LOVE HAS COME AROUND

SATURDAY LOVE

Axel F returns with another night of jheri curl delight - tonight at LIV on U and 11th. Spinning the records are DJ Stylus - the vibe conductor - and DJ Keenan Orr.

Here's a tune heard at last month's party: Cherelle - Saturday Love.

Another gem from this 80s artist is the soulful stomper Didn't Mean to Turn You On.

IT'S YOUR WORLD

Gil Scott-Heron died last night, 62 years old. He was a great musician, singer and song-writer. He wrote and recorded a multitude of memorable musical pieces, combining a mixture of soul, jazz, funk and urban poetry.

My favorite is It's Your World - the title song from his 1976 double album with Brian Jackson.

Another great album is Pieces of a Man from 1971, which features the musical masterpiece Home is Where the Hatred Is. Written by Gil, it was also made memorable by Esther Phillips who recorded her own version around the same time.

My favorite song from Pieces of a Man is Lady Day and John Coltrane.

Gil Scott's most famous tune is probably The Bottle from his 1974 Winter in America album.

One final favorite song is Willing from his 1980 album with Brian Jackson - here given the b'more touch by Top Billin.

Gil Scott-Heron (1949-2011), R.I.P.

LATE IN THE EVENING

Legendary American singer-songwriter Paul Simon is playing live at the 9:30 Club tonight. Favorite Simon album is One Trick Pony from 1980. It features the opening song Late in the Evening, here given the ES re-rub to bring out the dance floor friendly parts...

LIVE THOSE DAYS

What a great week for music lovers. It started off with legendary new wavers The Cars live at the 9:30 Club on Monday. Next up, a soulful session with Raphael Saadiq on Wednesday (check out this review by Rhome Anderson) - also at the 9:30 - followed by a brilliant club session with Belgian beat crafter Aeroplane later the same night at U Street Music Hall.

Tonight British indie band Friendly Fires are appearing at the 9:30 to present songs from their new album Pala. Tomorrow night, the 9:30 serves up a live performance by legendary Paul Simon. And Saturday sees the return of Axel F at LIV for an all-nighter of jheri curl funk and champagne soul delivered by DCs own vibe conductor Rhome Anderson aka DJ Stylus.

My favorite Friendly Fires tune is the Aeroplane remix of Paris (featuring the lovely vocals of Au Revoir Simone), posted yesterday.

Check out the Friendly Fires in a Depeche Mode...

Their new album Pala was released on May 16. First single out is Live Those Days Tonight.

LEARNING TO FLY

Belgian beat crafter Aeroplane aka Vito Deluca is performing at U Street Music Hall tonight. Be sure not to miss out!

Vito released his debut album We Can't Fly last year. Here's the title track in an extended drums version.

Aeroplane used to be a two man outfit. However, former co-pilot Stephen Fasano left the project due to artistic differences. Since then Vito has learned to fly on his own, whereas Stephen has made music under the artist name Mr Magician.

The duo put out a series of impressing remixes during the last couple of years. Here are some of my favorites...

Friendly Fires featuring Au Revoir Simone (Aeroplane remix)

Au Revoir Simone - Another Likely Story (Aeroplane remix)

Sabastien Tellier - Kilometer (Aeroplane remix)

Sebastian Tellier-Kilometer (Aeroplane Italo 84 Remix)

STONE ROLLIN

Soul singer Raphael Saadiq is playing at the 9:30 club tomorrow night. His latest single Stone Rollin - reminiscent of vintage Rolling Stones - combines 60s blues rock with soulful sounds for a perfect blend. It's the title song from his new album, released earlier this year.

Saadiq started his career in the 90s RnB group Tony Toni Tone, before moving on to solo projects - only interrupted by the short-lived super band project Lucy Pearl, with Dawn Robinson from En Vogue and Ali Shaheed Muhammad from A Tribe Called Quest. The group's self-titled debut album is still one of my favorite RnB releases from 2000. In addition to the dance floor friendly Dance Tonight and Don't Mess With My Man, there are several slow jams that bring out the even more soulful side of the trio, not the least Without You which features Raphael on lead vocals.

An early Saadiq solo song is Get Involved from 1999 featuring Q Tip.

In 2002 Saadiq released his debut solo album Instant Vintage which features one of his best tunes to date - Be Here with D'Angelo.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

The Cars can be experienced live tonight at the 9:30 Club. Among my favorite tunes by this legendary late 70s/early 80s new wave band is the smash hit Shake It Up from the same-titled 1981 album.

Another favorite jam is the 1979 song Let's Go.

Their best tune is probably Just What I Needed from the 1978 debut album - here given the b'more touch by DJ Tittsworth, who played at U Street Music Hall last weekend.

MAY MIKS

The second Elektrik Soul Mixtape. Enjoy!

Track list

Now Til' 69 (Aeroplane Remix)
Never Let Me Go (Aeroplane Remix)
Ambling Alp (Memory Tapes Remix)
Comme Des Enfants (Le Matos Remix)
Baby Baby Baby (Make the Girl Dance)
SITWOC (Headman Remix)
Time To Get Away (Gucci Remix)
Help I'm Alive (Twelves Remix)
Something Good Can Work (Twelves Remix)
Dreams (Rocco Raimundo Edit)
Now Til' 69 (Elektrik Soul Reprise Edit)

SOUL IMPRESSIONS

Mayer Hawthorne has released a batch of soulful covers. The EP Impressions can be downloaded from the Stones Throw web site for free.

Opening tune is a cover of the 1972 Isley Brothers soul stomper Work To Do. The song was recorded live in a radio station during Hawthorne's 2010 U.S. winter tour.

Next is an impression of Don't Turn the Lights On - Hawthorne's favorite tune from last year's smashing electro pop album Business Casual by the Canadian duo Chromeo: "On the surface it’s an electro-funk, dance floor filler, but underneath is a brilliant love ballad with lyrics" reminiscent of 70s soul singer Tyrone Davis.

The next three songs are covers of lesser known soul artists: Steve Salazar, Jon Brion and The Festivals. The EP finishes off with a  cover of the 1977 ELO pop gem Mr Blue Sky.

TAKE IT BACK

New jam from British beat crafter Toddla T. Take it back!

Take it back refurbished by Two Bears...

DOUBLE DOSE

Get ready for two nights of Fatback funk and soul extravaganza: Friday night at Uncapped Live and then Saturday at LIV. The Fatback crew has just released another mixtape of soulful delights, which can be downloaded from their website.

Track list

1. I’m Always Dancing To The Music - Benny Golson

2. People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul - James Brown

3. Soul Focus vs MC Shan - The Bridge (Southport Mix)

4. Casanova - Levert

5. Saturday Night - Zhane & L.O.X.

6. Every Little Thing I Do - Soul for Real

7. Electric Relaxation - A Tribe Called Quest

8. Too Close - Next

9. Believe in Love - Teddy Pendergrass

10. Better Things - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

11. I Heard It Through the Grapevine - Gladys Knight & The Pips

12. Party Block Rocker - Manmade (Tal M Klein Remix)

Manmade - Party Block Rocker (Tal M. Klein Remix)

13. Booty Lock - Frank Mitchell Jr.

14. Magic Flight Re-Edit - DJ Flight

Magic Flight Re-Edit - DJ Flight

15. Raygun Kills - Afrodisiac Soundsystem

16. I Wanna Stay (Tim Zawada Edit)

17. Get Your Point Over (Patchworks Remix) - Mr. Day

FIRE TO THE RAIN

British singer-songwriter Adele released her second album 21 earlier this year. It features the tune Set Fire to the Rain, which comes with a nice remix by Plastic Plates.

TWO DADS

The NYC duo Holy Ghost aka Alex Frankel and Nick Millhiser recently released the catchy electro pop tune Wait and See. The video features their fathers starring as Alex and Nick.

Holy Ghost! - Wait & See from DFA Records on Vimeo.

The tune can be downloaded from DFA Records. It also comes with a remix by Flight Facilities.

MAGIK MIKS TEN

The Magician, also known as Stephen Fasano, used to be one half of Belgian electro pop duo Aeroplane. After parting with co-pilot Vito DeLuca, who is now a one man operation (keeping the Aeroplane name), Fasano has been busy making magical mixtapes and wonderful remixes (including a remix of Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers, posted previously). He recently released the tenth installment of his Magic Tape series.

Magic Tape Ten by TheMagician

The mix includes his own track Twist as well as a new remix of Yuksek's On a Train. 80s inspired electro pop/rock at its best.

Fasano has been somewhat of a regular performer at U Street Music Hall, as he and ex beat-mate Vito did a performance together (under the Aeroplane banner) at the venue's opening night and returned earlier this year with his magic solo project. Vito aka Aeroplane is playing at U Street Music Hall on May 25. Don't miss out!

former co-pilots Vito and Stephen - now they are apart

LYKKE LIVE

Swedish singer Lykke Li is performing tonight at the 9:30 Club. She released her second album Wounded Rhymes earlier this year which includes the beautiful song I Follow Rivers - here given the magic touch by Belgian electro pop producer The Magician.

Another favorite tune from the last album is the single Get Some, posted earlier. It can be downloaded from Lykke's web site. Favorite songs from her first album Youth Novels can be found in this previous post. A full list of U.S. shows can be found here, including concerts in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles later this month.

TOO SEXY

Brazilian electro popsters CSS is playing live at Rams Head in Baltimore, MD tonight.

The acronym stands for Cansei de Ser Sexy, which means "tired of being sexy". The band has churned out many a sexy beat, including the favorite track Music Is My Hot Sex.

From all the drugs the one I like more is music

From all the junks the one I need more is music

From all the boys the one I take home is music

From all the ladies the one I kiss is music (muah!)

Music is my boyfriend

Music is my girlfriend

Music is my dead end

Music is my imaginary friend

Music is my brother

Music is my great-grand-daughter

Music is my sister

Music is my favorite mistress

POOLSIDE

Poolside is a Los Angeles based duo "crafting music in their pool house turned recording studio that captures the sound of a perfect afternoon" and creating "day time disco." Their perfect summer tune Do You Believe has recently been released by Aussie label Future Classic.

FANTASY

IN FOR LANDING

Italian-Belgian DJ, producer and beat aficionado Aeroplane aka Vito Deluca returns to U Street Music Hall on May 25 for an all-nighter of delightful electronic beats. Be sure not to miss out!

Vito's most recent release is Without Lies which comes with a nice remix by Black Van...

SWEET DANE

The Danish-born Berlin-based singer-songwriter Agnes Caroline Thaarup Obel - artist name Agnes Obel - released the highly acclaimed debut album Philharmonics last year. It is so far only out in Europe - and a platinum album in France.

Agnes produced and performed all the songs herself. The inspiration for her piano-based music is rather eclectic, ranging from the Swedish folk-jazz artist Jan Johansson to American crooner Roy Orbison and British trip hopsters Portishead.

Check out the lovely tune Riverside - repackaged by the talented electronic Danish producer duo Lulu Rouge.

ES MIKS

The first Elektrik Soul Mixtape. Enjoy!

Track list:

Sake (Anoraak Remix)
Kilometer (Aeroplane Remix)
All Night (Oliver)
I Crave Paris (Aeroplane vs Friendly Fires vs Flight Facilities)
Bang Bang Bang (U-Tern Remix)
Time To Move (Rayko Re-Edit)
No One's Gonna Love You (Ilja Rudman Version)
What You Need (James Curd Remix)
Creature (Faze Action Remix)
Dayshift (Oliver Remix)
Yearning (Black Van)
Take Me Over (Flight Facilities Remix)

TO THE DISCO

Brooklyn based Escort is inspired by old and nu disco as well as a range of 80s artists. In addition to having released a series of nice 12" singles, they're known for their live performances. The full orchestra consists of a 17-piece line up, including French singer Adeline Michele on lead vocals, three backing vocals, three violinists, three brass players, two guitar players, two percussionists, one bass player, one keyboard player and one drummer.

The brains behind the band are producers Dan Balis (guitar) and Eugene Cho (keys). They originally started out as house DJs, sampling disco sounds for the dance floor. However, they soon found out that they would rather make their own music than sample old disco records. So they put together a few tunes and invited some friends to come by the studio and play their instruments. Eventually, the project turned into a jamboree of live musicians and electronic beats.

Their latest jam is a nu disco cover of Cocaine Blues. One for the dance floor, early night.

The tune can be downloaded from RCRDLBL. In a Riff City interview, Balis and Cho talk about the creative process that went into Cocaine Blues and other Escort tunes.

Their best song to date is Bright New Life, which has that magic combination of nu disco beats and 80s electronic sounds.

CHAMPAGNE SOUL

Evelyn Champagne King made her debut with the soulful dance floor classic Shame in 1978. It made it to number nine in the U.S. charts (Billboard Top 100). More dance floor stompers followed in the 80s, of which I'm In Love and Love Come Down are undoubtedly her best jams.

My personal favorite is I'm in Love. The video is kind of cool as well - that whole 80s electric funk feel with the kind of graphics that were available to video producers at the time.

Here's a recent edit of I'm In Love by Rayko.

Another favorite tune is Love Come Down. The boogie bass line is soo nice. And Evelyn's soothing soulful voice make this a sure-shot hit.

Evelyn Champagne King - Love Come Down

Love come down (Rayko Edit)

Your Personal Touch was one of her later songs - released in 1985.

Your Personal Touch - Evelyn Champagne King

LUCKY STAR

Madonna is a lucky girl. Two dance floor friendly reworks of Lucky Star bring the early 80s groove to a more modern sound.

The first remake comes from LA based DJ duo Classixx.

The British electro funk producer Casio Social Club aka Justin Winks has reworked the original tune into a half decent/half cheesy stomper.

THE SEEKER

Brooklyn born rapper Talib Kweli ("true seeker") will appear at Black Cat tonight. He recently released his fifth solo album Gutter Rainbows.

My favorite Kweli jam is the amazing Blackbeard remix of Get By from the debut album Quality (2002). Classic! The track below was recorded from the Gilles Peterson radio show (which explains the radio host talk at the beginning.)