“[The] thing is, you’ve been hearing him for years and probably didn’t even know it… [Thundercat] is the other half of my brain in the studio,” says Flying Lotus of his musical partner Thundercat. This man is awesome; his beats are eclectic, masculine, and simply are the future. Starting out as a bassist and now has evolved into a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and rapper. Versatility at its best! Below is a free download of Shenanigans Pt. 1, which is mixed by Flying Lotus, a 30-minute sojourn through the depths of Thundercat. Bring on part 2! His debut album, The Golden Age of Apocalypse (check out “Daylight” below) is scheduled to drop Aug. 30th on Brainfeeder.

Shenanigans Pt. 1 (Download)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“Daylight” from The Golden Age of Apocalypse

Thanks to Brainfeeder and RCRDLBL for the free downloads.

South London producer Paul White, who is known largely for his hip hop futuristic beats has gotten reworked by Michael “DJ HouseShoes” Buchanan (can I just say, I love that name!). Taking Paul White‘s recent beats and reworking them into original rap productions with the likes of Guilty Simpson, plus unreleased beats and remixes of A Tribe Called Quest and Nas, this 30-minute mixtape is an ode to classic hip hop with a difference, and the difference being the future. Through his House Shoes Recordings, DJ HouseShoes pressed the now classic Jay Dee – Unreleased EP (1996), Phat Kat – Dedication To The Suckers 12 (1999), and Houseshoes – Loungin’ (2004).  What’s cool about this project, is you get to hear these rappers in a different musical light; and it works. Check it out below. Rapping With Paul White hits stores August 22 on a 2 LP release and digital formats. You can get the download below or here.

Rapping With Paul White – The DJ House Shoes Mixtape by alexchase

Browsing through photographer Amanda Lopez’s blog the other day, I saw a beautiful young woman among her usual interesting subjects. Not only did I notice the sister’s fashion sense, but I also noticed she was a singer. After listening to one of her songs it was easy to see that this young vocalist has talent! Mara Hruby hails from my hometown Oakland, has performed as a backup singer in the Bay Area for other artists, and started to perform as a solo artist in 2010.

From her Eyes is an incredible album of remakes of classic songs by some greats such as Stereolab, D’Angelo, Jamiroquai, and the legendary Bob Marley.  Already working with the likes of Jesse Boykins III and the group Sartorial Sounds, which includes Theo Martins, Joe Kenneth, Joshua Bennett, Rinaldy Alverez, and Melo-X, shows that Mara is a force to be reckoned with. Listening to her voice I hear great range and melody that is reminiscent of singers like Natalie Cole and Esthero. Having performed in NYC and several cities in the Bay Area such as San Jose and Oakland, we not only learn of Mara‘s great taste in music but we also hear her vocal styling to back it up! She debuted her video for the cover of Mos Def’s “The Panties” to acclaim. My favorite tracks from the EP are her remakes of “Send it On” by D’Angelo and “Alright” by Jamiroquai. Check them out below and keep your ears open for this young musical mind.

Can we say PITTSBURGH?! Late last year, we were put onto an artist by the name of Bobby Blunt (a Virginia native, residing in Pittsburgh, who did the creative Petey’s Soapbox EP, inspired by the shock jock Petey Greene) and later the collaborative project, under the name of Huey Neutron, which included an producer and emcee by the name of Vex. Now with their second track together, “Love Is,” they touch on the universality of love and it’s complexities. The track is reminiscent of Slum Village‘s “You Know What Love Is,” where on “Love Is,” the keys wiry sound act as the confusion one feels when they are trying to understand what is happening to them emotionally. The solution to the confusion, really is to surrender. Check it out below.

How often do we come across artists and think, “Why haven’t they blown up yet?!” What is it? Is it that Tawiah is a musical puritan not wanting to compromise her true self and her art? Or are the masses simply, but tragically deaf? After hearing Tawiah sanging in this live performance video, you will understand what I’m saying. No stranger to the business, she was part of Mark Ronson‘s touring live band, a backing vocalist for Corinne Bailey Rae, and has collaborated with a host of underground producers such as Maddslinky aka Zed Bias on his Make a Change album — a track entitled “Further Away” and then earlier this year, Maddslinky made 10 versions of the said track (if you missed that, you can check it out here). She also released an EP last year In Jodi’s Bedroom, (available on iTunes) which brought in traditional soul, funk, and alternative UK sounds, with gorgeous vocals laid over each track. On this live video below Tawiah shows off her power. Check it out.

Tawiah is giving away a free download on her website. So go pick up the single “Sweet Me.”

Last September, we introduced you to Los Angeles based producer, Moonsatellite where we described his sounds as being interconnected. On his s t r a n g e d i m e n s i o n s EP he goes deeper with interconnectivity bringing sounds of jazz fusion, afro-beats, and a tinge of R&B (at the 3 minute mark, I think the vocal heard is Marvin Gaye), and true hip hop. The fusion of styles created here is quite wonderful to listen to and it seems with every production, we hear Moonsatellite covering dimensions that aren’t necessary strange, but the divine path he is supposed to take. Check out s t r a n g e d i m e n s i o n s below. You won’t be disappointed.

S T R A N G E D I M E N S I O N S by Moonsatellite

To hear more of Moonsatellite‘s work, visit his SoundCloud page.

About a week ago, I was in the mood to hear some Van Hunt, wondering when his next album would be. Then a few days later, an email hits my inbox from his PR informing me of the aforementioned track “June” and a new album what were you hoping for? is on the way. (I only wish I had this kind of hindsight for D’Angelo!). ”June” reminds me of vintage Prince, simple in formation, with a whimsical and mellow flow that’s perfect for summer days. what were you hoping for?, his third studio album, is scheduled to release September 29th. Looking forward to hearing it, as he always has a fun way of giving us real funk, soul, with a hard twist of rock. You can get the free download of “June” below.

“June”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Tanya Auclair is one of those quintessential artists, a non-conformist pushing themselves through boundaries to move out of comfort-zones. With the release of her debut EP last July, Thrum, which brought in sounds of the doowop and electronica with raw drum and guitar melodies, it was no surprise that she ended up collaborating with Tomatom the French aka Yult, with The Animal Inside back in February of this year. Now with the release of her second EP, Origami, where the themes take from the Ancient art form of the triptych, which is three-part panels of pictures or carvings placed together — in the instance of Origami — it is the stories about making (Origami), change, (Sverige) and chance (Fluke), basically describing Tanya‘s musical journey. Her use of the ukulele, a microkorg, bass, the mbira, and her voice, give us these uncanny sounds that are refreshing to hear during these times of over production. Check out “Fluke” short video below, which is directed by Eleni Savvidou, then head over to her Bandcamp page to get a free download. First 1000 downloads are free; so act now!

Tanya Auclair – Origami EP Trailer from Tanya Auclair on Vimeo.

It’s been quite some time since we’ve featured Muhsinah on Muphoric Sounds. We introduced you to her work with Oscillations. Now she’s about to hit us with her next project, entitled Gone and first single, which is a free download is “How Great.” It’s true Muhsinah—layered vocals and harmonies that are airy and free. With “How Great,” she stretches herself beyond the sounds of nu soul or its various iterations, and moves solidly into the alternative. She’s uber talented woman, who started her career by making productions in her bedroom and posting them onto Youtube. “How Great” is a heavy rotation tune, with those melancholy piano chords and a reverberating bass line which gives the tune light punk rock edge. So check it out and add it to your collection by downloading it below.

“How Great” [DOWNLOAD]

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

At first, hearing about Elzhi doing a tribute of Nas‘s Illmatic, I was dubious about the project. How can one do a reworking of what was, and still is, a perfect album? Illmatic was released the spring of 1994, when Nas was only twenty years old. 1994 was the year we received Notorious B.I.G.‘s Ready to Die, Gang Starr‘s Hard to Earn, Pete Rock & CL Smooth‘s Main Ingredient, Jeru the Damaja‘s The Sun Rises in the East, Digable Planet‘s Blowout Comb, Keith Murray‘s The Most Beautifullest Thing in the World, Craig Mack‘s Flavor in Ya Ear, Lords of the Underground, Organized Konfusion, to name a few. East Coast rap was alive and thriving. It hadn’t started drinking gin ‘n juice nor partying hard with Puffy and friends, as Jeru the Damaja rapped on “One Day.”

Elzhi has breathed more life into Illmatic with his tribute Elmatic, and in doing so, he has pushed himself lyrically and sonically, translating Nas‘s storytelling into stories of now, confined to Detroit streets and realism. Not taking anything away from the original, but magnifying musical arrangements by bringing live instrumentation. Elmatic is pure labour of love, produced entirely by funk fusion band Will Sessions, who have worked with Black Milk, Mayer Hawthorne, Slum Village, and Guilty Simpson.  The album has appearances by MC Royce da 5’9, Stokely Williams from Mint Condition, and also Pete Rock, who was one of the original producers of Illmatic alongside DJ Premier, Large Professor, Q-Tip, and L.E.S. All I can say, ”It’s Elmatic, shout outs to the homey, nah son, words from the wise one, make both your eyes run.” I often revisit Illmatic, and now I can include Elmatic to extend my Illmatic-isms. Get your Free Download right now! You’ll have it on heavy rotation!

“Genesis”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“One Love”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

And check out the video for “Half Time.”

Back in March, we put you on to the sounds of Mar and his variations, with “Variations 1 + 2“, which were a combination of smooth new soul fused with jazz, and the grit of dubstep. The third variation is provided by DC producer Oddisee, a track of the same title taken from his West Coast Beat album. Though the music remains in its original form, the addition of Mar‘s vocals turn it into something deliciously sexy, as he dedicates the song to “the hard working girls” out in the world. Check out the equally sexy and suggestive video below and get your free download of the track HERE!

I know, I know, Muphoric Sounds has become a love letter to all things Little Dragon – but how could it not!

The Fader compares this new tune, “Wildfire” from South London tribal mask wearing producer/DJ SBTRKT to what an Aaliyah / Timbaland production would sound like, if she were still with us today. And on third listen, I have to agree — SBTRKT‘s production with Yukimi Nagano‘s unmistakable vocals is pure pleasure. “Wildfire” actually starts off sounding quite circa 1985, during the era when R&B skirted with computerized production, turning into a melodic dub step groove. “Wildfire,” would be that slow jam.

SBTRKT‘s self entitled album is scheduled for June 28th release on the Young Turks label. Be prepared for some real ear poppin’ sounds. A trip to SBTRKT‘s Soundcloud wouldn’t go amiss either – go and get your mind twisted!

Free Download – “Wildfire”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

This is an aspect of being an indi artists that’s organic and democratic. In May 2009, Bay Area producer, Trackademics did a new wave, computerized-like remix of Little Dragon‘s “After the Rain” (to hear Trackademics‘ and Floating Points versions, click here). The band must have liked it so much, they commissioned Trackademics to remix “Looking Glass,” which is taken from their latest album, Machine Dreams. I love when a producer reinterprets a song, giving it an entirely new face. This is dope — check it out below.

Little Dragon – “Looking Glass” (Trackademick’s Gazer Remix)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Shout out to Moovmnt.com for DOWNLOAD link!

Every time LunchBox Theory sends out their email blast to promote their monthly AfroBeat For Ya Soul night, I get excited as the announcement comes with audible treats from their resident DJ, DJ Underdog. The latest mix, Africa UnDONE, is somewhat special—it marks LunchBox Theory‘s 2nd year anniversary and a redesign of their site. So it’s a full-on celebration of much success, taking place, tomorrow night, Thursday, March 31!

DJ Underdog is so skillful in how he finds the perfect song and puts his own spin on it, to a perfect theme. Africa UnDONE brings in themes of industrialization with African roots at the forefront. It’s a great mix of afro-beats, funk, and soulful house fusions. You’ll want to play this at home, in your car, with your friends.

I definitely plan on visiting the DMV area this summer to specifically attend LunchBox Theory’s “AfroBeat For Ya Soul” party! With DJ Underdog throwing down tunes like what he’s demonstrated over the past two years—the parties must be musical heaven. If you’re in the DMV area, you can get event details for AfroBeat for Ya Soul here. And if you’re like me–a little (or greatly) geographically challenged, then Africa UnDONE will appease you in the meantime. Enjoy this FREE DOWNLOAD, in courtesy of LunchBox Theory and Underdog The DJ!

Yes, this project sounds nothing short of FRESH! Philadelphia native, HEZEKiAH (emcee, producer, and songwriter) who has worked with a slew of Illadephia artists, has teamed up with San Diego native singer/songwriter, iSHE for what was initially supposed to be an EP, but once they started working together, they decided to do a full album. Scheduled to hit June 1st, and every two weeks starting today, they will post a taster for us to chew on. “Stand Guard” is the first appetizer, with iSHE‘s no nonsense delivery — you better back off because her man “ain’t no captain save a hoe,” she’s standing guard; he’s worth it! Check it out below. Looking forward to hearing the finished project.

STAND GUARD by iSHE’