Blockhead — Interludes After Midnight (2012)

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Blockhead – Interludes After Midnight
Location: Downtown Manhattan, New York City
Birth name: James Anthony Simon
Also known as: Tony Simon, T. Simon, Tones, Toneslap
Origin: New York City, New York, United States
Genres: Hip hop, trip hop, electronica
Occupations: Producer, DJ
Album release: April 30, 2012
Record Label: Ninja Tune / ZENDNL 184
Runtime: 73:06
Tracklist:
01.) Never Forget Your Token     (4:16)
02.) Creeps Crouchin’     (5:45)
03.) Panic In Funkytown     (5:12)
04.) Hungover Like Whoa    (5:49)
05.) Meet You At Tower Records     (5:20)
06.) Escape The Meadow     (5:05)
07.) Smoke Signals    (5:38)
08.) Tools Of The Industry    (4:57)
09.) Midnight Blue     (5:45)
10.) Snapping Point     (5:23)
11.) Beyond Reach Feat. Baby Dayliner     (5:18)
12.) The Robin Byrd Era     (4:44) / 13. "Carbon Dated" (Digital Bonus)
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/theblockishot
Ninja Tune: http://ninjatune.net/release/blockhead/interludes-after-midnight
Blockhead interview: http://www.entertainingthings.com/2009/11/24/blockhead-interview/
¦ With Interludes After Midnight, Blockhead proudly presents his fifth LP. In the two years since the critically lauded The Music Scene, Blockhead, nee Tony Simon, has traveled the globe and emerged with another collection of eclectic songs that twist, turn, and grind their way into the listener’s psyche.
¦ While the title Interludes After Midnight, might recall a film from the likes of Truffaut or a sprawling masterpiece by Modigliani, the title comes to us from a decidedly less classical source – an after hours New York City public access show that ran throughout the 80’s and early 90’s. This was a time before cell phones, TiVo, and the Internet – a simpler time that has informed the sonic landscape of the album. This is not rehashing 20 years of popular hip-hop; this is Blockhead’s ultimate homage to the times and places that defined his upbringing.
¦ This is a pre-digital road map through the musical consciousness of Blockhead, a virtual tour of a decidedly non-virtual society – when the airwaves were for TV, phones were for making calls, and when newspapers were printed. Hence, Interludes After Midnight is populated with dusty samples of beeping synths, smooth horn samples blended seamlessly with funky percussion and a sound that will keep you listening – this is classic Blockhead.
Bio:
¦ Tony Simon AKA Blockhead was born and raised in Downtown Manhattan, in New York City. The son of an artist, he found a fondness for music at a young age. In particular, he fell in love with Hip Hop. In his early teens he began penning rhymes and eventually was part of a group called The Overground with a bunch of his friends. While he loved rapping, he also always had an interest in the musical side of things so he would soon abandon his dreams of being a rapper for being the man who made the beats. This was a wise choice.
¦ Eventually, he and his friend Aesop Rock would meet and begin to make music together and release it on the internet. In 2000, Aesop's album Float was released on Mush Records and quickly propelled both Aesop and Blockhead into notoriety. After that, Blockhead released a breakbeat album on Mush called Blockhead's Broke Beats.
After a few years more years of making beats for rappers, Blockhead put out his first solo instrumental record on Ninja Tune records , titled Music by Cavelight. This was the first of four critically acclaimed albums he has since released on the UK based label.
He also was one half of the comedy rap duo Party Fun Action Committee, which was released on Definitive Jux records in 2003.
¦ As well as making solo albums and working with Aesop, blockhead has also worked with artists like Murs, Slug, Mike Ladd, Cage, Open Mike Eagle, Maclethal, SA Smash, Isaiah Toothtaker, Illogic and others.
¦ Blockhead has also been busy touring the last 8 years with groups like Aesop Rock, Dj Cam, Amon Tobin, Bonobo, Kid Koala, Cold Cut, Emancipator, and many others.
Currently, he's finsishing up a bevy of projects , including a new solo album Interludes After Midnight (His fifth album on Ninja Tune), and looking forward to releasing all that new music to the public in the near future.
Label: http://ninjatune.net/us/artist/blockhead
Blog:
¦ Now, I realize the album has been leaked. And While hearing this (or just reading it right here) will no doubt lead to more than a few of you just going to find a download link right now, there’s nothing I can really do about it. Albums get leaked. It’s happened before and it will happen again. Do I like it? not really. I think I’m more bummed that it’s supposed to drop on May 5th so having it leak this soon is a bit early for my taste. On one hand, it’s cool that people are into it so much that they’re rushing to download (it was the #1 download on what.cd yesterday) but it’s hard to separate that from the fact that no one’s gonna buy the record. But, that’s what making music in 2012 is like so all i can do is accept it. So, if you downloaded it (and enjoyed it), do me the solid and come to a show when I’m in your town. Then we’re even.
¦ For those of you who do still buy music, there will be a vinyl release as well as a bonus 7″ featuring two songs that didn’t make the album. Those two songs will also be available digitally via I-Tunes and the Ninja Tune Website.
¦ Regardless of how you hear it and when, I hope you enjoy the album. I put in a lot of work on it and all I can ask is that , if you do download it today or tomorrow, actually listen to it. Don’t do that thing where you listen to the first 20 seconds then skip to the next track. My albums don’t work like that. Every song is constantly evolving. The songs have a beginning, a middle and an end. This isn’t a mixtape by Gucci Mane.
¦ Oh and to all the people asking me how it leaked, the blame lies on the press. Ninja tune sent out press copies last week and within 4 days it was upped somewhere. So, whoever did that, you’re a dickhead and your blog/magazine/whatever-it-is-you-write-for sucks. I understand it’s fun to share but have some consideration for the artists. I mean, if your job is to review music, that must mean ,on some level, you both enjoy and respect music. Well, in the future, try and do that without being an album leaking asshole. It’s really not that hard. I realize it sounds like I’m scathingly bitter right now, but really, it’s all part of the game. I understand that. I feel more like disappointed father who just found his son jerking off to granny porn.
¦ Some of them got uploaded to youtube already … Enjoy.
Fortaken: http://phatfriend.com/