24 HOUR LEISURE PEOPLE

This Is El Michels Affair

El michels affair

Loose Change

By The Time I Get To Phoenix

Fat Beats 25th Anniversary Compilation

C.R.E.A.M.

Yeti Season

Unathi

Never Be Another You (Reggae Remix) b/w Reggae Remix Dub

Never Be Another You (Reggae Remix)

Iman Omari - "Turmoil" 
out on all Digital Platforms June 21st, 2019

Prod & Written by: Iman Omari 
Co-Written by Cavalier
Drum Break by: Andre Harris 
Photography by: Jack McKain


Lyric
Verse 1: 

I'm in need of you 
just like you're in need of me 

So tell me why cant we 
Seem to be a family? 

you tell me I got problems 
and i gained them on my own 

but you gave me this trauma 
thats been keeping me from home 

creating resentment 
only two is who to blame 

I can feel your pain 
Don't you know i feel the same? 

Tell me whats the difference, 
if I'm gone or if I'm near? 

Cause I cant seem to see 
the love you grew in me 




Hook: 

I hear the tone 
it wont be long 

(Bom bom dum bom, 
Bam bah dum Bom bom) 

and you'll be singing 
that ol' song 

(Bom bom dum bom, 
Bam bah dum bah) 

I'd stand in line 
to find the key 

(Bom bom dum bom, 
Bam bah dum Bom bom) 

instead of end in Misery 

(Bom bom dum bom, 
Bam bah dum bah) 




Verse: 2 

How soon we forget 
About things we swore we wouldn’t 

now you get upset 
before we could manifest 

leaves me with these questions 
that I try to keep at bay 

is it worth it to keep on 
Can we function on & on 

reflecting frustration 
it’s a street that goes two ways 

I can see the signs 
How much longer you’ll be mine 

All that we've invested 
Do I leave or do I stay 

Cuz I can’t seem to see 
The love you grew in me 





Hook: 

I hear the tone 
it wont be long 

(Bom bom dum bom, 
Bam bah dum Bom bom) 

and you'll be singing 
that ol' song 

(Bom bom dum bom, 
Bam bah dum bah) 

I'd stand in line 
to find the key 

(Bom bom dum bom, 
Bam bah dum Bom bom) 

instead of end in Misery 

(Bom bom dum bom, 
Bam bah dum bah)

Turmoil

At First Light

Move

Return To The 37th Chamber

Tearz

Snakes

Wu Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta F' Wit

Iron Man

Verbal Intercourse

Little Brother - What I Came For

Where You Are

Adult Themes

Hipps

Reasons

When Leon Michels name first appeared on a record, he was 16. That release was Thunder Chicken, and the group was his high school band, The Mighty Imperials. The record was essentially an homage to The Meters, at the time it was near pitch-perfect for the budding retro-soul scene. While that release was an early step for Michels, aspects of it have almost become trademarks of his work: a unique raw-yet-disciplined approach to his sound and songwriting, and a soulful genuineness that has a sense of humor one minute and a sense of solace the next.

Right from the jump his hustling work ethic was evident, always involved in a lot at once. While finishing Thunder Chicken, Michels began touring and recording with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings—which he did for the next 7 years. During that time he was also recording songs in a makeshift home studio and preparing for what would be his first full-length record, Sounding Out The City, and the first release under the name El Michels Affair. In 2004, when Sounding Out The City was recorded, Michels’ obsession with Euro Library, American soul, and early rocksteady crept its way into the songwriting and recording aesthetic, the outcome was something Michels appropriately dubbed “Cinematic Soul.” The album was to be the first release on Truth & Soul Records, a new label Michels co founded.

The lo-fi warm recording aesthetic and bottom heavy production alongside the immediate success of EMA’s debut release lead to playing a show with Raekwon of Wu-Tang fame. That show went over so well it lead to a tour with El Michels backing multiple members of the Wu-Tang Clan. It was these shows that ended up laying the groundwork for the release of El Michels Affair’s second full-length, Enter the 37th Chamber, which eventually introduced them to a worldwide audience. While the band’s fanbase went through the roof, the industry also quickly recognized that EMA was a force to be reckoned with. Almost in a domino effect, a huge range of hip-hop artists sampled Michels’ songs, from Ghostface Killah, Just Blaze, and Jay-Z to J Dilla, J.Cole, and Travis Scott.

While simultaneously running a label, playing / touring, and co-producing other artist’s music Michels helped found The Menahan Street Band, co-produced Aloe Blacc’s sophomore smash LP, Good Things, and received a writer credit on Adele’s Grammy-nominated album, 19. Shortly there after Michels found himself on tour with The Black Keys after being cold-called by Auerbach and asked to join them on the road. It turned out that Auerbach was a big fan of the sound and approach of the Lee Fields record “My World”, which Michels produced. When Auerbach was tapped to make Dr. John’s critically acclaimed album , “Locked Down” and Lana Del Rey’s LP, “Ultraviolence”, Michels was brought along to play and add his signature sound. That led to being included in and touring for Auerbach’s psych-rock project, The Arcs, which features Michels as a musician and co-producer. 

in 2016, Michels co-founded Big Crown Records with Danny Akalapse, the second record label Michels has helped build from the ground. Since then, he has produced a majority of the albums from the labels roster including Lee Fields, Lady Wray, Brainstory, Paul & The Tall Trees, Liam Bailey, and Thee Lakesiders.  Michels has also produced records for Beyonce & Jay-Z’s side project, The Carters, Hanni El Khatib, Chicano Batman, Marco Benevento, and Don Toliver.

In 2020, Michels will release the second album of original material under the El Michels Affair moniker.  The Album, entitled Adult Themes, which Michels calls “the soundtrack to an imaginary movie,” creates a lush, evocative, complex and eclectic collection of tunes that will keep your ears on edge as you nod your head.