Song of the Day: Blinding – J Appiah (ft. Ruby Wood)

East London singer/songwriter J APPIAH, drops his latest single, ‘Blinding’ which gives is a frank examination of the musician’s interior anxieties with his developing career.

The record also acts as a cautionary tale and a creative expression of the mental labyrinths an artist passes through just trying to stay human in an industry that peddles idols and products. Reflecting his apprehension, ‘Blinding’ fuses a trace of Hip-Hop, shades of blues and gospel emanating from his soulful vocal delivery, beautifully assisted by Submotion Orchestra’s Ruby Wood.

Further explaining his inspiration behind his latest offering’, J APPIAH says, “‘Blinding’ is about my desire to be well-known as an artist but also my apprehension with regards to the pitfalls of it. It’s about people judging you for who they think you are before they’ve even met you. It’s also about being seduced by the idea of popularity. I think today there are many ways you can become well-known, everyone seems to want their 15 minutes of fame”.

The Hackney native has received strong support from the likes of BBC 1Xtra, 4 Music, Complex, BBC 6 Music, Clash Magazine, MTV Base, Dummy Magazine and The Line of Best Fit recently, while his last project ‘Travelight’ garnered rave reviews and strong acclaim from fans and the industry alike, and it’s anyone’s guess where this inimitable new artist will go next.

Listen to ‘Blinding’ below:

New Music Video: Mindwalk – Nicki Knightz

Following her entry on NEW LEASE MUSIC with explosive debut track, ‘HATE’, NICKI KNIGHTZ bounces right back into the blog’s limelight with visuals for her latest offering entitled ‘Mindwalk.’

Like her debut, ‘Mindwalk’ boasts a heavy, attention-grabbing  bassline, topped off by the east London rapper’s baritone delivery.

Not to be missed…better check it out below…

New Track: Liar – Luke Friend

You might remember LUKE FRIEND as the teenage rising star that finished third on the X-Factor in 2013, but the now 22-year old Devon singer and songwriter is finally coming into his own as a bonafide musician with his brand new single titled ‘LIAR’.

Released via ex Warner Music Vice President Kieron Donoghue’s indie label Humble Angel Records, ‘Liar’ is the first official single from Friend, since 2016’s ‘Take On The World’ and his UK top 40 charting ‘Hole In My Heart’, before that.

Led by his powerful signature vocals and gripping raspy tones, ‘Liar’ is a soulful bass-heavy offering with an exquisite UK Garage-esque undertone, which sees Friend finally coming to terms with a lying partner and breaking free from the relationship. The track is further held together, by a thumping bassline, engrossing storytelling and an explosive chorus that will compel you to sing along.

So get ready to sing at the top of your lungs…hit play on ‘LIAR’

 

Song of the Day: Outside The Cave – Otish Mensah

Continuing the streaming hazy productions, NEW LEASE MUSIC regular OTIS MENSAH released track ‘Outside The Cave’, which also boasts a mellow sound of old-school soul.

Although the Sheffield alt-emcee expresses his feelings of entrapment, he holds on to the hope of a brighter future.

‘Outside the Cave’ sets the tone of his latest EP ‘Colours of it all’ out now  – his first release as Poet Laureate

Check out the video below:

Song of the Day: Stop Me – Franko Fraize (ft. Alex Joseph)

Added straight on to the Spotify ‘Grime Shutdown’ playlist, FRANKO FRAIZE released stunning new single ‘Stop Me’, alongside his highly anticipated ‘Lights & Colour’ EP.

Proving to be quite the musical enigma, FRANKO FRAIZE takes influence from Hip-Hop and Indie, which is expressed through his heartfelt and moving rap delivery. Always distinguishable by his archetypically British accent, his voice is undeniably recognisable. His charismatic charm reached into the soul with bold disposition for his latest records as FRANKO FRAIZE begins the project with his thought evoking track ‘Side By Side’ ft Alex Joseph. Connecting listeners through the engaging message of growth, perspective, empathy and understanding, it was the first gem to be released from his EP and was paired with heartwarmingly nostalgic visuals. A one to watch, this track caught the attention of DJ Mistajam who said: “I’ve been keeping my eye on him for a while but this is possibly his best track to date!”.

‘Stop Me’ is a real strong contender for being the top track on the EP. Bound in energy and no-nonsense determination, the record is an instant mood booster that gives a solid kick up the arse in terms of both sound and lyricism.

Check out the video below: