Re-record: Celebrating 120 Black Artists In Electronic Music – Part 3 (Resident Advisor)

Jordana LèSesne

BANDCAMP · MIXCLOUD

By the early ’00s, Jordana LèSesne, who formerly performed under the alias 1.8.7, was regarded as one of the most important drum & bass producers in the US. She released some of her greatest works as an out trans woman, making her discography a pivotal piece of drum & bass’s little-discussed queer history. LèSesne first garnered attention as a producer with her “Beautiful Drum And Bass” remix of Blondie’s “Atomic” in 1995, a release which saw her name cozied up next to tastemakers of the era like Diddy and Armand Van Helden.

But LèSesne’s serious breakout moment as a producer arrived with the release of her sophomore album, a funky, psychedelic release called Quality Rolls. Despite the success of that album and her follow-up record, 2000’s The Cities Collection, her career stood at a standstill in the mid-aughts, as she recovered from a spate of violent, transphobic incidents. She would return from her hiatus in 2015 when Laverne Cox commissioned her to score FREE Cece!, a documentary about a Black trans woman who had been imprisoned for defending herself against an assault. As of last summer, LèSesne has begun releasing some of her early works on Bandcamp, allowing newcomers of her music to bask in a rich moment in drum & bass history.

Kiana Mickles

Moonchild Sanelly

SPOTIFY · SOUNDCLOUD · APPLE MUSIC

Moonchild Sanelly’s distinctive, girly whisper can be heard in many places these days—on a Cotch International release with fellow South African duo Stiff Pap, on UK grime MC Ghetts’ Mozambique, on the most recent Gorillaz album, even on a Beyoncé track. She’s considered the “queen of Gqom” for elevating numerous gqom releases with her unmistakable adlibs, but her catalogue is much more diverse than that moniker implies. Her most recent EP, Nüdes, features sexy lyrics about “F-boyz” and “nibbling on girls” over a foundation of electropop, house and amapiano. Known for the signature electric blue “moonmop” that adorns her head and her fearless championing of female sexuality, Sanelly has graced stages at Primavera Sound and SXSW, and is finally reaching the superstar status in her own country she has long deserved.

Kampire Bahana

Diviniti

HOMEPAGE · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

If you’re familiar with Detroit dance music, you’ve heard Diviniti’s voice before, serving as a clear and vibrant contrast to the often gritty production work of her collaborators. “Time to be free, take it from me. There is light ahead, take your time, have faith and be free. You’re on your way,” she sings on the Omar S-produced “On Your Way,” living up to her moniker with that angelic hook. A native Detroiter, she got her start in 2004 on DJ Minx’s label Women On Wax. Terri Smith grew up in a musical household, playing classical violin at a young age before getting introduced to the house scene by her then-boyfriend, the Detroit producer Piranhahead. She’s dedicated her life to positivity, channelling that energy through her lyrics and in her profession as an elementary school teacher. With a catalog spanning almost 20 years, she’s worked with dozens of producers, landing a Grammy nomination with Louie Vega in 2016. When she’s not working in the studio or in the classroom, Smith runs The Little Bit Project, an initiative to spread kindness through messages of hope and inspiration.

Crystal Mioner

DJ Noir

BANDCAMP · SOUNDCLOUD

Sometimes, with large artist collectives, individuals can get lost in the fold. DJ Noir, however, rather than being overshadowed by members of the crew she formed with her husband, Jae Drago, gives the impression she’s stepping back to let them shine. JukeBounceWerk, under her and Jae’s guidance, has amassed a roster of DJs and producers keeping the tradition of footwork alive from America’s East Coast to New Zealand. Having cut her teeth in LA’s drum & bass scene in the late ’90s and early 2000s, Noir serves as mama bear for the pack, continually encouraging her cubs to be their best. In addition, she maintains an artistic practice of her own, with mixes that showcase her deep knowledge and appreciation of footwork and jungle. She often uses her platform to speak on social injustices, penning an essay in DJ Mag last year on the erasure of Black artists with the popular ‘160’ movement.

Crystal Mioner

Norma Jean Bell

SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

Detroit saxophonist, producer, vocalist, and all-around bad bitch, Norma Jean Bell keeps a low profile these days but made a lasting impact on soulful electronic music in the ’90s and early 2000s. She earned her chops performing in the ’70s and ’80s with Brides Of Funkenstein, Chic, P-Funk, and The Lyman Woodard Organization. Her trained ear transferred well to the house scene and earned her a breakout hit with “I’m The Baddest B*tch,” released on France’s F-Communication in 1996. That same year, she launched her label Pandamonium Records, which has released music from Bell herself and Sharon Jones, Billy Lo and K.Hand. In 2001, she released Come Into My Room on Peacefrog Records alongside frequent collaborator Moodymann. Since then, she’s released a handful of tracks, the most recent being “Got Me A Mann” in July of 2020.

Crystal Mioner

Juls

SOUNDCLOUD · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

Considered a pioneer in shaping the modern-day Afrobeats sound, not only in the diaspora but across the entire African continent, Juls has been hugely developmental in the “crossing over” of Afrocentric electronic music. Any YouTube hole that finds its way to Afrobeats will without fail result in the sultry sound of the British-Ghanaian producer’s name being read by that familiar provocative voice, marking it as one of his tracks in the opening few seconds. After producing for names like Mr Eazi, Wande Coal, Sarkodie and Stonebwoy, the beat scientist’s reputation has seen him go on to work with the likes of Lauryn Hill, Burna Boy and Tyler The Creator.
An upbringing split between the Ghanaian capital, Accra, and London means Juls’s work is interspersed with both creative cultures. Whether it’s transporting us to the motherland via colourful visuals or stoking a familiar UK energy in his beats, these journeys are bound to reach greater heights as his solo career pushes on.

Andrew Mensah

Dreamcastmoe

BANDCAMP · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

D.C. vocalist and producer Davon Bryant, AKA Dreamcastmoe, has made himself known for pairing soulful vocal tones with funk-drenched productions. Since his breakthrough record Liquid Deep on Washington’s PPU label, setting up the musical love affair, Byrant has been carefully finding his feet. His two Lost Tape releases are glimpses into his musical brain and production process. On the second tape, Bryant wears his heart on his sleeve, sharing the state of his fluctuating mental health—illustrated by the record’s erratic yet seemingly controlled jumps in sound. Moving from R&B to noise, glitch and free jazz, it eschews the notion of genre, highlighting inner beauty within the mind’s chaos.

Andrew Mensah

Sef Kombo

SPOTIFY · SOUNDCLOUD · APPLE MUSIC

Sef Kombo is the perfect example of how refusing to compromise your sound will, eventually, lead to success. Having spent over ten years pushing afro house in London, Kombo is a young veteran who has staunchly paid homage to his African roots through electronic music. His TilTwo parties were shunned by many of the city’s traditional electronic music venues, finding a home in the West End and building a loyal community around the brand. He was among the first wave of DJs to adopt and promote afro house to London’s clubbing community, and is now heading up Defected’s recently launched Sondela label with a specific focus on uncovering and showcasing afro house from around the world. His unrelenting advocacy for music from his homeland has helped cultivate a fertile homegrown scene in the British capital, while also introducing countless African artists to the UK audience.

Marcus Barnes

Heny G

SOUNDCLOUD · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

Immersed in London’s underground electronic community since the late ’90s, Heny G was there at the birth of dubstep. Intrinsic to the genre’s growth and diversification, he formed Antisocial Entertainment with Silkie, Razor Rekta, Jay 5ive and Quest, imbuing the emergent sound with jazzy intonations. Heny paved his own lane while still operating at the centre of the community, putting all his energy into the scene, forming close bonds with many of the pioneers, becoming an ambassador for dubstep at events around the world, and connecting West London to the sound, which was born in South East and nurtured in East. Helming labels like Grimey Beats and Gangsta Boogie Music, Heny has consistently supported and represented underground artists while also cultivating a trailblazing discography, including his seminal debut album Childhood. Still deeply rooted in the underground, Heny is widely acknowledged by his peers as one of the key “dubstep soldiers,” having created an entire world of his own, while remaining dedicated to the city’s influential scene.

Marcus Barnes

Dæmon

BANDCAMP · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

Oakland-based vocalist Jahsiri Asabi-Shakir, AKA Dæmon, plugs listeners into a simulated reality of his own design. Dæmon is unafraid of pushing boundaries, whether through the use of tastefully saturated vocal processing or his penchant for unorthodox flows and engrossing visual counterparts. His debut full-length album, ÆOS, released on Black Friday 2018, was followed by an eight-track remix tape, ÆOS Reloaded—a deconstructed take on the already volcanic original that would send any night time venue into disarray. DXE, a collaboration with NTS Radio’s Endgame, was dropped in late 2020 on the Mexico City label Infinite Machine. The five-track EP is an excellent show of Dæmon’s versatility and worldwide appeal. On track after track, he gracefully slaloms through heavy-duty, grime-influenced dance instrumentals.

Ebeneezer Boakye-O’Houlihan

Lil Silva

BANDCAMP · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

Lil Silva made quite the entrance in 2008, when he dropped the funky house staple Funky Flex / Seasons. That record—”Seasons” in particular—was everywhere. Its grimy strings and upfront rhythm merged the direct intensity of eight-bar grime with UK funky’s bounce, leading to the colourful flair and innovation that characterized dubstep’s second generation. He carved his own path from there, loosely affiliating himself with Night Slugs, but saving much of his best work for highly sought-after white labels. Though many of Lil Silva’s tracks had a trademark jingle, heads didn’t need it to know who was on the buttons.

Until 2020, when Lil Silva unleashed some golden era dubs on Bandcamp, he has been insistently moving forward. He was a key part of the Good Years label, flourishing as a producer for Banks, as well as making beats for Sampha, Kano and even Adele. His own talents as a singer are showcased as part of live duo OTHERLiiNE with George FitzGerald, and a highlight of Duval Timothy’s album, Help. Merchandise and event collaborations with Off-White and Stussy give him yet another outlet, with his NOWHERE parties taking place everywhere from Bedford to Seoul.

Richard Akingbehin

Shimza

SOUNDCLOUD · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

Ashley Raphala, going by Shimza, is a South African businessman, festival programmer, producer and Afrotech pioneer. Producing chart-topping hits alongside acts like Ami Faku, Moonchild Sanelly, Dr Malinga and Black Motion, Shimza aims to continue to make room for promising acts with his new label, Kunye, off the back of his ever-growing international reach, proven by releases on Luciano’s Cadenza and Hot Since 82’s Knee Deep In Sound, as well as gigs at Tomorrowland and Amnesia Ibiza. During South Africa’s lockdown, he established the Lockdown House Party on Channel O, which became a platform for the entire country to experience new live dance music shows every weekend. He broke multiple new acts through the show, further cementing his place as one of South Africa’s most innovative music execs. This year he plans to launch a new TV program that champions upcoming vocalists from South Africa, creating a pipeline connecting local talent to global artists and audiences.

Shiba Melissa Mazaza

DJ Spinna

BANDCAMP · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

Vince Williams, known artistically as DJ Spinna, is a key figure in maintaining the ties between house, soul and hip-hop. As a native New Yorker, he grew up absorbing the sounds of the genre-defying DJ sets common at the time. His rise to prominence in the ’90s was due to running indie hip-hop label Beyond Real, where he released projects as The Jigmastas with MC Kriminul. The 2000s saw him dive headfirst into the realm of soulful house, both by starting the house label Wonderwax and releasing a slew of dance remixes. The most well-known remix is his version of Shaun Escoffery’s “Days Like This”—a modern house classic. Releases on labels such as Local Talk, NDATL Muzik, BBE and more have cemented his place in house music history. Currently a part of the Sounds Familiar team, Spinna is one of the few artists at ease playing Panorama Bar, partnering with Spike Lee for Brooklyn block parties or working with legends such as Stevie Wonder.

Tajh Morris

Ase Manual

BANDCAMP · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

Since Jersey Club music’s inception in the early 2000s, there has often been an expectation for productions from New Jersey to be high energy with heavy kick drums and playful chopped R&B/hip-op vocal samples. Although Ase Manual ticks those boxes, he also delivers on so much more. The burgeoning Yoruba-American artist, DJ and producer, has been steadily releasing some of the most exciting dance music at a prolific rate, sharing approximately 40 tracks since 2019. Manual’s Black Liquid Electronics, Fuji 2 and Janet are recent releases that showcase how he can easily meander through various inspirations, from hip-hop to Baltimore club, dancehall to jungle, and come out with unique and gritty interpretations. His sound works well in a big room at peak time but fits just as comfortably at the afters. Percussive rhythms that make your heart want to beat out its chest and melancholy hip-hop-style vocals create a DIY punk feel. His distinct off-centre sound has been translated into a visual 3D aesthetic across his merchandise, including shower curtains, masks and aprons, a great example of how he’s carving out his own image in electronic music today.

Theo Fabunmi-Stone

Last Japan

BANDCAMP · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

Marco Giuliani, known by the moniker Last Japan, is a London-based producer and internationally renowned DJ. His prescient and experimental approach to grime seamlessly infuses DNA from garage and funky, lacing the strains together with a signature steeliness—eerie and cold as glacial ice. Pick any moment in his discography: the production values are high, the percussion uniquely crisp. Noteworthy collaborations with the likes of Trim and AJ Tracey turned heads, etching him into the scene as someone only the most skilful of wordsmiths could tango with. “Ascend” with AJ Tracey is a crowning moment that presented the blueprint for grime’s future, all while paying homage to the etiquettes of its past. His solo work veers towards something more abstract, wielding cold-blooded melody lines to create foreboding inner-city soundscapes. Listing Hans Zimmer as one of his primary inspirations, Last Japan’s knack for crafting sounds with a cinematic essence has led to him scoring projects for the likes of Nokia, GQ and Evian. As cofounder of label Circadian Rhythms, he remains an eclectic talent who’s bound to stick around.

Emeka Okonkwo

Equiknoxx

BANDCAMP · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

The Jamaican collective led by producers Gavsborg and Time Cow has established its own unique brand of oddball dancehall. Their debut album, Bird Sound Power, a dubbed out excursion on Demdike Stare’s DDS label, appeared on best-of-2016 lists from Rolling Stone, RA and FACT. It was followed up by the single, Fly Away, released on another Manchester imprint, Swing Ting, where Azolade’s gravely vocals create a stuttering flow amplified by bassy, off-kilter drums, brought together by a catchy ear worm hook. The apt theme of birds flying is a thread through both releases, reinforced by bird noises and a liberated avant-garde approach to their productions. Equiknoxx experiments with rare psychedelic samples, glockenspiels and dancehall melodies, while their label, EquiknoxxMusic, has been a home for forward thinking dancehall from artists within the collective, as well as close affiliates and collaborators like Busy Signal, since 2007.

Theo Fabunmi-Stone

Damon Bell

BANDCAMP · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

Californian selector and production maestro Damon Bell grew up on a diet of salsa, jazz and hip-hop before acts like Kraftwerk and Devo piqued his interest in electronic dance music. A widely regarded music connoisseur, Bell’s untainted rep comes from his ability to weave together sets that blend a variety of styles naturally and cohesively. At its root is his Black heritage. Polyrhythmic African drum arrangements form the foundation of his compositions alongside influences from Brazilian, Cuban and Jamaican genres. First establishing himself with the Kush Musik series on Aybee’s Deepblak label, he went on to produce a broad catalogue of releases, including his debut LP Blues For The Libyan. The album explores various themes relating to humanity, whisking the listener away into his beautifully chaotic world. Inexorable in his multifaceted approach, Damon Bell skilfully imbues electronic music with the enlightening voices of his ancestors.

Marcus Barnes

Suzi Analogue

BANDCAMP · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

Miami’s Suzi Analogue has never been afraid to do things her way. Label boss at Never Normal Records, for the past ten years she’s been doing the work to champion her own unique sounds and make space in the androcentric electronic music world for other women and queer people of color. From her signature style, all bright and vibrant hues, to her signature sound, which crosses genres and styles, Analogue leans into a future without limits. A recent interview with the New York Times describes Analogue’s music well, with a quote from producer Ringgo Ancheta (Mndsgn), who said: “It’s like if Sun Ra was a woman who dropped acid a lot and went to raves.” Like Sun Ra, whose prolific artistry resulted in at least 50 releases, Analogue has been steadily putting out work as a producer, songwriter, film scorer and vocalist for the past decade. It’s the rare pleasure of both loving all she’s done and being excited for all she’s yet to do that’s made me a lifelong fan.

Crystal Mioner

Iceboy Violet

BANDCAMP · SOUNDCLOUD

Iceboy Violet is a Manchester-raised artist shaking the foundations of grime’s tropes, using the genre to challenge heteronormativity. Their last EP, Drown To Float celebrates the beauty in being brittle and vulnerable. Violet not only paves their own way but redecorates the roads paved by others. Splices of pads and vocals from rappers like Young Thug and Lil Durk are sampled and drenched in emotional ambience. This stretching and slowing down adds depth and introspection to previously brash and unapologetic cuts. It’s as if Violet is taking a microscopic look at the pain kept hidden beneath all the pressure to be hypermasculine. Known for their avant-garde performances, they encourage the audience to let themselves be engulfed in euphoria. Their music is both a confrontational deconstruction and a purging ceremony for toxic masculinity.

Emeka Okonkwo

Titica

SOUNDCLOUD · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

Titica is an internationally renowned singer from Angola’s kuduro scene. With hit singles like “Chão Chão” and “Olha o Boneco,” she’s become a kuduro legend and a worthy heir to the throne of her main influence, the Queen of kuduro, Fofandó. Titica songs are inseparable from dance. She blends uptempo house with elements of Congolese Afrobeats and traditional dancehall. The sound was birthed in the ghettos of Angola. Those pushed to the fringes of society have always been able to find refuge through musical expression and dance. She overcame steep odds, going from being pelted with stones in public for her gender expression, to being asked to perform for the Angolan president. These are taboo-breaking sounds that encourage the disenfranchised to express themselves freely on the dance floors of Luanda and far beyond.

Emeka Okonkwo

Ms. Dynamite

SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

Niomi McLean-Daley, AKA Ms. Dynamite, arrived on the scene with a UK garage banger at the tail end of the genre’s golden era. “Booo!,” with its throbbing bass, violin synth and choice Nokia samples, introduced a poised and battle-ready Dynamite to the world. Her flow was surefire and infectious. She slipped easily between London slang and dancehall lilt. McLean-Daley followed up this instant classic with A Little Deeper, her debut album, which proved to be a critical and commercial success. Socially conscious verses, slick R&B productions and an assured lyrical vibe won Dynamite the 2002 UK Mercury Prize award and had many hailing her as the UK’s answer to Lauryn Hill. Alongside her album work, Dynamite has collaborated on a number of underground hits: “Wile Out,” “Get Low,” “Fire” and “Gold Dust,” to name a few. She’s won MOBOs, Brit Awards and in 2018 was awarded an MBE for services to music. But accolades aside, it’s Ms. Dynamite’s poetic prowess that stands the test of time.

Riri Hylton

P Money

BANDCAMP · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

As a part of the Lewisham crew OGz, alongside Blacks and Little Dee, P Money started out freestyling on pirate radio, before his breakthrough mixtape Money Over Everyone came out in 2009. Aside from the fire grime tracks on there, he was one of the early MCs to use dubstep beats, like in the Sukh Knight produced “Left The Room.” This kicked off the next stage of P’s career, when he was at the centre of dubstep and grime’s synergy. He made festival-sized bangers like “Slang Like This” with True Tiger, “Ho! Riddim” with Marco Del Horno & Swerve and “Anthemic” with Magnetic Man. Whether or not his original grime fans liked all the beats from that period—tracks with Flux Pavilion and Doctor P were particularly far removed from his original sound—there’s no doubting his flow and presence on stage with those DJs was electric. From there, he transitioned back to his grime roots, selling out headline London shows and getting nominated for a MOBO in 2020. He can say he has worked with Dizzee Rascal, Giggs, JME, Wiley and Stormzy, and they can say they’ve worked with P.

Richard Akingbehin

Jana Rush

BANDCAMP · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

There’s a lot to be learned from an artist’s absence as well as their presence. Jana Rush debuted in 1996 on Chicago’s legendary Dance Mania label billed as “The Youngest Female DJ” with a 12-inch split alongside DJ Deeon. Since the age of ten, when she called WKKC 89.3 FM to ask for an audition, she knew she wanted to make music, releasing The Armagedon before her 18th birthday. In 2000, she stepped away from music to focus on making a living. She didn’t reemerge until 2016 with MPC 7635, an off-kilter footwork EP that deviates from the usual fast-paced music of the genre, under the pseudonym Ja Ru. Rush has referred to herself as a pariah, someone who doesn’t fit the mold, and named her debut album on Objects Limited accordingly. It’s full of unique twists and turns, cementing her take as something fresh and different.

Crystal Mioner

Kele Le Roc

BANDCAMP · SPOTIFY · APPLE MUSIC

Kele Le Roc is UKG royalty. The east London singer rose to fame with smooth R&B numbers in the late ’90s, but it’s the vocals she lent to golden-era garage cuts that cement her place in UK music history. Le Roc released her debut album in 1999 and pushed her label for a garage remix of her second single, “My Love.” The result was a track that continues to make “best of” UKG lists and keeps Le Roc on tour. After buying her way out of her record contract, Le Roc forged musical relationships with underground luminaries such as Sky FX and Bugz In The Attic. She even sang the lead vocals on Basement Jaxx’s 2001 hit “Romeo.” Her work with Sticky (Things We Do For Love, Man On The TV) marked another key moment in the genre’s success. Le Roc’s work spans R&B, soca, broken beat, funky and drum & bass, but she’s most loved for her contribution to UKG. “My Love,” she has often said, pays her bills, while “Things We Do” is a constant request. A Twice As Nice regular in its Colosseum days, Le Roc has been flying the flag from day one.

Riri Hylton

DJ Felix

BANDCAMP

Directly from Porto Alegre, DJ Felix is part of a great wave of new DJs and producers in the city. A member of Black artist collective Turmalina, he explores the nuances of breakbeat and footwork, lovingly showing listeners where they can intersect with moments of Brazilian funk. There are some things that only experience can provide, and Félix knows this well. With releases on Brazilian label zonaEXP and mixes on channels like A-MIG from Belo Horizonte and Beco Elétrico from Brasília, Félix shows that he holds the key connecting two worlds: heavy beats, looped and sliced vocals. Imagine a big Chicago ghetto house party starring Brazilian funk MCs, linked by accelerated BPM and explicitly sexy vocals. Félix’s music illustrates how visionary people from the outskirts are always anticipating what’s yet to come.

Mariana Boaventura & Rafa Andrade (BADSISTA)