Thursday 27 December 2012

The Red Eyes - Red Army

The Red Eyes, “Melbourne’s very own Reggae Superstars” (PBS FM), have firmly established their position as one of Australia’s leading original Dub/Reggae acts. They have received critical acclaim for ‘Red Army’ (2010), including a nomination for ‘Best Blues & Roots Album’ at the 2010 Australian Independent Record Label Awards and ‘Album of the Week’ on PBS FM and Radio Australia.
Founded in 2002, The Red Eyes brings together 7 multi-instrumentalist musicians who deliver an explosive live sound that combines masterful beats and shake the house dub rhythms with heartfelt lyrics that provide unique antipodean spin on the broad Reggae genre. The band is led on stage by enigmatic front man El Witeri (2011 APRA Songwriter Award Finalist) who draws on his New Zealand upbringing and Maori heritage for inspiration. Witeri introduces and closes each show in Maori to represent himself and welcome people into the whanau (family), creating a sense of community and openness that fans and new audiences are drawn to.
Red Army is expertly produced dub goodness…full character, tight, catchy and brimming with soul.



Projeto CCOMA - Peregrino

Projeto CCOMA is a brazilian duo of contemporary instrumental jazz. Formed by Roberto Scopel (trumpet) and Swami Sagara (percussion), the Projeto CCOMA mix drums to electronic music and the hang drum to trumpet, to create a music that could be called Future Jazz.
The album "peregrino" has the participation of many special guests such as Luciano Sallum from "pedra branca", Zeca Baleiro and Di Melo among others.


 
 

A Bad Donato - Joao Donato Psychedelicfunkyexperience (1970)

' "A Bad Donato" was an attempt to break into the contemporary overseas market. I wanted to be successful and bossa nova wasn't my thing anymore, it was too much singing -- João Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim were all working closely with lyrics. Frank Sinatra had recorded their songs. Yet, my music didn't fit into any genre, or if it did it was jazz that wasn't such a commercial success. Jazz musicians were moving more into popular music, such as Miles Davis and Wes Montgomery, and they were starting to play to big audiences. Fusion came along and my record was something like that, a fusion of Brazilian music with jazz rock and electronica.'

"I don't play acoustic piano on this record at all, just the keyboards. At the time, music was very raw, noisier. The Beatles were happening, shouting out their lyrics, and Jimi Hendrix ... who shouted with his guitar. And I made the noisiest record I can ever remember making."

João Donato


 
 

Friday 21 December 2012

Karl Denson - Dance Lesson #2

Saxophonist Karl Denson may not have the name recognition enjoyed by new-jack jazzmen such as Charlie Hunter or Medeski, Martin & Wood, but that should change with Dance Lesson #2, his Blue Note debut. A versatile player, Denson played with Lenny Kravitz in the early '90s and helped found the acclaimed if short-lived Greyboy Allstars in the mid-'90s. He's also cut a handful of albums on small labels, the early ones more straight-ahead and the later ones more locked into the groove thing. Here, Denson's work on alto, tenor, and flute rides the dance-floor jazz groove with the melodic sense of Herbie Mann and the immaculate funk timing of Maceo Parker, who is undoubtedly an influence. An all-star cast of sidemen that includes Melvin Sparks, Charlie Hunter, Chris Wood, and DJ Logic urge Denson on by holding nothing back themselves. This set is also diverse--while some tunes delve deep into the groove, others verge on smooth jazz, making for a nicely paced, well-crafted album.

 
 

Dynamo Productions - Analogue

DJ's Scott Hendy and Andy Smith are the brains and team behind Dynamo Productions and their debut release on Illicit/Invada, Analogue, bridges the gap between hip hop, old skool funk and breaks, giving respect to the past while keeping their feet in the present.

Hit The Floor warms things up, it's one for the dancefloor and has featured on Deadly Avenger's Fabriclive CD and also on the Battlecreek series - a highly sampladelic jam with a nasty organ sample on top. Get It Together uses the same sample that made Soul of Man's "Between The Eyes" such a popular tune.

MC Profile features on two tracks - the laidback Think and head-nodding hip hop of Back To Basics. The latter works for me as it is catchier thanks to it's funky bassline and more uptempo feel.

The uptempo joints on the album are it's high points, a healthy mixture of old skool breaks, funky basslines coupled with scratches and cuts that Andy and Scott are known for. Busta Beat is a personal highlight of the album thanks to it's b-boy breakbeats, latin orchestra horns and James Brown like "Bust It" samples. Look out for the breakdown in the middle!

The album also has it's share of downtempo tracks such as Slip Inn and the bluesy Airwaves featuring yawning strings on a laidback beat and the album finishes off with the piano heavy We're Through featuring a female vocal sample, which appears to be lifted off a classic breakup tune.

Overall Analogue is a great album and born out of the need for Andy and Scott to bridge the gap between hip hop and funk tunes in their block rockin' DJ sets and unlike DJ Format's album, doesn't over utilise the skit approach to bridging the gap between songs.


 
 
 

DJ Vadim - U Can't Lurn Imaginashun

Early in his career, DJ Vadim was a specialist. His specialty was shadowy ambient breakbeat, and it provided some of the highlights to appear on Ninja Tune, which was a very fine label indeed. Since then, he's branched out and matured, able to float all manner of beat-centric forms. That's exactly what happens on U Can't Learn Imaginashun, and virtually every track is the type of high-quality jam that could survive on its own. (It's easy to imagine the praise a DJ would get for his range if he aired the 18 tracks here in a DJ set.) Though he starts with dancehall, Vadim spends a lot of time in hip-hop, but with many variations on the form: classic hip-hop, digitalia, East Coast hardcore, and slow-grind R&B. Vadim also gets the most out of his obscure cast of featured guests, including a pair of serviceable East Coasters named Juice Lee and Rjay, the outre R&B vocalist Sabirajade (who appears on three great tracks, including the deep-grooving "Thrill Seeker"), and Chicago veteran Pugs Atomz (who appears on "Saturday" and "Always Lady," a pair of completely different settings). Oddly enough, the variety on tap can make for a scattered listen, but U Can't Learn Imaginashun  is studded with great tracks.

 
 

Di Melo - Di Melo

If you´re into brasilian (soul) music you will love this record, but I can present you almost no information about the artist. It was rereleased on CD a few years ago, is hard to get on vinyl and you have to pay a lot of money for it, but never got much attention like other brasilian artists. This record is a true inspiration: soulfull vocals, funky grooves, Tropicalismo and Latin influences in general resulted 1974 in a record (as far as I know the only Di Melo release), that seems to be premature for the date of the release. It is time to rediscover this jewel and if you have some more informations about Di Melo, please leave a comment.

It is hard not to fall in love with this record, Samba Soul.

 
 
 

Cunninlynguists - Strange Journey Vol. 2

One of the decades most consistent independent Hip Hop
groups, CunninLynguists return with Strange Journey: Volume
2. Hailing from Kentucky, the trio consisting of Kno, Deacon The
Villain and Natti has built a rabid fan base with past releases
Southernunderground, Will Rap For Food, A Piece of Strange,
and Dirty Acres, as well as extensive worldwide touring with
Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan and Brand Nubian. Despite their
Southern roots, the group has become a key centerpiece in
East Coast Hip Hop conglomerate QN5. In the past two years
the group has been covered by XXL Magazine, Spin, The
Source, URB Magazine, XLR8R and more. Strange Journey:
Volume 2 features guest appearances from platinum artist E-40
and Evidence of Dilated Peoples Represented by The Agency
Group.


 
 

Saturday 15 December 2012

Alice Russel - Under The Munka Moon

Alice Russell's UNDER THE MUNKA MOON shows the British soul singer at her finest on songs like "Someday" and "Peace Resides," among others. 2007 release from the first lady of contemporary UK Soul. Best known for her recordings with The Quantic Soul Orchestra and Bah Samba, Under The Munka Moon sees Alice performing a collection of her favorite tunes that draw from her musically diverse past. 13 tracks.
She was born in 1975, the daughter of an organist, and grew up in Framlingham in Suffolk. At the age of nine, following in her father and sisters' musical footsteps, Alice began taking lessons on the cello, and sang in choirs, before attending studying art and music in Brighton from 1994.
As well as the classical influences of her father, and formal music lessons, Russell began finding influence in Gospel music and soul artists such as Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin from an early age played a big part in the shaping of her style. Artists including as Minnie Ripperton, Eva Cassidy, Chaka Khan and Jill Scott are listed by Alice Russell as influences.

The Cat Empire - So Many Nights

Forget the didgeridoo. The Cat Empire has to be the real sound of Australia. It’s perfectly multicultural, young, accomplished, fresh, funky and above all, fun.
They’ve stayed down-to-earth, innovative, and intimate despite their first two albums making platinum status and their third receiving an ARIA. This is a band that refuses to be pigeonholed. Listen to them, and I dare you not to smile and dance, even if you’re feeling glum.
Felix Riebl’s voice, holds everything together. It handles rap, meringue, big band sound, ska, funk, or jazz with an equal laid back smiling croon. And just when you think you can’t be caressed any more sweetly, along comes Oliver McGill on his amazing piano tearing your heart out with most amazing virtuoso. And then comes the trumpets, the flugelhorn, the trombone, the guitars, and the whole thing explodes into a terrific party where you just can’t stop dancing around the living room.


Tosca - Suzuki

Tosca is the joint musical project of Richard Dorfmeister and Rupert Huber from Vienna, Austria. The three Tosca albums „Opera“ (1996), „Suzuki“ (1999) and „Dehli 9“ (2002) are considered milestones of the downtempo genre.
More moody musical fairytales from Richard Dorfmeister, this time with Rupert Huber under the guise of Tosca. Suzuki is--like his releases with Kruder and Dorfmeister--a sublime work that manipulates emotions through sound. Soft and sweet, subtle and supple, Tosca's tracks drift, sifting from one dream to the next. Though they patch hip-hop, jazz, ambient, and techno together, you can't hear where one begins and the other ends. "Annanas" pairs sneaky, squeaky scratching with a lusty female vocal and bossa-nova-inspired hip-hop breaks, while "Orozco" loops a playful riff, running it through reverbs and filters, creating something like pure bliss for the ears.

 

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Barrington Levy - Poorman Style (1982)

Clocking in at just over 30 minutes, this great example of early dancehall is a short and sweet classic. Many will recognise some of the riddims from Freddie McGregor's Big Ship album. Levy's vocals warble over the steady beats and deep bass with lyrical content ranging from the lovers rock of "She Is the Best Girl" and "Rob and Gone" to the tribulations of Jamaican life in "Poor Man Style" and "Man Give Up." The ganja anthem "Sensimelea" is also here. The production from Linval Thompson is solid and the mixing from Scientist, which means some precision dub effects mainly on the drums and vocals, puts the icing on the cake. These effects work brilliantly all through the album, but especially on "I Can't Wait too Long"; probably my favourite track on this strong set.

 

AYB Force - Lost Breaks

A.Y.B. (Abnormal Yellow Band) FORCE is a trio of Japanese Break beat artists. Their only US release to date is the 2006 Lost Breaks. Lost breaks is typified by break beats and samples over jazz horns and piano. Before they were known as A.Y. B. Force they were known as DJ Lark Chillout and the Funk Messangers.
 


Nightmares On Wax - Thought So

The venerable Nightmares On Wax return with ''Thought So...,'' a sun-drenched collection of dub and heavy drums arriving just in time to wrap up summer madness. After paving the way for soul-minded beat-smiths like Madlib and Flying Lotus, this latest LP is another important step in an already iconic career. Buoyant and supremely catchy, ''Thought So...'' is another skillful combo of advanced production and vintage groove. In short, the record gives fans everything they have come to expect from Nightmares On Wax.



Tuesday 11 December 2012

Saint Germain - Tourist

Since the advent of acid jazz in the mid-'80s, the many electronic-jazz hybrids to come down the pipe have steadily grown more mature, closer to a balanced fusion that borrows the spontaneity and emphasis on group interaction of classic jazz while still emphasizing the groove and elastic sound of electronic music. For his second album, French producer Ludovic Navarre expanded the possibilities of his template for jazzy house by recruiting a sextet of musicians to solo over his earthy productions. The opener "Rose Rouge" is an immediate highlight, as an understated Marlena Shaw vocal sample ("I want you to get together/put your hands together one time"), trance-state piano lines, and a ride-on-the-rhythm drum program frames solos by trumpeter Pascal Ohse and baritone Claudio de Qeiroz. For "Montego Bay Spleen," Navarre pairs an angular guitar solo by Ernest Ranglin with a deep-groove dub track, complete with phased effects and echoey percussion. "Land Of..." moves from a Hammond- and horn-led soul-jazz stomp into Caribbean territory, marked by more hints of dub and the expressive Latin percussion of Carneiro. Occasionally, Navarre's programming (sampled or otherwise) grows a bit repetitious -- even for dance fans, to say nothing of the jazzbo crowd attracted by the album's Blue Note tag. Though it is just another step on the way to a perfect blend of jazz and electronic, Tourist is an excellent one.

 
 
 

TM Juke - Maps Of The Wilderness

A cohesion of beautiful melodies and rugged beats, “Maps from the Wilderness” is an accomplished album that should earn TM Juke the same accolades as fellow Tru Thoughts album acts Quantic, Jon Kennedy and Bonobo (who now record for Grand Central and Ninja Tune respectively).
Having recorded various songs for Tru Thoughts under the guise of Al Stylus, TM Juke took it upon himself to adopt a name suitable for styles and sounds he wished to explore with this album. The styles are varied and they seem to span the full orchestral range; rolling timpani drums underpin hazy beats whilst delicate guitars flitter amongst intricate strings.
As a producer, TM Juke draws on funk, soul, hip-hop and jazz influences, but adds a greater depth and maturity with immaculate arrangements that belie his twenty four years and give “Maps of the Wilderness” a strikingly original yet strangely familiar feel. Owing as much to the sampler as the guitar, the TM Juke sound embraces atmospheric melodies and street savvy beats in equal measures: this is made apparent by the album’s guest vocalists. Jim Oxborough and Alice Russell who join together for “Knee Deep”, the first single to be taken from the album, a lush affair with a natural swing and memorable hooks.
Bringing back the hip-hop, Canadian MC’s Bread and Water lend their calculated style to “Get It Together“ whilst appearing on behalf of the UK, Rup gets lyrical and gives “Wilderness Kids“ an edge that sets it apart from any uniform hip-hop sound. “Maps from the Wilderness” has all the ingredients that make a great record, setting new agendas in instrumental music whilst retaining a universal appeal.

 
 

Monday 10 December 2012

Putamoyo Presents - Samba Bossa Nova

This eclectic compilation shows the syncopated and seductive evolution of the African-derived Brazilian samba and its offspring, the bossa nova. The CD features a new-wave series of moods and grooves tailor-made for the 21st century. There's angel-voiced Rosa Passos and her silky version of the Ary Barroso/Luiz Peixoto song "E Luxo So." Guitarist-vocalist Márcio Faraco's remake of Noel Rosa's samba-canção "Feitiço da Vila" is just as tasteful. The elegant, classically tinged Quarteto Jobim-Morelenbaum, led by cellist Jacques Morelenbaum, skillfully mixes Ravel-like harmonies with Afro-Brazilian beats on "Eu e o Meu Amor/Lamento No Morro" from the film Black Orpheus. The London-based group Da Lata swings the sacred syncopations of "Cores" in a club-friendly, secular rendition. And the talented Moreno Veloso, son of the great Caetano Veloso, turns in an intimate and atmospheric version of Olodum's "Deusa do Amor" (Goddess of Love). These tracks show that the bossa nova and the samba can still give us new musical surprises.

1. Eu e o Meu Amor/Lamento No Morro - Quarteto Jobim-Morelenbaum
2. Cores - Da Lata
3. Papo de Psicologo - Jairzinho Oliveira
4. La Vem a Baiana - Jussara Silveira
5. Deusa do Amor - Moreno Veloso + 2
6. Preto, Cor Preta - Jorge Aragao
7. Meu Mundo e Hoje - Eliete Negreiros
8. Admiracao - Paulinho Moska
9. E Luxo So - Rosa Passos
10. Feitico Da Vila - Marcio Faraco
11. Banho Cheiroso - Rita Ribeiro

 

Los Sebosos Postizos Interpretam Jorge Ben Jor

Jorge Ben, antes de acrescentar o “Jor”, lançou álbuns de vasta influência na música brasileira, nenhum tão influente quando o Tábua de esmeraldas, de 1974. Pelo menos para a turma do manguebeat, poucos discos foram tão escutados quanto este, na predileção de todos, sobretudo de Fred Zeroquatro e Chico Science. Outros dois álbuns de Jorge Ben Jor que fazem parte da coleção básica do manguebeat são Samba esquema novo (1963), e Bidu – silêncio no Brooklin (1967). O primeiro é o álbum inaugural da obra de Babulina (apelido de Ben Jor), o segundo (pelo selo AU da Rozenblit) é sua resposta ao pessoal do Fino da Bossa, que o baniu do programa por ter se apresentado no Jovem Guarda.

Esta é a trinca de discos de Jorge Ben Jor de onde saiu a maioria das 14 faixas do álbum de estreia dos Los Sebosos Postizos, projeto paralelo de parte do Nação Zumbi (Jorge du Peixe, Dengue, Pupillo e Lúcio Maia). O disco está chegando às lojas pela Deck Disc, com produção de Mário Caldato, contrariando as previsões dos músicos do Nação Zumbi, que prometiam para este ano um CD de inéditas da banda.

“As músicas estão gravadas, mas o disco só em 2013. A gente não tem pressa. Continuamos tocando com Marisa Monte. A turnê dela deve ir até meados do ano que vem. Até lá, a gente vai ouvindo o que foi feito para saber se é isso mesmo o que a gente quer. Jorge talvez bote novas vozes”, comenta o baixista Dengue, de passagem pelo Recife.

Los Sebosos Postizos surgiu de uma homenagem ao ídolo Ben Jor em 1998, numa festa chamada A noite do Ben. Evoluiu para uma banda cover, que desaguou num álbum, que eles achavam que não seria feito: “A ideia do Los Sebosos estava evoluindo para um disco autoral. Mesmo nos covers de Ben Jor tinha, e tem, muito da banda. O repertório está gravado há uns dois anos, só agora foi que mandamos para Mario Caldato. A gente não tinha pressa, como está acontecendo agora com o disco do Nação”, continua Dengue, acrescentando que por enquanto não há vaga na agenda dos músicos para uma turnê dos Los Sebosos: “Acho que vai rolar uns três shows. Um no Rio, outro em São Paulo e no Recife, até porque a gente está se encontrando pouco. Jorge está em São Paulo, eu estou no Rio.

Duas músicas autorais de Los Sebosos Postizos foram gravadas antes. Uma está no primeiro, e único, álbum do coletivo Instituto – Solaris, instrumental – e outra está num disco do Mamelo Sound System. Nenhuma autoral está em Los Sebosos Postizos interpretam Jorge Ben Jor, o álbum. Para chegar às 14 músicas do CD bastou pinçar as preferidas de uma lista que eles selecionaram para tocar ao vivo: “Complicado foi tirar três dessas 14 para o vinil, onde só cabiam 11”, diz Dengue.

Embora tenha canções bem manjadas de Jorge Ben Jor, o CD consegue encaixar os hits em meio a canções, menos conhecidas, até mesmo do Tábua de esmeraldas, do qual pinçaram Cinco minutos. Do Samba esquema novo tem o quase sucesso Rosa, menina, rosa, e duas só conhecidas dos especialistas, Quero esquecer você e A tamba.

Um dos discos menos conhecidos de Ben Jor, Bidu – silêncio no Brooklin é um dos melhores e também o primeiro em que ele empunha uma guitarra e é acompanhado por uma banda de rock, no caso os Fevers. Segundo Dengue, ele é um dos preferidos dos integrantes da Los Sebosos Postizos: “É o mais diferente de Ben Jor, com uma pegada que só ele tem. De Bidu, o quarteto escolheu quatro faixas, todas absolutamente obscuras (a mais conhecida do álbum é Si manda).

De um dos discos menos conhecidos de Ben Jor, Ben é samba bom, de 1964, eles sacaram uma das mais peculiares composições do impagável Babulina, Descalços no parque (que não foi inspirado no filme homônimo, com Robert Redford e Jane Fonda, que é de 1967). Uma música que não é samba, não é bossa nova, tem a mesma levada de Ol’ man mose, hit de Louis Armstrong (cuja versão deu em A história de um homem mau, sucesso de Roberto Carlos, também em 1964).

“A música está no último disco de Marisa Monte, mas a gente gravou primeiro e deixou na gaveta até agora. Curioso é que tocamos o disco de Marisa quase todo. Esta foi um das músicas que não tem participação da gente”, comenta Dengue.

O que justifica a gravação de um disco com repertório de uma banda cover?

No caso do Los Sebosos Postizos, o fato de o grupo inovar no formato. Nem chega a ser um tributo, nem propriamente um grupo cover. Os arranjos e andamentos na maioria das faixas são bastante diferentes. Em outras o novo arranjo é feito em cima do original, só que com outros instrumentos. É isso o que eles fazem com a mais ou menos manjada O homem da gravata florida (esta é a terceira regravação da canção, além das duas feitas pelo autor).

Em Os alquimistas estão chegando, uma das poucas que preservam o mesmo ritmo da original, programações e a produção de Mario Caldato revestem a canção de outros tons, sonoridades: “Mario gosta muito de usar ecos, de ambiência. Ele fez um trabalho muito bom em cima das fitas que mandamos”, credita Dengue”. O quarteto do Nação tem o reforço de Guizado (trompete), Bactéria (teclado), Da Lua (percussão) e Bárbara Eugênia (backing vocal).

Creditos: Blog Baixa Funda

 
 

Soul Pleasure is back!

Soul Pleasure is back from holydays!
Enjoy all the good tunes and share the love.

TY - Special Kind Of Fool

International hip hop artist hailing from the UK, Ty hits us in Spring 2010 with his fourth studio album Special Kind of Fool, on BBE Records.

As one of the most revolutionary rappers on the British hip-hop scene, Ty embodies the intellect, talent and ferocity of an MC always destined to become a legend. Over the last decade, the Mercury Prize nominee has achieved the rare feat of establishing a legacy through his three albums and wise persona, strengthened by his amazing worldwide shows and countless appearances alongside luminaries such as De La Soul, Tony Allen and Pee Wee Ellis. Musically, he's also worked with Estelle, Scratch Perverts, Talib Kweli, Black Twang, Arrested Development, Bahamadia and Zion I, both in front and behind the mixing desk, further proof of his relentless artistry and his evolution from roguish wordsmith from South London to an internationally-acclaimed hip-hop connoisseur.


Sunday 18 November 2012

Friday 16 November 2012

Xavier Rudd - Koonyum Sun

Australian singer-songwriter Xavier Rudd has a voice that needs to be heard to be understood. Soaring, plaintive and deeply emotive, he sings every verse as if it were his last. There's a poignancy, intimacy and gravitas he achieves with each utterance and intonation that makes nearly every moment worth remembering. It's an achievement many artists can strive a whole career to achieve and never attain.

Rudd is fortunate enough to possess such a voice, but he is far from a one-trick pony. Having already garnered a sizable following for writing socially conscious songs that speak about pestilence, conservation and the plight of the Aboriginal people, he is also a favorite at music festivals for his multi-faceted live sets. It is widely documented that Rudd travels with a trunk full of instruments, including but not limited to: three didgeridoos, electric bass, banjo, stompbox, assorted percussion and an arsenal of Weissenborn slide guitars.

Returning to the blues and roots feel of his album White Moth, Koonyum Sun, his sixth studio album, marks his first studio foray with bassist Tio Moloantoa and percussionist Andie Nqubezelo. The album opens with "Sky to the Ground," a soaring, hypnotic anthem that is arguably one of the best songs he has ever written. That claim though is repeated nearly a half-dozen times before Koonyum Sun draws to a close. Though he's not the kind of artist to be pigeonholed, there's no denying Rudd's love of reggae. "Fresh Green Freedom," and "Time to Smile," are surefire proof of this, with the former drawing on a harmonica lick and a breezy swagger while the latter draws on banjo, bongos and a cresting chorus.

Diving into the Aboriginal landscape, he incorporates tribal chanting into the 1:40 acapella cut "Reasons We Were Blessed," and on the swampy title-track, which draws on a bellowing didgeridoo and the reedy vocals of a young child. For those that prefer music far more spartan and self-assured, look no further than the intimate reflection "Loves Comes and Goes," and the affectionate valentine "Woman Dreaming." While Vampire Weekend has drawn acclaim for drawing on Paul Simon's Graceland, it feels almost criminal to not lend some support and praise for Rudd, who seems to chase down the same thing.

There's an age-old adage that music is supposed to take you to a different place and make you feel better about the world, but what if music was trying to make the world a better place and make the world feel better about itself? That is the essence of what Rudd is trying to do. And thank the cosmos, he's here.

 
 

Timewarp Inc - Groovy Booty

Timewarp was born in Athens, Greece 25 years before the second millennium. He was introduced to electronic music at age 13 when he acquired an amiga. Captivated by the fledging technology's potential he started working on his own sounds and soon found his musical identity in the area of chill sound beats. You can find him under the aliases Timewarp inc. or Timewarp a.k.a Angelos Stoumpos.
Being a dj as well as a composer he became famous in the Greek underground electronica scene in early 90’s. Over the years he appeared in numerous parties and venues and he created one of the first pioneering dance projects in Greece. Influenced by and joining forces with a number of other composers and artists he started expanding the character of his music, combining smooth baselines with melodic instruments like flute, percussions, vocals, guitars creating a very characteristic worm ethereal worldly sound.
At the same time his production style moved into funky sounds obtaining rough edges that applied to his music a dramatic intensity. His well-defined music signature can be easily identified in all his productions from dub, downtempo to funky breaks and dance .
Timewarp has contributed in many releases of various record labels like: ecco.chamber, Sony BMG, V2, Irma, Waveform and more. He licensed music for commercial motion TV advertising spots for brands like Honda, WV-Polo, Seat, Stolichnaya, Old Holborn, Alpha Bank and more.


 
 

Saravah Soul - Cultura Impura

Exploding out of the cross-cultural melting-pot of London’s underground music scene comes the half-Brazilian, half-British SARAVAH SOUL (TRU THOUGHTS RECORDS) with their own special blend of Afro-Brazilian rhythms, 60's soul and Afrobeat.
Their first album was an internationally acclaimed sensation that took them touring all over Europe and Brazil with an intense, tightly honed live show, led by frenetic dancer and front-man Otto Nascarella and complete with carnival percussion parades, a festival favourite.
Their new album CULTURA IMPURA is an even deeper journey into their highly original sound and took them to various European cities. In the beginning of this year they again went to Brazil, where they played 7 different cities across the country, finishing the tour at the Bourbon Street that hosted the likes of BB King, Ray Charles, Medeski, Martin and Wood, etc.

Jukka Eskola - Hub Up

A beautiful tribute to the electric side of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard , done by Jukka Eskola from Five Corners Quintet, in a mode that almost beats some of Freddie's classic work for CTI! The setting here is spare and simple , trumpet from Jukka, tenor from Timo Lassey, and bass, drums, and plenty of sweet electric keys. All hitting a groove that's soulful, soaring, and filled with the new sense of invention that Hubbard brought to his work at the start of the 70s. Most of the tracks here are originals by Hubbard , "Keep Your Soul Together", "Gibraltar", "Povo", and "Love Connection" , but the set also features the well-penned original "Deli", and a version of Weldon Irvine's "Mr Clean" , a key title in the Hubbard songbook of the CTI years!

 

Thursday 15 November 2012

BK One - Radio Do Canibal

Better known as Brother Ali's DJ, BK-One takes his years of experience as a DJ and puts on his producer hat joining forces with up and coming Twin Cities beatsmith Benzilla, to craft a Brazilian musical bed for some of Hip Hop's most engaging MC's. Radio Do Canibal features performances by Scarface, Slug (Atmosphere), Black Thought (The Roots), Brother Ali, Raekwon (Wu-Tang Clan), Murs (Living Legends), Haiku D'Etat (Aceyalone, Myka 9 & Abstract Rude), Blueprint, P.O.S. (Doomtree), The Grouch (Living Legend), I Self Devine, Toki Wright, Aby Wolf & The Hypnotic Bass Ensemble.  BK-One's love of music has been a lifelong affair. From an early age, he studied classical piano and jazz theory, taught himself to play the vibraphone, and began collecting records.

 

Saturday 10 November 2012

Candy Dulfer - Candy Store

Dutch-born saxophonist Candy Dulfer has been mesmerizing audiences in every corner of the world with the combination punch of jaw-dropping performances, show-stopping musicianship and eye-popping sex appeal. Between her own million-selling jazz-funk albums, she's recorded and toured with Dave Stewart, Maceo Parker, Van Morrison, Beyonce, Pink Floyd, Aretha Franklin, Joey DeFrancessco. Candy Store is her massively funky, high-energy Heads Up debut and a surefire hit.


Wednesday 7 November 2012

Nappy Riddem - One World Sovereignty

Rex Riddem and Mustafa Akbar, better known as Nappy Riddem, have created a funky sound, drawing on everything from soul to reggae — and the duo’s debut release, One World Sovereignty, hooks the listener from the very beginning with touches of all these influences and more. The self-titled opening track proclaims the album’s mission: “It’s so profound when the beat comes round, we get down like this/ We are the funktified soul providers Nappy Riddem project.” Riddem and Akbar are going to deliver some funky tunes and “make ‘em sweat.” You will be shaking yo’ ass by the middle of the first song — they bring in a jazzy horn section and a funky guitar, and the result is incredibly danceable.

But it’s not just the funky tuneage that makes this album so memorable. By the second track, the men of Nappy Riddem are commenting on the state of things in the world: “reciprocity is a million-man dream,” but “times are so hard, the devil need a bodyguard.” The vocal harmony is fantastic and again, there is a great mix of jazzy horns and sick beats, this time with the addition of singing keys. These guys are definitely gifted composers.

“Ease Up” and “Angle It” are sexy tracks with pure reggae vibes. They do have a bit of a stereotypical rap feel in the lyrics, talking about sexy girls in short mini-skirts, but they’re still fun and funky and have just as much musicality as the more serious songs on One World Sovereignty. And the album does anything but get boring — there are elements of dub on “Soundboy Wake the Sound,” and a slowed-down soul feel on “Suspicious Love.”

“One World Sovereignty,” is simply an incredible tune. The opening guitar is beautiful and catchy, the vocal harmonies are exquisite, and the lyrics are tight and eloquent, drawing on an impressive variety of sources for inspiration: “Biological and chemical warfare/ everybody talk about Iraq, but what about the war here?” and, drawing (presumably) from Maya Angelo’s poem, “Now I know why the caged bird sings/ how can you hold me captive? I’m a natural born king.” Though lamenting the state of things in the world, the overall message is positive: “it’s time for us to be the chance we want to see.” A wonderful closer to a strong album.


Sunday 4 November 2012

The Herbaliser - There Were Seven

The Herbaliser emerged in the mid-1990s as an instrumental duo on Coldcut’s Ninja Tune roster. They specialised in a form of sonic bricolage that Coldcut described as ‘funkjazzticaltricknology’, which encouraged you to make connections between disparate forms of music and challenged you to spot unusual samples.
Their first album in four years drifts between genres, be it the martial roots reggae of Welcome To Extravagance, the Portishead-ish trip hop of The Lost Boy or the spooky Ethiopian-tinged funk of Deep In The Woods. However, their default setting is making short, bombastic instrumentals that borrow heavily from classic movie soundtracks. These make great backing tracks for rappers and the best tracks here are the ones featuring highbrow Canadian duo Twin Peaks – particularly the deliciously spooky, blaxploitation-themed Crimes And Misdemeanours.

Thursday 1 November 2012

Amplexos - Musica Da Alma

Há seis anos na estrada, o Amplexos lança no dia 31 de Outubro seu segundo álbum, A Música da Alma, com produção de Buguinha Dub (Nação Zumbi, Mundo Livre) e Jorge Luiz Almeida.
O trabalho tem como principal influência a música negra, aquela que vem dos guetos e periferias do mundo. “A Música da Alma é uma música essencialmente espiritual, que surgiu a partir do nosso contato com a música jamaicana, com o afrobeat, com o funk, que são músicas feitas pelo povo, para mover as pessoas de seus lugares, seja através da dança, da transcendência ou mesmo pela busca de um auto-conhecimento”.
O disco foi todo gravado ao vivo no estúdio Caos & Vitrola, em Volta Redonda-RJ, cidade natal da banda, mixado por Buguinha Dub no estúdio Mundo Novo e masterizado por Gustavo Lenza no estúdio Yb em São Paulo. O projeto gráfico é da artista Ana Costa, com fotos de Marina Coni.
Desde Maio deste ano, o Amplexos tem feito alguns shows ao lado de Oghene Kologbo, guitarrista nigeriano que gravou mais de 30 álbuns com Fela Kuti e tem visitado o Brasil com frequência. “Ouvimos muito os discos do Fela Kuti e Africa 70 pra compor o álbum e, de repente, o Kologbo estava ensaiando com a gente em Volta Redonda! O cara nos estimulou a levar o equipamento pras ruas e a tocar pra todo tipo de gente, o que foi e tem sido fundamental pra gente perceber que a nossa música pode ser absorvida por qualquer pessoa”.
A banda já fez inúmeras apresentações nas ruas do Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo e Volta Redonda, e a ideia é espalhar a Música da Alma. “Nós ganhamos muita coisa com essa música, ela provocou na gente uma revolução interna sem tamanho, e a ideia agora é devolver ao mundo. É como uma missão para aproximar as pessoas de algo maior.”
 

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Liquidus Ambiento - Mini Mondo

Environments, or atmospheres of sound, are the basis of Liquidus Ambiento. Guitar riffs, arrangements, baritone saxophone and trombone melodies crystalline sitar and flute, bass lines from below, are added to the lightness of an acoustic drum with jazz references. In the essence of instrumental music and electronics, the group enjoy his main influences of Dub, Nu Jazz, Trip Hop, Downtempo, Funk and Afro Beat.



Hindi Zahra - Handmade

Moroccan-born, but Paris-based, and singing mostly in English, Hindi Zahra is a kind of postmodern Billie Holiday, who tinges her wistful ballads with a hint of urban irony. If the melodies are a shade monotonous, the sultry, spaced-out feel and sophisticated rock touches give this the capacity to win fans way beyond the world music scene.


 

Saturday 27 October 2012

The Lions - Jungle Struttin

The Lions are something of an underground Los Angeles supergroup -- an ad hoc assemblage of current and former members of bands as diverse as Breakestra, Sound Directions, PlantLife, Orgone, and Poetics, among others. In late 2006 this motley crew of rock and funk musicians came together at Killion Studios and put together a ragged but enjoyable set of reggae, soul, and funk. There's no electronica here, no synthetically smooth soully and jazzy reggae, just lean and crunchy old-school grooves that sound like they could have been recorded and mixed at Dynamic Studios or the Black Ark in the early '70s. Opening with the dubwise slide guitar showcase "Thin Man Skank" (somewhere David Lindley is smiling), Jungle Struttin' then proceeds to explore instrumental funk ("Jungle Struttin'"), vintage rocksteady ("Think [About It]," featuring the fine and soulful singer Noelle Scaggs), and even some faintly Latin grooves ("Hot No Ho," "Cumbia de Lion"). "Lankershim Dub" is a melodica showcase in the style of Augustus Pablo, and "Fluglin' at Dave's" combines a mellow jazz horn sound with Skatalites-style early reggae. That last track is great, but would have been even better if the flügelhorn were in tune. Very nice overall.            
 
 

Friday 26 October 2012

Lack Of Afro - This Time

2011 release from British producer/remixer/DJ Adam Gibbons AKA Lack Of Afro. Gibbons combines his live musicianship and top notch studio production skills with rappers and vocalists into a skillful combination of compositions blending funk, Hip Hop and Soul into a steamy stew of a breakbeat bonanza. As a multi instrumentalist, in-demand producer and remixer, a DJ with his finger on the cutting edge of contemporary sounds, and an ear tastefully cocked to the hippest soul, Jazz and Funk music from the '60s and '70s, Gibbons has already established an unrivalled reputation as one of the most crucial names at work in funk and dance music today.

 

Monday 22 October 2012

Nickodemus - Endangered Species

With the burgeoning guitar rock of the sixties, kids growing up found heroes who played an instrument that could be easily mass manufactured for a relatively small amount of money. And over the next couple of decades, the guitar became the icon of new music in America, eventually becoming the most widely purchased musical instrument. Nonetheless, with the advent of DJ culture and assimilation of computers into our everyday lives, the sampler, turntable, and mixer have often supplanted the guitar as the instruments of choice for the new generation. No matter how cramped your apartment or how clumsy your hands may be, this technology allows you to manipulate and create such an incredible variety of sounds and structures that the possibilities are practically limitless. And with the amount and diversity of this kind of music now being created in all genres, the age of the DJ has truly arrived.These sounds are often created in a sterile electronic enviroment, but in the right hands they can be as compelling and organic as any other kind. Nickodemus is not a new kid on the block, but Endangered Species is his first full length album. Working parties in and around New York for well over six years, Nickodemus has honed his skills in melding genres and elements from various global musical styles—reggae, house, funk, Latin, Arabic, Afrobeat, and more. Using this experience, he has constructed an album that blends the familiar with the exotic. The urban meets world music aesthetic has been explored before with varying degrees of success, but Endangered Species is a compelling listen that does a good job of differentiating itself from the pack."Cleopatra in New York serves as a good example of how the album works as a whole. Nickodemus melds a complex rhythm of drums and various percussion instruments and lays Arabic-influenced flute and oud on top, which carries the main melody and serves as a textural bed for a wordless female vocal. The track has an assertive pulse that is calmed by the cool sound of the instruments, and although it may be considered a dance track, it is much more complex musically than that.The key here, and throughout the album, is that Nickodemus is not simply layering one beat or loop on top of another. Rather he is creating a foundation for these different musical elements to breathe and come together on their own accord. Every track here is cut from a similar cloth, but with vastly different colors and textures. From the laid back opening title track and its acoustic guitar groove to the roll call of drummers on Give The Drummer Some and the syncopated closing "Mystery of Life, each track provides a different journey and utilizes special guests to varying degrees.You can find common threads embedded throughout, but Nickodemus imbues Endangered Species with more than enough variation and ingenuity to hold interest while still marinating a dynamic sense of movement and flair. What will really be interesting is to see how he develops this already mature sound over time—and where he'll go next


Monty Alexander - Stir It Up The Music Of Bob Marley

The Jamaican-born pianist Monty Alexander has worked with musicians such as Milt Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie, and Sonny Rollins, but over the years he has always managed to wed North American improvisation to reggae and Jamaican folk rhythms. This CD is a happy hybrid of all of the above. Alexander weaves his American rhythm section consisting of drummer Troy Davis, bassist Hassan Shakur, and guitarist Derrick Di Cenzo with the five-man Jamaican ensemble Gumption--who back up dancehall stars like Buju Banton: drummer Rolando Alphonso, guitarist Robert Angus, keyboardist Dwight Dawes, bassist Glen Brownie, and percussionist Desy Jones. The result: Imagine the Nat King Cole Trio sitting in with the Wailers and you'll get the CD's boppish island-breezed vibe. Alexander and crew stick to Marley's melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic structures. Spliff anthem "Jamming," title tune "Kaya," and "Could You Be Loved" can rock any sports utility vehicle or summer festival, while "Heathen" rings with Alexander's raindrop chords, piercing melodica, and ethereal tonal shadings. The ska-guitar scratches drive "Is This Love?" and Alexander's gospelish pianisms echo Marley's loving laments on "No Woman No Cry." Steve Turre makes a guest appearance and his splendid seashell sound heralds "I Shot the Sheriff." Alexander's plaintive composition "Nesta"--Marley's middle name--is spiced by Jones's Rastafarian nyabinghi conga rhythms and completes this jazzy "jump up" carnival.
Alexander effectively and infectiously fuses jazz and reggae into a cohesive sound that may portend the future of one-world music without boundaries or labels.


Friday 19 October 2012

Easy Stars All Stars - Easy Stars Thrillah

Following up on the hugely successful reggae tribute albums of Dub Side of the Moon (2003), Radiodread (2006) and Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band (2009) comes the reggae adaptation of the greatest selling record of all time – Michael Jackson's Thriller.
 Easy Star's Thrillah brings back several of the reggae stars from previous albums, such as vocalists Michael Rose (Black Uhuru), Steel Pulse, Luciano, Mojo Morgan (Morgan Heritage), alongside the diverse playing of guests Yossi Fine (David Bowie, Lou Reed, Stanley Jordan), Joe Tomino (Dub Trio/Matisyahu), Andy Farag (Umphrey's McGee), and horn tracks courtesy of Israel's highly-acclaimed funk/hip-hop band Hadag Nachash. The album will be preceded by the July 10th digital release of the Billie Jean EP, which includes two album tracks, along with non-album remixes and a dub version.

In selecting Thriller, Easy Star Records co-founder Lem Oppenheimer says, "We've always tackled the greats - The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Radiohead - but while we wanted to take on another huge album, we also wanted to blaze new trails. In Thriller we found those new trails in a number of firsts for the series: the first album by an American artist, the first non-concept album, the first R&B/soul record, as well as the first release from the 80s."