Here we have it, the official video for “F*** You” by Cee-Lo. While cute in concept, just seems a little clichéd for my tastes. I expected something a bit more pained, like the broken heart walking with a sprig of broccoli in its hand in the “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul,” video by Gnarls Barkley (check it out here, if you haven’t seen it). But hey, that’s only my opinion; check it out below.

If the link goes down, you can see a snippet of it on Cee-Lo’s Facebook Fan Page (but you have to “Like” the page first to view it).

It’s funny how musical taste can change. I bought this record in a $1 stack many years ago, but didn’t fully appreciate it until I played it again recently. “I Can Understand It” is an incredible cover of a Bobby Womack song, sung by The New Birth. The group was formed by Motown song writers Harvey Fuqua and Vernon Bullock and was comprised of several groups from the Michigan and Kentucky area. In 1970 The Nite Liters, The Mint Juleps, The New Sound, and later Love, Peace & Happiness all became The New Birth. Originally a touring group who could perform together or separately, the group became an awesome 15 piece band that made beautiful music influenced by Jazz, Funk, Soul, Gospel, and Afro Cuban sounds. With all of their efforts combined, the group has recorded over 24 albums. And although some of the members have passed on to the spirit world, they are still performing today.

This song starts off with a short rap and immediately sets off on a roller coaster of what sounds like hours of dedication, practice, fine-tuning, and craft honing.  I mean, you hear the sound of tightly played bass, funky drumming, in key guitar strumming,  very strong vocals, horns sprinkled on top like icing, and background vocals that seem to just hold it all together. I love Bobby Womack’s original, but this is the version that makes me want to dance. Hearing all of these minds work at once on a tune shows true skill! I dig it, from the song’s intro to the breakdown.

Check out the live video footage below and listen to the actual recorded version of the track.

“I Can Understand It” by The New Birth

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I was told as a child, growing up that the use of expletives shows you lack the vocabulary to articulate your feelings effectively. We curse, knowing that expletives aren’t necessary. But there’s something about attaching the right tonality and/or venom in your verbal situation, that the sprinkling of a curse word (or few) is gratifying.

In this case, it’s love gone wrong. Cee-Lo uses the retort to dismiss his past love, although clearly, he’s having a hard time with it, by openly displaying his anger, but at the same time, reveals his sadness for the love lost. What’s fun and clever is Cee-Lo‘s choice to sing against a retro 60s-style tune, flipping his retorts over a genre that was all about sweet sentiment. He goes down Memory Lane recounting the expectations he couldn’t live up to, with some name calling, and even offers cautionary advice for the next man. In his effort to be the bigger person, he says, “Although there’s a pain in my chest, I still wish you the best, with a…F***YOU!” This could actually be the perfect breakup song (if the situation fits).

Check out the lyric video below. The proper video is in production; should be out in the next few weeks. If you ever saw the Gnarls Barkley video for “Who’s Gonna to Save My Soul,” know we’re in for a treat! Check out “F*** You!” below and share your thoughts.

Cee-Lo‘s forthcoming solo album The Ladykiller, is scheduled to release sometime this year (not sure of the actual date).

Andreya Triana has one of those musical stories that follows the basic principal — with talent, coupled with hard work and determination, bring results. From attending the Red Bull Academy in 2006 (if you know anything about the vigorous application process and program, you’d know only people with exemplary talent are accepted into the program!) to being the dreamy vocalist on Flying Lotus‘s “Tea Leaf Dancers,” in 2007, which became a global underground sensation, Triana is one of those artists who I expect to be around for a very long time.

Her debut, Lost Where I Belong, which was released yesterday, is an honest journey through music with Triana, bringing in an amalgamation of sounds that come together into what is Andreya Triana. Produced by her collaborative partner, Bonobo, known primarily for his downtempo beats, Bonobo created sounds that complimented Triana‘s voice, knowing exactly when to filter the music in ways which allowed Triana‘s warm, soulful, yet jazzy vocals to come forward in her beautiful sound.

Our friends over at Put Me On it attended the Soundwave Festival in Croatia this summer, and filmed the video below of Triana performing “Lost Where I Belong.” It’s outdoor, it’s intimate, and it’s quite lovely. We get to see Triana perform with such warmth and intimacy. Enjoy!

Triana‘s “Draw the Stars” is featured in this week’s iTunes’s “Single Of The Week“ for free download. You can also purchase the album in its full entirety at Ninja Tunes. Check out a couple of tunes below taken from the Lost Where I Belong.

“Far Closer”

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“A Town Called Obsolete”

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First and foremost, let me stress—the ONLY reason Rick Ross is on Muphoric Sounds is because of this collaboration with Erykah Badu, and to be completely honest, he didn’t bring anything outstanding to the track. As always, Erykah is so engaging; she could be sitting crossed legged on the floor, doing nothing and we’d still be interested to watch her. She has the id. Ms. Badass (pun intended!).

Our favourite android, Janelle Monáe hits us with the new video for the big tune, “Cold War,” taken from her new album The ArchAndroid Suite II & III. Simply shot, beautifully lit, with an equally stunning face that evokes pure and raw emotion. We all know what it feels like to laugh and simultaneously burst into tears with sadness. Check it out and let me know your thoughts!

Born in Baltimore and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Kafele Bandele is a trumpeter, composer, and producer of what he calls “cool fusion,” best described as an amalgam of fine jazz infused with the richness of hip-hop. A graduate of Jazz Music Theory from Southern University in Baton Rouge, he quickly established a reputation by performing at various venues in Louisiana, Georgia, Texas, and Alabama. After moving to Chicago, his career as a musician quickly elevated locally gaining the attention to travel the country doing what he loves.

The featured video, “Stone Crazy,” is a part of a compilation by Do It Now Recordings entitled Giant Steps Back From Miami. ”Stone Crazy” comes with a lush laid-back jazzy groove, smooth basslines, with an echoing trumpet which plays as response to the vocals. It is no surprise that five producers created their own interpretations of the song, leading Do It Now Recording to release  ”Stone Crazy (The Remixes).” The featured producers are Thee Gobbs, Nastee Nev, Bassruu, Lips, and SoulAGENDA. Check out the remixes here.

Keep your eyes on the look out for this talented artist, who is hard at work on projects to come through his label K. Kapano Records.

I’ve been saying repeatedly over the past few weeks, “Why isn’t Homeboy Sandman bigger?!!” Had to pull out “Parellel Perpendicular,” tweet about it, complain to a friend about how dope this man is, and why is there so much nonsense out there. Then today, as I did some in-box cleaning, came across a video interview sent to me TWO weeks ago from our friends over at Put Me On It; a video interview with HOMEBOY SANDMAN nonetheless!!! Obviously, I can’t hold out on homeboy any longer. He needs a big up, shout out, and rounds of pounds. If you don’t know him, rid yourself of shame by clicking here to purchase from iTunes to pick up his third album The Good Son, which was released this past June (he’s been making tunes since 2007 people!).

Below are two tunes to wrap your ears around and the Put Me On It interview, which took place a few months ago during SXSW, where they flipped the script by having Homeboy Sandman share his thoughts on Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandi, guilty pleasures, and his frustrations on anti-brown messages in music that US radio sends through hip hop. This homeboy is no light-weight rapper. In fact, the same tenacity and excitement I felt while listening to Jay Electronica was felt with Homeboy Sandman.

“Parallel Perpendicular” from My Crew is Thinner

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“Low Co.” from The Good Son

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Flying Lotus – “MmmmHmmm”
Back in May, FlyLo released his second album on Warp Records. His music is so floaty and experimental that you’d expect nothing less than visual euphoria for his music videos. “MmmmHmmm” is just that. Get lost in this one.

K-os – “Zambony”
Last year, I had K-os‘s Yes! album on serious repeat. Still baffles me why this man is not a HUGE star! “Zambony,” shot in movie style, with the opening line of a woman yelling, “Nobody knows what you’re doing?!” The twists and turns of this video leave you asking the same question. It’s all disconnected. Maybe that was the goal, but it’s shot well to keep your attention. Check it out below.

I quite like these fun and unlikely musical collaborations with apparel brands. Last year, we saw Nike team with De La Soul for Are You In?: Nike + Original Run -– a 44-minute musical piece tailored to maintain your correct heart-rate while running. If you missed it, click here for details. Two years ago, Converse started their “Three Artists, One Song” centennial celebration campaign of the Chuck Taylor shoe, starting with Santigold, Julian Casablancas and Pharrell on “My Drive Thru.” The campaign was not only a great success visually, but the three artists produced a great track! Now with their next installment entitled “All Summer,” featuring Kid Cudi, Rostam Batmanglij, and Best Coast, each artist brings their unique styles on the track, synonymously fitting together perfectly, with each artist in their lane — Cudi raps, Rostam on production, and Best Coast on chorus; definitely a breezy cross-over summer anthem.

Here’s the video for “All Summer,” which compliments the song perfectly — mascot heads included! You can also get a free download of the song on Converse’s website here.

If you missed it, Kid Cudi was also featured as one of Converse‘s “You’re It” short videos, where he returns home to Cleveland and reminisces on how his career started.

“Summer’s Coming“ is light, whimsical, and melodic; a wonderful way to enforce this beautiful summer we’re having. Produced by UK-based Nu-Jazz, Electronica DJ Waiwan, “Summer’s Coming” is a perfect blend for Cecilia Stalin‘s voice.

Cecilia Stalin was first put on our radar when she collaborated with Nu-Jazz duo Koop on their tune “Waltz for Koop,” which went on to be featured in Woody Allen’s film, Match Point. Now based in London since 2007, she has collaborated with producers Daz-I-Kue, Waiwan, Keyon Harrold, Dhundee, and Drew Horley and has sang backing vocals The Streets, Alysha Dixon, Nate James, and Mutya Buena.

Take a look at the video for “Summer’s Coming” below. It is available for download on her Bandcamp page. Get it HERE! And we’ll keep you posted on her future projects.

Back in March, Muphoric Sounds introduced to you Nikki & Rich, the sultry pop-retro-soul duo. Their sound, aptly described on their website as “Lauryn Hill meets The Supremes while hanging out with Alicia Keys, and listening to Outkast‘s “Hey Yah!” is the perfect description really. Check out some of the highlights from their showcase, which took place on Tuesday, June 29th at New York’s Ramscale Penthouse in the West Village and was brought to us by the Steve Madden Music Series. Expect to see more of this dynamic duo, whose debut album Everything is scheduled to release next month.

New music in 2010 from Omar was on Muphoric Sounds‘s 2009 year end list, and boy do with a have a lovely one. “Special” is the first single from Maddslinky‘s (aka Zed Bias) upcoming album Make a Change, which is set to release on TruThoughts Records October 25, and features a host of UK’s finest independent artists including Tawiah and Skream. The official single hits stores September 13 and will feature remixes from MJ Cole, Toddla T, Chimpo, Atjazz, and Simbad.

“Special” is a sweet, soulful house tune with remnants of UK’s broken beat slaps, and coupled with Omar‘s silky vocals — it’s a winner! Personally, I’m looking forward to what Omar and Mark de Clive-Lowe are cooking up in the lab. But in the interim, enjoy the video below!

Morcheeba proved themselves to be one of the premier architects of the trip hop movement with their 1996 debut album Who Can You Trust? They went on to multimillion copy sales with their CDs Big Calm (1998) and Charango (2002), which spawned the hits “Undress Me Now,” “Otherwise,” and “Why Beyond,” 2003 saw the departure of lead vocalist Skye Edwards, and brothers Paul Godfrey and Ross Godfrey used various singers on later projects to fill the void left by Skye’s departure. Now, back with their latest CD, “Blood Like Lemonade”, the Godfrey brothers have brought Skye Edwards back to give us the Morcheeba we know and love.

Blood Like Lemonade is smooth and smoky with tinges of dark drama, and complicated love blooming and falling to pieces. “Straight Ahead” is Skye leaving her man after giving him fair warning about what is waiting in the wings for him, and “I Am Spring” is new love emerging and has a little Kate Bush feel to it. You will be transported to a 1960’s subterranean after hours spot with “Easier Said Than Done.” Listening to Blood Like Lemonade several times, each song gives something different with each listen. We highly recommend this one to first time listeners of Morcheeba or long time fans. See the video for their first single “Even Though” below and get a free download of Belgium’s Surfing Leons the bassmud remix.

Blood Like Lemonade can be purchased on iTunes. (Download is in courtesy of RCRDLBL.com and photo by Steve Gullick.)

“Even Though” by Morcheeba (Surfing Leons Afternoon Remix- Download Here)

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Moving in a completely different direction, “Dear God 2.0” is positively hip hop, but definitely has that cross-over appeal that will draw in the indi-rock crowd. This is no surprise for legendary group, The Roots, the only true hip hop band who can take ownership of any musical form and make it their own. A beautifully shot video directed by Jason Goldwatch which compliments the “Dear God 2.0” perfectly. The Roots‘ new album, How I Got Over,  hits stores today! So head over to your local record store and pick it up or click over to iTunes and get yourself a copy!