Carnival was a vibe as per but it's time to put down the air horns and relax. Here's something to put on whilst you take the toothbrush to your trainers.
Rapper/Singer Phonte (formerly of Little Brother) links up once again with producer dutchman Nicolay who provides two Vangelis meets Floating points style beats . These are forthcoming on their new album 'Love In Flying' Colours on September 24. At this rate it will be there perfect end of summer album.
Next up Fatima drops her first single of her forthcoming album on Eglo 'Circle'. Madlib's lil bro Oh No handles the production on this one. Smokey and sultry this is my favourite off the release.
Premo co-sign for DJ Skizz's forthcoming album 'Brooklyn-Queens Experience'. Straight up grimey 90s NYC sound. Out Septmber 17th. Check out this cut below featuring one of the best doing it now Roc Marciano as well as former D.I.T.C members O.C & A.G.
01. Metal Bars f. Masta Ace & Nature 02. Heavy Metal is Bakk f. Jakk Frost & Malik B. (of the Roots) 03. Outta Control f. Willie Stubz 04. Let em Know f. Shabaam Sahdeeq, Rah Digga, & Tragedy Khadafi 05. Vio-Lence f. Lil’ Fame (of M.O.P.) & ILL BILL 06. Triboro Thoro f. Hannibal Stax, Big Noyd, & Panchi (of NYGz) 07. Roast Ya f. Problemz & Al’ Tariq aka Kool Fashion 08. Poison f. Big Twins 09. Light Years f. Roc Marciano, AG, OC, & Godfather pt III 10. Init2Win f. Justo 11. Rap Opera f. Illa Ghee 12. That Type f. Steele (of Smif-n-Wessun), F.T., & Torae 13. Day in the Life f. Reks, Maffew Ragazino, & Rasheed Chappell 14. QB All-Stars f. Big Twins, Craig G, Cormega, & Nature GEM: Free DL from Chi Town producer Radius
Stream King Krule's debut album above or on his site where it is on loop night and day along with live cctv streams from the streets of London. Many artists nowadays fall into the category of style over substance but he is definitely not one of them.
The album is released on the 24th of this month. Go Pre order that here.
We need ONE more Clipse album, just one. The Thornton brothers link up once again showing how us why they're one of the best duo's to ever do it. No Malice warning us of the wages of sin as he goes in over the tense yet celestial, Capleton sampling track.
Pre order the album 'Hear Ye Him' on iTunes now - released August 18th.
Since Wizkid dropped his debut album 'Superstar' back in 2011 there has not been this much anticipation for an album coming from any Nigerian artist. Last summer 'Like To Party' was the jam and this summer he dropped a slick video to the slow burning single 'Run My Race'. At £7.99 for 19 tracks (Deluxe iTunes version) , all produced by LeriQ, it is more than value for money especially having put out 2 free mixtapes. Burn Notice below is the prequel to the album so check that first as it further showcases his variety.
When I saw the length of it on iTunes I was worried that the quality wouldn't be consistent. 6 of the tracks had already been released and rinsed as singles so most people will skip over them but there is enough new material including 4 bonus tracks to keep both old fans and newcomers happy . It's the kind of album that you could take a house party and let it play from start to finish and no one would want to change it. LeriQ makes sure there enough variation in the production with tracks like 'Guilty', 'Dem No Know', 'Don't Know' ft Reminisce & Olamide, 'Jah Love Is True' ft Wizkid and the Outro 'Remember Me'. Again the change in pace with these last few tracks is where he shows his ability to make songs that can be listened to after the club. Even you don't understand Yoruba the infectious rhythms should be enough to get your head nodding at least. If the album is properly promoted by the label and supported by his fans there's no reason why it shouldn't chart. Buy the album Elsewhere, Ghanian Fuse ODG is still making some noise with his track 'Antenna' which is still in the top 40 and everyone has surely heard or danced to his 'Azonto' which now reminds me of Mr.C The Slideman's 'Cha Cha Slide.'
With the likes of Znobia, Marfox, Murlo Nguzunguzu (check their slept on r&b / tarraxinha inspired 'Perfect Lullaby' mix for DIS Magazine from 2011, Jam City (check his '09 mix for Bok Bok's Lower End Spam), Dub Boy, Buraka Son Sistema, The Heatwave, Thristian, Gilles Peterson and others pushing all styles of African music : Nigerian, Ghanian, South African, Angolan, Kenyan it can only go from strength to strength in both the underground and mainstream. With Notting Hill Carnival around the corner its time to get in the mood. *Airhorn*
We weren't actually because I was too young to remember watching the show but for those you my age we had The Fresh Prince, The Lick and Channel U so it wasn't so bad. Stussy have created a 2 part documentary in honour of the 25th anniversary of the show, which was originally called Yo! and was created by frenchwoman Sophie Bramly in 1987, as well as a collaborative collection of t-shirts and hoodys which are available to buy now.
“Yo! MTV Raps transmitted the culture of Rap to millions of homes at a time when there were only a handful of local outlets to see a rap video. The style, the trends, the language of Rap began to influence popular culture and by the time the show left the air in 1995, the genre was no longer the best kept secret.”
Hip hop has been dictating how many people dress since it came into public consciousness. Outsider cultures (mainly Black and Gay) have been determining what's going on it the mainstream since forever. As Ed Lover states 'This was our thing, and then it became mainstream.' The same was the case with Blues, Soul, Funk, Rock, House and pretty much all black music. On that note, as much as it is a shame that the Grime scene wasn't as well documented as Hip-Hop's was it does mean that the music ( but sadly not the mc's) has remained more or less unadulterated. I'll touch more on that later.
Its gotta be the Slick Rick tee for me. Check both parts below :
Future Brown is Fatima Al Qadiri, who I unfortunately missed at the last Deviation, Nguzunguzu’s Asma Maroof & Daniel Pineda and J-Cush of Lit City Trax. Fade To Mind x Lit City can't really go wrong. The intro chimes sounds like it came from Kingdom's Usher refix and it's those overlapping sounds that come from their camp that show they are all on the same wavelength. Their dirty south meets grime hybrid sound gets me every time and this is no different. It's an icy dancefloor banger that will be going off in a club near you real soon. Tink swaggers all over the track, it's got a simple hook that no matter how 'turnt' you are you can sing along to, all it needs now is a video a it's a wrap. Considering she only dropped her first solo mixtape 'Winter's Diary' , which is a straight up R&B affair, last year she starting to make some serious waves. On the contrary, her other tapes 'Alter Ego' and 'Blunts & Ballads' show her flexing her rap skills more.
When she's not on track with other Chicago upstarts Lil' Bibby , Lil' Herb & Lil Durk she reveals her softer side on tracks like 'Freak Like Me', 'Physical', 'Bonnie & Clyde' & 'Molly Love' which are straight bedroom tracks. She's a triple threat unlike the other her other chi town ladies Sasha Go Hard and Katie Got Bandz - she's only 18, she sings, she raps and she's got the looks. She's got tracks for the car, the club and the after party what more do you want?
'Physical' is available for a free download below and you can buy 'Freak Like Me' on iTunes
Staying on an R&B tip... Anime fans will instantly recognize his name but 23 year old producer Sango is still not on as many people's radars as he should be. You will have probably heard one of his remixes of The Weeknd , Little Dragon or any of the slew of remixes and as you've come to expect from him this album is buttery. 808s, dazzling synths, sometimes chipmunked other times pitched down vocals samples of Aaliyah, Amerie, Brandy, snare rolls and Timabaland-esque drums. That seems to be the standard template these days with this new wave of 'futuristic' R&B. Either I've been listenening to too much of it lately and am starting to get slightly bored or they are just begging to be vocalled.
That probably explains why my favourite tracks all features a vocalist. The first of those tracks being 'Middle of Things, Beautiful Wife' which features SPZRKT (pron. Spazzy Rocket). Apart from the silly name he sounds similar to Frank Ocean and....
Next is 'Affections' with singer / producer JMSN (Jameson) I instantly thought of Miguel on 'Lotus Flower Bomb' their voices aren't by any means similar it's just that melody. JMSN appeared on a handful of tracks on Kendrick Lamar's GCMC, has a collaborative album coming out with Ab-Soul and has been on tracks with Game, Tyga & personal fave Deniro Farrar. His album 'Priscilla' from last year is worth checking out but you'll have to pay for it now as it's no longer free. He's on the rise so keep watch.
The highlight of the LP for me is the downtempo final track 'Wake Up, Soul' featuring Isles & Dpat which comes as a welcome change in mood from what is a very saccharine album. It's also the most original sounding track on the LP. Overall it's definitely an album for the summer with its Summer Madness like synths and one you can lounge to, I just prefer mine a bit moodier.
After the Sade post it's only right to hit you with a selection of new R&B that I'm feeling. FKA Twigs, whose video for her new song 'Water Me' prod. by Arca - has her looking like a bug eyed Sailor Moon character. It has been all over the internet and rightly so. It's forthcoming on Young Turks who are definately leading the 'indie' r&b / pop movement with the releases from likes of Jamie XX, SBTRKT, Sampha, Jessie Ware and now Twigs so keep watch. Kilo Kish is also in the mix and her latest mixtape 'K+' features SBTRKT production as well as A$AP's own thug crooner Ferg.
The mix features a handful of U.K artists some known some unknown. Take Dapzonthemap from Birmingham who could be called the UK's unknown Drake with his mc'ing and singing. There's also London based Dirg Gerner who is signed to Sam Shepherd aka Floating points and Alexander Nut's label Eglo Records whose latest self titled EP is a mellow and soulful ride over colourful electronic backdrops. Another who might be unfamiliar is producer Moleskin who a friend put me onto a couple of years back who has since had a couple of releases and remixes out. His track 'Burst' on London label Keysound which features in the mix is begging for a vocalist; I keep imaging Ciara on it so who knows... I also feature 'Stay Here' from Tri Angle's oOoOO. I listened to his debut album 'Without Love' on walk late last night and would recommend you do the same.
There's also the likes of Rochelle Jordan & Tinashe whose mixtapes have been on constant rotation for a while. Newcomer NJMOZA,18, who is signed with Mac Miller is on a similar tip and her lastest 'Gold Lion' EP is worth checking out. There's also US duo Inc. whose 'No World' album on 4AD is one of my contenders for album on the year. London duo AlunaGeorge who just released their debut album 'Body Music' and whose catchy Disclosure produced single 'White Noise' has been a chart success. Kingdom's track 'Bankhead' which was vocalled by newcomer Kelela, whose debut mixtape I am eagerly awaiting, should really be a crossover hit - hopefully there will be a video. She was just on Benji B's Radio 1 show last night which you can listen to here.
You also have OGz like Aaliyah (R.I.P) Brandy, Kelly Rowland and The Dream alongside Frank Ocean, Nina Sky (rememberthis?), Rihanna and Future's 'Loveeeee Song'. On a similar tip to Future 'R&G' singer Tim Vocals gives his own version of Drake's 'Marvin's Room'.
The mix ends with new internet 'sensation' Yung Lean of the Sad Boiz, Londoner King Krule's (formerly Zoo Kid) track from his latest release on Rinse - his album 'Six Feet Beneath The Moon' is out towards the end of this month and is sure to make some noise. It's not R&B but it's real mellow - he has also collaborated with duo Mount Kimbie who also feature in the mix.
Last but not least Thundercat who is signed to Flying Lotus' Brainfeeder label - both his albums are 'The Golden Age of Apocalypse' and 'Apocalypse' excursions in jazz, soul, rock and R&B and are well worth investing in. Other non 'R&B' tracks come from techno producer Andy Stott, 'Leaving' is taken from his latest album 'Luxury Problems' which is dark, ambient, cinematic and at times sexy - it's probably best reserved for a dark winter's night but still an absorbing listen - fans of Portishead and Massive Attack this is for you. And portuguese producer IVVVO whose album 'All Shades of White' on Opal Tapes is a similarly hazy affair.
Nuff gemz for you to enjoy. (Tracklist on soundcloud) Bonus Gem :
The mother of singers such as Adele, future stars Jessie Ware - who has cited her as an influence ( note the similarity between 'Sweet Talk' and 'Your Love Is King'), Eglo's Fatima, Twigs and Toronto's very own Rochelle Jordan, Sade's influence musically, stylistically and behaviourally, to me, is undoubtable.
Anonymity in underground music is nothing new but when you're a multi platinum artist it is unheard of. Like many originators her private life has remained a mystery to the public. I'm sure there's more information out there if you can be bothered to look but I don't want to break the spell. With enigmas like Prince, Timbaland, Aphex Twin and Burial apart from a few interviews and pictures (which maybe not even be them) it is their music that has done the talking for them, well maybe not in the case of Timbaland. Their mystique, along with untouchable back catalogues of archetypal music has guaranteed them their immortality. They created their own genres (hold tight Wiley).
Admittedly, these artists operated in an era where Twitter, Instagram and Facebook did not exist and vorarephilia was not epidemic. There's something reassuring in the fact that you could walk past someone so culturally and personally influential in the street and not even know it was them. Granted, a lot of people could point out Prince and (pre steroids) Timbaland but what I'm trying to say is that the others do not actively court the media. Or maybe they do? Everyone wants what they can't have - a photo, a girl, a dub it's all the same. That said, Sade has been on the cover of I-D, The Face, Time, Rolling Stones, and Interview magazine so it is clear that she is select about who she speaks to when she decides to play ball.
For those who are unfamiliar, Sade is 4 piece band from Hull. They have released 6 albums (excluding best of and live concert albums) - all of which are multi platinum, they have won grammys and toured the world several times. The eponymous member Helen Folasade Adu, of Nigerian and British heritage was the biggest selling musician in the USA in 2012. Even with all these accolades there's still a possibility you're not familiar with their music apart from 'Smooth Operator' and 'Sweetest Taboo' but it's more than likely that you've seen her face. Their last album in 'Soldier of Love' in 2010 was their first in 10 years - she is #veryrvre. To top it all off she has had the likes of Jay-Z, Kanye West & Drake queueing up to work together and declined *jammer voice* all of them. (Jay-Z did get on a remix though)
“I only make records when I feel I have something to say. I’m not interested in releasing music just for the sake of selling something. Sade is not a brand.”
In a career that has spanned nearly 30 years she has never compromised herself, she stayed in her lane and has reaped the rewards of not attempting to pander to new audiences unlike many of her contemporaries. This meant she successfully dodged that awkward phase where it feels like a parent is trying so hard to stay 'down with the kids.' The band members have stayed the same and essentially their sound has remained unchanged but If it ain't broke... You like what she has to offer or don't listen.
“The difference between Madonna and me is that she really seems to want to be incredibly famous and rich and I don't.”
Whilst it does help that her particular style of music is more accessible that should not diminish her achievements because she is an outsider in many ways. Her detractors label it 'elevator' or 'lobby' music and each to their own. So it's not Sun Ra but then again its not generic 'smooth jazz'. With elements of trip hop it's stripped back yet funky, glacial yet emotional. Put it this way a Sade/Gucci Mane collab could easily cause a new ice age. She embodies the essence of 'tutu' which literally translates as "cool" from the Yoruba language.. "An Itutu aesthetic includes the appearance of a calm, collected face that is found in much Yoruba sculpture. It has been suggested by Robert Farris Thompson of Yale University that Itutu is the origin of the American idea of the "cool". His 1973 article 'An Aesthetic of the Cool' traces the idea of Itutu from the Yoruba to several other African civilisations and finally to the Americas, where the descendants of Africans perpetuated the importance of being "cool." (Thank you Wikipedia /JSTOR) It's a 'coolness' the stems from a knowledge of self which is manifested in composure . The concepts of 'cool' are often linked to the sacred usage of water and in 'Love Deluxe' there is a clear aquatic theme in both subject matter and instrumentation.Time magazine called her the 'Queen of cool' which if you know her music, check interviews and browse her pictures it is clear why.
Sade, even whilst she was young and impressionable, did not feel the need to take off her clothes in order to seduce the public. As beautiful as she is her simple fashion sense did more than any skimpy outfit could. The embodiment of simplicity, her understated less is more style is timeless.
'I don't like things that are glittery or flashy. Simplicity is the key, looking subtle without looking dull.' She hits the nail on the head when she says :
'when it comes down to it I'm a singer not a stripper.'
This, to me, is why she is a perfect role model for young girls who look up to singers. Bandz will NOT make her dance! I'm not saying that I don't appreciate some flesh...but when my 3 year old sister was performing Rihanna's 'What's My Name' on her fake microphone and guitar in front of my family one Christmas - I knew there was trouble. Sex sells, but when the age of your audience starts as young as 3 you have to be careful who you're selling to. Nudity is always controversial as proven by Robin Thicke along with Justin Timberlake's feeble imitation. 'Artistic' nudity. (Let's save that debate for another time.) 'Blurred Lines' is currently at number one so I guess it worked.
That said, the 'Love Deluxe' album cover shot by renowned fashion photographer Albert Watson features her 'nude' but tastefully covered up - a trend which was started by none other than Prince with his 'Lovesexy' cover. The only time she ever revealed herself was alongside Helen Bonham Carter and Amy Winehouse for the Lavender Trust in order to raise awareness for breast cancer. As Fatima Robinson, a choreographer for the likes of Michael Jackson and Aaliyah, duly stated Sade was 'sensual and sexy, without trying. It wasn’t contrived in any way.' So by her stating 'She was probably the only artist I’ve ever worked with where I go ‘wow, I wish I could move like her' instead of making them move like me.' It shows there is more to sex appeal than nudity. It's what she doesn't reveal that makes her sexy. Although Sade doesn't dance if you watch the 'Cherish The Day' video you'll see what Fatima means.
“There were no girls of my age around, so I played with the boys on the fringe of my brother’s circle. I didn’t have a girl friend till I was nine. This probably explains why reportedly Princess Diana’s question to her after a Prince’s Trust concert was: “Do you always dress like a man?” Maybe someone should ask Janelle Monae the same thing...
(Photograph by Letac / Shapersofthe80s archive)
Now, Love Deluxe. It was released in 1992 The album begins with the grammy winning 'No Ordinary Love'. No long intro it's straight into the deep end. This can be disorientating for some but this is an album you want to get 'lost' in. The icy pads matched with icy her voice and that guitar - it's game over. The emotion in the track steadily crescendo's to the point where you could shed a tear and then it smoothes out allowing you to recompose yourself. The video, directed by her fellow CSM student Sophie Muller, sees Sade as a mermaid singing about her own Prince Namor.
The dubbed out second track, 'Feel No Pain', which could be used as today's Job Seekers Anthem is highly motivational. Not on a level with MJ's 'They Don't Care About Us' but if you have ever 'seen a man break down' and you need something to help you in your mission to get them back in the game then this is it.
'Couldn't love you more' - underwater love song.
'Like A Tattoo' - Spanish guitar...
'Kiss of life' - sampled by MF Doom for Doomsday (Metal Fingers - Saffron) and you can see why. As great as her voice is when the instrumental breaks down it's pure bliss.
'Cherish The Day' - 1m 37s everytime...and that snare!
'Pearls' - Just Watch below (sampled by D'Cruze on Heaven - which I just uploaded)
'Bullet Proof Soul' - I need to hire Stuart Matthewman to play the sax as I walk through the rain in my trench doing my best Inspector Morse / Columbo impressions. 'Mermaids' - An instrumental outro ending the album on the underwater theme that it began with. No rating system but if you like your R&B slightly dark and emotional then this is for you. If your getting sampled by Havoc, Dilla, Dillinja, Doom and....Drake then you have to be doing something right. In my eyes this album along their previous two as well as Soul II Soul's is are of the foundations of the 'neo soul' movement that came to prominence in the late 90s with the like of D'Angelo, Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu. My youtube playlist of Sade sampling songs : Shar-Day Further listening : The band (excluding Sade herself) went on to form Sweetback in 1994 releasing their debut self-titled album in 1996 featuring Maxwell (Stuart Matthewman of Sade went on to produce much of 'Urban Hang Suite' , Amel Larrieux of Groove Theory and Aya.
