[SKOA Presents] Beats For Daze #2 (All Hallows Edition)

Once again back is the incredible, your neighborhood friendly Rocko Rock with a brand new installment of Beats For Daze. For those unfamiliar with the series, BFD is monthly playlist compiled based around producers (the unsung heroes of hip hop) who create some of my favorite head nodding tracks of the past and current along with some unreleased goodies as well, all rolled up into one nice hour plus mixture for your ear drums' enjoyment. I know that sounds like I just tried to pitch a TV show or product, sorry. Those that missed out on our first installment of the series (which hit 10,000 plays in month on 8tracks!) should check it out here.

Being October, we felt necessary to dedicate this month's mixture to the upcoming holiday, Halloween. That's right, this month we got 31 tracks of goodness all inspired from the most spooky fun day of the year. Don't worry the always obvious choice, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" will not make an appearance on the mixtape although I'm a bit sad I didn't just add Vincent Price's epic laugh. But I did find some nice a nice Halloween vinyl in my record crate to atmosphere of the total mix. It's a bit cheesy but whatever. Among these tracks we got some classics from Danger Mouse when he was known Pelican City, Dan The Automator when he just went by Automator, Portishead, Massive Attack, The Herbaliser and more. With the inclusion of some newer tunes from The Gaslamp Killer, Thavius Beck as well as others and one of my favorite creepy DJ Shadow jams "Give Me Back The Nights", a track so evil I had to take a picture of myself listening to it, which you view below. So set a spell for awhile and check out the full mix in the player above.

And if you are still reading this, I like to say thank you for taking the time and listening to our Beats For Daze playlist, it really means a lot to myself and SKoA. We're working on something super special for the next month as well as some more awesome things for the following months. So make sure you check out other mixtapes and if you are on 8Tracks.com follow us and spread the good music around. Have an awesome Halloween!

<3 Rocko loves you.

[Listen] DJ Shadow - "Listen" Feat. Terry Reid

Seriously as I was running away from my computer, I was passed along this wonderful tune by our friends at Solesides and I thought to myself I can't deny you people of good new music, blah blah blah... So here it is the second new track from the upcoming Best of compilation of DJ Shadow, Reconstructed: The Best of DJ Shadow. Check out the tune "Listen" featuring Terry Reid which debuted earlier today on BBC 6 Music (love those guys). You can also peep the other new track from the album "Won't You Be" here. I'm off to have my afternoon beer and burger now.

[Listen] DJ Shadow - "Won't You Be"

Look's like SKOA's favorite DJ, DJ Shadow is going to have a busy release schedule this fall. Aside from his archival release Total Breakdown: Hidden Transmissions From The MPC Era, 1992-1996 coming this August, Shadow has announced that he will be releasing 16-track compilation entitled Reconstructed: The Best Of DJ Shadow on September 3. This upcoming compilation showcases the greatest DJ Shadow track throughout his 23-year long career as a producer/artist including tracks from his five studio albums as well as his collaborative UNKLE album Psyence Fiction with James Levelle.

I know you DJ Shadow fans are like "Thats cool, but I already got all of this stuff. Why do we need a greatest hits compilation?" Well let me tell you. The upcoming compilation also features 2 never been released tracks, "Listen" and "Won't You Be" which is an added bonus for fan of Shadow and the compilation will also be released as a limited-edition boxset titled, Reconstructed: The Complete DJ Shadow. This 8 disc set is limited to 500 copies worldwide and each set will be individually signed by DJ Shadow and will also include a 12-inch vinyl record, a booklet featuring an essay by acclaimed music writer Dave Tompkins and numerous photos. Pretty sweet deal right? Cool. Then get your boy Rocko one. ;) 

But now the good stuff for your ears. Yesterday, our good friends at BBC 6 Music premiered one of the two unreleased cuts on the Shaun Keaveny show. Check out the new track "Won't You Be" below and head over to the 6 Music website to hear the back story behind the compilation and track at the 2 hour 40 minute mark. Peep the full tracklist to the compilation below.

'Midnight In A Perfect World'
'High Noon'
'I've Been Trying'
'This Time (I'm Gonna Try It My Way)'
'You Can't Go Home Again'
'Scale It Back (Featuring Little Dragon)'
'Listen (Featuring Terry Reid)'
'Stem'
'Six Days'
'Won’t You Be'
'Organ Donor'
'Lonely Soul' (Featuring Richard Ashcroft) 
'Blood On The Motorway'
'You Made It' (Featuring Chris James)
'Redeemed'
'Dark Days' (Main Theme)

[Listen] Blackalicious - "Changes" (Co-Prod. By DJ Shadow)

It's been a long time since anyone has heard anything from indie hip hop greats Gift of Gab and Chief Xcel, better known to the world as Blackalicious, aside from Gab's recent solo releases. But after 7 years since the group's last release The Craft in 2005, we have news of an upcoming release at the end of the month. Bad news it's not a new album. But awesome news, it's a re-release of the group's 94' debut EP Melodica which will be released for the first time digitally on 7/31 and will feature the bonus track, "Changes" co-produced by the legendary DJ Shadow.

So all in all, we see this as a win-win for Blackalicious fans out there and hopefully we resurfacing of the group, we hope to get a new record in the near future. Check out the bonus cut in the player below.

[News] DJ Shadow To Release 'Hidden Transmissions from the MPC Era' This Fall

It's been a good while since we heard from DJ extrordinare DJ Shadow who has been touring nonstop since the release of his last LP The Less You Know The Better. However, today we got some awesome news for fans of Shadow as well as hip hop with the announcement of a brand new release coming this fall. However, before you get all super excited thinking this upcoming release is a brand new production, think again. This time around Shadow takes you back in time on the Wayback Machine without Sherman (Sorry for the Mr. Peabody joke, just watched that recently<3) with his upcoming archival album Total Breakdown: Hidden Transmissions From The MPC Era, 1992-1996.

This release highlights Shadow's earliest productions on the Akai MPC and contains previously unreleased material spanning from 1992 to 1996 which to some is the peak of Shadow's career with the release of Endtroducing. Included among the highlights are instrumental tracks from an aborted 1994 EP planned with The Gift Of Gab, which includes the original demo of what would eventually become The Private Press hit "Six Days." MPC Era is set to be released this August and is now available for pre-order at DJShadow.com. You can also download 2 free tracks "Affectations" and "Dream of a Piece" from the upcoming release below as well as check out the 30 second samples of each track. Definitely, a highlight for any DJ Shadow collector out there.

[SKOA Presents] The 50 Best Albums Of 2011: 15 - 11

15. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part. 2 [Amazon] [iTunes] [Insound]

After postponing Hot Sauce Committee Part One so that MCA could kick cancer in the ass, the Beastie Boys came back with a vengeance on their eighth studio album, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. It has been a thrill and a priviledge to grow old with the Brooklyn trio and the boys certainly did not let us down this time around. Combining old school style rhymes and trying a few new sounds on for size, they've managed to deliver another solid album complete with songs that will stick with us for years to come. Plus who could forget the epicness of the longform music video for "Make Some Noise" that's full to the brim with celebrities, complete with Seth Rogen, Elijah Wood and Danny McBride as the younger version of the Beasties. I also thoroughly enjoyed Nas' appearance on "Too Many Rappers" as well as tracks like "Taddlock's Glasses", "Lee Majors Come Again" and "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" featuring Santigold. This album sat well in my heart over the course of the year and I look forward to more albums in the future from Brooklyn's finest. —Kibbe

14. Doomtree - No Kings [Amazon] [iTunes] [Insound]

Minnesota rap outfit Doomtree (P.O.S., Dessa, Sims, Cecil Otter, Mike Mictlan, Lazerbeak and Paper Tiger) have been making waves for sometime, but with their sophomore crew record No Kings, the group once again pushes the standard of indie hip hop from the genre mashing production down to flawless raps and lyrics. This album is an all around group record as well, which differs a lot from your typical crew record where one person handles production on a track and drops a verse. No. With No Kings each member assisted with crafting records unique sound and provides a little bit of everything from Blues to Electronic to Rock to Soul. If this record is a preview of what is to come in Doomtree's future, I cant wait to see what comes next. If you are looking for a great rap record, look no further than No Kings. —Rocko

Doomtree "Beacon" by doomtree

13. DJ Shadow - The Less You Know, The Better [Amazon] [iTunes] [Insound]

After dropping a mediocre 3rd LP, the king of sample based instrumental hip hop returns to form with his latest record The Less You Know The Better. Combining elements from all genres, DJ Shadow's 4th LP bangs so hard from beginning to end it makes you forget about that last "hyphy" album and reminds us of the sound that we fell in love with from his first 2 albums. The album even features a few guest  appearances (Talib Kweli, Pos of De La Soul, Tom Vek and Yukimi of Little Dragon) which give the album a nice twist in style every now and then but hardly take away from the overall sound of the record. So if you are looking for a fun, drum break heavy, electronic album look no further than The Less You Know The Better. —Rocko

"Scale It Back" Feat. Little Dragon

12. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds [Amazon] [iTunes] [Insound]

August 2009 was a tough time for fans of the brothers Gallagher, as the elder, Noel, left legendary Manchester band Oasis. Sure, they've fought before, but this time it was serious and Oasis as the world had loved them were finished. Fast forward to 2011 and Noel Gallagher returns to the world in which he most definitely belongs, fronting his new band Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Noel has always had a knack for writing infectious guitar led numbers, and this album proves that. Album opener "Everybody Is On The Run" sets the scene for the journey you are about to take, while singles "AKA... What A Life" and "The Death Of You And Me," despite being a little more radio friendly, still show what Noel is capable of doing. Instead of this being the Liam & Noel show that we've endured for the 18 year career of Oasis, this is all Noel, and that is a very, very good thing. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds perfectly encompasses what we've always wanted from a Gallagher, and it's one we all knew Noel could create given the freedom. Bravo. —Shey

11. Childish Gambino - Camp [Amazon] [iTunes] [Insound]

Hip hop isn't a genre that I can typically enjoy thoroughly, and it takes a lot for a hip hop album to draw me in. Childish Gambino's Camp has done what most hip hop albums haven't or can't, utilizing the artist's comedic roots by taking what is generally a stale genre and giving it a witty and clever overhaul. Each line that Gambino spits out is comedic gold (such as "Backpackers": "That well spoken token who ain't been heard, the only white rapper who's allowed to say the n-word"), and, coupled with his improved production styles and vocal work, Gambino has shown that he means business. It's not just his comedic abilities that stand out, though, as the artist has placed emotional brevity into every song on the album, and it's these upfront, emotional confessions that show us that he is not just a musician, or a comedian, but a real human being. The realness of his lyrics and his emotional state allows for empathy on the listener's part, and this creates a connection that is difficult to find within the realm of hip hop. Whether it's the on-again-off-again relationship in "Heartbeat," or his disengagement from his own black community in "Backpackers," or the childhood heartbreak of "Kids (Keep Up)," each song evokes emotions that almost anyone can relate to in some way or another, and it is this relationship that makes Gambino's music and lyrics so powerful. No longer is Donald Glover just a comedian; he is going above and beyond to turn hip hop into something that anyone can immediately relate to, and, in every way, he succeeds. —Adrian

[Watch] DJ Shadow - "Scale It Back" Feat. Little Dragon

By far, my favorite joint off the new DJ Shadow LP The Less You Know The Better, "Scale It Back" featuring Yukimi Nagano of Little Dragon gets the visual treatment. Unfortunately, the busy Little Dragon vocalist is not featured in the actual video, however, it does display some interest artsy visuals from director and producer Ewan Jones Morris & Casey Raymond. Check it out above and if you haven't already, pick up DJ Shadow's newest here.

[Watch] DJ Shadow - "Border Crossing" (Video)

Peep out the video for DJ Shadow's newest tune "Border Crossing" from his recently released return LP The Less You Know The Better. If you haven't picked up this album, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR!? (no Jay-Z quote intended).