Bilal's Airtight's Revenge is one of the best R&B albums of the year, and "All Matter" is the album's best track. A minor-key ballad set atop turbulent drums, the song is made by Bilal's unbelievable vocal performance, especially a surging "What is love?!" at the chorus and corkscrew, asymmetric singing in the verses. A sophisticated yet immediate track, Bilal shows how, even after a nine year (!) delay, he's still in the vanguard of contemporary R&B. Airtight's Revenge is out now on Plug Research.
Bilal - All Matter
Find More Free Music From Bilal Here
At first glance, Jackson Avenue in the Bronx is less than glamorously composed of rusted fences, dilapidated roadway, and a hodgepodge of bodegas, apartments, and brownstones. But Stephanie McKay sweetly jazzes up the section of the street where she grew up - singing as zealously about Jackson Avenue as The Jackson 5 sang about the ABCs. Sunny, hook-heavy soul, this track "Jackson Avenue" will stick in your head all day. Keep an eye on Stephanie McKay; she's got the sass and talent of Lauren Hill, with the soul of Gloria Gaynor or The Emotions (Not to mention she's worked with Kelis, Talib Kweli, and Mos Def.) Her new album Tell It Like It Is is coming out this spring.
Sounds Like: Lauren Hill, Macy Gray, Jackson 5, Gloria Gaynor
Stephanie McKay - Jackson Avenue
Stephanie McKay's RCRD LBL Page
The Magistrates meld jazzy Jamie Lidell-esque neo-soul attitude with raucous indie rock. Though they hail from what they describe as the "armpit of England" (Essex), their music makes you want to done a dapper suit or skirt, dance a jig in the street and order a martini straight up. Their songs have a similar brash drum-heavy beats as Bloc Party and The Kooks, while lead singer's Paul Usher falsetto voice is distinct, daring and suffused with R & B attitude. Signed with the uber-trendy XL Recordings (Radiohead, Dizzee Rascal, Vampire Weekend), they're bound to shoot up those charts with ease.
Sounds Like: Jamie Lidell, Daniel Merriweather, Mystery Jets, Pete and the Pirates
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Damn, we just can't enough of Brooklyn-by-way-of-Kingston-Jamaica's 77Klash these days. His beats are to us what donuts and coffee are to cops. Precious and yet imperative to get us through the day. (ok maybe it's too early in the AM for analogies).
This time, we're giving you a grand tour of 77Klash's Klashcity Record label- with 3 tracks displaying his indie label's mad diversity. The title track to his latest CD, "Code For the Streets," bares more of a hip-hop edge than the Reggae-intense "Mad Again" track we posted a while back, but damn does that guy know how to carve a beat. Plus, we've got a Noble Society remix by DJ Theory that's got a down-tempo electro and a R & B smooth remix by Ray Darwin of Take You Home Skallawa Riddim. Bon Appetit.
SOUNDS LIKE: Jah Dan, Dutty Artz, Ghislain Poirier
Download: Ray Darwin - Take You Home Skallawa Riddim (Ray Darwin Remix)
Download: 77klash - Mad Again
77Klash @ Myspace
This summer marks a curious union between our Brooklyn frenetic favorites The Dirty Projectors and Vancouver-based No Kids- as they set out on a short tour together. What they have in common? A backbone of avante-garde orchestral experimentation. The shrill of violin. The patter of a xylophone. A cello here. A piano there.
And yet they're both exquisitely unique. "No More" by the Dirty Projectors is strewn together with quivering violin, guitars, the hush of other instruments and a chorus of conflicting sound. Meanwhile, No Kids is another sort of curious amalgam, eclectic musical assemblies- with an distinctive R & B melody. Check it out below.
Download: Dirty Projectors - No More
Download: No Kids - The Beach is Closed
Dirty Projectors on Myspace
No Kids on Myspace
