Remember what it felt like to discover dope hip-hop? The ominous tones this track open with immediately captivate the listener's attention, leaving us wondering what's coming next. Featuring dope production by Flying Lotus, Saturday Samurais transform "Wavey" into a smooth, hip-hop masterpiece. With lyrics floating easily over intricately sampled production, we're introduced to their carefully constructed sound. Their flow reminds me of elements of Mos Def and Q-tip, bringing hip-hop back to a place of story-telling as the song explores the definition of "Wavey" according to Saturday Samurais. Press play and get lost in this cool collaboration. --Opal Rose

Philip Lassiter is a master band leader with a resume to die for, and he's taking the fabulous funk and soul scene in DC to a new level. For the last few years, Philip Lassiter has been the section leader and horn arranger for The New Power Generation. Yes, you read that correctly. Prince's horn man is in DC, and he's set to go crazy and tear the roof off the sucker. These horns are the product of Philip's talent, and his very own band of locals is bringing that talent to the streets and clubs of DC.  

He's already written and produced two full lengths this year. In February Phil dropped Philthy, followed quickly in June by DreamZzz.  Both albums are chock full of top-of-the-line funk. Relentless rhythms drive the walls of sound to boogie. Horns, keys, guitars, choruses, blips and bloops, beat-boxing and scratching; anything and everything combines into a non-stop party. Listening to tracks like this, you can't imagine anyone else being Prince's horn man. 

Despite being a horn man to the stars, and a rising star himself, Philip is totally down to earth. He just released a totally adorable video for the track STRUT off DreamZzz. Check it out below, and keep your eyes peeeled for news of upcoming shows. --Natan Press

Snippets of red ballons, party-goers, and a cosmic sky splice the images of a sullen girl singing “… she just wanna party” in Noleac Yasin’s latest music video for “Par.T.” DJ and producer, Devyn Symone, says Noleac Yahsin is a joint effort between her and singer/songwriter Caelon Reed. “When I’m creating beats, whatever flows out of [Reed’s] mouth, goes on the track. Whatever we both like.” That’s why the pair choose not categorize themselves into any particular genre. Influenced by Timbaland, James Blake, and Amy Winehouse, the duo create neyo-soul rhythms, interposed by driving trap lines, all under alluring, relaxed vocals in the latest single. “Par.T” tells the story of Reed in the aftermath of a break-up, looking to find peace in others, and finally finding it in herself. “Par.T” can be heard on Noleac Yahsin’s forthcoming mixtape, Maktub, to be released November 11th. For now, get hooked on the indie-esque music video for “Par.T” below. –Sade A. Spence

The Funk Ark are releasing their new album, Man Is A Monster, on October 14th via Ropeadope Records. Recorded at Richmond's Montrose Recording (an amazing space that has quickly become a premier studio in the DMV, recording many previous DC Deli Artists of the Month including Avers, and People's Blues of Richmond), the album is like going on a Caribbean cruise through space on acid with an afrobeat orchestra following you around deck while you sail past galaxies and supernovas. The songs are all instrumental jams, but the changes are so tight and inventive that the energy never ever wanes (not for one second), and each track is over much too quickly (which is the opposite reaction I usually have to this sort of thing). Six action packed minutes on the mothership feel like three. It's a trip. Don't miss Funk Ark's amazing live show, supported by the equally incredible Black Masala, this Friday, October 10th at Black Cat. Check out the title track below. --Natan Press