This track was a collaboration between the spoken word artist Joshua Idehen, now of Benin City and dan le sac, better known for his part in the duo that is dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip. Cupid on Dylan is essentially a monologue on behalf of the Roman god of love Cupid although it spins a more interesting, alternative character than is usually told. The poem is lain over a remix by dan le sac of Dylan’s The Times Are a-Changing. It doesn’t really kick in properly until the 1:30 mark but it’s an amazing track nevertheless.

Cupid on Dylan – Joshua Idehen & dan le sac

“That day, my good friend venus quit, moved planet. These days she’s so bitter the skies in her eyes are sulphuric.”

I’d been frequenting their muxtape page almost daily for my fix but it’s finally here, Mars Argo’s debut album. Officially released on November 6th, ‘Technology is a Dead Bird’ is being sold online in the same way as Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’. The listener is given the opportunity to pay whatever amount they deem fit whether this be $10 or $100.

A ten track masterpiece, Technology is a Dead Bird is an album in its finest form. Two of these tracks could be considered interludes but they really make the album a fluid listening experience.

Technology is a Dead Bird is a subtly haunting work. The unnerving ‘Fitter Happier’ style monologues add to the overall feeling of this album; a somewhat apocalyptic undertone of the quietus of the human mind.

“My life is an integrated circuit, I’m inside of my human body but I don’t feel it yet. We all thought 2012 would be so much more dramatic, something religious or sacred. Things were more laughable back then, back when I was a text message. We’re going to be plugging in our brains soon, and nothing will stop the human race from racing. We’ll all be inside containers chasing, anything they put in front of us with a pretty logo on it. It’s the internet, it exists and people are not going insane.” The Singularity is Near

Have a listen for yourself though, Technology is a Dead Bird is available to download in a range of formats including mp3 and flac from Mars Argo’s bandcamp site. You can name your own price though (minimum $10)

1. The Singularity is Near
2. Suicide Birds
3. Mrs. Stadler
4. Machine
5. Monsters Under My Bed
6. Technology is a Dead Bird
7. Sideways and Sideways
8. You Don’t Know Me Anymore
9. Feeling Welcome in a Time Warp
10. Tired Today

Jamie T’s new EP, ‘Sticks n Stones’ was released officially on Monday. He’s a great artist with his lyrics offering a great social commentary of working class life.

So Lonely Was The Ballad – Jamie T

‘Sticks n Stones’, the title track is definitely a title track in the sense that it is easily the best on there but the others are worth a listen. ‘St Christopher’ and ‘On The Green’ are more acoustic in nature.

I’m still not to sure about ‘Dance of the Young Professionals’ though, fuck knows what he was thinking with that, Ukraine’s 2007 Eurovision entry anyone?

Jamie T is releasing his second  album ‘Kings and Queen’s’ “late this summer”, well according to wikipedia (I’m a professional).

Sticks n Stones – Jamie T

St Christopher – Jamie T

On The Green – Jamie T

The Dance Of The Young Professionals – Jamie T

This is another poem from Inua Ellam’s book ‘Thirteen Fairy Negro Tales’ The book is available from Amazon here for £4.

Dustbin Diaries -Inua Ellams

Once
upon a time,
a young man gleaned
from an archaic continent creamed
in the light fantastic;
from the borders of history baked
before an African sun
came to this kingdom
of Babylon.

This kingdom became his home.
And as time turned its page
suit followed his age -
this now withered warrior
is whom I see before me.
Read the rest

This is a poem from one of my favourite books Thirteen Fairy Negro Tales by Inua Ellams. The poem is the opening to the book which contains thirteen poems in total as the title would suggest. I’ll post some more from this book at a later date so keep an eye out. 

You can buy the book from Amazon for £4 here.

This is Inua reading the opening poem. Yes, the backing is the Pyramid Song (:

Thirteen Fairy Negro Tales – Inua Ellams

I spun 13 fairy Negro tales that night.
Weighed them on illogic scales
that tipped the balance
and formed an alliance
with my version of the truth,
I uprooted reality and substituted it
for another that had more humanity;
thinking that if I thought hard enough
I’d make it real.
Read the rest