To understand where the
richness of Futurismo by Kassin + 2 comes from, take
a walk through Rio’s Zona Sul. In the dusty
record shops of Copacabana’s crumbling antiques
arcades, 60’s MPB classics by Elis Regina and
Jorge Ben play on scratchy vinyl. In bohemian Santa
Theresa, the psychedelic sounds of Os Mutantes and
Tom Zé find their spiritual home. Along the
Ipanema beachfront the bossa nova of Tom Jobim and
Joao Gilberto remains the perfect reflection of that
elegant part of the city. You can hear samba everywhere,
from the city centre to the furthest suburbs, and
in the hillside slums, the bump and grind of funk
of favela funk pumps out a rougher reality. Futurismo
by Kassin + 2 is the new portrait of Rio’s rich
musical, cultural and ethnic diversity. The final
part in the + 2 trilogy — fellow band members
Moreno Veloso and Domenico Lancellotti were the featured
names for the first two releases — Futurismo
is as Carioca as Havianas, Caiprinhas and the ability
to spend all day on the beach without getting any
sand on your sarong. “When I make an album,
I want it to be able to sit happily inside my record
collection,” says Kassin, a Rio native who has
been digging for vinyl gold all of his life. Futurismo
is like a collection inside a collection. It represents
my tastes and my world.”
More
On This Album
"Tranquilo (Super Stereo Sound System)"
"O Seu Lugar"
"Ya Ya Ya"
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Sally Shapiro’s sound is
one that fuses exaggerated electro beats reminiscent
of a neon, bygone era whilst preserving an understated
innocence, elegance and light. From a relationship
born out of mere office acquaintances in 2001, Sally
Shapiro and Johan Agebjorn found common ground in
2004 when an exchange of mix tapes revealed their
shared musical taste which included such artists as
Madonna, Limahl, Visage, Savage and Fun Fun. After
recognizing the potential of Sally’s voice during
a session of Christmas carols, Johan wrote the hit
single “I’ll Be By Your Side” in
early 2005 with the intention of creating something
that could capture the sound of the underground 80’s
Italo Disco scene. The online release of “I’ll
Be By Your Side” in 2006 proved to reveal the
undeniable value of the disco-pop track. Within 24
hours, two record labels had offered to release the
track to vinyl with an eventual agreement being made
with the Austrian label Diskokaine. “Disco Romance”
soon became one of the years diamonds in the rough,
earning an 8.5/10 and “Best New Music”
at Pitchfork in early 2007.
Buy at iTunes
Music Store
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On This Album
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Lyrics Born
In 2004 Lyrics Born's “Callin’
Out” became a rare indie smash on big-time radio,
cooling out at #1 for five weeks on the influential
San Francisco station, Live 105. 2005 ushered in a
funkdafied remix of Later That Day. Same !@#$ Different
Day, far exceeding anyone’s comprehension of
a “remix” record, prompted a revamped
live show that fully incorporated his unique blend
of funk, hip-hop and rock.
Surpassing 200,000 records sold,
Lyrics Born now plays to crowds of thousands instead
of hundreds. He has risen from an underground hip-hop
icon to a fixture on the national circuit, playing
in excess of one hundred shows a year. In 2006 he
proved he’s got the funkiest show around with
appearances at Coachella, Lollapalooza, Vegoose, Bonnaroo,
Langerado and Australia’s Good Vibe Festival.
He played to jam-packed venues across Europe including
two consecutive sold-out nights at London’s
Jazz Café.The success has long been in the
making.
Buy at eMusic
Buy at Amazon
More
On This Album
"Callin' Out" (mp3)
"Bad Dreams" (mp3)
from "Later That Day..."
"The Last Trumpet" (mp3)
from "Later That Day..."
More
On This Album
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Virgin Forest is a musical voyage across
continents, cultures and genres. Born in Benin, West Africa,
guitarist Lionel Loueke brings traditional songs from his
homeland and presents them in the framework of the modern
jazz idiom. Loueke sings almost as much as he plays, infusing
his original tunes with a vocal spontaneity that is as percussive
as it is soothing. WINNER - Best Song for "Kponnon
Kpete" (World Traditional Category): 7th Annual Independent
Music Awards Best Album Finalist (World Fusion Category):
7th Annual Independent Music Awards
Lionel
Loueke
"Kponnon Kpètè" (mp3)
from "Virgin Forest"
(ObliqSound)
Buy at iTunes
Music Store
Lionel
Loueke
"Vivi" (mp3)
from "Virgin Forest"
(ObliqSound)
Buy at eMusic
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Fire Flower. Ananda Project's highly-anticipated
follow up to Morning Light has finally blossomed. Brainchild
of Atlanta-based genius producer, Chris Brann, this third
full-length artist album on Nite Grooves, solidifies his
standing at the forefront of modern dance music production.
Chris is also the mastermind behind such internationally
renowned ensembles such as Wamdue Project, Wamdue Kids
and P'Taah and has done remixes for Everything But The
Girl as well as remixed the title song for HBO's hit show
Six Feet Under. His previously successful works on Nite
Grooves, including "Cascades of Colour" &
"Kiss Kiss Kiss" have gained the attention of
the industry as well as the dance floor yielding a theme
song for a Johnny Walker whiskey commercial with the former
song and inclusion in a Karl Lagerfeld movie with the
latter. Fire Flower contains 14 original works and blends
such styles as Future Jazz, Neo-Soul, Deep House, Ambient,
R&B, Broken Beat, Salsa, & Funk into a cohesive
listening excursion setting sail in a new rhythmic era.
Ananda Project supports a revolving cast of outstanding
vocalists with mainstays Terrance Downs & Heather
Johnson having top-billing. Terrance's stellar vocals
grace the beautifully produced "Space & Time",
"Into The Sunrise", "Fireworks", &
the funk-jazzy forget me not, "Where the Music Takes
You". We hear the delicate voice of Heather Johnson
on the deeply smooth, simple-bassed & equally as percussive,
"Let Love Fly". Other singers who in the past
contributed to Ananda's veritable musical bounty have
included Lydia Rhodes, Naked Music's Gaelle Addison, Kudu's
Sylvia Gordon & Marta Gazman. This time the dynamic
group welcomes Chicago stage actress, keyboardist &
songstress Denise White, whose extraordinary vocal range
and musical skills grace 3 songs including the frenetically
jazzy "Free Me", "Stay As You Are"
(who, on this song, critics have compared her voice to
Karen Carpenter), and the infectiously hook-y "Stalk
You", destined to be one of the stand-out cuts off
the album. Solu Music's Kai Martin sings "Universal
Love" which has gotten and epic remix by the legendary
Jay-J. There are also 2 instrumentals of pure groove.
Brann brings a healthy mixture of new styles, new artists,
and fusions thereof culminating into what will surely
become Ananda Project's most celebrated artist albums
to date.
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Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was and is still
very much considered to be one of the greatest Qawwals
(singer of qawwali music) in the world; not only recognised
as a legend in his native Pakistan he also took his musical
messages of peace, love and spirituality to the international
stage, earning him the title of Pakistan's premier ambassador
of Qawwali music. In the west, audiences were introduced
to the power of Nusrat's music through collaborations
with Eddie Vedder and Tim Robbins on the soundtrack for
'Dead Man Walking' and with Peter Gabriel in 'Passion:
Music for The Last Temptation of Christ'. Dubbed by many
as the 'Elvis of the East' and the 'Bob Marley of Pakistan'
these titles are not without foundation; he has sold more
albums than Elvis and reached as many hearts and souls
and crossed as many cultural and spiritual boarders as
Bob Marley with his unique mix of poetic eastern spiritual
and western musical themes.
This inspiring tribute to a legend
of our time has been created by highly regarded London
based producer and composer Gaudi, himself no stranger
to crossing boundaries and forging links using the music
of the world. Included in his impressive discography is
the soundtrack for Hanif Kureishi's hit stage-play "My
Beautiful Laundrette" ?— a soundtrack richly
woven with the cultural traditions of Pakistani music.
His Interchill's bestselling 2004 release "Bass,
Sweat & Tears" (Interchill Records), skilfully
unites many ancient and culturally diverse musical styles
with 'gaudi-style' beats and bass in an inspiring musical
exploration of our planet; which, alongside his remixes
of other legends such as Bob Marley all add up to confirm
Gaudi's skill as a producer and his credentials as musical
diplomat
Using recently discovered and rare
vocal parts, recorded during sessions in Pakistan in the
late 60's & early 70's, Gaudi has sensitively created
a set of completely new tracks, crafted around Nusrat's
uniquely beautiful melodies and universal themes of spirituality,
peace and love. The overall essence of the album blends
elements of Reggae - the international music of peace
and love ?— with dub, electronica and traditional
instrumentation and modern production techniques creating
a sound that is in turns, up-lifting, haunting, moving
and warming. The task of creating a work that will carry
the voice of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan to new audiences around
the world as well as his huge existing fan base, has been
achieved without a doubt in this timeless collection of
songs.
 
"Bethe Bethe Kese Kese" (mp3)
from "Dub Qawwali"
by Gaudi
+ Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
(Six
Degrees Travel Series)
More
On This Album
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The Brooklyn-born Willis has worked with both
Curtis Mayfield and the Brand New Heavies and done crucial
work for Mo' Wax, while the Finnish-bred Soul Investigators
have crafted two previous full-lengths. Fans of Amy Winehouse
and Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings will find much to love
on Keep Reachin' Up.
Adored by the UK's Northern Soul DJs and fans,
international momentum for the full-length has been primed
by a BBC Top Ten Track of the Year list for "If This
Ain't Love" and world famous DJ Gilles Peterson making
opening track "Feeling Free" the 2006 Worldwide
Winner Song of the Year. MOJO and Record Collector gave
the Finnish edition four stars and Dusty Groove called it
an "instant classic."
It doesn't bother Willis if some people consider
it retro, though. "Certainly the music was a project
of love but retro isn't a swear word so it could be considered
that as well," Willis says. "However, I believe
that we do a certain genre of music and that we are continuing
in a tradition."
The Soul Investigators includes producer Jukka
Sarapää on drums, Didier "Baby Spector"
Selin on tambourine, guitar & bass, Pete Toikkanen on
guitar & bass, Antti Määtänen on organ
& piano, and Sami Kantelinen on bass, among other musicians.
The recording also includes contributions from renowned
composer and Matador Records-alum Jimi Tenor(flute, tenor
sax, horn & string arrangements), and string arrangements
from Pekka Kuusisto.
After playing with members of the Brand New
Heavies and Curtis Mayfield, Willis moved back to the United
States and worked with the band that would become Dee-Lite.
"We had a similar perspective with our music,"
she says. "I was the original third member in that
band. The Mo Wax release was the first for us and the label
while I sang lead vocal in the group Repercussions. It seems
as always with universal consciousness that people are reaching
back into their history and picking out timely genres and
musical movements."
Keep Reachin' Up has conquered Europe with
its great tracks like "Downtown" and "Feeling
Free," and the album is an essential part of any collection
of contemporary urban music. A new soul classic making its
North American debut.
"If This Ain't Love (Don't Know What Is)" (mp3)
from "Keep Reachin' Up"
by Nicole
Willis & The Soul Investigators
(Light
In The Attic)
Stream from Rhapsody
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On This Album
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