let me open for them onna tour next year or something

London-based duo Kit Sebastian share their new single ‘Agitate’, a wake-up call from the ambiguous political position many find themselves in today. It is the first track to be taken from their forthcoming sophomore album, ‘Melodi', which is released 1st October on Mr Bongo. ‘Melodi' is a joyous expression of vibrant grooves and sophisticated lyricism that transcends boundaries, borders and social-cultural preconceptions. Those familiar with the band's cult classic 2019 debut record 'Mantra Moderne' will instantly recognise their unique take on world music, jazz and psychedelia. With this next album the duo have expanded their language and concepts and transposed them into something larger and more contemplative.

Written during the first UK lockdown and recorded that summer, ‘Agitate’ is a rallying-cry against pacification by the hegemony. It is a jolting recognition of how it feels being strongly opposed to social inequalities, yet not knowing how to rail against them in a society whose social history is deeply shaped around injustice. Idealising the past yet very selectively or safely remembering it. As the duo explain, "the song calls its listeners to remember, act against injustice and question figures of authority from our daily lives".

They weave a psychedelic tapestry of global influences, with ‘Agitate’ seeing them combining a rather stern Baroque harpsichord reminiscent of old Europe over an undercurrent of saxophones and a rhythm section influenced by global funk. The lyrics are sung in both English and Turkish, which adds another intriguing layer of depth to the track. A delicious taster of what is to come from a highly-anticipated album.

Agitate

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Kit Sebastian - Agitate

Isaac Aesili's  'Runaway' EP is a story of his journey from his South Pacific homeland in Aotearoa, New Zealand to his new South-East Asian base in Bangkok, Thailand. The title track "Runaway"  is a boogie blazing Juno 106 synth-driven modern funk jam that harks back to the sounds of Isaac's earlier Funkommunity and Sorceress productions. "Creatress" is a mystic hip hop instrumental ode to mother nature abundant in dense jazz harmony yet simultaneously spacious and tranquil. "Motion" is a bouncing deep house joint that evokes positive reassurance with a lush, rolling bassline that evolves into a soaring climax featuring Isaac's signature majestic trumpet. "Jazzmin" is the calm after the storm where a solitary Rhodes melody, an ambient andante beat, and haunting horns speak of overcoming turbulent times through returning to a place of peace.

Isaac Aesili is a Māori musician, DJ and music producer from New Zealand living in Bangkok. Internationally acclaimed solo artist and the producer and creative force behind Funkommunity, Sorceress and Karlmarx. Isaac’s original productions have been supported internationally by DJs such as Gilles Peterson, Benji B, and Lefto. His trumpet playing features on many collaborations including ‘Midnight in Peckham’ by Chaos in the CBD (Rhythm Section) and ‘Layer’ by Julien Dyne (Wonderful Noise/BBE). A world-renownedmusician on both trumpet and percussion, Isaac is a member of the Lord Echo band. His music fuses Soul, Funk, Jazz, Brazilian and Afro Latino styles with R&B, House and Electronic music. Isaac’s new EP ‘Runaway’ drops on 16th July 2021 on Bastard Jazz  Recordings.

Isaac Aesili - Jazzmin

‘On The Daily’ is the electrifying first single taken from The Brkn Record’s forthcoming debut album, ‘The Architecture of Oppression Part 1’. A ground-breaking concept album from Jake Ferguson of The Heliocentrics. It is a critical journey through the eyes of black Britons, blending powerful and sobering narratives with psychedelic and soulful symphonies.

‘On The Daily’ is a future anthem that has a timeless quality to it. With flawless production that is relevant and urgent today, but would also feel at home had it emerged from the Cadet Records stable at their 60s and 70s peak. It displays the strength and intimacy of a modern-day Odetta jamming with Charles Stepney. 

A child of Nigerian, West African parents, Ugochi Nwaogwugwu, narrates and delivers the song with the strength and ethereal beautify of an avenging angel. Ugochi describes this song as an "attempt to express the degree of power, resilience and focus it takes to be black and in this world. So many forces trying to take our peace of heart and mind. Though the battle rages on, those on the frontline win when we keep our poise and expose the perpetrators of racism and white terrorism."

This song is a clarion call driving awareness to the fact that these things are happening to black people everyday, and you have to be strong to survive this - on the daily.

The Brkn Record

The Brkn Record - On The Daily (Feat Ugochi Nwaogwugwu)

Within Melbourne's burgeoning cinematic-soul scene, which includes breakout acts Surprise Chef and Karate Boogaloo, mysteriously sit The Pro-Teens. Helmed by prolific drummer and percussionist Hudson Whitlock, who also plays in both aforementioned bands, this breakaway studio project involves an interchangeable collective of incognito, Melbourne-based, esteemed instrumentalists playing under outlandish pseudonyms such as "'Dead Honest’ Dean Amazing" and "Libby Clique-Baite". Symbolically led by keyboardist "Snooch Dodd", new album ‘I Flip My Life Every Time I Fly’ is the latest musical concoction from Whitlock's eccentric brain, marrying the soul/funk roots of sample culture with the principles of boom-bap hip hop.

Incorporating the colourful comic book stylings of MF DOOM and Kool Keith, or the dark and exotic flavours of Gravediggaz and The Wu-Tang Clan, The Pro-Teens also take cues from their composing heroes Galt MacDermot, Richard Evans and Marc Moulin. The Pro-Teens bop, zip, whip and fling on this phantasmagorical journey - an unorthodox patchwork of cinematic soul, hip hop-guided funk breaks, vivid instrumental textures and film score-esque moods. 

The Pro-Teens work on the same analogue recording model adopted by the tight-knit College Of Knowledge label, self-recorded and produced with the rag-tag crew of musicians putting tracks down live to tape in crammed attic studios and sharehouse recording spaces.

The Pro-Teens - Elephant On The Wall

‘Melodi’ is the second album from Kit Sebastian. Those familiar with the band's cult classic 2019 debut record 'Mantra Moderne' will instantly recognise their unique sound that blurs boundaries of world music, jazz and psychedelia. Not to be content replicating the same album, sonically the feel of ‘Melodi’ is a maturation. It is more diverse and provides glimpses into many different worlds from the Italian Riviera to the mountains of the Caucasus, the beaches of Bahia to the city streets of Istanbul and Paris. This joyous merging of soundscapes evokes a borderless planet with music as an international language, belonging everywhere and nowhere.

Melodi

This is the first in a new monthly series I'm hoping to do for 2022: "Knowledge Breaks." Each episode will be a short mix of breakbeats and samples from my collection, overlaid with excerpts from some of my favorite inspirational, radical people. 

When I was thinking of who to feature first, my partner Bina made the great suggestion of starting with the incredible bell hooks, who sadly passed last month. bell hooks wrote about love, Black liberation, feminism, and so much more. Her book "All About Love" was and is very important to me. I highly recommend everyone seek out her work, especially those involved in the educational or academic fields.  Many of the interviews that I excerpted on this tape were from a series hosted by the New School, and I hope everyone checks out the full episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thenewschool/search?query=bell%20hooks

There is no way to do justice to legendary people like bell hooks in such a short little mix. These are just a few excerpts I found compelling. The goal of this mixtape series is after a year, have a nice little compilation of voices, beats, breaks and knowledge. I hope everyone digs it, and searches out more from all of those featured. Please share!

Knowledge Breaks

bell hooks

Knowledge Breaks: bell hooks

El Tallo es el primer track del nuevo Album-EP de Koyko, ORIGEN, disponible ya en koyko.bandcamp.com/

Compuesto, grabado y producido por KOYKO, Vitoria 2022
Teclados y percusión: Coco G Diez
Artwork: ghostartistsociety

ORIGEN

El Tallo

'Almost Five' is the first single from Bucharest's 7th SENSE.

Read more @ https://twistedsoulmusic.org/2022/03/02/new-sounds-7th-sense-ft-liam-shortall/

Almost Five

7th SENSE ft. Liam Shortall - Almost Five (TS Premiere)

lets get rid of the shitty things
https://boogiearkestra.bandcamp.com/track/harveys-hint

Boogie Arkestra :  Harveys Hint

Ahead of the much anticipated release of Música Macondo's 'Brasil Novo' compilation of deep, raw and contemporary Afro Brazilian samba, we are exited to premiere Grupo Bongar's electric take on Samba de Coco, "Vento Corredor". 

Música Macondo has unearthed eight contemporary Brazilian tracks on compilation 'Brasil Novo', disseminating the rich and percussive heritage of Brazil and Samba De Coco. Selected by DJs Tahira (Sao Paulo) and Tim Garcia (London), the diversity and positivity of Brazil shines, featuring elements of samba, candomble, batuques, jazz, folk and beyond, designed with the esoteric dancefloor in mind.

DJ Tahira is a massive Brazilian music fan and has been on a research journey for a number of years, dedicated to the preservation and archiving of music made or influenced by black and indigenous Brazilians. Based out of Sao Paulo he has a particular interest in the history of Samba de Coco, a folkloric musical form that was very popular in, (and probably originated from), the north east of Brazil, by slaves and indiginous people from working class backgrounds who came together, making a rhythmical mesh of sounds dating back hundreds of years and allowing them to carve a unique cultural identity.

Ignored or disregarded as inferior by Brazil's recording industry, there are few existing original recordings of this music from the twentieth century, relying instead on oral tradition and carnivals like those in Recife or Pernambuco. In recent times there has been a flux of contemporary proponents who mix Samba de Coco with other contemporary Brazilian musical forms. Brasil Novo features both the roots, and more divergent fusions.

In the current cultural impasse that Brazil is experiencing, with artists and musicians experiencing the withdrawal of funding and services and with concerts and clubs yet to get back to pre-pandemic levels, it's never been so important to give visibility to contemporary creativity. This compilation not only gives a needy international platform to new artists, it enables an archive of Afro Brazilian culture that in some cases is disappearing. It’s also a fine example of resistance and positivity, against the odds.

Grupo Bongar, well known in Brazil and internationally, combine all manners of Brazilian folk, axé and samba, whilst they also run a centre for percussion aimed at galvanising musicians from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Exclusive Premiere: Grupo Bongar "Vento Corredor" (Forthcoming on Música Macondo)

shesperfect

Record label. Record shop. Film label. Since 1989.

Kit Sebastian - Agitate

Mr Bongo

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