if u were unaware (and u probly were/are cos i am not exactly someone significant), but i have my own YouTube channel: Mista Vee’s Haus Of Love & Fun (the name might change). i upload some of my fav little-heard gems on a daily basis and i’ve favourited a whole shitload more quality stuff. so i thought every now n then i would highlight my uploads here for ur enjoyment, 5 at a time (cos i get wordy as fuck).
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Abstract Truth – Like Water (Drip-Hop Mix)
Abstract Truth, a modern soul/jazz/house/broken beat project featuring Monique Bingham & helmed by bandleader/founder & producer Dana Vlcek (along with Ravi Best, Vincent Chauncey, Jephté Guillaume, Guy Daniels, & Pete Mark). they released some really hot singles in 1996/97 like Get Another Plan & (We Had) A Thing and then vanished without a trace. the Drip-Hop Mix of Like Water is from the Get Another Plan EP (1996) and is a lot more water-like in its changing structure than the original vocal version. that and i used to listen to this profusely when catching the train to University back in the day. expect more blogging to occur on this short-lived yet awesome group of musos.
Lee Fields – You Don’t Know What You Mean (To A Lover Like Me)
from the vintage-but-not-vintage Daptone Records “vault” (this entire description can’t help but be tongue-in-cheek). Lee Fields performs a scorchin hot funk classic, taken from the Daptone 7 Inch Singles Collection Vol. 2 (2008).
Arkarna – House On Fire (Acoustic Version)
i still think it’s rather unbelievable a group like Arkarna is barely known to the average music listener anymore. although some critics derided them for essentially biting the styles of others (when the very same artists they were accused of biting were co-signing the band and even lending their expertise in the studio), Arkarna is an awesome hybrid band that plays a style of music that can only be described as a genre mishmash, a GUMBO, if u will of aural flavas. on their debut album Fresh Meat (1997), for instance, you’ll hear electro-pop, acoustic power ballads, grunge rock, acid techno, and HINTS of Prince (further expanded upon with Skin from their 2nd album The Family Album (1999), which seems to have mysteriously vanished from YouTube, but is one of the funkiest jams they’ve ever made). they’re still active and are working on releasing their newest album, due out any day now. keep in touch via The Official Arkarna Music YouTube Channel. House On Fire is one of their most well-known songs, this acoustic version appears as a hidden/bonus track at the very end of Fresh Meat (1997).
Lulu Jackson – Careless Love
a true buried melancholy gem that appears on Last Kind Words (1926-1953) (2008), an album full of old OLD super rare gospel & blues 78s compiled and released by Mississippi Records. the low-fi quality of the recording only adds to its appeal for me as a nice acoustic ditty bout the follies of love and lust. plus i could imagine this song being used in Punch-Drunk Love (2002) which may explain my extra amounts of love for it.
Gaelle – Ghost In The Machine
i seem to have developed an M.O. over the years for worshiping a certain kind of female musician, one that conjures up images of Sade and Aaliyah, not so much the appearance but the ethereal semi-mystic quality that they exude. Gaelle Adisson is one such semi-mystic quality exuder. this is one of many unreleased tracks that Gaelle briefly made available a few years ago. i’m told it’s from the 1998 sessions with Chris Brann (who also produced this track). shame it never got a release but i guess now it kinda did? *shrugs*
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V.
CONFESSIONS OF A CURLY MIND 