First off, I have to thank Todd Kelley a.k.a. The Big La for being the main inspiration for this mix. If you've ever heard his Background Flow episodes via flowink.com, then you can understand why. I also gotta shout out Nikki of Infinite Ink, home of the Soulrific Podcast. Her seamless blends featured in every show make us all work harder.

I've been wanting to do an episode like this for at least a year, but what I'm learning is that you can't rush the arrangement of these shows. They're going to get made when they want to get made. Within the past month, I started stringing songs together while working on episode #111 and I couldn't stop. That's when I knew it was finally gonna happen. When the music starts to connect its own dots before your eyes and ears, you're on your way to putting together the next show. Lately I've been learning to listen to the music say to me, "Now's the time. What are you waiting for?" That's what it takes these days for me to do shows. Some weeks, I would much rather kick back and stream a documentary on Netflix. On other weeks, it's like a sonic obligation to get blends done.

There's a lot to take in musically within this episode. Some beats are constructed from samples, others are more spaced-out and synth driven. Some are short sketches that may feel like unfinished works to some, but still give you a good idea of what the beatmaker is capable of. Others are full-bodied, full fledged instrumentals. There's a lot of variety here, most of it released between 2009 and 2011, but Pete Rock's cut dates back to 2001 (and STILL kicks the pants off a lot of stuff coming out right now). Letherette, Maverick, and Shlohmo are all carried over from the previous show, and there are a couple of entries from the Just Plain Sounds camp. Cats like Damu The Fudgemunk and The Custodian of Records have that gritty and grimy feel to their work, a real love for samples and vinyl. Then you've got Mux Mool, representing the second wave of producers on the Ghostly International label, constantly coming up with head nod essential works.

I have come to the recent conclusion that Oddisee is absolutely unstoppable. It makes no sense how prolific he is and continuously dope while doing so. Presto is that dude who can never fail in my eyes...great producer. Make sure to keep tabs on Daru Jones and Dotmatic; both those cats have some serious skills crafting beats. And what else can you say about Dilla that hasn't already been said? The cut I include from him is an instrumental version of a Busta Rhymes joint he produced. I still miss him, as many of us do. But I've learned not to call the present-day beat generation a "post-Dilla" movement. It puts so much focus on James Yancey that there's a tendency to forget the immensely talented producers and beatmakers that still walk the earth. And while Dilla was here, he never failed to give props to those who were making great music because that's the kind of heart and spirit that he had. The least I can do is show love to those building upon the contributions that he gave to the art of hip-hop, soul, and music as a whole.

One last point: the song "Breakfast" by The Stuyvesants comes from their Brooklyn's Finest release, which celebrates its one-year anniversary this month. Further proof that the blends come together in their own time. This one's for the head nodders out there, the beat freaks, the emcees in the freestyle cipher going off on that one beat that always get them hyped. This is for those on some chill out stuff, just looking for something to kick back to. This is for all those who love listening to beat tapes and instrumental albums as much as I do.

We'll get "buckwild" next time around, but for now, welcome to Camp Lo-Fi's Beatporium. Hope you enjoy it...

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ID drops courtesy of Jonny Sonic, EJ Flavors, and The Hired Gun.

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this episode's tracklist:
1. Brokn Englsh - "The Joy Of Beat Making" (2010) {FREE DOWNLOAD}
2. Friends Or Whatever - "Smoke Floats" (2010) {FREE DOWNLOAD}
3. Maverick - "When Speakers Spoke" (2011) {FREE DOWNLOAD}
4. Pete Rock - "Something Funky" (2001) {iTunes}
5. Onra - "Lying Besides You" (2010) {iTunes}
6. Just Plain Ant - "Light It Up" (2009) {FREE DOWNLOAD}
7. The Stuyvesants - "Breakfast" (2010) {FREE DOWNLOAD}
8. The Great Mundane - "Unicorns Have Feelings Too" (2010) {FREE DOWNLOAD}
9. Oh.Bliv - "And The Truth Shall Set You Free" (2009) {FREE DOWNLOAD}
10. Raleigh Moncrief - "Cheese Steak" (2010) {FREE DOWNLOAD}
11. Tha Silent Partner - "One Day" (2010) {FREE DOWNLOAD}
12. Tall Black Guy - "Blind Man (I Can't Help It)" (2010) {FREE DOWNLOAD}
13. Duke Hugh - "Sweet And Lowdown" (2010) {FREE DOWNLOAD}
14. Junior Wong - "Mr. Smith" (2009) {FREE DOWNLOAD}
15. Letherette - "In July Focus" (2010) {Turntable Lab Digital}
16. Oddisee - "Is That Why You're Here?" (2009) {Bandcamp}
17. Presto - "Zone Out" (2010) {FREE DOWNLOAD | Amazon MP3}
18. Damu The Fudgemunk - "Wonka Beat 1" (2009) {Bandcamp}
19. Daru Jones - "Lift Me High (Outtake Inst.)" (2010) {Bandcamp}
20. Custodian of Records - "Lucky Stars" (2009) {FREE DOWNLOAD}
21. Mux Mool - "Wax Rose Saturday (Remux Edit)" (2010) {FREE DOWNLOAD | Amazon MP3}
22. J Dilla - "You Can't Hold A Torch (Busta Instrumental)" (2010) {Stones Throw Store}
23. Dotmatic - "Dream, Love, Reality" (2011) {RecordBreakin.com}
24. Big La Vs. Todd - "The First Time" (2010) {FREE DOWNLOAD}
25. Shigeto - "And We Gonna (Samiyam Chopsticks Remix)" (2011) {FREE DOWNLOAD | Amazon MP3}
26. Shlohmo - "Socks" (2009) {FREE DOWNLOAD}

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