1. Anderson Paak – Am I Wrong (ft. ScHoolboy Q)
Anderson Paak sings, writes, produces, performs and plays every instrument on a level we haven’t seen from a singular artist in a very long time. On ‘Am I Wrong’ he brings one of my favourite producers Pomo into the mix and the results are off the scale.
2. Don Blackman – Heart’s Desire
From Don Blackman’s monumental 1982 solo album on GRP. I frst heard this at one of those 4am friends-house party sessions and completely lost my mind (in the best possible way!)
3. Aretha Franklin – Get It Right
Thanks to my big sisters great taste in music, I was hearing new release records like this around the house as a youngster in the early 80’s. This Luther Vandross-produced monster just never gets old.
4. Roy Ayers – Chicago
One of my all-time favourite’s from the unstoppable Roy Ayers – this one is a Rare-Groove classic with a huge bassline.
5. Andres – You’re Still The One
Detroit House master Andres has made so many top shelf records it’s ridiculous – but this Al Hudson-sampling slow-burner has always been an early-hours favourite for me.
6. KAYTRANADA – Litespots
One of the most exciting music-makers on the scene slicing and dicing a Gal Costa track into something altogether fresh for the 21st century.
7. Floating Points – Vacuum Boogie
Floating Points always takes me to the perfect level of ‘Deep’ that I’m looking for. This one felt like a classic as soon as it was released, and it certainly does now too.
8. Q-Tip – Let’s Ride
Featuring a sample of Joe Pass’s version of Coltrane’s classic tune ‘Giant Steps’. When J Dilla, Q-Tip and Jazz guitar loops get together it’s pretty much my version of musical heaven.
9. Marvin Gaye – Woman Of The World
During the 2006 Redbull Music Academy in Melbourne, super-producers The Mizell Brothers played a small snippet of an un-released Marvin Gaye song they had worked on in the 70’s that completely blew me (and everyone else in the room) away. ‘Woman Of The World’ didn’t see an offcial release until 2014 – around four decades after the fact, but well worth the wait for me it’s right up there alongside Marvin Gaye’s all-time classic records.
10. Weldon Irvine – I Love You
From Weldon Irvine’s 1976 album ‘Sinbad’, but written and sung by the aforementioned Don
Blackman – this song is a guaranteed musical pick-me-up and one of my favourite 70’s soul tunes
ever.
The Bamboos ‘Lit Up’
The Bamboos ‘Lit Up’
Having previously collaborated with the likes of Aloe Blacc and Alice Russell, Melbourne based nine piece funk/soul powerhouse return with the first single lifted from their new album ‘Night Time People’. This see’s the band call to mind everyone from Martha Reeves to Sharon Jones, drawing together the raw drive of their earliest LPs and their more recent progressive experimentations in the studio. It’s a fresh approach that finds the band wholly reenergised.
Their latest offering ‘Lit Up’ is a unique bland of irresistible groove and raw emotion. Mixed by the legendary Bob Clearmountain (whose mix credits include everything from ‘Born In The U.S.A’ and Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’ to The Cure and The Rolling Stones.) ‘Lit Up’ features an insanely catchy piano riff and Audist’s charismatic and pain filled vocals resonating throughout, delivering a powerful piece of pop music with genuine soul.
The Bamboos are one of the highest profile soul / funk acts in Australia, and have been recognised worldwide as masters of reinventing the genre with modern songwriting within classic arrangements & production over the past 10 years. They’ve clocked up some impressive Spotify hits numbers on along the way: ” Wilhelm Scream” (3.5 M), “On The Sly” (2.8 M), “Helpless Blues” (1.8 M)”
Mainstay members Lance Ferguson and vocalist Kylie Auldist are also the creative forces behind one of 2016’s biggest singles, “This Girl” by Kungs Vs Cookin’ On 3 Burners. Ferguson played on and co-wrote the song (incl that infectious guitar riff and lyrics) which along with Auldist’s powerhouse vocals. The remix went on to hit #1 in France, Germany, #2 in the UK, top 20 in Australia and the US and top 30 in 35 countries. It’s edging close to half a billion Spotify plays and 300 million Youtube hits.
