Tag: Groovy

Archie Shepp – Attica Blues

Style: Soul-Jazz, Avant-Garde Big Band, Vocal Jazz

Vibe: Conscious, Communal, Political, Passionate, Poetic, Groovy, Lush

Musical Qualities: Suite, Orchestral, Improvisation, Rhythmic, Spoken Word

Miles Davis – Live Evil

Style: Social Music, Abstract Groove, Psych-Jazz, Free Fusion

Vibe: Adventure, Driving, Groovy, Menacing, Confident, Energetic, Complex, Climactic, Exploratory

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Dense, Percussive, Polyrhythmic, Thematic, Instrumental, Polyphonic

Lonnie Holley & Matthew E. White – Broken Mirror

Style: Abstract Groove, Psychedelic Funk, Cosmic Blues, Trip-Hop

Vibe: Stream-of-Consciousness, Reflective, Futuristic, Mechanical, Jagged, Groovy, Psychedelic, Spacey, Poetic, Driving, Anxious

Musical Qualities: Rhythmic, Dub, Cut Up, Vocal Improvisation, Dense, Percussive

São Paulo Underground – Beija Flors Velho E Sujo

Style: Future Jazz, Abstract Groove, Psychedelic Fusion

Vibe: Adventure, Futuristic, Triumphant, Spacey, Psychedelic, Energetic, Bombastic, Complex

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Thematic, Progressive, Percussive, Uncommon Time Signatures

Personnel:
Mauricio Takara – Percussion, Cavaquinho, Electronics
Guilherme Granado – Keyboards, Synths, Sampler, Voice
Rob Mazurek – Cornet, Evolver, Ring Modulator, Analog Delay, Harmonium

Fire! – Defeat

Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Progressive Fusion

Vibe: Nocturnal, Groovy, Primal, Surreal, Alien, Propulsive, Powerful, Seductive, Suspenseful, Moody, Monochromatic

Musical Qualities: Rhythmic, Polyphonic, Complex, Dissonant, Extended Technique, Thematic Improvisation, Repetition, Experimental Vocals

The Congos – Heart of the Congos

Style: Roots Reggae, Dub

Vibe: Spiritual, Warm, Apocalyptic, Hypnotic, Groovy, Summer, Tropical, Religious, Passionate, Psychedelic, Peaceful, Soothing, Laid Back, Aquatic

Musical Qualities: Studio-as-an-Instrument, Rhythmic, Melodic, Lo-fi, Slow

Embryo – We Keep On

Style: Jazz-Rock, Prog, Kosmische, Psychedelic Jazz, Space Rock

Vibe: Exploratory, Triumphant, Adventurous, Cosmic, Epic, Groovy, Spacey, Playful, Psychedelic

Musical Qualities: Polyphonic, Complex, Improvisation, Percussive, Polyrhythmic, Progressive, Raga, Technical

Instrumentation: Saxophones (Soprano & Alto), Flutes, Nadaswaram, Mallet Percussion (Vibraphone, Marimba, Hammered Dulcimer), Electric Guitar, Electric Bass, Drums, Percussion, Saz, Keyboards (Piano, Fender Rhodes, Clavinet)

Jahari Massamba Unit – Pardon My French

Style: Black Classical Music, Spiritual Jazz, Organic Beat Music

Vibe: Kinetic, Spiritual, Playful, Groovy, Exploratory, Elegant, Intertwined, Retro, Loose

Musical Qualities: Improvisation, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Percussive, Acoustic, Rhythmic, Dubbed Out

Anderson .Paak – Malibu

Style: Psychedelic Neo-Soul, Dream Funk, West Coast Hip-Hop

Vibe: Romantic, Summer, Playful, Warm, Catchy, Groovy, Sensual, Uplifting, Urban, Warm, Carefree, Dreamy, Joyful

Musical Qualities: Lush, Rhythmic, Polished, Sampling, Melodic

Brainticket – Celestial Ocean

Style: Kosmische Musik, Prog, Space Rock, Progressive Electronic

Vibe: Cosmic, Ethereal, Aquatic, Groovy, Exploratory, Hypnotic, Meditative, Hallucinogenic, Spiritual, Futuristic

Musical Qualities: Progressive, Suite, Raga, Headphone Album, Raga, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Dense

Lyrics: Conceptual, Egyptian Book of the Dead, Spiritual, Philosophical

Steve Hillage – Fish Rising

Style: Prog-Pop, Canterbury Scene, Space Rock, Jazz-Rock

Vibe: Playful, Aquatic, Mystical, Adventure, Spacey, Hypnotic, Sunny, Energetic, Triumphant, Colorful, Conceptual

Musical Qualities: Progressive, Groovy, Technical, Polyphonic, Suite, Melodic, Riffs, Atmospheric, Jams

Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson

Style: Jazz-Funk, Soul Jazz

Vibe: Conscious, Empathetic, Passionate, Groovy, Liberation, Political, Energetic, Warm, Bittersweet, Sunny

Musical Qualities: Percussive, Lush, Polished, Rhythmic, Lyrical, Improvised Sections

Swamp Dogg – Rat On!

Style: Country-Soul, Funk

Vibe: Anthemic, Bittersweet, Triumphant, Political, Satirical, Playful, Groovy, Sunny, Conscious, Heartfelt, Warm, Sentimental, Rebellious, Philosophical

Musical Qualities: Lush, Rhythmic, Polished, Melodic, Lyrical

Mourning [A] BLKstar – The Cycle

Style: Avant-Soul, Psychedelic Funk, Trip-Hop

Vibe: Heartfelt, Passionate, Raw, Reflective, Communal, Intimate, Afrofuturism, Nocturnal, Political, Mournful, Eclectic, Powerful

Musical Qualities: Progressive, Groovy, Dynamic, Beats

L’Rain – Fatigue

Style: Free Pop, Progressive R&B, Psychedelic Soul, Art Pop, Gospel-Influenced

Vibe: Woozy, Ethereal, Cryptic, Impressionistic, Heartfelt, Imaginative, Dramatic, Dreamy, Eclectic

Musical Attributes: Progressive, Lush, Vocal Manipulation, Sampling, Vignettes, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Groovy, Collage

Airto – Seeds on the Ground

Style: Psychedelic Samba-Jazz

Vibe: Warm, Earthy, Breezy, Psychedelic, Romantic

Musical Qualities: Groovy, Percussive, Polyrhythmic, Collective Improvisation, Technical

Gil Scott-Heron – Pieces of a Man

Style: Soul Jazz, Singer/Songwriter, Jazz-Funk

Vibe: Conscious, Bittersweet, Political, Uplifting, Sunny, Warm, Urban, Sombre, Poetic, Contemplative, Observant, Passionate, Determined, Confident

Musical Qualities: Groovy, Lush, Spoken Word, Technical

Mulatu Astatke – Timeless

Style: Ethio-Jazz, Afro-Cuban Jazz, Jazz Funk

Vibe: Serpentine, Groovy, Warm, Mysterious, Lush

Musical Attributes: Live, Rhythmic, Improvisation, Live, Percussive, Technical

Pharoah Sanders – Wisdom Through Music

Style: Spiritual Jazz



Vibe: Joyful, Passionate, Spiritual, Uplifting, Warm, Love, Colorful, Communal, Cosmic, Earthy, Energetic, Groovy



Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Chants, Africa-Influenced, India-Influenced, Improvisation, Polyrhythmic, Percussive

The Awakening – Hear, Sense and Feel

Style: Soul Jazz, Spiritual Jazz

Vibe: Uplifting, Joyful, Anthemic, Communal, Groovy, Spiritual, Spring

Musical Attributes: Complex, Improvisation (Chordal), Rhythmic, Technical, Thematic

Instrumentation: Piano, Upright Bass, Trumpet, Saxophone (Tenor), Flute, Drums, Trombone

Decolonize Your Mind Society – A Courteous Invitation to an Uninhabited Anabatic Prism

Style: Psychedelic Rock, Free Rock, Jam Band, Tishoumaren-Influenced

Vibe: Groovy, Hypnotic, Colorful, Ritualistic, Communal, Psychedelic

Musical Attributes: Microtonal (Just Intonation), Improvisation (Collective), Instrumental, Progressive, Repetitive, Rhythmic, Thematic

Botany – End the Summertime F(or)ever

While the luminescent drones and angelic simulacra of Deepak Verbera expanded out into the cosmos, Botany’s newest LP feels more rooted in the soil of our material reality. The bass heavy beats and impassioned vocal samples inspire movement and action rather than contemplation alone, not to say the results aren’t heady. Rich tapestries of resonant acoustic instruments (harps, flutes, percussion, strings), woozy synths, and warm tape hiss are as intricate as ever and easy to lose (or find?) yourself in.
Recommended to fans of Flying Lotus’ Until the Quiet Comes, Boards of Canada, and Alice Coltrane.


Doug Carn – Spirit of the New Land

Style: Spiritual Jazz, Black Liberation Music, Vocal Jazz

Vibe: Triumphant, Uplifting, Conscious, Groovy, Passionate, Poetic, Cathartic, Spiritual

Musical Attributes: Improvisation, Dynamic, Acoustic, Progressive, Rhythmic, Technical, Melodic, Complex

Erykah Badu – New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War)

Style: Psychedelic Funk, Conscious Hip-Hop, Soul

Vibe: Conscious, Groovy, Retro-Futuristic, Passionate, Philosophical, Political, Psychedelic, Uplifting, Urban, Eclectic

Musical Attributes: Groovy, Rhythmic, Lush, Melodic, Complex, Sampling, Lyrical

Joe McPhee – Nation Time

Originally released in 1971 on CjR Recorded December, 1970 Superior Viaduct Reissue (2019) Style: Free Funk, Free Jazz, Abstract Groove … More

Albert Ayler – New Grass

One can only imagine how Ayler bringing more commercial styles like R&B, Rock, and Gospel into his avant-garde music messed with critics and fans alike when it came out—the way it looked like commercial pandering to the Free Jazz listeners but was probably still too weird for new listeners. It helps to remember that Ayler came from R&B and went straight to the Free Spiritual Jazz of the early 60s, making Jazz critics highly skeptical skeptical by not climbing the bebop ranks like Coltrane before plunging into freedom. On New Grass, Ayler really started to synthesize the spiritual elements of many forms of Great Black Music, making more accessible music not as a way of selling out, but a way of sharing his beautiful spiritual message and sound with a wider audience. Plus this thing has Bernard Purdie on drums so of course it slaps.
If you dig this LP, I think he succeeded in this sound direction even more on his following albums Love Cry and Music is the Healing Force of the Universe. Albert Ayler was a pure soul that left this world too soon, grateful for the gifts of music and wisdom he left behind.

Jamila Woods – Heavn

Style: Soul, Art Pop

Vibe: Confident, Heartfelt, Introspective, Colorful, Triumphant, Uplifting, Urban, Loner

Lyrical Themes: Conscious, Poetic, Political, Personal, Black Pride, Love, Feminist

Musical Attributes: Groovy, Lush, Headphone Album, Polished, Catchy, Technical

Sly & the Family Stone – There’s a Riot Goin’ On

Style: Psychedelic Funk

Vibe: Triumphant, Energetic, Anthemic, Communal, Rebellious, Groovy, Sunny, Psychedelic, Powerful, Confident, Eclectic, Complex

Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson – Bridges

Style: Soul, Jazz-Funk, Singer-Songwriter

Vibe: Conscious, Groovy, Lush, Lyrical, Passionate, Philosophical, Political, Sunny, Triumphant, Uplifting, Urban, Accessible, Bittersweet, Catchy, Confident

Mos Def – Black on Both Sides

Style: East Coast Hip-Hop, Boom Bap, Jazz Rap

Vibe: Conscious, Uplifting, Groovy, Confident, Urban

Lyrics/Themes: Philosophical, Political, Black Pride, Racism, Spiritual, Islam

Musical Attributes: Lyrical, Sampling, Beats, Turntables, Live Instrumentation (Rhodes, Electric Bass)

Stereolab – Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night

Style: Progressive Pop, Space Age Pop

Influences: Kosmische Musik, Bossa Nova, French Pop, Lounge

Vibe: Spacey, Lush, Retro-Futuristic, Catchy, Groovy, Motorik, Nocturnal, Uplifting

Musical Attributes: Melodic, Headphone Album, Odd Time Signatures, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Progressive, Lyrical

Lyrics: Philosophical, Political, Communist, Bi-Lingual (English and French)

Instrumentation: Synthesizers, Vibraphone, Drums, Electric Bass, Electric Guitar, Vocals, Brass, Strings, Keys (Organ, Clavinet, Harpsichord, Wurlitzer)

Eddie Henderson – Realization

Style: Abstract Funk, Jazz Fusion, Spiritual Jazz

Lineup: Eddie Henderson, Herbie Hancock, Bennie Maupin, Lenny White, Billy Hart, Buster Williams, Pat Gleeson

Vibe: Cosmic, Exploratory, Groovy, Atmospheric, Spacey, Spiritual

Musical Attributes: Collective Improvisation, Polyrhythmic, Odd Time Signatures, Studio-as-an-Instrument

Atoms for Peace – Amok

Style: Glitch-Pop, IDM, Electronic Rock

Vibe: Moody, Groovy, Glitchy, Mechanical, Dance, Futuristic

Musical Attributes: Loops, Percussive, Polyrhythmic, Polished, Live Instrumentation, Digital Post-Production

James Holden & the Animal Spirits – The Animal Spirits

These communal sound rituals express a digital-era longing to reconnect to the Earth. The grooves here are circular and ceremonial, not rooted to any specific musical traditions but borrowing from many, including cosmic jazz, kosmische musik and undoubtedly inspired by Holden’s collaboration with legendary Gnawa musician Maleem Mahmoud Ghania. Drums and percussion ground the proceedings while muscular sequencer and fiery saxophone arpeggiations hypnotically intertwine.  The sounds of fluttering recorder and modular synthesizer swirl through the air like offerings to the cosmos. 

Recommended for fans of The Comet is Coming, Tonto’s Exploding Head Band, Maleem Mahmoud Ghania & Pharoah Sander’s Trance of Seven Colors, Natural Information Society, Colin Stetson

Fontanelle – Vitamin F

Fontanelle’s Vitamin F feels heavily indebted to the dense, psychedelic grooves of Bitches Brew and the Mwandishi albums, and while it doesn’t quite reach the majestic heights of those legendary records, it’s definitely a worthwhile slab of wax for fans of polyrhythmic funk, winding improvisations, and spacey keyboard atmospheres.

Yesterday’s New Quintet presents Yesterday’s Universe: Prepare for a New Yesterday (Vol. 1)

Style: Organic Beat Music, Psychedelic Funk-Jazz, Instrumental Hip-Hop

Vibe: Groovy, Stoned, Retro, Eclectic, Raw, Psychedelic

Musical Attributes: Sampling, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Beats, Rhythmic

Makaya McCraven – Universal Beings

Released in 2018 on International Anthem Recording Co. Format: LPx2

Herbie Hancock – Mwandishi

Released in 1971 on Warner Bros. Format: LP, white label promo

Herbie Hancock – Crossings

Releases in 1972 on Warner Bros. Records Format: LP