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Brownswood & FYE Presents: We Made This Vol.1 [FYE]
Hard to imagine that for a short period that this compilation was actually available for free. This was made possible by the contributors to the Brownswood message board forum. While it’s now available at a very modest price, it’s a worthwhile purchase for there is much to savor here. For starters there’s the funky synth laden “Dancing On Ice” by Mr Beatnick. “Alethia” is a warm atmospheric up-tempo pleaser by Surra. In addition, there are a number of burnin’ house tracks here, most notably “I have seen” by Red Rackem and “Roma” by K Schrieber. Arguably the best track here would have to be “Say Something” by Scrimshire feat Inga Lill Aker, a soothing mid-tempo nu-jazz tune armed with cool rhodes playing and the beautiful voice of Inga. The disc mellows out with the melodic “Wonky” by bassist Rich Brown who knows how to lay down a groove. This is a solid compilation that has a little something for everyone and is certainly worth checking out.
Dimlite: Prismic Tops [Now Again Records]
Leftfield electronic hip-hop from Dimlite, who has been crafting warp flavored quirky beats since appearing on the Sonar Kollektiv label in 2003. Highlights include “On The Same Picture” featuring the talented Elan Tamara on vocals. “Sun Sized Twinkles” is filled with twisted electronic beats and features Dimlite on the vocorder as well. The track “Elbow Flood” starts out with dreamy cosmic soundscapes and then elevates into a mid-tempo bounce flavored beat that would make fans of Flying Lotus proud. I was a little disappointed that there only eight tracks on this lp but I prefer a short solid album as opposed to one bombarded with filler. That said, “Prismic Tops” is a nice antidote when you need a break from the traditional hip-hop and you like your beats distorted just a bit.
Various Artists: Deepblak Presents Blaktropolis Vol. 2 [Deepblak Recordings]
My first trip through the city of Blaktropolis (aka, Blaktropolis Vol.1) was rather impressive. The city was filled with musical nourishment that took my mind to a far away place, kept my head nodding and my feet moving throughout my stay. Well my second trip through the city (aka, Blaktropolis Vol.2) offers all that and more. Aybee Deepblak, the resident towns keeper and musical director featured an assortment of essential house tracks on his 2008 release and with his latest effort he expands his horizons a little further. Highlights include “Void” a bass heavy mid-tempo gem with a wicked groove courtesy of seventeen year old Shen-7. “5 Spot” by Afrikan Sciences is a real highlight filled with moving arrangements enhanced by live instrumentation and spiritual influences. Of course there a number of dance that deserves honorable mention. “Out On The Dance Floor featuring Erik Rico” is the bumping kind of four to the floor track that will have you turning up the volume the moment it begins. “Every Kind Of Way” featuring Omega Brooks is soulful house music at its best, a gorgeous melody, an irresistible groove and elegant vocals that soar. Aybee continues to create rhythmic quality music to soothe your soul and rattle your bones. There is much more to savor than I’ve already mentioned so I would suggest adding this recording to your collection to receive the experience. You won’t be disappointed.
Various Artists: The Blank Generation: Blank Tapes NYC 1975-1985 [Strut Records]
The music scene in New York during the late seventies and eighties featured an avalanche of independent recordings that usually would gain acceptance when played out in the clubs as opposed to the traditional format of radio play. Clearly this was one of the most progressive periods in the musical history of New York and one of the pioneers during this period was producer Bob Blank. Originally Blank started his career as a guitarist before starting Blank Tape studios and collaborating with some of the creative forces New York had to offer. Among the many artists he worked with was Charanga 76. Led by Tito Rodriguez, they reworked the Ben E. King disco track “Music Trance” and added a little Latin rhythm with enough spice to fill a dance floor. “I got a Big Bee” by Bumblebee Unlimited” was the creation of Greg Carmichael and Patrick Adams. The track features the synthesized sound that was prevalent throughout the eighties and made famous by Adams previous groups like Phreek and The Universal Robot Band. This release isn’t totally focused on disco hits, as evidenced by Sun Ra’s “Where Pathways Meet” and the funkified sounds of James Blood Unlimited. Of all the selections here, none was bigger than Fonda Rae’s “Over like a Fat Rat”. More than twenty years later, the track still features one of the fiercest bass grooves on wax and makes your head nod today. If you’re too young to remember or old enough to reminiscence then “Blank Tapes NYC” will provide a vivid snapshot on a rich musical legacy.
Lloyd Miller & The Heliocentrics: Lloyd Miller & The Heliocentrics [Strut Records]
Multi-instrumentalist and Ethnomusicologist Lloyd Miller teams up with The Heliocentrics to explore the methodology between Eastern and Western music and the results are deeply satisfying. Led by drummer Malcolm Catto, the UK collective utilize an assortment of instruments commonly used in world music like the oud, a pear shaped guitar and the harp like Chinese Swarm among others. Standout selections are “Nava”, a contemporary jazz piece with Indian influences that features James Arben on tenor sax and Catto on piano. “Spirit Jazz” is a beautiful Middle Eastern piece that plays like a musical canvas layered with many colors. The centerpiece is Jack Yglesias on flute and also features Lloyd Miller and Catto on vibes and various instruments. “Modality” features both Arben and Ray Carless on sax overlapping melodies that are augmented by percussion work of Adrian Owusu. Lloyd Miller’s musical passage of the last thirty years is skillfully brought back life and the Heliocentrics have provided the wings to make the music soar. This collaboration is a must have for any enthusiast of spiritual minded music.
Various Artists: Contemporary Jazz [Tramp Records]
German label Tramp records founder Tobias Kirmayer follows up his Contemporary Funk release with the Contemporary Jazz compilation. Kirmayer displays his love for jazz on all levels by selecting a variety of different styles from the spiritual minded composition of “Starlings Talk” by Deep Jazz to the greasy soul flavored “Sugar’s Boogaloo” by Sugarman 3. Other highlights include “A Vision Part 1” by Das Goldene Zeltalter, an organic gem that is enhanced by the raspy vocals of Bajka. The disc wraps up with the laidback modal jazz influenced “Hier Kommit Die Laterne” by the German quintet Hipnosis. There is an added incentive to this compilation in that several songs were previously unreleased. It would have been a shame to keep these quality recordings locked up. To his credit, Tobias shines a light on the music as well as a group of musicians that may not be on your radar but once you hear them you’ll no doubt make the effort to dig a little deeper for more of their recordings.
He3 Project: Chapter One [Family Groove Records]
It makes you wonder just how many quality recording there are that never see the light of day for various reasons. Thankfully someone had the good sense to dust off the tapes lying in the garage of Herman Eberitzcsh and eventually that led to the He3 Project. Herman, known back in the seventies as Funky knuckles assembled an eclectic group of musicians like Coke Escovedo, Funkadelic drummer Tiki Fulwood and vocalists Linda Tillery and Johnny Lovett, among others. The music was deemed too experimental and never saw the light of day until now. We are grateful for there is much to savor. “Rapture Of The Deep” is a jazz infused psychedelic funk odyssey. “Funk Punk” is aptly titled as the band delivers a slick head nodding groove that’s in the pocket and funky. “Make It Sweet” is another winner that features a funky lead guitar and Johnny Lovett’s smoothing vocals sail over the melody. This is essential listening if you can’t get enough of that classic soul sound that stretches out to different places but never too far that you lose your way. The best part is that this is just the beginning as there are more grooves in the garage coming our way soon. Stay tuned for we can hardly wait.
Donso: Donso [Comet Records]
Donso is a foursome that hails from France and Mali. Pierre Antoine Grison is the producer and Gedeon Papa Diarra, who hails from Mali is the vocalist. Guimba Kouyate and Djele Nlgoni fill out the rest of the group. Together they have created a melodic blend of Malian music sweetened up with electronic pop grooves. The opening track “Kenya” has a traditional Malian sound enhanced by the falsetto voice of Gedeon. “Mogoya” has more of a modern sound thanks to Grison’s electronic programming arrangements. “Tiyamba” is a nice relaxing tune that features Ballake Sissoko playing the Kora, a 21 string instrument made very popular in West Africa. It has a very interesting sound that’s a cross between a harp and a flute. From the first track to the last, Donso flows seamlessly and captures the spirit of the Malian musical experience. Long time admirers of the music will certainly enjoy the traditional vibe while newcomers will quickly warm up to a folk inspired sound that embraces the styles of today. Overall a quality album that certainly merits your attention.
Kay Suzuki: Consciousness [Round In Motion]
Japanese born and London based DJ/producer Kay Suzuki was raised on soul, jazz and funk. It’s quite obvious that he has learned well during those years based on the superb 12 inch recordings he has released since hitting the scene in 2004. “Consciousness” is his first full length release and with the quality of beats, instrumentation and guest vocalists assembled, we hope it’s not his last. There’s much to admire here starting with the global inspired “Music”. The traditional West African vibes presented by Babacarr Dieng’s vocals and percussion work plus Jally Susso’s playing of the Kora, a West African harp are transformed by Kay’s production and remixing. The result is a spirited global dance infused gem that has international appeal. The aptly titled “Journey Sublime” is exactly that, 13 minutes of subliminal funk augmented by the unmistakable sultry voice of Colonel Red. “Move On” is one the highlights, which is saying something. A wicked funky broken beat kicks off for a solid three minutes before the soulful vocals of Duchy takes it to another level. It’s hard not to press repeat for this one. “Something To Say” is another up-tempo beat driven delight enhanced by the vocals of Fatima. I normally would feel short changed when a disc only delivers nine tracks but this one is so enjoyable that it doesn’t matter. This is a very strong debut that will provide immediate satisfaction.
Eddy Meets Yannah: Fiction Jar [Compost Records]
The duo from Croatia returns with their third album and delivers with an enjoyable disc filled with their signature array of house flavored dance tracks, not to mention some nu-soul rhythms and progressive beats. Among the highlights are ”Mr. Sakamoto & The Forgotten Rails”, a futuristic house track enhanced by notable guest Zed Bias. “Little Dragon” is a cleverly composed broken beat treat. Yannah’s soothing vocals and Capital A’s low key rhyming style complement each other very well. Add Eddy’s composition skills and you got a sure fire banger that ranks very high on the head nod meter. “Difference” is a nice mid tempo nu-soul treat that demonstrates that their talents stretch beyond dance music and they’re equally adept at. “Nostalgic” is a high energy instrumental packed with a thumping bass and clever synth arrangements. Eddy’s production talents and Yannah’s vocal artistry make a winning combination. As solid as “Once In A While” was, Fiction Jar” is a much stronger record that you need to add to your collection.
Randolph: Echoes Of Lonely Eden [Still Music]
I think it’s time for Detroit to change their nickname from the Motor City to the Music City. They’re not producing automobiles like they once did but they’re sure as heck producing an abundance of talented musicians, singers and producers left and right. Without a doubt one of those musicians is Paul Randolph, a talented bass player with the distinctive raspy voice heard previously on Jazzanova’s “Of All The Things”. “Echoes Of Lonely Eden” is two cd’s in one. Disc 1 features the original recordings while disc 2 features an assortment of reworks from an all star lineup of dj/producers. One of those dj’s, East London’s Simbad flips “Lonely Eden” into a bass heavy mid tempo funk deluxe. Deetron adds a laidback soulful groove with some experimental Rhodes playing on “Leanin”. Aaron Jerome starts out “Golden Days” with a mellow groove and then it morphs into a up-tempo house treat. Speaking of house, there are lots of gems here like the Jazzanova remix of “Believer” and Archety’s Lower Harmonic remix of “Claim”. If by chance you missed out on the 2009 release, there’s no excuse now. This is an impressive collection of original recordings and outstanding remixes from an artist who clearly deserves more recognition.
Various Artists: Gilles Peterson Presents Havana Cultura: Remixed [Brownswood Recordings]
When you take a record that already has an assortment of quality recordings and you lay down some equally burnin’ remixes, it’s comparable to taking your favorite dish and adding a few new spices to them. Indeed, “Havana Cultura” captured the spirit of traditional Cuban music and introduced the masses to a bunch of musicians we might not have otherwise heard from. Now “Havana Cultura Remixed” receives the blessings of some of the foremost dj’s and producers in the game today. For starters, there’s Louie Vega’s rework of “Reforefo Fight”, a nine minute mélange of swirling horns, energetic percussion and crisp vocals by Mayra. “Rezendo” is an infectious piano driven groover courtesy of Michel Cleis. A surefire favorite will be the Donald Byrd classic “Think Twice”. Remixed by 4Hero, this alternate take gives the track a breath of fresh air. Not that was needed but it’s certainly welcome. The same can be said for the entire disc, there are quite a number of appealing remixes here that will have you adoring these songs for the first time all over again.
SK Radicals: Urban Eclectiks [Freestyle Records]
There have been many groups that have presented projects as diverse as SK Radicals full length release “Urban Electriks”. Very few however have succeeded in creating a project that grooves and swings as well as this one. Sean Khan, the producer and driving force behind the group has crafted an album that weaves seamlessly between jazz and funk while demonstrating that they’re equally adept at both. Take for example the lead single “Troubled Times”, a laidback deep funk tune that speaks to the stressful climate that we’re all living under today. The following track “My Story” is a swinging jazz tune features superb piano melodies from Sean and the gorgeous vocals of Susan Allotey. “Free Yourself” is an up-tempo acid jazz flavored funk groover. Although “Urban Eclectiks” presented only ten tracks in all, each selection is quality and allows the disc to flow at steady pace while maintaining the groove throughout. It has taken Sean several years to deliver a full length project after several successful singles. Let’s hope that this is the first of many albums in the group’s future. Highly recommended.
Various Artists: Afro Rock Vol.1 [Strut Records]
Once again the folks at Strut records have dug up and dusted off a hidden gem. Afro Rock Vol.1 features hard to find music out of East Africa from the 60’s and 70’s. Originally released on Duncan Brooker’s Kona label in 2001, the music will now have a wider audience to educate on just how prominent the soul and funk scene was in the Motherland. Some of the talent to emerge during that scene is Gerado Pinto. Known as the Nigerian James Brown, Gerado and The Heartbeats bring the funk on the energetic organ grinding “Heavy Heavy Heavy”. On “Africa”, they bring the tempo down considerably and create a spirited jazz inspired gem. “Mebala” is a mid-tempo guitar driven funk track that is reminiscent of prominent rhythm sections of that era. Overall “Afro Rock Vol. 1” is an entertaining polyrhythmic blend of Afican rhythms and seventies soul influences. This is essential World music that shouldn’t be missed.
Various Artists: Brownswood Bubblers Five [Brownswood Recordings]
It seems like yesterday that the Brownswood series began and here we are already on Bubblers five. Gilles Peterson is consistent with shining the light on underground gems that warrant your attention, this one is no exception. There are plenty of delights in all forms to enjoy like the opening track “They Don’t Want It”, a raw no holds barred electro soul jam courtesy of New Zealand’s Electric Wire Hustle. “Lil Girl” is a down tempo groover that combines the multi instrumental talents of Shafiq Husayn of SA-RA Creative Partners and warm blissful vocals of Fatima. “Into My Life” has a cinematic like intro before it morphs into a dark piano driven gem courtesy of Ron Basejam. The songstress Nailah is a perfect example of why the Bubblers series are so important. Her voice will remind you of Nina Simone one minute and Cassandra Wilson the next. The track “Sacred” will have you seeking more of her work. Likewise for Michael Olatuja, the guitarist and former member of Terrance Blanchard’s band features the late Lynden David Hall on “Hold On” that not only beautiful but also reminds you how sorely missed he is. There is much more to explore and plenty to appreciate until the next volume drops so treat yourself to some of the finest talent you’ve never heard of. After one listen you won’t soon forget them.