OUT TODAY: Listen to LT’s EP, ‘Out the Trenches’

Port Harcourt bred singer/songwriter, LT‘s his first body of work ‘Out The Trenches’ documents the past three years of his life. A seven track, soulful, groovy, synth-heavy, rhythmic project, intentionally put together to showcase the outer-worldly range and drive he possesses as an artist.

Creating the majority of the project from a headspace of gloom, self reflection, and hunger, LT had to channel all these emotions, igniting light out of a place of darkness, hence the title Out The Trenches. LT’s scintillating range in songwriting, performance and cadence shines through on every track, affirming a thematic expression that characterizes a phase personally and artistically. Alongside creating a delicate sonic world that incorporates elements of R&B/Soul, Afrobeats, Trap & Reggaeton, owed to an impressive list of production collaborators, from Killer Producer, Abel Lead Us, Mazi Spice, Trizzy Beatx to other session vocalists and instrumentalists who added to the depth of the project.

Released today (2nd June), LT’s debut ‘Out The Trenches’ is a strong first impression by an artist tipped to go the distance. Have a listen to his collection below…

Must Listens: In Due Time, A Million Lies, My Ana

Song of the Day: Scream999 – Sola

London-based multi-instrumentalist/producer/vocalist SOLA‘s single ‘Scream999’, portrays a hauntingly beautiful sound, led by Sola’s captivating silky vocal, combined with an intense instrumentation and heavy drum tracks, perfectly capturing the song’s dystopian themes of information overload and desensitization.

Of the song, Sola shares: “’Scream999’ is a critique of the internet age. We’re constantly bombarded with information competing for our attention, which makes it easy to lose focus of what’s important. It’s about becoming desensitised to suffering, screaming into a void where everyone around is too distracted to notice or help. The video, directed by Rosino, tried to reflect the songs themes through filming in a dystopian setting, with the broken tv screens and distorted visuals representing the information overload technology has caused.”

‘Scream999’ follows on from Sola’s recent, romantic single ‘Abide In U’, featuring drums from acclaimed musician Moses Boyd which garnered support from the likes of CLASH, COLORS, Wonderland, BBC Radio London, Noctis Magazine, ENFNTS, Trench Mag, Dazed, BBC 1Xtra, BBC 6Music and BBC Radio 1 amongst others.

‘Scream999’ was released via Jamz Supernova’s label Future Bounce. Check out the video for single below…

Alt hip-hop rapper 4KPHIL. drops new single, ‘Johnson & Johnson’

NYC’s pithy wordsmith 4KPHIL. releases his new single ‘Johnson & Johnson,’ solidifying the poet turned rapper’s place as the next left-of-center emcee.

Following a near death experience after being the victim of a shooting, 4KPHIL.’s perspective on life was forever changed; he decided that life was too short to not make music that made people feel. ‘Johnson & Johnson’ is an ode to becoming a new father – the rising artist recently welcomed his first child into the world. The self-produced, written and recorded track was made in 4KPHIL.’s home studio off the famous Dyckman street in upper Manhattan. Each verse attests to his authentic storytelling abilities, as his commanding bars float over the atmospheric production.

4KPHIL.’s lyricism is refreshing – with one listen, it’s clear that he doesn’t seek the limelight. Instead, he makes music that paints the soundtrack to his own life, providing listeners with vivid snapshots of life’s wins as well as his experiences navigating its trials and tribulations.

Listen to ‘Johnson & Johnson’ below…

Song of the Day: Father Time – Kale Gawd

KALE GAWD freestyles over Kendrick Lamar’s track ‘Father Time’, where he describes that moment when all control becomes lost in the void of your past.

He says of the freestyle: “I have always been a huge Kendrick fan, and Father Time moved me more than any other cut off of Big Steppers – to the point where I felt compelled to tell a story of my own.”

Kale Gawd offers his daily freestyles on Instagram – why not head over there – https://www.instagram.com/kale_gawd/

But before you do, make sure you check his ‘Father Time’ freestyle below…

Check out IDK’s new video for track, ‘Télé Couleur’

After announcing the return of No Label Academy (with the support of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research and Harvard Art Museums at Harvard), IDK gives a masterclass on how authenticity makes for quality content with ‘Tele Couleur.’

Where conscious rawness sits next to layered boom-bap production, the Maryland rapper uses all avenues available to explore where he comes from, and his life as one of hip-hop’s next superstars. The subtitled video finds him parading through New York City as he revisits the many moments that made the man born Jason Mills. Check out the video below…