Making a very summery entry on NEW LEASE MUSIC is artist KASS with single, ‘Down For Me’.
Fused with noughties -style R&B and a heavy modern bassline, that gives the bouncing track an extra lick, ‘Down For Me’ could be described as an anthem for all the ride-or-die chicks out there, boasting infectious hooks for the significant other.
The Ontario-bred singer and songwriter came under the radar in 2017, with single ‘Drunk Textin’ that took on a new and rejuvenated sound that would later on shape his career as an artist today. The single received over 100k plays on Spotify, solidifying Kass’ music career. He followed his debut with dreamy EP, ‘We Hours’, in 2018, riddled with Kass’ airy melody and distorted futuristic notes, created by an unorthodox stutter step cadence, spelled the story of an ardent love.
Expect more music from this guy, whether it’s pop, R&B with trap or dancehall / afrobeats influenced material.
Philippines-born, Calgary-based hip hop act LYRIQUE‘s video for single, ‘Smoke Break’ is a narcotic-infused reflection on love and cannabis that swirls to a chill rap beat.
“When creating lyrics, I sometimes like to use objects as metaphors to dig into other topics,” says Lyrique. “In this case, I’m comparing the sensation of a drug-induced daze to the feelings of being in love.”
Shot in the Forest Lawn and Bridgeland neighbourhoods of Calgary, the hypnotic video features various area landmarks that serve as a shout out to the rapper’s adopted city. The video follows the release of a series of singles and mixtapes from the artist since 2016, which have drawn attention from COMPLEX, CBC’s Q, MTV Philippines, and more.
Arriving in Canada in 2014 to work as a live-in nanny, Lyrique’s rhymes often draw from his personal struggles as a temporary migrant worker. Now a permanent resident striving to fulfill his dreams, Lyrique’s story is one of many within Canada’s Filipino diaspora.
Lyrique’s debut full-length album will be announced later this summer…but for now, check out the video for ‘Smoke Break’ below…
Newcomer to the scene, SHAMIL is ready to make a statement this summer with the atmospheric ‘Sohana’ (released through The Orchard). Accompanied by impressive visuals shot in London, the single is gearing up to be a big introduction for the prodigious young artist who is already drawing comparisons to the likes of The Weeknd and PARTYNEXTDOOR.
With his most recent single ‘Cola’ being released at the beginning of May, he immediately turned heads as the infectious guitar laden instrumental combined with his upbeat and catchy melodies breathed a breath of fresh air into the current R&B and pop music scene. This has since seen Shamil being scouted by Bronz of 13 Life (A&R scout of artists including Post Malone and Harmony Samuels) shining the spotlight brightly on the young emerging talent. Already being hailed as the latest potential pop/R&B wonderkid coming out of the US, ‘Sohana’ is yet another strong testament to this.
The single sees the 21 year old Anchorage native in his element, crooning over a trippy and relaxed R&B infused beat, talking on subjects including past relationships and a wild lifestyle in which he was living at the time. Speaking on the content of the single, Shamil says: “Sohana is about a girl that I was talking to at the time that had a wild lifestyle, yet I was more interested in the person she was than the type of life she lived. My emotions and feelings took over the logic of the situation. Even though I wasn’t into the type of stuff she was into, I really didn’t care. I want people to see how lust and attraction can cloud your decisions and judgement when it comes to certain people.”
With his latest project ‘The After Party’ on the horizon, 2020 is looking more and more like Shamil’s, and with this exciting release, Shamil is continuing to push the boundaries, going deeper down his Pop and R&B influenced path with grace and finesse.
French producer J-ZEN recently tapped West Coast MC KID ADSTRAKT for his single “Vibrations” (or “Vibrações” in Portuguese), which comes from his new album, ‘Standa Lone’.
Originally titled ‘Summer,’ the instrumental took on a whole new meaning once Kid Abstrakt wrote to it. The song was only partially done when Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash in January. The deaths had a profound impact on the Los Angeles native, but also taught him a valuable lesson.
“When I heard J-Zen’s beat, I imagined having açaí on a hot summer day in Los Angeles. We wanted to capture a feel good vibe but also share a message about appreciating everything you have while it’s still right in front of you. After Kobe & Gigi passed, I knew I had to live life to the fullest every single day.” – Kid Abstrakt
The William Andrade-directed music video reflects the song’s warmth and poignant message in the most fitting way possible. Hit play on the video below…
I don’t usually feature instrumentals here on NEW LEASE MUSIC, but I thought I try something a little different with Polish experimental trio FISH BASKET‘s piece entitled ‘Rainfall’. As hump day is just hours away, I thought you guys would fully appreciate the sublimely tranquil live instrumentation.
‘Rainfall’ is taken from their self-titled album, which contains over an hour of melancholic and melodic pieces, with relaxing riffs which can get all heavy and dark.
Have a listen to the live version of ‘Rainfall’, performed at their single’s release party last month.
Making a very summery entry on NEW LEASE MUSIC is artist KASS with single, ‘Down For Me’.
