Without sounding like an old man whos losing his marbles (I’m 33 this week), sometimes it’s good to re-visit the classics. In this world of X-Factor mania, and “skin feeling visibly younger”, sometimes you need to cut out the nonsense and go back to basics.. Every once in a while we all need reminding that quality should always be the watch-word.

Which is what we’re doing here.

Here’s an exclusive mix from Blunt Buddy (and blood brother to our own Doug) Prolifik, in memory of the late J Dilla.

Quite simply, it’s some on-point hip hop and soul, perfect for the current sunshine we’re having. I know this mix is a couple of years old, but it’s always good to take something like this back off ice once in a while and give it a listen. Remind yourself whats important. In this case it’s slick rhyming and tight snares, deep beats and soulful breaks, in tribute to the man, J Dilla. Not Ant and Dec talking to some dizzy bird who wants to be Mariah Carey, or some daft fecker in lycra who fancies himself as Michael Jackson on roller skates.

So, take the advice of this old man. Pour the Kool-Aid, pitch up on the stoop, hit play, and transport yourself back to the good old days, with some smooth beats from one of the best producers who was ever in the game. A full tracklisting is below. Continue reading…

Right then, best fill the cooler with Red Stripe and find your sun hat, as its time one again for the Family Blunt to present Urban Picnic Sounds 2010, live that the internationally-acclaimed Rhythms Of The World Festival. This year, it’s taking place on the weekend of the 24th and 25th July, with over 170 acts, and 20-odd thousand friends coming together to hear a variety of quality artists from across the world, and the musical genres.

We’re back once again at the single DJ-only stage at this internationally-acclaimed festival. You can check the website tags (“Urban Picnic Sounds”) for info on our previous outings. Essentially, the Blunt Beats crew and some very special guests provide a laid-back soundtrack to the whole weekend via our Urban Picnic Sounds stage. Expect lots of classic soul, barbecue funk, lounging jazz, head noddin’ reggae, and all manner of sunbathing beats. Guests this year include Baron Sound, DJ Herb, Hannah Brown, Reggae-MATT-ic, DJ Widedubz, Morocco, and Adam Williams.

I don’t need to give this one a hard-sell. It’s a great festival, with a cool laid back vibe, and Blunt Beats on the turntables. Simple.

Just to get you in the mood, here’s a link to a couple of sets from previous Urban Picnic Sounds events, courtesy of our very own Doug, and guest Adam Williams.

We’ll see you there!

Right…Those of you who have been following us for some time will realise that the website hasn’t been updated for a while. Those of you who have just found us will probably think not much has happened with us since early April. Not so.

Essentially, we’ve had a bit of a pow-wow/board meeting/cup of tea and a chat here at BBHQ, and have decided to make a few changes.

For years now, we’ve been putting out a weekly 4hour live radio show (available for download for the following 7 days) across a variety of musical styles. And jolly good fun it has been, too. However, although we get good feedback from our listeners, we’re acutely aware that a 4-hour show is a hell of a lot to download in todays snappy 20-minute podcast world. Also, if this weeks music genre isn’t your style, then you’ll have to wait for another show (and another week) for something that might be up your street.

Also, the Family Blunt is not getting any younger, and our day-jobs/lives have been keeping us more than busy. We’re all a little more spread out, both location-wise, and waistline-wise. All of this has impacted on our ability to bring you, our much-loved listener, quality Blunt Beats approved music. And we apologise.

But, we’re gonna fix it.

Rather than struggling to do a fresh 4 hour show every week that is a mammoth download file, we’ve decided to move our focus onto shorter, regular podcast/mix series based on our existing radio show brands (e.g. Dub Chamber, Soul Food, Electric Noodles etc), which will be a little bit more directed for you the listener, and a little easier for us to manage. We’ll also be posting special one-off mixes, archive sets, and material from our friends and guests.

Have no fear, we’ll still be doing live radio shows, with our resident DJs and guests. We’ll post about them here on the site, and also put details of upcoming shows on our radio page.

Essentially, “less is more”, as they say. Think of it as a new, streamlined, low-carb Blunt Beats (ok…..scrub the low-carb bit, but you get the idea)

This week’s Allsorts show is packed up and ready for download. The show was a little warm up for a gig at Bar Absolute, Hitchin, tomorrow night. If you’re in the area, we’d love you to pass by.

Marcus, Adam and myself put together four hours of funk, soul, nujazz and afrobeat for your listening pleasure, with a spattering of DnB and dubstep. Grab the download while you can (before next Thursday), and check the tracklisting below. Continue reading…

This weeks live radio show sees us return once more to The Dub Chamber. Blunt Residents Agent M and the Erbalist will be providing you with 4 hours of straight-up heavyweight dub reggae from across the years. Expect to hear some 60’s and 70’s dub classics, mixed up with some newer bits and pieces, and a few rarities too…..

You can listen to the whole show, live from 8pm UK time this Wednesday, via the link on our radio page.

Blunt Beats Radio presents The Dub Chamber, with Blunt Residents Agent M and the Erbalist. Live from 8pm UK time, Wednesday 24th March. www.bluntbeats.com/radio

Yep. We’re back on the air again tonight with another 4 hours of top-quality audio wandering. It’s time for Allsorts. Sets tonight will include music from Blunt Resident Agent M, along with an extended live recording from the family Blunt’s recent outing to Bar Absolute, where residents Doug and Marcus Hurley were joined by blunt-buddy DJ Morocco for a night of funk, breakbeat, hip hop beats, and pretty much anything else they fancied.

If you made it down, it’s a chance to listen again. If you didn’t, it’s a chance for you to hear what you missed, so you know better for next time! Catch all of tonights music live from 8pm UK time via our radio page.

Blunt Beats Radio presents Allsorts. Wednesday 10th March, live from 8pm UK time. Sets from Blunt Residents Agent M, Doug, Marcus Hurley, and DJ Morocco. www.bluntbeats.com/radio.

On tonight’s live radio show, the family Blunt will be cooking another wholesome portion of Electric Noodles. A 4-hour menu of downtempo, ambient, and electronic beats will be dished up piping hot by Blunt Residents Doug and Marcus Hurley. Hold the Soy sauce…

Blunt Beats Radio presents Electric Noodles, with Doug and Marcus Hurley. Live from 8pm UK time Wednesday 24th February. www.bluntbeats.com/radio

Yep, who needs fruit when you can gorge yourself on Allsorts?

Blunt Residents the Erbalist and Agent M are back for another 4 hour stint of playing whatever they like. Because they can. Rest assured, the tunes will be of the usual high-quality, whatever the genre may be…Nice, methinks.

Blunt Beats Radio presents Allsorts, with Blunt Residents the Erbalist and Agent M. Live from 8PM UK time. www.bluntbeats.com/radio

If you weren’t able to make it down to Bar Absolute in Hitchin last Friday, fear not! We got the while night in the can and it will be revisited in tonight’s Soulfood show.

Tune in from 8pm to catch sets from Morroco, Marcus Hurley and myself. Spanning hip hop, nu-jazz, funk, breaks, electro and DnB, it was a top night of tunes. Don’t miss out a second time!

Here’s the tracklisting for last weeks Moonstompin’ show with myself and the Erbalist…

As always, you can grab the show for the next 7 days via the Radio page..
Continue reading…