+FE Music Store Holiday Sale
We are celebrating the holiday season with our annual +FE Music Store Holiday Sale! If you are still looking for that perfect gift for your loved one, friend or family member, or yourself, now is a better time than ever to stock up on +FE music and merchandise. Visit the +FE Music Store and get big discounts on CDs, vinyl, posters and T-Shirts through Saturday December 15th!
-All +FE Music CDs discounted from $12.98 to $10.00;
-All posters discounted from $5.00 to $1.00;
-10% off all The Foreign Exchange T-Shirts (choose between Authenticity, Fight For Love, Make Me A Fool and Laughing At Your Plans);
-Various discounts on select vinyl titles and DVDs.
Specialty items (Limited quantities available)
We have unearthed what are the very last "Maybe She'll Dream Of Me"/"Something In The Way She Moves" limited edition 7" singles. This 7" was originally given away with the Authenticity pre-order and has never before been available for sale separately. We have a few of the numbered 7" singles as well as a few black sleeve 7" singles that Phonte and Nicolay have both signed. Also available are Nicolay/The Hot At Nights tour posters signed by Nicolay and a few of the very last white Authenticity T-Shirts.
Don't Wait! Click here to visit the +FE Music Store

The Foreign Exchange's Authenticity Tour comes to an end
The Foreign Exchange's Authenticity Tour wraps up this month with two more stops in California and a grand finale at Monarch Theater in Phoenix AZ. Once the tour (which lasted almost two years and visited over forty cities across the United States and Europe) is completed, Phonte and Nicolay will begin writing and recording their fourth full-length studio album, due out in 2013.
October 19 at Key Club in Hollywood CA | BUY TICKETS
October 20 at Mezzanine in San Francisco CA | BUY TICKETS
October 23 at Monarch Theater in Phoenix AZ | BUY TICKETS

Jeanne Jolly's debut full-length ''Angels'' due out 10/2 on +FE Music
We are excited to announce that "Angels", the debut full-length from Raleigh, NC-based singer/songwriter Jeanne Jolly, drops 10/2 on +FE Music.
A member of our touring crew since 2011, Jeanne has been a welcome addition to the +FE Music family. Appearing on "Dear Friends" ("Laughing At Your Plans," "Steal Away"), Phonte's "Charity Starts At Home" LP ("Everything is Falling Down," "Who Loves You More"), and Zo's "...just visiting three" ("Same Ole Love"), Jeanne has been a natural fit for the +FE aesthetic and a wonderful extension of our musical partnership.
Her 10 song, Chris Boerner produced LP features the single "Sweet Love" and contributions from Hot at Nights drummer Nick Baglio and pedal steel guitarist Allyn Love.
We sincerely hope you enjoy the music and as always, thank you for listening.
Phonte and Nicolay

Official Nicolay T-Shirts available now!
Represent the producer of The Foreign Exchange with the official Nicolay T-Shirt, available now exclusively through +FE Music. "Nicolay" on the front, "+FE Music" logo on the back. Men's and women's sizes available. Get yours today!
Click here to visit the +FE Music Store

Available now: Limited edition red colored vinyl pressing of Charity Starts At Home!
+FE Music and Fat Beats proudly present the limited edition red colored vinyl pressing of Phonte's acclaimed solo debut album "Charity Starts At Home". Only 500 2LP sets were made, and once they are gone, they will be gone forever.
-Limited edition of 500 copies.
-Each copy has been hand-numbered
-Red colored two disc vinyl set.
-Gatefold packaging includes the complete lyrics to all tracks of the album.
-Includes FREE instant MP3 download of the album (+FE Music Webstore exclusive).
Get yours today!
Click here to order your copy now at the +FE Music Store | Also available at select stores

Official Phonte/Charity Starts At Home T-Shirts available now!
Represent Phonte with the official Charity Starts At Home T-Shirt, available now exclusively through +FE Music. "New Tigallo" on the front, "Charity Starts At Home" logo on the back. Men's and women's sizes available. Get yours today!
Click here to visit the +FE Music Store

Median's The Sender available on CD now!
The CD digipak edition of Median's sophomore album, The Sender, is available now via the +FE Music Store as well as select other stores.
Click here to buy The Sender from the +FE Music Store
Also available at:
Fatbeats
Underground Hip Hop
Access Hip Hop

This week: 25% off your entire purchase at the +FE Music Store!
Cyber Monday is here, and that means it is time to take advantage of a great deal! For the entire week, get 25% off your entire purchase at the +FE Music Store if you use couponcode "FEALL25" upon checking out. The discount is applied to all of your shopping cart contents such as CDs, vinyl, T-Shirts, posters and more.
Use couponcode "FEALL25" upon checking out for a 25% discount!
Click here to visit the +FE Music Store

Phonte x 9th Wonder x HipHopDX "Concert Ticket Giveaway"
Click here to enter

Where to buy Charity Starts At Home [Updated 10/05]
The following stores all have stocked copies for street date. We'll be adding cities and stores to this list as they come in. If you do happen to have a hard time finding a copy in your area, please comment on this post with your city and state. Thank you for listening.
Continue reading Where to buy Charity Starts At Home [Updated 10/05]

'Charity Starts At Home' Early Bird Pre-Order Available Now!
+FE Music proudly presents our exclusive early bird pre-order of Charity Starts At Home, the long-awaited solo album by Phonte. Pre-order your copy of Charity Starts At Home with the +FE Music Store and you'll have it first... Guaranteed!
Pre-order package includes:
-"CSAH" CD Digipak signed by Phonte
-"CSAH" MP3 Download for easy import into iTunes, etc.
Early Bird Pre-Orders ship starting Monday September 19. MP3 Downloads will be available starting Tuesday September 20.
Limited quantities are available, so place your order TODAY!
CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER CHARITY STARTS AT HOME!
Continue reading 'Charity Starts At Home' Early Bird Pre-Order Available Now!

Did you know that...
Some facts about the +FE Music website
The +FE Music website is an informative and interactive portal designed to help you discover the music of The Foreign Exchange and their affiliates, and to share your experience with others.Did you know that...
- ...you can find dozens of FREE music downloads on our website?
Help yourself to some FREE music... It's on us! Click here to browse our FREE music section
- ...you can listen to all of the songs from all of our albums, as well as a selection of remixes and rare non-album tracks, on our website?
Listen to full-length high quality streaming songs from our catalog, non-stop and completely FREE! Click here to listen to +FE Radio now.
- ...you can watch all of our official music videos, as well as hours of live and miscellaneous videos on our website?
Click here to browse our video section.
- ...we have our own online store that stocks all of our CDs, vinyl, posters and T-shirts?
We ship worldwide*. And you get a FREE MP3 download of each CD or LP album that you buy!** Click here to visit the +FE Music Store.
- ...you can view a vast collection of high quality photo sets taken by talented photographers?
Click here to browse our photo section.
- ...you can share your favorites with your friends?
We have integrated Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms and tools to help you spread the word and see what your friends like.
- ...you can access our virtual library of articles, interviews and album and show reviews?
Click here to visit our Publicity section.

Fresno Bouncers: Win Tickets To See The Foreign Exchange In Concert On The Authenticity Tour! (via SoulBounce)
Click HERE to enter the SoulBounce & The Foreign Exchange Fresno Authenticity Tour Ticket Giveaway

Los Angeles/Costa Mesa Bouncers: Win Tickets To See The Foreign Exchange In Concert On The Authenticity Tour! (via SoulBounce)
Click HERE to enter the SoulBounce & The Foreign Exchange Costa Mesa Authenticity Tour Ticket Giveaway

Oakland Bouncers: Win Tickets To See The Foreign Exchange In Concert On The Authenticity Tour! (via SoulBounce)
Click HERE to enter the SoulBounce & The Foreign Exchange Oakland Authenticity Tour Ticket Giveaway

The Foreign Exchange's rockin' RØDE!
The Foreign Exchange, longtime fans of RØDE microphones, are now official "RØDE Artists."
"I've travelled the world and recorded in world class studios with very expensive mics that still can't capture the texture of my voice as good as my NTK. The NTK is proof that 'more expensive' doesn't always mean 'better'." (Phonte).
Click here to visit The Foreign Exchange's page on the RØDE website

San Jose Bouncers: Win Tickets To See The Foreign Exchange In Concert On The Authenticity Tour! (via SoulBounce)
Click HERE to enter the SoulBounce & The Foreign Exchange San Jose Authenticity Tour Ticket Giveaway

Sacramento Bouncers: Win Tickets To See The Foreign Exchange In Concert On The Authenticity Tour! (via SoulBounce)
Click HERE to enter the SoulBounce & The Foreign Exchange Sacramento Authenticity Tour Ticket Giveaway

+FE Music Release schedule for the second half of 2011
Yesterday, Phonte announced the upcoming releases on the +FE Music imprint and clearly, there is a lot to look forward to!

Portland Bouncers: Win Tickets To See The Foreign Exchange In Concert On The Authenticity Tour! (via Soulbounce)
Click HERE to enter the SoulBounce & The Foreign Exchange Portland Authenticity Tour Ticket Giveaway

Seattle Bouncers: Win Tickets To See The Foreign Exchange In Concert On The Authenticity Tour! (via SoulBounce)
Click HERE to enter the SoulBounce & The Foreign Exchange Seattle Authenticity Tour Ticket Giveaway

A first look at the Dear Friends CD/DVD digipak

Pre-order for Dear Friends available now!
While the love for the new studio track "All The Kisses (feat. Paris & Amber Strother)" continues to pour in, we are pleased to announce that "Dear Friends: An Evening With The Foreign Exchange" is now available for pre-order through the +FE Music store. Pre-order this beautifully packaged CD/DVD digipak today and you'll have your physical copy in your hands before it even hits other (select) stores*! And as always, if you place your order for "Dear Friends" with the +FE Music store you'll receive a complimentary download of the album on release day.
Click here to pre-order your copy of Dear Friends: An Evening With The Foreign Exchange.
*Please note: This item ships on Wednesday June 29. Complimentary downloads available on Tuesday June 28. Specially-priced MP3/video bundle available on iTunes on Tuesday June 28. CD/DVD digipak available in select stores nationwide early July.

Connected CDs are back!
Dear Friends,
Seven years after its release, we are happy to announce the re-pressing of our debut album "Connected."
Featuring guest turns from Rapper Big Pooh, Von Pea (of Tanya Morgan), and longtime +FE collaborators Darien Brockington and YahZarah, "Connnected" was originally released on BBE in 2004. The album has been officially out of print since 2009 and original pressings currently sell for upwards of $50 on Amazon and eBay.
The new +FE Music reissue contains the original "Connected" album, as well as all the accompanying remixes and instrumentals packaged in a specially priced double-disc digipak complete with all the original artwork.
The "Connected" re-release will be available at independent retailers nationwide, and can also be ordered directly from us at www.theforeignexchangemusic.com.
Having full ownership of this album really means a lot to us, as this is truly where it all began. We thank you for your support over the years, and as always, thank you for listening.
Peace and Love,
Phonte and Nicolay
Continue reading Connected CDs are back!

In memory of Jon Gray
Dear Friends,
Yesterday, as we were preparing for our show in Falls Church VA, we received the sad news of the unexpected passing of our good friend and business partner Jon Gray. Jon was a tireless supporter of The Foreign Exchange from the very beginning. Initially with Studio Distribution and later as a key team-member of Hard Boiled (+FE Music's physical distribution partner), he was directly and extensively involved with the CD releases of all three of our albums (Connected, Leave It All Behind and last year's Authenticity) as well as Nicolay's City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya, YahZarah's The Ballad Of Purple St. James and Zo!'s SunStorm.
We truly wouldn't be where we are today without the years of hard work and drive of Jon Gray, who fought the good fight with conviction, enthousiasm and upbeat energy. We will miss him and his infectious personality greatly, and we wish his family and friends the strength to cope with this devastating loss.
Thank you for listening, Jon.
Phonte + Nicolay

Celebrate Record Store Day!
The Foreign Exchange would like to say thank you to all the stores who have carried our CDs and supported us through the years. In celebration of Record Store Day we would like to give our appreciation to these stores and any independent record store.

The Authenticity Tour 2011 continues! [Updated 09/23]
The Authenticity Tour travels on! Joining us on the road is our full live band including Zo!, Sy Smith and Jeanne Jolly.
For the latest news and show information, please check back here or follow us on Twitter.
We look forward to seeing you at one of our shows!
Thank you for listening,
Phonte + Nicolay (The Foreign Exchange)
Continue reading The Authenticity Tour 2011 continues! [Updated 09/23]

Make Me A Fool T-Shirts available now in the +FE Music Store!
Shipping now! Just in time for April Fool's Day comes the latest design in the Foreign Exchange T-Shirt "series". The "Make Me A Fool" T-Shirt was once again designed by Peche Designs and manufactured by Port Merch, exclusively for +FE Music. Women's and Men's T-Shirt available in black. Get yours today!
For more details and to buy, click here to visit the +FE Music store

Fight For Love T-Shirts available now in the +FE Music Store!
As given out to the attendees of The Foreign Exchange's private acoustic concert in North Carolina! This "Fight For Love" T-Shirt was designed (by Peche Designs) and manufactured (by Port Merch) exclusively for +FE Music. Women's and Men's T-Shirt available in black with white design. Get yours today!
For more details and to buy, click here to visit the +FE Music store

+FE Radio Valentine's Day 2011 Edition!
+FE Music proudly presents a special Valentine's Day selection of some of the most romantic tracks in our catalogue, handpicked by Nicolay. Enjoy!
Click here to listen now!

New addition to the +FE Music Store: The Foreign Exchange 18'' x 24'' poster!
New in the +FE Music Store: A full color 18'' x 24'' poster of The Foreign Exchange. Photography and design by Tobias Rose of Kompleks Creative.
Click here to visit the +FE Music Store

Now shipping: SunStorm vinyl!
The latest addition to the +FE Music Store is the long awaited vinyl edition of SunStorm, the independent soul smash album by producer/multi-instrumentalist and The Foreign Exchange keyboardist Zo!.
Click here to visit the +FE Music Store to order your copy of the SunStorm 2LP set today!

Back in stock: Authenticity T-Shirts
We are pleased to announce that all sizes of the Men's and Women's Authenticity T-Shirt are back in stock in both black and white. By popular demand we now carry a Men's Small as well!
Click here to visit the +FE Music Store.

SoulBounce honors The Roots & The Foreign Exchange as their 2010 Groups Of The Year!
Continue reading SoulBounce honors The Roots & The Foreign Exchange as their 2010 Groups Of The Year!

SoulBounce honors Zo! as their 2010 Producer Of The Year!
Continue reading SoulBounce honors Zo! as their 2010 Producer Of The Year!

SoulTracks Critics select Authenticity and SunStorm among their Best Albums Of 2010!
Foreign Exchange: Authenticity - Crisp, cool, and yet darkly emotional, this stellar electro-soul project explores the brisk winters of love, hope, and heartache. Lyrically wiser than its writer/producer duo's numerical years, this contemplative work inspires with bare-knuckled honesty (L. Michael Gipson).
Zo!: Sunstorm. Listening to this artist/producer evolve from minimalist 80s inspired hip hop productions to lush, spacey, panoramic soundscapes worthy of Norman Connors, Pharaoh Sanders, or at least Rod Temperton is a joy. Joined by A-list underground vocalists like Phonte, Monica Blaire, and Sy Smith, Zo's Sunstorm shines. (L. Michael Gipson)Check out all of SoulTracks' Best Albums Of 2010 here.

+FE Music Store ''Everything Must Go'' Holiday Sale!
We are excited to announce the +FE Music Store ''Everything Must Go" Holiday Sale and Black Friday Special! Starting today and running until the end of the year (or while supplies last, whichever comes first), you can take advantage of the following deals in the +FE Music Store:
+ Select CD's discounted from $12.98 to $10.00 or $5.00
+ Select vinyl albums discounted from $14.98 to $10.00
+ All 12'' vinyl singles discounted from $5.98 to $2.98
+ Discounts on select apparel
All CD's and vinyl albums purchased in the +FE Music Store include a FREE download of the MP3 version of the album!
We also offer attractively priced Holiday packages that make the perfect gift for your friend, family member or special someone:
+ "Authenticity" package (includes CD, 2LP (signed by Phonte and Nicolay), poster and sticker)
+ "The Ballad Of Purple Saint James" package (includes CD, 2LP (Purple vinyl), poster and sticker)
Visit the +FE Music Store today for more information on these and many other great Holiday deals.

Two stunning new additions to the +FE Music Store!
Calling all vinyl heads!
We are proud to announce two stunning new additions to the +FE Music Store! The first is the vinyl version of The Foreign Exchange's new Authenticity album, which comes as a 2LP set in a beautiful gatefold sleeve. Both Phonte and Nicolay signed each and every single copy, exclusively for +FE Music! The second is the vinyl version of YahZarah's current album The Ballad Of Purple Saint James, which comes as a limited edition 2LP set on purple colored vinyl in a gatefold sleeve.Each of the two vinyl sets includes a FREE download of the respective album as well as a FREE copy of The Foreign Exchange's Sincere 12'' Single (featuring YahZarah) and a FREE copy of Nicolay's "I Love The Way You Love" 12" Picture disc (featuring Darien Brockington). For the true vinyl heads, we have also put together a special package that combines both 2LP sets for a very attractive price.
Shipping now! Click here to visit the +FE Music Store.

Get Out Your Hoodie: Songs For Fall (via NPR Music)
NPR Music staff has included Laughing At Your Plans by The Foreign Exchange in their Songs For Fall playlist. Under the appropriately cozy title Get Out Your Hoodie, NPR Music staff published their favorite fall music, and this new track from Authenticity featuring Chantae Cann fit the bill perfectly.
The Foreign Exchange is the R&B outfit of Phonte (rapper, singer and songwriter of the now-dismantled North Carolina rap duo Little Brother) and Nicolay, the multi-instrumentalist whose coruscating, typically Moog-driven production illuminates the duo's swooning and lustrous sound. Their latest album, Authenticity, is well-positioned to be the soundtrack of this year's fall season -- not only because of the timing of its release, but for each song's tailor-fitted mood and feel. The jovial and upbeat "Laughing at Your Plans," a duet featuring rising singer-songwriter Chantae Cann, is about as colorful and vibrant as the changing leaves of fall; in both a melodic and literal sense, it optimistically embraces that which is beyond our control. So bundle up in your hoodie and bask in the acoustic ambiance of this song as you bid the warm weather adieu. -- Andre Barnes, NPR MusicClick here to listen to NPR Music's Songs For Fall playlist. You can still download Maybe She'll Dream Of Me for FREE by clicking here

Authenticity T-Shirts available now in the +FE Music Store!
As worn by The Foreign Exchange and crew at their Authenticity release concert in New York! This "Authenticity" T-Shirt was designed (by Peche Designs) and manufactured (by Port Merch) exclusively for +FE Music. Women's and Men's T-Shirt available in black or white. Get yours today!
For more details and to buy, click here to visit the +FE Music store

Authenticity enters the BillBoard Album Top 200!
An official "first" for The Foreign Exchange as a duo: in its first week of release, their new album Authenticity entered the BillBoard Album Top 200 at number 145! And that is not all. Authenticity also entered the Top New Artist Albums chart at number 3 and the R&B Album chart at number 23. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone of you that copped the new album, as we are truly and sincerely appreciative of your ongoing support!
Addendum: Authenticity is also number 26 on the Current Independent Albums chart, number 40 on the Current Digital Albums chart and number 3 on the Heatseekers Albums chart!

Where to buy Authenticity [Updated 10/28]
For your convenience, we have put together a comprehensive list of physical and digital music retailers that carry Authenticity. The list is as complete as possible and will be updated frequently. If you have a hard time finding the album in your area, please don't hesisate to leave a comment and/or to contact us via email, so that we can help you find your copy.
As always, thank you very much for your support!
Continue reading Where to buy Authenticity [Updated 10/28]

YahZarah, Zo!, Darien Brockington and Nicolay are all nominated for one or more 2010 SoulTracks Awards!
Congratulations to +FE Music artists YahZarah, Darien Brockington, Zo!, Nicolay and Phonte as well as extended family Sy Smith and Carlita Durand, as they are all nominated for one or more 2010 SoulTracks Awards! Listed below are the +FE Music nominees:
Independent Album of The Year
Yahzarah - The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
Zo! - Sunstorm
Song of the Year
Greatest Weapon of All Time - Zo! feat. Sy Smith (from SunStorm)
Wake Up In Another Life - Nicolay feat Carlitta Durand & Phonte (from City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya)
Why Dontcha Call Me No More - Yahzarah (from: The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
Male Vocalist of the Year
Darien Brockington
Female Vocalist of the Year
YahZarah
For more information on the 2010 SoulTracks Awards, visit SoulTracks.

''Maybe She'll Dream Of Me'' now available on iTunes!
The first single from The Foreign Exchange's upcoming album Authenticity, ''Maybe She'll Dream Of Me'', is now available on iTunes! The single bundle contains the album mix, video mix and instrumental version of the song.
Click here to buy "Maybe She'll Dream Of Me" on iTunes

Zo! is Featured Artist on SoulTracks
Thanks to Chris and all of our friends at SoulTracks for making Zo! their featured artist this month! Click here to visit Zo!'s page on SoulTracks.

Where to buy SunStorm [Updated Aug 14]
For your convenience, we have put together a comprehensive list of physical and digital music retailers that carry SunStorm. The list is as complete as possible and will be updated frequently. If you have a hard time finding the album in your area, please don't hesisate to leave a comment and/or to contact us via email, so that we can help you find your copy.
As always, thank you very much for your support!
Continue reading Where to buy SunStorm [Updated Aug 14]

This Could Be The Night by Zo! available now on iTunes!
The first single taken from Zo!'s upcoming SunStorm album, This Could Be The Night, is now available on iTunes! The iTunes single contains the following tracks:
01. This Could Be The Night feat. Eric Roberson, Darien Brockington & Rapper Big Pooh (Album Mix)
02. This Could Be The Night feat. Eric Roberson, Darien Brockington & Rapper Big Pooh (Video Mix)
03. This Could Be The Night (Instrumental)
Click here to purchase the single on iTunes
You can listen to This Could Be The Night now, download your FREE copy of the song, or watch the video.
SunStorm is available for pre-order in the +FE Music Webstore.

Vote for ''Daykeeper'' in SoulTracks' Greatest Songs Of The 2000s!
The readers of SoulTracks have nominated The Foreign Exchange's Grammy nominated song "Daykeeper" (feat. Muhsinah) amongst the Greatest Songs Of the 2000s! You can click here to vote. When the voting is all done, SoulTracks will post the 100 Greatest Soul Songs 2000-2009.

Atlanta giveaways (tickets via SoulBounce & CDs via From Afros To Shelltoes)
Enter now for your chance to win tickets to see The Foreign Exchange LIVE at The Masquerade in Atlanta, courtesy of SoulBounce and album prize packs, courtesy of FATS
Right now there are a couple of different giveaways going on for the Atlanta area in celebration of our return, on May 21 to The Masquerade, in over 1.5 years. We are looking forward to seeing all of you out there and best of luck to all those that enter.Win tickets to see +FE live via SoulBounce
We're capping off our week of giveaways with something special for our Atlanta Bouncers. The Foreign Exchange is coming to town on Friday, May 21st, and we're hooking up two Atliens with a pair of tickets each to see the show. As folks who've already seen The Foreign Exchange live can attest, their concert is not to be missed. Phonte, Nicolay, YahZarah, Darien Brockington and Zo! break it down for it to forever be broke on stage. They'll be hitting the Masquerade and unless you want to miss out on a great night filled with even greater music, then you need to hit the show, too. To lock down your attendance, tickets may be purchased via Ticketmaster. However, if you're in it to win it, then hit the bounce to enter.
CLICK HERE to enter the SoulBounce & The Foreign Exchange Atlanta Concert Ticket Giveaway
-or-
Win album prize packs via From Afros To Shelltoes
As you ponder the perfect jams for the cookout at Craig's house or the remedy to chase the "over due bill blues" away, we have the perfect soundtrack for all occasions. In support of The Foreign Exchange show May 21 @ The Masquerade (Atlanta, GA), From Afros To Shelltoes (FATS) will lace two (2) lucky winners with the following FATS Prize Packs courtesy of our play cousins at The Foreign Exchange Music:
FATS Prize Pack 1: Nicolay - City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
FATS Prize Pack 2: Yahzarah - The Ballad Of Purple St James
CLICK HERE to enter the FATS & The Foreign Exchange Album Prize Pack Giveaway

Win tickets to see The Foreign Exchange LIVE in Chicago! (via SoulBounce)
Enter now for your chance to win tickets to see The Foreign Exchange LIVE at the Double Door in Chicago, courtesy of our good friends at SoulBounce!
Click here to enter the SoulBounce & The Foreign Exchange Chicago Concert Ticket Giveaway

The Foreign Exchange's Connected (Extended Edition) available at digital retailers now!
38 tracks for as low as $11.99!
The digital version of The Foreign Exchange's classic debut album, Connected, is now available again at your digital retailer of choice. The brand new Extended Edition bundles the original album (17 tracks), the complete instrumentals (17 tracks) and four rare bonus remixes for an alltime low price. The original album, instrumentals and bonus tracks can also be purchased separately.Buy Connected (Extended Edition) on iTunes | Amazon | eMusic | Rhapsody

Shibuya among Amazon's 100 MP3 Albums for $5 Each for February!
Buy City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya on Amazon

GRAMMY® Week: Luda & Roberta Flack Toast Music to their Years
Multiple GRAMMY® winners Ludacris and Roberta Flack hosted milestone gathering that truly was music to their years
Joining Ludacris and Ms. Flack in Hollywood were current GRAMMY-nominated artists Hiroshima and The Foreign Exchange. Nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Album for the aptly titled "Legacy," genre- and culture-bending Hiroshima is celebrating its 30th year making music heard 'round the world. First time GRAMMY nominees The Foreign Exchange are celebrating their fifth collaborative year, as well as their nomination for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for "Daykeeper," the lead track from their latest CD Leave It All Behind.
Continue reading GRAMMY® Week: Luda & Roberta Flack Toast Music to their Years

Update regarding our BBE releases
You may have noticed that our BBE releases Connected (by The Foreign Exchange), City Lights Vol. 1.5 and Here are now officially out of print, and for a good reason: As of January 1st 2010, the rights to our BBE releases reverted back to us, the artists. The doors are now open for us to start using better and more fan-friendly ways of getting the music in our back-catalogue to you. In other words, great music for a great price, from the artists directly to the listener.
Hard copies of the aforementioned albums will be increasingly hard to find in stores and online until they will be completely sold out. We were able to obtain some of the very last copies for the Nicolay Music webstore. Please note that this is the very last of our BBE stock and once its gone... it's gone.
We'd like to thank BBE for helping us get started, and we wish them all the best in the future. Stay tuned for more updates soon, and thank you for your support!

Three Blind I 2009 End of The Year Awards for The Foreign Exchange!
The Foreign Exchange swept the Blind I 2009 End of The Year Awards, winning three of the four categories in which they were nominated: Album Of The Year (Leave It All Behind, with 40% of the vote), Best Collaboration (Daykeeper feat. Muhsinah, with 28% of the vote) and Song Of The Year (Daykeeper feat. Muhsinah, with 35% of the vote). Thank you to everyone that voted!

Nicolay shares Grammy glitter with holiday gift remix of Vikter Duplaix's Electric Love
Grammy® nominated producer Nicolay, fresh on the heels of his nomination in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance category celebrates the Holidays with Vikter Duplaix with a remix of Duplaix's new single Electric Love.
As a celebration of the holidays, Vikter Duplaix and Nicolay are teaming up to offer the remix for free beginning Christmas day exclusively at VikterDuplaix.com.
Continue reading Nicolay shares Grammy glitter with holiday gift remix of Vikter Duplaix's Electric Love

Vote for The Foreign Exchange in Blind I For The Kids' 2009 End Of The Year Awards
The Foreign Exchange is up for four Blind I For The Kids 2009 End Of The Year Awards!
Click here to vote for The Foreign Exchange in Blind I For The Kids' 2009 End Of The Year Awards

allmusic's Favorite Electronic Albums of 2009 includes City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya!

SoulTracks picks Leave It All Behind among their Best CDs of 2009!
The Foreign Exchange: Leave It All Behind -- Arguably one of the best albums of the decade; not since Sweetback's debut has electronic music sounded this soulful and seductive (L. Michael Gipson)Click here to check out the rest of SoulTracks' Best CDs of 2009.

The Foreign Exchange earns Grammy nomination for ''Daykeeper''!
We are proud and humbled to announce that "Daykeeper", the first single taken from The Foreign Exchange's sophomore album, Leave It All Behind, has been nominated for a Grammy award! "Daykeeper" (feat. Muhsinah) is nominated in the category "Best Urban/Alternative Performance". The Grammy winners will be announced on January 31st, 2010. For more information and to see who we are up against, visit www.grammy.com.
We'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone that has supported The Foreign Exchange family, and we hope that this serves as proof that you CAN succeed on your own terms. God bless.

2009 SoulTracks Readers' Choice Awards finalists named!
Last week, we informed you that The Foreign Exchange is nominated in four different categories of the 2009 SoulTracks Readers' Choice Awards: Independent Album of the Year ('Leave It All Behind'), Song of the Year ("Daykeeper"), Female Vocalist of the Year (Yahzarah) and Duo or Group of the Year. The SoulTracks committee has now narrowed down each category to seven finalists, and we have just learned that The Foreign Exchange is a finalist in all four of those categories!
Between October 23 and November 8th, SoulTracks' readers will be voting for this year's winners. If you're not a registered SoulTracks user but want to vote for The Foreign Exchange you can still sign up and receive a ballot by email. The 2009 SoulTracks Readers' Choice Awards will be broadcast on December 7th at 8:00 p.m., hosted by our good friend Jodine Dorce of Jodine's Corner.
For more information on the 2009 SoulTracks Readers' Choice Awards and how to vote, visit SoulTracks.

Where to buy City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya [Updated 10/13]
A comprehensive list of physical and digital music retailers that carry City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya.
For your convenience, we have put together a comprehensive list of physical and digital music retailers that carry City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya. The list is as complete as possible and will be updated frequently. If you have a hard time finding the album in your area, please don't hesisate to leave a comment and/or to contact us via email, so that we can help you find your copy.As always, thank you very much for your support!
Continue reading Where to buy City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya [Updated 10/13]

Nominees named for 2009 SoulTracks Readers' Choice Awards: The Foreign Exchange grabs four nominations!
One of the most popular soul music websites in America, SoulTracks, announced their nominees for the 2009 SoulTracks Readers' Choice Awards today. The Foreign Exchange is nominated a total of four times, in the following categories: Independent Album of the Year ('Leave It All Behind'), Song of the Year ("Daykeeper"), Female Vocalist of the Year (Yahzarah) and Duo or Group of the Year!
For more information on the 2009 SoulTracks Readers' Choice Awards and how to vote, visit SoulTracks.

KCRW DJ Picks for October 2009 includes City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Big up to the homie DJ Anthony Valadez for adding 'City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya' to KCRW (Southern California's leading National Public Radio affiliate)'s DJ Picks for the month of October. More on Anthony Valadez, who also DJ-ed all three Roxy Theatre performances of The Foreign Exchange this year, on his website.

SoulBounce: Win tickets to see The Foreign Exchange in concert!
From SoulBounce:
The Foreign Exchange is taking a little break from touring for a hot minute, but when they crank it back up again in a few weeks we got you covered with free tickets. Which means that Bouncers in Baltimore, New York City and Washington, DC will have a chance to get the hookup from SoulBounce and FE when they hit those cities. If you live in Bmore, NYC or DC and have yet to experience the live artistry of Phonte, Nicolay, YahZarah, Darien Brockington, Carlitta Durand, Zo! and The Els, then now is your chance.
Click here to visit SoulBounce and submit your entry!

City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya enters Billboard's Current Electronic Albums at #27 and Top New Artist Albums at #110
Nicolay's new album debuts with a bang
After racing up Amazon's MP3 Album charts last week,'City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya' has now officially entered not one but two Billboard charts: the Current Electronic Album chart at #27 and the Top New Artist Albums chart at #110! This is quite a debut for an independent project that is brought to you by the artists themselves. Not to mention the lack of cooperation from iTunes. We appreciate your vote of confidence and would once again like to thank you very much for your support. If you haven't yet picked up your copy of 'Shibuya', why not do so today?
City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya is here!
Let's take a walk through the city tonight...
The wait is over! Last week, we already released the digital version of 'City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya', and today marks the release of the CD version of the album. You can purchase your copy through online music retailers such as Amazon and this website, as well as in (select) stores across the United States. Check back for a complete list of stores that carry the album, coming soon. Later this month, 'Shibuya' will be released in Europe, Japan and the rest of the world.On behalf of the entire Foreign Exchange Music crew, we thank you very much for your continued support!
You can still download the first single taken from 'City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya', ''Lose Your Way feat. Carlitta Durand", as well as the album sampler, free of charge through this website.

Shibuya takes Amazon MP3 Album charts by storm!
Digital version of City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya released!
The digital version of 'City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya' was released yesterday, exactly one week before the CD version drops on September 15. After an unusual but compelling request from Phonte and Nicolay not to purchase the digital album through iTunes (see: 'City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya' and why NOT to buy it from iTunes', fans collectively took to Amazon.com, pushing 'Shibuya' into the site's MP3 Album Top 100 chart almost immediately. And it didn't stop there. At the time of writing, 'Shibuya' is the #1 album in Dance, and the #16 album overall! Not a small feat for an album released independently by the artists themselves, without any marketing budgets or other financial backing.A heartfelt thank you to all of our supporters, past, present, and future. You are much appreciated!

A message from Phonte and Nicolay
Straight from the source...
Friends and Family,Nic and I are proud to announce the digital release of 'City Lights 2: Shibuya', available right NOW.
The good news is that the full 'Shibuya' album is available for download on Amazon, eMusic, Rhapsody and other digital music retailers.
The bad news is that iTunes has decided to list 'Shibuya', as well as 'Leave It All Behind' (?!?!??!?!!) as "partial." Essentially, what this means is that you (the consumer) will be charged more money for buying the full album from iTunes, and that me and Nic won't receive credit for the album sales on SoundScan.
We are asking all of you who plan to purchase the full digital album to please do so via Amazon or any other music retailer, and not via iTunes. Not only will you get it for a cheaper price, but me and Nic will also get credit for the sale. In the very near future, Nic and I will be launching our own digital store via www.theforeignexchangemusic.com to ensure that we're not beholden to any more corporate bullshit that keeps our fans from getting great music at a fair price. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
For those of you who still buy your music the old-fashioned way, 'Shibuya' will be in stores nationwide on Sept. 15, and we will have CD's for sale during our upcoming west coast shows.
Thank you for listening, and we hope you enjoy the record!
Peace,
'Te and Nic

A first look at the City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya CD
Fresh off the press... and we couldn't resist sharing a sneak peek
Continue reading A first look at the City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya CD

Happy 5th Birthday, Connected!
Time flies when you are having fun...
Today marks the 5th anniversary of the release of The Foreign Exchange's debut album, 'Connected' (August 24 2004, BBE Records). Throughout the week, we'll be posting 'Connected'-related goodies on this website as well as on The Foreign Exchange's official website. Cheers!
Kevin Nottingham: Most Anticipated 4th Quarter Music Releases
More Shibuya news.
Kevin Nottingham lists 'City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya' amongst his Most Anticipated 4th Quarter Music Releases."Hot off the release of last year's Foreign Exchange album, Leave It All Behind, Nicolay is set to release volume 2 in his City Lights series. The Foreign Exchange producer had decided to stick with the formula and has invited FE members Phonte, Carlita Durand, and Zo! along for the ride. Nicolay never seems to disappoint, so this album is sure to be a winner."
Read the full article here.

"Lose Your Way" featured on MP3.com R&B + Soul
"Lose Your Way" finds its way...
''Lose Your Way'', the first single taken from the upcoming 'City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya' album, is featured on the R&B + Soul section of MP3.com! Download the single for free at MP3.com or right here at Nicolay Music. 'Shibuya' will be in stores September 15.
The blogs are losing their way!
''Lose Your Way'' has been out a little over a day, and already it is all over the place!
The first single taken from the forthcoming 'City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya' is getting plenty of love from the music blogs. Here's a quick selection of links for your convenience, with a big shout-out to all of our supporters helping to spread the word:Okayplayer | Nahright | SoulBounce | Suite903 | Trees for Breakfast | The Smoking Section | 2dopeboyz | Kevin Nottingham | GAK City | Potholes In My Blog | HipHopDX | Nodfactor | Wedoitrightmag | Ruby Hornet | Pop Matters

Gilles Peterson plays Nicolay's 'Nautilus' remake on BBC Radio One!
Nicolay's take on the Bob James classic makes the rounds
Nicolay's remake of 'Nautilus' by Bob James, posted as the first installment of our new series, Off The Shelf, has garnered serious buzz amongst music fans, DJs and bloggers. To add to this excitement, we have just learned that world-renowned British DJ Gilles Peterson played 'Nautilus' during his most recent BBC Radio 1 show! Big up to Gilles and everyone else that has played, copied, reposted, retweeted and otherwise helped spread the track. Even though today's musical landscape undoubtedly presents many challenges, it is truly a beautiful thing to be able to put our music from our "hands" directly into yours so that it can be heard and enjoyed literally around the world!Click here to listen to the latest Gilles Peterson show

Happy Birthday Aimee!
There's no better occasion to put a well-deserved spotlight on Aimee Flint - director of operations and "woman-of-a-thousand-and-one-hustles" for Nicolay Music as well as The Foreign Exchange - than her birthday!
Aimee Flint is without a doubt one of the hardest working women in music and, along with Phonte and Nicolay, one of the driving forces behind The Foreign Exchange's "Leave It All Behind" campaign and tour(s). She books the shows, drives the van when needed, provides snacks, hot tea and a vast array of cold medicin, sells the merch, arranges the interviews, gets the stage ready, takes pictures and video, makes sure we stick to our schedules, cuts the checks and does countless other things. We truly could not pull it all off without her.
A thousand-and-one thank yous and a very happy birthday, Aimee!
[If you'd like to wish Aimee a happy birthday yourself, you can hit her up on Twitter (@AimeeFlint) or Facebook].

Indie Artists Take Music Technology to the Next Level
+FE Music's Director of Operations and Woman-of-a-thousand-hustles Aimee Flint was interviewed for Rolling Out about the ways in which independent artists can use internet technology to help further their careers.
With the web providing music-related platforms and social networking sites such as Imeem, MySpace, Facebook, Vimeo, Reverbnation, YouTube, Unsigned, Tryxo, and iLike, artists and managers have their pick of the latest technologies to position themselves directly in front of consumers and fans. With so much variety they may not have to choose just one outlet, but can instead be creative in using the sites in conjunction with each other.
Continue reading Indie Artists Take Music Technology to the Next Level

"Take Off The Blues" is Single of the Week on iTunes
The Foreign Exchange's 'Take Off The Blues', featuring Darien Brockington, is this week's 'Single of the Week' on iTunes!
You can download the song for free here, and don't forget to leave your review! To celebrate the song's selection as 'Single of the Week', iTunes this week offers the full digital album, ''Leave It All Behind'', for the sharply discounted price of $5.99! After this promotion, you can purchase the full digital album on iTunes for the new low price of $7.99. So if you haven't already, now is the time to get your digital copy of ''Leave It All Behind''.




