Look What We Found: Dancing Dinos

Check out the first single, "Tighten Up," from The Black Keys' new album, Brothers. That little dino puppet has some sweet moves.

The BU Today Sessions: Micah

Micah recently performed some of his unreleased tracks for BU Today. Check out the videos.

You can also read BU Today's interview with Micah, here.

Aviator Chic

Ankur Chaturvedi, childhood friend of Aviator (Neil Anand) and Base Trip Records member, caught up with his buddy for a little Q&A about new material, opening for KiD CuDi, and his general life. Enjoy.

1) Going back to the old days of Aviator, how has your music evolved?

It was all about tightening everything up, word economy, and restraint. I’m trying to say more with less, these days.

2) Are any of the old rhymes still in your work? Or did you choose to get rid of them as you grew as a person?

Sometimes I resurrect an old line or too. As a person, I’m not really one to sit back and reflect on old times for too long. I don’t have boxes of memories and trinkets. Just the same, I don’t listen to my older music because I’m always thinking about the next move.

Sometimes a person will throw on and old song of mine and I’ll listen along. Oftentimes, I’m surprised by the gems I find among the utter dross I was recording as a kid.

3) Were you always about the lyrics, like you are now?

Absolutely. I’m a lyricist. That’s my job and it always has been. My job involves certain essential components – lyrics and content, flow, and performance. Everyday I’m working on one or more of these components. The wheels don’t stop. Even if I wanted them to, they wouldn’t give in. I’m afraid it’s going to be fatal.

4) The typical interview question... at the time, did you think you'd try to rap professionally?

Yes. At age 10 I knew. As I get older I delude myself with games and jobs, socialization and intellectual masturbation, but music has always been my love. It’s as Duke Ellington once said, "music is my mistress and she plays second fiddle to no one."

5) Have Chester's beats affected your style? Or would you say it’s the other way around—seeing as how you're the older brother.

Chester, InfinitiRock, is five years younger than me – making him 18 years old now. He has always been a prodigy. By age 10 he had already mastered “beat-making” and was moving into a different echelon. At this point, I really think he’s just doing it to piss everyone off and shake people up. There are lots of subliminal messages and textures in his music.

Even though I’m older, I find myself consistently humbled by the kid and his work. He has so many songs and so many styles. None of these songs are repetitive, either. That being the case, I’ve been trained by his music to do the same thing. In my mind, he’s paving the way and I’m just chasing along. We both play an equal and integral part to the work, but his music has always affected my style.


6) Do you guys sit together and come up with tracks? Does he make a beat, and you rap on top? Or do you write a rap, and he comes up with a beat to match the flow? How would you describe the work sessions?

Sometimes I sit with him in the studio while he makes songs and sometimes I come up with lines in my head, but more often than not, he comes up with a beat (or a batch of them) and sends it to me online. These serve as the catalyst for my lyrics. If I’m feeling a certain way and I know that lines are packing my head, I will actively seek out of one of his instrumentals, one that matches my mood, and begin to write everything out on top. I try not to leave a song unfinished. After 12 years of writing, I’ve developed certain techniques and habits. Though I’m a relatively easy-going and amiable guy, I’m a perfectionist and an asshole in the studio.


7) Was opening for KiD CuDi at the House of Blues your largest performance so far? Did you get to mention "They Ain't Right" to him?

It was absolutely my largest performance to date. It was a sold out show at the one of the foremost venues in the country. When I stepped out on that stage in front of all 3,000 of those kids, I didn’t say one word for about a minute. I just soaked in their energy. It was palpable. It was humbling. It was terrifying. It was incredible.

I didn’t mention the song to him or chose to play it at the show. I recorded a song over the instrumental of his most popular song, so I think I made the right decision by letting him have his moment. I think it would have been in poor taste if I acted otherwise.

8) How did you feel before the performance? During? Afterward? How would you compare it to the smaller venues you've performed at?

Before, I was petrified. I was pacing around my dressing room. I thought I was going to vomit for hours. During, I was petrified. I turned my head off and let myself get into my zone and put on the best show I could, but I was absolutely petrified by all of those people and the bright lights. It was surreal. Afterwards, I was relieved to be over with it all and I was curious to know how it was from the audience’s perspective (the perfectionist thing).

The smaller venues make you feel big. Everybody is packed like sardines into a basement or hole-in-the wall club. People know your words, they’re in your face, and they’re on level ground with you. At the house of blues, it made me feel gigantic to a point of discomfort. Bigger sardine can, more sardines, elevated stage. Very scary, but I never let them see the whites of my eyes.

9) What's next for Aviator? I hear you're finishing up an album. Can you tell us what it's called? How would you compare it to the mix tape?

So much. The album is on its way. It’s called Bigger Than My Matador. The title is a little ambitious-sounding. It’s basically about being the bull and conquering the matador before he conquers you. After dropping such a feel-good mixtape like "Thank You, Come Again," I think the album might surprise people and might even make them feel uncomfortable. It’s very emotional and raw. There are songs about absolute helplessness, trust lost, and reconciling my precarious position as a “conscious” rapper. There are also really accessible songs on there.

I’m just working on keeping it all together, man. I turn 23 this Monday. I have a new job, a beautiful girlfriend that I adore, and a promising career in music. I just want to keep it this way forever.

Thanks, Avi,

Th34nk (Ank)

Aviator Opens for KiD CuDi!

Aviator opening for KiD CuDi at the House of Blues Boston!

Kid Cudi at the House of Blues.

Rocking the National Geographic Tee.

Aviator at House of Blues! The crowd joins in the "A" for Aviator hand gesture.

Aviator Releases FREE Mixtape - "Thank You, Come Again"

This is a big week for Aviator.

Yesterday he shared the stage with Daniel Joseph (of Highwater Music) and a number of talented acts from Elite Assembly.

Tomorrow, he will be opening up for Kid CuDi at the House of Blues (Boston).

Today, he is releasing his debut mixtape. "Thank You, Come Again" is one of the most polished mixtapes you're ever going to hear, and he is giving it away as a FREE download on the interwebs. Every single track is insane, and if you listen to it on good speakers your brain might explode.

LISTEN/DOWNLOAD HERE

If you didn't get a chance yet, you should also check out the beat tape that his little brother (AKA super-producer InfinitiRock released last week.

LISTEN/DOWNLOAD HERE

Look What We Found: The Ultimate Rapper Collaboration

Ok, well, maybe not the ULTIMATE collaboration... but pretty close.

Eminem. Mos Def. Black Thought. DJ Premier. BET Cypher.

A Minute With Micah

Base Trip Records' own Devondra Dominguez caught up with Micah Domingo (formerly known as Rapper Steph) to see what he has been up to.

How long have you been a part of Base Trip?

I’ve been a part of Base Trip since my sophomore year, so two years now.

What have you done so far with the label?

I can’t even count how many shows I’ve done, but a lot of the shows happened in my junior year. I was going and going; I did shows at least once a week maybe even twice, so that was really a hectic time. I actually went to California this summer to visit Conor and Rob (Supersillyus). Conor and I made some big strides over there and hung out with Rob while he was finishing up his CD. I also went to New York at the beginning of summer before California with the Throwbacks and we just played, gave out CD’s, and rapped for whoever. It was fun. It was a good time.

What material have you been working on?

I’m mostly working on new stuff. I went through a transitional period- a trans period, wow, that’s weird- last semester where I didn’t really work on music, but figured out a lot of emotional and mental stuff. This semester I feel like I’m coming out on a clean slate and I’ve been writing a lot about my experiences, transitioning, and kind of making sense of all the stuff that happened last semester through my music.

What drives you to create more work and who are your musical influences?

A huge musical inspiration for me would have to be Common. I actually had the great fortune of rapping for him. I went to a show at the Palladium to see him. I was right in the front the whole time.This girl I was dating at the time was able to get the bouncer to let me rap for Common. That was actually about a month after I performed at BU Central for my first time ever. I had never performed live ever in front of anyone before September of my sophomore year. So I was facing Common- thinking “Oh my God”- and started rapping for him. After, he was like “Yeah that’s good work, keep working on it. That’s tight.” Just hearing those words, I was in shock.

Besides Common, another huge influence is Mos Def- almost on the same level of inspiration as Common. His music is more head-trippy and you really have to think about it when you’re listening to it. You think “Woah, he’s really saying some deep stuff.” I have also been listening to some indie music like Rilo Kiley. I have been listening to a lot of emotional music – not emo- but like music that puts emotions in such a way that just makes you go “Wow, I feel exactly what you’re feeling”- that kind of stuff.

Do you have plans for upcoming shows?

I have one show that I know of: the Haiti Benefit show at BU. It’s next Sunday, but other than that I don’t have anything planned yet. I played a show at a house party last week and was a success because the cops didn’t come. It was awesome.

Discuss your possible decision to change your name from Rapper Steph to another name.

It’s not really a flip, but it’s kind of like I am entering into a new phase of life. I am taking all of this stuff that I learned from the old me and applying it to myself; it has been really crazy. I’ve had so much mental and emotional growth and I think it definitely shows in my music. Along with that growth, I need to change my name because I no longer am personified by the name Rapper Steph. That’s the old me. It was great and I loved that name and I had that persona, but now it’s time to move on from that and kind of keep going with life with these phases. I am figuring out where I am today and this is a more permanent kind of change. It’s figuring out what my essence is or what describes me. Picking a name is very complicated.

As far as names, I was going for the name Human, but it is taken which is unfortunate. It’s a bummer because I really liked that name and I felt that it fit me really well. Another name I was thinking was Micahphone since a lot of people call me that – it’s a nickname- and it has my name in it. Rapper Steph had my name in it and I would like my name in it. I’m still discussing the name change with Conor, so we’ll see how it goes. Names are always the hardest to choose because you have to have it forever and you have to personify that name.

Where In The World Is Allison Francis?

Allison Francis, long-time friend Base Trip Records artist, has been busy writing, singing, and seeing the world. She just got back from a spontaneous trip to Montreal where she spent her time meeting and singing for new people and “soaking up inspiration from strangers, magic, and dreams.” A product of this trip is a 45-second song called “Lemon”, which she posted on the internet just a few days ago.

Another new song that Allison recently wrote and that you can listen to is called “No One Could Find Me.”

Want to hear her music some place other than the internet? Well then make sure you see Allison’s upcoming live performance at the Midway Café in Jamaica Plains on March 4^th. The show starts at 8:30 PM and she is playing alongside some talented acts such as her good friends Erica Russo and Grace Hoffman.

As far as new life experiences go, Allison claims that she is “morphing. Maybe sprouting a tail? Not sure what that means yet.” We’ll be sure to keep you posted.

Love,

Christina Vailas

Look What We Found: "Since I Left You" by the Avalanches

Check out this video from the Avalanches!

Aviator - Tell Me Why

Aviator stayed up all night editing this crazy music video. Enjoy!



"Thank You Come Again" drops in March. Stay tuned.

Base Trip Records

Aviator Begins Work on Debut LP and Mixtape

On Saturday, Aviator began recording his debut LP, "Bigger Than My Matador," at Cybersound Studios in Boston. He is working side-by-side with 2008 Boston Hip-Hop Producer of the Year, Matty "Trump" Harris.

Trump has worked with high profile acts like Gangstarr, Dead Prez, and Jadakiss.

Aviator's mixtape, "Thank You, Come Again," will drop in early March.

Aviator demonstrates the pinnacle of professionalism.

"Bigger Than My Matador" drops in Spring 2010. Be on the lookout for both of these highly anticipated releases!

Lost In Sound Reviews Grampaspaceshuttle!

"Much like the first few times that I was introduced to Squarepusher or Shpongle, as I listen to Supersillyus’ music I find myself thinking over and over, “Where the fuck did he come up with that sound?!” His debut album,“Grampaspaceshuttle,” is a 15 track wacky-coaster ride through the creative mind of electronic producer Rob Uslan. Uslan grew up inhaling In-N-Out burgers and soaking up the sun in Los Angeles, before spending the past four years training as a wizard-like producer in the Allston neighborhood of Boston. He welds “traditional” IDM, ambient, noise, psytrance, and trip-hop which, as you can imagine, produces a nearly indescribable sound."

*This is an excerpt from Lost in Sound's review of Grampaspaceshuttle. To read the full review, click here!

Grampaspaceshuttle Release Party

Supersillyus performs in his second-favorite pharaoh hat.

Bostone (aka Alex Krall) played a late-night set after Supersillyus.

Wobblesauce jamming hard, starting the show off right.

Supersillyus played several live instruments. This one is called a saxaboom.

Audience members helped Supersillyus design this before the show.

InfinitiRock - Burst

Here is a new video from InfinitiRock



Enjoy!

New Song from Allison: Vampire Party, Pt. II

Hope you like :)
Thanks for listening
<3 href="http://http//www.myspace.com/allisonfrancis">AF

SuperSillyus opens up for Dark Party!

SuperSillyus is opening up for Elliot Lipp and Leo 123's side project, Dark Party, tonight at Wonderbar. He will play from 9-10, followed by Mux Mool and then Dark Party. Admission is $10, show is 21+, and psychadelic fun is guaranteed. Say you're there for SuperSillyus!

Download SuperSillyus' Illustrated Primer EP For FREE 99

Also, check out the Facebook Fanpage for goodly updates just like these.

Love,

Base Trip Records

Acoustic Cafe with Allison Francis

Do you live in Boston? Do you like to feel happy? If so, come on down to see Base Trip Records heartthrob Allison Francis headline Acoustic Cafe at BU Central this Saturday night!

The first part of the show is an open mike (sign-ups at 9), and Allison will probably go on around 11. Check out the Facebook Event Page!

FREE DOWNLOADS FOREVER!

Hi there!

We think you're neat. Since we like you and we want you to be happy, we just put up a bunch of free downloads on our new Mediafire page. We've got a Free EP of new psychedelic IDM by SuperSillyus, an epic DJ mix from InfinitiRock, and five beautiful songs by Nick Lattanzi: each one is liable to melt your face off.

Click Here To Download Free!

I hope you like it =)

Base Trip Records

The Gig is Coming! The Gig is Coming!

Greetings, friends! I hope you're enjoying your summer, playing kickball, taking naps, and licking runaway ice cream off your arms and the arms of your loved ones. I'm gearing up for a hometown show in New York City! For anyone in the area, I'll be playing a 45-minute set at Arlene's Grocery on the Lower East Side on Sunday, July 26th. The set starts at 8:00 and if you tell them you came to see me, I get paid part of the price of your ticket! Yay! I promise a rollicking good time (I've been practicing my banter...)

Here's the link to Arlene's Grocery. Hope to see you there!

http://www.arlenesgrocery.net/audiocal.php

Also, I've made a teeny bit of merchandise based on my two most recent albums. I have stickers and a poster available for sale on zazzle. Here's a link to that: http://www.zazzle.com/my/products/public

Happy listening, and happy summer!

--Katie

Get To Know Nick Lattanzi!

Hello world,

We are incredibly proud to announce that Nick Lattanzi is now officially part of the Base Trip Records family! He is an insanely talented musician, a cool guy, and a great friend. (He is also surprisingly good at basketball).

To get you familiar with his music, we have decided to release five of his songs for free (collectively known as “The Nick Lattanzi Starter Kit!”)

Download It Here!

Also, this video is awesome.



If you like what you hear, you can download his last album, Pax Americana, for free at his website (http://nicklattanzi.com). It’s really good =)