Interview with: Sticky Blood (on their latest EP Blood is Stickier than Water)

tracey and sticky blood

I dropped in at the Red Bull Studios for a quick chat with Jamie Shield (left) and Andy Nicholson (right) -aka –STICKY BLOOD about their latest EP, Blood Is Stickier Than Water, released through their label Card Bang Music and their plans for 2016.

NLM: You released your EP Blood Is Stickier Than Water back in september. How would you describe their latest release to potential fans.

Andy: It’s a difficult one to describe as we cover a broad range of sound and It doesn’t sit in one particular genre. But if we have to describe the EP it’s dark, moody anthems.

NLM: On each track from the EP, you featured different artists – from Terri Walker to up-and-coming singer Hekky, who’s been a firm collaborator. How did that relationship started?

Jamie: We known him for years, so the relationship was pretty much already there. He went away and  did his own thing and we did our thing. The time felt right when he started releasing some music that we liked and we started collaborating again.

NLM: So what is your favourite track from the EP?

Andy: Balance is a definite favourite for me and Let Me Down but my favourites change from one week to the next.


Jamie: One Bar In.

NLM: With this EP, you experimented with drum’n’bass, dubstep with electronic basslines. Is there any other genres you would like experiment in future projects?

Andy: I think we use all those sounds mix together and we’re influenced by all of them individually,  so it only seems right to pull little bits from each one and make a completely new sound.

Jamie: I think it’s all about how it sounds at the end. I wouldn’t want to give it a genre – because he (Andy) would change his mind at the end of the week!

NLM: How about experimenting with a bit a disco or reggae?

Andy: Hmm…maybe not disco…maybe dabble in a bit of R&B and dubstep and possibly reggae, a real merger!

NLM: You worked with different artists, including Terri Walker. What’s it like working with her?

Jamie: We’re sick and tired of Terri! No joke aside, Terri is like family to us, she’s been back a few years with us. If it wasn’t for her, we probably wouldn’t be where we are today. She wanted us to work on her album and we jumped at the chance. We did seven tracks in which all ended up on her album

NLM: Is there anyone else you would like to work with?

Jamie: There’s a range of singers and rappers we like to work with. We particularly like to work with  Gaby Henshaw. Although we’re happy working with artists we have, we’re always looking for  new and established artists to collaborate with.

NLM: So tell us more about Gaby Henshaw?

She’s an up-and-coming singer  who did a track for us under a different name on a separate project which  panned out  perfectly.

NLM: So what’s your plans for 2016?

Jamie: Just keep on improving on tracks and keep getting better.

Andy: The aim for this year to reach to a wider audience. We want more of our artists to release more music,  and to build on our label.

NLM: Any upcoming gigs?

Jamie: Not as yet.  We want to get to the stage where we can perform live comfortably; doing it right and sound right and carry the vibe how we want it to.

Andy: We toyed with a few ideas for a live setting, but for now we want to produce more tracks and generate a few more ideas for what we can do in that sort of environment – we’ll get there, possibly next year!

NLM: You’ve done two EPs in 2015. Will this year see you guys going a full-length album?

Andy: We’ll continue to do individual songs for now, probably next year.

NLM: Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

Andy: I like to think, hopefully by then, we push out at least an album. I say that but it might take longer; we wait a couple of years and get it right. Hopefully more people will know about what we’re going.

NLM: Thank you for taking part in this interview, well appreciated it

No problem, it was our pleasure.

It wasn’t that long ago since  KING DICE O was featured here with Pain of Fortune (recently named Song of the Week by NEW LEASE MUSIC).

The New York emcee has no time to kick back and relax and instead join forces with fellow emcees DICE CANNON and JUICE CANNON (who also provided the beats to the track) for the making of the music video to laid back golden hip-hop effort, Lounge Music. So go ahead, watch the video, sit back and just lounge to it!

Lounge Music is taken from KING DICE O‘s forthcoming album, The Life Vol. 2 (The Quiet Storm), set for release 24th January.

New Track! Until The Day – The Bakery Boys (ft. The Thirst)

The latter part of 2015 has been kind to brothers Shack and Ace Boogie and long-term friend Dirty Dre – aka – THE BAKERY BOYS. The previous single Get Away, was named 1Xtra’s Track of the Week. Not becoming too complacent of their recent triumph, the boys dropped another track, Until The Day.

Their latest effort offers words of inspiration, urging youngsters to reach their goals. The four-minute slick banger features indie  band The Thirst’s Mensa Hart and Lock Laser who is the brother Shack and Ace. It comes to no surprise that the brothers formed a strong bond for music as their father was in the 90s cult group, Soul II Soul.

Apart from making waves on the music scene, supporting the likes of Big Sean and Labrinth and performing  twice at the Wireless Festival, these guys have their fingers in more than one business pie. Their fashion label,  Justin Hustlin, was the fast selling streetwear on ASOS and their social organisation Justinspire, sees them mentoring and volunteering in their local community – breaking down misconceptions that rappers are all about the money and honies!

Until The Day will be released from tomorrow…but for now, watch the video and soap up some words of wisdom.