Tag: soul

pursuit grooves = colectivo futurecast 027!

we give you pursuit grooves ladies and gentleman! this month’s episode of the colectivo futurecast gets up close and personal with Brooklyn resident, Vanese Smith. her mixtape-styled recording for us is a mixture of past influences & current favorites; including cuts by legends such as Patrice Rushen and Mtume, alongside newer sounds from the likes of Quadron and Electric Wire Hustle. all in all a fantastic mixture of soulful sounds to spend a sunny spring afternoon wandering around the city. read our interview with Vanese and listen to her 60-minute mix below…

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5 minutes with…

PURSUIT GROOVES (Tectonic / Brooklyn, NYC)

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* how and where was this mix recorded?

I was at home and I grabbed about 100 CDs, threw them on the floor upside down and picked some at random!!!! ha. Okay, not really. There was a bit more strategy involved.

* you started producing at the tender age of 14, how would you say your style has evolved over the years? do you apply a different approach to your music now?

My background and influences are still the same ya know but as I got older every few years I would become a bit obsessed or focused on a particular sound/genre so my tracks would reflect that. So for that reason I don’t think I’ll ever repeat a certain production sound because my ears keep changing. And I’m an artist who needs to be inspired to create, so I like to try different things. I like a variety of rhythms and I don’t think I should be limited to just one thing.

* how did being a part of the Red Bull Music academy back in 2008 influence your career and yourself as an artist?

I met a lot of other really cool and talented artists. Some of which I still keep in touch with. As an artist it just encouraged me to keep creating.

* what do you normally listen to at home? which are your top three favorite albums?

At home i’m either working on my own stuff or sometimes there are a few sites that I check to see what’s new. Favorite albums – So many that I like within the last ten years. The list is just too long to name just three.

* in an interview for FACT magazine you mention being a very social and political person, and how that permeates through your music. what is your overall view of the current pressing issues around the world? do you see your music evolving over time according to the different socio-political climates?

I try to be optimistic, but honestly unfortunately there are some sad things happening in terms of humanity. I wish things weren’t so money and power focused as that seems to be the downfall of everything. I tried to touch on a few things on “Frantically Hopeful”… but sometimes people just want to thin about happy things and just dance! So I make those too.

* which projects are you currently working on? what does 2012 hold for Pursuit Grooves the producer and the DJ?

New alias called 91 Fellows coming out on Deepblak Recordings late spring…. and we’ll see what else happens release wise. Otherwise I’m in a really good place now in terms of being productive so that could turn into so much in the future.

No Comments by miguel on March 25, 2012

filed in colectivo futurecast

tagged brooklyn, colectivo futurecast, mixtape, music, nodding grand, pursuit grooves, rnb, soul, vanese smith

colectivo digs jamie lidell!

this month’s colectivo digs section belongs to human beatbox and soul entrepreneur jamie lidell. born in huntingdon, england, jamie has just released his fourth solo album via the all important warp records imprint. “compass” as the album is titled, was recorded in LA, NYC and Canada, and includes collaborations with beck, feist, gonzales, chris taylor of grizzly bear and pat sansone of wilco. with such a numerous and badass cast of artists, you’d figure lidell’s trademark vocal qualities would be further muddled in a cornucopia of sound, but instead the result is quite astonishing and “compass” reveals itself as one of jamie’s biggest achievements alongside his sophomore effort “multiply”.

what separates lidell from the pack is his effective method of layering his own voice to assemble rhythmic and percussive bases over which he applies his innate soulful offerings, creating a truly original sound aesthetic. this method translates into the most energetic live performances, where jamie combines his craft with his decidedly outgoing personality to produce unique showcases of his talents.

check out jamie’s full discography courtesy of discogs and listen to his spotify available catalogue

you can also keep track of his daily doings via his twitter: @jamie_lidell

No Comments by miguel on July 12, 2010

filed in colectivo digs, sounds

tagged colectivo digs, jamie lidell, music, soul, warp

colectivo digs mayer hawthorne!

if you haven’t heard mayer hawthorne‘s modern soul cuts, STOP! what you’re doing and go do so now, for your own good. having grown up just outside of detroit (ann arbor, michigan), mayer grew up surrounded by some of the best music ever made, including gems by isaac hayes, smokey robinson, and curtis mayfield, to name a few. after signing with stones throw, the self-taught multi-instrumentalist and singer released his debut album, titled “a strange arrangement“, and hasn’t looked back since. taking both north america and europe by storm with his old meets new fusion of motown inspired soul.

you’d be hard-pressed to find catchier, funner cuts than those on his first full length, where tracks such as “green eyed love” or “just ain’t gonna work out” will stick to your head for days! although the album is full of funk and energy in itself, it’s on the live circuit where mayer and his band, the county, excel. we had the pleasure of catching them live in madrid not long ago and left the concert wanting more, only to come back home with the consolation prize of playing his album non-stop once again.