frank ocean // sweet life

It’s less than a week until Frank Ocean drops his official debut album Channel Orange and his label (Def Jam) keeps our collective appetites thoroughly whetted. Check out the latest single, “Sweet LIFE” this one is so chill you can ride it into the sunset blowing misty vapor into a blue frostbitten sky. July 17th is the date Channel Orange drops, so mark your calendar or you can just Pre-Order it on cd or vinyl. Or you can just head over to iTunes because it’s available now. Peace. Continue reading “frank ocean // sweet life”

lemonade // soft kiss

Call it what you want, neo-R&B or fractious 80’s Pop with soft shards of ambient electric blue whispers thrown in for good measure. Somehow categorization isn’t as important has the music. Here the Brooklyn threesome Lemonade offers us ballads bathed in glowing radiant structure. The album is Diver and the song featured here is “Soft Kiss,” and it resonates with tangible afterglow. Also, after the jump let your eyes soak up the lush visuals of the trio’s “Neptune” video. So hot (I wanna be a leopard-print towel). Love it. By the way, you get the sensual album and soulful slice of listening paradise Diver on Amazon and iTunes. Peace. Continue reading “lemonade // soft kiss”

py // tripping on wisdom (free download)

Jade Elizabeth Pybus bka Py is a succubus of the highest order (compliment). She’s a Σειρήν too of phenomenal ability. She’s a daughter of Achelous. A soulful sister of the order Song of Seduction. This jewel box of a mixtape, Tripping On Wisdom is pretty catacombs and vox chocolat. It is labyrinth of spine tingly spells by which to ensnare us, so why fight it? Breton, Throwing Snow, Damu, Raffertie and Greenwood Sharps collectively they see it and hear it. Perhaps they’ve a muse, or perhaps it’s the other way round. Whatever and however, Py is here to stay and bless us with her radiantly adorned beauty of a voice. I am gladdened by her arrival into the world of music, and why you may wonder are so many are equally enthralled and rightly smitten? Check out her free mixtape Tripping On Wisdom available via Facebook . And if seeing is believing, after the jump lay your peepers upon the Simone Pellegrini directed visuals for Py’s song “Lungs”. Py is a bridge and a weaver. She takes the yarns of many genres and yes the tapestry is so soulfully sweet. Peace. Continue reading “py // tripping on wisdom (free download)”

Athalia / / Blackrainbows (Our Sunday Best)

Hailing from Melbourne, Australia the last place (well, maybe not the last place) you’d expect to find such patently provocative soul and potently sexy music, such as Athalia creates. The track “Black Rainbows” is an aptly-titled dark beautiful affair, while “Better Things” is an outright fire starter, or candle burner. I imagine both songs will undoubtedly find their way on many music-to-make-love-to compilations. Whether you’re suspicious or merely curious, just listen, though wait until the smoke clears to thank me. And with production by such notables as Ta-ku, 3LLL, Insightful, Jazzo & Melodiesinfonie, I’m looking forward to what the future holds for this talented artist. By the way, the EP drops May 14th. Peace. Continue reading “Athalia / / Blackrainbows (Our Sunday Best)”

Jesse Boykins III & The Beauty Created // Way Of The Wayfarer (Video)

Some songs are a place and time filled radiantly with love and understanding. Right here, these songs exist exactly as we need them to be.

 
I am of the belief everything without exception contains a soul. Every living thing. Yes, the nonliving too, mountains and molecules alike. But more to the point. I especially am of the belief that even songs carry within them life-giving energies. These energies manifest in varying degrees of influence. For some, a song can encourage. Yet, for others the same exact song can caution. The songs of Jesse Boykins III are radiant and flush with an intimate feel-good vibe. Without a doubt these songs are living and breathing, and at times even kicking and screaming too.

The music of Mr. Boykins is much like meeting an old friend anew or akin to encountering someone you never met before, but for untold reasons ya’ll just click. These songs are much like the latter. Some say soul music is dead or dying. I disagree. Upon listening to “Way Of The Wayfarer,” you know as well as I do such proclamations are untrue to the point of lunacy. If you haven’t heard of Mr. Boykins it’s alright, better late to this sound party than never attending, right? Let’s just say you’re fashionably late. No matter, just enjoy what this young man is putting out into the universe and just chill. Peace. Continue reading “Jesse Boykins III & The Beauty Created // Way Of The Wayfarer (Video)”

the weeknd // the knowing (official video)

Imagine. Create. See. & Dream. Welcome to the visual creative synergy of wunderkind The Weeknd and Mikael Colombu. Not many get it right. They did. As exquisite as Mr. Abel Tesfaye‘s music is this video is just as impressive and beautiful; and being an art history student the symbology is impressive too (horns, owl, Nemes headdress, etc.). The song “The Knowing” is from the album House of Balloons released to critical acclaim in 2010. If you like this offering (you will) then definitely cop the full Monty for free here. Peace. Continue reading “the weeknd // the knowing (official video)”