The third in Strut’s Inspiration Information studio collaboration series brings together an intriguing pairing between one of Africa’s great bandleaders, Mulatu Astatke, with the next level musicianship of The Heliocentrics collective from the mighty roster of Stones Throw / Now Again. for more info and buy check: www.strut-records.com

Tracklist

01. Masenqo
02. Cha Cha
03. Addis Black Widow
04. Mulatu
05. Blue Nle
06. Esketa Dance
07. Chik Chikka
08. Live from Tigre Lounge
09. Chinese New Year
10. Phantom of The Panther
11. Dewel
12. Fire in the Zoo
13. An Epic Story
14. Anglo Ethio Suite

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“SunStorm” is the latest album from Detroit-area born, DC-area based producer/multi-instrumentalist Zo!  Best known for his 2008 collaboration with Phonte on the cult classic “Zo and Tigallo Love the 80′s” as well as his work on The Foreign Exchange’s Grammy-nominated LP, “Leave It All Behind,” ‘SunStorm” is an extensive 12-track set that shows the ever-expanding range and depth of Zo! and the entire Foreign Exchange Music family.
Indie soul siren and American Idol vocalist Sy Smith serves up a slice of 70′s soul on the breezy “Greatest Weapon Of All Time,” and Lady Alma, a Philly veteran and stalwart of the UK house scene, takes it to the dance floor on the frenetic “Free Your Mind.” The album’s lead single, “This Could Be The Night,” features Darien Brockington, Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Eric Roberson, and Rapper Big Pooh of Little Brother over a thumping two-step groove specifically intended for the ‘steppers’ of Zo’s native Detroit. Another highlight is the Phonte-assisted “Flight Of The Blackbyrd,” Zo’s heartfelt homage to the 70′s jazz/funk fusion of The Mizell Bros. and George Duke.

for more info and buy: www.theforeignexchangemusic.com

Tracklist

01. Greater Than The Sun feat. Phonte
02. Greatest Weapon Of All Time feat. Sy Smith
03. Say How You Feel feat. Phonte & Carlitta Durand
04. For Leslie
05. Be Your Man feat. Darien Brockington
06. Free Your Mind feat. Lady Alma
07. SunStorm feat. YahZarah
08. If I Could Tell You No feat. Jesse Boykins III
09. This Could Be The Night feat. Eric Roberson, Darien Brockington & Rapper Big Pooh
10. Flight Of The Blackbyrd feat. Phonte
11. All Is Well With Love feat. Chantae Cann
12. Make Luv 2 Me feat. Monica Blaire

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Famed producer/emcee The Alchemist, and Oh No, the left-coast rapper/beatsmith are collaborating as Gangrene, to bring audiences the gritty opus Gutter Water on Decon. Over the course of three years and a myriad of emails, the two have built a project that celebrates their shared passion for dusty breaks and lurid wordplay as well as their distinctly different application of each.

On Gutter Water, both Oh No and The Alchemist share production duties while trading verses over each other’s dense compositions. Both find themselves remarkably at ease amongst the threatening drums pounded out on endearing vintage equipment, flipping verses that run the gamut from literal to abstract, amounting to an incredible collection of head-nodders. A myriad of features include Raekwon, Evidence, Roc C, MED, Twins Gambino, Planet Asia and Fashawn.

lead single, “Chain Swinging” here: DOWNLOAD!

2010 release, Slum Village’s sixtth studio album, that serves as both a reunion and a memorial album. “I wanted to pull the whole squad together,” explains T3. “The reason why we call it Villa Manifesto is that it was a statement we want to give our people because we had been away for so long. What we’re doing, what’s going on, how we’re feeling and where we’re at today.”

for more info and buy: myspace.com/slumvillage

sadly the last album by SV, so absolutely to buy.

Tracklist

01. Bare Witness feat. Babu
02. Lock It Down
03. Scheming feat. J Dilla, Posdnuos & Phife
04. Earl Flinn
05. Faster
06. 2000 Beyond feat. J Dilla
07. Dance feat. AB
08. Don’t Fight The Feelings feat. Dwele
09. Um Um feat. Keys
10. The Set Up
11. The Reunion Pt. 2
12. Where Do We Go From Here feat. Little Brother
13. We’ll Show You feat. AB

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In addition to showcasing a love for 1960s and 1970s soul, Shawn Lee also steers his latest musical mystery tour into psychedelic and cinematic territory over the course of 12 brand new cuts. Sing a Song is like a breezy summertime mixtape, packed with catchy motor city licks and space age songs that Lee built from scratch with each collaborating vocalist in mind. Inviting vocalists from as far afield as Kansas City, Los Angeles, London, Detroit and New York, Lees’ latest album features Princess Superstar, artist Paul Fryer, and blind street performer Robert Bradley. During recording Lee had to be admitted to hospital for an emergency appendix operation, just a few days after his wife gave birth to their second girl. But the musical drive in Mr Lee is so strong there’s always time to Sing a Song.

for more info and buy: www.ubiquityrecords.com

Tracklist

01. Shut Up and Learn Ft. Fanny Franklin
02. It Takes Two Ft. Marcus Malone
03. Who Are You Ft. Bing Ji Ling
04. Fade Up Ft. The Superimposers
05. Ill Just Wait A While
06. Fading Light Ft. Lord Large With Robert Bradley
07. Older Ft. Miles Bonny
08. Swimming Pool
09. Dont Let That Feeling Ft. The Superimposers
10. Lucy Lucy Ft Jeremiah
11. Christopher Walken On Sunshine Ft. Princess Superstar
12. Meadow In The Summer Ft. Paul Fryer

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Busy drops his debut 12″ for Circulations after some real intriguing tracks for the Beat Dimensions series. His take on that heady world of hiphop comes from a more electronic angle, adding densely packed edits and full-strength synth pads to the mix, sounding something like prime era Machine Drum to some extent. ‘Moths’ breaks down the chunkier beat driven tracks with an array of BoC alike interludes soaked in shiny silicon crystals, cleansing the palette for the next blast of sci-fi space hoppers like the martian bounce of ‘Camphoraceous Elixir’ or the lazered crunk slump of ‘Witch Hunt’. Fans of Rustie, Mono/Poly or Dorian Concept should check this.

for more info and buy: myspace.com/busyb02music

Tracklist

01. Aft
02. A Camphoraceous Elixir
03. Phototaxis
04. Chitin
05. Dormant Presence
06. Qaqoon
07. Shade
08. Witch Hunt
09. Atlas Resounding

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New ? Unreleased? track from an upcoming project? who knows…maybe Mrs. Hill will be back soon.

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Coming from the city of Go-Go, I’ve always loved production inspired by funk. when it comes to funk inspired hip hop, no body does it like the west. While I was on the west producing Trek Life’s album that inspiration went further than being a fan. I don’t know if it was the palm trees, beaches, or burgers but this is what I was making in LA.

Tracklist

01. Still Never Rains (Instr Snpt)
02. Get In Touch (Instr Snpt)
03. Long Beach
04. Inglewood
05. South Central
06. Glamour
07. Everything Changed Nothing (Instr)
08. Anticipation (Instr)
09. Curl
10. Don Cornelius
11. Wow (Instr Snpt)
12. As The World Turns (Instr Snpt)
13. So Supreme
14. Get In Touch (Clean) Feat. Richard Wright, belvi, Trek Life & J. Bizness

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Free Download of Exile’s “Radio” BONUS ALBUM in cel­e­bra­tion of his upcom­ing August 31st “AM/FM” release via Plug Research. “AM/FM” will fea­ture var­i­ous pro­duc­ers remix­ing the orig­i­nal “Radio” tracks, while var­i­ous rap­pers and singers go over the orig­i­nals. The amount of sub­mis­sions were so high, not every­thing could fit on the offi­cial “AM/FM” album, hence this FREE BONUS ALBUM for YOU!

Since this is FREE, please sup­port “AM/FM” drop­ping August 31st – which fea­tures Blu, Fashawn, Shafiq Husayn, Samiyam, Free The Robots, DJ Day, Clutchy Hopkins, Evidence, Alchemist, Krondon, Muhsinah, Aloe Blacc, Grouch & Eligh, Take and many more!

Tracklist

01. So We Can Move (Teebs Remix)
02. It’s Coming Down (DJ Rhettmatic Remix)
03. Population Control (Dibia$e Remix)
04. We’re All In Power ft. Lessondary Radio (Von Pea, Donwill, and Elucid)
05. Frequency Modulation (Marco Polo Remix ft. Torae & Ruste Juxx)
06. In Love (Kan Kick Remix)
07. GB (Radio Medley)
08. Watch Out! False Prophet ft. ADAD & Johaz
09. The Machine (DaVinci Remix)
10. In Tune Static (Mike Gao Remix)
11. So We Can Move (Pollyn Remix)
12. Exbox Radio (Radio Reject – Bonus Cut)
13. OPERAtor Radio (Radio Reject – Bonus Cut)
14. Forbidden Radio (Radio Reject – Bonus Cut)
15. I’ve Been Dreaming of You (Radio Reject – Bonus Cut)

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Aloe Blacc stopped into BBC’s Gilles Peterson Worldwide recently to play some tracks from the upcoming album Good Things.

Good Things drops September 28, 2010.

Download MP3:
Aloe Blacc on Gilles Peterson Worldwide (right click and save)