Photo by Steve Gerrard

Emalkay is Birmingham’s shining bass purveyor, a producer that focuses on creating earth-rattling beats within the dubstep spectrum. Now as of late, I’ve kind of strayed from the “tear-out” end of dubstep – but I truly feel Emalkay represents my favorite aspects of that side of the scene. Yes, he can be lumped into the ‘filthier’ end of things, but this producer does not compromise his sound in hopes of melting listeners faces off.

With an assortment of electronic flavors, Emalkay produces a dubstep sound that is deeply intertwined with several predominant influences. Many of his synth samples emit an electro resonance and many of his drum samples reflect an admiration for hip-hop. His tracks are riddled with bass-weight, but he has a smooth way of presenting these beefy tunes… check his track below, “Frequency” which came out early 2006 off of Boka Records.

Now Emalkay’s true rise to fame followed the release of his smasher, “When I Look At You” – which featured a ‘call-and-response’ vibe between the low end and synth play (you can scope that one below). Not only did this track establish his worth as his premier on Caspa’s Dub Police imprint, but it also instantly propelled the producer into the upper echelon of dubstep producers. The track received plays from DJs across the world and garnered high acclaim from tastemakers worldwide – even Pitchfork dug it.. surprising, I know.

After his splash with “When I Look At You”, Emalkay continued his tear by following the release with a string of bangers – 2009′s “Explicit” was an undeniably heavy production, which was B-sided by another huge tune in “Heroics“.

This arsenal of heavy-hitting tracks continued to reveal Emalkay’s potential as a long lasting producer in the scene. After an extensive touring regimen, he came back swinging with another serious split on Dub Police – this time around he aimed for a more danceable sound with “Crusader”, which gave a new age spin to the vibe of early Drum&Bass jams.

This thick rumbler not only destroyed all available dancefloors, but it stood as a prime example of Emalkay’s far reaching capabilities as a more versatile player in the scene’s community. Below you can find the track accompanied by a promo video pieced together from a selection of shots from the artist’s live shows.

Before the end of last year, the producer provided a track that has quickly become one of the more highly anticipated forthcoming releases of the new year. The track, “Fabrication”, has been rinsed on numerous radio shows and within countless DJ sets since last November, but has yet to receive any proper notification on it’s potential due date.

An absolute proper tune, this one will continue to turn heads once it is officially unleashed. Give it a listen below, from a clip of the track provided by the producer himself…

Time and time again, Emalkay has proven his worth as an integral part of the dubstep community – his unrelenting innovation and dedication to production value separates him from his peers. While he may not be as flashy, aggressive, or popular as some of his competition, he most definitely has left a lasting impression on the scene – and continues to do so with each of his strong (and varying) releases.

The hype machine (the abstract concept, not the website) has been on Odd Future‘s nutzz like crazy these past few days, probably rightfully so after the kerfuffle they caused on the set of Jimmy Fallon. Though this can, at times, get extremely annoying, it’s also led me to a bunch of Odd Future related news/opinons/projects and whatnot. The best one has certainly been this tumblr called Odd Peanuts Wolf Gang Kill Them All.

It’s a simple but elegant concept that’s executed wonderfully. Take OF lyrics. Take Peanuts comic strips. Combine. ????. Profit! Seriously though (well, not too serious) it’s really funny, despite only being a couple weeks old at most. They even put together a little music video for Tyler’s “French”. I always felt like the Peanuts kids had some evil shit going on beneath the surface, and the ease of these combinations only reassures me. Swag.

Via The Fader

It’s been a good month, probably a little more since I threw on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. But considering I listened to it daily, sometimes multiple times a day since it first leaked released I think a  lil’ break was overdue for us both. But with the release of the “All of the Lights” video it may be time to dust it back out.

Although this video isn’t as good as the rough edit of the “Monster” video that was floated a few months ago (and is now gone), it’s still a great track. Sadly only Rihanna and Kid Cudi are featured in the video and not the 4,000,000 guests that are supposedly on the album track. Also no Actual Pain cap in this one though, Sorry TJ.

Man, Princess Peach is getting fucking hefty these days. She’s always cooped up in some fucking dungeon. Stuck in a cell with nothing to do but wait for the Koopa family to run the train on her and then go fight that fucking persistent plumber. No shit she’s going to eat her feelings.

This is Press Start! A lightning bolt of stupidity directly into your thinking-pipes, your winding brain machinery. In this column I give a rundown of five things that caught my attention in the world of gaming this week. The list is half-baked, poorly-constructed, and subject to my whimsy. Don’t see something you dug? Good, hit the comments box. Let us have some constructive dialogue.

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#1: Kinect Hack Creates A Superman VR Simulator
It has to be at least two fucking weeks since I mentioned a Kinect hack. Two weeks. In the span of the video game universe, that’s practically an eternity. No doubt there’s a plethora of content out there, but nothing has been catching my eye. Until this. A good collection of dudes over at the University of Amsterdam got together and hacked the shit out of Kinect to produce a Superman VR simulator. No doubt they were getting lit in their Fortress of Solitude on some of the goods those Dutch have appropriately liberated and came up with the concept.

This thing doesn’t just come off as Oh Hey Neat Idea!, it actually seems fun to play. With a solid Super Fistpump, you take to the skies. And depending on which side of the VR goggles you tap, you either activate your Frost Breath or Heat Vision.

I know that I’m totally dorking out on my love for this shit. Admitted. Guilty. Throw some spandex on me and send me into combat. However, I can’t be as lame as PS3 hacker Geohot. The same dude who let the world see the PS3 rootkey spent this week conjuring up a white boy diss track aimed at Sony. It’s all fun and games until you’re sodomized by the katana of Sony’s robot ninjas, duder.

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#2: Former Director of GTA Planning Game Based On Iranian Revolution
Navid Khonsari is a man who knows a thing or two about generating controversy through video game narrative. Motherfucker was the director of GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas. So yeah, the guy has caught some heat in his day. Say what you will about the actual content of the games, the dude has weathered the storm, and persisted in telling his tales. Even with that in mind, I have to ruminate on the thunderously large set of testicles he has for attempting his next game. Khonsari wants to make a game about the Iranian Revolution of 1979, and the hostage crisis that surrounded.

Like I said, brass balls.

Khonsari spoke with Joystiq, and elaborated on his vision:

Khonsari described 1979 as a “social political game” that, in addition to open-world, sandbox environments, could feature “strategy elements with the use of AI combatants.” Once in Iran, additional player-controlled characters would be introduced, “allowing you the ability to play a number of different roles,” he added of the game’s lofty design goals. And he wasn’t finished: “The multiplayer aspect is something I am really excited about, but is still in the works.”

If it was executed well, it could be a concentration of video game rock. If there was a seriousness to it that concentrated on using the facets of gaming to execute framework for telling a unique spin on the tale, it could be something special. Or, it could be the usual hyperviolence nonsense that we got from GTA III. Call me an optimist.

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#3: The Great Gatsby Gets Made Into Playable “NES” Game
The Great Gatsby can mean many things to many people. To some, it’s a fucking brilliant book. It exposes the fallacy of the American Dream, the myth of social mobility, and the emptiness and ennui that stems from materialism. To others, it’s that shitty fucking book I had to fucking read in fucking in my fucking Junior year of high school. I happen to love it, but most of the people don’t seem to agree with me. Whatever your stance on Fitszy’s work of genius is, you have to give it up for this shit.

Over at greatgatsbygame.com, there’s a fully playable rendition of the book. The son of a bitch got made into an 8-Bit video game, good chap! The shit is fucking legit, too. It isn’t some giggle fest, walk in the park. This video game will fuck you up, should you not take it seriously.

It’s a serious dork commitment to a fucking book I love, but I hope the effort is appreciated none the less.

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There’s a moment during the climax of Uknown in which Liam Neeson becomes the Liam Neeson we all cheered for in Taken. The tough as nails badass who can run close-quarter combat like Jason Bourne and fend off a knife like Batman. Everything leading up to this moment has Neeson being one very frustrated botanist who just wants to talk to his wife. But after “the moment,” Neeson does nothing but kick ass and take back what’s his. I wanted to leap out of my seat and applaud when Neeson, through a fat lip and bloodied face, says “I didn’t forget everything.” That’s the Neeson I only want to see from now on.

Is it ridiculous to say that I want Liam Neeson to play the same character for the rest of his career? No. Charles Bronson was 53 when he made Death Wish and for a large percentage of his subsequent roles he played a variation of vigilante Paul Kersey. That’s what he’s most commonly remembered for – that badass with the sad eyes who might be a sociopath. Neeson was 55 when he made Taken and I don’t think anyone would complain if he played Bryan Mills until retirement. He has those sympathetic eyes like Bronson and his face is beginning to look like a bit of a roadmap. He’s capable of much more dramatic acting, sure, but why not become the new Bronson? A better Bronson? He’s able to handle the physical stuff no problem and he has this natural knack for making people sympathize with him.

In Unknown, Neeson plays Dr. Martin Harris, a botanist visiting Berlin to attend a technology summit. He’s there with his wife (January Jones) and they become separated at the hotel. Martin gets into an accident while taking a taxi and if it wasn’t for his driver (Diane Kruger) he would have drowned. He’s in a coma for four days and when he finally makes it to the summit, no one knows who he is – not even his wife. Someone else is claiming to be Dr. Martin Harris and absolutely no one believes poor Neeson. Aided by Gina his cab driver, he sets out to prove his identity.

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, helmer of the amazing Orphan, Unknown is a tight, twisting story wrapped around Neeson being really frustrated. It’s not just a matter of stolen identity – the movie has plenty of twists leading up to Neeson’s “moment.” Collet-Serra maintains a thick tension as Neeson searches for the truth, with bursts of action peppered throughout. These action sequences are really great, proving that Collet-Serra is a well-rounded dude.

The supporting cast here is great, except January Jones. She’s SO boring to watch in every scene. Thankfully, her screen time totals maybe five minutes. Bruno Ganz (Downfall‘s Adolf Hitler) plays Jürgen, a private investigator hired by Neeson to help him prove his identity. In the scenes they share together, Ganz totally overshadows Neeson. Diane Kruger (Bridget von Hammersmark from Inglorious Basterds) plays Neeson’s sidekick Gina with a nice blend of devotion and uncertainty.

So while Unknown isn’t as balls-out action as our beloved Taken, it’s got a more dense story so what action sequences there are really stand-out. It’s also another notch in the possible crossover of Neeson to strictly b-action movies. Neeson said in a recent interview that the Taken 2 script is in the works, so I guess I can settle on a franchise if Neeson doesn’t want to do all action flicks. I’ll keep my fingers crossed though.

It’s been several years since Cavalera Conspiracy’s debut album and the Brazilian boys are ready to screw your skulls with their sophomore release Blunt Force Trauma. Just because it’s only their second release it doesn’t mean these guys are new to the metal scene. If in fact you are new to metal, brothers Igor and Max Cavalera reunite from the ashes of legendary group Sepultura who are arguably the best South American metal band of all time.

Here is a little teaser the guys wanted us to share with our fellow Bloglin metal heads. If metal is not for you and you want some bass may we recommend a little bit of Mixhell? Igor joins his wife Lalma in a heavy cyber punk dance fused group if that is more your style. This release by CC should be heavy as all hell and you should keep watch for the album drop.

What’s great about Cavalera Conspiracy is that it’s heavier than Sepultura (which is kind of hard to wrap your head around) but the riffs and drums set them apart from the band that made them famous. The guys will be opening for Iron Maiden three days before the album release (3/29) in São Paulo giving their home country not only a taste of the new album but then making way for one of the greatest metal bands of all time. I wish this was stateside because I’d rather be doing that on my birthday instead of going to Buffalo.

During our monthly world domination meeting, we realized that the populations of South America have yet to fully feel the wrath of the giant eyeball. Perhaps we spared them as we care for mother earth and didn’t want their forests to further burn from our heat, regardless we went ahead and partnered up for a Celebration Of Youth!

Watch out Colombia, we’re not rollin’ solo as we’re tag teaming with our hometown nightlife photo brother, Nicky Digital, that will be sending out to the world a slice of Southern American party vibes. So if you’re in attendance make sure you look your best and act the craziest!

Long time supporter II07 approached us about a series of parties he will be DJ’ing throughout South America, including Argentina and Brazil and will be bringing the NY state of mind down south and of course, for the joy of everyone in NYC, will be bringing back those southern tropical voodoo vibes. Check out this extra mini mix above and keep watch on his twitter for information regarding the rest of his mini tour.

Saturday February 19th, 9pm
Secret Venue!
Cra 43B Nro. 10 – 60
Medellín, Antioquia
Colombia

Hey there pre-humans! Are you living 15,000 years ago? Are you considerably hairier than us? Is your language undeveloped, infrastructure essentially nonexistent? Are you fucking thirsty? Well then drink from this hollowed out human skull! I came across this video and just had to bring it to y’all. It seems that some British scientists have proven that our ancestors eschewed using wood and stone and other lame materials for their cookware and instead used skulls.

And not even animal skulls. Human skulls! Humans that they also ate! Jeez, that’s intense. Judging by the way the scientist breaks down the human “butchering” process, it seems these guys weren’t wasting anything. Much like todays foodies, they were going nose-to-tail. But, y’know, with human flesh. Towards the end of the video they also interview this Angus Scrimm looking mofo in a cave who has the most humorous, scary voice/cadence I’ve heard in a while. Leave it to BBC to make a story about cannibalism witty and entertaining.

Orchid – Capricorn (2011) [Doom Dealer] // Grade: A+

San Francisco based Orchid created quite the stir when they released their first EP over a year ago. Now, one of the most anticipated releases of 2011 is upon us and what is my verdict? Pretty solid. While it’s easy to get hung up in the “It sounds like Sabbath” mindset while you’re listening to Capricorn, you have to appreciate their sound craft.

Orchid’s songwriting and production is almost mind-numbingly precise. These guys executed one solid doom album in the time from their first EP to Capricorn‘s release. While it’s easy to capture the sounds of Sabbath, it’s difficult to capture the 70′s in that same breath. Many bands attempt to emulate the sounds of the Ozzy-era Sabbath but finding that delicate balance of context and construct is rare.

The packaging and care that went into Capricorn‘s release is intense. Inside you’ll find 24 beautifully-printed pages and even an embroidered patch. Sweet! Now enough of the background on this band. On to the music. “Eyes Behind The Wall” starts it off with a somewhat menacing sound that still maintains a rather playful amount of riffage and vocal overlay. Creating this overlay is what gives Capricorn that 70′s vibe.

“Capricorn”, the title track is one of the most inviting tracks on the album. It’s got that Witchcraft sound that everyone’s come to love. For a dose of Paranoid, check out “Black Funeral” which has almost the exact same riff as “Electric Funeral.” Homage? Sure, why not. The next two tracks, “Masters of It All” and “Down Into The Earth” pair wonderfully together. The most successful cut on the album is “He Who Walks Alone”. If any track on Capricorn were to be labeled the best, it would be this one.

The first track I heard from this album was “Cosmonaut of Three”, via a Youtube video. Talk about a trippy experience. “Electric Father” and “Albatross” end the album and sends us all into a reflective state. When you finish an album like Capricorn, you don’t exactly know what happened. Did you somehow buy a lost album from the 70′s? While Capricorn doesn’t compete with Ozzy-era Sabbath, it sure does come close. You might not even be able to listen to Witchcraft or the like for a while. Buy this album, support your local doom bands and if you don’t want your patch, send it to me, I want another one!