Future Islands – Seasons (Waiting On You) (BADBADNOTGOOD Reintepretation)
This track from synth pop trio Future Islands gets stripped back to just lead singer Samuel T. Herring’s cinematically soulful voice, with Toronto trio BADBADNOTGOOD making it their own using their Post-bop, instrumental hip hop sound to slow this down and create a modern day soul classic.
Takuya Kuroda – Everybody Loves The Sunshine
Two years ago Blue Note put out this take on Roy Ayres 1976 masterpiece “Everybody Loves The Sunshine”, leaving room for Japanese soul jazz trumpeter Takyra Kuroda to turn this into a neo-soul jazz classic that you can truly get lost in. Motor City Drum Ensemble dropped the original at Cosmic Slop the other week, but this is the version you want on at the after party.
Bantu Clan vs. Sarabi – Africa Ni Leo (Esa Extended Mix)
Highlife World Series is back with another instalment creating records through collaborations with global producers and local musicians around the world, first the very desirable Kenya edition and now this from Uganda. This extended mix featuring the ear worm vocals of the Bantu clan, sheds light on what can be made when we mix recognisable production with sounds and instrumentation indigenous to Africa.
Idris Muhammad – Loran’s Dance
With the intro sampled on the first track of the Beastie Boys’ often forgotten gem Paul’s Boutique. This is an exercise in perfect jazzy soul slowed down to create a grooved-out bliss. Muhammad himself takes a backseat on this one keeping the drums splashy whilst Grover Washington Jr shines through with his heavenly saxophone softly expanding to all corners of this track.
Erykah Badu – Didn’t Cha Know
Produced by the late great J Dilla, from Badu’s second album Mama’s Gun. The instrumentation was taken without permission from Takira Blue’s 1976 track “Dreamweaver” resulting in the label dishing out a hefty, undisclosed out of court settlement. It’s worth every penny.