Records Of 2008

I present to you my favorite albums of 2008 in no particular order.

The Foreign Exchange - Leave It All Behind

I was wonderfully surprised when I initially heard Foreign Exchange's second album. Their first album was mostly Hip Hop, but for their sophomoric release they left Hip Hop all behind. The album blends R&B, Rock, House and a little Jazz beautifully. Nicolay's instrumentation are memorizing and rhythmic. The vocals, supplied by Phonte, Darrin Brockington and Musinah, are simple yet poignant. Nothing's overdone, complex or appealing to lowest common denominator. Just beautiful musicianship from this group of young, independent artists. Cop It.

Grooveman Spot - Raw Humberger

Grooveman Spot's latest is a complication of 70s and 80s jazz and R&B tunes that inspired them, they find funky or serve as sampling sources. Whatever the reason, these Hip Japanese cats have a great ear for music. Included on the complication are Les McCan, Herbie Hancock, Roy Ayers, Atlantic Starr, Loose Ends, Rufus and Chaka Khan and many more. Get it and Groove out!!

Q-Tip - The Renaissance

Not much of a Hip Hop fan, but i'll always make a concession for A Tribe Called Quest and any other of the group members side projects. Q-Tip always delivers refined Hip Hop with lovely jazz samples. The Renaissance doesn't disappoint and Q-Tip stays true to his craft. He's not like some of those rappers who were big in the 90s and want to make a come back by being appealing to a younger demographic and lowest common denominators. Track 10, Life Is Better, is a real gem and Norah Jones sounds stellar.

Simbad feat. Melo/Abdul Shyllon - After The Dance

A nice cover of Marvin Gaye's After The Dance by Simbad, a beatmaker out of the UK. It's faster than the original, but just as soulful.

Jazzanova - Of All The Things
Jazzanova fans have anxiously waited four years for something new from these German soul brothers. For a bunch of middle aged German men, they certainly have an ear for black music. The album is a mix of 60s and70s style soul music, a little bossa, classic jazz, a little folk, a little hip hop and a little house. The album is somewhat more mainstream than there previous work since the album was released through, Verve instead of their indie company, The Sonar Kollectiv. My favorites tracks are Rockin You Eternally, What Do You Want?, Look What You're Doin To Me and Lucky Girl.

2000 Black - A Next Set A Rockers
Although my favorites are listed in no particular order, I must say that this album was quite remarkable. Every track is audio goodness. 2000 Black consists of two beatmakers out of West London who uses the best global soul vocalists to sing on the tracks. The album consist of what is know as Global Soul and Neu Jazz. The album is representative of those nuanced terms because of its international origin, sound and appeal. Groups such as 2000 Black aren't very popular in mainstream music USA, but in the UK there tracks can be heard on BBC radio and mainstream Japanese radio stations. 2000 Black's music is so refined and exceedingly sophiscated in regards to their mainstream USA counterparts. I just cannot understand the lack of popularity within mainstream USA music culture.