This group’s sound lies somewhere between polished up Electro-Funk and oozy Neo-Soul. They’re heavily invested in the music, arguably even more so then their lyrical content. Not to say their lyrics sag, but I’m always refreshed to hear meticulously crafted arrangements as the backdrop to some gentle harmonies. Electric Wire Hustle give off a refined sampling vibe that’s all too easy to miss amidst the diluted hypnotism of their sonic landscape. The bass lines are real heavy, practically bursting through your speakers, the melodies alluring, and the vocals are more relaxed than restrained. Lead singer Mara TK and some intelligent guest features find themselves painting on a canvas that’s already somewhat filled. All this amounts to a stunning listen through and through from an innovative band hailing from New Zealand.

The first track “Waters” starts off like an ambient marching band, with sounds far off in the distance sprinkled between sounds right up in your grill. The synths blare in at first then seamlessly blend into the rest of the song as a melancholic vocal performance opens up. Layers upon layers of programmed and played instruments are added on as the song progresses, remaining appropriate to the mood of the song. This formula carries on throughout the album amongst interchangeable vocal patterns and instruments. “Perception” is something straight out of A Tribe Called Quest album, circa “Midnight Marauders” only with a Neo-Soul theme. So imagine D’Angelo on a Tribe beat that’s been remixed by J Dilla, and let your ears breathe.

Stacy Epps makes an appearance on the dreamy “Walk On”, one of the more strangely soothing tracks. The song has writhing patterns which it spurns the majority of its time, and near the end trails off with some stirring guitar riffs. The electronic influences are heavy on most of the songs, as is the sophisticated nature of the lyrics: “This world could get no better, people got a long way to go” is heard on the chorus of “This World”, in Epps second great appearance. Following this is a very relaxing instrumental piece called “Thank You Steve”, its not simple or short enough to be an interlude, but you wish it would go on forever.

I’m sure many would consider “They Don’t Want” a highlight of this album, and I don’t blame them. Its a grand arrangement of lush synths and bouncy bass that’s almost a new age throwback to the Motown sound. A song of rejection that completely breaks down its walls for a deeply engrossing change up into a “thank you” outro. Perhaps another nod to A Tribe Called Quest comes in the form of a computerized voice that does the thanking to listeners. This of course, is not the end to the album as “Tom Boy” does the honor of taking us out into the night with its Al Green channeling vocals, and then shape shifts into sounds from “Waters” as was heard in the beginning. These are custom built Neo-Soul anthems buried under layers of Deep Funk and Electro.

By Abid

This album is a real treasure that was formed at the tail end of the Soul/Funk experimentation period, when Disco was all the rage. It comes from a member of an important 70′s band called Side Effect, and boasts contributions in many forms from greats such as Don Blackman, Weldon Irvine, and Lenny White (Earth, Wind & Fire). However, all this plays second fiddle to the unique vocal and lyrical prowess of Sylvia St. James. Throughout you will find marvelous hybrid compositions in the realm of Jazzy RnB, uplifting Soul Ballads, and bouncy Disco that I’m sure will surprise and satisfy many listeners.

Right off the top there is the fruitful and energetic “Can’t Make You Mine” which is an instant dance-off if you are in the right mood. Its spirited groove has no let down over the 3 and a half minutes and will certainly win you over to the charms of James’ animated singing style. The boogie continues into “Better Things” which opens up the sound spectrum into grand string and horn arrangements mitigated by a guitar driven middle beat. All in all you don’t lose a step of the high tempo groove between the first two songs as they offer a sort of no holds barred intro to the album.

You will soon find that the core inspiration of Sylvia’s work here is substance, even though the first couple of tracks do not communicate this. Enter “Ghetto Lament”, one of the grand highlights of this album. Here the polish is somewhat rubbed off and the bare conviction of Sylvia’s voice and passion shines through. Some songs assume they have the authority to move you as they please, however, this one kindly asks for that privilege. With an honest and poignant lyrical format, Sylvia delivers a genuinely soul stirring performance touching on the issues of poverty, peace solutions, and faith. One of my favorite parts is when the song figuratively exhales in the end into an elongated outro from where Madlib sampled Talib Kweli‘s “Eat To Live”.

“Black Diamond” swells with pride and positivity with real gritty guitar riffs sprinkled around. “Magic Minstrel” has some outstanding production with so many different elements to take in. It also shows Sylvia’s aptitude for choir direction, as she executes a real complicated backing vocal pattern that gives most of her songs some welcomed richness. “Motherland” gives off a real east-african vibe especially in the beginning, which is fitting because the song is about black ancestral history dating back to that area. It tries to emphasize deep rooted connections to Africa not unlike the central concept of Distant Relatives.

The dreamy “So I Say To You” is equally as moving a performance displaying the true range in Sylvia’s voice. She can hit the lower notes more than most female singers, but also has the ability to hit the high stuff when necessary. The people responsible for song arrangement and composition are brilliant in how they went about bringing out the finest features in her voice and the production. It’s one of those “no moment wasted” albums with a refreshing outlook on how to determine chord structure. That alone is the core fabric of what makes this album so great, the versatile instrumentation and poignant lyrics is just the gravy. One of ten albums I would probably recommend to anyone interested in pleasuring their ears for loose and sophisticated Soul-Funk.

by Abid

This is equally as appropriate as the soundtrack for the blaxploitation movie (starring Pam Grier) as it is a lone standing LP. Roy Ayers is one of the true winners in Instrumental Pop as his music comes with a consistent gleam and illumination that is unparalleled in its breeziness. This Jazz-Funk score is just another gem in his formidable catalog which has seen him collaborate with everyone from Fela Kuti to Guru. Despite the stylish and polished nature of these compositions, the songs never lack an organic emphasis that would bar it from rightfully entering aural heaven.

I would best describe the songs as a series of vibraphonic revelations mixed with a bit of marimba and gritty syncopation. “Coffy Is The Color” has a descending groove only uplifted into brief bliss by concisely timed vocals that more or less say “coffy is the color…of your skin”. The latter half of this song remains instrumental and ascends into a summery warmth. Then we dive into the sensual “Priscilla’s Theme” which opens up a minute later into a brash exercise of riveting instrumental free form driven by Roy’s Marimba’s. Perhaps the most mesmerizing moment in the first half of the soundtrack comes with “Coffy Sauna”. It’s one of those songs that makes you stare into the distance with nothing but scattered thoughts and eventually an open mind. Those are the moments you wait for in instrumentally driven albums, and when it finally comes it feels to me like a weight being lifted off my shoulders.

This everlasting ambiance remains in different forms as you make your way to more vocal heavy songs like “Coffy Baby”. To me it feels like a Soul performance over ambient jazz, and on paper this to me is already good music. This song probably does more to spur on the collective theme of placing skin color on an ambiguous scale with the lyrics: “coffy baby…you can’t see right from wrong”. Keeping with the blending theme, “Shining Symbol” evolves into a gospel inspired anthem for Black pride where some tightly packed bass makes an appearance. An equally rare appearance is made by the electric guitar on “Exotic Dance”, but it has never felt more in place here.

Many listeners have a collection of LP’s they like to put on in the warm summer nights or even the harshest winters all the same. This fits right in with those bunch during times when you want to be soothed by your music and escape the seasonal and emotional contexts. It’s easy listening at its best, and it does not come any more lavish and complex as it does from Roy Ayers.

by Abid

Stylish celebrations and intimate reflections are the two themes I coincide with this album. “Menagerie” is like that friend that wants to persistently cheer you up when you’re feeling down, while also being that friend with whom you confide your deepest thoughts and feelings. The contrasting songs are dispersed randomly throughout the album and Bill Withers sounds like his smooth poignant self on every last one of them. Because of this up and down mood variance of the record it captures the essence of life’s truest ingredient: spice.

The record combines the signature deep grooves of the mid 1970′s with breezy vocals. Booker T. Jones of the great Stax band Booker T. & the MG’s is credited for production work and his meshing of light string arrangements with Withers’ soothing voice creates an everlasting swing that reverberates throughout. The opening number “Lovely Day” builds up into a sunny day anthem that is as much of a driving song as it is a dance song. The elevated choruses are well contrasted with the earthiness of each verse, and I believe you can have a 4 minute summer in your room in the middle of winter with this song. Keeping true to the mood shifts, on the next song Withers transitions from a hot summer day into the yearning night with the sublime “I Want To Spend The Night”. This quiet storm channeling record is all about describing romantic tension that can hit you in the face in one moment while eluding your grasp the next. He also drops this gem of a lyric among others: “I can’t keep lookin’ at loneliness and…tryin’ to call it freedom.” It’s this unspoken anguish that pits the lows of this album against the charming highs.

For every “Lovely Night For Dancing” you have a “Rosie”. Some singers have a voice that can really only convincingly show one side of the emotional spectrum, and that’s not all bad; however, Bill Withers can communicate a wide range of emotions and that is what I like most about him. He embraces the springy beat of “Then You Smile At Me” yet manages to make it a song you can sit down and just nod your head to. “Let Me Be The One You Need” allows him to assume a confessional tone as he croons longingly over deeply embedded horns and strings. The disco incorporating “She Wants To (Get On Down)” is the most vibrant and upbeat offering with syncopated rhythms that only seem to get louder as the song progresses, eventually into an altered chord progression in the end that is a stirring moment.

While he may be revered for his brooding and sentimental cuts such as “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Lean On Me”, Bill’s musical style is substantially eclectic in both grooves and mood and this album proves it. Its got catchy dance songs amidst deeply emotional ones, and they both offer comfort and joy in their own way. This is an easy listen with shimmering production and versatile deliveries.

by Abid

Ok, so this is perhaps my least favorite album cover ever, but I cannot deny the sheer quality of the music. Ernie is the Isley brother with a funky disposition and an undeniable gift for playing the guitar. Ever since his jaw dropping solo on “Who’s That Lady” (now known as the “Swiffer® commercial song” unfortunately) it was clear to everyone that this man’s capacity on the guitar was substantial. He was always known as the guy with the right set up in terms of this instrument, knowing what effects to add to stay ahead of the game. He doesn’t stray far away from that formula and delivers an album full of gyrating and syncopated rhythms we all crave from time to time.

Mentored by none other than Jimi Hendrix, his playing seems to be fueled by a never-ending adrenaline supply, and his solos are inescapable to him; as they should be. “She Takes Me Up” showcases this as it features more of his riffs than his pipes. However, he knows he is delivering an RnB album ultimately, so he appropriately keeps the subject matter light, and his deliveries catchy. There are many sing-along tracks such as “Fare Thee Well, Fair-weather Friend” and “Diamond In The Rough” which draw on the high energy provided by the beat. The opening number “Song For The Muses” has no misdirection as you are immediately pulled into what is to be a celebratory album with an enduring thump.

There is an early intermission to the tempo to make way for what would ultimately make for one of the albums delightful surprises. “Love Situation” is actually a ballad-y type track drawing upon his groups early output rather than their more recent work at the time. No doubt Ernie’s guitar makes cameo’s here and there, but this is ultimately a piano driven beat with such a great chorus I could honestly sing it forever. The slower tempo and minimalistic vibe to the track gives it is a homegrown feel. Speaking of homegrown, did I mention that Ernie actually played most of the instruments on this album as well? I find this quite remarkable considering the sonic depth of songs like “Rising From the Ashes”. The phrasing on that particular track is something any guitar player could appreciate, while any music lover could probably be left in awe.

There are not too many deviations topically speaking, the content is to be spurned on by the display that is put on by a master at his craft. There aren’t to many albums quite like this in the RnB genre; check it out whenever you crave some feel good music that isn’t overbearing in content and only rightfully over the top in its melodies.

by Abid

Philly Soul is an elusive form of music. It combines enormous and lush scales of instrumentation with sleek, fragile vocals. I have been quite enamored with this formula ever since I started journeying into Soul music, and eventually came across The Delfonics when my curiosity boiled. I found this album to be one of the true treasures in the genre. Behind the production is one of the architects of this sound of Philly Soul, Thom Bell. He combines his extraordinary arrangements to this soulful trio to bring us an album filled with memorable and classy slow jams.

The most memorable and classy of those is probably the title track. I must thank Ghostface for having the creative stubbornness to rap over the entire unaltered track on his “The Pretty Toney Album”, for this group may not have crossed my radar if he didn’t do so. Simply put, this is a grand journey into the boy meets girl realm. Yes, boy meets girl is a recurring theme in this album, and nothing really trumps this track in bringing about the boyish and innocent charms to the forefront. But I’m afraid I’ve found a different song to favor the most. That song is “Break Your Promise” and it has earned its place as one of my favorite soul ballads ever. When this song comes on, you may not want to be near me, depending on whether or not you would like to hear the impaired singing voice of mine trying to reach an unattainable frequency. Nothing can really stop me from trying to sing along though, as the pure anguish and overall emotion in this song is too contagious. Who doesn’t like to sing along to their favorite slow jams though? So I continue to maintain that I am not committing some crime against nature by butchering (so they tell me) this timeless ballad by being caught up in its quiet storm.

There is of course a few different undeniable classics that people can call their own here. “Hurt Me So Bad” is a nice up tempo contrast that I could imagine many would take a liking to. “I’m Sorry” is another favorite of mine and is probably the most intricately composed track when you factor in the well placed strings, horns, and “oohs” in the background. The lead singer William Hart cannot get enough credit for his graceful delivery, he really knocked each and every moment out of the park. The album is well written, contains beautiful harmonies, and has clean production. An early, and often overlooked, musical triumph for the genre.

by Abid

Sometimes I just want to kick back to some hard beats and rhymes, and I hear that particular phrase being thrown around quite a lot these days. Well I think this album right here basically embodies what that boom bap, fast-rap essence is all about. On the production you have none other than the sample suffocating Madlib, whose beats never lack any thump. While on the mic you have the rhyme inspector emcee, Percee P. He’s the type of artist where even if you think you’ve dug deep enough into underground Hip-Hop, you still might just miss him completely. His career starts from the Golden Age of Hip-Hop, yet his debut album came in 2007. The packed in energy of all those years comes out in boisterous, rambunctious, and intense forms.

You may have first heard Percee on Champion Sound, blazing through the track “The Exclusive” and leaving quite an impression. He’s the type of emcee that doesn’t try to waste breath, bars, or syllables. He’ll kick out multi’s and internal rhymes like its nobody’s business and has the type of flow you can picture on a number of different tracks. “Legendary Lyricist” has an Eric B. & Rakim type flavor to it, as Percee simply dismantles the beat with his jabs and punchlines. In fact, much like Rakim, Percee is readily armed with the ability to rhyme entire bars with each other, so it makes for quite a thrilling experience to sit through a verse always thinking about how he is going to align his words. “The Hand That Leads You” is probably the highlight in this sense, as Madlib kicks up the bass to amplify Percee’s brigade of braggadocio lines that never run on empty.

Though its not his strength, he can also deliver narratives in a conversationalist type of way that is more commonly seen in contemporary rappers. Its not exactly as vivid as a stream-of-conscious delivery, but he gets the job done on “Ghetto Rhyme Stories” as he dispenses a couple of his old memories growing up. “The Lady Behind Me” is a track that really puts it all together for me. It ties together the theme of persistence and passion to depict, in analogous terms, his extensive relationship with Hip-Hop. Not to mention the beat Madlib plays in the beginning is so aerial, I almost wish it was the one rapped on. However, the rest of the song is airy and breezy, and cool enough for Percee to distill his pent up nostalgia.

For some its the undeniable griminess of “Raw Heat (45 Version)” that sums up the atmosphere of the record. For some it’s the eerie east coast vibe on “Mastered Craftsmen”. But the collective conscious of this album to me is shaped by a veteran who knows the limits of his bravado. He didn’t try to make this a world-beater even though for a 19 year veteran this could have felt like an uncomfortable make-or-break affair. Rather it feels like his slipping through the cracks was more by design. It allowed for him to be there on Stones Throw, alongside Madlib to deliver a throwback Golden Age affair that simply knocks.

by Abid

There are two significant Scott Herren albums under his Prefuse 73 alias that are more than worth your time. One is called “Vocal Studies + Uprock Narratives” and the other is this one. “One Word Extinguisher” is the more prolific of the two in my opinion, so I urge anyone interested in instrumental Hip-Hop to listen. I cannot even call it Trip Hop or Electronica to be frank, its classification is just too broad. While it’s structured like Madvillainy it’s sonically similar to an album like Deltron 3030. You pretty much have an electronic Madlib-ian sound here that is intentionally glitchy and at times mind-numbing. Some of the things Herren does here will turn you inside out; coming in almost entirely instrumental, it has that spirit where you really feel as if it’s purely about the music.

This is really the brainchild of Jazzanova and Mr. Scruff. If you haven’t heard those albums, don’t fret, as they are not a prerequisite, but will simply brace you for the melodic onslaught this album has in store for you. The title track has a grand sound with blasting synths and horns chaotically organized around each other. When the main vamp kicks in it’s hard to contain yourself, and you will find your head moving in strange ways which will most likely result in a headache afterwards. “90% of My Mind Is With You” is a slow progressive electronic journey. Its minimalistic energy is contagious and as it enters its eventual conclusion of the last 30 seconds, you will be confused by what you hear: interlaced soul ballads. I know, just one of the many things in this album where you will say “where the heck did that come from?”

Flying Lotus is another appropriate comparison, especially on a track like “The Color of Tempo” it’s on such an irregular tempo and rhythmic pattern you will find it difficult to not make the comparison if you’ve heard his music before. I’m only mentioning these artists because I happened to have heard their music before I stumbled onto this, but I should make it clear that Prefuse 73′s sound is very unique. I love how the endings of his songs sound nothing like the start of them, almost like a Simpsons episode. He’ll change up the beat maybe three or four times before he finally decides to settle in. This is clearly evident in tracks like “Female Demands” and “Plastic”, the latter of which has emcee Diverse dropping some knowledge about how the industry stifles creativity. I personally think “Detchibe” has some remarkable moments that took me a while to truly comprehend. Its got a boom bap inspired back beat with bold riffs and the bridges are filled with an astonishing amount of production. Right when the beat kicks back in, however, I’m always left amazed at how he could have thought of this one.

The fact that he will change up beats midway through into something different always makes you feel like you cannot skip a track. You will risk missing some outstanding moments if you do. His beat making style seems to incorporate the improvisation in Jazz music and apply it to his electronic sound, creating a perpetual motion of mind bending melodies. “Styles That Fade Away With A Collonade” is just that, with a progression similar to something out of Endtroducing. The album closer “Pentagram” is simply riveting, he chimes in angelic vocals over his spurning beat and just keeps creating different sounds out of different arrangements. No 30 seconds are the same here, talk about production value. If you are in the business of getting great value every time you listen to music, you cannot afford to pass up on this album.

by Abid