Review: El Michels Affair returns with a new two-track release that showcases his continued excellence as both a producer and musician. The A-side, 'Mr Brew,' opens with a menacing intro before evolving into a spacious tune masterfully balancing tension and release. Gentle guitars, strings, flutes and brass weave over a heavy drum track to make for a bright and immersive landscape. On the B-side, 'Kodak' is a lesson in space and arrangement with mellow drums and beautiful instrumentation setting the perfect mood. EMA's trademark restraint ensures the vibe remains the focal point while delivering a perfectly crafted sound that never overwhelms.
Review: .El Michels Affair is nothing if not prolific. Fortunately, the band leader, composer and musician is also hella talented. This is one of his most famous and iconic albums in a discography that is full of them, not least because of course it tackles some of the most iconic source material in hip-hop, namely Wu-Tang Clan's seminal Enter The 37th Chamber. He flips it into an instrumental tribute to the world of the great band and no matter what format it appears in, it plays sells out. Cop this latest reissue now and sink into its lush orchestration, sweeping grandeur and elegant grooves.
Review: The instrumental version of the underground classic Glorious Game is a collaboration between El Michels Affair and Black Thought which showcases Leon Michels' signature "cinematic soul" sound in all its considerable glory. Since the release of Sounding Out The City in 2005, Michels has consistently pushed musical boundaries and has produced for many top names. In Glorious Game, he merges soul-tinged, bottom-heavy beats with Black Thought's deeply personal lyrics and, inspired by hip-hop's sample-based production, crafts new compositions that sample and reinterpret his own work to create dynamic, loop-driven instrumentals. The album is released on Big Crown Records which marks a debut partnership which will be interesting to follow.
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