Musique Non Stop - Jazz, Funk, Soul, Broken Beat, Electro, Electronic, Funk / Nu Disco, NU Jazz, House, Techno, Ambient, Lo-Fi, Downtempo... and Many More!
From enormodomes to tiny clubs, from veterans to newcomers – our writers round up the very best live music they saw over the last year
I’ve often said that it ill behoves a rock critic to complain about their job, lest someone make the not-unreasonable suggestion that they go and do something useful for a living instead, but I confess I wasn’t terribly thrilled by the prospect of going to review Miley Cyrus live. None of her songs had cut through the mass of processed pop in the way that Carly Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe or Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off did. I’d seen enough pictures of her sticking her tongue out to last me a lifetime, and every stadium pop show I’ve attended that came pre-publicised as a shocking affront to public morals was ghastly beyond belief: I saw Britney Spears on her “racy” Onyx Hotel tour, but after extensive help from a therapist dealing in post-traumatic stress, I was able to lead a more-or-less normal life.
by Alexis Petridis, Michael Hann, Harriet Gibsone, Tim Jonze, Jenny Stevens, Dave Simpson, Ben Beaumont-Thomas, Paul MacInnes, Rebecca Nicholson, Dorian Lynskey and Lanre Bakare via Electronic music | The Guardian
Bringing in the new year is party-pumper Alison Wonderland, Sticky Fingers with their reggae-rock and Banoffee making meditative electronica
Sydney producer Alison Wonderland has some serious musical credentials: she was principal cellist in the Sydney Youth Orchestra, as well as bassist in an indie rock band, before lending her talents to the world of electronica. With Wonderland bringing in the new year at Falls festival and Southbound, you can bet partygoers will be hearing her monster party track I Want U. The second single from her Calm Down EP is called Cold and has oh-so-ironic lyrics like “I’m too cool for this, I’m cold, cold, cold” – a surefire electro anthem for the hipster set.
The last few years have seen a new evolution – a decidedly British take on house that owes more to garage and grime than disco, and gets feet moving
I hate to stop someone when they’re in their groove, but really, I find myself compelled. The guy must be in his late 40s, a dapper gentleman with a tasteful gold necklace around his neck and gold watch around his wrist, and he’s shuffling – imagine an urban Charleston and you’re close – in the corner of the dancefloor, totally in the zone. “Easy mate, sorry to bother you but I’ve got to ask – is that an original Moschino shirt from, like, back in garage days?”
He stops dancing for a second and smiles. “Nah mate, jungle.”
From Saudi metal to Egyptian electro, here are some of the very best tracks of the last year from the Middle East and North Africa
“Tzenni” is a Hassaniya Arabic word meaning to spin or turn. It is also the name of the rotating dance performed to the music played by Moorish griots across the desert region of Mauritania. And on top of that it is also the title of an excellent new album by a preternaturally talented singer called Noura Mint Seymali which came out via Glitterbeat in June. The title track ended up being on constant rotation for me all year probably because of its vigorous clash of temporally and spatially diverse influences. Noura may come from a very long family line of griot artists but she is patently also a modernising, transformative force in Mauritanian music. It is audibly fair to say that she’s probably a fan of some Western pop and rock – as long as she can use those influences on her own terms.
2014 was a pretty mental year for dance music, and it warms our hearts to see the sudden explosion of house music catching on here in America. With acts like Disclosure, Duke Dumont, and Clean Bandit getting Grammy nominations, it’s safe to say we’re in for a wild ride in 2015.
Here’s my 60 minute take on the last 12 months that features music from Oliver Heldens, Gorgon City, Maceo Plex and much more.
via Gotta Dance Dirty http://www.gottadancedirty.com/2014/12/29/download-best-of-2014-mixed-by-troy-kurtz/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=download-best-of-2014-mixed-by-troy-kurtz
Samba meets Jazz meets Funk meets Sunshine in the newest compilation series from the Los Angeles based label Chit Chat Records. It features some familiar names; Poolside, Fatnotronic (Gorky from Bonde Do Role + friend Phillip), Daniel T. (Cosmic Kids), and TonyAdams, as well as their interpretations of some v rare Brazilian Boogie jams. Infinity pool day dreams and scanty one pieced females drift in and out of palm tree shadows as these four producers work their magic to bring you an innately unique musical experience. Set to be released early 2015, this vinyl ought to be the perfect addition to any connoisseur’s collection. Stay tuned!
via Gotta Dance Dirty http://www.gottadancedirty.com/2014/12/27/stream-brazilian-compilation-series-v-1/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=stream-brazilian-compilation-series-v-1
It's been a huge year here at CBC Music, thanks to our amazing readers, listeners and viewers. But out of the hundreds and hundreds of articles we posted, which were the most popular?
From a dancing crossing guard to the 100 greatest Canadian songs of all time, and from the greatest hockey songs to an Irish priest singing an incredible cover of "Hallelujah," here are the CBC Music posts that garnered the most attention this year.
From sad rap to eclectic R&B to indiepop to lo-fi disco to Italian electropop – here are five standout tracks from new artists this year
Shamir Bailey is a 19-year-old who made a considerable splash earlier this year with the Northtown EP, named after the part of Las Vegas he’s from. Its five tracks suggested he might go off in any direction (excepting Killers-style dull-rock), featuring as it did acoustic country, stark electronic ballads, and diva house. XL – which in 2014 also acquired other such favourites of the New Bands playlist and New Band Of The Week column as Låpsley and Real Lies – were impressed enough to sign him. And in case anyone thought Northtown was an early fluke, there was On the Regular, issued at the end of October. With its cowbells, kiddie-pop energy and adults-only lyrics “(Yes, yes, I’m the best fuck – what choo heard?”), not to mention the most addictive bassline since Azalea Banks’s 212 and Bailey’s outrageous androgynous falsetto, no wonder he’s high up in all the Ones to Watch lists for 2015.
In 2010 our esteemed collaborators Adrian Quesada and Shawn Lee finally met at the SXSW festival in Austin. In 2012 they started trading ideas through the internet. Late 2013 they released the first volume of their soft psych/folk/funk/psychedelic project The Electric Peanut Butter Company which we hailed on Paris DJs as one of the best albums of the year. That first volume was called 'Trans-Atlantic Psych Classics Vol.2'. "Trans-Atlantic" is quite self-explanatory, with Adrian based in Austin, Texas and Shawn in London, UK. "Psych Classics" becomes obvious once you give the music a listen. But "Vol.2"? That was a mystery, which is soon going to be solved, since in a couple of months from now the "Vol.1" will be released!! Shawn Lee once explained that he liked to mess with people minds so it all becomes clear: it was just a matter of "let's put out vol.2 and we'll put out vol.1" later… Nothing THAT suprising considering the players involved here!!
Adrian Quesada and Shawn Lee play every instruments on this, and Shawn is on vocal duties when needed. The recipe is clearly written on the back of the digipack: 35% psychedelic, 25% soul, 20% rock and 20% funk. Before even listening, it already smells tasty, doesn't it? And indeed it does, with a global psychedelic library/rock edge, as expected from the duo, after the recent 'Brown Sabbath' and Spanish Gold groovy rock-oriented projects from Adrian, and 'The Beta Club' or Tim Love Lee' collaborative projects from Shawn. Favorites include the laidback cinematic groove of 'Stealio', the more uptempo jam 'Mister Pink', the psychedelic funk drenched in analog synths and guitar from 'Austin City Limiter', or the sinister soul ballad 'Jenn Wu'.
As with the previous volume, vinyl is recommended…
The Electric Peanut Butter Company - Trans-Atlantic Psych Classics Vol.1
(CD/LP) Ubiquity Records UR341, 2015-02-24
Tracklisting :
01. Flexi Funk 3:41
02. Beer Good 2:07
03. Spread The Jam 3:52
04. Stealio 2:51
05. Mary's Chair 4:57
06. Go Go Go 2:13
07. Tennis Elbow 3:36
08. Mister Pink 3:06
09. DamnSkippy-4:26
10. Austin City Limiter 3:07
11. Jenn Wu 4:18
12. Fat Budda 4:03
Press Release :
Attracting much fanfare and garnering tons of plays by tastemakers, radio stations-in-the-know, and DJ's alike, the first Electric Peanut Butter Company album was jar-full of '60s psychedelic goodness. But guess what? The dynamic duo of Shawn Lee and Adrian Quesada are back with Vol.1 of their Trans-Atlantic Psych Classics masterpiece!
Adrian Quesada is a man on a mission! He has been killing it in both the recording studio and on the live stage. While on his Brown Sabbath (Brownout) & Spanish Gold albums/tours he found stolen moments in hotel rooms whilst on tour to send musical compadre Shawn Lee tracks for the second Electric Peanut Butter Company album entitled Trans- Atlantic Psych Classics Vol 1 !!!!!
The band of brothers created the music in the same fashion as their debut but with a noticeably fuzzier more dirtier edge. The album starts with Flexi Funk. On this track the drums were recorded straight to Flexi disc on a 1950's tube machine which sounds other worldly and crusty as f#@k!!!
Other highlights include the psych pop gem Spread The Jam which declares the duos intentions. The album has a more heavy psych vibe than it's predecessor but deftly continues a logical progression for Los Hermanos Adrian Quesada & Shawn Lee. Two of the hardest working musicians in show bidness and from the looks of it, just getting started!
Artist: The Jacques Release: Pretty Dj Label: 25 Hour Convenience Store Release Date: November 3rd, 2014 Picked by:Gideon Mountford - Head of Video UK “In the words of Lloyd Christmas "I Like It A Lot". Big up the 25 hour crew.” – Gideon
The Bug heads up a London showcase of serious bassweight.
The latest event announced by Soundcrash spans several genres, but with one common thread: weight. On April 18 at North London’s KOKO, some of music’s all-time heaviest acts will lock horns. Headlining the night is The Bug, a bastard from the outlands of grime, noise, ragga and dub whose stage show – here featuring Manga, Flowdan and Miss Red – is infamous for what it does to speaker stacks. Elsewhere on the bill: one of dubstep’s most authoritative acts in Mala, ragga-tinged drum’n'bass madmen Dub Phizix & Strategy and the quietly legendary Channel One Sound System.
In short: bring ear plugs. For tickets and more information, head to the Soundcrash website. Watch a promo video for the night below.
LONE
Known to his friends and family as Matt Cutler, Lone started life as a bedroom child producer in Nottignham experimenting with Hip Hop, early 90s Hardcore, Techno and Electronic music for years before dropping his lush, dream-hop début opus ‘Lemurian’ on local label Dealmaker back in 2008 to critical acclaim from all areas of the industry including a top 10 of the year slot from Bleep, props from Kode9, Rustie, James Holden and countless others. This was quickly followed by a remix on Warp records for Bibio and a deal with Actress’ London label Werk Discs where he released the follow up album ‘Ecstasy & Friends’ which merged an endless range of styles including 80s funk, 90s hip hop and his trademark hazy, sun drenched melodies inspired by long time heroes Boards Of Canada.
Where in the world… …are you now?
Sat in my little studio in East London. Heating on full blast, drinking coffee and working on a remix. …inspires you?
The small town i grew up in, funnily enough. Walking in the woods always gives me a ton of ideas. …have you done your best performance?
Tokyo a couple of months ago. Played at the liquid rooms during the RBMA… The crowd were the most up for it I’d ever experienced and that just fuelled us completely. Will remember that for a long time to come …has the best food?
L.A. maybe? Mexican food out there is pretty special. Either that or Tokyo. …has the cutest boys / girls?
Cutest girls – London, no contest. …do you go to escape?
Nottingham …do you most want to go?
Peru. how many languages can you say hello in? and can you prove it?
Can barely manage the one sometimes I’m afraid. Hello !?
It’s been announced that two Hip-Hop Hall of Fames will be opening in New York in order to honour the history of the genre and its cultural implications, as well as and its long-standing influence on music today.
The two locations will be in midtown and Harlem, and both will present important historical relics as well as elements that have defined the culture. As well as exhibiting donated items from the likes of Run-DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Outkast, Young Jeezy, Common, Eminem, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa, each museum will also seek to educate punters in other facets of the genre such as DJing, B-boys and B-girls and street art.
Construction on the large-scale project is due to begin in summer 2015.
22-year-old Nate Rathbun – better known to his legion of fans as Audien – won’t soon forget the first week of December 2014. For starters, the producer was midway through his ‘Audacity’ headline tour, which included a string of sold-out shows from San Francisco to New York City.
In the midst of the final tour dates, the news came that the summer-ruling Audien remix of Bastille’s “Pompeii” had been nominated for a 2015 Grammy. In the new year, he’ll also join Marquee Las Vegas as an exclusive new resident. Then, to complete his December dream run, Nate signed with Astralwerks, a label he shares with such rarified company as Deadmau5, Porter Robinson, the Chemical Brothers and Eric Prydz.
In the same week that he was notching up all those life highlights, we traveled with Nate to his idyllic hometown of Mystic, Connecticut to track his journey from bedroom producer to Grammy contender. That video is coming soon, but in the meantime here’s our look inside a production dynamo’s “best week ever.”
Wun Two’s new instrumental album has now arrived. After “Rio” in 2014, “Penthouse” is the fifth album by the german producer. It is now available on tape or vinyl via Vinyl Digital, or digital on iTunes/Amazon. Stream some preview-tracks of the 35 minute relaxed LP. Artwork by Alex Brade & Alex Kunz.
Our good homies over at Dim Mak Records called Boots N Pants have whipped up 30 minutes of the grooviest, funkiest, housiest jams yule hear from Aoki’s label all year. They thoroughly impressed us with this track listing, as its a proper house driven mix steering aside from their regular main stage appeal. Here’s what they had to say:
Happy Holidaze to the Dim Mak massive! As a ‘lil treat for you this season, we present our free “House for the Holidays” DJ mix! This shrewdly-arranged 30 minute mix highlights a selection of Dim Mak’s recent and forthcoming house offerings (from G, to deep, to future), along with some choice bootlegs. Mixed by hometown favorites Boots N Pants, the set features tracks and remixes from the likes of Justin Martin, Chris Lornezo, Jacob Plant, Taiki Nulight, Bixel Boys, Yolanda Be Cool and Daniel Fernandes.
TRACK LISTING:
Kenna – Relations (Justin Martin Remix)
Chuck Inglish feat. Chromeo – Legs (Yolanda Be Cool Remix)
Borgore – Fame (Daniel Fernandes Remix)
Rich Homie Quan – Type Of Way (Boots N Pants Remix) [FREE DOWNLOAD]
Panic City – Real Lies (Original Mix)
Steve Aoki, Chris Lake & Tujamo feat. Kid Ink – Boneless (Chris Lorenzo Remix)
Ookay – Drop Et Agen (Original Mix)
Keys N Krates – She’s So High (Taiki Nulight Remix)
Pop’s rules are being rewritten by producers such as Avicii and Zedd, who are downplaying the once sacrosanct chorus – and Katy Perry even dared to do without one at all
For decades in the church of pop, the chorus has been the altarpiece, the focus for all those who worship there. It’s where songwriters install their most beautiful, affecting work, and the contrast between it and the relative plainness of the surrounding verses only enhances its dazzle. “Don’t bore us, get to the chorus!” Berry Gordy once joked, understanding that this is what listeners truly gather around.
In 2014, there were plenty of excellent choruses: some songs, such as Sia’s Chandelier, are so impatient to get to them that, in their haste, they cut the second verse in half. But pop’s architecture is being radically altered by modern songwriters, with more and more of them either removing vocals from the chorus, or getting rid of it altogether. Instead, emphasis is now placed on the bridge – the bit of the song that links the verse to the chorus – and on ravey instrumental breakdowns.
Looking for new music to put in those ears? Have we got the list for you! Each week, staff from CBC Music, Radio 2, 3 and Sonica collect songs they just can't get out of their heads, and make a case for why you should listen, too. Press play throughout the list below, and you may just find your new favourite track. Let us know in the comments what catches your ear — or if you have new song suggestions.
Kendrick Lamar with Bilal and Thundercat, 'Untitled'
Kendrick is going to own rap in 2015. Even in a year that already promises Kanye's Yeezus followup and Drake's Views from the Six, I don't think either are going to be able to stop the momentum of Kendrick, who's hit a stride doing whatever he wants. First was the Isley Brothers-sampling, Black Eyed Peas/Outkast-referencing pop-rap anthem "I," and now comes a powerful, tense untitled track, which he recently debuted on The Colbert Report. It's funky and experimental, with none other than Thundercat on bass, with lyrics that are pointed and on point, addressing racial tension and commercial success with an explosive final declaration. Oh yeah, and there's a sax solo. Watch the Colbert interview and performance below. The song starts at 4:09.
The American alt-country and folk-rock singer is back with a new track in anticipation of her new album, The Firewatcher's Daughter, scheduled for release March 3, 2015. The great thing about the new music video for "The Eye" is that it's live off the floor, something we don't usually get to experience from an official video. It's also nice in a world where we are constantly wanting louder, more complex songs — e.g., EDM tracks — to hear a song at its core, stripped down to nothing but a guitar and vocals. It's here that we truly get to hear Carlile's beautiful, sultry voice and the harmonies of her backup band (twin brothers Tim and Phil Hanseroth, who also co-wrote the song). What a beautiful piece to finish off 2014. — Matt Fisher
D’Angelo, 'Sugah Daddy'
D'Angelo's new album, Black Messiah, needs little introduction. The R&B/neo-soul hero more or less broke the internet by announcing and releasing, in a span of 48 hours, his first album in 14 years. The album was long rumoured to be in the works, but according to The New York Times, D'Angelo rushed his label to release the record earlier than planned in response to civil rights protests across the United States. Listeners hoping for the same sound as the iconic Voodoo may be disappointed, but Black Messiah is the perfect followup album. D'Angelo's voice has changed over the years, but the singer spent his time mastering the guitar and creating the unique sounds used on the album. Take a listen to "Sugah Daddy," the single released a day before the rest of the album. The track features a bouncy groove, D'Angelo's trademark falsetto and horns by trumpeter Roy Hargrove (who also contributed horns to Voodoo). — Eric Haynes
Thom Gill, 'Jesus Was Born'
Let's be honest, the title of this song might scare some people off. I get it. You might not care for Christmas or organized religion. I get that, too. To be frank, neither do I. But if you can forget about the title and pretend for a minute or two that this isn't a Christmas song — that it's just a song — and allow Felicity Williams's vocals on the back half of the tune take you for a ride, well, it's a gift that keeps on giving, regardless of the season. — Judith Lynch
Chris Eldridge and Julian Lage, 'Mean Mother Blues'
I was asked by CBC Music to name my favourite album of the year last month, and that's sort of a weird thing to do. Because it's kind of just your favourite album at the moment. It's hard to really sit down and think of all the records you've listened to and rank them; they're all so good in different ways.
But at number one, I put up this record.
Two guitarists with very different styles: one, a bluegrass virtuoso who's played with the likes of Punch Brothers and the Infamous Stringdusters — two major bluegrass bands where you have to be exceptional to keep up; the other, a child prodigy jazz guitarist who established himself as a virtuoso at the age of 12. So you get this sort of contrast of high culture and traditionally "low" culture. The plush lounges of jazz mixed with the wooden barns of bluegrass — you get Chris Eldridge and Julian Lage's album Avalon. This is their live version of an old tune called "Mean Mother Blues." — Tom Power
This new collective spans Canada to Iceland, and features beloved indie musicians like Woodpigeon, Benedikt H. Hermannsson and Samantha Savage Smith. This debut single from their forthcoming record (First Play on CBC Music, Jan. 6, huzzah!) is like running up a mountain on a cold, crisp morning with nothing but clear skies and vast expanses for miles. Contemplative, invigorating, and you can't wait to see (hear) what new beauty will reveal itself next. — Andrea Warner
CBC Christmas Sing-In, 'Quelle est cette odeur agréable'
"Quelle est cette odeur agréable, bergers, qui ravit tous nos sens?" ("Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing, shepherds, stealing our senses all away?")
This gentle French carol invokes the sights, sounds and smells of the nativity scene from the familiar Christmas story. It was a highlight of the 35th annual CBC Christmas Sing-In, which took place Dec. 7 at the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul in Montreal, performed exquisitely by the 50 voices of the choir. You can stream the full concert, or, on Dec. 25, tune in to CBC Radio 2 at 9 a.m. or CBC Radio One at 12 p.m. to hear the broadcast hosted by Ben Heppner. — Robert Rowat
'Tis the season for whimsy and reflection. In this synth-driven love letter to her native Oslo, Anna of the North wraps up the cold climate of the city with a warm and heartfelt affirmation that Oslo is her home. — Joan Chung
Deers, 'Castigadas en el Granero'
In search of the antithesis to the Christmas music of late, I stumbled upon this garage group from Madrid. My pick of their four tracks, "Castigadas en el Granero," roughly translates to "grounded in the barn." Fuzzy guitars and pop melodies intertwine in tangled layers of playful raucousness. So fun and catchy, it takes the edge off these dark, grey days. Which, honestly, are nowhere as bad as being grounded in the barn, ever. — Samantha Smith
Modest Mouse, 'Lampshades on Fire'
I didn’t know I missed Modest Mouse until they came back with a new single last week. It’s all a bit telling: we haven’t heard anything from the band since its 2009 EP (the last full-length was in 2007), and not much has changed. "Lampshades on Fire" showcases the same slightly frantic pace, staccato vocals, tight lyrics and slowed-down spaces we’ve come to expect — it’s a pretty close sibling to "Float On." And yet, that’s totally fine with me. — Holly Gordon
This month's dozen starts out with an older tune and then moves to the present day with half a dozen tracks from Japan and other new tunes from Europe and the States. Enjoy!
Calypso Blues- Zilla Mays (from Jukebox Mambo Vol. 2 on Jazzman Records 2014)
My Car 660- native (from Liberation on Nature Bliss 2014)
I Wanna Love You- Soil & "Pimp" Sessions (from Brothers and Sisters on Victor Entertainment 2014)
Inuit Party- Mammal Hands (from Animalia on Gondwana Records 2014)
Tribute- Richard Spave (from Whole Other* on Fine Line Records 2014)
Uhuru (feat. Tasha's World)- Nicola Conte (from Free Souls on Schema Records 2014)
Impressions- Yosuke Onuma (from GNJ on T5Jazz Records 2014)
Darkest Hour- Traeben (from Looking At The Storm on Jarr Records 2014)
El Ron Zacapa- bohemianvoodoo (from Aromatic on Playwright 2014)
Really Love- D'Angelo & The Vanguard (from Black Messiah on RCA 2014)
Ginger Sweet- Nia (from NIA on King Records 2014)
Darknight (Moonlight)- Hajime Yoshizawa (from Inner Illusions on Village Again 2014)
From gloriously messy pop to avant-garde techno and a symphony for eight hands, the Observer’s critics pick some of the releases that didn’t get the acclaim they deserved in 2014
by Kitty Empire, Michael Cragg, Killian Fox, Phil Mongredien, Neil Spencer, Dave Gelly, Fiona Maddocks, Stephen Pritchard via Electronic music | The Guardian
With releases by Chet Faker, Flight Facilities and Seekae, Future Classic mark their successful Aria-award winning year with this compilation album
When the Sydney label Future Classic coalesced around friends Nathan McLay, Jay Ryves and Chad Gillard in 2004, the Australian music landscape looked vastly different. Guy Sebastian, Powderfinger and Delta Goodrem were pop stars, retro rockers Jet, The Vines and The Living End were the prevailing tastemakers.
Though Australia’s burgeoning electro movement was germinating behind Steve Pavlovic’s Modular label in 2004, there was little idolatry for the next generation beyond the same old tropes: dumb rock. Who needs “future” when “classic” was so in vogue?
