We’ve been talking about this for quite sometime, and it’s finally here, Black Radio by jazz extraordinaire, Robert Glasper. The album is outstanding, featuring fantastic covers from Coltrane‘s “Afro Blue” by Erykah Badu; the deliciously sexy version of Sade‘s “Cherish the Day” sung by Lalah Hathaway (never imagined this song getting anymore sexier!); even Nivana‘s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” gets turned into contemporary jazz. The originals tracks are pure treats from Mos Def on ”Black Radio,” which really is the essence of this entire album, taking from Public Enemy‘s lyric from “Rebel Without a Pause,” “Radio, suckers never play me.” If radio were to sound like this, I supposed we would listen more often. Bilal graces the album on two tracks, “Always Shine,” with Lupe Fiasco, and “Letter to Hermione” with the perfect line of, “I’m not quite sure what I’m supposed to do, so I’ll just write some love to you.” I love the evolution and maturity of Bilal’s songwriting, and laid against Glasper, blends perfectly well.

With his main musicians in tow — drummer Chris Dave, electric bassist Derrick Hodge, and Casey Benjamin on saxes and vocoder, Black Radio gives us forward-thinking music, that is truly timeless. Other artists featured are  Stokely Williams (Mint Condition), Meshell Ndegeocello, Chrisette Michele, Shafiq Husayn (Sa-Ra), KING, Musiq Soulchild, and Ledisi. You need Black Radio in your life. Check out a couple of songs below, then head over to iTunes, and ride Black Radio to the top!

“Black Radio” feat. Mos Def

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“Letter To Hermione” feat. Bilal

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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.

A little late on posting this tune, but “The Mission” is hot as hell. Eric Lau‘s gritty dirty bass and beats will have your head nodding instantaneously, then as Detroit’s own Guilty Simpson drops in, “Beelau!” it’s solid. Transatlantic culture poses no limitations and the concept behind this very tune of being on a mission is true to life, with Lau from the UK and Guilty Simpson, Detroit. Check out the single below, which is scheduled to release tomorrow on Kilawatt Music and will include a ‘fonky’ remix by Georgia Anne Muldrow.

I remember hearing this song on one of my dad’s mixtapes. I searched for this song many times at Amoeba Records before the days of internet digging. The group Colourbox is an electronic group from London that formed in 1982. Coming out on one of London’s older indi labels 4AD, which now houses artists such as Atlas Sound, Stereolab, and Thievery Corporation. The group was initially formed by brothers Martyn Young on synthesizer and Steve Young who  played several instruments. In the beginning the group also included Ian Robbins and Debbie Smith; but later became a trio with vocalist Lorita Grahame. Colourbox released one EP, one full album, and several singles including this one which was released in 1987 as a remake of the classic “Baby I Love You So” by Augustus Pablo and the legendary Dennis Brown. The group disbanded after 1987 and have only since been active separately as writers or guests on other bands records. A best of album was produced and released by the group in 2001.

Every time I hear this version of the song, it reminds me of what it felt like riding the bus playing this in my headphones, wanting to sing out loud but too shy to belt out the tune. Since I found this song through my parents, I wondered what they looked like jamming to it. The bass is a profound interpretation of Pablo’s original. The random clashes, sound effects, and movie snippets must have been groundbreaking at the time. Up until this day when I heard the entire original song, I thought all the voices on the track were the DJ’s addition to the mix. The piano and electric guitar are haunting. Lorita’s voice is a dream induced hallucination. It’s strong and soulful, yet sparse and fleeting. The drums are like a ship’s captain guiding us through the river of the dream. Check it out below.

“Baby I Love You So” by Colourbox

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If you’re a resident of New York City, there is a 95% chance that you’ve attended an Ahficionados event. Deffrei Enfermera a.k.a. FREElikefrei is one of the founding members. Amassing a career in lifestyle entertainment, from DJing, music production, promotion, to fashion styling, video production, music has always been a mainstay for FREElikefrei - an area in his arsenal not fully pursued. “It’s really about being comfortable. I’ve been in this [business] for a minute and feel I have built a lane that takes years of understanding and learning one’s self,” says FREElikefrei. His inner voice has become loud and clear, and set the wheels in motion for his forthcoming album, Grey Era, where Frei explains it to mean, ”If life is truly black and white then I’m gonna put it together.”

“Blame Me/She’s Sexy” is a fun tune that touches on a relationship based on superficiality, kind of like the woman Chris Rock would categorise as “new pussy” who has all those external attributes which make her appealing, but ultimately, she ain’t nothing but a problem. The jazz like tone, and Frei’s storytelling is reminiscent of the years where musical expressions were fun and free. Check out the teaser below. Looking forward to hearing the full project. Stayed tuned for more info on this project.

“Blame Me / She’s Sexy” (Snippet)

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Although I’m from the UK, watching footage like this brings back a happy sense of nostalgia. Every generation has their moments in music that makes us look back and remember the ill-fated fashion, the animated dance, the attitude, and just some good-arse music. ”A Long Time” transports us to a late 80s local Detroit TV show in Highland Park called The New Dance Show, hosted by a Donny Simpson type guy named R.J. Watkins. Making a name for himself in nostalgia, Mayer Hawthorne gives us sounds from eras of music that should not be forgotten, and definitely should continue to be made. Love this song and the various idiosyncrasies displayed in the video (the Count Dracular and the guy with a giant bluetooth-like device attached to his ear!). Check it out below.

We can’t help it. We are completely in love with Little Dragon and Ritual Union deepens our affinity to them. Staying close to their sophomore album, Machine Dreams in sound, with a combination of experimental indi pop hooks, smooth electronic beats, and new wave, this Swedish four-piece band with Yukimi Nagano on vocals, Erik Bodin on drums, Fredrik Wallin on bass, and Håkan Wirenstrand on keys, are winners; their sound has tightened even more!

The opening track “Ritual Union” is quite unusual as Yukimi sings about the symbolism of marriage yet being left with a spirit of uncertainty, rather than a man. “Crystalfilm” is one of those songs we can all relate to in relationships—afraid of tripping up, you try to leave, but the memory permeates your being leaving you still in love. “Precious” takes us back to the sound of their debut, dark and gritty with drums, keys and percussions that build in a crescendo (Prince would be proud of this arrangement).

Thus far, 2011 has been a fantastic year for Little Dragon—from headlining a US tour, to their first US TV appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at the behest of avid fan Questlove, then appearing on Raphael Saadiq‘s Stone Rollin‘ album on “Just Don’t” and being asked to work with Big Boi and DJ Shadow on new music. What’s so uncanny about Little Dragon is despite them now moving onto commercial ground, their integrity to their art is uncompromised. They deserve all accolades and critical acclaim!

Ritual Union released this week. Buy it! You deserve to hear some good music! [Amazon | iTunes]

“Brush the Heat”

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“Precious”

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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.

It is always a treat to hear how artists are inspired by super band Radiohead. If you can’t imagine Radiohead getting any darker, sprinkle some Mark Pritchard and Nathan Fake on them, and they become so dark, its harrowing. These sounds leave you in a trance-like displacement, as though you were transported from your current surroundings for 5 to 6 minutes at a time. Both producers contributed remixes to the new Radiohead 12-inch — Mark Pritchard offering two versions of “Bloom” (one under his name and the other under his moniker, Harmonic 313) and Nathan Fake, a remix of “Morning Mr. Magpie.” The mixes are serious. They are available for purchase in vinyl and digital formats from Bleep or wherever good music is sold.  Check them out below.

Radiohead – Bloom (Mark Pritchard RMX) by Radiohead

Radiohead – Bloom (Harmonic 313 RMX) by Radiohead

Radiohead – Morning Mr Magpie (Nathan Fake RMX) by Radiohead

You can hear more remixes by other producers on the Radiohead Soundcloud site.

A group that eats together, stays together — and it is clear that Radiohead are eating together, and their food is music. This live performance is perfect; to the point of not even sounding like a live performance but one that is orchestrated on a CD after months and months of practice, tweaking, and labour. Flawless.

The live footage below was recently filmed for a BBC special called From the Basement by producer Nigel Godrich, which originally started out as a podcast and was later to turned into a television series of in-studio performances featuring artists such as The White Stripes, Beck, and Gnarls Barkley, to name a few. Radiohead perform “Staircase,” doubling up on the rhythm with Portishead drummer Clive Deamer.

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.

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]

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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”

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“One Love”

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And check out the video for “Half Time.”

This week marked the 30 year anniversary of Bob Marley‘s death, and all week Late Night With Jimmy Fallon has had it’s musical guests perform Bob songs of their choice. In the midst of forcing myself to sleep while the television was still on (Fallon airs at 1am), I hear Fallon introduce Lauryn Hill to the stage to perform Bob Marley‘s “Chances Are,” a song which is one of my mum’s favourites (we’re talking days when the child was the record changer – no remotes), so this song means a lot to me. Despite her recent behaviourl faux pas, last night Lauryn illustrated why we love her so. Not sure of what her future plans are, but hope it entails an album of something. If you missed it, check her out below. She also performed “Could You Be Loved.”

At the end of 2010, Futuristic Soul Society member, Iman Williams released her debut album, Stupid Human Tricks, which was produced by BusCrates 16-Bit Ensemble. Now with remixes of “Ordinary Love” produced by BusCrates 10-Bit Ensemble and “Float Away” featuring Porsche Smith and produced by Atlanta-based DJ Apple Jac, we can safely call Stupid Human Tricks the album that keeps on giving. DJ Apple Jac gives “Float Away” a new dimension of a quasi-80s groove as Porsche Smith and Iman‘s vocals truly float over the track and BusCrates turns “Ordinary Love” into a true two-step hip hop dirty groove with ill keys. Both remixes are available on the Futuristic Soul Society Bandcamp page, but get a taste of “Float Away” while you’re here.