This morning, whether on sunny beaches, palm groves or lush oases, or just enjoying a fine breakfast in your bed, allow yourself to be soothed by a strange and unique shade of Soul born in Finland but balancing international influences.
Born into a family of musicians and artists, Bobby Oroza grew up in Helsinki. Yet, his music evokes the rootsy Latin American music he discovered during his early travels to Cuba to study percussion and singing. Warm and sensual, simultaneously timeless and contemporary, it synthesizes Oroza’s Bolivian grandfather’s Latin guitar playing with his parent’s love of early jazz, Motown, gospel, and doo-wop.
Bobby’s selection
Chico Buarque - Olê, Olá
Bobby: ” Chico Buarque was often playing in my childhood home. My little sister would sing this song beautifully. It’s equally sad and happy, devastated but ready for the next dance. “
Gloria Ann Taylor - World That’s Not Real
Bobby: ” It’s her voice, her piercing soulfulness. The orchestration supports her artistry. It reminds me of La Planete Sauvage somehow. It’s a heavy peace that cathartically purifies your Sunday energies. “
Johnnie Frierson - Have You Been Good To Yourself
Bobby: ” What ever your system, I’ve personally found that Sunday’s a good day for a sermon, a little preaching maybe and checkin in to your spiritual affairs. This song is straight at ya style. No cryptic bullshit here. “
MailTape’s selection
Bobby Oroza - This Love
Jules: ” ‘This Love’ is Bobby Oroza’s debut single, taken from the eponymous album. On this record Bobby, teaming up with the band Cold Diamond & Mink, provides a dark and intimate atmosphere, “breaking hearts on some tunes and mending them on others”. This song can do both, and even inspired the hip hop scene, as it was sampled by Earl Sweatshirt in his song ‘Hat Trick’. “
Jonah Yano & BADBADNOTGOOD- nervous
Jules: ” Jonah Yano is a Toronto-based musician, originally hailing from Hiroshima, Japan. After hearing an early demo of ‘nervous’ he recorded through his cellphone in 2016, BADBADNOTGOOD invited him to their legendary Studio 69 where they offered to produce and play on the track. Downtempo instrumentals meet autotune vocals for a melancholic ballad, that is perfect for a slow wake up Sunday morning. “
Nilüfer Yanya - Melt
Jules: ” Nilüfer Yanya grew up in West London, she released her debut album ‘Miss Universe’ in March 2019, after three EPs on london indie label Blue Flowers and a place earned on the BBC Sound of 2018 longlist. On this album, the 23-year-old artist – who is of Turkish-Irish-Bajan heritage – explores themes of paranoia and anxiety, centering around a fictional health management company called WE WORRY ABOUT YOUR HEALTH. “Melt” finds her strumming her guitar in a jazzier mode, backed by percolating electronic percussion and a saxophone. ‘I bet your brain cells won’t last’ she gently sings with laid-back coolness in her voice. “
Intellexual - Boca
Jules: ” Intellexual is a project from Nate Fox and Nico Segal (also known as Donnie Trumpet) who are best known as members of The Social Experiment and producers for Chicago hip hop artists like Chance The Rapper. ‘Boca’, a new-age samba song that bringing a dreamy atmosphere, is a perfect way to close the Sunday morning loop opened with Chico Buarque. ”
That’s it for this morning! As always thank you so much for listening. Much love and respect to Bobby for his Sunday selections, and to Pierre-Julien Fieux for this episode’s cool illustration.
