Thursday 17 January 2013

Parov Stelar - La Fete EP


Austrian musician Parov Stelar has taken over the global music scene like a phantom in recent years. Through his music the modest but exceptional talent has not only gained an enormous fan base, but has also achieved cult status as a producer.

His retro- influenced music is borne out of an aura of elegance, wickedness and pure energy. inspired by styles and samples from themost varying of genres (soul, pop, jazz and swing) and combined with modern beats and grooves he creates an incomparable and peerless sound.

For his live shows Parov Stelar takes to the stage with a host of musical magicians. The performances of the Parov Stelar band are one of the most impressive live conversions of electronic music currently to be seen anywhere in the world. Brass and rhythm sections along with singer Cleo Panther reinvent Parov Stelar's electro beats, emotionally charging the public in a way never thought possible.

At the centre of the show is the creator himself, guiding the musical tour de force from the DJ booth. Despite 100's of live shows and excessive touring the band still continues to push their own creativity and break the boundaries of musical performance. Each show is uniquely different from the previous, inviting the listener to explore new aspects and emotions within Parov Stelar's music.


Etage Noir label-boss Parov Stelar is a master in electro-swing, as he proves yet again on this new three-track EP. "Wanna Fete" is a feast of 30s jazz samples, all wrapped around a tight electro-house beat that's subtle enough not to swamp the jive out of the samples. Same goes with "Diamonds", which keeps brilliantly keeps a heavy ride cymbal rocking that floats over the mix throughout and features some excellent cornet solos along with well-placed scratch breaks. No prizes for guessing the sample source on closer "Le Piaf" - another example of Stelar's skills in fusing that 78" sound with the dynamics needed to rock a modern floor.




Tuesday 15 January 2013

Soundtrack - Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels

Writer-director Guy Ritchie's street-tough look at London's decrepit underworld and the unsavory dealings of four best friends whose cockiness is undercut by some serious trouble features a soundtrack of quick dialogue sound clips, a smattering of classic rock, pop, and reggae, and a few current submissions as well. Junior Murvin's "Police and Thieves," known most to rock audiences by the Clash cover, is a great piece of political resistance and laidback dub groove. James Brown's "The Payback" and "The Boss" and Iggy and The Stooges "I Wanna Be Your Dog" stake out the sharp end, while the late Dusty Springfield paints the softer corner with "Spooky." Ocean Colour Scene delivers the backwards guitar driven "100 Mile High City," and Stretch's "Why Did You Do It?" is a great recreation of early '70s soul.
Tracklist:
1. Hundred Mile High City - Ocean Colour Scene
2. HortifucKinculturist - Steven Mackintosh
3. Police And Thieves - Junior Murvin
4. Spooky - Dusty Springfield
5. Muppets - P.H. Moriarty/Lenny Mclean/Victor McGuire
6. The Boss - James Brown
7. Walk This Land - E-Z Rollers
8. Blaspheming Barry - Lenny Mclean
9. I Wanna Be Your Dog - The Stooges
10. It's Kosher - Jason Flemyng/Stephen Marcus
11. Why Did You Do It - Stretch
12. I've Been Shot - Steve Sweeny/Frank Harper
13. Oh Girl - Evil Superstars
14. Guns 4 Show Knives 4 A Pro - Nick Moran/Dexter Fletcher
15. Zorba The Greek - John Murphy/David Hughes
16. The Payback - James Brown
17. It's Been Emotional - Vinnie Jones
18. 18 With A Bullet - Pete Wingfield 




Saturday 12 January 2013

Kiko Dinucci & Thiago França - Duas Sessoes

Kiko Dinucci and Thiago França are two excellent musicians from the new brazilian music scene, in the first hours of 2013 they released the double album "duas sessoes" meaning two sessions, overall the two albuns are great instrumental music that mixes jazz, afrobeat, brazilian music and experimentalism among other music genres.
Check it out!



Oka - Milk & Honey


With a signature sound and unforgettable live reputation, OKA is still serving their Progressive Roots music. Electrified Digeridoo, heavy slide guitar, soaring flutes and juju rhythms are some of the many ingredients in this Australian sound that’s matured over a decade. Humble beginnings busking on street corners have led to global tripping & independent CD sales in excess of 100 000 albums. Their past is unique and reflects a sun-drenched coastal lifestyle they call home. Here we find them with their 6th studio album ‘Milk & Honey’ that hints to be the most exciting yet. 

Incorporating flavours of Dub, Electronica, Hip-hop, Jazz and many forms of world music, for years people have tried to define the OKA sound. Instead, perhaps look at the line-up - Three characters with varying influences, backgrounds and talents. Stu Boga Fergie (Didgeristu), the big man behind the electronic beats & keys brings raw didgeridoo & vocals inspired by his aboriginal heritage. Chris lane plays captivating melody on Slide Guitar, Harmonica & Woodwinds including Bamboo Flute and Sax. Making up the trio is Samoan-Australian Charlie Zappa – a rhythm specialist with beats of Polynesian fire and deep pocket. Together they blend many pieces that is the OKA puzzle - A sound & force that touches the heart & feeds the soul. 

‘Milk & Honey’ brings a fresh and exciting addition to the OKA catalogue. It was created from on-stage jamming & relaxed sessions at their home Coolum beach on the Sunshine Coast. While keeping true to their indigenous roots the 14 track journey touches on new territory with vocal tracks & a soup of synth tones & beats not straying too far from the classic OKA feel.




The Strides - Reclamation


With their explosive melting pot of Afrobeat, Reggae, Hip-Hop and Dancefloor jazz, 10-piece ensemble THE STRIDES has already won over a steadfast following in Australia. After a lengthy series of gigs that includes supporting afrobeat legend Tony Allen and becoming a headline act at both the Bellingen Global Carnival and Peats Ridge Festival, this dynamic outfit is ready to launch its new album “Reclamation” on Record Kicks. With a heavy rhythm section and a powerful 3-piece horn section, The Strides deliver a captivating blend of funky afrobeat, roots reggae, hip hop grooves, dubbed out beats, and hypnotic rhythms.
Featuring vocals by reggae master Ras Roni from Trinidad via London and rising hip hop star from Fiji MC Lil Gzeus (Little Jesus) over the super skanky, infectious, horn-heavy grooves of the band, “Reclamation” perfectly showcases the mighty force of The Strides’ innovative sound. From afrobeat-infused instrumental romps such as “Umbi Gumbi” and “Well Hung Parliament” to hip hop stormers such as first single “Reclamation”, to hints of roots reggae on "Storm Cloud" and "Fresh Lady", Australia's best kept secret The Strides impressively mix and combine a series of genres, and the result is something special, indeed!
”Boasting 10 fired-up members and wasting no time in following up their impressive self-titled debut, Sydney's The Strides return with frisk in their gait for eight new tunes straddling dub to Afrobeat, hip-hop to exotic jazz.” – The Sydney Morning Herald



Friday 11 January 2013

Cody Chesnutt - Landing One A Hundred

Universally hailed as a thrilling new figure in music for his edgy, lo-fi debut, The Headphone Masterpiece, back in 2002, Cody ChesnuTT is a soul troubadour whose frank, socially conscious ruminations on life continue to challenge popular notions of what modern soul music can look and sound like. Landing On A Hundred, Cody’s second full-length LP, marks his return to the music game after a period of family-man retreat and reflection that did a world of good for him after his meteoric rise to near fame. The title is a reference to the slang saying, “Keeping It One Hundred,” or telling the whole truth, and for lovers of true blue Southern soul this new album is a must-have- the rhythm tracks recorded with a ten-piece band in Memphis-based Royal Studios, the sonic birthplace of some of the deepest works by soul and blues luminaries like Al Green, Buddy Guy and Ike & Tina Turner. Topics on Landing On A Hundred cover lots of grown-folks business: a man’s road to redemption after years of womanizing and crack addiction, the power and labour of slow-burning marital love that eclipses mere material expressions of affection. Keeping it truthful is ultimately what matters most in Cody’s songs.



Sebastian Sturm - This Change Is Nice


Sebastian Sturm’s debut album “This Change is nice“ takes both critics and lovers of classic roots rock reggae by surprise. The 70s off-beat interpretation by the native of Aachen, Germany, with German-Indonesian roots is met with acclaim and instantly propels him onto the European scene.
In contrast to the relaxed tempo of his roots sound and the dancehall scene, Sebastian quickly becomes a shooting star in the world of Caribbean sounds. Driven by the decades-long experience of the Jin-Jin band, Sebastian’s concerts form an integral part of festival stages in Bersenbrück (Reggaejam), Cologne (Summerjam), Paris (Zenith), Bordeaux (Reggae Sun Ska) all the way to Udine (Rototom) in Italy.




Thursday 10 January 2013

Desmond Wlilliams - Delights Of The Garden

A delightful debut full-length indeed, featuring singles first heard on 
the introductory 12"s Um Favor and Theme From a Dream, as well 
as a composition called "First Touch" off the Cocoa EP. Over 14 marvelously constructed tracks, Desmond Williams unravels a poignant vision of downtempo that quite intelligibly illustrates his understanding of the foundation behind the styles he employs, included but not limited to dub, exotica, jazz, bossa pop, funk, and a sound that can simply be summed up with Eighteenth Street Lounge. All the flavors of the garden blend into each other with a rhythmic denominator fueled by Williams playing almost all the instruments himself, producing each beat and the entire album almost single-handedly. However, the standout tracks are definitely the ones featuring exotic vocals from Portia Cristina Joo, who soaks "Um Favor" and "First Touch" in a caressing opiate and guides her contributions to slightly more trip-hopping regions.




Tuesday 8 January 2013

Chinese Man - Racing With The Sun


The French collective Chinese Man centres on DJs High Ku and Zé Mateo and beatmaker Sly.They may be based in Marseilles but their hip-hop vision is global – for latest album Racing With The Sun, the trio, plus assorted international guests, adopt a continental Supermarket Sweep approach that is Gorillaz-like in its eclecticism.Over predominantly dubby beats, Chinese Man embroider African, Asian and Latin influences, precise scratching and a mass of obscure samples, from Canadian folk group The Wailin’ Jennys for the title track to a line from the French version of Easy Rider to end Down.The quirky, dub-heavy Miss Chang (sampling Chinese singing and with lyrics from Taiwan MC and California’s Cyph4), the defiant, Arab Spring-influenced Stand (blending Middle Eastern strings and melismatic singing with samples from US Civil Rights speeches), and the energetic JOGJA (with Indonesian rapping from M2MX and Kill The DJ) are highlights in a good-natured set that largely boils its many ingredients down to an appealing syrup of mellow instrumental vibes.






Damian "Jr Gong" Marley - Halfway Tree

Covering everything from roots reggae to dancehall, culture to (mild) slackness, and hip-hop to R&B, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley's sophomore offering, Halfway Tree, bridges the gap between several disparate Jamaican sounds. "Where Is The Love?"--set to a slinky American R&B rhythm--juxtaposes the youngest Marley's roughneck toasting against Ruff Ryder Eve's assertive feminist rap. His posh uptown pedigree can be observed in the smooth grooves and salsa-infected vibes of the Sly & Robbie-produced "She Needs My Love," which also showcases graceful vocalization by Yami Bolo. "Catch a Fire," featuring brother Stephen's raw silk harmonies, drops some straightforward African diaspora history in a classic roots reggae style, deconstructing and updating their father Bob's classic "Slave Driver." Overall, Halfway Tree is above average, and "Give Dem Some Way" is the album's most outstanding selection. After opening with a truly funny spoken-word intro, a funky bass-drum-and-flute "wild apache" beat kicks in, and then Jr. Gong and talented newcomer Izzy set it off for the educated rude-bwoy youth.




Tijuana Cartel - M1

Combining the old with the new, Tijuana Cartel have splattered their melting pot of influences all over M1, taking the listener on a round-the-world journey of sonic discovery. The flamenco-flickered For The People begins life in a sleepy Middle Eastern village before plunging to the depths of an East London warehouse rave; Mr Joshua Sinclair island-hops in the Caribbean with African tribesmen bashing away on conga drums before the dancefloor-friendly recent single Letting It Go drops anchor in a sweaty Sao Paulo street party. Perhaps M1 is less about escape and more about escapism. What strikes you most about M1 and its apparent departure from a trademark Tijuana Cartel sound is that, just like life on the road, the further you get away from home, the closer you are to being there again. M1 is not a world music record, but a record that spans the globe. It visits every continent, references every culture, yet lives in the here and now. It’s a musical odyssey that began life in the Gold Coast and will die only when Tijuana Cartel’s tour van can take them no further. It’s familiar and foreign all at once, a departure and return rolled into one. It’s a bold new step for Tijuana Cartel, and the first of many for a band that refuses to be confined to any one style, or any one place.




Monday 7 January 2013

Nu Jazz Sessions Vol.1

Here comes a brand new compilation setting a new standard for future jazz. Typifying the ever-evolving contemporary melting pot of music genres, this seamless mixture of jazz and tasty electronica showcases not only the very best tracks out today but also a handful of previously unreleased gems. These hard-grooving, jazzed up cuts will get both DJs and lounge dwellers salivating...