Earth, Wind, and Fire's Greatest Hits? No, That’s “Private Space”

Get ahead of Spotify’s algorithm with Hummingbird’s Music Feeder, a dose of invigorating and soul-pleasing tunes

With this Feeder, we feature a romantic, funky album from Durand Jones & The Indications, wise words from John Lisi, and new music from Hyde, Ray Vaughn, Elujay & HXNS, and more. Make sure to subscribe, forward, or share if you’re enjoying the music!

Durand Jones & The Indications — Private Space

Bringing a tried and true funk/disco formula to Private Space, Durand Jones & The Indications prove that groovy basslines and romantic lyrics will never go out of style. Tapping in falsetto Aaron Jones on all but two tracks, Durand Jones & The Indications struck gold with Private Space, a pleasing and playful selection of songs that are highly replayable and palatable for many audiences.

The group shows that it’s foolish to assume a strong organization can’t survive with two leaders, as Durand Jones and Aaron Frazier balance lead singer duties throughout the album. Jones brings the soul, and Frazier brings an innocent romanticism, making for a well-rounded palette. 

Expanding past their typical neo-soul and into the realms of funk and disco, the group’s optimistic worldview and harmony are in full effect from the opening seconds of the album, as they sing that “Love Will Work It Out.” With nimble basslines and a bright xylophone, the track serves as a tone-setter for an album that can switch tempo at a moment’s notice without jarring audiences.

The second track, “Witchoo,” gives off the feeling that The Indications would be an absolute wonder to see perform live. Frazier gets his unofficial introduction to the album, taking center stage with a fast pace; “I know you came with your friends but who you leaving with.” He continues, singing; “If the drinks keep flowing I can go all night witchoo,” on top of a bumping, rustling beat with sound effects of a lively party in the background. “Witchoo” is a song that’ll have people dancing for years to come.

After the quick tempo of “Witchoo,” the band settles into their rhythm, opting for swooning love songs over the rest of the album. With “Private Space,” the album’s namesake, Frazier, and the band do well to curate an intimate environment, featuring bright strings and a prominent bass guitar section.

“Ride or Die” sees the lead singers take a more breathy approach, giving their lovers the feeling that their passions on the first few songs aren’t just temporary feelings. It’s a divine soundtrack to falling in love.

The Indications pull off a difficult feat with this album; keeping up their momentum over an extended run-time, the album stands at 40 minutes with no dull moments. While no other song will make your hips shake like “Witchoo,” the group maintains audience interest with tight instrumentation and earwormy grooves. 

Invoking the funk and boogie legends of the past, like Earth, Wind, and Fire, The Gap Band, and The Isley Brothers, this album is endlessly entertaining. They might not be as explosively popular as their predecessors, but maybe that adds to their allure — we’re all a part of their Private Space.

Ultimately, Durand Jones & The Indications can serve as a bright light in a dark and trying world, with rising COVID-19 cases and a burning globe. When they sing about how love will make things work out, or about how you should just reach out if you need anything, it feels like things can work out. Use Private Space as a way to re-energize yourself when life seems too challenging.

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Hear from Hummingbird’s Nest: John Lisi Speaks on Risk & Growth

John Lisi’s 2021 album, I Hope This Feels Good, sees the young artist shine his creative flashlight deeper into the winding cave that is a budding career in music.

The album, which I love dearly and wrote about last week, takes cues from a variety of genres and shows Lisi as an young, dynamic talent capable of shifting tempos and intentions with a song’s notice.

I Hope This Feels Good is a fantastic representation of Lisi’s personal philosophy that growth is reliant on taking risks and saying ‘yes’ to daunting opportunities. For Lisi, that risk is releasing music. While he plays music constantly at the Berklee College of Music, he’s had trouble feeling comfortable presenting a cohesive body of work to the public.

In order to keep himself on schedule, he decided to make each song in a day, forcing himself to produce the album’s 10 songs in 10 days. While the time constraint brought its challenges, it was ultimately successful.

“Like a lot of musicians, I have a big problem with creating half-baked ideas and never doing anything with them,” he says. “There was a lot of inhibition at first, because I’m used to being very critical and particular about every detail of a song.”

Read the rest of the article on our website!

Tune In: Best Drops of the Past Few Weeks 

Hyde ~ SEEDS

Sporting an impressive vocal range and a keen ear for focused production, Hyde’s debut EP is vulnerable, bright, and full of potential. Much of the songs on the EP feature Hyde’s signature high-pitched harmonies wielded calmly, as to keep from being too airy or atmospheric. Priding herself on being her own manager, Hyde is a multi-talented artist worth keeping tabs on going forward.

Ryal ~ Suit Yourself

Continuing a strong run of singles in 2021, Ryal dedicated this song to the relationships lost during the pandemic. Poignant as ever, the track will be helpful for many listeners that are looking for silver linings in a persistent pandemic.

Phantomelo ~ Space Prom

A toned-down, surf-rock ballad about experiencing climate change from space, Phantomelo’s new song is an endearing reminder that we can always take new perspectives on life.

Syd & Smino ~ Right Track

Syd’s new album is about to be fire if she keeps this up. With the already-released love ballad “Fast Car” and now this smooth hip-hop tune with Smino, Syd is giving fans plenty of reasons to be excited about a new solo album

Ari Lennox ~ Pressure

Ari’s unstoppable on fast-tempo, bubbly tracks. “Pressure” is full of momentum and sings about Ari’s romantic preferences in a playful fashion. If she’s in album mode, we’re all about to be blessed.

Bicoastal ~ A Million Miles

Marking Bicoastal’s first single of 2021, “A Million Miles” is a bright re-introduction to the artist, a sprawling composition. The song sees Bicoastal gain confidence with his voice — instrumental proficiency has been a trademark of his music since the beginning.

Host Body ~ Every Night

Host Body’s debut single is aching and engaging, with lyrics about life passing them by. Masterfully mixed, “Every Night,” is a sign of compelling alt-rock music to come — tight guitar and drum sections breathe life into emotionally trying and well-delivered lyrics.

There are plenty more exciting releases as of late - see the whole roundup on our website.

Ray Vaughn ~ Peer Pressure

With a barking delivery and tough-as-nails production, Ray Vaughn’s debut for Top Dawg Entertainment, the same label as Kendrick Lamar, SZA, and Isaiah Rashad, is explosive and attention-grabbing.

Two-Headed Deer ~ Music I Should’ve Released a Long Time Ago Pt. 1

With intricate instrumentation and a calm composition, Two-Headed Deer’s second streaming-services release is refreshing and easy to replay.

Elujay & HXNS ~ 1080p

With a flow as light as a cloud, Elujay’s romantic vocals swoon about a high-definition lover atop an up-tempo, engaging beat delivered by HXNS.

Planet Giza ~ FTW

A brooding, dark track, “FTW” is a noble claim for Planet Giza, who are clearly tired of being called underrated.