Eclectic Vibes
by Andrew Frey
John Brown's Body - Kings and Queens
John Brown's BodyKings and Queens
Label: Easy Star Records
Trailblazing in the US reggae scene since their formation in the mid 1990s, this highly-acclaimed and highly-polished group continues to push the scene to new levels. This release features 12 songs by lead singer Elliot Martin that are sure to get the masses grooving from sea to shining sea.
• John Brown's Body Website • John Brown's Body Facebook • John Brown's Body WikiKobo Town - Jumbie in the Jungle
Kobo TownJumbie in the Jungle
Label: Cumbancha Records
Breathing new fire into the vintage, yet relevant sound of Calypso, Trinidad emigre Drew Gonsalves has become recognized as one of the renowned artistic voices of the Caribbean diaspora. And thanks to his efforts this reggae related genre has found multitudes of listeners ready to soak up the good vibrations and great grooves offered here.
• Kobo Town Website • Kobo Town FacebookKaminanda - Gateways of Consciousness
KaminandaGateways of Consciousness
Label: self-released
As our collective consciousness evolves, we seek new and noteworthy landscapes of reflection. Kaminanda provides a playground for this with their confluence of trip hop, dub, downtempo, tribal and chillout atmospheres in a structure that is invigorating and inviting to all seekers. (10) [kaminanda.bandcamp.com]
• Kaminanda Website • Kaminanda FacebookCarmen Souza - Kachupada
Carmen SouzaKachupada
Label: Galileo
Smoothly sauntering through the world jazz market of musical manifestation, Carmen Souza has honed a unique approach by taking her Cape Verdean Creole roots and infuses them with infectious traditional African music, Brazillian rhythms, and a plethora of minute nuances that make this release shine and sparkle.
• Carmen Souza Website • Carmen Souza FacebookTal National - Kaani
Tal NationalKaani
Label: FatCat
Before becoming the national treasure and pop phenomenon of the West African country of Niger, Tal National honed their craft for 6 long years before recording their first release. Known for their playing all-night-long shows five nights a week in their native country, the band rose to huge success and are in high demand.
Kaani, their first international release, is sung all in Zarma, Haossa (Niger’s main languages), and French. It is a non-stop flurry of Afropop with dancing guitar melodies combined with traditional regional inflections and percussion plus touches of desert blues and soukous that deftly combines the traditional with the modern. Their first international tour stops on 9/21 in Milwaukee, WI at Global Union Festival: Humbolt Park Bandshell.
• Tal National Website • Tal National FacebookSee-I - Knowledge Shine Bright
See-IKnowledge Shine Bright
Label: Fort Knox Recordings
Garnering experience during their 15 years as front-men for the Thievery Corporation live band, brothers Arthur “Rootz” Steele and Archie “Zeebo” Steele founded SEE-I and are now leaders the reggae-soul movement. Funk, dancehouse, and smooth, jazzy electronics blend with the soul and reggae to produce a surprisingly broad vista of styles to work with and enjoy.
• See-I Website • See-I FacebookKmang Kmang - Drifting
Kmang KmangDrifting
Label: self-released
Defying traditional classical guitar structures to incorporate indie rock angst and prog rock finesse with jazzy improvisational plateaus brings this Chicago based collective to a unique perfection. Founded by Barmey Ung, a Cambodian transplant, the compositions effortlessly delve into Flamenco, Samba, as well as traditional Cambodian Music.
• Kmang Kmang Website • Kmang Kmang FacebookKognitif - Soul Food
KognitifSoul Food
Label: Kognitif
Swinging trip hop jazz simply emanates from this French DJ! Clever samples float over experimental beats and abstract combinations of soul and hip hop grooves, while later, smooth down tempo beats are worked around strangely startling musical eruptions before catapulting to entirely new musical plateaus. Enticing and entertaining.
• Kognitif FacebookKishi Bashi - String Quartet Live!
Kishi BashiString Quartet Live!
Label: Joyful Noise Recordings
Violin virtuoso, singer, and composer Kishi Bashi (aka K Ishibashi) soars to amazing heights fueled by the glorious foundation of an accompanying string ensemble that allow him to reimagine his award winning and critically acclaimed first two releases, 151a and Lighght through an orchestral pop lens. Through his experimental and unconventional song writing skills as well as his soaring voice, he has spilled his talent into ever more imaginative and rewarding compositional endeavors.
• Kishi Bashi Website • Kishi Bashi Facebook • Kishi Bashi WikiKai Altair - Shapeshifter: Dreamwalker Remixes
Kai AltairShapeshifter: Dreamwalker Remixes
Label: Kai Altair
Hailed as a ‘Modern Day Mermaid’, Kai Altair’s music is an ode to the ancient with futuristic flourishes and poppy etheric vocals. Featuring some of today’s top electronic high consciousness dj/producers (Desert Dwellers, Govinda, David Starfire, Kaminanda), and boasting a cover by Mugwort, this remix release is set to expound her wonders to a whole new audience in a whole new way.
• Kai Altair Website • Kai Altair Facebook • Kai Altair WikiBeanpole - All My Kin
BeanpoleAll My Kin
Label: Chimera Music
As the story goes, this release was penned many years ago by an artist known as Beanpole, but it wasn’t until Sean Lennon heard these erstwhile commercially non-viable concoctions that the songs got green lighted for release. This is a sad carnival of extremely warped, bizarre and outlandish melodies, which include lyrics about food, farming, and mutants. All My Kin, features recordings from between 1984 through the late Nineties (and in reality features Les Claypool and Larry LaLonde, but were birthed by Derek Greenberg and Adam Gates).
• Beanpole Website • Beanpole FacebookKojo - Guide My Soul
KojoGuide My Soul
Label: Random Records
Guide My Soul is the first full length psybass release from KOJO (aka Alexander Green). It is filled with a multitude of quirky samples, fat, plucky bass lines and upbeat rhythms. Time spent experimenting with styles and techniques over the past years pay off throughout the 14 tracks offered here by making this a grand adventure through many sonic landscapes distant dimensions.
• Kojo Website • Kojo FacebookView More
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