Sa-Ra - Glorious

If you're wondering who will take urban music to the next level, the post-Neptunes, post-Outkast level, consider Sa-Ra Creative Partners, a production/remix trio based mostly in Los Angeles who have delighted the underground with a pair of 12-inch slabs of funky weirdness.

"Glorious" b/w "Rosebuds," released on the Oakland label ABB Soul, blew up in the Gilles Peterson/Benji B/Garth Trinadad circles late in 2004, with a fresh new production style that depended neither on an MC nor a traditional soul vocal. Rather, like Prince or Frank Zappa, Sa-Ra (on their artist productions, they drop the "Creative Partners") layers stylized theatrical vocalizations on some porn-obsessed quasi-metaphysical tip. The tracks are deceptively simple, though totally syncopated and out of whack. What you get with "Glorious" is a stumbling analog b-line, a filtered synth wash and meticulously programmed drums. Just minimalist future sex-funk.

I can't guarantee that if you dropped this in the middle of a Lil Jon/Three Six Mafia set, that you wouldn't hear gunshots from someone in the club, but "Glorious" is the type of track that no one in the room can ignore.

Watch out as well for Sa-Ra's upcoming 12-inch of Medeski, Martin & Wood reworks, the "Double Dutch" b/w "Co-Co Pop" 12-inch on Ubiquity Records, and a bunch of other stuff you can purchase here. Hopefully, we'll get a full album soon from these boys.