SOTD: Harleighblu AND Bluestaeb Drops The Ultimate Female Empowerment Anthem

UK R&B singer HARLEIGHBLU and neo-soul & hip-hop producer BLUESTAEB come through with beat-heavy empowerment anthem ‘Queeen Dem’, the third single off upcoming joint album ‘She’, due for release October 11th 2019

The song is inspired by popular poem “This is for the women who don’t give a fuck” by American writer Janne Robinson. HARLEIGHBLU took the fierce manifesto of the feminist activist and interpreted it her very own way: “I tried to capture the strength of the poem, with a nod to Janne, and then elaborate with my own take on completely owning your own womanhood. Within writing the first few lines, I entitled the piece Queeen Dem. Queeen gets 3 E’s to accentuate the fact you are a queen.”

The empowering lyrics are driven by BLUESTAEB‘s impeccable production, which gives a nod to the 90’s era of boom-bap hip-hop. Following on from previous singles ‘Cake’ and ‘Present’, both picking up critical acclaim from the likes of Wonderland, Clash, The Line Of Best Fit, Dummy, as well as support from BBC 1Xtra and BBC 6, this new release continues the pair’s steady trajectory and keeps with the impressive musical standard they set for themselves.

Check out the video for ‘Queen Dem’ below:

New Track: Maytrix – Maydien

Combining hip-hop, neo-soul and future beats to make a fresh new hybrid soundscape, MAYDIEN  first joined the Roche Musique roster in 2017 with his first EP ‘Tea and Loveseats’. Now he’s back with a brand new track ‘Maytrix’, taken from his forthcoming EP baring the name same – due for release on 12th April 2019.

Having supported the likes of Jay-Z, Frank Ocean, Snoop Dogg and Anderson. Paak, MAYDIEN has gained support from the likes of BBC Radio 1Xtra, Soulection, HYPEBEAST, Crack Magazine & Mass Appeal.

This guy is effortlessly fly – CHECK-HIM-OUT BELOW:

Song of the Day: Honest – Silence Is The Noise

After claiming the Song of the Day hotspot with single ‘Nappy’, SILENCE IS THE NOISE returns to the limelight for the second time with brand new single entitled ‘Honest’.

The latest release touches on the romantic complexities and emotional ambiguity of unarticulated desire, as well as the difficulties in being vulnerable. It highlights the frustration one feels of wondering whether a person is into them or not by making it more complicated than it needs to be in not being honest.

The angelically sweet presence of the piano is immediately introduced in the three-and-a-half minute production which seamlessly leads into her smooth neo soul trademark. Silence’s vocals inject extra soul, delicately venting her thoughts of the issues mentioned.

This is a great follow-up that puts you in the mind of Corinne Bailey Rae and Erykah Badu…iron out your humpday and check it out…

New Track: Gurl – 2U4U

Multi-instrumentalist hip-hop collective 2U4U release their second track ‘GURL’, mixed by acclaimed studio engineer Aaron Ahmad (Adele, Mark Ronson), ahead of their ‘Butter’ EP release on 6th July.

Upholding their distinctive sound by blending rap, jazz and RnB, 2U4U have created a relaxed texture-rich track with hints of old-school hip-hop. Reminiscing about respective love stories in the hazy summer months, ‘GURL’ sees rappers cal and My Rugema combining lyrical ambiguity with aspects of neo-soul to detail their previous love affairs. Newcomer Majella also contributes to the track, lending his mellifluous vocals to a hook peppered with astrological symbolism. Whilst fusing a Wurlitzer and an electric piano, the group’s producer Ranbir unifies pacifying bass riffs with crisp, evocative drum beats, enabling the mellow tune to create a warm, summery vibe.

2U4U

The three founding members, all hailing from Rugby and South London, met during their school years having bonded over a joint love of music. Citing various influences including Erykah Badu, Ty and Madlib, the group spent the summer of 2016 honing their craft of thematically-driven rap; it’s this dedicated nature that has gained them support by the likes of Dummy, The 405, Dazed as well as Jamz Supernova on BBC Radio 1Xtra.

Since releasing singles ‘Home’ and ‘Fall’, the group have found themselves on Spotify’s ‘Alternative Hip Hop’ and XL Recording’s ‘XL Play’ playlists, proving that 2U4U are transforming fame with their unflawed, soulful sounds.

EP Review: The Month Of May – Jackie Moonbather

As spring breaks out, multi-instrumentalist JACKIE MOONBATHER brings in a host of blossoming melodies through his ten track EP appropriately titled ‘The Month of May’.

The EP introduces a hazy glaze which washes over the arrangements fused with jazz, neo soul and old school soul possessing a slight rare groove vibe. Although the featured falsetto – reminiscent of the 70s – took centre stage in most productions, the occasional flash of the near baritone vocals were the star of the show as it adds a unique dimension to Moonbather’s laid-back trademark.

Lovers of neo soul (raphael saadiq style) and jazz/soul legends (perhaps Miles Davis and John Coltrane) will find ‘The Month of May’ a delight; listen to the EP below: