Our friends over at Kitsilano’s Zulu Records once again present their weekly Scout feature, the Zulu Report. Within, staff from the West 4th music store provide The Track, the song that is on heavy rotation that week; The Playlist, which is pretty self-explanatory; The Gig, the must see show of the week; and The Glance, a view ahead to music on the horizon. From their ears to yours, enjoy…

The Track

currently on heavy rotation in the store…

SKREAM doing it live in Vancity, circa 2009. Come check out his killer new collection Outside The Box (Tempa), four 12”s of skull rattling dubstep.

Skream (Brit Ollie Jones) is one of the leading lights of UK Dubstep, an umbrella genre-term that gets thrown around so willy-nilly lately it seems tough to say what new music doesn’t qualify as dubstep. Needless to say, Skream – along with Kevin Martin (Bug), Burial, and Kode9 – have all produced thrilling music over the last several years, all of it contributing in different ways to this thing called “dubstep.” On Outside The Box, as it’s title suggests, we find Skream peeling back the layers of spacey black atmosphere that typified his earlier work and embrace the pop element at the core of his ass-banging sound. What you get is slamming, bass-heavy midnight séance jams that sit comfortably alongside R&B party stompers. It’s a heavy mix that manages to please the purists and the partiers, as well as extend the genre forward. No better way to absorb these jams than as 4 12”s, for ultimate fidelity.

The Playlist

The records we can’t get enough of this week…

DUKES OF THE STRATOSPHERE 25O’Clock and Psonic Sunspot (Ape Sounds)

These two classic albums from XTC’s psychedelic side-project are finally back on wax! Sounds like its 1967 but it’s really 1986. Weird.

SIR LORD BALTIMORE Kingdom Come (Universal)

We here at the shop are SUPER psyched to have this masterpiece back in the store, as our previous supply sold out quickly and then mysteriously went out of print. SLB were an amazing blend of motor-city Stoogery and proto-metal, with howling vocals delivered by a singing drummer of Native American heritage, no less. Its on wax baby!

THE FALL The Wonderful Frightening World Of…and This Nation’s Saving Grace (Beggars)

Two of the Fall’s greatest albums, back on wax and at a reasonable price. These Brix and Leckie-era albums are the high watermark of Mark E Smith’s ranting, backed up by his gang of Manc-monks. Please, familiarize yourself with the lay of the land, my son.

TEENGIRL FANTASY 7 AM (True Panther Sounds)

Here is the freshest of the fresh sounds from some very clever knob twiddlers and mash up crooners. Part soul, part electro pop, we get asked for this at the store all the time. Well, here it is. On wax.

STEREOLAB Not Music (Drag City)

Not Music is culled from the same sessions that produced Stereolab’s last release, Chemical Chords. The ‘Lab is going on an indefinite hiatus, so this might be the last we hear from them in a long while. Thankfully, it’s a great parting gift.

TAMARYN The Waves (Mexican Summer)

Those tastemakers at Mexican Summer keep giving us the goods! Tamaryn absolutely nail the kind of hazed out, druggy, space-balladry that made me fall in love with Mazzy Star and Slowdive back in the early 90s. It’s deep maaaan, and its only on vinyl.

THE J.B.s Hustle The Speed (Polydor)

The hardest working band in showbiz cannot be stopped. Seriously, you could ditch all your music and live a happy and full life just listening to the J.B.s. Can I get a hell yeah?! .

TOTAL Here Time Is (Majora)

No, not the P.Diddy backed hip hop troupe but rather UK guitar wrangling legend Matthew Bower’s mid 80’s noise outfit. Deadly and necessary and it’s only on wax.

DADAWAH Peace And Love (Forced)

I can only describe this as some of the most soulful and uplifting music that I’ve ever heard. If all reggae means to you is a bunch of pasty white hobos slapping djembe’s in Grandview park then you need to get down tight with Dadawah.

The Gig

The upcoming show we’re really looking forward to…

Thu December 2 | KYLESA | MEDIA CLUB
We’re very excited to see Savannah Georgia’s Kylesa making their first Vancouver appearance. These sludge-metal gods are guaranteed to destroy the diminutive confines of the Media Club, but we’re all the more game for it. If you don’t have hair that reaches down to your mid torso then buy a wig and tuck it under a trucker cap, as this show is going to be head-banging good time.

The Glance

Mon NOV 29
PASSION PIT – VOGUE – WE ARE SOLD OUT

Tue NOV 30
BLACK MOUNTAIN – COMMODORE – WE ARE SOLD OUT

Wed DEC 1
BLACK MOUNTAIN – COMMODORE – WE ARE SOLD OUT
BONOBO – RICKSHAW – WE ARE SOLD OUT
GRADY – VENUE
HORSE FEATEHRS – MEDIA CLUB

Thu DEC 2
THE DANDY WARHOLS – COMMODORE
FRONTLINE ASSEMBLY w/ CONJURE ONE – VENUE
LUCERO – BILTMORE
KYLESA – MEDIA
THE QUEERS – RED ROOM

Fri DEC 3
BASSNECTAR – GOSSIP – WE ARE SOLD OUT
FOLK FOR THE HOLIDAYS – PERFORMANCE WORKS
MINT X-MAS PARTY – BILTMORE
GREEN VELVET – CELEBRITIES
THE BREAKMEN – ST.JAMES
BABERAINBOW – CHINA CLOUD
BLOC PARTY (DJ SET) – SHINE

Sat DEC 4
HIDDEN BASS – OPEN STUDIOS

Sun DEC 5
THE BOOKS w/ BLACK HEART PROCESSION – VOGUE

Tue DEC 7
TEMPER TRAP – COMMODORE – WE ARE SOLD OUT

Wed DEC 8
STORNOWAY – BILTMORE

Thu DEC 9
COOKIE MONSTA – FORTUNE
BAHAMAS – ST.JAMES – WE ARE SOLD OUT
TAME IMPALA – BILTMORE – WE ARE SOLD OUT

Fri DEC 10
THE POSIES + BRENDAN BENSON- VENUE
BISON BC – BILTMORE
THE GREENHORNES – MEDIA CLUB

Sat DEC 11
WEHEARTDAFTPUNK – BILTMORE

Sun DEC 12
DICK DALE – THE YALE

Tue DEC 14
KILLING JOKE – VENUE

Sat DEC 18
WINTERHARP – ST.ANDREWS

Sun DEC 19
JOHN GRANT – MEDIA

Mon DEC 20
LMFAO – GOSSIP
KID KOALA – BILTMORE

Tue DEC 21
KID KOALA – BILTMORE

Wed DEC 29
LISSIE – BILTMORE – WE ARE SOLD OUT

Fri DEC 31
CARIBBEAN NEW YEARS – SULLIVAN HALL