‘aerosol’ heralds new album from georgia anne muldrow
Over the last few years, the Los Angeles cosmic soul and jazz goddess Georgia Anne Muldrow has spent more time in collaboration mode and producing other artists, than finishing up her own projects. Which is fine and all, since the heavy load of ideas and love that the 35-year-old singer/producer/thinker/multi-instrumentalist brings to music is exactly what this world needs. Now though, the wait for a batch of new music from her is almost over.
With the release of “Aerosol” comes word that on October 26, 2018, Muldrow will finally be dropping a new album, Overload, on Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label. If “Aerosol” is any indication, Overload may finally be an opportunity for a broader audience to catch-up with those of us who’ve long held Muldrow in such high regards—a fan club that includes Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Ali Shaheed Mohammed, Aloe Blacc (who executive produced the new album) and on and on.
Muldrow calls Overload “an experiment in restraint. I pack myself into something as clear as possible with the help of gifted artists from all over the world. The live show is an experiment in interpretation. That’s when [my band] The Righteous and I unpack into a joyful noise. Both of these dynamics have been striving to balance themselves within me since birth… since wanting to record anything. And by the grace of patience, discipline and devotion, a sweet spot has started to appear.”
“Aerosol” is definitely part of that “sweet spot.” It is a slow-motion synthetic funk roller, co-produced by two relative newcomers, Manila-to-New York transplant Lustbass and Rotterdam’s Moods, with a poetic lyric about how the sights, sounds and tastes of a neighborhood strip (one can glean plenty of LA) become a jump-off for the creative imagination. It’s simultaneously gorgeous and off-handedly poignant, but banging all the way home.
premiere: stir your soul with singer gabrielle sey’s black af record, dripping with african rhythms
“It is what it is… just feel it.”
This is Gabrielle Sey’s response when asked to describe the genre of music she “fits” in. The thing is, Sey’s sound doesn’t fit into a specific genre because she has managed to create tapestry of sound that reflects her roots, influences and individual flair. Her individuality shines through and delivers a layered debut EP, from the way voices come together to fill the sonic space or the way she finds ways to stretch and play with her voice to give each song its own emotional signature.
I was fed up of being placed in a box and conforming to an industry stereotype. People often assume that being black means I sing R&B and soul. However, I wanted my music to reflect my African heritage as well as the music I love and enjoy. As the sound of the EP developed I realised that what I was creating couldn’t be defined by a specific musical genre. So, I decided to sum it up with these words: “It is what it is… just feel it”
‘Break My Silence’ is the perfect introduction to the LP, opening up with layered voices that fill up the chest of the listener as Sey’s raspy-smooth voice guides the song through its journey from a harmony of voices to a guitar that emits the same undeniable energy you’d find in South African ‘Maskandi’ music. Sey’s African roots are ever-present and elegantly woven throughout the EP with each song toting an infectious rhythm that can be traced back to many parts of the continent.
Photo by Tayo Lee Nelson
Sey manages to deliver a balance between soulful R&B and irresistible African panache that truly places her in a league of her own. Her ability to bring raw acoustic energy and produced sound together under her vocal prowess is truly a masterclass.
Her EP is out now.
celebrate the triumph of love with soul songstress mereba’s new visual, “black truck”
Directed by Durimel, the visual for ethereal songstress Mereba’s debut single, “Black Truck” is a poetic ode to personal triumphs over life’s trails and above all else, love. Set on the beaches of Miami in the twilight hours with the help of Moonlight cinematographer, James Laxton, “Black Truck” is somewhere between spoken word and neo-soul. A unique blend of alternative R&B and singer-songwriter soul, the debut single makes it clear that the up-and-coming performer has no intention of coloring inside the lines as an artist. Check out “Black Truck”, below!
premiere: restore your faith in humanity with soul rocker steff reed’s album ‘the power of love experience’
The world is our’s to live in
and we cant let it fall
No bans, no borders.
We’re breaking down the wall
These days we need all the reminders we can get that the bullshit of the world is worth enduring. Indie soul singer-songwriter Steff Reed’s latest record The Power of Love Experience adds a little light to the end of the tunnel. With a runtime comprised primarily of peans to hope, The Power of Love Experience is exactly what we need right now.
Bookended by “You Are Loved,” Steff treats each song like a step on a journey of self-care. The best of the cuts, like “Armageddon” and “Stand” mix Reed’s hopeful messages with soaring hooks, and driving guitars. Lead single “Power of Love” remains the albums defining statement, a propulsive indie rock song whose message is as strong as its hook.
Steff Reed says of the record that he hoped to craft “anthems that brings people together from all walks of life, gives them hope and reminds them of their humanity. I want people to hear this album and feel like, no matter what they are going through, or where they are, they are not alone, and that through the power of love, they can overcome.”
The Power of Love Experience is out today.
Steff Reed (shot by Mathematics @Mathematics_nyc)
fuck la migra! the latest afropunk mixtape is a declaration of immigrant rights
The truth is that immigration law has always been about white supremacy. From the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 on down to the founding of ICE in 2003, these are explicitly racist laws designed to preserve a racist power structure, and they were always headed here: internment camps to imprison immigrant children and punish families for seeking a better life. We stand with refugees and immigrants the world over to demand an end to racist immigration laws. Close the camps. Reunite the families. Fuck la migra.
01. Intro: Abolish ICE (June 2018)
02. Samurai Shotgun – The Blast
03. Ebony Bones – No Black In The Union Jack
04. Fantastic Negrito – Plastic Hamburgers
05. Denzel Himself – Thrasher
06. Interlude: Rep. Maxine Waters (June 2018)
07. Mereba – Black Truck
08. G Matthews – Choices!
09. Emicida & Ibeyi – Hacia El Amor
10. Harville – Spill
11. Curtis Harding – It’s Not Over
12. Rest Ashore – Concussion
13. Interlude: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (June 2018)
14. Deathgrips – Black Paint
15. Joji Abot – Gods Among Men
16. Interude: Leah, 12 Year-Old Speech (June 2018)
17. Marci Phonix – Liberties
premiere: find the beauty in heartbreak with alt soul artist umi copper’s lush debut ep
“Yeah I know better / But I just can’t seem to do better”
Strings swirl around insistent drums, while Umi Copper’s haunting voice ripples through. His ambitious debut Requiem is heavy on atmosphere. Over its 4 tracks, Copper proves himself a passionate chronicler of heartbreak.
It’s an EP full of frustration and loss, with Copper looking hard into the mirror and not sure he likes what he sees. It’s no surprise then that the best songs on the EP are the ones where Copper does his worst. Both the title track and the stunning closer “Cure,” paint a picture of a man battling his demons and coming away scarred, but resilient. And those strings; it’s like a warm bath for your ears.
About the video for “Cure” directed by Miko Revereza, Copper tells AFROPUNK that it’s “a visual art piece depicting a self-mirrored distortion, against the beautiful yet visceral evolution of pure love ultimately becoming destructive.” Stream the full EP below.
lose yourself in trip-hop/electro-soul band ghost & the city’s ‘time ep’ album
Anchored by standout-single “N.W.T.A.” Ghost & the City’s Time EP, is the kind of record that begs to be listened to on headphones. It’s a richly textured landscape buoyed by Kia Fay’s haunted hooks. Songs like “Steady Trippin” and “Run Run” find weight in the band’s deft arrangements and Fay’s evocative voice. The centerpiece though is their unexpected cover of Bobby Womack’s “Please Forgive My Heart,” which takes a cut from the soul legend and transforms it into the band’s own sound. The Time EP is the kind of record you ca get lost in for days.
garage rock trio that dog don’t hunt brings some refreshingly raw fuzzed out hooks
It’s time for your daily dose of lo-fi indie rock! That Dog Don’t Hunt is a Dallas band made up of siblings Laura Hale and Tommy Busby with drummer Patrick Cone. They serve up retro soul-inflected indie rock refreshingly free of the pop pretensions that often goes along with that these days. This is the real DIY shit. Anchored by tracks like “Soul Shakin’” and “Shot at the Title,” their Soul Shakin’ EP is loaded with fuzzed out hooks and garage soul riffs. Their new EP drops next month, and if the lead single “Tattooed Feather” is any indication, the band turns up the rawness. Don’t sleep on this.
sade’s new song is here! her first track in 7 years
The wait is over, the legendary Sade’s new track has been revealed by producer No ID.
As we previously reported, the song, ‘Flower of the Universe’ was written for the soundtrack of Ava DuVernay’s latest movie, ‘A Wrinkle In Time’.
Stream the touching and smooth track below!
brooklyn rock and soul quartet harville are out for “blood” on their debut single
Brooklyn alt rock quartet Harville has been tearing it up since high school classmates Jonathan Singletary and Jay Troop reconnected. Their debut single “Blood” finds the band merging their punk and soul influences into a sound that’s got flashes of Van Hunt and hints of Fugazi. With a jagged beat and a razor edged guitar line, the band is definitely out for blood. Check it out below.