A smoothed out, catchy little downtempo bobber from a cool late-winter night in The Vault.  Makaya bounces on a flammed rimshot, Abrams jumps in quickly with some nice bass chords, Justefan colors the progression with his singing vibraphone harmonies, and Marquis tops it all off with a gorgeous trumpet melody and solo verse.

Recorded on March 5th, 2014 by Dave Vettraino.  Personnel: Makaya McCraven - drums, Joshua Abrams - bass, Justin Thomas - vibraphone, Marquis Hill - trumpet.

Steppe Smoothe

Download

Joomanji - Spread Too Thin (feat. Lindsay Olsen & Nick Bianchini)

'Groove Curse' EP out now on 12" vinyl & digital -
Stream / Download: soulhasnotempo.lnk.to/SHNT001

Released 15th August 2014 via Soul Has No Tempo.

Soul Has No Tempo present Groove Curse, Jordan Rakei's long-awaited follow up to highly-acclaimed debut EP Franklin’s Room, his modern take on reggae-infused soul music. Groove Curse takes an evolved turn, with a sound Rakei describes as “raw, vocal-driven, groove”. With the first single off the EP, Street Light featuring Berklee College of Music Alumni, Gwen Bunn (vocalist and producer of Schoolboy Q’s Collard Greens feat. Kendrick Lamar), the release celebrates the skills of upcoming young musicians who are writing, self-producing and taking full advantage of their vocal and multi-instrumentalist talents.

Jordan Rakei - A Tribe Called Government [SHNT001]

Koln by The Sure Co. from the 5ives EP (Jazz Refreshed).
Richard Spaven - Drums
Grant Windsor - Keys


Koln

Dose Album Credits 

1. Brother Dragonfly 
(Rachel Fraser & Isaac Aesili) 
Produced by Isaac Aesili 
Rachel Fraser - Vocals 
Cam Allen - Flute 
Steph Brown - Piano 
Daniel Ryland - Guitar 
Marika Hodgson - Bass Guitar 
Julien Dyne - Drums, brushes 
Tom Broome - Cymbals 
Isaac Aesili - Programming, Synths, Synth Bass, Horns 

2. Freeloadubt 
(Daniel Ryland, Rachel Fraser & Isaac Aesili) 
Produced by Daniel Ryland and Isaac Aesili 
Rachel Fraser - Vocals 
Daniel Ryland - Programming, Keys, Bass Guitar 
Tom Broome - Hats & Ride 
Julien Dyne - Drums 
Cam Allen - Flute 
Isaac Aesili - Sub Bass, Horns, Programming 

3. Teacups 
(Rachel Fraser & Isaac Aesili) 
Produced by Isaac Aesili 
Rachel Fraser - Vocals 
Daniel Ryland - Guitar 
Marika Hodgson - Bass Guitar 
Isaac Aesili - Programming, Synths, Synth Bass, Horns 

4. Te Kano 
(Rachel Fraser & Isaac Aesili) 
Produced by Isaac Aesili 
Rachel Fraser - Vocals 
Johnathan Crayford - Rhodes 
Daniel Ryland - Guitar 
Marika Hodgson - Bass Guitar 
Tom Broome - 808 toms 
Isaac Aesili - Programming, Synths 

5. Treat the feel 
(Rachel Fraser & Isaac Aesili) 
Produced by Isaac Aesili 
Rachel Fraser - Vocals 
Julien Dyne - Drums 
Daniel Ryland - Guitar 
Isaac Aesili - Programming, Synths, Synth Bass, Horns 

6. Cherished 
(Rachel Fraser & Isaac Aesili) 
Produced by Isaac Aesili 
Steph Brown - Piano 
Cherished 
Rachel Fraser - Vocals 
Isaac Aesili - Wurlitzer, Synths 

7. Dose 
(Rachel Fraser & Isaac Aesili) 
Produced by Isaac Aesili 
Rachel Fraser - Vocals 
Cam Allen - Flute 
Daniel Ryland - Guitar 
Marika Hodgson - Bass Guitar 
Isaac Aesili - Programming, Synths, Synth Bass, Horns 

8. Desire 
(Rachel Fraser & Isaac Aesili) 
Produced by Isaac Aesili 
Rachel Fraser - Vocals 
Steph Brown - Rhodes 
Daniel Ryland - Guitar 
Marika Hodgson - Bass Guitar 
Cam Allen - Flute 
Julien Dyne - Drums 
Isaac Aesili - Programming, Synths, Synth Bass, Horns, Percussion 

9. Shifting 
(Rachel Fraser & Isaac Aesili) 
Produced by Rachel Fraser and Isaac Aesili 
Rachel Fraser - Vocals 
Johnathan Crayford - Rhodes, Synth Solo 
Marika Hodgson - Bass Guitar 
Daniel Ryland - Guitar 
Tom Broome - Hats, Cymbals 
Julien Dyne - Drums 
Isaac Aesili - Sub Bass, Horns, Programming 

10. Do it 
(Isaac Aesili) 
Produced by Isaac Aesili 
Daniel Ryland - Guitar 
Marika Hodgson - Bass Guitar 
Isaac Aesili - Programming, Synths, Synth Bass 

11. Stutter Step 
(Isaac Aesili) 
Produced by Isaac Aesili 
Cam Allen - Flute 
Steph Brown - Rhodes 
Isaac Aesili - Synths, Synth Bass, Keys, Programming 

Vocals recorded @ Red Bull Studio Auckland by Ben Lawson 
Guitar recorded @ Organik Musik Workz by Ben Horton 
Steph Brown Rhodes and Piano recorded @ The Lab by Olly Harmer 

Production by Isaac Aesili @ Ariki International 
Mixed @ Red Bull Studio Auckland by Ben Lawson and Isaac Aesili 
Mastered by Kelly Hibbert

Dose

I stare into the mirror, fog and shadows framing my face.  
An inner flame battles an outer chill as the reflection keeps its secrets.  
The mirror doesn’t lie — it screams what my heart quietly whispers.  
A soulful R&B journey of self-search, pain, and small revelations.  
Haunting, intimate, and raw — perfect for late-night playlists.

Echoes in Glass (Эхо в Стекле)

From my debut album 'Cloak'. Download, stream & pre-order vinyl: http://jordanrakei.lnk.to/cloak

(J. Rakei, J. Macrae, S. Agwu, T. Guy)
Produced by Jordan Rakei, Tom Guy & Jim Macrae
Vocals, Rhodes, Piano, Acoustic Guitar: Jordan Rakei
Guitar: Sheldon Agwu, Jordan Rakei
Synth Bass: Tom Guy
Drums: Jim Macrae
Percussion: Ernesto Marichales

Mixed by Jordan Rakei, Jim Macrae and Tom Guy
Mastered by Dick Beetham

Artwork by Zaina Al Hizami

Talk To Me

Hear the track live on #TightSongs hosted by @freshselects https://www.mixcloud.com/FreshSelects/tight-songs-episode-108-july-2nd-2016/

** FREE DOWNLOAD : https://www.toneden.io/cosmic_children/post/marvin **

This Ain't Livin (Marvin Edit)

"I love The Expansions their futuristic leanings inject new life into the form. Fresh material!" Ian Merchant (Black Acre)

“Exudes all the qualities I cherish most in music, warmth, integrity and a dedication to the groove… it’s a hard road to travel when you step in the footprints of giants, The Expansions are treading that path with ease and assurance.” Patrick Forge

"Coming off something like the UK's more jazz-funk fueled answer to BBNG, all four quarters of this monstrous unit are on point on this hugely anticipated release. There's got to be a very special long-player in the works, and I for one can't wait to immerse myself in that!" Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s) 

“The Expansions, very funky! Headhunters/Weather Report inspired, and definitely worth checking out. My new favourite band.” Steve White (Style Council, Paul Weller)
=========
When The Expansions self released their first single in 2013, the laid-back jazz funk of Lavender, it quickly gained strong support from soul and rare-groove aficionados including Kenny Dope, Dom Servini, Patrick Forge and Andy Smith. A run of shows followed and before long, when someone was asking if there was a soul-jazz band around to play with, “The Expansions” was the answer. 

Although this popularity meant a hiatus in releasing music, the band have been constantly busy, playing around Europe with legendary British-Ghanaian soul singer, Andrew Ashong and the exceptional, upcoming talent Connie Constance. 

Murmuration, recorded over three days at Big Noise in Southend, is constructed of single takes, with minimal overdubs, as the band attempt to capture the feeling and energy they create live. 

Debut single Breakthrough introduced the insanely catchy but deeply soulful blend of synths and groove, but here on the album that is explored to the fullest with longer breakdowns and more expansive, experimental solos. Pocket 5 displays the, possibly unexpected, influences of broken beat and almost combative rhythm playing – particularly in the complex guitar and keys breakdown where Koor and O’Keefe layer conflicting time signatures and battle to ride it out to the heavy drum return. 

Cannonball brings warm mellowness that delicately evolves through beats, touching on bossas alongside their fundamental hip-hop sensibilities. But even here there is a raucous zenith before the band sublimely recede into the silence of the a-side ending. 

Colossal album highlight Ivory Mountain is truly an epic. Evoking moments of 4Hero, there is a lightness of groove in the first half of this soulful exploration. But at the halfway point, all restraint is let go as a live string section joins the four quarters of the band for three glorious minutes of soulful disco. Evoking sounds of Quincy Jones, George Benson and Johnny Hammond, all the way through to a beautifully cacophonous finale. 

Dragonfly undoubtedly reflects on the work of Herbie Hancock and is the most direct throwback to the band’s earlier work, which is a welcome marker of how far they have come. A quintessential jazz funker. 

The album closes with the thoughtful and introverted shuffle of Miles Away. In the final eight minutes of Murmuration, The Expansions allow space and time to take precedence, with once-more-restrained peaks and developments. It becomes clear though, that the band cannot resist one last explosive finale, as they rise with screeching synths, strings and dubs for a perfect race to the finish line. 

You can hear the influences of Idris Muhammad, Grover Washington, even parallels with South London peers Yussef Kamaal and Ruby Rushton. But The Expansions have tirelessly worked to create a sound of their own and are very proud, along with label Albert’s Favourites, to finally share it.

Murmuration

The Expansions - Cannonball

Rhodes - Robert Finucane
Vox - Saara Maria
Trumpet - Nick Bianchini
Drums - Amir Oosman
Bass - Kevin Cameron

Produced by Kevin Cameron & Jonah Christian
Composed by Robert Finucane
Mastered by Cristiano Verardo @ Waterland Studios in Venice, Italy
Artwork by Raphael Cornford

Joomanji - Somethin Out Of Nothin (Feat. Saara Maria)

Quick intro edit I made of @lionbabe's really dope single, opening with the sample used on the beat. 

Eunice Collins is forever!

Treat Me Like Fire (Eunice & Mawkus' Hotel Edit)

The new album, 'The Loop', out now. Buy/stream: https://jordanrakei.lnk.to/TheLoop

World tour tickets: https://jordanrakei.com

Management:
jordanrakei@redlightmanagement.com
Live Agents:
ROW - claudio.lillo@caa.com
North, South, and Central America - sgoodgold@teamwass.com