Musician/producer/DJ/turntablist/crate-digger and music-archivist Markey Funk is a staple of the Jerusalem underground music scene. Starting off as a hip-hop and funk DJ, his musical palette has grown constantly wider and deeper, embracing everything between tropicalia, psychedelia and modern day broken-beats. His dedication and vision has taken him from producing bedroom beats into collaborations with some of Israel’s leading hip-hop and funk artists, such as Sagol 59 (J-Dub records), Bangladeath, Coolooloosh and his close-knit friends Radio Trip (whom he remixed for Jalapeno records), as being The Apples‘ permanent support DJ on their live shows.
His debut release for Botanika records consists of two delicate and astutely crafted beat explorations, not far removed from the cosmic slop of Sa-Ra or DJ Spinna’s Dilla tributes. Soul of Technopolis combines moog inspired electronics with a bumpy 100 bpm hip hop beat, lead by a spaced-out jazzy melody. Its’ flipside, Cissy Mechanics, starts off in even deeper and almost atmospheric territories, combining traces of exotica and psych with a funky breakbeat that turns up mid-way through.
(Cover designed by Idit Frenkel)

“This is What Happens”, our 3rd release on Botanika Records and the 2nd by Polar Pair, was released to rave reviews earlier in mid-2009. Among them being chosen as track of the year by music blog This is Why We Dance and featuring on DJ Mag’s Killers section in June 09′.
Now you can grab the previously unavailable acappella of this track – an emotionally charged spoken word, performed with intensity by Underground Resistance’s very own Atlantis (AKA Cornelius Harris). Download it, play it, mash it up and have fun. Let us know if you did anything creative with it, or if it inspired you in any other way.
The download link is embedded in the Soundcloud player right here:
Polar Pair ft Atlantis – This is What Happens (Acappella) by Botanika
KidsUpLate@Comfort13 w/ Joker (Hyperdub/UK), Onili&Egozy & moreJoker, one of dubstep’s shinning young stars and a big favorite of ours among them, is arriving to Tel-Aviv on Friday 22.1.10. His “Snake Eater” tune was probably my favorite of 2008, and as well known to those following closely, I’ve been canning almost all of his other ones over the past 2 years. With his unique combination of G-funk synthology and grimy beats, he’s like the bastard mutation of Timbaland & Terror Danjah… so if u dig this beat u know it’s unmissable.
Onili & I will be opening the night with our MC/DJ setup, followed by Joker accompanied by MC Nomad. After them, Jazzsteppa will perform live, and Nasty Habit on the other end. Friday, 22.1.10, at Comfort 13, form around midnight.
If u’re still not sure what’s it about, here’s a short Joker introduction mix I did for Kids Up Late to promote the party, all Joker tunes & remixes. Download HERE
Botanika FM, 2009 rewindSpending the very last 2 hours of 2009 together at the 106fm studios, we are happy to present you our annual rewind show. Playing most of the best tunes of the year, the tunes that we loved playing out in our parties, at shesek and of course, here on Botanika FM.
Join us for the live broadcast. Thursday, December 31st at 10 PM, or grab the podcast later – it’s going to be an exhilarating affair – squeezing over 80 tracks into 120 minutes…
Happy new year from your Botanika crew!
Botanika FM 2009 Rewind w/ Nadav Ravid & Amir Egozy in the studio
>>> Download here Part 1 || Part 2 <<<
Playlist -
Part 1:
1 SaRa Creative Partners. Love Czars // Nuclear Evolution (Ubiquity)
2 The Clonius ft Muhsinah. One at a Time // Adroit Adventures (Ubiquity)
3 Lone. Karen Loves Kate // Ecstasy & Friends (Werk)
4 Instra:mental ft D-Bridge. Watching You (Nonplus)
5 Theophilus London. Cold Pillow // This Charming mixtape (mixtape)
6 J Dilla. Stress – Instrumental (Fat Beats)
7 Raekwon ft Ghostaface Killah & Method Man. New Wu // Only Built for Cuban Linx 2 (Ice H2O)
8 Mos Def ft Slick Rick. Auditorium // The Ecstatic (Downtown)
9 Busy. Bethink // Jay Scarlett & Onur Engin pres Maverick Sessions One (Ubeat)
10 Tranqill. Payroll – Paul White dub (One Handed)
11 Bullion. Young Heartache // Young Heartache (One Handed)
12 Onra. Come Closer – Kicks & Claps edit // 108 (Favorite)
13 Glass C andy. Geto Boys (Italians Do It Better)
14 Fever Ray. When I Grow Up – Dan Lissvik remix (Rabid)
15 Soundspecies ft Ahu. Can We Call It Love // Soundspecies (Burntprogress)
16 Dorian Concept. Tropical Hands // Trilingual Dance Sexperience (Affine)
17 Fulgeance. Sour Socca // Smartbanging (One Handed)
18 NDV. Scorchio // South Bridge (Botanika)
19 Gonja Sufi. Candylane (Warp)
20 Bibio. Jealous of Roses // Ambivalence Avenue (Warp)
21 Dam Funk. Hood Pass Intact // Toeachizown (Stones Throw)
22 Floating Points. Love Me Like This (R2)
23 LCD Soundsystem. 45:33 – Lies – Theo Parrish space cadet remix (DFA)
24 Four Tet. Love Cry (Domino)
25 Pepe Bradock. CU @ Minna&Lafayette (Atavisme)
26 Hunee. Rare Silk (WD)
27 Motor City Drum Ensemble. Raw Cuts 5 (MCDE)
28 B.D.I. City & Industry – World Balloon dub (Rushhour)
29 Roska. The Sheppard (Roska Kicks & Snares)
30 Enzyme Black. Oh My Daze (Enzyme Black)
31 Falty DL. To London (Ramp)
32 Zomby. Tarantula // Five Years of Hyperdub (Hyperdub)
33 Martyn. Elden St // Great Lengths (3024)
34 Cooly G. Love Dub (Hyperdub)
35 Florence & the Machine. You Got the Love – The XX remix (Floxx)
36 Karizma. Drumz Nightmare (R2)
Part 2:
37 Altered Natives. Rass Out (Fresh Minute)
38 Deadboy. U Cheated (Well Rounded)
39 Kode 9. Black Sun (Hyperdub)
40 Hard House Band. Sirens (Spoilt Rotten)
41 Apple. Siegalizer (white)
42 Donae’o. Riot Music // Party Hard (My Ish)
43 Zed Bias. To the Leff (cdr)
44 Fuzzy Logic ft Egypt. In the Morning (white)
45 Hot City. Sweat (Ramp)
46 Pearson Sound. Wad (Hessle Audio)
47 Seiji. Hohoho (seiji.co.uk)
48 Efdemin. Acid Bells – Martyn Dark mix (Curle)
49 L-Vis 1990. Compass (Night Slugs)
50 Timberlee. Gunny Gunny – Schlachtofbronx remix (cdr)
51 Diplo & Blaqstarr. Get Off (Mad Decent)
52 Lucy Love. Ten Steps – instrumental (Superbillion)
53 Guido ft Chakra. Beautiful Complication (Punch Drunk)
54 Silkie vs Mizz Beats. Purple Love (Deep Medi)
55 Joker. Digidesign (Hyperdub)
56 Mark Pritchard ft Om’mas Keith. Wind It Up (Hyperdub)
57 Various Productions. Bside (Various Productions)
58 Rustie. Bad Science (Wireblock)
59 Hudson Mohawke. Overnight (Warp)
60 Untold. Stop What You’re Doing – James Blake remix (Hemlock)
61 James Blake. Air & Lack Thereof (Hemlock)
62 Starkey. Miracles – Vex’d remix (Planet Mu)
63 Darkstar. Aidy’s Girl a Computer (Hyperdub)
64 Untold. Dont Know Dont Care (Hemlock)
65 Brackles. Rawkus (Planet Mu)
66 Pangaea. Memories (white)
67 Joy Orbison. Hyph Mngo (Hotflush)
68 Kalbata. Oh Gosh (Botanika)
69 2000F & JKamata. You Dont Know What Love Is (Hyperdub)
70 Zed Bias ft Tawiah. Further Away (cdr)
71 Mayer Hawthorne & the County. Blue Eyed Love – Wajeed remix (Stones Throw)
72 Kylie Auldist – One Goodbye (Tru Thoughts)
Probably already familiar to those of you following closely, CDR/Burntprogress is a unique community based platform, in which producers & musicians share new ideas, works in progress, unreleased songs, remixes & related musical creations – in a public space. Founded by Tony Nwachukwu & Gavin Alexander, it began as a monthly night held at London’s Plastic People, spreading over the years into other venues, cities, festivals & even the Tate Britain, as well as international destinations such as Caracas, Berlin, Paris & Tel-Aviv. Since their first visit to Israel a couple of years ago thanks to Anat Cederbaum, who worked at CDR London, and the British Council’s support, we’ve developed a close-knit relationship with the project, concept & people behind it.
Botanika artists Kalbata & NDV (solo and with Polar Pair), have participated at CDR London events (in person or by mail), while I’ve been coordinating (with Michael Cohen & Ofer Tal), the local Tel Aviv branch of CDR, held approx. 3 times a year at the Shesek lounge. It has drawn in many of our local colleagues, as well as an interesting variety of producers we’ve never met before, and I’ve even done a DJ set, comprised solely of CDR Tel-Aviv material, at the Plastic People homebase back in 08′.
CDR/Burntprogress has also evolved into a sort of independent label, releasing now it’s second compilation, “Burntprogress VA 2.1″. It features Polar Pair’s “I Want Some”, a broken-beat meets B-more club hybrid produced some 3 years ago, alongside tracks by Botanika favorites such as Floating Points, Bullion, Paul White, Soundspecies, Mr Beatnik, Tom Trago, Simbad & Titonton. Check it out as via Soundcloud here, and purchase here.
VA2.1 MIXTAPE by burntprogress
Next CDR Tel-Aviv will take place on Sunday, 31.1.09 (the day after Tu Bishvat), at the Shesek lounge. Lilienblum 17, Tel Aviv. Submit your tracks by 11PM.
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