Sound Directions | en

Sound Directions is another of the many, many Madlib side projects. The group begun as an offshoot of Yesterday's New Quintet in 2003 as a part of Madlib's "Shades of Blue" album. Sound Directions' debut, "The Funky Side of Life" represents Madlib's first full length collaboration with session musicians – players whose tenures include Macy Gray, The Dap Kings, Antibalas, Breakestra and Connie Price and The Keystones – on horns, guitar and backup keyboards. The horns were arranged by Todd Simon and Madlib himself helms the organ, bass and drums for most of album, except for a track or two where he includes the hammering funk breaks of UK drummer extraordinaire Malcolm Catto (MoWax, DJ Shadow). The music here takes a more experimental, jazzy twist than the hard-edged deep funk of many of the others on this list, but that doesn’t mean it grooves any less. Live horns and guitars layer over Lib’s typically druggy keyboards while the drums glide easily along through sets of lesser-known covers. It’s L.A. smooth and hip-hop cool, but with just enough grit to grind down the burnished edges. http://www.stonesthrow.com/sounddirections/ .