Where to begin? This year marked some bizarre ocurrances, the sudden deaths of the Over Weight Lover Heavy D and Amy Winehouse, Jay Z & Beyonce getting preggas, Chris Brown showing us that his therapy has not worked, UK songstress Adele killing the charts with 21, and the masses believing that Obama is a magician—can eradicate a mess that took 8 years to create in 4 years. (Just saying).

Here at Muphoric Sounds, the Best Of 2011 is different, as everything reviewed on this site is considered being the best heard at that time. Below is our list of some of the great albums to hit in 2011 — what’s great about the list also, is all from this list have released their music independently; free from label constraints.

1. Floating Points - Shadows - continues to bring us into his synth world, but with more bass, floating between jazz and dubstep beats that is completely danceable.
2. Mar – Mar Variations – A project sparked by Dorian Concept’s “Bipolar Friendship,” has just grown it’s own legs. Now we all await for Mar’s next variation, as they’re all outstanding pieces of work! Check out the latest one.
3. Little Dragon – Ritual Union – Longstanding fans of Little Dragon, from their debut, it is so gratifying to see them grow into notoriety. If there’s one band who deserves it, it is Little Dragon.
4. Radiohead – The King of Limbs – Perfection in every way. Radiohead are an electronic band, who are so open to try out new sounds, you never know what you’re going to get – which makes them a complete treat. “Lotus Flower” video, still a favourite.
5. Thundercat – The Golden Age of Apocalypse – Absolutely in love with Thundercat’s sounds – hard and delicate all at the same time, with incredible arrangements that leave you satisfied.
6. Malice & Mario Sweet - Happy 2 Year – Seattle’s new flowering talent, taking us to an era when duets conveyed passion and love, over real soul and funk laden beats.
7. KING – The Story – Hailing from the West Coast, these young ladies came with something refreshingly different. Looking forward to their next project and shows on the East Coast!
8. Elzhi – Elmatic – Never, ever thought it was possible to do a remake of Nas’s Illmatic (the album was perfection in its original state). However, in comes Elzhi using Will Sessions as his band, and it’s a new listening experience! Well done!
9. Van Hunt – What Your Were Hoping For? – From his great musicianmanship, superior songwriting, Van Hunt can put out anything and I’d follow. The journey is so inspiring.
10. Omar + Zed Bias  - “Dancing” (Single) – A true jump up and whine your waist tune!

Not going to make any predictions this year, but will note, it seems our collective prayers and candle lighting is doing something. D’Angelo will embark on a European tour in January/February 2012, a sort of test out the waters before he brings his show to the US. Keep praying people!! Keep praying!!

As we approach a new year, we wish you all the best for 2012!!

Peace + Love + Light
The Muphoric Sounds Team

The first time I heard the bass line from this song was on a loop called “Savage Intelligence,” by Bay Area MC’s named Konceptual Dominance (Koncepts and Kirby) where they incorporated it into their song beautifully. Imagine my amazement when I found the tape at my mom’s house and pressed play. That bass is part of a musical landscape arranged by Lonnie Liston Smith and its called “A Chance for Peace,” the first cut off the 1975 “Visions of a New World.” It features Cecil McBee (bass), George Barron (sax), Joe Beck (guitar), David Lee Jr. (drums), James Mtume and Sonny Morgan (percussion), Badal Roy (table), Geeta Vashi (tamboura), and Liston Smith (Piano/Keys).

Born in 1940, this Richmond Virginia native was brought up in a musical family. He studied music in high school and at Morgan State University. Starting his career in Baltimore and later moved to New York City where so many musicians make the pilgrimage to in order to gig, collaborate, learn, and elevate their skill. After studying with family, school, the clubs, and many greats, he grew into an extremely accomplished musician and band leader, who has played with Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Gato Barbieri, Miles Davis, Guru from Gangstarr, and Pharoah Sanders. As a band leader of The Cosmic Echoes,” the Visions of a New World was the second LP he released with famed producer Bob Thiele.

The bass is deceiving, first screaming full of funk, then providing a trance-inducing floor for the guitar, trumpets, vocals, synthesizers, and violins to walk on. One of the reasons I gravitated to Liston Smith, despite the fact that he’s been so widely sampled in hip hop, is his incredible ability to fuse sounds and genres together. Jazz, traditional, funky, electronic, psychedelic, or even rock elements. This song and this LP have so much to offer the ear. Check it out below.

“A Chance for Peace” by Lonnie Liston Smith

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Well, this was a lovely surprise! Legendary DJ/Producer DJ Spinna has put together an incredible mix of his favourite Mark de Clive-Lowe tunes, which include remixes and collaborations with Kenny Dope (Masters at Work), Phil Asher (Restless Soul), Zed Bias, Spinna himself, to name a few. This 34-track collection of MdCL’s music, travels through many genres — soul, downtempo, house, and alternative sounds; a great treat to round the year out with.

Mark de Clive-Lowe released Renegades, his ninth solo album last month on TruThoughts Records and can be purchased from the following links:  Amazon | iTunes.

The Best of MdCL Mix by DJ Spinna is available for free download at the following sites Soundcloud | MixCloud – or you could just play it here while you pursue Muphoric Sounds.

The Best of MdCL Mix by DJ Spinna by Tru Thoughts

“Avril 14“ is so beautiful; just rocked my world. The intensity of the music with Mar and UK singer Szjerdene‘s incredibly heartfelt delivery, will make you want to run up to the one you love and just hold them. The video documents a beautiful couple preparing for their first child—the excitement, and the love they have for each other is so pure. However, complications arise and shatters their bright world into something that is harrowingly painful. “Avril 14” is a variation of an instrumental by Irish electronic composer Apex Twin. Again, the music is left untouched and vocals are added to breathe more life and dimension to the original composition.

Directed by Hesdy Lonwijk and actors Nasrdin Dchar & Kim Pieters. Watch the video below, and head over to Mar‘s WeTransfer site to get your free download.

It’s not every day you come across an artist who has a background that makes you wonder, “Why haven’t I heard about them before?” Baby Jaymes is one of those. Born and raised in Oakland, California, and under the tutelage of Raphael Saadiq and George Clinton—he can call these greats his mentors—Baby Jaymes has come to do his thing!

First hearing “Heart & Soul,” the infectious hook that is vintage soul mixed a hip hop flavour, there was anticipation for his 5-song EP. Baby Jaymes does a rendition of 50 Cent‘s “21 Questions” bringing in live instrumentation and inverting the song to sound melodic.

Calling his style “ghetto retro,” largely in part due to his sound having subtle leanings to Motown but also containing enough soul, hip hop and live instrumentation to make it a sound of now. Baby Jaymes is fun and I look forward to seeing what his live performance is going to look and sound like.

Being on the West Coast he definitely asserted himself within the right circles and has had songs featured in motion pictures, such as Malibu’s Most Wanted, My Baby’s Daddy, and Any Given Sunday.

Check out “Heart & Soul” below and head over to iTunes to purchase this EP.

Heart and Soul smooth mastered 1 by BabyJaymes

From his latest album, What You Were Hoping For?, is the first video for “Eyes Like Pearls.” Van Hunt says the lyrics to the song came from, ”finding a monster living inside of a girl I was hanging with – and falling in complete, primal love with her. Finding out who someone is – why they are the way they are – and turning their scars into a reason to change my life.” These are the things I love about Hunt‘s vivid songwriting. Somehow, someone’s chaos can give him rectitude. The video shows a man and a woman as they wonder about, deep in thought focusing on their eyes.

If you haven’t purchased What You Were Hoping For? yet, I suggest you do. It’s an electric ride of discovery with profound lyrics that make you go, “Hmmmm…”

iTunes | Amazon

If this woman feels the emotion, know that it will come out through her music.  Owed to Mama Rickie is Georgia Anne Muldrow paying homage to her mother, Rickie Byars Beckwith, who has been a spiritual and musical inspiration in her life. Owed to Mama Rickie, her second release on animatedcartunes, GAM gives us her dose of her signature funk vibes, with messages that are spiritual and inspiring, lessons to learned from her mama. Below is the first video from the album for “More & More” featuring Bilal at the half-way point – directed by Brian Deka Paupaw.

Peter Major aka Opolopo, known largely for his soul funk arrangements, manages to find the most outstanding artists to turn on his ingenious talent. Born in Zirc, Hungry to a keyboardist father, young Opolopo received his education in music while on the road with his father, who was a keyboardist. This exposed him to a wide array of musical styles and musicians. His personal leaning has been towards soul, funk, jazz. With a decade long career on multiple labels, such as Om Records, Warner Brothers, Tru Thughts, Sony/BMG, Swedish Brandy and Especial Records, his new home is Tokyo Dawn Records.

Mutants, is a compilation of remixes where he delves deep into 80s funk and soul, taking us back to the two step era, also incorporating those soulful house songs that never grow old. His selections include a mix of power vocalists, such as Erik Rico, Amalia, Colonel Red, Ursula Rucker, Gregory Porter, Eska, Sly Johnson, to name a few.

Check out two songs from the compilation, then head over to Tokyo Dawn Records for purchase.

“1960 What?” by Gregory Porter (Opolopo Kick & Bass Rerub)

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“Our World” feat. Erik Rico (House Mix)

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