The new CD, digital album and vinyl release, RE:GENERATIONS, honors Nat King Cole's continued cultural influence around the planet, 90 years after his birth. Over the latter part of 2008, Nat King Cole was virtually in the studio and on the mic with some of the most talented Hip Hop, Latin, Reggae and Rock artists and producers of our day. The album celebrates a universal love of music, the one language that brings us all together and honors his multifaceted legacy. This inspired congregation of audio and visual art acknowledges the timeless appeal of Cole's catalog. From its invention to its re-invention, from each generation to the next, Cole's music is always fresh and innovative.

In an altogether modern and collaborative approach, many of the world's most pioneering musicians, producers and DJs have joined together to bring each of their distinct styles to 13 of Cole's outstanding recordings for RE:GENERATIONS. In addition, several respected Los Angeles visual artists have drawn inspiration from Cole's music, style and cultural influence to create custom artwork for the release. Executive produced by Nat King Cole's daughter Carole Cole and Michaelangelo L'Acqua, the album contains the manifold talents of Cee-Lo, The Roots, will.i.am with Natalie Cole, Cut Chemist, Just Blaze, Nas with Salaam Remi, Souldiggaz with Izza Kizza, Michaelangelo L'Acqua with Bebel Gilberto, Stephen and Damian Marley, Bitter:Sweet, Brazilian Girls, Amp Fiddler and TV On The Radio. RE:GENERATIONS is as much a colorful and culturally-diverse soundscape as it is a 21st Century journey in the lexicon of Nat King Cole's catalog.

Posted by Mike at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This spring Black Lips will return with the follow up to the widely successful Good Bad Not Evil with 200 Million Thousand, out February 24th on Vice Music.

The 14 tracks that make up 200 Million Thousand show true early rock and roll at it's finest: simple, straightforward songwriting mesh perfectly with the Black Lips’ distinctive howl to create a time capsule rife with nods to simple pleasures and a world of worry. It's a modern, mature reflection on life and the world traveled. As has come to be expected, 200 Million Thousand will be followed by ample opportunity to see Black Lips do what they do best - whip a crowd into a pure ball of unpredictable energy.

Posted by Mike at 06:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Frenchman Chris Joss is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist and autonomous studio producer. Having lived in London for most of the 90's, Joss digested the vibrant music scenes of the city while working as a sound engineer and playing bass and guitar in various bands. In 1996 Joss recorded his first album The Man With a Suitcase, the soundtrack to an imaginary 60's TV series, released in 1999 on indie label Pulp Flavor with the Bombay By Bus EP. His 2nd LP, Dr Rhythm, released by Irma, encompassed electronica, breakbeat, funk and soundtrack music. Dr Rhythm upped the ante for Joss' musical catalog.

In 2004 Chris Joss’ third LP, You've Been Spiked, was released by ESL Music. With its thick funky bass lines, wah-wah guitars, Rhodes and Hammond riffs pulsating over live rootsy drums, the album was a vibrant tribute to 60's and 70's dance music. Remixes by Ursula 1000 & Fort Knox Five came out in 2005 on the Discotheque Dancing EP, and by Kraak & Smaak on the A Part In That Show EP in February of 2006.

Seriously injured in a domestic accident, almost costing him his right arm, Chris Joss recorded a version of John Williams' “Superman” theme song in between hospital stays in 2006. Originally intended for a movie trailer, ESL Music released it on an EP in August 2007 alongside remixes by Basement Freaks & Plastilina Mosh and a new track called "Superjam.”

Most recently, ESL Music released 13 new tracks from Chris Joss on Teraphonic Overdubs, a collection of grooves influenced by the diversity of Library music, crossing genres that were years apart while staying true to the funk… Flower power times 10! His I Want Freedom EP followed in August 2008 featuring remixes from Smokey Bandits from Greece, Atfunk from Ibiza and Myagi from Toronto.

Chris Joss’ 5th LP, entitled Sticks, is a smoky sonic journey through the Asian sub-continent. The trademark funky beats are still here, but the sitar that appeared on Teraphonic Overdubs is leading the march here giving a more contemplative side to Chris' beats. The almost all acoustic environment is put on show by the Chris’ furious and incredible production. Filled out by a lush tapestry of ethereal sitars, rubber-funk bass, cheeky organ riffs, snappy drum kicks and smoky atmospherics Sticks captures a deep and irresistible vintage groove that defies categorization!

DL: Chris Joss - Wrong Alley Street Pt. 2 (Fort Knox Five Mix)

Posted by Mike at 02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

N.A.S.A is an ongoing creative collaboration between two lifelong music aficionados, Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon, and their friends, friends of friends and musical heroes. While N.A.S.A. stands for North America/South America and contains a number of super- star artists from both coasts of the US, it is about as far from a tension-building geographical showdown as a record can get. Rather, their Anti debut The Spirit of Apollo was born with the righteous goal of bringing people together through music and art, and that is exactly what masterminds Sam Spiegel (Squeak E. Clean) and Ze Gonzales (DJ Zegon) have done.

Brazilian funk provides the roots of the songs and binds them together into a cohesive whole, but from there, the imagination behind The Spirit of Apollo ranges far and wide. Unexpected collaborations abound on the eighteen track release. Tom Waits growls over Kool Keith, Karen O taunts while Ol’ Dirty Bastard gives shout-outs to Wu Tang and N.A.S.A from the grave. David Byrne, Chuck D and others expound on the evils of “Money.” In spite of the range of performers, the pairings seem organic, inspired and make perfect sense on the first listen, never coming off as ironic or impulsive.

DL: N.A.S.A. - Gifted (Ft. Kanye West, Santogold, Lykke Li)

Posted by Mike at 08:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ursula 1000 returns from journeys into outer space with an epic collection of psychedelic sonic sorcery in Mystics, his fourth studio album. Zig-Zagging further away from the cheeky vintage breakbeat-rhumba of previous albums, the Brooklyn beat-wizard ventures into tougher and more angular territory: beats banging harder and bass popping louder. Drawing from a variety of new influences and collaborations, Ursula 1000 delivers lethal doses of dirty booty-breaks with tracks like “Rump” featuring MC Tee Double, gothic sexcapades with “I.C.O.M.E.” featuring sex-kitten vocalist Rochelle Vincente Von K, electro-dancehall with “Step Back” featuring Jamaican toaster Sista Widey, and disco-funk filth with “Star Machine” featuring jazz-breaks producer Mocean Worker. At once playful and dangerous, Mystics is a cry to the stars!

The new album differs from the 50's and 60's retro leanings of Ursula 1000’s first two albums. With Here Comes Tomorrow, more elements of psychedelic and glam rock were creeping in alongside more electro and post punk influences. Mystics continues with that approach but with beats that are lot heavier, definitely influenced by electro house and baile funk/baltimore breaks/fidget house rhythms.

DL: Ursula 1000 - Samba 1000

Posted by Mike at 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)