Various Artists BKLYN: Heavy Sounds from the County of Kings
By the time The Real World comes to town, it’s usually a safe bet that […]
By the time The Real World comes to town, it’s usually a safe bet that a city has jumped the shark. Yet this compilation proves that not even MTV reality shows can ruin Brooklyn’s music scene. Dispensing with over-hyped indie rock, BKLYN focuses on the borough’s Afro-Latin, soul, funk, and dub sounds. A few big names show up: Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings contribute the love-soaked “How Long Do I Have to Wait;” Nickodemus drops “Conmigo,” pitting Puerto Rican vocalist Sammy Ayala against a deep groove; and reunited ’70s Brazilian soul band Uniao Black even make an appearance. But lesser-known artists also represent, from the excellently named Latin soulsters The Pimps of Joytime to the 13-piece Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble.