RAYNE STORM is back with a new mixtape, a new EP and a new single featuring Juelz Santana. The latest track ‘Boom’ finds both Harlem rappers completely in their zones as they slide across the beat on this aggressive summer anthem. The up-tempo but ominous banger is produced by DJ Flippp, known for his production with Lil Yachty, Famous Dex, Playboi Carti and more.
The Storms Coming EP includes 6 songs previously released only on mixtape, specifically Storms Coming II. The EP features original songs like ‘Gettin’ Bizzy’, ‘Much More’, ‘Up Up Away’, ‘No Tomorrow’, ‘Revolution” & “Scorchers’. The Storms Coming EP represents Rayne in his “Pure Hip-Hop” form as a majority of these tracks take on a Boom Bap approach.
In 2002, two artists from opposite ends of the world– North Carolina emcee/singer Phonte of Little Brother, and Dutch producer Nicolay – engaged in a fully online, transatlantic musical collaboration that would help redefine modern music. On August 24, 2024, the novelty of their collaboration became their namesake, and they released their seminal debut album Connected as The Foreign Exchange. Over the course of 20 years, Nicolay and Phonte have both individually and collectively set a precedent for what indie artists can achieve, and revolutionized the way artists collaborate today. With a Grammy-nomination and their very own +FE Music label, the duo commemorates their 20-year-long journey as The Foreign Exchange by sharing a new 12″ single ‘The Grey” / “I Couldn’t Love You More (dub)’.
Out now on all digital streaming platforms, the dual release covers the musical gamut of The Foreign Exchange. ‘The Grey’, which serves as the theme song for ESPN’s new ’30 for 30′ film False Positive, finds Phonte spitting razor sharp bars, with a hook delivered by the silky vocals of +FE Music signee BeMyFiasco. In contrast, Phonte and Nicolay go full quiet storm mode on ‘I Couldn’t Love You More’, a beautiful rendition of Sade’s classic record.
“Rhyming and covering my favorite Sade song felt like the best way to encompass all that The Foreign Exchange represents. We’ve covered a lot of ground over the past 20 years. This single represents us coming back to square one.” – Phonte
ESPN’s new ’30 for 30′ film False Positive, which debuted on June 11, 2024, was scored in its entirety by Nicolay. The film tells the story of former Olympic Track and Field athlete and world record holder Butch Reynolds, who was falsely accused and banned for drug use by the International Amateur Athletic Federation. As a fan of Nicolay’s work, the film’s director, Ismail Al-Amin, first tapped the classically trained multi-instrumentalist from the Netherlands for the project in 2021.
“Ismail booked The Foreign Exchange for an event in Akron, Ohio years ago. He was keen on creating a decidedly soulful score, but with a European twist, as the sport of track and field traditionally is very popular there, and a lot of the crucial action in the film takes place overseas. He felt that I could be the right man for the job. This particular project represents twenty years of experience and accumulated style… the scope of this project and the sheer quantity of music required really allowed me to double down on it all… There’s quite literally a little bit of everything in this score. While I was working on some initial sketches for the film, I came upon the idea of mirroring all of the different stages of Butch’s life and career with the evolution of my own music over the years. So in the early stages of the documentary, the music is largely beat-driven and optimistic, mirroring the sound and feel of my own early years. As the situation gets more complicated and inevitably darker and more emotional, so does the music.” – Nicolay
Nicolay has also been hard at work on his forthcoming solo album, which is currently slated for an early summer release. The project’s latest single ‘Roll Up (I Can’t Lose My High). released in April.
Listen to ‘The Grey/ / ‘I Couldn’t Love You More (dub)’ below….
With a consistent back catalogue of high-quality releases, Australian artist X REVOLUTION returns with his brand latest single ‘Power Games’. The hip-hop and rap offering showcases a polished style, format, and dedication to the music scene with X Revolution’s extraordinary productions and excellent wordsmiths.
‘Power Games’ is a seamless blend of hip-hop and rap’s unadulterated energy into his artistic flair. X Revolution demonstrates his compositional skills and shows how his work has an impact in addition to resonance. This song combines his signature lyrics, masterful skills, and hip-hop roots.
X Revolution used the website Tracklib to sample a few older recordings. After that, he combined it with additional ambience and FX using a drum loop sample from an MPC sample bundle he owned. Lyrically, he intended to discuss his personal experiences with power and how he saw it as a child, advising on how to stay away from it and take some time to think things through.
On the track, X Revolution questions, “It’s my struggle with power growing up and how I viewed it; except I am fully aware of it through some form of self-reflection and have decided to own it for myself and not use it over others.”
Accumulating press coverage across the likes of Fame Magazine, PureMzine, Notion, and The Pit Ldn, and support from Spotify playlists, X Revolution has presented himself as an exciting musical talent with a lot of promise for the future. Listen to ‘Power Games’ below…
After more than seven years, D’Z and two-time Grammy Nominee Sandra St. Victor have teamed up for the remake of George Michael’s hit song ‘FREEDOM’ to create a funky party vibe with a new arrangement featuring tight horns, a groovy rhythm section, and the soulful voice of Sandra St. Victor.
Sandra, known for her work with Prince, Curtis Mayfield, Paula Abdul, Nile Rodgers, and being part of soul/funk trio The Family Stand, was immediately drawn to the re-imagined version of ‘FREEDOM’ and gladly lent her voice to the song.
d’Z – real name Hans-Peter de Zeeuw – is a Dutch drummer, composer, songwriter, and producer who frequently collaborates with international artists, including Katie Léone, former singer of the band Incognito, and has won several music awards.
The remake of ‘FREEDOM’ is now out on all streaming platforms. Have a listen below…
Following the widespread success of his debut album ‘Hello World’ last year, which found support across BBC Radio 6, BBC Radio 2, Jazz FM and more, Manchester based-pianist and producer MATT WILDE returns with a smooth offering taken from his forthcoming ‘It’s A Delight’ EP. A celebration of Manchester’s fertile nu-jazz and soul scene, ‘When It Comes Together’ sees Matt connect with altsoul wordsmith [ K S R ] for a Robert Glasper-esque, piano-led hip-hop beat with heartfelt lyrics exploring human connection.
Out now via DeepMatter Records, Matt comments: “This track explores the magic of unity and collaboration. The soulful vocals and intricate production highlight the beauty of coming together to create something meaningful.”
Matt’s ‘It’s A Delight’ EP is a heartfelt exploration of everyday joys and human connection. The fivetrack EP captures the essence of wilful gladness and beauty found in ordinary moments, with Matt weaving a reflective, uplifting musical narrative through his melody-driven approach to improvisation and composition. Soothing, warm harmonic choices sit front and centre on meditative pieces like ‘Trying To Be Kind’ and ‘Timekeepers’, whilst electric moments of joyous collaboration occur on RH Factor-leaning cut ‘Good Things Happen’, featuring trumpet player Aaron Wood (Secret Night Gang, Olivia Dean).
On the EP, Matt shares: “It’s a Delight is an exploration of the small joys that make life meaningful. The project was a collaborative effort that brought new perspectives and layers to the music. This EP celebrates the everyday moments that bring us together and the joy that grows when shared.”
A fast-rising artist known for his lyrical, virtuosic and jazz-tinged approach to keys playing and production, Matt Wilde is a key part of the Manchester scene that’s played a huge role in the growing international success of UK jazz. Cutting his teeth producing for local grime artists including Prose and Bugzy Malone before going on to collaborate with Brownswood Records’ Secret Night Gang and HMD, he’s a multi-faceted artist with an in-demand creative approach. His music has received widespread support from tastemakers including Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan and Deb Grant, and he’s been spotlighted in publications including the Big Issue, all whilst growing his own social media channels and building a strong community across YouTube and Instagram.
New Lease Music 