Ode To The Big Sea

 

El Michel's Affair - Sounding Out The City

El Michel's Affair play instrumental funk, the kind of stuff that sounds like it was recorded way back when but it's not, it's all brand new.

'Sounding Out The City' has an old school soul-jazz feel, but with a new school hip-hop vibe. It's all recorded live and it's all about the soul, funk and jazz.

This video clip is of their version of Wu Tang's 'C.R.E.A.M', unfortunately not featured on the album, but it gives you an idea of what you're in for...

Filed under  //   funk   hip hop  

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9th Wonder and Buckshot - The Formula

9th Wonder and Buckshot's album 'The Formula', released in April, is hip hop that's soulful, jazzy and smooth.

It's no surprise really as 9th Wonder has produced for the likes of Erykah Badu.

One of the highlights of the album has to be 'No Future'...

Filed under  //   hip hop  

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Tom Baxter - Skybound

Tom Baxter is British singer-songwriter and an artist in the purest sense.

Tom created 10 pieces of artwork, one for each track on his album 'Skybound', to help him raise the funds needed to promote it and release it independently.

He's soulful, acoustic (on occassion) and I guess you could say he's like James Blunt or Jack Johnson, but that would be doing him an injustice.

Filed under  //   indie  

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N.E.R.D - Seeing Sounds

Brand new from N.E.R.D. 'Seeing Sounds' was released last month.

I'm not sure I like this album as much as 'Fly or Die', however, there is one tune that is pure funk called 'Yeah You. I just love the jazz vibes...

Filed under  //   hip hop  

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Al Green - Lay It Down

What an album! Pure soul and funk!

I didn't realise Questlove & James Poyser were so heavily involved (The main duo behind The Yessirs)

Also the Dapkings (band Ronson used for the Winehouse album) provide the horns.

Add John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae into the mix and I guess it's no surprise this album is as good as it is.

Check the making of for an interesting insight...

Filed under  //   soul  

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MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

MGMT are a band from Brooklyn, New York. Their sound is electro pop rock and their album 'Oracular Spectacular', released earlier this year, was produced by the fantastic Flaming Lips.

Their tunes are catchy, original and I suspect it wont be long before they have huge commercial success. The album makes great summer listening.

Probably my favourite track (released as a single last month) is 'Electric Feel'... it's currently lurking at #31 in the official uk charts. Not that the chart is any indication of the quality of a tune ;-)

Filed under  //   electronic  

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The French Kicks - Swimming

The French Kicks are a New York-based indie rock band. 'Swimming' is their fourth full length album, released in May earlier this year.

They're often described as a post-rock mod pop band... whatever that means.

All I know is they're melodic, laid back and great to listen to.

Here's them playing a live acoustic set. They start with 'Carried Away' and around 4 minutes in they play the more down tempo 'Love In The Ruins'...

Filed under  //   indie  

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Dwele - Sketches Of A Man

Brand new from Dwele and never a moment too soon, 'Sketches Of A Man' was released just last week.

Soulful, smooth, chilled. This is R&B as it should be.

Check the collaboration with Slum Village 'Brandi' and the J Dilla tribute 'Workin on it'.

This is the first single off the album 'I'm Cheatin'...

Filed under  //   neo-soul  

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Panacea

Panacea are all about smooth beats and soulful sounds. Hailing from Washington DC, they are hip hop duo of K-Murdock (producer) and Raw Poetic (MC).

They're due to release new album later this year titlted "A mind on a ship through time", I can't wait!

Here's a track called "Pulse" released on their album "Ink Is My Drink" back in '05...

Filed under  //   hip hop  

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Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Main Ingredient

Soulful hip hop from way back. Released in 1994, 'Main Ingredient' stands the test of time.

The group split in '95 and Pete Rock has gone on to be regarded as one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time. Great to listen back to his early beats.

This is 'Take You There'...

Filed under  //   hip hop  

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