US

Creating songs of both eulogy and revolution, the expansion of 21st century black consciousness is felt in waves through Ohio’s Mourning [A] BLKstar. A force that has deep conviction, purpose, and weight, songs are voiced through the a lens of chopped up drum grooves, stark melodies, washed-out synth tones, and historic sample pulls. On The Garner Poems, the group traffics their signature gritty strain of DIY Afrofuturist soul music, balancing hip-hop production techniques with lo-fi experimentation to create a sonic suite that eulogizes victims of police brutality, including Tamir Rice and Eric Garner, as well as bringing forth a conversation that aligns with the political and emotional state of this world. The Garner Poems are modern day spirituals of reverence and despair that serve as both a force of light and a schematic for hope, survival, and independence.

Having remained continuously active since 1971, the Yoruba Singers are the longest-running musical group in Guyana. Emerging from a music scene mostly dominated by slick, commercial entertainment, the Yoruba Singers brought a new dimension to Guyana popular music, cooking up a potent stew of afrocentric vibes, steeped in a committed invocation of the country’s African heritage. The Yoruba Singers released several recordings during their imperial period in the nineteen seventies and eighties, but what is broadly regarded as the group’s magnum opus is the 1981 album Fighting for Survival. The album sums up the group’s first decade of operation, serving up a heavy mix of calypso, jazzy funk, reggae and afrobeat. Initially released on the short-lived Interculture label and later reissued on a Guyana-only compact disk, the album has long been more talked about than actually heard. But thanks to Cultures of Soul a new edition is now available in wide release, and with it comes the opportunity to experience some of the deepest grooves the Caribbean has to offer!

Before any of the excitement could die down, Kev Brown hasn’t let off the gas. In less than 2 months after his long awaited and critically acclaimed Homework album, the latest release entitled Fill in the Blank is nothing short of the perfect surprise for the hip-hop world. In the famous words of Kev, this is just “another classic joint!”. Classics are synonymous with his legacy and if you release 2 classic albums back to back in under 90 days, not only is your work ethic setting you apart from your contemporaries, but the talent and quality of your product is the real standout. In the vein of Homework, Fill in the Blank continues the same formula of pairing sporadic beats and raps in an unorthodox, yet seamless presentation. The two projects may share similarities, but as an artist, Kev Brown is all about evolution. The mixing is tighter, the beats are bolder and his rapping is more aggressive. Some may observe that this album is more polished than the previous, but “the grit” he is known for is still prominently audible. As a vocalist, Kev has found a great balance of being smooth, concise, unapologetic and passionate with his honesty, love for the craft and ?ashes of dry humor. Making a guest appearance as the in house DJ, Damu the Fudgemunk exclusively handles all of the scratching. The album may be called Fill in the Blank, but the audience will state the obvious. At 20 tracks, there’s no mystery in Kev Brown’s creativity or his skills as producer/rapper as he blends vocal tracks with instrumental pieces and even throws in a few complimentary interludes. This is what the fans want. Collecting cosigns from Large Professor, Diamond D and even Questlove from the legendary Roots was seen on social media praising Kev’s recent output. Dr. Dre’s Pharmacy show on Beats Radio recently included some new Kev joints in their popular playlists / programs too. Also notable is the fact that Brown is just returning home from a European tour in which he used the tour dates to announce the surprise release of Fill in the Blank. Responding to a frenzy of hype, Redefnition Records proudly designed and packaged the new album on black vinyl printed with full color artwork. The cover art features images of the artist in his hometown neighborhood of Palmer Park made famous by boxer Sugar Ray Leonard and located in Landover, Maryland. While listeners have been instructed to Fill in the Blank, Kev’s agenda is to fll up the year with continuous projects.

Landover, Maryland's Kev Brown continues his shockwave of new music with his 4th vinyl release of 2018. From carrying PG County on his back and arguably saving hip hop with his solo albums Homework and Fill in the Blank, the producer/MC made sure the world knows who he is. Never a dull moment in his timeline, he introduced a series of beat tapes with his "Delve into Classic Moog" as the first. The latest sees Kev Brown leaving the east coast to sample the sights and sounds in the midwest, specifically Minneapolis, Minnesota. Aptly titled, The Minneapolis Project, it is 100% instrumental and proves to be a surprising yet adventurous direction in his ongoing series. With such a strong legacy spearheaded by "You know who: The Artist" himself, Kev took inspiration from the whole Minneapolis scene and the results are nothing short of brilliant. One may ask why a producer like Brown known for his own trademark sound would venture into someone else's bag. The answer is pretty simple. A good friend, DJ Iran nominated Kev with the challenge of fusing the iconic 80's era Minneapolis grooves into the Kev Brown universe. To commemorate the special occasion, this rare moment is captured on vinyl as part of Black Friday RSD 2018. Limited quantities are available and based on the performance of Kev's previous titles, don't expect vinyl copies of this album to sit around. While supplies last.

When I finished school in 1999 I didn’t really know what to do with my life. I had just bought my first computer and was killing time by playing games and smoking weed. One day an old friend came by and brought a cracked version of Sonic Foundry Acid. He said: ‘You can make music with this software!’ Of course back then I didn’t realize it, but this was a life changing moment for me. I used this music program for many many years - 17 years to be exact. It became the tool that enabled me to express myself creatively and to do what I love the most: making beats. Both my setup and my creative process have changed a bit since then, but basically it’s the same procedure as back in the day. It usually starts with a few chords, a nice rhythmic loop and some drum bits. The rest happens by itself. I remember visiting the Fat Beats store in New York City in 2004. I was a massive fan. To finally enter the holy halls was a huge deal for me. I was was soaking up the atmosphere dreaming about a future as a producer. Who would have thought that I would ever put out a record with these guys! I feel honored to be part of the Bakers Dozen series and its outstanding list of producers. -SUFF DADDY

Audiophile reissue, lacquered directly from Axelrod’s original EQ’ed master tapes at Capitol Records by Ron McMaster, housed in a deluxe gatefold jacket “Songs of Experience was supposed to have a different feel than Song of Innocence. You see, music is a great outlet. And regardless of what the titles say, and as close as I wanted it to be to William Blake, what was going on in my life took precedence.” – David Axelrod Songs of Experience is visionary composer/arranger/producer David Axelrod’s second album, it was recorded after the death of his beloved son Scott. Experience is an ominous affair, an album concerned with mortality and spirituality – the solitary, pastoral musings of William Blake set to the urban bombast of a full Los Angeles orchestra, with Wrecking Crew vets grounding the proceedings with dark funk. This is the next Now-Again issue in a series of reissues centered around Axelrod’s Capitol Trilogy – Song of Innocence, Songs of Experience and Earth Rot – which will see release through 2018. Contains oversized, 28 page booklet that delves into Axelrod’s incredible life and music, replete with never before published photos and an interview with Axelrod by Eothen Alapatt and Wax Poetics’ Brian Digenti. “There are very few people who see the Grand Picture of the Universe and understand the Nothingness that it all comes from. There are even fewer who can express these ideas through music - David could do it all.” – T-Ray

Sven Atterton‘s much anticipated follow up to ‘The Cove’, thematically named ‘The Cape’, drops on his newly formed Cruise Club Records. Anyone that’s experienced the wonder of Sven live, is well aware of the prowess and apparent effortlessness he possesses on stage. As at home laying it down on a synth, as he is tearing it up on the bass, ‘The Cape’ showcases modern synth boogie as good as anyone at present.Pick any track from the album and prepare to blown away by Sven’s skills both as a multi-instrumentalist and as an accomplished producer. Flexing those 80’s LinnDrum hits, getting spiritual on the keys, whilst layering full-frontal bass and dreamy pads – ‘The Cape’ is a nod to the past, whilst re-imagining it for the modern age. Throughout, Sven has captured and replicated those ‘80s synth funk sounds down to a tee - weighty, analogue slickness with added slap bass in the place.A yearly regular at Gottwood for Ruffy’s lab and championed by the likes of Artwork, Charlie Bones and Stamp The Wax, Sven is becoming a force to be reckoned with. And considering the cost Sven’s debut album now goes for on Discogs, ‘The Cape’ is one to snap up on sight.

Record store owner, DJ, producer, and digger extraordinaire Tom Noble comes to RNT with a superb edits EP of sought-after Caribbean and African sounds. The A side burns hot right out of the gate with the explosive and percussive Soca-disco pulse of They Came To New York, then settles into the laid back lilt of Zouk Pour Esa.On the flip, Disco Massamba is a wild ride of an Afro-disco burner and Parang-A-Teng brings it back to the Western hemisphere for some Latin-tinged funk from Barbados. Well worth it for the value of the original source material alone, this 12” is nothing short of dance floor destruction!