Singleversity #39

Audiversity’s weekly column, slightly modified, on random music in a predetermined number of words between 1 & 150. This week's randomly generated number: 108.

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Celebrating 10 years of innovative releases, Big Dada has compiled two discs of quintessential tracks and tougher to find cuts called Well Deep. Founded by hip-hop journalist Will Ashon and supported as Ninja Tune’s rap imprint, the British label came to define the underground UK rap scene in the late 90s and early 00s with a slew of innovative international artists like Ty, cLOUDDEAD, King Geedorah, Lotek HiFi, Mike Ladd, TTC, Diplo and Wiley among others. And of course, where would British hip-hop be without Rodney Smith, aka Roots Manuva? The compilation rightfully kicks off with the London emcee’s classic cut "Movements" from 1999’s Brand New Second Hand.

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Cologne composer and avant-garde visionary Karlheinz Stockhausen passed away at the age of 79 on December 5th. The man was probably best known for being among the earliest performers of electronic music (1953’s "Electronic Studies"). But ambitious compositions such as 1993’s "Helikopter-Streichquartett" will put him down as one of the last century’s real geniuses. This interview is from sometime after ‘93, but features video and music from his entire career. Stockhausen’s death still has no cause, but maybe that’s appropriate for the critics who suspected he’d reached a dead end. Dreamers never reach dead ends, and as he says here, "The performance is an experience of the dream."