I can’t even grow something slightly resembling a mustache.

Surrounded by blaring airhorns and incredibly quiet speakers due to a busted generator, I was lucky enough to be able to interview Paul Devro at Chicago’s Mad Decent party, with Orpheus doing his thang, recording the interview with his iPhone. While the prolonged speaker outage put a damper on the madness for an hour or so, it allowed us to speak ad nauseam with the self-proclaimed creative director of Mad Decent. Being able to interview someone I truly admire was cool enough in the first place, and my fascination only increased after the interview. Why was that? Read on and see.

Squeegie: If you had a job description what would you say it would be?

Paul Devro: I newly am calling myself creative director for Mad Decent, because I do a little bit of everything. I do graphics, release decisions, and I work for/do the website. I work on tracks for the label and stuff, so I do a little bit of everything. But I say creative director because I think I do some creative stuff for it, you know?

S: How did you start out with Mad Decent? And how did your position evolve to what it is now?

PD: First, Wes (Diplo) asked me to remix a track for the Bonde do Role for the first release on Mad Decent, and then I had a website and he asked me to move my website and bring it over to MadDecent.com. So I did that, and I just slowly started doing a little bit more and more here and there.

read more »

Ned and I were able to head out to Mad Decent’s Chicago stop along with a friend of ours named Neal. We were there for almost the entire day and while the silence that was in place for about an hour and a half was caused by a blown generator, the delay allowed Ned and I to see almost all of the artists. With that in mind, we bring you reviews and notes on almost all of the sets. Be on the lookout for a Paul Devro interview from Squeegie’s own! More after the jump.

Kid Sister

From the outset, Kid Sister made it clear that she wanted a very, very energetic show. She began her set with a crazy excited entrance and started out with what is arguably her best known track, ‘Pro Nails’ aside, ‘Right Hand Hi’. It seemed like most of the crowd was at least somewhat familiar with her music and, accompanied by Willy Joy serving as hype man and DJ, led the crowd in a variety of dances. We were only able to stay for four songs or so since we had to begin resting for Bassnectar later than night but it was definitely my second favorite Kid Sis performance (after her Thanksgiving show two years ago). -Brookah

read more »

(Nope, he’s not DJing. He’s top right)

So I did a post on my kindergarten friend Jstack a few weeks back of a track of his that I dug. Well that track was good and all but he really stepped it up on this one, it’s of a different caliber for him. He now goes by Chiko (because he can’t decide on a name for the life of him) and hopefully this one will stick. Check his remix of Yeasayer out and if you dig it vote for his remix in the Mad Decent contest here.

Yeasayer – O.N.E. (Chiko Remix)

Yes folks, it’s a three-post kind of day.  Mad Decent have teamed up with Austin’s favorite bearded partier Bird Peterson for a mixtape of hip-hop remixes entitled Drankenstein (couldn’t help but think of this again).  The mix gives a good taste of Bird’s party-ready vibes, but Mad Decent cautions that this is not “meant for ironic yucks”, but rather a solid showcasing of BP’s talent and tastes.  In Bird’s own words,”This is my amalgamation of two trends I’ve always loved: the dirty south and the use of trance synths in current rap. Here I have taken 15 or so of my favorite southern rap songs and 15 or so of my favorite trance synth lines to create something that’s not corny or funny, it’s simply the motherfudgin’ jam!”. The motherfudgin’ jam indeed, sir. The motherfudgin’ jam indeed.  (also, its entitled “volume 1″ so there could definitely be more on the way–stay tuned on that)

Bird Peterson  – Drankenstein Volume 1 (direct via Mad Decent)

Tracklist after the jump.

read more »

Oh happy day! Got a new track submission from Jayou himself. I have a feeling that you’ll be seeing and/or hearing this one a lot on other blogs, and for good reason. This producer of the UK, if you don’t already know him, has been doing big things in the last 12 months or so, inlcuding a guest mix with Mad Decent, a collabo with Diplo and a slew of heavy and impressive tracks along the way! “Crack Hands,” “Blue Magic,” and “Zub” are must gets if you havent heard them already. He’s got another mix coming out on Mad Decent by the end of April, so be on the look out for that too. But for now, enjoy this one and show the man some love, in any form you can think.  Enjoy and be easy.

Jayou – To Be

Borgore is an awesome dubstep producer based out of Tel Aviv, Israel who is really making some awesome, new stuff. Was just on Mad Decent’s blog today and they had some of his new tracks that are quite simply off the chain. I’ll share with you my favorite of the two but head here for the other one (much love, Mad Decent). The Ice Cream EP is coming out soon on Trillbass, so you better grab it once it’s out, sucka.

Borgore – Ice Cream

Hello one and all. I would like to begin this post by apologizing for the ridiculous delays between posts lately. I’ve just begun the whole frat thing at college and shit is time consuming. With that taken care of, let’s get down to music.

Squeegie favorite Gucci Mane has enjoyed the support of many in the musical industry, especially in blogging circles and the like. One of his biggest fans happens to be an artist known for taking on great projects and sometimes bringing more popular music to the blogging masses: Diplo. With this in mind, Diplo decided to collaborate with a ton of your favorite producers and make a Gucci Mane only mixtape and goddamn it’s hot. Featuring tracks from: Diplo, Bird Peterson, Brodinski, Douster, Flying Lotus, Mumdance, DZ, and my main main Willy Joy. Needless to say, Un. Fucking. Real.

I’ll give you guys a few tracks but you neeeeed to get the whole mixtape, it’s too good. To make it better, it’s free (my favorite number). Get the mixtape here.

Gucci Mane – Dangers Not a Stranger (Diplo Remix)

Gucci Mane – I Be Everywhere (DZ Remix)

Gucci Mane – I’m The Shit (DJ Benzi & Willy Joy Remix)

Mad Decent’s South Rakkas Crew have returned, this time with an entire full-length album of juicy 320s, 100% free of charge.  The Stimulus Package features a few previously released tracks, like the bumpin “So It Go (feat. Serocee)” and “Double Up (feat. KillaQueenz)”, and some new movers, with appearances by artists like Capleton and Grafton Primary.  Here’s my favorites off the album, but there’s no excuse not to grab the whole thang here.

South Rakkas Crew – Holiday (Titles Riddim) feat. Rage

South Rakkas Crew – Bun Up 3000 feat. Capleton

South Rakkas Crew – Take One feat. Grafton Primary

Were it not for this gig I have tonight I would be in Philadelphia tonight and that bums me out ($150 dollar roundtrip from Chicago!!) Why am I so disappointed you ask? Well because I’m missing what was so perfectly put by Markus G from my old blog home, Hot Biscuits. Go on Markus, tell em what I’m missing:

“Good God, this is going to be an amazing event. All of 2009’s best new producers in one room playing all the songs we’ve lusted after and blogged about. It’s Bristol bad boy of dubstep, Joker with his homey Nomad helping out. Then from southeast London is the Nightslugs‘ Lvis 1990 and Bok Bok. Wait, just when you thought it couldn’t get any better there is Fool’s Gold rookie of the year, Kingdom from Brooklyn. To round out the bill you have the DJ Sega, Dirty South Joe, Flufftronix and Lady Prowl to get down to.”

Yeah. Fuck. If you’re in Philly don’t be a fool, cancel all your plans and hit this up.

You’ll hear it a million times in our posts but yes, we are back. Pardon the delay. Enough about that, time to catch up on music. Check out my giant post after the jump for all the goodness we weren’t able to post these last few days and look for a Nic Sarno interview that’s gonna be up in just a few hours. Lezzzzgo!

read more »