Nuclear Beef

UPDATED, see below!

TV Commercial Techno Audio Beef Today. Toyota Scion gets a ripping choon from HumanWorldWide edIT.

This case seems different to me, because the track is clearly the choon. If I heard someone play this track on a dance-floor, I'd spaz out and start shaking my ass like crazy. I frankly don't care that it was commissioned for this commercial. It rocks harder than a magic kiss, it really whups the camel's ass. (RIP Wesley Willis) If we accept that "it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing" we must also accept that it do mean a thing if it does got that swing.

This track (which is clearly excerpted from a longer piece, though the video and full-length track seem to be unavailable on the internets) certainly has enough swing to go around. According to this page at the Ad Tunes forum it was produced by someone who works for the ad agency linked above. A guy has also posted a (96k/s) mp3 extended mix of the track over here. I have contacted the agency to request confirmation (as well as the release of the full-length track) and I will let you know if I get it. I believe that there is more to the track because of the way it 'ends' with the first part of a melodic line. I can hear the end of it in my head, which seems like a good indication that there's more.

Thanks to Moe Rex, I know there are a lot of people spazzing out about Scion's branding efforts, in particular what has been called Scion-Hop. For my part I'm happy whenever an artist gets paid for their art. I don't really care why they're getting paid, how they're getting paid, or whatever. If Scion wants to "keep it real" by throwing free shows for Hip-Hop heads.. um.. free Hip-Hop shows, the artists get paid.. where's the problem again?

Of course, anyone who actually buys into Scion's marketing hype is a schmuck.

SCION (the car company and the magazine) recognizes the value of the individual and the remix, the re-appropriation of mass culture, and it will focus on the struggle, the challenge and the successes of keeping it real.

The idea of the remix has become more common and now can be applied to entire identities, from music to fashion, from technology to art. The lines have been blurred. The opportunity for independence is vital. We are now active participants in the process, tricking out the smallest details, tweaking the characteristics to fit our lifestyles.

Their ad copy says stuff like 'The idea of the remix has become more common and can now be applied to entire identities' and I'm supposed to be upset? That's what I've been telling people for years now! I'm glad as hell that we agree, though it sure ain't a reason to buy a car...

(Of course, in teh Japan Scions are just Toyotas. I saw nuff middle-aged Japanese ladies driving around in Scion Xbs to have permanently seperated the physical vehicle from Toyota's excellent branding efforts. What a difference a brand makes.)

UPDATE : According to the most recent update at the Complex Players Club blog (which represents the LA glitch scene (and has no permalinks)) this track is produced by none other than a favorite of Nuclear Beef (and Dozer Blog and Comfort Music), Los Angeles glitchster Edward Ma, aka edIT, of Planet Mu Records. Go figure, one of my favorite electronic artists creates a track for a commercial and I love it so much that I post it. I've fixed the id3 tags on the file to reflect edIT as the artist. I've also contacted him and hope to get his commentary on the track and the experience of working with Toyota/Scion.

Thanks to edIT for making this post's point so very well. Extra special Beef thanks to Brad Weslake for the heads up in comments.