Track Of The Week: Exile – The Sound Is God

As I write these words I realise more and more that the title of this piece should have just been Album Of The Week. I’m talking bout the new release by Exile called Radio. Out recently on Plug Research, this masterful instrumental hip-hop album strikes a chord on many, many levels. I first heard Exile’s work via his track In The Night 22 from 2007’s From L.A. With Love compilation – I was totally addicted to the track and am still greatly fond of it now. Hence I was keen to hear this new LP, Radio.

The specific track I’ve picked out is The Sound Is God. Hard-hitting tight beats intertwined with such levels of arrangement exhibiting uncanny amounts of musical depth. On the surface it’s an absolute banger – but delve a bit more and there is so much contained inside. Minute samples and sounds, exquisitely built into one spine-tingling hip-hop composition. It will shake your bones whilst simultaneously caressing your soul – and it’s undeniably Exile, trademark material for sure.

mp3: Exile – The Sound Is God

Although with a distinct amount of variance, the whole LP contains that trademark Exile production technique. It doesn’t bare comparison with many contemporaries as such things are irrelevant beyond the fact that Exile creates boundary pushing instrumental hip-hop with an MPC sampler. I was actually surprised to see comments on another site from people claiming Radio to be a “Donuts wannabe”, if anyone in all seriousness thinks Radio is anything like Donuts, then they really don’t know what they are talking about. That’s a totally ludicrous thought. The theme of Radio is, obviously, radio and between tracks (i.e. intros and outros) there are cut ups from radio samples and also thought provoking dialogue, but there’s nothing to compare with Donuts other than the aforementioned hip-hop and MPC parts. If everyone that makes music using lots of samples and an MPC is automatically going to be accused of biting J Dilla, then we better all call it a day right now. So naive – even Exile’s MPC techniques are completely different to Dilla’s, sane ears will tell you that from the get go.

Anyway, rant over. Radio is a top, top LP and you need to buy it now, seriously!

INTERVIEW: Speech Debelle

Jus Like Music has been championing recent Big Dada signing, Speech Debelle, for a little while now. I spoke bout the white label 7-inch for the incredible Searching back in November and have also featured the bright hip-hop talents of Speech Debelle a couple of times on the Jus Like Music podcast. But now with the good word of Speech Debelle rumbling through the underground and out into the conscious minds of many listeners, taste-makers and journalists, it’s time to step it up a gear.

With a new single due in March and a debut album in May, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to learn more about this young master of deep cyphers, so see what Speech Debelle had to say when Jus Like Music caught up with her the other day…

Jeej: Speech Debelle, thank you sparing the time to talk with me. Now obviously I know who you are, I’ve read a little about you and I have heard a couple of tracks – which are very good by the way – but perhaps you can tell me, straight from the horses mouth as it were, ‘who’ you are?

Speech Debelle: My name is Speech Debelle, I’m a rapper from South London. People say I’m good, but they could be being nice right? Ha ha!

J: Well that is a nice thing to say, but actually it’s true! How would you describe what you do and how you work with music?

SD: I’m a hip-hop recording artist. I wrote an album and recorded it in Melbourne, Australia in 2007 at the start of the Summer. I ate well, slept well, got a tan and went to the studio with Wayne Lotek (Lotek HiFi) pretty much everyday. He brought in some great musicians to create the sound I wanted. I’m extremely blessed in that sense. Wayne and my label (Big Dada) provided the best tools for me to craft my skills. I hope the finished album is a good representation of that, because a lot of people worked hard.

J: I’m sure all the hard work will pay off. I know there are many reasons why an artist does what they do, but what specifically drives you to use music and performing as an artistic outlet?

SD: The reasons have always changed. When I was in primary school it was poetry. When I was 13, and started writing, it was to impress my peers and be ‘cool’. When I lived in a hostel and was quite isolated it was because of a need to release, a creative expression that was for my own sanity. Now, I’m not sure, partly because I can and it makes me whole and partly because people want me to. It has become my life.

J: The single Searching was an absolute breath of fresh air when it appeared as a white label 7-inch via Big Dada last year, but what next? I understand a debut album is due soon, can you tell me a bit about that?

SD: Thank you, the single “The Key” produced by Plutonic Lab (Muph & Plutonic) is out March 16th. The video (directed by Anthony Dickenson) is done now and should be in rotation soon. There will be another single “Go Then, Bye” out in April and then the album (Speech Therapy) out in May. Around that time I’ll be touring.

mp3: Speech Debelle – The Key

J: I’m eagerly anticipating each of those things! Now, some artists are influenced heavily by other artists, where as some just follow their own paths and keep to themselves. Do you have any specific influences and are there any current artists or tracks you are particularly feeling right now?

SD: Yeah, I’m heavily influenced by what I see and hear. I may hear a song and want to take the theme of their song and recreate it in my own way. I heard a song by DMX called “Slippin” and became so inspired I wrote a song around the emotion that song had brought up in me. I hear artists talk about how they dont follow other artists and that and I think its a bit of bollocks really. If you’re not inspired by what you have heard someone else do, how do you know what it means to capture someone’s feeling. The vibes DMX gave me when I heard “Slippin” is what I want to give other people, I want to tell my story and make you feel just like he did for me. I’ve always loved soul music and reggae music, so artists like Mary J Blige, Beres Hamond, Jah Cure, but also people I have met and been in the studio with like First Luv Musik, a rapper called Confusious MC, a singer called Miccachu who is on my album. Bashy is big I think, he is bigger than grime.

J: I tend to agree with your sentiments, but I suppose it takes all sorts. Finally, as an emerging artist, essentially pretty new to the game, you must be learning all the time. Do you have any nuggets of wisdom to share with other emerging artists?

SD: Know the business, this is more about power than music. Music is the easy part, the small part. The rest is about how much power you do or dont have and what positions you put yourself in. You have to know how to seperate your creativity and your hustle.

J: Wise words indeed! Thank you once again for your time and I hope everything goes well with the next singles, and of course the debut album out on Big Dada in May. Genuinely cant wait for that to drop!

There you have it, everything you needed to know about Speech Debelle, from Speech Debelle herself. I anticipate Speech Therapy being one of the big albums of 2009 and that will be a fantastic achievement for a debut release, but if the first tracks to be released are anything to go by, then I’m confident of it. So keep your eyes peeled and your ear to the ground, because Speech Debelle is coming!

Kinny – Idle Forest Of Chit Chat

It’s been a long time coming, but here it is, an absolute stormer of a nu-jazz LP from Tru Thoughts artist Kinny. Her work may be familiar to you from the Kinny & Horne LP, Forgetting To Remember, that came out on Tru Thoughts back in 2005, but now Kinny is here with her full solo debut LP Idle Forest Of Chit Chat.

This eleven track LP features production by; Souldrop, TM Juke, Unforscene, Hint, Diesler, The Quantic Soul Orchestra and Nostalgia 77 – a strong list of names indeed.  At times when one sees such an array of input into any one LP it can evoke feelings of doubt, like the album may just be a hotch-potch of sounds and a bit all over the place. However, I am extremely pleased to be able to inform you that this simply is not the case with Idle Forest Of Chit Chat.

Tracklisting:

01. Idle Forest Of Chit Chat feat. Souldrop
02. Damn feat. TM Juke
03. 2546 Nice! feat. Unforscene
04. Water For Chocolate feat. Souldrop
05. Afro Love Forest feat. Hint
06. Queen Of Boredness (Diesler Remix)
07. Enough Said feat. The Quantic Soul Orchestra
08. Back Street Lust feat. Diesler
09. Desire feat. Nostalgia 77
10. Forgetting To Remember (Nostalgia 77 Remix)
11. Petrified Dazed feat. TM Juke

Allow me to start this review with the conclusion: this is a fantastic album. I was sent this by Tru Thoughts towards the back-end of last year and I estimate that I have listened to it roughly a hundred times and it still sounds fresh. If it had been released last year it would have made my top eight in The Best of 2008 blog post – but circumstances beyond the control of Tru Thoughts meant the release date got pushed back and Idle Forest Of Chit Chat will now be released on 23rd March.

The track with the same name as the LP, Idle Forest Of Chit Chat, produced by Souldrop kicks things off. Frankly it gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. The steady beat, delicate guitar melody and haunting lyrics combine seamlessly. Such simplicity to the structure of this track, but just perfect in its execution. “Didn’t you know? I was there, standing on your left-hand side, but fate was looking the other way.” Glazed with sweet brass and subtle strings, it really is a beautiful track that not only soothes, but gets your foot tapping too.

mp3: Kinny – Idle Forest Of Chit Chat feat. Souldrop

As perhaps recognised from the TM Juke album, Forward, the track Damn is up next.  Still as powerful now as it was back then, a fine example of both TM Juke’s production skills and Kinny’s great voice. Unforscene then lend their talents on the track 2456 Nice!, a beat heavy neo-soul number with smoky atmosphere and a bluesy attitude. Water For Chocolate is another Souldrop production and exquisitely uses samples from the tear-jerkingly beautiful Didn’t I by Darondo. Upon first listen I was slightly stunned, “Didn’t I?! Darondo?!” and it took a few seconds to balance everything right in my head. But… they really pulled it off nicely and Kinny’s vocals compliment it with grace. It oozes style and character on every level – it’s raw yet silky, gritty yet smooth, it packs a punch indeed.

Present on last year’s Hint LP Driven From Distraction, Afro Love Forest is included here. I love this track, it’s heavy and soulful – it has a rich beauty about it, but at the same time it is really nasty with the bass tones. A heavy, heavy track. Queen Of Boredness, masterfully remixed by the incredible Diesler, is up next. I appreciate the direction this track takes, the mean bassline and punchy beats hold the laid back, almost improvised sounding, vocals in place like the proverbial train on its tracks – splendidly complimenting one and other, it’s a tight groove to keep you moving. From The Quantic Soul Orchestra comes Enough Said – this badboy is like being hit in the face with smelling-salts, but in the nicest possible way. With obvious nods to soul ballads of old, this is a fierce track, with an infectious beat, melody and dirty, dirty brass. Check it out for yourself…

Diesler is back once more with Back Street Lust. Although the aforementioned Enough Said is currently the only single release from the LP (on 12-inch), I’m praying for a 7-inch release of this track, Back Street Lust. The beats are heavy and dance powerfully with the funky vocals of Kinny, whilst the catchy brass melody supports. The subtle funk guitar accompaniment is a good touch, as well as the bass hiding there in the background. This is a busy track, but well arranged and composed, a real funk-soul banger.  Nostalgia 77 then makes an appearance with the track Desire – again this track pays some obvious homage to the sounds of old, but the modern production keeps things immensely fresh and ultimately relevant. Latin influenced funk with a gritty edge, it’s strong and soulful and uses the wonderful vocal talents of Kinny to their full potential.

The penultimate track is a Nostalgia 77 remix of Forgetting To Remember, which you actually might remember from the aforementioned Kinny & Horne LP of the same name. It’s a jazz laced number with deep and honest vocals. The double bass rides with the trumpet and piano whilst Kinny and the percussion rise through the layers to create an infused nu-jazz ballad with a serving of raw panache. The final track comes once more from TM Juke, an out and out horn/dance floor fest, called Petrified Dazed, providing a steady beat and an addictive chorus. An appropriate outro, yet again showcasing the sheer strength of Kinny’s voice and also her lyrics.

There’s a lot to be said for the various productions, from their respective producers, on this LP and Kinny is no doubt lucky to have worked with such people. However, it is Kinny who pulls it all together. I really cant stress enough just how fantastic her voice and talents are. Classicly trained, but now more acustomed to the soul, funk and jazz disciplines, Kinny is an absolutely delight to behold. Idle Forest Of Chit Chat is easily an early contender for album of 2009. I honestly did wonder how this would sound after I learnt that so many people had been involved, but as I said at the start of this review, there really is nothing to worry about – it’s an absolutely fantastic LP and I suggest you buy it when it drops on 23rd March.

PODCAST: The Make Up by Orsii and Jeej

After the previous slightly cynical blog post and podcast, here, as promised, is the antidote.  I’ll let Orsi explain this one…

Happy Valentines day my friends! I don’t really like this made up holiday for many reasons (even if free chocolate and flowers can be nice from time to time). However, I do like the thought behind it, which is to show some appreciation and affection to the people you love and care about. And bearing that in mind, we would like to show you guys how much we appreciate your continued support by giving you this special podcast, which was made in the name of love. It doesn’t matter if you are single or in a relationship, one thing that we all have in common is our love for music. So I hope you all enjoy this musical journey down to Loversville, it was made especially for you.

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The Make Up tracklisting:

01. Andre 3000 – Happy Valentine’s Day
02. Q-Tip – Life Is Better feat. Norah Jones
03. The New Mastersounds – Your Love Is Mine feat. Corinne Bailey Rae (Nostalgia 77 Remix)
04. Minnie Riperton – Lovin’ You
05. Emiliana Torrini – Heartstopper
06. Darondo – Sure Know How To Love Me
07. One Be Lo – True Love feat. Decompoze
08. Marlena Shaw – Feel Like Making Love
09. John Robinson – Makings Of U
10. J Dilla – U-Love
11. Kraak & Smaak – Squeeze Me
12. Lee Fields & The Explorers – Your Love (Is Something I Need)
13. The Herbaliser – Can’t Help This Feeling (feat. Jessica Darling)
14. Al Green – I’m Still In Love With You
15. Common – Love Is
16. East Of Underground – I Love You For All Seasons

Whatever you think of Valentine’s Day, if you’re in a relationship make sure that you read that situation right, I’d hate for this to happen to you!  Have fun all!

mp3: Q-Tip – Life Is Better feat. Norah Jones

PODCAST: The Break Up by Orsii and Jeej

Today is Friday 13th February, the ultimate Anti-Valentine’s Day!  According to Yahoo! Personals, the period between New Year and Valentine’s Day is the busiest time of year for break up’s.  But, I’m also very aware that many people are either single right now or just despair at the thought of this tacky celebration – so this special podcast made by myself and Orsi goes out to you bitter, lonely bastards as well, rejoice in this music and let it soothe your cold, black hearts.  As for you heart broken folks, well you can enjoy this music too, just try not to spill too many tears on your keyboard cos that might not be covered under your warranty.

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The Break Up tracklisting:

01. Alan Partridge – Valentine’s Intro
02. Eddie Spencer – If This Is Love (I’d Rather Be Lonely)
03. Ann Sexton – You’re Losing Me
04. The Diplomats of Solid Sound – Hurt Me So
05. Lauryn Hill – I Used To Love Him
06. Erykah Badu – Sometimes…
07. Little Dragon – No Love
08. Handsome Boy Modeling School – I’ve Been Thinking
09. Amy Winehouse – Love Is A Losing Game
10. Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings – I’m Not Gonna Cry
11. Aretha Franklin – Chain Of Fools
12. Irma Thomas – Sufferin’ With The Blues
13. Dinah Washington – Cry Me A River (T&S Remix)
14. Fink – All Cried Out
15. The Bird and The Bee – Last Day Of Our Love
16. The Jacksons – Never Can Say Goodbye
17. Lee Fields – Love Comes And Goes
18. Ohio Players – Our Love Has Died

If, however, you’re very much in love and looking forward to Valentine’s Day, well… maybe myself and Orsi will have a nice little surprise for you tomorrow!

mp3: Erykah Badu – Sometimes…