2020s 354 Items

“Rone & Friends” has the musical colour of Rone’s friendships, of his crushes for a few additional less expected guest voices, but also inevitably of his own personality. With a strange year 2020 where borders and concert venues have closed, Rone felt the need to come closer to his artist friends and to reshuffle his creations with their voices as the new beating heart. The new collaborative album includes voices by Georgia, Yael Naim, Casper Clausen (Efterklang), Flavien Berger, Jenny Beth, Dominique A and many others. On the surface, Rone’s latest album, ‘Room With A View’ seemed to mark his return to solitary, contemplative instrumental electronica productions akin to his debut album ‘Spanish Breakfast’. In reality, the show of the same name, which took place over a week in the prestigious Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris, is the result of a permanent collaboration with fifteen dancers of the Ballet de Marseille and the avant-garde dance collective “La Horde", which fed into all the decisions made around the album campaign. The albums’ artwork is unequivocal in this regard. The health crisis in March 2020 forced the closure of the theatre and paralysed the development of this unique show at the crossroads of disciplines, which, up until then, was met with both critical and commercial success.

Valerie June announced her first new album in four years The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers, out March 12th, 2021 via Fantasy Records. Produced by Jack Splash (Kendrick Lamar, Alicia Keys, John Legend) and Valerie June, the new album is sweeping and ambitious with earthy R&B production and a touch of psychedelia amidst its astral folk-pop orchestration, the pair arrived at a sound that is elegant and endlessly surprising. At the center is June’s spellbinding vocals and infectious sense of wonder that finds the Brooklyn-via-Memphis artist narrating the often-precarious journey to joyful possibility.

The album’s first official single "Call Me A Fool,” is a marvelous preview of her upcoming LP, a delicious slice of Memphis soul that features Stax legend Carla Thomas on background vocals. Valerie

shared the song’s sensuous day-dreamy video today with joint support across BET, CMT and MTV, including a broadcast premiere via CMT, watch it: Here.

Valerie June on “Call Me A Fool”:

“Have you ever been a fool for a dream? It might have been a little dream like a kiss from a lover or a big one like the dream of peace that Dr. King, John Lennon, and so many others have had for humanity. No matter how big or how small your dream may be, keep believing, and let the world call you a fool!”

Working at Fresh Young Minds in L.A. and Hit Factory Criteria in Miami June found an ideal collaborator in Splash, who shares her tendency toward childlike adventuring in the artistic process. “For this album I wanted to see how we could bring some modern elements into that band-in-the-room approach I’ve taken with my records in the past,” says June. In bringing the album to life, the pair utilized reference points ranging from the Afrobeat of Fela Kuti to the grandiose string arrangements of Bowie producer Tony Visconti as the eclectic lineup of esteemed musicians absorbed themselves in free-flowing experimentation.

From the delicate whispered epiphany of “Fallin” and the sagebrush soul of “Two Roads” to

the joyful determination of “Smile” and the prayerful invocation of “Home Inside,” the shapeshifting textures of The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers prove infinitely mesmerizing.

Commenting on the new album, June says:

“With this record, it finally became clear why I have this dream of making music. It’s not for earthly reasons of wanting to be awarded or to win anybody’s love—it’s because dreaming keeps me inquisitive and keeps me on that path of learning what I have to share with the world. When we allow ourselves to dream like we did when we were kids, it ignites the light that we all have within us and helps us to have a sort of magic about the way we live.”

Late last year, Valerie released “Stay” / “Meditation” / “You and I,” a rhapsodic, three-song suite that Rolling Stone affirmed, "If early previews like [this] are any indication, June’s next record should be a career-making statement." In addition, Essence called the tracks "well worth the wait" and the New York Times named “You and I” one of the Best Songs Of 2020. Listen to them Here.

The follow-up to her 2013 breakthrough, Pushin’ Against A Stone, and the widely adored The Order of Time—a 2017 effort that earned the admiration of Bob Dylan and landed on best-of-the-year lists—The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers is a transportive, deeply affecting work - a potent catalyst for those foolish enough to dream.

Description: releasing brand new material episodically - as and when it happens - and has continued throughout the year. The ongoing and ever-evolving process has seen our favourite characters joined by an expanding roster of collaborators captured live in Kong Studios and beyond. The result is an expansive collection of 17 tracks embracing a myriad of sounds, styles, genres and attitudes from a breath-taking line-up of guest artists includingBeck, Elton John, Fatoumata Diawara, Georgia, Kano, Leee John, Octavian, Peter Hook, Robert Smith, Roxani Arias, ScHoolboy Q, Slaves, Slowthai, St Vincentand6LACK, as well asCHAI, EARTHGANG, Goldlink, Joan As Police Woman, JPEGMAFIA, Moonchild Sanelly, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, SkeptaandTony Allen.

FEATURES:
2x black 12” vinyl
20 page hardcover 12” art book
Song Machine Season One Deluxe CD
Download card for the full deluxe album
3x 12” art prints
1x 12” label copy sheet
Song Machine, Season One

Nach langem Warten nun endlich das Debütalbum vom polnischen Balladensänger Better Person. Das Album, produziert von Ben Goldwasser von Mgmt in Los Angeles ist die Kulmination von Better Persons ewigen Streben, Intimität durch sanfte Balladen einzufangen. Die elegante Verbindung von vergessenem Euro- und elegantem Sophisti-Pop stellen den Hintergrund, vor dem sein geschmeidiger und detailreicher Gesang strahlen kann.

17 Track compilation of all of their studio recordings, remastered and pressed on Electric Blue Vinyl. Presented in gatefold sleeve with never seen before photographs ,a printed lyric inner sleeve and poster. The VIP’s were formed in 1978 while at Warwick University. Within weeks they were gigging at clubs in the Midlands, often on the same bill as THE Specials in Coventry. Soon they found a manager, Clive Solomon, who with Timmy Mallet (now a TV and Radio presenter) and both students at the university, financed the group’s first single the EP ‘Music For Funsters. In the summer of 1978 they built up a loyal following in London. The single was picked up by John Peel, who played it constantly on his BBC radio show through the year. The 3 track EP, featuring ‘I’m Perfect’, ‘I Believe’ and ‘Boys of the City’ was released on Clive Solomon’s own ‘Bust’ label.

Velvet is Adam Lambert's ode to 70's, guitar driven rock and funk music done with a modern twist and accentuated by his distinct and incredible voice. Best known as an international superstar who blew the world away on the eighth season of American Idol. Since then he's gone on to have a fully-fledged solo career, and tour the world with Queen. In addition to his musical achievements, he became the first openly gay artist to chart with a number one album in the US and Canada.

A download code is included. Christophe Chassol is reshuffling the deck. After making his name worldwide with three magnificent ultrascore compositions (Nola Che?rie in 2011, Indiamore in 2013 and Big Sun in 2015), working with Solange and Frank Ocean, and playing the most prestigious halls, he’s taking his quest to arrange reality even further with Ludi, his new project that includes an album, film and show. It’s play - an all-important word in music - that underscores this impressive, masterful construction freely inspired by Hermann Hesse’s The Glass Bead Game. Everything is part of the melody: a playground or basketball players in the suburbs, an arcade in Tokyo, a roller coaster, singer Crystal Kay and rapper Kohh. Solo musicians were filmed in rehearsal, like flautist Jocelyn Mienniel and the composer’s partner, drummer Mathieu Edward, who managed to reprise on stage Chassol drew from the great German author’s utopic book, where music, mathematics, aesthetics and spirituality intermingle, to create a passionate work produced by Bertrand Burgalat’s label Tricatel that once again justifies his special place in the musical landscape.