Today was different. After reading SFJ's New Yorker blog, I decided that today was the day that I would try some "lazer bass". After all, I had specifically brought my coin-filled Mason jar from home so I could visit the Coinstar machine at Food Emporium and get some cash together for tuna sandwiches for the week. It was good time for a long and intense listening experience. I downloaded Megasoid's Tank Thong Mix with somewhat limited expectations and headed into Midtown at a brisk pace. Megasoid is the Canadian duo of Speakerbruiser (formerly Sixtoo) and Hadji Bakara from Wolf Parade. It didn't exactly seem like the recipe for rap greatness (all respect to Maestro Fresh Wes and Main Source but Canada doesn't have the best track record in that particular field). But lo and behold, my ears were assaulted by, um, lazer bass. Basically it's midtempo hip hop beats and acid house-styled 303 bass squelches. During the hour long tape, each of the marvelous bass beats is matched with a classic rap a cappella (e.g. Masta Ace's Born to Roll, Clipse's Mr. Me Too, Blahzay Blahzay's Danger). The music was surprisingly suited to Midtown powerwalking (kind of like how My Life in the Bush of Ghosts sounds great during that Charlie Sheen stalking scene in Wall Street). In the end I redeemed my change for $75.03 and damn near blew out my earphones.
Now I'm back in the library with the bass still bouncing around my head, debating which is the better Fleetwood Mac-related project--Buckingham/Nicks or Christine Perfect.
