Tag: alternative music

Song of the Day: Shoey – Blaktrix (ft. Sonnyjim)

With over fifteen years of releases under his belt on acclaimed labels such as Cardiff’s Associated Minds, Dial Up Records, Ruztik Records and B-line Recordings, BLAKTRIX has also gained supported from Clash Magazine, BBC 1Xtra and HTV. Blaktrix is already a name worthily cemented in the rich history of UK Hip Hop.

The Village Live Records rapper latest single, ‘Shoey’ was produced by A.H. Fly who has produced for many UK hip-hop heavyweights including Lee Scott and was the producer for Universal Soldiers. ‘Shoey’ is Blaktrix first release of 2022 and follows in the wake of acclaimed single ‘5 Euro Shades’ which made quite an impact, and Blaktrix last EP ‘Dumb’ which was very well received with Radio & Press.

‘Shoey’ features Sonnyjim an exciting rapper who’s smashing it at the minute and is considered one of the biggest names in UK Hip Hop scene. Hailing from Birmingham ‘Sonnyjim’ has worked with many other top UK Hip Hop artists and producers such as like Jehst, Verbz, Confucius MC, has recorded an EP in the US with ‘Buckwild’ and has also produced with Chris Crack. Check out ‘Shoey’ below…

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Alt-Pop Duo Palmaria Shares Single, ‘Sunflower’.

Self-produced in their dreamy home studio, London-based Alt-Pop duo PALMARIA‘s latest single ‘Sunflower’ was inspired by the beauty of our very own planet. The duo’s lyrical bliss flows between the mix of their two main languages, offering a metaphorical interpretation of their lives between countries.

They explain, “We’re always inspired by natural elements, in this case specifically we focused on the sun and the sunflower. We connect to natural elements and how they move and evolve with our experience. ‘Sunflower’ is about always looking for the positive side of things and following the sun as a source of energy.”

Taking inspiration from acts like N.E.R.D., Little Dragon, Hiatus Kaiyote, the dynamic duo, who originally hails from Italy, continue to be their very own trend-setters, differing from the norm and surprising with each and every release. With support from Jamz Supernova, COLORS Berlin and BBC airplay, Palmaria are proving to be a force to be reckoned with. Have a listen to their track below…

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Song of the Day: Pin Me Down – FRANSIS

Reminiscent of Wolf Alice and Florence + The Machine, London based alt/indie band FRANSIS‘ single, ‘Pin Me Down,’ was spurred by the tragic murder of Sarah Everard. It tackles a subject which is often difficult to talk about but shared by so many women, that of sexual assault, candidly focusing on the mental strain particularly in the aftermath, and the struggle behind closed doors.

Described as a therapeutic exorcism, Frontman Emma Withers shares, “This song is vulnerable and real, I wanted to focus on the self destruction, the brokenness, the confusion, the anger, and then finally the release which is supported by the music constantly, and as the song intensifies we hit an explosive finale, and an emotional release which was incredibly satisfying to perform in the studio, I did like 8 takes of this to get the raw emotion out of me, this is bonded with the mammoth eruption of epic guitar lines and pure power from the band.”

Despite the serious nature of “Pin Me Down” there is a positive outline, of admittance and then at the end, a collective sense of women standing together. A strong message that no-one should feel alone in their struggle, to let shame keep their burdens as skeletons or be fearful of walking down the street alone at night.

‘Pin Me Down’ is from their new EP, released last Friday (1st July). Listen to ‘Pin Me Down’ below…

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Watch Nick Knightz’s Video For Single, ‘Lonely Girls Hearts Club (Intro)’

A true representation of the alternative in London, Hackney rapper and model NICKI KNIGHTZ returns with an introductory video in anticipation of her third solo project ‘Lonely Girls Hearts Club’ produced by her genre-bending duo member – artist and producer Henny Knightz.

‘Lonely Girls Hearts Club’ tells of how Nicki came to refer to herself as a ‘lonely girl’ relaying her experiences of council estate living and being painfully different from the accepted norms. It also celebrates the solace she found once discovering equally talented and artistic outcasts. The video exhibits Nicki and three fellow ‘lonely girls’ that the world has turned its back on. Though they experience extreme highs when together, once alone they are left grappling with sombre thoughts and intense emotions. Inspired by the hit movie ‘Set It Off’ in order to fight back they take their destinies into their own hands.

‘Lonely Girls Hearts Club’ comes in the wake of Nicki’s prior EP ‘For The Uninformed’ a sonically and lyrically dark exploration that splices live instrumentation with avant garde alternative hip hop and explores the heartache of being mixed race in and out of the ends. The project’s single ‘India Arie’ was championed by Radio 1’s Toddla T making it his ‘coldest record of the week’ and BBC1XTRA’s Jamz Supanova. The project’s third track ‘1964 (Howlett Drive)’ was played on Radio 1’s chillest show with presenter Sian Eleri claiming it to be “…the coolest bassline in East London”

Check out the video for ‘Lonely Girls Hearts Club’ below…

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YV Shells Takes His Neo-Soul & Punk Influences To A New Level With New Single, ‘LOSS’.

South London multimedia artist YV SHELLS‘ single, ‘LOSS’ sees him taking his Neo-Soul and Punk influences to a new level, creating a totally mesmerising sound.

Produced and directed by Yv himself, LOSS deals with the destructive nature of addiction to another person or a substance. Romantic riffs and punchy drums portray how the mind can be fooled into staying in a bad situation. He details the push and pull of abuse, using his captivating vocals to tell the tale.
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YV shares: “LOSS is a reflection on an addictive relationship and looking at how you can lose yourself in these situations. It’s a song about trying to separate the bad from the good and the paradoxical nature of wanting to stay in a bad situation.”

Born and raised in South London, Yvonne Shelling (his mother was hoping for a girl) makes music that combines his creative and chaotic energy with a sincere message: love honestly. A true multi-hyphenate, his talents extend beyond music to film, art and photography, having been featured in and supported by the V&A and Venice Film Festival.

Inspired by the likes of Bon Iver, Frank Ocean and Joy Division, it was during times of isolation in the pandemic that Yv started to experiment with playing the piano and began exploring new sounds. He enjoys bringing experimentation to the stage with a range of tracks that span Reggae/Dub to Rock and RnB.

Check check the video for YV Shells’ epic single below…

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