He now releases 2,520 albums per week (approximate figure). To help you sort, here is Radio Nova’s weekly selection of albums not to be missed.
James Blake, Playing Robots into Heaven
James Blake undoubtedly has one of the most sensitive, strongest and most emotive voices on the neo-soul scene of the past decade. The masterpieces “Limit To Your Love” (2011), “Retrograde” (2013) or “Life Round Here” (2013) by the pianist and multi-instrumentalist with the golden voice have never really left our antenna. But James Blake isn’t just a beautiful voice. He is also a daring producer, close to hip-hop, R&B and trap circles: his collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Rosalía, Travis Scott and Frank Ocean attest to this. With his sixth album released today, he is embarking on an adventure that puts electronic music at the center of the subject. With Playing Robots into Heaven and after a first approach on the album Wind Down — composed to help listeners fall asleep — the Londoner questions artificial intelligence, communicates with it, plays with it Encounter of the Third Kind and ticks the ambient, gothic neo-soul (“Loading”), glitchy dub and dancehall (“Big Hammer”) cards. Jules Vernes —> Azimov —> James Blake.
The Chemical Brothers, For that beautiful feeling (EMI / Virgin Records release)
Seen at Rock in the Seine A few days ago, the Chemical Brothers returned with a tenth album that will delight those nostalgic for the raves of the 90s that would have taken… well, thirty years older. Techno, house, psychedelic, buzzing, strangely funky, sometimes very light and sometimes very dark, a sharp album for minds who like to put squares in circles. And still dancing, despite being in his fifties, until early in the morning.
Buju Banton, Born For Greatness (Music/Roc Nation Records/Def Jam Recordings)
The roots reggae album for this 2023 school year is undoubtedly that of Buju Banton, this figure in Jamaican music since the release of his single “The Ruler” in 1985. At fifty years old and after a stint in prison for drug trafficking in 2011 – prison stay of seven years which allowed him, all the same, to obtain a Master in Arts and Music Management –, Buju Banton is released today Born for Greatness, an album presented as “another stage” of his life. “Something special” Who “kisses with melodies and music of love”. One Love.
Róisín Murphy & DJ Koze, Hit Parade (Ninja Tune)
On the one hand, the Irish singer Róisín Murphy, who now lives in London. On the other, the German producer DJ Koze, who, from Hamburg, has been remixing the elite of international music for more than 20 years. Together, although at a distance (the joy of screen sharing), Róisín and Stefan thought Hit Paradea record where the hits are not really hits or only for those who are fans neither of the idea of hits nor of that of Hit parades. Pop, indie, funky, soul, electronic and obviously very weird.
Jalen Ngonda, Come around and love me (Daptone Records)
Finally, a record straight from the Daptone Records stable (Sharon Jones, The Budos Band, Charles Bradley, Antibalas…). That of Jalen Ngonda, circled on the disc Come around and love me of musicians from the late Charles Bradley. An album which, from Liverpool where Jalen is from, obviously sounds soulful and will go straight to the hearts of your sensitive souls. In the player: the very beautiful “That’s all I wanted from you”.
