Asher Kosher Drops Thought-Provoking Track, ‘Mug’.

North London rapper ASHER KOSHER – founding member of the Hackney-based Root 73 studio and artist community – returns with the third single to be lifted from his forthcoming, as-yet-unannounced new project. ‘Mug’, a thoughtful, biting assessment of life in modern Britain, is out now on Root 73.

Following opening singles ‘On Our Street’ ft. Bel Cobain back in March and ‘Focus’ featuring long-term collaborator, Eerf Evil, ‘Mug’ turns the next page in Kosher’s dexterous lyric book. “We’re being taken for mugs”, explains Kosher. “I wrote this song ages ago but it’s more relevant today than ever before.. and globally too.”

Released alongside a tongue-in-cheek, self-directed official video shot across numerous concrete backdrops in London that also features three of the track’s producers (Outrageous Claims, Purple Cloud, Kunfucious), ‘Mug’ digs deeper into both Kosher’s psyche and personality.

Raised on a diet of A Tribe Called Quest, Tu-Pac, Eminem and later, UK rappers like Dizzee Rascal, Sway and Choong Family – as well as Benjamin Zephaniah’s 2004 book, ‘Gangsta Rap’ – Kosher’s love of lyricism runs deep.

After spending years honing his craft – including supporting hip-hop royalty in The Pharcyde and KRS1, as well as legendary UK rapper, K Koke during his early twenties – ‘Mug’ lands as another entry point to the reincarnation of Asher Kosher; rapper, thinker and pillar of his community.

Check out he video for ‘Mug’ below…

Song Of The Day: What’s Perfect? – Grace Ami

Japan-born songstress Grace GRACE AMI presents lo-fi single ‘What’s Perfect?’ paired with a soulful and spirited vocal display. Grace’s jazzy intonation practically hovers above the bedroom-style beat as her delivery melts into a delicate groove.

‘What’s Perfect?’ arrives on the heels of her 2021 debut EP PICNIC, which amassed over one million streams. Merging the intimacy and imagination of bedroom-pop with the lush and languid grooves of R&B, PICNIC includes previously released singles like ‘True Feelings (a sweetly melancholy piece laced with bluesy acoustic guitar work), and ‘My Eyes’ (a piano-driven song that landed on Apple Music’s New in Pop playlist). In addition, PICNIC opens with Grace’s debut single “Eternal Sunshine,” a gorgeously quirky meditation on the meaning of happiness. All throughout the EP, Grace shows her gift for crafting unforgettable melodies, as well as her soft and subtle but endlessly commanding vocal presence.

Why not check out the video for the trance-like video below…

Song of the Day: Think – The Optical Illusion

Following up on the releases of ‘Shine so Bright’ and ‘Travesty of Justice’, THE OPTICAL ILLUSION returns, once again, to the blog’s Song of the Day top spot with latest single, ‘Think’, a thought provoking, David Bowie-esque piece which offers much optimism following horrific events of 2020.

Check it out below and let us know what you think – no pun intended!

Song of the Day: Don’t Know Why – Josh Kumra

Co-written with songwriter Raevennan Husbandes, who is known for her collaborations with artists including Kathryn Williams, Lisa Hannigan and Michele Stodard, JOSH KUMRA’s single, ‘Don’t Know Why’, showcases the melancholic piano contrasted by Raevennan’s fluid  guitar plucks. Josh’s thoughtful lyrics and intimate soulful vocals create another soaring cut to add to his collection of heart-wrench songs featured in new EP ‘Pull Me Back In’.

Talking about the songwriting process behind the song, Josh says: “I’ve always had a need to understand why things turn out the way they do. Always trying to figure out what went right, what went wrong, could I have done something different etc. I wrote ‘Don’t Know Why’ as a reminder that it’s ok not to have an explanation for everything”.

Have a listen to Josh’s stunning track below…

Song of the Day: Way Off Wave – Blinker The Star

Following the release of album, ‘Careful With Your Magic’, released last fall, BLINKER THE STAR presents his latest single, ‘Way Off Wave’ on the blog’s today top spot.

Speaking of his trance – like release Blinker says: “The song touches on the things we do and think to ourselves after a period of great change: our impulse to seek out new external realities, while internally returning to stuck patterns and thoughts which inhibit growth and acceptance. It is almost a dreamlike state we find ourselves in trying to move forward while mentally sloshing about in the past, looking for new answers that will never appear. It was recorded completely alone in the middle of a corn field in the dead of winter.”

After a short string of shows last fall, the Canadian rocker  began working on new music at Skylark Park Studio outside of Pembroke, Ontario. The solitude proved delicious as a new album, ‘Juvenile Universe’ will be ready by early summer, marking the fastest turnaround between albums for the largely one person studio act. Check out ‘Way Off Wave’ below…