the outsiders are back

perhaps one of the most pleasantly suprising debut records to be released this year comes in the form of this brilliantly infectious funk/soul LP from kings go forth on luaka bop records. this 10-piece soul unit from milwaukee, wisconsin consist of seven players and three singers. this band have created their own sound from a broad palete of classic rhythm & blues, from mid-60s chicago to early-70s philadelphia, and those even more obscure. groove-heavy and horn-powered, 'the outsiders are back' cements its place in the exciting soul-revival.


kings go forth - fight with love

heritage

"hypnotic brass ensemble are one of a kind. graced with soul, funk, and spirituality these guys have captivated audiences worldwide. their music is a combination of all genres. with the undeniable drive of hip-hop, the freedom of rock and the melodic thread of R&B these guys are nothing short of unique.

all band members are the sons of legendary sun ra trumpeter phil cohran. the group began performing together as children (some as early as 3 years old). in 1999 they formed what is now known as the hypnotic brass ensemble and have performed or collaborated with some of the greatest musical stars of the last two decades. from mos def to maxwell, wu tang clan’s ghostface killah to UK superstar damon alburn, erykah badu to fela kuti’s drummer tony allen. if you don’t know these guys you’re missing out.

during one of their many stays in dublin with choicecuts, hypnotic decided to shack up in a studio located high in the dublin mountains to rehearse for a week and write new material. hypnotic and choicecuts had a bit of down time in between these sessions and with plenty of guinness and jameson in tow chose to rework some of their favourite records from other artists that have influenced them both.

hypnotic know their fans. they also know their fans know real music. the heritage EP released by choicecuts with hypnotic is a nod to that fact, a sprinkling of the hypnotic dust over some of the tunes that influenced the band and their musical direction over the course of their lives."

hypnotic brass ensemble - spottie (free download)

compass

jamie lidell's latest album on warp, 'compass', is a kind of electronic funk/soul hybrid which doesn't particularly lend itself to pigeonholing. there have been many retro comparisons of this record, and perhaps rightfully so, likening some of the sounds to prince and stevie wonder, but the album's off the wall and more wacky nature is just as much comparable to beck - the album was actually recorded between beck's hudson studios in LA and feist's ranch. his voice is quite unique, especially in terms of being a white british soul singer, and ultimately the music is innovative. the track below captures the fun side of the record and the video is part of the 'take away show' with his band performing the track live in the streets of paris.


jamie lidell - enough's enough

cold beats

this is a track by producer koushik and underground hip-hop artist percee p that features on stones throw's 'science class: heavy funk & raw disco soul' compilation. the song samples the deep funk classic 'cold heat' by lil' lavair & the fabulous jades which can be heard in its original form here.


listen...


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koushik - cold beats (featuring percee p) [mediafire]

do-over vol. 1

this two track vinyl is released courtesy of stones throw, each volume in this series is limited to 1,000 copies and the artwork/packaging features different graphic designers. the first track is by house shoes, which can be heard below, and the second is by flying lotus.


listen here...



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house shoes - the making [mediafire]

wanda vidal

this is a track from one of madlib's projects that takes a distinct step away from traditional hip-hop - yesterday's new quintet. recently i have been on a journey discovering all the madlib-related material out there and with each new turn the music takes, my appreciation greatens. this jazz-based quintet, made up of four fictitious characters, has released a few albums that i highly recommend you check out.



download...

yesterday's new quintet - wanda vidal [mediafire]