When I first started spinning Tree of Mystery, I thought it sounded vaguely familiar, like something that I should be able to place. After about the third spin, another band popped into my head: Ancient Astronauts, a band that I got turned onto about a year and a half ago. I went searching through my music, played their album We Are to Answer, and sure enough, it was a sonic step-brother. And then the truth hit me, Kabanjak, the musician behind Tree of Mystery, is one half of the duo that make up Ancient Astronauts!
While not having completely split from his fellow musician Dogu, Kabanjak's release Tree of Mystery (whose cover I really dig, check it below) is his first flying solo. It carries a lot of the characteristics of his work as an Ancient Astronaut, with melodies that alternately feel as if they're soaring in the sky and then swirling in a Middle Eastern desert. Every so often, scattered through his musical meditations, come rhymes laid down by guest vocalists. At some points it feels like you're meditating in the heavens, and others you're immersed right here in Earth, with no clear horizon distinguishing the two.
Silje Nes' music just oozes beauty. The Norwegian's voice is as delicate as a butterfly, as gently flowing as a brook. Opticks, her latest album, features the track she plays live above, and which you can download below. If you need an album to brush out the ruffles of life, a salve to sooth your soul, look no further than this one. What comes to mind to compare it to it This Mortal Coil, without the dramatic ups and downs, rather a gentle undulation.
For today's Jazz Brunch Jam, we're taking it new school, with the latest in Mark Farina's Mushroom Jazz Series, #7. Farina first introduced the series back in 1996, and his goal has remained constant since then: to collect and share some of the best and brightest in what would probably most neatly be called acid jazz. To simply let that term define all nineteen tracks would do it a disservice, though. Be prepared for a spectrum of cuts that loosely start with a jazz base and then add on some hip hop infused beats, moments of trippy loops, and dance floor inducing bumping. It's cool and it's hot, it swings and it chills. The grooves go deep, but not for too long.
I'm going to wrap up my trilogy of female singers this week with far removed from the first two. While it also is her debut (just like the previous two days), the self titled release by Anika has a COMPLETELY different tone to it that is instantly recognizable as something you don't spin every day. Where as my previous two posts shared deceptively poppy sounding music, Anika takes the dark road, sporting a hazy, almost washed out sound that feels like it's been sent through several muffled layers that have stripped any light or happiness out of it, leaving behind Anika's almost spoken word chants to lure you in. It comes as no surprise that it was produced by Portishead’s Geoff Barrow. I have no doubt that it's either a love it or hate it sound, but try it for yourself to see which camp you fit into.
After sharing Kori Pop yesterday, I figured I'd follow up with another singer/songwriter, Hayley Taylor. The two share some similarities: both sound much more upbeat than their lyrics suggest at a deeper listen and both just released their debut full length album. In Hayley's case, she's put out an EP and her music's appeared in a few high profile spots, but One Foot In Front of the Other is her first official LP. Much like Kori, Hayley sings about the hardships of life and love, but there are glimmers of hope that shine through if you look and listen for them carefully. Take No More Wishing for example.
Don't you love seemingly upbeat songs that are actually tragic downers? So's the case with Nowhere Near My Heart by Kori Pop. Just in time to temper some of that holiday cheer that's running rampant! It's the first song on her first album, From the Outskirts, an album that might have some pop overtones, but at heart runs deeps.
It's been nearly two years since I wrote about The TakeOver, the last album from Oakland hip hop artists Zion I. As can always be expected from the duo of MC Zion and Amp Live, they've taken their sound in a new direction on this one, and even though you'll still find a level of spirituality to it, you'll also find an undercurrent of reggae running through Atomic Clock. While I still think their last album is a smidge bit better, this one has been getting a lot of ear time in the car for the last month or so. Check out Many Stylez below, a song that really does a good job summing up what Zion I is all about.
Usually I post up Sunday Soul with a set of lyrics that I especially enjoy from the cut along with a picture that somehow evokes the feelings behind them. Today I'm going to forgo the lyrics and instead just share a song that stews and bubbles with more funk that you can shake a stick at. Although it's only credited to Fred Wesley & the J.B.'s, it also features the Godfather of Soul James Brown himself on vocals. Wesley (that's him above on trombone) was one of the many talented musicians that laid down the groove for Brown to sing over (as well as directing the backing unit, the J.B.'s), and this 45 came out on Brown's label People (an imprint of Polydor).
I have my man John to thank for turning me onto Esperanza Spaldinga few years ago with her debut album Esperanza. Well just a few months ago she released her follow-up album, titled Chamber Music Society, and quite a few people have taken notice of her lately since her debut, including the Grammy nomination committee, who has nominated her latest album for Best New Artist (obviously they didn't have a friend who brought her to their attention back in 2008). Unfortunately, she's up against Justin Bieber, so I'm already dreading a stomach-emptying upset.
While her debut album featured quite a bit of Spalding's beautiful voice AND her incredibly talented bass playing (all but two of the songs had vocals), this new album is quite the opposite, with the majority of tracks being instrumentals (with a fair amount of scat singing though). Chamber music is a rather old music genre, traditionally classical music played by a small group in an intimate setting, many times in a small room. Spalding's take on Chamber Music Society is an updated one that incorporates modern elements into this traditional style. If you're looking for her voice, you'll find it on a few tracks, but you'd be better off trying her first album. If you enjoy her playing, either album will give you aural pleasure.
