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It all started at a Detroit strip club, with a platter of deep-fried beef taquitos and a dancer whose face looked a bit like Burt Reynolds. It was here that Sam Baker first met a self-described fan of his, who told him to take his music work more seriously. Sam had long since graduated from tapping on piano to working on the MPC and 404 under the name Samiyam, circulating beat tapes among local crew in Michigan. He was among a network of post- Donuts hip-hop producers focusing on instrumentals as the work. Flying Lotus met Sam and picked him for the debut release on his Brainfeeder label, 2008’s Rap Beats Vol. 1. Sam Baker’s Album followed in 2011. His Wish You Were Here showed up on Leaving Records in 2013, along with production work for Earl Sweatshirt, Captain Murphy and Pharoahe Monch along the way. Samiyam, extended Stones Throw family for a while now, debuts with Animals Have Feelings, an album which he considers the creative sequel to Rap Beats Vol. 1. “Animals has roots in beats made around the time of Vol. 1, and the new stuff on the record has some of the same sound.” The record is classic instrumental hip-hop, mixed with a handful of rap tracks he did with the few MC collaborators he chooses to work with: Earl (Mirror), Action Bronson (Mr.Wonderful), Jeremiah Jae and Oliver the 2nd (Lord of the Rings).

Fat Beats Records is proud to present Baker’s Dozen, an exclusive vinyl series that shines a light on the best minds of instrumental hiphop, ambient, and electronic music. Each installment gives one artist carte blanche to capture their signature sound.Every volume’s 500-unitstrictly limited vinyl pressing features one artist and twelve tracks, but only 250 units will contain the thirteenth track -- the eponymous “baker’s dozen bonus” -- on a flexi disc. The LPs also come equipped with a 5x7” postcard insert that features a photo of the artist’s workspace along with the equipment used in their music-making process. Visually cohesive and packaged with the utmost attention to detail, Baker’s Dozen is a series that speaks up for artists whose craft renders voices superfluous, whose instrumentals alone suffice to make a statement.Volume One highlights Los Angeles born / Sacramento based beat maker Dibiase, whose style is best described in his own words: “It’s crazy to think that my equipment collection and beat making process started back in high school with just an 8 second Gemini sampler and a Sony Walkman. It was a super basic set up. Back then I used whatever I could get my hands on. Finding different samples, looping them up, running the layers back through the Walkman. Adding more layers and repeating that process until I had a beat. It worked. My process is a lot different now but in some ways it’s the same. I still do a lot of layering. I use a combination of hardware and software. Sometimes I start with a sample. Sometime I start with drums. It depends on my mood and the genre. Sometime I use a kit. Other times I will sample and layer drums, run them through another piece of equipment like the SP-12 or 404 to dirty them up, then dump them back into Ableton.I really don’t have a set way of doing things musically. I like to experiment with different technics and styles. I like my music to have a certain sound. Most of the time I let the process happen naturally.”

Red Apples 45 takes a flight out west on the next release. This time teaming up Ray West with west coast MC BLU for an introspective LP titled Crenshaw Jezebel… A melodic ride were BLU’s flow and word play blend with Rays sound to create a vibe of street essence & relationship conflicts . A 12 inch vinyl / digital release with custom art from legendary Joe Buck and features Red Apples own AG of DITC , Dave Dar & Es-K.

Back in the day a very young Clyde Alexander went into the studio with Gary Davis and Sanction at the behest of Mr. Peter Brown. The cut they laid down that day has been sought after and filling dance floors ever since. Gary Davis and his neighbor Truck constructed what many believe to be the ultimate hook in "Gotta Get Your Love". Gary's lavish yet simple arrangement and Trucks lyrics are backed with one of the most solid bass lines you'll ever hear over a beat so steady it's like bedrock. This record is so tight it's hard to believe every player at this session was in their teens when this was laid down on tape. That is with the exception of Gary Davis who was the elder statesman of this outing at the advanced age of 24. Give this one a spin and you'll understand how Gary and his crew from Camden made history that afternoon in '79.

Another extremely rare underground record coming out of the P&P camp. This highly sought after 12” originally released on Lonnie Records is an absolute gem combining Jazz, Funk and Disco. Although there is little to nothing known about the Foster Jackson Group, Feel The Spirit was Mixed by Tim Benedict, who was a recording engineer at Sound Palace Studios in NYC where he assisted greats like Patrick Adams (on a variety of projects), and Jazz-Funk legend Bob James. With that in mind, it’s no wander this track is one that appeals to both the Jazz Funk/rare groove fans and Disco heads alike. An Incredible uptempo mover loaded with a jazzy organ, horns, congas, and funky breakdowns Feel the Spirit goes far beyond the body, it’s all about the soul!