You Shook?

Thanks to the judge's recent blog binging and some rare stevie D contributions SG has been completely taken over by hip-hop. I'm bringing in some diversity in the form of electro courtesy of remix genuis Shook. Shook has been on my radar for a while now thanks to a sweet remix of Penguin Prison's The Worse it Gets and my brother just showed me another great one, this time of Pheonix's Lisztomania. Shook is always great for some nice synths and classic 80's style keyboard section, see what I mean below

Pheonix - Lisztomania (Shook Remix)


Q-tip ft. Stevie Wonder - What the Fuss? (Shook Remix)


Penguin Prison - The Worse it Gets (Shook Remix)

Introducing: KnowMads

Nothing like rappin' up your Wednesday with some hip-hop heads outa Seattle. Came across the the KnowMads free album Saturdayzed today and I liked what I heard. Seattle hip-hop music is a very diverse genre. Starting to gain nationwide appeal from artists like the Blue Scholars, Seattle is no longer limited to the underground scene. But the underground is still alive and well with artists like the KnowMads. The trio bring together a little taste of the old school mixed with some heavy lyrics--a combination you just gotta nod your head to.

Take a listen to these songs and if your like what you hear grab the entire album HERE for free. They also released there first official album, Seattle, late last year...so if your feel like supportin good underground music, buy it here.

In The Bassment- KnowMads

Pick Me Apart (Bonus Track)- KnowMads

Oh Well- KnowMads

New Video: Mac Miller - Knock Knock

Heres your feel good track of the day. This youngin' never ceases to impress me. His videos usually consist of a well orchestrated display of freshness. Despite getting dangerously close to a reproduction of Greece the musical, this one is no different. From the kicks on his feet to the steezy white girls dancin around in vintage 60s gitch, this video has it all. The track itself is a banger. A catchy hook with Mac spitting about livin hard and jammin out. The hip-hop world needs to look out for this kid...he's found the formula.

Rockie Fresh Ft Naledge and Phil Ade- Living

"Visibly rise like Derozan with the lyrical" 

As a huge Kidz In The Hall fan i always get excited to hear Naledge featuring on some new tracks. This track features Rockie Fresh sounding like he should be the second rapper in Kidz In The Hall and kills the chilled out beat with Naledge like flow. The two compliment each other and Naledge even throws out a Toronto Raptors line as he reps my boy Demar Derozan. The songs real relaxing so chill out and enjoy 

Rockie Fresh Featuring Naledge and Phil Ade - Living

Lupe Leak- Never Forget You

Lupe gets a little emotional on future Lasers track "Never Forget You" featuring John Legend. The tracks a little soft but it's still pretty Hip-Hop and Lupe really gets deep and meaningful on the lyrical side. As much as i don't wanna ruin Lasers by having half of it leaked I always appreciate some new Lupe. Heres "SLR" as well which is a freestyle that he released a while ago. It reminds me of the good old freestyles from Fiasco during the Food and Liquor days... he truly is Super Lupe Fiasco

Never Forget You-Lupe Fiasco

SLR-Lupe Fiasco

Emilio Rojas- Life Without Shame

Emilio Rojas has finally dropped his mixtape "Life Without Shame" and has not disappointed. Being produced by Green Lantern you have to struggle through the random DJ yelling that unfortunately happens on mix-tapes, other than that the projects got a couple bangers. One of my favorites is "Tell No Lies" featuring B.o.B which features a pretty simple but dope beat. Emilio has one of the quickest flows I've heard in a while, which allows him to spit over such a variety of instrumentals. The man has obviously has talent and I wouldn't be surprised if he blew up at some point soon.

p.s Green Lantern shuuuut up and stop ruining songs

Tell No Lies-Emilio Rojas

Close To Me-Emilio Rojas


This is the song that got me instantly hooked on Rojas... nasty flow

Runaway-Emilio Rojas

Ambitions In The Sky-QuESt

I have been following this QuESt character for almost a year now and I am still patiently waiting for another mixtape, CD or anything from the  talented young rapper. His flow is one of the smoothest i've heard in a while, which causes me to wonder why he has not garnered more attention in the industry. His full length project "Defense Mechanism" has been pushed back till January but QuESt has given us a early leak. "Ambitions in the Sky"has a kind of glitchy beat that is calmed down by a subtle piano. His flow is pretty unique but i've become a huge fan of the story-telling style of his rhymes.

Ambitions in the Sky- QuESt

Talib Kweli-Cold Rain

As a long time Talib Kweli fan I have struggled through a long haul of mediocre songs from the Blackstar legend. With Talib I feel like the production is the most crucial part as he is already a proven lyricist . Ski Beatz helps him out with a simple piano beat for "Cold Rain" that is accompanied by a catchy gospel-esque course. The track is the first leak off his "Gutter Rainbows" release that should be out in the near future. This song brings me back to the old Talib I knew and loved, the mans always classic... enjoy

Gutter Rainbows will be released January 26th

Cold Rain-Talib Kweli

LCD Soundsystem

For our 137th post in 2010, I thought I would introduce you to one of my favorite artists to listen to when I'm stressed out and I just need to moss. LCD Soundsystem is a producer named James Murphy that creates music with an interesting combination of electro, dance and punk influence. Maybe it's the repetitive rhythms that he uses throughout his songs, but when I'm listening to it I feel like I'm staring out the window of a car, entranced by every note that passes by. Murphy was a successful NYC DJ until 2002 when he decided to start producing and playing his own music instead. Murphy then used his connections to start up Death From Above records who has worked with artists such as Hot Chip, N.E.R.D, Soulwax, and MIA (you might remember the popular paper planes DFA remix.) Currently LCD Soundsystem is on tour with Hot Chip and Sleigh Bells following up his album this is happening, which was released earlier this year. Here's a song from that album, as well as a couple good ones off his older eps.

LCD Soundsystem - Home


LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends


LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great

Introducing: Yonas- "Nobody Else"

My first interaction with Hip-Hop was Tupac, as I grew I found my self liking less gangsta and more positive rap. Not that I didn't like getting a little gangsta on occasion but growing up listening to artists like Common and Talib Kweli I eventually came accustomed to lyrics involving a variety of topics. Bitches and Hoe's are great but one topic that all three often covered was the relationships they had with their female counterparts. "Nobody Else" features a beat that sounds amazingly similar to something Tupac would of rapped over in the 90's.  Yonas takes us through the relationship he has with a lady friend and why he needs her. The first song I heard from him was "Ya'll Know" which is pretty hood but i feel "Nobody Else" shows a different side and proves his lyrical ability... enjoy

Nobody Else- Yonas

Ya'll Know- Yonas 

Much Music Post

For the most part, Much Music programming consists of sub-par, underfunded reality tv, along with angsty teen dramas. 1% of the time they play a show called Video Flow where Much Music actually plays music videos, and surprisingly they're representing some pretty solid music. Sure there's a lot of top 40 crap like Taio Cruz, Enrique, etc, but every few songs, something decent comes on and in the past weeks I've found a couple of sweet songs. I'm probably not introducing you to any new artists but these singles are quality jams.

First Up, the latest single/video from Brit Pop stars The Ting Tings. This song, Hands, features a driving drum beat coupled with snowboard video style synths topped off with Katie White's unbelievably catchy vocals. It's impossible not to feel this one.

The Ting Tings - Hands

Next, in the Indie/Pop category is The Drum's addicting single Let's Go Surfing. This one has one of those incredibly simple guitar riffs that are the most boring things to play, but manage to carry a song perfectly. Grab your skinny jeans and wayfarers kids:

The Drums - Let's Go Surfing

Third, heard this collab between electro artist Kaskade and Canadian New Wave/Synthpop group Dragonette. Dragonette singer Martina Sorbara sounds sexy as hell on this one, I'd lose it if I heard this song at the bar, which will probably never happen.

Kaskade ft. Dragonette - Fire In Your New Shoes


Last but definitely not least, another collaboration, this time between Neverending White Lights who you may (or may not) know from a song they did with Dallas Green a few years ago, and rapper JDiggz. I can't remember why but I had JDiggz written off in my head, maybe because he has a random 'z' in his name, that usually tips me off to mediocrity. Regardless, this one came pretty damn close to being its own post after I dug into it a bit but laziness got me. This Time is a bit of an moody song thanks to NWL but it comes out nicely. It's off his latest mixtape the X-Periment (why couldn't we just go with experiment??) which I just downloaded it and it sounds likes its got a few good tunes and features help from Colin Munroe on vocals and production, get it here if you're down with zip files. Don't think the whole tape is like This Time, its got a lot of variety. Toronto goes hard???

JDiggz ft. Neverending While Lights

Girltalk releases All Day

Yesterday (Today?) morning Girl Talk has released his next album for free from his label's site, Illegal Art. This album came out spontaneously, which suited Girl Talk's style perfectly. This album will definitely keep you entertained for a while, it features 372 overlapping samples over 12 tracks. The full list of samples can be found here. The album is actually intended to be listened as 71 minutes of continuous music, almost making it too easy to throw on at a party and forget about it. I find that I like this type of music best in small doses although it is very hard to get bored listening to Girl Talk's ADD fashion. I found this EP in particular to be much more of a complete album than he usually ends up producing, as his transitions and flow just keeps getting better. There has been such a large response for this download that the servers on the labels' website have crashed.

Girl Talk - That's Right

Girl Talk - Triple Double

Roc Nation Welcomes Jay Electronica

On this awesome Monday afternoon I am happy to hear that Jay Electronica has signed to Roc Nation. I was introduced to Electronica a couple years ago when I saw him perform at Rock The Bells in Toronto. He put on a pretty crazy performance featuring him rockin' a golden staff but his abilities were obvious. Jay-z has recently signed the cunning lyricist and welcomes him to the Roc with the track "Shiny Suit Theory"... enjoy

Black Keys vs. Big Boi & a sick Tracy Chapman sample

Just stumbled onto an unreal mashup of Tighten Up by the Black Keys, who's music I've already expressed my appreciation for, and Shutterbugg off Outkast Alumni Big Boi's latest offering. I'm not usually a huge fan of the mashup fad but I can't deny, when its done right with songs that I like it can be magic. In my opinion this is the case with this mashup by Wick-It who I've never heard of before, wicked name though (hahaha?? yeah you get it).

Black Keys vs. Big Boi - Black Bug (Wick-It remix)

This next one has been on heavy rotation in the Straight Goods household for the past couple weeks, mostly thanks to the awesomeness of the sample. Tracy Chapman's Give Me One Reason has that timeless classic feel to it and you could easily have convinced me that it was recorded decades ago if I didn't know better. Ground Up, a three-piece Hip Hop group out of North Philly that has been around for a couple years now took the sample, slowed it down a little which makes Tracy sound like a man and spit over it. Lyrically, the song doesn't blow anybody out of the water but the song as a whole is a gem, listen below.

Ground Up - Turn Around

Introducing: Olu-Boy Meets World

Randomly stumbled upon this Olu character the other day. The mixtape “Boy Meets World” was released a while ago but has a couple bangers on it none-the-less. He produces and writes all of his music and is pretty good at both. Using samples like “Heart Skipped A Beat” By The Xx and “Daylight” by the always classic Matt and Kim, this 18-year-old kid runs train on both beats. If you don’t like Olu’s style by then try “Who Am I” to see some original beat material.

Get the whole mixtape here: http://www.mediafire.com/?zmmguymwotn

Give You More- Olu


Daylight- Olu

Who Am I- Olu

Big Sean - Too Fake. Ft Chiddy Bang (Produced by Xaphoon Jones)

I'm posting the video for a Big Sean/Chiddy track that came out a minute ago just because of the great sample they use in it. Hockey's song "Too Fake" is another indie gem that has been uncovered, already by RAC, and now Chiddy Bang (Xaphoon). When a song is good, it's good, and it can and is used across genres by producers, cover artists, DJs, that pick up on it. Sometimes it's just a matter of the song being translated to the right genre before it gets it's widespread appeal. Trust your ear, stick by your definition of good music.

"Everybody's watching, but nobody cares,
oh wait does it go,
nobody's watching but everybody cares?"

Hockey - Too Fake (RAC Remix)

Hockey - Too Fake

Chiddy Bang - Dancing with the DJ

At a party we had last weekend the song that ended up on repeat most of the night was The Knocks - Dancing with the DJ. The track is perfect for loud jams, you can't have a bad time listening to it. Everyone ends up feeling the groovy futurepop sound and wants to hear it again and again. It got pretty out of hand but I didn't know Xaphoon and Proto stopped by, because a week later, another fresh Chiddy Bang remix floated it's way into the straight goods household sampling the very track. If you like the original just wait until you hear this remix as Xaphoon and Proto get right into it. I find that I'm listening to the production of these songs just as much as the lyrics, and Chiddy is always on point in both categories.

The Knocks - Dancing with the DJ (Chiddy Bang remix)

The original:
The Knocks- Dancing with the DJ

Mansions on the Moon - Paradise Falls Mixtape

Sometimes it takes me ages to get around to posting good music that's been on heavy rotation on my Itunes, other times I hear something and get so jacked up about it that I have to post it immediately while I sit in front of my computer, intensely nodding my head to the beat. This is an example of the latter. I just stumbled onto Mansions on the Moon today thanks to the reader comments section of another blog and although I don't know a tonne about them, I know that they are a 3 piece band out of Virginia Beach consisting of Lane Shaw and Ben Hazlegrove, along with singer/songwriter, Ted Wendler. This release, titled Paradise Falls is a remix album featuring a bunch of cool artists including Junior Boys, Deadmau5, Washed Out and our boy Xaphoon Jones of Chiddy Bang.

I'm not sure how to describe their sound, the best thing I can think of right now is this: 60% Miike Snow, 20% m83, I haven't figured out the last 20% yet but trust me, its awesome. Download the whole mixtape here.

Mansions on the Moon - Satellite x Deadmau5


Mansions on the Moon - Broken Paradise x Washed Out


Mansions on the Moon - Glimpse Into the Future (Xaphoon Jones Remix)