Erykah Badu‘s New Amerykah Part II: Return of the Ankh is out March 30 (11 days!), but this is our first glimpse of its beautiful cover art, courtesy of Emek. It’s a worthy successor to his cool artwork for 2008’s New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War. The soul-funktress also has some new music streaming. Check out her official site to listen to a snippet of the Madlib-produced psych cut “Strawberry Incense.” The song begins with a flurry of harps and vinyl grain, before Ms. Badu takes us for yet another aural joy ride.
We Have Band will release their quasi-eponymous debut LP on April 5th, via Naïve. Get ready, by watching the slick and minimal video for “Divisive” right here. In the Jul & Mat-directed clip, the buzz group wears two-tone jumpsuits and gyrate to the Kraftwerk-esque beat. The track’s single will drop April 22nd. The disco-rock threesome’s album was produced by Grizzly Bear/Interpol boardsman Gareth Jones. WHBlive dates can be found here and stream more tunes by the Londoners on their MySpace.
Free Energy
“Stuck On Nothing” (Live on David Letterman) Video
Philly power-pop slingers Free Energy celebrated their St. Patrick’s Day in style this year, by making their network TV debut on the Late Show with David Letterman last night. There’s lots of Cheap Trick flava slathered all over those guitars. Enjoy. Stuck on Nothing is out now via Astralwerks/DFA. If you’re in Austin this week, be sure to check out the quintet’s SXSW appearances.
Flying Lotus
Thom Yorke
“...And the World Laughs With You” [ft. Thom Yorke] (Radio Rip) MP3 Stream
In February, we clued you into the star-studded collaborators that will dot the soundscape of Flying Lotus’ forthcoming album, Cosmogramma. Today, we’ve got the a preview of the Thom Yorke joint, “...And the World Laughs With You.” The cut contains a (too) short vocal by the Radiohead leader that coils around the electronic-bass producer’s jazzy and scratchy vinyl beat.
The track is just under the two-minute mark, but it’s getting us rather frothy for FlyLo’s follow-up to 2008’s mind-bending Los Angeles. It’s also a radio rip from Mary Anne Hobbs’ Radio 1 show. Be sure to check out FlyLo on the road for his short U.S. trek. You won’t regret it. (Via P4k.)
Hot Chip: “I Feel Better” Video
Dancing boy bands and super powers are like peanut butter and chocolate: they just taste better together. While you’re still on your own for dessert combinations, you can get your fill of a gyrating boy band displaying a super (creepy) power in Hot Chip’‘s new video, “I Feel Better,” streaming via the band’s MySpace. You’ve got some upcoming chances to see them bust a move live. One Life Stand is out now.
Mantler is the keyboard-pop project of Toronto’s Chris Cummings. The velvet-y crooner’s tunes have strands of soul, R&B, jazz, and ‘70s soft-rock. (Think of Fleetwood Mac with a little scratchy vinyl bump). His fourth LP is entitled Monody, and will come out April 13th courtesy of Tomlab. The throwback aesthetic makes sense once you find out Cummings initially majored in classical piano composition for 14 years, before moving onto film production studies. To seal the deal, he’s since become an enthusiastic record collector, known for throwing rare groove and soul jazz LPs into his eclectic DJ sets.
For the upcoming release, his latest since 2004’s Landau, Cummings collaborated with several Canadian artists. Six cuts off Monody were helmed by longtime Mantler producer. Classical-pop maestro Owen Pallett laid down some brass arrangements for two songs, and Zack G. Jeremy Greenspan (Junior Boys) and Leon Taheny (Owen Pallett, Bruce Peninsula) each produced two tunes.
Check out the smooth and wobbly pop grooves of “Fresh and Fair” above. Smacks a little of Steely Dan (in the best possible way). Mantler will be playing the Tomlab/K/Asthmatic Kitty SXSW showcase tonight at Beauty Bar (8 p.m.). For additional tour dates click over to his MySpace.
Mulatu Astatke
“Yekermo Sew” (Live) MP3/Video
Mar 16, 2010
Mulatu Astake is a jazz giant in his home country of Ethiopia, but also here in the States. His uniqie fusion of traditional jazz beats and Latin music (aka “Ethio-jazz”) highly influenced contemporary rap and hip-hop artists such as Nas, Damian Marley, Cut Chemist, Quantic, Oh No, Madlib, and K’naan.
In February ‘09, the pioneer brought his vibes to L.A. for Mochilla and VTech‘s Timeless Concert Series. A very limited 3-DVD box set of the concerts is dropping March 30th, but here’s another snippet of the aural treats. Last month Wordless showed us a clip of Dwele and the Ma Dukes Orchestra performing a J. Dilla tribute, and yesterday, they posted an MP3 and video from Astatke’s set. (Brazil’s Arthur Verocai was the third arranger/performer honored at the event.)
The track on offer is the funky jazz number entitled “Yekermo Sew.” For the accompanying video (below), Astake shares the stage with L.A. jazz mavens, such as saxophonist Azar Lawrence, multi-reedist Bennie Maupin, and experimental trombonist Phil Ranelin (of Tribe Records). Even at 66, Astatke is still a wily percussion player. Go to VTech for more information on the historic performance. (Via Prefix.)
Trivia: “Yekermo Sew” was popularized by Jim Jarmusch’s Broken Flowers soundtrack.
Devendra Banhart; “Baby” Video
Devendra Banhart‘s What Will We Be single “Baby” is already pretty looney, but leave it to the mustachioed nu-folkie to give it an even stranger music video.
The clip features our Best of the Decade cover subject kicking it with his rag-tag posse (MGMT‘s Andrew VanWyngarden and The Strokes’ Fabrizio Moretti). As they walk across a city street, a CGI spaceship that looks sorta like a huge cigarette beams them up and takes them on a trippy ride into a planet’s butt crack(?). Once inside, they’re greeted by animated creatures and GZA sporting some space king attire.
People to blame for wasting your time: Ron Winter (director) and Greencard Pictures (producers). The vid premiered today on Spinner. Peep it above. (Via P4k.)
In February ‘09, the pioneer brought his vibes to L.A. for 
