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Sounds like: Bonobo, Nujabes

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What’s so good?
Chill out. Seriously. Put those legs up, get a cup of warm tea, and melt to the sounds of Emancipator’s new album, Safe in the Steep Cliffs. You will be greeted by “dense layers of choirs, horns, American folk instruments such as the banjo and mandolin, violin and some distinct Asian influences make for a playful but refined album built out of intricate tracks listeners can enjoy on as many levels as they want. Dance to it, chill out to it, immerse your mind in it. It really doesn’t matter.”

Emancipator rose to fame out of the blue, only playing his first live show (opening for Bonobo) in July of 2009. He’s toured with the likes of Bassnectar, drawn attention in Japan, and had one of his songs featured at the Beijing Olympics. The Olympics, of course, were well before his first live show, so just how popular is Emancipator? Well, his mashup of Sigur Ros and Mobb Deep for the song “Shook” managed to top Hypem’s “Best 50 Songs of 2007,” and continues, to this day, to draw attention. Check it out here:

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‘Safe In The Steep Cliffs’ represents the tightest, most unique, most organic beats I’ve made in the last three years. This album has a new palette of sounds and samples from around the world, including more original recordings (guitar/violin/mandolin/banjo) and new guest artists including Japanese jazz musician Uyama Hiroto. It’s ominous and overgrown, dense and ethereal. And epic. Always epic -Doug Appling/ Emancipator

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/emancipator