Sylk130 20yr Reunion Show & Album

20yrs ago, we took the world by storm with the new sound of Philadelphia.  Sylk130 was a collective of the best of the best singers and musicians that frequented the Back2Basics events at Silk City. 

While I was on tour with Digable Planets, I started working on the album concept and ideas.  When The Funk Hits The Fan was the result, an 'audiobiography' of a life of a dj growing up in Philadelphia in the 70s.  The album went on to sell 500k worldwide without crazy marketing, but from great publicity from Sony.  Then word of mouth took over. 

Then 3 years later, I completed Re-Member's Only which featured everyone from De La Soul and Kathy Sledge to Alison Moyet and Grover Washington Jr.. This was my ode to the 80s before the trend to do this era. 

So, I am pleased to present the only live reunion show featuring all the original members September 4th at TLA. 

Afterparty will be Back2Basics at Silk City.  

There will also be a new release of hits and misses called "So What Happened Was..." that will be released later in September.

+ read about the history of Back2Basics

+ tickets

Morocco : The Mystical and Magical [tour recap]

I just returned stateside from a life changing dream trip to Essouira, Morocco with legendary bassist, Jamaaladeen Tacuma.  He asked me to join Wolfgang Puschnig, Ahmad Compaoré and him to perform at the Gnaoua Music Festival.  We would also be joined by Maalem Hassan Boussou and his crew to create on onstage cultural exchanged of traditional Moroccan music with American funk & electronic. 

Upon arrival in Marrakesh, I had images in my mind of this mystical and exotic place.  My first steps on the North African land felt euphoric, like I had been there before in a past life.  The first sounds heard were a mix of Arabic and French dialects filling the airport.  We were greeted by the festival family to drive 3hrs to Essouira, which is a small town with big heart.

After the surreal drive through the semi desert and metropolis, we arrive in the town.  We are greeted by our amazing host and guide, Fouad Wardi.  We walk through the extremely colorful town to our Riad (traditional Moroccan house), to be warmly hugged by Fatima, the house caretaker and love giver. 

We are immediately whisked away for a traditional Moroccan meal, that was the beginning of a whole new and constant eating schedule! Wow!

After a well deserved sleep in my King size bed for a King, we all had our first rehearsal.  I was very nervous, since I needed to find my voice within the context of what Jamaaladeen is doing and the traditional players. What I learned is that less is more.

Forgot to say that when we arrived a very serendipidous meeting between old friends took place.  Jamaaladeen had run into actor and longtime friend, Bob Wisdom (from the Wire).  We went to meet the 'unofficial' mayor of the town!  His spirit is magical.

The next few days would be filled with magic, from wandering around the mystical town in search of colorful fabrics and bags, to rehearsing with the top musicians from Morocco.  It all was a whirlwind of cosmic dust and positive sorcery. 

Now, the big day. We are on at 8pm and the butterflies had landed for sure.  Rehearsals were beyond beautiful and it was time to share it with the sea of 3000+ people for our set.

The experience totally changed the way I listen to music now, and dance music in particular, since the Gnaouan tradition is very repetitive trance music essentially.  I will be returning very soon.

Morocco w/ Jamaaladeen Tacuma

It is my extreme honor to accompany legendary bass player Jamaaladeen Tacuma to Morocco's Festival Gnaoua et Musiques du Monde .

Jamaaladeen has been a musical mentor to me since my teens. When playing his Outsiders Festival last year, he mentioned he was excited to add my electronics in another project and this is it!

We will be joined by Wolfgang Puschnig Ahmad Compaoré and morocco's own Maalem Hassan Boussou!

These are the improvisational gigs that change Jazz music to another level and I am proud to represent the electronic community in this context

May 13 at 8pm sharp ..

Re-Imagining Philadelphia w/ Faustin Linyekula

I was honored last week to be a part of this amazing collaboration with choreographer, Faustin Linyekula, who flew all the way from the Congo to bring Philadelphia a new perspective on what Philly art will look like in the future tense in Philly Files.

He looks at North Philadelphia through movement, storytelling, community, and live music. The work includes a complete live improvisational score by myself, Tim Motzer, Heru Shabaka-ra, Anthony Tidd, and dancers from the University of the Arts. scenography by Jean-Christophe Lanquetin. The performance will took place in a warehouse in North Philadelphia.

photos courtesy of Chuck Bonfig 
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Studio Sessions at WORM Rotterdam

The video above is by Chinese videographer, Stone Yin Shi.  Music by me (from Supreme Diety)

First week of March 2016, I spent the week in my new favorite city, Rotterdam! It was an honor to be an artist in residence, at the legendary studio @ WORM.  They had many ultra rare synths, that I was extremely excited to use.  The Arp2500, The Putney VC3, PPG and so much more.

I was creating source material for the new Fhloston Paradigm album for next year. I was trying to learn all the machines and used all the mistakes as material. It was an extremely fun process.

I also was lucky enough to catch up with longtime friend and producer, Benny Rodridges.  Was great to see him after 15yrs.  We even started a song....

As a bonus, I got to meet designer, Lola Gielen, who invented the Neo at the Design Academy in Eindhoven. I got in contact after seeing the instrument online and wanted to see it in person.  She drove all the way to show me.  Blessed.

Lastly, the roti in Rotterdam, oh my word! Surinamese beauty.

Supreme Deity x Roland Aira x King Britt [free album]

This summer I was in Tokyo for the Do Over Anniversary, an LA party that my good friends started and I have been a resident for years now. While there, I had the urge to go to meet the creators of the new Aira synthesizer line for Roland. My friend, whom I still have yet to meet, Mr Gomi, set up the meeting. So, as a fan and customer of Roland since 1984, I was absolutely geeked to be going. They greeted me and the main engineers came down from the factory as well to meet me and really pick my brain about the product. I suggested doing an album exclusively using Roland Aira and older synths from the archives. The new gear is limitless since you can combine it with your computer and such. I however need to update my OS, so I was limited to the basics BUT that was a good thing. I focused on simple stripped down grooves and had a ball making the album! Equipment used : - Roland Aira MX 1 - for complete mix to Ableton - Roland Aira TR-8 - for drums - Roland Aira System 100-m - main drones and processing - Roland Aira Scooper - added drone loops running into 100-m - Roland JD 800 - lead synth in background - Roland SH 101 - bass - Roland JX 3P w/ PG200 - synths and textures Produced and Mixed by King Britt at The Purple Room, Philly Composed and Written by King Britt for Cosmic Lounge Music (ASCAP)

This summer I was in Tokyo for the Do Over Anniversary, an LA party that my good friends started and I have been a resident for years now. While there, I had the urge to go to meet the creators of the new Aira synthesizer line for Roland. My friend, whom I still have yet to meet, Mr Gomi, set up the meeting.

So, as a fan and customer of Roland since 1984, I was absolutely geeked to be going. They greeted me and the main engineers came down from the factory as well to meet me and really pick my brain about the product.
I suggested doing an album exclusively using Roland Aira and older synths from the archives. They were excited!

The new gear is limitless since you can combine it with your computer and such. I however need to update my OS, so I was limited to the basics BUT that was a good thing. I focused on simple stripped down grooves and had a ball making the album!

Equipment used :
- Roland Aira MX 1 - for complete mix to Ableton
- Roland Aira TR-8 - for drums
- Roland Aira System 100-m - main drones and processing
- Roland Aira Scooper - added drone loops running into 100-m
- Roland JD 800 - lead synth in background
- Roland SH 101 - bass
- Roland JX 3P w/ PG200 - synths and textures

Produced and Mixed by King Britt at The Purple Room, Philly
Composed and Written by King Britt for Cosmic Lounge Music (ASCAP)

+ free download

A Brief History ... Rhythm of Life (King Britt Remix)

So a few years ago, the great husband and wife team from Philadelphia, Kindred, ask me to contribute a remix to their debut album for Hidden Beach Records (original home to Miss Jill Scott)

I instantly said yes, especially since they reminded me of Ashford and Simpson! That week they had a show at Philly club Transit and they did a live version of Rhythm of Life which blew me away. The music community at this time was super thick and connected, especially because everyone was working out of the now defunkt Larry Gold Studio.

My dream was to have a full choir on the song and Ty Tribbett happened to be working with James Poyser that week. I asked Ty to come in while we were working on the track. I used many of the musicians from the band except Chuck Treece was on bass. I then had Kindred come into the studio and re-sing the vocals to really capture the essence.

Ty brought in a small choir a week later and to watch him work was mindblowing.

The song went on to be included on the album, although edited. The full version is on blue vinyl 12" and limited edition 7" and here for you on Youtube

It went on to become a huge NYC house anthem and a big song featured at the famous Body and Soul parties.

OkayPlayer recognizes King Britt's To Subserve & Unprotect

Great to see OkayPlayer give props to my live project that is a sonic response to the corrupt cops in the world. 

Also more on the project here

The Kin - Philly Connection x Fondation Cartier

October 2015 : I was asked by Congolese choreographer and activist, Faustin Linyekula to participate as a composer for a performance at Fondation Cartier in Paris.  Joined by Pytshens Kambilo, Raphael Xavier, Jerry Valme and Dinozord for an improvisational session that mixed hip hop dance, rap, electronics and ndombolo.

We are presently working on a project together in Philadelphia called Re-Placing Philly.

Fhloston Paradigm : Cosmosis EP release on Hyperdub

Last week marked the new release from my Fhloston Paradigm project for Hyperdub.  Part 1 of 2 EPs created as a bridge to the new album, that I am working on presently.  The mind blowing Joshua Mays on the artwork as usual.

+ purchase

Bring The Noise : Afrofuturism x Russolo revisit

Revisiting an event I curated called, Bring The Noise : Afrofuturism x Russolo at the <fidget> space in Philadelphia 11.9.13. This Important event laid the foundation for what blossomed into Moondance.

<fidget> space, run and operated by Peter Price and Megan Bridge, hosts an annual experimental music festival, which was focused around the Art of Noise Manifesto in 2013. They approached me to create an evening, celebrating Russolo in an Afrofuturist context.

+ the <fidget> space

Moondance : A Night In The Afrofuture at MoMA PS1 revisit

Revisting the groundbreaking event Moondance : A Night in the Afrofuture, that happened at MoMA PS1 in April 2014.  We can't forget the narratives being built.  I was honored to guest curate the whole event.  So thankful to Ursula Rucker, Hank Shocklee, Hprizm, Ras G, Shabazz Palaces, Mike Todd, Pia Ercole, Ytasha Womack and Dr Alondra Nelson.

Sponsored by Red Bull Studios

+ full website for the event

King Britt x Dust & Grooves : Adventures in Record Collecting

Very proud grace the pages of this amazing collection of photos by Elion Paz. Some of the worlds best record collectors are featured with many from Philadelphia.  Shout out to Skeme Richards, Rich Medina and Cosmo Baker.  Check their amazing website below.

+ Dust & Grooves Website