Song of the Day: Damage – DJ GANZ (ft. Beach Season)

GANZ, A.K.A Jordy Saämena is an Amsterdam-based producer/DJ extraordinaire who developed his masterful blend of hip-hop and electronica from a young age. Over time, GANZ’s sound has evolved, seeing him explore new territories and experiment with indie, pop and avant-garde music. His latest releases showcase his time spent playing with a multitude of genres and ambient soundscapes, creating something that is truly unique to GANZ.

In collaboration with Canadian duo Beach Season, comprised of Sam Avant and Simon Blitzer, GANZ unveils ‘Damage’. This latest partnership has involved international cooperation like no other. Bringing the lyrical ingenuity to life, Beach Season’s euphoric vocals pair seamlessly with lavish lofi beats. They explain, “The lyrics for “Damage” were inspired by the notion of mindless self-indulgence, even at the cost of one’s own well-being. The main root of the song centres around catharsis – a release that Sam and Simon felt even as they composed the lyrics. We have all experienced the need to be self-destructive in order to move past trauma or feel emotion.”

Taking inspiration from 90’s hip-hop and R&B elements, GANZ has developed euphonious musical elements like no other, adding a dimensional feel to “Damage”. Offering bulging basslines, echoing melodies and pulsing rhythmic sounds, this single is set to soar in success. With over 200,000 monthly listeners, his synth-focused productions and remixes helped usher in a new era of electronic music. With streaming numbers in the millions, we’re set to see huge things from GANZ and future collaborative opportunities in the coming months…Have a listen to ‘Damage’ below…

Song of the Day: Courts – AYO (ft. Jay Bahd)

Rising Northern rapper ATO (pronounced: atu) reconnects with his Ghanaian roots as he links up with the Kumasi based artist Jay Bahd for his latest single Courts’.

Created out of a late night session with Kai Whiston, EDEN and stevexcooper in London with vocals sent from Jay Bahd following an online meeting between the two artists, the video was shot during a recent trip to Ghana and sees ATO and Jay roam the streets and beaches of Accra, riding around in a Jeep, quad biking and more interspersed with energetic, docu style cuts of real life in the city.

Following the Flohio remix most recent solo single ‘Cold’. Leeds-based ATO, who is of British-Ghanaian-Danish descent, is set to release his forthcoming follow up EP Side B. coming out this Friday 29th July via MCMXCV. The five-track EP includes new unheard singles ‘nu balance’, ‘Straight Light’ and ‘outro’. Check out the video for ‘Courts’ below…

Song of the Day – Let Me Down – FLVME

Johannesburg based, South African Hip Hop artist FLVME is gearing-up for the release of his upcoming album Germander II, and ‘Let Me Down’ is the first single released from the upcoming project (via Platoon).

FLVME (pronounced: flame) is one of South Africa’s hottest rising Hip Hop artists who has released chart-topping albums, from 2019’s now-certified Gold Germander to 2020’a D.O.A (Dead Or Alive) and 2021’s While You Wait.

‘Let Me Down’ is his first release of 2022 and is a song about reflecting on past relationships and how helped shape who he is. “Accepting everything for what it is and understanding that I have to go through a lot in order to grow .. overall it’s just about finding peace within myself,” he says. Check it out below…

Leïti Sène Drops Brand New Experimental EP, ‘AP00€AL1P$¡ PT.1’

Flexing his passion for innovation and collaboration,Barcelona rapper and acclaimed actor LEÏTI SÈNE joins forces with a multitude of global producers on the record, with brand new EP, ‘AP00€AL1P$¡’ an embodiment of Leïti’s expansive creative network and his melting pot of eclectic influences. An artist who has garnered global attention with his heady fusion of rap, trap, pop and hip-hop – performed in Catalan, Spanish and English and informed by his Senegalese roots, ‘AP00€AL1P$¡’ shows a new side to Leïti as he infuses each record with his experimental take on Afrobeats.

The seven-track project features recent singles ‘BITCOIN’ , the release marked a shift towards a more personal narrative for Leiti – with the video announcing his pregnancy with revered stylist Sita Abellan (Kim Kardashian, J Balvin) and ‘5:05 PM’ a collab with the Argentine rapper and global sensation Trueno.

A multifaceted talent, Leïti is also an established actor, best known for his role in the international Netflix series Elite, and a sought after style tastemaker (Napapjiri x NTS, Nike and more).

Check out Leïti’s latest EP below…

Song of the Day: Reggie Rocket – SPRTYK

The Bronx, New York, is home to many mythical rap figures. From Fat Joe and KRS-One, down to Grandmaster Flash, Slick Rick and Big Pun — it’s no secret the concrete-bound borough is home to some generational talent. SPRTYK is no exception.

The NY rap queen is the embodiment of a renaissance artist, turning her hand to any instrumental and tackling it head-on. For confirmation, look no further than SPRTYK’s latest offering, ‘Reggie Rocket’.

‘Reggie Rocket’ pulls heavily from the hard-cut New York rap delivery reminiscent of The LOX, Mobb Deep, Remy Ma and Method Man. With a legendary crop of inspiration and boatloads of style, SPRTYK conjures up a trap-flavoured street anthem. Don’t let the track’s two-minute length fool you: producer Michael Mattice II scatters bellowing 808 drum kicks, a thick, bouncy bassline and quotable ad-libs throughout.

Before ‘Reggie Rocket’, SPRTYK dropped the Nephew Hesh-produced heater ‘Project Heat’. With a colour-bursting, left-field video companion video to match, SPRTYK’s recent output stands as a meteoric comeback for the Bronx poet.

Check out her latest joint below…