The Midnight Hour is Black excellence: an ode to the cultural sophistication that the Harlem Renaissance established for its people. The Midnight Hour is comprised of Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge, alongside a tight rhythm section and a full orchestra. The album has features from CeeLo Green, Raphael Saadiq, Marsha Ambrosius, Bilal, Eryn Allen Kane, Karolina and more.
Adrian and Ali began working on this album back in 2013, but put the project aside as they would score the hit Netflix series Marvel’s Luke Cage (the two even perform in an episode off the upcoming second season). The Midnight Hour is a soul/jazz/hip hop album which continues the conversations started by yesterday’s jazz and funk pioneers; those that created the bedrock of samples for hip hop producers in the 80s/90s. The Midnight Hour is sophisticated hip hop that fans will enjoy, capturing their jazz rhythm section, and a full orchestra, to analog tape.
One of the seminal compositions, “Questions,” originally began as an unfinished Midnight Hour demo with CeeLo Green. However, Kendrick Lamar heard the track and wanted to sample portions for his GRAMMY-winning album To Pimp a Butterfly (the song ultimately made it to Kendrick’s 2016 compilation Untitled Unmastered as “Untitled 06 | 06.30.2014.”). The full completed version of “Questions” is now the lead single on The Midnight Hour.
“So Amazing” is a reimagining of Luther Vandross‘ 1986 single. Ali and Adrian took Luther’s original vocal stems and composed new music, as if they were in the room with Luther originally. This transcendental recording is something that really makes The Midnight Hour special.
THE MIDNIGHT HOUR
VIDEOS
SHOP
The Midnight Hour is Black excellence: an ode to the cultural sophistication that the Harlem Renaissance established for its people. The Midnight Hour is comprised of Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge, alongside a tight rhythm section and a full orchestra.
The Midnight Hour debuted their self-titled album to great reviews and toured the US extensively. “It was during that tour last year that we decided to record a live album, capturing this new experience. The music you hear in our studio album is how we mean it to sound. But it’s something totally different when we have an audience in front of us. This recording is us wanting to give people a chance to hear what they can expect when they see us live.” On February 22nd, 2019, The Midnight Hour performed in front of a live studio audience at Linear Labs. This was a direct-to-analog tape recording that 200 very lucky fans were a part of.
Live musicians:
Ali Shaheed Muhammad Bass
Adrian Younge Electric Piano
Loren Odon and Angela Muñoz Vocals
Jack Waterson Guitar
David Henderson Drums
Shai Golan Alto Saxophone
Zach Ramacier Trumpet
Korina Davis Violin
Sarah Tarablus Viola
When two of hip-hop’s most accomplished composers get together to make an album you know the results are going to be special. Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest) & Adrian Younge began their work together in 2013 on the critically acclaimed album There Is Only Now and their partnership cemented on their score work for Marvels’ Luke Cage. The Midnight Hour showcases the duo’s songwriting ability like never before.
Lead track and first single “Questions” featuring CeeLo Green is out today and has an unlikely origin story that CeeLo, Adrian and Ali originally explained to Pitchfork back in 2016, when a demo version of the song appeared as a sample on “untitled 06 | 06.30.2014.” off of Kendrick Lamar’s untitled unmastered. project. The completed track perfectly captures the album’s underlying roots in hip-hop’s origins and can be heard HERE.
The 20 track, 61 minute, full length double album, will be released on Linear Labs and distributed digitally by INgrooves and vinyl will be distributed by Traffic Entertainment, world wide on June 8, 2018.
Black Beacon
Mare feat. LadyBug Mecca
It’s You feat. Raphael Saadiq
Questions feat. CeeLo Green
So Amazing feat. Luther Vandross
Gate 54
Do It Together feat. Bilal
Redneph In B Minor
Better Endeavor
Smiling For Me feat. Karolina
Don’t Keep Me Waiting feat. Marsha Ambrosius
Bitches Do Voodoo feat. Angela Munoz
Possibilities feat. Eryn Allen Kane
Mission
Dans Un Moment D’errance feat. Laetitia Sadier Questlove and Keyon Harrold
Love Is Free feat. Eryn Allen Kane
Together Again feat. No I.D. and James Poyser
Feel Alive feat. Karolina and Loren Oden
There Is No Greater Love feat. Loren Oden and Saudia Yasmein
Ravens
MARVEL’S LUKE CAGE – Season Two Original Soundtrack 2XLP. Original Score by Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Illustrations by Sara Deck. Available on 2X 180 Gram Black vinyl.
Mondo Music, in partnership with MARVEL, is proud to present the soundtrack to the Netflix Original Series: MARVEL’S LUKE CAGE Season Two. The all new score by composers Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (The Midnight Hour) is an incredible follow up to one of the best scores of 2016. Set in the aftermath of the first season, our hero has finally cleared his name but finds himself up against an all new opponent that threatens Harlem … the mysterious and powerful Bushmaster.
Recorded in the winter of 2018 in Los Angeles, California, at Blakeslee Studios and Linear Labs Studios, by composers Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad – the score to LUKE CAGE Season Two is just as epic and powerful as the first. Exploring the vast sonic cultural landscape of Harlem, Adrian and Ali have introduced a dub-reggae motif for the character of Bushmaster on top of the classic themes that made the original soundtrack so essential.
Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest) & Adrian Younge began their work together in 2013 on the critically acclaimed album There Is Only Now and their partnership cemented on their score work for Marvels’ Luke Cage. The Midnight Hour is the duo’s long awaited album and it showcases their songwriting ability like never before.
The 20 track, 61 minute, full length double album was released world wide on June 8, 2018.
Black Beacon
Mare feat. LadyBug Mecca
It’s You feat. Raphael Saadiq
Questions feat. CeeLo Green
So Amazing feat. Luther Vandross
Gate 54
Do It Together feat. Bilal
Redneph In B Minor
Better Endeavor
Smiling For Me feat. Karolina
Don’t Keep Me Waiting feat. Marsha Ambrosius
Bitches Do Voodoo feat. Angela Munoz
Possibilities feat. Eryn Allen Kane
Mission
Dans Un Moment D’errance feat. Laetitia Sadier, Questlove and Keyon Harrold
Love Is Free feat. Eryn Allen Kane
Together Again feat. No I.D. and James Poyser
Feel Alive feat. Karolina and Loren Oden
There Is No Greater Love feat. Loren Oden and Saudia Yasmein
Ravens