What music helps keep a public pretender going?

Thanks to a reader out there who has helped me acquire music within my budget, I am... well, listening to more music lately.

And thanks to another reader who has provided me with (legal) means to listen to said music, I am... well, listening to more music everywhere.

This is obviously a good thing. I could site some studies that show that listening to music often makes you a better person, more agile, and a better dancer, but I'm too lazy to find something like that. So I'll just submit my anecdotal study for your consideration; I like listening to lots of music.

So, with that in mind, allow me to hit you with what is gracing my ipod and my computer as of late.

1. "An Announcement to Answer"- Quantic


If you like chill grooves, thought-out beats, all made by someone who is clearly a musician, this is your album. Although it technically qualifies for some variant of "electronica" as a genre (or sub-genre), there is something extremely complex in Quantic's work that you seldom see by most "beat makers." A great album to work out to, work to, or just have on in the background.

2. "Uptown Saturday Night"- Camp lo


1997 Hip Hop at its finest. Haven't heard of them? Yeah, me neither really until they popped up on my Little Brother Pandora station. Their samples, routed in funk and soul, are AMAZING. I really have nothing else to add, other than this album is a must-listen if you even remotely like hip hop.

3. "Donuts"- J. Dilla


It's likely that if you listen to hip hop, you've heard J Dilla, even if you can't recognize his work. He's collaborated with Slum Village, Talib Kwali, and Common, when he still made good albums (contributing heavily to "Like Water for Chocolate.") Sadly, on February 10, 2006, Dilla passed away, suffering from a cardiac arrest attributed to a rare blood disease.

This album's not for everyone- with short tracks composed of random beats, I could easily see how it could rub a lot the wrong way. However, I can't help but feel that there's something for everyone in this album. There's such a breadth in style that is so unique that it literally saddens me to know that he's not around to make good beats for the likes of the folks at Stones Throw, or De La Soul, etc.

Here's my favorite track:


And, with a special shotout to one of the two readers mentioned above, here's my favorite video and song of Dilla:



And sorry Wes, it ain't for you. (but thanks for the dl'ing music protips.)