Madlib‘s back with goodies ahead of his upcoming Asian tour as Stones Throw drops Pill Jar. The project is a collection of previously released Madlib tracks bundled as a free EP. The tracks were pulled from episodes 1-12 of the Madlib Medicine Show series – a showcase for the producer’s dj skills and production work. Originally slated to be a 12-tape series Madlib dropped the secret volume Medicine Show #13: The Black Tape in 2012 to complete the set. The new EP is a fitting intro to the series for Madlib newbies – provided they even exist. Check the link below to grab Pill Jar and the rest of the Medicine Show series.

>>>Download Pill Jar (via Stones Throw)

Pill Jar Tracklisting:
01 Static Invazion (from MMS #5)
02 Episode XVI (from MMS #5)
03 The Paper (from MMS #1)
04 What Can U Tell Me (from MMS #9)
05 The Frontline (Liberation) (from MMS #3)
06 African Voodoo Queen (Drama) (from MMS #3)
07 Interview #4080 (from MMS #11)
08 Funky Butt, Part 1 (from MMS #7)

spotted at ST

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The Stones Throw Podcasts roll on today with number 75, the Axel F. edition (shout out to Serge). This latest set features all new and original tracks MED and J Rocc are working on. You can get the free podcast via iTunes or get the stream below. Stones Throw.

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Touting themselves as a 35-member collective, Quakers is the brainchild of production trio Fuzzface (Geoff Barrow of Portishead), 7-Stu-7, and Katalyst. Although it’s tough to imagine this project becoming a fully-functional touring unit, it’s an interesting approach that runs deeper than the group’s surface. What is striking about Quakers is the lack of any ‘big names’ – most of the MC’s on this record are criminally under-appreciated masters of their craft. Each and every one them is, indeed, an earth-quaker. From golden-era vets Prince Po and Booty Brown, to below-the-radar cats like Tone Tank and Buff1, Quakers put on a rap clinic.

Production ranges from the dusty, lo-fi sound that has been embraced and popularized by Stones Throw mainstays, to the adventurous sampling of a marching band version of Radiohead’s “The National Anthem,” which provides the score for a relentless rap onslaught by Guilty Simpson and M.E.D. on “Fitta Happier.” These are just examples, though; more prominent is the feeling of unpredictability that is typical of a great ‘beat tape.’ This production trio has crafted a sonic palette that defies convenient categorization.

There are just too many ‘moments’ on this record to choose from. One of the most impressive appearances is the from the Coin Locker Kid. I can’t say that I was familiar with him before this, but his three (3!) appearances on the record demonstrate his versatility and firm grasp on the art of emceeing.  “Russia With Love” has him rhyming over a 7/8 beat (as all you musically-inclined rappers out there will know, that isht is HAAARRRRRD!). “The Beginning” sees him rattling off some ultra-cool, back-alley, come-over-here-and-let-me-tell-y’all-a-story-kids type rhymes over an eerie backdrop. “Mummy” marks a return to the mic for Chicago-based lyrical genius Diverse, who has been largely absent from rap since the release of 2004’s incredible One A.M. Prince Po’s verse on “Rock My Soul” reminds me why I listen to rap and on “Sign Language,” Aloe Blacc reminds us he can still rap.

Sure, we could comb through the minutiae of this gargantuan offering all day, speculating on how this thing came to fruition, what’s next for the Quakers, who the #*@& the Coin Locker Kid is and when he might re-appear, but let’s just enjoy this for what it is: a celebration of quality rap music, past, present, and future.

-Dylan Grier

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Some Okayafrica audio that is just right for Okayplayers as well. Here’s what I said over there:

We got hipped to South African/Australian producer Jonti when he made that breeze-of-a beat for OF’s Hodgy Beats a few months ago. In this new joint he nabs contributions from Stones Throw mates The Stepkids and Illa J, who split vocal duties over Jonti’s electro glitches. As the soundcloud wave reveals, the track plays like a (LA) triptych of sorts — section a) the party b) coming down during the drive back to the pad c) sleep. Stream “The Days Have Turned” below.

Jonti feat. The Stepkids & Illa J – The Days Have Turned by stonesthrow

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Classic is filled with top notch production from the likes of Madlib (10 tracks), Oh No, Alchemist, Karreim Riggins, and Georgia Ann Muldrow. The Talib Kweli-featured title track (laced by Riggins) is one of the most divine productions I’ve heard in a long time. Kweli blesses the ultra-smooth track with one of his best verses in years. Oh No also supplies a Left Coast banger with “Where I’m From” which features a fantastic hook from the soulful Aloe Blacc. And Madlib is clearly the superstar on Classic with consistently phenomenal production throughout.

Now having production this great on your album is a double-edged sword. Now clearly it’s a good thing because it makes your album more listenable, and occasionally you’ll get credited for being a good “beat selector.” But it can also be a bad thing because a rapper’s performance will get overlooked. And that is the case here. Madlib is the star of this show, but that doesn’t make M.E.D.’s performance less important. M.E.D. is a lyrically sound rapper, who can craft good and sometimes even great songs over his stellar production. His flow and delivery are solid (if not unimaginative), but he definitely gets the job done on Classic. His guest appearances are well-placed throughout the record to break up any monotony as well. West Coast spitters like Planet Asia and Kurupt appear on the frantic, aggressive “Roll Out,” while newcomer Hodgy Beats (of Odd Future fame) makes an unlikely appearance on the high-energy “Outta Control.”

While most of Classic is more vibe-oriented, M.E.D. does occasionally touch on some subject matter. “Blaxican” is the album’s most topical track, where M.E.D. raps about racial issues between Blacks and Mexicans. And he gets a little personal on “1 Life 2 Live.” The album only has a few minor blemishes, such as the sexual “JWF” and the ode to marijuana, “Medical Card,” that are poorly executed and unoriginal. But other than that, M.E.D. along with Madlib and company have crafted an album that just feels like “classic” hip hop.

-Zach Gase

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So if you are not familiar with the concept of Direct to Disc, Stones Throw does these intimate concerts at a studio/pressing plant in L.A. where the full live sets are recorded straight to vinyl “as they happen with not computers, tape or digital gear used in the recording process.”

The third concert in the series happens tomorrow and features OKP fav Dam-Funk, his band Master Blazter and ex-Slave frontman Steve Arrington (who collectively tore down the fence at Summer Groove). Not surprisingly, tickets are limited–limited to zero, as a matter of fact! No tickets will be sold for the event but you can enter for a random give-away by sending your name to stonesthrowdtd@gmail.com

The post LA: Dam-Funk x Steve Arrington Live at Direct to Disc #3 (8/19) appeared first on Okayplayer.

Everybody’s favorite multi-genre producer, laptop composer, animator/video director and jazz scion Flying Lotus was tapped by Stones Throw to contribute a mix for their podcast series. What he came up with was a thing called Lovers Melt — “no theme, no loops, just records found in the valley.” Get it here and check the rest of the series here.

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