[WATCH] Sam I - "Don't Give Up" / Heaven: Short Film Dance Rehearsal BTS

Sam I and Nevaeh Meraz, lovingly lifted from his Instagram

Not sure why I sat on this video for a few days, but after re-watching it again I’m tryna make sure that the inspiration gets spread around.

Before we get to the nitty gritty about why this video is specifically giving me The Feels™ imma make sure we’re all on the same page. TL;DR - Sam Speigel, whom we have adored thoroughly on this site for his N.A.S.A. projects is clearing the slate on any other AKA of his and will be moving forward releasing music as Sam I.

With that, he’s just released his debut full-length under his aforementioned new moniker titled, Random Shit From The Internet Era. The album is full of features from like…everybody? No but really. We’re talking Freddie Gibbs, Theophilus London, Doja Cat, Anderson .Paak, RZA, Barbie Hatch, etc. etc. As the name would suggest, it’s not exactly a “cohesive album” per say, as it’s more a collection of ideas that have been lingering around for awhile that he decided to finish and shoot out into the world. “I usually love to work conceptually,” notes Spiegel. “Call me old school, but I love making albums that have a theme or concept that carries you through the record.” For me, the magic of this record is knowing that some of these songs were ideas that were over 15 years old. Yes, you read right. That was not a typo. Some of these are 15 years in the making. It really speaks to the equally groundbreaking and timeless nature of Spiegel’s music IMO.

OKAY BUT LET’S GET TO THIS VIDEO BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY NEED THIS.

For his latest single, “Don’t Give Up”, which features Sia, Busta Rhymes & Vic Mensa (I fucking told you everybody is on this goddamn record 😂), Spiegel assembled some lovely behind the scenes footage from his forthcoming short film that he began working on prior to the pandemic. Would you be surprised to hear that COVID derailed his plans to shoot the film back in March? 🙄 yeah didn’t think so. The film is based off the real life experiences of a dancer named Nevaeh Meraz who overcame abuse, depression and suicide attempts to become an acclaimed performer.

As the backstory goes (because I refuse to spoil her part of the story), the way he and Meraz linked up was a byproduct of her tagging him in videos of her dancing to his music on Instagram. Some more random shit from the internet era, if you will. As he shares, “I was struck by her. She dances with so much feeling. It's all there...right on the surface. She lays it all out in her expression, not hiding anything.” Even though some filming restrictions have been lifted he decided to cut together some of the dance rehearsal and interview footage as a kind of behind-the-scenes prequel to the film.

When I say I was covered in goosebumps after hearing her story of how she got into dancing. Y’all…. 🥺 It’s so beautiful the way that a world of pain can produce moments like this. I hope taking four minutes and four seconds to have a glance at this video helps you remember that your life can dramatically change in an instant, so if you’re struggling right now like I feel like we all are (thanks stupid fucking pandemic), don’t give up.

(ps 404 - more random internet shit, I SEE YOU SAM I 🤪😂)

Watch “Don’t Give Up” below. If you want the full message from Spiegel about his decision to work under Sam I, I’ve included that after the video. 😊

A NOTE FROM SAM SPIEGEL, AKA SAM I

With Random Shit from the Internet Era, I’ll be releasing my first album as a solo artist. Like so many things in our world, I’ve gone through a huge transition these past few years, and I feel like I’m embarking on a new life…a new version of myself. I’ve always created music behind a pseudonym. It was fun to be N.A.S.A. because I love space so much. I could explore my passion for the foreign, the mysterious, the unknown, the unity of humanity, all of the things that space signifies to me. With Maximum Hedrum, the only rule in the studio with Derrick and I was to have fun so I expressed my goofy side. I wrote just to make Derrick and myself laugh, I explored my perversions, got psychedelic. But at a certain point I started to feel limited by these projects—like I wasn’t able to express all of the feelings, thoughts, and ideas I have within their concepts—so I started releasing music as myself, Sam Spiegel.

With N.A.S.A.’s “Jihad Love Squad” I started to learn how to work with moving picture and discovered my love for directing, which I continued developing as I embarked on a transitional period. I needed to clear my musical slate and release everything that I’ve had stored up for years; music that I’ve been wanting to release but has never fit within my other projects. It’s been a few years of putting out these random songs, some of which have ended up on Random Shit…

I’m clearing my slate with Random Shit… It is a new beginning for me. My music coming out going forward is not reiterations of old songs modernized, but where I stand now and into the future. It is day one for me in my new life as a grown-ass human and artist, and so I’ll be releasing everything from here on out under my new name, Sam I, both on the audio and the visual side. I hope you all come along on this new adventure with me. 

Lots of love and thanks for listening,
Sam I

[Download] Barbie Hatch - "Run To Me" (BeeGees Cover)

I remember after N.A.S.A.'s debut album The Spirit of Apollo first came out and I heard Barbie Hatch on the song "Way Down" I had to hear more from this amazing vocallist. I later ran across her MySpace page which featured this awesome cover of The BeeGees "Run To Me" and now a few years later, her debut album Hypertrophic Heart is nearing release and we have the finished version of "Run To Me" from her upcoming debut.

Peep the song in the player below, as well as another song "Stars" from her debut album. If you are fan of downtempo albums like Dan The Automator works such as Handsome Boy Modelling School, Lovage or Squeak E Clean's work like the N.A.S.A. albums make sure you pick this album up. Hypertrophic Heart is set for release on June 28th.

Barbie Hatch - "Run To Me" (BeeGees Cover) by Some Kind of Awesome

[Download] Barbie Hatch - "Stars"

Most of you are probably going, "Who the hell is Barbie Hatch?" Well if you are familiar with the DJ group N.A.S.A. (which I'm sure you should be) which consists of Squeak E. Clean (aka Sam Spiegel, The brother of director Spike Jonze) and DJ Zegon, Barbie was featured on the track from their debut album The Spirit of Apollo titled "Way Down" which featured Wu Tang's RZA and former Red Hot Chili Peppers' guitarist John Frusciante and has also been featured on their follow up EP The Big Bang as well as other collaborations with Squeak E. Clean.

Hatch has now linked up with Squeak E. Clean's Spectrophonic Sound label to release her debut album  Hypertrophic Heart on June 28th and today we get our first taste of the upcoming album with the single "Stars." Check it out in the player below and if you dig it, make sure you check out her previous collaborations with Squeak E. Clean, N.A.S.A. and Swollen Members on iTunes.

Barbie Hatch - "Stars" by Some Kind of Awesome

[Watch and Download] N.A.S.A. covers Max Romeo's "Chase the Devil" For Dr. Martens 50th Anniversary

To celebrate their 50th Anniversary Dr. Martens has asked 10 bands to record their version of cult classic tracks that represent the spirit of the brand over the past five decades. N.A.S.A. chose to re-interpret Max Romeo and The Upsetters' classic reggae anthem "I Chase the Devil" (Sampled in Jay-Z's Kanye produced track "Lucifer") a fitting choice for the intergalactic duo. 

After hours spent crunching real tape loops and experimenting withthe dubbing to get exactly the right "stoned, spacey feel", the production on the track sparkles. The animated video that accompanies is every inch as virtuoso with humor and imagination in excess. Director Don Letts has broken boundaries left, right and centre in his film work and this video continues that spirit of exploration with extra-powerful visuals. 

N.A.S.A. - "Chase The Devil" (Max Romeo and The Upsetters Cover) by Some Kind of Awesome

[Watch] N.A.S.A. - "Strange Enough" Feat. Ol' Dirty Bastard, Karen O and Fatlip (Video)

This morning, musical collective N.A.S.A. (North America/South America) led by DJ and remixer Squeak E. Clean and Brazilian cutting edge DJ/pro-skateboarder DJ Zegon dropped a new video for "Strange Enough" feat. Ol' Dirty Bastard (RIP), Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), and Fat Lip (Pharcyde).

The video features all original artwork by Calma (aka Stephan Doitschinoff), was produced by Terence Teh and directed by Lorna T & Studio Giblets.

The duo recently released new album The Big Bang (Spectrophonic Sound/DashGo), which features two new tracks and dance floor interpretations of select songs from The Spirit of Apollo--their 2009 debut. A free MP3 of new track “I Wanna Be Your Lover” featuring Max Hedrum and Barbie Hatch is available now.

[Listen] N.A.S.A. Drops New Remix LP With Two New Tracks

N.A.S.A dropped their remix album earlier this week titled The Big Bang, which features remixes of tracks off their debut album The Spirit of Apollo and 2 fresh new tracks, the Blade Runner sampling "The Big Bang" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover". Check out both of the new tunes below and grab the album that features remixes by Mr. Oizo, Steve Aoki, Villians and more now.

[Listen] N.A.S.A. - The Big Bang feat. Maximum Hedrum

[Listen] N.A.S.A. - I Wanna Be Your Lover feat. Maximum Hedrum and Barbie Hatch

[Video] N.A.S.A. "O Pato" (feat. Kool Kojak & DJ Babão)

Cartoon spacemen with turntable backpacks that get wasted with ducks!? YES PLEASE!

Enjoy: "O Pato"