BULLET BRAK is back with the lyrical juggernaut Ruste Juxx for ‘Super Beat Fighter II’.
This record is for the Hip Hop heads that just want barz & beats, no hype needed. This is Street Fighter on BARZ! Bullet & Ruste trade major flow over this Qunicey Tones track.
Go get ready for the rap battle and hit that play button below…
As he’s putting the finishing touches to his EP (release date TBC), London based rapper/ singer-songwriter/producer PROPS 2.0. slips a brand new video for his single ‘Purple Dress.’
The four-minute production reflects the piano-led melodic joint, which chronicles a breakdown in relationship, where the guy just didn’t care enough to make the effort needed to balance the love that existed between him and his partner.
‘Purple Dress’ is the first single from Props 2.0’s upcoming EP. Why not check out the video below, shot and directed by the man himself…
Bristol based outfit THE SCRIBES (Ill Literate & Jonny Steele) drops the long awaited ‘The Totem Trilogy 2’, the second EP of the three part Totem series. The 8 track EP was made in collaboration with renowned producer Vince Beats.
The project features a wide range of talent from across the UK and US. Dizzy Dustin (Ugly Duckling) joins the group on horn-laden anthem ‘Hype’ for some braggadocious transatlantic wordplay, while Akil The MC (Jurassic 5) returns with a soulful rework of ‘Get Down’.
London based lyricist Donnie Numeric, also brings his trademark thoughtful flow to ‘Focus’, a bouncy and energetic track that also features the breathtaking sound of the 98 piece Birmingham Symphony Youth Orchestra.
The Scribes and their unique blend of Hip Hop combined with Rock, Funk and more have been a stalwart of the UK and international hip hop scene for well over a decade. Firm festival favourites across Europe with frequent appearances at Glastonbury, Electric Picnic, Isle Of Wight, Latitude, Boomtown and many more, The Scribes have shared mics with the likes of Wu Tang Clan, MF DOOM, Macklemore, Rudimental, KRS One and De La Soul. Ill Literate and Jonny Steele compliment each other’s vocals perfectly, with the duo always finding innovative instrumentals to merge their styles, leading to regular airplay on BBC Introducing, BBC Radio 1Xtra and BBC 6 Music.
Vice beats has been steadily amassing a bank of releases that have supported the Bristol based producer to create the only official UK based J Dilla tribute to date. With support from the likes of DJ Premier, Chuck D and BBC introducing to name but a few, his production is gaining traction worldwide. He has worked with the likes of Blu, ASM, A-Plus (Souls Of Mischief / Hieroglyphics), Pseudo Slang, Nutty P, Brotherman and many more with a slew of upcoming projects.
The Scribes x Vice beats – The Totem Trilogy 2, is now out across major digital music platforms. Check it out below…
NLM Recommendations: Sixties, All I Can Say, Get Down
Citing Erykah Badu, Hiatus Kaiyote, Kali Uchis, Khruangbin, Amy Winehouse and Greentea Peng as inspirations, Cuban/Irish jazzy neo-soul singer-songwriter OBANAA – pronounced Cubana- has released her debut single ‘Truth and Desire’.
With a catchy bassline and soulful vocals ‘Truth and Desire’ mixes Qbanaa’s Spanish and English native tongues to create a flirty song celebrating the euphoria of re-discovering love after long periods of loneliness and includes choir like sections resembling the honeymoon period of new lovers.
Qbanaa explains the inspiration of ‘Truth and Desire’: “The song was inspired by 1989 and 2008 movie ‘The Little Mermaid’ – I’m sure people will think ‘oh that’s a bit weird’. But if you look into it, there’s some insane soul and beautiful ethereal sounds in there that I took inspiration from. The movie is all about the unconditional nature of pure love, and the universal power of music, which really resonated with me growing up and carries the theme of Truth and Desire, it was the first thing I thought of when I opened the track.’
Qbanaa’s collaboration ‘Blue Skies’ and ‘New Day’ with Absentee was well received, featuring on BBC Across The Line, Hot Press, Peter Curtin RTE 2XM and Nialler9’s Best New Music playlist. With such warm feedback, she took to South East London by herself to immerse herself in the jazz/soul scene. Sharpening her skills with live performances at multiple jazz venues in London and venues in Dublin, Qbanaa has finally decided to take the plunge and write her debut single with R&B and hip-hop producer Mickzart – Truth and Desire.
‘Truth and Desire’ is out today (7th of October) across various music platforms. Have a listen below…
Nashville-based singer/songwriter APRIL KRY‘s new full-length concept album, Krysalis, is the reason why she’s often dubbed as the “tiny girl with a big voice”. Her powerful emotive vocal delivery glides over, at large, the featherlight soulful pop melodies leaves the prospective listener with a tear in the eye.
Speaking of her ten-track project, April says“This body of work was written over a period of 2+ years. It was a transformative chapter of my life where I was forced to look at myself in the mirror and reflect on why I chose to create in the first place. Recording this album while pregnant, and in a global pandemic was challenging, but worth it. In these songs, you will hear moments of self-reflection, extreme highs and lows, and everything in between. Creating life, celebrating love, and examining my time in the music industry. I’ve learned that using my voice to inspire is more important than approval. No one ever talks about the season of growth the caterpillar needs to go through in order to become the butterfly. You don’t know who you are or where you are going. This is the Chrysalis growing stage. and this is the story of my Krysalis.”
The album is a follow-up to her 2018 EP, Sink Or Swim which received national acclaim with songs from the EP landing a spot on the Music Row Country Breakout charts, with plays on numerous radio stations across the country, over 4 million streams across platforms, including a coveted rotation on Radio Disney Country. Her newest album explores the growing stages of life with themes of empowerment and self-reflection.
April Kry has been fortunate enough to write and work with Grammy award-winning songwriters and collaborate with some amazing talent including Nick Jonas and industry veteran, Phil Ramone. Kry pulls in heavy hitters on her new album, like Joshua Gleave (Chris Young, The Swon Brothers) and 9AM Music (Leon Bridges, Celine Dion). Talent and fans alike are drawn to Kry’s meaningful lyrics and soulful, strong, effortless tone.
Krysalis was released last Friday (30th September).Have a listen to April new album below…
Must Listens: Take The Edge Off, Scratch The Surface, B-Side, Seven or Seventeen
New Lease Music 