Playlist of Reference: Blues

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Our Playlist of Reference series has seen a wide range of music, and today we’re excited to add to that by tackling one of the oldest genres of music: Blues. Before Electro Swing, before Rock n Roll, before Jazz, there was the Blues, the picked and strummed guitars, the sadness, the beauty of a raspy voice. The simplicity of the sound. Today’s playlist is curated by Milenko, and as usual, let’s get the story behind this amazing playlist. 

When did you start listening to Blues? 

Since an early age, I was listening to Jazz artists like Duke Ellington, Ray Brown, Count Basie, Herb Ellis, Oscar Peterson, Miles Davis, etc. As my father was a Jazz listener, I think my ears were trained to this genre from the beginning. During adolescence I switched to more Blues Rock artists like Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, The Doors, AC/DC, etc. Then the teenage rebel years, with some Blues-inspired Heavy Rock.  

Today, while I still listen to Jazz and Blues Rock, I found myself having a preference for Slow and Traditional Blues with people like B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson, John Mayer, Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa, ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughan, etc. (There are too many to list!)

Did you ever have a moment when you felt like Blues started speaking to you? 

Every time, that’s the main effect of Blues. When you listen to a Blues song, it’s not about the technique (Blues scales are quite simple), it’s all about the phrasing, it’s about the way the artist is telling a story with his instrument. Each Blues track is about storytelling. That’s probably why you have so many standard tunes interpreted by so many players, and they are all unique masterpieces. For example, take a song like “Born Under a Bad Sign”, do a simple search on Whyd, and listen to the different version of Albert king, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Cream, Warren Haynes, etc.  They all tell the same story with variations in the phrasing, that’s how the Blues speaks to you.

What are some example situations when you would listen to this playlist yourself? 

I listen to this playlist at work essentially. In fact, the main goal of this playlist is to act as a central repository for all the Blues songs I discover while watching movies, listening to concerts, radio etc. When I find something interesting, I just want to share it with other people hoping they will enjoy it as much as I do. 

If you had to choose just one track from this playlist, which one would be your favorite?  

B.B. King - Blues Boys Tune (From B.B. King - Live at Montreux 1993) And because, like in Blues, you don’t have to follow the rules as long as it works and sounds great … My second “just one” would be: Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood - Voodoo Chile

Thanks Milenko! 

Detroit 2000s Hip Hop: Playlist of Reference

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We have the pleasure of continuing our awesome series featuring the stories behind some of the best playlists representing genres and subgenres of music on Whyd. Today, something that hits close to home for our Community Manager. Literally. 

Detroit is known around the world for the automobile industry. But there is something that Detroit has been producing this whole time as well, an equally international export: music. From the funky days of Motown, to the garage punk epoch, through the rise of electronic and most recently - the advent of Hip Hop, Detroit is in a constant state of creative evolution. Capturing an era that many can point to as its revival, The Backpackerz have put together their latest “Heavy Rotation” playlist around Hip Hop from the 2000s, “Detroit Hustles Harder.”  

Can you introduce yourselves? What is the idea behind The BackPackerz and when did you get started?

We are Antoine and Hugo, the two co-founders of The BackPackerz. We met at Toulouse Business School around 2012 and quickly discovered our common passion for Hip-Hop. Longtime rap addicts, we decided to create The BackPackerz while studying in Barcelona in 2013. In fact, we couldn’t find the type of content about Hip-Hop we’d like to read among the existing websites, especially in French, so we decided to create it ourselves!

The BackPackerz is a web-magazine dedicated to celebrating and educating its readers to Hip-Hop culture. Through in-depth analysis on cultural landmarks, interviews and reviews, the 12 members of our team are creating the freshest online resource for anybody interested in Hip-Hop culture. We also curate the best Hip-Hop events (concerts, festivals, exhibits) in France because HIP-HOP LIVES!

Where does your passion of Hip Hop come from?

Antoine: I was introduced to rap music very early, around my second year of middle school, by a friend’s brother who had me listening to NTM, IAM and the whole Hostile posse. At the beginning, I was on French rap mostly because I liked the rebel attitude that came along with it. Then I started to dig into the American rap from the 90s after I got struck by Cut Killer’s mixtape “Party Jam - 1989 1996, The Golden Age.” I was in high school when I first heard Nas’s “Illmatic,” A Tribe Called Quest’s “Midnight Marauders” and Wu-Tang Clan - “Enter the 36 Chambers” which are still my all-time favorite albums. At that time, I was spending hours translating lyrics and searching Urban Dictionary (a time before Rap Genius) to get a better understanding of what those cats were saying.

Later with Olivier Cachin’s books and films like “Wild Style,” I discovered Hip-Hop was not only a music genre but also a fascinating culture with other elements like graffiti and dance and tremendous impacts on our modern society. Since then, I kept reading and gathering artifacts (records, films and books) of this sublime culture. A few years ago, I realized this archiving work had to be shared so I decided to launch The BackPackerz with Hugo.

Hugo: My passion for Hip-Hop came later than Antoine’s. In High School, I began to listen to mainstream stuff such as 50 Cent or Eminem and I immediately fell in love with this music because it combined rhythms that made my head bang hard and dope lyrics spit with amazing technicality. Soon I would dig into the history of this genre and couldn’t stop, because every day I would discovered how deep and wide this culture was. At first, I was really into the producers (Preemo, Dilla, Pete Rock, Q-Tip…) and how they chopped samples etc..They were my entry door to real Hip-Hop, more than the MCs.

Tell us about the concept of your Heavy Rotation playlists?

The concept of the Heavy Rotation playlists is to bring to our readers 10 dope tracks every Monday, in order to soften the pain of this particularly hated day of the week. Most of the time you will find a selection of 10 hottest rap songs of the last couple of weeks but sometimes we build playlists around a specific subject: a genre (e.g beatmaking edition) a specific technique (e.g brass edition) or for a special occasion like this “Detroit Hustles Harder” edition for J Dilla month. There is no rule, it just depends on our mood! Now our readers are really looking forward for them to come out, because you know “Fuck it’s Monday…but at least I’m gonna hear dope music!”

What’s special about this Post 2000 Detroit Hip Hop playlist?

Originally, the idea of the post 2000 Detroit rap playlist came up while we were preparing our interview with Detroit superstars Phat Kat, Elzhi and Guilty Simpson (that we will drop in a couple of weeks). As we were deep-digging into our hard drives, we were amazed to see how prolific and brilliant the Detroit scene was in the 2K decade. From Slum Village, to Elzhi, Black Milk or the great Apollo Brown; it seems that Detroit has never stop shining since we changed millennium.

On top of that, releasing a fine selection of the dopest tracks from Detroit rappers was exactly what The BackPackerz is meant for: curate history to educate and entertain. The purpose of this playlist - along our article Detroit State Of Mind - is for our readers and followers to discover / remember the greatness of this scene over the past 20 years.

Curating the playlist, we realized this excellence would not have been the same without a man: James Dewitt Yancey a.k.a J Dilla or Jay Dee, one of the greatest producer of all time. If you look at the playlist, you’ll find Jay Dee’s legacy in almost every single track: as a producer, an influencer or in the lyrics. We decided to release this special Heavy Rotation in February since it is known among his fans as “J Dilla month” (as he was born and died during the month of February).

Playlist of Reference: Jazz

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Onward. The next installment of our awesome Playlist of Reference series moves to the eccentric world of Jazz, curated by one of the Whyd team members, the one that wears bowties with ducks on them. Let’s get the story behind the playlist:

When did you start listening to Jazz? 

I went to a jazz club once on a high school trip to New York City. There was something so alluring about the environment. I felt like we were there to listen to the musicians, not just there to listen to a repertoire of music performed by a band I liked. No two performances can be the same. 

Did you ever have a moment when you felt like Jazz started speaking to you? 

Seeing Jazz live was always special, but I admit I didn’t listen to it much outside of those occasions. It wasn’t until I was working on art projects when I lived in New York City that I would put on Jazz radio as my soundtrack to creation. 

Recently here in Paris, the advent of Electro Swing and Electro Jazz, combined with the awesome Whyd community, have given me more reasons to listen to it! 

What are some example situations when you would listen to this playlist yourself? 

Jazz is Sunday afternoons. Painting, working on art projects, writing, reading. Jazz is unique in the sense that it can be the soundtrack to anything you want. For me, it fades into my thoughts, giving them a hop they wouldn’t normally have. 

If you had to choose just one track from this playlist, which one would be your favorite? 

God I hate this question! (And I wrote it!) but I just think that Duke Ellington hits the notes that I would hit if I were a legendary musician. Particularly “Jeep’s Blues.” It’s got a vibrancy in its sadness, and it’s catchy as hell. 

Playlist of Reference: Rock!

The next in our incredible series of Playlists of Reference we tackle a beast: the world of rock music. This week’s playlist is curated by Tom P. who has dedicated a significant amount of time into this monster of a playlist with 871 tracks for your listening pleasure. It has earned the exclamation point. But first, let’s get the story behind the playlist. 

When did you start listening to rock music?

In the late 60’s, a vibrant time with some great music. 

Did you ever have a moment when you felt like rock started speaking to you?

Yes, many of these songs spoke for a generation of your people then and left us with many good memories. For me, early favorites included Iron Butterfly - “In A Gadda Da Vida,” Uriah Heep - “Salisbury,” and later classics like Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” and “Black Dog.”

I really enjoyed classics from the Doobie Brothers and Kansas (especially “Dust in the Wind” and “Incomudro.”) Also can’t forget great jazz-fusion-rock from Santana and Jethro Tull, as well as hard-driving blues-rock from the Allman Brothers and Little Feat. Where do I stop? There’s also BTO, Bad Company, Lynyrd Skynyrd - “Free Bird,” Fleetwood Mac - “Hypnotized,” Van Halen & Sammy Hagar - “I Can’t Drive 55” and on and on. 

What are some example situations when you would listen to this playlist yourself? 

I enjoy many diverse musical styles now, including jazz, blues, gospel, world, and classical. But classic & fusion rock are still great for pumping up the adrenaline. Can’t think of a bad time to listen to good rock, except perhaps when it’s time to chill. Listening to many kinds of music now, occasionally I’ll “cleanse the palette” with some good rock. 

If you had to choose just one track from this playlist, which one would be your favorite?

Hard to choose, but I’ll go with “Salisbury” by Uriah Heep, for great musicality and an early mix of styles. 

Collective Soul: Playlist of Reference

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Another week, another installment in our new series delivering you trendy subgenre Playlist of References curated with love and attention from our community of music lovers. But it’s not enough just to accept the music, we also want the story behind the curation. This week it’s Collective Soul curated by the creator of Underground Playlist, Sal Cannata.  

When did you start listening to Collective Soul?

Collective Soul is a recent addition to my playlist catalogue on Whyd. Soul music has always been one of my favorite genres and I have seen a big change in how it has been implemented in music the past several years. Generally when one thinks of Soul they tie it in with R&B but with all the cross-genre experimenting going on, a lot of Soul-based music has translated into a unique style of Indie music that touches the boundaries of other genres. Despite the different genre influences of these particular songs they all sound so right when placed next to each other. I thought it would be great to put together a sample of this kind of music that we feature on Underground Playlist and showcase a new wave of Soul music to the Whyd community.

Did you ever have a moment when you felt like Collective Soul started speaking to you?

Totally. I live for this kind of music. Soul singers bring a lot of passion to each lyric. The artists in these songs have a great way of conveying emotion and I connect with that a lot. It seems like whether these particular songs contain certain elements of Pop, Rock, R&B, or Electronic, the aspect of Soul brings everything together and connects with me in a big way.

What are some example situations when you would listen to this playlist yourself?

I find that the overall tone of this playlist centers around relaxation. That could be useful in pretty much any situation except for maybe the dance club. For me, I’ve found this playlist to be a great listen towards the end of the day as things wind down. Everyone listens to music differently so this playlist can be used for all sorts of things like during work, cooking dinner, lounging with your friends, the list goes on!

If you had to choose just one track from this playlist, which one would be your favorite?

It’s hard to choose just one track out of the 80+ in the playlist. From a Whyd experience the Robin Schulz remix of “Waves” is one of my favorite finds on Whyd. I remember just browsing around and clicking on the song to see what it was about and instantly became a fan. I love how a bootleg can turn into a mainstream hit a year or so later. It’s rare and awesome that I was able to witness that journey early in the game. When I would hear the song on the radio in front of my friends I’d make sure to let them know how long ago I first heard this song and where I found it. Thanks for the bragging rights Whyd! :)

From a more musical standpoint, Ben Howard’s cover of Keisza’s song “Hideaway” blows me away every time. I love how an artist can flip a song and give it a brand new feel. A few others that never get old to me are Jordan Bratton - “The Grey,” Harper - “Animal,” Shy Girls - “Renegade,” Ari Lennox - “Bound,” The Prince Fox remix of Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me,” and the newly added Kevin Garrett - “Coloring.” There are so many that I love but those are some standouts in this playlist. Stay tuned as I plan to update Collective Soul with new additions as time goes on!   

Thanks Underground Playlist! Check out the personal account of the creator of Underground Playlist, Sal Cannata for more Indie Soul and extra tracks! 

Electro Swing: Playlist of Reference

Continuing with our latest initiative of delivering high quality playlists meticulously curated by our top music lovers, today we bring you a subgenre that combines old and new, and is rapidly pushing its way into the mainstream. It’s Electro Swing curated by Louis de Sentenac. Let’s get the story behind the playlist with this quick interview: 

When did you start listening to Electro Swing?

When one of my friends told me about Parov Stelar, who was releasing their album “That Swing” in 2009 with tracks like “Wanna Get” or “Kiss Kiss” that are big references in Electro Swing for me. You’ll see a lot of Parov Stelar in this playlist!

Did you ever have a moment when you felt like Electro Swing talked to you? 

I immediately attached myself to Electro Swing, I loved the vintage jazz and swing influences mixed with contemporary electronic that made it very danceable and excellent to listen to. 

What are some examples of situations when you listen to Electro Swing?

Most often it’s during aperos with friends, before heading out or to a concert, listening to Electro Swing gets me ready to go! 

If you had to choose just one track on this playlist, which one would be your favorite?

Man that’s not easy. Being a big fan of jazz I would lean towards a jazzier track: Dimaa - “Andrew” 

Thanks Louis! Here’s his Electro Swing Playlist in all of its glory. Please share with your friends who are in to Electro Swing! 

Indie Dance Playlist of Reference

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Continuing in our series of Playlists of References comes an epic banger from Switzerland: Indie Dance. Time to get out your flower crowns, clip on your suspenders, and prepare to Instagram. But first, let’s get the story behind this 400+ track playlist from its curator, Rainer Etzweiler of RCKSTR Mag

When did you start listening to Indie Dance? 

Around 2007/08 when I started DJing and producing music. 

Did you ever have a moment when you felt like Indie Dance started speaking to you? 

A lot, if you count the remixes of pop or indie songs. Almost none if you don’t, there are not too many disco songs with heart-touching/deeply moving lyrics. Disco music is mostly about the simple things and that’s a good thing. 

What are some example situations when you would listen to this playlist yourself? 

Usually when I’m out for a run or when I have friends over at my flat. Also before I do a new mixtape, it helps me to pick the right tracks. 

If you had to choose just one track from this playlist, which one would be your favorite? 

Uhhhhh, that’s not easy. Especially since there are so many. I would go with one of my latest favorites: RAC - “Cheap Sunglasses” feat. Matthew Koma - Viceroy Remix. 

And now, cut loose: 

Deep House: Playlist of Reference

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We’re continuing our mission of providing you with incredible music to listen to, and we have tapped our top music lovers who are experts in certain subgenres of music to feature their playlists in our Playlist of Reference series. To fully appreciate the selection, here is the story behind the playlist, as told by the curator. 

Today we’re featuring the Deep playlist curated by Tis.

When did you start listening to Deep?

Most of my playlists are genre-related and I created Deep in April 2013, mostly to share deep house/deep techno tracks at the beginning by then it evolved to sharing also ambient, peaceful, and mental tracks without “musical genre barriers.”

Did you ever have a moment when you felt like Deep started speaking to you?

I guess that when you want to have a musical background that’s peaceful for the mind, it’s noticeable that after a few tracks you begin to really pay attention to the music and appreciate it.

What are some example situations when you would listen to this playlist yourself?

I mostly listen to this playlist at work, most of the songs don’t have lyrics and are relaxing, so it’s easier to focus.

If you had to choose just one track from this playlist, which one would be your favorite?

One song is hard to choose… let me give you 3!

FCL - “It’s you” (San Soda’s Panorama Bar Acca Version): a great cover of the classic Chicago house track from ESP (1989) and a big souvenir from Berlin afterclubbing.

Visonia - “Lunar Garden” an oniric techno track that I discovered this year, deeply mental. A great voyage for the mind.

Brian Eno: “An Ending (ascent)” because, Brian Eno.  

West Coast Hip Hop: Playlist of Reference

Our new initiative at Whyd is to provide excellent playlist of reference that revolve around a specific subgenre or theme of music. But we don’t want to just give you music, we want to give you the story of its creation, and curation.

Music is awesome, music with context is what we should all strive for. 

Today we’re featuring the West Coast Hip Hop playlist curated by Slimane

Can you introduce yourself Slimane? Where are you from and what do you do in life? 

My name is Slimane, I’m 23, and I come from Caen, Normandy, although I now live in Paris. I started to work for a start up in the field of social media 6 months ago. 

When did you start listening to West Coast Hip Hop?

I guess my first experience with West Coast Hip Hop was Snoop (“Doggy” at the time!) Dogg’s “What’s my name.” I got hooked by the G-Funk sound, the crazy synthesizers and the laid back yet technical flow.

What are some example situations when you would listen to this playlist yourself?

Anytime! What’s good about West Coast Hip Hop is that it’s both chilled and intense. Best suited for cruising under the sun I guess, but it works fine at parties or whenever you want to get pumped up.

If you had to choose just one track from this playlist, which one would be your favorite?

It would be Eazy-E’s “Real Muthaphukkin Gs.” There’s everything a good west coast song needs: a whining synth, a crazy bassline, and to me it’s the definite beef-song, Eazy-E and his friends thrashing Dr. Dre and Snoop Doog. It’s a classic!