I heard a song recently and passed it off as some lost remnant from the late 60’s which somehow made it under the radar until now. As the music faded out, a woman introduced this Adrian Younge person, who sounded–a lot younger (no pun intended) than what I had previously heard. As they started chatting, I realized that old soulful voice in the recording was the lead singer of the Delfonics, William Hart. I am actually fairly familiar with their work, I just had no idea that a man of his age could still belt out the way he use to, you know, decades ago.
There’s something really special about this record though, it doesn;’t sound like some gimmicky retro throwback hastily produced by self proclaimed music nerds in horn-rimmed glasses and a macbook. Adrian Younge records his albums the old fashioned way, he doesn’t even have a computer in his studio. You can really feel the slight imperfections which somehow make it slightly more perfect, like the cracks and pops in vinyl records, there is true character in Adrian Younge Presents the Delfonics.
After some digging around, I also learned about his collaborative efforts with Ghostface Killah; the pair have been working together as Younge produces and composes much of Killah’s recent releases such as his latest, Twelve Reasons to Die. The new record is due out April 16, and lists fellow Wu-Tang member, RZA, as executive producer. There are going to be many different formats in which you can buy the record, and even a mini comic book which will spark a 6-series run of comics and eventually a graphic novel by a plethora of artists and writers. Tour dates for both Ghostface and Younge with his Venice Dawn band will be announced later on, as for some sort of Delfonics show, I guess they’ll have to keep us wondering.
Check out this first track Stop and Look (and You Have Found Love) and enjoy the fruits of one man’s creative labor and journey into sound and composition. Definitely NOT some sort of old school American Bandstand video, would it be fair to call it a hip-hop film noir? Anyway, it’s early, pick up this record and do yourself a favor.
