El Michels Affair
El Michels Affair is an American funk and soul group founded by New York-based musician Leon Michels.
| El Michels Affair | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Genres |
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| Years active | 2000-present |
| Labels | Big Crown, Truth & Soul, Fat Beats |
| Associated acts | Menahan Street Band, The Arcs, Wu-Tang Clan, The Shacks, Lee Fields, Freddie Gibbs |
| Website | elmichelsaffair |
Michels played with Soul Fire Records house band The Mighty Imperials before forming his own ensemble in 2002.[1] This group released singles for Soul Fire and for Misty, a sublabel of Daptone Records, as well as a full-length album which was released on the Michels-cofounded label Truth & Soul Records in 2005.[1] After performing with Raekwon at a concert, the group began working with other members of the Wu-Tang Clan and covered several of their songs for vinyl single releases.[1] By 2009, this had yielded an album's worth of material, which was released in 2009 as Enter the 37th Chamber, the name is a play on the album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).[2] El Michels Affair followed this with a second album of arrangements of songs by Wu-Tang Clan and from its members' solo releases, titled Return to the 37th Chamber.[3][4]
Discography
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Sounding Out The City | Truth & Soul |
| 2010 | Enter The 37th Chamber | Fat Beats |
| 2016 | Return To The 37th Chamber | Big Crown |
| 2020 | Adult Themes | Big Crown |
| 2021 | Yeti Season | Big Crown |
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Walk On By (A Tribute To Isaac Hayes) | Truth & Soul |
| 2014 | Loose Change | Truth & Soul |
| Year | Title | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Detroit Twice b/w Too Late To Turn Back | 7" | Misty |
| 2005 | Creation b/w Behind The Blue Curtains | 7" | Truth & Soul |
| 2006 | C.R.E.A.M b/w Glaciers of Ice | 7" | Truth & Soul |
| 2006 | Duel of The Iron Mic b/w Bring Da Ruckus | 7" | Truth & Soul |
| 2008 | Musings To Myself b/w Spread Your Soul | 7" | Truth & Soul |
| 2016 | 4th Chamber b/w Snakes | 7" | Big Crown |
| 2016 | Tearz b/w Verbal Intercourse | 7" | Big Crown |
| 2016 | Strange Boy b/w No Surprise | 7" | Big Crown |
| 2017 | Shadow Boxin b/w Iron Maiden | 7" | Big Crown |
| 2018 | Never Be Another You | 7" | Big Crown |
| 2018 | Unathi b/w Zaharilia | 7" | Big Crown |
| 2019 | 12345678910 | Digital | Big Crown |
| 2020 | Reasons feat. Bobby Oroza b/w Hipps | 7" | Big Crown |
References
- El Michels Affair at Allmusic
- Review of Enter the 37th Chamber. Pitchfork Media, May 11, 2009.
- Review of Enter the 37th Chamber. Consequence of Sound, April 25, 2017.
- Review of Enter the 37th Chamber. Allmusic.