London’s singer-songwriter APRIL JAI returns, this time to the blog’s Song of the Day hot spot, with a nostalgic summer feel cover of ‘I Kissed A Girl’ – the latest in a string of singles from the independent artist. Delicate acoustic guitars blend with an indie pop feel, April Jai has brought a brand new vibe to the 2008 Katy Perry hit, bringing it forward to suit the current musical landscape.
April Jai says of her cover: “I’ve been a huge fan of Katy Perry since I was a kid and I absolutely love making covers and changing them to suit my own style. I had a blast making this cover and love that it has that coming of age, end of summer nostalgic feel to it”
Making a name for herself on the London pop scene with her chilled production style and emotionally heavy lyrics, April’s TikTok viral hit ‘It Ends with Us’ saw her rack up over 500K streams for the
release on Spotify; meanwhile her previous more sultry alt pop release ‘Stop Fighting It’ emerged as her first release since her sold-out headline show in December at London’s Troubadour –
proving her potential to translate online viral attention into a real-life fanbase.
With a growing catalogue of heartfelt releases under her name, like the latest single ‘You Didn’t Notice’ and November’s pop- rock flavoured ‘Not Like the Movies’, April Jai’s personal pop numbers matched with her natural storytelling abilities sees her continuing to attract listeners from around the world, tapping into the ups and downs of navigating life and relationships. Now ready to continue her natural progression into the upper sphere of the pop world, ‘I Kissed A Girl’ is something new and exciting from the Scottish native – April Jai is undeniably one to watch. Have a listen below…
Tag: Music
Dreamtronica Duo Belau Returns With Feel-Good Single, ‘Focus’ ft. Myra Monoka
One of European’s most promising electronia duo BELAU returns with a new single called ‘Focus’ featuring one of their tour singer, Myra Monoka.
The guys speaking of their new offering: “Millions of people are interested in what methods help us distinguish between what serves us and what we form in ourselves based on reflexes, traumas and conventions. In the mysticism that is the basis of all great historical religions, there are a few universal solutions that help us navigate in this world and what can give effect to our decisions. Meditation, fasting and acceptance of fate through overcoming our fears are common denominators. People have forgotten these, but if we rediscover everything that humanity has already realized, it is quite sure that we are on the right track. What serves us lies on the other side of what we fear”
In five years, they had more than 200 live performances in 25 countries. The debut LP, ‘The Odyssey’ won the Hungarian Grammy in best electronic music album category. Their long-awaited sophomore album, titled Colourwave, made their name on international level, now they release ‘Focus’ featuring Myra Monoka, which will be the part of their new album ‘Apriori’ out on 27th of October. Check it out below…
Listen To Laura Groves’ Full-Length Album, ‘Radio Red’
Much of ‘Radio Red’, the first full length album LAURA GROVES has released under her own name, was written, produced and recorded by Groves in her studio, watched over by two radio transmitting towers. “I became very drawn to them and they became like symbols to me; they were always awake, sending their messages, the red lights always came on at night and watched over whatever was going on in my life.” The album deals with themes of communication – missed and intercepted signals, chance meetings, synchronicities, the channels through which we try to express our true feelings, the outside interference that can get in the way and the joy of letting go and allowing the messages to flow freely.
Working its way through years of Laura’s life as an artist – early experiences of releasing music, live performance, touring, build up and breakdown, the record was a way to tune in to the many, often conflicting signals of fragmented memories. “I’ve always been very sensitive and open to what’s happening around me, and also struggle with the sheer amount of noise sometimes. There was a radio tower on the hill opposite the house where I grew up – I would look out at the network of streetlights winding up towards it and it all had a sort of mystery to me. It was a kind of escapism and a comfort, with an undertone of melancholy that was hard to put into words. I think that glow, that strange feeling, is what I’m always searching for and exploring through making music and artwork.”
This is the wavelength Laura is tuning into and trying to pin down in ‘Sky at Night’ and the ‘faraway feeling’ that she talks about being consumed by in the hymn to miscommunication and determination ‘Any Day Now’. This faraway feeling makes itself known as the need to open up and show emotion in the chord voicing of ‘Synchronicity’, true friendship, togetherness and isolation in our online world in ‘Sarah’ and the heartbreak that can come with the breakdown of communication in electric piano love song ‘I’m Not Crying’. The ‘Silver Lining’ of the final track, which returns to Laura’s early love for fingerpicked guitar, leads us back to the power of the redemptive love that always seems to show up just when everything seems lost.
A singer all her life, Groves has spent over a decade developing a practice as an autonomous multi-instrumentalist and recording artist as well as a collaborator (Ragz Orginale, Darkstar, Sampha, Jamie Leeming), releasing EPs on DEEK Recordings and the 2020 EP ‘A Private Road’ on Bella Union. Much of the creation of Radio Red was solitary, but a small group of people helped bring it to fruition. A meeting with mix engineer TJ Allen (Portishead, Adrien Utley) through her work in Bat for Lashes’ live band led to an important creative relationship. “Working with Tim provided me with a safe and nurturing studio environment in which to finish the record. It also means a lot to have Sampha’s voice on ‘D 4 N’ and “Good Intention”, because we first met near the beginning of this journey and so much has happened since then – singing together again feels like coming full circle in the most positive way and a reminder that there are constants running through it all.”
‘Radio Red’was released 11th August. Have a listen below…
Must Listens: Sky At Night, Good Intention, D 4 N, Any Day Now,
Chicago Producer Jason Griff Join Forces With MC Zilla For Latest Project, ‘Stacking Chips’.
“Yo, hacky sack liberal college rap, we don’t f*ck with that,” Zilla Rocca emphatically proclaims in his opening line of ‘Don’t Panic,’ which should be bold text on a welcome mat with this album cover on it.
‘Stacking Chips’ is the long-overdue collaboration between Philadelphia MC ZILLA and Chicago producer JASON GRIFF. The two are long-time friends, having met on MySpace in the mid-2000s, yet had not collaborated on a full album until now. This project, however, was definitely worth the wait. Featuring hardheaded, bass-heavy car music that salutes the influence of 90’s Queens and Southern bounce, with juicy hooks and incredible guest verses from artists such as SolarFive, Defcee, ShrapKnel, Milc, and even the great SKECH185.
Zilla and Griff set out to make an album full of end-of-summer bangers, and did just that. From the banned-from-streaming ‘Frank Castle,’ which questions American police officer’s love of The Punisher logo to the vibrant and bouncy, Andrew-assisted ‘Barkeep.’ The album consistently toes the line of aggressive and lighthearted at the same time as Zilla can flip between tales of canceling a date to watch a DOOM interview to dreaming of catching up with potential car thieves.
The album title is an homage to longtime friend, collaborator, and co-founder of Insubordinate Records, Lorde Jones Scorcese, whose voice can be heard throughout the album including his trademark acronym “Stacking Chips on Record Crushing Every Single Enemy,” among other resurfaced dialogue. The album concludes with a heartfelt tribute song ‘No Question’ featuring Alex Ludovico.
Stacking Chips also features guest appearances from Ace Cannons, Jesse the Tree, Alaska and ZeroStar. The album was mastered by C. Money Burns. Check it out below…
Must Listens: Nine Fifteen, A Note To Potential Car Thieves, Scott Summers
Song of the Day: Anticipate – Xenia Manasseh
Introducing the Kenyan-born, Los Angeles-based XENA MANASSEH and her new single ‘Anticipate’ featuring fellow Kenyan artist Karun. The ethereal new single is imbued with 90s R&B sensibilities as the two artists unite, their hypnotic voices sizzling over a glittering, cinematic production. The single marks the latest taste from Xenia’s forthcoming much-anticipated 11-track debut LP Love/Hate Pt.1 slated for release on 1st September.
‘Anticipate’ appears alongside recent release ‘Temporary Love’ on Love/Hate Pt.1, the two singles marking an exciting taste of what’s to come from this ineffable debut. The beautifully curated album sees Xenia blend complex, intricate productions with appearances from the likes of Tay Iwar and Shalom Dubas.
Xenia Manasseh is a breathtaking global rising talent. Blending an eclectic offering of R&B shot-through with flavours of afro-soul, the emerging artist has already worked with the likes of Teyana Taylor, Burna Boy, GoldLink and more. With two EPs under her belt, 2019’s Falling Apart and 2022’s Maybe which includes the single ‘Love Me or Leave Me’ (1M+ Spotify streams) and support from Spotify (Xenia has been an ‘EQUAL’ and ‘RADAR’ ambassador), Xenia is making waves as an artist who blends stunning lyrical relatability with lush vocals and intricate songwriting. Have a listen to ‘Anticipate’ below…
New Lease Music 