Song of the Day: Found – Quiet Son & Arula

With their dreamy, dark, sensual sound, ARULA & QUIET SON form a duo whose music combines the qualities of both urban electronica, dance, and experimental folk with an infusion of melodic pop sensibilities. Initially starting as a remote song collaboration between the two California artists & producers, the project blossomed into a fully realised LP that winds through themes of self-discovery, reclamation, climate consciousness, and romantic vulnerability.

In just a little over a year, Arula & Quiet Son have played shows throughout California, touring with acts like Random Rab & Desert Dwellers. The first single and title track from their debut album, ‘Found’, explores the power and direct connection between the feminine and nature.

Excited about the release, Arula says: “‘Found’ is a reclamation of the power that can only be harnessed from within. It is an ode to anyone who has ever felt lost, confused, or like they don’t fit it. It is a reminder that we can always be found within ourselves, and within the receptive energy of nature and earth”

Quiet Son elaborates: “The production of this song is really special to me. It was such a unique challenge, because when I heard the initial demo I realised the message of the song is so clear that I had to make sure the production supported Arula’s vision precisely. It was an exploration in creating and subsequently releasing tension: to build the sound around Arula’s vocals as the message of the song evolves from one of self-doubt into one of complete reclamation, empowerment, and ecstasy. It was fun to let that huge bass synth take over in the last chorus; I think it really opens the song up and symbolizes the feeling of relief and blessing we can feel when we give ourselves permission to take control of our lives and destinies.”

Arula continues: “Our hope is that this song reminds you that you are powerful and enough, just because you exist. May you always feel found within yourself.”

Take a peep at the stunning video for ‘Found’ below, directed by Jade Sanchez of Earth Based Media.

Sofia Gillani Encourages Us To Channel Our Inner-Monster In Brand New Single.

London’s singer/songwriter SOFIA GILLANI‘s brand new single, ‘Monster’ is about expressing yourself through the alter ego of what society deems as a ‘monster’. Its fierce, impactful and deep bass, with raging build-up, is meant to bring out the best version of yourself, with one of the best messages: own it, even it scares people.

Sofia began her musical career at just nine years old; starring as a lead in the musical ‘Evita’. Since 2020, she has released five songs, each with their own invigorating videos. Her single ‘Water Run Dry’ has been featured by BBC Introducing and surpassed 9K views on YouTube. She has performed on various events from Westfield London to Haslemere Fringe and Luton Pride. Her latest track ‘Monster’ comes as a new dawn for the singer as she takes on 2023…check out the official for the single below…

Song of the Day: Repose – Ray Alex (ft. Jayda David)

RAY ALEX‘s first single of the year, which features West London poet Jayda David, goes on a powerful journey of growth and departure from pain, touching on the importance of rest, recovery and time. ‘Repose’ is a multi-seasonal R&B number inspired by Q-Tip and contemporary jazz musicians Alfa Mist and Joe-Armon Jones, merging hip-hop with a psychedelic synth slickness and live drum feel.

‘Repose’ unveils how we invariably grow stronger with rest, recovery and restored self-belief after a painful episode in our life. Jayda David exposes themes of identity, appearance and health with powerful, raw lyrics that leave no space for ego or insincerity. Her lyrics: “I kneel to the weaknesses in me, strength has never felt so good, I guess power is birthed in moments of fragility” magnify one’s self-awareness and flaws in order to shed old skin and come back stronger. This universal theme is referenced again by Jayda David with “this soul knows where it’s going, steady growing, I just flow through time“. It serves as a reminder that we should not let others exercise control or influence over us; we should stick to our instinctive driving force and our individuality, feeling free in our own bodies. The lyric “light for hands I deem worthy, heavy for dark souls who yearn to hurt me” is a powerful encapsulation of this.

Prior to their studio session, Ray Alex felt drawn to Jayda David’s honest, poetic portraits of identity and mental health in the performances that she had showcased on her social media. Ray had finished the instrumental for ‘Repose’ six months prior to their studio session and held off as the lead vocalist, as he felt the music would lend itself better to another artist with a different story to tell.

Ray Alex’s previous EP ‘Good To Me’ released in March 2022 received frequent airplay on Soho Radio and Amazing Radio, to name a few, in a list with Little Simz, Children Of Zeus and more. Remixes of his song ‘Erased’ received airplay on KISS and other stations worldwide. Ray Alex has a string of singles scheduled for release in 2023…so look out for that…but for now, listen to ‘Repose’ below…

Song of the Day: Crossroads – Denel

DENEL‘s latest single ‘Crossroads’ is compelling right from the beginning, with the dark R&B/pop infused undertones, accompanied by a synth and heavy bass production. The thought-provoking tune is self-produced and written by the South African born, New Zealand bred artist who showcases his talents through beat-making and lyrical prowess to tell a story of unification and the need for one’s own validation.

Denel comments on ‘Crossroads’, “We’re constantly in a state of chasing the next big thing, staying validated and sometimes all of this comes at the detriment of our own selves. I think it’s so important to know your identity and be comfortable with who you are. That’s really what this song is all about.”

His previous track ‘Make It Right’ enjoyed a number eight spot on the NZ Hot 20 in its first week and has attained over 177,000 streams on Spotify alone. Its music video was nominated for ‘Best Music Video’ at Sony’s Catch Light Film festival held in Sydney last year.

Denel has set his sights on diversifying his audience, making music that appeals to people of all ages. 2023 has its own set of goals in mind for the singer-songwriter and producer…Check out his smooth joint below…

Song of the Day: Trip – Saint Joshua

Acclaimed musician SAINT JOSHUA completes his trilogy of EP releases with his highly anticipated ‘EP3’. The release of the 4-track opus includes the recently revealed ‘Even If We Don’t’, alongside lead single ‘Trip’ and a carefully crafted selection of 2 other previously unreleased tracks, ‘Love Game’ and ‘Where Did It All Go Wrong’, that entwine together to take us on a journey of self-reflection and emotion surrounding the world of relationships, dating and self.

Stand out record ‘Trip’ takes on an upbeat, feel-good rhythm that breathes hope, acceptance and freedom into the emotional whirlwind of a journey. The track stands for those post break up moments. The moments of navigating love in a fun and free manner when you can finally take control again and you no longer carry the burden of heartache and heartbreak, or in some instances use it to help get over the heartache and heartbreak.

Hotly tipped as ‘one-to-watch’ and gaining a wealth of national and international support, South-Londoner Saint Joshua continues to emerge and astound with the delivery of consistently captivating music. Since the release of ‘EP2’ in May, he has garnered over 2 million streams, 200,000 monthly Spotify listeners, ‘Track Of The Week’ at both BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra and been selected as a beneficiary for PPL Momentum funding by PRS Foundation. Perhaps such positive reactions have quietly helped to give him the confidence to delve further into the talent and soul that lies within him, as on ‘EP3’ we’re invited to share the most vulnerable and intimate side of Saint Joshua that we’ve seen so far. Unravelling emotion surrounding relationships, and the often-impossible world of dating, Saint Joshua explores a beautiful account of his own struggles and lessons that are extraordinarily poignant and relatable.

Taking inspiration from the likes of Frank Ocean, Solange, and R&B hit-maker D’Angelo, Saint Joshua has formed a cinematic sound that’s made up from a cocktail of genres. Teamed with honest vulnerability, his skilled artistry and stirring penmanship, it is the unique combination of everything he embodies that makes him such a remarkable talent and is seeing Saint Joshua grow at every turn. It is why his music resonates with those it reaches, and also why he is seeing a continuous build in support from the world’s largest platforms, including the likes of BBC 1Xtra, BBC Radio 1, Rinse FM, 1883 Magazine, Wonderland Magazine, Last Bus Magazine, Atwood Magazine, Capital Xtra, Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, Apple Music, Heart Radio, and many more.
Having already performed at the likes of Soho House, alongside headlining at the BBC’s Introducing Stage at Latitude Festival, Saint Joshua makes his debut headline show on February 1st at The Social, with tickets on sale now from http://gigsandtours.com/

Watch the official video for ‘Trip’ below…