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UK Sounds

Cinematic Orchestra - “All That You Give”

For some reason, I woke up with this song in a constant loop in my brain when I woke up this morning. I don’t know why–I haven’t heard this track in years. Maybe the lack of Air Conditioning in my condo was going straight to my head.

Anyways, if you don’t know, the Cinematic Orchestra is a dope outfit out of London which combines, hip-hop sampling with live jazz arrangements as well as electronica for some truly ground-breaking music.

This particular track, All That You Give, features American soul singer and Cinematic collaborator Fontella Bass who is best known for her song “Rescue Me,” which most people attribute to Aretha Franklin. Unfortunately, that was her only hit, and remained in obscurity until her first recording with Cinematic in 2002.

The song “All That You Give” is on Cinematic Orchestra’s first album. YouTube user wax35 gives some background on the song:

One of the most emotional songs I’ve ever heard.
Fontella’s mourning for her husband, the Jazz great Lester Bowie, who had recently died. She did the vocal in one take and she cried when they were rewinding the tape, it was the first time she’d been able to cry for him since he’d passed away. They’d been married for 39 years.

The song is dedicated to his memory.

Heartbreaking…

Peace all and, please, listen to music with soul and REAL talent..

myspace.com/thecinematicorchestras

Tags: Cinematic Orchestra, Fontella Bass

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UK Sounds

UK Tings: Sway, Rolex Sweep

So the Rolex Sweep is supposed to be the UK’s version of the Soulja Boy. I’m actually liking the fact that its easier to do, and women like the fact that it has no obvious sexual connotations. I severely doubt that it will cross the pond (like outed racist Amy Winehouse), but who knows. Even Busta Rhymes is doing it.

Sway F Ur X

I know most of y’all don’t get down with UK grime, but personally I never thought most of the US gave the genre its just due. But I’m biased as hell since I used to live in London. Anyway, Sway’s F Ur X is becoming one of my hot tunes of the summer, even if it has a slightly repetitive grime beat and similarities to Dizzee’s “I Luv U.” Still, it’s got the perfect combination of dance beat and British cheekiness to get the floor movin’–at least in South London.

Damn. I really wish I could make it to London this year…

Tags: Rolex Sweep, Sway, UK Hip-Hop

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UK Sounds

Portishead on Current TV

I got the Press Release from Current’s people about this last week, but figured it was too good to be true. Maybe its just cause I’m in the States, but it seems this group never gives any live performances. So I took the press release with a grain of salt. But yes, Portishead actually did play a “live” convert from their hometown of (er…Portishead), which is also syndicated on the Current Network.

Since the band seems to be as reclusive as ever, it’s always good to actually seem them in a live performance setting. Now, if they can only play the 9:30 Club…

Here is the full Concert from Current TV below. The network will be re-aring the concert up until the release of their new album Third, which drops on April 28th.

Portishead Current TV Schedule

* April 11, 2008 at 10pm EST / 7pm PST and 1am EST / 10pm PST
* April 12, 2008 at 11am EST / 8am PST and 3am EST / 12am PST
* April 13, 2008 at 3pm EST / 12pm PST and 11pm EST / 8pm PST
* April 14, 2008 at 8pm EST / 5pm PST
* April 15, 2008 at 3am EST / 12am PST
* April 16, 2008 at 6pm EST / 3pm PST
* April 17, 2008 at 12pm EST / 9am PST
* April 18, 2008 at 12am EST / 9pm PST

Tags: Current TV, Portishead, Third

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UK Sounds

Ty in DC Tonight

Dammit! I saw on Ty’s MySpace bulletin that he was going to be in DC and I didn’t even put two and two together. Ty? In DC? NAW….it can’t be!

Ty feat Roots Manuva - So You Want More (Refix)

Anyway, if you’re up for checking out some great UK Hip-Hop, roll over to Marvin tonight for a FREE performance. Unfortunately I already have plans (Saul Williams at 9:30 club), but might roll over EARLY to stalk one of the greatest UK rappers of all time cause I’m a stan like that. (via Upset The Setup)

Ty will also be in NYC this weekend as well.

Tags: Ty, UK Hip-Hop

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UK Sounds

Estelle Calls Out UK for Not Supporting Black Artists

So Estelle dropped that new single with Kanye, entitled “American Boy,” which went straight to number 1 on the UK charts. However, homegirl is causing a lot of controversy for calling out the UK music industry for not supporting Black artists:

In the Guardian, Estelle calls out Adele and Duffy, two white UK soul singers, who are leading what many people called a new charge of “blue eyed soul” singers:

“I’m not mad at them, but I’m wondering - how the hell is there not a single black person in the press singing soul? Adele ain’t soul. She sounds like she heard some Aretha records once, and she’s got a deeper voice - that don’t mean she’s soul. That don’t mean nothing to me in the grand scheme of my life as a black person. As a songwriter, I get what they do. As a black person, I’m like: you’re telling me this is my music? Fuck that!”

I don’t really know what to say about this one and I don’t know that much about race relations in the UK to see how this fits into the larger Black/White spectrum (but for the most part, they’re experiences are almost the same as those in the US). I see her point, because Estelle has had to struggle to even get to the this point. The claim of stealing Black music is nothing new and had to get help from the US to break out in her own country. Her first single from her new album, “Wait a Minute,” went nowhere on the charts. I actually like Adele’s album, and other than a few songs I don’t even consider her “soul”. Duffy, on the other hand is a manufactured act a la Joss Stone, and probably needs to be called out. Having that said, Estelle forgets to mention Amy Winehouse, who, dare I say better than 90% of all these so-called soul singers anyway, so I digress. A lot of the Black UK soul “singers” out there (er…Cleo) sound like retreads of wack late 90s US hip-hop and pop to me anyway. Maybe they just need to step their game up?

Who knows. What do you UK Readers think?

Tags: Estelle, UK

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UK Sounds

Album Preview: Portishead - Third

Is Portishead hip-hop?

That was a topic of a spirited online discussion I had with my friend a few months back. My friend argued no. I said yes.

It it hip-hop in a literal sense. Probably not. The don’t sound like anything close to hip-hop, and they definitely don’t look it. But they take the basis hip-hop (sampling) redefined the concept.

From Pete Rock to the Native Tongues, hip-hop’s golden age provided the basis of what trip-hop was going to become. Growing up in Southwest England, the guys who would eventually form Portishead, Tricky, and Massive Attack took their love of such acts as Public Enemy and formed it in their own way. Trip-hop was born off the back of late 80s and early 90s hip-hop.

But what happens now, when hip-hop sounds nothing like it once did back in the day?

Well, for their third album, aptly titled…Third, the group pretty much largely abandons the beats for guitars. What results is an album which sounds more like Radiohead rather than its trip-hop brethren. This might upset some fans, since Portishead’s Geoff Barrow is considered one of the best samplers out there (he created his own orchestral score for the sole purpose of sampling it later), but surprisingly the group continues to maintain their dynamic and sound. The essence of Portishead is lead singer Beth Gibbons’ haunting (and some say depressing) voice, which has remained unchanged.

I’m not going to give a definitive rating of Third until I have a physical copy sitting in front of me, but the unmastered leak will reassure any fan that the group has still “got it,” after a 10 year hiatus between albums.

Third drops on April 28th. The first single, “Machine Gun” is out now. (New fans–don’t judge. This is probably going to the weakest song on the album.)

Tags: Portishead, Tricky, trip-hop

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Hip-Hop, House/Electronic, UK Sounds

New Music - 77Klash

77Klash - Code for the Streets

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/2sevenklash

Other than Damian Marley, and maybe Collie Budz, no other reggae artist hasn’t caught my attention until I heard 77Klash last night. The Jamaican born artist, now living in Brooklyn, combines traditional island riddims, with UK 2-step and dub, with hip-hop influences. The result is reggae music that sounds light years ahead of its time. His work is already getting recognition and play on BBC 1Xtra and the island charts. The dude even got a co-sign from Diplo and his Mad Decent crew.

77Klash and his crew come out of whats being called the Brooklyn Bashment scene, which has many similarities to UK grime. They even have their own YouTube inspired dance craze a la Soulja Boy.

I know little about this movement, but the Brooklyn Bashment scene looks like something to watch in 2008. 77Klash’s EP, Code for The Streets is being released on his own Klash City Records imprint.

Tags: 77Klash, Brooklyn Bashment, diplo

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Hip-Hop, New Music, UK Sounds

Dizzee Rascal - Where Da G’s, MP3, Video, Tour Dates

Dizzee Rascal - Where Da G’s (feat Bun B)

I know most of y’all can’t stand this dude but I can’t help but post a free and legal MP3 from Maths and English, which was one of the best albums of 2007. As I said before, that album is finally getting released Stateside on April 28th. Of course, with a track featuring UGK (rip Pimp C), we could tell that Rascal is aiming directly at US hip-hop fans though I’m very skeptical if they will take the bait. The video, filmed in Houston, is making is premiere on MTV this week.

El-P / Dizzee Rascal Tour Dates
May 8- 9:30 Club, D.C.
May 9 - First Unitarian Church, Philly
May 10 - Webster Hall, NYC
May 11- Middle East, Boston
May 12 - New Capital Music Hall, Ottawa
May 13 - Crofoot Ballroom, Detroit
May 14 - The Abbey Pub, Chicago
May 16 - Triple Rock Club, Minneapolis
May 19 - Neumos, Seattle
May 20 - Berbatis Pan, Portland
May 21 - 1015, San Francisco
May 22 - El Rey, Los Angeles

Tags: dizzee rascal, UGK, UK Hip-Hop

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Hip-Hop, UK Sounds

New Music: Wiley - Wearin’ My Rolex

Wiley - Wearin’ My Rolex

I haven’t been up with UK Grime for a number of years, and honestly I don’t even know if the genre is still alive. Sure, Dizzee Rascal is supposedly the king of the scene, but his latest effort, Maths and English, is a departure from the sound that made his name.

Even though UK Grime never took off in the US, (or even in the UK depending on who you talk to), its still one of the most amazing variations of hip-hop ever to exist. If you don’t know, grime is a mixture of US hip-hop, drum and bass, techno, and dancehall riddims. Although Wiley was a mentor for Rascal back in the day, he never got the critical acclaim and sales as his protege. While Rascal was winning Mercury Music prizes and making UK Charts, Wiley’s albums never sold more than 20,000 copies.

But unlike Rascal, Wiley has pretty much stayed true to the grime game. Until now. I don’t know exactly what to make of this new (?) Wiley track that leaked to the net last week. But I like it. This track is continually getting spins on my iPod right now. The house music/house electro backing this song is fitting, and Wiley continually maintains his grime flow. The track has been getting very good buzz on the blog and message board scene, so a change-up in style might be a good look for the Eski boy.

What do y’all think?

Tags: dizzee rascal, uk grime, Wiley

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Hip-Hop, Remix, UK Sounds

MIA - Paper Planes Remix

Download: MIA - Paper Planes Remix (feat Bun B and Rich Boy)

“Paper Planes” is by far the best track from M.I.A that I’ve heard all year. Everything from the beat to the chorus is just on point to me. This was originally supposed to be a single in the US but was censored because of the gunshots (who plays this chick on the radio anyway?), but Bun B and Rich Boy did get around to recording a “street” remix for it and it sounds pretty dope.

As most of y’all know, I could care less about M.I.A. She’s always been an acquired taste off the bat and I can’t bring myself to really get behind her (heh!) like most other bloggers out there. I’m not saying that she hasn’t made some hot tracks: “Sunshowers,” “Galang,” “URAQT,” are bangers, but it almost seems like some bloggers go crazy whenever this girl breathes and I can’t get down with that.

Also, check out the instrumental version of this track posted on Diplo’s blog, which should have aspiring rappers licking their lips like LL. (Wale should do a verse on this one).

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