Selci Shares Soothing Anthem For Self-Isolation on ‘Hide Forever,’ Announces New EP

Following the video release for her anti-Valentines single ‘Strangers’ (currently the blog’s Music Video of the Month), Canadian soundscaper SELCI returns with the languid electro-R&B number, ‘Hide Forever,’ which will appear on her second EP in less than a year, ‘A SOFT PLACE’, set for release via Inner Ocean Records on June 23.

As the world is gripped by the Coronavirus pandemic, the track’s message of finding comfort in isolation seems especially fitting in these uncertain times. ‘Hide Forever’ is a slumbering reflection of the artist trapped in a sleep state during a periodic low. Produced with the help of prolific Vancouver beatmaker Neighbour and tempered by Selci’s narcotic vocals, the track flows like a curl of smoke.

“I wrote ‘Hide Forever’ when I was in a major depression and I wasn’t able to face the world,” Selci says. “Sleep was my only place of solace. The world would shut off and I could drift away. For A SOFT PLACE, I needed to dig into the places that made me feel safe, where the fear and stress of the world was silenced: laying on a couch with family, dancing by myself, or sleeping. Sometimes finding a soft place is a site of peace. Sometimes it’s a place of refuge or a part of you that you need to protect. Now with people all over the world going into self-isolation, this song seems to resonate more. I hope that people who are struggling with their mental health because of the pandemic are able to find their own places of softness and comfort. While you may feel like hiding forever, just know that you’re not alone—we’re all in this together.”

‘Hide Forever’ is now out today on all download/streaming sites. Have a listen below…

Oxlade Releases New Single ‘Away’ Ahead of EP ‘Oxygene’

Set to cause serious waves across not only the Nigerian and African music scenes but the international music industry at large, with his infectious, signature Afro-fusion sound, Nigerian-born OXLADE has released his new single ‘Away’, taken from his forthcoming debut EP ‘Oxygene’ out this Friday (27th March).

The melodic, Spax-produced track ‘Away’ sees Oxlade building on the major buzz he has been causing since the release of his first single ‘Shugar’ in 2018 – and a slew of top notch solo tracks and collaborations – and gives fans a taster of the upcoming project which will offer a formal introduction to the talents of the exciting Lagos-based musician. With a mix of Afrobeat, Hip-Hop, R&B and Country influences, Oxlade’s distinctive, soulful vocals and mesmerising songwriting and storytelling, is backed-up with production from some of Nigeria’s top class producers, ‘Oxygene’ is set to be a must-listen EP.

Speaking on the forthcoming ‘Oxygene’ EP, Oxlade said: “Music is the air that I breathe, which is why I’ve named the EP ‘Oxygene’. With the play on words with Oxy’ being my nickname and the biological ‘gene’, I’m letting out a part of myself to the world which contains love, consciousness and pain.”

Check out Oxlade’s ‘Away’ below…

Bby Ivy Will ‘Blow Your Mind’ With Latest Single

Following on from her debut EP, ‘Grizzly’ (read the review here), BBY IVY bounces right back on the blog with new single, ‘U Got It Bad (Blow My Mind)’.

This lust-at-first sight number carries on her boisterous trademark in her six-track project, boasting a reverberating trap-hop/R&B fusion.

This is one newcomer on-a-SERIOUS-rise… be sure to check out ‘U Got It Bad (Blow My Mind)’ below…

Song of the Day: Human Love – Rondo Mo

RONDO MO‘s first release of the year, ‘Human Love’, definitely sets the tone for a promising 2020. The track captures the London-born artist’s signature sound; combining airy synths with colourful production which serves as the perfect backdrop for the BBC Introducing Kent-approved artist’s warm, layered vocals.

Speaking on the release, Rondo Mo says: “Human Love is a song exploring questions of a spiritual nature – namely the contradictions of religion and the existence of god. The track was written in my head whilst on a 10 day silent meditation retreat, which was a pretty different experience to my usual writing technique! The chords and melody and most of the words were just rolling around in my head and luckily stayed there long enough that I could record a rough version of it on the piano when I got home. Then I used the original piano recording and fleshed it out in my studio in Margate using a load of samples and my Prophet synthesiser.”

Guys, be sure to check out Rondo Mo’s ‘Human Love’ as it’s absolutely stunning!

Soul-Pop duo Bad Honey Releases Second Single Of The Year, ‘Circles’

Comprising of Lydia Clowes and Teresa Origone, BAD HONEY‘s latest offering,‘Circles’ oozes a spine-tinglingly haze of lo-fi electronics and soul, voiced with an exquisite smoothness. The dreamy number follows their first single this year, ‘Easily’.

The duo’s delicately sugary sound has received ample radio support from BBC Introducing London (The Hot List for International Women’s Week 2019), BBC Radio 1xtra (Jamz Supernova and Moses Boyd), Radio X (John Kennedy), BBC Radio 6, Worldwide FM, Amazing Radio and from Spotify’s New Music Friday in UK, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland.

The South-Londoners were chosen as resident artists for The Roundhouse in 2017-18 and have performed at Love Supreme 2019, Jazz In The Round 2018, Village Underground, The Jazz Cafe, BBC Music ́ Introducing Live, Cheltenham Jazz Festival (2017 and 2019) and Brainchild. They have also supported the likes of Little Simz, Gogo Penguin, Soweto Kinch.

These pair are not to be sniffed at…have a listen to ‘Circles’ below…