Mama loves....NUMAADS 'Now' [Video]

I love Numaads!

Esperanzah is like a siren calling the listeners to her as she floats on the ocean of sound, created by her long time friend and musical partner SENSE (of The Q4 and Shahmen ). Her smooth earthy rap voice and angelic singing are carried beautifully by the strong drums and atmospheric vibes, and speaks to us of realignment with nature, with our roots and with ourselves. 

SENSE skilfully combines original use of sampling, interweaved with organic instrumentation, to sculpt a sound that carries an almost mystical atmosphere. He is a craftsman who has been perfecting his art for many years and is now coming forth in to the light.

The record features four original songs and two remixes of the title song Now, by renowned producers Robot Koch and J Rawls . Visit their Myspace to listen to some more joints of the EP!

Shystie :: New style ft DJ Deekline

Even though it's raining: SHINE!

Shine (Official Music Video) by Jesse Boykins III
Im loving the rich colors and contrast..... and Brooklyn.

Jesse Boykins III- Shine (Official Music Video) from Jesse Boykins III on Vimeo.

Giant Step X Noisettes

New release from Noisettes drops today!

From GIANT STEP:

"With Noisettes, it's always best to expect the unexpected. That lies true in the London trio's new album Wild Young Hearts. From the stomping electro-rock of "Saturday Night" and galloping funk grooves of "Don't Upset The Rhythm," to the glorious '60s-tinged soul of "Never Forget You," Noisettes have made what is set to be one of 2009's most adventurous albums. "Wild Young Hearts - it's about feeling and acting young, whatever your age," says guitarist Dan Smith. "It's about having fun and not following the pack.

Produced by Jim Abbiss (Adele, Arctic Monkeys, The Rakes), the album shines the spotlight on soulful and captivating front woman Shingai Shoniwa, joined by Smith on Guitar and Jamie Morrison on Drums. "Some bands stick with the same style forever," says Shoniwa, whose versatile vocals have seen her compared to everyone from Deborah Harry and Kate Bush to Billie Holiday and Diana Ross. "They get together because they share identical musical tastes, then never do anything different. We're a gang, but we're also three divas with different record collections who constantly introduce each other to new sounds, whether it's African music, jazz, Van Morrison or Black Sabbath. For us, making music means keeping our ears open."

GeogiaAnneMuldrow on FRESH SELECTS!!

 

It seems FRESH SELECTS gets everything first.
Check out the newest on the site today:
>>>"Got another world debut for you guys today - this time its yet another from the multi-talented, Georgia Anne Muldrow, with an exclusive sneak peak into her upcoming solo album, Umsindo. The album is a dedication to the African ancestors (Umsindo means “sound” in Zulu) and the song I have for you today, entitled “E.S.P.,” is a heartfelt tribute to her partner Dudley Perkins’ daughter, and the ancestors that live on within her. Musically, Umsindo is a return-to-form of sorts, for those of us who were lucky enough to hear Georgia’s pre-Worthnothings demo/sampler - this is her closest work to that since then, but with all the added growth and upped production skills to boot." <<FRESHSELECTS.NET

Zaki Ibrahim X King Britt remix " Money" preview..

Zaki Ibrahim has been blowing minds with her amazing voice, powerful message and beautiful soul. With her recent release, Electica, she has been creating alot off buzz, and was even nominated for R&B/Soul Recording Of The Year at the 2009 Juno Awards. Keep you eyes and ears ready for her rature.
Check out this video preview of the track "Money" remixed by the one and only King Britt. Holla!!!


Make sure you grab the full album that dropped in May, released by Red Ink Music. You can grab it and check out more on her release on Giant Step.

NEW WORK + FREEBIE :: Nikki NTU :: Muse

I'm pleased to present the first of my Lichiban presents music & art collabo series, the album cover I just finished for a Wronglips featuree, Brooklyn-based songstress/ MC, Nikki NTU's debut release, A History of Dreams... Nikki's commitment to produce honest & fresh music with a rebellious spiritual message sets her apart from most other MCs today. Her lyrical flow is at times like a punch in the stomach, at others like a heart massage. The album produced by the one and only Melo-X who really outdid himself on the production end. Both artists are from the Brooklyn-based cosmic artist collective The Galaxy Riders/A.L.I.E.N. A History of Dreams is set to drop on June 2nd, and to get a taste of what you expect of this amazing album, they are giving away another new track, Muse. DOWNLOAD it here!

Also Nikki's earlier track from the album, Birth of Venus, has gotten over 6000 downloads already, if you haven't gotten it already, make sure to get it.

As for my part, I will post a more detailed post about the inspirations for this cover and a step-by-step photo log of the project. I also designed Nikki's blog & logo, which you can check here. Stay tuned for this much-anticipated album coming soon...(and yes, it is going to be free!)

FREEBIE :: JADE :: It's my heart cookie

I first saw Jade last year at a Nu Soul event I went to support Sarah who performed there as well, and was completely sold. Check out what's all the buzz about...she is dope!
DOWNLOAD HER EP HERE.

Hey ladies!!! NIKKI NTU

I first met Nikki Ntu back in October when Mega of Audio Aesthetics invited me to her and the album's producer Melo-X 's exclusive listening party for Nikki's debut album The History of Dreams (check my post on it here). My first impression of the album then "beautifully soothing and gently stimulating with the truth" couldn't be more fitting now that I had a chance to get more familiar with it...it is an amazing piece of music and Nikki, who was mentored by hip-hop ambassador Tony Blackman rides through Melo's beats with a flow at times gentle at times hard but always on point. I usually write these intros myself but her artist statement is so dope that I decided to not even try to do something better."As the debut artist from Melo-X’s imprint Galax; we are proud to present Nikki Ntu. Her undeniable Hip-Hop style is infused with political fervor and a spiritual self -expression heard from very few artists today. Nikki’s music is the reflection of a creative and ambitious generation of artists coming out of the Brooklyn renaissance. Working with longtime friend and fellow Brooklyn native Melo-X as her producer, Nikki hopes to deliver a new sound imbued with a new feeling to the people. With strong themes of healing, revolution and love, Nikki is birthing new concepts of female empowerment but moreover people empowerment. “My music breaks down a lot of barriers in people. The rhythms bring out emotion and the lyrics stimulate the mind as well as the heart. Those simple things have a great impact on inspiring and informing folks. And when you have a safe space to put everything on the table, healing is the only outcome.” Her debut EP “A History of Dreams” will drop in the spring of this year. A conceptual project entirely produced by Melo-X, it features 7 cinematic tracks of futuristic, yet nostalgic, rhythm and lyricism coupled in powerful emotions. Her songs take listeners on a voyage into the soul of Nikki Ntu.”

WHAT DO YOU DO? Unveil the unknown.
WHERE DO YOU CALL IT HOME? Buck Town baby!
TRUE BEAUTY IS… balance and bliss.
BEATS…tell me what to do.
TRUE SEXY IS… a sense of humor and the ability to laugh.
MUSIC IS MY…craft, my freedom, my strength, my weakness.
ART DOES NOT…lie.
MY NIGHTS ARE…eye-openers.
THESE 3 TURN ME ON…good conversation, atmosphere, and chocolate!
SELF-KNOWLEDGE …will free us all.
ENOUGH OF…living in the past and running away from the present.
MY CREATIVITY IS…so weird I don’t even understand it yet. It’s 2 parts pressure, 3 parts fun, and a splash of inspiration.
TRUE POWER IS…the power to master one’s self.
LIFE CAN BE THE... best reality.
I DREAM OF… a) Signs and symbols. Subconscious secrets played out through cryptic scenarios. b) Messages coming from who knows where. Sometimes voices sometimes visions. Angels so vivid I could see the cracks and creases in their dark skin. c) Strong feelings that last far beyond the night.
TO LOVE IS TO… let go.
I'VE GOT FLOW BECAUSE….I ride the beat like a pony.
THE WOMAN OF THE FUTURE… is made with old molds.
WHERE CAN WE REACH YOU? Nikkintu.blogspot.com / myspace.com/nikkintu / twitter.com/nikkintu, shout me a holla!
LATEST PROJECT...A History of Dreams- both literally and figuratively. It’s a magical piece of work.
WHAT'S NEW FOR 2009? The music, the shows, the ideas, the process.
SHOUTOUTS? To my nomads, artists, creators, conscious cats, and everyday conquerors. Big ups to Brooklyn!

DOWNLOAD HER EP "BIRTH OF VENUS" FREE.
Title: Birth of Venus Album: A History of Dreams Featuring: Nikki NTU. Produced by MeLo-X http://www.myspace.com/nikkintu http://nikkintu.blogspot.com/
I am very exited to work as the art director for debut full-length album. Stay tuned, it's dropping soon!

From her untitled novel… She was somewhere between sand and dirt, grass and cold concrete. As she stooped down to the ground grabbing the earth, panting, like a panther prepared to pounce; her belly bulged. She was pregnant with Time, both past and future. She was the millisecond.Eyes smoldering, her lips parted to let the heat in her chest cool off. But it only cooled for so long. She looked out at times to come and the heat grew so hot it wrapped around the molars in her mouth, attached to her tongue, and sparked her taste buds to call forth saliva. But the burning didn’t stop. Fire huffed out of her nose and she became inflamed. Her purpose was realized, her butterflies flew free, and her fears became God in practice.