EP Review: Rhyme Slingers -Redd Tune Productions

If you’re regular passer by on the blog, the name REDD TUNES must ring a bell as he has been featured countless of times with EPs that takes you back to the golden hip-hop/boom-bap era.

As always, Redd Tunes pulls a stellar line up for his releases and his project, ‘Rhyme Slingers’ is no exception, as the guest artists gives some extra swag to the irresistibly melodic productions which, at times, takes on a old school soulful favour and modern psychedelic sound. New recruit, Isis Aset, gives off a blazing vibrancy against the woeful violins, creating an almost classical sound in second effort, ‘Crisis’. Old staple Cubian Pete, offers up his unapologetically Londoner flow in ‘Blurrr’.

As well as producing the project, the man himself teamed up with fellow veteran emcee and long-time collaborator TJ Chill for track ‘Pioneers,’ a smooth hip-hop/boom bap piece accompanied by sporadic runs of the piano keys which serves as the perfect platform for both taking turns to showcase their ballsy delivery.

Although this neat set of just seven tracks holds a very similar golden urban sound, Redd Tunes’ Rhyme Slinger, to me, also bursts with a fresh and boisterous sound that begs attention. Check it out below…

Must Listens: Crisis, Blurrr, Pioneers, Anagram of Goldz

Song of the Day: Sunlight – Your Grandparents

Comprising of vocalists DaCosta, Jean Carter and producer ghettoblasterman, Los Angeles-based R&B/Hip-Hop trio YOUR GRANPARENTS make music that hints to the nostalgia of previous decades without feeling dated – and their single ‘Sunlight,’ is a true testament to that statement as the single oozes a smooth neon blend of hip-hop & neo-R&B which arguably takes you back to the nineties.

Sunlight is taken from their album, ‘Thru My Window’, out now via The Orchard. Nodding towards the realms of funk, soul, hip-hop, rock and blues, the self produced/written album is an alternative commentary on love in early adulthood. Illustrated through the joint perspective of Your Grandparents, the narrative portrays the origins of a budding relationship and its potential complexities.

Why not check out the video for ‘Sunlight’ (highly recommended):

Song of the Day: Lost – Swindle (ft. Loyle Carner, Kojey Radical & JNR Williams

South London native SWANDLE‘s single ‘LOST’, is bright and emotive, offering lush with bubbling brass, funk laden basslines and soaring synths and strings. The track sees Kojey and Carner exchange conversational bars exploring the themes of success and loss, with JNR Williams smooth vocals on chorus duties – “oh they lost themselves in lying”.

‘LOST’ is Swindle’s first solo release since his 2019 critically acclaimed album No More Normal, that was praised widely by the likes Loud & Quiet, The Wire, Q and CLASH, ‘LOST’ was written last Summer as England’s lockdown lifted breathing new life into a community of artists isolated and able to once again collaborate.

An exceptional stalwart of UK music, throughout his career Swindle has released on a plethora of labels from Butterz, to Deep Medi Muzik, to Brownswood, and collaborated with everyone from D Double E, to Ghetts, to Amaarae, to Mahalia, to Celeste and more. A true sonic chameleon, his efforts has been continually praised across the board with champions in the likes of NME, Resident Advisor, FACT, DJ Mag, RedBull, CLASH as well as major support from BBC Radio 1 tastemakers including Annie Mac, Gilles Peterson, Mary Anne Hobbs, Target and Clara Amfo.

Expect more music and news coming from Swindle very soon…but for now, have a listen to ‘LOST’ below…

Mickey Factz Responds To Royce Da 5’9″ In Fiery New Diss Track ‘WRAiTH’

The sensational battle between rap Gods Royce Da 5’9 and Lupe Fiasco is just the most recent piece to the everlasting debate of who should be crowned the best emcee. Enter MICKEY FACTZ. After being called out by name in round one, and antagonized by both Royce and Joe Budden on Instagram Live, the XXL Freshman alumnus unleashes his fiery response ‘WRAiTH’. Released on SoundCloud on Monday 26th July, the AWSME J-produced track finds Factz cleverly weaving in and out of styles for exactly 5 minutes and 59 seconds to proverbially “check boxes”.

‘WRAiTH’ arrives ahead of the forthcoming release of ‘The Narrative’, Mickey’s collaborative EP with fellow XXL Freshamn alumnus Blu and Grammy-nominated producer Nottz (of 9th Wonder’s Soul Council).

Check out ‘WRAiTH’ below…

Producer JEZTLS Shares A Powerful Message With Track ‘Affair’

Taken from his self-produced EP, ‘El Paradiso’ JEZTLS‘ latest single , ‘Affair’ sees the producer take the spotlight, providing his own vocals for the first time in his career. The lyrics tackle his experience of sexual assault whilst studying abroad in France.

In just over two minutes, the track deals with the trauma head-on, he glides through vocal styles of singing and rapping, taking influence from the alternative R&B world of James Blake and the grime music he encountered growing up in England.

Speaking on the track he says: “Affair to me is such a representative song. I dealt with so much hurt after being assaulted, I spent two weeks stuck in a tiny room in student accommodation in a foreign country. I was so stunned after it happened, it felt like it took a lifetime to fully process – so when I finally got out of bed and pulled up this beat I’d made for another artist’s session, the truth all fell out.

I’d previously planned to release a collaboration album, it was all set for the end of April, but after the assault it just fell apart and I realised I was the only person that could speak my own truth. It’s funny producing and writing for other people all your life, then one day something clicked and I realised as much as I hate my own voice – singing these songs myself is the most courageous and honest thing I can do as an artist. The structure of Affair fully allowed me to channel the different notions I went through: Denial, Pain and Anger. I’m not a rapper but I knew that I had so much to address in the final verse – it just came out like that.“

Watch the official video for ‘Affair’, directed by Luc Chief of Sprayfilms.