John Morrison’s Philly Top 5: The legend of The Philadelphia Experiment, a rap cult classic and more

By the time you read this, my first book, Boyz II Men 40th Anniversary Celebration will be in stores and (hopefully) on bookshelves everywhere. The process of researching and writing the book has been the most intensive thing I’ve ever done and I’m relieved and overjoyed that it’s finally out in the world. For as much as May has been a month for unveiling new things, I’ve also discovered some old bangers. In addition to a handful of cool reissues that have caught my ear, Philly’s music scene continues to drop new bangers for us all to enjoy. Here are five of the top releases that have graced my turntables and lit up my speakers this month.

Boyz II Men – Cooleyhighharmony

After spending nearly two years of working on the book, Cooleyhighharmony still holds up as  favorite Boyz II Men album. A strong and lean release, the album’s balance between soft ballads and uptempo jams points to the band’s desire to bridge the gulf between hip-hop and R&B. While Dallas Austin’s production is stellar throughout, the group’s impossibly rich and complex vocal harmonies are the real star of the show here. Everybody knows the hit single “Motownphilly,” but listeners would be well-served to revisit songs like “Under Pressure” and the album’s titanic opener “Please Don’t Go.”

G I N A – Spaced Out

Spaced Out is the latest EP from G I N A, a DJ/Producer who’s been a central figure in Philly’s dance music scene for years. A lean and mean four-track EP, Spaced Out is packed with impossibly dense and heavy dancefloor tracks. “G I N A SPACED OUT” sets things off with a pounding kick, snare and bassline groove that occupies the space between Dark Techno, Acid House and Industrial. “APHRODITE” leads us into much lighter territory with its soaring, uplifting chords. A relentless and energetic project throughout, Spaced Out proves that G I N A’s skill as a selector translates more than translates in the studio.

The Philadelphia Experiment – The Philadelphia Experiment

In  2001, The Philadelphia Experiment released a self-titled album that helped further the case for jazz, funk, and hip-hop as kindred movements of shared cultural origins. Comprised of pianist Uri Caine, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the band carried on in the tradition of Philly  jazz-funk acts like Catalyst, Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble and Grover Washington Jr. From their Philly bop-style cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Trouble Man Theme” to a gorgeous take on Catalyst’s “Ile Ife”, The Philadelphia Experiment is a key entry into the historical lineage of Philly jazz.

The American Dream – 1969 Todd Rundgren Demos

Throughout the late 1960s, The American Dream were Philly legends of sorts. During their brief existence, the band built their reputation by rocking area venues li​​ke Pocket Playhouse and The Electric Factory with their slick mix of power-pop and psychedelia. In 1969, the group recorded a number of studio demos with Todd Rudgren and the result is an impressive document of the band’s power. From the harmony-rich jangle-pop of “Good News” to the rollicking psych anthem “Big Brother,” these recordings remind us how great, yet criminally underrated this band was.

Dumhi – The Jungle (Remastered)

Philly rapper/producer Zilla Rocca’s fantastic Three Dollar Pistol label continues to push out a wealth of quality releases from some of the area’s finest hip-hop acts. This reissue of Dumhi’s 2010 producer album The Jungle will go down as one of the best releases of 2025. Taking its title from a Temple University-produced documentary about young members of a gang around 12th and Oxford in North Philly, The Jungle is a hard-nosed, head-knocking listen. With guest vocals from Ethel Cee, Reef The Lost Cauze, ELUCID, Sean Price and many others, The Jungle has endless replay value and we should all feel grateful that Three Dollar Pistol has resurrected it.