R.F.I. is the first collaboration between Robohands' Andy Baxter and LA multi-instrumentalist Jack Barone—a psychedelic, analog-driven journey through Middle Eastern scales and classic textures. Featuring drums, bass, synth, and guitar, plus guests Cesar Apolinar Hernandez (trumpet) and Alya Olcan (vocals), the EP flows from stillness to movement to dissolution, blending old-world tones with modern pulse.

R.F.I.

‘Promise’ is the latest effort from Brooklyn-based producer Bad Colours, blending house, proto-techno, rap, & soul. The album pairs hypnotic rhythms with personal reflection, exploring vulnerability, desire, and transformation. Inspired by underground clubs and quiet moments, ‘Promise’ is both dancefloor fuel and headphone therapy.

Promise

On his 6th full-length album, “DIG”, Los Angeles producer and DJ Captain Planet takes direct aim at the dance floor, bringing his unique blend of global music styles and high energy dance music powerfully into focus. The album recreates the dynamic joyful energy and eclectic intercontinental sound of Captain Planet's world renowned live DJ sets, which have electrified crowds in clubs and festivals throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, as well as at home in the US.

Captain Planet - DIG

Hot off the release of his acclaimed “Isles In Indigo” LP, Denver, CO-based producer and visual artist RUMTUM (aka John Hastings) makes a swift return to Bastard Jazz with a remix for fellow Denverites Ramakhandra. Ramakhandra is a band that creates a mind bending fusion of future jazz and hypnotically free psychedelia, all with a rhythmic throughline that combines seemingly disparate instruments, influences, and sounds into a magically cohesive experience. Having created artwork for remixes of the band in the past, RUMTUM takes “Haku,” originally an 11-minute exploratory jam from their self-titled album, turning it into a stunning atmospheric piece that utilises the band’s signature harp sound to full extent, alongside whispers of vocal samples that float atop new bass and drum lines. The rich soul of the original remains, but the remix places it in an entirely new context.

Ramakhandra’s “Haku (RUMTUM Remix)” is out on Bastard Jazz June 3rd.

Ramakhandra - Haku (RUMTUM Remix)

Bad Colours makes a big return with his new song “Maybe I Should Move to LA,” the first single off his upcoming sophomore album “Always With U.” The track sees the Brooklyn-based artist contemplate a move out West – an idea that came about following a trip to LA for the 20 Years of Bastard Jazz anniversary party (which he DJed) in November last year. Bright pads, a thumping four-on-the-floor beat, and a catchy vocal line make it the perfect accompaniment to a top-down joy-ride up PCH. However, the song closes with a spoken clip: “Na dude, you ain’t going nowhere. This is where we at; this is where we stay.” California dreaming aside, Bad Colours won’t be leaving Brooklyn anytime soon.

Bad Colours is the moniker of London-born, Maryland-raised, Brooklyn-based DJ, songwriter, producer, and instrumentalist Ibe Soliman. While his career has spanned nearly two decades - as both a DJ (alongside the likes of James Murphy, Mark Ronson, and Q-Tip) and producer (for Kendrick Lamar, Faith Evans, Keyshia Cole, and Rick Ross, among others) - the Bad Colours name only came into being in early 2020, with the debut LP, “PINK,” being released in February, 2021 on the Brooklyn tastemaker label Bastard Jazz. By tapping into his deep network of artist friends, Ibe compiled a treasure-trove of vocal samples, snippets, sketches, and fresh instrumental loops into a beautiful debut record that touches on hip-hop, house, and left-field electronic, while remaining irresistibly danceable.

Pre - Order LP Here

Bad Colours - Maybe I Should Move To LA

7" and Digital out May 13, 2014. 

Order the 7" and get instant download of this song : https://bastardjazz.bandcamp.com/album/montreux-sunrise-trans-alpine-express

After the dynamo sophomore release that was 2013's "Curiosities", New Zealand's Lord Echo returns to Brooklyn's Bastard Jazz label, this time producing Kiwi trio The Elder Statesman comprised of twin brothers and Wellington fixtures Christopher (piano) and Daniel (double bass) Yeabsley with Lord Echo himself on percussion and drums. 

On the "A" side, Montreux Sunrise is mellow meander through a laidback early 70s souljazz vibes, while "Trans Alpine Express" picks things up on the B side with a deep, spiritual piano groove, upfront doublebass, and Echo's percussion perfectly in the pocket. 

A timeless gem of a 7" from Bastard Jazz, releasing their own namesake for once!

Buy 7" or Digital

The Elder Statesman - Trans-Alpine Express

Order the 7" and get instant download: https://bastardjazz.bandcamp.com/album/montreux-sunrise-trans-alpine-express
Official remix: https://soundcloud.com/bastardjazz/04-montreux-sunrise-tee?in=bastardjazz/sets/bastard-jazz-presents-hear-no-evil-vol-3

After the dynamo sophomore release that was 2013's "Curiosities", New Zealand's Lord Echo returns to Brooklyn's Bastard Jazz label, this time producing Kiwi trio The Elder Statesman comprised of twin brothers and Wellington fixtures Christopher (piano) and Daniel (double bass) Yeabsley with Lord Echo himself on percussion and drums.

On the "A" side, Montreux Sunrise is mellow meander through a laidback early 70s souljazz vibes, while "Trans Alpine Express" picks things up on the B side with a deep, spiritual piano groove, upfront doublebass, and Echo's percussion perfectly in the pocket.

A timeless gem of a 7" from Bastard Jazz, releasing their own namesake for once!


Buy 7"

The Elder Statesman - Montreux Sunrise

Download: https://bastardjazz.bandcamp.com/album/hear-no-evil-vol-3

@THUMP Premiere:
http://thump.vice.com/en_ca/words/nick-wisdom-reworks-potatohead-peoples-blossom-into-a-dance-floor-hit

Bastard Jazz is proud to present another volume of our sporadic "Hear No Evil" compilations featuring unreleased tracks, B-Sides, Rarities and Remixes from the label. This time around we're offering up a killer dancefloor remix of Potatohead People's "Blossoms" by Montreal producer https://soundcloud.com/nickwisdom, Lord Echo's unreleased dub of "Digital Haircut" from his Curiosities album, the instrumental of Captain Planet's dancefloor burner "Poquito Mas", and a beautiful samba-esque remix of the Elder Statesman's "Montreux Sunrise" by Cali-cum-Rio DJ and remixer Tee Cardaci.

Original version: https://soundcloud.com/bastardjazz/potatohead-people-blossoms-ft

Download

Potatohead People - Blossoms (Nick Wisdom Remix)

Download: bastardjazz.bandcamp.com/album/hear-no-evil-vol-3

Bastard Jazz is proud to present another volume of our sporadic "Hear No Evil" compilations featuring unreleased tracks, B-Sides, Rarities and Remixes from the label. This time around we're offering up a killer dancefloor remix of Potatohead People's "Blossoms" by Montreal producer Nick Wisdom, Lord Echo's unreleased dub of "Digital Haircut" from his Curiosities album, the instrumental of Captain Planet's dancefloor burner "Poquito Mas", and a beautiful samba-esque remix of the Elder Statesman's "Montreux Sunrise" by Cali-cum-Rio DJ and remixer https://soundcloud.com/teecardaci.

Original version: https://soundcloud.com/bastardjazz/the-elder-statesman-montreux

The Elder Statesman - Montreux Sunrise (Tee Cardaci's Ipanema Sunrise Remix)

Potatohead People - Last Nite feat. Redman

Purchase LP, Digital, 7" or CD --> https://potatoheadpeople.bandcamp.com/album/big-luxury

Potatohead People single "Explosives" (feat. Illa J & Moka Only) b/w "Blue Charms", taken from the full length album Big Luxury. "Blue Charms" also available on 7" vinyl: https://potatoheadpeople.bandcamp.com/album/luv-ya-blue-charms-7

Working on opposite sides of the landmass we call Canada, Vancouver/Montreal duo Potatohead People (producers Nick Wisdom & AstroLogical) have been making waves for quite some time with their signature jazzy boom-bap meets boogie inside the bassbin vibes. Called a “formidable tandem” by OkayPlayer, their sounds have been championed early on by the likes of Kaytranada, Soulection, Nightmares on Wax, Pomo, Exmag, Big Boi, and Phife Dawg. After a few early releases on Vancouver based netlabel Jellyfish Recordings, Brooklyn’s Bastard Jazz reissued their 2012 landmark Kosmichemusik EP and pressed a 7” which quickly became a collector’s item. The association landed their song “Back To My Sh*t” (featuring Frank Nitty of Frank’n’Dank) on a Powerade produced LeBron James documentary and Nick and Astro began working on a debut LP for Bastard Jazz, presented here.

Big Luxury draws from influences disparate as classic jazz, prog rock, disco, 90’s hip-hop, DJ Shadow-Era downtempo beats, alongside modern influences like the Brainfeeder crew and new electronic movements coming out of Nick Wisdom’s adopted hometown of Montreal.  What’s resulted is a finely honed, extra buttery album that effortly glides between tempos, but never loses the mood.  The album also features a whole host of guest vocalists -  J Dilla’s younger brother Illa J, legendary Canadian MC Moka Only, New Zealand’s Sorceress, and Amalia all provide contributions to the sounds within.  The album will set the tone for the duo’s big moves this year, including forthcoming collaborations with Illa J and Pomo as well as tour dates in North America and beyond. 

Big Luxury is a velvety ride through vibes and a magnificent debut for these talented young Canadians. 
bastardjazz.com

Buy LP, Digi or CD

Potatohead People - Blue Charms

Purchase LP, Digital, 7" or CD --> https://potatoheadpeople.bandcamp.com/album/big-luxury
Download Single: https://potatoheadpeople.bandcamp.com/album/explosives-feat-illa-j-moka-only-blue-charms

Production duo Potatohead People are back to light a fuse for their upcoming album Big Luxury with a double A-side single featuring Illa-J and Moka Only. The Canadian beatsmiths (aka Vancouver’s AstroLogical and Montreal’s Nick Wisdom) return to join forces with Brooklyn-based label Bastard Jazz, following the success of 2013's Kosmichemusik EP and cult hit 7-inch, as well as an onslaught of internet shaking remixes. 

"Explosives" is a smoothed out Slum Village-esque hip-hop joint featuring J-Dilla's younger brother and Yancey Boys member Illa-J trading rhymes and harmonies with Vancouver mainstay Moka Only, while "Blue Charms" shows a synthier, instrumental side of the duo with it's Prog-ish bassline, soaring vibes, and heavy drums. 

BIG LUXURY ALBUM: 

Working on opposite sides of the landmass we call Canada, Vancouver/Montreal duo Potatohead People (producers Nick Wisdom & AstroLogical) have been making waves for quite some time with their signature jazzy boom-bap meets boogie inside the bassbin vibes. Called a “formidable tandem” by OkayPlayer, their sounds have been championed early on by the likes of Kaytranada, Soulection, Nightmares on Wax, Pomo, Exmag, Big Boi, and Phife Dawg. After a few early releases on Vancouver based netlabel Jellyfish Recordings, Brooklyn’s Bastard Jazz reissued their 2012 landmark Kosmichemusik EP and pressed a 7” which quickly became a collector’s item. The association landed their song “Back To My Sh*t” (featuring Frank Nitty of Frank’n’Dank) on a Powerade produced LeBron James documentary and Nick and Astro began working on a debut LP for Bastard Jazz, presented here.

Big Luxury draws from influences disparate as classic jazz, prog rock, disco, 90’s hip-hop, DJ Shadow-Era downtempo beats, alongside modern influences like the Brainfeeder crew and new electronic movements coming out of Nick Wisdom’s adopted hometown of Montreal.  What’s resulted is a finely honed, extra buttery album that effortly glides between tempos, but never loses the mood.  The album also features a whole host of guest vocalists -  J Dilla’s younger brother Illa J, legendary Canadian MC Moka Only, New Zealand’s Sorceress, and Amalia all provide contributions to the sounds within.  The album will set the tone for the duo’s big moves this year, including forthcoming collaborations with Illa J and Pomo as well as tour dates in North America and beyond. 

Big Luxury is a velvety ride through vibes and a magnificent debut for these talented young Canadians. 

bastardjazz.com

Potatohead People - Explosives feat. Illa J & Moka Only

Purchase LP, Digital, 7" or CD --> https://potatoheadpeople.bandcamp.com/album/big-luxury

Working on opposite sides of the landmass we call Canada, Vancouver/Montreal duo Potatohead People (producers Nick Wisdom & AstroLogical) have been making waves for quite some time with their signature jazzy boom-bap meets boogie inside the bassbin vibes. Called a “formidable tandem” by OkayPlayer, their sounds have been championed early on by the likes of Kaytranada, Soulection, Nightmares on Wax, Pomo, Exmag, Big Boi, and Phife Dawg. After a few early releases on Vancouver based netlabel Jellyfish Recordings, Brooklyn’s Bastard Jazz reissued their 2012 landmark Kosmichemusik EP and pressed a 7” which quickly became a collector’s item. The association landed their song “Back To My Sh*t” (featuring Frank Nitty of Frank’n’Dank) on a Powerade produced LeBron James documentary and Nick and Astro began working on a debut LP for Bastard Jazz, presented here.

Big Luxury draws from influences disparate as classic jazz, prog rock, disco, 90’s hip-hop, DJ Shadow-Era downtempo beats, alongside modern influences like the Brainfeeder crew and new electronic movements coming out of Nick Wisdom’s adopted hometown of Montreal.  What’s resulted is a finely honed, extra buttery album that effortly glides between tempos, but never loses the mood.  The album also features a whole host of guest vocalists -  J Dilla’s younger brother Illa J, legendary Canadian MC Moka Only, New Zealand’s Sorceress, and Amalia all provide contributions to the sounds within.  The album will set the tone for the duo’s big moves this year, including forthcoming collaborations with Illa J and Pomo as well as tour dates in North America and beyond. 

Big Luxury is a velvety ride through vibes and a magnificent debut for these talented young Canadians. 



Potatohead People - Messenger ft. Sorceress & Mosaic

Available on custom White Vinyl 12" or Digital -> https://bastardjazz.bandcamp.com/

Soundboard maestros Lord Echo and DJ Day link up across oceans to trade remix duties on each other's top tunes, flipping the pair onto a heavily dubbed out Double A-side single pressed up on frothing white vinyl. 

California dance-floor champ DJ Day gives Echo's iconic "Bohemian Idol" a 1980s drum machine reggae vibe and lets the delay run wild, while New Zealand's analog maverick Lord Echo transforms Day's "Land of a Thousand Chances" into a live disco dub studio jam session.

Catch the limited 12" out worldwide May 12th on Bastard Jazz Recordings.

Buy White 12" / Digi

Lord Echo - Bohemian Idol (DJ Day's Chair-Bro Remix)

Album available on iTunes ->  https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/id1034961898

Official Video -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTNhPfDbH_o

Illa J's new single "Universe" produced by https://soundcloud.com/potatohead-people, from his forthcoming self-titled album (out Oct 2nd on Bastard Jazz Recordings). https://soundcloud.com/realillaj

Bandcamp -> https://bastardjazz.bandcamp.com/album/universe


iTunes / AppleMusic

Illa J -  Universe

Captain Planet returns with "Tony's House," a high-energy dancefloor tribute to Afrobeat legend Tony Allen. Inspired by Allen’s groundbreaking rhythms for Fela Kuti & Africa 70, the track blends elements of his classic "Afro Disco Beat" with bass-heavy house. Captain Planet calls Allen a dream collaborator and credits Afrobeat with opening his mind to music. This first single teases the upcoming 6th full-length album with global club energy.

Tony's House

Track 1 on Jack Barone & Robohands' collaborative EP 'R.F.I.'

Floating on the Walls

Track 4 off of Jack Barone & Robohands' collaborative EP 'R.F.I.'

Under Under Under

“Blue Mirror” feels just like its name—a reflection, tinted and warped, with a psychedelic edge that pulls the ear inward. Producer-composer-instrumentalists Jack Barone and Andy Baxter (Robohands) once again explore eastern-inspired psychedelia, blending ancient scales with synths and modern techniques to create something immersive and surreal.

Blue Mirror

“Moving Circles” is a walk across the desert—a conversation between friends in the heat, where sharp guitar lines meet smooth trumpet tones. Producer-composer-instrumentalists Jack Barone and Andy Baxter (Robohands) dive into eastern-inspired psychedelia, fusing ancient scales with synths and modern techniques to create something both timeless and new.

Moving Circles

Now Or Never ft. Marcus Harmon

We Never Choose ft. Life on Planets

Underwater

The Stranger ft. Cor.Ece

The second single from Brooklyn producer Bad Colours’ upcoming album, “Speed” features rapper and longtime collaborator KAS, whose slick, confident bars glide over an uptempo, filtered house groove. It’s rap with polish, presence, and undeniable momentum.

Speed ft. KAS

Take My Lovin' ft. Marcus Harmon

Leonid the Athlete is a Poly D synthesizer driven journey, each part recorded in one take, spontaneously recorded at Rax Trax in Chicago, Illinois, featuring delay drenched Rhodes piano for the melodic element. Andy Baxter performs all instruments, mixed by Shawn Clendening and mastered by John Webber at AIR studios.’

Leonid The Athlete

Need To Move

Mi Calor

Queen Of Thunder

Thirst No More

Cocoase

On “Canta el Agua,” Captain Planet taps into the sounds of Colombia’s Pacific Coast, blending Afro-Latin roots with a bass-heavy club vibe. Featuring award-winning group De Mar y Rio, the track transforms their marimba-driven rhythms into a Latin House groove while weaving in Amapiano influences from South Africa—creating a global, dancefloor-ready fusion.

Canta el Agua

Paying homage to Brazilian funk & boogie, Captain Planet’s “O Xangô” reimagines a samba rock classic from Trio Mocotó, famed for backing Jorge Ben. Stripping away most of the original, he injects heavy bass, disco drums, stabs, and wild synths, creating a euphoric modern boogie banger. The lyrics call to Yoruba deities, with the chorus invoking Xangô—symbol of power, justice, thunder, and lightning.

O Xangô

Master Plan

Kamsi

Barco Velho

“Shaky Escalator” captures a moment of New York disorientation, inspired by a lurching subway ride and shaped by the playful, rhythm-driven energy of Peter Matson’s band, Underground System. Aroop Roy, a mainstay of London’s underground scene, reworks the track into something deeper and more hypnotic. His remix transforms the original’s off-kilter groove into a pulsing, acid-tinged journey, connecting NYC’s raw edges with London’s late-night sound.

Shaky Escalator (Aroop Roy Remix)

Taken from the Illa J (https://soundcloud.com/realillaj) album,  out Oct 2nd on Bastard Jazz Recordings. 

Buy Album (LP / CD / Digi / Deluxe):
https://illa-j.bandcamp.com/album/illa-j

LP, CD, Digi, Deluxe

Illa J - Never Left

Taken from Illa J's forthcoming self titled album, dropping October 2nd.
Pre Order & get instant DL:  https://illa-j.bandcamp.com/album/illa-j

As featured on EA Sports NBA LIVE 16 soundtrack. 
Spotify playlist: https://play.spotify.com/user/nbalivemusic/playlist/7DlwwpNnzL7IFeoTOiYURN

LP, Digi, CD, Deluxe

Illa J - All Good Pt. 2 (ft. Moka Only & Ivan Ave)

Purchase LP, CD, Digi or Vinyl Deluxe Pack --> https://illa-j.bandcamp.com/album/illa-j

From deep musical origins in Detroit, rapper/singer/songwriter Illa J has been slowly navigating his way through the oft-turbulent waters of Hip-Hop since the tender age of 13, when the young John Yancey aka Illa J wrote his first rhyme alongside his brother, the late great J Dilla. After his brother’s passing in ‘06, he began teaching himself piano, bass and taking vocal lessons while finding himself touring the world and recording a slew of Dilla-related projects, notably being an active member of Slum Village until 2014. His first solo album, '08s Yancey Boys and the Frank Nitt 2013 collaborative album Sunset BLVD were both released on seminal label Delicious Vinyl. Feeling the need for a change creatively as well as geographically, in 2012 John moved to the future music hotbed that is Montreal ultimately making the connection with Canadian producers Nick Wisdom & AstroLogical aka Potatohead People (whose acclaimed Bastard Jazz debut album Big Luxury in Spring 2015 featured Illa J on two hit singles). The success of their initial collaborations inspired the team to dive into the studio and embark on Illa J's new self-titled solo album, and present an entirely fresh sound of his own.
 
The album Illa J, produced without any samples by Potatohead People alongside a few groundbreaking co-producers, showcases a more mature and at-ease Illa J who is equally comfortable on top of an electronic boogie-inspired beat (“Universe”) as he is getting grimey over a trunk rattling G-Funk joint (the Kaytranada co-produced “Strippers”). On tracks like the sparse, Rhodes driven “Cannonball” (co-produced by Montreal’s Noo Bap), and the early 90s Spiritual / Acid Jazz inspired “Sunflower”, Illa flexes his muscles through both song and rhyme. And of course being true to his roots, the classic Detroit boom-bap sound is ever present on joints like “French Kiss”, “Perfect Game” (quite possibly Rap’s only ode to bowling), and “Never Left”, a touching tribute to his brother and a call-out to abusers of Dilla's legacy.  Vancouver mainstay MC Moka Only contributes invaluably to the cohesive sound of the album as well, providing signature smoothed-out vocal choruses to tracks like “She Burned My Art”, “All Good Pt. 2” and “Who Got It” (co-produced by Mosaic). Dropping Fall 2015 on Bastard Jazz Recordings, Illa J is a brilliantly-produced, diverse, and long overdue solo effort from Yancey.


Buy LP, Digi, CD

Illa J -  All I Need Ft. Moka Only

Download / Buy 2xLP | 7-Inch | Deluxe:
https://bastardjazz.bandcamp.com/album/pomo-presents-tempo-dreams-vol-4

Stream Full Album (Pomo Presents: Tempo Dreams Vol. 4)  
https://soundcloud.com/bastardjazz/sets/pomo-presents-tempo-dreams

The last couple of years have been huge for Pomo, going from a relatively obscure Canadian producer to releasing his debut EP on HW&W, remixing for the likes of Janet Jackson and Mark Ronson, producing “Am I Wrong?” on Anderson Paak’s debt album and touring the globe with Disclosure as their opening act. 

Bastard Jazz has commissioned Pomo to be next in line for the fourth volume of their "Tempo Dreams" compilation series, following on the heels of the acclaimed Soul Clap compiled Vol. 3. As with other Tempo Dreams records, Pomo has curated a slick and well polished album full of exclusive tracks from friends and collaborators such as Lindsay Lowend, Aloka, Exmag, Syre, Daniel Crawford, FVLCRVM and more.  Touching on the shimmering nudisco sound, plodding deep electronic vibes, funky instrumental hip-hop, and even a hint of drum’n’bass, Tempo Dreams Vol. 4 takes it’s rightful place in the series as one of the most forward thinking compilations showcasing emerging young talent.


Download / Buy Vinyl

Pomo - Blue Soda (Part 1)

Buy LP/Digi/CD:  https://manateecommune.bandcamp.com/album/manatee-commune
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/6MzzlBosYKeVzYLF5lZzlq
AppleMusic: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/manatee-commune/id1142334900

Grant L'Kayl Eadie aka https://soundcloud.com/manateecommune returns with the first single from his upcoming debut album, dropping this fall on Bastard Jazz. "What We've Got" features Eadie's signature shimmering, playful electronic atmospheres, neck snapping drums and "sing in the shower" level catchy vocals from Detroit rising star Flint Eastwood.

Vinyl / Download

Manatee Commune - What We've Got Ft. Flint Eastwood

Cop 12" / Digi: https://deadhorsebeats.bandcamp.com/album/bad-hopes-ep

Patrick Wade, better known as Dead Horse Beats is a producer, singer
and multi-instrumentalist living in Montreal, Canada. Since the
release of his first album in 2011, Wade has garnered attention for
his unique brand of hazy, rhythmic, soul-styled creations, and
energetic live spectacles featuring a slough of live instrumentation,
electronics and guest performers.

After the release 2015's acclaimed Single People LP and a brief stint
with London's Black Butter Records, DHB partnered with Brooklyn based Bastard Jazz Recordings for his premiere vinyl pressing - the Fall 2016 release of Bad Hopes EP.

Bad Hopes is the culmination of a new, fully realized sonic direction
for Dead Horse Beats, inspired by the sounds of the Montreal scene in
which DHB is embedded; equal parts glittering R&B, and undeniable deep house inspired soundscapes, fusing fully on Bad Hopes,

Alongside friends and collaborators Frase (vocals on She Said) and
Jason Simpkin (additional production and instrumentation throughout)DHB blends his voice and lyrics with bassy grooves, lush synths and sharp, angular percussion into a cohesive, rolling soundscape.

Bad Hopes EP

Dead Horse Beats - Young Ruins

Pre-Order LP/Digital/CD: 
https://potatoheadpeople.bandcamp.com/album/nick-astros-guide-to-the-galaxy

After their incredibly well received debut 'Big Luxury' back in 2015, and production credits on Illa J's critically acclaimed self titled LP,  Vancouver duo Potatohead People (aka Nick Wisdom & AstroLogical) went quiet for 3 years...leaving a legion of worldwide fans puzzled & hungry for new music. 

We're happy to announce that the wait is finally over, and the first leak from their upcoming album 'Nick & Astro's Guide To The Galaxy' is finally here.

"Quest For Love" is grade-A, signature Potatohead sound. A neck snapping drum break, lush rhodes chords, cosmic synths, guitar & horn flourishes and unexpected musical changeups bring in the hip-hop infected musicality the duo has become so loved for, while Nick & Astro collaborate vocally on top. Lyrically lamenting a possible near ending of a relationship, with a hopeful tinge towards the future, the laidback vocal vibes are a new and welcome sound for the duo.

'Nick & Astro's Guide To The Galaxy' is out worldwide on May 11th.

Nick & Astro's Guide To The Galaxy

Quest For Love

Pre-Order / Download

Potatohead People - Quest For Love

Buy the Digi EP and accompanying 7" >>>  https://potatoheadpeople.bandcamp.com/album/kosmichemusik-ep

REMIX by @nickwisdom >>> https://soundcloud.com/bastardjazz/potatohead-people-blossoms-nick-wisdom-remix-1

Brooklyn-based Bastard Jazz Recordings is proud to present The Kosmichemusik EP by Montreal/Vancouver duo Potatohead People (aka producers Nick Wisdom & AstroLogical) who had previously created internet buzz through their digital-only releases on netlabel Jellyfish Recordings. Their debut for Bastard Jazz is a trip through the mellow synth-jazz hip-hop style they’ve become known for. 

The EP kicks off with “Kosmichemusik”, a chugging joint with humming bass, gritty drums and well polished glimmering synths setting the mood proper. Next up, “It Gets Good” features Vancouver mainstay MC and renaissance man Moka Only spitting mellow Sunday-morning style rhymes over Potatoheads deep and moody hip-hop vibes, while “Blossoms” features Canadian vocalist and frequent collaborator Claire Mortifee providing gorgeous, quirky vocals over a bubbling, bouncy track with subdued bass, guitar and Rhodes weaving themselves in.  Next up, “Love Hz” is an instrumental cut with crispy drums, ghostly vocal stabs, a catchy bubbling bassline and pulsing keyboards, while “Back To My Shit" is a lovelorn tale of breakup and redemption featuring the rhymes of Detroit's Frank Nitt (Frank'n'Dank, J. Dilla) with very catchy yet deep synth-heavy production from the Potatohead People. The EP rounds off with “Journey”, an expedition the deeper realms of beat music with subaqueous synths, lifting strings, and neck-snapping drums.  

Bastard Jazz will also be releasing a limited edition 7” from this project featuring “Love Hz” and “Back To My Shit” on Valentine’s Day for all the heart-breakers and/or broken hearted. 


Potatohead People - Blossoms ft. Claire Mortifee

On their third full-length release, Potatohead People widen the frame of their progressive musical vision and deliver a far-reaching yet approachable set of moods and grooves.

Mellow Fantasy continues to showcase the trademark instrumental prowess of the duo and their ease with the loose but hard-hitting drum style brought to the fore by Jay Dee’s influential productions, but goes well beyond basic boom bap bread and butter, with singer-centered R&B and uptempo bumps sharing the stage. 

Beginning in 2008 as a Vancouver-based hip-hop production team, Potatohead People (Nick Wisdom and AstroLogical) have collaborated with a fantasy league of MCs, including Frank Nitt of Frank’n’Dank (the 2013 breakout jam “Back To My Shit”), Illa J (producing an entire album for J. Dilla’s younger brother) and the late Phife Dawg (the beloved A Tribe Called Quest co-founder’s last recorded verse was over one of their beats).  

Setting them apart from other Dilla-influenced beatmakers is the way they push the scope of the style, working the corners with their own unique touch. At its most basic, “the goal has always been making really dope loops,” they explain. By using slices of their own rough instrumental ideas, finding “a chord progression or texture that you can hear again and again and never question it,” they’ve taken this fundamental concept and elevated it to new levels of melodic, harmonically complex music.

A jazz-like responsiveness to the input of collaborators is a key component of how the team works. “We like to get the artist involved when the beat is an early idea, and build the beat around the vocals, getting inspired by what they do.” 

On Mellow Fantasy, they had some impressive inspiration. Pos from De La Soul immediately connected with “Baby Got Work,” a sophisticated slap that went through several iterations before settling into its ultimate form. Appropriately, the song’s diligent construction echoes the ethic of the grind in the clear-eyed, precisely dovetailed lyrics fans have come to expect from the Daisy Age don. “Baby Got Work” is the album’s lead single, hitting on 9/25/20.

Befitting Potatohead People’s origins as a hip-hop group, cameos from Illa J and Slum Village’s T3 on the summertime teaser “What It Feels Like” and Vancouver veteran Moka Only (the sassy, vanity take-down “Ungodly”) add to the unimpeachable rap bonafides. 

The hometown connections continue with Lotusland local Kapok slinging verses on a couple tracks and rising stars Kendra Dias and Clear Mortifee, who stake serious claims as names to watch with standout vocal turns on the low-slung neo-soul “Break Even” and the upcoming second single “Hidden Levels,” a high-flying house/future boogie hybrid. Following up their successful 2019 collabo “Single Life,” Bunnie makes her return to action with the group on “Kettle Boiling.” Ranging further, Reggie B, who broke on the scene with his lead on Onra’s “High Hopes,” shines on the optimistic bounce of “Bring The World A Little Closer.”

Threaded throughout are interlude instrumentals that comfortably manage the neat trick of being musically intriguing while retaining an accessible, gut-level thump. Look no further than the statement-making, Yussef Kamaal-like funk fusion album opener “1st Light” and their nod to overlooked Vancity synth pioneer Dale Jacobs (“Ode To Mr. Jacobs”) for clues to where Nick and Astro’s hearts are at.

Mellow Fantasy, released 10/30/20 on Bastard Jazz and available on vinyl and all digital platforms, is Potatohead People’s most evolved collection yet, rooted in earthy low end but elevated, expansive and reaching new musical heights.

Mellow Fantasy

Potatohead People - All The Way

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