Music
this page last updated: Tuesday 25 February 2020
How punk shaped electronic music — Resident Advisor
27 October 2019
Why punk rock could be a missing chapter in the story of dance music. In most people’s minds, the roots of dance music seem pretty clear. Disco gave rise to house music and the art of club DJing. Reggae gave us soundsystem culture, and its musical DNA seeped into genres like jungle and dubstep. And sampling, a staple practice in club music, can be traced back to hip-hop. But is this the full story? In this video, we explore an overlooked link between punk rock and dance music, one that we’re still seeing the effects of to this day.
stream YouTube
Dazed Presents “Dased And Confused: Jungle Fever” (2014) — Dazed Vision
19 September 2019
Dazed & Confused presents Jungle Fever, a 23 minute documentary on the history of jungle and drum & bass. Directed by Ollie Evans, the film features interviews with legends such as Fabio & Grooverider, DJ Brockie, the Ragga Twins and more. This completes an impressive round of docs that focused on cutting edge music spanning throughout decades in the UK.
stream YouTube
Everybody in the Place: an Incomplete History of Britain 1984-1992 — Jeremy Deller, Frieze Studios
2 August 2019
A re-evaluation of acid house, a musical phenomenon that, as this film shows, did not spring out of nowhere, but owed its emergence to the social and political landscape of 1980s Britain.
stream YouTube
Cutting It: A Dubplate Special — Resident Advisor
30 May 2019
Dubplate culture is still thriving — if you know where to look. In Cutting It, we visit a South London community keeping a dance music tradition alive. We take a fresh look at dubplates, and see how a small number of artists, promoters and DIY vinyl cutters have given them a new lease of life.
stream YuoTube
India's Reggae Resistance: Defending Dissent Under Modi — Witness, Aljazeera
22 May 2019
An Indian reggae musician builds a Jamaican-style sound system to energise a wave of protests defending free speech.
stream YouTube
Avicii: True Stories — Levan Tsikurishvili, BBC
20 April 2019
Avicii: True Stories is Tim Bergling’s own story. Made from extensive personal and family archive and behind the scenes footage, the film is an unparalleled insight into his life. Bergling died on 20th April, 2018. This film marks the anniversary of his death.
stream BBC iPlayer
Song for Leila — Che Guevara Command Unit
25 August 2017
Produced by Che Guevara Command Unit (@nonideefixe @HugoFluendy) for @Discontent_scot featuring Daddy Scotty.
stream YouTube
Ghosts of Grenfell — Lowkey featuring Mai Khalil
8 August 2017
Tribute to the victims of the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower in London, where incorrect cladding was installed in Britain's richest borough, Kensington and Chelsea.
stream YouTube
Austerity is a scam, Jeremy Corbyn the most dangerous man in Britain — The Artist Taxi Driver, Jennie Bellestar
3 May 2016
Chunkymark and Jennie Bellestar perform live on a march against the Tories and austerity.
stream (austerity) YouTube
stream (dangerous) YouTube
DJ Derek's Sweet Memory Sounds (1994) — Picture This, BBC
17 March 2016
In 1994 the BBC went to Bristol to make a film about local legend Derek Serpell-Morris, known to all as DJ Derek — an unassuming former accountant for Cadburys in his fifties who played ska, soul and reggae every week in the Star and Garter pub. After the film was broadcast, Derek was catapulted from his local to the stages of festivals such as Glastonbury and the Big Chill, becoming celebrated as Britain's oldest DJ and enjoying a successful career. Sadly, in July 2015 Derek went missing and in March 2016 it was confirmed that remains found near Cribbs Causeway, just north of Bristol, were his.
stream YouTube
Big Fun in the Big Town (1986) — Bram van Splunteren, VPRO
25 August 2014
Big Fun in the Big Town is about hip-hop when artistry in the game was still at its centre. When skills, not hype, got you your first record deal. When Run-DMC took the reins from Doug E Fresh and Grandmaster Flash, paving the way for hundreds of other hitmakers to follow. When a chart-topping LL Cool J still lived with his Grandmother. When the Latin Quarter was the club to be at on any weekend night. And when artists from all backgrounds could taste their own pop-chart dreams, just beyond their reach but still seemingly attainable.
stream Vimeo
The Upsetter: The Life and Music of Lee Scratch Perry (2008) — Ethan Higbee & Adam Bhala Lough
26 December 2013
This documentary charts 70 years in the life of Lee “Scratch” Perry in his own words through an exclusive interview given to American filmmakers Higbee and Lough in Switzerland in 2006. It is equally a documentation of 30 years of Jamaican music and culture as it is a study of one of the most creative and inspiring human beings of all time.
stream YouTube
Dub Echoes — Bruno Natal and Chicodub
8 June 2013
Documentary that traces the origins of Jamaican dub music and its influence on the development of hip hop and electronic music. Shows how the recording studio was transformed into a musical instrument giving way to sonic experimentation.
stream Vimeo
What Ever Happened to Hip Hop? — Sonali Aggarwal
16 October 2012
Currently the most pervasive music worldwide, its roots have been forgotten, its message perverted. With hip hop in the spotlight, it's time to put it back on track. This documentary presents views from hip hop founders, contributors and artists in an attempt to return its audience to the four principles: peace, love, unity and having fun.
stream Vimeo
The [R]evolution of Immortal Technique — Viper Records
24 July 2012
Behind-the-scenes exploration of one man's global journey to fight injustice through music.
stream Dailymotion
High Tech Soul: The Creation of Techno Music — Gary Bredow
17 April 2009
The first documentary to tackle the deep roots of techno music alongside the cultural history of Detroit, its birthplace. From the race riots of 1967 to the underground party scene of the late 1980s, Detroit's economic downturn didn't stop the invention of a new kind of music that brought international attention to its producers and their hometown. more »
stream YouTube
Illegal Attacks — Ian Brown
17 August 2007
New single featuring Sinead O'Connor.
stream YouTube
Stained — Sputnik Weazel
21 June 2007
The “war on terrorism” is STAINED. Video produced by GanjaSound. Sputnik Weazel website here.
stream YouTube
New American Century — Sputnik Weazel
21 June 2007
Political protest song with good lyrics and music. Video produced by The Impostors.
stream YouTube
The 4th Branch — Immortal Technique
22 October 2006
Immortal Technique's critique of the US media.
stream YouTube
Bin Laden — Immortal Technique feat' Mos Def
29 August 2006
Excellent hip-hop track with a video produced by Itchy and Scratchy.
stream YouTube
Imagine — A Perfect Circle
9 January 2006
Excellent reinterpretation of John Lennon's Imagine, with a good video.
stream YouTube
“Son of a Bush” — Public Enemy
11 June 2005
Watch the censored music video by Public Enemy, Memo Salazar and Film Shack.
stream YouTube
stream QuickTime
Bush Boys — DJ Danger Mouse & MC Jemini
9 April 2005
Anti-Bush anthem combined with CNN library clips. Video produced by Alex Motlagh.
stream YouTube
Why? — Jadakiss
25 November 2004
Protest song produced by Havoc — released in 2004.
stream YouTube
Mosh — Eminem
27 October 2004
Produced in conjunction with Guerrilla News Network.
stream YouTube
The Mosh continues
The new ending.
stream Internet Archive
The Price of Oil — Billy Bragg
1 November 2003
Bragg's protest against the war in Iraq.
stream YouTube
What Would You Do? — Paris
20 October 2003
A track from the Sonic Jihad album.
stream YouTube