Song of the Day: Pin Me Down – FRANSIS

Reminiscent of Wolf Alice and Florence + The Machine, London based alt/indie band FRANSIS‘ single, ‘Pin Me Down,’ was spurred by the tragic murder of Sarah Everard. It tackles a subject which is often difficult to talk about but shared by so many women, that of sexual assault, candidly focusing on the mental strain particularly in the aftermath, and the struggle behind closed doors.

Described as a therapeutic exorcism, Frontman Emma Withers shares, “This song is vulnerable and real, I wanted to focus on the self destruction, the brokenness, the confusion, the anger, and then finally the release which is supported by the music constantly, and as the song intensifies we hit an explosive finale, and an emotional release which was incredibly satisfying to perform in the studio, I did like 8 takes of this to get the raw emotion out of me, this is bonded with the mammoth eruption of epic guitar lines and pure power from the band.”

Despite the serious nature of “Pin Me Down” there is a positive outline, of admittance and then at the end, a collective sense of women standing together. A strong message that no-one should feel alone in their struggle, to let shame keep their burdens as skeletons or be fearful of walking down the street alone at night.

‘Pin Me Down’ is from their new EP, released last Friday (1st July). Listen to ‘Pin Me Down’ below…

Watch Nick Knightz’s Video For Single, ‘Lonely Girls Hearts Club (Intro)’

A true representation of the alternative in London, Hackney rapper and model NICKI KNIGHTZ returns with an introductory video in anticipation of her third solo project ‘Lonely Girls Hearts Club’ produced by her genre-bending duo member – artist and producer Henny Knightz.

‘Lonely Girls Hearts Club’ tells of how Nicki came to refer to herself as a ‘lonely girl’ relaying her experiences of council estate living and being painfully different from the accepted norms. It also celebrates the solace she found once discovering equally talented and artistic outcasts. The video exhibits Nicki and three fellow ‘lonely girls’ that the world has turned its back on. Though they experience extreme highs when together, once alone they are left grappling with sombre thoughts and intense emotions. Inspired by the hit movie ‘Set It Off’ in order to fight back they take their destinies into their own hands.

‘Lonely Girls Hearts Club’ comes in the wake of Nicki’s prior EP ‘For The Uninformed’ a sonically and lyrically dark exploration that splices live instrumentation with avant garde alternative hip hop and explores the heartache of being mixed race in and out of the ends. The project’s single ‘India Arie’ was championed by Radio 1’s Toddla T making it his ‘coldest record of the week’ and BBC1XTRA’s Jamz Supanova. The project’s third track ‘1964 (Howlett Drive)’ was played on Radio 1’s chillest show with presenter Sian Eleri claiming it to be “…the coolest bassline in East London”

Check out the video for ‘Lonely Girls Hearts Club’ below…

YV Shells Takes His Neo-Soul & Punk Influences To A New Level With New Single, ‘LOSS’.

South London multimedia artist YV SHELLS‘ single, ‘LOSS’ sees him taking his Neo-Soul and Punk influences to a new level, creating a totally mesmerising sound.

Produced and directed by Yv himself, LOSS deals with the destructive nature of addiction to another person or a substance. Romantic riffs and punchy drums portray how the mind can be fooled into staying in a bad situation. He details the push and pull of abuse, using his captivating vocals to tell the tale.
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YV shares: “LOSS is a reflection on an addictive relationship and looking at how you can lose yourself in these situations. It’s a song about trying to separate the bad from the good and the paradoxical nature of wanting to stay in a bad situation.”

Born and raised in South London, Yvonne Shelling (his mother was hoping for a girl) makes music that combines his creative and chaotic energy with a sincere message: love honestly. A true multi-hyphenate, his talents extend beyond music to film, art and photography, having been featured in and supported by the V&A and Venice Film Festival.

Inspired by the likes of Bon Iver, Frank Ocean and Joy Division, it was during times of isolation in the pandemic that Yv started to experiment with playing the piano and began exploring new sounds. He enjoys bringing experimentation to the stage with a range of tracks that span Reggae/Dub to Rock and RnB.

Check check the video for YV Shells’ epic single below…

Song of the Day: Focus – Asher Kosher (ft. EERF Evil)

North London rapper ASHER KOSHER – founding member and cornerstone of the Hackney-based Root 73 studio and artist community – is back with the second single to be lifted from his forthcoming, as-yet-unannounced new project. ‘Focus’, featuring long-time collaborator Eerf Evil, is out now on Root 73.

Launching fresh off the back of first single ‘On Our Street’ ft. Bel Cobain back in March, ‘Focus’ turns the next page in Kosher’s dexterous lyric book, as he trades verses with Eerf Evil; another artist with strong ties to Root 73 and The Silhouettes Project – an off-shot platform (and acclaimed multi-artist album of the same name) launched in 2019, dedicated to showcasing the next generation of UK hip-hop, jazz and soul.

Raised on a diet of A Tribe Called Quest, Tu-Pac, Eminem and later, UK rappers like Dizzee Rascal, Sway and Choong Family – as well as Benjamin Zephaniah’s 2004 book, ‘Gangsta Rap’ – Kosher’s love of lyricism runs deep.

After spending years honing his craft – including supporting hip-hop royalty in The Pharcyde and KRS1, as well as legendary UK rapper, K Koke during his early twenties – ‘Focus’ lands as another entry point to the reincarnation of Asher Kosher; rapper, thinker and pillar of his community….Check him out below…

Song of the Day: Livin’ – Cilla Raie

UK R&B singer CILLA RAIE continues feeding fans with new music, with the release of her second single of 2022 called ‘Livin’ produced by Grime producer, Treble Clef.

Experimenting with various sounds, Cilla takes a spin on her frontline R&B sounds mixing this in with influences of grime. Blending in her soft sultry vocals with the essence of confidence. Livin is about embracing who you are and living your life to the fullest despite what people may say, aligning with the idea and values of having no fear in this life.

Previously Cilla released her single ‘Longtime’ at the top of 2022, garnering support from BBC 1xtra and spotify editorial playlists. Becoming Trace Hit’s Recommendation for April aired across the week on SKY TV. In 2021, Cilla Raie released her ‘Reconnected’ EP which caught the attention of MTV, Wonderland Magazine, BBC 1Xtra, Capital Xtra and more. With her EP peaking at number 2 on the UK Itunes R&B/Soul Album Charts garnering further support from Reprezent, Earmilk, Apple News and more.

So from reading all her credentials, it’s very safe to say that you’re in very good company with Cilla Raie…have a listen to her latest ‘Livin’ below…