Emancipator - Safe in the Steep Cliffs

Peachi here. Well this post comes thanks to a tweet by Dr. Hedflux who put me on to this amasingly chilled and lovely new album by Emancipator called: Safe in the Steep Cliffs. You can listen to the whole album on his website before you decide whether to buy it or not. I suggest you buy it since he sounds like a home grown self produced talent that needs your support and they are both beautiful albums!


Here is the album description from the ABOUT section of his web page: “Safe In The Steep Cliffs” blends new instrumentation and organic samples with the signature Emancipator style of clean production, silky melodies and addictive drums. Dense layers of choirs, horns, American folk instruments such as the banjo and mandolin, violin and some distinct Asian influences make for a playful but refined album built out of intricate tracks listeners can enjoy on as many levels as they want. Dance to it, chill out to it, immerse your mind in it.

Emancipator says: 'Safe In The Steep Cliffs' represents the tightest, most unique, most organic beats I've made in the last three years. This album has a new palette of sounds and samples from around the world, including more original recordings (guitar/violin/mandolin/banjo) and new guest artists including Japanese jazz musician Uyama Hiroto. It's ominous and overgrown, dense and ethereal. And epic. Always epic.

While you're there check out his debut album "Soon It Will Be Cold Enough" that he self-released at the age of 19 in 2006: "it beautifully mixes hip hop beats with guitar feedback and a delicate piano melody,” Rolling Stone says. “You can feel his energy when he performs. His face lights up and you can see how much he enjoys the music.”


His debut album contains my favourite two tracks of his. Both quite different:
1) 'When I Go' for its beautiful vocals and 2) 'Good Knight' for its lovely blobby and crunchy yet chilled bassline
...but its all good for those super chilled mornings or afternoons ;)
Listen, enjoy and then buy!

Emancipate - To free from bondage, oppression, or restraint; liberate.

Sub Swara - The Balance - Coup d'Yah

I first got interested in Sub Swara through the gorgeous Fort Knox Five remix of the track - The Balance. You can hear it on the FNFive - Party Funk mix previously mentioned on this blog here. Listen out for Party Pushers and the remix of the Beatles - Revolution - another pair of favourites from that excellent mix that I play alot at home (tip: great for parties too).



The Balance remix has become a bit of a Ra-anthem for me at the moment with really personally meaningful lyrics and a tune that sticks in my head and keeps me bouncing along:

The Balance - Fort Knox Five Remix can be found on its own on their soundcloud page.

and the original is on theSub Swara debut album Coup d'Yah (June 2008) - follow that link to their website and you can hear the original. Completely different from what I expected but still love both versions.

Chorus Lyrics (sort of): We no born rich, we no dress fine, We R want ting in me own mind, We R link up, We R make tings, We R party hard til we break tings. We R physical, we emotinal, We R live free, We R liberal, We R fight back, We outrageous, We R deadly, We contagious... So what about de balance den den? Its all about the balance balance! Amen!

Killa Sound Boy on their sound cloud page is good too and here's their myspace page.

Here's how they describe themselves:
Sub Swara hails from Brooklyn, New York and plays music with a genre-bending bass weight that parallels the depth and diversity of its hometown. Consisting of Dhruva, Dave (Sharmaji) and Haj, with vocalist Juakali, Sub Swara’s music centers on a wide array of influences, from dub to dancehall to hip hop to punk rock to funk and global sounds. Meticulously crafted for both the dancefloor massive and the headspace, Sub Swara’s music unites tribes by bridging gaps across all lines. The crew blends both electronic production and live instrumentation into its recordings and performances, creating an intense, human touch in its modern, electronic sound.



If you go to the website and give your B-Day and e-mail you can also download a free mix of theirs. It's a really eclectic mix of global sounds, dub and funk - plus alot of other influences that blend nicely together. Here's the track listing:

Super Human Happiness	The Hounds
Sharmaji vs. DJ Rekha/Bikram Singh/Wyclef Jean	Basement Bhangra Anthem (Sharmaji RMX)
Taal Mala	Sess Whey U Waan
Hem	Rich Chroma
Guido feat. Yolanda	Way You Make Me Feel
Mosca	Nike
Foreign Beggars	Get a Bit More (Baobinga RMX)
DJ C feat Zulu	Animal Attraction (Piranha Piranha & Tuffist RMX)
Jahcoozi	Pillowcase (Octa Push RMX)
Distal	Boss of the South
Superisk	Eva Takada (Wascal RMX)
Seiji feat. Bembe Segue	Get it Together
Kush Arora	Humidifer (Jammer Club RMX)
Other Weapons feat. Juakali, Lady K & Dr. Israel	Backflow (Sub Swara RMX)
Ghislain Poirier feat. MC Zulu	Go Ballistic (King Cannibal RMX)
Lady Chan	Sticky Situation (Toddla T RMX)
RSD	Naked Mario Cart pt2
D1	Hold on to Me