More heat
I've been listening to this Aloe Blacc record over and over today. Since it went into my computer, I haven't stopped playing it. That is a great thing, because it is some seriously soulful, funky, boom-bap laden stuff.
Aloe Blacc, born Nathaniel Dawkins, has been in the trenches of the so-cal music scene for a while now: he teamed up with DJ Exile, who helped him produce his first album when Nathaniel was just a sophomore in high school, and they would later release work together as Emanon throughout the mid- to late-90s. Dawkins later spent time traveling with the Lootpack crew and teamed up with Oh No as a result, who produced a number of tracks with him. Dawkins himself is one talented cat. Not only does he rap and sing (in english and spanish no less!), but he's also trained in a variety of instruments, including trumpet, guitar and piano. With the exception of a couple of songs produced by Madlib and Oh No, he was the main producer for all of his new album, Shine Through, released by indie stalwart Stones Throw. You can read more about him on his Stones Throw page, download another track ("I'm Beautiful"), and see a couple of videos too.
Aloe Blacc's record covers a variety of styles, including soul crooning, rap tracks, and latin jazz - there's even a Sam Cooke cover! - and it gives me hope for the future of modern R&B. All of it is produced with a delicate hand and diverse instrumentation, but features enough banging beats and deepwater bass to make Pharrell jealous. Aloe Blacc is out on the road this month and next, doing a string of live dates in Cali and beyond, so check the Stones Throw live page. Also check his Myspace page for more music and other goodies.
Buy Shine Through from your favorite indie retailer, like our friends at Turntable Lab (they're selling the album packed with a fan club 7" while supplies last), or download it from iTunes. Highly recommended.
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PS: If you NYC kids aren't busy this evening, swing on by this place to celebrate the release of the new Plaid album and the new issue of RES magazine - I'll be on the decks around 7-ish!
