There is music that is just so good, it doesn't require any lyrics.
When the beat of a song is just so powerful, so infectious, so dope, words
become superfluous. I love songs with words, of course, but I also love
instrumentals…there is just something so calming about them. It's the kind of
music you can just vibe so easily to. There are many amazing musicians who
have the ability to make these types of songs but here are some of my favorites
in no particular order..
J Dilla: I could probably write a whole book about the musical legacy that this man left behind and about how deeply the music he made, and helped to make, has touched me personally. J Dilla is, by far, the best producer that has ever walked the face of the Earth. Ever. To say that this man’s work is amazing is a huge understatement. There is a certain soulful quality to the beats that he made that still stands out to me today compared to the other music I hear. Dilla's album, Donuts, is an instrumental hip-hop album that offers 31 tracks of pure brilliance. Each track tells a story, it is absolutely beautiful. 2 of my many favorite tracks off of the album can be found directly below the above photo. Rest In Peace Dilla.
Flying Lotus: Also known as FlyLo, this guy is too
cool...I really enjoy his music. According to Wikipedia, he is an ‘experimental
multi-genre music producer and laptop musician’. He is more on the hip-hop side
of the spectrum but his music has an electronic sound as well, it is so unique
& refreshing. If you watch Adult Swim on the Cartoon Network you should
recognize the sound of his music because they often play it in between shows
(bumper music). The first song I chose from him is actually a tribute he did to
J Dilla by remixing my all time favorite song from Slum Village called Fall N Love. FlyLo has 3 awesome albums
and a bunch of EPs so if you haven't yet, make sure you give them a good
listen.
Daft Punk: This is a duo that has been around for a while and whose music has impacted many many many different artists. Their beats have been sampled in hip-hop music; perhaps the most obvious example is Kanye West’s song Stronger which samples prominently from Daft Punk’s Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger. Also, the song Touch It by Busta Rhymes and the remix to the song where Missy Elliot says ‘touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it, turn it, leave it, stop, format it’ is straight from Daft Punk’s Technologic. Their music always makes me want to dance, I love the sound of it.
Pete Rock: Another amazing producer, I would put him right up there with J Dilla. Pete Rock’s beats are so smooth and soulful…he has a way of blending jazz elements and hip-hop and the sound of that combination is just so incredible. I vibe so well to Pete Rock’s beats, even to the point where I’m literally falling asleep. Not because I think they are boring, heaven’s no! But because the sounds that this man produces are just so relaxing, they really calm me down. I call his instrumentals my thinking music. The first track I chose is actually the very first song in my blog playlist located in the right side panel under the title ‘music’. I love the song Wanderlust to death, but those instrumentals just do something to me. The second track, A Little Soul, is my favorite track off of Pete Rock’s album PeteStrumentals. It is yet another amazing instrumental hip-hop album well worth listening to.
The Stuyvesants: I actually just learned about this amazing duo this past summer. Their music takes me back, oh my goodness. I love it so, so, so much. The aim for their instrumental hip-hop album entitled Brooklyn’s Finest was to pay homage to the ‘70s while taking the listener on a musical journey through Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, NY and that is exactly what they did. The very first time I listened to the album I was in shock, every single track is so good and the sound is so reminiscent of that old school, soulful, jumping music. I urge/cajole/beg/command you to listen & download the album (and try not to break your neck while you're listening). You can find it on their awesome website here.
I know I left a bunch of great musicians out, but I didn't want the post to be too, too long. I hope you all like this music as much as I do. Enjoy!
