BBE Music is thrilled to announce the release of Modern Love, a diverse compendium of specially commissioned cover versions of rarities and classics in tribute to David Bowie.

Featuring an array of artists such as Jeff Parker, We Are KING, Meshell Ndegeocello, Helado Negro, Khruangbin, Matthew Tavares, Nia and more, Modern Love seeks to champion Bowie’s lesser-known connection to soul, R&B, jazz, funk, and gospel. The prominent jazz influences throughout Bowie’s final album, Blackstar, were a key inspiration for curating this collection of reimagined Bowie songs with these artists. The resulting album is an eclectic tribute featuring a group of artists who not only fit together creatively, but who, like Bowie, straddle different worlds musically, with soul and jazz at their core.

Modern Love offers a fresh look at Bowie’s trailblazing career, aiming to highlight the often overlooked relationship between his back catalogue and musical genres traditionally pioneered by artists of color. The project was curated by music executive and DJ Drew McFadden, alongside BBE Music founder Peter Adarkwah. “I felt that the connection between Bowie and R&B, jazz, funk, gospel and all things soulful, had never really been explored before — at least not so much in covers, which tend to lean more towards rock and pop,” says McFadden. “Certainly, there’s been plenty of Bowie covers over the years, but none that have really tapped into what seems to have been a big part of his core musical
style and direction.”

Modern Love is an interactive sonic map. Here, seventeen artists make their way into the varied regions of his sundry catalog and circle back with seventeen unique re-imaginings of both his cornerstone and lesser-known tracks. Some, in atmosphere, feel like a sly alternate take from original sessions (Khruangbin’s ethereal, funk infused version of “Right” from Young Americans); others nod at the source, then wink before diving into the deep waters of another musical stratosphere (Sessa’s sexy Tropicalia-drenched “Panic in Detroit” from Aladdin Sane). Still others take tunes down to the studs and then re-arrange the moody interiors: Meshell Ndegeocello’s pensive “Fantastic Voyage” from Lodger and Tavares’ clever take on “Heroes” which is restructured into a kinetic hardbop-esque backdrop, fronted by ice-cool, held-back vocals. The bullseye these artists aim for is Bowie’s fearlessness. “Fame was an incredible bluff that worked,” he once reflected. “Very flattering. I’ll do anything until I fail. And when I succeed I quit too.”

Modern Love packs us off on a journey that balances on risk’s sharp blade. Track-to-track, it explores what happens when a musician throws out notions of should and safe and stretches beyond the known. These artists use Bowie both as a guide and a prism: A way of being and seeing. Their offerings, widely divergent, explore the inheritance from an artist who freed himself from labels, genres and, consequently, pigeonholes. While he was at it, he decimated fixed notions about territory (or terra) itself; boundaries hemmed-in his creative process, but his essence remained free to roam. He may have vanished in earthly form, yet, as he also promised in the lyrics of “Modern Love,” But I never wave bye-bye . . .” This compilation assures us that his spirit swirls around us. His force is alive to all of us and, here, it is summoned with an incantation that celebrates possibility.

Khruangbin - Right

‘Fearless’ is the new single by Illnoledge, out on Mink Records on 16 September 2022. 

lllnoledge is a duo consisting of two brothers: Steve Hartley en Mill Voyance. Music and spirituality are closely related - this is the philosophy with which the brothers were raised. Illnoledge have developed their own music style dubbed ‘Akan Fu’, containing elements of Afrobeat, Soul, Latin, Jazz en Reggae. Hypnotizing heart-beat rhythms, mystic melodies, magical harmonies and cryptic lyrics. 

Music, production, mix by Stephen Hartley Linger and Milton Leo Linger
Mastering by Jerboa Mastering
Costume design: Tricia Nganga Mokosi
Creative direction artwork: Marieke McKenna & Philine van den Hul
Photography: Philine van den Hul
Special thanks to: Nike Ayinla & Nas Hosen (Orisun Studio)

℗ & © Mink Records

WWW.MINK-RECORDS.COM
INFO@MINK-RECORDS.COM

Illnoledge - Fearless

Listen on all platforms: https://idol-io.ffm.to/ria-moran-take-it-or-leave-it
Support on Bandcamp: https://riamoran.bandcamp.com/track/take-it-or-leave-it-ft-nubiyan-twist
Listen to the DeepMatter Catalogue: https://tinyurl.com/dm-catalogue

Take It or Leave It (ft. Nubiyan Twist)

Ria Moran - Take It Or Leave It (ft. Nubiyan Twist )

Ibiza

Azure (Cover) [Organ Solo Edit]

Love these guys so did this unofficial remix of The Lung!!

Hiatus Kaiyote "The Lung" (Paul White Unofficial Remix)

Yussef Dayes x Alfa Mist (feat. Mansur Brown) - Love Is The Message

Real Time

Show Me What You Got (feat. Jordan Rakei)

Duality

For My Ladies (feat. Rocco Palladino & Charlie Stacey)

▶ Soulection ~ The Sound of Tomorrow  
▶ Discover: @mansur-brown
▶ Stream/Download: lnk.to/tesuto

The rising 23-year-old Brixton artist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer's three-track project is an instrumental, beat-heavy search for zen and overcoming obstacles, both of the world and trials that are deeply personal. 

From Mansur:
“The name of the EP is Tesuto, which means Test in Japanese, which is representative of life and the struggles everyone universally goes through and looking at these obstacles and challenges as tests. The idea that no one is given an obstacle that they cannot overcome whether its a struggle that plagues a community or someone individually. This EP is my testament to God.”

Release Date: July 9, 2020
Label: Soulection
Artwork: Tom Noon

Tesuto

It's My Time

Stream/Download

Mansur Brown - It's My Time

CHANCE TO SAY MY PIECE Feat MARCUS GILMORE

Independent record label based in London.

LPs + Merch 👇
www.deepmatter.bandcamp.com
www.deepmatter.co.uk

Ria Moran - Take It Or Leave It (ft. Nubiyan Twist )

DeepMatter Records

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