New Track: Stranger – Dani Darling

Following her debut feature on NEW LEASE MUSIC with music video for single, ‘2:22’ – which was named Music Video of the Month in February (see Instagram post here) –  DANI DARLING (aka Soul Galaxy Girl) makes a graceful return with her haunting yet angelic new single, ‘Stranger,’ the first release from her forthcoming EP, ‘Nocturne.’

Speaking of her latest effort, the Michigan lo-fi soul songbird said: ” ‘Stranger’ was initially the start of a jazzy musical I planned to write with a friend. The idea was to create a modern version of a jazz standard like Cole Porter or Gershwin; something Nat King Cole would sing. It started with exploring the concept of growing apart from someone you were once very close to and ‘Stranger’ was the first (and only) song I wrote for that project; it kind of took on a life of its own.It was the result of a live recording in one take.”

Released on Friday (26th April), ‘Stranger’ is now available on all digital platforms…this will make a nice start to your Monday; check it out below:

Song of the Day: Heavy – Sofia

After making an impressive entry on NEW LEASE MUSIC with 2018 offering, ‘Domino’ – her first international single – Finnish songstress/songwriter SOFIA returns, this time in today’s hotspot, with single ‘Heavy’.

The new cut is a layered, dark and soulful exploration into the vulnerability that comes from “feeling not enough for someone, no matter how hard you try”, reveals the 18-year-old. Tapping into some smooth jazzy influences, ‘Heavy’ pop-tinged production – forged by renowned Finnish producer Matti Pitkänen – never overshadows the organic songwriting and arrangement, over which SOFIA’s soulful vocals ooze languidly into neo-soul.

‘Heavy’ is from her new EP, out today. Check out the video for single below:

Song of the Day: Get Into The Party Life – Lion Babe

 

After the 2018 tease of singles, ‘Honey Dew’ and ‘The Wave’, singer/songwriter Jillian Hervey and producer Lucas Goodman – aka LION BABE – recently confirmed their anticipated new album Cosmic Wind, set for release this Friday (March 29th).

Cosmic Wind is a follow-up to their 2016 critically acclaimed debut album, ‘Begin’ and comes on the heels of a very strong 2018 for the band, earmarked by live performances at Coachella’s main stage, and AFROPUNK festival. They ended the year with two reimagined covers for Carly Simon’s classic ‘Why’ and Little Beaver’s ‘Get Into The Party Life’ which are growing rapidly in streams.

So here’s your chance to check out the New York duo’s take on ‘Get Into The Party Life’.

EP Review: Brand New – Liam Bailey

I know it’s unorthodox to conclude an album at the beginning of the review, but I’m gonna do it anyway: if there’s a statement to sum up LIAM BAILEY‘s project, ‘Brand New’, it would be profoundly stunning.

From the atmospherically revitalising pieces, ‘Brand New’ and ‘I Lost My Way’ to a modern spin on old school soul/gospel delight, ‘Hold Tight’ and the guitar-drenched ‘Come Clean’, Bailey effortlessly delivers his compelling vocals, that’s so powerfully soulful which uplifts every single arrangement in the collection.

There’s talent and then there’s REAL TALENT; LIAM BAILEY definitely sits comfortably in the latter category. This guy is not to be messed with – check him out below: