RIHANNA | Show Girl

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Soul

Seven albums in seven years. An amazing feat for any artist to achieve. It not only represents a love for one’s craft, but a willingness to please one’s supporters, indeed supplying the demand. With the aforementioned being a rarity in the music industry for artists, there is one who seems to output an album per calendar year as if it is a standard for creating. Rihanna, the beautiful one, the spunky one, the stylish one. The gifted one? Well, not so much, or to be politically correct, I’ll say that’s subject to debate.

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NEW VIDEO | Vince Kidd – “The Last Train” (Live Acoustic)

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Soul

I spoke of my support for Vince Kidd some time ago. With the release of “Smother Me,” a live acoustic video, he simply had me. There was a soul that he embodied through his raw passion and conviction that can’t be manufactured. As I have been waiting for newer material from this soulster, I dove into his latest release, “The Last Train” (live acoustic) head first. It’s definitely something to see. This boy can saaannng. Mounting anticipation for his debut.

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NEW MUSIC | Ebony Bones – “While The People S.L.E.E.P.”

Posted on February 29, 2012 by amir jamar

Two new songs from Ebony Bones in ONE week? Is that what Heaven feels like?

Intensifying the mouth-watering anticipation of her sophomore album, Blood Is The New Black, Ms. Bones blesses fans with “While The People S.L.E.E.P.” The track reunites Ebony with her signature anthemic charisma, accentuated by refreshingly-radiant production that will attract listeners from all divisions of the musical spectrum.

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ESSÁY | Behind The Music

Posted on February 29, 2012 by amir jamar

When running a music site, there is nothing more rewarding than stumbling across the works that reinforce the very reasons that you started the site in the first place. Sometimes these creations are not necessarily earth-shattering or represent the undiscovered territories of music. They just illustrate the great power that music has to impact each and every one of us in a multitude of ways.

I said all of that to bring you to “Morning Mountain,” a delightful gem that I stumbled across yesterday. Even though it is over five minutes of sole instrumentation, it struck me within the first minute of play. Perhaps it’s the rich and luminous beams shooting from its glorious sound. Maybe it’s because the song says so much without saying anything at all. Regardless of the reasoning, it is definitely worth being shared.

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MOMENT | Brandy – “Afrodisiac”

Posted on February 29, 2012 by amir jamar

For more than a decade, Brandy has consistently proven herself as a staple to the generation of R&B from which she emerged. From the sweet sounds of her undeniably 90s-flavored debut, to the impassioned cry for redemption of Human, the quality of Bran’s music has always soared above her competition.

Standing out from all of her beloved works, Afrodisiac represents the moment that Brandy abandoned the naive child star and reinvented herself as a sexy, confident and empowered grown woman.

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SAUL WILLIAMS + S.O.M.

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Sound On Mars

Saul Willams. To say that his live show is an experience is a complete and subjective understatement. From the moment that his seismic presence etched onto Philly’s World Café Live stage, he had a forceful command of the audience. The timbre of his music, echoed through thunderous drums and bass had the diverse crowd of Philly’s artistically inclined moving to one united beat. As he ripped through his latest release, Volcanic Sunlight, his self-proclaimed dance/pop record, he moved as if the stage were the waves and we were the sea.

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SANTIGOLD | Master Of Reality

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Soul

What a great day for music lovers. Robert Glasper Experiment’s new album is out, Estelle is out, and Santigold is out….well the cover for her highly anticipated sophomore album Master Of My Make Believe. You’ll have to wait until May 1st to hear the album in full.

The cover see’s Santigold as three different characters: an 18th century army officer, a Bond Girl, and a mafia Don who is indeed the master of her reality. Only Santi could pull this off.

For an added bonus, she also takes us further into the concept of the shoot with this behind the scenes footage.

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NEW MUSIC | The Robert Glasper Experiment LIVE – “Bootleg Radio” [LP]

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Soul

The Robert Glasper Experiment is to indeed be experienced. With their latest release, aptly titled Black Radio, Robert Glasper shows a culture at its most artistic and creative rather than limited and predictable. As the actual Black Radio album drops today, you can have both the studio version and the live LP. For I can only wish that one day radio period will be comprised of those who truly create art worth hearing. As the horror of mainstream radio clogs the airwaves, let this serve as a reminder of what was, what is, and what should always be.

The Robert Glasper Experiment LIVE “Bootleg Radio” presented by Frolab and All The Way Live is a tour de force of mammoth proportion . Virtuoso gifts for your splendor.

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MIGUEL | “Art Dealer Chic, Vol. 1″ [EP]

Posted on February 28, 2012 by amir jamar

Though Miguel‘s debut album left much to be desired, there still seemed to be a fire in him that was waiting to be unleashed. With the release of his new EP, Art Dealer Chic, Vol. 1, it’s safe to say that the flames are officially untamed.

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NEW MUSIC | Ebony Bones – “Mystery Babylon Balloon”

Posted on February 27, 2012 by amir jamar

And then the day came. After months of intense anticipation, new music from the incomparable Ebony Bones has arrived. Assumed to be lifted from the upcoming Blood Is The New Black, “Mystery Babylon Balloon” travels to new depths of the wild, vibrant and boundless world that Ms. Bones’ debut album thrillingly explored.

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NEW MUSIC | Suzi Analogue – “Smoothie Mix”

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Soul

For those unfamiliar with Suzi Analogue, let me acquaint you. Philly based. 24 years young. Set to take over our ears. Above all, she represents the now, the future, the dream. With mixing textures of soul, electronic, and experimental sounds, Suzi creates a genre-bending musical oasis. She combines venturesome production and vocals like no other. It’s clear that she appreciates the sounds of the past while drafting a musical portfolio that pushes boundaries of experimentation.

Her latest release, exclusively for Czech Republic’s Viceland.com, Smoothie Mix is a 40-minute hybrid of utopian delight. Drown in it. As I am completely smitten, The Analogue One will definitely have a presence here. With many collaborations in the works, 2012 will bring indeed bring more releases. To further wet your appetite, her visual for “The Thing” is attached below.

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NEW MUSIC | Estelle + Janelle Monae- ” Do My Thing”

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Soul

“Do My Thing” is the latest song to surface from Estelle‘s forthcoming album All Of Me. It’s the only one that has caught my attention due to Janelle Monáe being featured on the track. As Estelle has fallen off my radar, I thought I’d give it an ear to see if there’s anything I’ve been missing. I wasn’t…

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USHER | Words Spoken Too Soon

Posted on February 24, 2012 by amir jamar

As much as any of us may not like to admit, Usher lost a bit of his mojo after his monstrous Confessions ended. Some blame the influence of his obnoxiously wicked ex-wife, while others believe the R&B vet has encountered difficulty in finding himself in the fast and youth-obsessed state of the industry. But judging by “Climax,” it looks like Ursh may be leaving these sad days behind.

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NEW VIDEO | Quadron – “Day”

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Soul

Well isn’t this lovely. Upon pressing play I was immediately drawn from my environment (mundane work tasks) and taken to an oasis filled with open seas and limitless adventure. Quadron’s latest visual features Coco doing what we all hope to do I’m sure, escape from the world and get lost in the beauty of the infinite nature that surrounds us. Doing so while giving us a striking, lustrous vocal with “Day” from the duo’s self-titled debut. I’m definitely anticipating more music.

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NEW MUSIC | Charli XCX – “I’ll Never Know”

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Soul

Well, Charli XCX is all but a guilty pleasure of mine, she is a musical obsession. The more I hear, the more I fall in love with her grungy-styled pop fused with heavy synths and lush vocals. Simply put she does what she does quite well.

As she continues to put out new material, I’ll continue to fawn in her glory. “I’ll Never Know” was recorded in the name of fashion for designer Fred Butler’s show at the Red Bull Catwalk Studio. In my eyes the fashion inclined have always had great taste in music/artist so this collaboration comes to no surprise.

SOUND OFF.

LYDIA RENÉ | Soulful Wonders

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Soul

Philly is the City of Brotherly Love, true. But its also a place that birthed its own movement, a moment known in time as “Philly Soul”. Needless to say, there has long been a plethora of artist who have made a significant impact on music, especially soul music. From the great Phyllis Hyman to Teddy Pendergrass to Patti LaBelle and to more recently Bilal, Jill Scott, and Hezikiah (of ISHE +HEZEKIAH), Philly still remains a melting pot of soulful wonders. All of which brings me to Lydia René.

With a silky voice full of eargasmic textures, this René is something to witness. Having already released not one, not two, but three EP’s she is already making forceful strides to be heard. The Philly songbird continues to cultivate a following by performing live and showcasing that wonderful instrument of a voice. By covering the likes of Andre 3000, Rihanna, Jill Scott, and Bobby Caldwell, Lydia René shows her true versatility while allowing us to revel in her great interpretation of song.

After listening to her three EP’s (all available below) back to back I can assure you this is not one to sleep on.

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