I was sitting in my office last week doing some work, when a young lady that I work with closely stopped in and said “you are always listening to the most random and interesting cross section of music, who are these artists?”…

We spoke about our musical tastes for a few minutes, I recommended some albums and she did the same in return. That short interaction has inspired me to do the same on this website. Granted, I’ve done it before, but I think I’ll make this a weekly Blog called “Currently in Rotation…”

So, here we go

1) Any and Everything Yukumi Nagano

I remember a few summers ago first hearing of a group called KOOP and listening to their “big-hit” Summer Sun. The musicianship was beautiful, but the glue that kept the track was the boisterious and sultry voice of a young girl named Yukimi Nagano. I dug around and found an amazing remix of Summer Sun, that dare I say, was better than the original! I wore that song out back in the summer of 2003, but soon after like most kids of my generation with ADD, kept it moving.

A few months ago, I heard a new Ge-ology track called “Longin“, and instantly fell in love with the singer, only to realize that it was Yukimi again. Ugh. I hate when artists control my emotions like that. She also has another track with Ge-ology called “Blues Alley” that is equally as haunting and remeniscient of the downtempo/trip-hop/acid jazz days of the mid 90s. Which leads me into my next artist……

2)Ge-ology

If you have been a hiphop fan for a few years now, there is no way you have never heard a Ge-ology production. Some of his most well known work came with Mos Def on his Black on Both Sides LP, specifically “Brooklyn – a reqiuem in 3 parts“. He also produced songs for Pete Rock, De La Soul, Vinia Mojica, Talib Kweli, Consequence and many others. His work with Vinia Mojica and Yukumi Nagano stands out as his best productions. He has a certain knack of pulling these beautifully haunting vocals out of his singers that have that ambigious genre feeling that was classified as Acid Jazz 10 years ago. Oh yea, hes a sick dj and visual artist also.

3)Corinne Bailey Rae

Ok. I was late. I admit it. Give me my late pass, but I’ve had this girl’s album since it was released and really never paid it much mind. I revisted it a few months ago, and fell in love with it. The girl has soul.

On her deluxe CD, she covers Led Zepplin’s “Since I’ve been loving you” and actually does the track justice. Link – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQK5iupEp6I

I personally think Bilal has done the best version of the track I’ve ever HEARD.

4) Ben Westbeech

Someone sent me the MP3 of “Hang Around” a few months ago, and I was like who is this new cat. Did a little research (see: hit up the torrent scene) and “acquired” the album. I’ve been a serious fan ever since, the album is suprisingly good. Its great to find a new favourite song on an album you previously heard nothing from. His music flows from R&B Ballads, to very danceable Garage/2-Step sounding tracks. The title track “Welcome” is my personaly favourite cut, but I’m sure you will find something on this album that you love.

5)Jay Electronica

In the world of hiphop, being braggadocious about ones wealth, sexual prowess, lyrical skill set, and looks is par for course, but every once in a while any emcee will emerge out of a mainstream wasteland and make the listener not only absorb the aesthtic but look for something deeper inbetween the lines.

Jay electronica is one of those emcees. There is something about this enigmatic MC that has us listening to each sylabble of his as if we were listening to a preacher doing his weekly sermon. Not since any early NAS has any emcee made me constanly wonder whats on the other side of each bar.

With his distinct voice and inflection, every line of his is very clear and easy to understand. Being from the south (new orleans specifically), one would expect some sort of southern drawl, but somehow jay has been able to adopt a smooth, almost old school flow, that is ambigious enough to make him sound like he can be from NY to Cali or anywhere inbetween.

He has a few random SINGLES out there and an official EP on a shelf somewhere, but this is a kid I expect greatness out of. Erykah Badu started a record label after hearing this guy rap, just to put his music out there. That should persuade you enough to watch closely.