Whilst visiting Toronto over Xmas, my dude Mike put me on a Canadian producer/artist I’d never heard of – but the sound really caught my attention. His name is Black Atlass.
Pounding, sleepy drums, amp fuzz, ethereal-R&B vocal distortions, and that cheerless reverb swag that this particular nation has been doing so well lately (Weeknd, DropxLife, Julian…). What’s more, there’s real tormented, teen heart buried in there.
For my first PinBoard post I give to you the leading lady from French collective Youngunz.
Here is Piu Piu singing Rick Ross’ anthem ‘B.M.F’. in her native accent over some trippy electronic production, with fellow label mates French Fries and Bambounou standing in the background of this fly visual.
Undeniably my favourite track off of Stalley’s Lincoln Way Nights mixtape. ‘The Sound Of Silence’ is great picture-building music; music that easily builds an image for you, off of the strength of the lyrical content.
This is no doubt (probably) the reason why this video is shot crisp and clear yet with not much to visually distract you.
Lincoln Way Nights was released earlier this year (February) but has been remastered and will be set for re-release, rightfully so, on November 1 via the help of Maybach music.
Little Dragon is the type of group that has a consistency about them, where every track is a mini masterpiece that makes up a much bigger masterpiece, being the album. So it’s no surprise that the end track, ‘Seconds‘, from the Swedish band’s latest highly-praised album, Ritual Union, has been reworked into yet again another mini masterpiece.
Reworked by Syd The Kyd of OFWGKTA, this remix instantly has a bump to it that lifts it away from Little Dragon’s usual electro-soul sound, and more into a somewhat R&B flavour. Listening to this track, there is a Devante Swing-esque vibe to the production by Syd, giving it that ’90s freak.
The pace of the drum beat, the bass along with the other futuristic sounds do justice to the original version – it adds a coating of ‘swag’ that could easily allow this remix to be played at a house party of Jodeci fans and get good reception… It’s certainly something different to what I would have expected from an OFWGKTA producer.
North Carolinian songstress Carlitta Durand, hits the cold roads of her home state in her latest video, ‘Nostalgic Nights’ from the EP of the same name.
There is definitely a sense of emotion on this track and results in quality Durand material that wraps you up in a blanket of calming vocals. Something that the other tracks from her EP follow suit with.
R&B star D’Angelo is reportedly back in the studio making the third album fans have been waiting for for over a decade now. Yeah, you read that right, D’Angelo’s last release was the 2000′s Voodoo.
Over the years D’Angelo has been rumored to be in the studio with Mark Ronson, Prince, Raphael Saadiq, John Mayer, Cee Lo Green and Roy Hargrove – all great names to be associated with.
And yet here we are 11 years after his 1.7 million copy selling last release. After a sprinkling of guest appearances, arrests and notorious mugshots, weight gain, a drug problem, and a serious car accident – so much has changed for listeners and for D’Angelo. Can he win over a whole new generation of music listeners who probably haven’t even heard his ’95 debut Brown Sugar? Or will the same ravenous ladies who lusted over him in his now infamous ‘Untitled (How Does It Feel?)’ video still be there, even if that body isn’t?
I believe a good musician is a good musician anytime and good music will always be welcomes. And if current reports are true and D’Angelo is in fact in the studio with Roots drummer Questlove and bassist Pino Palladino, as well as producer/engineer Russell Elevado – then we have nothing to fear. The new album will hopefully be ready by the end of the year / early 2012 via J Records.
Okay so, Wiley just dropped a new album called 100% Publishing in June. Now he’s got another release, The Chill Out Zone, which was initially scheduled to be released July 17. Now, instead of that plan, Wiley has decided to release it for free. As if all that weren’t enough Wiley put out a mixtape last week with DJ Whoo Kid, Creating a Buzz Vol. 1.
Seems like somebody’s determined to make this the summer of Wiley. Tracklist after the jump…
