New Track: Let It Go – Jo Cocco ❨ft HAM the Illustrator, MC Solomon & Hughdem❩

French-born London/based producer, multi-instrumentalist and session player JO COCCO released his first solo project via his new production company Joozzy Records, following international success after having collaborated and toured with renowned acts including Aloe Blacc and Gentleman (on Imperfection), Max Romeo, Sly and Robbie, Sara Lugo.

Wanting to face new challenges, JO COCCO relocated to the UK in 2017 where he recently produced The Wise Bloods latest single Turn The Tide (featured on radio BBC4).

As a well-established Reggae and Blues producer as well as guitarist, Jo’s expansion to Hip Hop was just a matter of time and a long term goal of his. He wrote, composed and produced an extremely catchy summer vibes track ‘Let It Go’, mixing Blues with Hip-Hop, influenced by the 70s/80s and guitar sounds reminiscent of BB King.

The song has come a long way since Jo started recording the beat in 2016/2017 in France. It was only in London that he finally found the voices he was looking for. Supporting the local Hip- Hop scene, Jo enlisted three emerging London rap talents: Ham The Illustrator, a Namibian-born rapper, activist and creative who also designed the cover art to ‘Let It Go’; MC Solomon who is a regular performer in the UK live scene and Hughdem, who forms part of the well-established Brixton Hip Hop collective AndWhat (featured on IAmHipHop).

Together they finessed ‘Let It Go’. Check out the video for the track below:

 

Song of the Day: Cooked Food – Vicky Sola

BBC 1Xtra and Capital Xtra supported Brixton Afrofusion singer/songwriter, VICKY SOLA is one to watch this year! She kick starts her 2019 with the exciting new music video for her latest single ‘Cooked Food’, taken from her long awaited and highly anticipated debut EP, which is set for release later this year.

Written by VICKY SOLA, and produced by Delirious, who has previously worked with Tinie Tempah, Lady Leshurr, Stylo G, Mista Silva, among others, ‘Cooked Food’ is an infectious R&B/Pop slanted offering, with unmistakable Afrobeats sensibilities, which is backed by lush piano arrangements and bass heavy drums, and held together nicely by Vicky’s captivating vocal and lyrical performance.

For the ‘Cooked Food’ video, VICKY SOLA took things back to her hometown in Brixton, with the help of burgeoning video director Marika Godwin (Nolay, Trillary Banks, Runtown). Filmed around the vibrant Brixton market, with choreography directed by Patience J (WSTRN, Davido, Tiwa Savage, Emeli Sande), the outcome is a fierce and colourful visual offering that not only brings the record further to life, but also showcases Vicky’s infectious personality and performance prowess.

Check it out below:

New Track: Paranoid – ThBenj

THBENJ is one of those contenders who make his presence known in the rap game with braggadocious tracks, ‘Mumble Acid’ and ‘Louder’.

However the rapper adopts a more soothing and laid-back vibe through his latest single, ‘Paranoid’, which forms part of this forthcoming full-length album, dropping 28th June.

Check out ‘Paranoid’ below:

EP Review: Intermission Vol.1 – Ricardo Williams

The build-up to the release of RICARDO WILLIAMS‘ EP, ‘Intermissions Vol.1′ has been PHENOMENAL, especially when it comes to the Come Over challenge – one of the singles from the collection – which offers different remixes of the original. More recently, R&B queen Teedra Moses graced her soothing vocals on the afterhours joint.

Now, finally, the big man of UK R&B has graced his presence with the eight track set, released via BBC 1Xtra DJ Ace’s label Recordbox late last month.

After the introduction, a very familiar mist of afterhours sets the tone with Williams’ powerful vocal instrumental effortlessly piercing through the bed of feathery soundscapes, starting with the original version of ‘Come Over’. That misty and airy tones continue on all the way through with tracks, ‘He Ain’t Me’ and ‘All I Need’.

In just a few years, It has been great to witness such a journey where a upcoming homegrown talent, who (in my opinion) exceeded his mission on pushing REAL R&B to the forefront, to flourished into one of the most promising R&B powerhouses to excite, not just his UK hometown, but across the globe.

There’s nothing else left to say, a part from go check-him-out below:

Must Listens: Come Over, He Ain’t Me, All I Need