Solillaquists of Sound Recent News

Solillaquists of Sounds Premiere New Video For "Marvel"

Thu, 13 May 2010 00:05:00 -0700

Today at OkayPlayer, Solillaquists of Sound premiered their brand new video for "Marvel" from their latest album No More Heroes! Watch the video below, then head over to OkayPlayer to leave your comments!

Anti Records Reviews An Exceptional 2009

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:12:00 -0800

Legendary Artists, A Breakout Album for Neko Case, A Triumphant And Soulful Offering From The Swell Season, Six Grammy Nods for Anti Artists, Tom Waits Live Album and Much More

William Elliott Whitmore: Animals in the Dark - On his Anti debut Whitmore reflects on life and loss and the world surrounding his Iowa horse farm on the banks of the Mississippi. The album showcases Whitmore’s classic songwriting and mastery of the acoustic guitar and banjo, but adds elements such as strings, an organ and a pedal steel, giving the songs a more expansive, cultivated sound. 2009 saw this unique artist captivating audiences around the world with his haunting and timeless sound.

"Animals reinforces his reputation as one of today's most transcendent folk artists." - Kansas City Star

"There's a time-honored truthfullness to William Elliott Whitmore that can't be rehearsed and most certainly can't be faked. It's tonally apparent in the world-weary ache of his baritone voice; it's lyrically manifested in the god-fearing mannerisms of simple protagonists; and it's buried deep within the gutsy pride and righteous integrity with which the Americana singer confronts issues of moral wrongs, institutional control, and fundamental rights throughout Animals in the Dark." - The Absolute Sound

NASA: The Spirit of Apollo - A joyfully sometimes surreal musical expedition overflowing with inspired collaborations -Tom Waits growls over Kool Keith, Karen O taunts while Ol' Dirty Bastard gives shout-outs to Wu Tang and N.A.S.A from the grave, and David Byrne, Chuck D and others expound on the evils of "Money." In spite of the range of performers, the pairings make perfect sense. Live the band features dancing aliens which is always a plus.

“The Spirit of Apollo is what happens when the imagination is let out of its cage. Good things happen.” – Urb

N.A.S.A.'s dope beats and wet-dream collaborations make Apollo an absolute must-have. - Alternative Press

Neko Case: Middle Cyclone – A stunning album by one of the preeminent songwriters and performers today. This is the record that finally transported Case from heroine of the underground into a deservedly larger spotlight. A riveting tour de force which has already graced many best of polls including those of Spin, Pitchfork and the top position on Amazon’s “Best Music of 2009” list. The album has also received Two Grammy nominations for “Best Contemporary Folk Album” and “Best Recording Package” (for the striking album cover)

“Case has one of the most powerful sets of pipes in pop” - Rolling Stone

“Neko Case’s songs are full of claws, wolves, tornadoes, birds of prey and the occasional gust of wind. But her voice is the real force of nature.” – New York Times Magazine

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott: A Stranger Here - The renowned troubadour steps out of the country/folk arena that has shaped his legend and examines pre-WWII blues songs in a wholly unique way. A Stranger Here proves another wonderful tome in the library of one of the great American storytellers. The album has been nominated for a Grammy in the category of “Best Traditional Blues Album” and has garnered the album’s esteemed producer Joe Henry a nomination in the “Best Traditional Blues Album” category.

“Ramblin’ Jack Elliott is, along with Pete Seeger, one of America’s finest living folk singers. Seeing him play is a treat, but hearing him tell long, meandering stories — he didn’t get that nickname for nothing — is transformative.” - New York Times

“Both beautiful and brave in its purity" - Performing Songwriter

Bob Mould: Life and Times - A cathartic and vital album by an influential artist marks the respective anniversaries of the formation of Husker Du and Mould’s lauded solo effort Workbook with an album of unflinching self-reflection. Standouts like "Wasted World" and "I'm Sorry Baby, But You Can't Stand In My Light Anymore" highlight an artist completing a cycle decades in the making, his talent undiminished, his perspective acute.

"Passion, beauty, intelligence, grace: it's all here." – Filter

"This newest collection is moody and minimalist, and it showcases Mould’s introspective side. The most compelling songs evoke the speed, energy, and passionate commitment that justly made Mould an icon." - New Yorker

Jason Lytle: Yours Truly, The Commuter - Two years after Grandaddy's demise, Lytle returns with an immaculately crafted pop soundscape that mirrors both the dramatic environment of Lytle's newly-adopted Montana and the vintage twang of the Central California farmland that inspired hiss earlier work. Electronic flourishes collide with acoustic guitars and soulful piano parts, perfectly recreating Lytle’s signature lo-fi-electro atmospheres.

“A richly textured work that is lovingly crafted and affectingly poignant." - Alternative Press

“A textured homage to the lush and laid-back West Coast dream life of his youth…it’s like Bruce Springsteen’s open highway finally reached a melancholy kid from Modesto.” - Spin

Booker T: Potato Hole – The trailblazing soul man has written the most audacious chapter of his career with his first solo album in decades. Backed by the Drive-By Truckers with Booker's signature Hammond B3, the album bristles with energy and heart. The album has earned a Grammy nomination for Jones in the category of “Best Pop Instrumental Album.”

“There are no chart-baiting superstar guest vocalists or gimmicks, just gut-punching, funky, loose-limbed, rock 'n' soul jams recorded in down-and-dirty sessions without an inch of fat.” - Boston Globe

“Potato Hole proves as extraordinary, delirious and laugh-out-loud weird as anyone might dare hope.” – Uncut

The Field: Yesterday & Today - The innovative sound artist expands his ever transfixing audio palette, continuing the oblique sampling strategy of his critically praised “From Here We Go Sublime” while building up the rhythmic architecture to startling new heights.

“Full of driving, dirty beats, crisp bells and hats that delicately pepper the high end, this sonic treasure offers plenty of infectious grooves.” - DJ Times

“Yesterday & Today is gorgeous, overwhelming, lush and (mainly) wordless, and it reeks throughout of inarticulable emotion.” - Prefix Magazine

Bettye LaVette: Change is Gonna Come Sessions – The soul singer extraordinaire revisits her forgotten post-Atlantic Records years as a nightclub singer and Broadway performer with a mix of classics including a heart wrenching rendition of Billie Holiday's "God Bless The Child" and an acclaimed version of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," which LaVette performed at the Obama Inaugural Celebration.

"There's no one more soulful than Bettye LaVette…Bettye makes great music now because of her obstacles. She has a fire in her belly and a passion that was never squashed over the years...you just hear it and feel it in everything she sings." - CNN.com

“a compelling and intimate set of songs that adroitly combine a smoky jazz club, Saturday night rent party and Sunday morning church service. “ - Creative Loafing

Busdriver: Jhelli Beam – The art rap progenitor returns to jolt rap back into shape with virtuoso vocal stylings and poignant (and at times dadaist) lyricism. This record not only effortlessly trumps all previous mind-bending performances of his earlier works, but gives them new context; highlighting their dexterity with nuggets of election year paranoia and absurdist humor.

"Everything on Jhelli Beam makes sense. Every word is a picture. Every sentence pushed over the one before it the way dominos fall when they're lined up in a row....This is creativity - this is the reason for being: to preceive/ingest, and digest, and poop it out." - LA Record

“Busdriver's crazy, quick verses sprint from inside-out humor to social criticism alongside challenging beats that reward repeated listens. Exciting, odd stuff." - Chicago Tribune

Solillaquists of Sound: No More Heroes - With this release the Orlando-based hip hop quartet have accomplished the rare feat of creating a body of work that's as palatable to the public as it is groundbreaking, imaginative, and rewarding to listeners looking for something more in the soundtrack to their lives.

“authentic and raw, blending elements of dubstep, afrobeat, folk, most
obviously hip-hop, but surprisingly more synth-beats infused in a background of beautiful harmonies.” - 7x7 Magazine

“A lyrically potent, melodic, and danceable piece, make sure to cop one of the best records the year has to offer.” – Sputnikmusic

Joe Henry: Blood From Stars - The revered solo artist and Grammy-winning producer’s music spans many genres but the dominant sound on Blood From Stars is a rich blues tonality that swells into ravishing epics that jump the rails to incorporate folky jazz and bent Sinatra-esque washes of sampled strings. Henry’s eleventh album is a tour de force of lush arrangements and seductive song lines. The acclaimed musician/producer was also nominated for a Grammy for his work guiding Ramblin Jack Elliott’s release, A Stranger Here.

"Joe Henry is like that unexpected piece of dark chocolate at the bottom of the ice cream dish: something rich, sweet and so surprisingly good that you wonder how it escaped you before. This album captures a sensuous musicality, whether it's torch songs or avant-garde and traditional jazz, raw blues or pumped up soul escapades." – RELIX

“For connoisseurs of craft, Henry’s writing is an absolute joy, drawing effortlessly on classic pop, roots, and folk traditions and alchemizing these various strains into a single, sweet sound.” – American Way Magazine

Os Mutantes: Haih or Amortecedor - Still psychedelic, influential, political and playful after all these years – the near mythical has crafted triumphant return with their first record in 35 Years. Revered by luminaries such as Kurt Cobain, the Flaming Lips Devendra Banhart and Beck, the Mutantes have delivered one of the most original and enjoyable albums of the year.

"a superb, politically tinged reunion effort....their new songs remain as bold and fascinating as their old ones." – New Yorker

"Haih Or Amortecedor is rhapsodic, an endearing tribute, and a welcome addition, to one of pop music’s strangest group of musicians." – Popmatters

Islands: Vapours – The ever evolving Montreal outfit returns with an album that flits back and forth between moody synthesizers and drum-machine-heavy beats and an array of intriguing sonic textures, all the while remaining firmly rooted in the classic pop sensibilities and melodic hooks the band is celebrated for. 

"infectious and weird....masterful, refreshing synth-pop, served up pure and simple.” – Blackbook

"one of our favorite albums of the fall. It's just some lush, pop goodness." – Paper Magazine

Rain Machine: Rain Machine - Kyp Malone’s solo project features ten unflinchingly original and emotional songs mixing elements of modern jazz, blue-grass and blistering guitar driven rock into a refreshing new sound. As singer and guitarist for celebrated band TV on the Radio, Malone proved himself both a captivating and delightfully unpredictable musical force. On Rain Machine, he shows himself a singer and a lyricist of startling talents.

“Malone steps out with an emotionally open debut just as experimental and daring as his work with TVOTR.” – USA Today

“The tunes sound a bit like a rain dance—tribal bells, trance-inflected refrains, the occasional howl—but one that's been fed through the post-apocalyptic fury of TV On The Radio. The result proves a compelling sonic exploration, knotty and exultant as ever.” – The Onion

Dead Man’s Bones: Dead Man’s Bones - Initially intended as play about a monster-ghost-love-story, Zach Shields and Ryan Gosling eventually scrapped the stage show and recorded Dead Man’s Bones, a refreshingly original album featuring doo-wop songs about werewolves, haunting melodies telling tales of zombies with broken hearts, and children singing the joys and pains of being alive or being dead.

“Simultaneously sweet and spooky, heart-stirring and imaginative; a wonderful requiem to our forgotten fear of the dark" – LA Weekly

“A decidedly beautiful thing" – MOJO

The Swell Season: Strict Joy – The follow up to their Oscar winning “Once” soundtrack, Strict Joy finds the duo of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova evoking the bittersweet aftermath of their real life romance and breakup with an album of stirring folk tinged blue eyed soul.

“a lush, lovely, heartfelt gem.” – NPR

“Strict Joy is a joy from start to finish, as few bands manage to mix intimacy and sweeping songcraft with such finesse.” – All Music Guide

Alec Ounsworth: Mo’ Beauty - a soulful and intriguing solo endeavor from celebrated singer/songwriter Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Recorded in music-steeped New Orleans with an all star cast of local talent, the end result is a display of masterful songwriting and arguably Ounsworth’s best work yet.

"Mesmerizing and profound" – The Onion

"The sharpest arrangements and best songwriting of his short career: Almost every tune on Mo Beauty equals or betters those on CYHSY's lauded 2005 debut, mixing spooky folk with frantic fun. Ounsworth's regular band may have a shaky future, but he doesn't." – Spin

Tom Waits: Glitter & Doom Live – This two disc collection perfectly documents Waits' sold out, acclaimed 2008 “Glitter and Doom” tour. The music disc features Waits' in his eclectic glory shifting seamlessly from an array of characters: carnival barker, preacher, country singer, soul balladeer; cabaret singer and storyteller. Disc Two is a selection of the comic bromides, strange musings, and unusual facts that Waits traditionally shares with his audience during the piano set.

“One of the most charismatic and straightforwardly entertaining live artists you are ever likely to see or hear. (..) Pick disc one for the uninterrupted junkyard blues and bewilderingly tender crooning: choose disc two for trivia and lies dredged from the back pages of the Fortean Times and delivered sans songs with the impeccable timing of a seasoned professional still in love with the stage and his audience.” – Time Out London

“Equal parts Captain Beefheart and Louis Armstrong as he examines the full spectrum of life, from the grimly grotesque to the sweetly sentimental… It’s an utter delight.” - NME

* Mavis Staples: Live: Hope at the Hideout - While technically released at the end of 2008, it’s worth mentioning that Mavis’ blistering live album has just earned the legendary soul singer a well deserved Grammy nomination in the category of “Best Contemporary Blues Album.” Mavis was previously awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2005 Grammys for her collective work with the Staples Singers.

Solillaquists of Sound 'No More Heroes' Album Premiere and Pre-Order

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:07:00 -0700

Want to hear Solillaquists of Sound's new album No More Heroes before it hits stores on August 4th? Insound currently has the album streaming in its entirety! Click Here to listen.

InSound also has the album available to pre-order! When you pre-order the album you'll also receive the MP3's of No More Heroes immediately after checkout! Pre-order the album HERE!

No More Heroes in stores August 4th

SOLILLAQUISTS OF SOUND TO RELEASE 'NO MORE HEROES' ON AUGUST 4

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:04:00 -0700

Anti’s Most Buzz-Worthy Hip Hop Group Breaks the Mold with Laser-like Precision on Aggressive, Focused Sophomore Album

From Hollywood to our nation’s capitol, the concept of the hero is more pervasive than ever in 2009. But in a time when donning the cape is so en vogue, Florida’s Solillaquists of Sound go the next step with their most personal work yet. The second in a trilogy of conceptually-linked albums, No More Heroes sheds the overtly cerebral approach that marked their debut As If We Existed in exchange for a more aggressive, in-your-face sound that is driven by the synth-heavy beats of MPC mastermind DiViNCi and the urgent vocals of Swamburger, Alexandrah, and Tonya Combs.

The past few years have seen the quartet blossom as they toured the world with the likes of Sage Francis, KRS-One, Bad Brains, Ozomatli, El-P and Michael Franti & Spearhead, who they also backed on the Election Year anthem “The Obama Song.” Their unparalleled live shows have won SoS a rabid grassroots following of devoted fans inspired by their eclectic musical aesthetic and unique approach to songwriting.

With a musical canvas fusing elements of hip hop, dubstep, prog-rock, afrobeat, folk music, and epic movie scores, the sound of No More Heroes is a blistering collage that never loses its identity, maintaining an underlying unified sound. The kid gloves are off; the record is primal, energetic, and as passionate as ever, a collection of songs representing a group at the apex of their collective virtuosity.

No More Heroes Tracklisting:

1. Marvel
2. Harriet Tubman pt. 2
3. New Sheriff in Town
4. Gotham City Chase Scene
5. Look
6. Popcorn
7. The Curse
8. Dolla Dolla
9. The Roots of Kinte
10. Fittin' In
11. Death of The Muse
12. 4 People
13. Heroes
14. Solillaquy (The 4-Telling)
15. Bulletproof
16. No More Heroes (the illusion of silence)

ANTI- RECORDS ARTISTS REFLECT ON BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:02:00 -0800

Today, ANTI- Record's blog posted a wonderful piece written by Booker T. Jones, reflecting on the meaning of Black History Month in this historic year. With a long history of living outside racial boundaries - Booker T. and the MGs had both black and white members at a time when much of the country was integrating only under the protection of the National Guard - Booker T.'s was the perfect voice to bring attention to Black History Month on the Anti blog.

For the month of February, the Anti blog will feature weekly musing on being black in America in 2009 written by ANTI- Records' African American recording artists in honor of Black History Month. Bettye LaVette writes about this momentous Presidency, Mavis Staples ponders the power of music to both heal and communicate and Solillaquists of Sound's Swamburger talks of his experiences as a black male, a black artist.

In his piece, Booker T. writes: "In September '08, weeks before the election, while walking in Washington DC with my wife Nan, I was struck with an awareness I had never had before. It was as though I knew, with an unreal sense of certainty, of a real estate transaction that was about to transpire. And I was walking on that very piece of real estate. We were walking from the Lincoln Memorial towards the Capitol Building on the Mall... on this same soil, I was walking, and remembering hymns written by Mrs. Lucy Campbell, and sung by the likes of Mahalia Jackson and Martin Luther King, that said this too shall pass. I, a black male, was walking un-accosted, with my wife, who has white skin. And so, I knew, true to the dreams and instructions of the white men who wrote that inspired document that got us started, anything was possible."

Read the rest of Booker T.'s insightful and hopeful essay and check back weekly for new entries at the ANTI- label blog.

SOLILLAQUISTS OF SOUND Release "Death of the Muse"

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:09:00 -0700

Inspired by the LA Weekly's revelatory interview with Ms. Maureen Yancey a/k/a Ma Dukes, mother of deceased producer and hip hop luminary James Yancy a/k/a J Dilla, Anti-/Epitaph recording artists Solillaquists of Sound have decided to put the power of change into the hands of the people.

Solilla's "Death of the Muse," featuring J-Live, Chali 2na (formerly of Jurassic 5), and Ma Dukes herself, will be made available for digital purchase at http://www.insound.com/madukesdonation for a minimum donation of $2. In an effort to alleviate the grim financial situation that has been intensified by her declining health, one hundred percent of the proceeds will go directly to Ms. Yancey. In addition to losing her house and taking on an insurmountable number of hospital bills while looking after Dilla in his time of illness, Ms. Yancey was also left with a difficult and estranged relationship with the current executors of her son's estate in the wake of his passing.

"Our new album No More Heroes deals with the theme of heroism in a number of ways," says Solilla group member/producer DiViNCi. "As a musician, Dilla was my biggest hero, so when we started working on the album a year ago, we intended on dedicating select parts of it to him and donating some of the proceeds to his estate. But as news began to circulate, particularly through the LA Weekly's article, it really made it clear that a movement needed to be started to get all of the proceeds directly in the hands of Ms. Yancey, who in our eyes is a hero who is still with us."

"The song and album's message is also for people to step up and become their own heroes. The best way to pay tribute to someone is to honor your life by living it to the fullest, inspired by what they did while they were alive, rather than mourning their memory," DiViNCi continues. "At the same time, ‘Death of the Muse' is also a tribute to Dilla's legacy – a call to listeners to appreciate what you've got while it's there, because it can be fleeting. The dignity and perseverance that Ma Dukes has exuded during these difficult times is truly its own heroic feat, and it's only right to pay homage and lend a hand to her in her time of need."

J Dilla emerged out of Detroit's hip hop scene in the mid-90s as one third of the group Slum Village. A gifted producer, emcee, and multi-instrumentalist, he would go on to produce songs for artists such as Common, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Erykah Badu, and the Pharcyde. After a lengthy struggle with lupus that saw him in and out of the hospital for the last few years of his life, Yancey died from cardiac arrest on February 10, 2006, three days after his 32nd birthday.

Combining the fervent virtuosity of producer/MPCist DiViNCi, the rapid-fire delivery of emcee Swamburger, the soulful vocals of Alexandrah, and the spoken narrative of Tonya Combs, the Solillaquists of Sound have wowed audiences across the board as one of today's most passionate, innovative, and dynamic Hip Hop acts. Along with the forthcoming release of their second album on Anti-/Epitaph, No More Heroes, the group members also are in the process of launching their own non-profit organization, the Solilla Center 4 Creative Kids.

11/16 – Citybank Hall – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
11/19 – Carling Academy Liverpool – Liverpool, England
11/20 – University of East Anglia – Norwich, England
11/21 – Manchester Academy – Manchester, England
11/22 – Carling Academy – Birmingham, England
11/23 – Barrowlands – Glasgow, Scotland
11/25 – Carling Academy – Newcastle, England
11/26 – Guidhall – Southampton, England
11/27 – Carling Academy – Bristol, England
11/28 – Brixton Carling Academy – London, England
11/29 – Rock City – Nottingham, England

SOLILLAQUISTS OF SOUND'S SAMPLE WIZARD DiViNCi TO OPEN THE PRESTIGIOUS PLUG AWARDS ON THURSDAY

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:03:00 -0800

The 2008 Plug Awards promise to get off to an electrifying start on Thursday night, as Solillaquists of Sound's DiViNCi kicks off the festivities.

Each year, Plug, a loosely organized independent music community, comes together to decide the best independent music and media released that year. A list of finalists is posted online and the democratic process takes its course as thousands of music fans from around the world vote for their favorites. Previous Plug Award winners have included Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Sufjan Stevens and TV On The Radio.

2008's show promises to be the most exciting yet. With performances by the likes of Dizzee Rascal and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds among others, the electronics genius DiViNCi will be in good company. Best known as the man behind the midi, DiViNCi creates the beats that fuel the inspirational, original and thought-provoking tracks that have placed the Solillaquists of Sound at the top of the thinking man's hip hop list.

SoS have toured the world, both backing other MCs and on their own, playing with everyone from the Roots to EL-P. At each show, it is the dizzying skills of DiViNCi playing his MPC that thrills the crowd. Likened to the expressive and psychedelic sounds that Jimmy Hendrix coaxed from his guitar, DiViNCi's mobile midi production center is the heartbeat of SoS. See for yourself, as DiViNCi jams the National Anthem on two MPCs.

With a new Solillaquists of Sound record, entitled No More Heroes, in the works, more of DiViNCi's artistic and intelligent vision will come to light in late 2008. In the meantime, check out his skills this Thursday at the Plug Awards.

Sol.iLLaquists of Sound sign to Anti-/Epitaph!

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 00:06:00 -0700

Sol.iLLaquists of Sound to Drop Anti-/Epitaph debut LP
As If We Existed on September 26, 2006

Thought-provoking hip-hop prot�g�s of hardcore rapper Sage Francis emerge

Sol.iLLaquists of Sound � prot�g�s of acclaimed, politically-minded rapper Sage Francis � will release their debut album through Anti-/Epitaph Records on September 26, 2006. Titled As If We Existed, the first studio offering from the dynamic, Orlando-based hip-hop collective is the next link in the chain of cerebral hip-hop.

Discovered by outspoken rapper Sage Francis, the Sol.iLLaquists� combustible live presence prompted the renowned MC to not only take the troupe on tour as a support act, but incorporate them into his live set. Now, with As If We Existed, S.O.S. offers up a thinking person�s brand of the genre.

Not content to just jam together, but actually live communally in a cramped, slightly overgrown Florida lakehouse, Sol.iLLaquists of Sound are a collective in every sense of the word. And it�s that sense of family translates to the thought stirring, vibe-steady compositions found on As If We Existed.

As activists, healers and vegans, the Sol.iLLaquists fuse intellect, spirituality and action, taking aim at specific issues like cultural revolution (�Black Guy Peace�), ethnic alcoholism (�Property & Malt Liquor�) and personal wellness (�Our 2 Cents�). Serving as both a harsh mirror and a challenge to rise above, As If We Existed prospers in the presence of MC Swamburger�s flow, a tongue-twisting, machine-gunning cadence whose precision is surgical in both rhythm and message.

Coupled with the technical skills of DiViNCi on MPC (Midi Production Center), The Sol.illaquists� facile, athletic beats and �Burger�s tense lines find balance in the soulful vocals of Alexandrah and Tonya Combs. Fusing critical messages with a multi-dimensional sound, As If We Existed is a public service announcement with spit. One listen and you�ll be well-grooved, dually enlightened and quite possibly inspired.