Premiere: Papaya (Single) – Céline And The Blue

NEW LEASE MUSIC is absolutely proud to welcome back jazz group CÉLINE AND THE BLUE and their brand new self written/produced single, ‘Papaya’, out today on all music streaming and download sites.

Described as the ‘jazziest’ work to date by the band, ‘Papaya’ was premiered live at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London back in January. Possessing a sassy and careless energy, ‘Papaya’ is about having the freedom to do what one please – and naturally the song showcases their artistic freedom to compose music that truly represents the band.

“Being a jazz band, we’ve had so many people tell us to walk away from niche genres and shift to commercial and be like the other pop artists, but as the lyrics say “what’s the point of being a copy, when the world’s full of those?” says front woman Céline .

The title of the song – Papaya – also symbolizes the band’s artistic freedom. Céline further explains on naming the song: “While we were writing it in rehearsal, before the concept of ‘papaya’ had become a thing, I had no lyrics for the chorus yet, I was singing gibberish ‘hara pappara’, which just sounded like ‘I like papaya’ to me. So we just went ahead with it, picked it as the tile because there is no rule to songwriting and it also reflected the ‘you don’t have to stay in the lines that people tell you to stay in’ idea”.

Since appearing on New Lease Magazine with ‘Learn To Be Alone’ last November, the guys were gigging around London and were expected to perform on Sofar Sounds but was cancelled due to the Co-vid 19 pandemic…but fear not jazz lovers, as the guys have been cooking up some songs during lockdown, so expect some stunning bluesy material soon.

For now, kick back and have a listen to ‘Papaya’ below…

Song of the Day: Triggz – CGAF

Making his debut on grime legend D Double E’s independent label ‘Bluku Music’, East London rapper TRIGGZ delivers his hard hitting single ‘C.G.A.F’.

As the first signing to the label, D Double E explains what it is about Triggz that led the way for the partnership, “we go way back, he is one of the coldest rappers, he’s been rapping before it was the ting in the UK”.

Bringing a mix of grime, trap and rap with a visual blessing for ‘C.G.A.F’, D Double E’s comments are quickly confirmed as Triggz touches the mic. The single has a dark and gritty feel with a ‘matter of fact’ delivery from Triggz with his cold punchlines and metaphors. Having always been in the standing of grimes legends since the early 2000’s, Triggz first found his status as part of ‘G Force’, making tracks including ‘Blast You’ featuring Kano as well as working with D Double E, Jammer and the wider East London grime scene, quickly gaining a reputation for his weighty raps and emcee skill.

With Bluku Music being the brainchild of D Double E and his cousin/manager Danny Dixon, the duo have welcomed major success to the label via D Double E’s independent releases and first studio album ‘Jackum’. Based on a strong foundation of grime and DIY experience, it is now that they are branching further into the scene to nurture the genuine grime sound and major players as demonstrated with Triggz and further signings that include Mytus and producer Diamondz.

Hinting at a slew of further releases, that also include a collaborative mixtape that will undoubtedly include more hard hitting lyricism from Triggz, D Double E says “We got some special bits for you to hear very soon. And trust me the Bluku Music Mixtape is going to be a mad ting”.

Get your first taste here and check out the video for Triggz’s ‘CGAF’ below…

GoldKay Starts The ‘Party’ With Latest Afroswing Single

London based British Ghanaian artist GOLDKAY rolls up at the right time to keep the summer mood going, with brand new single, ‘Party’.

Fusing elements of afrobeats, R&B and dancehall together to deliver an infectious number, ‘Party’ comes on the back of the success of GoldKay’s latest single ‘Like That’, which has already amassed over 100,000 streams in just a few months.

Before emerging as a solo artist and bursting onto the UK afrobeats landscape with his infectious afroswing, R&B and dancehall fusion sound, highlighted by his breakout track ‘Bluffin’, GoldKay started out in music as a member of the acclaimed British choir group Gospel Singers Incognito, where he was able to hone his craft, amassing over 30 millions views on YouTube, with performances at the BBC, Channel 4, Bestival, Sky One and ITV, while also working with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Dappy (N-Dubz), Westllife and Crazy Cousinz.

It’s time to get into the party mode and click play on the slamming smooth joint, created in collaboration with burgeoning Accra-based production duo Ugly x Tough.

Song of the Day: 9 Deep Breaths – Fabian Secon

FABIAN SECON‘s self-written single, ‘9 Deep Breaths’ is probably his most honest work to date. The track encapsulates his lo-fi, genre-spanning sound with Fabian revealing his battle with anxiety on a daily basis:

“Anxiety’s the villain to my brain / Looks to kill me anytime of day / My guilty thoughts rain on my parade / And 9 deep breaths to get me through the day”, he sings. But there’s also a sense of determination and hopefulness in the lyrics too: “But I’m strong as an ox or tiger teeth / No I won’t let this defeat me / Screaming out, how hard can it be? / Facing myself the enemy”.

Fabian has built up an impressive fanbase organically over the last couple of years, with over 30 million streams globally across all platforms – a huge feat as an independent DIY artist. On Spotify alone, he currently has close to 250,000 monthly listeners and several tracks that have crossed the one million barrier.

So if you’re currently suffering from depression or anxiety, remember you’re not alone as this guy has been through it all, despite his impressive record in the industry. Check out the Lyric video for ‘9 Deep Breaths’ below…

Obsidian Cane Presses The ‘Reset’ Button On Latest EP

Giving old skool UK Garage a new lease of life, producer/artist OBSIDIAN CANE’s latest three-track EP, ‘Reset’ came along by complete chance…

The tracks on the EP were originally separate projects for three artists – Bryonii, I Am Born and Stacey Pierre. The plan to release the summer bangers came to a halt when the Covid-19 pandemic struck the UK back in March.

Obsidian explains: “My plan was to complete each project then go back to performing at live events. Then the world went into lockdown and everything changed. Music events were cancelled, clubs closed, and social distancing gave me some tough decisions to make. I had a serious discussion about quitting the music industry for good, but my music promoter convinced me the Covid-19 lockdown was the best time to release new music as a new artist. Since everything felt reset and new, I used that energy and produced the three songs and title the EP.”

‘Reset’ EP may be the first solo release from Obsidian Cane, a seemingly unknown artist, who received over 13,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, but he’s certainly no novice to the UK underground dance scene. The Londoner scored success with club hit (I Need A Rhythm) as Garage duo KP with UK Garage producer Paul Benjamin and has performed live at 51st State music festival as KP.

Away from his partner-in-crime Paul Benjamin, Obsidian has other projects up his sleeve: he has produced music for artist in development Warner, EMI and Parlophone, as well as producing music for popular TV shows, including Get Up Stand Up and EastEnders.

‘Reset’ EP is now available on various download/streaming platforms.

Follow Obsidian Cane: https://www.instagram.com/obsidiancane/

Have a listen below…