Mr Scruff - Ninja Tuna
(CD/LP/MP3/WAV) Ninja Tune ZEN143, 2008-09-22 (Digital) 2008-10-06 (Physical)

Exciting news - following three EPs released on Ninja Tuna records, I'm pleased to announce that finally, after six years, I have a new album out. It's called 'Ninja Tuna' and the downloads are available from September 22nd. From October 6th, you'll be able to pick up CD, Vinyl and special Tuna-shaped USB stick copies, but you can purchase the digital versions at either 320kbps or 192kbps mp3

Tracklisting :
01. Test The Sound (1:43)
02. Music Takes Me Up with Alice Russell (5:27)
03. Donkey Ride with Quantic (5:12)
04. Hairy Bumpercress (6:30)
05. Whiplash (5:59)
06. Nice Up The Function with Roots Manuva (3:54)
07. Bang The Floor with Danny Breaks (3:41)
08. Get On Down (5:53)
09. Hold On with Andreya Triana (5:03)
10. Give Up To Get (6:44)
11. Kalimba (5:54)
12. This Way with Pete Simpson (5:39)
13. Stockport Carnival (5.29)

Links :
mrscruff.com
myspace.com/mrscruffofficial
ninjatune.net/ninja/artist.php?id=10

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
I had problems viewing/accessing the old mrscruff.com in the past (on a Mac, and not using Internet Explorer). The current site, even though not very user-friendly, works. That's rather GOOD. Apparently. Cos a few days ago, after an upgrade of Firefox, I stumbled upon a blank page (still on www.mrscruff.com). I tried to warn to ninja guys through the forum: nobody cares. Pfffff, anyway as I was saying I had problems for a long time visiting Mr Scruff web pages so it's kind of an old habit coming back, no stress...

Then I bought the Music Takes Me Up 12 inch. Which features a "FREE DOWNLOAD". It says "go to ninjatuna.com and use this unique code to download the MP3s from the digital locker". I tried visiting the site and MIRACLE! It works on my Firefox!!

Apparently.

Cos' there's no digital locker anywhere to be seen. I guess you have to be logged in. Alas the logging system doesn't work. You register and never recieve any email. I tried with 2 different email addresses. Oh by the way the capcha doesn't work on my Firefox 3.0.3. so I could only register through Safari (on my MacBook Pro).

So free MP3s?? My ass.
Thankfully, all Mr Scruff releases are available for free all over the internet. The day after the album was put on sale as MP3s it was all over torrents, rapidshare blogs and such...

So free mp3s? yes. But not from the label, not from the artist, directly from the user-friendly ressources you already know about.
Don't waste your time on ridiculous websites like the one Mr Scruff's 10-year old little cousin has done for him, it's just UTTER SHITE.

ADDITIONAL INFO :
After quite some time, I finally received the validation email from... my first inscription (still no news for my second email address). I clic on the link, it pens Firefox... and says Validation successful! Alas there's nowhere to go from there. So I copy/paste the link and try again in Safari. It seems to work : validation is successful! (again, which is not a good sign, it should say "already validated" or somehting like that... but anyway). So where's my digital locker??? There's nothing. I try to buy the MP3s, maybe I'll be able to enter my code in there so that the MP3s are sold to me for free (remember that I bought the 12 inch for that).

Alas, I finally get the following message : "Sorry! To purchase download tracks you need to login to your account. If you aren't a member you will need to register before being able to continue.". FOCKERS!!!! YOU ARE TRYIN' TO GET ME MAD IS THAT IT??? So I try to login anyway. You know what I get? "Invalid Login"... FUCKIN' F$$%£? !!!

PS I found the name of the people who developped this site: FANTACTICS. Shame on them to publish such rubbish pages of code.

Burnt Friedman & Jaki Liebezeit - Secret Rhythms 3
(CD) Nonplace NON25CD, 2008-09-26

Tracklisting :
01. Morning Has Broken 9:01
02. Gegenwart 9:43
03. Trittbrettfahrer 5:40
04. Die ehrliche Haut 6:30
05. Entsafter 8:04
06. Wirklich Version 4:06
07. Sandale 9:33

Note : This is the third release in Burnt Friedman & Jaki Liebezeit's collaborative Secret Rhythms series, following Secret Rhythms 2, released by Nonplace in 2006. Recorded in stages in the studio or rehearsal space over the course of months, the material finally emerges in the concentrated form of a 510-minute song, although terms like beginning or end have nothing to do with music of this kind. Other musicians include Hayden Chisholm, Tim Motzer, and Joseph Suchy.

Links :
burntfriedman.com
nonplace.de
myspace.com/nonplace

King Cannibal - Aragami Style / Flower Of Flesh & Blood
(12") Ninja Tune ZEN12219, 2008-09-29

Tracklisting :
A1. Aragami Style
B1. Flower Of Flesh & Blood

Links :
myspace.com/kingcannibal
myspace.com/bewilderdbeathedz
godsofwar.wordpress.com
facebook.com

Speech Debelle (formerly Speech Therapy, UK, Hip Hop / R&B / Soul)
Photo by Alice White (alicewhiteart.com)

About Speech Debelle :
The first thing about Speech Debelle that strikes the ear is a contrast. Her voice is warm, youthful and listenable, and if you heard her in the background you might assume that her lyrics were the same. You'd be better placed tuning into them. In common with her new label-mate Roots Manuva, she's astoundingly honest in her music, detailing and exorcising some very personal demons. That isn't to say she's another run of the mill rapper with more complaints than insights. Quite the opposite. Like all musicians worth listening to, she draws you into her universe and makes you glad you visited. There's always a thaw to the chillier moments.

'Searching' is her debut single, and a perfect example of the offbeat, folky production that will litter the forthcoming album, as well as the whisper-in-the-ear quality of her vocals. One thing is certain, hip-hop has never been done in quite this way before. 'Searching' makes you wonder why not.

Links :
myspace.com/speechuk
facebook.com
bigdada.com
myspace.com/bigdadarecords

XRABIT + DMG$ (Damaged Good$)

About Xrabit :
"Hi! I'm XRABIT. I live in Dalston. I've been making beats/music for a few years now and I signed to Big Dada Records in 2007. I made remixes for various people and will release an album soon which I produced for Damaged Good$ - check em out they're THE SHIT (extra bold, all caps, underlined, 3D letter action kind of shit)!!! I also like making videos (made one for one of the singles of the album so watch this space!) and drawing and eating lots of ribs. I really love dj-ing, too, and get more and more gigs nowadays so check my upcoming shows (You never know, I might just be around the corner!)... I'm usually on not too late though cause I'm old and need to go to bed quite early. Other than that you can catch me running around Hackney pretending to be jogging or in my living room with my girlfriend and our cat. Send me a message if you wanna say something! "

We first heard about Xrabit + DMG$ here at Ninja Obsession through the remix of 'Dita Dimoné' they recently did for Pop Levi on Counter Records. Two tracks are available on Xrabit's MySpace page, 'Killin Em' and 'Killin Em Remix'. The latter can be easily downloaded in MP3 format if searching on The Hype Machine...

Links :
xrabit.com
myspace.com/xrabit
retrogradea.blogspot.com
myspace.com/dmgeez
bigdada.com
myspace.com/bigdadarecords

The Heavy Ready US Headline Tour

THE HEAVY ripped and roared their way through Europe in the Summer of '08 – including appearances at the Sonar Festival in Barcelona, the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, and the UK Latitude Festival in Norfolk. Big Bad Wolf howls also rang clear across Germany, Poland, and Belgium, rattling bones wherever the stage was hot and the moon was lit.

It was a phenomenal summer for these renegades of Noid, England, but the band is now ready to bring the pain State-side, as an encore to their eye-opening US run this past Spring. Come October/November, the band will stomp through a 5-city US Tour wielding a battle ax, a road map, and the hardest-hitting live set you'll have the opportunity to see this year.

US TOUR DATES
October 30 || The Echo || Los Angeles (w/ Pop Levi, The Gray Kid)
October 31 || Mr. Roboto Presents Halloween Party @ 1015 Folsom || San Francisco
November 1 || Adrenaline Presents @ The Casbah || San Diego (w/ Kenan Bell)
November 3 || The World Café || Philadelphia
November 5 || Mercury Lounge || New York, NY

In addition, the band will release a digital EP, entitled 'SET ME FREE,' to be released through iTunes. The EP has an exclusive pre-release slated with iTunes for September 30th, and a wider spread release to all digital retailers set for October 14th.

Infinite Livez vs Stade - 1999
(free MP3 Download) Big Dada, 2008-09-15

Tracklisting :
01. 1999 (Prince cover) | Go Download MP3

Millenium (Sexual) Tension
To celebrate the continuing genius of Infinite Livez we are proud to present a free download of "1999," a cover of the classic Prince funk-pop gem. Currently 9 years past it's sell-by-date, Inf and Stade have had inordinate amounts of fun playing the tune live and so have decided to record it for your delight and horror. Sounding like a combination of karaoke, the Mighty Boosh and the devil masturbating, "1999" will never quite be 1999 again. And even if it was it wouldn't be. Get me?
(Source : BigDada.com)

1999
Hey remember when you thought the world was gonna end and then it didn't but in a funny way it did because all that was left was the crap you were hoping not to lose???? Well today I'm about too add to your collection of woes by sending you a little song that commemorates that great horror that we all missed out on... may it forever be 1999!! Cheers Infinite Livez vs Stade.
(Source : Infinite Livez MySpace)

links :
infinitelivez.com
myspace.com/vinnietifeilz
stademusic.com
myspace.com/stadetactile
bigdada.com
myspace.com/bigdadarecords

Heartbreak - Lies
(CD/LP) Lex Records/Differ-Ant, 2008-09-22

Tracklisting :
01. Regret (6:17)
02. Don't Lose My Time (4:36)
03. Soul Transplant (4:10)
04. Robot's Got The Feeling (3:39)
05. Akin To Dancing (6:56)
06. We're Back (7:28)
07. Deadly Pong Of Love (4:11)
08. Give Me Action (4:36)
09. Poison (5:09)
10. Living Just For Fun (4:33)

Links :
facebook.com
myspace.com/heartbreak1
lexrecords.com
Heartbreak turn in an hour-plus mix of Italo, electro and more on this week's RA podcast on residentadvisor.netor on ohheavenlydog.blogspot.com
differ-ant.fr (french distribution)

Various - Ninja Tune / Big Dada / Counter Records Sampler
(free CD with Plan B Magazine issue for September 2008)

Tracklisting :
01. Daedelus - Make It So [Ninja Tune]
02. Cadence Weapon - In Search Of The Youth Crew [Ninja Tune]
03. Infinite Livez Vs Stade - Man Machine [Big Dada]
04. The Death Set - Day In The Wife [Counter]
05. Ghislain Poirier - Hit & Red [Ninja Tune]
06. Roots Manuva - Again & Again (Moody Boyz Remix Dub) [Big Dada]
07. The Bug - Jah War [Ninja Tune]
08. King Cannibal - Flower Of Flesh And Blood [Ninja Tune]
09. The Qemists - Lost Weekend (Got your Money Mix) [Ninja Tune]
10. Two Fingers w/Sway - High Life [Ninja Tune]
11. K-The-I??? - Lead The Floor [Ninja Tune]
12. X-Rabbit & DMGeez - Killin Em [Big Dada]
13. Speech Debelle - Searching [Big Dada]
14. The Long Lost - The Art Of Kissing [Ninja Tune]
15. John Matthias - Evermore [Counter]

This month Plan B Magazine are giving away a Ninja Tune/Big Dada/Counter Records cover mount with the magazine...

"As Ninja continue to sign more new acts to all three record labels and release more than ever brand new material it makes it exactly the right time for us to team up with Plan B in order to bring you a 15-track sampler of choice cuts. Specially selected for Plan B, the lineup includes exclusive tracks from Speech Debelle, Two Fingers w/Sway, King Cannibal, X-Rabbit and DMGeez, The Long Lost, K-The-I??? and a Moody Boyz remix of the Roots-man himself."

At this moment in time we're unsure if 'Flower Of Flesh And Blood' is going to be on the King Cannibal album, so it may well be the only time it appears on CD.
(Source : King Cannibal's blog godsofwar.wordpress.com)

Various - Ninja Tune / Big Dada / Counter Records CWNN Sampler 2008
(promo CD)

Tracklisting :
01. The Long Lost - Woebegone (Flying Lotus King Cosby Remix) 2:49
02. Mr Scruff - Kalimba 5:59
03. The Heavy - Coleen (El-B Remix) 5:15
04. The Bug - Ganja Feat Flowdan 3:40
05. Two Fingers - Bad Girl Feat Cecile 3:45
06. Roots Manuva - Buff Nuff 2:16
07. The Qemists - Lost Weekend (The Qemists Got Your Money Remix) 5:13
08. Kail - Finger Painting 2:53
09. Cadence Weapon - Real Estate 3:44
10. Xrabit + Dmgeez - Follow The Leader 3:07
11. Speech Debelle - Searching 3:35
12. Pop Levi - You Don't Gotta Run 3:13
13. John Matthias - One Sunny Morning In The No-Fly Zone 4:27
14. Infinite Livez & Stade - Man Machine 3:47