On February 18th 2008 Reel People release ‘Amazing’, the second single from the much anticipated sophomore album ‘Seven Ways To Wonder.’
‘Amazing’ is an updated take on classic 80s soul, in the vein of Maze or Shalamar and marks Reel People’s first hook-up with singers Tony Momrelle & Imaani, both from influential UK band Incognito. Between them, the vocalists have sung with an impressive roll call of international artists, including Elton John, Janet Jackson, Gwen Stefani, Robert Palmer, Steve Winwood and Terry Callier.
As well as the original, top-notch producers Jon Cutler and Tarantulaz deliver two deep, vocal house remixes and one dub between them. Jon Cutler has been a key figure in house music for twenty years, best known for his massive anthem and, later, chart hit ‘It’s Yours’ plus a prolific production and remix career, with releases on labels including Azuli, Defected, Nervous and his own, Distant Music.
The Tarantulaz are London based collective Sir Piers and Toni Economides (KV5) who initially made their mark with an amazing remix of Angie Stone’s classic ‘I Wasn’t Kidding’, which Piers put out on his Tarantulaz label two years ago. This year Sir Piers has worked with several top soulful-dance names on his other label Curious Records, including Shaun Escoffery, whilst Toni continues to engineer for some of the most talented producers around including Bugz in the Attic and Nitin Sawhney and, as Tarantulaz this year, the two put our their first single ‘They Forgot It’ on OM Records in the States and also remixed Peven Everett (of ‘Gabrielle’) fame.
Hailing from London’s East End, Oli Lazarus spent three years of musical osmosis in Flying Records, a shop specialising in soulful dance music. After this grounding education and with very little song writing or studio experience under his belt, he produced Reel People’s debut single ‘Spiritual’. The entirely positive reception to his maiden voyage (plus a little help from production master Phil Asher and multi-instrumentalist Nathan Haines) helped spur him on to realise the lauded debut LP.
Oli and then partner Mike Patto set to it and in 2003 ‘Second Guess’ was released on Oli’s Papa Records label. The album was greatly received and led to the band being signed to Columbia Records in Japan, where they remain hugely popular, even supporting Herbie Hancock at the Tokyo Jazz Festival. In February 2006 the album was re-released on dance independent Defected Records. To enhance the new version, the guys penned the club classic ‘The Rain’ and the uber cool cover of Thelma Houston’s ‘You Used To Hold Me So Tight’. Accompanying this was a bonus disc of live versions which really showed off how the band had developed over the 3 years of touring ‘Second Guess’.
Breezy, lush R&B perfect for warm weather, inspired by Afro-Indigenous artist Clara Kent's heritage, culture, and personal journey. Bandcamp New & Notable Jun 6, 2023
The French-Algerian R&B artist enters a new era filled with affirmations of self-worth, spiritual peace, and balance between the many hyphens that comprise her identity. Bandcamp Album of the Day Mar 6, 2023
The Montréal-based R&B artist marries the complexity of her experiences to the groove of the beat on her third EP. Bandcamp Album of the Day May 27, 2022