TILLY VALENTINE‘s latest single ‘Retail Therapy (feat. edbl)’ tells a light-hearted, witty story about shameless quick fixes. Written during the 2020 lockdown, Valentine says: “I wrote ‘Retail Therapy’ after the postman asked why I had so many deliveries! I was distracting myself with quick fixes; instead of rationally seeking therapy, I found retail therapy was a much more appealing alternative!”
Valentine effortlessly reveals her trademark jazzy influences in her latest offering; an elegant vocal which matches effortlessly with horns and soulful beats. With previous spots on New Music Friday, Low-Key and more, Valentine and edbl have collaborated on two previous songs ‘Table for Two’ and ‘Symmetry’, gaining over two million streams with playlistings across Starbucks, Costa and various retail stores.
Hailing a small town in Oxfordshire, Valentine moved to London aged 16 to attend The BRIT School, where her journey began following her debut single. Her tracks soothed the ears of many tastemakers having been awarded “Best Music Video” by Music Republic Magazine for her self-directed video. Since then, her angelic debut EP ‘Nothing Left to Say’, was broadcast by BBC Radio 6 championing her “beautiful pop music”, as did The BBC Introducing Mixtape. Her more recent releases ‘Calendar Girl’ and ‘Gin & Tonic’ have proven her to be a breakthrough artist to watch.
Tilly set the bar really high for 2021 with the addictive single ‘Retail Therapy’, Out now on your favourite music provider. Check it out below…
South London native SWANDLE‘s single ‘LOST’, is bright and emotive, offering lush with bubbling brass, funk laden basslines and soaring synths and strings. The track sees Kojey and Carner exchange conversational bars exploring the themes of success and loss, with JNR Williams smooth vocals on chorus duties – “oh they lost themselves in lying”.
‘LOST’ is Swindle’s first solo release since his 2019 critically acclaimed album No More Normal, that was praised widely by the likes Loud & Quiet, The Wire, Q and CLASH, ‘LOST’ was written last Summer as England’s lockdown lifted breathing new life into a community of artists isolated and able to once again collaborate.
An exceptional stalwart of UK music, throughout his career Swindle has released on a plethora of labels from Butterz, to Deep Medi Muzik, to Brownswood, and collaborated with everyone from D Double E, to Ghetts, to Amaarae, to Mahalia, to Celeste and more. A true sonic chameleon, his efforts has been continually praised across the board with champions in the likes of NME, Resident Advisor, FACT, DJ Mag, RedBull, CLASH as well as major support from BBC Radio 1 tastemakers including Annie Mac, Gilles Peterson, Mary Anne Hobbs, Target and Clara Amfo.
Expect more music and news coming from Swindle very soon…but for now, have a listen to ‘LOST’ below…
Taken from his self-produced EP, ‘El Paradiso’ JEZTLS‘ latest single , ‘Affair’ sees the producer take the spotlight, providing his own vocals for the first time in his career. The lyrics tackle his experience of sexual assault whilst studying abroad in France.
In just over two minutes, the track deals with the trauma head-on, he glides through vocal styles of singing and rapping, taking influence from the alternative R&B world of James Blake and the grime music he encountered growing up in England.
Speaking on the track he says: “Affair to me is such a representative song. I dealt with so much hurt after being assaulted, I spent two weeks stuck in a tiny room in student accommodation in a foreign country. I was so stunned after it happened, it felt like it took a lifetime to fully process – so when I finally got out of bed and pulled up this beat I’d made for another artist’s session, the truth all fell out.
I’d previously planned to release a collaboration album, it was all set for the end of April, but after the assault it just fell apart and I realised I was the only person that could speak my own truth. It’s funny producing and writing for other people all your life, then one day something clicked and I realised as much as I hate my own voice – singing these songs myself is the most courageous and honest thing I can do as an artist. The structure of Affair fully allowed me to channel the different notions I went through: Denial, Pain and Anger. I’m not a rapper but I knew that I had so much to address in the final verse – it just came out like that.“
Watch the official video for ‘Affair’, directed by Luc Chief of Sprayfilms.
Serving as a preview into his forthcoming debut album, ‘Music I Had To Write’, BEN EVEYTHING‘s captivating ethereal ballad, ‘Cold Window’, soulfully blends elements of dark UK electronica accompanied with a powerful and raw journey of self-reflection.
Ben reflects ‘I remember clearly one day, looking in the mirror and having an epiphany moment you only hear about in eastern philosophy or evangelical vice documentaries – the person looking back at me wasn’t the same person I was telling myself in my head.’
In its musical elements, the track takes inspiration from Fourtet and Joji and combines meditative piano with a vocal that is infused with the producer’s obsession with Dave Grohl’s performance on Everlong. This creates a subtle backdrop for the listener to go deeper into the lyrical theme of self-reflection.
‘Cold Window’ is the second single of the forthcoming album, ‘Music I Had To Write’, slated for release in Winter 2021. Have a listen below…
Ever since OLOFF graced this blog with his album, ‘Life’s Got You Riveted’, which was placed at #6 on New Lease Music’s Top Ten Albums of 2016 list, I’ve been so mesmerised how this Bristolian artist experiments with different genres without fear. So I’m absolutely pleased to have a chat with him about his album ‘Don’t Come In Here’. So sit back and have a read as this convo this an absolute belter. Enjoy!
NLM: Hey, thank you for taking part in an interview with NEW LEASE MUSIC. How is 2021 treating you so far?
O: You’re welcome. 2021 has been kind of crazy, I’ve released 2 albums and gone through a breakup. I have a 3rd album and a book on the way. I’m keeping extremely busy, time is passing by quite slowly.
NLM You released your album, ‘Don’t Come In Here’ back in March. What is the public perception on the project so far?
O: I haven’t done enough to promote it so I don’t know. I’ve temporarily given up on promoting music because I don’t have the time or the money for it, so right now I’m focusing on building up a catalogue and not paying any attention to the numbers at all. Then when I have some leverage I will have loads of songs already released.
NLM: How would you describe the album’s sound to potential fans?
O: Electronic experimental hip-hop. Drugs.
NLM: What inspired you to produce the album?
O: I had a bad acid trip a couple of years ago and this album was kind of the culmination of my efforts to get over the things I saw on that trip. It was also about being stuck in a room during lockdown, the ups and downs of my relationship, and at times also the fun/humour of living such a life and experimenting with weird substances. In the end the theme is about trust I suppose, not really being able to ever fully trust people but having to do so for your own sanity.
NLM: What is/are your favourite single(s) from the album and why?
O: Parsons and Be Yourself. I think Parsons is the best sounding song I’ve made and I think Be Yourself is the most meaningful.
NLM: What message would you like the listeners to take away from your album?
O: Do whatever you can to be happy, stay true to yourself, be wary, get outside as much as you can.
NLM: If you had to feature one mainstream artist on the album, who would it be and why?
O: Good question. I think Kevin Gates would be interesting, because it would be such a different sound for him, but some of the themes are kind of similar (love, trust issues, substance abuse etc.) Maybe a verse on I Don’t Wanna Know.
NLM: Do you have other project(s) for 2021?
O: Yeah, shortly after this I released Oak Tree which I think is a masterpiece. I also have a project called Sameways coming out in the next few months. And a self-help book, which I think is going to be really good and will help a lot of people with their depression. I’m also regularly releasing singles and videos on my YouTube channel.O
NLM: How can potential fans find you?
O: @oloffmusic on Instagram, Oloff on spotify or YouTube.com/OloffMusic
NLM: Finally, any special shout outs to those involved in the production of ‘Don’t Come Back Here’?
O: Just me. So, hang in there Oloff! You big bald c**t.
New Lease Music 