The
Song:
Apollo Brown's beats have no boundaries, clearly witnessed as the amazingly talented soul artist Ayah has called upon his production talents for a remix to the latest single off her recent album, 4:15. Unlike the rapper-filled tracks on Apollo's debut album, The Reset, "4:15 (Apollo Brown Reprise)" is strictly a soul jam. Set at 4:15 in the morning, the song has Ayah asserting her discontent for a lover's negligence, over a smoothed-out, mellow instrumental crafted by the Detroit up-and-comer. Introduced by the steady crackle of vinyl, Ayah puts her foot down on this one, with lines like, "I'm tired of the way you been livin'/ I'm tired of the weight you ain't liftin'." Though the pleasantly addicting beat may sound soft, Ayah's words are certainly not; she's fed up and she's had enough. The song not only reveals both the pain and strength of any woman who has been wronged, but also gives us another taste of Apollo Brown's versatility.
Check out "4:15 (Apollo Brown Reprise)" feat. Ayah here:
http://media.audibletreats.com/Ayah-415_Apollo_Brown_Reprise.mp3
Please post buy links for The Reset: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-reset/id368331791
The Background:
Born into a bi-racial family in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Apollo Brown's early influences skewed more toward the music of Journey and The Carpenters than the urban genres his peers often cite as inspiration. This is not to say that once hip-hop came into play, Apollo wasn’t all in. Just as easily as he can praise the virtues of yacht rock, the 29-year-old beatsmith can name personal heroes - Gang Starr, Wu-Tang, Mobb Deep, M.O.P., Nas, and Black Moon - from the early 90s period in which, for him, beats and rhymes became life. Apollo began making his own music in 1996 using Voyetra audio software, then upgraded to Cool Edit 2000 in becoming a self-described bedroom beat-maker for roughly the next eight years. It was the mid-2000s, and the upstart producer saw no future for his work - work he had dedicated his life to - in an industry where radio was setting a formulaic pattern for mainstream music. But he eventually began to miss the creativity in his craft and began producing once again, releasing the instrumental albums Skilled Trade (2007) and Make Do (2009). He went on in 2009 to win the Detroit Red Bull Big Tune Championships and competed in the national finals. Apollo then signed as a producer with the Mello Music Group in December of 2009. His debut album, The Reset, is available now via Mello Music Group.
Ayah's Background:
A multitalented & self-taught singer / songwriter / composer who possesses a voice so very enchanting in its purity, Ayah has experienced a fairly nomadic life & found her growing world indelibly touched by a vast array of musical genres, cultures and social climates. These elements would inevitably play an influential role in her writing. Ayah, 24, creates her own unique brand of music, an eclectic infusion of classic Soul/Rock, R&B and hip hop; the musical prowess of contemporary RnB artists, Soul stirrers, & timeless legends. She has caught the eye of key players in the industry such as Dj Jazzy Jeff, who has helped launch the careers of many a classic artist. Ayah has garnered a grass roots fan base with the release of her last two projects, “Problem Woman” & “4:15.”
About
Mello Music Group:
Like Lao Tzu in hip-hop, Mello Music Group provides music for the soul, from the heart of American culture,
opening the realm of the intelligent hip-hop experience through melodic
evocations, beats that corroborate the truth, and voices that roar
above the rising void and impose order on the terrible & triumphant
moments of everyday life. This is the compelling sound of Mello Music
Group. Industry newcomer Michael Tolle founded MMG in 2007 and is acting Director of Operations. MMG will be releasing projects from Oddisee, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Kenn Starr, Finale, Trek Life, Dudley Perkins, Sareem Poems, UPS, and YU in 2010. http://www.myspace.com/mellomusicgroup
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