Leon Michels, fresh off an invigorating Coachella set where his long running recording project El Michels Affair performed live for the first time as a full band, stops by KCRW to sling some tunes. Within his guest selects are the sonic blueprints for the record label he operates alongside Danny Akalepse, Big Crown Records. They also reveal inspirations for the production techniques he employs on albums like Lady Wray's acclaimed Piece Of Me, and the way he crafts his own hip-hop-tinged soul compositions — See: Glorious Game, his recent collaboration with razor-tongued emcee Black Thought (The Roots).
Read on for the full rundown of his choice selects, and be sure to catch him this Sunday in the Sonora Tent at Coachella. Last week’s set featured guest appearances from Piya Malik, and Freddie Gibbs. He’s hinted at even more in store for this week.
Sister Nancy – “Bam Bam”
“This is a classic. Her flow on this track is unbelievable. And I think this is the most sampled reggae song.”
Sly & The Family Stone – “Runnin’ Away”
“Basically, if I’m asked what my favorite record is, it’s always gonna be [1971’s] There’s A Riot Goin’ On. Just the sound of it is the perfect combination of lo-fi mixed with hi-fi. To me, this song is like a little world that’s kind of claustrophobic, but also super comforting. Essentially, the whole record is just the perfect sounding record.”
Harold Melvin – “Get Out”
“This is one that I just discovered, but me and my kids have been jamming to it pretty hard. It’s also maybe the most upbeat breakup song about girl cheating on you.”
Brainstory – “Bye Bye”
“The homies. They knew Eduardo from Chicano Batman, and when I was producing the first Chicano Batman record that I worked on [2017’s Freedom Is Free] Eduardo played me some Brainstory demos. I heard “Dead End,” and that was enough. I knew I had to connect with them. They’re also, just like, cool as hell.”