He goes by French Kiwi Juice but it’s just easier to call him FKJ. Little else is known about this French producer other than his music is a synthed out mix of neo-soul, R&B, and hip-hop. This is late night, top down, cruising down a city street kind of music. His single, “Lying Together,” off a multi-artist club album Electro Labs 01 is a loop of heightened vocals, funky melodies, and a hint of the mystery and intoxication the city emits when the sun goes down. FKJ already has one EP under his belt and his sophomore EP, Take Off, will hit virtual stores on July 21st. Enjoy.
Beats don’t get much smoother than those crafted by SoCal producer, ESTA. The hip-hop and soul instrumental artist…well, mostly instrumental…is like your typical digital-based musician, with more albums than letters in his name. He’ll probably have two more under his belt before you finish reading this post. But it’s all good because each album showcases his mastery of soul music, southern rap beats, rhythm and blues and just about every other genre. A perfect example of this DJ’s skill is “Paradise,” off the album of the same name. One of the rare tracks with a vocalist – the irresistible Alina Baraz – “Paradise” is a slow, thumping groove that should help you escape the brutal winter approaching and take you to, well, paradise. Enjoy.
This week I focus on one of the most underappreciated forms of music – instrumental. Most people hear the word ‘instrumental’ and think of elevator music. That’s like hearing the word ‘pizza’ and thinking Papa Johns is its ambassador. When done right, instrumental music transcends its pigeonholed use as background filler and can fosters the listener’s creativity that, at times, is stunted by someone else’s lyrics. With instrumental music, we define the song’s meaning, rather than have it sung to us, and in essence, are part of the song’s creative process. Ok, ok, enough soapboxing. Let’s get to it.
Robot Orchestra is a German beat maker who crafts some of the most unique and mesmerizing hip-hop beats flavored with 60s soul. Robot Orchestra‘s sophomore album, Beat the Odds, is littered with sharp rhythms, classic melodies, and a consistently reserved flow. How music coming out of Germany can tap into a sound you would likely hear on a Brooklyn stoop is pretty mind-boggling but you can’t argue with the results. To be honest, there are a few vocals on Beat the Odds, but we’ll let him get away with it because they serve more as instruments than the songs’ centerpiece.
Best Tracks:
In Love
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Home is Where the Music Is
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When & Where:
Anytime you need to get the creative juices flowing, Robot Orchestra should be the inspiration. My one complaint is I catch myself doing some of the most pathetic freestyle rapping you’ve probably ever heard. At least it can’t be any worse than Souljah Boy.
July 1, 2014
adamkazansky
everythingwehear 