As we haven't posted our usual Play Of The Week feature for some time, we have decided to rename it in a more reliable and inspired guise; Play For Today. Today can be any day and here is today's pick.

Octo Octa is a Brooklyn based producer making what he calls 'dance tracks influenced by House, UK Bass, Italo, Disco, Reggaeton, and everything else dance. This is taken from a limited run tour cassette but is available in digi format titled Rough, Rugged & Raw. Pick it up ya'll like Justin Warfield.

Octo Octa - Blush (House Mix) - 100% Silk

_The Ghost Mix is a new series of compilations put together every month by some of the favorite artists chosen from the world of CASA and mixed by another one of their favorite artists a.k.a. The Ghost (as his name is never revealed). An interesting concept indeed.

A word from Optimo:

"Some music from all over the place that we love, cunningly mixed by a mystery technician.."

Their ears love you.

Tracklisting and audio here.

Somehow, amongst the desperate scramble to release Wiley albums, attend (or avoid) Xmas parties and refurbish Big Dada Towers, they've managed to stuff a Christmas stocking of a podcast until its very seams are stretching. New music from Speech Debelle, Roots Manuva, Bang On! Dobie and of course, Wiley himself, who's even contributed a Christmas song he made 'specially. Dobie talks about a song that influenced him and it's all effortlessly held together by our very own Bing Crosby - the velvet voiced A La Fu. Pour yourself a brandy, sit back and enjoy. Happy holidays!

BIG DADA PODCAST XMAS SPECIAL

Our man A La Fu blessed the turntables last night on the Mary Anne Hobbs show alongside the one and only Roots Manuva mixing a special selection of songs chosen by the artist to celebrate the release of his new 4everevolution LP which is available now on 2LP, CD and download from the Ninjashop and iTunes.

Gwan A La Fu Gwan

Tracklist:
I'm In Dub - Dub Pistols - Sunday Best Recordings
Yagga - Zed Bias ft Serocee - Tru Thoughts
Ladywell - Joy Orbison - Doldrums
Honey (Seiji Mix) -Erykah Badu - Unknown
Feral - Radiohead - XL

Roots Manuva & A La Fu on Mary Anne Hobbs show - Xfm - 3/11/11

With powerful wings and keen senses The Predatory Bird uses these clusters of anatomical and behavioural features to examine the world with his cold beady eye, the results are then digitized and presented to us in the form of a unique collection of extremely well cultivated posts.

Rumour also has it that The Predatory Bird has finished recording his first batch of songs with A La Fu at the controls and we at VaVa Records are very proud to be able to present this collection to you in the very near future in vinyl record form. More details will be posted on the site as soon as we have them.

If you are looking for a short break, now is the time. You are invited. RSVP: vavahq@vavarecords.com

DJ MEMOIRS - CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE
LTD EDITION BOOK & 2 CD AVAILABLE FROM ONLINE STORE

New colours available. . .

GOD INVENTED THE MEDIA PLAYER; KENNY A LA FU CAME UP WITH SOMETHING NICE TO PUT IN IT.

We are extremely excited to present to you the release of a very unique project from the world of A La Fu: DJ Memoirs - Choose Your Own Adventure.

Based on the role-playing stories we may have read when we were young, A La Fu's meticulously constructed book with accompanying audio reflects lives and times through that curious pastime of playing records, putting you in charge of the tables that turn. It's a true insight into the weird and wonderful world of the disc jock, it's scenarios, twists and turns.

The release is essentially a vast mixtape but with a number of audio possibilities, all of which run in conjunction with short narratives that place you in the role of the d.j. These stories relate to the various objectives and settings you may find yourself in when playing records in public, whether touring, in clubs, bars, festivals or for bands. It even comes complete with a wedding party jam thrown in as you're friends know what you do and you can't hide.

**This book is limited to 100 hand numbered copies with screen-printed covers designed by London towns legendary graff/design/artist Remi/Rough and is available in four colours. To purchase or for more information and audio snippets click here**

Up, down, left of centre; each of us has to choose our own adventure.

                                                   3 November 1943 – 5 October 2011

This has been bubbling in this here ether for a while but as it finally comes out on vinyl from Nov 1st 'Exmilitary' by Death Grips should be listened to by anyone out there who is fan of music.

We can't help but hear future like transmissions akin to Freestyle Fellowship for example alongside a selection of styles that will have you standing to attention from the opening measure. Try this Link Wray sampled number for size and tell us this doesn't remind you of a certain RZA project. Purchase here.

Death Grips - Spread Eagle Across The Blocks - Thirdworlds - 2011

...VaVa Records has just began it's foray into the sometime idiosyncratic twitsville and other than beginning to understand that you can get to know quite a lot about some people without having met them, we have quickly discovered some worthwhile correspondence.

Consistently a voice outside the medium but just as much in it is El-P @therealelp. The funniest we've came across is our good friend and another native New Yorker Rob Sonic @Rob_Sonic, we mean laugh out loud funny which brings us to the prince of Norwich, Alan Partridge @ThisisPartridge He has a new book out and well worth checking the page as well as the related video on amazon here.

Let's not spend all day on the thing though.