ILL DOOTS: "Well Known Well Documented Miracles" [Interview]

'The Mess' is the new release from Philadelphia-based collective, ILL DOOTS.

We have previously gushed about the immeasurable talents of ILL DOOTS - their 2018 debut self-titled album, released through Ropeadope Records, introduced listeners to their "good music with no rules" approach to music-making.  The album, along with their subsequent releases, have served as a wonderful and inspiring showcase of their distinctive style born of fusing multiple genres together including hip-hop, soul and R&B.  Propelled by tracks including 'Hue', 'Smile' and the awesome 'Ain't No Way to Live', ILL DOOTS had set the stage but then gleefully rewrote the rule book.

As fervent live performers, that level of reinvention and adapting to the environment around you and the collaborators you work with has proved a staple for ILL DOOTS.  Never content to linger within one style or lane, the band seem to find an impressive ease in being able to push their music into new directions, perhaps challenging themselves to deliver in ways people wouldn't expect them to.

'(Pants) Tore Up', released in 2019, ingeniously sought to characterise the concept of things that are handed down to us - whether those things are vital life lessons from an older generation or, in line with the song, clothes with their own personalized flaws; 'Ten Thousan Rayguns' saw vocalist Elle.Morris take centre stage in a genuinely thrilling reinvention of what we had come to expect from ILL DOOTS's music incorporating more elements of synthy electronic R&B bliss into their mix.  The ILL DOOTS dynasty saw its expansion even further with the release 'US vol.1' by the collective's rapper, US.

Needless to say that the release of 'The Mess' this year once again subverts those expectations.  Backed by some long standing collaborators in the form of rappers Ron Draper and Rich Quick along with RapperOHM and BOOG!, ILL DOOTS present eight eclectic and diverse tracks that seek inspiration from a range of styles and influences – kicked off with the effervescent ‘Heartbeat’, the pace changes frequently veering towards the heavier rock-esque sounds of 'Ig2g' to the classic 90s aesthetic of ‘Columbia’ to the introspective nature of ‘Well’.

With great excitement Blue-in-Green:RADIO was able to secure time with members of the band to discuss the new project and all things ILL DOOTS...

How did members of the band initially come together to form ILL DOOTS? (Jordan, Drums)
Scott (Bass/Musical Director) and I (Jordan, Drums) met freshmen year of college through his roommate at the time and all 3 of us starting sheddin' together. Scott and I then exchanged numbers and were just hitting each other to shed regularly after that. An open mic is the 1st night where all the people that would be band gathered together before all of us really knew each other. Anthony (US fka Phantom, vocals) did a spoken word piece and Scott recognized "oh he's rapping", so he hit him up on Facebook and invited them to a jam session with us. After that Anthony would bring Tex (another vocalist who has since left the band) along to sessions and they started to record in Scott's dorm. What started as working on a few songs turned into a full album of music; "Meteor Music" (2010). When the time came to release it and play a show, all of us musicians: chubbz, myself, Bpad, DeCarlo, who were in the jam sessions or recording for "Meteor Music", formed the band and became the initial spark for our explosive live show.

Which artists have had the biggest impact on shaping your music? (Scott, Bass/MD)
Without a doubt our biggest influence is J Dilla. Initially we sought to emulate his style and manipulate rhythms and sounds the way that he was able to. As we've grown older and continued to study his music I think the focus has shifted to emulate his creative philosophy: making music without boundaries or rules. We are a band but hip hop is our home base, and so we draw inspiration from the groups that came before us: OutKast, A Tribe Called Quest, Blackstar, De La Soul, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, etc. Additionally we take inspiration from some of the great bands that have come before us: Sly & The Family Stone, Parliament/Funkadelic, Earth Wind & Fire, Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, Prince, Prince, & PRINCE! We could go on for days about artists who have influenced us, the list goes much deeper than we could possibly transcribe.

How does the process of writing and creating new music usually work for you all? (US, vocals)
In a myriad of ways. I will say over the course of our many years together, it developed into almost equal parts independently written music being brought to the group as an ingredient for music making --- and collaborating live in the room together. However, the more satisfying route for us all, and what is exemplified best in our latest album The Mess, is when there is no plan, only the people, the moment, the instruments. We love responding to and within the moment when it comes to creating --- if it is not created within the moment then it is either a personal piece that the group is investing in developing OR it is an exercise, in other words practising our craft. Our previous self titled album fell more into the latter --- an exercise in sounding like and honoring our greatest musical influences --- however, with our music writing now it is less an exercise in trying to sound like something specific, and more an intentionality in just being available for whatever feels right. Lyrics come from everyone, sure primarily the vocalists but often instrumentalists as well --- vice versa for the sounds of the instruments, you never know exactly who is playing (or curating) the sounds that you are hearing because each of is open and willing to do it all.

Congratulations on the upcoming release of 'The Mess': how does this project differ from past ILL DOOTS releases? (Chubbz, Keys)
This project differs from our past releases because it was the first time that we spent this long (10 days) together creating an album from start to finish. We arrived in Waldoboro, ME in the fall of 2018 without any pre-written musical ideas. Everyone brought up instruments/equipment from our home studios and set up in a barn to write and record, where we created 31 musical ideas that we eventually narrowed down to the songs on "The Mess", and "age" which releases October 2nd.

Can you talk a little about what went into the making of 'The Mess'? (Elle.Morris, Vocals)
All hands were on deck in producing and writing. Plus, there was a compilation of studio gear and instruments from 3 studios that we brought to a beautiful barn in Waldoboro, Maine. We spent 10 days producing and writing ideas, pruning and refining, and then ultimately leaving with a collection of songs that we share with the world. It was a collective quarantine of sorts, to let out our thoughts, feelings, and observations of what was happening to us and around us.

I've long been a fan of your self-titled album released through Ropeadope Records in 2018: do you have fond memories of that project?
Yes and no. We began recording that album in the winter of 2016, knocked out the basic tracks in a few days and were most of the way through recording the vocals when one of our vocalists left the band. This put is in a really tough spot that took us a while to navigate out of. Eventually we had to strip most of the songs back to just the instrumentals or the most basic lyrical ideas and build them back up with the help of some of our frequent collaborators in the Philadelphia area (Prof., Zeek Burse, Khemist, Rich Quick [RIP], Ron Draper, DjNoPhrillz, etc). It was like we had to make the album twice, and while we would prefer to never have to drag a project so far through the mud before being able to complete it, I think we would all agree that it was for the better and galvanized us as a group. We ended up with a more dynamic and exciting album, we were able to feature and collaborate with some amazing artists who wouldn't have been involved otherwise, and ultimately that process led to Elle.Morris joining the band as a full time vocalist (all praise to the ILL Queen). Ultimately "The Mess", although sonically disparate, was a much more cohesive process, and I think an attentive listener will hear that difference.

Live performances seem to comprise a large part of the band's make-up: how does your music translate from the studio to the stage? (Elle.Morris, Vocals)
I'd have to say it's the acronym (I.L.ove L.iving/I.L.ove L.earning) and the mission of living, learning, and loving that anchors both experiences. They always come from a deeply genuine place and we always make our business to connect with someone, even if it's just with ourselves.

Who would be a dream artist for the band to either record or perform with? (We all answered this one, sorry if there are doubles, we interpreted this as dead or alive since we're dreaming)
Sly Stone, P-Funk, Black Thought, Betty Davis, Jay Electronica, Frank Ocean, Tobe Nwigwe, Tierra Whack, Tune-Yards, Vince Staples, Tyler the Creator, Rage Against the Machine, Run the Jewels, Royce da 5'9, all of TDE, D-Smoke, Thundercat, Yasiin Bey, Dave Chapelle, Lauryn Hill, Rapsody, Daylyt, Mick Jenkins, EarthGang, JID, Lizzo, Grizzly Bear, Kid Cudi, The Carters, Noname, Griselda, Kamauu, Madlib, IDK, serpentwithfeet, Anderson .Paak, Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, Cardi B, Kali Uchis, Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss, George Clinton, Jorja Smith, Lupe Fiasco, Minnie Riperton, Raphael Saadiq, Princess Nokia, Sampha, Sergio Mendes, Santana, Andre 3000, 2 Chainz, Young Thug, Herbie Hancock, BadBadNotGood, Maleek Berry, Nina Simone, Prince, Quincy Jones, Notorious B.I.G., Brandy, Laura Mvula, James Blake, Bilal, Solange, Raphael Saddiq, Bobby McFerrin, Rick Rubin, Gregg Alexander, Paddy McAloon, J DILLA.

'Speak Your Truth' by Tensei

'Speak Your Truth' is the brand new EP from the revered production duo, Tensei, who release this excellent project through the UK's Def Pressé label.

Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, and comprised of producers Chris Kramer and Midas Wells, the prospect of new music from Tensei has become a source of great excitement.  Much is made of Kramer and Wells's unique ability to create music that interweaves a multitude of styles and genres into a cohesive and distinctly Tensei-esque composition: part spiritual jazz, part hip-hop, part nu-soul...  Tensei really have stumbled onto the magic formula and their bold and inspirational approach to genre-defying music-making has resulted in some unparalleled releases for which their efforts have become truly renown.

The success of their 'Constellate' project last year, courtesy of Germany's Tokyo Dawn Records, seems to have kick started an incredibly exciting wave of creativity that has resulted in some fantastic projects,.  Lingering on 'Constellate' for a moment, the seven track project exemplified Tensei's musical vision, pairing their skills masterfully with vocalists including Liv Warfield and Sam Trump along with tracks featuring their long-time and frequent collaborator, harpist Brandee Younger.  Younger's magical touch was really a match-made-in-heaven union with Tensei productions perhaps best represented by that project's single 'Liquid Tongues' featuring vocalist A. Billi Free.  Such was the success of that pairing that Tokyo Dawn was again able to play host to Tensei through 'I Luma', the fantastic collaborative project showcasing A. Billi Free simply soaring over exceptional sonic soundscapes painted by Kramer and Wells.  And still not content to leave it there, the collaboration with Georgia Anne Muldrow, 'Walk It Out' and subsequent remix package, capped off a flawless year.

And this year looks set to bring Tensei equal levels of praise and plaudits as they partner with the eclectic and incredibly innovative label, Def Pressé.  Home to names including Pan Amsterdam, Madison Washington, Toni Sauna and Corey King, Tensei have found wonderful partners in Def Pressé when it comes to facilitating their musical vision with an equally fearless one of their own.

... which brings us to 'Speak Your Truth'.

The brand new five track EP from Tensei sees them deliver another fantastic offering, once again running the gamut of musical styles and aided by another round of awesome collaborators.  Another name synonymous with Tensei's music is rapper ADaD, who features on the EP's soulful lead single, 'Last Dance' with Crl Crrll.  Other names including J Nolan and Ozay Moore excel on their contributions for 'Candy Lady' and 'Taste Like', respectively.  Emily Steinwall marks a particularly exciting inclusion for 'Speak Your Truth' as her indelible talents are wonderfully showcased over two tracks for the project, 'Daydream' and 'Bath Salts', boasting Steinwall's brilliance as a vocalist and flautist.  'Bath Salts' in particular at 6 minutes long could lay claim to being the quintessential Tensei track with its boundlessly infectious musical narrative that traverses a variety of musical realms.

As mentioned earlier, new music from Tensei - and Def Pressé - comes with great excitement.  For the uninitiated, 'Speak Your Truth' serves as a great introduction to both camps and the perfect springboard to explore both catalogues further.

Blue-in-Green:PODCAST #58: Jesse Fischer

Welcome to Episode #58 of the Blue-in-Green:PODCAST which sees Imran (re)connect with the incredibly talented musician, producer and composer, Jesse Fischer.

It really is a pleasure to be able to talk to Jesse again (following on from our chat last year, Episode #24), and this time we're fortunate to be able to delve into his stunning new album, 'Resilience', due for release 7th August 2020.  We discuss the project's world class list of collaborators - including Christian Scott, Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Becca Stevens and Godwin Louis - and we discuss the unimaginable circumstances the world currently finds itself in and what 'Resilience' says about those times.

A complete album review will be posted to the website in the coming weeks and Monday 3rd August will see the innumerable talents of Jesse Fischer as the subject of our GetToKnow... radio exclusive which will feature Imran digging through an hour of music showcasing Jesse's production and playing for other artists' projects.

Blue-in-Green Sessions · Blue-in-Green:PODCAST_#58_Jesse Fischer

'Entirely' by Star Kitchen

‘Entirely’ is the new, and debut, single from the alternative-soul collective, Star Kitchen, released through Color Red Records.

Initially based in Philadelphia, Star Kitchen have cultivated a strong following  based in part on their veracious live performances over the years including having graced stages at High Sierra Music Festival, JamCruise and Electric Forest amongst others.  (A YouTube video recorded from Sony Hall, NYC, December 2019, showcasing the band alongside Natalie Cressman, James Casey and Eric Krasno is an absolute must watch.)  So the news of Star Kitchen's debut single - and subsequent collaboration with Color Red – certainly comes amidst much excitement.

The band's blend of psychedelic funk and heavy-hitting soul is really the type of music that Color Red thrives off.  The Denver, Colorado, based label has been exceedingly fortunate to be able to continually align with a variety of bands that share their vision of contemporary funk and soul music.  Collectives like the afrobeat brilliance of ATOMGA, the psychedelic grooves of the Polyrhythmics and Radon and the hip-hop-inspired aesthetic of ManyColors all epitomise the genre-pushing and genre-defying music that, frankly, turns musicians who take risks into heroes.  And Star Kitchen - through their new single 'Entirely' - look set to position themselves as proud flag wavers for this brand of innovative and progressive soul music.

While 'Entirely' officially marks the band's debut single, the experience and achievements shared between each of the four members already showcases Star Kitchen as something of a formidable super group with each member having a host of collaborations under their belt and having served as part of revered collectives for years. 
 
Comprised of bassist Marc Brownstein (Conspirator, The Disco Biscuits, Younger Brother), drummer Marlon Lewis (Ro James, John Legend), keyboardist Rob Marscher (Addison Groove Project, Matisyahu) and guitarist Danny Mayer (Alan Evans Trio, On The Spot Trio) – and citing the track’s main influences as Jimi Hendrix and James Brown - Star Kitchen’s ‘Entirely’ delivers as a wonderful introduction to the band’s infectious and high energy style that has you craving to see the band’s music translate to a live stage.  While the calibre of these four musicians would prove to be more than enough for any studio, the enlisted talent roster bursts even more at the seams with ‘Entirely’ also boasting the musical contributions of Eddie Roberts – guitarist for The New Mastersounds who also helms the track’s production along with Color Red staple Josh Fairman.

It's perhaps a little overdue that the spotlight shine on Star Kitchen and with this single currently planned to be the first of more due this year, more music will be entirely welcome.

Blue-in-Green:PODCAST #57: Leah Concialdi

Welcome to Episode #57 of the Blue-in-Green:PODCAST which sees Imran connect with the boundlessly talented Leah Concialdi.

As a lifelong afrobeat fan, Leah finds herself with an incredible perspective on the music industry, particularly from the perspective of Denver, Colorado's thriving funk and soul music scene.  As baritone saxophonist for funk and afrobeat collective, ATOMGA, and the electro soul outfit, Tnertle, Leah is also firmly immersed within the PR and marketing realms for Color Red Records, Knew Conscious and Champagne House Media so we discuss everything from the creative processes involved in music-making to the perspective of marketing your product within an ever-evolving musical landscape. 

Leah's insight on the contemporary scene is an invaluable perspective and one we're proud to showcase on the episode today.

Please click below for more information on:
ATOMGA
Tnertle
Color Red
Knew Conscious

(Photo: Kyle Cooper of 303 Magazine)

Blue-in-Green Sessions · Blue-in-Green:PODCAST_#57_Leah Concialdi

The Blue-in-Green:PODCAST unveils new episodes on the first, second and third Mondays of the month. This podcast series runs in conjunction with the online radio station, Blue-in-Green:RADIO which celebrates 21st century soul, jazz, funk, Latin & hip-hop music. These shows are designed to give you some insight into the incredible range of talented presenters we're so lucky to host from all over the world and to geek out musically with us.

'Can You See What I'm Trying to Say' by Vibration Black Finger

'Can You See What I'm Trying to Say' is the brand new album from Vibration Black Finger released through Jazzman Records.

And Jazzman themselves are a great place to start with this review as this project serves as an awesome inclusion amongst an incredible 2020 line-up that boasts projects from saxophonist Muriel Grossman ('Elevation') and the Sokratis Votskos Quartet ('Sketching the Unknown').  'Can You See What I'm Trying to Say' marks the collective's sophomore album release and their first with the label whose manifesto is to scour the world to discover "good and obscure soul, jazz and funk records".

Following on from 'Blackism' (released through Gordon's own Enid Records, 2017), Vibration Black Finger founder - drummer, percussionist and producer Lascelle Gordon - has made this project the jewel in the crown of an already extensive career.  A member of the Brand New Heavies for five years at the group's inception, a renowned DJ and radio host, and at one time or another a member of groups including Heliocentric World, Campag Velocet, Le Volume Courbe and Woven Entity.

In a comparatively short amount of time, Vibration Black Finger have really provided a high level of stunning music that is a wonderful recapturing of the spiritual jazz of the 1970s.  From the self-titled debut EP, and precursor to 'Blackism' back in 2016, two further EPs followed with 'GUADI' (2017) and 'Sweet Nothing' (2018) all serving as compulsory releases within the pantheon of Vibration Black Finger's unfolding message.

'Can You See What I'm Trying to Say' is a key project within Gordon's story.  Bold, ethereal and, at times, trippy - the sheer scope and ambition of the album succeeds as a revelation by itself with perhaps the best examples of its sonic bliss represented by the ten plus minutes of 'Acting For Liberation, pt.1' and the album closer 'Only In A Dream' featuring a wonderful vocal by Maggie Nicols.  Frequent VBF vocalist, Ebony Rose, also excels on 'Empty Streets' and 'The Glory' along with an extensive array of featured musicians revolving around a core of Diana Gutkind on piano, Ben Cowen on keyboards and bassists Ken Kambayashi and Colin Somervell.

The album serves as a thrilling introduction to the world of Gordon's Vibration Black Finger and an effective springboard to go back and explore their aforementioned projects as well.  While you're shopping, spend some time on Jazzman Records' Bandcamp page as there are some real treasures released this year.

'Tripwire' by Zbonics

'Tripwire' is the brand new single from the Zak Najor-helmed Zbonics collective, now aligned with the excellent Color Red Records.

And there really is an incredible amount of exciting elements to unpack from the above statement.  Firstly, let's jump into the exciting news of a very welcome return for Zbonics... following his time away from the revered Greyboy Allstars collective, Najor launched his Zbonics project with 'Time To Do Your Thing' marking the band's debut record released back in 2013.  Showcasing a dream team line-up of Najor on drums, fellow Greyboy Allstar Karl Denson on saxophone, (the dearly departed) Melvin Sparks on guitar, organist Adam Scone and the added bonus of contemporary jazz's premier vocalist, Gregory Porter, gracing five of the album's tracks with his exquisite vocal.

Zbonics masterfully straddled that oh-so-middle-ground between jazz and funk, and with production by Najor and Justin Prizant, genuinely created something incredibly special.  A project that certainly paid homage to a classic aesthetic but still one that confidently paved its own unique path forward.  Songs like the awesome jazz-funk of 'He Said', the moody swagger of the album's title track and in particular 'Nowhere To Run' featuring Porter on vocals who had the luxury on appearing on songs completely different from anything he had graced before or has done since.

Although it's now seven years since 'Time To Do Your Thing', Zbonics's return features some notable changes in their line-up and joining Najor and Denson on this go round is Chris Stillwell on bass, Robert Walter on keyboards, Andy Gelb on trombone, Kianna Cameron on guitar, Steve Haney on percussion... and scratches from DJ Greyboy.  Now, the eagle-eyed among you will have noticed some colossal inclusions within the 'Tripwire' cast list with Najor, Denson, Greyboy, Walter and Stillwell all comprising part of the original line-up of the Greyboy Allstars.  The now legendary band (which, at the time, also comprised of guitarist Mike Andrews) was initially formed in 1993 as the house band for DJ Greyboy before their on stage chemistry led to them releasing their now classic debut 'West Coast Boogaloo' in 1994 and a further four albums since then.

With Justin Prizant returning for production, this revitalised version of Zbonics is like an amalgamation of two wonderful bands coming together in an Avengers Assemble style mash-up that whets your appetite for more.  Those fusion inspired elements that made 'Time To Do Your Thing' such a treasure are still prevalent but with Greyboy's magic touch and the addition of Najor on vibraphone, as well as drums, it feels like there's more innovative ground being covered.

Fingers crossed for more from Zbonics who now have now found a wonderful new base with the pioneering Color Red Records.

The Soul Sound Collective: "The Music & Minds of..." [Interview]

The Soul Sound Collective return with 'Music and Minds, Part 2', the follow-up to last year's independently-released debut EP.

Comprised of multi-instrumentalist and producer, Craig Sims, along with long-time collaborator and bassist Tim Higgins, 'Music and Minds, Part 2' also boasts strong contributions throughout from Simon Lee on guitar and an otherwise small selection of guests including guitarist Jack Lampard who features on 'Dreaming All'.

We've gushed about The Soul Sound Collective's thrilling take on contemporary soul and the myriad of influences that permeate their distinctive blend of instrumental soul music, seemingly drawing inspiration from the likes of Sade and Roy Ayers.  And with just under a year since the release of Part 1, the time between has also led to exciting results with the release of two standalone singles in that time: 'Isn't It All' featuring Steven Bamidele and 'Love is Real' featuring Kyra Simone.  So much of the Soul Sound Collective's early releases relished in their instrumental compositions so these vocal-led singles prove just how adept they are when incorporating others into their musical fold.  The nu-soul-esque 'Isn't It All' is a joy and the drum & bass-styled 'Love is Real' was an awesome reinvention of the music they had released up to that point.

'Music and Minds, Part 2' mostly takes the Collective back to more familiar territory.  The EP opens with the captivating 'Walk In The City' - a track built around some lush piano that seems to be a song that lovingly reinvents itself as it progresses, introducing some excellent guitar work in the song's latter half.  'The Three' is a track that really finds itself at home with an almost sombre tone but elegant nonetheless.

An incredibly exciting inclusion to the project is 'Dreaming All' featuring the ethereal vocals of Flyt's Mary Mycroft marking a fantastic extension to their - hopefully ongoing - series of collaborations that started with the Soul Sound Collective remix of Flyt's 'Shadows', available as a bonus track on Flyt's excellent 'Select' album release of last year.

Blue-in-Green:RADIO is thrilled to have secured time with Craig Sims to discuss the Collective's overall sound and the brand new EP.

Which artists have had the biggest impact on shaping your music?
For me, I like everything and anything really, anything with a soulful tip.  I actually started with DJing Drum & Bass which then led me to the whole producing side of things.  I used to be in to the soulful edged area and used to think, 'where did that sample or break come from?', which then led me to researching the original artists and finding a big love for the whole jazz-funk-soul vibe.

Congratulations on the release of 'Music & Minds, Part 2': can you talk a little about what went into the making of the EP?
Cheers Imran!  In Part 2, nature and dreamy, chilled-ness was the theme.  A lot of daydreaming [and] wondering went on, kind of in the moment, don't overthink ideas.

How would you say this EP differs from last year's Part 1?
It's quite different.  With these Music And Minds EPs, I'm planning it like a series.  As we're not set in one style as such, gives us the freedom to go with the flow and experiment. We try to keep a theme going on each part. Part 1, more in that jazz-funk area.

How does the process of writing and creating new music usually work for you?
We do it a few ways but usually start out with no set idea.  I'll start with a few chords, get something clicking, colours setting and get a tight enough take down.  I'll then send over the idea/s to Tim (bass) and Simon (guitar), see if they're feeling it.  We then get together.  Due to my home setup being on the small side, we go the live overdubbing route a lot of the time.  We try to keep takes as natural and live as possible.  I'm cool with the overdubbing route, pros and cons to everything.  One thing, 90% of the time I love to track drums last.  For me, it gives a nice freedom to players and you can work early on, some tracks can work sweet drumless! After everything's tracked from our views and input we then branch out to local musicians we know for their stamp and more recently had the pleasure of working with some great vocalists! Something I've wanted to do for years.

You've had a long-standing partnership with Soul Sound Collective bassist Tim Higgins and guitarist Simon Lee: how would you describe the way you three work together?
Working with Tim and Simon is cool.  We're all pretty open minded and get the same things most of the time with each of us having a different edge in places, we get something cool going.

Last year was an incredibly productive year and this year has also seen you release the track 'Love is Real' with Kyra Simone: How did you come to work with Kyra?
Cheers for the support Imran! With Kyra, it started with me sending a Soundcloud message to her years ago.  I heard some of her work and really loved her tone and style.  Kyra was kind enough to get back.  We then sent a few ideas back and forth.  'Love is Real' is actually around five years old.  We had it sitting on the hard drive doing nothing.  I revamped the mixdown and thought, it'd be cool to get this out!  Great working with Kyra.

Mary Mycroft from Flyt appears on the EP: you've collaborated with Josh and Mary a couple times so what was it that you attracted you to the idea of working together?
I actually first found out about Flyt via Blue-in-Green:RADIO.  Great duo and vibe!  I love Mary's style, such a sweet subtle, strong and airy vibe.  Josh felt us out about if we were up for sorting a remix of a track, I thought instantly 'yes' even though I haven't touched a remix in years!  Connection went from there really.  So pleased they're up for collabing!  Pleasure to work with.  More bits lined up.

Who would be a dream artist for you to collaborate with?
Honestly, anyone open minded who gets us really lol.

Is there a song (by another artist) you wish you'd written?
That's a tough one Imran!  I can't really answer that 100%.  My brain at first thought 'Summer Madness' by Kool & The Gang', then, 'Be Thankful For What You Got' by William DeVaughn, then, Sade 'Love Is Stronger Than Pride'... List goes on.