Tag: London

Song of the Day: The Latest – DC

South London rapper DC today track, ‘The Latest’, pays homage to his rap hero J Cole. the Greenwich-born storyteller lifts the sample from ‘Chaining Day’ (Sly Slick & Wicked’s ‘Sho’nuff’), pairing the smooth, lush instrumentation with hard-won tales from life growing up in inner-city London.

Bursting onto the scene with his first freestyle ‘Gleamin’’ in 2015, the rapper quickly set the industry alight, matching dextrous wordplay with an ear for beats that has seen him win fans at the likes of Complex UK, CLASH, The Line of Best Fit, DUMMY, TRENCH, GUAP and more. DC has gone on to support J Hus on tour, graced the stage at this year’s Wireless festival and rounded out 2021 with his debut headline show which sold out in seconds and featured an appearance from collaborator Knucks.

‘The Latest’ is the first taste of music following DC’s last EP In The Loop which pushed the rapper to a new level with the singles amassing over 20 million streams on Spotify alone. Check out the video for ‘The Latest’ below…

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Song of the Day: Good Love – Joey XL

East London R&B innovator JOEY XL‘s single ‘Good Love’, is a feel good, end of summer serenade to all those who feel like they can’t get by without love.

Produced by Rndm Beats, ‘Good Love’ is the lead up to his forthcoming six-track EP XL’s Room, coming out this Friday (30th September). The much anticipated project encompasses themes of love, finding yourself through music and forging your own path. The project features smooth recent single ‘Special’, the shimmering ‘Perfect Timing’ and the first release from the EP ‘To The Bank’ which arrived earlier this spring.

Speaking on the EP, Joey said:-

“The challenges that life throws your way, each designed to shape and advance your existence and purpose, are encapsulated in ‘XLs Room’. It centres on the concept of a bedroom, as well as the solitude of the mind, both private and safe spaces to feel and process lessons in love, navigating relationships, finding direction and understanding who and what you’re meant to be. This EP is a journey of self-discovery – each track speaks to my musical and mental evolution, crossing genre and themes, ending with passionate optimism that everything happens for a reason and the best is yet to come.”

Make sure you look out for the EP…but for now, have a listen to ‘Good Love’ below…

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UK Alt-R&B Princess Dior Ashe releases EP ‘Chill Pill’.

Singer/songwriter DIOR ASHE introduces an eclectic amalgamation of various styles, genres and moods, through EP ‘Chill Pill’, a body of work that is an undoubtedly enjoyable journey into the catalogue of one of West London’s most promising talents.

Dior’s warm vocals melded with infectious melodies and encapsulating lyrics make for a unique and memorable listening experience.

Hailing from Ladbroke Grove, West London, singer/songwriter Dior Ashe is undeniably a force to be reckoned with within the UK Alt R&B space.

Proudly tapping into her Antiguan & St Lucian roots, Dior draws much of her influence from her rich Caribbean heritage. R&B, Soul and Neo-Jazz also all play a key-part when it comes to her unique musical scope, with Dior also drawing inspiration from vocal powerhouses such as Amy Winehouse and Erykah Badu.

Notably, Dior Ashe has performed at Earth 0.2, QH Sound Live and RCRDSHOP at Boxpark Shoreditch, and has been supported by Reprezent, Voices Radio, Snapback FM and Love Da Beat radio stations with both interviews and radio play.

Must Listens: Homerun, Miss You.

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Song of the Day: Essence – Coops

Produced by Greatness Jones, ‘Essence’ is an inspiring cut of positivity from the talented North London rapper, COOPS, ruminating about life across trademark boom-bap drums and a rolling bass line. Essence is taken from Coops’ new album, ‘Lost Soul 2’ – released last Friday (23rd September) via Lost Soul Records.

‘Lost Soul 2’, the seventh full length release from the prodigious talent, was recorded at Coops’ studio in Hackney and serves as the sequel to his seminal Lost Soul mixtape, which still commands huge admiration nearly a decade since its release and is widely seen as a cult UK hip-hip classic. The new album sees a welcome return to the creative partnership with producer Talos that flourished on ‘Lost Soul’.

In support of the new album, Coops has announced details of his debut UK headline tour. The ‘Lost Soul’ tour will see Coops on the road in October and November with a special hometown show at London’s XOYO on Friday 4th November. Full dates can be found below while tickets are on sale now here: https://diplomatsofsound.org/coops-lost-soul-tour-2022/.

While the original reflected the uncertainty in his teenage years, ‘Lost Soul 2’ explores the navigation of adult life against the backdrop of the precariousness of the world in 2022. It’s a tale of progression and growth: Coops’ emotional capacity has matured, as has the soulful melodies he is crafting. It demonstrates evolution without compromising the important message in his music. 

‘Lost Soul 2’ is Coops at his truest, purest, and most effortless and, having flown under the radar for far too long, is set to cement his status as one of the UK’s foremost lyricists. Check out the video for ‘Essence’ below…

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Song of the Day: twenifree – SAMSON

UK rising star SAMSON‘s ‘twenifree’ is the second instalment in his Birthday inspired series.

SAMSON once again marks the occasion by sharing his experiences of travelling another year around the sun with this endearing, self-produced offering.

In signature SAMSON style, ‘twenifree’ is laced with an infectious, jumpy instrumental – perfectly complimenting his innate ability to capture his audience through his gripping story telling and effortless flow.

Inspired by array of genres such as Hip-Hop, Funk, Jazz, Rock and Grime, and influenced by artists Tyler The Creator, Little Simz, Joey Badass and Chance the Rapper, SAMSON has received national radio support from Tiffany Calver on BBC Radio 1Xtra as well as BBC Introducing and many community radio stations.

Check out his latest retrospective track below…

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