Song of the Day: A.M – Malunga

Following on from last year’s critically acclaimed ‘Never Let Go’, which was supported by Record Of The Day, SoulBounce, Reprezent Radio, ASBO Magazine, and Hoxton Radio, among others, and on the back of being hotly tipped by the likes of Toddla T (BBC Radio 1), Roundhouse and Urban Development, fast-rising British singer and songwriter MALUNGA returns with her latest single titled ‘A.M’.

Produced by Peter Hakola (Makola, DeLooze), and taken from her forthcoming EP, which is due for release in 2020, ‘A.M’ is, in MALUNGA’s own words, about “getting to know somebody new but feeling like you’ve met them before. The song also captures the excitement and mystery around dating that we create versus the reality of the situation and who the person really is”.

Recommended if you like the sounds of NAO, Mahalia or Solange, MALUNGA is an exciting talent who captivates a sound that can be best described as experimental and progressive soul-pop, which is underpinned by a relatability, honesty, and authenticity that leaps out in her songwriting.

East London native MALUNGA first burst on the scene as a teenager in 2015, with her debut EP ‘Exhibit A’, which was met with rave reviews from fans and critics alike. She then went on to release ‘Whisper In The Dark’, which caught the ears of Toddla T, who supported the single on BBC Radio 1, before releasing ‘Never Let Go’ last summer.

Check out ‘A.M’ below…

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Album Review: Beautiful Sin – Some Kind Of Illness

Hailing from Manchester, brothers Paul and Mark Hinks – aka indie rock outfit, SOME KIND OF ILLNESS – latest album, ‘Beautiful Sin’, could be described as smooth as a Sunday morning with a tranquil introduction through instrumentals ‘Within A Shadow’ and ‘Ghost’ with the latter featuring a slight sinister spin on the album’s theme.

Third offering ‘A Moment In Time’, first offers a full set of vocals, that’s so smoothing, to the equally smooth and inmate setting. ‘A Lament Reprise’ adds another dimension to the album with its slight electronic drive to the production, uplifting a bed of atmospheric soundscapes similar to what’s offered in the previous productions. ‘Beautiful Sin’ also interrupts the album’s soothing vibe with the distorted and racing guitar riffs breaking through the production, giving off a feather-light and (perhaps 60’s-inspired) Americana feel.

The album concludes with ‘7 Days’, which ventures into a more sinister side of indie rock, with guest vocalist Jenny Jen shedding some light and sweetness to the whole arrangement.

Through their fourth album, SOME KIND OF ILLNESS has effortlessly combine two worlds – indie and rock music –  in a way that’s accessible to those who aren’t massive fans of the aforementioned genres. Have a listen to ‘Beautiful Sin’ below:

Must Listen: A Moment In Time 

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Gemini Chris Starts The Weekend With Tracks ‘Clear Dream’ & ‘Give Me Your Love’

I hope you guys are ready for the weekend, as NEW LEASE MUSIC regular, GEMINI CHRIS has TWO slamming club fillers to get you started…

‘Clear Dream’ kicks off the party, with a smooth  trance-like vibe, coupled with dubstep-esque heavy b-line.

‘Give Me Your Love’ follows seamlessly, contributing a rotation of airy soundscapes and a kick of that gritty bass line.

So here’s your chance to check out the London DJ’s eightieth double releases of the year…

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SOTD: Harleighblu AND Bluestaeb Drops The Ultimate Female Empowerment Anthem

UK R&B singer HARLEIGHBLU and neo-soul & hip-hop producer BLUESTAEB come through with beat-heavy empowerment anthem ‘Queeen Dem’, the third single off upcoming joint album ‘She’, due for release October 11th 2019

The song is inspired by popular poem “This is for the women who don’t give a fuck” by American writer Janne Robinson. HARLEIGHBLU took the fierce manifesto of the feminist activist and interpreted it her very own way: “I tried to capture the strength of the poem, with a nod to Janne, and then elaborate with my own take on completely owning your own womanhood. Within writing the first few lines, I entitled the piece Queeen Dem. Queeen gets 3 E’s to accentuate the fact you are a queen.”

The empowering lyrics are driven by BLUESTAEB‘s impeccable production, which gives a nod to the 90’s era of boom-bap hip-hop. Following on from previous singles ‘Cake’ and ‘Present’, both picking up critical acclaim from the likes of Wonderland, Clash, The Line Of Best Fit, Dummy, as well as support from BBC 1Xtra and BBC 6, this new release continues the pair’s steady trajectory and keeps with the impressive musical standard they set for themselves.

Check out the video for ‘Queen Dem’ below:

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Valencia James Delivers Acoustic Video For Single ‘Dreamers’

Following the release of her debut single ‘Flames’, which garnered both critical and commercial acclaim, VALENCIA JAMES is back with the highly anticipated ‘Dreamers’. The single is an anthem reminding us that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and is another example of the songwriters’ praised edgy-pop style and powerful lyricism.

Valencia reveals, “I wrote Dreamers at a time in my life when I was learning how to dream again and believe for dreams that I had forgotten about. It’s kind of that song where I was just like, ‘Why can’t I do all the things that I want to?’ I had just come out of a period of depression about my future and this was my song … let’s all just start dreaming again and going for what we want in life”.

With the aspiration that her music will encourage others to believe in themselves, Valencia preaches that we can do whatever we set our minds to and that we have more in us than we think we do.

‘Dreamers’ is currently available worldwide. Check out the video below:

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