+FE MUSIC RELEASES
SunStorm
''I do not doubt that this album will make it to the top of many a year-end list come December, and rightfully so. I’d even go as far as to whisper the words ‘Grammy worthy’ … after all the Foreign Exchange have already made their mark there. I guess only time will tell, but if Sunstorm is anything to go by, then we have MUCH more to look forward too from Zo! and friends in the future.'' - for Soul UK [Click here to read the full review]
The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
''The Ballad of Purple Saint James truly takes you to a place you have never been. This outstanding album confidently and creatively rests singularly in its own category. You don’t listen to this album; you experience it.'' - Ranier Simons for Nu-Soul Magazine [Click here to read the full review]
''This album borders on legendary status.'' - Matthew Daniel for Soulmusic.com [Click here to read the full review]
''A more complete, well-rounded offering than her past efforts, this album is sure to draw fans, new and old to the alluring vocalist. '' - Ivory Jones for SoulBounce [Click here to read the full review]
''This album is undeniably one of this year's most surprising treasures. (...) A highly listenable album from beginning to end.'' - L. Michael Gipson for SoulTracks [Click here to read the full review]
''The Ballad Of Purple Saint James is not just a supreme album, but a potential landmark in the progression of soul music.'' - Zach Cole for Potholes In My Blog [Click here to read the full review]
''One listen to The Ballad of Purple St. James, and Yahzarah shouldn't be a stranger anymore, as the musical package she presents plays like sage advice from a good friend, and grooves that you'll slip into instantly. One of 2010's winners for sure. '' - Jennifer for Adventures Of An Audio Diva [Click here to read the full review]
''It’s no surprise that Yahzarah’s latest offering, the compellingly diverse The Ballad of Purple St. James, reflects the singer’s relentless work ethic and professionalism. Overseen by Nicolay and Phonte of the Foreign Exchange, the album hits all the right notes, showcasing Yahzarah’s considerable artistry with a set of tracks that stands above and beyond the pack.'' - Norman Mayers for Sub Centric [Click here to read the full review]
''A game changing body of work that galvanizes YahZarah's voice into soul music excellence. The constellation of musicianship, heart-wrenching life stories and impeccable vocal execution makes this LP one of the most tantalizing releases of 2010. '' - Fave for The Groovment [Click here to read the full review]
''Every last track on BPSJ is outstanding and makes it well worth the wait.'' - Soul UK for Soul UK [Click here to read the full review]
''The album encompasses all that has come before and is presented in a manner that should give us a glimpse of what the present and future of music should be if we are really listening.'' - for Grown Folks Music [Click here to read the full review]
''YahZarah delivers one of the most commanding scorned-lover performances in recent memory.'' - Andy Kellman for allmusic [Click here to read the full review]
City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
''Relaxed, contemplative, and cucumber cool in its approach to nouveau -80s electronica, Nicolay's Shibuya demonstrates why the Great Dutch is in demand as an indie soul and hip hop producer.'' - L. Michael Gipson for Soul Tracks [Click here to read the full review]
''Another unassuming gem from one of the most creative and increasingly chameleonic producers around.'' - Andy Kellman for allmusic [Click here to read the full review]
''Nicolay's Shibuya: City Lights Vol. 2 exudes the kind of effervescent joy one experiences when visiting an exotic new land for the first time.'' - Ron Schepper for Textura [Click here to read the full review]
''Nicolay captures the excitement of this faraway land like a child chasing a butterfly as it floats away on a gentle breeze. (...) No matter where you are, the intricate layers of Shibuya transport you to another place.'' - Candace L. for Okayplayer [Click here to read the full review]
''Nicolay's new found vision is a refreshing journey of live instrumentation and programmed drum beats.'' - Landon A. for URB Magazine [Click here to read the full review]
''I encourage you to listen to City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya and allow Nicolay to transport you into another level of collective creativity.'' - Fave for SoulBounce [Click here to read the full review]
''The 15-track LP showcases a highly finessed producer who continues to grow.'' - Eric Tullis for Independent Weekly [Click here to read the full review]
''A well conceptualized project for mature ears that is indicative of Phonte's song-writing prowess as well as Nicolay's dexterity on the boards.'' - Eldorado Red for Redlightdistrikt [Click here to read the full review]
''We hear a new and even more musical side of Nicolay. Or maybe he's just letting us get to know him better with each subsequent release. Either way, we recommend buying City Lights Volume 2 right away, and visiting Nicolay's Shibuya as soon as you can.'' - Zane for Leisure Lab [Click here to read the full review]
Leave It All Behind
''The Foreign Exchange may have just earned an unexpected promotion.'' - Ian Cohen for Pitchfork [Click here to read the full review]
''Leave It All Behind can't be recommended highly enough and deserves to be considered one of the year's best releases, regardless of genre.'' - Ron Schepper for Textura [Click here to read the full review]
''It's rare that an emcee is so capable as a songwriter and it's equally as rare, today especially, that a duo with an excellent debut can follow that album up with something completely new and fantastic.'' - Andrew Martin for PopMatters [Click here to read the full review]
''With electronic and live sounds, emotional production and excellent vocals from some of the underground scene’s best, Leave It All Behind is an open and experimental take on hip-hop and soul, highly successful, at that.'' - Norman Mayers for Prefix Magazine [Click here to read the full review]
''Once the album’s final note has faded out, you’ll want to listen again, because in the presence of such impeccable chemistry, it’s hard to Leave It All Behind.'' - Jeff Harvey for Okayplayer [Click here to read the full review]
''Leave It All Behind is a concise and complete set of songs that brings out the best of both producer Nicolay and Phonte.'' - Andy Kellman for allmusic [Click here to read the full review]
Connected
''Through a potent mix of battle-ready lyricism, falsetto crooning and European ambient grooves, [The Foreign Exchange] create Hip-Hop music from outside the box.'' - Jerry L. Barrow for The Source [Click here to read the full review]
YahZarah: To not be afraid (via Independent Weekly)
With the help of The Foreign Exchange, Durham's Yahzarah finally delivers a weird, wonderful soul epic.
Source: Independent Weekly · By Brandon Soderberg
The soul singer Yahzarah lounges comfortably near the window of the Beyú Caffé in downtown Durham, her poise protected from the sweltering mid-July afternoon outside. Her head is shaved, and she dons bright red heels and a short, tasteful animal print dress. In person, she presents the same singular mix of traditionalism and outré cool that defines her new LP, the excitable and often devastating Ballad of Purple St. James.
The Ballad of Purple St. James is a weird record. Not Lady Gaga Fame Monster weird or even Janelle Monae The Archandroid weird, but weird because it's a sprawling, rarefied expression of a uniquely talented artist with a willingness to speak and sing--wonderfully--on very personal and intimate things. It's the sort of willfully individual R&B record you don't hear anymore.
Continue reading YahZarah: To not be afraid (via Independent Weekly)
Soul UK reviews SunStorm
Source: Soul UK
Well folks the wait is over. It is now July 27th and you can all get your hands on one of the most anticipated albums of the year, Zo!'s Sunstorm.
The Detroit producer / multi-instrumentalist has been honing his craft for years releasing EP's along the way, however it was hooking up with Phonte (and the rest of the Foreign Exchange crew) that really saw the tables turn and saw Zo! gain some much deserved attention. After working with FE on their Grammy nominated Leave It All Behind album, and releasing the free EP ...just visiting too, all was on course for him to become a member of the +FE Music label and release his full-length debut.
Continue reading Soul UK reviews SunStorm
Nu-Soul Magazine reviews The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
Source: Nu-Soul Magazine · By Ranier Simons
Welcome to the land of Purple Saint James. During the day the grass feels like silk, the air smells of lavender and vanilla, and the sun talks to you when you're alone. At night, the mountains glow, the ground pulsates to earthly beats, and the oceans crash against beaches of diamond laced white sand. The Ballad of Purple Saint James truly takes you to a place you have never been. This outstanding album confidently and creatively rests singularly in its own category. You don't listen to this album; you experience it. The word 'original' doesn't do this album justice. The boundary blurring spirit of this album is reminiscent of the genius of Prince. Every song is different yet every song is moving. Jazz, blues, soul, electronica, rock, pop and r&b all mesh resulting in thirteen tracks that have Grammy written all over them. YahZarah's dynamic and versatile voice in tandem with The Foreign Exchange's flawless production is a screaming example that good music isn't dead. Other notable contributors to this musical smorgasbord are The Real Focus (Marsha Ambrosius, Raphael Saadiq), Nate Smith (Michael Jackson), and Steve McKie (Jill Scott, Bilal).
Continue reading Nu-Soul Magazine reviews The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
The Foreign Exchange makes Atlanta connection; new album in the works (via Atlanta Hip-Hop Music Examiner)
Source: Atlanta Hip-Hop Music Examiner · By Shannon Barbour
Atlanta was ready for The Foreign Exchange. On a warm Friday night in late May, their show at Midtown's Masquerade was filled with the grown and sexy people of what the music industry calls "urban alternative." The mostly coupled-up coterie was formed by women in colorful dresses and sandals and men in button-downs and jeans or graphic T-shirts bearing images of rock and hip-hop icons. If you didn't get close to the front, you could bob and weave your way to a better view through the afroed and loc-ed up folks that made of up the majority of the standing room only area. And the numbers didn't lie; the capacity crowd of the venue showed that a performance from the North Carolina via the Netherlands collective was well worth the wait.
Continue reading The Foreign Exchange makes Atlanta connection; new album in the works (via Atlanta Hip-Hop Music Examiner)
The Foreign Exchange rocks B.B. King's (via SoulTracks)
Source: SoulTracks · By Ann Marie Collymore
The Foreign Exchange was working especially hard, commencing their loaded weekend schedule in Philadelphia, performing during The Roots Picnic. A short but sweet set was just enough to whet the appetite of the New Yorkers who traveled down for the day. Nonetheless, on Sunday night, it was all about New York City. The energy was palpable. And with Jesse Boykins III opening, the audience was in for a solid night of comedy, grooves and entertainment the only way FE knows how to deliver.
Continue reading The Foreign Exchange rocks B.B. King's (via SoulTracks)
Soulmusic.com reviews The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
Source: Soulmusic.com · By Matthew Daniel
Yahzarah began her dazzling music career as a backing vocalist for Erykah Badu, and has wowed the independent soul music scene since her debut album, Hear Me, dropped in October 2002 via the Pony Canyon label. Yahzarah calls it her 'love album' and her corresponding image was pure neo-soul. Yahzarah released her sophomore album Blackstar in September 2003 on independent label Three-Keys. This album took songs from Hear Me and added a few more new songs, making it almost a re-release of Hear Me, with Yah looking beautiful as usual on the front cover. October 2008 saw Yahzarah release her third record entitled The Prelude, which featured collaborations with neo-soul star Raheem DeVaughn. If you're a devoted neo-soul fan you will know that Yahzarah and her career progression, as well as her imagery, has changed and developed, turning her into a full-fledged independent soul artist. And in these times when image is just as important as music, she has gone from neo-soul goddess to blaxploitation superwoman. With three previous albums under her sexy belt, Yahzarah is ready to conquer the world with her brand new thirteen-song album, The Ballad of Purple St. James . And her superstar visual accompanies it.
Continue reading Soulmusic.com reviews The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
The Foreign Exchange to bring Authenticity this October (via SoulBounce)
Source: SoulBounce · By Butta
October 12, 2010. Add this date to your calendar right now and circle it in red, schedule an alarm or do whatever you need to do to remember it because that, my friends, is the release date of The Foreign Exchange's third album. Entitled Authenticity, Nicolay and Phonte will be coming back once again to change the game that we call urban music. Their sound is constantly evolving and from the delicious sneak peek that I've heard, one thing is for sure--expect the unexpected from these cats and their cohorts YahZarah, Darien Brockington and Zo!. While we wait for Authenticity to drop, you already know that next to FE's official website, SoulBounce will be Foreign Exchange Central in the coming months. So, yes, go ahead and start getting excited from now.
Recap: The Foreign Exchange at B.B. King's, New York (via Suite903)
Source: Suite903 · By Helen Marie
Arriving at B.B. Kings Sunday, June 6th armed with camera, pen and pad, I was ready with high expectations for The Foreign Exchange. The multi-faceted identity of FE is represented by YahZarah, Phonte and Darien Brockington, together combining an ecclecic recipe of hip-hop, blues, funk, reggae with a complete "feel good" gospel experience.
Nicolay's genius production sets the tone of the show with the witty lyricism of Phonte; smooth serenading of Darien Brockington, topped off with the sultry vocals of Yahzarah St. James. It only takes one live show to see that this union's very existence, which can only produce the kind of music that is timeless. The Foreign Exchange show was very entertaining, but do not take that description loosely. The experience of being at a Foreign Exchange concert is nothing short of musical genius.
Continue reading Recap: The Foreign Exchange at B.B. King's, New York (via Suite903)
YahZarah's 'Ballad Of Purple Saint James' Sheds Light On, Gives Us Much To Love (via SoulBounce)
Source: SoulBounce · By Ivory Jones
First things first; I'd be remiss if I didn't admit that I judge music by how it makes me feel. Maybe it's because I'm a woman. Or because I'm a Cancer. Or maybe both. But just know that I listen with a highly emotional ear. That said, The Ballad of Purple Saint James, the third full-length solo album by YahZarah managed to perfectly appeal to every emotion, especially the highs and lows of love found, only to be lost later.
YahZarah and fellow Foreign Exchange cohort Darien Brockington wax poetic about love's finer points on the sensual "All My Days." You know from the first line that this ain't no ordinary love, when she croons, "Bury me up to my neck in your love." Even if you've never experienced a love so intense, you definitely will want to by the time these two finish sweet-talking each other.
Continue reading YahZarah's 'Ballad Of Purple Saint James' Sheds Light On, Gives Us Much To Love (via SoulBounce)
SoulTracks reviews The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
Source: SoulTracks · By L. Michael Gipson
Since 2001's Hear Me, R&B soul singer and early Badu background vocalist Yahzarah has been bubbling just underneath stardom. With a siren image and a mezzo-soprano that reaches Nirvana, for eight-plus years Yahzarah seemed to be ready- made for "big lights" fame, each year seeming to get closer to her destiny than the last. Throughout, Yahzarah's gone through some exciting visual changes, refining it with the times, chipping away at her early neo-soul imaging from her debut until she became a '70s blaxploitation goddess, with cropped outfits, a tiny natural, and plenty of 'tude. Today, Yahzarah's image is iconographic, every marketing photo, every image captured screams star. It is a well-marketed identity that now has more prominence and immediacy in public recognition than her sound. To be memorable, a signature sound is every bit as important as a signature look; ask Jill, Tina, Lalah, Erykah, Natalie, Patti, Gladys, Maysa, Chrisette, Anita Baker or even Janelle Monae-you immediately know them when you hear them, regardless of song or producer. Four projects deep, with a different Yahzarah sound appearing on every one, The Ballad of Purple Saint James begs the question for some: who is Yahzarah, the artist? Given just how stunningly strong most of this 13-song set is most newcomers to her music won't care, at least, not yet.
Continue reading SoulTracks reviews The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
The A.V. Club interviews Phonte
Source: The A.V. Club · By Nathan Rabin
Little Brother exploded onto the underground hip-hop scene with 2003's The Listening, a classic debut that won accolades from top tastemakers like ?uestlove and Pete Rock. When the group signed to Atlantic for its controversial follow-up, The Minstrel Show, it looked like it was primed to cross over from the underground to the mainstream. But the trio's stint on a major label proved disastrous, and the album tanked commercially. Producer 9th Wonder left Little Brother before the release of 2007's underrated Getback, for which the group re-upped with the independent label that released its debut, ABB.
Frontman Phonte, meanwhile, branched out as half of The Foreign Exchange, an ambitious collaboration with Dutch musician/producer Nicolay; together, the pair compiled an album through instant messaging and trading sound files. The 2004 debut, Connected, was one of the best hip-hop albums of the decade, a lush, seductive masterpiece that perfectly fused laid-back soul with thoughtful, introspective, melodic hip-hop. The Foreign Exchange shocked many people by picking up a Grammy nomination for best urban/alternative performance for "Daykeeper" from its 2009 follow-up, Leave It All Behind, which abandoned hip-hop altogether in favor of R&B and soul, focusing on Phonte's singing. This year, Phonte reunited with the remaining half of Little Brother, Big Pooh, to release Leftback, the group's fourth and purportedly final album. The A.V. Club recently spoke with Phonte about ending Little Brother, music-industry bullshit, and beefing with 9th Wonder on Twitter.
Continue reading The A.V. Club interviews Phonte
Purple Reign: YahZarah returns to scene with provocative album (via Indianapolis Recorder)
Source: Indianapolis Recorder · By Jessica Williams-Gibson
There's a running joke amongst my friends that our generation has limited great and timeless music.
Our parents had groups like the O'Jays singing songs like "Forever Mine," while we had Snoop Dogg and phrases like "We don't love them hoes."
I'm here to tell you, things are turning around. For those of you who prefer commercial R&B, are hard-core old school junkies or hip-hop heads, let me introduce you to YahZarah.
Continue reading Purple Reign: YahZarah returns to scene with provocative album (via Indianapolis Recorder)
The Foreign Exchange: Class In Session; Music 3000 (via Allhiphop)
Source: Allhiphop · By Joyce Farley
The school bell has rung and the lesson for today is Music 101 and it's not just your ordinary Top 40 heard on the radio. But, rather a duo whose eclectic and eccentric sound which fuses "R&B, Hip-Hop and electronica," earning them a rave reviews and the much garnered Grammy nomination. The Foreign Exchange consisting of Phonte of North Carolina and Nicolay from Holland, is more than a group with a funky name but the group to watch. With a new album on the way,
AllHipHop.com: Your last CD was in 2008, are you planning to release any new music?
Nicolay: Yazarah (a fellow collaborator) has been touring with us and has been featured on all of our albums. She is actually one of the first artists that we are coming out with on our imprint. We are working on a new album for The Foreign Exchange for the fall. We definitely have a lot of music coming out this year.
Continue reading The Foreign Exchange: Class In Session; Music 3000 (via Allhiphop)
Potholes In My Blog reviews The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
Source: Potholes In My Blog · By Zach Cole
Could it be that with the Foreign Exchange collective, hip-hop and soul have found the new-wave Soulquarians? The comparisons are striking, but in the interest of time, we'll save that for another conversation. What is important, is that the +FE camp has just unleashed another smashing album, this time by way of songstress YahZarah. The Ballad Of Purple Saint James is a progressive neo-soul album that is, quite frankly, far ahead of its time (and somewhat extraterrestrial).
The most striking feature of The Ballad is its musicality. Drawing from new jack swing, and 80s pop/rock/funk, the production on Yah's album is not what one would immediately expect from a traditional neo-soul project. However, given Nicolay and Phonte's penchant for pushing musical boundaries, perhaps this should come as no surprise. Numerous tracks recall the funkier side of r&b, with a futuristic makeover. "Cry Over You" features a guest appearance from Phonte and is a prime example of the spacey electro-soul evoked on The Ballad. The 80s funk meter gets turned up to high for "Change Your Mind", which, if not for YahZarah, would sound every bit like it was plucked right off the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.
Continue reading Potholes In My Blog reviews The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
How Yahzarah got her groove back (via Creative Loafing Atlanta)
The Ballad of Purple St. James puts The Foreign Exchange Music on the map
Source: Creative Loafing Atlanta · By Jacinta Howard
If anyone understands that love isn't always perfect, it's Yahzarah.
When she abruptly left her first love, music, to take a day job at Banana Republic in 2003, she knew something seriously had to give. Heartbroken after the release of her lackluster second album, Black Star, she was drained -- creatively, emotionally and mentally -- and needed to hibernate from the music industry.
Continue reading How Yahzarah got her groove back (via Creative Loafing Atlanta)
Yahzarah Rocks & Reels On Her Kind Of Ballad (via Adventures Of An Audio Diva)
Source: Adventures Of An Audio Diva · By Jennifer
Who is this girl? Maybe you know her or don't. After hearing this particular 'ballad', you will be familiarized with who she is and what hand of cards she's playing. And it's a good hand.
A year ago, Yahzarah was quite the mystery, to me at least, even though she isn't a stranger to the music scene as she's been in the game now for almost a decade. So a hop skip and a catch up into the future, with the conscience aware of Blackstar and The Prelude, two of the native's earlier recordings, it's clear that Yahzarah is one to watch, and with producing family, The Foreign Exchange in tow, the sounds of Soul shift gears for those that want something to really gnaw on.
Continue reading Yahzarah Rocks & Reels On Her Kind Of Ballad (via Adventures Of An Audio Diva)
Sub centric blog reviews The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
Source: Sub Centric · By Norman Mayers
If you listen to indie soul, chances are you've heard of Yahzarah. She is one of the hardest working women in the business and next to Sy Smith is one of indie soul's most recognizable figures, touring constantly with the Foreign Exchange and as a solo artist. She is also one of the scene's most dynamic performers, consistently delivering assured vocals and a mesmerizing stage show. It's no surprise that Yahzarah's latest offering, the compellingly diverse The Ballad of Purple St. James, reflects the singer's relentless work ethic and professionalism. Overseen by Nicolay and Phonte of the Foreign Exchange, the album hits all the right notes, showcasing Yahzarah's considerable artistry with a set of tracks that stands above and beyond the pack.
There is a vintage feel to The Ballad of Purple St. James yet somehow the album sounds fresh and new. Yahzarah was obviously inspired by the depth of R&B from the 80s and 90s but nothing on the album feels dated. First single "Why Dontcha Call Me No More" is proof enough of this; the pop/soul kiss-off is a surprisingly potent track that is as fresh and bubbly as it is unexpected. The 80s synthesized vibe is all over tracks like "Cry Over You" featuring Phonte and the seductive "Change Your Mind", but Nicolay's talent as a producer prevents things from sounding cheesy. Instead the music soars, mirroring Yahzarah's effervescent energy. But the slower songs are the true standouts here as they both shine light on Yahzarah's ability to emote and display her incredible range. A duet with fellow FE member Darien Brockington will immediately appeal to fans yet it's "Last To Leave", a lengthy emotional saga of a ballad, that truly casts a spell. The track encaspulates everything we've come to love about the talented diva. This sexy gal can SANG with the best of them and delivers a truth through her music that very few artists can attest to. With The Ballad of Purple St. James it appears that Yahzarah is ready to take things to the next level and we anxiously watch as she soars to higher heights.
The Groovment reviews The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
Source: The Groovment · By Fave
I don't even know where to begin.
It's taking everything in me to keep my composure long enough to channel my feelings about The Ballad of Purple St. James into cohesive statements. This highly anticipated album -- from the uber talented Yahzarah -- has been released into the universe today and it is definitely a game changing body of work that galvanizes her voice into soul music excellence. The constellation of musicianship, heart-wrenching life stories and impeccable vocal execution makes this LP one of the most tantalizing releases of 2010.
Continue reading The Groovment reviews The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
All aboard YahZarah's Starship (via Soul UK)
Anyone who stops by this site with any sort of regularity will know that I have been anticipating the release of The Ballad Of Purple St James for a little over a year now. There have been a few setbacks along the way, but YahZarah and her new label, +FE Music, have finally blessed us with her 4th project.
A few weeks back the first single, 'Why Don't You Call Me No More' was released for free as a digital download and gave us a taste of what was in store. The 80′s influenced, new-wave/soul sound wasn't what I was expecting but is a pretty good indicator of what to expect on BPSJ. There are more 80s-inspired tunes, in particular 'Have A Heart' and the synth-heavy 'Change Your Mind', however as long-time YahZarah fans will know she is no one-trick pony.
Continue reading All aboard YahZarah's Starship (via Soul UK)
Grown Folks Music reviews The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
Source: Grown Folks Music
I usually don't take up valuable album review space with my own personal declarative statements, but in this instance I believe that it's important for two reasons: context and (hopefully) a call to action.
First, this may be one of the easiest reviews that I've had to do(more on the reasons why, later). Secondly, I may represent(or I used to)a vast majority of lover's of great music in this country who are still(I was until about a year ago)stuck on channel zero(more on that in the conclusion). Finally, this album has made me realize(along with so many other epiphanies over this past year)that it's time to stop talking and really do something so that what we know as mainstream music now, can become a bad memory.
Continue reading Grown Folks Music reviews The Ballad Of Purple Saint James
YahZarah artist feature on Brave Soul Collective
Monte J. Wolfe of Brave Soul Collective talks to YahZarah about her new album The Ballad Of Purple Saint James.
Source: Brave Soul Collective · By Monte J. Wolfe
Our artist feature this month epitomizes what it means to be an artist, and she is truly a 'Brave Soul' in a league of her own. Critically acclaimed R&B vocalist YahZarah returns with her long-awaited album "The Ballad of Purple Saint James," dropping May 4 on The Foreign Exchange Music.
Continue reading YahZarah artist feature on Brave Soul Collective
allmusic gives The Ballad Of Purple Saint James 4.5 stars!
The first official review of The Ballad Of Purple Saint James!
Source: allmusic · By Andy Kellman
YahZarah's fourth album could be heard as the third part of a trilogy that began with the Foreign Exchange's Leave It All Behind (2008) and continued with Nicolay's City Lights, Vol. 2 (2009). Like those earlier albums, The Ballad of Purple St. James is driven by Nicolay and Phonte and involves input from members of the extended FE family, as well as the Real Focus. YahZarah had worked on and off with the duo for several years, but never in a concentrated burst like this. The album allows the singer and songwriter to flash her vocal and thematic flexibility in ways her previous albums did not. Most salient is "Why Dontcha Call Me No More," a gracefully hurtling kiss-off. It could be covered by No Doubt and taken to the Top Ten, but it's probable that the song would lose some of its bite. YahZarah, whose voice here resembles that of Gwen Stefani, albeit with none of the cutesiness, delivers one of the most commanding scorned-lover performances in recent memory. At the point where an ad-lib or something innocuous is expected, just as handclaps and "whoa-oh"s enter, she slips in an additional verse that begins with "I hope you have a little girl, and she's the apple of your eye" -- uh-oh -- and ends with "I hope somebody makes her cry" and a vaguely brainsick laugh. There are other moments when the singer's magnetic forthrightness is on display, as on the pulsing and intense "The Lie" ("If you gotta go through hell with somebody, why won't you do it with me?") and the prime Neptunes/Kelis-like "Change Your Mind" ("I can turn your world around in a heartbeat, and bring you to your knees again"). The more sensitive songs, including a gliding duet with Darien Brockington, a devotional ballad resembling a Teena Marie session in Memphis, and a gleaming Afrofuturist anthem, are just as affecting.
The Foreign Exchange brings soul to Akron (via fullasoul.com)
Source: Fullasoul
There's no questioning how rich in soul music history we are in the state of Ohio. 20 years ago, an Ohioan would never need to go far to find some live soul music goin' down nearby. In 2010, it's a different story. Cleveland gets theirs, no question...but to see a surge of R&B artists making their way down the road to Akron the last couple of years has been bliss.
Saturday night, the city was blessed with it's first appearance by the Grammy-nominated Foreign Exchange. Having not seen them before live, I had no idea what a treat we were all in for.
Continue reading The Foreign Exchange brings soul to Akron (via fullasoul.com)
Soul UK interviews YahZarah
First things first, thanks for taking the time out to answer these questions, I guess you are busy leading up to the May 4th release.
How are you feeling now that you have a label to call home, a finished album and a firm release date?
I've always worked best in a team. And it feels great to have one made up of people who I know well and can trust with the future of my music.
And it goes without saying that I'm releaved to be finished with this chapter. Now I'm busting at the seams to share it with my fans.
Continue reading Soul UK interviews YahZarah
Phonte Talks Little Brother, 9th Wonder and The Foreign Exchange (via Soul Sessions blog)
Source: Soul Sessions blog · By Krysten Hughes
In January Little Brother announced that the upcoming LP, Leftback, will be their final album. I was too salty when I found out! Anyone that knows me knows that I have always been the biggest Little Brother supporter. The North Carolina duo had me at The Listening with songs like "Speed", "Whatever You Say" and "The Get-Up". To this day Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh (and even 9th Wonder who exited) remain one of my favorite groups in Hip Hop... ever.
I was able to catch up with Phonte and talk about Little Brother's retirement, get the truth about why 9th Wonder bounced, and find out what's next for the Grammy nominated Foreign Exchange.
Continue reading Phonte Talks Little Brother, 9th Wonder and The Foreign Exchange (via Soul Sessions blog)
YahZarah wants to know ''Why Dontcha Call Me No More'' (via Soulbounce)
Source: Soulbounce · By Butta
There aren't enough superlatives to describe how much I am loving YahZarah's first single from her highly-anticipated The Ballad of Purple Saint James. "Why Dontcha Call Me No More" goes in from beginning to end. YahZarah belts out a hate letter to her ex on this new soul wave jam. This song is a bucket of cold water on her old flame. She doesn't wish him well. She wants him to feel the same pain he caused her. She's effectively giving him the second half of a peace sign. Produced by The Foreign Exchange, Nicolay's signature keys can be heard on the track with Phonte holding it down lovely on handclaps and tambourine. Lil Jon Roberts beats the hell out of the drums like they owe him money, labelmate Zo! does his thing on the bass and Chris Boerner works some serious magic on electric guitar. That impressive list of contributors aside, YahZarah is the focal point here--and all eyes and ears are trained on her. If this song is any indication, then The Ballad of Purple Saint James is going to be one of this year's best. 2010 just got a lot more interesting.
Underground Artists Strike A Pose During 2010 Grammy Week (via Sub Centric blog)
More photos from The Foreign Exchange's Grammy week!
Source: Sub Centric blog · By Norman Mayers
While major artists like Beyonce may grab all the headlines during the Grammys, it is a still a time for buzz-worthy and up and coming talent to network and show what they've got. Photographer Kawai Matthews of Air Philosophy, a true supporter of the underground soul movement, managed to snap some gorgeous photos of 2010's crop of Urban Alternative nominees (along with some future nominees) at this year's KCRW Pre-Grammy Brunch hosted by radio personality Garth Trinidad.
Continue reading Underground Artists Strike A Pose During 2010 Grammy Week (via Sub Centric blog)
The Foreign Exchange to Release Third Album This Fall (via Exclaim.ca)
Phonte, one half of acclaimed North Carolina rap duo Little Brother, has revealed in an Exclaim! interview that the third album from his Grammy-nominated side-project the Foreign Exchange will likely see a fall 2010 release.
Source: Exclaim.ca · By Anupa Mistry
Although he's promoting Little Brother's final album LeftBack,
due out April 20, Phonte is hard at work on the yet-to-be-titled
Foreign Exchange release with Dutch producer Nicolay. "Daykeeper" from
The Foreign Exchange's sophomore album Leave It All Behind was recently up for a Grammy in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance category."It feels really good to get that kind of recognition," says Phonte. "It lets you know that people are listening and that your peers are supporting what you do, so it's an honour."
Continue reading The Foreign Exchange to Release Third Album This Fall (via Exclaim.ca)
The Foreign Exchange won't rest on Grammy laurels (via Creative Loafing Atlanta)
Sleep is a luxury Phonte and Nicolay still can't afford.
Source: Creative Loafing Atlanta · By Jacinta Howard
Say what you will about the commercial excess of the Grammy Awards, for an artist, there's nothing more validating than receiving a nomination. It means even more for independents with no major-label backing. So when Phonte Coleman's wife woke him up to tell him that his alt/soul group The Foreign Exchange had received a Best Urban/Alternative Performance nod for the song "Daykeeper," he reacted like any exuberant artist would - he fell back asleep.
"Honestly, I had been working so much, it didn't hit me until I completely woke up," he laughs.
Continue reading The Foreign Exchange won't rest on Grammy laurels (via Creative Loafing Atlanta)
In The Lab With The Foreign Exchange (via Unique74)
I recently had the chance to catch up with the Grammy Nominated THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE. The collective have been making waves in the music scene and are setting a tone for many more great albums to come. They shared their process behind the magic of putting together Leave It All Behind to Nicolay's sojourn in Shibuya.
You guys are red hot and raising the bar. "Leave It All Behind" is in constant rotation in my mixes, the album is crazy nice (translation: its a really good record). What was the inspiration behind recording this album?
PHONTE: For me it was wanting to explore different kinds of music, doing something that I didn't have a chance to do up until that point. I wanted to stretch out and try something new.
Continue reading In The Lab With The Foreign Exchange (via Unique74)
Wilmington musician headed for the Grammy awards (via Star News Online)
Source: Star News · By John Staton
For any performer, there's always that moment just before he steps out on stage, into the spotlight.
For the Dutch-born, Wilmington-based musician and producer who calls himself Nicolay, that moment is now. It just depends on how bright the spotlight is going to be.
If The Foreign Exchange, Nicolay's R&B/hip-hop collaboration with Raleigh vocalist Phonte, wins a Best Urban/Alternative Performance Grammy for the song "Daykeeper" on Sunday, it's going to be blinding.
If they don't, well, it's still going to be pretty bright.
Continue reading Wilmington musician headed for the Grammy awards (via Star News Online)
The Foreign Exchange On Grammy Nomination, Music And More (via Soul Sessions blog)
Source: Soul Sessions blog · By Krysten Hughes
Hands down, The Foreign Exchange was one of the most genius singer - producer collaborations to happen to urban music in the early 2000s. The trans-Atlantic duo, who first met on the popular online message board, Okayplayer, is categorized best as R&B meets contemporary electronic meets hip hop. The first ingredient is Nicolay, a Dutch producer from the Netherlands who hones in on his talent of concocting original composition. The second ingredient is Phonte, rapper slash singer, and one half of the acclaimed hip hop group Little Brother. The rest is history.
I first grew fond of The Foreign Exchange after hearing the 2004 debut album, Connected, which featured a host of appearances including Rapper Big Pooh (of Little Brother), YahZarah, Darien Brockington and Median. Tracks like "Nic's Groove", "Happiness" and "Be Alright" were on constant rotation. Now, six years and one album later, The Foreign Exchange are practicing their acceptance speech. Their sophomore album, Leave It All Behind, is nominated for a 2010 Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the track "Daykeeper" which features one of my favorite jazzy soul sistas', Muhsinah. I was more than delighted to catch up with Nic and Phonte and talk to them about The Foreign Exchange, their exciting nomination, and what's in store for the future.
Continue reading The Foreign Exchange On Grammy Nomination, Music And More (via Soul Sessions blog)
The Foreign Exchange: Leaving The Old Behind (via Okayplayer)
Source: Okayplayer · By Rap
Call me crazy but I used to think artists sat around awaiting Grammy nomination announcements the way NCAA teams gather to await March Madness Tourney selections. I had concocted this preposterous mental scenario that included the artist and their closest family and friends huddled in the living room or studio awaiting the announcement. Although it's a major deal that some artist pursue throughout their entire career to no avail, Phonte Coleman found the peace of mind to sleep when most of the world was anxiously awaiting the 2010 selections.
Nominated for "Daykeeper" off their latest project Leave It All Behind, The Foreign Exchange, comprised of Nicolay and Phonte (Little Brother) feels the love. The group that came to existence via the Okayplayer message boards has received warm reception from domestic and international crowds. The overall success of this album in and outside of their "traditional" fan base has been somewhat surreal. Compared to Connected, Leave It All Behind is a more soulful R&B inspired album. Criticized by some for being too R&B, Foreign Exchange remains unaffected by these negative observations and continue to make music they can trust and believe in.
Continue reading The Foreign Exchange: Leaving The Old Behind (via Okayplayer)
Nicolay: Never Losing His Way (via The Indiestry Magazine)
Source: The Indiestry Magazine · By Kofi Amankwaa Jr.
Nicolay (born Matthijs Rook) has always been behind the scenes when it comes to his production. Unlike other well-known music producers who shout out their names on records like Swizz Beatz (SWIZZY!), DJ Khaled (WE THE BEST!), or Lil' Jon (YEEEAH!), Nicolay remains relatively quiet and let's his music do the talking for him.
Born and raised in Holland, Nicolay was trained to learn how to use classical instruments and has worked to become a music producer since his youthful days.
"My motivation is based on making music and music-related things," Nicolay said. "I've always been the type of person to mess with instruments and recording devices for hours on end."
Continue reading Nicolay: Never Losing His Way (via The Indiestry Magazine)
Connecting with The Foreign Exchange (via SOBO Magazine)
Source: SOBO Magazine · By Christopher Whaley
The world of technology is amazing. The world we live in can now make almost anything possible with the click of a mouse and some computer skills. What's more impressive is technology has afforded many musicians and artists the luxury that would have been unheard of decades ago. For Phonte Coleman and Nicolay, it was the click of a mouse that brought these two talented individuals together to make one of the most unique duos in music history, The Foreign Exchange.
Meeting each other through the popular website forum Okayplayer.com, the two would exchange music and lyrics through e-mails and make their dynamic debut album, Connected (2004), before meeting each other face to face. Phonte, a member of the group Little Brother, and Nicolay, producer extraordinaire from the Netherlands, have blessed the masses with some amazing work, so much that at press time the duo was nominated for a Best Urban/Alternative Performance Grammy for the single "Daydreamer" from their second release, Leave It All Behind (2008).
Continue reading Connecting with The Foreign Exchange (via SOBO Magazine)
Wilmington producer Nicolay relishes Grammy nomination (via Star News)
Source: Star News · By John Staton
A modest home in a neighborhood near where College Road turns into Interstate 40 isn't where you might expect a Grammy nominee to live.
But that's exactly where Nicolay - the independent Dutch producer and musician who helps create the sound for R&B/hip-hop group The Foreign Exchange - received the news last week that he and vocalist Phonte, of Raleigh, had been nominated for a Best Urban/Alternative Performance Grammy for their song "Daykeeper."
"We've just been going nuts for the last week, man," Nicolay said, sitting in his living room with his wife, Aimee Flint, who serves as The Foreign Exchange's "director of operations," handling business dealings, promotion and a million other things.
Continue reading Wilmington producer Nicolay relishes Grammy nomination (via Star News)
SoulTracks reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: Soul Tracks · By L. Michael Gipson
Relaxed, contemplative, and cucumber cool in its approach to nouveau -80s electronica, Nicolay's Shibuya demonstrates why the Great Dutch is in demand as an indie soul and hip hop producer, but not necessarily why the multi-instrumentalist is a compelling enough solo talent. Gratefully, the music here is not aggressive or obnoxious enough to be considered commercial synth pop, but nor is it languid or atmospheric enough to fully earn chillout or lounge cred. On his genre-free instrumentals, Nicolay only intermittently creates a soundscape that stands up without a vocal or instrumental solo riding over his electro-soul beats. When it does rise above a hot track for someone else's spotlight, as on elaborate thought pieces like "Meji Shrine" or the compellingly rhythmic "Crossing" and "Shibuya Station," Shibuya delivers the addictive dopamine of Nicolay's previous two City Lights offerings. Flashes of unique composition and arrangement are heard scattered on various bars within songs, as on "Rain in Ueno Park ," but the Shibuya standouts are those that include vocals from his rapidly expanding Foreign Exchange camp. On the musical perfection, "Saturday Night," and on the stunningly kaleidoscopic "Wake Up In Another Life," artists like the feather-voiced Carlitta Durand and an uncredited Phonte bring a frivolity and attractive brightness to nocturnal Nicolay's Neptunes-lite compositions. Rather than bringing undue attention to themselves on these tracks, the singers actually draw you into appreciating Nicolay's quietly cerebral musicianship. Like jazz pianist Billy Strayhorn before him, Nicolay's best work seems to be that done for others to shine, in turn giving this understated artist his most blinding moments.
allmusic reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: allmusic · By Andy Kellman
The second volume of Nicolay's City Lights series is a travelogue that, through the eyes of an amazed and slightly dazed visitor, reflects the character of Tokyo's Shibuya ward -- getting lost in its nightlife, basking in its spirituality, and several points in-between. In the wake of the producer's work on the Foreign Exchange's Leave It All Behind, a lack of progression would have been excusable, but Nicolay manages (remarkably enough) to expand his range both stylistically and conceptually. Mostly instrumental, Nicolay plays everything with the exception of a couple piano solos (provided by Zo!), while FE partner Phonte wrote and arranged for the four songs with vocals, all of which feature Carlitta Durand's whispery, sweetly uplifting voice. Faultlessly sequenced, just about every track is a set-up for what follows, and though the whole set is bathed in a unifying luster, the shifts in sound are not insignificant. Ranging beyond Nicolay's past output, Shibuya delves deeper into the boundless energy and complexities of late-'70s jazz fusion, steps into lush deep house, and otherwise moves smoothly on mellow downtempo pieces that are too stimulating to be regarded as mere mood music. What puts it over the top is not necessarily its central track or overall highlight but its two biggest surprises: the crisp, sleek, and discreetly dubby "Saturday Night," a four/four-rooted club track that could be a soundclash with the Force Tracks label circa Hypercity, and the beaming and almost frantic "Wake Up in Another Life," a dead ringer for an imagined West London broken beat interpretation of late-'70s George Duke (like "Yeah, We Going" or "Up from the Sea It Arose"). Nicolay's sense of wonderment shines through all of this, another unassuming gem from one of the most creative and increasingly chameleonic producers around.
Unique74 reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Ambient tones, soulful echoes and electro sounds are few of the many ingredients created in this audio collage. Nicolay clocks in with a sequel to "City Lights v1″ , in which "City Lights v2″ bears a mature and seasoned sound. The many moods that are captured on this album takes the listener on an audio canvas as a painter searching for a visual climax. "Bullet Train" reigns in a euphoric yet busy atmosphere, while dwelling in a dark and promise future. "Omotesando" has a loose and open feeling while leaning on a heavy Jazz Fusion groove, this is my personal favorite under the "City Lights". "Meiji Shrine" gives a pinch of the Nicolay signature sound found in previous works, while serving as a reminder that the funk is still in control. The "buzz" cut is "Wake Up In Another Life" featuring vocalist Carlitta Durand, this lively piece is another highlight on the album worth checking out. This release sets a fresh and redefinitive approach in additon to exploring new ground, "City Lights v2″ is the sure shot!
The Couch Sessions reviews The Foreign Exchange at Black Cat, Washington DC | Oct 25, 2009
Source: The Couch Sessions · By Stone
The Foreign Exchange, the North Carolina based duo of Little Brother's Phonte and Dutch producer Nicolay is steeped in legend. Meeting online via the hip-hop site Okayplayer, they exchanged beats and rhymes over the Internet, creating a friendship and leading to the group we now know today. Over the years, The Foreign Exchange has grown and matured, flipping its sound from its roots of hip-hop to the laid back almost Radiohead-like soul of their latest project Leave It All Behind, which received Album of the Year Honors from The Couch Sessions in 2008.
Earlier this week, The Foreign Exchange graced DC for the second time this year, spreading their magic on yet another capacity crowd at Black Cat.
Continue reading The Couch Sessions reviews The Foreign Exchange at Black Cat, Washington DC | Oct 25, 2009
The Anti-Pop Blog reviews The Foreign Exchange at Black Cat, Washington DC | Oct 25, 2009
Source: The Anti-Pop Blog · By The Anti-Pop
Very few things have the capacity to keep me waiting in line for an hour on a cold rainy New York City Friday night. Very few. One of those things, apparently, is the opportunity to see The Foreign Exchange perform live. The duo plus special guests and their band performed at BB King's on Friday October 23rd as part of CMJ Week. With tickets purchased way in advance, I was elated to see the team up close and personal. I've evolved into quite The FE fan over the past year - their latest album Leave It All Behind reeled me in with its relatable and well-written song lyrics penned and sang by Phonte, smooth and ear-pleasing beats produced by Nicolay, and soulful crooning from guest singers like Darien Brockington, YahZarah, and Muhsinah. So, I stood in the rain, waiting to be engaged and musically stimulated, along with a long line of other people. Was it worth it?
Hell yes!
Continue reading The Anti-Pop Blog reviews The Foreign Exchange at Black Cat, Washington DC | Oct 25, 2009
Textura reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: Textura · By Ron Schepper
Nicolay's Shibuya: City Lights Vol. 2 exudes the kind of effervescent joy one experiences when visiting an exotic new land for the first time. Specifically, its fifteen tracks collectively convey the excitement the typical Westerner might feel when first exposed to downtown Tokyo in all its night-time metropolitan glory. The idea for the project came about when Nicolay's first visit to the city in November 2006 proved to be life-changing and invigorating. Returning stateside, he laid down basic tracks for not one but three albums, the previously-issued Time:Line and Leave It All Behind recordings as well as the latest, a sequel to Where City Lights Volume 1. Just as the soulful emphasis of The Foreign Exchange's Leave It All Behind differentiated itself from the hip-hop stylings of Time:Line, so too does Shibuya: City Lights Vol. 2 distance itself from the others by embracing an instrumental style that uses current electronic music and production technologies to produce music with strong roots in '70s jazz fusion. That bridging of musical eras serves as a metaphor for the commingling of ancient and modern traditions that exists within the city as a whole.
Though the album is largely instrumental in make-up, Durham, North Carolina vocalist Carlitta Durand adds her honey-dipped voice to four tracks, with two strategically placed at the beginning and end. Shibuya: City Lights Vol. 2 plays like a travelogue, with Durand acting as tour guide for the lush opener "Lose Your Way" ("We'll take a walk through the city tonight") before a visit to "Shibuya Station" sets us off on a dizzying dash through the city. Electric piano and synthesizers add splashes of saturated colour to the song's broken beat soundtrack, after which we make our way through the equally hectic "Crossing." Subsequent stops include visits to a "Meiji Shrine" and "The Inner Garden" before the "Bullet Train" eventually brings about "Departure" (whose laid-back, quasi-hip-hop swagger could perhaps intimate a return of sorts for Nicolay too).
Continue reading Textura reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Music Addikts review The Foreign Exchange at B.B. King's Blues Club, New York | Oct 23, 2009
Source: Music Addikts
4daLove
They say if you can make in NYC, then you can make it anywhere. Well, Music ADDIKTS made their way to NYC last weekend to get "Connected" with The Foreign Exchange. The excitement about this show had been building for months. On Friday, October 23rd, with show tickets in hand and flight schedules confirmed, 3 of your Music ADDIKTS - soulHIGH, LoverofSoul and 4daLove hit the Big Apple.Since we were all there, you get to hear all of our opinions about the show, from beginning, middle and end.
And so it begins....
After a quick dinner in the city, we headed to B.B. Kings at 10:45pm with every intention of getting a front-row spot for the 11:30 show. Wrong! The line was off the proverbial chain. Who knew that Foreign Exchange had such a fan base in NYC?? Like true fans we took our place in line and waited and waited.
Continue reading Music Addikts review The Foreign Exchange at B.B. King's Blues Club, New York | Oct 23, 2009
True Genius Requires Insanity reviews The Foreign Exchange at Black Cat, Washington DC | Oct 25, 2009
Source: True Genius Requires Insanity · By Marcus Dowling
The Foreign Exchange is the Postal Service of soul music: an up-and-coming producer joins a lead vocalist on a side project that is completed in true 21st century fashion, without sitting down in a studio to collaborate. Both projects have spawned albums that are modern classics. Both even chose tongue-in-cheek monikers that allude to the manner of their genesis. But while Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello are on hiatus, the pairing of Phonte and Nicolay is going strong.
Last Sunday, the Foreign Exchange family brought their transcontinental soul sound to a packed house at the Black Cat. Many live performers, especially in support of albums with a host of guests, suffer when they try to recreate the record, sans featured players. The Foreign Exchange is having none of it, bringing vocalists YahZarah, Darien Brockington, and Carlita Durand and backing three-piece Zo! and the Els along for the ride. And not just any ride, but a singular experience: part concert, part musical therapy, part church revival, all designed to make the audience - as the album instructs - leave it all behind.
Continue reading True Genius Requires Insanity reviews The Foreign Exchange at Black Cat, Washington DC | Oct 25, 2009
Pop Matters reviews The Foreign Exchange at B.B. King's Blues Club, New York | Oct 23, 2009
Source: Pop Matters · By Andrew Martin
As long as The Foreign Exchange is performing, no one can ever even think about showmanship being dead. The eight-piece band that took the stage of B.B. King's Blues Club & Grille on Friday night moved the crowd in a way that few acts are capable. And it all started at 1 a.m. As such, you would think a show starting that late would lend itself to a somewhat less-than-energetic audience. But that was simply not the case--this is New York City we're talking about.
The quartet started up that distinct musical intro that kicks off both Foreign Exchange albums, Connected and Leave It All Behind. But the track they would begin playing was actually off producer-mastermind Nicolay's latest, City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya. And, on cue, out came songstress Carlitta Durand to sing the album's gorgeous opener, "Lose Your Way."
Continue reading Pop Matters reviews The Foreign Exchange at B.B. King's Blues Club, New York | Oct 23, 2009
"This is Why I Write for Not Drugs" (on The Foreign Exchange at B.B. King's Blues Club, New York | October 23, 2009)
Source: Not Drugs blog · By Letham
A couple of days ago I went to one of the more entertaining concerts I've ever been to. It wasn't the best performance, it wasn't the best venue, but it was by far the most entertained I'd been at a concert...ever.
A group called the Foreign Exchange performed (if you don't know them, get to know them, they are incredible). They played at B.B. King's Bar and Grill in NYC for almost 2 hours straight. Phonte (one half of the Little Brother duo) held the mic in check and Nicolay (producer from the Netherlands/my favorite producer) led the 4-piece band.
The group itself is comprised of more than just the two. Something like the Mars Volta do, I assume (Cedric and Omar consider themselves the Mars Volta, while the other members are part of the Mars Volta Group), the Foreign Exchange, I guess do as well. They have a drummer, a bassist, another keyboardist (Nicolay plays keys as well), and three more vocalists that finish the actual group.
Continue reading "This is Why I Write for Not Drugs" (on The Foreign Exchange at B.B. King's Blues Club, New York | October 23, 2009)
Okayplayer reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: Okayplayer · By Candace L.
Shibuya - never heard of it, but it's kind of fun to say. A section of Tokyo as infamous for Gwen Stefani's Harajuku minstrels as its overcrowding, Nicolay draws a parallel vision that removes Japan from the outer space category it may hold in Western imagination and places it skillfully back on Earth. Nicolay captures the excitement of this faraway land like a child chasing a butterfly as it floats away on a gentle breeze. The sounds and moods Nicolay constructs from inspiration are at once mellow and erratic, raindrops and technological blips. Yet, no matter what town he decides to inhabit, the sound is vintage Nicolay, smooth, organic and experimental.
The first suite of the album, "Shibuya Station" through "Satellite," immerses the listener in the environment of Shibuya ward, the hectic whirlwind of the train station, its busy intersections and rain falling in the park. The second suite takes you on a tour of ancient and modern day landmarks from "Meiji Shrine," a mystic instrumental reflecting the shrine dedicated to Tokyo's Emperor Meiji and his wife, to "Omotesando," a breezy track named after the ritzy shopping district. Throughout the journey, Shibuya is given the "New York, New York" treatment with the bombast of an electronic Broadway musical mixing with the whimsy of touching down in the big city for the first time. Along with Foreign Exchange band member Zo! on keys, Carlitta Durand's seductive vocals add perfect accents to the airy compositions.
Part video game, part jazz rock fantasyland, if Nicolay's sonic travelogue is to be believed, Shibuya is a land steeped in rich history as it seizes firm hold of an unbounded future. No matter where you are, the intricate layers of Shibuya transport you to another place.
Music Addikts interview The Foreign Exchange
Source: Musik Addikts
Recently Music Addikts got a chance to kick it with Nicolay and Phonte of The Foreign Exchange. The two originally met through Okayplayer.com and completed their first album as a group before even meeting face-to-face. Although their meeting was a little unconventional, the studio chemistry between these two is evident in the Hip-Hop infused "Connected" as well as the more mellow R&B charged "Leave it All Behind". Whether rapping or singing the end result is the same...a fix that any ADDIKT can appreciate. If you aren't familiar with The Foreign Exchange let the Music Addikts introduce you to one of our favorite groups in this exclusive interview. For all you long time fans go below the jump to find out what artist F.E. would love to collaborate with, their thoughts on Twitter and what's next for them as a group as well as solo artists. Drop us a line if you enjoyed the interview and even if you didn't.
Continue reading Music Addikts interview The Foreign Exchange
URB Magazine reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: URB Magazine · By Landon A.
Somewhere in between producing for both Phonte and Big Pooh of Little Brother and doing a full album with Texas MC, Kay, the Netherlands smoothest producer Nicolay found the time to make an electro-pop record. Following up his timeless City Lights Vol. 1 and Vol. 1.5 is City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya.
First things first, this LP has Nicolay venturing far from the soulful bounce that can be found on the first one and a half installments of the City Lights series . It's evident that along with he and Phonte's critically acclaimed second installment as Foreign Exchange, Nicolay began to change his style from space age bounce to disco-dance groove. But it's all to the good, Nicolay's new found vision is a refreshing journey of live instrumentation and programmed drum beats. Tranquil beats like "Rain In Ueno Park" and "Omotesando" are reasons I believe Nicolay's a master of his craft. However, it's tracks like "Satellite" and "Saturday Night," which features Carlitta Durand, that secure this record a spot in Express for Men and crowded techno club's rotation's. But, aside from a few hiccups, Nicolay does a stellar job leading listeners off the trail of breadcrumbs he's scattered over the past few. Shibuya certainly breathes a breath of fresh air into the world of sped up soul samples and boom-bap drum breaks.
Grown Folks Music reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: Grown Folks Music
A few months ago I was casually perusing my twitter feed when a few buzzwords flashed upon my screen: Prince, ?uestlove, Purple, to say the least I was intrigued. Upon further investigation I was pleasantly surprised to hear (and download for free on nicolaymusic.com) an incredible take on the Prince classic "Take Me With U". "Purple Flip" is a collaborative effort between the aforementioned
?uestlove, Nicolay, ZO!, Phonte and Carlitta Durand it was my first and brief introduction to The Foreign Exchange family. I filed a card in my mental rolodex and made sure to follow the tweeters in question. Fast Forward a few months and I have now added a new buzzword to my musical vocabulary: SHIBUYA.
City Lights Vol. 2: SHIBUYA is the latest offering from Nicolay, the multi-instrumentalist/producer/DJ and one half of The Foreign Exchange with rapper/singer/songwriter Phonte. This marks the fourth solo outing for Nicolay and is the third recording in a series of projects (Time: Line and Leave It All Behind) influenced by his first visit to Tokyo in 2006.
Continue reading Grown Folks Music reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Tha Recipe interviews Nicolay
Source: Tha Recipe
Tha Recipe had a chance to talk with Nicolay, (the Dutch Master and ½ of the Foreign Exchange), on the 1 year anniversary of their ground breaking project "Leave it All Behind". We talked about his new solo album Shibuya, City Lights Vol 2, life on the road, and what's coming up next for him, Foreign Exchange, as well as other artists performing under the Team Foreign Exchange banner.
TR: Congratulations on the one year anniversary of 'Leave It All Behind'. The baby is growing up!
Nic: Thank you, I can't believe it's been a year already. It's cool to see an album reach a milestone like 1 year and still have relevancy.
Continue reading Tha Recipe interviews Nicolay
Pitchfork reviews "Saturday Night" from City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: Pitchfork · By David Drake
Nicolay's second record with Little Brother MC Phonte (2008's Leave It All Behind) was an underheralded work of alternative R&B; Nicolay's solo project, a tribute to a trip he made to Toyko's Shibuya district, follows this understatedly smooth vibe, all rough edges of genre-recombination sanded down like a 2000s recap of a late-1970s fusion record. It doesn't quite live up to the excellence of the former project, though; meandering instrumentals that soundtrack memories aren't always easily translateable, with an unfortunately low "songs" to "album interludes" ratio. But on "Saturday Night", Nicolay and vocalist Carlitta Durand get the balance about right, veering just on the correct side of the divide that separates conservatively bland from evocatively sophisticated.
A six-minute celebration of everybody's favorite night of the week, it's simply structured into two halves, an aerodynamically smooth build and a propulsive release supported by a gravelly bass engine. It's glossily atmospheric, a soundtrack to city lights rolling rapidly over car winshields. It's also unabashedly cosmopolitan and feminine, its streamlined sheen all the more enveloping when Nicolay drops a more compulsively jacking rhythm for the last minute, a whirring rush of tastefully restrained, classy hedonism.
Beyond Race Magazine reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: Beyond Race Magazine · By Boyuan Gao
Sometimes bleak, sometimes abundant, Nicolay's signature mode is to paint an emotional landscape through beautiful groupings of sounds, making the listener feel as though you are inside of his journey. In the case of City Lights Vol. 2, the journey is one to Shibuya, Japan, where the absence of lyrics and the emphasis on layered instrumentation serves the purpose of bringing you to his place of intent.
Nicolay's keyboard sampler melodies are opulent, profound, and sometimes melancholic. On songs like "Rain in Ueno Park", a feeling of entranced nostalgia is created from the sounds of rapid rainfall, giving off the visual of being alone in the city where the rain dissipates just as it approaches dusk. The more upbeat songs like "Saturday Night" and "Wake Up In Another Life" are paired with house beats and vocals from Carlitta Durand, whose gentle and airy vocals are dreamlike and familiar.
Continue reading Beyond Race Magazine reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Nu-Soul Magazine reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: Nu-Soul Magazine · By Norman Mayers
Nicolay is one busy man. The prolific producer behind the Foreign Exchange releases his third project in just over a year, moving away from the hip-hop/soul vibe that he is mainly known for. On City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya, the Dutch beat master crafts a love letter to Tokyo's Shibuya district and the result is a gorgeous, layered mostly instrumental piece that plays like a soundtrack for city life.
On this eclectic release, Nicolay is free to indulge his free-wheeling love of electronica, which occasionally has popped up on previous release and collaborations. On City Lights Vol. 2 he goes full force displaying a swirl of house grooves, nu-jazz, and downtempo electronica that is as musically complex and emotionally rich as any of the all-vocal albums he has produced. But never fear, there are vocals to be found, with vocalist Carlitta Durand popping up on four tracks spread out throughout the album. The first single "Lose Your Way" drips with urban melancholy with lyrics that speak of finding one's place in the big city. Yet the album will be most remembered for the sexy house cut "Saturday Night", a finger-snapping groove that should be getting spins from the world's best jocks for its catchy lyrics and funky breakdown. On the instrumental tip, the future funk of "Mieji Shrine" is sure to get heads nodding.
For fans of the Foreign Exchange this album may take getting used to, but for fans of Nicolay, this album, with its varied assortment of experimental beats, will be a welcome addition to their collection.
The Find Magazine reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: The Find Magazine · By Craig
Daytime TV (as usual) plays its hand of predictability. While mainstream radio follows the same path once those 20 tracks begin their recycling phase. You try to find a classic to help pass the time but even Illmatic doesn't quite cut it because this day, doesn't feel like a Hip Hop day. So.. Shibuya.
Proof that Nicolay, truly is a beatsmith who can fill many voids. A Jack of all trades who for once can profess to be a master of all of them. 99% of Instrumental albums, whatever the genre, are simply a collection of beats that may or may not have been picked up by one artist or another if their producer had so chosen. Volume 1.5, as good as it is, falls under this beat collection mantra thanks to its Hip Hop backbone. Shibuya is one of the few that are created with a purpose from the outset. The key to this albums appeal is its constantly changing landscape. There's a hint of everything from Electro to Nu Jazz and almost everything in between.
Continue reading The Find Magazine reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Baltimore Performing Arts Examiner interviews The Foreign Exchange
Source: Baltimore Performing Arts Examiner · By S. Ann Johnson
Seven years ago Phonte (a North Carolina native) and Nicolay (a Holland native) began swapping music via America Online's instant messenger (AIM). Now, with two critically acclaimed indie albums under its belts, The Foreign Exchange will soon journey to Baltimore.The group's last album Leave it All Behind (2008) is more R&B and less hip hop than its debut album Connected (2004). Yet, Nicolay said fans shouldn't think of the latest album as an abandonment of hip hop.
Continue reading Baltimore Performing Arts Examiner interviews The Foreign Exchange
Crack Makes The World Go Round: "My nostalgic thoughts on City Lights Vol. 2"
Source: Crack Makes The World Go Round · By S-Rod
Seriously, who wouldn't want to be there right now? Imagine, the sounds of people bustling, the sight of the lights, the smell of...awwwww Japanese food flowing up the nostrils..that tingly sensation that makes you feel all warm inside.
That is what I feel, when I listen to Nicolay's Citys Lights Vol.2 Shibuya.
Its absolutely amazing what music can do to the soul. It only works if you open up. Corny and weird as it is. It will work every time.
Continue reading Crack Makes The World Go Round: "My nostalgic thoughts on City Lights Vol. 2"
12ftDwende interviews Phonte
Source: 12ftDwende · By D. Scott
Phonte Coleman is pretty much what you would get if you crossed Pablo Neruda with Carlos Bulosan, William Faulkner and Etta James: Soulful, uniquely southern, precisely half-past battle weary with open-hearted pourings that could line the Milky Way with sincerity and polish it with hard-bitten wisdom.
Phonte has no trouble reconciling his duties as a member of the fiercely loved Little Brother and the fan-favorite duo The Foreign Exchange, who are currently touring in support of their latest project, the critically lauded and publicly loved Leave It All Behind a melodic tour-de-force offering that can best be described as Post-When Everyone Shut The Fuck Up and Stopped Trying To Categorize Dope Shit.
Continue reading 12ftDwende interviews Phonte
Wejetset reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: Wejetset · By Bruce Campbell
Inspired by a consciousness-awakening trip to Tokyo, soulful producer Nicolay presents his latest album, City Lights Volume 2 - Shibuya. Similar to City Lights Volume 1 from years ago, this Volume is mostly made up of instrumental compositions. Listening to the project, there is a unique balance of intricate beats woven together to create the sensation of warm vibrations traveling through space and time.
Harmonious vocals from Nicolay's newest prodigy Carlitta Durand, compliment a few of the tracks and give the album a beautiful melodic balance. Even though most fans may be familiar with his soul and hip hop productions (The Foreign Exchange, Dutch Masters, Little Brother, etc.), Nicolay is not afraid to step outside the box and explore new possibilities of sound. City Lights Volume 2 - Shibuya is just that distinct, refreshing and exceptional.
SoulBounce: "Nicolay shines on City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya"
Source: SoulBounce · By Fave
The Foreign Exchange is a musical reflection of the global glue adhering our spirits together. What started as two musicians swapping files over the internet, Nicolay and Phonte have transformed their passion for music into an international movement, while bringing other like-minded souls along for the ride.
It began with Connected, their 2004 inaugural offering of Hip Hop lyricism and vibrant beats mixed with soulful crooning. In 2008, the critically-acclaimed Leave it All Behind increased their momentum and crystallized their style into the world of the grown and sexy. With enhancements from Darien Brockington, Muhsinah, Yahzarah, Zo! and the Els, Nic and Tay leaped from the laptop to the stage before appreciative audiences around the world.
Continue reading SoulBounce: "Nicolay shines on City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya"
Independent Weekly reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: Independent Weekly · By Eric Tullis
Three years ago, a German rap artist invited Dutch producer Nicolay Rook to deejay his set in Tokyo. Upon returning to Wilmington, N.C., where Nicolay has lived since 2006, Nicolay immediately began recording music inspired by his five-day stay in the city's Shibuya district. The project was put on hold, though, as LPs with Houston emcee Kay, of the Foundation, and with Durham's Phonte Coleman, Nicolay's partner in the svelte soul jam The Foreign Exchange, were priorities. After the completion of Leave It All Behind, last year's second Foreign Exchange album, Rook put the finishing touches on Shibuya: City Lights, Vol.2, his instrumentals-based project. Coleman came on board to write four songs for Durham darling Carlitta Durand to sing. The 15-track LP showcases a highly finessed producer who continues to grow but never overwhelms.
Recent history suggests that any Coleman project comes with at least one of three gifted female vocalists--Yahzarah, Muhsinah or his newest singer-fling, Carlitta Durand. Which vocalist comes along shouldn't be much of a worry for two reasons. First, Coleman--a gifted, gabbing rapper and sentimental soul man--provides mandarin lines aplenty: "Even when the nights are quiet and the moon is rising/ Every face has some glory to sell," Durand sings on the lead single, "Lose Yourself." What's more, Nicolay is often at his strongest without any vocal company. He relies on gradual builds to drag listeners in, pushing their guards down, charging through slow storms of emotion. "The Inner Garden" may not be Vangelis' "Chariots of Fire," but if you follow its pulse close enough, it leads to its own ecstatic nirvana with beautiful chord repetition that whisks the close listener to a plush spiritual escape. "Saturday Night" salutes the house music gods as it works to become the life of the party, while "Meiji Shrine" hides its reference to another deity--the late hip-hop idol Dilla--beneath its ethnic title. And despite only one vocal appearance by Phonte Coleman, the other half of The Foreign Exchange, you're hard-pressed not to hear Shibuya as an extension of Leave it all Behind's often melancholy approach. That is, it doesn't fight back with attitude.
Continue reading Independent Weekly reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
My Love For Music: "My Thoughts On Nicolay's City Lights Vol. 2"
Source: My Love For Music blog · By Darren Keith
I remember back in 1991 hearing Seal's first LP and how I was so memorized with that sound I couldn't stop playing it and especially the track "Voliet". I didn't know if I could feel that way about another LP...until now. The new LP from Nicolay, "City Lights: Volume 2. Two things I loved what Nicolay does, how he "bleeds" one song into another and how he using different sounds to weave into many of the tracks. I'm truly digging this LP because for me it feels like a new beginning.
The track, "Lose Your Way" gives me the feeling of that when looking out the city at night it gives me that utopia feeling.
Continue reading My Love For Music: "My Thoughts On Nicolay's City Lights Vol. 2"
Potholes In My Blog reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: Potholes In My Blog · By Marty
I certainly hope you have your bags packed before popping this disc into your stereo or loading it onto your mp3 player. If not, that's fine. I guess. But don't be surprised if playing Nicolay's latest, City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya, has you craving a trip to the Japanese city of the same name. And it's not that his soundscapes are oozing with traditional sounds from the country or anything like that. It's just such an engrossing and gorgeous piece that you will want to experience everything he did for yourself. For you see, the Dutch producer was inspired during his trip to Shibuya a few years ago - you can read about that here. He was so inspired that he wanted to lay down his thoughts for all to hear. And it's safe to say we're thankful he did just that, because even with its imperfections, his second volume in the City Lights series is a fantastic example of artistic growth and expression.
In fact, perhaps the most appealing feature of this record is its clear display of artistic growth. Many of the experimental sounds on here should come as no surprised to seasoned fans of Nicolay's work. Leave It All Behind, his last effort as part of the Foreign Exchange with Phonte, featured plenty of subtle nuances showing off just where Nic was headed. It was not thrust into your eardrums like on here, though, so it's possible those intricacies were missed by some listeners. Although, one could argue that the dubstep-esque "If This Is Love" was a fine foreshadowing of Nic's left-field tendencies. But other than that, they were more interwoven into his production.
Continue reading Potholes In My Blog reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
International Relations Never Sounded So Good (via Neon Tommy)
Source: Neon Tommy · By Rebecca Haithcoat
The South's one big family. It doesn't matter if you've never met Millie, your fifth-cousin-twice-removed-on-your-daddy's-sister's-husband's-side before. When you see her at the Fourth of July reunion, you know she's fam'ly.
So it was with The Foreign Exchange Monday night at The Roxy. From MC/singer Phonte's jaunty bowtie and feather-adorned fedora to Dutch producer Nicolay's cool-breeze beats, the pair set a tone that this Southern girl immediately recognized as "home." The show moved from languid summer picnic to lively juke joint in transitions as smooth as Phonte's silky croon.
Continue reading International Relations Never Sounded So Good (via Neon Tommy)
Seattle Weekly reviews The Foreign Exchange at Nectar Lounge, Seattle
Source: Seattle Weekly · By Hollis Wong-Wear
A grown and sophisticated crowd was on hand last night to greet the Foreign Exchange, the R&B outfit headed by producer Nicolay and vocalist Phonte, for their very first Seattle appearance. With two synths and a powerhouse collection of singers, the Foreign Exchange jammed out for over two hours, managing to blend the sensuality of R&B and the liveliness of hip-hop to produce an impressive night of music and a very entertaining platform for the enigmatic, bow-tied Phonte. While Phonte's better known project, rap duo Little Brother, often attracts a younger and more self-consciously underground audience, last night's crowd was mature, attentive, and filled with couples who responded enthusiastically to the Foreign Exchange's smooth and unabashedly soulful sound. "This isn't just music, this is a ministry," said Phonte after one of his many tangents on the art of love, and judging by the hands in the air, he was preaching to the choir.
Opening was local hip-hop group the Physics; performing for the first time with a live band, the live instrumentation brought out the melodic personality and thoughtful, intricate composition exhibited by their latest project, the High Society EP. With producer Justo behind the turntables and sometimes popping out to rap along, MC Thig Natural capably led a collective of two backup vocalists and a very talented trio of musicians, resulting in perhaps the Physics' strongest performance to date. The major disappointment was the absence of Monk Wordsmith, the Physics' second MC who was unable to perform due to an out-of-town work conflict. While Thig valiantly rapped his brother's lines and sustained the energy of the band, Monk's laid-back confidence would only have enriched and enlivened their performance, missed most on songs like "Callin' Out" and "Back Track." The crowd was won over by the playful ditties of "I Just Wanna Beat" and "I Heart Beer," and had a great response to the closing and ridiculously catchy "Ready For We" off their debut FutureTalk. I overheard one audience member, who was hearing the group for the first time, excitedly refer to the Physics as "Outkasty." With a live band, the Physics distinguish themselves even more as a group with consistent and quality musicality as well as lyricism, a standard to which other local hip-hop groups should aspire.
Continue reading Seattle Weekly reviews The Foreign Exchange at Nectar Lounge, Seattle
Redlightdistrict reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: Redlightdistrikt · By Eldorado Red
City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya is the newest venture between Little Brother's, Tiggalo (Phonte) and Dutch producer, Nicolay; collectively known as The Foreign Exchange. Though it [City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya] does not contain any lyrics as in rapping or crooning from Phonte, it does however feature vocals he wrote. The album's title comes from one of Tokyo's twenty-three wards, Shibuya. While Shibuya is a hub for young people (trendy fashion outlets and nightlife), the city also includes monuments or historic areas that are suggestive of Japan's storied past. After visiting Japan, Nicolay rejuvenated by the sights and sounds of this busy metropolis, aimed to capture this feeling through his music; the outcome is nothing short of exquisite. Nicolay is successful at juxtaposing if you will sounds that are reflective of the moods garnered from different settings; take for example the somber sounds of Meiji Shrine versus the hectic bustle of Shibuya Station. Similarly the Carlitta Durand assisted (one of the newest additions to The Foreign Exchange Music imprint) house influenced Saturday Night is sure to gear listeners for the club....Cést Noir anyone?
Not only is City Lights Vol. 2 loaded with winning instrumentals, it is also a well conceptualized project for mature ears that is indicative of Phonte's song-writing prowess as well as Nicolay's dexterity on the boards.
Tha Feedback reviews The Foreign Exchange at Someday Lounge, Portland
Source: Tha Feedback · By The IPS
Let me tell you, from jump this show was ROCKING. They started off with "Lose Your Way" then proceeded to run the gamut of hits from their first album, Connected, all the way to their latest album Leave It All Behind.What really made the show pop was the addition of the soulful voices of sultry soul singer with the powerful vox out this world, Yahzahrah; power tenor & underrated singer & often-featured FE vocalist Darien Brockington; and the lovely, big voiced yet sweet toned Carlitta Durand. These three + Phonte' holding the vocals down gave the show LIFE. Made it more than a hip-hop show actually -- it became a musical journey ranging from hip-hop freestyles, church chat, chords and interludes, to outright jams from Nicolay and the heat that was the band.
Continue reading Tha Feedback reviews The Foreign Exchange at Someday Lounge, Portland
San Francisco Bay Guardian Online interviews The Foreign Exchange
Source: San Francisco Bay Guardian Online · By Mosi Reeves
"I love singin', but I think I'mma call my solo album, 'Fuck That, Coretta ... These Niggas Thaink I'm Soft,'" tweeted Phonte Coleman. "Thoughts?"
The message appeared on the Southern rapper's Twitter page a day after our interview, when I asked him, "All your projects seem to have a smooth, soulful, almost smooth jazz kind of sound. What is it about that sound that appeals to you?"
While I don't know if my question prompted Phonte's subsequent post, it's clear that Leave It All Behind (Foreign Exchange Music), his 2008 album with Nicolay as the Foreign Exchange, charts new depths of mellowness. In person, Phonte is a hilarious, extremely un-PC wisecracker, as subscribers to his Twitter account (and, back in the Stone Age, his MySpace page) will confirm. However, Phonte's turn as sincere loverman simply explores a side of his personality already revealed in his work as one-third of Little Brother, the hip-hop group for which he remains best known.
Continue reading San Francisco Bay Guardian Online interviews The Foreign Exchange
Leisure Lab reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
Source: Leisure Lab · By Zane
Nicolay's City Lights Volume 2 has arrived, and the record is truly something to behold. Much like the preceding City Lights, this volume is primarily instrumental; however Shibuya includes vocal pieces written by Phonte and performed by Carlitta Durand. The album also features guest appearances by keyboard virtuoso and Foreign Exchange live band-mate, Zo!.
Shibuya takes its inspiration from the Tokyo neighborhood that Nicolay visited in 2006. Nic says, "When I came back to the States, I immediately locked myself up in the studio and came out with several new tracks that all felt different, but fresh. At that point, it really hit me. If I wanted to begin unlocking my true potential, I had to open myself up completely to whatever ideas would present themselves to me."
Continue reading Leisure Lab reviews City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya
The Anti-Pop Blog interviews Nicolay
Source: The Anti-Pop Blog · By The Anti-Pop
When used correctly, the Internet proves to be an amazing place. It is, after all, the birthplace of musical gem The Foreign Exchange, a hip-hop/R&B group comprised of American rapper/singer Phontè (of Little Brother) and Dutch-imported producer Nicolay. In an interview with Nicolay last Friday, I got some insight on who this mastermind really is - what inspires his music, what's next for The Foreign Exchange, and, more immediately, what to expect from his latest project, City Lights Vol 2: Shibuya. The self-proclaimed "regular dude", whose stage name is actually the third of 3 first names (charge that to being European), is excited about the September 15th physical release (the digital version is already available) of Shibuya, a collection of 15 tracks inspired by a brief but fruitful trip to Japan. "I had a very lucky opportunity to visit Japan, specifically an area in Tokyo called Shibuya, which, it's kind of like Manhattan in New York - it's the busiest, trendiest neighborhood in Tokyo and it's like always moving...I was there for about 5 days - I was there for a show - but we just really tried to take everything in and see as much as we could in those 5 days." His biggest takeaway was the reminder to remain true to himself as a musician. "That whole trip really just opened my eyes in a lot of ways to just be more open-minded...I kind of really started thinking that, you know, for myself, I sometimes had been too preoccupied with what the listener would sometimes think of what I do that I sometimes forget about, you know, just letting whatever kind of idea through me, just letting whatever kind of music comes - just letting that out instead of trying to censor yourself, or thinking like "well a fan of The Foreign exchange will most likely listen to this, and this and that." So really if anything it just really inspired me, or kind of really helped me to open up my mind a little bit more about, you know, other options, other possibilities, other forms of music. It was really good that that sort of came out."
Continue reading The Anti-Pop Blog interviews Nicolay
12ftDwende interviews Nicolay
Source: 12ftDwende · By Jon
The Foreign Exchange story has been well documented: two musicians, one in North Carolina, the other in the Netherlands, met on an internet message board and created an album by sending files back and forth through e-mail and instant messaging, hence the name Foreign Exchange. In short, 2004's Connected was the product of two brothers connected by their love of music. Emcee Phonte had already made a name for himself as 1/3 of Little Brother, but the album introduced the world to Nicolay, whose lush soundscapes provided the perfect soundtrack to "renew your love affair with hip hop".
Five short years later, Nicolay stands out as one of the most innovative and inspiring producers in hip hop. The Dutch producer expertly harnesses the "organic and emotive qualities of classic soul" with each release. His third solo album, the highly anticipated City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya, will be released later this month
Continue reading 12ftDwende interviews Nicolay
NBC Bay Area: "Yoshi's Foreign Exchange Goes Live at Midnight"
Source: NBC Bay Area · By Seher Sikandar
Holland meets North Carolina to make The Foreign Exchange, a soulful hip-hop duo consisting of Dutch producer Nicolay and southern singer slash emcee slash part-time comedian slash whatever he wanna be, Phonte.
They play Yoshi's San Francisco with a full band at midnight on Saturday, Sept. 12. Wait, what? Yeah - midnight, y'all - for a special "Beyond Jazz Music Series." You can get tickets for $25 at the Yoshi's website.
Why the eff do you care?
One: you're nosey. The guys sat down with me for about half an hour to answer some of my favorite questions. Phonte talks about how he wishes he was Theo from "The Cosby Show," why he is the boss of himself, and spying on his kids. Nicolay shares college dropout fantasies, stories of his mama's records, and more. More on that in un momento.
Two: story time!
Continue reading NBC Bay Area: "Yoshi's Foreign Exchange Goes Live at Midnight"
The Indianapolis Recorder: "Who Is The Foreign Exchange?"
Source: The Indianapolis Recorder · By Jessica Williams-Gibson
Who is The Foreign Exchange you ask? The Foreign Exchange is the perfect fusion of soul, R&B, hip-hop, jazz, and electronica - sounds masterminded by Phonte (of hip-hop group Little Brother) and producer, composer and performer Nicolay.
"It was around 2002 so it was somewhat of a radical concept to be making an album by e-mailing parts. When (Little Brother) was doing records, Nic and I were doing stuff for the first album and it was actually Pooh (the other half of Little Brother) who thought of the name," said Phonte. "We were in the studio and he said 'it's like a foreign exchange program.'"
The two met on a Web site message board courtesy of Okayplayer.com, began making music and instantly realized they had something special; they had synergy. Nicolay was living in Holland while Phonte resided in North Carolina.
Continue reading The Indianapolis Recorder: "Who Is The Foreign Exchange?"
Potholes In My Blog: Foreign Exchange is the future of the funk
Source: Potholes In My Blog · By Gedi Dabakaeri
In the past six years Nicolay and Phonte have definitely put their stamp on black alternative music. I first heard Nicolay back in 2002 on Little Brother's - 'Whatever You Say' (12″) on a track called "Light It Up". It was hip-hop but soulful made by this relatively unknown Dutch producer unless you were on Okayplayer. Phonte and Nicolay continued sending each other music back and forth over email (thus the name Foreign Exchange) while Nicolay was in the Netherlands. Two years later they released Connected.
Sonically Connected was an extension of what Little Brother had already achieved with The Listening hip-hop-wise combined with musicality of Nicolay. It had a bit of everything in terms of influences and genre; whether it was jazz, soul/R&B, electronic or hip-hop. It was such a cohesive piece of work I almost wish it hadn't been released through BBE, but that's another blog entry. Whether they knew it at the time, Phonte and Nicolay had a definite chemistry between artist and producer that translated into some quality music.
Continue reading Potholes In My Blog: Foreign Exchange is the future of the funk
The Foreign Exchange Brings A Feel-Good Review To The Roxy (via The Sunset Strip)
Source: The Sunset Strip · By David Loomstein
I first heard of The Foreign Exchange from Garth Trinidad's show on KCRW. He was playing a track from a Mushroom Jazz CD called "Nic's Groove." I was drawn to the groovy blend of hip-hop, R&B, with a touch of house, and wanted to hear more. So I picked up not one but two copies of their debut album Connected -- the original CD and the equally impressive instrumental-only version -- and became a fan.
These discs and the band's recent follow-up, Leave It All Behind, deftly blend so many sounds that I had no idea what their live show would look or feel like.
Continue reading The Foreign Exchange Brings A Feel-Good Review To The Roxy (via The Sunset Strip)
The Napster blog reviews The Foreign Exchange live at The Roxy Theatre
Source: The Napster Blog · By Napster R&B Staff
The line at the world famous Roxy Theater on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood went down two blocks the night of Sunday, June 14th. I've been to at least ten shows at the Roxy in the past and only once for a John Legend show has the line extended down similar to what I saw on Sunday. To be honest, initially, I was annoyed. Maybe I'm just a snob, but I hate waiting in lines and while I knew that the Foreign Exchange would bring in an audience, I didn't think it would be like this. Nevermind the fact that this would mark FE's first performance in LA. Nevermind that their latest album Leave It All Behind was one of my favorite albums last year and was my candidate for Album of the Year when it came out. I hate waiting in line. HATE it. To my surprise the line moved quickly enough and by the time I got in, the room was almost full. And you could feel the energy and anticipation.
Continue reading The Napster blog reviews The Foreign Exchange live at The Roxy Theatre
Nicolay's cover of Nautilus chosen as 'Click hear' on Exclaim.ca
More props for Nicolay's version of the Bob James classic!
Along with James Brown's "Funky Drummer," Melvin Blisss's "Synthetic Substitution" and the Honeydrippers' "Impeach the President," "Nautilus" by Bob James qualifies as one of the most important and most sampled records in hip-hop history. James may be best known for "Angela," which became the theme song for the TV show Taxi, but many of his tracks have been cribbed for hip-hop tracks, with "Nautilus" turning up on Run DMC's "Beats to the Rhyme" and Ghostface Killah's "Daytona 500" among countless others.Remaking "Nautilus" isn't a task that one would take on lightly, but Nicolay, the producer comprising one-half of eclectic soul outfit Foreign Exchange has just decided to let his version out of the vault for free downloading. Apparently, back in 2006, the Dutch-born producer was approached to work on a project called "Sampling Bob James: The Nautilus Project" and he delivered a total re-working of the track from scratch sans samples, for a project that has yet to see the light of day.
Continue reading Nicolay's cover of Nautilus chosen as 'Click hear' on Exclaim.ca
Pitchfork reviews Leave It All Behind
The 2004 album Connected by the Foreign Exchange (North Carolina rapper Phonte and Dutch producer Nicolay) was a record of unusual warmth and vibrancy. And yet, one bum line from Phonte still threatens to derail it with every listen-- "Applied for the job of rap nigga/ But I was overqualified." For better or (mostly) worse, this sort of mindset has boxed in just about everything he's done since with Little Brother, his project with rapper Big Pooh. Though obviously in pursuit of commercial adulation and positioning himself as a vanguard of thinking man's hip-hop, Phonte too often casts those who are more successful in simple and condescending terms while offering a one-step solution to all hip-hop's ills-- increased sales of Little Brother records. A slew of missed opportunities and disillusion with the game have resulted in a whole lot of disappointing Phonte projects. But knowing this can't prepare you for just how closely Leave It All Behind hews to its title, as Phonte opts out of hip-hop with a nearly full-on R&B record with exactly two rapped verses. And there's really no way of preparing for how good it actually turned out.
Continue reading Pitchfork reviews Leave It All Behind
A new song and dance for The Foreign Exchange (via Creative Loafing Atlanta)
Source: Creative Loafing Atlanta · By Jacinta Howard
Rapper/singer Phonte is a little nervous, though getting him to admit it takes some coaxing. Yes, he's toured the world for years as one half of the acclaimed rap group Little Brother, but this is the first time that he's ever toured with Nicolay, the Dutch producer with whom he makes up the genre-bending group Foreign Exchange. And even more notable, this is the first time that he's singing the entire way through.
"Nervous? Come on, fam," he exclaims, before laughing and finally succumbing. "Nah, there's always a bit of nervousness. This is literally the first time [Nicolay and I] have ever played together, like ever," he stresses. "But I'm beyond certain we'll do a great job."
Continue reading A new song and dance for The Foreign Exchange (via Creative Loafing Atlanta)
Textura reviews Leave It All Behind
Source: Textura · By Ron Schepper
The words "old school" come to mind when listening to The Foreign Exchange's sophomore effort Leave It All Behind but, in truth, there's nothing old about it. If it at all seems that way, it's because there's such a regrettable dearth of its blissfully soulful sound being produced these days. In short, there's nothing retrograde about the material--how could there be when the music's so fresh? For those unfamiliar with the project, The Foreign Exchange is a collaboration involving producer Nicolay (who already issued one of the year's better albums in the splendid Timeline) and singer-songwriter and vocalist Phonte. The two hooked up in 2002 via the hip-hop community site Okayplayer.com and thereafter traded files for a year (Nicolay residing in his native Holland at the time and Phonte in Raleigh, North Carolina), leading up to 2004's Connected release. Though Nicolay (now ensconced in Wilmington, North Carolina ) has bridged the geographical gap, the new release distances itself from the debut's hip-hop focus for a more pronounced "lover's rock" brand of soul. Don't get the wrong idea: traces of hip-hop are clearly evident, and so too are elements of funk (even echoes of drum'n'bass in "If This Is Love"), but the new music's rooted in soul of a thoroughly warm and emotive vintage.
Continue reading Textura reviews Leave It All Behind
PopMatters reviews Leave It All Behind
Source: PopMatters · By Andrew Martin
Phonte and Nicolay, the respective emcee and producer behind the Foreign Exchange, have done just what their sophomore album, Leave It All Behind, alludes to. They have left it all behind, and by "it", I mean their debut, Connected, which was fresh, stylish, and absolutely fantastic. Although there are musical similarities to that album, the duo has jumped head first into more mature territory on Leave It All Behind. The playfulness that has characterized Phonte throughout his career is mostly gone in this more focused, grown-up songwriter. And yes, he does sing on every song. But don't think he decided to randomly up and try his hand at some Love Below-esque joints. Anyone who knows Phonte is well aware that he has sung plenty of hooks, and even some full tracks, both as part of Little Brother and the Foreign Exchange.
Even though Phonte isn't going to win any awards for his vocal performances here, not recognizing his talents as a singer would be a sin. Few rappers can match his chops, both as an emcee and a singer. It's for that reason that Phonte gets a slight pass for not having the range of his vocalist contemporaries, like John Legend and others. But Phonte knows that. He doesn't try to hit any notes outside of his range or overextend himself. Instead, he uses his charming, sometimes smooth voice to lure you in. And some of his duets are absolutely breathtaking, particularly those with Muhsinah. Her breathy voice meshes with his so well that it's impossible to not get sucked into tracks like "Daykeeper" and "House of Cards", which are a one-two punch that R&B has not seen yet this year.
Continue reading PopMatters reviews Leave It All Behind
Prefix reviews Leave It All Behind
Source: Prefix Magazine · By Norman Mayers
Continue reading Prefix reviews Leave It All Behind
Okayplayer reviews Leave It All Behind
Source: Okayplayer · By Jeff Harvey
Chemistry is an elusive phenomenon. It's what ignites white hot romantic sparks between two otherwise nondescript individuals. It's also what marks certain rarified creative collaborations as truly magical. In both cases, chemistry elevates the whole above the sum of the parts. Fittingly enough, it is chemistry that propels the sophomore release from The Foreign Exchange, both conceptually and sonically, culminating in one of the more rewarding listening experiences of the year.
Leave It All Behind is the rare concept album that doesn't feel forced. Like the relationship that is chronicled throughout, the album ebbs and flows in the key of life. "Daykeeper" is an understated opener, a quiet celebration of mutual love and dependancy driven by atmospheric keys and ethereal background vocals. As Phonte and Muhsinah trade plaintive vocals of laying together, watching over one another, the song takes on an almost voyeuristic quality, like we shouldn't be sharing such an intimate moment with the two lovers. The song sets the tone perfectly, establishing not only the chemistry between lyrics, vocals and production, but also within the romantic narrative that drives the album. The perfect counterpoint to "Day Keeper" is "House of Cards". Over a drum and bass groove and urgent keys, 'Te and Muhsinah again trade mirroring verses, but this time the words are filled with distrust and deception. It is precisely such nuances in which the beauty of LIAB lies. This isn't an album about falling in love, nor it's demise. It's about all of the ups and downs and detours along the way. The fickle way of the romantic pendulum is best exemplified at the project's mid point, when he jazzy jubilance of "Sweeter Than You" transitions into the remorseful melancholy of "Valediction" so seamlessly that before the listener even realizes the former has given way to the latter, sweet has apparently gone sour.
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allmusic reviews Leave It All Behind
Source: allmusic · By Andy Kellman
The second Foreign Exchange album reverses the rapping/singing split of the first. Not only is Leave It All Behind much more an R&B album than 2004's Connected -- it's more an R&B album than a lot of modern releases filed in that section, given that Phonte slips into MC mode only twice while otherwise putting his sensitive singing voice to full use. Even more nuanced and textured, and therefore more musical than Connected, Leave It All Behind is a concise and complete set of songs that brings out the best of both producer Nicolay and Phonte. More than ever, Nicolay's mellow but moving productions have that lingering, memory-triggering effect mastered by the late J Dilla, and a multitude of shades is cast: dreamy folk-soul that ranks with the Beauty Room and latter-day 4hero, lean and contemporary constructions that would fit within any adult-oriented R&B station's playlist, deceptively frictional backdrops that bridge hip-hop to West London broken beat, and even the intermittent unclassifiable moment, with several styles thrown into swirls of crescendo-enhanced dramatics. Joined by Connected accomplices Darien Brockington and YahZarah (her lead turn on "If She Breaks Your Heart" sounds even more like a lost Stevie/Minnie collaboration than the Jungle Fever soundtrack original), as well as Muhsinah (an earthbound Georgia Anne Muldrow), Phonte does not deliver knockouts, yet he is not out of his depth and never reaches beyond his grasp, exuding warmth and sincerity as effectively as anyone praised for inhuman range. Even when his lyrics deal in the less complicated aspects of relationships, his voice provides a gently bittersweet tint, as a man with his guard down whose articulations are neither reactionary nor based on some false posture. And with love as its core rather than impulsive lust, as well as its unified feel, the album is not just a unique and exceptional R&B album but also a soundtrack or means of communication -- when heat-of-the-moment resentment, a lump in the throat, or anxious longing get in the way -- for a real-life adult relationship.
The Source reviews Connected
Source: The Source · By Jerry L. Barrow
Image if Black Thought could sing like D'Angelo and did an album produced by Ali Shaheed Muhammad and DJ Spinna. That's the unlikely union that makes [The] Foreign Exchange's Connected so special. Little Brother's Phonte and Dutch producer Nicolay connected via the Internet, and through a potent mix of battle-ready lyricism, falsetto crooning and European ambient grooves, they create Hip-Hop music from outside the box. Playing double duty as MC and singer, Phonte transcends flaccid R&B while reconnecting Hip-Hop with its exorcised soul. The poetic pendulum swings from the chest-thumping of "Raw Life" and "Let's Move" to the passionate confessions of "Sincere" and "Be Alright", where Phonte laments: "I scream, 'Fuck the world' but Mother Nature is taking Ortho now/Tryin' to regulate our stress and pain also now." Unfortunately though, you'll probably have to fly to Nicolay's home country to hear this inspired record on the radio.