While we wait for the sophomore LP from Quannum’s Lifesavas (titled Gutterfly), I was sent this remix of a song whose original version I’m only guessing will end up on Gutterfly because it wasn’t on the group’s debut Spirit in Stone. Until I can confirm that, the only thing I’m sure of is that this is one of the more unique unions of musicians, with guest spots from Nas, who’s all over the place lately, and Fishbone, whose horns and sort of spooky chants in the chorus take me right back to those Truth and Soul days. I have yet to listen Nas’ new album, Hip-Hop is Dead – mostly for fear of another letdown (I’ve come to grips that there never will be another Illmatic). His turn here feels slightly off-kilter, if not a little preachy. He closes out the song by talking to nobody in particular, as some rappers are wont to do: “If you asking, why is hip-hop dead / there’s a pretty good chance you’re the reason it died” It’s too bad Nas feels the need to get a little righteous because Lifesavas turn in two great verses with metered rhyme schemes that better complement the beat and Fishbone’s horn play.

Lifesavas (feat. Nas and Fishbone) | Dead Ones (remix)

I’m guessing my man Royce – see him over there under “contributors”? (zing!) – could tell you more about Four Tet than I ever could. Royce is the electronic music brains of this operation. Me? I see Jay Dee’s name and I’ll listen. Hip-hop, y’all. So it’s a beautiful thing when it all comes together.

I’ve actually never heard this song in its original form. In a way, I sort of like that, going in reverse. Listen to the remix first, then the original. So many times I become too enamored with an original that I don’t want it to be rearranged. So here I’ll take the rearranging first and strip away the dynamics of it and absorb the original later.

Jay Dee, whose name you’ll see popping up on year-end lists for Donuts and The Shining, took a walking bass line (or maybe it’s jogging) as a foundation and layers over it with a cooled-out front-porch beat and various vocal elements, including raps from Guilty Simpson.

The Four Tet Remixes album is available through Domino Recording Company.

Four Tet | As Serious As Your Life (Jay Dee Remix)

This year in hip-hop is making 2005 look like even more of a dud than I imagined. The one exception was Blackalicious’ The Craft (available at eMusic). But then, I never really expect anything less than the best from Gift of Gab and Chief Xcel.Browsing their MySpace, I found the duo is offering a remix of Rhythm Sticks, a hot track off The Craft that flaunts Gab’s metered and breathless delivery. The remix (with no production credit) is a jazzier take on the original – pianos, horns and wah-wah guitars fill the holes where a persistent beat holds down the original.

Regardless, it’s worth the cost of admission on either version when Gab spits a verse by spelling out “Blackalicious” by starting each sentence with every letter in the word. Alphabet aerobics is Gab’s specialty.

Blackalicious | Rhythm Sticks (original)
Blackalicious | Rhythm Sticks (remix)
(Beware: 96 kbps bitrate on remix; from their MySpace)

Also, at AOL’s Spinner, you can watch Blackalicious’ new DVD, 4/20 Live in Seattle, in its entirety. It includes a full concert from the Showbox Theatre in Seattle with Fatlip, Pigeon John and Lifesavas.

For the past four years, the hottest hip-hop night in the Valley apparently has been at the Blunt Club (hosted by Hollywood Alley in Mesa). I say “apparently” because I’ve yet to drag my sorry butt down there. That’s gonna change soon (I swear), especially if they keep lining up great indie hip-hop artists; Jeru the Damaja, Crown City Rockers, Abstract Rude and Souls of Mischief are just a few of the guests to come through.

I’m really regretting missing last night’s set, which featured Troublemaker, one-half of the hip-hop/electronic production team (along with E. Moss) known as Backyard Bangers. The term “turntablism” – probably passe, anyway – doesn’t do justice to the duo’s debut LP, New Math (on their self-created Hollyrock label). Drum-heavy rhythms and skewed time signatures suggest DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing might have been an influence, and the carefully crafted samples surrounding them means someone spent lots of long hours splicing and dicing digital waveforms.

It probably sounds as if I’m contradicting myself, if you paid any attention to my review of the Ratatat live show. But in terms of instrumental composition, I’m always drawn to drums. Ratatat’s focus – both live and on record – seems scattered and unkempt. On an album like New Math, drums ground everything; the beats are the common denominator among all songs, the baseline. It never strays from the drums, and that’s enough to keep my attention.

And, oh yeah, Backyard Bangers have toured and recorded with DJ Z-Trip, always a plus in my book.

The guys keep a generous catalog of mp3s available for download, including remixes for the Flaming Lips, Beastie Boys and Super Furry Animals.

Backyard Bangers | Perception (from New Math)
Backyard Bangers | Fight Test remix (the Flaming Lips)

Buy New Math through Backyard Bangers’ MySpace page.

Remixes have long vexed me: gratuitous overexposure of a song or worthwhile artistic endeavor? (My co-hort Royce is rolling his eyes as he reads this.) I know remixes have their place in deejays’ crates and the dance clubs. But casual listening is another story.

I don’t necessarily think a remix waters down an original, but it certainly might steal some of its thunder. That depends, of course, on the producers behind it. On this track, though, off Mr. Lif’s 2006 release Mo’ Mega, I’m coming around to see the value of different production.

The original version of Brothaz is produced by El-P, who never (as far as I know) has made a soft beat. It holds true here, his gritty, concrete style complementing Lif’s political diatribes.

Then there’s the remix by 9th Wonder, whose responsible for the production on one of my favorite albums of the year in Murs’ Murray’s Revenge. On Brothaz, he takes the edge off – it’s more soul than street. It’s debatable whether the style fits with the Important Message Lif is trying to get across, but a remix is probably more about what the producer can do than the emcee.

Mr. Lif | Brothaz (original)
Mr. Lif | Brothaz (9th Wonder remix)

Can I get a holla for my boy Ben, who gave me the heads up on this track from the Gray Kid?

Born Steve Cooper, the Gray Kid is, from what I can gather, a one-man show: producer, DJ, emcee. He’s a rapper and a soul enthusiast, evident in the track Lonely Love. He goes from soul-inspired falsetto crooning in one verse to bad-ass emcee the next.

Bang is a “vocal mashup,” taking the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Bang and mashing it with B-52 and Nas vocals from My Brightest Diamond and himself. I’ve sort of grown tired of mashups, but this is cool because the Gray Kid is mixing reworked vocals, not the originals. It gives the whole thing a twist.

World’s Fair Label Group has all the latest on the Gray Kid, including a pretty hilarious video flyer. And the Gray Kid keeps a well-written and humorous blog: The Gray Kid Says.

The Gray Kid feat. My Brightest Diamond | Bang
The Gray Kid | Lonely Love