Atlas

Simply put, I want this song played at whatever party is thrown in my name after my demise. The song is Atlas by Faux Tales and it's an emotional( for me anyway, it gives me goose bumps)  instrumental dub step track that is all kinds of awesomeness. It's melodic, tender, and raucous and anytime you can combine those three traits in one song then you have something special. Atlas is special and I am having a hard time listening to anything else.

Side note, if you like this (which I'm sure you will) then check out Ascent by Faux Tales. Amazing, and you're welcome.

Inferni

Allow me to introduce to you another intensely dramatic and melodious song from the group that has come to define the genre of epic music. The group is Two Steps From Hell and the piece is entitled Inferni. My only beef with the cut is that it's FAR too brief but it does not lack in impact at all. The strings are relentless and when the vocals come in they are hair raising.

Off of their latest album Vanquish, Thomas Bergersen and Nick Phoenix have from somewhere and somehow concocted a song that serves notice to all other artists trying to make a name in this realm of music. Step back and give them room or they will show you no mercy.

If you like this song then I suggest you check out some of their other works like Protectors of the Earth and All is Hell that Ends Well. They will blow you away. You're welcome.

Awaken

If you have yet to hear about the incredible violinist Damien Escobar then allow me to make the introduction with his moving and beautiful piece entitled Awaken. Released last year, Awaken is a single that is stirring in its beauty and as far as I'm concerned it's a piece of music everyone should hear. It's quietly addicting as I can't stop listening to it since I've heard it and it has restored my faith and belief in the art form known as music. This song is a feast for your ears.

Awaken is arranged in your typical song format of verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus. What makes this song pull you in though is the passion behind Damien's masterful playing and the movements towards the end. It's without a doubt the most beautiful thing I have heard in a very long time. Take a listen and see if you agree with me.

Vellocet

I know it's been a really long time since I've introduced you to something new or re-introduced you to something old. Sometimes life happens and it gets in the way of shit, my bad. I'll do my best to keep that from happening again. Hopefully this makes up for my being away. I felt it was my duty to bring you this cut from Breakage. It's called Vellocet and it's an instrumental piece that is crazy funky. The mid tempo groove is an undeniable head nodder and the beat is hard and crisp. It's off their 2015 album entitled When The Night Comes.

My two biggest beefs with this song is 1- it's not very long, I know it's over 4 minutes long but I want it to keep going and 2- it just ends. There's nothing at the end that even begins to mirror the majestical intro and that's a shame. I hate it when a song just stops, it's annoying but I digress. Vellocet is the kind of tune that would be perfect to hit the open road to.

If you like this cut then look into Stolen featuring Lily McKenzie. There's just something to that song that haunts me. Maybe it'll haunt you too.

Here

I know it's been awhile since I've posted here but I've been a tad busy, not to mention not hearing anything inspiring lately. That was until today when I came across this song by Alessia Cara entitled Here. It's a song that asks that age old question we've all asked ourselves at one time or another, "what in the hell am I doing here?" It's a great song that's a down tempo groover and Alessia's voice is the perfect accompaniment.

The vocal arrangement has a hip hop feel to it. Most pop songs have very few lyrics and those lyrics are usually repeated to the point where you want to shoot yourself in the head (Can't Feel My Face comes to mind). Alessia spits lyrics like Really I would rather be at home all by myself / Not in this room with people who don't even / Care about my well being / I don't dance, don't ask / I don't need a boyfriend / So you can go back / Please enjoy your party I'll be here. It's hard not to dig this cut by this new artist.

If you like this then check out her other cuts Outlaws and I'm Yours. They're catchy love songs and worthy of a listen. You're welcome.

I Can't Hear You

Allow me to introduce you to the seriously funky track by The Dead Weather entitled I Can't Hear You. This track will make you hear and feel it in more ways than one. Sadly at three minutes and thirty-five seconds it's way too short. You're going to want more of this nasty groove and funny stalker-ish lyrics. Thankfully their 2010 release Sea Of Cowards which I Can't Hear You is on is eleven cuts of some nasty groovy funk. And if you like this then check out their Hustle and Cuss track off the same album. I promise that you'll feel that one too. Enjoy...and you're welcome.

As

For mom. I'll be loving you always.

Brothers In Arms

To say I thoroughly enjoyed Mad Max: Fury Road would be akin to saying Mt. Everest is a pretty big fucking hill. I thought it was going to be a train wreck of a movie honestly but that's what I get for reading about it before seeing it for myself. It was amazing, and surprisingly what made it an even better experience was the score by Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL. I wasn't impressed with his first solo effort 300: Rise of an Empire (he also worked with Hans Zimmer on the amazing Man of Steel score). So when I found out he was scoring Max I held my breath and dove in. Come to find out the water was epic.

My favorite piece off the score (and it wasn't easy picking a favorite) is the cut entitled Brother In Arms. It has everything you could want and need. It's a pulsing, pounding, driving piece with an unsuspecting emotional pull at it's center. When you least expect it the strings and the horns come in behind the relentless percussion and takes the song over, pushing it ever forward. When the drums come back the combination makes this song take flight. As it settles, giving you the impression the song is ending it rears up and smacks you in the face with the drums again. I fucking love this piece.

If you haven't seen Mad Max: Fury Road I have NO idea what you are waiting for but you are missing out on the best non-stop action film in decades. You are also missing out on some truly brilliant music. I wasn't a fan of Tom's after 300: Rise of an Empire, but I am one now. Take a listen and see why, and oh...break out your big boy speakers while you're at it. Enjoy, and you're welcome.

Wet Dreamz

I have to admit that because hip hop lost me along the path somewhere, this talented young cat slipped past me. I'm catching up though and this song will ensure a loyal following from here on out. The young man is the artist known as J. Cole and the name of the song is Wet Dreamz and when I first heard it I couldn't help but smile. Reason being, it brought me back to the time in my life where I never did that before

Wet Dreamz is off J. Cole's 2014 studio release entitled 2014 Forest Hills Drive and it's a sweet little banger, showing J's versatility with subject matter that has been sorely lacking in hip hop. It also shows a vulnerable side to the young man that most rappers run from, and for that I say thank you. The story being told is of two classmates that fall for each other and the young lady would like to get intimate with her classmate who is afraid to admit he's a virgin. The lyrics are tight and the arrangement is perfection.

Hip hop needs more songs like these if it hopes to recapture is lost luster. Hip hop also needs more brave, intelligent, and skilled artists like J. Cole to bless the mic (lord knows there are enough bad ones out there). Thank you J for giving me hope that maybe hip hip is turning the corner and if you liked this song then definitely check out his Crooked Smile off his 2013 release Born Sinner. Enjoy!

If I Die Tonight

I have been disappointed by hip hop these past number of years. It was an art form I grew up on but lately it's become an art form that I am ashamed of. It's not made me proud and it subsequently lost me as a fan and consumer. However, recently I came across this artist by the name of Lecrae and my hope was rekindled. I am not a Christian and anything that includes the words Christian and music, I run from but this song touched me...deeply.

Lecrae has a spiritual tone to his music, it's uplifting AND entertaining which is supposed to be impossible to do in today's music scene, especially hip hop. Yet Lecrae has and is doing that very thing. This tune is called If I Die Tonight and it's off his 2014 release, Church Clothes Vol. 2 and it's not only powerful in it's message, it also shows Lecrae's talents as a wordsmith.

I can't deny that I am a fan and while his message may not strike me like he'd probably like, at least he has me listening and that's a damn good start. If you like this song then check out his cuts Sell Out and Lost My Way off the same album, they won't disappoint you. Enjoy.

The Grunt Pt. 1

Allow me to introduce to you one of the funkiest cuts ever recorded. It was so funky the production group The Bomb Squad got the foundation of two of their many hit songs for the iconic group Public Enemy from it. The list of artists that "borrowed" from this song doesn't stop with PE though. It's a long and varied one. The song is called The Grunt Pt. 1 and it was put together by The JB's which was James Brown's band from the 1970's to the early 80's. In that time they recorded some music that made it impossible for you or anyone you knew to sit still.

The Grunt starts off with a horn blast that is easily identifiable if you know Public Enemy's music. The groove then takes over and it's a funky one with a saxophone just wailing away over it. Every now and then the horn section will come in and contribute a few horn blasts. Then there's a break that is another easily recognizable Public Enemy sample. This cut is nonstop funky fun and it'll put a smile on your face.

This was the JB's just showing off and they showed out with this cut. Such a funky piece from start to finish, and the finish was abrupt because you just don't fade out the JB's baby. Enjoy!

Fire & Earth

It's the last post of the year and I felt this blog should bow out of 2014 with an X-Clan bang. The song is Fire & Earth and with the way this year has gone, to me this song is appropriate. X-Clan was a pro Black hip hop group from the early 90's, back when hip hop said something. back when it had a positive message mixed in amongst the music about women, money, and jewelry. I was a zealous X-Clan fan and thought Brother J was one of the most underrated rappers in the history of the genre.

Fire & Earth is off of their 1992 second studio release entitled Xodus - The New Testament and the song contains subtle digs aimed at the white rap group 3rd Base and the teacher himself, KRS-One. I love this song for its message of course. I also loved the mid tempo beat which allowed Brother J to flow smoothly over as he dropped knowledge.

It was during this time when I identified heavily with the Black nationalist movement and supported the call for divestment in South Africa. X-Clan albums were my soundtracks back then and their music will always have a special place in my heart. And if you like this song then definitely check out their cut Heed The Word of the Brother. Enjoy and again Happy New Year.

Work Song

Work Song is an amazingly moving song about unconditional love that not even death can conquer. It's by Hozier and it's off his 2013 EP release From Eden. It can also be found on his 2014 release Hozier. Hozier is an Irish folk singer and this song, in my humble opinion will make him a household name. It's haunting, moving, mournful, and gripping.

It starts off with backing vocals that sounds like a choir, hand claps, and eventually some sparse percussion. Hozier comes in with lyrics about how much in love he is with his baby. When the second verse comes in you get the sense that these two people are broken beyond repair and can only survive with each other by their side. The chorus brings that sentiment home with When my time comes around / Lay me gently in the cold dark earth / No grave can hold my body down / I'll crawl home to her. 

While this song sounds like it could be a Ray LaMontagne jewel since it has all the ingredients, the one thing Hozier has over Ray is the darkness. The song is one of the darkest love songs I've heard and Hozier's vocals fit perfectly. If you like this then you might be interested in checking out Cherry Wine. Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Scorpious 1111

This amazing piece of music entitled Scorpious 1111 is by an artist named VonLichten (whole name Helmut Vonlichten) and it's a spectacle. Helmut was once part of a group I was (and still am) a huge fan of name E.S. Posthumus. He formed the group with his brother Franz. When Franz died in 2010 Helmut ended E. S. and in 2011 formed a new group named Les Friction. I found this piece on his 2014 album entitled mDust and once I heard the song I've had the hardest time stopping myself from playing it again and again. And just for the record, you need to hear this song on your BIG BOY speakers. Ear buds won't do this song justice and you'll miss out on all the little nuances that make this an awesome piece of music.

The song starts off with a poignant mournful piano melody which is the melody carried throughout the song. Then the voices come in with dramatic strings following. Suddenly the song takes flight and the strings add a sense of urgency. Scorpious 1111 slowly builds as the voices come back and the piece swells with percussion and horns to a powerful crescendo. All of which brings us full circle back to the lonely piano.

If you enjoy Scorpious 1111 then I highly recommend Liller 1 off the same album. It's an action packed piece that starts off running right from the start and never lets up until the end. It's a treat for me to have new music from Helmut. I just wish his brother Franz could have been a part of it. Enjoy!

Our Destiny

Thomas Bergersen may not be a name you're familiar with, and that's understandable. He does what's known as position music aka trailer music, and since it's not pop, played on the radio, have music videos for it, and only heard when you see a movie trailer his and other names that create this style of music won't ever be household. Thomas' should be though in my estimation because he is an amazingly talented artist. In fact Thomas and his friend and co-founder of the production team Two Steps From Hell, Nick Phoenix, should both be known names.

Thomas's latest album is entitled Sun and Our Destiny is a grand, epic, sweeping piece that pulls you in if you let it. It comes in with full on drama that leads into a lovely piano movement which then brings you into the bombast. The second you get caught up in that he changes the mood of the piece entirely and throws this amazing heroic theme at you. The strings are a real treat for your ears, and the second movement of the theme is built upon with vocals which adds a level of drama to a satisfying crescendo that ushers in the finale.

If you aren't aware of Thomas then I am happy to make the introduction and suggest you check out his piece Final Frontier on the same album. Along with Two Steps From Hell's pieces Nero and All Is Hell That Ends Well. No matter how many times I hear those pieces they still blow my mind and maybe they'll blow yours too. Then maybe you'll see why I think he should be a household name.

Norman

When I saw the movie Fury I wasn't impressed but the one thing I couldn't get out of my head was the score by Steven Price. That especially goes for this melody entitled Norman. It's a grand piece with stirring strings and packed with emotion. I thought the score was the one thing the producers got right with Fury and while it's a shame that such a great melody and piece was wasted on a bad movie, at least the music is out here for us to enjoy regardless what it's attached to.

Steven Price also did the score for the Oscar winning film Gravity, and while there are touches of that score within Norman, this piece stands on its own and it's hard to ignore. Let me know if you agree.

Infiltration (Creeper Mix)

This little instrumental ditty is brought to you by the group known as Trifonic. I've been a fan of theirs since I first came across a song they did called Parks On Fire (which I highly recommend taking a listen too. It's here on this blog actually). After hearing Parks I made it my mission to hear everything these two brothers Brian and Lawrence had ever done which led me here.

Infiltration is the name of this masterpiece and when played loudly on those big boy speakers of yours, it shakes walls. The high end frequencies won't annoy your ears but the low end will definitely annoy your neighbors, but they'll thank you in the end for the introduction. Infiltration (Creeper Remix) is off of the groups 2008 Remergence EP.

The groove in this cut is unmistakable as you might cut detect a little Funky Drummer in the beat. And if you like this song then check out Transgenic (Rust Mix). It's a tad more mellow but just as cool. Now if you need to put some pep in your step and some stride in your glide, cue this monster up and hold on. Enjoy...and you're welcome.

Let's Go Crazy

Are you as big a fan of Prince as I am? Are you a lover of his iconic Oscar and Grammy award winning album Purple Rain as I am? If so then you are in for a little delicious treat for your ears. Okay, who am I kidding, it's actually a GIGANTIC treat. Prince has recently announced that he will be dropping a solo album and an album with his group 3rd Eye Girl in September and has already released the finger popping first single Clouds. Following that up, Prince released a rock heavy version of Let's Go Crazy on the internet, and it's fucking sick.

The drums bring the song in and you are instantly assaulted by the heavy funky groove. Prince comes in not shortly afterwards singing the very familiar lyrics of Crazy and the guitars crank and crunch. He never gets to the second verse, he instead sets fire to the whole thing with a blistering solo which then drags the song into a monster version of the Edgar Winter Group's classic Frankenstein.

I doubt this sound will be on Prince's newest releases coming soon but this definitely reminds everyone just how proficient Prince is on guitar. This kind of playing has been missing from him lately and it's nice hearing him tear shit up again. Enjoy.

Iminluvwichoo

This is one of my favorite Eric Benet songs because it's both playful and funky. The song is called Iminluvwichoo and it's off his 2008 release entitled Love & Life. It's an uptempo groovy cut that is in my opinion the best cut off the album though Love & Life has a far more lighthearted feel than his previous album, 2005's Hurricane. That album was released after his very public break up with a certain Hollywood actress. Love & Life was Eric getting back to being Eric.  

The reason this particular song stuck out and struck me was because of the music track. Back in 1985 a duo named Renee & Angela released an incredible album called Street Called Desire and on that album they recorded a song entitled I'll Be Good. Iminluvwichoo is almost entirely built off the foundation of I'll Be Good and I have no problem with that at all because I LOVE I'll Be Good. So this song makes me smile every time I hear it.

Iminluvwichoo is a duet with Linda Kirally so I am firmly under the belief that Eric purposefully set out to make this song sound like Renee & Angela's classic as much as he possibly could and bravo to him. Not only does it make this song rock but it re-introduces people to (in my opinion) one of the most underrated R&B duos to ever record. If you like this track, check out Eric's The Hunger off the same album, and if you are so inclined, go listen to I'll Be Good, you won't be sorry. Enjoy...and you're welcome.

A Nation Rejects

When I first heard this track by The Art of Noise I immediately became infatuated with it. It's entitled A Nation Rejects and it's on the B side of the 12" single Paranoimia that was released in 1986. Meaning if you didn't pick up that single, you missed out. Since I was and still am to this day a major fan of The Art of Noise I pretty much bought everything they released and I was routinely rewarded with such gems as Nation.

Nation is a dark, mournful song with a sweet hypnotic melody that rides on top of the track. It's a track I kept playing over and over again which drove my mother crazy. It's also a song that inspires hope, as if audibly telling you that while it may be dark today, the sun will shine tomorrow. It's arranged perfectly and it solidified me as a fan of theirs.

I don't need to say anymore, check the song out for  yourself and let me know what you think. It's a blast from the past from me but it may become your new favorite tune, who knows? If you enjoy this then you might want to listen to Legacy the 8+ minute version. It's absolutely incredible the way they layer the sounds one on top of the next never losing the soul of the track. There are two groups I miss from my childhood, the original line up of Pink Floyd and The Art of Noise. Enjoy!