24 Hr Sports (CD)

24 Hr Sports (CD)Leon Michels has quietly become one of the most sought after producers in music. His signature sound has caught the attention of the mainstream while continuing to inspire the underground. His new album 24 Hr Sports marks the highly anticipated return to recording under his moniker, El Michels Affair. 24 Hr Sports was inspired by the fashion and graphic design of 80s & 90s Sports Illustrated magazines, MF DOOMs Special Herbs albums, the sample sources

Leon Michels has quietly become one of the most sought-after producers in music. His signature sound has caught the attention of the mainstream while continuing to inspire the underground.  His new album 24 Hr Sports marks the highly anticipated return to recording under his moniker, El Michels Affair.

24 Hr Sports was inspired by the fashion and graphic design of ‘80s & ‘90s  Sports Illustrated magazines, MF DOOM’s Special Herbs albums, the sample sources used on them, and gospel music a la Pastor T.L. Barrett. The sum of those influences, with Michels’ impeccable creative touch, proves to be the recipe for an instant classic that will surely be one of the most heralded releases of 2025. 

The album opener “Drum Line” is an anthemic, uplifting tune with marching band drumming and thundering brass arrangements that command undivided attention and set the tone for what’s to come. 24 Hr Sports sees a significant departure from the largely instrumental music of the El Michels Affair catalog with a roster of vocal features that manages to mirror the undefinable genre of his music. The first one on the album is “Mágica” which features Brazil’s Rogê. He takes the already pumping energy of the track over the top with his fútbol-inspired lyrics. Moving from Brazil to Ghana, “Say Goodbye” features Florence Adooni who touts her individuality with an effortless swag jumping between Frafra and English, telling it like it is in the earworm chorus, “never gonna find a girl like me…”. Labelmate and world-renowned trumpeter from The Roots, Dave Guy joins the ‘70s groove of “Oakley’s Car Wash” with his distinct horn lines before the track switches lanes, closing with a dubby outro. From raucous to serene, “Anticipate” featuring Clairo picks up on the musical synergy between her and Leon that created 2024’s Charm album. Clairo rides signature EMA arrangements perfectly as she pines for an unattainable love over the band’s airtight instrumentation. “Eastside” is a song that could soundtrack a sunrise over the ocean, putting Leon’s tasteful use of space and arrangement on a pedestal. By way of Japan, The Suginami Children’s Choir join in on the lush “Clean The Line” singing a song about the moon, the sun, and birds. Next, “Cortex” kicks in the door with gritty, distorted guitars and thundering drums, creating a moment of pure cinematic intensity in the middle of the album. Leon himself handles lead vocals on “Shining,” a song about looking for a friend to share the joys of a sunny day with. The universally adored Shintaro Sakamoto is featured on “Indifference”, a swanky tune built on bouncing basslines and flute chops. Shintaro uses the arrangements to go from singing to speaking, musing over a fleeting love.

The Grammy-winning duo of Norah Jones and Michels reunite on “Carry Me Away” with Jones’ honeyed vocals soaring over a track that is hard to place but easy to love. Leon leans into El Michels Affair territory on the tune that sounds decidedly different from the Norah Jones records he has produced. “Take My Hand” puts gospel influence front and center with the Fabulous Rainbow Singers choir on the chorus and a saxophone solo from the late great Rahsaan Roland Kirk. “Open Season”, a mid-tempo, piano-driven number with group vocals chanting “we want the gold, we want the gold…” could soundtrack a slow motion highlight reel, while the aptly titled album closer “Victory Lap” is a dreamy euphoric wind-down worthy of the record that just finished.

Tracklist:

1 Drumline
2 Mágica feat. Rogê
3 24 Hr Sports Theme No. 1
4 Say Goodbye feat. Florence Adooni
5 Oakley’s Car Wash feat. Dave Guy
6 Anticipate feat. Clairo
7 Eastside
8 Clean The Line
9 Cortex
10 Shining
11 24 Hr Sports Theme No. 2
12 Indifference feat. Shintaro Sakamoto
13 Carry Me Away feat. Norah Jones
14 Take My Hand feat. Rahsaan Roland Kirk
15 Open Season
16 Victory Lap