When it comes to talent spotting, Pete Tong isn’t often wrong – and amillionsons, an act he first picked out years ago, is back on the scene with a very special release. We caught up with the Nottingham-based artists on Misti Blu Two, featuring vocals from legendary soul siblings Taka Boom, Chaka Khan and Mark Stevens.
The genre-melting electro collective amillionsons is one of our city’s most modestly magical musical gems. After an extended break, the trio’s back with a bang with the re-invention of an exceptional track featuring lead vocals from Taka Boom – vocalist for The Undisputed Truth, Prince and George Clinton – alongside her siblings Mark Stevens and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Chaka Khan.
We caught up with amillionsons at Sirkus Studios along with Taka Boom, direct from the USA, to discuss transatlantic teamwork, creativity and the legacy of legendary music.
Misti Blu Two is a work of art. As well as its distinctive blissed-out vibe and reinvention of a timeless soul song, what makes the track exceptional are its vocals
Once described by DJ, producer and label owner Pete Tong as “just about the coolest thing to come out of Nottingham”, amillionsons have re-emerged on the music scene after a ten-year hiatus, much to the delight of long-time fans of their sound – a combination of sophisticated sampling, intelligent electronics and intricate vocals.
A talented trio named after a lyric from The Beatles’ Across the Universe, amillionsons first made an impact on the scene in the early 2000s, with a dreamy track called Misti Blu. The last record to be personally signed by Tong to FFRR, the release left a lasting mark on the music landscape.
With a distinctive Balearic, downtempo electronic style, amillionsons began life as individual musicians and DJs running club nights in Nottingham, playing soul and funk music.
Made up of producer/musicians Andy Kulesza and Robin Junga and producer/DJ Matt Shelton, the group took a ten-year-ish break in 2012. “Life got in the way,” they explain. The band (“although we’re not really a band”) made a triumphant return in September 2023 with the remaster of their now rare LP The First One’s Free on global digital release.
Now, perhaps even more special, is a re-creation of their remarkable Noughties track, Misti Blu – to be released on 24 May 2024 on Ill Kid Records via Kycker Music.
Celebrating twenty years since the initial release, Misti Blu Two is a work of art. As well as its distinctive blissed-out vibe and reinvention of a timeless soul song, what makes the track exceptional are its vocals – provided by none other than Taka Boom, acclaimed soul singer and sister of the ten-time Grammy award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Chaka Khan. It’s a family affair, as the track also features Khan herself – and the duo’s brother, Mark Stevens.
The first version of Misti Blu centres around vocals from a 1966 country song entitled Misty Blue by Wilma Burgess, which was covered a decade later by blues artist Dorothy Moore, who received a Grammy nomination for her version – becoming a Top Five international hit.
Amillionsons member Matt loved the Dorothy Moore version, playing it on repeat until his bandmates agreed to chop and remix it into a bootleg track that was quickly picked up by industry aficionados Steve Lamacq, Mary Anne Hobbs and Pete Tong.
When it was clear that the track deserved to be released properly, amillionsons enlisted the help of Taka Boom who was, handily, a contact of the band’s then-manager.
I was so happy to work on this project with my brother Mark and sister Chaka. It’s a family project, which makes it special to me – singing with them just makes me so happy.
“We were thrilled when Taka decided to take us up on our offer of working with us – she also knew the song, and loved it,” says Andy, who has developed a close friendship with the American artist over the years.
Signed to London Records/WMG, Misti Blu was a resounding success, with one of its early supporters Mary Anne Hobbs making a cameo in the music video.
For the 2024 re-creation of Misti Blu, amillionsons have gone back to the drawing board, reimagining the song and re-recording the vocals with the original trio of artists.
Taka Boom was born Yvonne Stevens in 1954, in Chicago, Illinois. Her past endeavours include vocals for classic Chicago house tracks such Must be the Music by Dave Lee (formerly known as Joey Negro). Taka was lead vocalist with Motown powerhouse The Undisputed Truth and backing vocalist for numerous Prince tracks, as well as being part of George Clinton’s Parliament. Taka describes amillionsons as close friends of hers, and “such a talented group of musicians”.
“It’s an absolute pleasure to work with these gentlemen,” she says. “We reconnected musically after ten years, although we’ve kept in contact personally ever since the first release of Misti Blu, a song that has always had a special place in my heart. I’m so happy to be part of this new release – it feels like the right thing to do, to get the track out there again, share it with new audiences.”
Taka is the star of the show when it comes to Misti Blu Two – she’s the featured artist. However, as Matt remembers: “We joked ‘can you bring your sister along with you when you come to the studio?’– and she did… and her brother! So, they all feature on the track, which is quite remarkable.”
Taka adds: “I was so happy to work on this project with my brother Mark and sister Chaka. It’s a family project, which makes it special to me – singing with them just makes me so happy.”
A blend of nostalgia and newness, Misti Blu Two is out on 24 May. It’s a reminder of why amillionsons are described in the press as “one of the most exciting bands to emerge from the British dance scene since Massive Attack.”
Look out for this and future releases, including an exciting collaboration with Faithless and Above & Beyond vocalist Zoë Johnston. It’s fair to say that amillionsons is a group that, without the inflated ego that sometimes accompanies such talent, “just wants to make good music.”
Misti Blu Two by amillionsons ft. Taka Boom with Chaka Khan and Mark Stevensis out on Ill Kid Records via Kycker Music on 24 May 2024
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