London artist BLISS WILLIAMS‘ new single, ‘A Thousand Times Before’, sees him reflecting on growing up in a small town and not quite knowing whether to miss it or not. Propelled by drums from Ben Gordelier of the Paul Weller band, this is a wistful disco-infused number that’s perfect for those summer days ahead.
‘A Thousand Times Before’ follows Bliss’ previous releases ‘Tearaway’ and ‘Make Time For Mourning’, which were championed by John Kennedy on Radio X and Gary Crowley at BBC Radio London respectively.
‘A Thousand Times Before’ was released last Friday (10th June) on Paul Weller bassist Andy Crofts’ label, Colorama Records.
If you were to grab a dictionary and look up the word “diverse” — B LIVE’s catalogue would likely be cited as a reference point. Spawning from the crackling, warped 140 BPM worlds of UK garage, bassline, grime as well as the plasticine, sharp-edged dystopia that is dubstep, drum-n-bass and electronic music; you’d be hard-pressed to find a rhymer more travelled than unsung UK legend, B Live. Continuing the wordsmith’s recent prolific run, B Live is back with his street-level scorcher ‘Winters Coming’.
For the song — produced by Crissy Criss — the North London verbalist taps Kent spitter Harry Shotta, as the pair cobble together an icy, grit-marinated banger purpose-built in a factory next to where they make reload buttons. Throughout, both rhymers pull from the deepest recesses of their psyche to imbue the track with pensive reflection. On the track, both rappers talk greaze, bigging up their accomplishments, whilst casting their minds back to their come up in a cohesive manner — no easy feat.
‘Winters Coming’ follows B Live’s party-ready Jme and Becky Hill collaboration ‘Don’t Know About You’, from December of last year, as well as last month’s wavy, patios-injected Durrty Goodz collab ‘Foundation’.
Raised north of the River Thames, B Live steadily rose through the ranks during the UKG boom in the 2000s, carving his name into mythology. Discovered by DJ EZ, the disc jockey featured B Live on his legendary KISS radio show, exposing his talent to many. During his tenure in the rap universe, B Live has collabed with everyone from rap titans such as Wiley, Jme and Jammer, down to dancehall royalty Elephant Man.
Back in 2019. B Live was featured on Skepta’s single ‘Love Me Not’ alongside Cheb Rabi from his ‘Ignorance is Bliss’ LP. To up the ante, the spitter also received numerous of the coveted UKG Sidewinder awards for the best emcee.
Outside of the booth, B Live spends his time rocking crowds across the nation. Regardless of whether it’s a kaleidoscopic DnB rave, on the television or a festival stage — it’s guaranteed B Live will raise the roof. It’s not all strictly club tracks, though. If B Live was a member of the animal kingdom, he’d likely be a chameleon: regularly changing his exterior to fit his audible environment. ‘Winters Coming’ does exactly what it says on the tin, bringing forth cold flows stitched together by introspection and self-analysis. Check it out below…
Reggae/Dancehall duo SONZ OF THUNDER UK (SOTUK) are back, offering more words of wisdom and encouragement, with new single ‘Eagles Wings.’
Dropping one tough classic reggae riddim, ‘Eagles Wings’ reminds us, although they were some hard and dark times during the Pandemic, if we put our trust in the Most High, we will always rise above obstacles – just like an eagle gliding high above the mountains.
For over a decade, SOTUK – consisting of brothers Shane and Dean Brown – has been spreading the words of inspiration across the UK which earned them a steady following in the gospel and mainstream communities as well as receiving continuous support by the likes of Capital Xtra’s Ras Kwame, BBC London, Pluse88 Radio, The Beat 1036 plus many more.
The North-West Londoners also have built strong connections in Ghana, working alongside with Ghanaian producer Quansty K who produced their previous single, ‘House Party’, supported by Jeremiah Asiamah on BBC Radio One and BBC 1xtra.
Although it has been a quiet year for SOTUK, the guys scooped the best reggae act in the TMMP awards in 2021. Their first official release since the pandemic, ‘Eagles Wings’, marks a new and exciting chapter of great things to come from SOTUK.
After her interview with the blog back in October 2020, it’s a pleasure to welcome back London’s Alternative-soul singer-songwriter STACEY PIERRE who now takes us on a roller coaster of emotions with brand new single titled ‘Motion’. Oozing soothingly atmospheric soundscapes which intertwines with the young songstress’ alluringly soulful vocals, ‘Motions’ forms part of Stacey’s second solo EP, ‘Origin Unknown’ slated for release in July.
Written, arranged, recorded and mixed by Stacey, the four-track EP is set to take us through some of the ups and downs within her journey of faith. ‘Motion’ represents the value we place on other’s perceptions of us and how that value interacts with our self-worth.
Since the release of her debut self-written/produced EP ‘Eden’ back in 2018, which was met with raving reviews, Stacey is carving a name for herself in London’s music scene as a full-time musician, regularly performing at opulent venues, The Londoner Hotel, The Dorchester Hotel and The Ned. Stacey also graced her intensely compelling stage presence at various events across the capital including St. Felix Place, Gigi’s Bar, Café 1001 and East London’s 93 Feet East.
As she continues to flourish as a musician, Stacey has ventured out to experiment with various genres through collaborations with British-Congolese musician Jordan Mackampa on his EP ‘Come Around’, recorded his Live Abbey Road session. Stacey was also one of two backing vocalists to appear in Jordan’s music video, for single ‘Under’.
Stacey also has a burgeoning partnership with multi genre producer Obsidian Cane, producing UKG club fillers ‘Body Talk’ and ‘Secret Place’ which was also met with critical acclaim and were supported by UKG connoisseur DJ EZ on BBC1xtra. The pair is set to release more dancefloor staples later in the year.
Until then, Stacey presents her single, ‘Motion’ which showcases her undeniable skill to instantly draw in the prospective listener into her world.
‘Motion’ was released 4th June across various music platforms. Have a listen below…
‘Window Frame’ is the third instalment from British singer, rapper, and songwriter BENNY BIZZIE, who gives us a smooth track about discovering love in the simple things in life. ‘Window Frame’ offers an appreciation for the abundant nature of life around us.
Bizzie calls on his younger self to deliver 8 bars of Grime emotion and energy, a surprise his older fans will be thrilled to experience. The track features Bass guitars by Darren Franklin, and electric guitar parts from heavy metal band ‘Less than Hollow’.
Benny Bizzie’s recent ‘E-Motion’ EP has gained over 600k views on YouTube and over 200k streams on Spotify with support from Link up TV and Sentric Music and regional radio. He has released seven EPs to date which earned him two nominations at the Urban Music Awards for Best Male and Best R&B plus radio support by Charlie Sloth (BBC 1xtra), Lionheart (BBC Radio London). He also did collaborations with A-List artists including Ghetts. For more info on Benny, head to his bio here.
Bizzie is set to release his 10th EP this summer, supported by Help Musicians and Mobo Awards Fund. ‘Window Frame’ is released on today (3rd June) on download/streaming sites. Have a listen below…
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