DJ/Rupture and his latest record, released on Tigerbeat6, Special Gunpowder, were described by Stylus writer Ron Schepper as “an open-minded producer committed to aurally documenting the inestimable richness of the global village”. In addition to his own solo work, Rupture founded Soot Records in 1999 as “a strike against geography”, releasing music that is where “diasporic breakbeats meet(s) digital-audio sound research”. At that website, you can download the mix that made his name in independent music circles: Gold Teeth Thief. He has also had articles published in The Washington Post and The Wire magazine. Today, Rupture’s been kind enough to grace us with three great tracks, two of which are mixes exclusive to The styPod as of right now.

DJ /rupture mix– Stalker “Radios Et Annonceurs” / Maja Ratkje “Insomnia” / Agoraphobic Nosebleed “Kill Theme for American Apeshit”

First thing: Following last Tuesday’s moral/spiritual/political tragedy, it’s OK to remain hopeful, to become more vocal, to up the ante and continue fighting for an America in which social justice and global responsibility aren’t trampled underfoot in a monied disfigurement of democratic will. In other words, when our America no longer has any interest in resembling us, it’s time for surgery, both invasive & cosmetic. Consider this a broadcast from the Mudd Channel.

Second thing: Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje can eat Björk Gudmundsdottir for breakfast, as this track off her Voice album (predating Medulla by 2 years) loudly attests. I like her artsy Norwegian vocal noise enough to press up dubplates of it. This mix excerpt begins with a dubby post-rock sounding snippet from French free-party beat maverick Stalker which segues into Ratkje’s “Insomnia”. A few moments later, Agoraphobic Nosebleed’s “Kill Theme for American Apeshit” climbs on top. Soze Shadetek says: Destroy-It-Yourself, and I agree.

[visit Stalker’s website here, visit Maja Ratkje’s website here, visit Agoraphobic Nosebleed’s website here, read Todd Burns’ Stylus review of Voice here]

Nass El Ghiwane- Sabra et Chatila

Nass El Ghiwane are true heroes. Before the legendary band changed the face of North African music in the 70s, they were a left-leaning, Marxist-scented theater troupe in what remains their hometown of Casablanca, Morocco. I’m stunned by the fact that just a week ago, I was finishing up a UK tour with Nass El Ghiwane—still pinching myself to make sure it was real… Anyhow, I believe their music speaks for itself: four voices in a democratic revolving call-and-response/group chorus style accompanied by banjo, sentir, tomtom and bendir. Rooted, strident, and achingly beautiful.

NeG have timeless poetic lyrics sung in Moroccan Arabic, socially concerned but more interested in exciting the imagination and sparking spiritual revolution. This song, “Sabra et Chatila” is a rarity: NeG being bluntly topical. It refers to the 1982 Palestinian refugee camp massacre. Lebanese Christian militia were aided and allowed to enter the Beirut camps by the occupying Israeli army (Ariel Sharon was Minister of Defense at the time). The Red Cross estimated 2,750 Palestinians were killed in the 3-day slaughter at Sabra and Chatila. In this song I hear sadness and sunset and the hope that things may eventually begin to get better. Music that is serious about the struggle for peace.

[visit an unofficial Nass El Ghiwane website here, buy Nass El Ghiwane music here]

DJ /rupture mix- Roll Deep Regular “bass mix” / DJ Mondie’s Straights riddim with Mucky Wolfpack

Real grime times two. A pair of East London white label 12″s spun together—eerie, nearly existential bass minimalism, even when both tunes are playing at once. Raw thug future music sustained by pirate broadcasts and street support. Dizzee Rascal defaults into the emergent scene’s most visible rep, but grime gets even weirder and more unhinged the deeper you dig. The first 20 seconds of this blend is one of Wiley/Roll Deep Regular’s mindblowing “bass mixes” solo, then I fade in DJ Mondie’s “Straights riddim” versioned by an MC from the Mucky Wolfpack (I think, I’ve got a no info whitelabel copy).

A lot of ingredients make this so special: Wiley’s groundbreaking obsession with bass liberation and fake Eastern tuning, Mondie’s distorted kick drums, Mucky’s aggro braggadocio lyrics, and the kinky, slinky movement that arises when both tunes are superimposed.

[visit Roll Deep’s website here, buy underground garage/grime releases here]