STRIVIN'

Fresh on the heels of his recent MGMT/Of Montreal mash-up, Bay Area producer Amplive has released a second remix from MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular. This time out he’s tackled “Of Moons, Birds & Monsters,” nicking the song’s finest synth line and fleshing out a track around exclusive verses from North Oakland MC Mistah Fab. You might recognize Fab from the most recent Snoop single, “Life of the Party.” Or if you’re well versed in Bay bangers, you’ll recall his Ghostbusters-nodder “Ghost Ride It” and its endlessly entertaining video, wherein Fab and company ghost ride a short bus (no joke). Either way, his turns here are memorable in and of themselves, and serve as the perfect compliment to Amplive’s shimmering synth-driven production.

In other news, Amplive is currently at work on official remixes for both Tokyo Police Club and Jamie Lidell. They’ll be coming down the pipe line later this summer. And, with the Radiohead remixes still reverberating through the music world, some even bigger things have begun to line up on the horizon. More on those developments later this month!

“Of Birds, Moons & Monsters (Communication edit)” – Amplive vs. MGMT w/ Mistah FAB

ESSO has been puttin’ in work and here’s his latest mixtape, the final chapter in his ESSOcentric trilogy. Hopefully an album is on the way.

“Back On My Bullshit” – ESSO

E3: E-Day – ESSO

BONUS

“It Ain’t Hard To Tell (blendmix)” – Nas w/ ESSO

Lil E from New York is new to me, but he drops some gems on this mixtape so I’ll be lookin’ for more from him in the future.

“Pistalon Don” – Lil E

Pyrex Dialect – Lil E

Two new albums are now available from Arsun F!st…

This album was birthed from the trials and tribulations that one faces while following their dreams. Not jaded by the materialism in most of today’s popular music, the songs on this project attempt to invite the listener into a world where it is o.k. to be yourself. The album: It’s A StruGgle 2 Get Deep is comprised of honesty, self reflection, and enough verbal humility to showcase the range of emotions that define the emcee Arsun F!st. With production from The Unknown, Natestrumentals, Fatman & Tropical, as well as Choppy Chope Sounds the album also features guest appearances from Em-Eye-See and Priest Da Nomad.

“So Alive” – Arsun F!st

It’s A Struggle To Get Deep (album sampler) – Arsun F!st

Album available now at iTunes & Emusic

Given the new technology and media markets that drive Hip-Hop today, it was only a matter of time before the internet became the central meeting place for a lot of aspiring artists and producers from around the world. The project dubbed: The StruGgle Continues… was created soley via internet communication. The whole project was recorded, mixed, and mastered through the internet as a way of showing people that Hip-Hop truly is a global platform. Hailing from Northwest, Manchester UK the production team of Fatman & Tropical produced, mixed, and mastered every song on the album while Jacksonville, Florida’s own Arsun F!st and special guest Em-Eye-See handled the lyrical responsibilities of the project.

The Struggle Continues (album sampler) – Arsun F!st

Album available now at iTunes & Emusic