List Envy

Guest

Adam Juniper

An Adam of all trades, master of some: Drone pilot and author, photo/tech publisher, sardonic wit and astronaut (possibly).

Adam Juniper (@AdamJuniper) | Twitter

Tame Sky: DRONE Reviews & Guides in Plain English

Technology writer and drone expert Adam Juniper joins Mark to discuss machines that go bleep.

Adam spent many years editing and publishing books on photography, which over the years has become more about technology than chemicals.

He and Mark discuss the fun and frustration that can be had when delving into the world of smart home tech, and you can read more of Adam’s thoughts on this — and other desirable tech — on his Tech Yearning blog.

Like Mark, Adam had a Game Gear, which you can hear discussed in episode 2 of this very podcast.

The pair also discuss the “Privacy: It’s a Crime” campaign.

As a listening note: the pair do talk about the Amazon Echo devices and the lady that lives inside them, but rest assured, thanks to the ingenious editing technique of cutting out a bit of the word Ale*a, your costly egg timer won’t be set off.

Honourable mentions

Apple Watch

Nespresso coffee machines

Segway

Dyson Airblade

Zoom H2n Handy Recorder

Pebble Time

Netbooks

Smart TV sticks

Gadgets that went under the wire

Because they’re a little too old, but deserve a nod:

GSM phones

DVD player

MiniDisc

Dial-up modems

Apple iBook

Virtual reality

Adam’s picks

In order of discussion:

Apple iPhone

Although Adam labels this the gadget that killed all other gadgets (and most tech pundits agree that the iPhone 4 is the peak of Apple’s design), the first-generation iPhone from 2007 was an indisputably magical device. Not so magical for iJustine, who recorded a video unboxing her first post-iPhone AT&T bill.

USB flash drive

It’s such a humble gadget that many of us don’t think about it, but the USB flash drive, USB stick, USB “key” (it’s not a key) or “jump drive” (if you’re Griffin McElroy from 20012) is ubiquitous, and astonishingly

Parrot AR drone

Most boys wanted a remote-controlled car when they were growing up, but now 21st-century children get to want tiny helicopters that can be controlled with a smartphone. Adam was captivated by the Parrot drone when he saw one at a trade show, and has vastly upped his drone game in the intervening years.

Jaguar I-Pace

Adam picked this model, but wanted to submit electric cars in general. He likes the full-on gadgetiness of an electric car, and is also pleased to be able to talk about one that isn’t a Tesla.

Smart speaker

Adam has tested all the major smart speaker brands, and prefers the Apple HomePod, which is less of a smart speaker and more of… well, a really good-sounding speaker. But whether it’s an Amazon Echo or a Google Home, smart speakers are wonderfully useful gadgets for controlling your home and reminding you to take the chicken out of the oven.

Mark’s picks

In order of discussion:

Apple iPad

Mark picked the device that, incidentally was in design before the iPhone, but wouldn’t come out for another three years. This tablet has gone through a number of design iterations and is now available in a multitude of sizes, and is now firmly one of Mark’s everyday carries (as the tech writers would have it). He especially loves the 2018 Pro.

Flip Video

Mark was given a Flip camera as a parting gift after leaving a job in 2008, and it has remained one of his favourite gadgets of old. It was incredibly relevant for a very short period of time, before it was superseded by that dratted iPhone. The revelation was not only its point-and-shoot simplicity or its in-built storage, but the ease of transfer to a computer, compared with a MiniDV camera from the same era.

Nintendo Switch

Although Mark grew up without the joy of consoles as an everyday part of his life, he always identified as a Sega fan. And yes, like everyone else in the early 2000s he had a Nintendo Wii, but it wouldn’t be until the first ad for the Switch in 2016 that he’d begin his love affair with this powerful, portable and flexible games console. And Mark can still play Sonic on it.

Apple AirPods

The pair’s third Apple device is something Mark picks without apology, as it’s a marvel in miniaturised tech. These wireless earbuds have been oft-copied, but they do “just work”, in Apple parlance (and given that Mark has some Sony wireless earbuds to compare them to, that phrase is more than just marketing.)

More of Adam Juniper

As well as Adam’s blog, you can also buy his books on Amazon, follow him on Instagram and on Twitter, listen to the Photographer Podcast and That Option No Longer Exists, and ask him about publishing.

Links

Support the podcast

Guest

Adam Juniper

An Adam of all trades, master of some: Drone pilot and author, photo/tech publisher, sardonic wit and astronaut (possibly).

Adam Juniper (@AdamJuniper) | Twitter

Tame Sky: DRONE Reviews & Guides in Plain English

Technology writer and drone expert Adam Juniper joins Mark to discuss machines that go bleep.

Adam spent many years editing and publishing books on photography, which over the years has become more about technology than chemicals.

He and Mark discuss the fun and frustration that can be had when delving into the world of smart home tech, and you can read more of Adam’s thoughts on this — and other desirable tech — on his Tech Yearning blog.

Like Mark, Adam had a Game Gear, which you can hear discussed in episode 2 of this very podcast.

The pair also discuss the “Privacy: It’s a Crime” campaign.

As a listening note: the pair do talk about the Amazon Echo devices and the lady that lives inside them, but rest assured, thanks to the ingenious editing technique of cutting out a bit of the word Ale*a , your costly egg timer won’t be set off.

Honourable mentions

Apple Watch

Nespresso coffee machines

Segway

Dyson Airblade

Zoom H2n Handy Recorder

Pebble Time

Netbooks

Smart TV sticks

Gadgets that went under the wire

Because they’re a little too old, but deserve a nod:

GSM phones

DVD player

MiniDisc

Dial-up modems

Apple iBook

Virtual reality

Adam’s picks

In order of discussion:

Apple iPhone

Although Adam labels this the gadget that killed all other gadgets (and most tech pundits agree that the iPhone 4 is the peak of Apple’s design), the first-generation iPhone from 2007 was an indisputably magical device. Not so magical for iJustine, who recorded a video unboxing her first post-iPhone AT&T bill.

USB flash drive

It’s such a humble gadget that many of us don’t think about it, but the USB flash drive, USB stick, USB “key” (it’s not a key) or “jump drive” (if you’re Griffin McElroy from 20012) is ubiquitous, and astonishingly

Parrot AR drone

Most boys wanted a remote-controlled car when they were growing up, but now 21st-century children get to want tiny helicopters that can be controlled with a smartphone. Adam was captivated by the Parrot drone when he saw one at a trade show, and has vastly upped his drone game in the intervening years.

Jaguar I-Pace

Adam picked this model, but wanted to submit electric cars in general. He likes the full-on gadgetiness of an electric car, and is also pleased to be able to talk about one that isn’t a Tesla.

Smart speaker

Adam has tested all the major smart speaker brands, and prefers the Apple HomePod, which is less of a smart speaker and more of… well, a really good-sounding speaker. But whether it’s an Amazon Echo or a Google Home, smart speakers are wonderfully useful gadgets for controlling your home and reminding you to take the chicken out of the oven.

Mark’s picks

In order of discussion:

Apple iPad

Mark picked the device that, incidentally was in design before the iPhone, but wouldn’t come out for another three years. This tablet has gone through a number of design iterations and is now available in a multitude of sizes, and is now firmly one of Mark’s everyday carries (as the tech writers would have it). He especially loves the 2018 Pro.

Flip Video

Mark was given a Flip camera as a parting gift after leaving a job in 2008, and it has remained one of his favourite gadgets of old. It was incredibly relevant for a very short period of time, before it was superseded by that dratted iPhone. The revelation was not only its point-and-shoot simplicity or its in-built storage, but the ease of transfer to a computer, compared with a MiniDV camera from the same era.

Nintendo Switch

Although Mark grew up without the joy of consoles as an everyday part of his life, he always identified as a Sega fan. And yes, like everyone else in the early 2000s he had a Nintendo Wii, but it wouldn’t be until the first ad for the Switch in 2016 that he’d begin his love affair with this powerful, portable and flexible games console. And Mark can still play Sonic on it.

Apple AirPods

The pair’s third Apple device is something Mark picks without apology, as it’s a marvel in miniaturised tech. These wireless earbuds have been oft-copied, but they do “just work”, in Apple parlance (and given that Mark has some Sony wireless earbuds to compare them to, that phrase is more than just marketing.)

More of Adam Juniper

As well as Adam’s blog, you can also buy his books on Amazon, follow him on Instagram and on Twitter, listen to the Photographer Podcast and That Option No Longer Exists, and ask him about publishing.

Links

Support the podcast

Guest

Simon Heap

Director of Rugged Interactive, Cornish innovative sport design firm and maker of fitness equipment for everyone – Olympians, big brands and anyone with great ideas.

Simon Heap (@designforsport) | Twitter

Rugged Interactive | Motivational Fitness Technology

Mark speaks down-the-line with product designer, Simon Heap, as the two share their top five world-changing products, and gently collide over what can be construed a “product”.

Simon has dedicated his life to making, as he calls it, “a better mouse trap”, and now specialises in designing products for sport. You might know Simon’s work from Dragons’ Den, or perhaps you’ve bought his potato masher?

Simon once designed a CD player and argued for a sense of jeopardy within the mechanism (in the same way that there is a way to put a record on wrong), and Mark finds another member to join the ranks of those who mourn the passing of the MiniDisc. He also discovers that the Japanese may have the word he’s long searched for, to describe that wonderful sense of joy and satisfaction you get from a mechanical interaction: a good button, a sturdy spring or a crunchy click.

Honourable mentions

Printing press

Star Trek communicator

Tricorder

Simon’s picks

In order of discussion:

The wheel

It’s round. It can be used to move things. Attach two of them to a thing, and you can move it even easier. It’s what Ford Prefect called “the single simplest machine in the entire universe”. It’s the wheel.

The match

Simon picks fire — or more specifically, the match — for the ability to create heat and light at will, therefore allowing people tilling the fields all day to come home and further their education at night.

Penicillin

This 1928 invention is Simon’s third pick, and something that came up in List Envy’s very first episode. He argues that, while most of the pair’s choices spread communication across the globe, penicillin spreads health.

World Wide Web

Simon knows this, Mark knows this, and in case you didn’t before, now you do: the Internet and the Web are not the same thing. With that out of the way, Simon picked this as an extraordinary communication tool (for good or ill), and Mark brings up the Mosaic web browser as the first widely adopted way of “surfing hyperspace”.

Marine chronometer

This device enabled travel across the sea in a way that would previously have been infinitely more dangerous, allowed for more accurate mapping, and ultimately brought the world closer together by making it more navigable.

Mark’s picks

In order of discussion:

Wireless radio

Mark used the de Forest RJ6 as an early example of a commercially-available radio receiver, as the first in a set of communication devices he believes have propelled us.

Commercial aviation

Mark discusses the first commercial aeroplane flight, a short hop in 1914, which Simon contrasts with Kitty Hawk’s first public outing in 1903.

Nokia 8110

Mark picks this un-smart, by 2019 standards unsexy flip phone, as being among the first mobile phones to be desirable consumer products. Not to be outdone, this is the point in the episode in which Simon’s landline starts chirping in.

Apple Macintosh

Mark picked this computer — which was far from Apple’s first — again as a desirable object, that democratised, commoditised and made friendly the idea of computing. Simon suggested the first iMac might have been a good pick.

Audio cassette

Mark picked the hissy, mushy-sounding cassette as an interesting device in its own right, saying that, unlike vinyl or CDs, cassette tapes mark their last use: they have to be manually rewound… unless you have one of those fancy machines that messes with the tape heads and flips them around.

More of Simon Heap

Follow Simon on Twitter and LinkedIn, check out his latest business, Rugged Interactive, and his consultancy, Design for Sport.

Links

Support the podcast

Guest

Simon Heap

Director of Rugged Interactive, Cornish innovative sport design firm and maker of fitness equipment for everyone – Olympians, big brands and anyone with great ideas.

Simon Heap (@designforsport) | Twitter

Rugged Interactive | Motivational Fitness Technology

Mark speaks down-the-line with product designer, Simon Heap, as the two share their top five world-changing products, and gently collide over what can be construed a “product”.

Simon has dedicated his life to making, as he calls it, “a better mouse trap”, and now specialises in designing products for sport. You might know Simon’s work from Dragons’ Den, or perhaps you’ve bought his potato masher?

Simon once designed a CD player and argued for a sense of jeopardy within the mechanism (in the same way that there is a way to put a record on wrong), and Mark finds another member to join the ranks of those who mourn the passing of the MiniDisc. He also discovers that the Japanese may have the word he’s long searched for, to describe that wonderful sense of joy and satisfaction you get from a mechanical interaction: a good button, a sturdy spring or a crunchy click.

Honourable mentions

Printing press

Star Trek communicator

Tricorder

Simon’s picks

In order of discussion:

The wheel

It’s round. It can be used to move things. Attach two of them to a thing, and you can move it even easier. It’s what Ford Prefect called “the single simplest machine in the entire universe”. It’s the wheel.

The match

Simon picks fire — or more specifically, the match — for the ability to create heat and light at will, therefore allowing people tilling the fields all day to come home and further their education at night.

Penicillin

This 1928 invention is Simon’s third pick, and something that came up in List Envy’s very first episode. He argues that, while most of the pair’s choices spread communication across the globe, penicillin spreads health.

World Wide Web

Simon knows this, Mark knows this, and in case you didn’t before, now you do: the Internet and the Web are not the same thing. With that out of the way, Simon picked this as an extraordinary communication tool (for good or ill), and Mark brings up the Mosaic web browser as the first widely adopted way of “surfing hyperspace”.

Marine chronometer

This device enabled travel across the sea in a way that would previously have been infinitely more dangerous, allowed for more accurate mapping, and ultimately brought the world closer together by making it more navigable.

Mark’s picks

In order of discussion:

Wireless radio

Mark used the de Forest RJ6 as an early example of a commercially-available radio receiver, as the first in a set of communication devices he believes have propelled us.

Commercial aviation

Mark discusses the first commercial aeroplane flight, a short hop in 1914, which Simon contrasts with Kitty Hawk’s first public outing in 1903.

Nokia 8110

Mark picks this un-smart, by 2019 standards unsexy flip phone, as being among the first mobile phones to be desirable consumer products. Not to be outdone, this is the point in the episode in which Simon’s landline starts chirping in.

Apple Macintosh

Mark picked this computer — which was far from Apple’s first — again as a desirable object, that democratised, commoditised and made friendly the idea of computing. Simon suggested the first iMac might have been a good pick.

Audio cassette

Mark picked the hissy, mushy-sounding cassette as an interesting device in its own right, saying that, unlike vinyl or CDs, cassette tapes mark their last use: they have to be manually rewound… unless you have one of those fancy machines that messes with the tape heads and flips them around.

More of Simon Heap

Follow Simon on Twitter and LinkedIn, check out his latest business, Rugged Interactive, and his consultancy, Design for Sport.

Links

Support the podcast

Guest

Alison Edgar

Sales and marketing adviser, as seen on BBC One Breakfast. Dyslexic Amazon #1 Best Seller, award winning sales trainer and coach, International TEDx speaker.

Alison Edgar (@thealisonedgar) | Twitter

Home - Alison Edgar

Mark takes flight with speaker, author and “the entrepreneur’s godmother” Alison Edgar, to build a list of the best places it takes too long to fly to.

Alison flies a lot, and finds pinning her destinations on a map lends itself to a sense of perspective. Mark responds by finding another way to tie this into his favourite sci-fi series, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Alison, like Mark, enjoys — or enjoyed - a Bloody Mary, which has — for reasons best known to others — become de rigueur for those who enjoy boozing above the clouds.

Public service announcement: if you have Netflix and are on a long-haul flight, do remember to download a season of something to watch before you fly. No-one wants to be caught short if the in-flight media selection is sub-par.

Born in Glasgow and a self-styled extravert, Alison is not content with spending all day every day on the beach or in the local British theme pub, watching endless Only Fools repeats. She wants to mix it up with the people that make up the places she visits.

As well as a couple of good cocktail recommendations, this episode also includes a game you can play at the airport.

Get Extra Envy

https://gmail.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=700005fc27c6cd8f7b5fd6d8f&id=6907913a3e

Get signed up for the Extra Envy for delicious little nuggets you won’t get on the podcast.

Alison’s picks

In order of discussion:

Cape Town

Alison lived in Cape Town for a couple of years and considers it one of the most naturally beautiful cities she’s ever lived in. If you’re ever in South Africa, you absolutely must try a Don Pedro.

California

We’re developing a theme with Alison’s pick, but you’d be hard pressed to argue that the weather, the food and the lifestyle don’t make California a must-visit destination.

Shanghai

Alison’s third pick is a place in which she describes “sticking out like a sore thumb”, but Shanghai taught her a lot and she has very fond memories of the people and places she visited.

Dubai

Any suggestion that Alison picked this city of beautiful weather and opulent architecture purely because she got to stay in their 7-star hotel will not be tolerated. It is very hot though.

Mark’s picks

In order of discussion:

Sydney

Mark went flew to Sydney via Singapore, and did most of the things you’re supposed to do in Sydney. This is also a top pick for Alison.

New York City

Mark’s second pick is not necessarily a place you’d want to live, but definitely one you should take a good long look at. It’s not on Alison’s list, but perhaps it can make the final?

Egypt

Although it’s not necessarily a place Mark wants to visit alone, he’s captivated by the history of Egypt.

Jamaica

This nearly made Alison’s list, but it makes Mark’s because of its culture and its weather. That said, the disparity in wealth was a concern for both parties.

More of Alison Edgar

Alison is the Managing Director of Sales Coaching Solutions, author of Secrets of Successful Sales, and business speaker. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, and on LinkedIn.

Links

Support the podcast

Guest

Alison Edgar

Sales and marketing adviser, as seen on BBC One Breakfast. Dyslexic Amazon #1 Best Seller, award winning sales trainer and coach, International TEDx speaker.

Alison Edgar (@thealisonedgar) | Twitter

Home - Alison Edgar

Mark takes flight with speaker, author and “the entrepreneur’s godmother” Alison Edgar, to build a list of the best places it takes too long to fly to.

Alison flies a lot, and finds pinning her destinations on a map lends itself to a sense of perspective. Mark responds by finding another way to tie this into his favourite sci-fi series, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Alison, like Mark, enjoys — or enjoyed - a Bloody Mary, which has — for reasons best known to others — become de rigueur for those who enjoy boozing above the clouds.

Public service announcement: if you have Netflix and are on a long-haul flight, do remember to download a season of something to watch before you fly. No-one wants to be caught short if the in-flight media selection is sub-par.

Born in Glasgow and a self-styled extravert, Alison is not content with spending all day every day on the beach or in the local British theme pub, watching endless Only Fools repeats. She wants to mix it up with the people that make up the places she visits.

As well as a couple of good cocktail recommendations, this episode also includes a game you can play at the airport.

Get Extra Envy

https://gmail.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=700005fc27c6cd8f7b5fd6d8f&id=6907913a3e

Get signed up for the Extra Envy for delicious little nuggets you won’t get on the podcast.

Alison’s picks

In order of discussion:

Cape Town

Alison lived in Cape Town for a couple of years and considers it one of the most naturally beautiful cities she’s ever lived in. If you’re ever in South Africa, you absolutely must try a Don Pedro.

California

We’re developing a theme with Alison’s pick, but you’d be hard pressed to argue that the weather, the food and the lifestyle don’t make California a must-visit destination.

Shanghai

Alison’s third pick is a place in which she describes “sticking out like a sore thumb”, but Shanghai taught her a lot and she has very fond memories of the people and places she visited.

Dubai

Any suggestion that Alison picked this city of beautiful weather and opulent architecture purely because she got to stay in their 7-star hotel will not be tolerated. It is very hot though.

Mark’s picks

In order of discussion:

Sydney

Mark went flew to Sydney via Singapore, and did most of the things you’re supposed to do in Sydney. This is also a top pick for Alison.

New York City

Mark’s second pick is not necessarily a place you’d want to live, but definitely one you should take a good long look at. It’s not on Alison’s list, but perhaps it can make the final?

Egypt

Although it’s not necessarily a place Mark wants to visit alone, he’s captivated by the history of Egypt.

Jamaica

This nearly made Alison’s list, but it makes Mark’s because of its culture and its weather. That said, the disparity in wealth was a concern for both parties.

More of Alison Edgar

Alison is the Managing Director of Sales Coaching Solutions, author of Secrets of Successful Sales, and business speaker. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, and on LinkedIn.

Links

Support the podcast

Guest

Tani Levitt

Podcast producer for 247 Sports, host of SpeshFX, goofball extraordinaire.

Netanel Levitt – Medium

Tani Levitt (@HateItOrLevitt) | Twitter

Prepare to have your face melted clean off as you enter a whole new world of mouth noise, with guest Tani Levitt. And remember, if you’re sitting in the plash zone, you will get spittle all over you.

Tani presents SpeshFX, a narrative podcast that dives deep into the fascinating world of competitive beatboxing. If you’re familiar with the rap battle scene, it’s like that but nicer, and where people make their O face when being hit by several megatons of sick beats (just helping ease you in with the lingo).

Tani got into the scene via his brother, and started charting not only the beatbox battle scene, but also his own education, through SpeshFX. If you want a primer, start with his Beatboxing Basics YouTube playlist.

The world of the beatbox battle

Beatbox battles are judged equally on musicality, technicality, originality and stage presence. Both Tani’s and Mark’s picks have these qualities in spades, and especially for Tani who’s well-versed in this world, it can be difficult to rank performers when they’re at such a high level. So, mad props to all those spittin’ bars. (Is that a thing?)

Honourable mentions

Kaila Mullady

Beardyman

Nathan “Flutebox” Lee is probably the beatboxing flautist Mark is thinking of

Reeps One

Colaps

Zekka

Elisii

B-Art

Tani’s picks

In order of discussion:

Alem

This French master is Tani’s first pick for his technicality. He’s a multi-award-winner, having taken trophies home throughout the decade. Tani says his battle spirit and technicality are unparalleled.

Alexinho

Tani believes this Frenchman has the best singular set in beatbox history, and cites his 2017 battle against Two.H as “a masterstroke of technicality” and “90 seconds of non-stop power”. Check out the linked video, and watch for the tennis ball drop.

Hiss

This super-young and confoundingly-talented South Korean beat NaPoM to the finals in 2017. Tani describes him as a human metronome with a wide range of sounds. His studio album /Voiss/, released this year is available now.

Gene Shinozaki

This Boston beatboxer, originally from California is Tani’s favourite, for his pure musical talent. Ha made his stamp on the beatbox world in 2015 with his set entitled Jigsaw, for the Grand Beatbox Battle.

Mark’s picks

In order of discussion:

NaPoM

Hailing from the US, Neil Patrick Meadows (NaPoM) is Mark’s first pick as an entertainment powerhouse. He learned much of his technique from Tani’s #1 pick Alem, and Mark’s guest says he “redefined, with his lip roll, what it meant to be a cultured beatboxer”.

Codfish

Mark’s second pick caught him by surprise, which is why he placed perhaps higher than the other battler he was up against the first time Mark saw him. Mark enjoys the Aussie’s swagger and his ability to lift the energy of a room, and as of two weeks before this episode was recorded, his YouTube channel passed a million followers.

D-Low

Mark appreciates this Brit’s stage presence, entertainment value and sense of humour, and his ability to drop out of a beat, make a goof and unfailingly return. He won the Under-18 UK Beatbox Battle in 2014, and made it to the 2015 World Championships on the back of his wildcard video submission. Tani appreciated his moves in his battle against Colaps in this year’s Grand Beatbox Battle.

MB14

Frenchman Mohamed Belkhir, better known as MB14, is Mark’s final pick for his “amazing mouth gymnastics”, but he’s not been a solo battler for more than 15 months, having come up as part of Berywam. You can also check out his loop station album.

Where to go next

If this has got you ready for more, you can follow the scene

on YouTube

via SwissBeatbox, the host of the Grand Beatbox Battle, or Beatbox Battle who host the World Championships every two years,

and on Instagram

via Alem, Hiss, and Madox for the shoutouts, or Swish Beatbox for the goofs.

SpeshFX

You should subscribe to SpeshFX (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts), to learn infinitely more about the beatbox scene than you will here.

Links

Support the podcast

Guest

Tani Levitt

Podcast producer for 247 Sports, host of SpeshFX, goofball extraordinaire.

Netanel Levitt – Medium

Tani Levitt (@HateItOrLevitt) | Twitter

Prepare to have your face melted clean off as you enter a whole new world of mouth noise, with guest Tani Levitt. And remember, if you’re sitting in the plash zone, you will get spittle all over you.

Tani presents SpeshFX, a narrative podcast that dives deep into the fascinating world of competitive beatboxing. If you’re familiar with the rap battle scene, it’s like that but nicer, and where people make their O face when being hit by several megatons of sick beats (just helping ease you in with the lingo).

Tani got into the scene via his brother, and started charting not only the beatbox battle scene, but also his own education, through SpeshFX. If you want a primer, start with his Beatboxing Basics YouTube playlist.

The world of the beatbox battle

Beatbox battles are judged equally on musicality, technicality, originality and stage presence. Both Tani’s and Mark’s picks have these qualities in spades, and especially for Tani who’s well-versed in this world, it can be difficult to rank performers when they’re at such a high level. So, mad props to all those spittin’ bars. (Is that a thing?)

Honourable mentions

Kaila Mullady

Beardyman

Nathan “Flutebox” Lee is probably the beatboxing flautist Mark is thinking of

Reeps One

Colaps

Zekka

Elisii

B-Art

Tani’s picks

In order of discussion:

Alem

This French master is Tani’s first pick for his technicality. He’s a multi-award-winner, having taken trophies home throughout the decade. Tani says his battle spirit and technicality are unparalleled.

Alexinho

Tani believes this Frenchman has the best singular set in beatbox history, and cites his 2017 battle against Two.H as “a masterstroke of technicality” and “90 seconds of non-stop power”. Check out the linked video, and watch for the tennis ball drop.

Hiss

This super-young and confoundingly-talented South Korean beat NaPoM to the finals in 2017. Tani describes him as a human metronome with a wide range of sounds. His studio album /Voiss/, released this year is available now.

Gene Shinozaki

This Boston beatboxer, originally from California is Tani’s favourite, for his pure musical talent. Ha made his stamp on the beatbox world in 2015 with his set entitled Jigsaw, for the Grand Beatbox Battle.

Mark’s picks

In order of discussion:

NaPoM

Hailing from the US, Neil Patrick Meadows (NaPoM) is Mark’s first pick as an entertainment powerhouse. He learned much of his technique from Tani’s #1 pick Alem, and Mark’s guest says he “redefined, with his lip roll, what it meant to be a cultured beatboxer”.

Codfish

Mark’s second pick caught him by surprise, which is why he placed perhaps higher than the other battler he was up against the first time Mark saw him. Mark enjoys the Aussie’s swagger and his ability to lift the energy of a room, and as of two weeks before this episode was recorded, his YouTube channel passed a million followers.

D-Low

Mark appreciates this Brit’s stage presence, entertainment value and sense of humour, and his ability to drop out of a beat, make a goof and unfailingly return. He won the Under-18 UK Beatbox Battle in 2014, and made it to the 2015 World Championships on the back of his wildcard video submission. Tani appreciated his moves in his battle against Colaps in this year’s Grand Beatbox Battle.

MB14

Frenchman Mohamed Belkhir, better known as MB14, is Mark’s final pick for his “amazing mouth gymnastics”, but he’s not been a solo battler for more than 15 months, having come up as part of Berywam. You can also check out his loop station album.

Where to go next

If this has got you ready for more, you can follow the scene

on YouTube

via SwissBeatbox, the host of the Grand Beatbox Battle, or Beatbox Battle who host the World Championships every two years,

and on Instagram

via Alem, Hiss, and Madox for the shoutouts, or Swish Beatbox for the goofs.

SpeshFX

You should subscribe to SpeshFX (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts), to learn infinitely more about the beatbox scene than you will here.

Links

Support the podcast

Guest

Oliver Wang

Culture writer, sociology professor, disk junkie. Author of Legions of Boom and co-host of Heat Rocks.

oliverwang.net

O. Wang (@oliverswang) | Twitter

This week, Mark embarks on a journey of musical discovery, with Oliver Wang, co-host of the Heat Rocks podcast. If you’re not familiar with latin boogaloo, it’s time to get acquainted.

Oliver loves this fusion of more traditional latin melodies — with complex chords and meandering melodies — and the growing soul music movement, prevalent in 1960s New York, not just because of its inherently physical nature — this stuff just makes you wanna move — but because of what it teaches us about the culture at the time.

Just as a previous generation of immigrants embarked on a cultural exchange with the US and established themselves as the kings and queens of mambo and cha-cha-cha, so a new wave of second-generation American-raised Puerto Ricans, Cubans and Dominicans (to name a few) brought their musical heritage and mashed it up with the popular doo-wop and early R&B styles of the day.

Latin boogaloo wasn’t a lauded genre by purists, who saw it as a bit of a debasement of the complex and intricate style they were used to. It’s a story as old as time.

Get the Spotify playlist

To follow our Spotify playlist, full of all the songs we mention, sign up to Extra Envy, our free newsletter. It’s the perfect antidote to the encroaching autumn (the playlist, not the newsletter).

Honourable mentions

Subway Joe — Joe Bataan

In Line — George Guzman

El Malo — Willie Colón

Orchestra Harlow Presenta a Ismael Miranda

Soul Sauce — Cal Tjader

Dig My Feeling — Willie Bobo (single)

Oliver’s picks

In order of discussion:

Gypsy Woman — Joe Bataan

Joe Bataan grew up in Spanish Harlem and was at one time a Puerto Rican gang leader, but he avoided trouble by forming a band with some boys from the neighbourhood, which he took to Fania Records. Oliver appreciates Bataan’s vocals as well as the latin music chops of the band, which is what makes it his #1 pick.

I Like it Like That — Pete Rodríguez

Fans of Cardi B will recognise the chorus of this album’s hit single, as it opens I Like It, and is heavily sampled throughout.

Wanted Dead or Alive — Joe Cuba

Bang! Bang!, this album’s first track, was the first giant latin boogaloo hit. Mark believes it both slaps and bangs. Like Pete Rodriguez, Joe Cuba got his start a little earlier, so was ready to capitalise on the genre’s, albeit short-lived, boom.

Acid — Ray Barretto

Released on Fania, this is a good representation of how an older musician adapted to the latin soul music movement, and is what Oliver considers one of the best exemplars of the genre.

My Latin Soul — Bobby Matos and the Combo Conquistadores

In an interview he did with Oliver, Matos revealed how dissatisfied he was with this debut effort, insisting his later work was much more sophisticated and less musically naive, but Olives loves the raw feel of this album.

Mark’s picks

In order of discussion:

Ali Baba — Louie Ramirez

Mark enjoyed the variety of music on offer with this album: the playfulness, sometimes downright silliness, the catchiness of the melodies, and the satisfying sound of brass recorded and played back from vinyl. And for Oliver’s part, you can’t talk about Louie Ramirez without bringing up his production partner Bobby Marin.

Watermelon Man! — Mongo Santamaria

Mark is always a sucker for a cover of Herbie Hancock’s /Watermelon Man/. He felt this album was perhaps a little more sophisticated or stylish than some of the other offerings, but Oliver thinks of this as more of a porto-boogaloo album than a boogaloo album proper. Given that, perhaps more attention should be paid to Mongo’s son Monguito, who had a great career in the genre. If you want to hear what that sounds like, Oliver recommends /Hey Sister/.

Laberinto de Pasiones — La Lupe

Mark likes the sexiness of this album, and particularly the cover of Fever, which is, to use his words, “dripping with raunch”. Minus 10 points. La Lupe was one of the few notable latin boogaloo artists around at the time, so plus 10 points.

At the Party — Hector Rivera

While the title track is fun and energetic, Mark appreciated the smoother stylings and melody of Pra Vas Wilma. Oliver says that this album, like perhaps dozens of others at the era, were able to catch lightning in a bottle, even if we won’t remember them in decades to come.

More of Oliver Wang

As we recorded, Heat Rocks, the podcast he hosts with music supervisor Morgan Rhodes, was celebrating their 100th episode. You can, and absolutely should, check it out. You can follow Oliver on Twitter and on Instagram, and read his long-running music blog. All of his links can also be found on his website.

Links

Support the podcast

Guest

Oliver Wang

Culture writer, sociology professor, disk junkie. Author of Legions of Boom and co-host of Heat Rocks.

oliverwang.net

O. Wang (@oliverswang) | Twitter

This week, Mark embarks on a journey of musical discovery, with Oliver Wang, co-host of the Heat Rocks podcast. If you’re not familiar with latin boogaloo, it’s time to get acquainted.

Oliver loves this fusion of more traditional latin melodies — with complex chords and meandering melodies — and the growing soul music movement, prevalent in 1960s New York, not just because of its inherently physical nature — this stuff just makes you wanna move — but because of what it teaches us about the culture at the time.

Just as a previous generation of immigrants embarked on a cultural exchange with the US and established themselves as the kings and queens of mambo and cha-cha-cha, so a new wave of second-generation American-raised Puerto Ricans, Cubans and Dominicans (to name a few) brought their musical heritage and mashed it up with the popular doo-wop and early R&B styles of the day.

Latin boogaloo wasn’t a lauded genre by purists, who saw it as a bit of a debasement of the complex and intricate style they were used to. It’s a story as old as time.

Get the Spotify playlist

To follow our Spotify playlist, full of all the songs we mention, sign up to Extra Envy, our free newsletter. It’s the perfect antidote to the encroaching autumn (the playlist, not the newsletter).

Honourable mentions

Subway Joe — Joe Bataan

In Line — George Guzman

El Malo — Willie Colón

Orchestra Harlow Presenta a Ismael Miranda

Soul Sauce — Cal Tjader

Dig My Feeling — Willie Bobo (single)

Oliver’s picks

In order of discussion:

Gypsy Woman — Joe Bataan

Joe Bataan grew up in Spanish Harlem and was at one time a Puerto Rican gang leader, but he avoided trouble by forming a band with some boys from the neighbourhood, which he took to Fania Records. Oliver appreciates Bataan’s vocals as well as the latin music chops of the band, which is what makes it his #1 pick.

I Like it Like That — Pete Rodríguez

Fans of Cardi B will recognise the chorus of this album’s hit single, as it opens I Like It , and is heavily sampled throughout.

Wanted Dead or Alive — Joe Cuba

Bang! Bang! , this album’s first track, was the first giant latin boogaloo hit. Mark believes it both slaps and bangs. Like Pete Rodriguez, Joe Cuba got his start a little earlier, so was ready to capitalise on the genre’s, albeit short-lived, boom.

Acid — Ray Barretto

Released on Fania, this is a good representation of how an older musician adapted to the latin soul music movement, and is what Oliver considers one of the best exemplars of the genre.

My Latin Soul — Bobby Matos and the Combo Conquistadores

In an interview he did with Oliver, Matos revealed how dissatisfied he was with this debut effort, insisting his later work was much more sophisticated and less musically naive, but Olives loves the raw feel of this album.

Mark’s picks

In order of discussion:

Ali Baba — Louie Ramirez

Mark enjoyed the variety of music on offer with this album: the playfulness, sometimes downright silliness, the catchiness of the melodies, and the satisfying sound of brass recorded and played back from vinyl. And for Oliver’s part, you can’t talk about Louie Ramirez without bringing up his production partner Bobby Marin.

Watermelon Man! — Mongo Santamaria

Mark is always a sucker for a cover of Herbie Hancock’s /Watermelon Man/. He felt this album was perhaps a little more sophisticated or stylish than some of the other offerings, but Oliver thinks of this as more of a porto-boogaloo album than a boogaloo album proper. Given that, perhaps more attention should be paid to Mongo’s son Monguito, who had a great career in the genre. If you want to hear what that sounds like, Oliver recommends /Hey Sister/.

Laberinto de Pasiones — La Lupe

Mark likes the sexiness of this album, and particularly the cover of Fever , which is, to use his words, “dripping with raunch”. Minus 10 points. La Lupe was one of the few notable latin boogaloo artists around at the time, so plus 10 points.

At the Party — Hector Rivera

While the title track is fun and energetic, Mark appreciated the smoother stylings and melody of Pra Vas Wilma. Oliver says that this album, like perhaps dozens of others at the era, were able to catch lightning in a bottle, even if we won’t remember them in decades to come.

More of Oliver Wang

As we recorded, Heat Rocks, the podcast he hosts with music supervisor Morgan Rhodes, was celebrating their 100th episode. You can, and absolutely should, check it out. You can follow Oliver on Twitter and on Instagram, and read his long-running music blog. All of his links can also be found on his website.

Links

Support the podcast