Tag Archives: soul

October 17, 2017 · 12:20 pm

New EP from Metacara Released Today

Kyla Rae and Vince Nania are Pittsburgh based duo Metacara and today they’ve released their 2nd EP, Car Talks. I can’t really nail down a genre for them because they incorporate many. But, if you’re a fan of Phantogram, Purity Ring, and Wolf Alice (I’m thinking the Blush EP), you will definitely enjoy Metacara. In comparison to their first release in 2015, Stone Love, they feel like Car Talks is more mature. The name of the band itself means, “Many Faces,” which is super cool and appropriate for a group that feels their music is growing as they grow themselves.

When I hung out with Kyla and Vince recently, they told me this EP was inspired by the kinds of talks that you have in the car. You know, like when you’re going on a road trip — you’re in the car for a long period of time, why not talk about something deep that’s been on your mind? And bonus: your travel mate can’t escape you, mwaahahaha.

Check out the video for one of the new tracks, “Pilsen” below:

After you’ve watched that, check out the rest of the EP below via Soundcloud:

When you listen to the title track, make sure you pay attention at the 1:48 mark where the song changes it up a little bit. I love when one song almost sounds like two different songs AND IT WORKS. That’s what happens here. Magical.

“Over the Edge” has a little bit of a darker feel, which I especially appreciate at this time of year. The air is crisp and fall has arrived, Halloween is coming, and I usually feel a teeny bit bitter that the bitter, cold weather is approaching. Sometimes that’s what puts me “over the edge,” not sure about you. Juuuuuuust kidding. Sort of. Anyway, all of the tracks flow very nicely with each other and the EP ends with “Ceilings.” At 1:38, this song brings another beat that I’ve fallen in love with. The sound is blues-y and adds another level of anticipation followed by a rock vibe that carries out the rest of the song. After checking out Car Talks, you’ll see what I mean about nailing down a genre. Maybe I’ll make one up just for them.

The Car Talks EP is available on all major music platforms, so go grab it on whichever one strikes your fancy!

AND if you’re in the Pittsburgh area this Saturday, go check them out for their release party at James Street Gastropub!

 

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October 3, 2017 · 1:26 pm

Groove With This Supermoon

“Ikebe Shakedown re–creates the kind of vibrant vintage funk that sends crate–digging DJs into spasms of joy…” – TimeOut New York

“Ikebe Shakedown has a sound that is undeniably all their own” – KEXP, Seattle

Over the past ten years, Ikebe Shakedown has refined a sound that defies genre. Their tracks bring the primal elements of ’70s soul, raw funk, and cinematic Western soundtracks together with a relentless groove and soaring melodies. Each release has successively pushed their explosive instrumental style further, wowing audiences in the U.S. and around the world. Now, after considerable time building their own analog studio, Hive Mind Recording, hitting the road with some of the most revered acts in the Brooklyn soul scene, and soaking in the wisdom that comes from day-in, day-out living in NYC, Ikebe is back with their third LP, The Way Home, (Colemine Records), an album that takes these sensibilities to new heights.

While the band has always been known for danceable grooves, The Way Home delves deeper into what it means to move people. As they put it, “We live in a city with a relentless pace. Sometimes, that demands music that gets you up and shaking, but it’s just as much about getting ourselves up every day to take on this massive life in just a few square miles.” It’s that joyful struggle that keeps the record from being just another love letter to New York. Says the band, “We set out to tell NYC that our feelings are a little more, well, complicated.”

Perhaps that’s why each song tells its own story, from the get-off-your-ass snare hits of “Penny the Snitch” to “She’s Knocking,” with its quiet-morning start that transitions to a glorious call to arms. Or “Blue Giant,” which boxes like Ali, floating until it stings you with full-band jabs. And though there may be more subdued moments, no song ever goes completely still – because NYC never stops. As the band says, “We wanted some tracks to be for those predawn hours, when someone’s still out there, keeping the city humming.”

The album’s first 45, “Supermoon” b/w “The Ally,” is a powerful assertion of the band’s place amidst the top of the instrumental scene. With “Supermoon,” premiering on The Big Takeover, the band aimed to make “A tune that expresses all the energy and excitement we feel moving through the city. From the opening wash of reverb to the last pummeling drum hits, we gave it an air of mystery, since we live somewhere where anything’s possible at any time, day or night.” For “The Ally” on the B-Side, the band sees it as the perfect complement to “Supermoon” — “We want to take the listeners on a journey from a barebones opening to an ending that rouses them from the stupor we sometimes find ourselves in, so they feel like they can take on the world.”

If you think you know Ikebe Shakedown, check out The Way Home and prepare to be awakened. And if you’ve never listened, welcome to a sound that’s richly familiar but unlike anything you’ve heard before.

Tour Dates
Oct. 19th in Philadelphia, PA at World Cafe Live
Oct. 21st in Brooklyn, NY at Union Pool
Oct. 26th in  Kingston, NY at BSP Hall

The Way Home is out on October 20th, 2017

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August 8, 2017 · 3:24 pm

Can’t Get Enough FØNX

British artist, songwriter and producer FØNX has today released his debut single ‘Can’t Get Enough’, which was produced by Grammy award-winner Tommaso Colliva (Muse).

FØNX explains, “’Can’t Get Enough’ came about whilst I was homeless and sofa surfing for a couple of months and after a very colorful twenty-four hours, I found myself writing initial ideas for the song”.

Drawing influence from the likes of Kanye West, Childish Gambino, Frank Ocean, D’Angelo, John Mayer and Tame Impala, FØNX delivers R’n’B-infused pop with jazz, funk and soul influences, merging catchy grooves, memorable hooks and intricate guitar licks with inspired lyrical content.

Coming from a musical background FØNX started learning guitar at the age of seven and was soon introduced to rap and hip hop, sparking his enthusiasm to start writing lyrics and create backing tracks from samples.

FØNX continued experimenting with music and film during a number of years of home-schooling and soon enrolled at the Brit School where he studied music.

Since leaving, FØNX has continued writing and producing his music at home, on trains, buses, in coffee shops and backstage before shows, constantly coming up with ideas for melodies and lyrics wherever he went. Playing the live circuit around London and the South East he has also performed at various festivals including Barn on The Farm, Cornbury Festival, Isle Of Wight Festival and Leefest.

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January 31, 2017 · 12:21 pm

Check ‘Em Out: The Gold Setting

thegoldsetting

The face and voice of The Gold Setting is Liza Colby. Channeling sensual 1960s soul, 1990s R&B, and Tina Turner-esque swagger, The Gold Setting boasts a fluid cast of all-stars including multi-instrumentalist/composer/arranger Todd Simon (Ghostface Killah, Sharon Jones, Lily Allen), Grammy-nominated Adam Berg (Decoders), and songwriter/producer/musician Richard Rudolph (Stevie Wonder, Minnie Riperton, A Tribe Called Quest, 2Pac, Chaka Kahn, En Vogue).

The Gold Setting has announced their debut Volume and Tone EP set for release on April 7th and have revealed the infectious first single “Being Without You”.

In 2015, Liza was presented with a “golden moment” – a perfect pocket of time where she had a chance to head to Los Angeles and collaborate with Todd Simon who then enlisted Adam Berg. Despite having no songs and never having worked together, Liza impulsively popped the question to do a show, and Todd and Adam signed on for the adventure. The trio had 12 days to spin yarns into gold. Immediately, sessions began at Manifest Music (Adam Berg’s studio) in Santa Monica. Liza soon found herself creating with a full house of iconic collaborators and musicians spanning genres and generations.

The result manifested in the form of the Volume and Tone EP – a four track collection that melds vintage instrumentation, bold electro-pop textures, and rugged beats with timeless Motown-tinged songcraft. Organic yet electrified, the tracks were recorded using a blend of old school 50s/60s techniques and modern technology, bringing out the authentic tones of the instruments yet delivering an explosive sound.

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November 1, 2016 · 2:02 pm

Byron Nash & Plan B: ” A Band Born Out of Pure Friendship and Love For Making Music”

Photo: afayepr.com

Photo: afayepr.com

Byron Nash, a Pittsburgh based musician, has been doing this music thing for a long time. While playing lead guitar of the band Formula412, he worked on writing and recording some ideas and keeping them on the “back-burner” you could say. This “back-burner” was called ‘Plan B’.

After collecting over 10 years of songs and ideas, Nash took some music production courses and eventually started his own music company, BNDEEPendent Music. He and his friend Evan Thorsen had been jamming and hanging out together for years; when they finally decided to play some of their songs live in 2014. After great reception, they were asked the following year to play at Kayafest, a restaurant that was having it’s 20th Year Anniversary block party. They put together a makeshift band of talented musicians and again were met with great praise…enough that they finally decided to go forth full throttle as a band.

All they had to do was come up with their name. It was suggested that their name simply be ‘Nash’, but Byron felt weird about it being just his name. So — ta-da!!! Byron Nash & Plan B it is!

And they’ve got a little bit of something for everyone, too! The band is  “a well-balanced fusion of rocking dual-guitars, funk-and-soul, straight-forward and emotional vocals, simple songwriting, and a little bit of jam-band and fusion mixed in there.”

The band is having a very special release party for their very first EP, The Late Bloomer, this Friday at The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls.

Check out the Facebook event HERE

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August 17, 2016 · 4:27 pm

Falcon Punch – “Higher”

Falcon Punch

Falcon Punch is delivering his first original work as a collaboration with LA-based duo, Wild & Free. After sitting on the instrumental of the song for 3 years, Falcon Punch teamed up with Wild & Free who delivered the vocal performance he’d been patiently waiting for. The combination leads to an easy to love but hard to forget late summer jam.

The cosmic grooves of Falcon Punch are steeped in no particular musical tradition, but rather in a multi-genre background ranging from soul and funk to house and disco. A lifetime musician, producer and DJ Avery Henderson (Falcon Punch) got his start in the electronic/disco scene producing from his tiny dorm room while living in Amsterdam in 2010. The now Colorado based musician, has crafted his sound into what he calls “Dark Island Funk”, a layered guitar melodies, keys and airy vocals, and has had the fortune of spreading it through a multitude of successful digital and vinyl releases.

 

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July 20, 2016 · 11:53 am

Check ‘Em Out: Kinney

kinney

Kinney is a talented singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist and a certified Vinyasa Yoga teacher and dancer who incorporates the art of Acroyoga and acrobatics into her live show. Originally from Annapolis, MD, Kinney now calls Los Angeles, CA home. The debut single “Soul,” has drawn early comparisons to Zero 7 and Portishead with elements of Massive Attack. Her musical essence combines elements of fashion, art, global musicality and a unique creative vision, which makes Kinney truly stand out as a genuine artist.

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May 24, 2016 · 10:26 am

Must Listen: Klue – Daybreak EP

Klue

This week Sydney singer/producer/multi-instrumentalist Klue is excited to share his debut Daybreak EP, featuring two recent singles, “Hiding” and “So Good”, alongside two previously unheard tracks, “Uh Oh” and “My Friend”.

Drawing on a love of Afrobeat, blazing horns, electronic beats and soul, Daybreak is a cultural feast for the ears and mind. Honoring a vast range of influences from Jamie xx, Fela Kuti, Hermitude, D’Angelo, Bonobo, and Fat Freddy’s Drop, Klue delivers on recent editorial predictions dubbing him as an ‘Artist to Watch’ in 2016.

“The Soul and Southern African tunes were on living room rotation as a kid and that definitely shaped me musically and how I create.  Having developed my production skills in the hip hop and electronic world, I feel like this is record is the first time I’ve managed to bring all of these influences together in a cohesive way, and in a way that really feels right.”  – Klue

 

Written in part, while touring Africa with his band True Vibenation, Daybreak encompasses some of the spirit of the trip. Specifically working with a variety of musicians, be it professionals backstage at a gig, amateurs, even a barber shop group he jammed with on the street. All those moments helped to influence the overall sound of the EP.

“When I got back from Africa I got to work turning some ideas and drafts into what could possibly be a solid record. During this time I was surrounded by great people and was having a really good time. I had some pretty incredible nights out, and I was catching my fair share of sunrises too” – Klue

The Daybreak EP turned out to be quite a huge process for Klue as he set out to do almost everything himself; he wrote, played, recorded and mixed everything on the EP, aside from the trumpet in “Hiding” which was done by his True Vibenation band-mate Moody, and the mastering which was handled by Sameer Sengupta. In the end, Klue had a four-track collection of tunes that he was really proud of, and couldn’t wait to share with the rest us.

“Daybreak is a pretty remarkable part of the day (whether it’s the beginning or the end of your day), and the process of making my first solo record definitely felt like a beginning, and so that’s pretty much where the ep’s title came from” – Klue

Daybreak EP is available now through etcetc music, and Australian fans can catch Klue as he tours around the country throughout May/June, which also includes a few co-headlining shows with Ribongia in Wollongong, Melbourne, Sydney and Newcastle.

Klue will then be heading to Europe in late-June to perform at Glastonbury Festival with his band True Vibenation, and you can rest-assured that there will be a few impromptu Klue shows and after-parties happening throughout Europe during that time.

Personal Favorite: “Hiding”

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June 11, 2015 · 9:26 am

Yowza! Hot Song! Mike Dignam – “Addict”

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Listen: Mike Dignam – “Addict”

Following his last hit single “Hurt”, Mike Dignam delivers another dark and sophisticated track off his upcoming album Fight to Forgive. “Addict” showcases Dingman’s talent to tie raw feeling and heavy lyrics into a soulful pop hit. Dignam allows his skills and hard work to shine through in “Addict”. Using the simplicity of drums, bass, guitar, and the haunting vocals of his distinctive voice, to create and own a sound that sets him apart from the average singer-songwriter. Dignam uses his impeccable vocals to carry a forcefulness and yearning within his lyrics, resulting in a song that is full of vulnerability and devotion.

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September 17, 2014 · 9:02 am

New Music From Rene Lopez

Photo credit: Dan Monick

Photo credit: Dan Monick

Eclectic NYC musician Rene Lopez has just announced his new EP, Love Has No Mercy – set for release October 21st via Liberation Label. Whilst Rene’s earlier records have flirted with every genre from salsa to soul, the seven tracks on Love Has No Mercy are a decidedly more dance-friendly affair. The record, which incorporates the sanguine Latin influences of his previous albums & interjects them with healthy doses of disco & funk, seems tailor-made for both impromptu house parties & late nights at the club.

Love Has No Mercy’s title track, which features vocals from NYC powerhouse Carol C, is equal parts Chic & Giorgio Moroder: a siren song of synthed-out futuristic disco that swings with a certain effortlessness that brings to mind nu-disco hits as much as old-school Donna Summer.

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Listen: Rene Lopez – “Love Has No Mercy”

Clocking in at just under 30 minutes, Love Has No Mercy is a remarkably slick statement of intent. Tracks like “Lovegod” & “City Streets are Dead Tonight” pulse with the same kind of subdued electro-funk that made early Prince & Rick James tracks so eternally irresistible. For Rene, the tracks represent a natural musical evolution- a move from the sweaty rock & Latin grooves of his previous albums to a place located firmly on the dancefloor.
A native New Yorker (and the son of renowned salsa musician Rene Lopez, Sr.), Rene grew up absorbing the non-stop musical melting pot that the city had to offer, eventually channeling those influences into his own music. A jazz-trained drummer & multi-instrumentalist, he recorded with a variety of band projects (The Authority, Extra Virgin) before taking wing as a solo artist, eventually perfecting a style that he came to refer to as E.L.S. (Electric Latin Soul).

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