It's been a while. Please accept this offering of the latest Baker's Dozen as a make up gift to do with what ever you heart desires. A little write up for each song can be found below the soundcloud widget.
Kadhja Bonet - Nobody Other
I can't remember the last time I heard a voice this good. Whilst I rarely ever listen to music like this, its hard not to appreciate and enjoy it when it's of such quality. The stuff of lullaby fantasy, Bonet's delivery and tone are angelic, conjuring thoughts of a cosy clearing in a forest, glowing in soft light. If you enjoyed this I highly recommend you also check out this, a darker, yet equally moving bit of story telling.
Matana Roberts - Kersaia
You know when you're in the mood to hear something completely different? Having listened to the same stuff for weeks or even months on end, you crave to once again travel to the furthest reaches of the musical landscape. Sometimes, you don't even realise this until you stumble across someone like Matana Roberts, like I did this very morning. Fans of Kamasi Washington will hear a familiar energy and freneticism in the way she plays the sax, and, to a larger extent, the composition of her work. Once you start listening to a whole album of Roberts' music however, you will begin to realise that she takes this to another level, with some of her songs descending into a musical chaos the likes of which Archie Shepp and Eric Dolphy, amongst others, have explored in the past. This cut from her 2011 Coin Coin release, is one of the more tame offerings; a spiritual journey in the first two-thirds that winds back the clock for the last third, with a big band marching sequence that'll have you shaking your straw boater like you aint got a care in the world.
Aaliyah - Rock The Boat (Butcher Brown Cover)
Cover of an R&B classic that manages to improve on the original (in my humble opinion at least). Whilst the original is built in the image of a great deal of early 2000's R&B that used the lead vocal as the main vehicle for melody, Butcher Brown turns their attention to the rest of the instrumentation to add a new dimension to the track. Using the original vocal as a starting point, new layers, rich in melody, work with the vocal to produce a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Only adds to the mystery of how they still have such a small following, when you consider that bands like Hiatus Kaiyote are all the rage at the minute.
Kurup - Gira de Sereias
A nice little Brazilian beat to get the body moving. Unlike some efforts at re-appropriating folk songs that are quite heavy handed in approach when adding a new beat on top of the original track, Kurup here has managed to strike a good balance.
Souleance - Mais Um
It's Souleance, need I say more?
Persian Empire - Ernesto
An interesting blend of jazzy breaks and tech-house that constantly keeps you on your toes; changing moods and styles effortlessly, whilst managing to maintain and build on all that comes before it. Having followed Persian Empire for a while now, I've always felt that there was something missing from their productions, or rather that given time, they would finally manage to nail the sound that you could hear they were going for, but hadn't quite fleshed out.
Matt Deguia - Champion Wrist
Dubby dancefloor killer, only wish it went for an hour longer.
TEK.LUN - Aburoy
See 'Kurup - Gira de Sereias' above.
Persies - Ah Ndiya (K&F Edit)
It seems that now, more than ever, is the golden age of the vinyl only disco/house edit. With new labels of this ilk popping up on what seems like a daily basis, the quality needed to ensure your label gets the necessary attention is also on the rise. Upon listening to their first two releases, it seems that Persie Edits will be around for a while to come yet, with this, the A side from their second release, being a standout. It'll have you moving or your money back!
Dego & Kaidi - Black Is Key
One of the grooviest colabs around, Dego & Kaidi have built quite the repetoire of modern funk jams. Typical of their afro-futuristic aesthetic, everything is centred around the dankest of bass lines. Synths sparkle, stab and whirr whilst the vocals constantly gain new voices, evoking the feeling of an ever growing party on your spaceship headed through galaxies.
Earth Trax & Newborn Jr. - Flute Track
Hypnotic groove off the always excellent Rhythm Section INTL. One of my favourite releases of the year.
Jubilee - Stingray Shuffle
Rounding things off is a tumper from Jubilee's first album. Bass heavy without being obtrusive, this is definitely one to play in the car if you've got a decent sub.
