This is an informal unplanned blog post in celebration, appreciation and admiration of the man, the many hit wonder and absolute G that is Phil Collins.
Firstly - Hope you (my five readers), had a Merry Christmas and wishing you the most joyous and brilliant 2024!! Whilst we're reflecting going into the new year, why not refelct a little more on one of my favourite living legends who is still giving so much to music.
This post has been in my drafts since 6th June 2022 because how can one find the words??? Disney HEAVYWEIGHT, king of the ballads and the 80s dancefloor fillers, I'm talking about serious range that cannot be adequately appreciated with adjectives. Phil Collins is - WHEW.
I've said this many times, but I truly believe there was an atmospherical and historical shift in existence on earth as we know it the first time the beat dropped in "In The Air Tonight" and every time since. What a perfect piece of music. The anticipation, the build, the BASS.... *chefs snog*! Lyrically his pen is electric, especially when it comes to the Tarzan soundtrack. "Strangers Like Me" is a wonderfully placed artwork with surprising depth for a children's movie, exploring a sense of identity and the excitement of risk; Surprising but entirely welcome. He really paved the way for the likes of Lin Manuel Miranda when it comes to celebrity songwriters and for that, I am grateful because I also lurrrvee the Moana soundtrack.
His work with Philip Bailey on Easy Lover brings me SO MUCH joy. As an artist who has always been an ally and also for the culture, performing at Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday tribute and working with black artists during a racially charged time in and before the 80's, and later on with the dearly departed Benjamin Zephaniah in 2013. He really is that guy and I rate him a lot.
I don't want to talk too much. I just to say Uncle Phil Collins. We love you and respect you 5eva !! (one more than 4ever)
And I was thinking the other day, whatever happened to men making these heart-bleeding, groundbreaking, confessions - nay - public declarations of their undying love? Like really, let's bring that back in 2023.
Because honestly I think Boyz ii Men were the last to really do it well but now we have Drake who does emotional vulnerability but where are the love letters? Where is the poetry? It's not giving ROMANCE. The R&B girlies and hopeless romantics deserve better right?
Right. Well for those of us who grew up on a steady musical diet of Mellow Magic and Smooth Radio (a.k.a the hopeless romantiques) I've got you! I've put together a playlist of 30 of my favourite old skool jams for V day and the theme is lurve.
Good morning/ evening/ afternoon/ grand rising music lovers a.k.a my three readers.
I hope you're all having a wonderful Christmas break and if you're not don't worry, I've got you with this next album, released earlier this year. Please feel free to listen to the album as you read along:
Introducing Kokoroko, a London-based collective consisting of 8 of some of the world's most talented musicians. When I told my mum about them she was overjoyed as she explained in Ghana "Kokoroko describes the sound of knocking which makes sense when I think of the big part the percussions play in delivering their unique sound.
Some might describe their music as an afro-jazz/ afrobeat fusion similar to the music of the Kuti's, Vieux Diop or Fatoumata Diawara... I'd describe their music as that too, but also just pure vibey.
I have been in love with their music for a while now but annoyingly missed them live and now they're off globetrotting to perform but will defo give a blog update when I eventually do get to see them live in the UK.
Listening to their album during my walk yesterday was an entire sensory experience. I stepped outside and it was FREEZING, I mean cold cold and as I picked what I would listen to I remember thinking "I need to pick something that makes me feel warm" and this album overdelivered. I could literally see images, short flashes of vibrant orange, green, red and royal blue in front of my eyes during tracks such as 'Ewa Inu' and 'Soul Searching'. These colours are often hand-stitched into traditional Kente cloth which is worn during celebratory ceremonies. My theory - as this has never happened before, the memory part of my brain combined with the music triggered a response of jubilation.
I felt as if the warmth of a golden African sun was beaming on my face and chest, even in the biting -6 degrees, such was authenticity of their sound throughout the album. The traditional 3-beat count was ever-present in the album. The same count which is a bed for so many old-school Highlife, Afrobeat songs and church anthems back in the day. 'We Give Thanks' made me miss home even though I've only been to Ghana once, it made me miss my grandparents although I never met them, I felt such a strong and heartfelt connection to my homeland, a pride in my people and love for my culture. Even the slower tempo tracks such as 'Reprise' and 'Home' make you consider for a moment your roots.
This album is sensational. Filled with moments made for laughter, dancing, jubilating, tears and deep thought. It's got a strong sense of drama (e.g.War Dance), it's got flair, it's got rhythm and it's got eight geniuses who are more than a gift. They don't even deserve to be placed under a tree, rather they're the stars, right on top and I'm excited to see more and more from them as they travel the world making art.
Merry Christmas y'all. I hope you enjoyed this one, from the bottom of my heart I appreciate everyone that reads this. Until 2023,
Hellooo to my five readers. How art thee? It's been a minute! We're in Autumn, and my last blog post was in Spring.....
It's been a year, but the year is not over yet and I come bearing gifts in the spirit of my favourite season (Christmas) - and yes it is officially Christmas time now, because after October 31 Michael and Mariah both personally texted me to let me know they'd defrosted. True story.
N E wayyy, As usual I've been obsessing fixating and replaying artists and for the last couple of weeks I've been appreciating the pure artistic soul that is Emily King.
The first time I heard her voice was probably about two years ago. I remember exactly where I was, walking home from the shops in the autumn. I was taking the short cut, an alley (with streetlights) between the trees as "Georgia" began to play on my discovery playlist. I'd heard it before as my sister had played it to me, "This is the song!" I stopped in my tracks to add it to my 'likes' on Soundcloud and listened to it over and over as I walked home. I recently rediscovered more of her music and have been replaying whole albums all of this week and last. I've now reached a point where I couldn't sleep another night without sharing her with you. So here I am, after a 10 hour shift and three hours of commuting, sitting on the edge of my bed and pouring my admiration over the keyboard.
Emily's voice has a purity and clarity which is so unique and stunning. In her songs her vocals aren't overpowering the instruments or the other way around. There's not one harmony out of place. It just sounds...perfect. Like how music was always meant to feel - and in fairness to the producer, mixed incredibly. Her mastery of lyrics in combination with her knowledge of what her voice can do, moving like silk between ranges with ease is *chefs kiss*.
She plays with international sounds and different genres but still keeps them her. From upbeat songs to the slower tempos, it's clear that emotion and the feelings the song is meant to provoke is at the forefront of each track. Her voice brings things to life in the way it's confident and easy listening. I'm taken back to that walk home, the orange glow of the autumn leaves feel more vibrant, the lights on the street grow more intense and the warmth inside my headphones feel just that bit warmer. Recently, I've been enjoying this one in particular and I hope you do too! :
'tis the season to enjoy new music, so do yourself a favour and expand your playlist to include this beauty!
British Spring has (finally!!) sprung and with the scorching 18-22 degree heatwave brightening our days, why not experience the warmth and blooming colours of Springtime with the music of the aptly-named Liana Flores?!
I found her music in the depth of a very cold winter, both literally and metaphorically. The days were grey and wet, and the monotony of my routine was not lost on me, to a point that became almost fearful. Rainy days can be a real mood-dampener but even then, you sometimes find little pockets of joy like an an oily rainbow puddle. I stepped into a ray of colour upon hearing this song:
The soft Bossa Nova melody was like holding up a mirror, including my new-found obsession with being at water or by the sea. Listening to the album, there's strong and continuous imagery of water. Liana's voice is mellow and floating like a body of water which increases in power with its volume. It captures something very rare, in that when listening to her music, you feel heard.
Whilst beach-combing through the catalogue of Liana Flores' albums I discovered an aeroplane ticket to Brazil. (No, not literally but it may as well have been). This upbeat track begins with some shaking maracas that you can't help but shimmy to, and a characteristic ukulele which practically forces you to sway and clap along to the sounds of samba's cousin. Bossa Nova, often thought of as no more than "elevator music" is an underrated musical genre and this song is a prime example of that! Although developed from Brazilian samba in the 50's and 60's, modern Bossa Nova now stands alone as one of the most unique, exploratory and refreshing styles battling against the bleak pop currently being spewed out by mainstream charts. I LOVE... LOVE this song. Guaranteed to bring sunshine into your day.
If you haven't picked a holiday destination yet, or you're just looking to introduce some colour into your playlist/life, I prescribe the antidote to monotony and bleakness - Liana Flores.
(Oh - and for anyone wondering, I did eventually fulfil my wish to take a break and walk by the sea ⬇️ )
In truth, it's taken me years to build up the courage to try to put into words how deeply I admire the man, the musician, the force that is Harry Belafonte...but here goes!
Hi all,
I hope your winter is going well. To my three readers, you may have noticed that my blog posts have been few and far between. For me to write an honest review I require two things: time and motivation. Whilst I have one I find increasingly that I lack the other. But this fine night, I've spent some time just enjoying music and find myself resting comfortably in the perfect equilibrium for me to finally share with you one of my all-time favourite artists, Harry Belafonte.
Mr Belafonte is a voice handed down by generations. Although I never met him, I hear my grandfather loved his music, and as a result my father liked it too and growing up he would play his Belafonte CDs and one day it just clicked. This man that I spent many years hearing became something I actively sought to listen to. Harry Belafonte was a change-maker at the height of his popularity. He introduced the sound of Calypso and traditional African and Caribbean sound not only to African American music but to mainstream white music as it was dominating at the time. A tall and handsome fairer-skinned man, he charmed his way into white American/ mainstream audiences with a bouquet of sorrel hidden behind his back. Stick with me for this analogy! - If you didn't know, sorrel is a plant used in Caribbean drink recipes. It has many health benefits and can be bitter but when cooked with syrup and cinnamon or maybe served with Jamaican rum it can be sweeet.
With his music he explores a love of his heritage and celebrates culture in songs like "Island in the Sun" and sometimes created a festival song to dance to with a deeper message that highlighted conditions of the working class like in "Banana Boat Song (Day-O)". (Sorrel!) Harry's music make me feel awake in the morning, and reminds me I'm alive in the day. It calls me to celebrate my being with an infectious rhythm, typical of authentic Caribbean Calypso - I mean really, you try being sad whilst listening to "Jump in the line"! His music ranges from upbeat floor fillers to deeply romantic love songs then theatre show tunes and even back to African storytelling songs. He was able to cross audiences and sounds easily being a man born of Jamaican and Jewish descent, performing all around the world; mixing and switching genres with ease and geniality. His voice sounds like the taste of coconut milk and rum, it feels like the warmth of the sun at it's highest point in the summer and transports me most of the time to a beach somewhere I've never been.
But Harry Belafonte is greater than a retired singer/performer (And actor!!) During the 1950s and 60's he contributed hugely to the civil rights movement and is still fighting for social justice now at the age of 94. A friend to Martin Luther King Jr, he financially supported many of his campaigns and was publicly outspoken about the disparity between black and white Americans. He was also active in the anti-apartheid movement. He was on the streets marching alongside the ones you'll often hear about in the history books. He was an advisor and a safe space for activists, often providing his home and offices for peace-meetings. During his time as a late-night TV talkshow host, he gave the platform for open discussion with black performers, politicians, white presidential candidates and native-American poets with guests listing from Aretha Franklin to Robert Kennedy.
He is unique in that, in his performances, he broke down stereotypes of what/who the black man is meant to be which was so important but went even further than entertainment to reinforce education.
To me, his music represents so much more than the joy it encapsulates. More than the deep cultural appreciation it carries. It's more than the genres he crosses or the topics he explores. It's more than generations of love for music passed down from my grandfather's vinyls to my dad's CDs and my Spotify playlist. He is more than his incredible activism, more than an inspiration, more than a legacy. To me Harry Belafonte represents the immeasurable potential of humanity. Obviously I've never met him so can't judge him as a person but as a public figure, there's no denying all he's achieved. At 94, he has reached so many generations, touched so many lives and changed so many systems, not only through his music but in everything he embodies excellence. I truly look up to him as someone who found a way to take something he deeply loves in music and turn it into something he cares about. It's what every working person dreams of - to love their job and make a difference to something somewhere and hopefully, if they can, to make the two cross over.
Even now his charity Sankofa uses art, culture and media to spread the message and impact areas of social injustice that disproportionately affect underserved and oppressed people. His sound is that of change, and most importantly of love, not just for music or for culture but for mankind.
It's been a minute since I've written one of these love letters to music. It gets like that sometimes, but I'm back and it seems revival is the theme because I'm noticing a trend in what's trendy right about now. Let's talk about the rebirth of Funk and Soul.
The feel-good music genres which were so popular in the 70's and 80's have been making a steady resurgence over the last five years and it's latest stamp on the pop charts comes from Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak with 'Leave The Door Open' produced (of course) by Bootsy Collins.
What started off as a radical funk you to 'the man' and a celebration of black-blackity-blackness, to be played at birthday parties, BBQ's and nights in with your boo; exploded and spilled into dancehalls and discos in the early 80's. Along with the 'Black is beautiful' movement came huge afros and wide collars, rollerskates and blunts, and within the whole mix - psychedelia, funk and soul. I would spend rainy afternoons twisting my headphone cords around my fingers, dreaming of a time-machine that could transport me to an episode of Soul Train. I'd watch Earth Wind and Fire late on school nights and bring the melody into school with me the next morning. It's an era that resonates with me as a lover of my natural hair, melanin and music that speaks to the depths of my soul, inspiring movement and natural rhythm.
Now with a rebranded wave of social justice in the BLM movement comes a myriad of music which forms the soundtrack of unapologetic black pride.
During this p****mic, the rebirth of funk and soul couldn't have come at a better time. It has it all - infectious tempos to beat any mood, fashion that never goes out of style and a celebration of blackness. So I've created a playlist on Spotify with some of the latest soul and funk songs I've been jamming to recently as well as the classics.
