Janelle Monae recently performed at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas – the show titled ‘Killers, Lasers & Papers’ was meant to also feature Cee-Lo Green and Lupe Fiasco, but they unfortunately had to cancel. But never mind, you know it’s always about Janelle Monae anyways.
The good folks over at Centric have just made the entire show available as a free download. If you’ve already seen what this lady does on stage, then I know you won’t hesitate to snatch this up quicktime. If you’re still yet to witness the magic that Monae and her brand create during their hypnotic and mystical live shows – then you’re really in for a treat. Listen to the commanding and powerful nature of what Janelle does while performing her cinematic opus debut The ArchAndroid.
fLako is readying the release of a new metamorphic project called The Mesektet – which in ancient Egyptian mythology is “one of the two solar boats used by the sun God ‘Ra’ to travel through the cycle of night and day and carry the moon across the sky. It is told that he died every dusk, had to fight the dark forces of the underworld and bring light to the dead souls as he passed through – just to be reborn in the morning”.
This new project marks a musical rebirth for producer fLako – who is ending of an era in his style and production and the beginning of a new direction which he already began expressing on his last EP Mini Toolbooth. This double album will include a collection of previously unreleased or only digitally available works from the time up until 2008.
Danny dropped a massive track called ‘WhatUWanna’ from Dela featuring Blu a couple weeks back – here’s another one for your collection. This, like the last, comes off Dela’s new album Translation Lost which dropped today.
Just spotted this over at Soulbounce and was… Intrigued. It took me a couple listens to really digest this one, I still don’t think I have a concrete opinion on it though. In some ways, I like it. In others, I don’t think I do.
‘Bizness’ comes off tUnE-yArDs’ (aka Merrill Garbus) new album WHOKILL which drops April 18th.
It was bound to happen. Anyone who didn’t see this coming was either blind or stupid.
Beyonce Knowles has (finally) parted ways with her long-time manager Matthew Knowles, the man who helped make her one of the biggest and most influential pop stars in the world. Beyonce confirmed in a statement to the Associated Press that she and her father have parted ways “on a business level”. This comes after Michele Williams and Kelly Rowland both left Knowles and his Music World Entertainment company in 2009 and 2010.
I have no doubt what so ever that this decision will ultimately benefit Beyonce. Her father did a great job getting her to where she is, but it’s been clear over the years (remember when she recorded B-Day without him knowing?) that their relationship both professional and personal (affairs, illegitimate children etc) has been strained.
I’m pretty confident too that this decision was influenced by Bey’s husband, rapper and business mogul Jay-Z who is currently heading one of the strongest management companies around – Roc Nation. This has long been my theory. I wouldn’t be surprised if Beyonce leaves Columbia Records all together at some point. Wouldn’t be her worse decision either.
The statement continued by saying “he [Matthew Knowles] is my father for life and I love my dad dearly”.
…I’m suddenly even more excited about that new album now.
Update: Matthew Knowles has issued a statement regarding the split – hit the jump…
Ever the band to disregard regular artist procedures, Radiohead have officially released their own “newspaper” to coordinate with the official physical release of their new album “The King of Limbs” which was available to buy today. The paper is a mix of poetry, art, short stories and miscellaneous ‘stuff’ that was curated by Radiohead themselves.
“The Universal Sigh” (we can all co-sign that) was free for all who were able to collect a copy from specified vendors. If like me you were not able to get your hands on one or lucky enough to get handed a copy from the genius himself, Thom Yorke, who was in Brick Lane giving them out this morning, then you can read a digitised version courtesy of Rip It Up.
German blog/label Morgen Noi recently introduced the blogpshere to producer Ju-Ar, who has just released a mix called Orange Air. It’s an interesting blend of Soul & Hip Hop classics with laid back and, at times, lethargic guitars overlaid with modern samples and computersied percussions.
It’s an interesting mix and in some places works well, for instance on ‘Liquid Love’ where the simple shaking of a tambourine amongst the chopped up vocals of Marvin Gaye stay consistent and attempt not to divert away from tradition too much. In the same breathe however, Ju-Ar avoids carbon-copying the original compositions, instead opting for a slightly left-middle ground – some may say he plays it safe, others that he respects the heritage.
If I were being picky, the lack of offense (or maybe defense?) makes it less exciting, especially in an era where everyone and their dad is a self confessed beat-maker. This collection is pleasing, but definitely misses some spark as you travel through and delve deeper.
New track from Trip-Hop pioneers UNKLE, featuring singer Liela Moss titled ‘The Dog is Black’. This comes of bands forthcoming EP Only the Lonely, which drops April 5th. \
They’re also planning on releasing an expanded version of their 2010 offering Where Did the Night Fall later this year, the deluxe edition will include a 32-page booklet and some rare/unreleased songs.
Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All still in this bitch.
Time for Hodgy (that’s Tyler’s equally lunatic sparring partner off the telly) to step out and show why OFWGTA is more than a one-emcee movement. Then all we need is Earl back.
Adele has now equaled and is set to break Madonna’s UK album chart record as her sophomore LP 21 topped the UK album chart for the ninth consecutive week.
Not only that, but her debut album 19 has moved up the chart and now sits comfortably at number two, beating of competition from the likes of Jessie J & The Strokes. Furthermore, 21 also remains top of the Billboard 200 in the States too, out selling Lupe Fiasco, Justin Beiber & Glee.
But wait, there’s more. Adele’s single ‘Someone Like You’ has also returned to the number one position in the UK single charts, knocking Nicole Scherzinger’s ‘Don’t Hold Your Breath’ to second place.
I can’t remember the last time one artist commanded this much power in the charts. This is truly remarkable and very well deserved. A massive congrats to Adele & XL Recordings, it’s great to see such a fantastic album receiving both critical and commercial success like this is.
I’ve been solidly enjoying Ghostpoet’s debut album Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam for a while now, was mad I missed his album launch. But for those, like me, who didn’t attend the party – take a peak at what went down via the video up top.
…If you haven’t already heard Ghost’s album, I would definitely recommend you do so – especially if you’re into that 90′s Trip-Hop sound cultivated by the likes of Massive Attack and Portishead. No one sounds like this guy and no one has an album that sounds like this. Invest some time into it.
Oh, and biggup Philth & N4T4 who I see graph’ing it up in the video. We produced a documentary with those guys, and the collective they’re involved in (Subism), last year at Red Bull – biggup!
P.s Got a very nice exclusive involving Ghostpoet coming this week. Hol’ tight.
I posted a track called ‘Water on the Moon’ back in February, but somehow failed to realise that it came off an EP Nikko Gray made with Imani Waddy, which dropped a few weeks back.
Eh, it happens.
I’m a big admirer of Gray’s artistry, her sensual chops rarely fail to move me – a point further proved on Love Letters from Yellow. Based on Imani’s first album (of the same name) which was released late last year, this 5 track extended player is spacious and introverted, yet manages to make an assertive impression. The penetrative production gives Gray the movement to flex her delivery – at times displaying an even stronger cogency than heard on previous material.
