Following up her standards-focused 2017 debut A Social Call, Dallas-born, New York-based singer Jazzmeia Horn offers mainly originals on Love and Liberation, boldly stepping ahead as an artist. Along with her deep and effortless vocal expression and turn-on-a-dime scat solos, she proves herself an engaging writer with a lot to say at any tempo or feel. The breakneck bebop number “Searchin’” and the luxuriant ballad “Legs and Arms” are among the highlights. Pianist Victor Gould, bassist Ben Williams, and drummer Jamison Ross provide stellar backing, with Ross delivering strong vocals in tandem with Horn on the George Duke/Rachelle Ferrell cover “Reflections of My Heart” (and the intriguing spoken-word “Only You,” which directly precedes it). Tenor saxophonist Stacy Dillard and trumpeter Josh Evans add spice along the way, while pianist Sullivan Fortner, brimming with old-school stylistic wisdom, lends his brilliant touch on four tracks.
Composed, according to FlyLo, as ''a collage of mystical states, dreams, sleep and lullabies'', Until the Quiet Comes has the distinct feel of this nocturnal trip. From the twitching descent into a subconscious state and the out-of-focus time-ether of the journey that follows, the sound is an unhinged, yet elegant evolution of the melodic and rhythmic interplay that is woven into the DNA of Flying Lotus' aural personae. Feat. guests Erykah Badu, Laura Darlington, Niki Randa, Thundercat & Thom Yorke. UTQC is fueled by FlyLo's first ever full US Tour, multiple videos, creative visual assets and massive support from his ever-growing group of press and fans. Notable followers include Odd Future (Earl Sweatshirt collaboration with Adult Swim online now), Schoolboy Q (who's been in the studio) and rising super-producer Clams Casino.
This special once-in-a-lifetime set is housed in a replica of the original Motown headquarters: the "Hitsville U.S.A." house on Detroit's West Grand Boulevard, now the home of the internationally renowned Motown Museum. It's a true collectible. Inside the house are 5 digi-paks - containing 10 CDs. The box set comes with a beautiful 100-page mini-photo book, including rare and classic images, track annotations and an introductory essay by the man who started it off, the one and only Smokey Robinson. Limited to 30,000 copies.
On his 2013 release The North Borders, British producer Simon Green (aka Bonobo) continues along the organic-meets-electronic path that his 2010 release Black Sands followed, but this walk takes place as it's turning to dusk, and there are varying degrees of mist and chilliness along the way. Opener "First Fires" with Grey Reverend (singer/songwriter L.D. Brown) sounds like it could be quite warm, but it's entirely autumn-minded sweater music that wistfully wonders what to do with "faded dreams" as Green allows bits of glitchy sunlight to shine through his cloudy synth construction. "Emkay" is the clangs and echoes of a seaside port at night that wonderfully shuffles its way up to a lighthouse tune, then there's majestic songstress Erykah Badu wonderfully vibing ("We don't need no truth/Got plenty/Now it grows on trees") on "Heaven for the Sinner" over Bonobo's deep version of the broken beat. "Towers" suggests sleepy urban buildings in twilight with a vibraphone representing the little bits of life and light that will sparkle through the night, while "Don't Wait" is just before the dawn, as innocent chimes chase away the eerie things that lurk in the darkness.