Prince is set to roll out three albums this year, all without the help of a record label. According to an interview with the Los Angeles Times, "a major retailer" in the U.S. will handle the Purple One's upcoming, and tentatively titled, albums, MPLSOUND, Lotus Flower and Elixir, while a new Prince website will sell each digitally.
After receiving "a summons to Prince's mansion," Times journalist Ann Powers was given a taste of the records by the artist currently known as Prince, with the songwriter saying he's no longer working with a record label because "the gatekeepers have to change."
As for record one, MPLSOUND, Powers described it as an "electro-flavoured solo effort" that finds Prince experimenting with Pro Tools and "'new ways of recording' on these trippy, experimental pop songs." Apparently, one track features a collaboration with rapper Q-Tip.
Lotus Flower is reportedly a more guitar-driven album, which Prince said is the result of him touring as the guitarist in Tamar Davis's band in 2006. The album is described as "varied," with standouts including the apocalyptic "Dreamer," a track partly inspired by comedian Dick Gregory, as well as a cover of Tommy James and the Shondells' "Crimson & Clover," and "Colonized Mind" and "Wall of Berlin."
The last of the three records, Elixir, will be a co-effort with Prince and his protégé, Bria Valente, which was recorded because "we got sick of waiting for Sade to make a new album," Price said.
Prince gave no word on when any of these records would be released or which retailer would be handling them.
Prince's last album, Planet Earth, hit back in 2007 and was given away in the UK with copies of the Mail on Sunday newspaper.
A guitar-driven Prince (see the 3:30 mark)
After receiving "a summons to Prince's mansion," Times journalist Ann Powers was given a taste of the records by the artist currently known as Prince, with the songwriter saying he's no longer working with a record label because "the gatekeepers have to change."
As for record one, MPLSOUND, Powers described it as an "electro-flavoured solo effort" that finds Prince experimenting with Pro Tools and "'new ways of recording' on these trippy, experimental pop songs." Apparently, one track features a collaboration with rapper Q-Tip.
Lotus Flower is reportedly a more guitar-driven album, which Prince said is the result of him touring as the guitarist in Tamar Davis's band in 2006. The album is described as "varied," with standouts including the apocalyptic "Dreamer," a track partly inspired by comedian Dick Gregory, as well as a cover of Tommy James and the Shondells' "Crimson & Clover," and "Colonized Mind" and "Wall of Berlin."
The last of the three records, Elixir, will be a co-effort with Prince and his protégé, Bria Valente, which was recorded because "we got sick of waiting for Sade to make a new album," Price said.
Prince gave no word on when any of these records would be released or which retailer would be handling them.
Prince's last album, Planet Earth, hit back in 2007 and was given away in the UK with copies of the Mail on Sunday newspaper.
A guitar-driven Prince (see the 3:30 mark)
