Resistance
by Brandon Coleman

— Released 14th September 2018 on Brainfeeder

Brainfeeder is proud to present “Resistance” - a 2018 Funk odyssey by keyboard maestro, vocalist, composer, producer, arranger and astral traveller Brandon Coleman. A regular fixture in the Kamasi Washington band, wylin’ out on the keys or wielding his keytar, he is introduced onstage at gigs as “Professor Boogie” by his longtime friend and collaborator. “Resistance” represents a new chapter in the Funk dynasty that spans George Clinton / Parliament Funkadelic and Zapp through t...

Brainfeeder is proud to present “Resistance” - a 2018 Funk odyssey by keyboard maestro, vocalist, composer, producer, arranger and astral traveller Brandon Coleman. A regular fixture in the Kamasi Washington band, wylin’ out on the keys or wielding his keytar, he is introduced onstage at gigs as “Professor Boogie” by his longtime friend and collaborator. “Resistance” represents a new chapter in the Funk dynasty that spans George Clinton / Parliament Funkadelic and Zapp through to Dr. Dre, DJ Quik and Dam Funk as the Los Angeles resident salutes his musical heroes - Herbie Hancock, Peter Frampton, Roger Troutman - and honours their ethos of freedom and experimentation in his search for Funk’s future.

“Resistance” is a powerful statement from an artist who is passionate about hybridity and innovation - stitching together threads from jazz, disco, boogie, R&B, electro, soul and Funk. “I’ve been in the studio a lot in recent years, writing with this or that artist and I always felt constrained… like I had to compromise and submit to a ‘pop’ sensibility,” he explains. “This time I just wanted to create something that was really free… something original… to incorporate all the styles that I represent, because often when I’ve tried to do that in the past it’s been met with resistance.”

The list of artists with whom Coleman has collaborated is simultaneously inspiring and exhausting. From Ciara to Mulatu Astatke and Childish Gambino to Shuggie Otis… but one of his most consistent studio partners during the last decade has been R&B icon Babyface. “I’ve learned a lot from him… working on countless projects… he would just call me at any time and say: ‘Hey man, I’m in the studio with Aretha Franklin at the piano and I want you to come in and help us arrange some songs.’ And I would be like: ‘Erm ok, I’m on my way’,” he shakes his head and laughs. “Those experiences shaped the way I hear and appreciate music”.

Coleman’s epiphany came aged 16 when he’d only really just taken up piano. “My brother gave me a Herbie Hancock record - ‘Sunlight’,” he says. “I put it on and just kept listening to it on repeat ‘cos I couldn’t fathom how he was singing like that… it sounded electric. That was it for me.” Utterly bewitched by the marriage of human touch and robotic texture in those vocals, he moved on to Peter Frampton and Roger Troutman (celebrated for their mastery of the talk box) and decided to create his own signature synth patch for his vocals. “I wanted to take it further… if Siri could sing, this is how Siri would sing,” he laughs.

It is fitting that “Resistance” should arrive on the imprint founded by Flying Lotus - a perpetual free-thinker and champion of genre-exploding. “I can remember the first time I met him,” says Brandon. “It was at a ‘Suite For Ma Dukes’ rehearsal with Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and I walked in and noticed this mad set-up with crazy pedals and stuff and I’m usually the guy who has that. Who the hell does this guy think he is, doing what I do but different gear?… and then I was like ‘Holy shit - this is Flying Lotus!’” The pair have subsequently worked together on music for Bladerunner, FlyLo’s directorial debut Kuso and Brandon plays on “Until The Quiet Comes” and “You’re Dead!” too. It was an easy decision to sign the album to Brainfeeder: “It just feels like family, y’know?”, he explains. “Stephen [Thundercat] is there… plus I’ve toured a lot with Kamasi and the type of shows we were playing - the venues and the crowds - it wasn’t a jazz audience and I dug that. I feel like that was something that Brainfeeder brought to the table”.

Resistance
by Brandon Coleman

— Released 14th September 2018 on Brainfeeder

Physical

2xLP (BF069)

2LP heavyweight 180g clear vinyl housed in a 5mm spined sleeve with prismatic foil detail. Photography by B+. Includes MP3 download code.

£24.00
 
CD (BFCD069)

CD digipack with 8-page booklet featuring photography by B+.

£8.00
 

Digital

SAVE TO SPOTIFY

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MP3 (BFDNL069)
£5.00
 
16-bit WAV (BFDNL069W)
£7.00
 

Physical

Digital

2xLP (BF069)

2LP heavyweight 180g clear vinyl housed in a 5mm spined sleeve with prismatic foil detail. Photography by B+. Includes MP3 download code.

£24.00
SAVE TO SPOTIFY

Add this release to your Spotify account now

You will be asked to login with your Spotify Account

Read our Terms & Conditions about this service here

CD (BFCD069)

CD digipack with 8-page booklet featuring photography by B+.

£8.00
MP3 (BFDNL069)
£5.00
16-bit WAV (BFDNL069W)
£7.00

Bundles

Bundle Up - Create your own custom bundle and get a discount off your final purchase.

Tracklist

  • CD
  • 2xLP
  • MP3
  • 16-bit WAV
  1. 1
    Live For Today
  2. 2
    All Around The World
    Release only
  3. 3
    A Letter To My Buggers
  4. 4
    Addiction
  5. 5
    Sexy
  6. 6
    There’s No Turning Back
  7. 7
    Resistance
  8. 8
    Sundae  (featuring N’Dambi)
  9. 9
    Just Reach For The Stars
  10. 10
    Love
  11. 11
    Giant Feelings  (featuring Patrice Quinn and Techdizzle)
  12. 12
    Walk Free
  13.  
    Play All (11)
  1. 1
    Live For Today
  2. 2
    All Around The World
    Release only
  3. 3
    A Letter To My Buggers
  4. 4
    Addiction
  5. 5
    Sexy
  6. 6
    There’s No Turning Back
  7. 7
    Resistance
  8. 8
    Sundae  (featuring N’Dambi)
  9. 9
    Just Reach For The Stars
  10. 10
    Love
  11. 11
    Giant Feelings  (featuring Patrice Quinn and Techdizzle)
  12. 12
    Walk Free
  13.  
    Play All (11)
  1. 1
    Live For Today
  2. 2
    All Around The World
    Release only
  3. 3
    A Letter To My Buggers
  4. 4
    Addiction
  5. 5
    Sexy
  6. 6
    There’s No Turning Back
  7. 7
    Resistance
  8. 8
    Sundae  (featuring N’Dambi)
  9. 9
    Just Reach For The Stars
  10. 10
    Love
  11. 11
    Giant Feelings  (featuring Patrice Quinn and Techdizzle)
  12. 12
    Walk Free
  13.  
    Play All (11)
  1. 1
    Live For Today
  2. 2
    All Around The World
    Release only
  3. 3
    A Letter To My Buggers
  4. 4
    Addiction
  5. 5
    Sexy
  6. 6
    There’s No Turning Back
  7. 7
    Resistance
  8. 8
    Sundae  (featuring N’Dambi)
  9. 9
    Just Reach For The Stars
  10. 10
    Love
  11. 11
    Giant Feelings  (featuring Patrice Quinn and Techdizzle)
  12. 12
    Walk Free
  13.  
    Play All (11)

Brainfeeder is proud to present “Resistance” - a 2018 Funk odyssey by keyboard maestro, vocalist, composer, producer, arranger and astral traveller Brandon Coleman. A regular fixture in the Kamasi Washington band, wylin’ out on the keys or wielding his keytar, he is introduced onstage at gigs as “Professor Boogie” by his longtime friend and collaborator. “Resistance” represents a new chapter in the Funk dynasty that spans George Clinton / Parliament Funkadelic and Zapp through t...

Brainfeeder is proud to present “Resistance” - a 2018 Funk odyssey by keyboard maestro, vocalist, composer, producer, arranger and astral traveller Brandon Coleman. A regular fixture in the Kamasi Washington band, wylin’ out on the keys or wielding his keytar, he is introduced onstage at gigs as “Professor Boogie” by his longtime friend and collaborator. “Resistance” represents a new chapter in the Funk dynasty that spans George Clinton / Parliament Funkadelic and Zapp through to Dr. Dre, DJ Quik and Dam Funk as the Los Angeles resident salutes his musical heroes - Herbie Hancock, Peter Frampton, Roger Troutman - and honours their ethos of freedom and experimentation in his search for Funk’s future.

“Resistance” is a powerful statement from an artist who is passionate about hybridity and innovation - stitching together threads from jazz, disco, boogie, R&B, electro, soul and Funk. “I’ve been in the studio a lot in recent years, writing with this or that artist and I always felt constrained… like I had to compromise and submit to a ‘pop’ sensibility,” he explains. “This time I just wanted to create something that was really free… something original… to incorporate all the styles that I represent, because often when I’ve tried to do that in the past it’s been met with resistance.”

The list of artists with whom Coleman has collaborated is simultaneously inspiring and exhausting. From Ciara to Mulatu Astatke and Childish Gambino to Shuggie Otis… but one of his most consistent studio partners during the last decade has been R&B icon Babyface. “I’ve learned a lot from him… working on countless projects… he would just call me at any time and say: ‘Hey man, I’m in the studio with Aretha Franklin at the piano and I want you to come in and help us arrange some songs.’ And I would be like: ‘Erm ok, I’m on my way’,” he shakes his head and laughs. “Those experiences shaped the way I hear and appreciate music”.

Coleman’s epiphany came aged 16 when he’d only really just taken up piano. “My brother gave me a Herbie Hancock record - ‘Sunlight’,” he says. “I put it on and just kept listening to it on repeat ‘cos I couldn’t fathom how he was singing like that… it sounded electric. That was it for me.” Utterly bewitched by the marriage of human touch and robotic texture in those vocals, he moved on to Peter Frampton and Roger Troutman (celebrated for their mastery of the talk box) and decided to create his own signature synth patch for his vocals. “I wanted to take it further… if Siri could sing, this is how Siri would sing,” he laughs.

It is fitting that “Resistance” should arrive on the imprint founded by Flying Lotus - a perpetual free-thinker and champion of genre-exploding. “I can remember the first time I met him,” says Brandon. “It was at a ‘Suite For Ma Dukes’ rehearsal with Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and I walked in and noticed this mad set-up with crazy pedals and stuff and I’m usually the guy who has that. Who the hell does this guy think he is, doing what I do but different gear?… and then I was like ‘Holy shit - this is Flying Lotus!’” The pair have subsequently worked together on music for Bladerunner, FlyLo’s directorial debut Kuso and Brandon plays on “Until The Quiet Comes” and “You’re Dead!” too. It was an easy decision to sign the album to Brainfeeder: “It just feels like family, y’know?”, he explains. “Stephen [Thundercat] is there… plus I’ve toured a lot with Kamasi and the type of shows we were playing - the venues and the crowds - it wasn’t a jazz audience and I dug that. I feel like that was something that Brainfeeder brought to the table”.