Song of the Day: Good Love – Joey XL

East London R&B innovator JOEY XL‘s single ‘Good Love’, is a feel good, end of summer serenade to all those who feel like they can’t get by without love.

Produced by Rndm Beats, ‘Good Love’ is the lead up to his forthcoming six-track EP XL’s Room, coming out this Friday (30th September). The much anticipated project encompasses themes of love, finding yourself through music and forging your own path. The project features smooth recent single ‘Special’, the shimmering ‘Perfect Timing’ and the first release from the EP ‘To The Bank’ which arrived earlier this spring.

Speaking on the EP, Joey said:-

“The challenges that life throws your way, each designed to shape and advance your existence and purpose, are encapsulated in ‘XLs Room’. It centres on the concept of a bedroom, as well as the solitude of the mind, both private and safe spaces to feel and process lessons in love, navigating relationships, finding direction and understanding who and what you’re meant to be. This EP is a journey of self-discovery – each track speaks to my musical and mental evolution, crossing genre and themes, ending with passionate optimism that everything happens for a reason and the best is yet to come.”

Make sure you look out for the EP…but for now, have a listen to ‘Good Love’ below…

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UK Alt-R&B Princess Dior Ashe releases EP ‘Chill Pill’.

Singer/songwriter DIOR ASHE introduces an eclectic amalgamation of various styles, genres and moods, through EP ‘Chill Pill’, a body of work that is an undoubtedly enjoyable journey into the catalogue of one of West London’s most promising talents.

Dior’s warm vocals melded with infectious melodies and encapsulating lyrics make for a unique and memorable listening experience.

Hailing from Ladbroke Grove, West London, singer/songwriter Dior Ashe is undeniably a force to be reckoned with within the UK Alt R&B space.

Proudly tapping into her Antiguan & St Lucian roots, Dior draws much of her influence from her rich Caribbean heritage. R&B, Soul and Neo-Jazz also all play a key-part when it comes to her unique musical scope, with Dior also drawing inspiration from vocal powerhouses such as Amy Winehouse and Erykah Badu.

Notably, Dior Ashe has performed at Earth 0.2, QH Sound Live and RCRDSHOP at Boxpark Shoreditch, and has been supported by Reprezent, Voices Radio, Snapback FM and Love Da Beat radio stations with both interviews and radio play.

Must Listens: Homerun, Miss You.

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Song of the Day: Essence – Coops

Produced by Greatness Jones, ‘Essence’ is an inspiring cut of positivity from the talented North London rapper, COOPS, ruminating about life across trademark boom-bap drums and a rolling bass line. Essence is taken from Coops’ new album, ‘Lost Soul 2’ – released last Friday (23rd September) via Lost Soul Records.

‘Lost Soul 2’, the seventh full length release from the prodigious talent, was recorded at Coops’ studio in Hackney and serves as the sequel to his seminal Lost Soul mixtape, which still commands huge admiration nearly a decade since its release and is widely seen as a cult UK hip-hip classic. The new album sees a welcome return to the creative partnership with producer Talos that flourished on ‘Lost Soul’.

In support of the new album, Coops has announced details of his debut UK headline tour. The ‘Lost Soul’ tour will see Coops on the road in October and November with a special hometown show at London’s XOYO on Friday 4th November. Full dates can be found below while tickets are on sale now here: https://diplomatsofsound.org/coops-lost-soul-tour-2022/.

While the original reflected the uncertainty in his teenage years, ‘Lost Soul 2’ explores the navigation of adult life against the backdrop of the precariousness of the world in 2022. It’s a tale of progression and growth: Coops’ emotional capacity has matured, as has the soulful melodies he is crafting. It demonstrates evolution without compromising the important message in his music. 

‘Lost Soul 2’ is Coops at his truest, purest, and most effortless and, having flown under the radar for far too long, is set to cement his status as one of the UK’s foremost lyricists. Check out the video for ‘Essence’ below…

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LESS KILLJOY Brings On The Energy With Track, ‘My Parade.’

LESS KILLJOY‘s brand new track, ‘My Parade’ brings along that much-needed energy to the blog to ease those Monday blues. The single is the second offering from her forthcoming debut EP titled Pink Grenade.

Inspired by a search for happiness for herself and everyone around her, ‘My Parade’ shines with a bratty and boisterous vocal energy, dreamy synthesizers, lo fi guitar loops and in your face drums, where she talks about feeling underestimated and judged by the people around her and throwing it back in their faces.

Through sharing her experience, LESS KILLJOY hopes to build a community of people who feel safe around one another, despite their race, gender, sexuality, age, or socioeconomic status, her raw honesty and true passion for inclusivity makes her one to watch. Having received humbling praise from the likes of Earmilk, Record of the Day and Ones to Watch, you can expect a lot more from this exciting new Toronto talent. Have a listen to ‘My Parade’ below…

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OUT TODAY: Eva Rawlings Shares Single, ‘5 Steps’

Following her singles ‘LIKE ME’ and ‘Tell Me What You Like,’ Pop/R&B artist EVA RAWLINGS returns with her empowering breakup anthem, ‘5 Steps.’ Inspired by an ex’s bad post-breakup behavior, ‘5 Steps’ showcases Eva’s passionate vocals set to a driving trap beat. Crafted with 11x platinum producer Ian Kimmel, the track delivers a catchy, danceable chorus while tapping into the bitter experience of seeing an ex move on.

Eva says of the track, “My idea was to write one of those counting down songs that went viral, but make it not corny. I liked the idea of writing a snarky song to your ex who got over you way too fast, spelling out what they must have done to be doing fine so quickly after the breakup. So many great producers and writers helped make this song what it is, and we finished it that day, so from the inception of the concept to it being mixed and mastered was less than 24 hours.”

A passionate social activist and feminist, Eva’s’ latest single, ‘LIKE ME,’ was created entirely by women, with streaming proceeds from the single pledged to U.S. abortion funds. She also organized and performed in a fundraiser show with other Berklee acts raising money for an organization to end gun violence. Eva continues to empower listeners with her latest single, ‘5 Steps,’ which is out now across platforms. Have a listen below….

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