tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27712674275669011592024-02-19T23:48:21.206-08:00malakai beats @ blogspotmalakai beatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987613437469403440noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-35516476225467589292018-05-29T18:01:00.001-07:002018-05-29T18:01:23.972-07:00Mole People Instrumentals<iframe style="border: 0; width: 350px; height: 470px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2938413456/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="http://malakaibeats.bandcamp.com/album/mole-people-instrumentals">Mole People Instrumentals by malakai beats</a></iframe>
<p>
In 2012 I started producing a concept record that never materialized in the ideal fashion I would have hoped for — perhaps this was just as well. Much elaboration went into it, every track was supposed to be like a Lord of The Rings movie.
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But this was too much for what we were doing at the time. We were already releasing a plethora of group and solo albums.
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This project was an Ambient Abstractions quasi-thematic supergroup called the Mole People.
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The idea for the Mole People came not only from the cheesy flick but also the entire idea of being underground, perhaps in a more literal sense.. as well as metaphorical.. It was to be a classic Hero's Journey, in which the protagonist (in this case the listener) goes into the underworld, meets the inhabitants, and emerges with an even greater understanding.
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This was where the thinking was at the time. Sort of like AA's answer to Army of the Pharaohs. Except maybe more story driven.
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A little over a year later the instrumentals were complete. By this point a couple of the original beats were scooped up and used for other purposes, but the original flow of the album remained the same.
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Interest in the project simmered and fizzled for several years, and only one track actually ended up being recorded. Which is not to say that Mole People will never drop material. Only time will tell when and in what ways the Mole People will re-emerge..
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For the present I decided to preserve those instrumentals here. Throughout the past 5 years I've dropped little snippets here and there, but I figured it was time to archive those tracks as they were originally recorded ("in situ" as the archaeologists would say), including some bonus flavor.
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Making music in 2012 was like a lightning rod — many great things came to fruition. The Mole People was a rush idea that was too big for its britches. In an alternate universe or my own imagination it would have popped off simultaneously with everything else that was happening at the time, which in reality was an impossible task. It was simply too much to ask. Of anyone.
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I hope you enjoy these beats, for whatever they're worth. The Mole People represents many things. The fear of the unfamiliar. The process of going through and integrating experience. And the undaunting courage of those willing to make the journey.
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I recorded most of these beats on an MPC 1000 through a Mackie DFX series live mixer to an E-MU Systems PCIe card to Cubase 5. Minimal mixing was done. A couple beats were made on FL Studio. It was planned to incorporate further media samples from various sources (documentaries, etc.) as the songs begun to take further form, combined with effects. Madlib was an inspiration here, especially with the Quasimoto Unseen album.
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No additional remastering was done.
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Lastly, I dedicate this record to Lake Merritt and psychedelic mushrooms.
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I sort of feel like these beats were a kind of magnum opus, at least at the time and for the period in which they were made, as "incomplete" as they are.
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/molepeople" target="_blank">facebook.com/molepeople</a>
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released May 29, 2018
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Ambient Abstractions 2018malakai beatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987613437469403440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-82022086142110186462018-03-02T22:24:00.000-08:002018-03-02T22:24:18.013-08:00Still DOE - Blockhead prod. Malakai Beats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://stilldoe.com" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="736" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJPZLd72WsHK5FP4mJ-YDAMmwwoPIwt4Eb7ygKZGuC5vpVaBLWh60XKIPPy_LSrgBMmBYSnsgZeiOmKkoQndZvAURR14c5bkiMyG7P3k29FCicbtdV8AeNelOL-zmgr8qkMf0nx2l5TEh/s400/stilldoe_blockhead.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Head over to the brand new Still DOE website, <a href="http://stilldoe.com">stilldoe.com</a>.
On the main page look for the audio player and peep the exclusive track 'Blockhead' from the upcoming album <b>Elevator Music For Different Dimensions</b>. malakai beatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987613437469403440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-85821633169321777552018-03-02T22:18:00.000-08:002018-03-07T02:00:47.206-08:00Organization and Record Care<br />
I felt like it was time to write a piece like this, after I had finally (at least somewhat) seriously attempted and succeeded in organizing the crates.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMg5_GOijLHUfHUUrNY5u-S-1pMwo4I-0HO9e3UnibvRMTdDxI70zMVdhlLbdnMyrWRgAhc6PIKnFYI1elUcMQ5t6LMwU4ib9N8KzFlhfps5N0YhdqLN9e5y47YB6ws6hkR2YmP4wm0Gjq/s1600/organization.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMg5_GOijLHUfHUUrNY5u-S-1pMwo4I-0HO9e3UnibvRMTdDxI70zMVdhlLbdnMyrWRgAhc6PIKnFYI1elUcMQ5t6LMwU4ib9N8KzFlhfps5N0YhdqLN9e5y47YB6ws6hkR2YmP4wm0Gjq/s320/organization.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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I just decided to do it by genre. Nothing is in alphabetical order, but I made an effort to group all albums by the same artist together, so you might come across a stretch of James Brown in the soul section sandwiched between a Marlena Shaw and an Isaac Hayes record.<br />
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Sometimes it's hard to decide what genre something is, so I decided to group a bunch of stuff together, like all 'instrumental' music (classical, orchestral, easy listening). Yea.. I have a lot of those records. If I was going to start getting rid of stuff it would probably begin with far too many wack Lawrence Welk albums and other items I would just blindly grab up back in the day on my 10 for a dollar steeze.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcHOqq5e35RLmtwomoUD1rNGRe2F9PpIHKZU157PueHkx2PzMLxdSCxzOkGEHmgEFHml1MacZP_tYgdgKtNEGIo-OW5pSVfCw07YsSyW8G50igYcM2FTA5jLfl9wVHmKmuRYrVuHCRDDL/s1600/sections.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcHOqq5e35RLmtwomoUD1rNGRe2F9PpIHKZU157PueHkx2PzMLxdSCxzOkGEHmgEFHml1MacZP_tYgdgKtNEGIo-OW5pSVfCw07YsSyW8G50igYcM2FTA5jLfl9wVHmKmuRYrVuHCRDDL/s320/sections.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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Amassing a bunch of records has taught me a few things. First is to not pack them too tightly, they need room to breathe. Ring wear is a common occurrence for this type of storage. More obvious things, don't stack them and store them, because that's how you get "tacoed" or warped records. Having some record store grade vinyl sleeves is also recommended to protect the cover art and cardboard against the elements. I've had issues with moisture in the past, mold starting to form on records etc. That kind of problem can creep up unexpectedly.<br />
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When cleaning records, I use an old groove brush to get most of the dust off. If liquid is required (caking or grime), I use a solution of roughly 10:1 distilled water and alcohol (reagent chemical grade works best) and 1 drop of Triton x100 or similar surfuctant in a spray bottle. Microfiber works fine. I have an old record cleaning machine but I never use it, I prefer to just clean records by hand if I have to.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_o_UAETSz0YTqzAuYl3SIZ71qHOF6XCKKcV9bEvFxd8z9jABnN88NkYdLSekKuF4yzzspYt-NUWFQ5SvAX90KyIYDS-tM6YnID593oNWDOLonBqdqydfSxsGd7SH4nifL2by8cGV5b_47/s1600/recordbrush.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_o_UAETSz0YTqzAuYl3SIZ71qHOF6XCKKcV9bEvFxd8z9jABnN88NkYdLSekKuF4yzzspYt-NUWFQ5SvAX90KyIYDS-tM6YnID593oNWDOLonBqdqydfSxsGd7SH4nifL2by8cGV5b_47/s320/recordbrush.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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As for keeping the stylus clean on a turntable, these days I lean more toward keeping it dry and using the <b>Magic Eraser technique</b>. Basically you cut off a little wedge and "drip" the needle into the eraser. See various Youtube videos and articles for more info.<br />
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Someone recently asked about the shelves I use. These are your standard deal units you can find at Home Depot for between 20 bucks and 40 bucks. Get the ones that include the cubbie dividers. The only modifications I made were closing off the ends of the shelves by fastening small boards via zip ties. It's a kind of halfway elegant solution but it works.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgGOeHf_QwrotIJ-qlw1xwSNnSo0G-n8U_LmD2BL37KD_hKrTXUKynVwdZTo0-2bm2q6ufDV1x_7fBKu2VfxUwS3yUg4Y1te_QUJERHSzSqCtl5kZ9sz7I5swkr0EAOSLKJbBe38b2-MV/s1600/zipties.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgGOeHf_QwrotIJ-qlw1xwSNnSo0G-n8U_LmD2BL37KD_hKrTXUKynVwdZTo0-2bm2q6ufDV1x_7fBKu2VfxUwS3yUg4Y1te_QUJERHSzSqCtl5kZ9sz7I5swkr0EAOSLKJbBe38b2-MV/s320/zipties.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEDQn5KCRCgFea6mBXUUlJ5HvE0Suw8lp8yNUlX-SD9cQFz_8__pwN-iLsKW84P9mSagqAEQp-Hh77gg9To9NyFvRniwt4ed1QcTDj-WMjRa21b84L1nZNmmvjnaSAjpjnqYQGHLprS3t/s1600/records.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEDQn5KCRCgFea6mBXUUlJ5HvE0Suw8lp8yNUlX-SD9cQFz_8__pwN-iLsKW84P9mSagqAEQp-Hh77gg9To9NyFvRniwt4ed1QcTDj-WMjRa21b84L1nZNmmvjnaSAjpjnqYQGHLprS3t/s320/records.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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The idea behind the dividers is that, like it or not, the records are gonna lean one way or another depending on where more of the weight is coming from. As with not overcrowding the albums, it's important to keep groups or 'cubbies' of them equally weighted, more or less. Without the dividers, one can see how an entire shelf would be swaying to one side with the records closest to that side taking on the weight of all the other records. Overtime, this is how warping can occur.<br />
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If I really wanted to, I could go further in the organization and divide records within each genre alphabetically, which would be the next logical step. But I feel no real need to, I can now more easily find jazz records for example, or new age albums. I know where all the spoken word, comedy and other miscellaneous types can be found.<br />
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Not knowing where anything could be found was alright for a while, anytime a record was taken out it would just be put back in another random spot. I would basically 'dig' my own crates when making beats and looking for samples. Now it seems like a good idea to be able to find stuff in particular more easily. All earlier attempts to do organization of any kind had failed, or just seemed daunted and too involved, so finally taking the several hours to sort through every record to find a place for it now feels like a worthwhile accomplishment.malakai beatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987613437469403440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-21779764990563373542018-01-28T00:31:00.001-08:002018-01-28T00:31:58.738-08:00Still DOE - Tunnel Vision prod. Malakai BeatsNew single/promo video from the upcoming <a href="https://soundcloud.com/fuckstilldoe" targt="_blank">Still DOE</a> album, <i>Elevator Music For Different Dimensions</i>:
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LkUZfAleW4s" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>malakai beatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987613437469403440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-90857579916218106672017-10-23T07:43:00.000-07:002018-01-28T00:30:03.846-08:00Still DOE - Stoned Fingers prod. Malakai Beats<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2WX-2C7tTvo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Out of nowhere comes the return of <a href="http://www.ambientabstractions.net/site/artists/still-doe/" target="_blank">Still DOE</a>! The new album on deck is entitled <i>Elevator Music For Different Dimensions</i>. Watch the feeds for updates and subscribe to the Still DOE <a href="https://soundcloud.com/fuckstilldoe" target="_blank">SoundCloud</a> & shoot him a Like on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fckstilldoe" target="_blank">Facebooks</a>.malakai beatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987613437469403440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-39143847170019470892017-10-23T07:33:00.001-07:002017-10-23T07:33:40.592-07:00Magus The Great - Some Days feat. Timbo prod. Malakai Beats
<iframe style="border: 0; width: 350px; height: 442px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=3017011965/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="http://magicmedicine.bandcamp.com/track/some-days-feat-timbo">Some Days (feat. Timbo) by Mage</a></iframe>
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<a href="http://www.ambientabstractions.net/site/artists/magus-the-great/" target="_blank">Magus The Great</a> is working on an entirely new album. I've been listening to an advance copy and this is definitely an album that will be in heavy rotation. I can't give too much info other than point to the direction of two other tracks on that same Bandcamp. Watch out for future flavor. malakai beatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987613437469403440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-53272230057635120332017-06-20T03:26:00.000-07:002021-01-19T22:28:28.901-08:00MPC 1000 Files / Thoughts on the 2000XL & Live Beat MakingIn the late 90s - early 2000s I was using software to compose tunes, at this time mostly early versions of FL Studio & various tracker programs (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impulse_Tracker" target="_blank">Impulse Tracker</a>, etc.). Before even that I was a latchkey kid with tape recorders, a record player, and a good ear for reproducing things heard on TV onto the piano. In terms of hardware, I've pretty much always been a MPC dude. Never dabbled with SPs or MVs, although if I were to make a grand switch it would probably be the MV. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLygwYTd_Uc" target="_blank">RZA</a> switched early and rocked the hell out of that thing.
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This is a small collection of MPC 1000 beats. No doubt there's a lot more on there..
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_uKdZ1M6RI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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After rocking the 1000 for about a decade or so I switched over to the 2000XL for a little while, to get a feel for much more limited and old school hip-hop production methods. I can say a lot about this. My first impression of the 2000XL was that it was like an old ass slot machine. Trusty, but funky and still works. For the 2000s generally the MIDI timing is on point. You have to preview a sound before you load it in, and loading takes time.. In terms of raw sound however the 2000 series is a tad punchier than later MPC models. May or may not have something to do with <a href="https://www.attackmagazine.com/features/interview/roger-linn-swing-groove-magic-mpc-timing/" target="_blank">Roger Linn</a> leaving the company during this time, as Akai was acquired by Numark, who basically didn't really <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=555BrkLzW3s" target="_blank">care much</a> in terms of quality and devotion to legacy. I never tried the 60 or 3000, but I respect those machines greatly. If anything if I were to "go old school again" it would probably be the 4000. For the time being more or less indefinitely at this point, I'm happy with the 1000/2500 platform, especially with <a href="http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~mpc1000/" target="_blank">JJOS</a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-MYQ1r_rc60ImX_3UDlzu81IQyfj22G2GAYMolgsLMnGDidh6Y1f-zlfvO8jdVQ_nIva8d2DHuzGjzQ-oK8ymaYc-TS7nkogI0pmgIrzBW84j2Lhc3K8csW7Qk7JEwzpy9MpdceoIwkv/s1600/john_mpc5.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-MYQ1r_rc60ImX_3UDlzu81IQyfj22G2GAYMolgsLMnGDidh6Y1f-zlfvO8jdVQ_nIva8d2DHuzGjzQ-oK8ymaYc-TS7nkogI0pmgIrzBW84j2Lhc3K8csW7Qk7JEwzpy9MpdceoIwkv/s200/john_mpc5.JPG" width="200" height="113" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="900" /></a><p>
So I was using the 2000XL for about a year pretty intensively. When suddenly the machine just flat out died, or at least the screen did. No lines or anything... It just straight up <i>gave out</i>. Rather than copping a new screen from MPC Stuff I decided instead to just sell it off and use the money to buy a decent 2500 with the new XLCD screen. I sort of had the precognition that heads would get tired of the DAW controller MPCs that eventually unfolded. However it doesn't seem the be the case as much as I thought it would. Nevertheless you won't see me rocking a Ren or a Touch or a Live, or whatever newfangled touchscreen things they have at Guitar Center these days. There's a lot of romance floating about how the 2000s don't jam. In my personal experience this <a href="http://www.mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=182112&p=1717179#p1717179" target="_blank">wasn't</a> the case. I've never had the 1000 or 2500 jam on me once.. Not even getting into the horrible pad sensor design on these models, there's much more to read about that elsewhere. And if you know you know..
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I've more or less equally been about straight composition versus sampling loops (not even cutting). So my beats from even the early days have been either/or/or a cross in-between. And it will no doubt continue to be this way.
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I can't front. Computers and software have gotten to the point where it's so much easier and faster and cheaper to just lay stuff out in a DAW. I only work this way entirely about 20% of the time at most. The majority of DAW use is mixing. I still use the MPC, and I got a second audio interface to basically use as a digital converter for adding VST instruments to the mix on productions, so it's all good and I've finally gotten to the stage where I'm entirely 200% comfortable with how I'm rocking shit. It's a decent hybrid mix of analog and digital. I got a dirty scratchy-ass Ramsa mixer and plenty of things to plug into it.
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I <b>do</b> want to start filming some beats making videos, and do live streams and all that, but that's been a struggle for the past couple years. I don't even have a smartphone.. My <a href="https://www.instagram.com/malakaibeats/" target="_blank">instagram</a> account only has like 3 pictures as of now and it was all because I was able to use a relative's smart device. So there's that. I did try on at least two occasions to stream a beatmaking session, but each time there were some issues preventing me from filming. I'm tempted to pull out the old VHS or 8MM recorder and just do it that way.. But it wouldn't be live. Time will tell. It might have to be pre-recorded and semi-unedited. But I <i>would</i> like to stream live on the spot sessions. Maybe even some Rhythm Roulette style sessions pulling records out randomly. Tune in to be hip to whatever happens..
malakai beatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987613437469403440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-30778990594141947242017-06-19T10:04:00.000-07:002017-06-19T10:05:39.318-07:00MPC 1000 & 2500 Maximum Storage - The 2017 WayI set out to tie together different theories and experiments on the ol' <a href="http://www.mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=181977" target="_blank">MPC-Forums</a> regarding maxing out storage space using MicroSD cards in both the front slot and internally. Lo and behold it's possible.
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In a nut to make this work internally you need a CF to IDE adapter (with all 44 pins) connected to the HDM-10. And as with the front slot, a SD -> CF adapter (the MicroSD going inside of an SD adapter).
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The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/60017120" target="_blank">JJOS YouTube Channel</a> now has a series of videos showing this in action. Cheamalakai beatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987613437469403440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-86431366265105850642017-06-19T09:33:00.000-07:002017-06-19T09:41:02.890-07:00Malakai Beats - Music For Boat Chases Maxi-SingleWorking on multiple projects and things at once, I decided to drop a short 4-track prelude to the upcoming full length instrumental album, Music For Boat Chases. Progress on the album is good; Most of the actual tracks are produced but need to be mixed. So eventually it will drop. And it will be dope..
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SnboUh3DcLU" width="480"></iframe>
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Also peep this cut:
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<iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/175602516&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true"></iframe>malakai beatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987613437469403440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-6013627997120053712016-05-12T21:41:00.001-07:002016-05-12T21:41:53.456-07:00Maple Systems Road - Patterns EP<iframe style="border: 0; width: 350px; height: 470px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=166362333/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://maplesystemsroad.bandcamp.com/album/patterns">Patterns by Maple Systems Road</a></iframe>
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The second EP release by <a href="https://maplesystemsroad.bandcamp.com" target="_blank">Maple Systems Road</a> is here! The direction on production has seen slight changes, e.g. more breakbeat/percussion/glitch style and bassline-oriented tracks. It's definitely a stylistic departure from the <a href="https://maplesystemsroad.bandcamp.com/album/when-everything-changes" target="_blank">When Everything Changes</a> full-length album released last summer. Many different methods of sound manipulation, sampling and synth layering were used in the creation of this EP. It's a short journey but rich in texture and groove! Download the album for FREE for a couple of days! malakai beatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987613437469403440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-29790213816482961202015-09-06T02:54:00.000-07:002015-09-06T02:54:07.463-07:00Malakai Beats - Late 2015 Beats<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/219323969&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe>
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Roughcuts, raw unfinished flavor, loops & chops, plunderphonics and a couple compositions at the end.malakai beatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987613437469403440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-64887719106161774502015-09-06T02:46:00.004-07:002015-09-06T02:46:50.438-07:00Maple Systems Road - 222 (single)<iframe style="border: 0; width: 350px; height: 442px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=778862295/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="http://maplesystemsroad.bandcamp.com/track/222">222 by Maple Systems Road</a></iframe>
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The new Maple Systems Road single is 85 BPM but sounds faster at some points, as the track drifts into an Alice In Wonderland type phase then back into downtempo/ambient territory. At 9 mins this is one of the longest MSR tracks but dope to listen to on headphones.
malakai beatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987613437469403440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-90989348951703506272015-09-06T02:45:00.000-07:002015-09-06T02:45:35.369-07:00Maple Systems Road - When Everything Changes LP<iframe style="border: 0; width: 350px; height: 470px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2379353291/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="http://maplesystemsroad.bandcamp.com/album/when-everything-changes">When Everything Changes by Maple Systems Road</a></iframe>
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This album has apparently been some years in the making, but it sounds fresh. As the debut Maple Systems Road full-length, it was decided that mostly new but some older material was thrown together to form the different changes found throughout the album in terms of emotion or tempo. Recording gear includes VHS tape, cassette, reel to reel, tascam portastudio, microkorg, kaoss pad, MPC and Cubase as the sequencer, as well as recorded and found sounds.malakai beatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987613437469403440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-79915921885338310212014-06-01T01:23:00.001-07:002014-06-01T01:23:54.891-07:00Malakai Beats - 2008-2013<iframe style="border: 0; width: 350px; height: 470px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3607969098/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="http://malakaibeats.bandcamp.com/album/2008-2013">2008-2013 by malakai beats</a></iframe>
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This album contains instrumentals from various Ambient Abstractions albums and tracks from various artists, unreleased beats, and other material dating roughly from 2008-2013. As a follow-up to 2002-2007, this album represents a 5 year span of ideas, including both entirely sampled beats and entirely composed beats and those in between. Each of these beats tells a story. Many of the most requested instrumentals have been included.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-90928020222185327082014-01-07T03:44:00.000-08:002014-01-07T03:44:07.016-08:00Malakai Beats - Music For Boat Chases coming soon..<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cpFJ7HYBMow" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-78232164055443741332013-08-15T23:27:00.000-07:002013-08-15T23:27:19.879-07:00Malakai Beats - Derbyshire DOOM<iframe style="border: 0; width: 350px; height: 626px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=272839950/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="http://malakaibeats.bandcamp.com/album/derbyshire-doom">Derbyshire DOOM by malakai beats</a></iframe>
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This is what happens when you combine MF DOOM acapellas with beats
crafted entirely from <a
href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delia_derbyshire"
target="_blank">Delia Derbyshire</a> samples. I had actually planned
for this album without even realizing it for a long time. I knew I
wanted to do something different, and I especially knew I wanted
to pay homage to two of my biggest musical inspirations. How this
project came about was through the idea of basically doing a remix
mixtape featuring underground East Coast emcees. Originally this was
intended to be just random beats in the vein of <a
href="http://malakaibeats.blogspot.com/2011/07/malakai-beats-victory-over-dampness.html" target="_blank">Victory</a>. However, this idea soon collided with the realization that now was the time to do a proper homage to Delia Derbyshire, which is something I had wanted to do ever since I first learned of her work. It came as somewhat of a surprise when I learned that virtually no one has sampled her (she herself was a sample-based musician in an era before synths became commonplace in audio production). In a lot of ways, Derbyshire paved the way for modern day hip-hop production. That sounds like a bold statement but when you trace back the legacies of those who came before us, it's very easy to see Derbyshire's vast influence over sampling, looping, cutting, and shaping recorded sounds. Bear in mind she was working through the medium of tape, which meant hours upon hours of cutting and pasting in a non point-and-click environment. In fact, whenever she needed notes to form a melody it meant cutting every single one out by hand. She was to the tape machine what Pete Rock is to the MPC. I spent about 2 weeks making this album, and I employed some of the same sampling techniques that Derbyshire herself used to shape her sounds into something similar and yet at the same time different and new. The idea to use DOOM vocals came about naturally as I began producing these beats. For the longest time I had wanted to produce a DOOM remix, and the stars must have been aligned just right because everything just seemed to fit. It was almost as if the album produced itself, and I was a mere spectator in the process. The EP has been out for a few days now and already it's beginning to receive some praise. Also, it's a free download! If you're a DOOM fan chances are you might dig it, and for anyone who listens to this record who has never heard of Delia Derbyshire before, I hope it inspires you to study not only her work but also numerous other greats who have paved the way for us today. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-72709655118877670622013-08-15T22:55:00.000-07:002013-08-15T22:55:42.739-07:00Maple Systems Road - Maple Systems Road EP<iframe style="border: 0; width: 350px; height: 659px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2976121920/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="http://maplesystemsroad.bandcamp.com/album/maple-systems-road-ep">Maple Systems Road EP by Maple Systems Road</a></iframe>
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Who is this mysterious <a
href="https://www.facebook.com/maplesystemsroad" target="_blank">Maple
Systems Road</a> we keep hearing about? And why does this
person/group make such interesting IDM music? The answers to these
questions may for the time being remain entirely unknown, however what
is known is that since hearing the <a
href="http://maplesystemsroad.bandcamp.com/track/beautiful-day-summer-mix-2012" target="_blank">Summer 2012 Mix</a>, a lot of people
have been wanting to hear more, and with the release of the debut
self-titled EP, we can begin to form the outlines of what so far
appears etheral, distant, and sometimes even brooding. What hangs in
the balance between nature and technology? Well, this album might
give us some clues..
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-33259505755819817072013-08-15T22:42:00.000-07:002013-08-15T22:50:36.277-07:00Still Doe - As Greedy As A Pig<iframe style="border: 0; width: 350px; height: 791px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=815513445/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="http://stilldoe.bandcamp.com/album/as-greedy-as-a-pig">As Greedy As A Pig by Still Doe</a></iframe>
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Back in March of this year <a
href="https://www.facebook.com/iamstilldoe" target="_blank">Still
Doe</a> released his second solo LP entitled "As Greedy As A Pig" on
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ambientabstractions"
target="_blank">Ambient Abstractions</a>. Featuring production from
myself, <a href="http://www.maplesystemsroad.bandcamp.com"
target="_blank">Maple Systems Road</a>, <a
href="https://www.youtube.com/user/soulchildsmokesweed"
target="_blank">Soul Child</a> & Excalibur, and collabs with <a
href="http://magusthegreat.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Magus The
Great</a>, <a href="http://wordsbabylon.bandcamp.com/"
target="_blank">Words Babylon</a>, & <a href="http://littlemountain5.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Little
Mountain</a>. The album is a thematic departure from his previous
release, and focuses on the themes of government control, protest, conspiracies,
paranoia, pessimism, and the unknown. Ultimately, this album sounds
nothing like the last album, and a couple repeats might be in order to
get the full message. The production and delivery is done in a
different manner too, for example the tracks "It's All Groovy" and
"Just Stand Up" have some noticable rock, punk, and reggae overtones.
This album will stand out as being one of the more ambitious and unique among Still
Doe's offerings, and it's definitely worth bumping.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-52239826787123732662013-01-09T16:21:00.000-08:002013-01-09T16:21:00.143-08:00Boise Digs<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/m4l4k41/1_zps9b5213fb.jpg">
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/m4l4k41/2_zpsf22c8369.jpg">Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-56325419826984286642013-01-07T01:00:00.000-08:002013-01-07T01:00:46.837-08:00Digging @ The Record Exchange<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/m4l4k41/re_zps4c710649.jpg" target="_blank">
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Over the weekend I took my first digging excursion in Idaho, stopping by at the <a href="http://therecordexchange.com/" target="_blank">Record Exchange</a> in Boise to see what kind of goodies I could find. Upon entering the store I was greeted with a coffee bar/hangout spot leading into the record shop. I was on severely limited time so I immediately breezed past the CDs to hit up the vinyl section. I noticed off the bat that everything was neatly organized into 4 double-sided rows. The quantity was decent, and the quality seemed to be pretty good as well. There was a sizable Jazz section which I began to dig in, copping some Quincy Jones, Deodato, and Chick Corea. On the other side one row over there was an equally impressive Soul and R&B section which I unfortunately didn't have enough time to scope out, however I was able to get a pretty good feel of the place. Sections included World music (heavy African, European, and South American records), Soundtracks, New Age, and a rock section which was about the same size as the Jazz and Soul/R&B sections. I discovered overfill crates beneath the main records which is where I scored a lot of gems at: Word to the wise. I didn't have enough time to snap any pictures so keep in mind that the sections currently appear differently. Overall I can recommend this spot. The atmosphere is chill and there's a lot of stuff to check out, including an emphasis placed upon Indy music. In the future I want to come back here and spend more time feeling this place out, but initial impressions are good!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-79395674597628343062012-12-03T21:05:00.002-08:002012-12-03T21:05:33.962-08:00Chucklez - Singles, Unreleased, & Features<iframe width="300" height="410" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 300px; height: 410px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=3877965051/size=grande3/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://chucklez.bandcamp.com/album/singles-unreleased-features">Singles, Unreleased & Features by Chucklez</a></iframe>
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<a href="http://facebook.com/ambientabstractions" target="_blank">Ambient Abstractions</a> artist and half of <a href="http://facebook.com/CropCircleSideshow" target="_blank">The Sideshow</a> <a href="http://chucklez.bandcamp.com" target="_blank">Chucklez</a> recently dropped a mixtape featuring numerous collabs and singles w/ Malakai Beats and guest spots from the Ambient crew. I highly recommend checking this out, as a standalone album this mixtape serves as an awesome introduction to the musical genius that is Chucklez. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-32721366116511634372012-12-03T17:40:00.000-08:002012-12-03T17:42:33.808-08:00JDirty - Wash Your Hands feat. Mac Lethal and Muck Sticky prod. Malakai Beats <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BbRnwZgR3YI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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A little over a month ago (an indication I need to update this blog more regularly) the good homie <a href="http://jdirty.com" target="_blank">JDirty</a> released a bomb new album entitled <a href="http://jdirty.bandcamp.com/album/employees-must-wash-hands-before-returning-to-work-2" target="_blank">
Employees Must Wash Hands Before Returning To Work</a>, featuring special guest emcees <a href="http://www.facebook.com/maclethal" target="_blank">Mac Lethal</a>, <a href="http://mucksticky.com/" target="_blank">Muck Stucky</a>, <a href="http://www.axemurderboyz.com/" target="_blank">Axe Murder Boyz</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hypnautic/90962972897" target="_blank">Hypnautic</a>, <a href="http://www.reverbnation.com/innerstateike" target="_blank">Innerstate Ike</a>
<a href="http://www.reverbnation.com/arayofble" target="_blank">Super Smash Bros</a>, EZ & Adj., & Big Trox. The music video for the track "Wash Your Hands," produced by Malakai Beats & feat. Mac Lethal and Muck Sticky was released a short while later. The entire album is clean (no pun intended) and I would definitely recommend copping it either digitally or in <a href="http://scrubhopshop.bigcartel.com/product/employees-must-wash-hands-before-returning-to-work-pre-order" target="_blank">physical form</a> from the ScrubHopShop.com website. The story behind the beat is interesting: Dirty hit me up about collabing at a time when everything happening w/ <a href="http://facebook.com/ambientabstractions" target="_blank">Ambient Abstractions</a> releases coming out was in full gear so I really had to dig through the archives to find something which would work for the song as all my current material was more or less tapped. I knew it had to allow the artists to shine while also having a certain vibe, so I found this beat I made years ago and added some extra elements to it to bring in a certain amount of spontaneity. It went through a few incarnations before I sent Dirty the final track and the rest is history. JDirty is one is the dopest independent artists doing it today and an awesome cat to work with. I would undeniably recommend getting up on his previous releases.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-80155947490766210522012-12-02T02:30:00.001-08:002012-12-03T16:17:11.558-08:00The Sideshow - InZombiA<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6ALJucz70Ys" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<iframe width="300" height="410" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 300px; height: 410px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=54028893/size=grande3/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://thesideshow.bandcamp.com/album/inzombia">InZombiA by The Sideshow</a></iframe>
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/CropCircleSideshow" target="_blank">The Sideshow</a> recently unveiled their debut album <a href="http://thesideshow.bandcamp.com/album/inzombia" target="_blank">InZombiA</a>, featuring a barrage of awesome new tracks in a variety of different styles. The Sideshow is composed of both <a href="http://magusthegreat.bandcamp.com" target="_blank">Magus The Great</a> and <a href="http://chucklez.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Chucklez</a>, and the album features guests including Reaper Descending on vocals, <a href="http://www.freddygrimes.com/" target="_blank">Freddy Grimes</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/DANIELxDAHMER" target="_blank">Daniel Dahmer</a>, <a href="http://www.jdirty.com/" target="_blank">J Dirty</a>, <a href="http://malakaibeats.blogspot.com/2012/07/still-doe-chill-mode.html" target="_blank">Still DOE</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Boyoungkillstoo" target="_blank">Bo Young</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/wordsbabylon925" target="_blank">Words Babylon</a>, & <a href="http://www.facebook.com/MissPsychoSideshow" target="_blank">Miss Psycho Sideshow</a>. Production features Magus The Great, Malakai Beats, & <a href="http://whiterecluse.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">White Recluse</a>. All in all, this is a dope album, definitely worth checking out and a prelude for things to come. As mentioned the style of the production combined with the lyrical density/vocal delivery constantly shift throughout the album. It's a rare thing to have an album where every song sounds unique and yet still works together with every other song. If this record is a sign of what <a href="http://facebook.com/ambientabstractions" target="_blank">Ambient Abstractions</a> was able to pull off in 2012, chances are 2013 is going to be a year to look forward to.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-73344768401582831432012-09-17T11:43:00.001-07:002012-09-17T11:46:48.420-07:00Zero Caige - Inferno<a href="http://zerocaige.bandcamp.com/album/inferno" target="_blank"><img src="http://f0.bcbits.com/z/30/57/3057431597-1.jpg"></a>
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<iframe width="300" height="410" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 300px; height: 410px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=1938815512/size=grande3/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://zerocaige.bandcamp.com/album/inferno">Inferno by ZeroCaige</a></iframe>
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Recently the homie <a href="http://www.facebook.com/zerocaige" target="_blank">Zero Caige</a> unveiled his second album, an extended EP entitled <b>Inferno</b> featuring production by <a href="http://www.facebook.com/malakaibeats" target="_blank">malakai beats</a>, Excalibur and Zero. Guest emcees include <a href="http://www.facebook.com/wordsbabylon925" target="_blank">Words Babylon</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Still-Doe/153449638022763" target="_blank">Still Doe</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Magus-The-Great/138128599575403" target="_blank">Magus the Great</a>, <a href="http://www.soundclick.com/lyriscologist" target="_blank">Lyriscologist</a>,
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/White-Recluse/127916263956059" target="_blank">White Recluse</a>, & Jon Kramer.
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PEEP IT!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771267427566901159.post-24134984714083037462012-08-06T23:02:00.000-07:002012-08-06T23:02:53.045-07:00Salt Lake City Digs<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/m4l4k41/summerdigs1.jpg">
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/m4l4k41/summerdigs2.jpg">
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/m4l4k41/summerdigs3.jpg">Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0