Alex Isley - 'The Love/Art Memoirs' EP | Stream + Free Download
Trailing through the blogs and slogging through the tangle of the internet on a Wednesday afternoon, I found myself listening to some brand new, straight-off-the-cooker music from Alex Isley - daughter of Ernie from the Isley Brothers. Read more
Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) at HMV Forum, London | Live Review
Despite the heat and sweat of this prelude to summer in London, Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) performed at the HMV Forum in Kentish town on Saturday (May 26) with a show that unfortunately left most people in the audience feeling hotheaded by the end of the night. Read more
0ne Room - "Tip Toe" | New Music
The ever mysterious producer/rapper duo One Room have yet again released another one of their delicious music babies. Titled "Tip Toe," this yummy number is from my count their fourth song that they have set loose onto the world wide web. Not as melancholic and blue as their last tuneful outings ["I Want You"is my full hearty favourite] but still, this song has a jumpy quirkiness that needs a listen. Read more
Dibia$e – "Serchin For It" x Comfort Zone EP | Free Download
As the California winner for the Red Bull Big Tune 2010 competition, LA beatsmith Dibia$e a.k.a Diabolic produces his sound from an eclectic range of sources, like an '8 bit video game classics, to seductive soul, to raw grungy bangers' (whatever that is - his MySpace said it).
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One Room - "Wait" | Music Video
Something's gone off radar, and it's not my literary hiatus (apologies). Through only a small and reclusive twitter feed, the mysterious music duo One Room have released yet another melancholic spell of awesomeness [following "I Want You"] that has been largely missed by most of the global internet communities. Titled "Wait," One Room's contribution to the alternative Hip Hop & soul genre is something to be in awe of. If James Blake and lyricist Hodgy Beats mixed genes together in order to create some truly life-like sounds, then One Room would be it. Wait a minute, could they be...?
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Gregory Porter - "1960 What?" The Remixes | New Music
Don't we at SoulCulture treat you all or (1960) what?! As well as an exclusive interview with the jazz man, Gregory Porter himself - which you can read here - we have also got some brand new remixes of his classy, soulful gem, "1960 What?" for you all to listen to.
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Gregory Porter: "People who listen to soul driven music should look for it in all genres" | Interview
To be quite honest, I'd never heard of Gregory Porter before. Although he was tipped by UK pianist Jamie Cullum, I just figured that it was another weightless promotion by the industry in order to sell records. However, after listening to his debut album Water, and watching Gregory Porter perform live, I was proved wrong. This jazz singer’s got something special.
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Everett James – "Sound Rebellion" | Free Download
If you're into trance-like, electro-funk bass music that has a trippy phaser sound in it, then Everett James is your man. He has just released unto the internet a record that does just that, titled "Sound Rebellion."
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Saidah Baba Talibah - "So Cool" | Music Video
Following on from her video for "(S)Cream," fans of Saidah Baba Talibah will not be going hungry this month, no; the Toronto hailing Canadian rock songstress has released a brand new video titled "So Cool." Signed to CLK Creative Works, the diva is currently on a tour promoting her debut album (S)Cream, of which she says: “This is my coming out as a woman who likes to talk sex & sensuality, broken-heartedness, not taking anymore shit-ed-ness. I growl. I purr. I go to pretty places, harder places and naked places. I wish you joy, despair, heartbreak, inspiration and to be turned on.”
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Fink: Rolling With The Punches | Interview
Fink, aka Fin Greenhall, is a musician with an impressive CV. He's an accomplished singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and DJ. Signed to the record label Ninjatune, Fink has built up his acoustic blues/folk music into critically successful array of albums for his hordes of fans. On a crackling phone line, Fink chats to Soul Culture’s Philip Javens about his latest album, Perfect Darkness; graffiti artist Banksy; working with the late Amy Winehouse and rap artist Professor Green; and his philosophy on making music - "the better the music, the better you’re going to do..."
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Gilles Peterson - Havana Cultura: The Search Continues | Album Preview
Radio 1 DJ presenter and all round music guru/producer, Gilles Peterson is cooking up a real Havana treat for his next album, titled Havana Cultura: The Search Continues. Like his previous compilation CD that sought out the finest, unheard Cuban underground music, Gilles is in his workshop right now to make another contribution - as you read.
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Film Africa 2011 festival runs in London until November 13 | UK Events
At this very moment, London is playing host to Film Africa 2011. Over a 10 day period from November 3 - 13 with more than 50 fiction and documentary films, this festival is showcasing some of Africa's up-and-coming movies from lead filmmakers.
As well as the films themselves, the festival is also partaking sessions of Q&As, panel discussions, and live music performances.
A highlight for this cultural event is the film by the 2010 Jury prize winner of Cannes film festival, Chadian director Mahamat Saleh Haroun, called Un Homme Qui Crie [A Screaming Man], to be screened on November 11 at Screen On The Green: Everyman Cinemas in Islington, North London - you can catch the trailer below.
This dynamic of culture is not to be missed. Download the festival programme here and visit filmafrica.org.uk for tickets and information.
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One Room - "I Want You" | Music Video
No one quite knew who they were when they first released the "I Want You" musical enigma onto the web, but duo One Room's secret identity has been ousted out after releasing their chillingly seductive cold rap melody.
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Ben Westbeech: "It’s important to think about the bad shit that's going on sometimes" | Interview
It was a hot Autumn afternoon for my meeting with Ben Westbeech; a gifted young musician whose confident nature preyed on my interviewing techniques. “Fucking hell that’s a lot of questions there,” – his eyes bulged out upon witnessing the thick amount of my question cards. Nevertheless, as he sat in the sun’s heat next to a cafe bar, Soul Culture’s Philip Javens talked to the Strictly Rhythm artist about his origins, his musical limbo, and the influences that helped him create his latest album: There’s More To Life Than This...
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Charlotte O'Connor: Introducing Blackburn's 'acoustic hip pop' | Interview
It was a late Friday night. The basement to the 229 venue that lies just outside of Great Portland Street tube station was hot, humid and cramped. People were bustling in chatter with anticipation for what was to come; a young 20 year old Blackburn hailing folk/soul talent by the name of Charlotte O’Connor was to sing. Before the live performance, Soul Culture’s very own Philip Javens caught up with the rising UK star to talk about her debut album For Kenny, new single “Treasure Island,” her admiration for Akon and imaginary mice...
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Fink - Perfect Darkness | Album Review
As the name suggests, Perfect Darkness takes on the chiaroscuro effects it evokes, and forms a deep thunderous catharsis with the voice of a melancholic baritone acoustic singer called Fink. Fink's fifth album sounds like a broken man who’s torn away the passions of his heart and laid it to rest onto this CD – it feels like a modern day Greek tragedy. Produced by Billy Bush (Beck, Garbage), Fin Greenall and his band produced this album in the space of 20 days. Recorded in Los Angeles, the Brighton-based singer/songwriter wanted to capture the raw, organic urgency of fear onto his album - and from the opening number, I can safely say that Perfect Darkness well executes their conception with heart-throbbing accuracy.
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