Artist of the Day: Natural Self

Natural Self is the ongoing project of Nathaniel Pearn, aka producer Keno-1. Pearn was originally inspired by the rhythmic force of The Bomb Squad’s productions for Public Enemy, and hip hop was the primary influence on his first forays into music. His hometown of Oxford was just near enough to London to pick up Tim Westwood’s then seminal Capital Rap Show floating across the airwaves. The beats he heard as a teenager led him forward, to the future hip hop of DJs Shadow and Krush, and back to its roots in the American funk of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. This sparked a keen appreciation of musical lineage as well as a sense of the possibilities of the future. Crate-digging culture introduced him to a whole world of music and broadened his horizons immeasurably and part of The Broken Keys.

2001 saw Natural Self’s production debut with the “Shakedown/The Soul step” single on Tru Thoughts. With seven years of DJing experience already under his belt by this time, he knew exactly how to work a dancefloor, and both tracks had a strikingly direct and confident sound. The characteristic combination of raw drums, polyrhythmic percussion and strident horns would become a signature style of the several singles that followed, notably in the mighty “Heavy Heavy”, the renowned collaboration with his good friend Nostalgia 77 (recorded as Keno-1 & The Hermit). This style became increasingly sophisticated and subtle, as showcased on Natural Self’s 2006 debut album ‘Let Peace Be The Ruler’ for Breakin’ Bread records. This album saw the introduction of live recording into the Natural Self sound as well as a first full-vocal production with Alice Russell on “I Don’t Need This Trouble”. The first Natural Self and Nostalgia 77 collaborative album “Gravity” - recorded as The Broken Keys for Tru Thoughts – was also released in 2006, and received acclaim from the BBC 6Music Funk and Soul Show, among others. Combining the skills of the two producers, the album also featured Natural Self’s first steps into singing.

Throughout this time, the demand for Natural Self’s services as a remixer was steadily rising, and he re-worked tracks for such artists as Nicole Willis, Quantic, Elizabeth Shepherd and the Canadian MC Abdominal. Natural Self’s skills as a DJ also saw him travel increasingly across the UK and Europe, as his style came to incorporate Latin and African music alongside the funk and hip hop that had played such a consistent role since he first started out.

2008 saw Natural Self returning to Tru Thoughts to release his highly anticipated second solo album, entitled “The Art Of Vibration”. The new long player, which was released on 30th June, saw a further development of the continually distinctive productions, featuring experiments in electronic sound as well as collaborations with Abdominal and eminent UK soul singer Andreya Triana. The album was preceded by a 12” single, “The Rising”, featuring the vocals of Andreya Triana and Natural Self, gaining support and acclaim from Mark Lamarr (BBC Radio 2), Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio 1), Boca 45 and many other DJs and tastemakers around the world. Natural Self recently put together a top quality live band to take the sound of his album on the road, and their first outing was a killer performance supporting Mr Scruff - so watch this space for more action from Natural Self Live (Last.fm, 2010).

You can listen to Natural Self's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Natural+Self



Released Albums:
Natural Self - The Art of Vibration
Natural Self - My Heart Beats Like A Drum
Natural Self - Let Peace Be The Ruler

Reference:
(2010). Natural Self. Last.fm. Retrieved from http://www.last.fm/music/Natural+Self

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Artist of the Day: Nostalgia 77

Ben Lamdin’s creations range from heavy funk, to hip-hop based beats mixed with dusty old jazz, obscuro funk and psych bits and pieces.

Nostalgia 77, aka Ben Lamdin, first burst onto the scene with his heavy, new funk based sound in 2002. His hard work and prolific creation process has led to the release of many outstandingly high quality albums in a relatively short amount of time, containing a diverse and varied fusion of styles and influences from more mellow, solemn, moody yet beautiful offerings to more upbeat, heavy funk, hip-hop based beats mixed with dusty old jazz, obscuro funk and psych bits and pieces. This driven sound spectrum of audio offerings led to the development into the full 2007 nu-jazz orchestrated release of ‘Everything Under The Sun’ in March 2007. This hard work ethic, gifted writing talent and dedication to his music contributed towards Ben winning the ‘Jazz Album of the Year’ award at the ‘Gilles Peterson BBC Worldwide Awards’ in 2006.

The success of this release led Lamdin to a style he describes as “a combination of soul and jazz composition with computer based production techniques”. Coming from producing hip hop style beats he had always heard snippets of jazz tracks he loved, so the fuller musical expression of actually making his own jazz music was inevitable.

His cover version of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” with Alice Russell has also helped bring his mission to a wider audience. Aiming for an edgy sound whilst continuing to search for a more personal expression, Nostalgia 77’s influences include free and spiritual jazz as well as 60’s funk and soul and Afro sounds.

2008 saw the release of Nostalgia 77’s One Offs, Remixes & B Sides album – an eclectic and stunning collection spanning jazz, hip hop, electronica, funk and more – which has gained dazzling reviews. A host of inspired collaborations on this double CD include guest vocals by eminent jazz diva Beth Rowley and remixes from the likes of Bonobo. Nostalgia 77 recorded a Maida Vale session for Gilles Peterson’s Radio 1 Worldwide show in May. His collaborative work last year extended to producing the debut album by new Tru Thoughts signing Lizzy Parks, entitled ‘Raise The Roof’. A heady combination of jazz, soul and cinematic soundscapes, Lamdin’s production on this album perfectly complements Lizzy’s unique talent as a singer songwriter.

The latest project from Nostalgia 77 is an intriguing collaboration with bona fide legends of contemporary jazz and avant-garde experimental music, Keith and Julie Tippett. Entitled ‘Nostalgia 77 Sessions featuring Keith And Julie Tippett’, the album came out in April 2009; it is a collection of beautiful original material that spans blues, jazz and soul music, threaded through with experimental flourishes, and represents a journey of musical discovery for all the artists involved (Tru Thoughts, 2010).

You can listen to Nostalgia 77's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Nostalgia+77



Released Albums:
Nostalgia 77 - Seven Nation Army EP
Nostalgia 77 - Song For My Funeral
Nostalgia 77 - The Garden
Nostalgia 77 - Everything Under The Sun
Nostalgia 77 - One Off, Remixes and B-Sides EP

Reference:
(2010). Nostalgia 77. Tru Thoughts. Retrieved from http://www.tru-thoughts.co.uk/artists/nostalgia-77

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Artist of the Day: Quantic

Jazz sensibility with future dancefloor orientated grooves, deep funk, tough drums and tropical rhythms.

Will Holland is one of the most talented and prolific artists in the world of alternative dance music today. Recording under various guises, Will first found acclaim as Quantic. As well as Quantic and the Quantic Soul Orchestra Will is one half of The Limp Twins, a duo he formed with Russell Porter. Initially a deejay partnership, it wasn’t long before they started recording, with Russell taking on the vocal duties and Will adding the magic with his savvy production.

He has enjoyed consistent success with his Quantic moniker, releasing his first album, The 5th Exotic in the summer of 2001. It was picked up on by some of the most respected names in underground music. Richard Dorfmiester, Mr Scruff and LTJ Bukem all rated it very highly, not surprising when tunes like “Common Knowledge” and the near classic “Life in the Rain” had blazed across dance floors all over Europe. With elements of Jazz, Funk and Afro blended with tight breaks and Will’s distinctive production, ‘The 5th Exotic’ proved irresistible and won him many plaudits.

He built on this acclaim with the release of Apricot Morning less than a year later, dispelling any talk of “the difficult second album”. His sound seemed to expand in every direction on ‘Apricot Morning’ and he became the first Tru Thoughts artist to collaborate with Alice Russell as well as recording with MC EQ and Bristol’s freshest hip hop crew, Aspects. ‘Apricot Morning’ is a perfect snapshot of everything happening at the jazzier end of underground music in 2002, as proved by Gilles Peterson who ranked it amongst his albums of the year.
The release of the album Mishaps Happening in 2004 saw Quantic continuing to work with Alice Russell as well as recording two tracks with the legendary Spanky Wilson (with whom he went on to collaborate on a tour and an electrifying album for his Quantic Soul Orchestra…but that’s another story). Quantic released a two-disc One Offs, Remixes and B Sides album in 2005, which featured a collaboration with Mr Scruff and remixes by Pilooski and Seiji; and his fifth long player, ‘An Announcement To Answer’ followed in 2006, cementing his reputation as a 21st Century Quincy Jones.

Quantic regularly DJs across the world (and we mean the World not just America, Europe and Japan) spreading the unique Quantic sound with each set. His music has been featured on countless compilations and appeared in TV soundtracks, and as ever he has a busy schedule of remixes from respected labels across the board. His track, “Mi Swing Es Tropical” with Nickodemus soundtracked Apple’s worldwide summer iPod advert. In 2007 he relocated to Cali, Colombia, where he has had a studio built and is continuing to create exciting music at a characteristically prolific rate, taking inspiration from the heady mix of rhythms and sounds on his doorstep.

2008 saw a new project come to life, under the moniker Quantic Presenta Flowering Inferno, a summery dub and reggae-inspired affair with an authentic tropical vibe. The album, ‘Death Of The Revolution’ came out in July 2008 and features Will Holland on various instruments with contributions from a host of Latin American musicians, including the legendary Peruvian pianist Alfredo Linares. This album pricked up the ears of many tastemakers and fans alike, including Gilles Peterson and Mark Lamarr (BBC Radio 2), who were excited and curious about the new progression in Quantic’s music – and impressed that it sounded as stunning and original as any Quantic album to date.

The big story for 2009 is Quantic and his Combo Bárbaro, a handpicked band of internationally renowned musicians (several of whom featured on the “Flowering Inferno” project) set to take over from The Quantic Soul Orchestra in realising the next stage of Holland’s musical vision, starting with the summer release of the highly anticipated album, Tradition In Transition (Tru Thoughts, 2010).

You can listen to Quantic's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Quantic


Released Albums:
Quantic - The 5th Exotic
Quantic - Apricot Morning
Quantic - Mishaps Happening
Quantic - An Announcement to Answer
Quantic - Primate Boogaloo Ep
Quantic - Dog With a Rope
Quantic - Death of the Revolution

Reference:
(2010). Quantic. Tru Thoughts. Retrieved from http://www.tru-thoughts.co.uk/artists/quantic

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Artist of the Day: Flevans

Since the release of his highly regarded and quickly sold out debut 12" on Tru Thoughts, Flevans has had a career spanning 7 years, with 3 studio albums (and soon to be released remix album), 7 singles and numerous remixes under his belt. As one of the original and earliest signings to the highly successful Brighton label Tru Thoughts, Flevans' early work was steeped in the essence of sampling, taking inspiration from blues, soul, funk, big band and classical genres (to name but a few), Flevans quickly became well known for his ability to piece together these different genres, adding a contemporary twist to create music which always had an undeniable hook and eye for the dancefloor. His first 3 12"s for Tru Thoughts became some of the fastest selling singles on the label, who then went on to release his debut long-player, 'Make New Friends'. This album, which still continues to win new fans 5 years after its release, has seen numerous licenses, including the beat heavy 'Hey Mr Bundle' to Bonobo's Solid Steel compilation on Ninja Tune, the disco-tinged 'The Notion' featuring on the respected Electric Soul compilation by The Unabombers and debut single 'Begin Again' being used by Ministry of Sound.

Following this release, Flevans released two 7" singles under the name Mooch on Jack To Phono records, an up and coming London independant label, who went on to release the 2nd Flevans long player, 'Unfabulous'. This album, again instrumental and sample heavy, also charted a move towards a more organic sound, with Flevans lending guitar, keys and bass to many tracks on the record. Unfabulous also showed a more diverse side to Flevans' production, from the instrumental hip-hop of 'The Greeting Song' to the dirty electronica of 'Cold Hands', the album quickly became the best selling album on Jack To Phono.

The following year saw Flevans take the bold step of liberating himself from all his vinyl and sample material - a move which was inspired by playing Bass in Brighton band Backini - and began work on his 3rd studio album, with the focus on song writing from scratch, without samples. The album, '27 Devils' was completed by December 08, and within days of completion, Tru Thoughts has snapped it up and offered Flevans a new 3 album deal. Far more polished and diverse than its predecessors, '27 Devils' showcases Flevans' musical talent, offering a fuller , heavier and more live sound. It also featured the vocal talents of Sarah Scott and Shona Foster, as well as some of Flevans' own vocals, and in the short time since it's release has been incredibly well received. A follow up remix album is due in Dec 09.

Throughout his production career, Flevans has also built a reputation as a great DJ, who is purely focussed on playing tunes to make a dancefloor move. In the last few years alone, Flevans has played extensively across the UK & Europe, including the MTV Canne Film Festival party and a headlining slot at the Big Chill Festival, as well as DJ'ing further afield, including Friends and Family in Tokyo, and Turntables in New York. Gleefully mixing up raw funk, hip hop, electronica, breaks and disco, as well as always dropping a few exclusives, Flevans always seems to know the right tunes to play.

2010 sees Flevans team up with Lack Of Afro for their debut longplayer, 'The Pick-Ups', head to Australia for a DJ tour and to record an EP with Lanu (The Bamboos) and release the 4th Flevans studio album ('The Sound That Man Made') which will be supported by full live band (Flevans, 2007)!

You can listen to Flevan's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Flevans



Released Albums:
Flevans - Make New Friends
Flevans - Unfabulous
Flevans - 27 Devils
Flevans - The 28th Devils
Flevans - Looking Out For My Mr Bundle Ep

Reference:
(2007). Flevans. Flevans. Retrieved from http://www.flevans.co.uk/biography/

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Artist of the Day: TM Juke

Modern ideas of laptop-based digitised music fused with classical and jazz guitar. Live, earthy instrumentation, his sound is soothing yet intriguing.

Expertly combining the benefits of a comprehensive musical education with his reactionary love of laptop-based music, TM Juke (aka Alex Cowan) has quickly established himself as a prodigious songwriter and arranger, a broadminded and captivating DJ and an exceptionally talented producer.
As a child, the infant Juke was schooled in both classical and jazz guitar theory before he began tinkering with samplers – a rebellious act calculated to annoy his father, who had forced him to attend formal music lessons from the tender age of seven. This formal education has left an indelible mark on much of his subsequent work. Seamlessly blending the dexterity and verbosity of traditional jazz with the cut ’n’ paste sensibilities of hip hop, TM Juke’s productions resonate with crisp beats, earthy instrumentation and spellbinding arrangements.

His debut longplayer, ‘Maps From The Wilderness’ (2003), has all the ingredients of a truly great record. Boldly setting new musical agendas whilst retaining a universal appeal, it sounds both strikingly original and strangely familiar.

In 2005, TM Juke teamed up with fellow Tru Thoughts artist and long time collaborator Alice Russell to work on her first full length offering. ‘My Favourite Letters’ was produced and co-written by Juke, who took the folkcentric, funkadelic blueprint of his debut and expanded his sonic palette to include elements of gospel, hip hop, jazz, northern soul, broken beat and electronica – distilling a veritable kaleidoscope of soul music history into one coherent, and incredibly catchy, whole. The album was incredibly well received, raising Alice’s profile and cementing TM Juke’s reputation as a producer, songwriter and arranger par excellence.

Keen to strike while the iron was hot, TM Juke set to work on his second solo album, ‘Forward’, which was released in October 2006 to great reviews. The LP features collaborations with Jim Oxborrow, Elmore Judd, Naim, Sophie Faricy, Kinny and Alice Russell. Early 2008 saw the release of the “Electric Chair” EP featuring a handful of exclusive remixes and versions of some of the tracks from ‘Forward’, and an exclusive release in the shape of the deep, bluesy “My World Is Empty Without You” featuring Alice Russell.

Beyond the confines of the studio, TM Juke has toured internationally as a DJ and with his acclaimed eight-piece live band. He continues to collaborate with Alice Russell, and in 2008 they have played the Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg Jazz Festivals. On the decks, TM Juke effortlessly flips the switch between raw backbone funk, soul 45s, left-sided Latin and state-of-the-art broken boogie, crafting sets that have moved feet, hearts and minds throughout the world. Those intent on pigeon-holing TM Juke will name-check genres like funk, soul, hip hop and jazz; but his insatiable appetite for experimentation and ear for a great hook ensures that the music will always resist easy categorisation.

The latest endeavour for TM Juke is a collaboration with percussionist Jack Baker, who has for the last few years been a regular feature in the TM Juke live band, and also plays with the Bonobo band. Under the name TM Juke And The Jack Baker Trio, their album “Boto And The Second Liners” (out on 9th September 2008) represents TM Juke and Jack Baker’s last five years on the road together. Having frequented many a club around the world and seen some of the best bands in action, along with their own experience as international DJs and musicians, they know what works on a dancefloor. Embracing Junkyard grooves from New York; soul music from Memphis; blending swing music from New Orleans then mixing it with Brazilian samba to unleash a feast of carnival spirited songs; this album is pure party music, high energy, and not a ballad in sight. The pair employed the talents of some great players on the record, most notably singers Alice Russell, Kathrin deBoer of Belleruche and Andreya Triana, and Spanish singer Gecko Turner. TM Juke And The Jack Baker Trio played the Big Chill festival 2008, and a UK and European tour followed.

Since then, TM Juke has been touring the world with Alice Russell, promoting her latest album, ‘Pot Of Gold’, which he produced, and working on various projects to be unveiled in the near future (Tru Thoughts, 2010)...
 
You can listen to TM Juke's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/TM+Juke



Released Albums:
TM Juke - Forward
TM Juke - Maps From The Wilderness
TM Juke - Electric Chair Ep

Reference:
(2010). TM Juke. Tru Thoughts. Retrieved from http://www.tru-thoughts.co.uk/artists/tm-juke

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Artist of the Day: Jon Kennedy The Producer

I'd like to introduce you to an artist who is climbing up the ranks of the music loving masses.... he goes by the name of Jon Kennedy.

Almost certainly one of the 3 most talented men in all of Stockport. Jon is a man on a musical mission. What the end result may be remains a bit of a mystery, not least to the man himself but rest assured it includes an enormous bag of breath-takingly beautiful tunes, copious rump-shakingly fine dancefloor corkers and a hatful of innovative ideas bordering on musical genius.
He's certainly a talented chap.

Autumn 2002 Jon joined the Grand Central family. Bred a stone’s throw from GCHQ, his childhood in Stockport was characterized by exposure to new and interesting music, as a function of his parents’ enthusiasm for the pioneering artists of their day. Jon cites Peter Frampton, Electric Light Orchestra, David Essex and Geoff Wayne’s “War of the Worlds” (check out the H.G. Wells classic !) as early influences. His taste would in part be shaped also by his brother’s musical excavations, which brought him into contact with more guitar-centric bands like KISS and AC/DC.

DJ

His DJ style is varied but always geared to the dancefloor. Jon has travelled the globe with his records, making it as far afield as China, Malaysia and Japan and can be found DJing at various clubs and bars around EUROPE on a regular basis.

LIVE BAND

Jon is currently enrolling brand new players in his band. Including digital genius' and highly rhytmical children.
The hope is that the show will become increasingly live so that the musicians can work through the grooves together with the crowd: “Once I figure out how to get all the sounds live (either triggered or played), it will free me up so much more – then I can really let go of myself”. As it is though, you’d be mistaken to assume that Jon Kennedy Live is merely a reproduction of studio-produced material: “I spend hours preparing the backing for live gigs so don’t be thinking I just get on stage and hit stuff for an hour or so" (GCHQ & Chitty, 2009)!

You can listen to Jon Kennedy's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Jon+Kennedy



Released Albums:
Jon Kennedy - No T.V. Ep
Jon Kennedy - We're Just Waiting For You Now
Jon Kennedy - Take My Drum To England
Jon Kennedy - On The Both Days Ep
Jon Kennedy - Useless Wooden Toys
Jon Kennedy - Demons Ep
Jon Kennedy - 14

Reference:
GCHQ, & Chitty, M. (2009). Jon Kennedy. Jon Kennedy. Retrieved from
http://www.jonkennedy.co.uk/biography/

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