Sunday night in London saw Janelle Monae tearing it up in Sheps’ Bush, Ameriie shaking up central London and SWV and Faith Evans tag teaming up on the other side of London at the Indigo2.

I opted for the latter: straight 90′s vibe and reflect on a bit of R&B yesteryear.

Over 10 years later the Sisters with Voices still sound amazing.  They probably had one of the shortest sets I’ve seen, singing a total of five songs and one forced encore (FYI: management should never stop an encore when the crowd want one – not a good look) and every song had EVERYONE singing each word.

‘Right Here’, ‘So Into You’. ‘You’re the One’, ‘Rain’ and the maaaahhhsssive slow jam ‘Weak’ left everyone desperately wanting more. Coko smashed it, completely. *By the way we need so many more 90′s throwback parties, we can never have enough.*

After a short interval, it was time for the headliner, the former first lady of Bad Boy – Miss Faith Evans.

She started off with an album track from her last LP called ‘I Don’t Need It”‘. Honestly, although I enjoyed the last album, I don’t think it was the best start to her set, especially after the SWV hit factory. She must of felt the vibe and straight after that thanked London for supporting and vowed to go through the golden oldies, which she did.

‘You Used to Love Me’,  ‘Soon As I Get Home’, ‘You Gets No love’, had all on their feet, doing the Diddy swing – you know the one I’m talking about! Although there were times I thought she could of vocally teased us a bit more, especially to convince those hard core SWV-ers in the crowd. Alas, Faith is Faith and even without hitting 100, she is still better than most vocalists today.

After ‘I Love You’ (Yes. A great example of how to write a simplistic, but heartfelt R&B love song), Faith went off stage and DJ Hurricane gave us a reminder of why Bad Boy have a place in 90′s history. Basically playing snippets of Biggie’s two albums, the crowd were on their feet and dancing to every track. We could of listened to the album in full and been content. Good music always lasts.

Coming back on stage, Faith announced she would be playing Florence in the upcoming Supremes’ biopic, a quick plug of the new album Something About Faith and then got straight back into the bangers. Despite the song requests from the audience, eventually Faith had to wrap it up, ending on the classic sampled sample ‘Love Like This’ mashed up with Fatman Scoop inserts for added party effect.

Amazing to hear such great songs live, despite a few technical hitches that definitely threw Faith off. Looking forward to when she is more rehearsed, removes the backing track from the set and ready for some serious touring. I know she can bring it harder. She knows too, I’m sure. Let’s say this was the taster for the real thing. So until the next time, I’ll keep the faith and wait.

I don’t know how a video for a song released in 2009, comes out at the end of 2010. *Kanye shrug* Nevermind.

It’s even more strange as it is not certain where the Clipse stand anymore. With Pusha T doing his thing with G.O.O.D Music and all. Will they ever return?

Writing the name Akon next to Michael Jackson hurts me more than a needle in the eye. I kid thee not. This song, along with the album from which it comes is a barbaric attempt at making (even more) money off the legacy of one of the greatest entertainers of all time. It’s funny how MJ died with no record label, yet now Sony (who ultimately left him high & dry back in the day) are so keen to “keep his memory alive” and persist in doing so in such a mundane and mediocre way.

Yeah, rant over.

Garage, Two Step, Funky and Grime are all genres birthed from underground and nurtured into the overground. Along the way however these much-loved areas of music have inevitably succumb to the pressures of the mainstream and thus have watered down the very essense of what made them popular in the first place.

Born from the same place as the aforementioned, Dub-step has been chilling in the background for a minute now waiting for it’s turn. While bass-hungry fiends have devoured on it’s audio tremblings for years, away from the main spot-light of the charts and radio, it would appear the secret is now out. With chart toppers like Magnetic Man and Katy B flying the flag for the genres commerciability – the next year seems set to be the year of Dub.

This is reflected in a new feature length documentary about the genre’s orgin and ultimately it’s future. Definitely one for the hardcore dub-steppers. It is released for DVD, but Pitchfork TV are showing the whole film for one week. Watch input from Skream, Benga, Burial and the legendary Mary Ann Hobbs plus others up top now.

Latest offering from the latest rapper inside. Pretty basic video, but still feeling the track.

Just checked this newness  out, which is perfect listening for those relaxed weekend nights. Liking the crazy frames video as well.

For all those solitary souls out there chillin’ the f*ck out this weekend, this is for you. Press play on this newly liberated (previously unreleased) DâM-FunK jam and in the words of the great man himself “feel free 2 glyde 2 it”…

Filmed back in 2008 with the Atlanta Ballet, peep the brand new video from Big Boi taken off his album Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty.

Adele performs her brilliant new single, taken off her forthcoming sophmore album 21 live on the Ellen show. I haven’t stopped listening to this song, Adele’s new album is going to be a big, big problem. Cannot wait. It drops January 24th.

Massive fans and supporters of UK and Bristol native Joker. Having the most cunning ears for creating wild, rainbow-saturated synths unlike anyone else, I’d probably go so far as to say he’s one of my top 3 favourite producers in the UK (put Hud-Mo and Burial up there mate). Hell, I could make further grand statements such as: when I hear Joker I’m faintly reminded of a few key Timbo and Neptune ingredients, but you’re just not ready.

Despite being young he’s definitely proving the potential to be a real force in the future with a sound that could cross the Atlantic and underpin any mainstream artist over there. I mean have you heard his ‘Die & Interface feat. William Cartwright – Bright Eyes Remix‘? I mean really? Heart-attacks all over the gaff. Does this geezer down pints of liquid ecstasy before hitting the Logic Pro? Amongst the best remixes of 2010.

Now the young purple prince leaked an absolute frequency-scrambling banger on his twitter not long ago. Co-produced with Drum n’ Bass don TC.

Turn those woofers up and just break some sh*t in your room, innit.

Download: Joker & TC – It Aint Got A Name

Well, I mean, it is Friday night isn’t it?

Enjoyably arrogant, severely sub-heavy new boomer from G.O.O.D. Music’s Big Sean. Clever wordplay and twisty deliveries on display from the emcee; really going in on that third verse with some double-time spray. Pause.

Get yours tonight, one and all. That’s an order.

Download: Big Sean – Big Nut Bust

Peep the brand new, debut video from the beautiful and talented Yasmin for her new single ‘On My Own’.  This track was produced by the one and only Shy FX. Love. This. Tune.

Biggup Yasmin, doing great things! Oh and biggup the homie Luke Monaghan for co-directing – massiveness.

Responsible for one of our favourite albums of 2010, Bonobo will be playing a special live show at the Troxy (“London’s most beautiful Art Deco Music Hall”) on December 11th. A show you must be at. Trust us. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased via soundcrashmusic.com. Get em’ now before the fully sell out and you cry into your pillow.

See you there.

P.s Again, design geek – nice flyer, no?

New feature. Inspired by Speeakz and I dropping far too many links on the Facebooks in an effort to haplessly relive audio-glory bygones and school these picknies of today with our unappreciated scholarly swag. (Anyone seen ‘High Fidelity’? We’re mad Rob Gordon’ish.)

Thus we’ve decided to transfer this quarter-life-crisis scheme over to PinBoard Blog; if you see a ‘Reload’ in the post title be forewarned you’re in the firing line of the finest, most knowledgeable gun-fingering, faux-disc jockey, terminators exercising their vanity for the good of mankind’s ear-holes. (Word life, we do complain in private about how much we wish we’d become DJs- not berating our current roles mind you- but ya know what I mean right?)

It shall be one song, strictly gems, no restriction on genre, from whenever, to drop whenever. Let the tar-coating of memory lane drip.

Today, we’ll initiate proceeding with Hi-Tek’s 2001 jam featuring (whatever happened to) Jonell, ‘Round & Round’ off that Hi-Teknology. The ‘whatever happened to…?’ factor may arise frequently as we do some of these. Lest we forget. Never that fam. Thou shalt live on in our old cassettes and CD re-writables.

As 2010 morphs into 2011, a salute to our generation! (Bring in the horn section, I’m feeling bare heroic right about now).

Before we get into anything, as someone obsessed with artwork and graphic design, can we please just have a moment of silence for the cover of fLako’s new EP? Thankyou.

Now, down to business; on the December 17th he who we know and love as fLako will release a brand new EP entitled Mini Tollbooth. The project was inspired by the novel (and 1961 film) called “Phantom Tollbooth” – a story about a boy named Milo who is bored by the world around him and who finds himself transported into a new land and lost in “the Doldrums, a colourless place where thinking and laughing are not allowed”.

Up top you can listen to a newly liberated track called ‘Kelau’ and below, a song called ‘The Awful Dynne’ (Dynne referring to the genie in the story who collects noises for Dr. Discord).

Trippy sh*t.

The first track is pure herbal. Elusive, left, not so out there that you can’t reach, but just so that you’d need to stretch. fLako’s attention to detail when it comes to production is something to note, each clap, each introduced sound. It’s all so nice. ‘The Awful Dynne’ features a more familiar boom clap, but over the top of all of that is some next madness. This will have your head bopping and your mind shaking. Soul stirring instrumentation. Still a little herbal. A free download courtesy of PMC Sound can be consumed via the Soundcloud player below (the little arrow button).

Mini Tollbooth drops December 17th via HHV / Rushhour / Cargo Records (UK)