Cleveland turntablist p.stoops first caught our attention last fall when he released debut EP, ‘object permanence.’ If you’re looking for electronic music that’s got the genius of 90s hip-hop oozing throughout, get this in your ears. His is a lush sound; this is a thinking man’s electronic music, for sure. Check out the playlist that p.stoops put together and keep him on your radar.
PRESS PLAY: P.STOOPS – TRACKLIST & WHY HE PICKED ‘EM:
1. “Coronus, The Terminator” by Flying Lotus
“Undoubtedly Flying Lotus elevates the musical conversation with every album. A friend of mine put it succinctly: “Even if you don’t like him, you have to appreciate what he did for the genre.” Whether it’s synths or strings, his arrangements and voicing is immaculate and unrivaled.”
2. “8 Bit Blues (Chicago to LA to NY)” by Kid Koala
“I don’t say this lightly: this entire record made me rethink my entire process. Not only did it hip me to Kid Koala, it opened my eyes to what “turntablism” can be. It doesn’t have to be scratching over a hip hop beat. It can be a delicate orchestration of sounds from any number of vinyl sources. Kid Koala, a turntablist, made a blues record. A blues record. I’m still wrapping my head around it.”
3. “Take Time” by The Books
“I used to be in a indie-folk band and subsequently listened to a lot of folk music. While, yes, I had been a DJ since ’99, for a period I fell away from electronic music and took to an all-folk diet. During this period I found out about The Books and their electronic technique mixed with folk instrumentation and sensibilities merged these worlds seamlessly. And, while I didn’t immediately run right out and repurchase my Technics, it did steer me into new directions like the inclusion of “found sound” and more complex rhythmic patterns.”
4. “Turntable TV [Re-Vizion]” by DJ Qbert
“Q-Bert is the greatest scratch DJ that has or ever will exist.”
5. “One Word Extinguisher” by Prefuse 73
“This track has always been one of those that I really just connect with, though can’t exactly explain why. It’s simultaneously complicated and simple in its delivery Prefuse really paved the way for a lot of modern electronic artists probably even more than he’s credited with. In high school, my friend, Steve Hauschildt (who went on to have a pretty successful electronic career for himself), burned me this album. So, I can vouch for at least two artists that were directly effected by him.”
6. “Very Much Money (Ice King Dream)” by Open Mike Eagle
“Mike Eagle is an incredibly adventurous rapper. His lyrics are usually abstract and comedic in nature but somehow carry the weight of his meaning better through absurdities. This track in particular I love because it works like an ode to the artist. We don’t have money but do great things. It’s encouraging without being cheesy.”
7. “Ha-Ha” by Serengeti
“Serengeti’s strongest trait as a rapper is his ability to tell a solid story. So many of his raps weave really interesting tales that can be anywhere from humorous to heartbreaking. This one I’ve been listening to a lot lately because it’s about a girl who works in a hardware store he visits while helping his dad with his rental business. Having just recently moved, it’s pleasantly relatable – though is far less mundane than I just made it sound.”
8. “Ready To Die” by The Unicorns
“My friend Nick passed away a couple years ago. He introduced me to The Unicorns. So my connection with this album is largely beyond the music – though the reoccuring death themes seem a little more grounded and real. While, yeah, it’s a really great record, I’m more attached to it because of all I got out of my friendship with Nick. We were in a band together and he was the first person to get me to not take myself so seriously. I could go on, and have, for hours about how great Nick was.”
9. “Can I Kick It?” by A Tribe Called Quest
“Sure, putting Tribe on your mostly-electronic-and-hip-hop playlist is like saying your favorite kind of cake is birthday cake but this was the first Tribe track I heard. Ok, it was actually Pimp Juice’s remix on the “Old School Vs. New School” compilation album, but like all remixes, the original was better.”
10. “Pacific 202” by 808 State
“I got into electronic music when I was relatively young – I think I was about 11 years old. My grandpa randomly bought me a compilation CD put out by URB magazine. He said “I thought you’d like the drums on it.” The compilation was a two disk set of electronic music. The first, what was new (to 1996) – Fatboy Slim’s first album, Uberzone, DJ Icey – and the second was a mix of classic 80’s electronic. 808 State stood out to me. They were aggressive but accessible. “Pacific 707” has always been kind of special to me.”
11. “Pony Pressure” by Lo Fidelity Allstars
“Lo Fidelity Allstars subsequent releases never really hit me like their first. ‘How To Operate With A Blown Mind’ is so uniquely strange unto itself I can honestly say I’ve never tried to copy what they do. It’s grungy, funky, and seems like a sort of terrifying anarchist manifesto. When I was in high school, I’d make mixtapes for myself to listen to while I was out. I revisited these tapes a few months ago and found out that I comically ended almost every single one with “Battleflag.” So, as a slight homage to my younger, bad-at-making-mixtapes self, I’m ending this mix with another great LFA track.”