Montreal-raised, Toronto-based certified Afrobop queen, AZIA is claiming her own sovereignty on her debut album, out today (29th September)
Featuring 11 tracks which showcase her unique blend of soulful afropop and R&B, ‘Sovereignty’ is in the words of Aiza herself, “an ode to the many lessons I’ve learned to become the empowered and unapologetic woman I am today.”
“The album dives into my experiences dealing with heartbreak, healing my inner child, honoring my lineage and boldly owning the fact that I’m a star.”
Working with her longtime partner and producer, C The Reason, as well as an established team of collaborators including Divinity Roxx, Beyoncé’s former bassist and music director, Aiza has crafted a collection of songs that own her power.
Sovereignty features previously released singles, including the playful Afropop of ‘Majimbo,’ Aiza’s French language “eff around and find out” anthem, ‘Kité,’ the delectable and self-assured ‘Alright,’ as well as the album’s debaucherous and seductive lead single, ‘Cocoa Butter.’
During the three years it took to complete ‘Sovereignty’, Aiza explains that she “chose to bet on [herself] over and over again, even when [she] had no idea how it would come together.”
Have a listen to ‘Sovereignty’ below…
Must Listens: Cocoa Butter, Black Tea, Majimbo, Kité
After releasing the critically acclaimed ‘Aquarius Purple’ with Soul Step Records in 2020 and selling out the entire run – MARCUS MACHADO‘s newest effort ‘Blue Diamonds’ is now available on all digital streaming platforms. The album was released on vinyl in May to rave reviews including a feature in the latest issue of Guitar World Magazine.
Marcus was named “Next Young Gun” by Rolling Stone Magazine and since then, Marcus has not disappointed in becoming one of the most in demand young guitar players in the world in both the studio and on the road. Recently, Marcus has collaborated on the music score for the documentary “Mr. Soul.” Marcus also was requested to play the national anthem in Madison Square Garden for the NY Knicks as well as Oracle Arena for the Golden State Warriors.
Marcus has grown in notoriety through his work with Th1rt3en with Pharoahe Monch and Daru Jones. He has also been featured many times in print as well, earning rave reviews in Guitar World and Guitar Player Magazine.
Fans who enjoyed the adventurous sounds of ‘Aquarius Purple,’ will certainly enjoy the growth demonstrated on ‘Blue Diamonds.’ It is deep and soulful R&B listeners can take a trip with. Marcus delivers again another set of funky and soulful jams. Listeners continue to get instrumental funk and R&B tunes that are driven by Marcus’ soaring and screaming guitar as he showcases why he just might be one of the best players in the game.
As an added bonus on this LP, listeners will get plenty of guest vocalists to take things to another level. Jermaine Holmes, Brian Owens, and many more grace the tracks on ‘Blue Diamonds’. Marcus Machado has an uncanny ability to create some truly inspiring musical landscapes, and ‘Blue Diamonds’ is no exception. This record is full of grooves and the best way to experience it – is to get it on a turntable and feel.
‘Blue Diamonds’ album is now out across various music platforms.
Much of ‘Radio Red’, the first full length album LAURA GROVES has released under her own name, was written, produced and recorded by Groves in her studio, watched over by two radio transmitting towers. “I became very drawn to them and they became like symbols to me; they were always awake, sending their messages, the red lights always came on at night and watched over whatever was going on in my life.” The album deals with themes of communication – missed and intercepted signals, chance meetings, synchronicities, the channels through which we try to express our true feelings, the outside interference that can get in the way and the joy of letting go and allowing the messages to flow freely.
Working its way through years of Laura’s life as an artist – early experiences of releasing music, live performance, touring, build up and breakdown, the record was a way to tune in to the many, often conflicting signals of fragmented memories. “I’ve always been very sensitive and open to what’s happening around me, and also struggle with the sheer amount of noise sometimes. There was a radio tower on the hill opposite the house where I grew up – I would look out at the network of streetlights winding up towards it and it all had a sort of mystery to me. It was a kind of escapism and a comfort, with an undertone of melancholy that was hard to put into words. I think that glow, that strange feeling, is what I’m always searching for and exploring through making music and artwork.”
This is the wavelength Laura is tuning into and trying to pin down in ‘Sky at Night’ and the ‘faraway feeling’ that she talks about being consumed by in the hymn to miscommunication and determination ‘Any Day Now’. This faraway feeling makes itself known as the need to open up and show emotion in the chord voicing of ‘Synchronicity’, true friendship, togetherness and isolation in our online world in ‘Sarah’ and the heartbreak that can come with the breakdown of communication in electric piano love song ‘I’m Not Crying’. The ‘Silver Lining’ of the final track, which returns to Laura’s early love for fingerpicked guitar, leads us back to the power of the redemptive love that always seems to show up just when everything seems lost.
A singer all her life, Groves has spent over a decade developing a practice as an autonomous multi-instrumentalist and recording artist as well as a collaborator (Ragz Orginale, Darkstar, Sampha, Jamie Leeming), releasing EPs on DEEK Recordings and the 2020 EP ‘A Private Road’ on Bella Union. Much of the creation of Radio Red was solitary, but a small group of people helped bring it to fruition. A meeting with mix engineer TJ Allen (Portishead, Adrien Utley) through her work in Bat for Lashes’ live band led to an important creative relationship. “Working with Tim provided me with a safe and nurturing studio environment in which to finish the record. It also means a lot to have Sampha’s voice on ‘D 4 N’ and “Good Intention”, because we first met near the beginning of this journey and so much has happened since then – singing together again feels like coming full circle in the most positive way and a reminder that there are constants running through it all.”
‘Radio Red’was released 11th August. Have a listen below…
Must Listens: Sky At Night, Good Intention, D 4 N, Any Day Now,
“Yo, hacky sack liberal college rap, we don’t f*ck with that,” Zilla Rocca emphatically proclaims in his opening line of ‘Don’t Panic,’ which should be bold text on a welcome mat with this album cover on it.
‘Stacking Chips’ is the long-overdue collaboration between Philadelphia MC ZILLA and Chicago producer JASON GRIFF. The two are long-time friends, having met on MySpace in the mid-2000s, yet had not collaborated on a full album until now. This project, however, was definitely worth the wait. Featuring hardheaded, bass-heavy car music that salutes the influence of 90’s Queens and Southern bounce, with juicy hooks and incredible guest verses from artists such as SolarFive, Defcee, ShrapKnel, Milc, and even the great SKECH185.
Zilla and Griff set out to make an album full of end-of-summer bangers, and did just that. From the banned-from-streaming ‘Frank Castle,’ which questions American police officer’s love of The Punisher logo to the vibrant and bouncy, Andrew-assisted ‘Barkeep.’ The album consistently toes the line of aggressive and lighthearted at the same time as Zilla can flip between tales of canceling a date to watch a DOOM interview to dreaming of catching up with potential car thieves.
The album title is an homage to longtime friend, collaborator, and co-founder of Insubordinate Records, Lorde Jones Scorcese, whose voice can be heard throughout the album including his trademark acronym “Stacking Chips on Record Crushing Every Single Enemy,” among other resurfaced dialogue. The album concludes with a heartfelt tribute song ‘No Question’ featuring Alex Ludovico.
Stacking Chips also features guest appearances from Ace Cannons, Jesse the Tree, Alaska and ZeroStar. The album was mastered by C. Money Burns. Check it out below…
Must Listens: Nine Fifteen, A Note To Potential Car Thieves, Scott Summers
Acclaimed producer SKYLINE SUN and captivating singer MÍO MA bring together their unique talents to create a mesmerizing release that explores the cycles within society, balancing introspection and vivaciousness through their new EP entitled ‘Hibernation.’
Drawing inspiration from the ebb and flow of life’s rhythms, ‘Hibernation’ delves deep into the multifaceted nature of existence. The EP navigates the introspective moments of solitude and self-reflection, symbolized by the concept of hibernation, while also celebrating the vibrant and socially vivacious aspects of human connection.
This release serves as a gateway to this compelling musical journey, enveloping listeners in a comforting embrace with its roots firmly planted in R&B and Soul while also showing a true and unhindered artistic expression from the duo. Skyline Sun’s impeccable production skills shine through, creating a lush sonic landscape that perfectly complements Mío Ma’s enchanting vocals. The result is a harmonious blend of familiar R&B elements and innovative, fresh sounds, born straight from the gut feelings of the two artists.
Commenting on the upcoming release Mío Ma said, “The entire feeling of the EP is that stomach dropping moment or breath just before you fall down from the apex of a rollercoaster. That sense of rising and falling within our own cycles, whether it be seasonal or societal is something everyone can relate to.”
Both based in Berlin, Skyline Sun is the musical moniker for producer and multi-instrumentalist Jarrah Dhyan, while Mío Ma is the moniker for multi-disciplined musician, actress, dancer and curator Sara Vidal Cabré.
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