Abstract Orchestra & Slum Village "Fantastic 2020" (Album Stream)

Live jazzy orchestral interpretations of the Jay Dee aka J Dilla produced Slum Village classic Fantastic Vol 2! The contributions of the late Detroit producer James DeWitt Yancey - better known to the world as J Dilla - to the world of hip-hop can't be overstated, and nowhere is his legacy more apparent than his work as a member of Slum Village. A founding member of the trio, (alongside rappers T3 and Baatin) Dilla provided the group's distinctly esoteric, free-wheeling sound, built around winding basslines, quirky drumbeats, subtle low-end frequencies, and classic jazz and soul samples. Against the backdrop of Dilla's rich production, T3 and Baatin's free-flowing style of rhyming would also earn wide critical praise, leading to comparisons as the successors to A Tribe Called Quest. All these elements would come together in a truly prodigious fashion in the early 00s, when Dilla and Slum Village would release their second studio album Fan-Tas-Tic Volume 2. The group had already made critically acclaimed waves with Volume 1, but few could have predicted at the time of its release that Dilla's production, which combined portions of alternative, gangsta, and soul hip-hop, meshed with T3 and Baatin's deft lyrical flows, would become such a far-reaching influence. Enter the Abstract Orchestra. Helmed by composer and saxophonist Rob Mitchell, this 18-piece ensemble has become renowned for their distinct sound, which reinterprets some of the most famous hip-hop productions of all time (right on down to the sample material) into a unique blend of big band jazz and live hip-hop. They previously have released orchestral versions of revered hip-hop record Madvillian and a tribute to Dilla to critical acclaim as well. Abstract Orchestra are proud to pay tribute to this highly innovative hip-hop classic. The big band applies their own jazzy spin to Dilla's classic productions, with occasional assistance from the surviving members of Slum Village themselves. The end result is Fantastic 2020, a hybrid blend of smooth, funky brass rhythms with boom-bap sensibilities that is just the kind of tribute that an often unsung, but highly influential group like Slum Village deserves, and is a more than welcome addition to any Dilla completist's library.

Abstract Orchestra "Madvillain Vol.2" (Album Stream)

Madvillain Vol.2 is the second part of the eagerly anticipated new LP from Abstract Orchestra. Madvillain Vol.2 takes the blueprint laid out on their debut LP “Dilla” and applies it to the work of producer Madlib and MF Doom’s Madvillain project. Led by Saxophonist Rob Mitchell, Abstract Orchestra have been a consistent presence on the UK music scene, steadily building a loyal and supportive fanbase. Inspired by the legendary live performances of The Roots with Jay-Z and the 40 piece orchestral arrangements by Miguel-Atwood Ferguson of the work of J Dilla, classic arranging techniques underpin modern loop-based structures, breathing new life into familiar material. The band itself is based on the classic jazz big band instrumentation of saxes, trumpets and trombones. Madvillain Vol.2 was recorded live in it’s entirety at ATA’s own vintage analogue studio in Leeds. All tracks were recorded in one take with little to no overdubs and no editing, quantizing or other such studio trickery. Listen to Abstract Orchestra's excellent project below...

Abstract Orchestra "Madvillain Vol.1" (Album Stream)

"Led by Saxophonist Rob Mitchell, Abstract Orchestra have been a consistent presence on the UK music scene, steadily building a loyal and supportive fanbase. The band itself is based on the classic jazz big band instrumentation of saxes, trumpets and trombones and features the cream of the north of England’s jazz scene. Abstract Orchestra’s Madvillain Vol 1. explores the jazz, TV soundtrack and film score aspect of the original work, combining it with classic big band writing and a focus on improvisation. Rob Mitchell says of the record: ‘Madvillainy’ is a jazz album as much as it is a hip-hop album and I wanted to explore this reciprocal territory there has always been between jazz and hip-hop. 70’s cop show soundtracks have always captured my interest and imagination, and I discovered so much amazing music through TV themes, Quincy Jones and Lalo Schifrin in particular. They explored sounds that were menacing, angular, dissonant, frantic and yet captivating. Arranging & scoring up Madvillain Vol 1. has allowed me to explore these sounds that I’ve always loved, yet keeping a strong hip-hop identity as the core of its sound.” Listen to "Madvillain Vol.1" below...