Play (Joanna MacGregor album)

Play is a 2002 album by Joanna MacGregor. The album was released on the SoundCircus label and was a nominee for the Mercury Music Prize.

References

Play (Robyn song)

"Play" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn from her second studio album My Truth (1999). Robyn wrote the track in collaboration with Ulf Lindström and Johan Ekhé, who also helmed production. BMG Sweden released it as the album's second single on 21 July 1999 with the non-album song "Good Thang" as its B-side. Musically, "Play" contains some world music influences and a "playful" vibe.

"Play" received positive critical response and became Robyn's seventh consecutive top 40 entry on the Sverigetopplistan singles chart, where it peaked at number 31. The singer performed the song live while promoting the parent album, but the single itself received limited promotion. As with the album, "Play" was not serviced outside of Sweden.

Background and composition

"Play" was written by Robyn, Ulf Lindström and Johan Ekhé. Lindström and Ekhé recorded Robyn's vocals and produced the track at Lifeline Studios in Stockholm, Sweden. Almnils Erson, Pär-Ola Claesson, Gunilla Markström and Olle Markström played the strings and Niklas Gabrielsson provided handclaps, while Lindström and Ekhé played all other instruments. The duo also managed arrangement and mixing; both these tasks were done at Lifeline Studios. Britta Bergström and Angela Holland sang backing vocals alongside Robyn. Björn Engelmann and Henrik Jonsson were enlisted to master the track at Cutting Room Studios in Stockholm.

Jodeci

Jodeci (Jō'-dě-sē), also known as The Bad Boys of R&B, is an American R&B quartet. Possessed with a singing style that integrates R&B, soul, gospel and new jack swing genres; they enjoyed chart-topping success during the early to mid 90’s hip hop scene. Jodeci consists of two sets of brothers, Cedric and Joel Hailey of Charlotte, North Carolina and Donald and Dalvin DeGrate of Hampton, Virginia; the group's name is a combination of the names from all four members (Jo-De-Ci). Fusing the feisty vocals of the Haileys', joined with the DeGrates' production-musical genius, earned the group three multiplatinum albums until their departure into occasional obscurity, lasting from 1996 to 2014. The Hailey brothers have also performed together as the duo, K-Ci & JoJo, to greater acclaim and further chart success.

History

1983–1991: Formation and Beginnings

Rooted in a strong religious Pentecostal family, the Haileys - then known as “Little Cedric & the Hailey Singers” - originally performed and recorded as a gospel group, releasing three albums ("Jesus Saves", "I’m Alright Now", and "God’s Blessings")."Folks down South used to call K-Ci, the Michael Jackson of gospel". Separately, the DeGrates performed and toured in their own family's gospel group. The Haileys and the DeGrates made acquaintance through relationships the members were in at the time. In a 2011 interview, Dalvin remembered, "there was this girl gospel group called UNITY and then the Don DeGrate Delegation, which Devante and I played in. So we met some of the girls from UNITY and their names were Barbara Jean and Poo-Poo... Well, Poo-Poo was dating K-Ci before we even met. Barbara Jean would always tell us that we need to meet K-Ci and Jojo." A short time after meeting, the brothers started living together, and soon after formed the singing act.