New Music Video: Valium – Sticky Blood (ft. Gaby Henshaw)


STICKY BLOOD
 return after an array of quality music in 2015 that turned the heads of the major music tastemakers. The Blood is Stickier Than Water E.P, written and recorded at the Red Bull Studios, featured One Bar In ft. MC’s Coco & Snowy and Balance, which put the production duo on the map garnering support from Monki, Toddla T, Mistajam, Jamz Supernova, Complex, Clash and excitement through the indie music scene.

Following hot on its heels and showing exactly why they’re in such high demand with artists waiting to work with them, Sticky Blood dropped the infectious Valium featuring singer Gaby Henshaw.

The title Valium is used by the production duo as a metaphor to show the desire to be asleep where you can experience something away from reality and where things are unassuming. Like the description, the production follows its movement; it develops and builds as the tracks deepens with punchy club style drums mixed with anthemic style synths in the build-ups, and contemporary sounds in the drop and switch. It’s confident in its sound, and in the second part we see saturated bass and stuttered patterns. The twists and turns in their production style constantly surprise and highlight their diversity and intricacy.

The cinematic visuals match the portrayal from the lyrics and the beat with Gaby Henshaw depicting a girl up in the hills away from everything, but searching for something. It’s very much open to interpretation as to where, why and how, but shows desperation, and leaves the viewer considering and asking all types of questions.

Andy Nicholson and Jamie Shield have created a striking and unique sound that can move people emotionally working with established singers such as Terri Walker and Tom Prior, but also create Grime tracks at a 155bpm with up and coming MCs. They are fresh and innovative and continue to bring an exciting, rule-breaking sound to 2016.

New Track! Like I Do – Shinobi (ft. LDizz)

Shinobi Like I Do

Continuously representing the northern underground music scene, SHINOBI just slammed his brand new track Like I Do.

The explosive banger sees the Sheffield grimester spitting bars over a murky Sticky Blood instrumental that draws on the early days of grime, made up of a racing backline and jerking synth fuelled beat, while fellow Sheffield MC LDizz drops  an energetic verse.

The co-founder of A.O.K (All Out Krew) and Sheffield-based online radio station, UK Mondo recently enjoyed success with the Sheffield hip-hop collective Clubs & Spades, made up of fellow MC Matic Mouth and producers Andy Nicholson and Jamie Shield. Their track Clearer Coast was made Record of the Week by Charlie Sloth on BBC Radio 1Xtra, Record of the Day online and hit radio playlists throughout the UK. SHINOBI‘s solo release is set to make serious waves among music critics and fans.

Like I Do is available now via iTunes…but for now, check out the video. 

Interview with: Sticky Blood (on their latest EP Blood is Stickier than Water)

tracey and sticky blood

I dropped in at the Red Bull Studios for a quick chat with Jamie Shield (left) and Andy Nicholson (right) -aka –STICKY BLOOD about their latest EP, Blood Is Stickier Than Water, released through their label Card Bang Music and their plans for 2016.

NLM: You released your EP Blood Is Stickier Than Water back in september. How would you describe their latest release to potential fans.

Andy: It’s a difficult one to describe as we cover a broad range of sound and It doesn’t sit in one particular genre. But if we have to describe the EP it’s dark, moody anthems.

NLM: On each track from the EP, you featured different artists – from Terri Walker to up-and-coming singer Hekky, who’s been a firm collaborator. How did that relationship started?

Jamie: We known him for years, so the relationship was pretty much already there. He went away and  did his own thing and we did our thing. The time felt right when he started releasing some music that we liked and we started collaborating again.

NLM: So what is your favourite track from the EP?

Andy: Balance is a definite favourite for me and Let Me Down but my favourites change from one week to the next.


Jamie: One Bar In.

NLM: With this EP, you experimented with drum’n’bass, dubstep with electronic basslines. Is there any other genres you would like experiment in future projects?

Andy: I think we use all those sounds mix together and we’re influenced by all of them individually,  so it only seems right to pull little bits from each one and make a completely new sound.

Jamie: I think it’s all about how it sounds at the end. I wouldn’t want to give it a genre – because he (Andy) would change his mind at the end of the week!

NLM: How about experimenting with a bit a disco or reggae?

Andy: Hmm…maybe not disco…maybe dabble in a bit of R&B and dubstep and possibly reggae, a real merger!

NLM: You worked with different artists, including Terri Walker. What’s it like working with her?

Jamie: We’re sick and tired of Terri! No joke aside, Terri is like family to us, she’s been back a few years with us. If it wasn’t for her, we probably wouldn’t be where we are today. She wanted us to work on her album and we jumped at the chance. We did seven tracks in which all ended up on her album

NLM: Is there anyone else you would like to work with?

Jamie: There’s a range of singers and rappers we like to work with. We particularly like to work with  Gaby Henshaw. Although we’re happy working with artists we have, we’re always looking for  new and established artists to collaborate with.

NLM: So tell us more about Gaby Henshaw?

She’s an up-and-coming singer  who did a track for us under a different name on a separate project which  panned out  perfectly.

NLM: So what’s your plans for 2016?

Jamie: Just keep on improving on tracks and keep getting better.

Andy: The aim for this year to reach to a wider audience. We want more of our artists to release more music,  and to build on our label.

NLM: Any upcoming gigs?

Jamie: Not as yet.  We want to get to the stage where we can perform live comfortably; doing it right and sound right and carry the vibe how we want it to.

Andy: We toyed with a few ideas for a live setting, but for now we want to produce more tracks and generate a few more ideas for what we can do in that sort of environment – we’ll get there, possibly next year!

NLM: You’ve done two EPs in 2015. Will this year see you guys going a full-length album?

Andy: We’ll continue to do individual songs for now, probably next year.

NLM: Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

Andy: I like to think, hopefully by then, we push out at least an album. I say that but it might take longer; we wait a couple of years and get it right. Hopefully more people will know about what we’re going.

NLM: Thank you for taking part in this interview, well appreciated it

No problem, it was our pleasure.

New Music Video: Balance – Sticky Blood

Production duo STICKY BLOOD have unveiled  their brand new visual to grime/R&B fused single Balance. The track is the first release from their upcoming EP, Blood Thicker Than Water, dropping on the pair’s record label Card Gang Music on 20th November.