Ever since La Roux, Europe has been steadily cranking out singer/producer duos. That’s a joke, but the latest singer/producer to cross the pond is AlunaGeorge, a British group composed of singer Aluna Francis and producer George Reid. It’s tempting to compare them to Quadron, but if you resist the urge, you realize that they’re quite a different kind of act. Aluna‘s voice sounds much more fragile than Coco O‘s. That’s not to say that she has a weak voice. Aluna masterfully controls it, yet it tremors in a way that keeps you on edge. Another memorable aspect of Aluna‘s voice is how distinctly British it is. It’s interesting how many British singers sound like they could be from anywhere.

Of course, Aluna‘s vocals aren’t  the noteworthy feature of Body Music. George‘s productions are viscerally compelling, ranging from pulsating bass to murky garage to joyful synthpop and much more. The “This is How We Do It” remix is definitely recommendation. We’ll have a proper review in the near future, but in the meantime, we’re going to just sit back and let the music talk to us. You should do the same; a free stream is below.

The post Album Stream: AlunaGeorge – Body Music appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Founded in 1986, SummerStage was created “in the spirit of Central Park’s original purpose- to serve as a free public resource to help enrich the lives of New Yorkers.” Over the years, it has been a public platform for great art, presenting a dynamic range of music, film, and performance, including dance, poetry, and comedy. This year, SummerStage’s “This is Hip-Hop” series boasts an impressive roster of hip-hop’s founding fathers and greats like Rakim and Big Daddy Kane who performed in June, The Jungle Brothers who will appear on August, 6, as well as some of the godfathers of production, such as Marley Marl, Pete Rock, and DJ Premier, who are performing toward the end of summer. There is certainly something here for everyone; dance performances, film screenings, DJ sets, and concerts abound.

Below is a curated list of the remaining “This is Hip-Hop” series’ events from the SummerStage calendar.

7.21.2013 | 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm | Queensbridge Park DJ D-Nice/25th Anniversary of “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka”

7.28.2013 | 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Central Park Pete Rock & CL Smooth/Brand Nubian

7.31.2013 | 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm | Central Park World Premier of “RSC Ghetto Made” Rock Steady Dance Crew Celebration

8.6.2013 | 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm | Marcus Garvey Park, Harlem The Jungle Brothers/Zhigge 

8.8.2013 | 10:30 am – 11:30 am | Queensbridge Park Illstyle & Peace Productions 

8.9.2013 | 10:30 am – 11:30 am | Bloomingdale Park Illstyle & Peace Productions

8.11.2013 | 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm |Marcus Garvey Park Illstyle & Peace Productions/ Robbi K/ DJ Set by Stormin’ Norman/ Sweet Billy & The Zooloos

8.10.2013 | 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Central Park “Hip-Hop Turns 40” DJ Kool Herc and Cindy Campbell

8.10.2013 | 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Central Park DJ Kool Herc and Special Guests

8.11.2013 | 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm | 5Pointz  Back To The Roots-DJ Kool Herc at 5Pointz Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Hip-Hop

8.26.2013 | 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm |East River Park “Wild Style 30th Anniversary Celebration”

8.27.2013 | 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm |East River Park Pete Rock vs. DJ Premier

All the listed performaces are free of charge and accessible to all ages. For additional events in a range of genres and media, take a look at the full SummerStage calendar here.

Incidentally, many members of the RESPECT. staff will be attending the Quadron and Lianne La Havas show on July 27. See you there?

The post Concerts: NYC SummerStage’s “This is Hip-Hop” Series appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.