New Track: I Can’t Wait – Blaise Pascal

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London-based future-soul artist BLAISE PASCAL unveiled single ‘I Can’t Wait’ last Friday, taken from his debut EP, set for release later in the year. The track samples the melodic hook from Billy Cobham’s ‘Heather’, famously used in hip-hop classic 93 ’til Infinity’ by Souls of Mischief.

Speaking of his latest release, Blaise says: “It’s about a long distance relationship I was in and the feelings of excitement I had knowing I would see her after much time apart. We are no longer together but still very close and she’ll always be a special person in my life”

Born in Pembury and raised in London, Blaise’s career began with a scholarship to Sylvia Young. He began to focus on singing and dancing and his talent was recognised and rewarded by yet another full scholarship to the esteemed Rambert School of Contemporary Dance & Ballet. This led to a career as a professional dancer, taking him around the world and giving him the opportunity of working with some of the UK’s best known establishments including The Royal Opera House and The English National Opera.

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At the age of 17, his uncle Martin Rex (engineer & producer of artists such as Alison Moyet, Neneh Cherry and The Shamen), saw potential and gave him a guitar, igniting a passion for playing and writing that would soon surpass all else.

The result of this was Blaise’s debut album ‘Wild Life’ released through his own label SJH Music. He then spent the next few years gigging around the country and building a reputation working as an accomplished musician and has recently taken time out from this to begin writing his second album. As well as following his pursuits to be an accomplished songwriter and musician, Blaise has a strong sense and belief in the spirit of community and in particular amongst fellow musicians. With that in mind he founded the company Acoustic Roots, a ‘featured artist/open mic’ nights offering a platform for up and coming artists.

‘I Can’t Wait’ is now available for purchase via iTunes. For now, have a sample of the single.

 

 

Video Preview: Hip-Hop and Cartoons – Gena Perala

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After scooping the song of the month title with singles, ‘Superstar Supernova’ and ‘Hoopla’ back in 2015,  one of NEW LEASE MUSIC old favourites GENA PERALA comes back bolder than ever with a preview of her latest colourful visual to her single, ‘Hip-Hop and Cartoons’.

The song pays homage to the power and brilliance of hip-hop music and to cartoons such as The Simpsons. She refers to it as her Church song because she says: “We can learn more from hip-hop and cartoons if we understand and believe in them, than we can from religion”.

GENA PERALA is launching this video in conjunction with a Crowdfunding campaign to support the recording of her new album, which will possess a down tempo electronic pop synth sound. The Vancouver-based singer/songwriter has previously released two solo albums ‘This Ain’t Pretty’ (2008) and ‘Exactly Nowhere’ (2014).

She has also performed for the United Nations, on the PNE Main Stage, at the Stanley Theater, up the East Coast, down the West Coast and all over Vancouver. In addition to her musical credentials, Gena has published three books of poetry, “I’m a Worst Case Scenario Type of Girl” (2003), “Clean Getaway” (2005) and “Better Sorry than Safe” (2011).

The full-version of ‘Hip-Hop and Cartoons’ video will be released on 14th February…so in the meantime, check out the teaser.

 

Song of The Day: Remember Me – Oparu

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Today’s very tasty dish of the day is OPARU’s debut single Remember Me, which boasts a stunning fusion of haunting pop, paired with operatic vocals and dark experimental electro.

OPARU is the musical endeavor of Los Angeles based songwriter, singer and actress Dianna St. Hilaire. Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, St. Hilaire started to write and perform music at a very young age in choir and musicals. Self taught, her first instrument was the piano and she worked tirelessly at the craft of reading and writing music.

When St. Hilaire was in her late teens, she began performing with punk bands and for producers as a back up/ studio vocalist in New Mexico, where she took on her first musical alias, the highly successful group Versailles. Partnering with the infamous Kim Fowley (The Runaways, Kiss, Joan Jett, Alice Cooper), she has toured the US extensively, been featured on the official Grammy ballots, as well as charting on Billboard. Versailles’s music was also on rotation with popular stations across the U.S. including KROQ and NPR tastemaker KCRW. St. Hilaire reinvented herself in late 2015 as OPARU, deriving from the Japanese name of the birthstone opal.

The next chapter in her musical journey, is the highly anticipated Remember Me, out now on iTunes…before you go, have a listen.

New Music Video: Falls – Awir Leon

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AWIR LEON reveals Falls, the last of a trio of single visuals illustrating the debut LP Giants, out now via pioneering label of the burgeoning Parisian beat-scene Nowadays Records.

The singer and composer follows on from the truly unique Maybe We Land  video, shot on skateboard and the completely immersive lead single Sitting So High. The self-directed video sees Awir undertaking a journey through the woods. As he progresses on his journey he sheds his skin of clothes in an environment both old and new, changing and questioning colours.

Also a member of collaborative electro-pop trio UNNO, AWIR LEON‘s latest single draws comparisons to the most avant-garde elements of acclaimed works by James Blake or Nicolas Jaar through his immersive production and vocal style.

Hear for yourself…check out the video.

Song of the Day: Warm – Becky Hill

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Since the release of single Warm last month,  alternative pop princess BECKY HILL has raised quite a few eyebrows.

Premiered on Annie Mac’s BBC Radio show,  the SHIFT K3Y-produced number was streamed over 1 million times, as well as receiving heavy airplay on Clara Amfo’s BBC radio 1 mid-morning show and Mistajam’s 1Xtra set….and now NEW LEASE MUSIC has given a seal of approval to Hill’s electronic-pop effort.

Go check it out…and if you’re feeling this track, BECKY HILL will be headlining a show at The Scala (London) on 5th April 2017. Tickets available now via Tickermaster.co.uk and Livemation.com