Category Archives: artist spotlite

Funky music IS alive. For newbie, Miguel, it’s what he lives for. I hadn’t heard anything inherently funky or eclectic since ’97′s The Velvet Rope (obviously), so, when I flipped on his most recent mixtape [Mischief] to hear some ordinary R&B, I was taken aback – shocked, amazed, short of breath. The kid blends found vocal clips (like vintage ODB croaks) with alienic moans on “All Night Long” to sound like a chemistry project. Hear it here first:

My favorite track of his is “Sure Thing.” With its screwed vocals and flighty falsetto – the kid is on that Prince tip. You could say he’s Purple. It’s from ’07, but still stands as his hottest to date. The lyrics set off the drippy background into territory once explored by D’Angelo and Maxwell before him. While The-Dream goes for Prince’s surefire pop ["Little Red Corvette"], Miguel aptly examines his sweaty soul side ["Diamonds and Pearls"].

“Ooh Ahh” is a Doors-y throwdown, complete with hand claps, mean guitar stabs, and oversexed lyrics. Think Maxwell on a Hendrix fix.

“Strawberry Amazing” is an obvious ode to Paisley Park, Minneapolis, with its glimmering beat, lo-fi groaning, and electric guitar farts a la The Time. Do you see this cane, sugar? Do you see the feather in my hat? The track is pimp grand. His voice is somewhere between Raphael Saadiq, the lead singer of 112 [Slim], and the Purple one… all certified gangsta macks in their own rights. It could easily pass for an unheard Prince b-side, without a doubt. Take a listen:

It’s likely you missed Kevin Michael’s self-titled debut album when it was released back in ’07 by Atlantic Records. Unfortunate, since it was exactly what the radio was missing – a politically-inclined, bi-racial, R&B crooner with equally relevant and sentimental lyrics for the Obama era. He had two singles released; that if charting, could’ve easily knocked Ne-Yo from his pedestal. The problem with his Atlantic management was the fact that most of his album sounds exactly that – Ne-Yo. His tracks were placed in videogames, cell phone commercials, and as the free “single of the week” on iTunes; creating a false pretense for what he could actually do. Michael is no Ne-Yo. He’s old soul. He sounds best with acoustics and meaningful verses, in a way Amy Winehouse and Raphael Saadiq do not. His singles sound more current and sincere with less reliance on retro-novelty than those aforementioned. His tenor chops and afro-pick add to his 60′s-era simplicity. He takes these characteristics and juxtaposes them against current-day lyrics like DJ’s in the club, Jesus freaks and thugs, We all want the same things, We all want the same thing. At 23 years old, Michael’s already saying things Marvin Gaye only got to saying before his untimely death. To think of the possibility Michael had to become the voice of his generation so shuddered by bling – it’s hard to understand what went wrong. Cross your fingers he gets another round to prove to Top 40 that songs with substance can, in fact, hit harder than anything Taylor Swift or T-Pain. Hits should be measured in their impact socially, too.

Listen to the single version of “We All Want The Same Thing” below, featuring Lupe Fiasco. Although it’s not my favorite version of the song (peep the acoustic version), it sure is a porch stomper.

Here’s the acoustic version, featuring guitar by Akil Dasan…

“It Don’t Make Any Difference to Me (Acoustic)” is another track accompanied by guitarist Akil Dasan. People treat you different when you’re in between / But it don’t make any difference to me. Love ain’t got no color…

I’m not one for anything more than classic rock when it comes to the caucasian music scene. So, when I recommend a rock band, bet it’s got some soul. The Gabe Dixon Band dropped into my lap accidentally – they’re from Nashville, TN for fuck’s sake – when I was searching for something else on Limewire. Their album sounds like it could have been released alongside Andy Pratt’s or Elton John’s circa 1973. The sound is vintage piano pop a la Steve Winwood and has the voice of Paul McCartney. They’re bluesy enough to rank beside CCR, wispy enough to parallel Paul Simon, have songwriting skills to match Billy Joel, and could easily open for Coldplay (if they wanted to). Dixon’s winding piano style evokes staircases, skies, highways, and backseats. It’s rumored the album took only ten days to record, basing most of its final material on first takes and live performances. They’re still relatively unknown, seeing that they’ve released three albums prior to The Gabe Dixon Band LP without any notice at all. Have a listen below.

“Find My Way” is my favorite of the trio’s tracks. You can feel each piano key slammed as it were playing live in front of you. I challenge you to keep your foot still.

“Til You’re Gone” is a Winwood-style piano jam that’s a bit Bill Withers, a smidge ragtime, a tad folk, a hint blues, and a sliver gospel.

“Far From Home” is afternoon music. To think of how polished it sounds in only one take – it’s astounding.

“Ever After You” is like an updated Billy Joel and Wings lovechild. It’s as if nothing’s changed since “Piano Man.” If only. The swelling strings give the midtempo a majestic tone.

Lastly, I recommend “Sirens.” It sounds like Paula Cole in her heyday. Raise your hairy pits and imagine you’re at a men’s-only Lillith Fair.

I’m going to share with you a secret. I know your new favorite band. They’re from Denmark and they haven’t hit stateside yet other than a few blog mentions here and there. Their name is Private. Two guys, one chick. And they blow all that other hipster shit right out of the water. They’re 80′s pop purists: think Prince, MJ, Debbie Gibson, Culture Club, George Michael, Tiffany… hybridized. Their album is close to perfect other than it’s practically impossible to find this side of the pond. Fuck MGMT, Scissor Sisters, Annie and Lady Gaga; if you want those saccharine 80′s sounds, look no further. They take all that’s dated and fantastic about 80′s music and need not update it at all, they use it as a module for perfection. They’re tacky but highbrow in a way Chromeo isn’t (they’re always in head-to-toe Hedi Slimane), the frontman’s sensitive affect is so outrageous and moody, it can only be praised. I heard their debut album when it was released back in 2006 and it sounded as if it hadn’t aged a day past ’85. The album has so much eccentricity and character that it makes up for its lack of substance. It carries itself on its camp. It’s in [current] Prince’s lack of humility that he’s unable to sound this good. Leave it to Copenhagen and the rest of Europe to concoct such a novel pleasure.

Start off with their overseas hit “My Secret Lover.” The frontman (Thomas Troelsen) sounds adolescent over the bassline and if you listen closely, it sounds like there’s some keytars, keyboards, synthesizers, and xylophones in the room with him. And are those video games I hear in the background? It’s classic 80′s tack and could pass as a Controversy-era Prince track – the overt falsetto, phone call interlude, and melody are straight from the pages of his songbook.

Here’s one that could have made the Purple Rain tracklist;”We Got Some Breaking Up To Do.” The shimmering synth-cussion gives the song a Europop-meets-The Time vibe (think “Jungle Love” without the ooh-wee-ooh-wee-oh). Troelsen’s voice at times sounds like a whinier Justin Timberlake, but, who’s really listening when you’re dancing?

Next up is “Crucify My Heart.” Cross Madonna’s “Like A Prayer” with Michael Jackson’s Dangerous [album], add some Italo-disco, and this is what you get. The choir never gets old. Sing it sister.

“Waiting for Tonight” is my favorite. It’s eccentric. The spanking snares and sharp synths are the perfect background to Troelsen’s melodramatic affections. It’s definitely not Jennifer Lopez.

Lastly, “That Boy Is Hurting You.” It’s the least 80′s of the bunch and instead sounds a bit gender-bent, like 90′s Roxette or Savage Garden. Don’t say I didn’t warn you you’d fall in love.

It tastes like a trend — you know, the street label that signs the young, blue-eyed crooner (see Chester French on Star Trak or Mr. West’s new butt-boy, Mr. Hudson), in hopes of capitalizing on Kanye’s famed emo/indie-rap formula (you’ll find Chris Martin play hook man on more mixtapes than Lil’ Wayne, second only to the almighty autotune). Yet with most trends, there are exceptions to the rules of ephemera: see Colin Munroe. The 28-year-old, Toronto-native (big ups), knows his place. He realizes he’s of the trend (he was recently signed to the urban subset of Universal-Motown, Rowdy Records) and plays the part of token, pianist slash hook boy almost jokingly; screwing with his vocals to sound like an infant beside Jim Jones on “Piano Lessons (Remix)” (posted below). He’s recorded recently with Black Milk, Brick and Lace, Drake, and 88-Keys, but has yet to release anything more than a mixtape.

This is the remix to “Piano Lessons.” Produced by Colin alongside Black Milk, the song speaks of Munroe’s upbringing. The beat evokes something street yet suburban. It’s an interesting listen…and the screwed vocals are strangely attractive. I bet a million to one you’ll agree.

Next up is “Last Cause,” featuring a phoned-in verse by 88-Keys (another little-known breakthrough M.C.). The beat sounds like a tweaked version of Angie Stone’s “I Wish I Didn’t Miss You Anymore.” Again, his screwed vocals are in place and sound incredible (without them the track would sound like Ben Folds).

Lastly, it’s the reason the kid’s gotten any mention at all. Featured here on Drake’s “Cannonball” (off mixtape Heartbreak Drake), Colin demonstrates indie-hooking 101. Consider it a lesson in swimming in Olympic pools of money.

It makes me happy to know one musn’t necessarily live street to go hard in them. See Homeboy Sandman – a UPenn grad with book smarts to match his streetwise. The 6’5″ Queens-bred M.C.’s been hyped as an underground stunna for some time now, performing for the likes of Rakim and The Roots without any major record deal. He released his first non-mixtape LP under his own label (Boy Sand Industries) entitled Actual Factual Pterodactyl last year with only a YouTube clip for support (watch the low-budget vid below). You could consider him an “absurdist;” he has little interest in commercial success, merely honing his craft. His only drive seems to be his enjoyment of the English language to the extent in which he practically spews Merriam-Webster. Confusing as his rhymes may be: they do make sense. Especially when taken line for line, his lyrics tend to weave themselves into Ivy-League brainstorms. On first listen, his tracks sound nonsensical and humorous (which they are), but not for long – his talent for linguistical lists will tangle you up in a web. Who said good music had to be practical any way? Sex, lies, burgers, and fries…

The first track up is the smart alic “Us & Them.” It’s a shorty, only two and a half minutes long. The beat’s Soca horn sample is one of his mixtape’s best.

For prime rhymes, peep “It Is What It Is (Acapella)” below. ‘One with words’ would be an understatement. No beat needed.

If you’re into Eminem’s sing-a-long flow (I don’t know why you would be anymore), stream Homeboy’s “I-Tunes Song” below, featuring hilarious one-liners like, I don’t really write rhymes, I write haikus.

Lastly, I give you Homeboy playing politico in The Roots-vs-Coldplay-sounding stunner, “Wise Up,” featuring P.CASSO.  Past the turntables, there’s something profound. Consider it one of his best.

For the first artist spotlite, I’ve got to give it to one of the most underrated and unheard-of lyricists out: Curren$y. 28 years young, C’s been releasing mixtapes almost monthly for the last few years without much attention from bigwigs. He even named his first official release (under his own label Fly Society), This Ain’t No Mixtape. Hailing from New Orleans, he flows so nonchalantly (even moreso than Loso) that he sounds almost comatose (but in a good way?). His rhymes got him noticed by Wayne in ’06 and in turn even recorded a song together with Remy Ma (“Where Da Cash At?”) that never surfaced on a released album. Curren$y is also a You Tube phenomenon. He’s taken his stoner-turned-rapper persona public to host a series of hilarious virals with the name Mythblazers, where he takes on the many misconceptions of marijuana smoking.

When recommending tracks, I’d have to go with his most electric beat-wise. Firstly, “Blown Away.”

You can’t escape the background’s swirling synth and majestic faux-horn. The beat itself could make any listener nauseous (also in a good way). The chorus is as addicting as the drugs he’s on (MDMA and THC) and his flow glides across the tune as if it were laced. But what makes this song a hit is the whistle that fades into the end as it were traveling faster than you can catch.

Second is another with an extraterrestrial sound; “Drug Flow” in which he’s joined by Freck Billionaire.

If you’re concerned with the track shooting lasers at you, relax and think how the quick, synth-heavy background pops and gathers as Curren$y; unamused, reclines in the sky. The high-pitched whine atop the complex drum patterns cushion the chorus from being too repetitive, proving once again the producer’s the one with the hit at hand. What Curren$y lacks in delivery is made up for in his producer’s spacecraft sounds.