Fluxblog 533: samples scratches acid house

4 playlists connecting rap, dance music, adventurous rock, and sample-based music in general through the 1980s.

PUMP UP THE VOLUME: SAMPLES, SCRATCHES, ACID, HOUSE 1987-1990, which uses the classic M/A/R/R/S single as the nexus point connecting hip-hop, sample-based music, house music, and hip-house at the end of the ‘80s. [Spotify | Apple Music]

SAMPLETOPIA: THE GOLDEN AGE OF SAMPLES IN HIP-HOP 1988-1992, a look back on a five year window in which new sampling technology allowed for a creativity with sound not yet constrained by copyright law. There’s some extraordinary music in this set – some major hits, but also a lot of deep cuts and songs by artists who I don’t think get much attention from people aside from old school heads. [Spotify | Apple | YouTube]

WHAT TIME IS LOVE?: ROCKING THE RAVE 1989-1991, a three-hour collection looking back on when techno, acid, rock, and hip-hop collided in Baggy-era UK at the dawn of the 90s. This one features classics by The KLF, EMF, Happy Mondays, Primal Scream, The Stone Roses, The Shamen, Jesus Jones, James, Blur, and Adamski, plus some deeper cuts from the period. This is stuff that I think sounded “dated” for a long time – largely due to technology shifts on the production side – but now is far enough back in the past that it sounds more like a glorious lost aesthetic. [Spotify | Apple | YouTube]

PUNK/ROCK/RAP 1980-1987, a 30 track compilation covering aesthetic intersections of punk and rap near the beginning of both genres. It's a very exciting period, mostly centered on New York City. I know some people are weird about listening to old school rap, but I think most of you will have a good time. This one features songs by The Clash, Grandmaster Flash, Blondie, Tom Tom Club, Sonic Youth, Cold Crush Brothers, Afrika Bambaataa, Beastie Boys, ESG, and more. [Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube]

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• I loved this new episode of Song Exploder in which Tears for Fears explain how they wrote and recorded their signature song, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.”

• Rob Harvilla's 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s: The 2000s is back with a new episode about Yeah Yeah Yeahs' classic "Maps," but there's a lot in this one about Sonic Youth too.