Celebrating 2019 with the Tru Thoughts annual compilation
As 2019 AKA Tru Thought’s 20th birthday year draws to a close, ‘Tru Thoughts 2019’ is the latest edition of our annual compilation series. Curated by A&R, co-owner and DJ Robert Luis, the digital album celebrates the best of the wide-ranging and international releases from this year. Featuring the finest of Tru Thoughts’ classic artists, new signings and inspired remixes, this compilation highlights a diverse selection of sounds, from neo-soul and electronica through to grime, jazz, UK hip-hop and leftfield dance music.
World-renowned producer Quantic collaborates with NY-based Denitia on the BBC 6Music playlisted “You Used to Love Me”, as LA-trio and Jazz FM’s Soul Act of The Year (2018) Moonchild’s “Get To Know It” joins the likes of ‘Queen of late-night electronica’ Rhi’s “Swagger” and San Francisco Bay Area-based six-piece The Seshen anthemic “Dive”.
Returning to their club roots, this year the label released dance-floor tested tunes from Mancunian MC-turned-producer Strategy on “Trinity Way ft. Reece Williams”, while Nikitch & Kuna Maze offer up “ZBRA” taken from their “Mush EP” and WheelUP’s “Self-Healing Machine” continues to bring the party. In true Tru Thoughts style, these new cuts sit alongside re-issues from Glyn “Bigga” Bush’s cross-pollination project ‘Lightning Head’ with “Superfunky Bird” and the infectiously catchy “Party Girl” by Zero dB.
Neo-soul features in abundance on the release, provided by South London singer-songwriter Ego Ella May on “How Far” which neighbours the sounds of Manchester soul-collective Pieces of a Man’s track “Listen” and rising talent Bryony Jarman-Pinto’s soundtrack of the summer “Sun Kissed”. Providing the jazz cuts, Tel Aviv’s top trumpeter Sefi Zisling collaborates with Israeli viral sensation Kutiman on “Happy Solar Return” and Uniting of Opposites’ unique blend of Indian classical jazz fusion shines on the instrumental version of “Ancient Lights (Tim Liken Remix)”.
Tracks from the pioneers of grime – producer mastermind Terror Danjah and renowned MC Flowdan – are placed alongside new guns The Refix Show’s star Irah working with Abstrakt Sonance. The godfather of UK hip-hop Rodney P flexes his power as a solo artist on “The Next Chapter” and in the collaborative supergroup KINGDEM with Ty and Blak Twang on “The Conversation (We Ain’t Done Yet)”, while unconventional producer duo/MC Gawd Status make their mark with “Uranium”.
Wrongtom Meets The Ragga Twins strip things down to bass and drums on “Woah (Shop Soiled Dub)” and Animanz & Juanita Euka re-work their track “Drink The Water” in dub fashion, and continue the fruitful label collaborations as they put their own spin on New Orleans’ Hot 8 Brass Band’s “On The Spot” . Continuing to showcase the eclecticism of the label, Tokyo-London MPC whizz Anchorsong gets a funky facelift by electronic duo Souleance.
“It is always good to look back on the year of releases on Tru Thoughts. This compilation has a track from each release this year and features some of the more established artists alongside the new signings, highlighting the eclectic nature of the label and our commitment to creative artists across the world.”
– Robert Luis (Tru Thoughts A&R and co-owner).
Buy / stream / listen to Tru Thoughts 2019.
