pranay (Member)

I wanted to create a mix that captures the cream of the crop from the Free Music Archive's latest additions. I think that the playlist will give you a sense of what I lean towards when finding new music: a throbbing bassline, some electronic influences, and perhaps a little bit of weirdness thrown in for good measure. That's why I decided to dedicate the first track to MC Cullah. He is a young musician from Milwaukee, WI, who deftly mixes in hip-hop production with electronic sensibilities. Recently he opened up for RJD2. But MC Cullah is just the tip of the iceberg. Enjoy!

I have mentioned the Coffee Break show before, and there’s a high probability that it will come up again and again. And for good reason. Aside from playing the familiar tunes and the occasional novelty record, Coffee Break has also showcased some serious local talent. One of these regulars is the NJ resident, the Custodian of Records. The Custodian produces sample-driven hip hop in an age where the practice is becoming increasingly scarce. Boasting an impressive body of work, TCOR is constantly working on new beats. Recently, while asking him what he’s worked on lately, he hit me with the news that he is moving to South NJ. Before I could even mentally register this news he asked if I could help move some of his records and without thinking I volunteered.

What initially started as one person helping another eventually turned into a guided tour of TCOR’s personal laboratory. The first thing I noticed as we got down to the basement is that it was exactly as he had described it. Music everywhere. Album covers all over the floor. Almost every square inch of deskspace is cluttered with LP’s, cassettes, and CD’s. There were a few boxes with records already packing into them, but it looked like there was much more work ahead. By the way, I don’t mean to insult the man’s cleanliness or organizational skills. In fact, quite the opposite. It definitely speaks volumes about his unique process of creating beats.

It was at this point that he started laying out some things I might be interested in. The next thing I know, I’m confronted by a pile of 45’s and various hip hop tapes, one of which is Del tha Funkee Homosapien’s ultra-rare cassette-only release Future Development. Already, I’m impressed with his collection. When I asked him how he acquired such a massive collection of 45’s, he replied that he is no stranger to flea markets. He himself has also volunteered to move other people’s record collections, which gave him an opportunity to keep some gems along the way. “You might recognize this,” TCOR says as he places an unmarked cassette into the tape deck. It takes me a second before I realize it’s an alternate Beatminerz mix to Black Moon’s heavy hitter classic “I Gotcha Opin”. He claims to not be a fan of the other remix, the one which sampled a Barry White tune.