Song of the Day: Grinder – Johnny

Making an impressive music debut, producer/rapper JOHNNY is emerging from the home of some of the biggest names in the UK scene including Dizzee Rascal, Lethal Bizzle, Wiley, Kano and Roll Deep – the epicentre of today’s black music explosion, BOW E3. With such a rich tapestry of influence, culture and inspiration plus such a high pedigree of neighbouring artists to contend with, JOHNNY has studied the blueprint of his peers enabling him to step straight into the mix with strength, confidence and skill as he drops his aptly titled single ‘Grinder’.

The East London rapper has already started turning heads on the underground. Delivering on both production and vocals, JOHNNY creates the perfect blend for ‘Grinder’ as the heartbeat of the record thumps with kick drums and sharp snapping sneer drums before mix with his luxurious, melodic rap/singing. He nails the ability to automatically make your head bop along to the riddim and winds it up to a belter of a sing-a-long hook.

Setting the bar even higher, JOHNNY teams up the audio with a well thought-out, one-take, vlog style visual on his stomping ground Roman Road, premiered on GRM Daily. Slick camera edits, angles and the vibrancy of colours, culture and the London skyline, package ‘Grinder’ into one of the most impressive, refined and cultured debuts of recent times.

Check out the video below…

Song of the Day: Lizzi£ – Juice Menace

JUICE MENACE bounces right back into the blog’s Song of the Day hot spot with second track  entitled ‘Lizzi£’.

Her debut track ‘Hardly’ produced by Octavian’s Producer, Elevated, released in the wake of her first ever performance, opening for AJ Tracey at No Jumper’s London headline show, has now gone on to garner over 100,000 streams in a matter of weeks.

Following on from that success, ‘Lizzi£’ continues with the same self-assured and assertive style she’s fast becoming known for. Juice talks about staying in her own lane on the way to the top, when asked about the single, Juice responds “The song is about being money motivated and focusing on myself rather than paying attention to anyone else’s opinions”.

Check out the video for the blazing hot track below…

Harleighblu & Bluestaeb Take A Stand On Cat Calling In ‘Call’

After appearing on the blog’s SOTD hot spot last week, UK R&B singer HARLEIGHBLU  and neo-soul & hip-hop producer BLUESTAEB circle back with anti-harassment empowerment anthem ‘Call’, the forth single off upcoming joint album ‘She’, out on October 11th 2019.

On a funk infused production courtesy of BLUESTAEB, HARLEIGHBLU takes a stand against cat calling: “We as women constantly have to deal with unwanted attention and aggressive pursuit when we do our thing and this song is a cheerful ‘talk to the hand’, a reminder that we don’t have to entertain such behaviour. Ladies, our journey is a long walk so let this song be the soundtrack to your stride, nothing can stop you especially not the unwanted advances from Mr.Basic”

After HARLEIGHBLU heard BLUESTAEB‘s music at Camden’s Jazz Café in 2016, the multinational duo decided to search for new ways to express their common love for uncompromised hip-hop and R&B. BLUESTAEB’s soulful approach to beat making complemented Harleighblu’s vocals perfectly as she staked her claim on the neo soul and hip-hop territory she always identified with. Hailed as an up and coming ‘queen of soul’ with references to Nina Simone, Lauryn Hill and Amy Winehouse, HARLEIGHBLU’s signature sound has matured into a frank, self-possessed voice, bringing us honest, feminine, yet unrepentant lyrical touches.

Additionally, the Paris and Berlin based producer BLUESTAEB made his name through his releases via German tastemaker label Jakarta Records, where he released alongside Kaytranada, Ta-Ku and Mura Masa. Both his solo and collaboration projects have been internationally praised for their warm characteristic sound, receiving airplays on Soulection, BBC 1, Rinse.FM and many more.

With a full collaboration album set to drop in this month, HARLEIGHBLU and BLUESTAEB continue to impress with their seamless musical chemistry and mutual passion for classic R&B and hip hop. ‘Call’ provides a taste for what’s to come from the 13-track stoke of genius, ‘She’.

Check it out below…

Song of the Day: A.M – Malunga

Following on from last year’s critically acclaimed ‘Never Let Go’, which was supported by Record Of The Day, SoulBounce, Reprezent Radio, ASBO Magazine, and Hoxton Radio, among others, and on the back of being hotly tipped by the likes of Toddla T (BBC Radio 1), Roundhouse and Urban Development, fast-rising British singer and songwriter MALUNGA returns with her latest single titled ‘A.M’.

Produced by Peter Hakola (Makola, DeLooze), and taken from her forthcoming EP, which is due for release in 2020, ‘A.M’ is, in MALUNGA’s own words, about “getting to know somebody new but feeling like you’ve met them before. The song also captures the excitement and mystery around dating that we create versus the reality of the situation and who the person really is”.

Recommended if you like the sounds of NAO, Mahalia or Solange, MALUNGA is an exciting talent who captivates a sound that can be best described as experimental and progressive soul-pop, which is underpinned by a relatability, honesty, and authenticity that leaps out in her songwriting.

East London native MALUNGA first burst on the scene as a teenager in 2015, with her debut EP ‘Exhibit A’, which was met with rave reviews from fans and critics alike. She then went on to release ‘Whisper In The Dark’, which caught the ears of Toddla T, who supported the single on BBC Radio 1, before releasing ‘Never Let Go’ last summer.

Check out ‘A.M’ below…

Gemini Chris Starts The Weekend With Tracks ‘Clear Dream’ & ‘Give Me Your Love’

I hope you guys are ready for the weekend, as NEW LEASE MUSIC regular, GEMINI CHRIS has TWO slamming club fillers to get you started…

‘Clear Dream’ kicks off the party, with a smooth  trance-like vibe, coupled with dubstep-esque heavy b-line.

‘Give Me Your Love’ follows seamlessly, contributing a rotation of airy soundscapes and a kick of that gritty bass line.

So here’s your chance to check out the London DJ’s eightieth double releases of the year…