Georgia Anne Muldrow Announces VWETO III
Georgia Anne Muldrow Announces VWETO III
Due for release on May 21st
On FORESEEN + Epistrophik Peach Sound
Shares lead single “Mufaro’s Garden” listen HERE
(Cover art for VWETO III by Cape Town-based artist Breeze Yoko, which will be auctioned as an NFT for charity)
“The culture is still catching up with Georgia Anne Muldrow. Whether in jazz, rap, or R&B, she has made music out of liberation.” – The Nation
Following a Grammy nomination (for 2018’s Overload) and inclusion in The New York Times’ Top Albums Of 2020 (for Mama, You Can Bet! from her acclaimed Jyoti project), on May 21st the multifaceted polymath producer, musician, songwriter, vocalist and beatmaker Georgia Anne Muldrow presents the third instalment in her VWETO series.
VWETO III will be released in partnership between FORESEEN Entertainment and Georgia’s own Epistrophik Peach Sound imprint. In tandem with the audio release, a one-off NFT of the album artwork (created by Cape Town-based artist Breeze Yoko) will also be available for sale on OpenSea and Rarible, with 50% of the proceeds going to the charity Critical Resistance.
“VWETO III is intended for movement. It’s to be played when you birth yourself back outside after a long introspective period to get the things you need. It intends for you to be your own superhero and wants to be your theme for power.” Georgia Anne Muldrow
(Georgia Anne Muldrow photo by Antoinette A. Brock)
Unlike albums with other titles released under Georgia’s own name, or the outré jazz of her Jyoti alias, VWETO is a specific space for deep and vibe-heavy hip hop beatscapes. Muldrow composed, performed, recorded, arranged, produced, mixed and mastered the record, which is largely instrumental, with occasional inspired vocals from Georgia, singer Shana Jensen and rapper Ayun Basa.
The broad spectrum of styles on VWETO III ranges from low-slung gnarly funk, head-nodding boom bap, psychedelic cosmic slop, wigged out leftfield, retro synth jams, jazzy afrofuturism, uplifting soul and LA heat.
With tracks this dope it’s unsurprising that Georgia has previously made beats for Denzel Curry, Arlo Parks, J Dilla, Mos Def, Erykah Badu, Robert Glasper and Kool G Rap. Although essentially a beat tape that showcases Muldrow’s world class production skills, VWETO III also works as a proper album, due to her rich musicality and expansively adventurous scope.
This headphone masterpiece is suffused with sound-design-stereo-mixes that create more dimension than Dolby Atmos. Around rhythmic frameworks magic swirls freely – so vivid there’s an atmosphere, a tactile feel, and even a smell. “I was listening to an Isaac Hayes LP where even the reverb had grain and texture. I want my music to create an environment”, states Georgia.
The cover image is by Cape Town artist Breeze Yoko, which he originally made as a backdrop to Georgia’s epic performance at King Kong in Johannesburg, South Africa for the Chimurenga collective. In collaboration with Toronto-based black-owned record label FORESEEN, the Los Angeles born Georgia has linked-up black creatives from three countries to raise money for important causes and also advocate the use of new technologies:
Today the trio has launched an online auction for one NFT of the LP and its artwork. Bidding ends on May 21st when the album is released, with 50% of the proceeds being donated to Critical Resistance. The piece is available for auction on OpenSea and Rariable.
Always striving for community and positivity, Georgia is making an inclusive Call To Action, whereby creative people across the globe can come together, interact and collaborate with her music across four singles:
- Single 1 – released today – “Mufaro’s Garden” – Calling All Visual Artists:
Georgia’s inspiration for this enchanting and balmy jazz-schooled track was a folktale book called Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters, which was illustrated by John Steptoe.
“There’s a frame in that book that’s so amazing, of Mufaro looking over his garden which joins with the rest of the land, and in the far distance, you can see the historic sight of Great Zimbabwe. I remember as a child spending hours just looking at this picture, wishing I could go there,” she recalls.
Before recording, Georgia asked herself what this imaginary place would sound like, and now she invites all graffers, illustrators, painters and any other type of visual artists to submit their own portrayal.
- Single 2 – released April 22 – “Unforgettable” – Calling All Vocalists:
“I made the song ‘Unforgettable’ with the hope that people can make themselves unforgettable in a positive way. People can hype themselves up in the mirror. Dance and decorate themselves in such a way that they feel that they have that kind of impact on their communities and their families. It’s like a mantra for your own selves: You are unforgettable.”
Georgia calls for all rappers, singers, poets and beatboxers to add their vocals to this solar synth ride, where ‘80s arpeggios meet ‘90s G-funk.
- Single 3 – released May 21 – “Slow Drag” – Calling All Dancers:
Hammond organ, bluesy guitar and gorgeous piano combine in a late night smoky mood, which sets the tone for “Slow Drag,” which Georgia explains is “an African love dance from the North Americas; a beautiful thing that evolved from the blues halls and juke joints.”
She adds, “I sought to teleport the listener to the space where they can see this blue light in a basement filled with black beautiful people dancing ultra close. With the organs and everything, I just wanted it to have that feeling of being a song you could slow drag to, and even if you slow drag by yourself, you’re thinking of someone far away that you’d like to be close to. It’s a hymn of confidence and asserting your sensual nature.”
Georgia welcomes all types of dancers to film their own interpretations – from breakdance to ballet and everything in between.
- Single 4 – released June 11th – “Action Groove” – Calling All DJs/Producers:
Enticing like neon signs in darkness, evoking burning rubber and zooming cars, “‘Action Groove’ is a song that you can take a midnight drive to”, says Georgia. “You know; that thing where streetlights scan your window shield, even if it’s in your imagination. It’s something to feel like you’ve got a leather jacket on. It’s an instant leather jacket!”
Fitting with its nightlife theme, Georgia asks all DJs and producers to re-edit, remix or deliver a turntable routine using just the original audio; proper hip hop scratch ‘n’ sample style. No stems!
With all four Calls To Action there will be no winners, as this isn’t about competition. Instead, Georgia will share all entries she likes on her Instagram. Creators will be asked to story or post videos of their submissions and hashtag #VWETOIII and tag @Georgia.Muldrow and @Foreseenent who’ll re-story the entries, giving participants further exposure.
Pre-Order VWETO III out May 21, 2021 on FORESEEN Entertainment + Epistrophik Peach Sound.
VWETO III Track list:
- Old Jack Swing
- Synthmania Rock
- Ayun Vegas ft. Ayun Bassa
- Passin Ooout!
- Slave Revoltalleway Boom
- Unforgettable
- Throwback Baps
- Slow Drag
- Shana’s Back! ft Shana Jensen
- Mufaro’s Garden
- Love Call Groove
- Ghostride
- Boom Bap Is My Homegirl
- Action Groove
- Grungepiece
- Afro AF
- Yoself
GEORGIA ANNE MULDROW ONLINE
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FORESEEN Entertainment is a black-owned record label and publisher based out of Toronto, dedicated to exposing cutting edge talent. FORESEEN invests in gifted creative musicians who provide art that they expose to a global audience.
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Breeze Yoko is a Cape Town-based multidisciplinary visual artist specialising in graffiti/urban art and video. Yoko has painted in over 13 countries and has participated in urban art projects and festivals in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Senegal, Germany, Sweden, France, London and many more. His earlier video work won awards at the Tricontinental Film Festival, Sienna Film Festival, Italy; and Dak’Art, Senegal and led to his participation at the Berlinale Talent Campus in 2008. As well as producing visual art, he has curated a number of urban culture events and exhibitions including ‘Street Talk’ (2014), Hazard Gallery, Johannesburg featuring some of South Africa’s prominent street artists; ‘Deep Memory’ (2017), Kalmar Art Museum, Sweden featuring contemporary artists from around the globe. Yoko is the founder and Artistic Director of Ubuhle Bendalo urban contemporary art residency programme that champions and promotes the movement creating new opportunities for the presentation of artists and work.
BREEZE YOKO ONLINE