Stones Throw HHV Records 167 Items
The scene is sunny, smoggy Southern California, early 1980s. Traffic is barely moving. In the passenger seat of one of those cars there is young Jason Jackson, spinning the dial on the FM radio. R&B, early hip-hop, electro, new wave, independent jams, and music from the superstars – it was all a few notches away when the airwaves were wild and free. And when the radio dial was not enough, Jason Jackson got his first pair of turntables. The DJ known as J.Rocc was born, like a character in a Marvel comic book learning how to use a super power.
J.Rocc and his crew the Beat Junkies have been a seminal force in the rise of instrumental hip-hop, and were among a handful of DJs who transformed the craft into an art form. All along the way J.Rocc has been making his own beats, and A Wonderful Letter – his letter to Los Angeles, and his dedication to a lifetime of L.A. music scenes – is only his second full-length album.
Illustration by Rhymezlikedimez, design by Jeff Jank.
• rib crew neck with interior tape
• Stones Throw Outline Logo printed on front
• relaxed fit
• 100% cotton single jersey
• rib crew neck
• QE artwork printed on front
• regular fit
• 100% cotton single jersey
A prolific artist in the extreme sense of the word, Knxwledge continues to redefine instrumental hip-hop almost in real-time with a stream of beat tapes numbering in the hundreds on Bandcamp, and video remixes on Instagram.
This prolific output began early. 1988 takes its name from the fact that much of the new record was created that very year, when Knx was an infant. As the story is told, little baby Knx was left alone by his mother for just a few moments and crawled to a family member’s vintage Sp–12 sampler. When his mother returned he had already produced his first beats and nearly mastered the machine. These tracks, all produced before nap time while rocking a Nike diaper, were stored over the years on floppy discs, then brought to his studio in recent months where they were finished up, mixed, and mastered.
This is John Carroll Kirby’s first time bringing his talents as a composer and producer to film scoring. His score resists easy genre classification, melding together sounds from New Age, exotica, library music, and the sweeter side of electronic music, and makes for a perfect match with artist and filmmaker Dash Shaw’s vibrant animated feature.
Stones Throw 5 Panel Baseball Snapback Cap - features:
• high rise 5-panel construction
• Stones Throw embroidery on front
• Est. '96 embroidery on the left panel
• tonal eyelet stitching
• visor with green twill at the bottom
• snapback plastic closure
• interior includes plain taping and a moisture-absorbing sweatband
• 100% cotton twill
A prolific artist in the extreme sense of the word, Knxwledge continues to redefine instrumental hip-hop almost in real-time with a stream of beat tapes numbering in the hundreds on Bandcamp, and video remixes on Instagram.
This prolific output began early. 1988 takes its name from the fact that much of the new record was created that very year, when Knx was an infant. As the story is told, little baby Knx was left alone by his mother for just a few moments and crawled to a family member’s vintage SP–12 sampler. When his mother returned he had already produced his first beats and nearly mastered the machine. These tracks, all produced before nap time while rocking a Nike diaper, were stored over the years on floppy discs, then brought to his studio in recent months where they were finished up, mixed, and mastered.
• rib crew neck with interior tape
• All Caps! cartoon artwork taken from the video directed by James Reitano printed on front
• stretch rib cuffs and bottom band
• relaxed fit
• 80% cotton, 20% polyester brush-back fleece
Chest width in inches: S=20.5, M=22, L=23.5, XL=25, 2XL=26.5. Body length in inches: S=26.5, M=28, L=29.5, XL=31, 2XL=32.5.
Stones Throw 5 Panel Baseball Snapback Cap - features:
• high rise 5-panel construction
• Stones Throw embroidery on front
• Est. '96 embroidery on the left panel
• tonal eyelet stitching
• visor with green twill at the bottom
• adjustable 7 eye snapback plastic closure
• interior includes plain taping and a moisture-absorbing sweatband
• 100% cotton twill
• rib crew neck
• Jeff Jank's Donuts Cover artwork printed on front
• relaxed fit
• 90% cotton, 10% polyester single jersey, 4.9 oz
The Karriem Riggins Alone Together Tee's features include:
• rib crew neck
• Alone Together artwork printed on front
• Stones Throw branding at upper back
• regular fit
• 100% cotton single jersey, 4.9 oz
The J Dilla aka Jay Dee Donuts Tee's features include:
• rib crew neck
• Donuts overspray stencil-like artwork discharge-printed on front
• regular fit
• 90% cotton, 10% polyester ringspun single jersey, pre-shrunk, 4.9 oz
"Drawing" cover, aka "Old Donuts," the unofficial name for the original edition of J Dilla's Donuts 2/LP with an illustrated sleeve, the way the vinyl was originally released in 2006. Vinyl with the "Smile" cover was released later. Cover by Jeff Jank.
• rib crew neck with interior tape
• Los Retros Star artwork printed on chest
• regular fit
• 100% cotton single jersey
• rib crew neck with interior tape
• Los Retros artwork printed on front
• regular fit
• 100% cotton single jersey
• rib crew neck with interior tape
• Stones Throw Outline Logo printed on front
• relaxed fit
• 100% cotton single jersey
• rib crew neck with interior tape
• Stones Throw Outline Logo printed on front
• relaxed fit
• 100% cotton single jersey
Inspired by her late grandmother Theola Booker, who was known for her Grammy nominated compositions and arrangements for Reverend James Cleveland, Peyton’s career in music was inevitable. Despite her upbringing during the internet age, it’s not hard to hear the influence of R&B legends like Erykah Badu, Prince, and Amel Larrieux, sonically woven into her new EP.
At just 22 years old, Peyton is wasting no time carving out a space for herself in the music scene. Her collaboration on “Verbs” with Steve Lacy from The Internet, opening shows for The Internet and Sales, and featuring on the soundtrack for HBO’s Insecure are just the beginning for the up and coming artist
• rib crew neck with interior tape
• Superbloom artwork printed on front
• relaxed fit
• 100% cotton single jersey
• drawstring-adjustable two-layer hood with metal eyelets
• metal front zipper with custom pull
• Stones Throw logo printed on left chest
• split kangaroo pocket
• stretch rib cuffs and bottom band
• relaxed fit
• 80% cotton, 20% polyester brush-back fleece
Chest width in inches: S=20, M=22, L=24, XL=26, 2XL=28. Body length in inches: S=28, M=29, L=30, XL=31, 2XL=32.
• rib crew neck with interior tape
• Blowin' Off Steam artwork printed on front and rear
• regular fit
• 100% cotton single jersey
• rib crew neck
• Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf Logo artwork printed on front
• regular fit
• 100% cotton single jersey
“Sink describes the way I want my music to make you feel,” she says, “It’s inspired by my love of fluidity, movement of jellyfish and water.” The release caps off a highly active Spring that included a slew of highly buzzed performances at SXSW (yielding praise from NPR, Paste, New York Times, Chicago Tribune and more), both weekends of Coachella, a tour supporting Peanut Butter Wolf in Japan, and a show-stopping performance at FORM Arcosanti. She is currently gearing up for a run of European festivals while prepping for more soon-to-be-announced US dates.
Sudan grew up in Ohio where she taught herself to play the violin in elementary school, mostly by ear. After moving to Los Angeles she began to explore her connection to Northeast Africa. Upon discovering the violin playing style of both Northeast and West African fiddlers and musicians like Asim Gorashi, Ali Farka Touré and Juldeh Camarah, her eyes opened to new ways of incorporating this instrument into her sound. "The way they played the violin was different from classical music. I resonated with their style, and I was like, maybe I can blend it with electronic music." Sink is a further distillation and exploration of this distinctive mélange of disparate influences.
Jonti grew up in South Africa, lived in Los Angeles and New York, and settled near Sydney, Australia, where Tokorats was recorded. Collaborators on the record include Gotye, Kirin J Callinan, Moses Macrae, Jo Ling, Vanessa Tammetta, Tess Nicolaou, Hodgy, and rising Australian hip-hop star Sampa The Great.
Jonti writes, “A Tokorat is that supernatural creature in the mirror. A multicolored weirdo mutant composed of all the elements of your story and all the complexities of your character. In every song I was having a conversation with all the good and unflattering reflections of myself ... While this album does document a five year spiritual journey, it was ultimately a fun and luscious experience. I’m lucky I got to know my Tokorats”
Samiyam’s Pizza Party is 24 minutes of off-kilter mobster music mixed with a warm soul sound that is unmistakably the trademark of L.A. producer and beatmaker Samiyam. Sam’s independent beat tape ventures and instrumental albums are revered by many rappers as respected by producers.
“Pizza Party” is free of samples from the characteristically dusty vinyl grooves and beloved past recordings. Instead, you’ll find originally-played synthesizers and FX in unison with the off-the-grid drum patterns and typical Samiyam sonic swagger. “What Can I Do,” was co-produced by Jonwayne.
Samiyam grew up Sam Baker in Michigan. Soon he became part of a post “Donuts” producers network focusing on instrumental hip-hop beats, who found themselves migrating west and huddling in the scene around Low End Theory in East Los Angeles. That's when Flying Lotus and Samiyam met and Rap Beats Vol. 1 was released as Samiyam’s debut album on Brainfeeder in 2008.
Production note: When MF DOOM was presented with the Four Tet remixes, he sampled an interlude from the set, creating a new beat, and recorded a new rap track of “Rhinestone Cowboy,” effectively remixing the remix.
Sudan Archives grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she "messed around with instruments in the house" and took up violin in the fourth grade, eventually teaching herself how to play the instrument by ear. When she discovered the violin playing style of Northeast Africa, her eyes opened to the possibilities of the instrument. "The way they played it was different from classical music. I resonated with the style, and I was like, 'Maybe I can use this style with electronic music,'" she says.
This fusing of folk music and electronic production was the turning point for Sudan. "I started mixing my violin into beats,” she says, “It wasn't complicated — I'd just sing straight into the iPad." She honed her at-home style after moving to Los Angeles aged 19 to study music technology, and after a chance encounter at a Low End Theory party with Stones Throw A&R and Leaving Records owner Matthewdavid, she signed with Stones Throw. At the very start of her musical career, she's already won plaudits from the likes of the New York Times and Pitchfork, and played live at experimental festival Moogfest.
Her EP Sudan Archives is an extraordinary debut statement from a singular artist. Over six tracks, Sudan Archives layers harmonies, violin figures and ethereal vocals, grounding them all with the hip-hop beats.
The series was created by Lenny Roberts, a Bronx-based record collector, and studio editing partner "Breakbeat" Lou Flores, who began releasing the compilations on the Street Beat label just as the art of hip-hop sampling was beginning to take shape. DJ records, which soon became ready-made sample sources, had been around since the 70s, but none matched the quality of UBB.
“The selections were absurdly democratic, aggressively ironic, (and) smartly remixed all the best aspects of hip-hop,” wrote Charles Aaron in a 1995 review of the entire series. “Dweebs like me could wander into Music Factory in Times Square and bump into Eric B or Jam Master Jay buying multiple copies of Ultimate Breaks & Beats ... the sound of hip-hop was never the same again.”
“Breakbeat” Lou Flores is reviving Ultimate Breaks & Beats with a producer series, debuting with an album by Oh No in January 2017. Oh No's 17-track collection was made entirely with sources from the original UBB series.
“The difference between Timeline and Skiptracing is detail,” Brettin said. “I was stubborn with the process for Timeline, it took almost three years to let go of it.” On Timeline, Brettin resorted to vague lyrics so as to highlight the music itself. But for Skiptracing there’s both a heightened thematic aspect as well as more complex musical arrangements encasing it. In Brettin’s estimation, the album’s story arc is that of a “private investigator attempting to trace the steps of the sound and the spirit of American music.”
And in investigating the spirit of American music, Mild High Club re-imagine AM radio hits as blasting in from a parallel universe, the sound of early 70s LA in a smog of sativa. If Todd Rundgren was the primary touchstone for Timeline, Brettin and band now look to the wry, trenchant wit of Steely Dan, gazing deep into the dark underbelly of sun-bright L.A. and coming away with catchy songs underpinned by slippery jazz phrasings.
Dig deeper into the lyrics and imagery and that detective story slowly emerges. But it’s no simple whodunit? Instead, think The Long Goodbye, The Late Show, Chinatown, Night Moves or any early 70s inversion of the detective noir genre, where the gumshoe protagonist ultimately winds up investigating himself, navel-gazing so as to solve the ultimate mystery. Skiptracing is Philip Marlowe driving around LA listening to Caetano Veloso or that deleted scene in John Cassavetes’s The Killing of a Chinese Bookie where Cosmo Vitelli reads Cosmic Trigger.
In crafting Skiptracing, Mild High Club have made an album that strikes a balance between the known and unknown aspects of art and creation. While Brettin sought to have complete control over the creation of the previous album, in opening up and allowing these creative variables in, he learned a valuable lesson that lies at the heart of Skiptracing itself: “When you wish upon the unknown, you might be surprised by the rewards.”
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Stones Throw HHV Records
In 1996 LA-based Stones Throw Records was established by beat maker/producer/DJ extraordinaire Peanut Butter Wolf as an outlet for releasing his own material after he realized that he got as much enjoyment promoting the music as he did creating it. It was also a way to release the material he produced with his late friend, emcee Charizma (who passed away in 1993, RIP) after a failed stint on Hollywood Basics (known as hip-hop subsidiary of Walt Disney that put out groundbreaking classics by Organized Konfusion). Stones Throw started by releasing 12"s, 7"s and instrumentals before breaking on to the scene hard in the late 90s. Within the years 1998 to 2002 and the release of longplayers by Peanut Butter Wolf, Lootpack, Quasimoto, Breakestra, Yesterdays New Quintet and a fantastic funk compilation called The Funky 16 Corners along with singles from from the rest of their core line-up (MED/Medaphoar, Dudley Perkins, Wildchild), Stones Throw was able to solidify their position as the essential independent hip-hop label on the west coast. The label would not have earned nearly as much popularity without Lootpack member Madlib, Stones Throw’s famed flagship artist: He is not only responsible for probably about 75% of the label’s music and production, but is actually 40% of the label’s artists himself, just under different monikers. His unparalleled innovation musically along with PBW’s creative knack for promotion and presentation has made Stones Throw maybe the most important independent label of recent times and moving strong into the future. Basically, it has made the same impact to hip-hop as Stax made on soul music in the late 60s and 70s.ÚÚMake sure to also check out Now Again Records: The subsidiary of Stones Throw is run by Peanut Butter Wolf’s side-man Egon who re-releases amazing funk records and puts out fantastic compilations.ÚÚBesides releasing innovative music on a regular basis, Stones Throw is also known for creating great basic clothing to promote the label’s and artist’s names.