IN-DEPTH: INTERGALACTIC SOUL
> GENRE: Funky Groove
> LABEL: Papa Records
> SITE: DJ Spinna
> RELEASED ON: Out now!

> PURCHASE: Amazon
> DOWNLOAD: n/a

 THE IDEA
"The general idea for Intergalactic Soul,” DJ Spinna explains, "was to construct a full-length album fusing hip-hop and dance beats with electric synthy overtones. I wanted to create something that sonically fuses the past with the future. What sets it apart from my other releases is the growth in production. Most of my past releases focused more on the hip hop side and were more sample-based. I wanted to take the hip hop element and enhance it with great musicianship and songwriting."

 WHAT IS INTERGALACTIC SOUL?
Indeed Intergalactic Soul is a deft synthesis of soul, hip-hop, funk and dance music that creates a seamless, beguiling listening experience from beginning to end. Often using a synth-driven Eighties-style production sensibility, at times tracks on "Intergalactic Soul" channel Prince's funky eclecticism. Indeed one track features a live string quartet, scored by a Detroit musician, Piranahead. A distinct jazz sensibility informs the vocals of N'Dea Davenport, Lizz Fields, Eric Roberson and Stephanie McKay.

 THE VOCALISTS
"I've been a huge fan of N'Dea since her days with Brand New Heavies," Spinna says. “Working with her was a dream. When we met at a club in New York she mentioned being a fan of mine; that just made things easier. I was handed the debut CD of Lizz Fields some years
back and was kind of blown away. Ever since then I was on a mission to find out more on her. One day Eric Roberson made a venture to my studio with a surprise visitor...Lizz! The thing that made me want to work with Stephanie McKay was her voice. Her vocal tone is very unique."

The hip-hop quotient is supplied courtesy of Phonte of the celebrated underground rap trio Little Brother, as well as Alphonso Greer. "I'm a huge fan of Little Brother," Spinna notes. "I think they are one of the most refreshing groups to happen in hip hop in the past five years. The song that Phonte appears on was the first thing that was recorded for Intergalactic Soul. It was actually his idea to do it; the actual track appeared as an interlude on my previous BBE album From Here To There.”

 THE MUSICIANS
The three instrumental selections stand out because they offer much more than grooves and atmospherics. Each of them has a programmatic, melodic feel, with a melodic sensibility that sometimes recalls the gorgeous simplicity of reggae instrumental wizard Augustus Pablo.

"Most of the songs were created with me in the studio constructing the beats in my drum machine," Spinna explains."That's the foundation for everything I do. I usually have a keyboard player, the main one being Selan, sitting next to me. I would then figure out direction and overall vibe as the melodies and chords are formed. Then I think about which singer would fit the track. Sometimes that artist might write the song in the studio but most often they would be sent the track and write the lyrics. Eric Roberson is a super-talented songwriter; he's written songs for artists like Jazzy Jeff, Vivian Green and Dwele. I thought he would compliment my production.”

 DJ SPINNA PHENOMENON
DJ culture has been a dominant pop culture phenomenon during the past fifteen years but all too frequently the biggest names have been noted for doing just one thing well. DJ Spinna, a celebrated DJ/re-mixer/producer who is widely regarded as the best "underground" deejay in America, stands out from the pack due to his exceptional musical sense but also due to his versatility. Unlike those who work within a single genre such as house, techno or hip hop, a set from DJ Spinna may incorporate hip-hop, funk, jazz, break-beat, house, garage and reggae in an organic mix that is more than the sum of its parts. No wonder such diverse artists as Michael Jackson, De La Soul, Das EFX, Zero 7, Soulive, Mos Def, Shaun Escoffrey, George Michael, Mary J. Blige, Shirley Bassey and numerous others have utilized DJ Spinna as producer or re-mixer. Intergalactic Soul is an original album of new material featuring a stellar lineup of vocalists and rappers including N'Dea Davenport, Stephanie McKay, Phonte of Little Brother, Lizz Fields, Eric Roberson, Tortured Soul and more.

 DJ SPINNA PROFILE
A native of Brooklyn, NY, DJ Spinna was fascinated by music at an early age; he began amassing a record collection as a youth. While at college, he made his radio debut on WHRW Binghampton, NY and by 1994 landed guest DJ spots on KISS-FM in New York. He became a resident deejay on WBAI-FM's influential "Underground Railroad" program. Before long he was deejaying at major New York clubs and garnering a growing reputation for originality and an ability to bring diverse musical genres together in an irresistible mix. Performances abroad led to legendary sets at such bellwether venues as Yellow in Tokyo, The End and Cargo in London and Paradiso in Amsterdam. Indeed DJ Spinna has widely and successfully toured Europe, Japan and Africa, as well as America. He has contributed to the success of 4Hero, Rae & Christian, Les Nubians, Nightmares On Wax and Shirley Bassey and was soon called to produce or re-mix tracks for a wide array of artists. In 1999, Rawkus Records released "Heavy Beats Vol. 1", an underground hip hop classic, his first full Stateside CD release. It yielded the dancefloor favorite "Rock". There followed a series of releases ranging from mix CDs to compilations to original productions for mainly European labels. A highlight is 2003's From Here To There, a solid mix of original hip hop and R&B tracks. With Intergalactic Soul, DJ Spinna takes a giant step forward as a producer of an album that works as a cohesive statement rather than a collection of tracks.

"The main thing I would say is flow," Spinna muses. "Being a DJ and knowing how to tell a story with an audience through music definitely helps. It's about figuring out what kind of emotions you want the listener to feel from start to finish while listening to the mood of each song."

 INTERGALACTIC SOUL: Track Listing

1.  Current Events feat. Alphonso Greer
2.  Intergalactic Soul feat. Phonte of Little Brother
3.  Where's Your Love feat. N'Dea Davenport
4.  Outta Time feat. The Free Radikalz
5.  Back 2 U feat. Selan
6.  Peace And Quiet feat. Stephanie McKay
7.  Butterfly Girl feat. Eric Roberson
8.  Computer Love
9.  Could It Be Too Soon feat. Lizz Fields
10. We Can Change This World feat. Heavy
11. Show Us How You Fly  feat. Christian Urich of Tortured Soul
12. Living My Life feat. Tricia Angus
13. Bye Bye Bye feat. The Free Radikalz
14. Final Events (Outro)