Canadian producer and emcee Emay dropped his new eight-track EP Mind Altering Dynamics earlier today. His creative approach to hip hop and immense lyrical ability are definitely on show with this one as he pushes beyond his previous releases. His remix of Blackbird Blackbird’s ‘Ups & Downs’ (off BB’s Summer Heart) really sticks out of the bunch. Not only does Emay build off of Mikey’s summery jam, but he also got LA’s Steffaloo (Steph Thompson) to record some beautiful backing vocals for the track. Download Mind Altering Dynamics for free from Emay’s website.

Emay - Ups & Downs [Blackbird Blackbird Remix] (feat. Steffaloo)

Back in March Barcelona’s Delafé y las Flores Azules (formerly Facto Delafé y las Flores Azules with Marc Barrachina) released their third full-length Vs. Las Trompetas de la Muerte. The 13-track record is Oscar D’Aniello and Helena Miquela’s first since Marc Barrachina left the band. As always, Delafé y las Flores Azules have crafted yet another wonderful mix of Spanish indie pop and hip-hop.

‘Espíritu Santo’ is one of my favorite tunes off the album— perhaps I simply can’t get enough Andrés Iniesta references. Check out La Blogotheque’s Take Away Show of the song below!

Delafé y las Flores Azules - Espíritu Santo

Delafé y las Flores Azules - 1984  

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Icelandic hip-hop collective Original Melody is producer Fonetik Simbol and MC’s Ivar Schram, S.Cro and Shape. The four mix samples and smooth beats to create their unique sounding hip-hop jams. Check out ‘Cosa Say’ off their album Back & Fourth which hits stores today. The track features a springy Italian vocal sample (“Che cosa sei?” What are you?) with relaxed beats and equable verses. Listen to Back & Fourth at the group’s bandcamp. Original Melody are no Sigur Rós or FM Belfast but they’re making a name for themselves among Iceland’s best.

Original Melody - Cosa Say

[via Ride The Tempo]

Pumping beats from Ontario Canada, rapper/producer Emay is moving up the ranks with his great solo releases as well as his many collaborations and remixes. Minted last week, his single ‘If You’re Breathing’ is his first track since April releases Emay, Karen O, and the Kids and Surprise, Surprise. Emay’s progressive production and complex downtempo instrumentals underpin all of his songs. ‘If You’re Breathing’ is surely only a sign of whats to come from Emay. Also, any song that references Zinedine Zidane is one step above the rest.

Other snazzy mixes by way of Emay:

Emay - Human Bomb (They Know)

Broken Social Scene - World Sick (Emay Remix)

London-based guitarist and producer Mark Ronson is back on the scene after taking three years off making his own music to focus on producing. Since the release of his last album, Version (2007), he’s worked on albums with the likes of Wale, Kaiser Chiefs, Nas and Wiley. Ronson’s third LP, Record Collection, drops September 27th through his label Allido Records and Columbia Records. We got our first taste of Record Collection a few months through the lead-single ’Bang Bang Bang (feat. Q-Tip & MNDR)’. Check out the second track off the album ‘Lose It (In The End) (feat. Ghostface Killah & Alex Greenwald)’ below. As always, Ronson absolutely kills the beat by staying true to his funky old school production principles and of course Ghostface Killah’s mere presence on the track kills everything else.

Mark Ronson & The Business Intl - Lose It (In The End) (feat. Ghostface Killah)

Mark Ronson & The Business Intl - Bang Bang Bang (feat. Q-Tip & MNDR)

Preorder Record Collection

Damian Marley and Nas are gearing up for the release of their upcoming album, Distant Relatives, which will hit stores on May 18th (Preorder). The album features tracks with Stephen Marley, Stevie Wonder, Joss Stone, Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne and K’naan. In December the duo teamed up with National Geographic for a concert and panel session which covered issues of African poverty, development, culture and the future of the continent at the Grosvenor Auditorium in Washington DC.

The proceeds from the album will go to an African based charity— probably a project to build schools in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Marley made sure to emphasize the musical strengths of the album along with its humanitarian aspects. “A lot of charity albums come off corny,” says Marley, “we want this to be something you’d play in your car.” Marley, who produced most of the album added, “I didn’t want it to sound like something that would be typical of me, neither typical of Nas. But something where you can still see how there’s a middle ground in the music.” Nas looks forward to the album’s release, “I think we can have fun helping people,” said the Queensbridge rapper, “when I think about things we wanna do with this album, it’s just limitless.” Nas and Damian Marley will be touring the US and Europe in the summer— view the full list of dates. Several tracks are available to stream and download (Land Of Promise) at distantrelatives.com. Check out the tracklist and listen to a few of my favourites below.

1. As We Enter

2. Tribal War (featuring K’naan)

3. Strong Will Continue

4. Leaders (featuring Stephen Marley)

5. Friends

6. Count Your Blessings

7. Dispear

8. Land Of Promise (feat. Dennis Brown)

9. In His Own Words (feat. Stephen Marley)

10. Nah Mean

11. Patience

12. My Generation (feat. Lil Wayne)

13. Africa Must Wake Up (feat. K’naan)

Preorder Distant Relatives