DJ Shadow - "Rocket Fuel" (spotlight)

I recently received two promotional e-mails from DJ Shadow, the first alerting me that a new LP will come out in 2019, and the second providing a link to an advance single, "Rocket Fuel", featuring De La Soul.

It sounds great -- and exactly like what you'd expect a 2019 collaboration between DJ Shadow and De La Soul to sound like.  My only complaint would be "why did it take them this long to work together?"   My primary complaint about "The Outsider" is that many of his guests were beneath him, but that's obviously not the case here. 

DJ Shadow and De La Soul - "Rocket Fuel"

2019-08-08 update: I received another email with the backstory of how DJ Shadow came to discover the cover of "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by The Belmonts that provided the sample for "Rocket Fuel".  

The Belmonts - "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye"

Tranquility Bass - "They Came In Peace" (LP review)

In celebration of Apollo 11, today I'll feature one of my favorite songs that's relatively hard to find.  "They Came In Peace" by Tranquility Bass first appeared in 1991 on the "They Came In Peace" EP.  I don't actually have that EP, but I have the title track on both on the Mo' Wax "Headz" compilation (1994) and the 1993 Exist Dance sampler "Transmitting From Heaven".  The former is excellent (I have Herbert to thank for first introducing me to "Headz"), the latter less so, but here I'll feature the original four song EP.

I've always said that we can forget velcro and Tang, the real benefit of the US space program was its providing endless samples for electronic music.  I'll eventually get around to The Orb's "Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld" (see also: "Rival Dealer"), but for now the most literal recognition is Tranquility Bass (get it?) and their looping of Buzz Aldrin saying "they came in peace for all mankind" over a languid beat and crickets.  I realize that sounds weird, but this is an excellent track and you should give it a listen.  The other three tracks on the EP are representative of electronic / trance music ca. 1991, and they're neither bad nor good. 

1. "They Came In Peace"
2. "They Came In Peace (Lunar Dub)"
3. "Lucifaze"
4. "Lucid Beats"

I'm giving the EP a score of 6/10 -- I'm not sure the EP is essential, even though the title track is.


Bonus link: "Cantamilla" from 1994's "Broadcast Standard Issue No. 1" is Tranquility Bass's other essential track.