So Roots Manuva did an in-store at my work yesterday... and I got to meet him (I'm not usually the "bug the celebrity" type but a friend wanted me to go up to him with her). He was super nice, humble, funny and cute.

The poor guy. The sound system we have for the store is pretty basic and therefore has very little bass response--i.e. his whole sound was extremely restrained. But man, given the serious constrains, the guy did an amazing job. What a sport. What a natural performer.

It was kind of freaky to hear him over such a small system: his voice sounded exactly like it does on his albums. He just naturally has that phat, low kind of tone to it.

So cool. I only wish I could have got my lazy act together and got tickets for the actual show (sold out).

Colour me thoroughly impressed.

Nice!

I've been wanting to check him out. Do you have a RIYL?


Where does he fall on the rap spectrum? Indie rap being on one end and bling bling rap being on the other.


I never really could get into that Madvillain record last year, if it's anything like that I may have to pass. I know Loogar is all about the bling bling pinky ring rap and he said the little he heard was pretty good.

I'd say he was more influenced by Jamaican music - principally dub and dancehall.

from an old post of mine:

"RIYL: Fat fat massive sub-bass. Brilliantly produced abstract-ragga-dub-hop. Dark, smart, witty lyrics from a Jamaican-British preacher's son...from outspace."

Was listening to Awfully Deep earlier today! I think "Chin High" just made my year-end mix based on today's listen.

Derris: Do you have Leftfield's Rhythm & Stealth? He's the vocalist on the first track, "Dusted." I'd say it's indie production without being jazzy (nothing like Madvillain) with bling-bling, sing-songy choruses. Darrin's on the mark with the dub/dancehall influence.

i love roots manuva so, so much. makes me wonder why the hell i havent gotten of my ass and got his new album yet. probably because im cheap and lazy.

It's all about the Mahuda's delivery: honest, forthcoming, bottom-heavy, charmingly inflected, smoooove. He's definitely situated on the dubwise end of the hip-hop spectrum with slightly more appeal to indie kids than bling or banger types.

We're producing the Mahooooda show tonight, yeah, at La Tulipe, so should be a great time. I hope to meet Rodney and impress upon him the neeeeeed to followup with Awfully Dub.

Polly, I heard that Soundscape was lined up around the block for your intimate little in-store. The way we like it.

Bingo. Nobody has a better flow over 80 BPM. Nobody.

Yup yup and yup.

Things are gettin' awfully dub awfully dub awfully dub...


I was so star struck. I told him I'd been hounding "my friend at Ninja" for awhile (like, a year) to know when his follow-up to Run Come Save Me would come out. He's such a charmer. *swoon*

(I felt so bad that there wasn't any basssss for him.)

No but I will probably end up checking this guy out. My knowledge of Jamaican music and dancehall/dub is criminally pathetic (read: none)

This sounds like some good summer music.


NP- Bob Dylan - Another Side of Bob Dylan

i'd check out the tracks from the Herbaliser's Very Mercenary and his own Brand New Second Hand, Darris. IMO those are his best works, but then i haven't heard the new album yet so maybe go for that.

I'm digging this record. It's like American rap w/out all of the glossy-pop production. Of course it has a little bit of Dance Hall flavor too.

Missed him at Coachella since he ran opposite of Go4. I really really wanted to see him too

I thought the Bravery weren't playing since someone was starting rumours *coughdricough* so I thought they'd bump Roots Manuva up, but the Bravery played.

I need the new album

You do need the new album.

I saw some footage of the show in Toronto last night. It looked absolutely off the hook. The whole place was literally bopping. Kardinal Offishal and the rest of the Tdot hip-hop elite were apparently in attendance.

Damn. I was sooooo hyped to go to this.
I thought a friend was going to try to get on the g-l with me but she wimped out... and consequently so did I.

Damn.

I was really needing some of that sub-bass action. You know--hair blowing in the sub-woofers.

I listened to Awfully Deep sooo much when I first got it, that I got a little tired of it...I'll have to revisit it.