Song of the Day: Anesthesia – Brasstracks (ft. Mandy Lee)

Brasstracks is the Grammy award winning project of New York based musician and producer Ivan Jackson. Over the years, Brasstracks has evolved from a hip-hop-jazz-big-band to an ever-morphing landscape where Jackson sets the framework.

The Brasstracks rap sheet runs for miles. The group scored two GRAMMY wins for their production work on Chance The Rapper’s seminal “No Problems” in 2017 (Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Album). They’ve also since been nominated for their work with Harry Styles during the 2021 GRAMMYs for Best Pop Vocal Album, ultimately taking home the Best Pop Solo Performance award for their work on “Watermelon Sugar.”

Brasstracks has appeared on Saturday Night Live, performing alongside Miley Cyrus and Mark Ronson, the latter of whom is a frequent collaborator. Other collaborations include Anderson .Paak, Khalid, Mac Miller, and BTS. Basstracks has also performed songs from their debut album on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

The new Brasstracks era sees Jackson as an architect for this larger project of incubating artists and allowing them the space to grow.

The latest single ‘Anesthesia’ featuring Mandy Lee of MisterWives, is the second single from Brasstracks’ upcoming album. Lee soars as she sings, “Doppelgänger, I can’t hate you even though I know the grass is greener”, crooning a sneering congratulations to a nemesis who always seems to be one step ahead. The title itself is a nod to the numbness that accompanies this feeling. The vibrant single shimmers with oscillating synths and Lee’s velvet vocals, emitting an overall colorful and contagious aura. The playful track refuses to let listeners stay still, with fast-paced beats and layered instrumentation creating an all-encompassing atmosphere, captivating you from the very first second.

The upcoming album is a unique addition to the Brasstracks catalog: brimming with technical wizardry and maximal, brassy bombast, but intensely personal, rife with self-loathing and heartache. The album’s undeniable joyousness stands in unflinching contrast with its subject matter, and ‘Anesthesia’ is a microcosm of its ethos: a shimmering, groovy, soulful house record about, above all else, jealousy. The album weaves in and out of itself seamlessly, with ‘Anesthesia”’sampling Brasstracks’ previous FATHERDUDE + TOBi flanked single, ‘Nobody’s Fool’. Despite its seething subtext, ‘Anesthesia’ is a quintessential warm weather banger, and was a highlight of Brasstracks’ sold out, 6-show Blue Note run this March.

Have a listen below…

by Categories: Songs of the DayTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Showtime Ramon Returns with EP, ‘Venom Dripp’

Sacramento’s SHOWTIME RAMON, is back with a fresh new release for his listeners titled ‘Venom Dripp’.

The 6 track project continues to showcase the artist’s lyrical flow that keeps his fans coming back for more. “I wanted to put on an array of cool bars for my listeners, I look at rap as a sport so the more you can score lyrically the doper you are” says Ramon when speaking on his latest release.

The project opens with the previously released single ‘Spin Cycle’ which the artist also delivered a visual for. Ramon is backed by killer production that makes it even easier for him to deliver his flow that is influenced by the world around him, from sports to pop culture & his love for professional wrestling. Showtime isn’t one to shy away from telling it how it is either, delivering poison-like bars throughout Venom Dripp as he aims to shoot down those who he feels aren’t in his circle. He states “I’m comparing myself to other rappers or competitors, vocalizing the differences between myself and the rapper next to me”.

With over 18,000 listeners on Spotify and a new EP out, Showtime Ramon keeps the pressure on & continues to build his fan base with the talent he provides behind the mic. Inflicting his raps with doses of dopeness that keeps the streams on an upward trend, and the artist doesn’t plan to stop soon…check out Ramon’s project below…

Must Listen: Hyperspeed

by Categories: New AlbumsTags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Song of the Day: Champione – A!MS

Originally known as A.M. SNiPER, business mogul, producer, and successful artist, A!MS has drafted in two of South London’s hottest artists, Blanco and Ramz for their slick rap cruiser named, ‘Champione’. Already amassing over two million plays on TikTok with the original audio that featured Loski, fans have been revealing “champions” that have helped them in life or personal struggles they’ve overcome, by sharing their own visual snippets.

Unapologetic, authentic, and slick are the three words that come to mind when hitting play on this gripping rap behemoth. Infusing Blanco’s reputable grit and Ramz’s slick patios in with A!MS’ signature glossy style, ‘Champione’ is a rap record packed with emotion and soul, forged between the historical shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the iconic streets of London. Welcomed with a pulsing production courtesy of Punctual (Jason Derulo, Nathan Dawe), A!MS unravels an infectious hook and verse that boasts his melodic flare. Expressing his admiration and love for his woman that sticks by him daily and helps raise their daughter Melody, he takes accountability for his previous mistakes whilst handing over reassurance and the foundation for a strong future ahead.

Swiftly entering with a hard-hitting verse that instantly changes the feel of the track, Blanco’s gritty tone and accompanying bars add that extra edge before changing direction once more. Ramz, a father himself, brings his re-invented wave to the record with his self-proclaimed “samples” style. Using sounds and styles of where he originally came from, his glossy verse and patios punchlines add a Dancehall flavour to the song. ‘Champione’ is an anthem celebrating the worth of one’s true champion in life, be it yourself, a loved one, or a source of inspiration.

Heading overseas to Cyprus for the cinematic visual, both A!MS, Blanco and Ramzare joined by loved ones for dinner at an exclusive location. Adding to the luxurious feel of the track, it wouldn’t be an A!MS video if it wasn’t accompanied alongside a sleek whip and breath-taking scenery! Closing out the video joined alongside his partner and daughter against a city nightline further reiterates the wholesome feeling of championing his own.

Speaking on the release, A!MS commented, “I have been making music my whole life, I  have grown to understand that I will not let time dictate what I release as I am now so in tune with myself, and my emotions and I would rather give my supporters and loved ones my best! It’s cliche quality over quantity, I want each and every release to be an event that will defy time and places and reach the true value of what we all are, human…”.

Check out the video for ‘Champione’ below…

by Categories: new singlesTags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Precious releases sultry Sapphic R&B/Pop track ‘Her Spell’ + Summer EP

Taken from her highly anticipated summer EP ‘Babe, Come Outside’, which released on Saturday (May 13), rising pop artist PRECIOUS dishes up her new single, ‘Her Spell’, an electrifying Sapphic pop anthem, intended to captivate listeners with its runway-worthy fierceness and bring them to tap into their own sensual power. With her bubbly aesthetic and early 2000’s influences, Precious brings a fresh and dreamy vibe to the queer pop music scene.

Having previously been featured in Sesi Mag and Pop Passion Blog this year, as well as collaborated with exciting names in music such as rising rapper Baby Tate and actor/singer Rotimi, Precious has built a dedicated online following, which she calls her “gumdrops”, and she has garnered over 100k of them on Tik Tok. As a black queer artist, Precious is committed to representing underrepresented voices in pop music.

Her EP ‘Babe, Come Outside’ showcases Precious’ growth as an artist, as she takes full control by writing and producing all of the tracks, including the infectious single ‘Her Spell’.

To complement the release of ‘Her Spell’, Precious will be releasing a visually stunning music video that captures the EP’s essence and embraces a dreamy pink aesthetic…but for now, check out the spell-binding single below…

by Categories: new singlesTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

R&B Newcomer Leroybroughtflowers unveils nostalgic track, ‘Self Defence’

After his latest single claimed a spot in the Spotify editorial playlist ‘New Music Friday’, R&B/ Lo-fi newcomer LEROYBROUGHTFLOWERS makes a return with the first single off his debut EP ‘Self Defence’. Having received support from the likes of BBC, Acid Stag and an exclusive premiere of ‘Self Defence’ on NOTION magazine, the artist has been tipped off by industry experts as one to watch.

With a range of the octaves and a background on jazz music, the singer/songwriter is inspired by the sound of older decades giving them a modern interpretation of both singing, rapping and a signature subtle combination of both. Driven by interesting vocal melodies and subtle harmonies, ‘Self Defence’ is an homage to 90s/00s R&B and hip-hop music not stepping away from the lo-fi chillhop sound creating a unique combination.

The atmosphere of the relaxing lo-fi instrumental leaves space for complex rhythmic patterns and interesting lyrics as Leroybroughtflowers croons about trying to get over someone but somehow they manage to slip into your dreams. Although the dreams presents the happiest moments, sadness takes over when face with reality. The artist’s R&B approach on the song makes the tune fresh and weirdly energetic as the hook has a great catchy mid-tempo groove.

‘Self Defence’ is out now across various platforms…check it out below…

by Categories: new singlesTags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment