Month: January 2021

Album Review: P.I.M.P (Poetry Is My Pleasure) – Lyrique

Newcomer LYRIQUE first came under my radar with 2020 neon trap joint, ‘Smoke Break’ – and he has firmly reminded there ever since. So when he released his debut full-length album, ‘PIMP’ late last year, I was very intrigued to give it a trial.

I expected the 12-track set to predominantly feature the mellowed-out vibes as featured in ‘Smoke Break’ – but ‘P.I.M.P’ offers a whole lot more as it encompasses array of sounds – from hazy vintage boom bap-inspired cuts, smooth afterhours samples (perhaps spanning from the late 80s/early 90s) to even swing hip-hop-esque tones (have a listen to ‘Casino Royal’) and uptempo 80’s-style/Pharrell Williams-esque soulful funk (Pimpin Wasn’t Easy) –  most of which were accompanied with soul-satisfying thumps of the bassline.

Arriving in Canada in 2014 from his native in the Philippines to work as a live-in nanny, Lyrique’s melodically chilled rhymes are a glimpse into his personal struggles as a temporary migrant worker. Now a permanent resident, Lyrique is now armed with uncompromised confidence and self-worth (have a listen to concluding track, ‘Dressing Room’).

So welcome to the world of Lyrique, a very creditable artist who’s patently striving to fulfil his ambitions as a musician. Check out P.I.M.P below:

Must Listens: Hunger, Drive Slow, Pimpin Wasn’t Easy, Hope Dealer

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Listen To Joshua Luke Smith’s Powerful Single, ‘Mosaics’

JOSHUA LUKE SMITH delivers a hopeful mantra for 2021 in new single, ‘Mosaics’. 2020 was a difficult year for many but Joshua Luke Smith encourages us to embrace it all as part of the human experience; the good and the bad, as together they make a beautiful, bigger picture. As he explains:

“This is a song for those we’ve lost and for those who were left behind. I wrote it in the midst of grief, struggling to come to terms with life in the absence of someone who meant so much and filled up so much space. I’ve come to learn our lives are like mosaics, made up of many parts, all as meaningful as each other. Sometimes it’s not until we take a step back seeing the bigger picture, brought together with suffering and joy, loss and nearness, that we can truly see its beauty.”

The uplifting cut features the stunning, soulful tones of Bianca Rose which make the song all the more beautiful.

‘Mosaics’ is now available across all digital platforms and serves as a taster for his album, due for release this Spring. Check out the official music video for the single below…

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Sal Dulu Drops Track ‘Girl’, Ahead Of Album

Tipped Dublin-based producer/musician, SAL DULU shares his rather mercurial single, ‘Girl’. The new cut comes off the back of recent singles ‘B’ and ‘Alien Boy 96’ which have found tips from Complex, NTS Radio, The Line of Best Fit and DJ Booth.

Stylistically, ‘Girl’ segues once again with Sal Dulu latching onto distorted beat loops and twinkling piano segments. Whereas ‘Alien Boy 96’ mined a sound affiliated with warm-hued, ambient nostalgia and ‘B’ found collaboration with Richmond, Virginia-based artist, Koncept Jackson, ‘Girl’ harnesses an array of off-kilter rhythms and jazz-indebted sensibilities.

Out today on your preferred music platform, ‘Girl’ is taken from his forthcoming debut album, ‘Xompulse’ which is set for self-release via his own Duluoz Records on 19th February.

Get the first taste of the album below…

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Song of the Day: Blackness – Jeru The Damaja

JERU THE DAMAJA is back, claiming the Song of the Day spot on an uplifting note…

Whilst celebrating the fact he’s a proud black man, his latest single ‘Blackness’, also challenge listeners from other communities, to view his many valuable qualities rather than just his ethnicity.

‘Blackness’ is the sixth single from Jeru The Damaja’s album ‘Home Cooking’.

Check out the official music video for the single below…

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Solo Artist Favourite Daugther Shares Catchy Yet Chaotic Single, ‘Long Distance’

‘Long Distance’, a racy indie pop debut single from, FAVOURITE DAUGHTER, reflects on trying to keep up appearances that everything’s fine, while running from the inevitable.

Its catchy, yet chaotic sound  really captures the sense of pushing down something until it inevitably overflows.

Speaking of the inspiration behind the release, the Canadian singer/songwriter says: “I wrote Long Distance on an unplugged, rented electric guitar during a blackout on a night off from an opera gig I was doing in Halifax in the summer of 2019, in tears after a frustrating phone call with my then-girlfriend. We were spending a four month stretch away from each other while I travelled for work. Neither of us were communicating well, and our daily check ins became monotonous. Both of us kept up the charade that we were good, while allowing fear and resentment to build up, which ended up costing us the relationship entirely.”

‘Long Distance’ is now available on download and streaming sites…check out the official video for the single below…

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