Oftentimes the art world can be an expression of serious, referential art. So it’s refreshing to come across someone who is truly having fun with it, and using a subject matter close to my heart, Prince.

Troy Gua is a Seattle-based visual artist, has been working furiously over the past five years, creating art that explores pop culture and his fascination with the social medias. His most notable exhibits are his Pop Hybrids, where he combines two iconic figures and reduces the personality into logo, reducing their individuality into a collective, and reduces the photography to a design, creating interesting images that force you to create your own meaning and subversion. His Colorbandz, are portraits at the speed of technology, a concept at first glance seem like bands of colour but as you grasp the concept of the Colorbandz, it begins to come clear. (See Troy Gua‘s self Colorbandz portrait at the end of interview.)

But it wasn’t until Gua tackled the project of making his own Gerry Anderson inspired marionette of his musical idol Prince, the Le Petit Prince, that his name traveled beyond the West Coast. As you will see below, the marionette captures the essence of Prince, from his hypnotic stare, and his perfectly defined lips, to this pristine and unique sense of style. Gua’s symbolic tribute to the artist who has inspired him throughout his life has garnered much attention, and we are sure to see more of Le Petit Prince in the future.

Muphoric Sounds got the chance to talk to Gua about his work and what sparked him to pay homage to Prince in what he calls, “a loving tribute, that is meant to be a parody” of his idol. Le Petit Prince is quirky yet perfect, all at the same time.

To view more of Troy Gua’s work, visit his website at www.troygua.com. You can also “Like” his Facebook page to receive updates on Le Petit Prince.

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INTERVIEW WITH TROY GUA

Muphoric Sounds: Who is Troy Gua?

Troy Gua: I’m a dude who just grew up expecting that I was going to be an artist. That’s what I got a pat on the head for as a kid. And I’ve been chasing that pat on the head ever since.

MS: Has it always been in visual arts?

Gua: Yes, since I was little kid I just liked to draw, constantly. I was the youngest of four kids. The next one was 9 years older than me; so I was sort of like an only child, spent a lot of time by myself, and liked to draw musicians and pop stars. I made a series of poor decisions in my late teens and twenties, married my childhood sweetheart, and kind of left my dreams on the wayside. And I kind of gave up on who I was supposed to become and played house for a few years. Became an alcoholic and a drug addict actually. [Laughs] I always had a job. I was married and responsible but I was kind of a shell of my real self, and medicated and numbed myself to that fact for a long, long time. Eventually, that all caved in, and my whole life flushed and it was a reboot. And I met this woman online named Catherine and we fell in love and kind of hit the ground running. We decided to get sober together and make a happy life for ourselves. That was around 2005 when we met and since then I’ve been focusing on getting that dream in order.

MS: You’ve been working solidly since 2008, what has been the best experience for you so far?

Gua: To be completely honest, this [Le Petit Prince]. This has been the most attention I’ve had. I’m in Seattle, which is a pretty insulated community, this bubble in the corner of the country and I’ve been working my butt off for about five years, constantly showing work, feeling like a rubber ball bouncing around the room not being able to break out. And I’d been frustrated for a while with that.

MS: But it seems to be working.

Gua: The funny thing is, as soon as I was discouraged enough, to say, ‘screw it, I’m not going to make this kind of art, it’s bringing me down, I’m just going to start having fun …and make myself a little Prince doll.’ [Laughs] That’s when everybody started to pay attention, which is amazing. But of course, it’s Prince!

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Soon the name Siaira Shawn will be listed as one of music’s greatest up and coming artists. But don’t let that box keep you confined, Siaira’s music will probably be defined by many more genres such as R&B, Jazz, and Rock to name a few.

Few people can belt out a tune clearly and melodically at a rally, wedding, street corner, or office as well as she can with little to no strain. Relaxed and modest however, you would never know it unless you asked. California’s Bay Area has a historic body of incredible musicians and producers who have broken ground on new frontiers of music, and the business of independent music regardless of genre. Siaira is part of that legacy. If you look up her work, you’ll see she has shared the stage and beats with Bay Area fixtures such as revolutionary rhymer T-Kash (Guerilla Funk/ The Coup) and producer Nick James who is responsible for countless remixes and a few cuts for Native Gunner Bambu. You might also hear her on tracks produced by Zakiya Harris (Fiyawata).

In this interview I ask Siaira a few questions about her musical career, the future, and what inspires her as she prepares to set sail for Brooklyn, New York. Welcome Siaira Shawn to Muphoric Sounds.

MS: What does your stage name mean? How did you get it?

Siaira Shawn: My stage name is my first and middle name. Mommy gave me the first name, and she allowed my fathers choice to be my middle name.

MS: For our listeners/readers who are unfamiliar with your work, how would you describe yourself as an artist? Who are you and what do you do?

Siaira Shawn: I am a lover, an all around artist, a worker of and for the community, an aspiring renaissance woman, in the tradition of Paul Robeson and others; my ultimate expression is being a singer/songwriter.

MS: What are some of your biggest influences in terms of your songwriting and singing?

Siaira Shawn: I get influences from everywhere; from my life, others lives, culture, history, politics, nature. I want to speak of and for people. I want to speak the truth and spread love and contribute to culture. I like to make the macro, micro; I think we learn in many different ways and music is a very important tool of liberation and education.

MS: Can you tell us briefly what your first positive performing experience was like?

Siaira Shawn: One of the most important performances occurred when I was in the fourth grade and I starred in Alice in Wonderland and my solo received a standing ovation. That moment solidified that performing would be my life.

MS: You’ve performed a lot as an up and coming musician. How would you say this has changed, advanced, or influenced your craft?

Siaira Shawn:I feel like you have to perform, it’s a part of being a musician, so it’s not separate from my musicianship. Performing makes you a better artist period.

MS: How’s the music biz looking to you in 2012? Is it a grim or bright world?

Siaira Shawn: I see a very, very bright world. I think there is a lot of great music out there and it’s finally starting to get it’s due, particularly independent soul/R&B music and all the amalgamations that pull from that tradition. A lot happened for me last year, so I see 2012 as the year where things go to the next level.

MS: You’re voice and your style of delivery is beautiful and unique. I’ve noticed you have a certain flair when it comes to fashion too. Is that on purpose or is it less “thought out” or planned?

Siaira Shawn: Thank you! It’s always been apart of who I was, the women in my family are quite fashionable, even my great grandmother. I have always been into fashion and aesthetics. I actually do styling too, so I want to take that farther as well. At this point it comes naturally, but I do think about it in the way that “my look” is seen as outside the norm or unique as you said. I want to make sure that I represent who I am wholeheartedly and by doing that I can inspire others to do the same and represent for those of us on outskirts. I hope to curate images that are unique and promote culture through a venture I call “The Outsiders Inside.”

“Incarus”

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Les Nubians recently released their third studio album, Nü Revolution, which is deeply rooted in ancestral sounds of Africa, love, liberation, and expressions of freedom. Muphoric Sounds had the chance to speak to the Parisian Princesses, Hélène and Célia Faussart, during their album’s promotion, where they spoke about who they are as artists and women of a new generation. Check out the interview below. And if you haven’t purchased a copy of Nü Revolution, it is available on iTunes and Amazon.

Les Nubians - Nü Revolution Snippets

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Muphoric Sounds: Who is Les Nubians? What do you stand for?
Les Nubians - Hélène: Les Nubians are two African sisters, with an African and European background who are doing music together, who are interested in the black Diaspora and into projecting ourselves as universal citizens. We are mothers, women who are activists, we are involved with how our world is working and we are trying to do music that looks like us.

Muphoric Sounds: What are the things you’re involved in that aren’t necessarily music related?
Les Nubians - Hélène: We are involved in women empowerment, fighting against AIDS, especially in Africa. We’re involved in the fight against malaria because it is something that is also a plague in Africa. We are involved in sickle cell, another difficult tropical disease and we are fighting against child molestation. We’re pretty involved in things that relate to Africa, and being Ambassadors of a new African generation.

Muphoric Sounds: Your heritage is at the forefront of all you do. Is that what you want to dispel upon your audience? Influence them in some way to the motherland.
Les Nubians - Hélène: The Motherland being our roots, but also with our arms reaching to the sky and the sky being universal and this is what is the passion of what we try to show. Africa is an inspiration for us. We are something else; we grew up exposed to different backgrounds and we created our music to reach the universal. We don’t want our audience to only see Africa Africa Africa. No! They should also be able to look around them, at the corner of their street and see Africa in all.
Les Nubians - Célia: Yes, Africa is the motherland to all. Africa being the motherland to all of us. It’s the first continent. Talking about Africa as the motherland opens to universality and love.

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One of the things about blogging that I like, is that you don’t have to adher to church and state rules. Off the bat, I’ve known Don-e over 20 years and he never ceases to amaze me! During our college years, we called him Little Stevie due to his insurmountable talent as a multi-instrumentalist and singer. I often bunked class just to sit and listen while the guys jammed and had fun. Being one of UK’s finest R&B artists to emerge in the early 90s, Don-e showed nothing but integrity and excellence in all that he has done. He’s been off the radar since his last release in 2008, but has been very active musically, working with many artists and touring the world with the legendary artist and style maven, Grace Jones.

To kick off the release of his new single, “Find U” (set to release March 28th on Soulm8), Muphoric Sounds asked Don-e a couple of questions about what he’s been up to. “Find U,” which started out as a soulful house tune, has gone through many incarnations, which further shows Don-e‘s versatility as an artist. Visit www.Soulm8Online.com on March 28th to buy your copy of “Find You“; the EP, which will contain the single is scheduled to release sometime next month. Check out my two favourites below; there will be about five mixes on the single release. Check back for the video which is currently in production!

“Find U” (Kings of Swing Mix)

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“Find U” (Paris Casvette Mix)

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Muphoric Sounds:  What has Don-e been up to since the release of “Natural” in 2008?
Don-E: Sooo much stuff! It’s been nuts! I’ve been gigging at home and abroad—Spain, UK, Barbados, and touring with Grace Jones, doing sessions on various tracks, and songwriting!

MS: What advice would you give an aspiring musician/singer/songwriter trying to get into the business?
Don-E: BE YOURSELF! Too many artists sound the same these days!

MS: I remember when your video “My Gosh” was picked up on BET in ’92; it as a big deal for British Soul. What other big moments have you had during your career?
Don-E: Supporting James Brown at Lee Valley, that was a show, boy!! Meeting Stevie Wonder was a day I’ll never forget! Thanks to Omar! And Top of the Pops was a moment too; always wanted to go on that show!

MS: How would you describe the material you’re working on now?
Don-E: I call it future soul, a combination of the melodies from back in the day but with the sonics of now.

MS: What projects/collaborations do you have down the pike? Who would you like to work with, and why?
Don-E: I’m about to do a track with Kym Mazzelle–should be fun! Also working on my new EP; it will have five new tracks and will be out in April on Soulm8. I’m working on a project called Ladies Night featuring UK female vocalists that need to shine.

MS: Are there any artists you’re listening to at the moment, you’d like our readers to check out?
Don-E: I’m feeling Yaw at the moment! That’s some good vibes right there! I love me some Frank McComb and Lalah Hathaway too! I’m also listening to Leroy Hutson and Leon Ware. Been bumping them on my iPod.

No matter what Raphael Saadiq does, he always has that ability to move you. Initially, I was not gravitating towards the 60s retro style he’s embracing right now. But then I had to eat my words after hearing the single “Good Man” a couple of weeks ago. He has managed to bring back an era and make it interesting to experience again. In a way, it’s genius — Raphael gets our parents to reminisce about their teen years through his music and we, get to hear something that technically is “new”. A win win scenario. The video below was shot by esteemed photographer and filmmaker TONE while on tour with Raph last year, using behind the scenes and performance footage as he talks about the concept behind Stone Rollin‘, which is scheduled to release May 10. Enjoy the video below.

With a new reality show on BET‘s Centric TV, “Master of the Mix“, a new album, Love Machine scheduled to hit early new year (and is sure to spark a baby boom), Muphoric Sounds was able to chat with the incredibly smooth and impassioned Vikter Duplaix!!! The music maestro talks about his independence, the global DJ culture, integrity, and his self-expression through music. Always thinking outside the box, this interview will certainly get you thinking about change.

In the meantime, while Vikter sprinkles the final touches on Love Machine, you can download For Players Only, a mix compiled by DJ Mars, Vikter Duplaix, and DJ Doc, featuring all the tunes we’ve grown to love Duplaix for! “Electric Love” is from the forthcoming album and “Messages” is one of my all-time favourites by Vikter.

“Electric Love”

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“Messages” – Critical Point feat. Vikter Duplaix

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DOWNLOAD: FOR PLAYERS ONLY!

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INTERVIEW WITH VIKTER DUPLAIX

Vikter Duplaix: I don’t have any kids.

Muphoric Sounds: Ok…

Duplaix: And I don’t cheat on women.

MS: Ok… That’s a good thing to know and put out there at the start. [Laughter] So… How would you describe yourself as an artist?

Duplaix: That’s a kind of tough one to describe. I think what I try to convey in my vocal styling is a sense of relaxation, sensuality, subtle confidence, not over the top but definitely an essence of being a very confident man without having to overstate that reality. And sonically, I like to paint pictures in people’s minds where they can transport themselves from where they are at the moment and combine those two philosophies with the urban rhythms that move in my bones which comes from growing up in South West Philly—where it’s edgy, a little dangerous, but at the same time, beautiful. I just jumble all those things together and basically that’s what it sounds like.

MS: What you stated there is basically the essence of Bold and Beautiful. It definitely was a vibe — it was cool, sexy, relaxing, and laid back. I got that vibe from it.

Duplaix: That was more the sensual, laid backside of the spectrum. The International Affairs album is a little bit closer towards the urban experience with a lot more energy, a rock edge and house music, with some hip hop feelings. In terms of those two bodies of work, that was the difference.

MS: What do you prefer to make? The soul, house, broken beat, hip hop sounds. What’s your thing?

Duplaix: I don’t have a preference on a daily basis. Moods change for most people, and definitely with being a Libra, I’m in touch with the balance of life. There are times when I feel the need to be aggressive, respectfully so. There are times when I feel the need to be laid back but not to the point of being timid. It’s always about me being perfectly balanced based on the way the universe is standing at that moment. So I’m opened to a lot of different things at different times.

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The build up to the release of Bilal‘s official third album, Airtight’s Revenge has been non-stop for the artist. Currently on a hectic schedule, doing a slew of lives shows both in the States and Europe, with press interviews, Muphoric Sounds was able to get some face time with Bilal. Meeting at L.A. Burdick in the Flatiron District of Manhattan, in a cool environment furnished with delicious chocolate coffee, we spoke at great length about his career, overcoming misfortunes, his clear passion in music, and his forth-coming release, Airtight’s Revenge. His integrity as an artist is unmistakeable and so refreshing. Check out the interview below. [Note: this was supposed to be a video interview, but due to technical difficulties, we had to run it as a Q&A. Big thanks to CochraneImage, for taking such great shots!]

Also, after reading the Q&A below, there’s a lovely download from Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Ensemble, where they do a rendition of Donny Hathaway‘s “Someday We’ll All Be Free” featuring Bilal on vocals.

Airtight’s Revenge hits stores September 14th and can be pre-ordered here. Get one for yourself and a friend!

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Muphoric Sounds: Who is Bilal?
Bilal: I’m a musician. I make music from the day that I experience and see and use my music as a platform.

MS: When your career started it was rumored that Erykah Badu was responsible for discovering you. Who were the people that helped start of your career?
Bilal: I kind of met Amir [Questlove] first. But I was also supposed to do a tune with Q-Tip. I met everyone around the same time when I moved here [New York] from Philadelphia. And I also started to work with one of the Mtume brothers, James Mtume.

MS: If you were to look back at your career as a musician, what are the most significant lessons learned?
Bilal: I’ve learned a lot of things. The main lesson, I would say, is being true to myself to making music from an honest place.

MS: The Soul Aquarium Movement. What happened to them?
Bilal: Oh, big question man! Initially, it started off as photo that took showed musicians that always worked together and it appeared in Vibe Magazine. Somebody told me that we were supposed to do an album together but it never happened. We’re all still in contact today. I did a show with Erykah the other day. I talk to Amir all the time. We just did a show at Highline Ballroom recently. Q-Tip, I just did a show with him two days ago. Common, we talk all the time.

MS: You’ve collaborated with a lot of great artists in the past – both mainstream and independent. Who would you like to work with next, who you haven’t worked with before?
Bilal: There’s a lot of cats I want to work with. I would love to do something with Thom York.

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Ten years ago, Res hit us with her solo debut How I Do—a seminal album, which was far ahead of its time when it was released! The past year and a half, we have seen her in the group Idle Warship with Talib Kweli, and she also released her second album, Black.Girls.Rock. independently. Now on the verge of hitting us with some amazing music this year, Muphoric Sounds was able to catch Res live at Nona Hendryx‘s monthly “Unfiltered Music” series at SOB‘s, March 25, 2010. After seeing her live, we were blown away by how beautiful Res‘s voice is. In a way, the production of her debut album down played her vocal ability. This woman can truly SING! Her rich bravado is reminiscent of the legendary Stevie Nicks, then add a little soul, gives Res a unique and forever fresh vocal style.

Check out the interview below, which documents the event and showcases Res in action; a very cool woman. Hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it! For Vimeo users, you can view the video here.

The name Res has been floating around for the past decade. Having hit us hard with her seminal debut release, How I Do in 2001, we patiently waited for more. Unfortunately, Res fell prey to record industry politics in the frame of a liquidation, which left her on Geffen Record‘s shelf. This did not stop the urban chanteuse from getting things done, from her song “To Empower” being featured in movie Akeelah and the Bee, forming a band, and now is all set to release her an official sophomore release EP.

With quite a few tour dates to hit in March, expect to see more of Res in the coming months. Headlining the show at North 4th Bar on March 12th in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, will be a chance for Res’ fans to get reacquainted with her.

We were able to get Res to answer a few questions for you to hear about what she’s been doing over the years. Check out the Q&A below!

Muphoric Sounds: What have you been up to since the release of “How I Do”?
Res: I have written another album called Black Girls Rock!, recorded an acoustic EP called BARE set for a indie release May 1st, toured with Gnarls Barkley singing backup for Cee Lo, traveled a bit, started a new group with Talib Kweli called Idle Warship and just continued living life as I know it!

MS: How did Idle Warship come about?
Res: It was a way for Kweli and I to do music in genres we are not known to do. Just another outlet to create something fresh!

MS: How would you describe your sound now?
Res: Lauryn Hill meets Fleetwood Mac.

MS: You released Black Girls Rock! last year. Is there anything new coming? What can we expect?
Res: I have recently recorded an acoustic EP called BARE. I plan to release it May 1st. And I am working on a new album with the producer of my first album. I am also gearing up to work with Kweli on the Idle Warship album. So far we released [in October 2009] a mixtape for free download called Party Robot.

MS: What do you have in store for your March 12th show in Brooklyn, NY?
Res: This performance is going to be the begining of my acoustic series. Me and one maybe two guitar players. It will be very intimate and raw.

MS: Are there any artist’s you’re listening to at the moment, you’d like our readers to check out?
Res: There is a guy in the UK named Tinashé.

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Also check The1Res.com for tour dates and if you missed the Mick Boogie Idle Warship Mixtape, Party Robot, it’s available here for download.

It’s been a pretty busy season for Brooklyn’s punk rock band Game Rebellion. With the release of their EP Sounds Like A Riot (January 25th), that was celebrated at Santos Party House in NYC to a crowded and fully charged-up audience — the band has been non-stop ever since. I got the chance to speak with Game Rebellion after their show at Le Poisson Rouge last week. If you haven’t seen these guys yet, I cannot stress how awesome their performance is. From the girls loosing control and jumping Netic and Yohimbe on the stage, the audience moshing each other in a chaotic slam dance, to the tight display of musicianship – Game Rebellion truly rock out! Watch the video below where they talk about the meaning of Game Rebellion, artist struggles, how deep the Game rolls and their musical integrity. I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with these guys. One thing that is abundantly clear, the ‘Game is Rebellious’ and they do indeed, ‘play by their own rules‘.

Thanks again to Alaric Campbell for capturing some amazing images, which were taken at their EP release party at Santos Party House. If you’d like to see more Game Rebellion, visit Muphoric Sounds YouTube Channel here.

If you’re from Brooklyn, you’ve come into contact with Dhundee in one way or another, from his DJing at some of New York’s exclusive parties and club nights. A Baltimore native, now residing in Brooklyn, Dhundee’s musical journey is one that is hard to categorize, as he manages to encompass various musical genres without coming across as contrite or far-reaching. With the recent official release of his album, Take Flight, which features an array of fine artists and showcases his skills not only as musician (Trombone and Drums) and producer, but even a singer! Take Flight contains innovative, atmospheric musical arrangements to chill to, or even work up a sweat to on the dance floor. Highly respected within the industry, working with Waajeed (from Platinum Pied Pipers), Cecilia Stalin, Sarah White, Kissey Asplund, Michelle Amador, his new album has begun to gain attention from other amazing producers, such as the recently retired Domu, who remixed “Tomorrow,” and features the sexy-jazzy-cool vocals of Swedish singer, Cecilia Stalin.

Watch the never-before-seen until now video created by Dhundee, where he rocks the beat. And below, he shares with Muphoric Sounds his musical path and process, his new album, and what’s on his horizons. Taking his music across the seas, the name Dhundee is one you should pay attention to. His album can be purchased from his Bandcamp page. Enjoy!

1. Who is “Dhundee”?
Dhundee is a Producer, Musician, DJ, Daddy, Connector, Biz Owner who resides in Brooklyn.

2. Do you think you would be the “Dhundee” you are today if you stayed in Baltimore? Why?
Yes. Dhundee started out in B’more 17 years ago. I was in 2 bands — one hardcore rock band and the other, a jazzy hip hop band. I was very involved with making music even before that so I would and could set up shop anywhere I lay my hat.

3. People always say, there’s something about Brooklyn. How has being based in Brooklyn influenced your creativity?
There is definitely something special about Brooklyn. I am influenced by the different sections of Brooklyn, the people, the style, the attitude, the kids, the hustle, the crazy conversations I overhear walking the streets, the conversations I have with the gypsy cab drivers that I come from all over the earth listening to their music while riding in the cab, the feeling of leaving the city and riding over the bridge; leaving the hustle behind me. Most of all I like the pace here and how you can set your own if you choose to.

4. Who are your main musical influences? What did you grow up listening to?
I grew up listening mostly to soul, hip hop and house music, later jazz, electronica, trip hop, Ultramagnetic MC’s, De La Soul, Ralph MacDonald “The Path”, KRS 1, Leaders of the New School, Tribe, Native Tongue Fam, Jimi Hendrix, 90′s rock, Lala Hollaway and ole school B’more Club and Chicago House music, Prince, Stevie, Michael, Stereolab, Can, early Ninja Tune records.

5. Being a musician who plays multiple instruments, what do you prefer when composing music – instrumentation or computerization? Why?
I prefer using both. I approach each song differently. Being that drums/drumset is my main instrument, I usually start off doing drum solos in my studio first. As I’m playing, I can hear the bass lines and chords, and from there I record digitally into the computer. It’s a lot cheaper than reel to reel tape and a lot more efficient.

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For some reason, I had been missing all of Little Dragon‘s performances in New York City. I even tried to catch them in the UK this past summer, but flights were not in sync either. This past Saturday, I finally got it together and took myself down to Le Poisson Rouge.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a show and the band sounds better than the actual CD. Lead singer and percussionist, Yukimi Nagano has this amazing vocal style and range, that has you entrapped, hanging on every note. It’s effortless beauty to your ears. Watching Yukimi perform is like watching a child playing in the sunshine with open arms, spinning till they fall into a pool of laughter. At one point, she got down in the audience and danced with us. Band members Erik Bodin (drums), Fredrik Källgren Wallin (bass), and Håkan Wirenstrand (keyboards), together create magic, and Yukimi is their vocal muse of sheer happiness. Why hadn’t I seen them sooner?!

If Little Dragon are in your town, here’s your marching order: GET YOURSELF A TICKET! They put on an incredible show, and are truly a band enjoying what they do. Although I wanted to see them perform “Twice” from their debut album and “Thunder Love,” from Machine Dreams, I left the venue completely satiated. Watch “Constant Surprises” from the show below and enjoy!

Big thanks to Alaric Campbell for the great photos!

There’s much debate on whether hip hop music is alive or dead. Hearing producers like CHIEF, you realize there are those who work hard to keep rap music as a true art form, pure in creation and where the ultimate goal is not commercialism, but appreciation.

Born and still residing in Lausanne, Switzerland, CHIEF makes me wonder about the vibrant music scene in Europe right now, as a lot of great stuff is coming from overseas. Founder of Feelin’ Music record label, his new full-length release, Collabo Collection features an A-list group of guest artists such as Moka Only, Kissey Asplund, Le Nubians, Dynas, Co$$, Sene, and blu., to name a few. Collabo Collection is a blend of smooth and chilled Dilla infused beats where his collaborations bring the tunes to fruition, notwithstanding the cool instrumentals within the collection. The beatmaker shared with Muphoric Sounds his philosophy and method to creating, his new album, the power of the internet in making musical connections, and his various music influences. Truly someone to keep your ear open for.

Kick back and listen to some of the tracks off Collabo Collection below and for Free Exclusive Download – “Lost Love” featuring Co$$, who will be releasing his new album on Tres Records very soon. Collabo Collection is scheduled for release November 3rd.

Demon Love ft. Kissey Asplund and Moka Only from Collabo Collection

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Tru Love ft. blu. & Sene from Collabo Collection

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There is so much great music coming from Europe, to a point that people are beginning to think Muphoric Sounds only features music by European artists. How do you describe the music scene in Switzerland?
Although Switzerland is a tiny country, the music scene is definitely very rich, especially considering the size of the country. As we speak 3 different languages in Switzerland (French, German, Italian) depending on which area you live in, there are lots of different influences, sub-cultures and music styles. Each part of Switzerland somehow bears mad similarities with the bordering country using the same language, i.e. France, Germany and Italy. The rock and pop scene is the biggest, but has no chance to export itself due to the language issue.. let’s not even mention the accent for those who try anyway. Both the electronic and hip-hop scenes have been growing stronger over the last few years, and quite a number of Swiss producers have been able to make a name for themselves outside of our mountains. There’s definitely talent, passion, and involvement here.

How did you get started?
Alright, this is going to look like a “copy and paste”, every producer from my generation probably has the exact same story! I first started DJing when I was 14 years old, it was in the 90’s and at that time the hip-hop scene was really taking off in Switzerland, thus I immediately got interested in that scene. When I was 21 I started making beats, with the usual heavyweights like DJ Premier, Pete Rock and such being major influences on my sound. Over the years, as my skills developed, my style evolved, took different directions, I tackled varied styles, and it finally turned in something quite different and more personal. I guess the goal of every beatmaker is to have your very own sound signature, create beats that can be very different from one another, but still retain that one special touch of yours, whether you can pin exactly what it is or not.

How do you describe your sound?
Electric, vintage, smooth, with an organic groove! I still like to start with samples and build up from that foundation, but the elements that truly make the track are all the sounds and tricks I then add, all the twitching which kind of hide the original samples.

What collaborations and moments at the start of your career made your realize you were onto something as a producer/DJ?
There wasn’t actually one specific event that made me think I was onto something, instead it was a slow evolution. When I was a teen and I was djing and generally really into the whole hip-hop thing, I reached this point when you want to go deeper into it, get involved and add your own brick to the wall. So I bought a mpc and got started. Around the same time, I left my job and started a sound engineer formation. That allowed me to focus on music more generally, start my own recording studio, and hopefully this will allow me to avoid having to get a shitty job in the future!

Tell us about your new album “Collabo Collection” and the people you chose for the project.
“Collabo Collection” is not a real studio album, it’s a compilation of tracks I made over the latest years. You can hear different influences or styles depending on when these tracks were recorded (between 2005 and 2009). I did a number of collaborations over the last few years with many different artists. With most of the artists, it was kind of an “exchange”, you give them a beat for their album, they give you a featuring for yours in return. It all happened very naturally, I hooked up with different artists, others then came to me, etc…. and at some point I realized that I had quite a lot of tracks that I was really happy with and which had never been released, so I decided to compile the best ones and make an album out of it.

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Back in May, I ran a mini-feature on Mayer Hawthorne, whose “Maybe So, Maybe No” hit hard between my ears, forcing me to set the iPod and iTunes to repeat. Recently, just finishing up the Stones Throw U.S. and European tour, I was able to talk with Mayer about his musical path, his alter egos, that really aren’t alter egos but extensions of himself. One thing that is apparent, these guys (Mayer Hawthorne and DJ Haircut) aren’t going away. Seems weird referring to him as two people, but as you read in the interview below, you’ll understand the separation of characters.

Mayer’s album Strange Arrangement is set to release on September 8. Sorry folks, no sample tune to listen to here; they’ve got the album on “lock.” However, I have heard it and there are some baby-making worthy tunes on there — enough to make your soul smile. Mayer has a cool style, soft, yet raspy voice, that definitely extends beyond his years. Drew Cohen was born to be Mayer Hawthorne; there’s no pretense or contrite, just pure soul. Read what he told Muphoric Sounds and listen to the Astronote remix of “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out.”

Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out by Mayer Hawthorne (Astronote Remix)

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Muphoric Sounds: How did you get started as an artist? How long have you been in the business?
Mayer Hawthorne: I have been playing in bands since high school. My parents are both musicians. My dad taught me how to play bass guitar when I was six years and he still plays in a band in Detroit to this day. My mom made me take piano lessons when I was a kid, which I hated, but now I’m so glad that she made me take those lessons.

MS: Was that because of the technical side of playing and reading music?
MH: It was mainly for the introduction to one of the key instruments of soul music, which is the piano, and music in general. Most of the greatest songwriters of all time, all play piano. Billy Joel, Elton John. It’s an important instrument.

MS: Your bio says you’ve taken from the Motown assembly-line production model and eliminated nearly every element. How would you describe this process to create what you do?
MH: [laughs] Usually, the song just comes to me and I’ll ear all the parts in my head very vividly and the challenge is to take the song and all the arrangements that I hear in my head and get them out of my head and onto a reel. So one by one, play the drums, bass, piano, or whatever the instrument is to get it to sound like it does in my head.

MS: You did a Prince with Strange Arrangement, by playing all the instruments and vocals, being like a one-man production, which is quite amazing.
MH: One of the main reasons I wanted to play all of the instruments myself, in fact I didn’t play them all myself, but I did play the majority them. I had a little help from The County, my live band. Playing the instruments myself, is really fun for me. It’s generally easier for me to get the sounds I hear in my head, if I just play it myself rather than trying to explain it to another musician. I’m extremely meticulous in the studio, I’m an extreme perfectionist and I’ll record a bass line a 100 times in a row until I get the perfect sound the way I hear it in my head. And a lot of times, its easier to play it myself than try to explain to another musician.

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Earlier this month, Muphoric Sounds plugged Moka Only‘s impressive new album, The Lowdown Suite 2: The Box and was able to send him some questions to answer for Muphoric Sounds. The Vancouver-based rapper and producer shares his rhyme and reason to his production, working with Kissey Asplund on “Drip Drop” (great story by the way!), his influences, and the plight of the digital era for artists. Within the interview, you get a true sense of his personality, “quirky” at best, truly an artist, who never stops creating! With great musical collaborations on the horizon and even working under a pseudonym, Moka Only ain’t going nowhere! And for what it’s worth, I’ve planted the seed for a collaboration with L.A. based rapper Blu; we eagerly await.

For the readers of Muphoric Sounds, Moka has provided an exclusive download of “Lemon,” from The Lowdown Suite 2: The Box (hear it below), which can be purchased on iTunes.

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Check out the Muphoric Sounds exclusive interview with Moka Only below!

What are your musical influences?
I have many music influences…people ranging from Frank Zappa to James Brown to Eazy-E. It’s all relative, but I usually lean toward stuff that’s interesting or weird, I guess. Lol.

What did you grow up listening to in the home?
In the home when I was a kid I got into jazz rather early so I would listen to Ornette Coleman, Sphere, Monk, Les McCann, Joe Pass…all kinda great cats. Also rocked Joni Mitchell and Stevie.

For me, and this is based on my experiences of Canada, is that it’s a place of calm, order, idyllic views, fresh air, order, etc. But, clearly there is a strong urban culture there. How would you compare hip-hop culture and rap music in Canada to San Diego?
Hahaha. You have a strange view of Canada if you think it’s all streams and idyllic, pastoral beauty. I mean, that does exist out in the country but the same can be said for America or any country. I’m from Vancouver. I would urge people to Google it and see for themselves. I’m not tryna push for the stereotypical ‘street cred/war stories’ but Vancouver is as grimy as any major North American metropolis. We have big gun problems, gangs, and the same horrors that need to be eliminated as elsewhere. Of course there are many cool places in the city too. Vancouver is a lot like San Diego. We are a bigger city though. I moved there on a whim. Literally. No planning. My life’s been like that. Vagabond stuff. One advantage of going to San Diego way back then is the proximity to Los Angeles and the hip hop movement that was poppin’ there at that time. L.A. cats would visit Diego on the frequent. Met lots of people there in situations that might not have happened at that time in Vancouver.

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