Tumi and the Volume: Pick a dream

Tumi and the Volume have been playing different European festival this summer and appeared with Shakira at the last football world cup opening concert in South Africa.
They should hit the UK soon with their positive energy.

The South African band gathers Tumi Molekane, one of South Africa’s brightest MC, Tiago, aka The Volume the lead guitarist, Paulo Chibanga the beat master, and Dave Bergman the bass player.
They met in a Jazz club in Johannesburg and played since then all around the world, becoming one of the great South African musical export. They recently found their new home on the Reunion island in the Indian ocean where they signed with Sakifo records, the label created from the eponymous festival and released earlier this year their third studio album  “Pick a dream”, a master piece mixing afro-beat, Hip Hop, Funk and real poetry.
The LP has the same energy as its predecessors but is also covering a larger musical environment, featuring Zubz the Zimbabwean MC on ‘Asinamali’, Fixi from Java with a stunning accordion feature on  ‘Reality Check’,  and hidden in the last minutes of the album  a special creole ballad featuring the  Maloya Music  defender Danyel Waro.

Tumi and his crew have picked up their dream, we can’t wait to share it with them.
http://www.myspace.com/tatv

Bilal, the Nu-Soul hero should get his revenge this time

In 2002, The wonder boy from Philadelphia who should have been the nu-soul hero with his debut album “1st born second” produced by the gifted soulquarians and the high profile Dr Dre didn’t get the success expected. The album was acclaimed by the critics  but failed to achieve mainstream success.
It is a real shame because Bilal was and still is one of the most gifted nu-soul singer of his generation. However, during 8 years Bilal managed to gain high attendances at his live shows and did some great collaborations to make sure the world didn’t forget him. His second album Love for sale never get the support  from Interscope . But  this time, Bilal should get at last the success expected and deserved.  His new LP  ”Airtight’s revenge” is out the 14th of September. It gathers productions from Shafiq Husayn, 88 Keys and the grammy award producer Nottz. The first single “free” is very promising.

Free dowload of “Free” here

Watch Bilal’s Live performance of “Levels”

Bilal Sayeed Oliver “Airtight’s revenge” (Plug research, september 15th 2010).

Bilal to play at Fabric-London the 14th of July.  Buy tickets here

Yolazy podcast: this is old school yo!

 Ahead of his  ” Get Up Off the Wall” EP, out on Scribble records on the 28th of July, Yolazy is in the mix for the Bodytonic podcast.  The Dublin producer gives a great tribute to the old school style with the legends Public Enemy and Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy to name a few but also Talib Kweli and the Wu-connection with  Soul Kid Klik.

A short mixtape but a great time of Hip Hop.

Download the podcast here.