Category: New Albums

Ev Bird shares the ‘Puff Piece’ EP

Montréal-based artist, EV BIRD‘s EP ‘Puff Piece’ has been out just under a month and has already been tipped by the likes of FADER, Stereogum and Exclaim.

Sonically, the EP seamlessly ties together the worlds of slacker-rock, jazz, prog, hip-hop and R&B, slipping into a world also occupied by the likes of Mac Demarco, Yellow Days and HOMESHAKE. It’s a smorgasbord of genres that Ev molds into a sound that feels equal parts instantly familiar while refreshingly new.

Speaking about the release, Ev explains:“Puff Piece is an assortment of songs written and recorded at home over the last couple of years, which I’m very excited to share. The album started with a handful of guitar or piano ideas that I built up over time and shaped to my liking. The lyrical content on the album I think was a product of the time when things were uncertain and looking grim. It all came together though after teaming up with Noah Rubin and Boldy James, both of whom were a pleasure to work with.”

Have a listen to ‘Puff Piece’ below…

Must Listens: White Light

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OUT TODAY: Listen To Yaz León’s EP, ‘It’s only takeout Ma’

Led by the two well-received singles she released this summer ‘August’ and ‘Silent Mode’, and having been championed by the likes of BBC Introducing, Vogue Paris, Worldwide FM, Dummy Magazine, and British Council’s Selector Radio recently, emerging West London neo-soul singer, musician, and producer YAZ LEÓN releases her resounding new debut EP, ‘It’s Only Takeout Ma’.

Written and produced by Yaz León herself, with additional production from Ess West, and live instrumentation from Luke Bachuss, Seun Folayan, Jack Oliver, and Starkey the Messenger, the six-track EP sees the Spanish Iraqi native exploring her familial and romantic relationships, while also having conversations with herself about these emotional ties. Sonically, she experiments with interesting production and soundscapes, weaving through and merging genres such as soul, funk, R&B, and pop music, to tell her stories, and explore topics like nostalgia, distrust, intimacy, and toxic masculinity.

Citing influences such as Childish Gambino, Erykah Badu, Paco de Lucia, George Benson, and Kendrick Lamar, Yaz León pushes her songwriting to new heights on this project, making use of multifaceted storytelling and lyrical narration to create a work of art that can truly speak to everyone – whether it’s ‘August’ where she reminisces about falling in love with a girl for the first time and comes out to her family, or ‘Spend Your Coins Here’, which pushes against fragile pride and selfishness, or the narrative ‘Dunya’ about maturing through life’s growing pains.

‘It’s Only Takeout Ma’ was released today (28th October) across all good music platforms. Have a listen below…

Must Listen: August, Spend Your Coins Here

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Tilly Valentine Delivers New EP, ‘Half Empty/Half Full’

BBC 6-approved singer-songwriter TILLY VALENTINE‘s new brand EP, ‘Half Full/Half Empty’ symbolises love and loss, with each song is written from a different perspective taking us on a journey from hope to heartbreak.

Pop and soulful soundscapes set the tone for the EP, with hints of jazz and R&B. The optimistic narratives in opening tracks ‘Plus One’ and ‘Gin & Tonic’, tell the story of meeting your perfect match. Valentine’s love songs have been added to playlists such as New Music Friday, Riffs & Runs, Low-Key, Winter Moments, Starbucks and more. The EP later includes the sassy break-up singles, ‘XOXO’ and ‘Thinking of You (Déjà Vu)’.

The newest EP track, ‘Birthdays & Funerals’, is co-written with Easy Life’s producer, Ben Matravers, and samples real voice notes of Valentine’s loved ones. It’s about a relationship that has gone full circle; from growing together to grieving the loss. “Birthdays can be as hard as funerals when the ones you love aren’t there”, Valentine says. “Realising that you’ll never see someone again after a break up can be so heavy. It’s grieving a loss that feels like a death”.

Released last Friday (21st October), ‘Half Full/Half Empty’ is an honest and reflective EP that touches on both the good and bad experiences of love. Have a listen below…

Must Listens: XOXO, Thinking of You (Déjà Vu)

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Jay Jody Steps Out As Solo Artist With ‘Sunset Stories: A Mixtape’

As a former member of SA Hip-Hop duo, B3NCHMARQ, and his part in the collaborative project BLUE TAPE, with brother A-Reece, JAY JODY is now ready to introduce himself officially as a solo artist to the South African Hip-Hop scene via the newly established Revenge Club Records in his upcoming debut mixtape, ‘Sunset Stories.’

The Tape features a host of notable features from A-Reece, Una Rams, Blxckie, Marcus Harvey, and more, placing Jay Jody’s effortless talent in the spotlight. “I’ve realized we’re all part of a big story. And each one has their version with different experiences. What makes this life thing interesting… is that exactly … the Stories. In Sunset Stories: A Mixtape, I share some of my experiences. I share my views. I share my ideas. I share my Stories” Jay Jody

Check out ‘Sunset Stories’ Mixtape plus the blog’s song recommendation below…

Must Listens: Purple Palm Trees, You Ain’t Gotta Like Me, If You Got It You Got It, Sunset Stories Tales of the Cool

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Listen To Young RJ’s Latest Album, ‘World Tour’

As the rightful heir to the positions of J Dilla and Baatin in one of Detroit’s most important Hip-Hop groups Slum Village, rapper/producer YOUNG RJ releases his third full-length solo album ‘World Tour’

While the vast majority of the project’s 11 songs may have been born from complete social isolation and civil unrest between 2020 and 2021, the project’s overall tone is hopeful. That tone is inherent in the album’s title. “I missed being out there with the fans performing”, RJ explains. “It felt right to title [the album ‘World Tour’]”. With songs like ‘Black Is Beautiful’, ‘Freedom’, and ‘Sign Of The Times’, the album captures a common sentiment in the wake of racial injustice; while the upbeat title track opens the album with an optimistic outlook towards the future, and ‘Last Breath’ highlights the sheer will power of an artist to rise above adversity. The contrast reflects RJ’s emotional and mental state through personal dealings at a point in time, and how it all affected his view of the world around him.

Available on all digital streaming platforms via Ne’Astra Music, World Tour features Pete Rock, Boldy James, Blu, Eric Roberson, Mega Ran, Abstract Orchestra, among others, and arrives on the heels of Slum Village’s sold out, 17 date European tour.

Must Listen: World Tour, Black Is Beautiful, Last Breath

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