New Music Video: Pretty Necklace – Laraw

After losing her job, LARAW decided to join the family business – her dad’s garage.

Never the one to pass up on an opportunity, Canadian alt-R&B singer drops the official music video for her brand new single entitled, ‘Pearl Necklace’, also doubles up as a makeshift commercial for her dad’s business.

The three-and-a-half-minute production features the songbird in customised outfits, designed by up and coming designer @ray.anh.tuan. However beyond the quirky attire, the songbird has a very important message in the R&B/trap banger: the people you love will always matter more than money.

LARAW is set to release her debut EP later in the year. For now, check out the visual for ‘Pearl Necklace’ below:

Song of the Day: Real Escape (Disco Despair Remix) – Nicolaas

NICOLAAS’ single ‘Real Escape’ gets a refreshingly funky pop treatment by Electronic producer Disco Despair released via Haven Sounds.

The original song ‘Real Escape’ is seductively gritty/groovy, with a playful flair of the haute couture life. While Disco Despair’s rendition retains the masculinity of the original track, it has an added sensuality that almost feels like a dance between partners.

The single follows the release of his debut effort ‘No Stranger Thing’ with remixes by Louis La Roche and Pages with the later released via French music and fashion label Kitsuné. Under his new moniker NICOLAAS, Rob Bakker has already garnered support from Clash Magazine, Earmilk, Mr Revillz, New Retro Wave and Luigi Donatello.

Check out Disco Despair’s remix to ‘Great Escape’ below:

New Track: Strangers – Selci

Following the release of the dreamy video for lead single ‘Truth in the Sea’,  alt-pop producer SELCI  shares second single, ‘Strangers’, taken from her debut ‘Effervescence’ EP, due out independently on 28th August.

The latest single perfectly displays the Calgary artist’s prowess as a budding electronic producer abounds. In a series of flashbacks, SELCI recalls the painful process of breaking up as each verse playing out like a final, one-sided exchange and desperate plea for an answer.

Over the past year, SELCI has shared bills with Neon Indian and Ryan Hemsworth and played festivals such as Canadian Music Week, Sled Island Music & Arts Festival, Big Fun Festival, and more. Her Effervescence Tour will cross Canada in October of 2019.

Check out ‘Strangers’ below:

Song of the Day: Wizard Girls – Kitzl

Canadian producer and composer, KITZL is the first to enter the blog’s SOTD spotlight of the Month with single, ‘Wizard Girls’. The single forms part of her album 40 Moons That We Know Of (April 2019), mastered by Michael Fong (Ryuichi Sakamoto, Electric Youth).

Inspired by the likes of Baths, The Knife, Empress Of, Asgeir, Sigur Rós, M.I.A, Bon Iver, Four Tet, Phosphorescent, SolarSolar, Imogen Heap, and José González, each piece of KITZL’s music is emotionally rooted in humanoid experiences. Instrumentally and lyrically it might bring up images of anthropomorphized planets and objects, as well as imaginary races of probably non-existent life-forms. There is subtle conflict in KITZL’s work and aesthetic. It’s a disquieted feud between a playful, child-like wonder, and a darker, more displeased bitterness at something. Enigmatic in genre, Kitzl’s sound draws parallels to that of her contemporaries such as Grimes and Regina Spektor.

Eschewing categories, ‘Wizard Girls’ is a shining offering, combining elements of ambient-electronic-pop, art pop, and experimental shoe-gaze into one remarkably cohesive whole. A humane glow envelops the track, rendering quixotic sketches into tangible, hook-heavy electro-pop – beautifully conceived and executed. There is a fearless, uninhibited confidence to KITZL’s work, a delightful whimsy which takes her already-arresting sound and expands it to widescreen.

The up-and-coming ambient pop-creationist has garnered support from CBC’s Radio 1’s The Key of C show hosted by Craig Norris, and wowed audiences at Hillside Inside Festival, and Kazoo! Fest in her native Canada. She has seen substantial media support, including features in Canadian Beats, New Noise Magazine, Ride The Tempo and Aesthetic Magazine.

Have a listen to ‘Wizard Girls’ below:

 

 

Album Review: Cabernet Sauvignon – Samurai Champs

When I hit the play button on SAMURAI CHAMPS‘ latest album, ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ I was expecting a trail of some trip-hop beats accompanied by a menacing b-line, a tone set by the introductory track, ‘Let Me Be Sad’.

But I stand corrected and I was pleasantly taken back as down-tempo vibe was then intertwined with different variations of chilled-out soul and R&B, topped off by a spine-tinging duet of alluring vocals and a relax flow that sometimes flares up with excitement. ‘Poseidon’ possess a vintage haziness of soul/R&B, that’s can be reminiscent of Tom Misch or perphas, Marc Ayres.

Tracks ‘Bae’ and ‘Still Mine’ contributes a lick of modern afterhours R&B which intensify the spine tingling sensation of the set. After a short run of the downtempo trip-hop pieces, the album concludes with title track, ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’, another heart melting trip-hop/afterhours number which best shows the vocal/rap duet.

With great balance between the bold and the delicate SAMURAI CHAMPS have made a massive splash with their debut collection; their efforts definitely won’t be drowned out from the rap game.

Check them out below:

Must Listens: Let Me Be Sad, Bae, Still Mine, Cabernet Sauvignon