radio log - BFF.fm 11.20
back in the secret alley
Before I get into it, I wanted to to shout out KCR’s GULI Winter Tour which I’ve been hard at work on for the last month. I won’t be DJing SF or LA but I helped with curation and would love to see you there if you’re in those cities!
NYC - Saturday, January 3rd at SILO - lineup & tickets TBA (but I’ll be playing this one!)
Tracklist || Playlist: Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube
I’ve been back to the Bay plenty of times since moving south but the idea of popping in for a BFF show had never occurred to me. Perhaps the timing was just right this Thanksgiving break — it is my radio renaissance year after all.
My weekend in Oakland was truly perfect. I went to three amazing rooms for music — punk venue Thee Parkside, Bottom of the Hill and Bimbo’s 365. I saw friends/family, walked, rode the Bart & Muni, checked out some record shops (shoutout Lloyd’s in Oakland), ate amazing food and had some great coffee (shoutout Jerusalem Coffee!). The Bay is so great! If only the looming, leeching tech companies (and their idiotic AI billboards) would leave it alone.
I had a chance to catch up with a member of one of the bands and I was really disturbed by their uninformed take on the Bay. It was the usual fear of having their gear stolen (which is a real thing!) but also this idea that SF/Oakland is a wasteland unworthy of exploration. The Bay is a place of extremes, thanks to big tech, but it still has so much to offer. That perception problem, fueled by political rhetoric, really hurts my heart.
While my dublab show leaned into hazier, tripper side of things, I wanted to honor the flow of my past BFF.fm shows featuring hip-hop, indie rock/alternative and accessible dance music. I also had virtually no rap in the dublab show so I took the opportunity to showcase some recent favorites.
selectz
monte booker - “balance”
It felt appropriate to highlight monte booker, one of the great producers of the Soundcloud era, on this episode. He finally released his debut solo project [Spotify | Apple Music] this year and “balance” is one of the most beautiful pieces of instrumental hip-hop in recent memory. Here’s another favorite from the same project…
Navy Blue - “God’s Kingdom”
Navy Blue continues to deliver stunning and emotionally devastating bars over addicting, blissful beats on his latest album, The Sword & The Soaring [Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music]. Truly one of the great artists of our time and certainly one of the most consistent rappers out today.
YUNGMORPHEUS & Dirty Art Club - “A Sword Among Lions”
A mainstay of the LA underground hip-hop scene, YUNGMORPHEUS balances bravado and introspection beautifully. A Spyglass to One’s Face [Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music], a collaboration with producer Dirty Art Club, is some of this strongest work yet…
Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon - 360 Photo Booth (feat. bbymutha)
Mavi isn’t the only rapper from North Carolina making waves in the underground. Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon has been at it for quite a while but I’ve been most excited about the singles from his forthcoming album [Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music]. Ogbon and bbymutha make for a lethal combo on this vibey, catchy track. bbymutha also dropped a pretty sick project earlier this year…
BNYX - Room Of Smiles (feat. Uhmeer & Dayne Jordan)
Philly super-producer BNYX’s LOADING… [Spotify | Apple Music] is easily one of the best EPs of the year. Truly no misses in its brief run time. This ethereal track with Clara La San is unbelievably good, I could listen to it all day…
