Label: Six Degrees
Country: United States
Release Date: 2009.02.17

It’s no coincidence that Nancy Kaye, Ireesh Lal and Carmen Rizzo chose to name their groundbreaking collaboration after the ancient Sufi folk song, “Lal Meri,” an interpretation which closes the trio’s seductive and refreshing Six Degrees Records debut. “The message of the song is unifying different people from different cultures and beliefs,” says Nancy, the mystery-laden honey-and-sand voiced siren, with a gift for expansive turns of phrases and indelible melodies. “Why can’t we basically be together as one? It’s a beautiful message.”

If ever a band represented such ideals, it’s Lal Meri, with each musician coming in from different backgrounds, cultures and musical sensibilities, all combined into a unified, vibrant whole. Nancy’s singing and writing – both urgent and timeless – have powered her forays in pop (a 2002 debut album for Island/Def Jam Records) and jazz (her recent, saucy tour de force Luckiest Girl), both under the artist name Rosey. Ireesh’s multiple instrumental, composing and arranging talents have been spotlighted in his previous bands Hot Sauce Johnson and Animastik. Carmen’s global-conscious sense has brought him to the forefront as a writer, producer and remixer with Seal, Coldplay, Paul Oakenfold, Jem and countless others, while his expansive vision is at the core of his own wide-ranging album and his work as a member of the groundbreaking world-fusion act Niyaz.

On their self-titled debut album, these distinctly creative musical minds and strong individual personalities form at once a microcosm or mirror of the whole world — and a whole new world unto itself. Nancy’s voice intertwines with R&B punches and smoky cabaret inflections, while Ireesh blends reggae & jazz on the trumpet. Seductive trip-hop beats mix with oud and tabla. Emotions run deep, in matters of romance and the state of the world, the music and lyrics alike questing for the best instincts of the human spirit. From the soulful bounce of opener “Dreams of 18” through the closing title song, Lal Meri is three artists inventing a new common language. (by last.fm)

Label: Drip
Country: Philippines
Release Date: 2008.03.15

Drip is an esteemed pioneer of the trip-hop genre with its acid jazz grooves, hip-hop loops and femme fatale vocals. Twisted yet whimsical, sensual yet shady. They don’t label themselves as trip-hop but embrace its essence nonetheless. “That’s the thing we’re dealing with right now, like we don’t want to be into the label of trip-hop because we do play drum and bass, electro, like all sorts of music. We use all sorts of electronic software and hard wares and what not. We can actually create any kind of flavors,” they say.
It’s the classic trip hop set-up: three quiet guys in the background to tweak knobs and play instruments, with a hot female vocalist to enthrall the audience with her voice. But Drip goes beyond mere trip hop band cliches: they are meta-glamorous, a little dark, and seductively experimental. “Capable of giving you simulated bliss,” wrote the Manila Times about the trio.

Label: Moon Records
Country: Ukraine
Release Date: 2009.05.12

Everyone is already used to defining music by the Kyiv group NimB as trip-hop. I could hardly say that there are no grounds for this – but no more than for definitions like acid beat or electronic fusion, dawn cartoon or smooth optionality. In the end, everything boils down to that it is considerably more interesting to listen to this music than to name it somehow. Atmospheric and inverted guitars, the pulse and melodiousness of the bass, separate patterns of the “drawn” percussion against the background of the not always unambiguous main rhythms – and the interwoven braids of the characteristic, emotional vocal by Olena Sas, crystal-clean and warm at the same time. It might seem that everything is simple – but this is sort of correct, saturated simplicity that makes it transparent and soft inside. Because virtually in every melody there are windows that lead sometimes to other houses, sometimes to other cities or countries, and sometimes even to other time dimensions. Not only because it is possible to hear here, if you wish, various influences.
But also because this music, surprisingly, truly lives on a verge – as though still in a night, but already literally a step before the morning. And that is why it offers freshness and the presentiment of quiet light.

Label: Schema
Country: Italy
Release Date: 2008.11.24

Other Ink is a collection of tracks previously released only on vinyl and EP (Ink EP 1, 2, 3) and unreleased tracks. The original versions appear on the Ink album and EPs except for “Exit a New York” which is taken from the French edition. Inside this tracklist we mention the remix of the title track of TDR’s album Ink which is the opening track of this project. The lingering atmospheres recreated by The Cinematic Orchestra make the track sound intense and dramatic yet not heavy and very enjoyable. “Fatale” meets the art of the Berlinese producer Christian Prommer, whose touch gives to the piece a brand new shape. Live, organic percussions are blended into a spacey and electronic vibe. The result is a full length, sophisticated club mix. The Juju Orchestra gives to Brazilian noir “Cobra Coral”, sang by Toco, a modern and Dance/Jazz flavour. Moody, jazzy, a mid tempo floater. Beautiful are the vocals performances from the singer. Also nice are the remixes by Populous and Santino Burnetto, both emerging producers and musicians whose electronic sounds embellish two of the most interesting pieces by the The Dining Rooms. (by soul seduction)

Label: Phazz-a-Delic
Country: Germany
Release Date: 2008.04.21

Tales of Trust is not a De Phazz album! It’s a solo album from their producer and mastermind Pit Baumgartner, who has been an influence on Lounge Pop music like no other producer, and adds another chapter to his “electronic organic music” biography. Tales of Trust ties in his legendary album Detunized Gravity and thus marks a new stroke of genius. Performing world wide, from Lisboa to Moscow, Copenhagen to St. Tropez, Montreal to Tokio, you’d think he belongs to the „music establishment“ and could settle back. But espacially this is the reason why Baumgartner carries on with different music styles, setting music to soundtracks, earbooks, documentaries or „just“ re-mixing the international music jetset (e.g. Ella Fitzgerald, Yello, AHA…), and producing this solo album. (by Amazon)

Label: Warp Records
Country: Germany
Release Date: 2008.07.08

‘Thought So..’ is the sixth studio album by George Evelyn aka Nightmares On Wax. Best known for his 1995 ‘chill out’ classic ‘Smokers Delight’, Evelyn has been producing his own unique blend of dub, soul, jazz, hip hop and funk ever since.Recorded while on a roadtrip from his hometown of Leeds to Ibiza, it carries the the warm emotion of the journey and also features live band members and an array of guest vocalists such as Ricky Ranking and Chyna Brown. (by amazon)

Label: K7 Records
Country: Austria
Release Date: 2005.06.06

Tosca is the recording name for electronica duo Richard Dorfmeister and Rupert Huber. Fans of Kruder & Dorfmeister (Richard Dorfmeister’s better known main project) will already be familiar with Tosca’s down-tempo, groove-oriented vibe, and J.A.C., the duo’s fourth release, delivers more of the same, with impressive attention to creating lush, relaxing cushions of sound. Live instrumentation fleshes out the programming here, and Dorfmeister and Huber’s artful work at the boards keeps the synthesis smooth and sophisticated, with enough contemporary production flourishes to keep things varied and high-minded. The retro lounge feel of “Heidi Bruhl”, for example, is offset by the smoothly rolling groove of “John Lee Huber”, and whereas most of J.A.C. spins out jazzy, laid-back atmospheres, there are a few scattered moments, likethe electro-funk of “Damentag”, where the energy receives awelcome boost. A host of guest vocalists lend their talentsto the outing, making J.A.C. a fun, fine stereo selection for mellow, elegant socialising or a solo headphone experience. (by amazon)