chillcast video edition, vidcast

Chillcast Video #64: Favorite Flava

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Today’s musical guest is the Swedish trio, Favorite Flava. I love their unique brand of nusoul music so I’m pleased to introduce them to you with the video for their new single, VII, featuring the lead vocals of Stray. This 3-song release is out now on Exceptional Records, and it includes both the original and Sasac remix plus the song “Dirty City Supermind” featuring Paul Mac Innes on lead vocals. Check out “VII (Sassac Remix)” on Chillcast #273 (including a link to a free download!) and “Dirty City Supermind” on Chillcast #274. I’m trying to get a copy of the latter’s video for a future vidcast, so watch for that. Get more info on the band at: facebook.com/favoriteflava or www.favoriteflava.com. Buy Favorite Flava ‘VII’ Single on iTunes

Download Chillcast Video #65: Favorite Flava (m4v)
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Lovespirals, music, news

Lovespirals ‘Feel So Good EP’ Out

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Lovespirals have just released a 40 minute, 9-track extended single of “Feel So Good,” from their 2010 album, Future Past. Last December, Sony Acid Planet held a remix contest for Lovespirals’ funky, Pink Floyd-esque, retro electro-rock tune, and over 40 producers put their own unique stamp on the original track. The Feel So Good EP features the very best of the bunch.

Stream the Feel So Good EP from Bandcamp:

There’s the slinky trip hop grooves of Yumenomado’s grand prize winning “Film Noir Mix” and Noizz Factor’s jazzy “Glamour Mix,” both of which have a decidedly organic feel. Or check out the more electronic oriented mixes by DJ Chris and National Pool, who rely more on loops and classic drum machine patterns. If you’re into heavy beats, then the Electer and 7 Day Visa mixes should fit the bill. Def Men Walking took the song in a completely different direction with the addition of MC work and an old school Manchester feel. And then there’s Jack Ketch’s “Peckaries Parts 1, 2 & 3” which takes the song’s most Floydian elements and constructs an ode to the classic rock band that David Gilmour himself would likely chuckle over.

Anji Bee‘s soulful vocals hold the release together with their delicate balance of earthy sensuality and otherworldly ethereality, with each mix playing up different aspects. While some producers left the arrangement and vocal sound nearly untouched from Ryan Lum’s original mix, others played with sampling or pitch to use the voice more as a musical element.

This is a digital-only release available on most major online music stores including Bandcamp, linked below.

Thanks to all of the bands and producers that participated in the remix contest, as well as to our friend, Jamahl Richardson, for his 7 Day Visa remix. If you dig their remixes, be sure to check out their original music. Thanks also to Scott of ithinkitsnice for his amazing artwork.

Feel So Good Purchase Links:

podcast, The Chillcast

Chillcast #277: Blessed

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I’ve been incredibly busy lately with lots of new music to promote, but still I must admit that I’m blessed. Last week I saw my favorite young tennis player, Ernests Gulbis, breeze through his 2nd ever tournament win here in Los Angeles, this weekend I celebrated my beloved hubby’s birthday, and next weekend is our 6th anniversary. Historically we’ve kept our relationship on the down low, but this year I decided to tell the world, and the lyrics to “Blessed” were born. You’ll hear that song this week, along with a host of jazzy and soulful downtempo and deep house. Enjoy!

[audio:http://m.podshow.com/media/142/episodes/291194/thechillcast-291194-08-05-2011.mp3]
Download Chillcast #277: Blessed (mp3)

Playlist:

  1. Falling You “Blessed” Buy on Magnatune
  2. Vargo (feat. Christophe Goze) “Get Back To Serenity” Due out August 12th
  3. Gotta “Story I (Living Together – feat. Lene Riebau)” Buy on iTunes
  4. Rubber Lips “Hotel Martinez” Buy on iTunes
  5. Mark de Clive-Lowe “Hooligan (feat. Nia Andrews)” Download Free on Bandcamp
  6. Armchair Generals “Day Dreamer” Buy on iTunes
  7. The Rurals “Into Life” Due out August 19th
  8. Merge of Equals “Friend” Buy on iTunes
  9. Blue In Green “Masquerade/The Night Watch” Buy on Amazon
  10. Lovespirals “Feel So Good (Noizz Factor Remix)” Buy on iTunes
  11. Karmacoda “Epic (Eternal Reprise)” Buy on iTunes

Ryan & Anji @ Farmers ClassicRyan & Anji at the Farmers Classic Open 2011

Ernests Gulbis & Anji Bee

Ernests Gulbis with Anji Bee at Farmers Classic Open 2011

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music, news

Anji Bee on ‘Out Of The Past’ By GROOVEBLASTER

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The second full-length album by The Grooveblaster, Out Of The Past, was recently released via Bandcamp and other digital retailers.

Once again, producer Gerald Belsha enlisted Anji Bee (of Lovespirals) and Yasi Baby! of (Pacha Massive) to lend their lyrical and vocal talents to his retro-styled jazzy electronica. Anji is featured on the Philly soul styled “Put Some Music On (Good Times)” and the bittersweet pop gem “Smiling, while Yasi sings on the upbeat, funky “Dare” and the laid back “Lady Groove,” which debuted at #4 and spent 2 weeks on the Below Zero Beats Top 10 chart.

The 13 track album also features guest vocals by Berlin chanteuse, Jana Tarasenko, as well as a host of groove inducing instrumentals. “Stretch Out and Relax” featuring Jana debuted at #7 in the Below Zero Beats top 10. Instrumental cut, “It’s in Her Kiss,” was also featured on the recent Chillcast with Anji Bee: 5 Years of Chillin’ free compilation, alongside Bee’s own version of “Put Some Music On,” co-produced with her Lovespirals partner, Ryan Lum.

Bee had previous contributed to The Grooveblaster’s 2008 album, Cities, Streets, and Bebop Nights, on the tracks “Whole Wide World” and “Summer Days.”

Featuring several tracks with a few different female vocalists, the album creates a party vibe that anybody who appreciates the origins of a genre like hip-hop will certainly enjoy.

C Poppe of On Milwaukee

Read a recent interview piece with Gerry of The Grooveblaster

music, news, review

Falling You Album ‘Adore’ Features Anji Bee

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The 2-time NAR Lifestyle Music Award winning musical project, Falling You, just released a new album entitled, Adore. Enigmatic band founder and producer, John Michael Zorko, has long worked with a revolving cast of talented and varied female vocalists including Suzanne Perry (of Melodyguild and Love Spirals Downwards), Victoria Lloyd (of Claire Voyant and Mono Chrome), Dru Allen (of Mirabilis and This Ascension), Erica Mulkey (AKA Unwoman), and Shikhee (of Android Lust) — just to name a few — and now adds Lovespirals vocalist, Anji Bee, to that list.

Bee contributes lyrics and vocals to the ambient opening track, “Blessed,” penned about her relationship with bandmate, Ryan Lum, who engineered and recorded her vocal tracks for this long distance musical collaboration. Friend of Lovespirals and Falling You, Ken Lee (of Eleven Shadows), mixed and mastered the track (and indeed, the whole album) alongside Zorko at his Blueberry Buddha Recording Studios.

Lum’s former bandmate, Suzanne Perry, contributed lyrics and vocals to the track, “Champagne,” which follows Bee’s cut on the album. With its summery dream pop feel, Perry’s collaboration brings to mind her work with Melodyguild. Suzanne’s vocals were engineered and recorded by Melodyguild bandmate, Cris Miller (of Silver Screen). Suzanne had previously been featured on Falling You’s 2006 album, Human, and 2008 album, Faith.

Another highlight of the album is closing track, “Alchemy,” featuring Kirsty Hawkshaw. Famous for her work with Opus II, BT, Tiesto, and Delerium, Hawkshaw has a long and impressive list of dance music credits to her name. Her breathy voice and high harmonies add a lovely depth and focus to Zorko’s light-as-air beats and textures.

Though known for his melancholic mix of ambient textures and ethereal vocals, Zorko wanted to “explore a more optimistic side of emotional music and this gift called life.”  To this end, Zorko employed liberal use of heavy, distorted, electric guitar in the vein of classic 90’s shoegazer acts like My Bloody Valentine and Ride, which may surprise his long time listeners!

Adore is available as a digital download now directly from the Magnatune site, with CDs to follow soon. Watch for it on iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, etc later this month.

As a side note, Zorko contributed a Falling You remix to Lovespirals’ Love EP released in June 2010.

music, news

Anji Bee on New Karmacoda Album

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San Francisco band, Karmacoda, invited both Anji Bee and Ryan Lum of Lovespirals to collaborate with them on music for their 4th album, Eternal — out now on iTunes and other digital and CD retailers. The album will also be available as a limited edition, audiophile grade 192g, blue vinyl LP on August 9th. Check www.karmacoda.com for purchase details.

“Love Will Turn Your Head Around” features vocals and lyrics by Anji Bee, as well as singer/songwriter, Beth Hirsch (best known for her work on Air’s Moon Safari, as well as songs from the Crash and Thomas Crown Affair soundtracks). The Love Will Turn Your Head Around Single, released in April, contains both the 6 and half minute album mix plus a shortened radio edit, which begins with Anji’s main vocal line. The single debuted at #3 on the Below Zero Top 10 chart for April 17th, and has been featured on the Pure Bliss Vocals site, Dave’s Lounge, Properly Chilled, SomaFM’s Lush station, Kimberly Wilson’s Tranquility du Jour, The Mothpod, Expand Your Musical Horizons, and of course, The Chillcast, where is was first premiered.

Gabriel Sheer, of Glide Magazine wrote:

The ear-catching “Love Will Turn Your Head Around” is arguably the gem of the album; dark, languid, and teasingly dangerous sounding: in short, everything a trip hop song should, in the ears of this listener, be.

“Epic” includes guitar work by Ryan Lum, as well as Rhodes piano by Eamonn Flynn of SF duo, Under. The Epic Single had its world premier on The Chillcast Episode #275. In addition to the original album and reprise mixes, the single includes an upbeat dance remix by Andy Sybilrud of SF electronica act, Return To Mono. Karmacoda frontwoman, Heather Pierce, has said “Epic” is her “favorite song” and it will likely be yours, too, once you hear her sultry siren’s call on this jazzy trip hop torch song.

All Music Guide’s Ned Raggett wrote:

On their 2011 album, released ten years after their debut, Karmacoda demonstrate that they’ve become stalwarts of their own particular scene, inspired into existence by trip-hop and finding their own easygoing way around downtempo music inspired by Massive Attack‘s slow mood-out crawls.

As long time fans and friends of Karmacoda, Lovespirals were honored to be included in the creative process of this very talented band. Be sure to check out recent episodes of The Chillcast with Anji Bee to hear these tracks and more from Karmacoda’s fantastic new album, which debuted at #191 on the CMJ Radio 200 Chart!

Love Will Turn Your Head Around – Radio Edit (feat. Beth Hirsch & Anji Bee) by Karmacoda

Album Purchase Links:

On a related note, Karmacoda contributed an amazing remix to Lovespirals’ 2007 Motherless Child EP:
Motherless Child (Karmacoda Remix) by lovespirals

Lovespirals, podcast, The Chillcast

Chillcast #276: Rendezvous

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This week’s show is extra special for several reasons; I’m announcing the release of a brand new Lovespirals remix EP in honor of band founder Ryan Lum’s birthday and I’ve got a remix of the brand new Karmacoda single. So why did I call this episode “Rendezvous,” you ask? Well, because there were randomly 2 songs with that very same name in my set. Who can ignore that coincidence? Anyway, I hope you enjoy this set of downtempo, minimal tech, and deep house. Happy Birthday, Ryan!

[audio:http://m.podshow.com/media/142/episodes/290206/thechillcast-290206-07-28-2011.mp3]
Download Chillcast #276: Rendezvous (mp3)

Playlist:

  1. Lovespirals “Feel So Good (Yumenomado‘s Film Noir Remix)” Buy on iTunes
  2. Blue In Green “Rendezvous” Buy on Amazon
  3. Keyminator “Moment (feat. Marina Trost) Remix”
  4. Portformat “Myself I (feat. Cherri Prince)” Buy on iTunes
  5. Arkist “Rendezvous” Buy on iTunes
  6. George FitzGerald “Reset” Buy on iTunes
  7. Timid Boy & Marco Resmann “V15” Buy on iTunes
  8. Karmacoda “Epic (Return to Mono Remix)” Buy on iTunes
  9. 3C “Dream State (Intensity of Sound‘s Smoking Jazzy House Remix)” Buy on iTunes
  10. Rubber Lips “Persuasion” Buy on iTunes

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chillcast video edition, vidcast

Chillcast Video #63: Nu Shooz

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Today’s guest is Nu Shooz Orchestra, whom you probably remember their 80’s hits “I Can’t Wait” and “Point Of No Return.” Last year the duo released a new album, called Pandora’s Box, and we’re checking out the video for “Spy VS Spy” created by Mike Wellins. There’s a few days left to enter the Nu Shooz Karaoke Video Contest for “I Can’t Wait (Powermix)”. Send in your best sing along video to compete for a 16-Giga iPod Nano, loaded with Nu Shooz music from 1985-present, including the upcoming collection of unreleased 80s songs – Kung Pao Kitchen.



Download Chillcast Video #65: Nu Shooz Orchestra (m4v)

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lyrics

Blessed (Lyrics)

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“Blessed” – Falling You Adore (2011)

There’s something I want to say to you
There’s something I want you to know

I’ve been so blessed to have you by my side
My source of strength, my joy, my pride

I’ve been so blessed to have you here with me. Oh…
Our love so deep; it lasts eternally

I’ve been so blessed to have you in my life
You as my husband, and I, your wedded wife

– By Anji Bee (BMI)

NOTE: This was one of those rare instances where I actually composed the lyrics after hearing the music. John sent me an instrumental titled, “Adore: Ambient Mix,” along with the comment: “The theme for the next Falling You album, ‘Adore,’ is a more optimistic one — that being, life isn’t always about being reflective and sad, and those we bring into our lives continue to enrich it even when they’re gone.” His working title and instructions inspired thoughts of my beloved and these lyrics sprung to life almost of their own accord.

Blessed by Falling You with Anji Bee by anjibee

lyrics

Cast Out Of Paradise (Lyrics)

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“Cast Out Of Paradise”  by Bloody Mary & SIS feat. Anji Bee from Potluck (2011)

All they ever wanted
Was to be left in peace
But western man
Can’t seem to leave
Well enough alone
Foolishly
He believes
That he
Can improve
What God creates
Man destroys
On a whim
And out of greed
Without true need
Acting out
As if cast out
Of paradise

– by Anji Bee (BMI)

NOTE: I wrote this poem back in mid-2008 without any particular use in mind. In January of 2011, Bloody Mary sent me a rough musical idea which was basically a strong beat with just a wisp of ambient keyboard atmosphere. I thought a mix of spoken word and traditional singing could be interesting and so I chose to work with a poem, rather than a lyric. I recorded everything myself in my little home studio and sent them over via the Internet, and then Bloody Mary and SIS cut up the files and created a 13+ minute track which really expanded a lot upon the original ideas. Below is a shortened edit of the song I created to highlight my contribution to the piece; its not on the official release.

Buy “Cast Out Of Paradise feat. Anji Bee” on Beatport

Cast Out Of Paradise [Edit] by Bloody Mary & SIS feat. Anji Bee on SoundCloud

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