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: Verve Records
Country: Brazil
Release Date: 2009.09.29

Gilberto’s fourth album All In One is her debut album for Verve Records label. Known worldwide for her ability to connect modern sounds with the heart and soul of Brazilian music, the New York-born Gilberto focuses on the rhythms of her native country, devising a cosmopolitan yet classic sound with the help of a diverse group of collaborators, including Carlinhos Brown (Caetano Veloso), Didi Gutman (Brazilian Girls), Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse), Daniel Jobim (grandson of Antonio Carlos Jobim) and John King (the Dust Brothers). All In One perfectly expresses Gilberto’s interest in making music that feels romantic and fluid. In particular, Most of the record is sung in Portuguese, Bebel’s native language, and was conceived, developed and recorded in her home studio.

Label: Heinz Records
Country: United States
Release Date: 2009.10.27

Splendor In The Grass, the fourth album from the celebrated and beloved 12-piece little orchestra Pink Martini. Splendor In The Grass was recorded in Portland, Oregon at Kung Fu Bakery, by engineer Dave Friedlander (Prince, The Decemberists) and was produced by Pink Martini bandleader/pianist Thomas Lauderdale, Pink Martini lead vocalist China Forbes and longtime collaborator and muse Alex Marashian. Marashian, who directed the band’s only music video, “Sympathique,” in summer of 1999, was editor in chief of Colors Magazine in Paris in the mid-1990s and is currently editor-at-large of Another Magazine.
Splendor in the Grass is composed of nine original songs and four covers, with songs in English, Neapolitan, Italian, French and Spanish. The album also features four guest stars: the legendary 90-year old Mexican ranchera singer–and one-time lover of the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo–Chavela Vargas sings the Agustin Lara classic “Piensa En Mi;” Emilio Delgado aka “Luis” on the American children’s television show “Sesame Street” duets with China in a multi-lingual cover of Joe Raposo’s “Sing;” NPR justice correspondent Ari Shapiro makes his solo singing recording debut in “But Now I’m Back;” and Courtney Taylor-Taylor of the Dandy Warhols plays electric guitar on “Splendor In The Grass.”
“From start to finish, I loved working on this album,” says Lauderdale. “I honestly love it and could listen to it over and over. Each song is filled with references and back stories and adventures,” he continues. “Franz Schubert’s `Fantasy for Piano for Four Hands,’ for example, directly inspired two of the songs we wrote: `And Then You’re Gone’ sung by China Forbes and its companion piece `But Now I’m Back’ sung by Ari Shapiro, who during the day serves as justice correspondent for National Public Radio. `Tuca Tuca’–originally sung by the great Italian singer Rafaella Carra–features a sitar solo played by our bassist Phil Baker, performed on the actual sitar played by Peter Sellers in the 1968 film The Party. `New Amsterdam’–composed by the blind homeless composer Moondog (who dressed as a Viking and stood on Sixth Avenue in New York City for nearly three decades)–is, in my opinion, the most beautiful song ever written about New York. We found a most amazing choir of young people here in Portland called the Pacific Youth Choir to record the chorus. Meanwhile, the chorus at the end of `Sing’ is comprised of the office staff of Pink Martini, the Royal Blues of Grant High School in Portland (my alma mater) and the staff and friends of Portland Mayor Sam Adams. For me, this album is all about participating in the world…being part of it, being out in the street and finding the incredible beauty in the activities and unfoldings of every day.”

Label: Schema
Country: Italy
Release Date: 2009.10.15

A real rising star on Schema Records — composer Alessandro Magnanini, best known for his hit with Mario Biondi — stepping out here in a beautiful album of his own original music! There’s a fresh feel here that really opens up a new chapter at Schema — still a bit of their old jazz/bossa vibe, but with a more expansive quality too — one that embraces bits of Bacharach, snaps of 60s soundtracks, and gentler jazzier passages too — all put together by a group that features key talents from the contemporary Italian scene — like vocalists Rosalia De Souza and Stefania Rava, trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso, and other instrumentalists on vibes, piano, tenor, and trombone. Most instrumentation is live — scored nicely, but not enough so that it loses the spontaneity of jazz — and other vocals are by Jenny B and Liam McKahey. The work is really beautiful — still mostly upbeat, but hardly just the stuff of dancefloor grooving too — key proof that Maganini’s a big talent to watch in years to come. Titles include “Livin My Life”, “Open Up Your Eyes”, “Stay Into My Life”, “But Not For You”, “Greetings From Here”, “Something Fine”, “Suddenly”, “Blind Date Blues”, and “So Long Goodbye”. (by dusty groove)

Label: Phantom
Country: Belgium
Release Date: 2009.12.08

Since 1996, Dirk Swartenbroekx (Belgium) is making records under the name of Buscemi, one of his favorite actors. His style is deep. Difficult to categorise: nu bossa, house music, brazilian grooves, afrobeat, jazzy electro, balkan mish mash… Dirk has released 10 EP’s, 4 fully-fledged CDs, 2 compilations for the famous Blue Note label, one mixcompilation for Ministry of Sound Germany and one compilation of the remixes he did between 1997-2005. Buscemi’s fame as remixer is rapidly spreading. He reworked tracks for bands like Beach Boys, Suba, Madredeus and Calexico. Buscemi is much in demand as DJ (eclectic, warm and deep stylee!).

Label: ChinChin Records
Country: Germany
Release Date: 2009.11.23

Club des Belugas is one of the leading lounge & nujazz projects in Germany, perhaps in Europe. They combine Contemporary European Lounge & Nujazz Styles with Brazilian Beats and American Black Soul of the fifties, sixties and seventies, using their unique creativity and intensity.
Main members are Maxim Illion & Kitty the Bill, with such exquisite guests as the Californian Jazz Lady Brenda Boykin, trumpeter Reiner Winterschladen (Nighthawks), Swedish singer anna.luca, London based Jazz singer Iain Mackenzie, Anne Schnell from Jojo Effect, Dean Bowman from New York and trumpet player Thomas Siffling. (by chinchin)

Label: Etage Noir Recordings
Country: Austria
Release Date: 2009.09.14

With his unmistakable sound-mix of Jazz- and Swing samples and electronic music, Parov Stelar has secured his own unique position in the world of music. His upcoming fourth album “Coco” is eagerly awaited. The double CD starts off where his successful LP’s “Rough Cuts”, “Seven And Storm” and “Shine” ended. On the other hand he is consequently developing his established jazzy sound, by adding new stylistic elements to his tunes. Also his dancefloor-productions, that up to now have only been published as singles, find a debut to a greater extent on his album. They meet with Stelar’s melancholic-melodious trademark-sound, which is well known from his earlier albums, but now is also spiced up with Hip-Hop beats and synth-pads. Parov Stelar manages to build bridges between his own worlds of sound with these extensive LP as well he as he does with listening- and dance-music in general. An electrifying album to fall for. The two CDs are originally thought of as one with tracks that can be danced to and one with tracks just for listening. Nevertheless the line between those two approaches becomes blurred in Parov Stelar’s newest compositions. The album makes your feet tap more and more with every track. The musician himself sees the whole thing as a “book for musical readers” which is classically defined in introduction, middle part and end. Because of downloading hit numbers on downloading platforms the “listening in” to albums and thereby reflecting on less prominent tracks, is lost. Parov Stelar sets “Coco” as a statement against this habit. Apart from two cooperation-tracks with the saxophone-player from his live-band, Max The Sax, Stelar has cooperated with six singers from different genres. This again gives “Coco” a characteristic, one and only feeling. (by Soul Seduction)

Label: Six Degrees
Country: Brazil
Release Date: 2009.07.07

Ever since Brazilian phenomenon Céu captivated the world with her self-titled debut album in 2007, her follow up release has been widely anticipated. After being chosen as the first international artist featured in Starbucks Hear Music™ Debut series, Céu earned both Grammy and Latin Grammy nominations, countless press accolades, and chart topping numbers. So how does one of the most successful Brazilian female artists of our time respond? With her typical grace and artistry.

Label: Critical Mass
Country: United Kingdom
Release Date: 2009.06.09

“We were flying back from Russia in this cranky Tupelov plane,” recalls Alex Payne explaining how Cicada came up with the title ‘Roulette’ for their new album, “We joked that it would be Russian roulette whether we made it home or not. Then we started thinking how the music business is a roulette wheel and Cicada are small operators gambling against the house – but winning so far…”

He’s right, Cicada are on a roll. ‘Roulette’ is a follow-up that kicks. With songs such as the driving Moroder-esque disco throb of “Falling Rockets” or the pulsating bassline power of “Don’t Stare At The Sun”, Cicada deserve to dramatically increase their armada of devoted fans.

Their self-titled debut album sold in droves in 2006 and topped online polls without significant marketing from the group’s tiny Critical Mass label. It was a genuine word of mouth success. However, where that album was awash with delicious Balearic grooves ‘Roulette’ ups the energy levels to an irresistible dancefloor buzz.

Cicada began life as London club-heads Alex Payne and Aaron Gilbert’s successful production team, remixing Depeche Mode, New Order and many others, but they wanted more, they wanted to return to the band ethic and build a project that reflected their love of rock and pop as well as dance. They started creating tracks but needed a vocalist.

“We didn’t want diva-ish vocals,” explains Aaron, “We wanted someone with an interesting voice who didn’t just belt it out.”

After an extensive search they found Heidrun Bjornsdottir, who’d previously sung with Icelandic housers Gus Gus and Liverpool rockers Gloss. She fitted in perfectly and, with their first album rousing interest and receiving positive reviews, Cicada were suddenly in demand for gigs. Initially wary, the trio added drummer Duncan ‘Pixie’ Mills for shows and before they knew it they were gigging across the globe.

“We didn’t want to be U2 in a month,” says Alex, “but we gained confidence, made live instruments fit with phat analogue, and played this fantastic festival called Good Vibes in Australia. We thought we’d be stuffed in a tent in the corner but the promoters said, ‘We absolutely adore the album, do you mind going on the main stage before The Beastie Boys and Snoop Dogg’.”

Playing to 20,000 Aussies going mental was nerve-wracking but exhilarating, and over the next year and a half they gigged solidly, playing crowd-slaying sets at two consecutive Glastonburys. They loved it and wanted to make an album that reflected the live experience, a new set that took the roof off.

“Performing is the part I like best,” agrees Heidrun, “It’s where I really have fun and the crowd always have fun with me.”

‘Roulette’, then, explodes with dancefloor attitude but it’s also pop. Pop? Yes, pop with attitude and cheeky underground pizzazz. Cicada know pop music can mean anything from the Faithless to U2 via Frankie Knuckles and Maximo Park. ‘Roulette’ appears just as proper pop is being rediscoveredby sites such as Popjustice and Wonkypop, a whole movement devoted to recognizing when pop music is glorious and reclaiming it from TV talent shows such as ‘The X Factor’. It suits Cicada down to the ground.

“Pop isn’t a dirty word,” they reckon, “From Saint Etienne to Santogold, it’s possible to do it credibly, we’re not techno DJs from Berlin, we’re just trying to make an album that, if someone finds it on their shelf and plays it in five years time, they can still enjoy the songs.”

To this end ‘Roulette’ springs all manner of surprises on the listener. Heidrun helms most of the vocals, notably on the first single “Metropolis”, a gem that comes on like Tiga’s finest electroclash given a sparkling 2009 update, and features tasty mixes from Charlie Fanclub and Twelves. Elsewhere guest vocalists make appearances. Bjorn Synneby of Swedish bands Pacific! and The Whyte Seeds, sings on the contagious Empire Of The Sun-esque “Talking”, leading to questions about whether Cicada have a thing for Nordic vocalists.

“I never thought of that,” Alex laughs, “but I’ve never been mad for raucous rock vocals in dance, or anything indie or overwrought, whereas I love soulful vocals with froideur, a little bit of melancholy.”

The other guest vocalist, Tom Smith from The Editors, fits this description brilliantly. Cicada remixed The Editors a couple of times and the rock band loved their work but no-one could have predicted a new collaboration would work as effectively as the song “Executive”, one of the album’s most memorable moments, akin to the Talking Heads majestically produced by William Orbit.

Perhaps the centrepiece, however, is “One Beat Away”, a contagious indie-dance stomper riding a bassline Peter Hook would be proud of, a song so immediate it’s become a call and response ritual at Cicada gigs. It’s a dancefloor detonator that ebulliently sums up Cicada’s intention to create music with one foot on the dancefloors of Ibiza and one down the front at Britain’s most rockin’ festivals, territories that collide euphorically on their smashing new album. (by bandweblogs)

Label: Piranha Musik
Country: Senegal
Release Date: 2009.05.29

Sister Fa is Senegal’s Queen of hip-hop. But getting to the top wasn’t an easy road – for a woman to break through in an almost exclusively male field within a male-dominated society, it was a long, hard journey. Struggle breeds compassion, and Sister Fa uses her international album debut “Sarabah – Tales from the Flipside of Paradise” to speak out against the injustices rampant in her native country. Warm, groovy and unmistakably African, her raps, in Wolof, Manding, Jola and French, roll elegantly over beats as well as traditional sounds (kora and djembe), delivering tracks far removed from rap clichés, and more influenced by 80s Old Skool hip-hop than current Western forms of hip-hop.

From the very beginning of her career, Sister Fa has dedicated herself to fight the wide-spread practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in her country: “It’s an operation that can kill – I’ve seen dead babies with my own eyes. We need to fight against this practice at all costs and get rid of it forever. But it is quite a complex problem. It’s a practice that has been around for some 3000 years – I myself am a victim.” It is a major taboo for a Senegalese woman to raise her voice against this tradition, one which usually only foreign celebrities openly condemn, but during her “Education without Mutilation” tour in 2008, funded by Germany’s cultural institution, the Goethe Institute, Sister Fa took her fight to the front lines: the Senegalese cities and villages where FGM is most firmly established, hoping to sensitize the population of her homeland.

For Sister Fa hip-hop is about raising awareness and denouncing the wrongs of life: “When you’re a musician, you’re an ambassador – you are here to defend and help people, not just to make music for money.” FGM isn’t the only issue she addresses on “Sarabah”: there is the real story of a young girl in an arranged marriage (“Bou Souba Si Ngone”), AIDS messages aimed at women (“Life Am”), songs dealing with the plight of Senegalese soldiers (“Soldat”) and the hard-working lives of women in Senegal’s countryside (“Milyamba”). “Hip Hop Yaw La Fal” is about the power of hip-hop, while in “Selebou Yoon” Sister Fa argues that hip-hop is in harmony with Islam. The latter was featured on the “Many Lessons – Hip Hop Islam West Africa” compilation (Piranha Musik, 2008).

Born in 1982 as Fatou Mandiang Diatta in Senegal’s vibrating capital Dakar, Sister Fa recorded her first demo in 2000. Senegal’s hip-hop community is huge (apparently there are about 2,000 rap crews in Dakar alone), so it wasn’t easy for Sister Fa to make a name for herself, even more so as a female. But her commitment, drive and talent meant she performed at many events, took part in documentaries and released tracks on compilations. Sister Fa’s music feeds on Dakar’s energy but also has roots in Casamance in Senegal’s south, her family’s ancestral home. These rich musical and cultural traditions have significantly influenced her artistic output, lending it a uniquely personal note. After the sudden death of her mother, she dropped out of school to dedicate herself fully to music against her father’s wishes. Her first solo album was released in Senegal in 2005; that year she also won the prize for Best Newcomer of the Year at the Senegalese Hip-Hop Awards. Since then Sister Fa has become a pillar of the Senegalese hip-hop scene. She has overcome hardships to become the best-known female rapper in Senegal and a role model for many young women.

Scene Release: Sister_Fa-Sarabah-SN-2009-ETHNiC
Release Info: 50Mb / VBRKbps