When I finally got around to listening to the KEYEL Mixtape (which became available for download Sept 24), I actually felt a wave of sorrow. Sorrow, due to the current state of the music industry, that artists have to “give” their music away, and KEYEL‘s mixtape is worth that $9.99 – if not more!

Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, emcees Prose, Holy Moly, Pease, and DJ ESO work exceptionally well together. The mixtape is a culmination of classic hip hop and alternative sounds. Their first single “Mary Jane” which was produced by German beatmaker fLako, is a smoothed out tune with a nice melodic la la la la la. The real treat is actually on the mixtape, where the song extends to an additional minute and a half, with a dope funky music change and an Eryka Badu type harmony. Definitely sounds like a Mary to me!  “Hanging by a String” was produced by the eclectic Sa-Ra Creative Partners. Their beats have just enough Dilla inflection to make it their own, with fun flowing rhymes, cool outros, and inventive musical arrangements, which go beyond hip hop.

Download your copy of the KEYEL Mixtape Vol. 1; you will enjoy it!

KEYEL excerpt from “Mary Jane” on Mixtape Vol. 1

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“Alternative Jawn” prod. by Sa-Ra Creative Partners on Mixtape Vol. 1

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Making the rounds to promote Joy Jones‘s debut album, Godchild with Bugz in the Attic producer Daz-I-Kue, the audience were eating out of their hands. Daz-I-Kue definitely brought a taste of London to New York, with his signature future soul sound. Opening her stage with the first song off her album, “Joyride” which uses the always interesting sample of “Space” by Galt McDermont (Hair composer), Joy Jones took control with her backing vocalists in tow. It’s always refreshing to attend shows where the artist takes the time to talk to their audience, posing questions  to make you think. Joy’s burning question was, “Who’s experienced real love?” Sadly, there wasn’t a wave of cheers, but more an admiration of the love she was declaring for her husband, who was busy videoing the show on his camera. Godchild certainly has stretched Daz-I-Kue as a producer, with his used of smooth soul/jazz sounds fused with African tremors, clearly keep future soul alive.

Joy Jones is no stranger to the genre either. Originally from Los Angeles, and raised by West Indian parents, she attended Duke University where she studied biology and cultural anthropology, then moved to London and attended the University of London to study medical anthropology and found her ground in music with Bugz in the Attic producer Daz-I-Kue. Godchild is a labor of love, where Joy explores her heritage and her personal experiences through her music, coupled with a production that flows seamlessly.

With a tight band and energetic background singers, the crowd swayed and sang along as she gave us a taste of her own personalized joy. I highly recommend you see her when she comes to your town. Check out some of her songs below and make a stop over to iTunes and get yourself a copy of Godchild from Future Soul Records.

“Promise Land”

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“Hollywood”

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Harmonic 313 is Mark Pritchard, not to be confused with UK Labor Party MP either, though it would be dope if there was a relationship (hahaha). With When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence he does what my friend calls a sound bwoy burial. Truly, your ears will never feel the same once hearing this album. It’s dark, no smiling at all! His choice of beats, use of sounds is so far to the next level, I wonder what goes through his mind whilst eating his cereal in the morning!

A long-standing artist on Warp Records, Pritchard has worked with some amazing rappers in underground hip hop. Recently, he collaborated with Om’Mas Keith from Sa Ra Creative Partners on “Wind it Up,” Elzhi on “Battlestar” also featuring Phat Kat, and GoldieLocks, and Steve Spacek. He has such an extensive rap sheet, I suggest you do some research, and get your ears chewed out, starting here on iTunes.

Just so you know what I’m talking about, below are a couple of tunes, that are guaranteed to have your head banging. It’s muphorically sound!

“Dirtbox” on When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence

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“Köln” on When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence

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This little known guy from Canada by the name of Koushik has been around for a while and has worked with beatmaster and emcee Madlib, Four Tet, Caribou, and is another great Stones Throw artist. Tell Me What You See is a concept piece where his producer asked him to put together an album from samples of film noir from yesteryear, to provide a soundtrack which illustrates a lazy, hazy, Sunday afternoon. Tell Me… does just that. The samples are filled with 70s grooves with phat horns, serious drums and percussions that accompany his experimental beats perfectly. His singing style puts one in the mind of Sufjan Stevens. Tell Me What You See is great to listen to while you’re at home getting your chillax on, while you work, by yourself or with some friends, while eating, drinking, or whatever your vice is. It’s dope. Take a peek at some of his tunes below.

“Groove Awhile” from Tell Me What You See album

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“Bright and Shining” from Out of My Window album

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Not sure when Tell Me What You See hits the stores, but check out his past albums Be With and Out of My Window on iTunes; his work is amazing.