Author: Tracey Dawkins

Owner of NEW LEASE MUSIC blog, which showcases the latest releases from indie and unsigned artists, and NEW LEASE MUSIC PROMOTIONS, which promotes indie/unsigned artists via blogs/magazines, radio, independent and Spotify playlists

Tilly Valentine Shares Her First Single Of The Year, ‘Statue’

Produced by rapid-rising musician, Conor Albert, TILLY VALENTINE latest single ‘Statue’, is an intimate and heavy-hearted love song, displaying Valentine’s fragile vocals with Albert’s intricate piano and production, infusing elements of soul, pop and R&B. A metaphor for sacrificial love, Valentine says, “Statue is about meeting the right person at the wrong time, but promising to wait for them until it’s right.”

Her creative process goes far beyond the music. Accompanying her first song of the year is a music video, capturing hope and sorrow both sonically and lyrically.

Valentine’s self-releases gain multi-million streams and broadcasts across BBC Radio 1, BBC 1Xtra, BBC 6 Music, The Hot List, Jazz FM and more. The BRIT School Alumna and independent artist continues to soothe the ears of many tastemakers, with 6 Music championing her “beautiful pop music”. ‘The brand new single ‘Statue’ earned itself a well-deserved spot on Spotify’s New Music Friday.

‘Statue’ producer, Conor Albert, experienced astronomical growth having caught the attention of Justin Bieber, Questlove, Jacob Collier, Tom Misch, Disclosure and Mac Ayres, alongside BBC Radio 1 plays with Jack Saunders; Future Artists, Sian Elery’s Chillest Show and BBC Radio 2 with Jamie Cullum.

This collaboration of London rising talent predicts ‘Statue’ to be a stand-out track of 2023…why not have a peep at the video for the single below…

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Song of the Day: A Good Life – Marie Dahlstrom

Ahead of the release of her second album ‘A Good Life’, Danish/London based musician, producer and vocalist MARIE DAHLSTROM shares its title track ‘A Good Life’. The new album will feature collaborations with acts including Kofi Stone, Jay Prince, Conor Albert, Delleile Ankrah and Sipprell.

Produced by south London producer and Young Poet/Ninja Tune signee Conor Albert, the single ‘A Good Life’ exudes blissful positivity. Accompanied by warbling keys, soulful guitar passages and uplifting brass sections, ‘A Good Life’ was written as an ode to Marie’s son and explores the wonders of the world from a child’s eyes.

Speaking more on its inspiration and lyrical meaning, Marie Dahlstrom said: 

“A Good Life is a song about the wonders of everyday life, if we choose to stay curious. These moments will eventually be what we remember, and become a part of our story. This song is for my son, and everything he’s already taught me.”

Marie Dahlstrom is supported and praised widely at press by the likes of Billboard, NPR, Complex, The Line Of Best Fit, Mixtape Madness, NYLON, New Wave Magazine, Wonderland Magazine and more, as well as being listed as a ‘Sleeper Pick’ by Joe Budden (twice) on TheJoe Budden Podcast (the most influential podcast in R&B and hip-hop globally). Marie Dahlstrom has also received substantial radio airplay from BBC 1Xtra DJ’s Jamz Supernova, DJ Target, Toddla T and Rinse FM’s Jyoty.

Marie Dahlstrom’s new album ‘A Good Life’ is out 22nd May via her label, JFH Records. Have a listen to the soothing single, ‘A Good Life’ below…

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Listen To Eleanor’s New Single, ‘Waste My Time.’

Canadian newcomer ELEANOR‘s new single ‘Waste My Time’, was inspired by a friendship that was tiptoeing into a relationship. With the guitar plucks echoing into a mesmeric backdrop and Eleanor harmonic vocals, the cheeky and flirtatious single has an unexpected lyrical reference in the chorus to “Kiss The Girl” from Disney’s The Little Mermaid.

‘Waste My Time’ has helped the Ontario-based singer/songwriter to recognise that not every song she writes has to be deep and pensive, “I can write things that feel light,” Eleanor says.

‘Waste My Time’ follows her 2022 debut single ‘Make Sense’ – which claimed the blog’s Song of the Week title back in December – and forms part of her upcoming EP, ‘A Late Bloom’. Check out the single below…

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Song of the Day: Nubian Farlow – Varnish La Piscine

VARNISH LA PISCINE‘s jazz-inflected new single ‘Nubian Farlow’, oozes a lush, sprawling instrumentation, where the young artist glides between smooth bars and vocals in this breezy introduction to the world of Varnish La Piscine.

As visually compelling a storyteller as he is sonically, the release of ‘Nubian Farlow’ is accompanied by a hypnotic visualiser focusing on a chef filleting a bowl of fish. The playful shot is taken from Varnish’s self-directed 4-part short film which is being released episodically in the lead up to his EP release this March.

Both an audio-visual and musical work, the four episodes are inspired by the absurd humour of the Coen brothers and the stylised intricacy of Wes Anderson and were shot over 8 days at a lakeside location with the help of the production company Dissidence. The plot revolves around the lake and its magical fish who, for better or worse, entrance the local population with Varnish himself playing the role of a young fisherman (as well as many other actors, including new-gen French rapper Rounhaa).

‘Nubian Farlow’ is joined on This Lake Is Successful by recent release ‘Ring Island’, with the 7-track project comprised of a form of refined pop made up of diverse influences: rap, bossa nova, electronic synth, surf music, reggae and underpinned by Varnish’s singing and rapping as well as three guest artists Makala, Rico TK and Snubnose Frankenstein.

In the six years since the rapper, producer and singer arrived on the scene, Varnish La Piscine (Jephté Mbisi) has crafted a brilliantly creative universe inspired by his love of the iconic rappers and producers of the 2000s and the decade’s swirling, colourful music videos. Growing up in Switzerland surrounded by a family of music lovers, the music at home swung between his parents’ Congolese beats alongside 90’s greats like Sade, Sting and Phil Collins. But it was his love of the 2000s that made Varnish the artist he is today. Admiration for his first musical hero Pharrell Williams imbued in him the importance of combining creative genius with visual flair and that to create something interesting, you need to be different.

With props from the likes of Tyler the Creator and Pharrell Williams himself; the future looks bright for Varnish La Piscine…have a listen to Nubian Farlow below…

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Song of the Day: Element & Moderate – Feverkin

Detail-focused producer FEVERKIN‘s latest single, ‘Element & Moderate’ released via the Deep Heads imprint. ‘Element & Moderate’, is the first single to be released from the record label’s new compilation, Cosmic Vibrations Vol. 4, which will be released on the 26th of May.

A composer and producer residing in Portland, Oregon, Feverkin is the musical alias of Adam Orfale. Feverkin crafts his sound by sampling, morphing, and arranging recordings of traditional instruments. Drawing inspiration from Trip Hop, Future Garage, Lofi, Jazz, and Classical music, Feverkin strikes a unique balance between melody and beat, resulting in instrumentally-driven downtempo music that is both organic, glitchy, and moody. He takes inspiration from Burial, Alaskan Tapes, and Synkro to create music in the same vein as Òlafur Arnalds, Phaeleh, and Nightmares On Wax.

The beat work of ‘Element & Moderate’ is precise and intricate. As one might expect from a Feverkin recording, an array of instruments are scattered around the production. Upright Piano and Cello are just some of the many live elements incorporated in this incredible piece, not to mention loads of floating frequencies in which to lose oneself.

Feverkin tells us about the song: “‘Element & Moderate’ is about being at a crossroads and knowing the difference between which path you want to take and which path you need to take. This song started with a nearly 10-year-old recording of my friend playing the drums in a warehouse/office space. I edited and looped a particular part that had a vibe and built the song with the beat being the focus.”

Have a listen to ‘Element & Moderate’ below…

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