September 2015 – The Monthly Mixtape, Volume 4

Damn. A week into October already. (How did that happen?). It seems that time got the best of us here at the FMM and we neglected to get your Monthly Mixtape to you on time. But, never fear – it’s here, better late than never. We shared some mightily good music throughout September and this mixtape bears witness to that. Be warned – it’s a heavy one. Best enjoyed loud.

Why Do I Do Music? #3 – An interview with Dr. Nowt

It’s been a while since the last instalment of no-one’s favourite interview series, but we are back, and blander than ever. This time, we cross-examine Wigan’s sonic supervillain, Dr. Nowt, and ask him about his collection of chihuahas, which number in the dozens, among other things.

FMM: You are currently in Australia. What is the most Australian thing you’ve done since being Australian?

Australia’s a really interesting place to have found myself in. There’s a lot to do in Australia, and certainly a lot of Australians to learn from. I’ve been drinking alone a lot. But I do that at home. I’ve watched people smoke meth, or “ice”. Oh, and did you know that prostitution’s legal over here?

FMM: If you could describe your music in three words, would you feel like you needed more words?

I imagine so…

FMM: Tell us about your new song, ‘Throwdown!‘. Why is American Football so important to you?

This song is actually very old and I no longer have any idea what it’s supposed to be about. I don’t really remember writing or recording it. Come to think of it, I might have stolen it. Dan Marino is my dad.

FMM: You recently guested on Dr. Dre’s new animated series, Straight Outta Trumpton. Tell us about your experience.

See, when it comes to acting, I’m like Wu-Tang. I always roll with the method, know what am sayin’? So to get into character I was puttin’ back mad 40s yo. So peep this, one day on set, Dre’s all like, “Yo, homie…”, ‘cause we was tight, yo. He’s all, “Yo, homie, my boys say you got some mad skillz on the mic. Show us what you got, dawg”, and I’m like, “Fo’ sho’, brother! Aint no thing but a chicken wing” and I start spittin’ some bars right there, just makin that shit up as I go along – kind of like I’m doing with this story – but I been puttin’ away these 40s all day, G, and I’m straight wasted. I don’t know what I said, but next thing I know, the motherfuckin’ D-R-E’s shouting his boys over. They all up in my shit like, “Yo, cracker, you better check yo’self before you wreckity-wreck yo’self”, and they toss my white ass to the kerb. Man, I was pissed. I just threw up and got the hell up outta there, ‘cause you know Andre be packin’ some serious heat, you know what I’m sayin’?

FMM: You recently had a very public spat with Nicki Minaj, who accused you of possessing some degree of originality. How do you respond to criticism?

Nick’s a great guy. He’s not as big a tool as the media portrays him to be. You know… probably. The whole thing just got blown out of proportion. But it seems to me that unoriginality is what’s popular. If I was even remotely original then I wouldn’t be in the public eye at all. In fact, I’d have like, two fans, myself included, and I’d be doing interviews with online indie music publications.

FMM: You are an outspoken advocate of something, aren’t you? What is it again?

I think it’s great when people stand for something, and really believe in it. When they’ll happily go out of their way to selflessly help people, animals or the environment in some way. To actually get out and make that extra effort when it would be so much easier to just do nothing. That’s what I believe in. I’m a strong advocate of doing, and believing in nothing.

FMM: Who is your favourite Spice Girl and why?

When I was in school, I always liked Baby, though everyone else was partial to Ginger. I suppose being a fellow accursed, I maybe felt I needed to distance myself from that particular shade. Sporty was always the filler I think. Like Tina from S Club 7. Remember when they had their own TV show? At the time I didn’t think anything of it, but it’s weird. Posh was just too posh, and now that I think about it, she didn’t actually sing at all. She just stood around the rest of them looking snooty. I think the name “Scary” was a bit racist. We really should have been past all that by the ‘90s. It’s kind of an odd mix. All the distinctions which were used for their names were completely unrelated. Age, hair colour, social standing, hobbies, race. I remember when they were in their prime. If I’d have been only a few years older it would have been totally gay for me to even listen to them. It’s like with certain clothes you might wear, or the way you behave. Up to a certain age you’re just having fun but at some point people start seeing it differently and it becomes “wrong”, or “weird”, or “disgusting” and you find people focus on you. And not in a good way. Anyway, that’s why I’m not allowed back at the swimming baths.

FMM: At The Free Music Movement, the musician gets the final word. What is it?

Bodacious

• All of Dr. Nowt’s music is available for free download, which makes him one of our Champions of Free Music. You can find the Dr. Nowt discography on his Bandcamp page, here.

Miley Cyrus and Her Dead Petz

Miley Cyrus has released her new album, Miley Cyrus and Her Dead Pets, on her website for free streaming. We mentioned last month that Cyrus was keen on making her next album a free one, and at Sunday’s VMA Awards (which she hosted), she surprised everyone by announcing that the album was available immediately.

Miley has been collaborating a lot with The Flaming Lips recently, and their influence is all over the new album, with its psychedelic production and much greater emphasis on live instruments compared with her last album, the computer-heavy Bangerz.

• What do you think of Miley’s free new album? Let us know on our Facebook page.

August Mixtape – The Monthly Mixtape, Volume 3

August 2015 has been a month of quality, not quantity here at the Movement. Although it may not have been our most prolific month ever, we’ve still shared some of the best free music we’ve come across to date.

It was the month we discovered the meandering and yet utterly brilliant Superfunk stylings of The Floozies. Big players such as Macklemore (ft. Ed Sheeran) and Talib Kweli shared new music for free download, and a wealth of sample-heavy summery jams came our way, borrowing from classic cuts from the likes of The Isley Brothers and The Doors.

So, here’s the result of all that – a groove-heavy mixtape of only the finest free music.

Why not play it straight from our 8tracks page, where each track has a link to its free download location.

Pogo

Pogo is Nick Bertke, an Australian electronic musician and remix artist who uses clips from famous films (including many Disney ones) to create his beats. He has remixed the likes of Alice in Wonderland, UP and even The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. He was even commissioned by Disney Pixar to produce two Toy Story-inspired tracks back in 2010. His latest album, Kindred Shadow, was released in June.

All of his music is available on a pay-what-you-want basis from his Bandcamp page, and that makes him a Champion of Free Music. Pogo’s music is refreshing and addictive, and the videos add a mesmerizing element to his unique sound.

• Do you know of any marvelous sonic inventions available for free and deserving of a share? Head over to our Facebook page and let us know.

Talib Kweli – Fuck The Money

Talib Kweli has released a new album, the appropriately titled ‘Fuck The Money’, for free on his website, kweliclub.com. Surprise free albums seem to be all the rage at the moment, with Wilco’s Star Wars dropping last month (we featured it here) and Miley Cyrus suggesting that her next record will be free.

Kweli is no stranger to free music – the Downloads section of his website is a free music haven and this latest release just seems to embody and cement his attitude. Speaking during his appearance on Bill Maher’s show, he said,

People don’t buy music, they’d rather stream and pay money to streaming companies. It’s convenient. As horrible as it is, it’s my responsibility to do something about it. It’s not on the consumer to do something about the new business model. I don’t think it’s fair, but that’s how it is.

 

• Do you agree with Talib Kweli? Found any quality free music you feel you simply must share with the world? Let us know.

 

Source: http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/6663952/talib-kweli-f-the-money-free

From Third Eye Blind to You – A Mixtape

Back in March, we featured Noisetrade, a great site where thousands of artists upload free releases, and where you can tip any artist you deem worthy. We promised we would share our Noisetrade picks periodically, as we did with Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors back in June.

Now, here’s another selection – a mixtape from Third Eye Blind bridging the 6-year gap between their last album (2009’s Ursa Major and this year’s Dopamine). This 4-track sampler contains two tracks from each of those albums, and is abundant with the anthemic rock and pop hooks the band is known for.

The Floozies

Future Funk duo The Floozies have got to be one of the coolest bands we’ve ever featured on The Movement. If you’re anything like me, The Funk will always hold a special place in your heart, and there’s arguably no better example of what The Funk sounds like in 2015 than these guys (sorry, Mark Ronson).

The Floozies are two brothers from Kansas, and are Champions of Free Music – all of their quality music is available for free download from their Soundcloud page (embed above), or their website. Maybe if the KS music scene was this good back in Dorothy’s day, she would have though twice about heading to Oz.

 

• Know any tasty free jams worthy of sharing with the human race? What about local artists or mates deserving of a wider listenership? (Is that even a word!?). Let us know.

July Mixtape – The Monthly Mixtape, Volume 2

Last month’s inaugural Monthly Mixtape started us off in fine form, with tunes from the likes of Chance The Rapper, Fort Minor and Hudson Mohawke. This time around, we have new music from Wilco and Fliptrix, plus an eclectic selection of some of the best free music we’ve shared this month. All in a whirlwind 26 minute ride. So don’t dilly dally, head on over to our 8tracks page now to check it out, along with the rest of our fine selection of Free Music Mixtapes.

Nils Frahm – Screws

Back in 2012, pianist Nils Frahm broke his thumb and was advised not to play the piano until it healed. Here’s how he reacted, in his own words.

Even though my doctor told me not to touch a piano for a while, I just couldn’t resist. I started playing a silent song with 5 fingers on my right and the remaining 4 on my left hand. I set up one microphone and recorded another tune every other night before falling asleep.

The day I got rid of my cast I had recorded 9 little songs. They have helped me feel less annoyed about my accident and reminded me that I can only achieve something good, when I make the most of what I’ve got.

The album’s title refers to the four metal screws used by doctors to help speed up the thumbs healing process. The album is a sparse yet moving collection of delicate piano tracks, and the low-fi quality of the recordings (including the occasional creak and hiss) gives the record a reflective quality. One for late nights by lamplight.

 

Have you discovered any wonderful free music you’ve been itching to share with the world? Let us know on our Facebook page.