2006 certainly was a magical year for clean-mugged, white, UK turntablists with inclinations towards good pop music. NYC-transplant Mark Ronson blew up a mixtape or two and recorded a long-awaited full-player of dope cover versions (Toxic, God Put A Smile On Your Face, and Just, to name a few) while our boy DJ Yoda tore into some classic soul and brought a bunch of a-list amigos along for the ride. The new album, Yoda’s first effort boasting all original material, has got some Dangerdoom style kiddy-punk raps by Princess Superstar, Biz Markie and The Jungle Bros. Wheels is the single to beat. Liquid scratching and a dumpy melodic hook that sparkles over a lazy vocal? Check; this is the type of shit drunk moms love to dance to.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

One of my top 5 live music experiences, right up there with Björk at Redrocks CO, Soil & Pimp at Hiro Ballroom NYC, Groove Armada at the 9:30 Club in DC and Tina Turner back at the old Sandstone in Kansas, is undoubtedly King Britt at Sound Session ’06. His set blew the top off the therbombiter so to speak. Britt, a Philly mastermind known to many as the DJ from Digable Planets, is a master producer and a gentleman, as adept at weaving the newest X-Tina jam into his mix as he is classic dub and acid house. Not as boxfresh as some of Britt’s brilliant excursions into Techno as The Nova Dream Sequence, this gem boasts vocal gymnastics from the slickest of the slick, Ms. Bahamadia (who graced the Sound Session stage a year prior to Britt’s inimitable set). This song rules because in and of itself it transcends the genre barriers that Britt effortlessly eschews in his sets and releases.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.