Song of the Day: 16 Bit – Lan’do

Coming on the back of two critically acclaimed EPs with his No Tourists collective, which have seen him and his crew garner support from the likes of The FADER, Complex, NOW Magazine, COLORS, and Exclaim! Magazine, among others, Canadian Jamaican experimental rap artist LAN’DO returns for the summer with a captivating and hard-hitting single titled ‘16 BIT’ that excellent fuses two sounds and cultures that have heavily influenced his music – grime and dancehall, with his Caribbean heritage shining through his flow and cadence all over the song.

‘16 Bit’ sees Lan’do collaborating with in-house No Tourists producer universes, who offers Lan’do the perfect soundscape for the Toronto-based artist to flex his lyrical muscles, clever wordplay, and immaculate multi-layered flow, as he unloads on the track in braggadocious fashion, exploring themes such as loyalty, friendship, and relationships, while staking his claim for being best-in-class. For the accompanying music video, Lan’do has linked up with long-time collaborator and video maker Kevin Kudu for a dark, gritty, and layered visual that was shot in his homecity Toronto.

Born in Canada and raised in Jamaica, Lan’do’s introduction to music came through his family – from his grandmother singing in the choir, to falling in love with his mother’s R&B collection, to creating his own sounds with his brother in the group Deadverysoon. He has since come together with fellow likeminded Toronto artists to form No Tourists, who have been garnering worldwide acclaim for their experimental rap fusion sounds. With his new solo music, Lan’do continues to push the envelope even further, and showcase just why he is becoming one to watch out of Toronto’s thriving rap scene.

Check out the video for the epic track below…

Watch Gena Perala’s Video For Single, ‘Fine’.

After a short -ish spell away from the blog, GENA PERALA pops back with her latest video for her acoustic love note, ‘Fine’.

The three-minute production features the Canadian singer/songwriter, telling a tale of falling for the wrong guy at the right time, with striking abstracts in the background.

‘Fine’ is from Gena’s 2013 album, ‘Exactly Nowhere’ (highly recommended). Check out the video below…

Song of the Day: Daddy Pancake – Vanfavia & Tonee C

NIgeria finest, VANFAVIA and TONEE C bring some SERIOUS energy onto today’s top spot through ‘dAddY pancake.’

Lifted from their their new joint EP, ‘VanTasy’, ‘dAddY pancake, is a bouncy upbeat hip hop anthem which sees both artists showcase flamboyance in lyrics and cadence.

Check out this bad boy production below…

Sibling Duo Beatnik Share Their EP, ‘Vol.2’

After years of contributing to London’s rich club culture via their Beatnik-themed parties, beloved YouTube channel, and having spun across many eras — from the Y2K pirate radio movement down to world tour arenas — BEATNIK is back with their latest full-length tape ‘Vol. 2’, a collection of six tracks that wanders through the worlds of drum & bass, R&B, dancehall, rap and electropop.

‘Vol. 2’ isn’t a solo affair — there are plenty of noteworthy guest cameos. D&B belter ‘Never So Much’ features vocals from UK songwriting legend and performer Royston, who worked closely with Estelle on her debut LP ‘The 18th Day’.

Beatnik are also both prolific DJs having spun on six continents in more than 70 countries, for events such as The British Fashion Awards, Glastonbury, Isle of Wight Fest and parties for Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Giuseppe Zanotti, ASOS and the F1 races. Working together officially for well over a decade, Beatnik has landed spins on Radio 1Xtra, Rinse FM, Reprezent, Ibiza Radio and many more.

In the studio, the duo has worked with many artists including bass guitar polymath Thundercat, All Saints, LA dancehall artists Nik and Navi, rock band Will & The People, Tyson and UK R&B legend Terri Walker.

When she’s not busy with her Beatnik mantle, Nikki is the personal DJ for Kelis [Milkshake, Caught Out There, Bounce, Trick Me] when she tours the globe, with a partnership spanning over 15 years. With their latest project ‘Vol. 2’, Beatnik has assembled one of 2022’s strongest six-track runs from any genre. Have a listen below.

Apacalda Shares Hypnotic Single, SSR

Melancholic, dreamy, enigmatic and hauntingly beautiful, Montreal’s APACALDA (also known as Cassandra Angheluta) is creating her own immersive world with a refreshed approach to indie, electronic pop which meets dream wave sounds.

Her brand new single, ‘SSR,’ is a nostalgic and acoustic inflected pop song which uses playfulness to communicate a sadness at its core. Cassandra wrote this song due to finding herself in an intimate relationship devoid of any profundity, which she was misled into.

The song’s music video portrays contrasts of emotion through the playfulness of the bright coloured field versus the spiraling darkness of the dungeon-like space. These images serve to depict the back and forth of wanting to believe something is what it is not, choosing to ignore reality to hold on to an idea that is better suited to our desires.

Check out the video for ‘SSR’ below…