Envision the perfect stick-up crew in 1980s Detroit making tracks in the middle of the streets transition from heroin to crack – that’s about as close you can get to describing Apollo Brown’s newest instrumental soundtrack “Thirty Eight.” The record came out last week as Apollo’s biggest release to-date – one can’t help but wonder if it’s because of what his instrumentals don’t say as much as what they do. Of course, no one can carve a nasty headnodder with as much soul as Apollo, but he also manages to leave enough room for the listener to imagine their own story. That’s part of the appeal of his instrumental work.

This time around though, Apollo Brown decided to include a one of a kind 5″ bonus vinyl with the CD version of his album. On it are two exclusive songs Apollo made with Pimpstead, New York legend Roc Marciano. The two tracks are a taste of what an album from the two could sound like – something the two would love to do except for extremely busy schedules (Roc is working on a record with The Black Keys; Apollo is currently touring Australia & New Zealand before finishing work with a particular West Coast legend).

Today Apollo Brown unleashes the first of the two full length bonus songs with Roc Marciano “Lonely & Cold.” Enjoy, listen, download the song for free, then pick up the album – out now digitally everywhere, on special edition CD with bonus 5″ vinyl, and on cassette, with the 180 gram vinyl on the way in a mere 2 weeks.

iTunes: Thirty Eight – Apollo Brown