A series of stellar EPs from Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, great tracks from Shine and the Moonbeams, Uncle Jumbo, Flor Bromley and Ashley Mills Monaghan, and a look at a very interesting act from New Zealand.
This week, we focus on some of my new kindie finds from across the globe and many dimensions!
The Figments of Polyglot Mixtapes
(Secret Agent 23 Skidoo)
Photo from Facebook page of artist mentioned above
One of kindie's well-known names is Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. He has been making hip-hop inspired kindie music since around the mid 2000s. And he has had another stellar hit on his hand with the "Figments of Polyglot" mixtapes. This is such a wonderful feat for the said artist for many reasons.
First: its release pattern. He releases a new EP with 5 songs every month. And how many EPs did he drop? He made 12 of em! One EP and five songs every month of the year!
And second: The themes of each song. They vary from song to song and they give off so much variety and you never really know what will be covered in the next song. Like for example: One song is called "Laugh at Life", about the wonder of comedy. It shows off what a good feeling it is to have a laugh every once in a while. Another is called "Right by my Side" about finding joy and happiness when you're in a community. I also like "Do You" as it tackles individuality, and uniqueness, and "Neurolink" as it pictures a totally new universe where technology controls all aspects of life.
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo has had a great display of imagination, poetry, philanthropy, and amazing word play. There has never been a kid's album with that kind of multiversal coverage before, nor an album that perfectly and equally blends the worlds of fact, fiction, sci-fi, and fantasy. It also has a vibe similar to mainstream hip-hop, with some influences from the 80s, 90s, and some modern funk interspersed throughout the album.
The overall feel and sound of this album, without a doubt, takes kid's hip-hop to a whole new level, and it certainly is at par with the likes of Ariana Grande, Chainsmokers, The Weekend, and Daft Punk.
Everyone else thought it was impossible, but despite the pandemic, the Secret Agent certainly has managed to achieve it and go all-out with these sensational songs. Children's music has never seen, or heard, the likes of this.
It's an exquisitely made, spectacular, and mind-blowing endeavor. And it's definitely an over the top creation. It really is worth checking out.
ARTIST SOCIALS
Shooting Star
(Shine and the Moonbeams)
This is another stellar kindie track. It comes from a soul-inspired band based in Brooklyn, New York. They had went into the limelight in 2013. This is off of thier second album, titled Shooting Stars.
It has to be, a very wonderful and upbeat reassurance that you have a special place in the world. And with that soul influence, it must be something that will make you wanna get up and move. A very moving anthem about your place in the world.
Shine and the Moonbeams here have a very good point here, and also mix that in with music that sounds very organic and original, with some influential spatterings based on classic soul and rock, like as if Motown met Elvis or something like that. And with a James Brown-styled musical delivery, they will have ya groovin and will introduce the younger generation to the wonderful world of soul music.
A perfectly made reminder of your potential in the world.
ARTIST SOCIALS:
Let's Make Cookies
(Ashley Mills Monaghan)
Ashley Mills Monaghan may be a newcomer to the kindie scene, but she has a very cool song up her sleeve.
This was put out on December 12, 2020, just in time for a so-called "pandemic Christmas" as families started to make cookies for the holidays.
It makes the chore of making cookies a little more fun. There are parts where she sings about the cookie-making process in detail, and that part gets a little silly as irrelevant ingredients are added in the mix. It may provoke a few laughs, but this may be helpful in putting the fun in cookie making.
I like the silly and fun elements that this song has. It makes me laugh a little and it's also reminiscent of shows such as Blue's Clues. I also love the opening verse of "I like it when we get this time/The time I spend with you" as it reflects on family love and it's very heartfelt and hits me very much. It's like a warm hug, but in a song.
If you like this, I also recommend her other song, "Wiggles". It's also fun and uplifting. Anything from Ashley Mills Monaghan is fun to sing and dance to.
ARTIST SOCIALS
Put Your Mask On
(Uncle Jumbo feat. Mil's Trills)
When Amelia Robinson, aka Mil's Trills put out her song, "Put Your Pants On", it got quite catchy and people had seemed to enjoy that. So when the calls for mask-wearing in the pandemic came, she called upon emerging kids hip-hop artist Uncle Jumbo who hit it with his breakout, "Roly Poly". And what happened? They remade "Put Your Pants On" and added Jumbo's signature catchy urban beats to make quite a meaningful and fun song that reminds people of the power of face masks.
A wonderful collaboration indeed, putting together the folk sounds of Mil's Trills and the funky grooves of Uncle Jumbo to get families to mask together to fight COVID-19. It's gonna make you really wanna get up and dance to this cool track, and it's the kind of coolness and fast-moving grooves you've come to expect from Uncle Jumbo.
Like this one? I recommend his other albums, Garden Groove and Body Movin'. Both are fun and enjoyable. As for Mil's Trills, her album, Everyone Together Now! is also worth checking out.
ARTIST SOCIALS
Uncle Jumbo:
Mil's Trills:
In The Orchestra
(fleaBITE)
One of the freshest kindie names ever to come out of New Zealand is a group called "Fleabite" (stylized as "fleaBITE") and they have a very good hit on their hands.
Their fifth album, called "Snakes Alive" has a zany, silly, amusing, and vaudeville and music hall inspired rhythms. They have not only gone all out with this one, they also went all in by making these amazing new songs. And they can really entertain you in a way you would not expect.
I particularly like the one called "In the Orchestra" and it describes the instruments of an orchestra in quite a hilarious manner with a Dr. Seuss-themed motif and the Broadway-styled vibe really makes me feel as if this is from a musical. As a Broadway-obsessed teen, I can say it's very good theatrical material.
I also like "What does Music Smell Like?". It's got quite a funky, folksy, and jazzy style. It's also very reminiscent of the sounds Lucy Kalantari, and also is fun to listen to, as it amazing and hilariously describes the many ways you can hear music.
A wonderful and dramatically inspired album that takes you back to the good old days of music hall.
ARTIST SOCIALS
WEBSITE: https://www.fleabite.co.nz/
We Came to America
(Flor Bromley)
This song from the Latina-American kids musician Flor Bromley, from her latest album, Fiesta Global, is one of my favorite new kindie releases in the recent months. Why?
As America suffered from a year littered with racial reckoning and had seen people expressing their origins and their place in the diversity of the United States, this serves as a wonderful reminder of how it all began.
Every single lyric here sends a message that yes, the world came to America to start a whole new life and make it better that their countries of origin.
This song is for me, a beautiful and moving musical tribute to those who travelled across oceans and sacrificed everything just so they can fulfil the American Dream. And it's a timely reminder that the world came to America seeking something better, as people have been silencing and belittling the "big dreamers" just for a "America First" agenda. I admire her for this wonderful song that tells us that America really is a melting pot of people wanting to have better lives, and their lives matter and their stories deserve to be told for all the world to see.
A moving and uplifting anthem you should not fail to miss. It will change your views on America.
Like this one? Then check out the rest of the album, Fiesta Global, as it is a celebration of global celebrations. It also features my other kindie favorite, 123 Andres and kindie jazz master Jazzy Ash. I'd recommend you check out this very artistic kindie piece.
ARTIST SOCIALS
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Website: https://florbromleymusic.com/
And there you have it! More great kindie picks coming next week!
COMING SOON: Station Spotlight: Where I feature a great radio station/podcast for kids and families!
