EP Review: For The Uninformed – Nicki Knightz

I’ve always known NICKI KNIGHTZ to be that rapper who fiercely take on the boldest of the boldest arrangements with her no nonsense flow, but her latest EP, ‘For The Uninformed’, has caught me off guard. With the exception of the drum bass heavy/Congolese guitar sample, ‘Blacker the Berry,’ which pays homage to her father’s work ethic, the EP shows a soft and perhaps a more vulnerable side to the Hackney native.

The three-track set sees Nicki focusing on the neglected identity issues of being biracial, eliminating any glamorized images of being a light skinned person. In second effort, ‘India Arie’, Nicki gives a vivid account of the problems her parents faced when contending with her hair, over a warped soulful/jazz instrumentation. An old-school soulful drive makes its presence known and runs sombrely throughout concluding track, ‘1964 Howlett Drive’, serving as the perfect backdrop for Nicki’s uncharacteristically emotive delivery, which gives an insight of her experiencing her mother’s culture and its heartbreakingly stark contrast to their life in the innercity area.

A complete 180 to her sonically boisterous 2018 debut EP ‘Hate’, ‘For The Uninformed’ takes on a more minimalist theme, allowing the uninformed to really soak up and resonate with the experience of her childhood.

Have a listen to ‘For The Uninformed’ below…

Must Listen: India Arie

Selci Unveils Blissful Lyric Video For Single, ‘A Soft Place’

Calgary alt-pop songstress SELCI offers an emotional balm to the outside world with lyric video for ‘A Soft Place,’ the whimsical title track from her forthcoming A SOFT PLACE EP postponed to 28th July.

Co-produced by a handful of producers including Vancouver’s Neighbour and Selci herself, ‘A Soft Place’ experiments with dance and R&B in a maze of escapism. Selci manifests softness and tranquility as a tool to cope with the anxieties of the world, while highlighting her recent devotion to dance music as a means of reverie.

Check out the lyric video for ‘A Soft Place’ below…

Song of the Day: S.D.F.O. – 5tash (feat. Zaybo! & Greenfolkz!)

5TASH makes his entry on the blog with latest single ‘S.D.F.O.’ (Step Da Fuxk Out), enlisting fellow emcees, Zaybo and Greenfolkz to work their magic over the melodic arrangements.

In the single, 5tash expresses his feelings of being trapped during lockdown and yearns to break out to have some pure unadulterated fun!

Expect more music from this guy…but for now, hit play on ‘S.D.F.O.’ below…

Rapper Souls Drops ‘Tears In The South’

Following the successful release of ‘Loyalty’ which was championed on Reprezent radio by Remi Burgz British rising star, record producer & sound engineer SOULS returns with the release of his new single ‘Tears In The South’ the second single off of his forthcoming EP ‘Phoenix 92’, out now.

Crafted in collaboration with Jupiter wave ‘Tears In The South’ combines melodic synths, trap-fuelled beats, soothing tone and witty lyricism. Encouraging listeners to get more acquainted with him as he shares his testimony of perseverance, whilst offering a unique perspective on his life introspectively. Complimentary to current affairs, the track unveils a solution to how a young black man who feels like the odds are against him can change his destiny & become a pioneer in his chosen field.

Speaking on the inspiration behind his new single Souls says “It is a motivator for the listener to know that wherever in life they may be & how ever many times they may fall, there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

Get motivated and check out ‘Tears In The South’ below…

Album Review: Stillborn Flowers – Rain To Rust

Mert Yıldız, the brainchild behind project RAIN TO RUST, continues to provide – and I quote from the man himself: ‘miserable music for miserable people’ – through his latest album, ‘Stillborn Flowers’.

Showcasing hazy and downtempo post-punk, which occasionally takes on the most sinister form of Darkwave (listen to ‘Died’ and ‘Dead Violets Night’) and 90s-style German Gothic rock influences (in ‘Marbled Sunlight’), ‘Stillborn Flowers’ also features remixes of singles (For When It Hurts, A Farewell With Regret and Time and Time Again) from previous album, ‘Flowers Of Doubt’ (2019). Originally an easy listening combo of soft pop/rock spanning of the 80’s, arguably similar to the seductive styling of Bryan Ferry, ‘For When It Hurts’ (TSU Remix) adopts a crisply light electro-pop tones, possessing the same tranquil tempo of the original.

With ‘Stillborn Flowers, Rain To Rust doesn’t fall short of filling the gap for those who yearn for the post-punk/new wave era. He also potentially leave his fans wanting more with dishing up something new with the remixes. Well I, for one, is left hanging for more as I now see him more than just a figurehead of the underground post punk/rock scene in his native Turkey.

Have a listen to ‘Stillborn Flowers below….

Must Listen: Died, Dead Violets Night, For When It Hurts (TSU remix)