Hailing from East London, JOEYMVNE delivers a soulful, fluid, and trance-like single, ‘Plaistow’ a poetic piece where he gives us a fly-on-the-wall view into his world in Plaistow over Jimmy Edgar’s instrumental.
‘Plaistow’ comes after the release of his single, ‘COD’, which was well received by fans and also had local radio stations. Why not check it out below…
What I find so appeasing about Bristolian rapper OLOFF is that you can never guess his next move. His second project of the year, ‘Expat’ took me a bit by surprise as it contain pretty slick uses of samples, ranging from retro soul, right through rock/90s grunge plus samples that has a twang of 50s Hollywood Glamour – see, I told his guy was so delightfully unpredictable!
One thing that’s not predictable is his infamous askew delivery which at times ferociously pierces through some of the most delicate productions (listen to intro single ‘I Don’t Breathe’, ‘Obvious/Someone’s Missing/Luigi’s Mansion)
I appreciate that ‘Expat’ isn’t everyone’s cup of tea or a one size fits all type of mixtape, but it’s definitely worth a go just to hear the juxtaposition of his wayward delivery against the varied arrangements.
Must Listen: I Don’t Breathe, Lord’s Prayer, Luigi’s Mansion
Earlier this summer, Edmonton hip-hop artist K-RIZ announced the release of his sophomore full-length album, Peace & Love. Now, he’s unveiling a new song from the project, ‘Lost in It,’ along with a new video filmed by Comrade and edited by Aliza.
In the video, K-Riz is shown being cleansed in a river, symbolizing his transition from one stage of life to the next, or shedding the old and stepping into the new. Displaying his rapid-fire flow over an aptly erratic beat produced by Calgary’s Rajah (Tory Lanez, Meek Mill, Lil Baby, Curtis Waters), K-Riz uses water as a metaphor to express drowning in, and eventually purging, his emotions from the end of a bad relationship.
With ‘Lost in It,’ the soft-hearted rapper goes hard, rhyming about the most difficult stage of heartache. “It’s the chapter where I’m caught up in my emotions and this cycle of negative thoughts,” said K-Riz. “When I was writing this song, I had these images of treading water as a tidal wave approached me, sharks surrounding me, and gasping after almost drowning. Rajah’s production went perfectly with the sink-or-swim metaphor I was trying to express in my lyrics.”
Much of the tracks from Peace & Love are linked lyrically to broken relationships with others and with self, capturing the different stages of grief and joy that come from experiencing love, heartache, and ultimately finding inner peace.
K-Riz is part of a new generation of melodic emcees who can rap circles around their opponents and sing their verses with equal aplomb. Listing the titans of soul and funk-inspired pop and jazz-oriented rap as his influences, from Stevie Wonder to Nas and Prince to J Dilla, the Toronto-born, Edmonton-based artist absorbs and spits out the specters of other eras while remaining spiritually in the present.
Peace & Love follows his critically-hailed The Room EP (2020), which drew praise from Complex for “quietly establishing himself as one of Alberta’s deftest lyricists.” K-Riz was also named as a Black Canadian artist you need to know by Angeline Tetteh-Wayoe of CBC’s The Block, and listed among the Canadian artists you need to hear by Exclaim in January of 2021.
Here’s your chance to check out the official video for the single below…
Fresh from being sampled on Pop Smoke’s ‘Faith’ and Kanye West’s ‘DONDA’, East London’s promising talent, LUKE NOVEMBER continues to perfect his hybrid sound with Brand new track ‘Queen Bee’.
Taking an alternative route to his counterparts, Luke November is rapidly gaining international support ahead of his homegrown discovery. Following the release of his track ‘Call Me Bad’, Kanye West’s management team were quick to contact Luke November. They loved his music and wanted to sample it on Kanye’s collaboration with Pop Smoke and Pusha T. Entitled ‘Tell The Vision’ the track debuted on the U.S Billboard 200 and features on Kanye West’s critically acclaimed album ‘DONDA’ and Pop Smokes posthumously released album ‘Faith’.
Still in the throes of discovery, Luke November is one of East London’s most prominent up and coming artists and his ‘Queen Bee’ release is the crescendo of a whirlwind year for the experimental musician. Providing soulful, melodic vocals over an aggressive sounding drill beat, ‘Queen Bee’ rises to a different level with it’s extremely catchy hook that contrasts perfectly with the fast-paced delivery of the verses. A smooth undertone of a soft, feminine vocal blesses the record to flawlessly harmonise with Luke’s deeper tones. The essence of the song is love in its purest, unadulterated form, making it easy and accessible, free of complication. Luke’s ability to create a musical journey of the traditional theme of love is artistically spun in to a new concept with his modern twists and styles that we can all relate and aspire to. The East London artist confidently blends a fascinating selection of musical influences to create this rare, one-of-a kind musical masterpiece, delivering something that is easy to digest yet able to take the listener on a sonic adventure.
Evolving with his music and making an exceptional addition to his discography, the independent London based artist is ready to be further unearthed by his home nation with ‘Queen Bee’. His intergalactic love story is detailed further in the visuals by multi award winning videographer ‘Dego Visionz’. As he continues to break boundaries with his unique blend of sounds, Luke has managed to set the perfect stage for his forthcoming EP dropping later this year.
Check out the official video for the single below…
FME is digging into his portfolio of dynamic tracks and ‘Juice’ is next in line. Combining his London and Sierra Leone upbringing, he was able to birth a new experimental method of artistry that enables him to recall on his personal and unprecedented experiences.
The minor key instrumental created by Maniac Beatz is powerful and dramatic with an orchestral feel, as string instruments take centre stage alongside a prevailing melody. The track is filled with liveliness but remains meaningful as FME’s lyrical flows pierce through the strong beat. A catchy chorus acts as the spine of the track with the gaps filled with his life experiences.
The Hoxton rapper has been on this journey since he was 10 when his musical passion sparked. Talent shows and poetry competitions have led to a masterclass in the UK Rap and Drill world. With roadblocks along the way, FME has spent time behind bars, but all these challenging moments contribute to the message he portrays.
Committed to the game, FME is only warming up. ‘Juice’ demonstrates his freedom from genres and leaves his audience poised to what he has in store next. With influence from both sides of his cultural background, expect more lively flows in both English and Krio. Check out the official video for the track below…
New Lease Music 