#i miss it i miss it i wanna swap mix cds with people again

[crepuscularqueens]

i miss when people would post their lil themed playlists on here with like cover art they edited and a little download link to a zip file. so much of my music taste came from me in 2011 just going wild downloading tumblr user playlists

[writing-with-chaos]

[Your OCs Backstory] First Love

HELLO! =D

I didn’t get to post this last weekend, but I wrote it anyway and it’s MY FAVORITE. If nobody reads it, I don’t care. I gotta have it on here. 

This got so much longer than I intended, but I was having a lot of fun with it ;p Honestly, I just love any excuse to write scenes with Sabin, since I get to a lot of that in within the actual WIP. I love my soft boy so much T_T

I hope y’all like him (and the story) just as much!

Ariana Salem

-------------------------------

//watch things on VCRs

with me and talk about big love

i think we're superstars

you say you think we are the best thing...//

"What the hell do you mean you've never baked chocolate chip cookies?"

"You can't bake very easily without an oven, Ria. Or a house to put it in."

"Okay, but you're telling me nobody's ever made them for you? None of the people you've stayed with?"

"No?"

Sabin tilted his head at her curiously. He always looked so cute when he was confused, like one of the bright-eyed stray dogs he always had with him. The latest one, a German Shephard he named Dimitri, slept in the corner by the fireplace. They both kept huddled in the living room themselves, wrapped in a nest of blankets. The fire was the only source of heat in the cabin. Despite its lack of basic utilities, it was Sabin's favorite place. The one luxury he allowed himself. When it was off-season and the owners were gone, he could pretend he finally had a place of his own, tucked away in the middle of nowhere where no one could find him. When he was here, he was just like everyone else. A boy and his dog, watching movies with the girl he adored. Sabin was always paranoid, but this was the only time Ariana ever saw him somewhat at ease. Because of that, the cabin was her favorite too.

The cookie bomb dropped while they were in the middle of said movie.

"I've had chocolate chip cookies before. Does that not count?" he asked.

"No! Baking them is like a whole new experience. It's like a childhood right of passage," said Ariana.

Sabin scratched at his neck and smiled bashfully. "I guess that would be why I didn't then."

She paused at his declaration, determination slowly filling her eyes. "When you pick me up tomorrow, I'm bringing ingredients."

It was sort of an unspoken rule of their relationship. Ariana used to wonder why he bothered to hang out with someone like her, especially before she awakened her powers, until she realized. They each gave each other what the other was lacking. She gave him a glimpse into the teenage normality he could never have through her talks of going to high school, shopping for the right clothes, hating her mom, and in exchange he offered her adventure, freedom, an escape.  In the end, that's all either of them wanted. Since then, she leaned into her role hard. Anytime Sabin so much as mumbled about an experience he missed out on, she'd do her best to give it to him. And she'd go all out. It'd be easier if he ever let her ask 'Drea for help, but she stopped trying to push the issue. He was being swayed by a stubborn ego, but it must've been rough to consider asking for help from the very creatures he was created to destroy. God knew she struggled with it enough.

The next night, she carefully snuck what she needed throughout the day. One at a time. A couple eggs in a tupperware, milk in a thermos, everything else in sandwich baggies, and her mom's recipe. Plus the stuff she usually nabbed, like snacks and whatever they'd need for dinner that night. She had to rearrange her overnight bag quite a bit, but eventually everything fit. Even a goofy, frilly apron and burned a CD, perfect to set that Baking-on-a-Sunday-Morning vibe. Sabin came to her window at midnight when the house was asleep, like he had since they were little kids, and warped her away. It was still daylight at the cabin. Her sleep schedule was always a mess when he was around. She didn't mind--it was a good excuse to take naps together.

"Okay. You read this to me--" Ariana plopped the recipe card in his hands while tying the apron. After she struggled with it a couple times, Sabin slipped behind her and tied it himself. His fingers at her lower back made her breath catch in her throat, and she forgot what she was saying for a minute. "Um. And then I'll do...that stuff."

"The baking?" He said with a laugh, completely oblivious of his effect.

"Yeah. That."

For the rest of the time, Sabin kept to his own corner near the table, so she could clearly focus. The atmosphere was exactly what she wanted. A bubble enveloped the room in a kind of bliss you only found in memories. A kitchen filled with laughter and life's latest tales. The dog at her hip, eagerly waiting for a morsel of cookie dough to fall to his level. A muffled radio filling the rare empty moments. It was like getting a glimpse of what could be in another world. Or maybe some kind of future. Her and Sabin coming home and cooking dinner together, or washing the dishes after. Him slipping behind her like before and wrapping his arms around her middle. His lips at her temple, then her jaw, and stopping delicately at her neck. And they would just stand there, silently drinking in their simple paradise. Safe enough to breathe. Stable enough to be careless, knowing there was nothing outside waiting for them to stumble. Free enough to be.

"I see why this is nice," Sabin said softly, while they rolled the dough into balls.

His face softened into a velvet smile that brightened the deep blue of his one eye, and made the firey red of the other glow like the embers in the wood-burning oven. Crystal clear of any fear or uncertainty. A rare moment, where he was completely present with her instead of two steps removed, the aura carrying him away to the same far away dream where nothing else existed outside of this moment. She'd kill to keep him happy like this.

Once the dough was in the oven, the only thing left was the clean up. Ariana lifted herself onto the counter and grabbed the wooden mixing spoon out of the bowl. She scooped some of the batter off with her fingers and ate it.

"This is the best part," she said slyly. "My mom never lets me do this at home."

"You can hang out with genocidal monsters and freak hybrids all day, but you can't eat cookie batter?" Sabin teased.

"Well, she's a lawyer. Monsters and freaks are expected, but she can't argue with salmonella."

He laughed. The full one that sounded like filtered sunbeams, lighting up the room. It was impossible not to mimic. She moved the spoon toward him.

"Want some?" He stared at the spoon for a moment. "Come on, it's not like we haven't swapped spit already."

Now the short, flustered laugh, always followed by a deep blush in the face. Pink, like normal, mixed with the silver shimmer of his Chaos Power energy. It was a satisfying bonus to teasing him. He was always so embarrassed whenever she brought up their kiss. It only happened the one time so far. She didn't press it, since admittedly she was a little shy about it herself, but she did her best to drop small hints and acknowledgments that yes, it did happen, and yes, she absolutely wouldn't mind if it happened again.

"You're never gonna let me forget that are you?" He said. He tried to start scrubbing at a bowl to distract himself.

"You didn't like it?"

It was enough for him to break his avoidance and look at her, if only for a second.  She could see the tinge of color on his cheeks through the shade of his dark, thick curls. His voice quieted to a near whisper.

"I-I didn't say that..."

"Then why would we wanna forget it?"

"You're killing me, Ria," he said with a shy smile. His hand moved to the back of his neck to scratch it, but he forgot it was soaked in soapy water. Ariana laughed loudly. "See? Look what you do to me, I'm a mess. This--This was your idea! I'm trying to focus."

"I didn't know you were so passionate about dishwashing," she teased.

Sabin took a large chunk off the spoon and hastily stuffed it in his mouth, like he didn't trust what he'd say or do with it otherwise. Ariana smiled to herself. She took it as a win. Thinking she tortured him enough, she hopped off the counter and pulled her sleeve down over her hand.

"C'mere." She used it to wipe the soap from his face.

Chaos Powers ran much hotter than humans. Being a hybrid, Sabin was only a little warmer than normal. It was unnoticeable without being this close. Sometimes she thought his mahogany skin had the tiniest glow to it, drawing her closer like the moon's pull on the waves. It finally settled in how close this was making them. Ariana's thumb gently stroked along his cheek. He stopped, and finally turned to look at her. A twitch of his mouth formed into a small, soft smile. One that was at ease. Enamored. His fingers carefully reached up to graze along her hand. Whatever bubble they were put under had them oblivious to why they snuck around at all. For a moment, this was a good idea. For a moment, it was impossible that it could be anything else.

And then the oven's timer went off. Its harsh sound broke something in the air. The bubble popped. They both remembered where they were, what reality waited for them. Most importantly, Sabin remembered. His eyes fluttered, like waking from a spell, and just as quickly as it left the far away panic she was so used to seeing in his eyes pooled back into its rightful place.

"That--That means it's done right?" He said quickly. He didn't wait for her to answer and was already at the oven.

There was a pang of disappointment in her chest, but Ariana didn't bother trying to bring it up again. It was only a few minutes, and already she grew so attached to a fearless Sabin. But this was their reality. The only reason she had Sabin in her life at all was because his fear helped him survive. Kept him one step ahead of the ever-watching Panacea, and their Seraphim soldiers waiting to bring him back into their clutches. Always their prized weapon, never her heart's true home.

They wouldn't have made it this far if she wasn't willing to wait. To fight. One day, that peaceful world would be theirs to keep. One day, they would never have to pick between safety and love again.

She would make sure of it.

[airadam]

Episode 129 : Wheel And Come Again

"I don't wanna be a playa...I just coach the team."

- Lord Finesse

I had a new experience recording this episode - making an error which meant I had to re-record the whole thing again! Still got it out on time, and so we have our annual tributes to the catalogues of J Dilla, Big L, and Big Pun - alongside some other heavyweight picks. We open proceedings with something fairly topical...

Twitter : @airadam13

Playlist/Notes

Ice Cube : Chase Down The Bully

The recent march in Washington DC by masked white supremacists (with a police escort, at that) put me in mind of the Charlottesville rally in 2017, which is sampled in the intro to this track from "Everythang's Corrupt", and made this a fitting opener for the month. Ice Cube may be running a basketball league and making family films now, but he can still bring the righteous fire on the mic whenever he chooses. Beau James' beat has the kind of heft needed to match, although I think the little breakdown on the second half of each verse could have been swapped for more of that heavy main loop!

J Dilla : Jay Dee 37

I don't think I've played this one before - with so many Dilla beat compilations created over the years, filled with tracks with no real titles, it's easy to make a mistake! This is taken from the 2016 "The King of Beats" release, and it's a neck-snapper for real - doing the most with just bass, a simple drum pattern, and a few keys. 

Jay Dee ft. Frank N Dank : Pause

If you're a fan of the man's work to any substantial degree, you'll know this one - a favourite at every tribute night and on mixtapes for sure. Frank N Dank grab the mics and swagger all over this one with the kind of lyrics that make the whole crowd join in! This banger was a clear standout on his solo LP "Welcome 2 Detroit", which was the first of the "Beat Generation" releases on BBE. There's a specific reason why that LP was first - many of the other producers signed up were so intimidated by the total free rein they were given, they let Dilla go first to see what he'd do!

D.I.T.C. : Stand Strong

If the lyrics sound familiar to some of you, that's likely because this is basically a remix of the Show & AG track "Dignified Soldiers" (as you can hear in the hook), done for the crew's self-titled LP. I think the original does have the edge, but I wanted to play this for those that may have missed it, and of course for everyone who wants to hear lyrics from the late Big L!

Marco Polo ft. Supastition : Heat

I somehow overlooked this one for quite a while, despite the fact that pretty much any Marco Polo beat is worth your attention, and Supastition is never one to bring a weak verse. Don't sleep - make sure you give "Port Authority" from 2007 a few good end-to-end listens for some straight-up Hip-Hop.

Big Pun : Leatherface

The title may be a reference to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", but the sample on the hook and outro tie this one firmly into the infamous motel scene in "Scarface" (actually, doesn't show as much as you remember). This version is from a white label 12", but you can easily find the uncut raw on Pun's second LP "Yeeeah Baby", with the same production by Arkatech Beatz (known elsewhere as Infinite Archatechz). 

Mix Master Mike : Rebel Enforcer

The "Anti-Theft Device" album by one of the founders of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz probably had more straight-up beats (rather than cuts and juggles) than many would have expected before hearing it, and it certainly set out that Mike has a well-rounded skill set. This was a nice inclusion with a few samples heads will immediately recognise alongside others that aren't obvious at all!

Sean Price & Lil Fame : Center Stage

Given the aggression of the lyrics you can actually hear, I can't even imagine what the censored material was! "Price Of Fame" (genius!) is a major Brooklyn team-up of the late great Sean P and Lil Fame of M.O.P, who not only contributes the hook here but also produced the raw beat. His use of the "Brownsville" vocal sample is a perfect, inspired addition! Great video too - worth watching just for the puppet version of Jill Scott :)

DJ Shadow : Walkie Talkie

A producer I know was commenting recently how different DJ Shadow's catalogue has been since "Endtroducing", which is the work that brought him to prominence. That's definitely true, but this track from "The Private Press" has a touch of the energy of something like "The Number Song", as Shadow pieces together pieces of vocal to go braggadocious in his own way over an abrasive beat.

Inspektah Deck : City High

Dug this one out on a mixtape and realised I didn't have a good copy, so digital purchase came to the rescue as I grabbed it from the "The Movement" album. Deck is in solid form describing the grind of trying to come up in NYC - though it's a tale that could fit many other places. Production is by Phantom of the Beats (aka Haas G), whose catalogue has tracks as varied as "Apollo Kids" and "Magic Stick"! This one is soul-sampling crispness from the era when producers were leaving the vocals in and letting them run through the verses; notably in this one, the sample isn't actually saying "city high", but I'll leave you to find it...

Busta Rhymes : Show Me What You Got

One of my favourite Dilla beats gets an outing here, highlighting the fact that the work he did with Busta Rhymes is still probably the most weirdly-overlooked part of his overall production catalogue. The drums lazily skip over a late 90s sample - bearing in mind that this is from the 2000 "Anarchy" album, so this was an unusually contemporaneous sample source - that is guaranteed to move your neck or shoulders!

14KT : Down The Street From Peace

Skills to pay the bills...for everyone on the street. The Michigan native coming out of LA with the ill jazz styles is an absolute wizard on Maschine and this track gives you just a taste. This track is a great example of the work on the "For My Sanity" album, which often throws tradition structure and bar counts out of the window, and embraces freedom and experimentation.

Away Team ft. Nervous Reck : Look

It's been a very long time since we visited the "Training Day" album from the heyday of the extended Justus League crew out of North Carolina, but it's never too late to go back. Khrysis is on the boards with the heat ;) and Sean Boog joined by Fayetteville's Reck, who strides along next to the beat just daring it to say something!

Black Moon : Look At Them

Only partially chosen as a thematic companion to the preceding track, this was from a strangely overlooked LP from last year, the long-awaited return of Black Moon on "Rise Of Da Moon". With Buckshot's slithering flow, 5 Ft giving contrast, and Evil Dee on the turntables and the beats, how could you go wrong? If you've not heard the album yet, do give it a shot.

J.Chambers ft. Koro Fyah : Escape The Kingdom

New single from a Manchester MC who continues to grind on the underground and work on his craft. With the recent resumption of deportations of British Black people to Jamaica, this reggae-fused track is right on time. The Rastafari vocalist Koro Fyah is the perfect addition on the hook for this short and pointed piece.

Gang Starr : Beyond Comprehension

This isn't the first track that comes to mind when I think of the "Step In The Arena" LP, but it's a low-key smoker. Guru's ability to use his monotone style at slow tempos was solidifying in this period , and Premier's scratching fits the beat perfectly.

4Hero : Les Fleur

This is a beautiful cover version of the classic 1970 song by the legendary Minnie Riperton - not an easy act to follow by any stretch! Nonetheless, Carina Andersson does a praiseworthy job vocally over the production from Marc Mac and Dego on a song just made for the springtime. The 2001 "Creating Patterns" LP is the source for this one, an album which has aged very well.

Royce Da 5'9" ft. Cee-Lo Green : Politics

We finish the month with a great track from the time after Royce had build something of an underground audience, but long before much of the wider world had caught on to what he was bringing. This standout from the 2005 "Independent's Day" album is a great collaboration - Nottz' beat is gritty, but is shepherded into a bluesy feel courtesy of Cee-Lo's voice and re-interpretation of an old Spooky Tooth lyric for the hook. Perhaps despite the curses, this track for me definitely fits into the category of "Tracks That Could Play At The End Of A Series Of 'The Wire'"!

Please remember to support the artists you like! The purpose of putting the podcast out and providing the full tracklist is to try and give some light, so do use the songs on each episode as a starting point to search out more material. If you have Spotify in your country it's a great way to explore, but otherwise there's always Youtube and the like. Seeing your favourite artists live is the best way to put money in their pockets, and buy the vinyl/CDs/downloads of the stuff you like the most!

Check out this episode!