This is an all vinyl mix of tunes that, according to Adrian, inspired his band’s new album, “Something About April”

 
So basically all sorts of crazy obscure 60s and 70s OST funk and jazz and soul whatever else influences his own awesome music. Drink wine on a bearskin rug to this one.
 
DOWNLOAD: Adrian Younge – RENDEZVOUS! DJ Set (7 December 2011)
ADRIAN YOUNGE DJ SET by djalfonso
 

As mentioned in previous posts, I’ve been waiting for this (or anything new from Adrian Younge) for a while now. With this EP, my wait is fully rewarded, and my expectations are met and then some. This is one of the best things I’ve heard all year, in any genre. The description mentions Morricone’s soundtracks as a big source of inpiration, and I can certainly see that, but there’s more going on here and calling this an homage wouldn’t do it justice. Rather, the music feels like a synthesis of various influences in service of something distinct and unique. The last (and best) track starts like something by David Axelrod, and then throws in vocals reminiscent of the blue opera singer from the Fifth Element – I’ve never heard Morricone do that.

Adrian Younge Presents Venice Dawn (EP) by Wax Poetics

DOWNLOAD: Adrian Younge Presents Venice Dawn (FREE EP)

Read below for full description of the EP

The story begins in 1998 as budding hip-hop producer Adrian Younge finds himself confined by the limitations of the MPC. He begins teaching himself how to play various instruments so he can fully realize his vision. First it was keyboards, then drums, sax, guitar, and bass. Fascinated with the sounds of Italian soundtracks by the likes of Ennio Morricone, Younge begins work on the soundtrack to the fictional film Venice Dawn, recording the album intermittently over the course of the next year. What developed was a sound equal parts Morricone and Air. Self-released, the entire album was composed, arranged, and played by Younge. Only a thousand CDs were pressed, replete with faux soundtrack album art designed by Younge himself. Sold mostly in the L.A. area, the CD became collectable among those in the know.

Fast forward to 2008, and Younge finds himself at the center of the Black Dynamite zeitgeist. Instrumental in the film’s development, Younge not only edited the film, but composed the original score as well. Hailed as a modern blaxploitation masterpiece, the Black Dynamite score solidified Younge’s position as a force to be reckoned with on the new worldwide soul and funk scene.

Taking some time off after the success of Black Dynamite, Younge began revisiting some of his earlier work from Venice Dawn and envisioned a new sound that would take the blaxploitation of Black Dynamite and mesh it with the more left-field sounds of Venice Dawn, eventually deciding to bring everything full circle by releasing the material under the Venice Dawn moniker. This new LP, titled Something About April, will be released this fall on Wax Poetics Records, with the first single, “It’s Me,” coming in August.

In correlation with the release of the new LP, Wax Poetics Records is reissuing a digital-only EP version of the original Venice Dawn album for free. Its rerelease eleven years later connects the dots between Black Dynamite, Younge’s early work, and his newest album, Something About April.

Ever since the Black Dynamite Score was first released in 2009, I have combed the internet on a quest for more music from Adrian Younge. My search uncovered faint traces of a nearly mythical faux-OST called Venice Dawn, but never anything tangible; it appeared only in ghostly forms of blog praises and dead links. Until today, when I finally found something I could actually listen to on Notable Music Co. Read below…

Long before Black Dynamite popped the trunk, composer/producer Adrian Younge was hard at work on another soundtrack. When it surfaced in 2000, Venice Dawn appeared to be the music from a lost 1969 Italian film, but don’t bother looking for it on Netflix. The album itself, however, has been recently refined down to five tracks, remastered, and will be released as a free EP by Wax Poetics Records next month. Part King Crimson, part Air, the music—like “1969 Organ” heard here—shows the composer in his early form, obsessing over Italian soundtracks, ’70s synthesizers, moody instrumentals, sparse compositions, and funky drum breaks. Its rerelease eleven years later connects the dots between Black Dynamite, Younge’s early work, and his newest project, recorded under the aptly named moniker Venice Dawn. The new LP, Something About April, will be released by Wax Poetics Records in September.

STREAM: Adrian Younge – 1969 Organ (via Notable Music Co)

DOWNLOAD: Adrian Younge and Black Dynamite Orchestra – Shot me in the heart (live)

An excellent live rendition of my one of my favorite songs of 2009, looser and jammier than the album version. So good I had to rip the audio. According to this interview the group should have another album out in December, which is something to look forward to.

One of the highlights from the Black Dynamite original score gets a classy video treatment. Foxy ladies, smokey interiors and sweaty lounge singers abound.

More on the music of Black Dynamite HERE

Before I begin….

GO SEE MOTHERFUCKING BLACK DYNAMITE. DRIVE. RUN. ROLLERSKATE. SCUBADIVE. TELEPORT. STEAL WINGS FROM SOMEBODY THAT JUST DRANK A RED BULL. RIDE A SLED PULLED BY MIDGETS. WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU GOTTA DO TO SEE THIS MOVIE, JUST DO IT. YOU’LL THANK ME AFTERWARDS.

Moving right along…. one of the many reasons this movie succeeds as a satire is painstaking, almost fetishistic attention to detail in all aspects of the productions. Music was always an integral part of blaxploitation cinema, so the creators made sure to make it a priority here as well.

Que Adrian Younge, who cooked up an incredible original score that works on several levels. Sure, it’s a great hilarious parody on the narrative soundtracks popular in the 70s (this is the kind of soundtrack where the songs actually narrate the action on screen). But beyond that Younge managed to create music that actually sounds like it could have come from one of the movies being sent up. It’s obvious that this was made with great love and reverence for the source material. Here in full force are the infectious melodies, chunky wah wah guitars, sleazy horns, pulsing heavy drums – all the staples that made these soundtracks almost more notable than the movies they framed. These aren’t just novelty tracks that get tiresome as the joke wears off. This is just good ass music period. Some of it just happens to have hilarious lyrics.

Keeping with the ‘dancing about architecture’ theory I’m gonna shut my jive ass mouth and give you some examples. I tried to pick songs that give away the least amount of plot in the narration but still showcase the best that this score has to offer.

Shine

Chicago Wind

Jimmy’s Dead (instrumental)

I posted another song from this score about a month ago when it was leaked as a preview. It’s called Shot Me In The Heart, you can check it out here

Waxpoetics (which released this album) made a nice little short behind the scenes/making off feature, which gets a little deeper into the process and the influences that went into the music.

Big, massive, hugemongous, elephant dick sized props to Verge.

Just in time before the weekends starts here’s a little taste of the Black Dynamite OST, composed by Adrian Younge. This comes via the vinyl4giants blog (thanks to them.) The full album will be released by Wax Poetics on 10/20, get more info here.

Adrian Younge – Shot Me In The Heart

BTW, I saw this movie at a festival a few months ago, and it is about as awesome as it looks.

Big thanks to Verge for the heads up.