The year is almost over and it is time for Rhythm Lab Radio’s best songs of 2020. This week’s is part one. We featured 2020 favorites from YENDRY, yaeji, Lady Blackbird, Moodymann, Tobe Nwigwe, Thundercat, TOKiMONSTA, Gabriel Garzon-Montano, Sault, Jessy Lanza, Roisin Murphy and more. We will wrap up the best songs of 2020 with part two next week.

Playlist

HOUR 1

John Carroll Kirby – “Blueberry Beads”
Lady Blackbird – “Beware The Stranger”
Moses Boyd & Joe Armon-Jones – “2 Far Gone”
Emma-Jean Thackray – “Movementt”
Photay – “The People”
Sault – “Fearless”
Brittany Howard – “13th Century Metal (Michael Kiwanuka Mix)”
Paul Epworth, Jay Electronica, Lil Silva – “Love Galaxy”
Thundercat – “Black Qualls” feat. Steve Lacy & Steve Arrington
Steve Arrington – “All I Wanna Do”
Pedro Retro – “Black Man Time”
Dal – “Those Days” feat. Leah Yeger
The Quiet Ones – “Ninguem” feat. Carlo Alexandre Teixeira and Amarina Sena
Robert Glasper – “Better Than I Imagined” feat. H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello

HOUR 2

Gabriel Garzon-Montano – “Aguita”
YENDRY – “Nena”
Tobe Nwigwe – “Eat” feat. FAT
Spillage Village – “End of Daze “ feat. Jurdan Bryant, Mereba & Hollywood JB
Everything is Recorded – “10:51 PM / The Night” feat. Berwyn & Maria Somerville
James Blake – “Before”
Moodymann – “Do Wrong”
Jessy Lanza – “Anyone Around”
TOKiMONSTA – “Renter’s Anthem”
Roisin Murphy – “Incapable”
Channel Tres – “Skate Depot”
Aluna & Kaytranada – “The Recipe” feat. Rema
Lyric Jones – “Angelina” feat. Phil Beaudreau
Jessie Ware – “Remember Where You Are”
Flume – “The Difference” feat. Toro Y Moi
yaeji – “When I Grow Up”

In this episode of Rhythm Lab Radio, we featured music Venezuela’s Hugo Blanco, Kelis, Alice Smith, Quadron, Kutmah, Tyler, the Creator, Washed Out, Statik Selektah, Mark de Clive Lowe, and more. We also feature tracks from Brownswood Future Bubbler v.4 include music from KIDDUS and Iman Houssein.

Finally, we played new music from the new album, “Pardon My French” from Jahari Massamba Unit, which is a collaboration between Karriem Riggins and Madlib. The project is a celebration of spiritual jazz and Black classical music.

Playlist

HOUR 1

Aziza – “Finding The Light” feat. Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Lionel Loueke, Eric Harland
Jahari Massamba Unit – “Riesling Pour Robert
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra & Winton Marsalis – “Call To Worship”
Hugo Blanco – “Gualira Con Arpa”
KIDDUS – “SLOW”
Quadron – “Buster Keaton”
Aaron Ahrends – “Newborn (Ada Remix)”
JD. Reid – “if love / 213” feat. Biig Piig
Tyler, the Creator – “Enjoy Right Now, Today”
Connan Mockasin & Dev Hynes – “Feelin’ Lovely”
Kutmah – “Accounted For, Then To” feat. Jonwayne
JD. Reid – “welcome”
Jahari Massamba Unit – “Hommage A Vielle Garde (Pour Lafarge Et Rinaldi)”
Mark de Clive-Lowe – “Hooligan” feat. Nia Andrews

HOUR 2

Childish Gambino – “Baby Boy”
Kelis – “Get Along With You”
Iman Houssein – “Slow Things Down”
Washed Out – “Burn Out Blues”
Alice Smith – “Love Endeavor (Maurice Fulton Remix)”
Amerie – “Gotta Work (Phazz Remix)”
Mo Vibez – “Get 2 Know Ya”
Harmonic 313 – “Cyclotron”
Statik Selektah – “Play Around”
Senor Kaos & Illastrate – “Give It Up” feat. Boog Brown
Matt Martians – Dent Jusay” feat. Syd & Steve Lacy
Jahari Massamba Unit – “Inestimable Le Clos”
Nu:Tone – “The Boy Who Lost His Smile”

This week’s Rhythm Lab Radio is our annual Thanksgiving Jazz special. We do this every year to kick off the holiday season to pay thanks to the music that is the foundation of our show: jazz. We featured music from Angel Bat Dawid, Jyoti, Tony Allen, Nubya Garcia, Dorothy Ashby, Emma-Jean Thackray, Kassa Overall, Arthur Verocai, The Midnight Hour, Soil & Pimp Sessions, John Coltrane and more.

Playlist

HOUR 1

Angel Bat Dawid & Tha Brothahood – “What Shall I Tell My Children Who Are Black”
Kassa Overall – “Tall Tales (Makaya McCraven)”
Nate Mercereau – “There You Are”
Animanz – “Them Changes (Magic Drum Orchestra Remix)”
Emma-Jean Thackray – “Red Bush”
Doug Carn, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Adrian Younge – “Nunca Um Malandro”
Sarah Tandy – “Bradbury Street”
Hackney Colliery Band – “Netsanet” feat. Mulatu Astake
The Midnight Hour – “Ravens”
Chris Dave and the Drumheadz – “Dat Feelin: feat. SiR
Arthur Verocai – “Karina (Domingo No Grajau)”
Tony Allen – “Moanin”

HOUR 2

Freeez – “Keep in Touch”
Soil & Pimp Sessions – “Phantom of Franklin Avenue”
Ashley Henry – “COLORS”
Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble – “The Colors That You Bring”
Nubya Garcia – “Once”
Clark Terry – “No Problem”
Dorothy Ashby – “Soul Vibrations”
Jyoti – “The Cowrie Waltz”
Donald Byrd – “Cristo Redentor”
The Vision – “Nebulous”
Jesse Fischer & Sly5thAVe – “Chameleon”
John Coltrane – “Impressions”

In this week’s episode of Rhythm Lab Radio, we featured new music from Amaarae, Davido, KOKOROKO, Bosco, Aesop Rock, Mark Pritchard, Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin, Quakers, Haviah Mighty, Nubya Garcia, Thundercat and previously unreleased track from the “Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin.

Playlist

HOUR 1

The Cinematic Orchestra – “Evolution” feat. Fontella Bass
Pressure Fit – “Joga”
Aretha Franklin – “My Kind of Town (Detroit Is)”
Favourite People – “Wading Out”
KOKOROKO – “Baba Ayoola”
Nubya Garcia – “Source (Makaya McCraven Remix)”
PPP – “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” feat. Rogier
Damu the Fudgemunk, Archie Shepp & Raw Poetic – “Learning to Breathe”
The DiAboLIcaL LibERTieS – “Fix My Battery”
Bosco – “Carousel” feat. DIXSON
Thundercat – “Fair Chance (Floating Points Remix)” feat. Ty Dolla $ign & Lil B
Kelly Finnigan – “No Time To Be Sad”
Quakers – “Another Kind of War” feat. Jermiah Jae
Cleo Sol – “Rose In The Dark”
Fifty Foot Hose – “Rose”
SBM – “Gotta Have It”

HOUR 2

Outkast – “SpottieOttieDopaliscious (Snips Remix)”
Aesop Rock – “Button Masher”
Rarelyalways – “Another”
Haviah Mighty – “Atlantic”
Quakers – “29 All Of It” feat. Boog Brown”
Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin – “Dollar Dr. Dream”
Seba Kaapstad – “Magic”
The Nix – “The Highest” feat. Kwamie Liv”
Amaarae – “Fantasy” feat. Maesu CKay
Davido – “I Got A Friend” feat. Mayokun &U sho Madjozi
Masego – “Mystery Lady” feat. Don Toliver
Common – “What Do You Say (Move It Baby)”
King Khan – “Theme of Yahya”
Mark Pritchard – “Be Like Water”
Flying Lotus – “Thank U Malcolm”
Bada-Bada – “Shiva”

In this episode of Rhythm Lab Radio, we feature new music from King Khan’s jazz album, South Africa’s Seba Kaapstad, Carlitta Durand, Potatohead People, Lyric Jones, Ultraista and more.

Playlist

HOUR 1

Janko Nilovic & The Soul Surfers – “Sweet Path”
Tim Maia – “O Caminho Do Bem”
Wildcookie – “Touchy Touchy”
Terry Callier – “Be My Woman”
King Khan – “A Har Rain’s Gotta Fall”
Hiatus Kaiyote – “Lace Skull”
Robert Glasper Experiment – “The Consequences of Jealousy (Georgia Anne Muldrow’s Sassy Geemix)” feat. Meshell Ndegeocello
Seba Kaapstad – “I’m Scared” feat. Oddisee
Carlitta Durand – “My Business”
Lyric Jones – “Angelina” feat. Phil Beaudreau
J Dilla – “Think Twice”
Jesse Boykins III & MeLo-X – “Black Orpheus”
Kendrick Lamar – “Poetic Justice” feat. Drake

HOUR 2

Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy”
MJ Cole – “Tired Games” feat. Elizabeth Troy
The Bar Kays – “I Can’t Believe You’re Leaving Me (Fulgeance Rework)”
Potatohead People – “Hidden Levels” feat. Clear Mortifee
Seba Kaapstad – “Konke”
DJ Melo – “Today (T.R.O.Y.)”
Lakim – “Bethnal Green Bounce”
BMBxSpaceKid – “Labyrinth”
Jeedo – “Make It Boom”
Baauer – ‘Way From Me” feat. Tirzah
Lorn – “Weigh Me Down (Mono/Poly Remix)”
King Khan – “Mister Mystery”
Ultraista – “Ordinary Boy (The Cinematic Orchestra Remix)”
De La Soul, Jeff Lynne, Teenage Fanclub & Tom Petty – “Fallin”

In this week’s episode, we featured new music from Sun Ra Arkestra, Jimena Angel, Common, Busta Rhymes, Khruangbin, Machinedrum, Aalok Bala, VHOOR, and more. We also celebrated the 20th anniversary of Outkast’s album “Stankonia.”

Playlist

HOUR 1

Sun Ra Arkestra – “Queer Notions”
Lon Moshe – “Doin’ the Carvin’ for Thabo”
Emma-Jean Thackray – “Too Shy (12”Version)”
Theo Croker – “Just Let It Ride”
Henmai – “Relight” feat. Laura Roy & Woddy Green
Etta Bond – “Come Over”
Jimena Angel – “Esta Bien” feat. Nikitch
Aalok Bala – “Sueno”
Khruangbin – “Summer Madness”
Common – “(A Beautiful Revolution) Intro”
Georgia Anne Muldrow – “Vital Transformation”
Tobe Nwigwe – “Try Jesus”
Outkast – “Humble Mumble” feat. Erykah Badu
DJ Jazzy Jeff – “My Soul Ain’t for Sale”

HOUR 2

Outkast – “Gasoline Dreams” feat. Khujo Goodie
Hudson Mohawke – “Ryderz”
Black Thought – “Magnificent”
Busta Rhymes – “Look Over Your Shoulder” feat. Kendrick Lamar
Common – “Say Peace”
Machinedrum – “The Relic” feat. Rochelle Jordan
TOKiMONSTA – “Rock The Float (Aaliyah flip)”
VHOOR – “Dono”
Lady Blackbird – “Collage (Bruise Remix)”
Rhye – “Black Rain”
Terri Walker – “Lose Twice”
Outkast – “Red Velvet”
Jay Cass – “Cucumber”
David Axelrod – “Holy Thursday”

In this episode of Rhythm Lab Radio, we featured new music from Pete Rock, Omar Apollo, Open Mike Eagle, James Blake, Black Thought, Takuya Kuroda, Benny Sings, Aluna, Xavier Omar, and more.

Plus, we highlighted a new artist by the name of Lady Blackbird, who is one of the most exciting jazz artists of 2020. Gilles Peterson has called her the “Grace Jones of Jazz.” We became a fan when we heard her take on “Beware the Stranger,” which was originally performed by The Krystal Generation. But it was made popular by soul ensemble The Voices Of East Harlem, which was produced by Leroy Hutson and Curtis Mayfield. We also fell in love with her take on Nina Simone’s 1966 “Blackbird.” On this show, we shared her amazing new single “Collage” from her forthcoming album “Black Acid Soul.”

Playlist

HOUR 1

Lady Blackbird – “Collage”
Ambiance – “The Black Narcissus”
Fieh – “Armageddon”
Takuya Kuroda – “Moody”
Pete Rock – “Say It Again” feat. The Soul Brothers
Mama Ode – “Creole Brothers”
Eric Lau – “Dedication A, B & C”
Barney Artist – “Stay Close” feat. Tom Misch
Open Mike Eagle – “edge of new clothes”
Medasin – “daydream” feat. JOBA
Nite Jewel – “Don’t Turn Me Away” feat. Zoe Kravitz & Samantha Urbani
Omar Apollo – “Stayback”
Eli Fola – “Blackness Be Divine”
Simbad – “After the Dance (Bugz In The Attic Remix)” feat. Melo

HOUR 2

Black Thought – “Thought vs Everybody”
Aesop Rock – “Pizza Alley”
Open Mike Eagle – “airplane boneyard”
Statik Selektah – “Keep It Moving” feat. Nas, Joey Bada$$ & Gary Clark Jr.
James Blake – “Before”
Janet Jackson / Beach Boys – “Curtains Don’t Talk (Daedelus Pacific Footwork)”
Kaytranada – ‘Bullets” feat. Little Dragon
Aluna – “Envious (Sharda Remix)”
Mark Pritchard – “Be Like Water”
Ta-Ra – “Room 77”
Xavier Omar – “Like I Feel” feat. Mereba
Benny Sings – “Rolled Up” feat. Mac DeMarco
Emma-Jean Thackray – “Speak No Evil/Night Dreamer”
Outkast – “Elevators (Me & You) (ONP 86 Remix)”

In this episode of Rhythm Lab Radio, we featured new music from Sen Morimoto, Shygirl, Georgie Sweet, Danielle Ponder, Che Lingo, Stretch & Bobbito, Lex Amor, Paul White, Azymuth, Made Kuti, Tino Contreras, Solomun, Quakers, Xavier Omar and more!

Playlist

HOUR 1

Tino Contreras – “Al Amanecer”
Danielle Ponder & Karate Boogaloo – “Little Bit”
Fat Freddy’s Drop – “This Room Lock-In”
Sen Morimoto – “Symbols, Tokens”
Azymuth, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge – “Cat Jump”
Made Kuti – “Free Your Mind”
Thijsenterprise – “El Arriero”
Paul White – “Smile (See The Light)” feat. Iyamah & Remi
Georgie Sweet – “Sorry”
Lex Amor – “Moesh” feat. Dips & Lo-Wu
Mndsgn. – “Truth Of The Matter (Sofie Cover)”
Xavier Omar – “Find Me”
Sevdaliza – “All Rivers At Once”

HOUR 2

Stretch and Bobbito, The M19s Band – “Method Man + Ghostface Freestyle”
Quakers – “Approach With Caution” feat. Sampa The Great
Shygirl – “Slime”
Gorillaz – “Severed Head” feat. Gorillaz
Che Lingo – “Love Drugs”
Reginald Omas Mamode IV – “400 Years”
Afronaut – “Transcend M.E.” feat. Melissa Browne
Blakai – “Afrospace” feat. Bembe Segue
Solomun – “Home”
Sen Morimoto – “Butteflies” feat. Kaina
Sugg Savage – “Let’z”
VHOOR – “De Novo”
Darcie – “Boxes (Tommy Viller Remix)”
Aaliyah – “One In A Million”

In this week’s Rhythm Lab Radio, we featured new music from The Budos Band, Anderson .Paak, Channel Tres, Savannah Cristina, Dinner Party, Seba Kaapstad, Joesef, Machinedrum, Steve Arrington, JISR جسر, Hirsohi Fujiwara, Pan Amsterdam, Spillage Village and more.

Playlist

HOUR 1

JISR جسر – “Musaka”
Alberto Continentino – “Onda”
Hiroshi Fujiwara – “Territory”
The Budos Band – “Budonian Knight”
Bel Cobain & Lex Amor – “At The Bay”
The Quiet Ones – “Ninguem” feat. Carlo Alexandre Teixeira and Amarina Sena
Barrett Marshall – “Back To You” feat. Sitkah
The Outs – “Todo Prazer”
Criibaby – “sunshine”
Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder & Kamasi Washington – “Love You Bad” feat. Malaya & Phoelix
Joesef – “Think That I Don’t Need Your Love”
Savannah Cristina – “Gold Mine”
Dougie Stu – “Henny”
J. Rawls – “A Tribute To Troy”

HOUR 2

Machinedrum – “Wait 4 U” feat. Jesse Boykins III
Goldie – “Inner City Life”
DJ Marky & XRS – “LK”
Seba Kaapstad – “Our People” feat. Quelle Chris
Reel People – “I Never Knew” feat. Speech
Anderson .Paak – “Jewelz”
Steve Arrington – “You’re Not Ready”
Channel Tres – “Skate Depot”
Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder & Kamasi Washington – “The Mighty Tree” feat. Herbie Hancock and Rapsody
Pan Amsterdam – “Carrot Cake”
Jeshi – “Mask On”
Spillage Village, Benji & EARTHGANG – “Hapi” feat Mereba & Big Rube
The Budos Band – “Sixth Hammer”
Amber Navran and Erin Bentlage – “She Holds the Gold”
Astrid Engberg – “Lush Life”

In this week’s episode of Rhythm Lab Radio, we featured new music from Gabriel Garzon-Montano, Sa-Roc, Quantic, Spillage Village, Roisin Murphy, Machinedrum, Jonsi, Ane Brun, Orgone, Irish rapper Denise Chaila and Ali Shaheed Muhammad + Adrian Younge + Azymuth, and more.

Playlist

HOUR 1

Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Adrian Younge & Azymuth – “Ao Redor do Samba”
Kassa Overall – “My Friend” feat. Arto Lindsay
Gabriel Garzon-Montano – “Moonless”
Ane Brun – “Honey”
ThE DiAboLIcaL LibERTieS – “High Protection” feat. Emma-Jean Thackray
Orgone – “Delightful” feat. Masauko Chipembre
Sa-Ra Creative Partners – “Rosebuds”
ZuluZuluu – “Fades”
FELIVAND – “Trajectory”
Denise Chaila – “All That” feat. Outsider YP
Black Challenger – “Vigilance”
Spillage Village, JID & Earthgang – “Baptize” feat. Ant Clemons
Pieces Of a Man – “Nothing to Lose (Zed Bias Remix)”

HOUR 2

Sa-Roc – “The Black Renaissance” feat. Black Thought
Gabriel Garzon-Montano – “Muneca”
Pusha T – “Nosetalgia” feat. Kendrick Lamar
Spillage Village, Earthgang & JID – “End of Daze” feat. Jurdan Bryant, Mereba & Hollywood JB
Roisin Murphy – “Incapable”
Smoove & Turrell – “Fade Away (Fouk Remix)”
Moodymann – “Do Wrong”
Quantic – “Theme From Selva”
Jorja Smith – “Come Over” feat. Popcaan
Machinedrum – “Spin Block” feat. Father
Kali Uchis & Jhay Cortez – “La Luz”
Immortal Girlfriend – “Friday Night”
Jonsi – “Cannibal” feat. Liz Fraser
Massive Attack – “Protection”