INsiders Guide: Mikalyn, Kramies, D Power Diesle, CLAUDILLEA, BAYNK, Erika Tham, Yarni, Heidrunna, Trey Lewis, AB6IX….

Her latest release “Ready to Love You” was written about needing to backtrack on a relationship. It’s about realizing that you’re in too deep and explaining to your partner that you’re not ready to fall in love yet. Mikalyn confides, “The idea of love is scary and overwhelming sometimes and this song is about trying to avoid it where possible.” Produced and co-written with Murray Daigle, “Ready to Love You” is built upon an 80s inspired beat. Echoing vocals, oscillating synths and a groove-laden bass provide the foundations for this shimmering, catchy tune, while Mikalyn’s soulful vocal tone oozes with an honesty, as she sings, “I’m all doubts, you’re holding out, but I don’t feel it, I’m okay, but you’re in pain, ya I think you need this.”

With millions of streams for her music to date, Mikalyn has had her songs placed on numerous Spotify editorial playlists, including Canada’s New Music Friday, Indie Pop, Fresh Finds and EQUAL. She has also received airplay on CBC radio, as well as reaching the finals in their searchlight competition multiple years in a row. With a one-of-a-kind style and unwavering drive, Mikalyn shows no signs of slowing down on her already impressive trajectory as she launches her indie pop career.

While winter approaches, the days grow shorter, and homes are dimly lit as dusk quietly creeps in, three unique songwriters come together to create a rare and special release of emotionally touching and bare singles. ‘Over and Outsider’ is the new three-part split single by Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Tyler Ramsey formerly of Band Of Horses, and Kramies.
 
The chill of winter leaves many emotions hanging over us all- the need to hibernate, the longing for summer, or simply a comfort for the year ahead. However, no matter what you are feeling we can all agree that winter brings a sense of quiet ambience. Now, there is a soundtrack that matches the gentle hum that the season brings, brought by three of folk’s best offerings; Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Tyler Ramsey formerly of Band Of Horses, and pioneer of the genre Kramies.

Titled ‘Over And Outsider’, the split single features three tracks; each unique to the individual artist’s vision. ‘Drop That Hero’ by Jason Lytle eases the listener in with stripped back acoustics and muted vocals, as Lytle muses the gentle isolation that the colder months can bring. ‘Arrow To Bow’ by Tyler Ramsey features an array of plucked guitar melodies and intricate lyricism that evoke a sense of wistfulness. Finally, Kramies’ ‘She’s Low Tide’, is an ode to a lost lover. One of the most personal offerings from the artist to date, the ballad’s soft piano instrumentals and minimalistic guitar strums let the artists longing for an unnamed partner be the centrepiece of the record- striking all who listens with its mesmerising emotional depth. When put together, the three tracks form a collection that captures the chilly hum of winter effortlessly, making it a perfect addition to the soundtrack of the season.

Continuing to demonstrate why D Power Diesle’s name is synonymous with the grime scene, he unveils his latest masterpiece ‘The March’ with the assistance of Boy Better Know MCs Frisco, Shorty and Lay-Z.

STREAM/DOWNLOAD: D POWER DIESLE FT FRISCO, SHORTY & LAY-Z– THE MARCH

As the Grime scene pioneer teases his long awaited follow up project ‘Graphene 2’, he plans to keep the same high calibre that he delivered in the first project. With Graphene 1’s stand out single ‘sniper’, featuring Skepta, amassing over 5.2 million collective views as well tracks with guest verses from Wiley, Footsie, Jammz and Grim Sickers, the talented grime MC refuses to miss his shot!

Diesle knows exactly what it takes to make a instant grime classic, he uses his proven formula to make sure this track is a head banging anthem. Teaming up with the world renowned producers ‘Heavy Trackerz’, the MCs are set up with a sinister, vibrant instrumental which is filled to the brim with bouncing percussion and intricate production work. Detailing his extensive career, Diesle sets the tone of the track by referring back to his roots as a DJ at Déjà vu. Embodying the raw energy of  this era, he effortlessly attacks the beat with an intense yet inciteful delivery. This momentum is carried on throughout the track by the featuring Boy Better Know artists. As a group at the cornerstone of the evolution of the UK music scene, they are well equipped to match the passionate vocals that Diesle brings to the table.

D Power Diesle has created a legacy that stretches back to the origins of grime. From his pioneering days at Rinse FM and Déjà vu and his inclusion on Lord of the Mics 3 clashing Wariko through to touring with Skepta, Wiley, Jammer and Modestep, D Power Diesle has definitely earned the stripes to make him a grime scene veteran. He also aims to help new and upcoming talent, creating his very own label ‘EB Records’. Diesle spoke on this subject and said “It’s important for vets to guide and show love to the youth, to keep them committed, it motivates them to know that people who have been there before can do it.” After partnering with Deezer and Relentless the label continues to grow from strength to strength!

CLAUDILLEA
“Don’t You Know?” (Anoraak Remix)

• “I’m super excited about the “Don’t You Know?” remix with Anoraak! Sometimes you just need to dance your woes away!” – Claudillea

• “On the original version of “Don’t You Know?” I had hoped that it would be a comforting song for anyone who was struggling with mental health to listen to it, and with the remix, I hope it still holds that message, but can now be a song that puts pep into someone’s step as well. – Claudillea

• The song was written fully by Claudillea and remixed by Anoraak, a leading force in “sunset inspired disco and synthpop” with well over 30 million streams across all platforms.

Jock Nowell-Usticke AKA New Zealand-born, London-based electronic artist and producer, BAYNK, today releases his incredible long-awaited debut album, ADOLESCENCE. Listen HERE.

The album includes the new focus single, ‘Naked’, featuring BAYNK’s lush and dynamic lead vocals and comes with an accompanying video. Watch the video HERE.

With a trilogy of celebrated EPs, more than 250 million streams, headline tours in US and Asia, and festival spots at Lollapalooza and Coachella under his belt, the release of ADOLESCENE is a significant achievement in BAYNK’s already amazing career. 

When the pandemic hit immediately after a 17-date North American headline tour, BAYNK found himself returning to the formative years of musical discovery and youthful innocence. “I was concerned that I didn’t have enough heartbreak or trauma to make decent art,” he explains. He soon found himself asking the question that would drive the ideation behind his debut album: “If I don’t feel like I have any emotions to pull from now, then why don’t I just write about my childhood and adolescence?”

ADOLESCENCE, the resulting 11-track collection, chronicles a time and experiences that took place between New Zealand and Europe when Jock was between the ages of 14 and 22, the songs were recorded between Los Angeles and London, where he relocated to in 2021 inspired by the cities’ alternative music scene.

LA-based pop/R&B singer-songwriter and actress Erika Tham makes a fiery entrance this year with new single“Shhh”out now. Co-written with GRAMMY-nominated producers Deion Gill (Kelly Rowland, Miguel, Playboi Carti, Usher) and Major Myjah (Chris Brown, J.Cole, Ty Dolla $ign), the tongue-in-cheek track demonstrates Erika’s lyrical wit and seductive flow as she puts every mansplaining fuckboy firmly in their place. Paying homage to the unapologetic female pop stars of the ‘90s, “Shhh” is a loose spin off Shania Twain’s 1997 megahit “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and laced with alluring Asian string instrumentation (i.e. the guzheng) against a modern R&B production. 

“‘Shhh’ came together off the back of a joke made during a writing session. I remember talking to Deion Gill and Major Myjah, and I said ‘you know when someone’s cute, until they open their mouth and ruin it?’” Erika Tham explains, “It’s a fun, feminine, and coquettish song that was equally as fun to make. When it came to writing the verses, I wanted to pay homage to the sassy, unapologetic pop stars of the ‘90s. The line ‘your daddy’s black card don’t impress me much’ was inspired by Shania Twain’s iconic ‘Don’t Impress Me Much’ but with a twist and subject matter that felt authentic and relatable to my real life and so many other women. The rest of the song is honestly just the result of three friends talking shit and gassing each other up.”

“Shhh” is the follow up to Erika Tham’s 2021 debut release “Admit It”  also co-written with Deion Gill and Major Myjah. The track landed on Spotify’s ‘Fresh Finds: The Wave’ and received positive praise from Earmilk, HollywoodLife, Noctis Magazine, Ones To Watch, Raydar Magazine, Viper Magazine, Wonderland,among others. The acoustic ballad version, which arrived with a video this past November, featured Brian Kennedy (Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson) on the piano and grabbed the attention of Teen Vogue who listed it as their “pick for Best New Music Friday.”

 illustrious Sheffield-based artist Yarni (real name Benjamin Harris)shares a brand new outing in the form of ‘Orgone’, a sonically picturesque, flavoursome house tip that sees him link up with close collaborators Give Me Monaco and Emily Marks. It’s a glorious meeting of coveted musical minds, with swathes of gorgeous live instrumentation fusing with a wide variety of electronic rhythmics; there’s organic elements galore on show, combined wonderfully by all involved – Stream ‘Orgone’ Here.

 Freshly signed by EMK – the new electronic music platform launched by Kartel Music Group – ‘Orgone’ sees Yarni’s exemplary first release on the imprint, ahead of rumours of a forthcoming new album this year. Luscious, expertly-crafted and mesmeric at its core, this new single showcases the very best of Yarni’s esteemed artistic talents. Initially “part-written pre-Covid”, Yarni and aforementioned electronic purveyor and abstract artist Give Me Monaco (GMM) “finished off the track, and knew it needed that final sparkle”, enlisting electronic cellist Emily Marks “to lay down some takes which really helped to transform the feeling of euphoria on the track.”

Iceland’s Heidrunna basks in lustrous iridescence with her latest dreamscape, ‘Erasing You’.

With a palpable blend of euphoric eclecticism, Icelandic electro-pop riser Heidrunna invites you to immerse in the effervescent wonder of her forthcoming release, ‘Erasing You’. Effortlessly beguiling and oh so iridescent, this latest instalment is drenched in flurries of rousing inspiration amidst Heidrunna’s feverishly magnetic aura – a seductive transcendence you can’t help but succumb to.

A divine extraction, ‘Erasing You’ boasts a synth-driven canvas beneath a rapport of impossibly catchy ornaments. Hook-laden and embellished with sprinklings of utopian disposition, this alluring taste of Icelandic ear candy epitomises therecurrent lovelorn thread that runs throughout Heidrunna’s upcoming debut album, Melodramatic, set to release in early 2022. 

“I wrote Erasing You while on a writing trip in Sweden” says Heidrunna. “Like a lot of my songs it’s about commitment and phobia.  The pull and tug of relationships – does he love me or not! The groundhog day and the emotions and tiredness of stopping and starting and deciding that maybe the only way to stop it is to erase everything about that person and never pick up the phone again.”

Onboard for production is Liam Howe, whose portfolio embraces the likes of Lana Del Rey, MARINA, FKA twigs and Ellie Goulding. With Melodramatic, he and Heidrunna have rewritten the guidebook, conjuring up the kind of impenetrably-authentic ‘80s backdrop that you’d be hard pushed to pick out in a line-up of the finest electronic albums of an era it presumably seeks to emulate and acknowledge in equal measure.

Reminiscent of artists such as Nina Persson, Vanessa Paradis and Charlotte Gainsburg, Heidrunna’s refreshing palette and nuanced vocal displays are not to go amiss. With personal influences paying tribute to post-punk ‘80s icons including Blondie, pioneering synth-based techno-crafters, Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder, alongside the contrasting style and romanticism of French artists Serge Gainsburg, Daft Punk and Air alike.