CUBIC ZIRCONIA MIXTAPE VOL. 1: CZ DOES LONDON
1. Cubic Zirconia – I Wanna Freebase You
2. Cubic Zirconia – Dick For A Day
3. Chase & Status – Eastern Jam [Ram Records]
4. Cubic Zirconia – Josephine
5. Claw - Jersey Shore Guidos [Suicide Dub]
6. Curses! feat. Maggie Horn – The Deep End [Institubes]
7. The Bucketheads – The Bomb! [Big Beat]
8. Cubic Zirconia – The Phone
9. Tyree – Acid Crash [Supa Dupa]
10. Cubic Zirconia – Fuck Work (Proper Villians/Jubilee Remix) [Savant Guard]
11. DJ Class feat. Lil’ Jon – I’m The Shit (Remix) [Universal]
12. Cubic Zirconia – (secret bonus track)

CUBIC ZIRCONIA – READY TO SLIDE EP
1. KiD CuDi – Make Her Say (Cubic Zirconia’s “Delilah” Remix)
2. Cubic Zirconia vs. Joker – Freebase (Kool Hersh Blend)
3. Cubic Zirconia – D.F.A.D.
4. Cubic Zirconia – Fuck Work (Michael Meds Remix)
5. ApSci – Under Control (Cubic Zirconia Remix) (feat. Sammy Siegler)
6. Cubic Zirconia – Fuck Work (Nick Hook T-Pain Version)

Two new exclusives for you guys today, both coming to you via the homie Shafiq Husayn of SA-RA Creative Partners. First up, we have a special full-side preview of his brand new instrumental EP, Shafiq presents… Jank Random vs. Earl Leonne – The Frequency Clash, which is out now on Poo-Bah Records. The record marks his first solo venture – in which he takes us along for an experimental beat excursion through the minds of his alter-egos. To give you a taste of just what that journey entales – I’ve got a full streaming preview of the entire Side B of the EP. For a breakdown of the tracks, read this excerpt from the Poo-Bah press release (also, big ups to Ras_G for all his help with this):

“Side B kicks off with PSA, a bouncer with a horn line reminiscent of early 90′s hip-hop drug through dust, and Sirius B, a quick time-out to shout out the fam! I predict Earls Thing to be the next great DJ standard along with The Mag, two absolutely ridiculous minimal stunners that hit all the right pleasure spots in your brain. While Earls features an off then on descending synth bassline and those groovy 70′s drum machine sounds we love, The Mag is straight up vinyl samples and strings smashed into machine funk, crackles and all! Push brings things back up to Bomb Squad-like intensity before closing things out with the fuzz acid guitar down a flight of stairs funk of Still Woke.”

“Still Woke” brings us to our next piece – the world premiere of three alternate versions of one of my favorite songs of the year, Erykah Badu‘s “Master Teacher” (which Shafiq produced). Whereas the version that we’ve all come to know & love from the New Amerykah album, featured Georgia Anne Muldrow singing the lead verse & Badu on the second – the song wasn’t always that way. First, there’s the original version of the song, which Shafiq had co-produced with Georgia for SA-RA’s G.O.O.D. Music debut, Black Fuzz, which actually featured Bilal singing the lead vocals (who you can still hearing in the background of the Badu version), and Georgia on backing vox. I love what both Erykah & Georgia did over this – but I gotta say, Bilal really KILLED this shit, in my opinion (also – credit due to Ty&Kory, who I believe sing background on all of these versions – but don’t quote me on that). I’ve had this one since about 2006 (bigs up to my G.O.O.D. hook-up for that) and to my knowledge, this has never leaked – so I had to hit up Shafiq and make sure it was cool to unearth this lost gem. And not only did he give the OK, but he also gave some insight on how to came it be on Badu’s album and provided two additional unreleased versions.

So the story goes – after the deal for Black Fuzz fell through, Shafiq explains “Erykah always liked the song…I was like you should use it…(our deal at that time with GOOD was done) so it was just one of those records sitting around…Why not let Badu rock it? It made sense.” And so to go along with the album version (which you should already have), I’ve got Shafiq’s unissued “Final Mix” of the track, which features Georgia on lead & Bilal backing her up. This is the mix that Shafiq intended to be appear on the album, but it didn’t make it in time for the deadline. And if those two weren’t enough for ya, there’s the included bonus, “Master Teazer (Ken’s Revenge Edit)” – an instrumental re-edit of Shafiq’s beat, using different outtakes from the sessions by SA-RA affiliate, KenBts.

Stream of the the B-Side of Jank Random vs. Earl Leonne EP below, with the “Master Teacher” Sessions download .zip at the bottom, plus a bonus video of Badu talking about working with Shafiq & SA-RA after the jump. I’ll also have one more exclusive SA-RA joint for you guys at the end of the week as part of the first-ever FRESH SELECTS MIXTAPE. Stay woke!!

Shafiq presents.. Jank Random vs. Earl Leonne – The Frequency Cla$h: Side B