AFTA – 1 and Nikko Gray have a truly magical musical partnership. They just released this EP which exemplifies their stylized soul. In my humble opinion, AFTA-1 is making some of the best beats in years. He manages to make his tracks sound like they’re from the  year 4000, but never in a sterile or robotic way. He’s just apparently inhabiting another soulful cosmic dimension simultaneously. Paired with Nikko Gray’s unique vocals, this is pretty much what   sounds like. Listen and purchase below.

This is how AFTA-1 announced the project on his site:

With Love,
Nikko & I are honored to share our latest project
The AFTA-1 & Nikko Gray EP is a collection of songs originally created for our first performance together, January 2010.
Through a year of experiences in life & love, personal revelations, and strengthened friendships, we were finally ready within the last month, to bring the project to completion. And did so last night at 8pm
And of course, as usual..we made it available immediately
Enjoy

Strictly Social resident, and one of LA’s best DJs, DJ Destroyer has kindly put together this exclusive mix for us. Featuring some soulful beats and cerebral soundscapes, Destroyer displays his usual impeccable taste.

http://destroyer.podomatic.com

http://twitter.com/djdestroyer

Download the Beatlife Mix from DJ Destroyer

Tracklist:

1. STAY HERE – MUHSINAH
2. FOR THE HUNGRY CATS – PORTFORMAT
3. PLANETARIUM – IMAN WILLIAMS
4. SON (FEAT. SUZI ANALOGUE) – MINDESIGN
5. LA SAMBA – AFTA-1
6. ELECTRIC LOVE (NICOLAY REMIX) – VIKTER DUPLAIX
7. THE MEANING – 14KT
8. THRONES – GEORGIA ANNE MULDROW
9. CRAZY YOU (FEAT. SY SMITH) – ZO!
10. BEYOND 2012 – DAM FUNK
11. AMERICA (REVISITED) – JIMETTA ROSE

In honor of Afta-1 & Nikko Gray’s soul-stirring performance at Strictly Social (the best event in LA to see live progressive soul music) last week, I decided to round-up some choice downloads from them, for you, my lovely readers. Hopefully both these artists will drop full-length projects on us before too long….
More info on Afta-1

Afta-1 remixes Jesse Boykins – “Amorous (AFTA-1 LOVE MIX)” – Sensuous, cosmic soul….
Listen:
[See post to listen to audio]
Download

Afta-1 remixes Esthero “Superheroes” – a magical combo
Listen:
[See post to listen to audio]
Download

Afta-1 “Light & Vibration” – feel your soul expand listening to this masterful soundscape
Listen:
[See post to listen to audio]
Download

Love In The Music prod. by Gustavo Alfonzo.
Listen:
[See post to listen to audio]
Download

More info on Nikko Gray

I’ve been sittin’ on this mix for a while but it deserves to be brought to the light no matter my tardiness ;) This podcast comes courtesy of a collabo between two excellent music blogs – JusLikeMusic and Apple Juice Break. A Fall Suite features some excellent tracks from the likes of Electric Wire Hustle, Anthony Valadez, AFTA-1, Quadron and more, and is overall a nicely curated selection of progressive soul. Here’s the official blurb:

AJB has done a number of podcasts, the last one with the label/brand GAS’D, which caught quite a buzz. This time we had the opportunity to make a mix for Gavin at Jus Like Music, a site we follow and love. The podcast is called A Fall Suite which is a (circa) half-hour long music journey, with its goal to keep you warm under these cold days and nights during fall. The mix is put together with slow-tempo vibes, a bit of soul, and with the flava of funk – all in one with beautiful sounds. It features such AJB favourites as Electric Wire Hustle, Shuanise, AFTA-1, Shafiq Husayn and plenty more!

TRACKLIST

01. Vikter Duplaix – In The Middle Of You (Freddie Joachim Remix)
02. The xx – Basic Space (Mount Kimbie Remix)
03. AFTA-1 – 7th Sun (first draft)
04. Electric Wire Hustle – Waters
05. Shafiq Husayn – Le’Star feat. Rozzi Daime, Noni Limar and Nia Andrews
06. Shuanise – Purple Haze
07. Anthony Valadez – Dawn feat. Wendisue
08. Eric Roberson – Still
09. Clara Hill – Endlessly (Freddie Joachim Remix)
10. Quadron – Day
11. Jackhigh – Airspace

Download A Fall Suite

Subscribe to the Jus Like Music Podcast

Saturn Never Sleeps is an audio/visual collaboration between King Britt and Rucyl Mills that involves  producing progressive, genre-bending and experimental music and events. Their live shows have included forward-thinking musicians such as Taylor McFerrin, Sarah White, Flying Lotus and others in the business of future music. Saturn Never Sleeps is also a music label and they are offering a sampler of their work for free download (an email address is a small price to pay for the download!).  Listen to a couple of tracks below and go to SNS for the full, free sampler download.

The sampler features:

- All Before- Rucyl and King Britt
- C Train (original)- Sarah White
- 3am Downtown LA- Ras G
- Document (snippet)- Afta-1
- Oxygen- Stef Eye

Sarah White – C Train:
[See post to listen to audio]

All Before – Rucyl and King Britt:
[See post to listen to audio]

AFTA-1′s latest mix is simply beautiful. His description below really says it all, suffice to say that this mix is a must-have – beautifully crafted and a real inspiration.

The months following the release of Love is Real Vol. 3 have again affirmed everything that GAS’D, myself and everyone else in the universe living for Love, truly believe in. We are all vessels,  placed on this planet to create.  Blessed with the freedom to choose our medium, true fulfillment lies in carrying out our calling to its fullest extent. Which is ultimately done, one moment at a time. One Now at a time.

We must choose to act in the present without  limiting ourselves by the thought of tomorrow. Give our today our everything. Create at our peak for the only time that matters, NOW. Fulfilling our divine calling while fulfilling our life through love.

This is a collection of moments. Every one of these tracks has been the soundtrack to my life in many key moments throughout my journey. Including very recent ones. As this mix itself was created in a moment. One sleep-free night, three days ago while simultaneously finalizing it’s closing track. “7^th Sun,” a rough draft of the most recent work for my upcoming album. So it’s only right that we also drop this mix at a moment’s notice.

Without further a do, Enjoy this collection of  Love sounds old, new, and in-between from some past LIR favorites, some good friends, & hopefully some artists you may not have heard before. And of course,  you know how we set the vibe…Dim the lights, light one up and  float.

Download Love Is Real Vol 4 – Vessels Behind A Moment

Tracklist:

1. Imani Waddy & AFTA-1 – Light & Vibration
2. Robert Glasper ft. Bilal – All Matter
3. Isley Brothers – Footsteps in the Dark (King Britt remix)
4. Boom Clap Bachelors – Combineur
5. Little Dragon – Thunder Love
6. AFTA-1 ft. Nikko Gray – ESP (A Four Page Suite)
7. Herbie Hancock – Butterfly
8. Alpha – Reprise
9. Mos Def – Boogie Man Song
10. AFTA-1 & Cazeaux O.S.L.O. – M.M.J.S. (A Sweaterless Suite)
11. A Race Of Angels – Present Love
12. Cazeaux O.S.L.O – Wortha’s Greens
13. Deadbeat – Port Au Prince
14. Musinah – Lose My Fuse (Prod. By Flying Lotus)
15. Murcof – Mapa
16. Dam Funk – Angel Reflections (excerpt)
17. LAL Forrest – Pale
18. AFTA-1 – Fortune Remix
19. Alice Coltrane – Prema (excerpt)
20. AFTA-1 – 7th Sun

Nu-Soul Magazine‘s eclectic picks for 2008:

1. Eric Lau – New Territories
2. The Foreign Exchange - Leave It All Behind
3. Kissey Asplund -Plethora
4. Afta-1 – Aftathoughts Vol. 1
5. Santogold -Santogold
6. Replife -The Unclosed Mind
7. Solange – Sol-Angel & the Hadley St. Dreams
8. Wayna – Higher Ground
9. Robyn – Robyn
10. Hil St. Soul – Black Rose

See editor Norman Mayers’ list with his commentary and music players here