Alice Russell - My Favourite Letters - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

TO DUST will be the first solo album from Alice Russell since 2008s POT OF GOLD, and marks the next step forward in a remarkable career. Whether on a big stage with her 16 piece band, charming a crowd of 4000 into staying out dancing in the rain (as she did at Montreal Jazz Festival) or rocking out an intimate club with a stripped-down six piece, Alices natural talent and charisma have always commanded attention and affection.

After the enormous success of My Favorite Letters, Alice Russell returns with a second collection of collaborations, remixes and alternate takes. Already established as a gifted vocalist and songwriter in her own right, the 13 tracks chosen for 'Under the Munka Moon II' serve as a testament, not only to the breadth of Alice's appeal, but also to her versatility as an artist. Alice switches genres with natural grace and style, aided and abetted by her musical co-conspirators. Highlights include a certified future classic from the hugely popular Bugz in the Attic, who transform 'Could Heaven Ever Be Like This' by Japanese electronica don Susumu Yokota into a funky broken beat number, perfect for those long summer nights. The Boub remix of 'Hurry on Now' twists the original into a head-nodding, hip-swinging 80s inspired reggae number. Nu Tone deliver an infectious, jazzy drum & bass roller while Bonobo and Wyndham Earl provide laid back, soulful gems. DJ Vadim's acclaimed hip hop re-rub of 'A Fly in the Hand' makes a welcome appearance as does the incendiary Nostalgia 77 cover of 'Seven Nation Army' by the White Stripes. Other collaborators include Unforscene, Natural Self and TM Juke. The album is also peppered with exclusive stripped-down live tracks, which breathe new life into Alice's own back catalogue. In particular, an acoustic cut of 'Mean to Me' forgoes the horns and electronic glitz of the studio version for a seductive vaudevillian folk feel, perfectly tailored for the intimacy of smoky music-hall backrooms or twilight gypsy campfires. Tru T. 2007.

Alice Russell is universally acclaimed as one of the best modern soul voices of our time, while her raw talent and charisma commands attention and affection. The much-loved British soulstress returns with the most personal album of her career. 'I Am' is vulnerable and bold while addressing how we must all work on ourselves to heal - so that we can love and connect with those and the world around us more honestly and with depth. Life, loss and grief have been a central part of this period and a new approach to creating music InchTwo little ones have joined me, and one has left - my dad passed away the summer after 'To Dust' was released. The day after my Dad's funeral, I found out I was pregnant with my first little one.Inch Alice continues InchThe grief journey has cracked me open and created a more urgent need to be focused and try to go deeper with how I communicate creatively and who I AM today, and I welcome it with open armsInch. Written and produced alongside long-time collaborator TM Juke, 'I Am' is the first offering of new music from the iconic singer in over a decade and marks a new era in the remarkable career of the down-to-earth vocal powerhouse. This summer, Alice graced the main stage of Gilles Peterson's We Out Here, supported Nile Rogers and performed as part of a tribute to Aretha Franklin across France, marking her return to the stage, where she belongs.