nessymon.com

Tag: urban

  • Tune of the Week // Rusanango Family – Lights On

    Tune of the Week // Rusanango Family – Lights On

    RusanangoFamily

    It can be hard keeping up with new Irish music when you’re living abroad. I’m not too far away but it can be easy to lose track. One Irish act that almost passed me by were Rusanango Family and thanks has to go to Goldenplec’s Plec Picks for 2016 for pointing me in their direction.

    Heathrow was a stunning track describing the arrival of a refugee in London’s main airport. ‘Lights On’ follows on from that looking at their own arrival in Ireland in 2001.

    The Limerick raised African born lads tell the story of their lives and getting to this point with panache and vigor. Production on the track stands shoulder to shoulder with hip hop at the top of the game. With the release of their album ‘Let the Dead Bury the Dead’, recent exposure in Pitchfork and the support of The Rubberbandits’ Blindboy the future is looking extremely bright for God Knows, MuRli, and mynameisjOhn.

    Press play and turn it up, excellent stuff!

    If you can’t see the video above.. you’ll find it here.

    Photo from here © Aaron Corr

  • David Lyttle: Interlude Album Review

    David Lyttle: Interlude Album Review

    Sometimes you get surprises, sometimes they’re not good, sometimes, out of nowhere, like David Lyttle’s album ‘Interlude’, they’re great. David Lyttle is a producer and instrumentalist from Northern Ireland and in his album beautifully melds the genres of jazz and hip-hop.

    The album opens with ‘Take Me to the Moon’ with vocals by UK rapper Homecut. Take the good bits from Blackstreet’s No Diggity and add a dash of Pharrell’s Justin Timberlake influence and you’re in the right arena. Homecut’s words roll out beautifully and the balance between the vocals and instrumentation is spot on. Catchy and memorable.

    Lyttle has been really clever when matching up vocalists with tracks, here, they just seem to have always meant to be this way. The laid back jazz with urban style vocals is just a breath of fresh air and is as good as any music in the genre. MOBO winner Soweto Kinch features in ‘Uncertain Steps’ alongside Pino Palladino, such is the talent on this album, it’s jaw dropping. Lyttle also keeps it in the family with his Mum, Anne contributing vocals to ‘Seek’ and sister, Rhea, appearing also, notably on ‘Questions’ as well as the title track.

    This album is funky, soulful, jazzy and very very sexy. Lyttle has crossed into new territory with this album but still it still retains his jazz origins. The problem for your scribe is not be too gushing, too over the top in praise of this album. This is a joyous Irish record and stands up easily beside its international counterparts. David Lyttle. Remember where you first heard the name.