Essential Free Download: Author Give Away "Break Yourself" on SoundCloud!

One of our favorite groups of 2013, Author, have returned from their triumphant USA tour (we caught the LA show and it was so fresh), ready to venture off to the acclaimed Outlook Festival next. But before they do, Ruckspin and Jack Sparrow have been kind enough to treat fans to a free download of "Break Yourself" which didn't quite make the cut on their recently released second album, "Forward Forever." As you might expect, deep bass music is the name of the game here.

Listen & Download Author's "Break Yourself" Below:



Special Thanks: Author, deep bass music, Submotion Orchestra and Jody Wisternoff

Nightmares on Wax Premiere New Song "Be, I Do" and Announce North American 2013 Tour

We've been fortunate to see unforgettable live shows from some of our all-time favorite music artists while living in Los Angeles, but never Nightmares on Wax! That will change as the group has announced plans for a 2013 North American tour in supporting of their anticipated new Warp Records album, 'Feelin' Good."

Check out new song, "Be, I Do" and the N.O.W. 2013 North American tour dates below:



November 14 - U Street Music Hall @ Washington, DC
November 15 - Boot & Saddle @ Philadelphia, PA
November 16 - Paradise @ Boston, MA
November 18 - Bowery Ballroom @ New York, NY
November 19 - Music Hall Of Williamsburg @ Brooklyn, NY
November 20 - The Hoxton @ Toronto, ON
November 22 - Lincoln Hall @ Chicago, IL
November 23 - 7th Street Entry @ Minneapolis, MN
November 27 - Neumos @ Seattle, WA
November 28 - Refuge @ Portland, OR
November 29 - Mezzanine @ San Francisco, CA
November 30 - El Rey Theatre @ Los Angeles, CA
December 02 - Belly Up Tavern @ Solana Beach, CA

Special Thanks: Nightmares on Wax for still rockin it, Warp Records and true herbalists everywhere

YO! UPPERHANDS Raps 1.0

      

How much do I wish that YO! MTV Raps was still around,

I made a post stating that I am the new YO! MTV Raps.

UPPERHANDS Presents :

YO! UPPERHANDS Raps

Redman

Tonight's the Night

Wu Tang Clan

Its Yourz

Dungeon Family 

Trans DF Express

Ultramagnetic Mc's 

Raise It Up

Fam Lay 

Rock N Roll

Jay Z

Im Feelin It

Blackmoon

Who Got Da Props

Group Home

Supa Star

UNI

Beautiful Day

                                                          DJ Krush Feat. CL Smooth

Only the Strong Survive

Dr Dre Feat. Aftermath 

Been There Done That 

Common Sense

I Used To Love H.E.R.

Special Thanks to : American Band Stand, Soul Train, Ed Sullivan show, MTV for making the music video possible.

UPPERHANDS Underground Crates : Twardowski - Terms of Endearment

Twardowski - Terms of Endearment

Special Thanks to : Spray Paint.

UPPERHANDS Underground Crates : Nangdo & Duke Hugh - Spirit of the Juke

Certified fresh for the 2013.

soundcloud.com/nangdo
twitter.com/Nangstarr 

Special Thanks to : Being able to drink water out of your tap and feel comfortable doing it. 

UPPERHANDS Underground Crates : AbnormL Injustice - We Have The Future Covered

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Essential Weekend Playlist: Rudimental Begin USA Takeover with New Album "Home"

While our friends in the UK have seen electronic outfit, Rudimental, blow up in a big way, they are now finally making their way stateside with their smash debut album, "Home." We recently picked it up and it hasn't left our stereo speakers for the last week. Covering multiple genres, "Home" is the kind of debut album that is a breath of fresh air in the current EDM boom.

Take a listen to their first couple of single from "Home" for further evidence:

First single "Spoons" was a sublime deep house cut:



"Feel the Love" was their drum & bass offering and a HUGE #1 smash in the UK:



"Waiting All Night" defied all expectations for the follow-up



Their latest is "Right Here" and is a perfect summer song that is not to be missed:



As a BONUS - check out the recent disco-house remix that Skream did:



Special Thanks: Rudimental for (hopefully) showing that the next generation of electronic music superstar groups will look more to legendary acts like Massive Attack for inspiration on sustaining career longevity

Music Mondays: Gramatik Makes New Mixtape "Street Bangerz Vol. 4" Available for Free Download

Boom! If you've missed those old hip-hop flavored Gramatik productions, he's gone and done you a solid today in advance of his next album. The producer dug into his vaults and emerged with 22 tracks of pure funked-out bliss that will get your week off to a great start.

Here's what Gramatik had to say: Remember when I used to make all those simple, raw, sample-based hiphop beatz? You know, the ones that the snobby part of my fanbase can't stop crying about? Well, I was going through my digital basement the other day and I found like 22 of them. A little something to hold you over till #TAORdrops, these are the leftovers from SB1. #BackToTheBasics#MerryChristmas

Free Download of "Street Bangerz Vol. 4" at: gramatik.net/free/SB4.zip

Listen below:



Special Thanks: Gramatik for the early Christmas present

Music Mondays: Massive Attack "Blue Lines" Special

For this Music Monday, it's particularly chilly in Los Angeles, teasing the upcoming Autumn season. When the temperature drops, the warming sounds of Massive Attack's landmark debut album, "Blue Lines," never cease to find my ears. So I thought we'd take a look back at the music videos that made up this classic from the Wild Bunch. Keep in mind this album came out on April 8, 1991. That's right 1991 and it still sounds fresh mainly due to the fantastic crate-digging former founding member, Mushroom, did on the beats and of course each vocalist sounding so uniquely different from his/her counterpart.

"Safe From Harm" - The album opener and one of my all-time favorites from the band. Still a thrilling highlight in their live sets.



"Daydreaming" saw the group incorporate their love of soul, hip-hop and dub. There's about 5 different versions of the track and this album mix isn't my favorite, but it still showcases a funky side to the group that the "Mezzanine" era fans often forget about.



"Unfinished Symphony" is the unquestioned masterpiece of the "Blue Lines" album and one of dance music's all-time top tracks from one of the genre's best albums ever!



Special Thanks: Massive Attack, Autumn air, Jogasaki Burrito and new adventures

Weekend Playlist: Download Disclosure's New BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix

After the Upperhands crew embarked on a super underground house music adventure this weekend, we were thrilled to learn that current UK electronic music sensations, Disclosure, were tapped for this week's BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix. While the duo's penchant for dropping quality house music is in full effect here, an unexpected and pleasant surprise was their tribute to hip-hop pioneer, J Dilla, which starts off the mix!

Listen & Download Disclosure's Essential Mix Below:

Tracklist:
Onra – Intro [All City Dublin]
Slum Village – Players [Good Vibe Recordings]
Gang Starr – Put Up Or Shut Up [Virgin]
Jaylib – React (feat. Quasimoto) [Stones Throw]
Q-Tip – Let’s Ride [Arista]
Vic Mensa – Orange Soda
Moodymann – U Ranaway
Linkwood – Secret Value [Shevchenko]
Mike Huckaby – Melodies From The Jazz Republic / I Get Deeper (Acapella) [Still Music]
[unknown] – J.A.W.S.
Trankilou – Bill Collector [BPM Records]
T. Williams – Three Letters [PMR]
Bassjackers & Apster – Klambu [Sneakerz MUZIK]
Dusky – Sunsets & Dolphins
Midland – Archive [Graded]
Mark Henning – Trojan [Cityfox]
Ten Walls – Gotham [Innervisions]
Disclosure – When A Fire Starts To Burn [PMR]
Rachel Row – Follow The Step (Breach Hood Remix) [Defected]
New York Transit Authority – 95′
Soul Purpose – Sublim3 [Lo:Rise]
Friend Within – The Scene [Method Records]
Paul Woolford – Untitled
Hannah Wants – Teardrop On The Fire
GoldFfinch – Once You Wrap
Adonis & Charles B – Lack Of Love [Desire]
Native Soul – A New Day (Spencer Parker’s A Gun For Hire Remix) (feat. Trey Washington) [Defected]
Eddie Niguel – Absolute [Midnight Shift]
Omar – Feeling You (Henrik Schwarz Remix) [Peppermint Jam]
Hauswerks – Puppet Factory [Moda Black]
Disclosure – Latch (Maddslinky Remix) (feat. Sam Smith)

Special Thanks: Disclosure, BBC Radio 1, Essential Mixes, Underground LA House Music Warehouse Parties and Elysium screenings.