We Plug To You... WAYLAYERS

Not the biggest Indie or Electro pop fan but I do appreciate good music when I hear it and Waylayers make good music! The three piece London based band came into existence mid-2009 and since then have steadily gained the attention of fans everywhere. Their Electro pop sound or as they like to call it - "Atmospheric Pop" - keeps them current and relevant in today's music landscape but also goes a long way to widen their existing fan base plus it does help that they pull off their sound remarkably well. With tracks that echo in your head long after the song is over and gloriously catchy hooks, this band is set to grab the attention of a lot more ears at an alarming rate! Although formed in the way most amateur bands are, the sounds of the Waylayers goes past their early beginnings with the great level or artistry and professionalism that is put into every track.

We Plug To You... Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra

Just the other day, Ayo sent me a link to listen to the artist you’re about to read on - Frank Ocean - and I’ll say mine was a case of judging an artist before listening. From his name, album art and music genre coming up on iTunes as bluegrass, I wasn’t sure what to expect but once I got to listening - Nostalgia, Ultra quickly became my album of the week. 

Frank Ocean is a songwriter who has penned tracks for the likes of Justin Bieber, Brandy and John Legend under the name Christopher “Lonny” Breaux. The 23-year old New Orleans born vocalist is also one part of the 11 man Cali based Hip-Hop collective, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA). While the group has put out 4 mixtapes and a few independent projects, this is the first solo effort from singer Frank Ocean. Not one to be put in a distinctive category, the album samples quite a number of tracks from different genres such as indie, alternative rock and R&B and with that, I plug to you his debut album Nostalgia, Ultra.

This first track you're about to hear - 'There Will Be Tears' samples the song of the same name originally performed by Mr Hudson in 2010. For the first 57 seconds, Frank Ocean uses Hudson’s version with a few adlibs before stripping off the eighties sounding synths and adding heavy sounding drums and claps instead. Although this version is a little different, it still holds a lot of sentiment as the original. We hear Frank croon over lyrics such as “you can’t miss what you ain’t had, well I can” emotionally speaking of his non-existent relationship with his father.

There Will Be Tears:

The next track, 'Songs For Women' is a laid back R&B track laced with lush drum patterns, synths and refreshing lyricism from Ocean as he sings “and every time somebody asks me, if I sing songs to get at women I say yeah”. This is definitely a track musicians can relate to and frankly if you are making songs like this, I agree to using music to your advantage in getting at women but I'll let this one speak for itself.

Songs For Women:

I wasn’t sure if I should feature this next track, 'Nature Feels' on here as I have gotten a lot of mixed reviews regarding it. But, Frank’s version should certainly not go unheard. It samples MGMT’s Electric Feel and although credit can’t go to Frank Ocean for the instrumentals, it is a smart choice to add this to his LP. On the first listen, it took my mind to sort of a hippie style gathering, but Frank’s style (and flow) of singing embellishes the sounds perfectly giving it a more R&B feel. A strange sounding intro but ingenious at the same time can only either fuel an interest to hear more or skip the track but I would advice that you do the former. This was definitely the first play back worthy track of the album for me. The lyrics are a bit cheeky, but you’ll warm up to them eventually.

Nature Feels:

Other really good tracks on what is a pretty impressive album and exciting body of work are Love Crimes, which makes for an easy listening and sounds like what could be a Ryan Leslie production. Two-thirds of the way into the song, I liked the fact that something different was done to the instrumental; the beats per minutes (BPM) were slowed down (excuse my DJ talk) to give a more dramatic feel to Ocean's lyrics and his usage of Nicole Kidman's infamous monologue from Stanley Kubrick's 1999 film - Eyes Wide Shut. Strawberry Swing is the first track on the album and it kicks off the album rather nicely as it samples Coldplay’s song of the same title. One thing I admire about Frank Ocean is while keeping the originality of most of the samples he uses, he is still able to re-invent the songs as his own. Novocane and Swim Good are also potential favorites off of this LP as they are not your average sounding R&B tracks and Novacane especially sees Frank Ocean in superb songwriting and lyrical form.

Novacane:

Versatility is important from an artist and this album shows a great deal of that from Frank Ocean. He kind of reminds me of Kid Cudi even though they sound nothing alike and for me as a first time listener, I am very impressed with his musical effort and dexterity. There’s no doubt Frank Ocean is now on my radar and I advise that he should be on yours too. Download the LP and revamp your week with some G.O.O.D. music.

Download: Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra

Keep Tabs on Frank Ocean: Twitter // Tumblr

Till the Next Time…

TemiY

We PLuG 2 You... G.O.O.D Music (We the Future Volume 1)

Ok you already know who we are & what we do, if you dont, check us out here!!! Let's get right into it... I'm so excited right now, you dont even understand!!! We've got some real GOOD music to finally share with you guys!!! We got some new exclusive stuff and we did some 'diggin' in the crates' type shit as well but the overriding theme for this blog is... the artistes that we bring to you here, now are all new, actually strike that, they're UP & COMING... you could say 'About 2 Blow', I say THE FUTURE!!!

Right!!! So I love this song, I absolutely love this song!!! And that's kinda why it's goin on first lol!!! Its called 'Baby Mi' & I'd quickly like to introduce you to the voice, the heart, the soul behind this tuune! Her name is Sonia Irabor, but we call her 'La-La'!!! She says she 'lives for this' and my gosh, do we believe her!!! Because we're only here to speak about the GOOD music, lets jus listen ok...






My fav part of that song... 'I'm most comfortable with you like KINI BIG DEAL?'...

And JUS inCase you were feelin that joint (which I am so sure you were), we jus got our hands on some new & EXCLUSIVE s**t from homegirl, its called 'Lettin Go' and its produced by RIES an upcoming producer who says he is the future of west african hip-hop so we'll have 2 look out for him... anyway check it out!!!






For the record, 'Baby Mi' is my favorite 'La-La' track but there's jus sufin bout this one, maybe its the bounce to it, the feistyness in the lyrics & yet the easy breezy tone her voice takes... I jus love it! 'Nigga please look at this face...'??? Jus love it!!! But that's only my opinion, you tell me what you think aight!

& turnin this GOOD Music thing all the way 180degrees round, we've got some of my fav kinda music in this bit!!! Oh by the way, we're at the G.O.O.D Hip-Hop section lol!

I personally have been tryna get this tune out to you guys ever since I heard it! Y'all know D'Banj right (NO I dont have stuff from D'banj! Well not YET anyway), then you must know the colossal record 'Gbono Felli Feli'? Well in the last few months, a few 9ja emcees have gone and done freestyles on it, with M.I being the most prominent of the lot BUT when I heard that Falz aka Bahd Ghoi jumped on the 'Gbono Felli Feli' beat, I was like 'hmmmm' but then I heard this...






... and all I could say was 'WOW!!!', first off... BIG UP 2 Don Jazzy for such a ridiculous beat, hands out the sickest beat outta 9ja in the last year (don't worry Gongo Aso is up there too lol!) but alas I digress... This freestyle though!!! Ok the beat packs so much 'umph' to it & I feared that it took a certain high energy flow (that I hadn't seen Falz show in his other records, his flow was more mellow or laid back, well before now!) 2 ride that beat & oh WHAT ENERGY does the kid bring on this track!?!?! & this is me yeah 'did he jus spit in "Yoruba" right there?', it trips me how the guy mixes his vernacular wiv pidgin english & propa english language! What's more though is its a FUN track & the lyrics don't disappoint! I am very impressed with this record & that's sayin the very least!!!

'Look now I be fyne boy... No be say Na powder! No be say Na Powder!!!' lol

Obviously keepin wiv the vibe of givin y'all some new & exclusive music every chance that we get, here's the latest record from Falz aka Bahd Ghoi (lol). This one's produced by David Evans from The Priority Club UK. RWD Magazine says Mr. Evans is the 'future of UK R&B'!!! (OK QUICK EDIT Y'ALL THIS ONE'S PRODUCED BY A BROVA FROM CANADA CALLED 'JEGEDE JACKSON'! APPARENTLY DAVID EVAN'S STUDIO IS WHERE THE TRACK WAS LACED & MASTERED!!!). Me personally, I dunno yet! The production on 'Doin It' (that's the name of the new Falz record btw lol) is alright, its catchy & it's got that bounce to it... why don't I jus let you hear the track yourselves???





SO don't hoard your comments, let us know what you're thinkin! I like this one but I've heard Falz better... At first listen I thought production on this was just adequate but after a few more listens, I definitely like the bounce on it! I'd love 2 hear your take on that too! Essentially though, I like it but I'm not bowled over (AM I EVER LOL???)

Forget everything else you've heard about it cos 2009 is definitely the YEAR of REMOT. Goin thru his discography, its hard to believe its been lil over a year since he started puttin his music out there for y'all (it was exclusively for us elitist b4 then lol!!!). But I'll give a run thru... you know that Jay-Z/Coldplay mash-up mixtape called Viva La Hova put together by Terry Urban & Mick Boogie? He produced a couple joints on there & HipHop DX, MTV, VH1, Coldplay & even the Jigga Man all co-signed that mixtape... & The Mick Boogie + Adele mash-up mixtape, 1988? Well he blessed that aswell! Rolling Stones gave one of his productions, 'To Make You Feel My Love' (a remix of Adele's 'First Love') on that mixtape some 'shine'... Fact of the matter is, REMOT (pronounce 'remote') is really G.O.O.D Music... so let's get to the music, shall we?

'Modern Soul' is how he'd describe his sound and he calls this track 'Best AT It' & you know what's madd about it? We can SO flippin digg that!!! Check it OUt...






Damn!!! & that's all I'm saying! You say what you can lol... Naah seriously say something!!!

And to close us out, we have Remot on hand with an instrumental he used to mash-up Radiohead's 'reckoner' with Lupe Fiasco's 'superstar' for Mick Boogie & Terry Urban's '2009: The Grammy Remix Album'... What we did so you can get a feel of how the magic happens is we've compiled the raw production with the actual song... so enjoy (hit next 2 play the next track obviously lol)!!! And before you listen... nah why don't I let you jus listen...





I bet you're thinkin 'Hmmm did he sample Lupe's 'superstar' on that track', especially after you've heard the full track wiv vocals and everything? Well NO because Radiohead's 'reckoner' is being sampled on this track! I know, I know, so uncanny lol! Lupe's vocals were sampled though and 6th Sense took the hook on that track.

OK I'm done talking, we want comments... loads of comments so bring it!!!

Until the next time...