Urban Picnic Sounds 2012 The 10th year Anniversary

Right then. Pay attention. Big one this.

Those of you who have been following us for some time will be aware of our Urban Picnic Sounds project. For those of you looking blank, this is when your resident Blunt Beats DJs and some very special guests take to the festival vibe and provide two days of funk, soul, reggae, jazz and whatever they damn well like to create the backdrop soundtrack to the summer barbecue in your head!

We’re back for our tenth year this year at the Rhythms Of The World Festival in Hitchin, Hertfordshire on the 15 and 16 July. Over half a dozen stages with hundreds of acts over two days.

Importantly, Blunt Beats are there all weekend representing Urban Picnic Sounds with special guests this year including old-skool reggae renegade DJ Derek and a very exclusive set from hardcore supremo Billy Daniel Bunter playing funk and soul sounds on the Saturday afternoon just for you lucky people!!

We’ll be putting out full details of our full lineup for the weekend over the coming weeks but you can find out more about the festival and buy tickets here (it’s gonna be a good one even if we weren’t there this year! Reggae maestro and the voice himself Junior Murvin will be headlining the Sunday with some classic reggae vibes, so that’s where we’ll be when we’ve finished out sets!)

Posted in culture, gigs, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Lack of Afro ‘One Way’ Remixes and Rarites Out Now!

Adam Gibbons (lack of Afro) is back with a stonkly good album of sweetly soulful and fiercely funky finds. The remixes on this album by Adam are of artists such as Mr Confuse, Flow Dynamics, The Hot 8 Brass Band and Kraak and Smaak but to name a few. This 2 disc 27 track masterpiece is definatley something worth scratching around in the bottom of you piggy bank for. It is available in 2 formats cd and digital download through Itunes, Freestyle Records and Juno Download.

Click here for a mix of this album by the lovely guys at Freestyle records to see what you are missing by not having this album.

 

 

Posted in culture, mixes, reviews | Leave a comment

April Selection of Tunes


Beyonce vs Maceo – Work It Out – G A M M

Soul in a bowl  with this track it’s a gem. Super funky with silky smooth lyrics from the foxy brown Beyonce. This track has had the full GAMM treatment and is a definate party tune to get them groovin. 12 inch only at the moment

Blame It on the Bossa Boogie – Buscemi – Resense

Cut up lyrics from this classic disco track with a break to start things off, which finall winds up to a seriosly having it bossa nova rhythm. This is my personal favorite tune at the moment and has been gettiing a hammering i think i may need to order me another copy as a back. This is a classic and will sel fast… you have been warned. 7inch only digital to follow soon.

A Message to you Rudy – Amy Winehouse – Amyliveska

A truley Nice white  7 inch vinyl featuring 2 great live songs from the sadly missed talent Amy Winehouse. My favorite is ‘ a message to you rudy’ from  2008 Rock in Rio Madrid Show. lovely summer track guranteed to get the place jumping.

Soul – Mr Fresh – Bootie Fruits

Chilled laid back hiphop with beautiful saxophone and dreamy piano rift,this tune will have you nodding nicely while sipping a beer or rollin with your honeys in your ride pure class. This is available on download and with another 3 other tunes should keep you bubbling for a while.

Backed by Dope Beats – EZ Icarus – Young NRG Productions

Proper oldskool this track is a mash up of a Herbie Hancock classic and a legedary hiphop tune which has had a tweak here and there to gie you a floor filler. This track brand new realease for the end of this month will no doubt be smashing up the floors all the way through until the summer ends.

 

 

 

 

Posted in charts, reviews | Leave a comment

Brand New Summer Threads from Innercity


If you like your threads fresh then this brand is for you. This label has taken classic hiphop art work and images form over the years and put them on to nice Tees and Tops which are super nice.

This is a relativey new label and from personal experience of owning some of their clothing line the quality and fit is top notch.

The brand is fast becoming the choice of some big name music stars with this label supporting loads of gigs and partys. To check out more of this label please go to www.inc81.com for further info on this Great Britsh label.

Posted in culture, reviews | Leave a comment

Carhartt and UDG Collaboration

Carhartt and UDG have now come up with a great all-in-one solution that will help you avoid all this hassle. It is a compact DJ bag that can hold your laptop, your vinyl collection, and your CDs, all at the same time. I personally have one of these bags and it is by far the best bag i have every used, from playing at a club or dragging it to a festival it carries more records than they say and has been over loaded with dj technology and still it does its job with out breaking. This should be the bag of choice for a dj. It comes in 2 versions with a trolly bag and a normal sling bag. .

Here’s a list of all Carhartt X UDG DJ Bagfeatures:

- Made exclusively for CARHARTT by UDG

- 100% Cotton “duck” canvas in classic CARHARTT brown

- Water-resistant

- Stores up to 55 records

- Integrated padded compartment to store a 15.6” laptop

- Large surface kick plate and reinforced wheel housing

- New 3-stage internal trolley system

- Soft rubber grip

- Smooth rolling in-line wheels with precision quality bearings

- Electro-plated zippers

- Integrated combination lock

- Includes 2 large Carhartt X UDG CD wallets to store 24 CDs each.

please click here to buy

Posted in culture, gadgets, reviews | Leave a comment

Soulectric Party Night Friday May 4th

Were back for our monthly mixup at Bar Absolute HOUSE/BREAKS/FUNK/SOUL/R&B/LATIN and anything with a wicked groove.. Hopefully the summer will be here by then and the party vibes also. This event night we have dj Adam williams, Marcus G Hurley and Doug digging through their dj crates for some party bangers to make you shake your behind. So if you are up for it and love your music then this is for you. Catch you then party people.

Also don’t forget to join our facebook page

 

Posted in culture, gigs, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Willy Moon “Yeah Yeah” released 7th May l

This track has set me up for the start of the summer. The beats are outragous with tuff kicks and bass with a real old school early 90′s indie sound but with a 2012 twist.This tune is released on the 7th May on luv luv luv records. So if there is one tune to get you Festival/Party season started then this should be the one a real  gem. I believe big things this year are to come from Willy Moon a 21 year old New Zealander.So if he does you heard it hear first.

Posted in reviews, video | Leave a comment

Must Have Tunes March 2012

Hick Stick – Roast Beatz – Booty Fruit

This track taken from their ” Home made bullets 5 EP ” is a hip to the hop from the start. The vocals which are sampled from the uniquely sounding Beastie Boys are as tight and diverse as ever. The main body of the track is a head nodding beat with a pounding bass and crisp drum sound from the snare. What makes this track some what different to most is, as in the title. A Hick sounding mouth organ giving this track a real deep south American feel. This a proper tune the will get any party started.

Cantaloopoo – JFB ft Mr Dero – Disco Cakes

They have gone and done it again and brought you another hard hitting smash of a record. This time we see the remix of Que 3′s 90′s hit Cantaloop. This record is instantly reconizable but with a serious twit of dirty bass and breaks bringing this piece of music bang up to date with the sound of dubstep. This is a monster, available on 12 inch vinyl and digital download.

Rehab – The Reflex – G.A.M.M

God bless her soul as we shed a tear but appreciate what a fanstic talent Amy Winehouse was. This track has had a slight mashup with the tune cosisting of the motown classic ‘Hit the Road Jack’ and the vocals laid staight over the top. This track on paper look to be a truely awful hash but it is far from it. From the start to the finish this piece of music is a joy to listen to and is a sure bottom shaker on the dance floor.

Taling about my Baby – WBBL – Ghetto Funk

Wow what a pure summer tune this is. The cheeky piano sample is from John Leannon which is looped over a hiphop beat with laid back vocals this tune is gonna be played to death by me and alike. Get on this now as its only on vinyl at the moment.

I Predict a Riot – The Impellers – Mocambo

This track should be played not only for comedy value but also because it’s a dam fine tune. This track is a rework of the Kaiser Chiefs biggest hit and The Impellers have done this with pure class. Super funky Hammond Organ and upbeat drums and horns will have up boppin and jumping around like a pogo stick. What a classic available on 7 Inch record.

 

Posted in charts, culture, reviews | Leave a comment

Soulectric Party Friday 2nd March

Spring is on its way and what better than to put a spring in your step than a quality night of music from Soulectric and a special guest. This month see the return of our close friend Kyle Sheerwood who will be diggin through his crate of soul house, funk and quality beats. Also this month with be the usual residents Marcus G Hurley and Doug playing the finest breaks, soulful house, disco and hiphop and R&B. So no excuse it’s free to get in and guarenteed to make you dance.

Posted in culture, gigs | Leave a comment

Episode 025

Play

More Bar Absolute playback this week, with a set form Marcus. It’s a mix up of house, disco and funky breaks so hope it gets you in the mood for whatever you’re doing on your Saturday night. Enjoy!

Posted in podcast | Leave a comment