Recently in mp3 bloggin' Category

"I feel like I'm lovin' you in 1963" - Rachel Yamagata, 1963 [buy the album]

No more mp3 bloggin' here at negroplease proper.

Michelle, in her infinite wisdom, coolness, class and general badassness, designed and implemented an audioblog for me.

It's called Time Wastin'. I'm giving up my defunct typepad site and putting the title to use.

It's even got it's own cool sub-domain: audio.negroplease.com

The last two entries from here are now over there and there will be a new post up there before the end of the week as we take a look at my favorite song from last summer and some of it's many covers and remixes in the last year.

Now go over there and start wasting time.

Thanks Michelle.

Loves it.

"Is there a secret place that you won't reveal?" - Nuspirit Helsinki, Honest (jazzanova remix) exclusive

It has me thinking about what my own summer mix would be for this year. Right now it's 11 songs long and i'm not quite happy with it. It's not flowing quite like I want it to. That Nuspirit Helsinki song up there has to be on it as does Wonderful Place by N*E*R*D and Day Dreamin' by Aretha Franklin but the rest of it isn't quite speakin' to me except for Phoenix.

Part new-wave, part disco, all a joy to listen to. They are a French band that backed AIR on a few tours but didn't come to my attention until Charlotte and Bob Harris spent a night running through the streets of Tokyo. They currently hold two spots on my summer mix, a little too close together. I was thinking about putting them at the beginning and end but I don't think that works.

This is not your problem, though. Just mine.

Anyway, let high pitched french boys sing you to your happy place.

I recommend dancing to Too Young in your underwear.

Especially because it's 100 million degrees in the San Fernando Valley today. Maybe we should just be dancing nekkid.

Download Too Young
[Buy the Lost in Translation Soundtrack]

Some instrumental loveliness from Zero 7, Milton at Midnight exclusive

It took nearly a month for Colour The Small One to arrive from Amazon. I received a German Import of the album but there seem to be several other releases, none of them being in the U.S. I also finally copped her 4 year old release, Healing is Difficult. The differences between the two albums are striking. Where Healing is Difficult is UK Soul with a dance sensibility, Colour the Small One is a slow burning mood record more in the vein with her work in Zero 7.

It's interesting. Having listened to this album constantly in my car the past week, I'm more apt to believe that Somersault on Zero 7's When it Falls is more a Sia record than it is a Binns & Hardaker joint. Her ability to be both whimsical and afflicted in the same moment is so particular and striking and prevalent on this album that it must be about who she is and less about the Zero 7 formula.

Anyway, if you catch me driving alone this week, more than likely you'll hear an off-key but passionate performance of Where I Belong.

So don't treat me bad
Just be glad
I am strong
And Where I belong

And soon you will see
We are blessed
And Complete
There's a place here for you with me

Download Where I Belong
[buy the album]