Song of the Day: Christmas – Jordan & Wesley

As this is the time of year that we often reflect on the past year and also look forward to the future for a fresh start, JORDAN & WESLEYs new single, ‘Christmas’, encourages us to remember Jesus Christ during the season as he gave up his life for us – he is and forever will be the ultimate reason for it all.

Produced by the incomparable Luke “GKid” Grant and co-written by Maleík Loveridge, the song has a 90s/2000s Rnb feel with a chorus that has been described catchy and uplifting. Jordan & Wesley want the listeners to feel good when listening to the track and be encouraged that the Jesus love them wholeheartedly hence his entrance to the world to save.

Hailing from Coventry (UK) brothers, Jordan and Wesley have a passion for music and ministry. They have been singing/ministering with each other for most of their lives and are now aspiring to take their ministry forward to the masses by releasing their first official single. Jordan and Wesley have also sung as part of groups, worship teams (and continue to do at their local church), choirs and sang background vocals for different artists but as a duo they feel they are called to do much more. Most recently they’ve had the opportunity of appearing on Michael McIntyre’s Big Show (2019) and The Voice UK (2021) where they made it through to the final 8 on Team Olly.

‘Christmas was released on the 21st December 2022 on all major music platforms and stores.More original music and covers of songs are to come from Jordan and Wesley, so be sure to like, follow and subscribe to their music pages on various social media.

Connect with Jordan & Wesley via

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jwmusiq
IG: https://www.instagram.com/jwmusiq/
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jwmusiq

New Lease Music’s Top Ten Albums Of 2022

As promised, here are the top ten albums, which received the most streams/views throughout 2022.

There’s an eclectic mix on this list – so expect some UKG, alt R&B, drill and a little something totally left-field! Enjoy!

If you missed the blog’s Top Ten Music Videos yesterday, not to worry, you can check it out HERE.

10. RESET II – OBSIDIAN CANE

9. HALF EMPTY/HALF FULL – TILLY VALENTINE

8. GREEN ROSES – SAMSON

7. CHRYSALIS – BENNY BIZZIE

6. L.I.F.E: THE CAUSE – J.A.S

5. AUDIOCITY – RAYNE STORM

4. OLÚWAMÁYỌ̀WÁ – OLOYE COLDMAN

3. TREPAC – JUICE CANNON X DICE CANNON

2. CHILL PILL – DIOR ASHE

1. I, THE COLLECTOR – 5TASH

Song of the Day: Shell – Ritual Cloak

Following on from their second album (Divine Invasions), collaborations with Welsh poet Autumn Juvenile and Polish Artist Michal Iwanowski, plus an R.E.M cover, Daniel Barnett and drummer/producer Andrew Sanders -aka electronic postrock duo RITUAL CLOAK – present their single, ‘Shell’ which is about being in a dream where you’re constantly searching for someone but never quite finding them.

It’s an idea that’s been floating around for a few years and gone through a number of different versions before becoming what it is now. Originally Shell was written for acoustic guitar and had a completely different feel. Dan remembers re-listening to Metals by Feist and being inspired by the dramatic intimacy of the album, leading to Shell being rewritten for piano. When the song was brought to the studio Sanders suggested taking the vocals outside of the usual comfort zone.

The inspiration for this method of production was taken from Bon Iver and Mogwai, experimenting with vocoder and the deliberate use of autotune for the first time. As a result the song entered new musical territories, and served as a reminder to ourselves that there are no rules in what we do. Have a listen below…

Paige Bea Melds Spiralling Pop Hooks, Boundary Pushing Instrumentals And Timeless Songwriting On EP ‘Goodbye, Then!’

London-based singer, songwriter and producer PAIGE BEA‘s EP ‘Goodbye, Then!’ – self-released via The Orchard – re-establishes her within the alternative pop landscape after a 2 year hiatus from releasing music. To date, the EP has received wide acclaim and support from BBC R1 (Jack Saunders), Spotify (Fresh Finds UK & IE), COLORS, The Line Of Best Fit, CLASH Magazine, Wonderland, The Rodeo, New Wave Magazine, enfnts terribles, The Pit LDN, Wordplay Mag and more.

Influenced by acts such as FKA Twigs, Tirzah, Caroline Polachek, Jockstrap, James Blake and Sampha – those sonic touch points are evident within Paige’s avant-garde, unpredictable productions as she melds spiralling pop hooks and boundary pushing instrumentals, with timeless songwriting and self-aware lyricism. ‘Goodbye, Then!’ sees the artist uniting with producers Leo Wyatt (aka KINDER) and Jonjo Keefe (Park Hotel).

The six-track EP explores the obsessions and projections that come with all relationships. From lustful beginnings (“4×4”) to shaky middles (‘Autopilot’ and ‘Melt’), bitter ends (‘Stay Still’) to rose-tinted re-imaginings of the past (‘The Quiet Of The Hours’ and ‘Goodbye, Then!’) – the music aims to chart how warped perceptions of romantic relationships directly lead to their downfall. Part catharsis and part warning signal – the songs are an attempt to take back the narrative and add some much needed glamour and thrill to the tricky process of letting go.

“The production, lyrical themes and aesthetics surrounding ‘Goodbye, Then!’ are a slow sharpening of my sense of self,” Paige explains. “It starts dark, murky and jagged and eventually reaches a place of clarity and peace. The maximalist approach to the EP is a significant contrast to how small I was made to feel – and that was important. These songs are about making myself the main character again and I want this EP to make those who listen feel empowered, sexy and resolute in stories of their own heartbreak too.”

‘Goodbye, Then!’ is out now for your inspection…have a peep below…

Must Listens: 4×4, Autopilot, Melt

Song of the Day: King Of The Town – Tokeo

Coming quickly off the back of their previous single ‘Bleak Moors’, Manchester punks TOKEO continue to explore the stark realities of life amongst Manchester’s forgotten mill towns on their single, ‘King of the Town’, the final track taken from their forthcoming debut album, ‘Class Traitor.’

A cathartic triumvirate of punk, rock and rap, the quintet have distanced themselves from much of their Manchester contemporaries through their angst-fuelled take on northern post-punk, preferring instead to shed light on the discrepancies faced by those growing up in areas ignored by wider government.

Indeed, these politics, and this anger are what allow TOKEO to stand apart from a local scene too often concerned with vintage leather jackets and virtue signalling to really care about the wider local area. And on ‘King of the Town’, this vitriol really boils over. A dystopic and tongue in cheek take on misplaced admiration, it’s a blisteringly scathing attack on small-town syndrome.

With each release harbouring more piss and vinegar than the last, it’s obvious that TOKEO are a band unimpressed with the current way the UK is heading, and we shouldn’t be too. At a time when the costs of living are soaring, and the UK government is nothing more than a self-spiralling shit show, the outlook is bleak, and while the band might not offer any respite from that, they certainly provide some much needed catharsis. Have a listen to ‘King of the Town’ below…