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INsiders Guide

INsiders Guide: Myles Lloyd, BEAM, Sound of Kalima, Sea Glass, SOFTCULT, Doja Cat, MINDCHATTER, The Man Who, Kitchen Dwellers, Blue Mar, SEVEN SEALS….

Myles Lloyd is an R&B singer from Montreal, Canada. His vocal presence and songwriting is filled with a careless emotion that can be defined as vulnerable, honest and when at its best, confusing. Filled with complex stories and real-life scenarios that have come to his attention over the past years, his music acts as a release when his thoughts are finally transformed into lyrics.

His new album, Forever, Yours, narrates saying goodbye, but still keeping the memories, emotions and experiences close to your heart. The eight-track release follows on from his 2019 album, Goodbye, which took a different approach of alienating the past and finally moving forward. Lloyd explains, “But how realistic is it to leave everything in the past and never think about it again. To never wonder how life would be with a do over. So many scenarios and thoughts can play in your head and it’s normal.” 

Stemming from real life events, Lloyd hones in on physically leaving someone but mentally remaining attached in every way. Forever, Yours encompasses all these feelings and thoughts put into lyrics and melodies, touching on everything from love, sexual desires and the risqué parts of relationships. 

The album title is a nod to Michael Jackson’s 1975 album, Forever, Michael, which Lloyd would listen to constantly as a child and still inspires his music to this day. Showcasing a more experimental side to the artist, the album is a reflection of how the last couple years has left people feeling out of their comfort zone, with the songwriter sharing, “I want to give everyone a different experience to my music than they are used to.” 

Racking up an impressive three million streams for his previous releases and garnering acclaim from the likes of Complex, Teen Vogue, Wonderland Magazine, Clash, Rolling Stone, Live Nation’s Ones to Watch, Earmilk, Source, Revolt, Sniffers and Hip Hop DX, to name a few, Myles Lloyd is tipped to be one of the hottest artists for 2022.

Crossing between genres and dimensions, GRAMMY® Award-winning rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer BEAM unveils his full-length debut album, ALIEN, today. Get it at all DSPs HERE via BE I AM/Epic Records.

A true body of work, the album threads together an unpredictable trip through styles. Whether it be the otherworldly opus “SUNDOWN” [feat. Justin Bieber] or emotionally charged “HURT PEOPLE” [feat. Zacari], the momentum masterfully ebbs and flows between moods. “AKIRA PT. 1 & 2” lives up to its name as a high-octane banger, while “2ND SAMUEL” [feat. Papa San] borders on divine with its unbreakable wall of bass. Then, there’s “CONSCIENCE” [feat. Jorja Smith]. It skates towards a warbling and woozy melody as the production hypnotizes. A strong narrative weaves throughout the album, ruminating on stories of alienation, redemption and perseverance.

“I just want people to realize they are not the only ones who feel alienated in life,” says BEAM“Whether that’s a good or bad thing, you have to walk a narrow road. You feel alienated because you discern a certain thing that people don’t understand. You get to digest a piece of my brain and get to know me on an artistic level with this album.”

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Along with the record’s arrival, BEAM just uncovered the cinematic music video for the album’s colossal closing track, “PLANET BEAM. Watch it HERE. Directed by Nabil [Kanye West, Dua Lipa, Frank Ocean], the visual opens with BEAM in a dimly lit backroom where he receives a sultry private dance. However, the painting behind him opens another portal where he squares off against intergalactic creatures as the song’s tempo switches just as fast between smoked-out hip-hop, ebullient dancehall, and otherworldly pop. By the end, he returns to this plane of existence, but he may never be the same…

In the end, he embodies the spirit of ALIEN as he elevates music to another stratosphere.

“If you don’t want to hear the same old stuff and love dancehall, then go listen to ALIEN,” BEAM states. If you like hip-hop or R&B, there are tracks you will like, too. If you want something new, you should go listen to it. James Brown and Kid Cudi make me happy when I’m down, and I hope that my album will have the same effect on others. I hope and pray that people get it.”

Shoot out the Lights, a lusty song that was inspired by Vancouver’s heat wave in the summer of ‘21. While Sal & Pete struggled to stay cool (Pete had his feet in a pot of ice water at one point), they drew up a story of a couple that resorts to a proven and reliable method for passing the time (use your imagination!). “SOTL” includes the only feature of their debut EP, thanks to the lovely River Hooks. Due to SOK (west coast) and Hooks (east coast) distance apart, much of the writing and recording process was done over remote methods like Zoom calls, which, thankfully, SOK has gotten pretty good at thanks to their work producing for other artists during the pandemic.

Blending classic songwriting and modern indie production, Sea Glass is the project of Brooklyn-based producer Jake Muskat. Sea Glass composes and produces unique songs, featuring guest vocalists to create a cohesive sound that is both nostalgic and fresh. Inspired to release music after the birth of his first child, Sea Glass’s music taps into universal emotions around growing up and dreaming.

Welcoming listeners into his indie, dream pop world, Sea Glass’s music features an amalgam of influences ranging from The Beatles, to Toro Y Moi and The Strokes. Emitting an overall thought-provoking emotion and captivating atmosphere, Sea Glass sucks you into his universe, holding you hostage till the very end.

His latest single “New Romans” was written a year into the pandemic, while living in a covid rental in Brooklyn. He shares, “the music has a serious, almost systematic tone that became the soundtrack to living in a dystopian movie.”
Working alongside fellow artist and longtime friend Blue Canopy (Alex Schiff), his echoing, ethereal vocals added a pensive but reassuring tone to the animated, jangly guitar melodies and playful synths. With a plethora of sounds and textures, “New Romans” is an exceptional and intriguing single, unlike anything you’ve heard before.

Sea Glass has been praised by the likes of Indie Shuffle, WFUV, The Wild Honey Pie, and Glide Magazine, among others. “New Romans” is the first single to be released off of an upcoming EP slated for 2022.

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Canadian indie-rock evocators SOFTCULT released their hotly-anticipated sophomore EP ‘Year of The Snake’, out via Easy Life Records. The EP is accompanied by the release of a music video for the song ‘Uzumaki’

 

LISTEN TO ‘YEAR OF THE SNAKE’ HERE

 

Twin siblings Mercedes Arn-Horn (vocals/guitar) and Phoenix Arn-Horn (vocals/drums) have consistently demonstrated how they are more than musicians, weaving important messages and concepts throughout their music. From abuse to toxic relationships, the ruthless tendencies inherent within capitalism, and the deceitful politicians who favour their status and power over the people they govern.

 

With the release of their debut EP, ‘Year of the Rat’ in April 2021, SOFTCULT was quickly heralded as the band inspiring a new Riot Grrrl movement for the digital age. Seamlessly combining Alt-Rock, Grunge, Shoegaze, Dreampop, and Punk with themes that raises awareness and incite listeners to contemplate multiple crucially important topics, fan support was immediate and consistent, reflected by over 5 MILLION global streams to date.

 

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‘Year of the Snake’ is overflowing with intricacy and multiple levels of detail to unpack. Often based upon their personal experiences, it’s a record that authentically speaks to its audience on an intimate, one-to-one basis. It is culturally vital to more people than we would like to think and shows them how they are not alone in their struggles and can be a part of a bigger movement for change.

 

Speaking about the EP, Phoenix said: “The EP encompasses our feelings towards the cutthroat capitalist society we live in and the problems that need to be addressed. The snake is symbolic of deception and untrustworthiness. We’ve seen this time and time again from politicians that make grand promises and claim to care about marginalized people, climate change, poverty, etc but act differently when it comes to their policies. Our goal is to raise awareness with music that makes people think. We want to expose people to realities that they may not have ever been aware of before and speak out on issues that matter to us. Most of these songs are meant to challenge people’s perceptions, but also come from very personal places based on our own experiences. If there are people out there that can relate to our lyrics, they’ll know that they aren’t alone. They are part of a movement that is demanding action.”

Vevo, the world’s leading music video network, will exclusively release Doja Cat’s Official Live Performance series on The Roku Channel. The longform video, Planet Her, featuring Doja’s longform version of her performances “Ain’t Shit,” “Need To Know” and “Love To Dream” will live on The Roku Channel exclusively from Saturday, February 5th to Sunday, February 6th, where the video can be watched on-demand through Music on The Roku Channel.

Vevo first launched its interactive app on the Roku platform in 2013, providing free, 24/7 access to Vevo’s large library of premium music videos, live performances, and original Vevo series. More recently, Roku users have the ability to tune into various genre-specific or decades-dedicated music video channels on The Roku Channel for a viewing experience that every type of music fan can enjoy. The full Vevo lineup on The Roku Channel in the U.S. currently includes: Vevo Pop, Vevo R&B, Vevo Hip Hop, Vevo Reggaeton & Trap, Vevo Country, Vevo Latino, Vevo ‘70s, Vevo ‘80s, Vevo ‘90s and Vevo 2K.

 Official Live Performances are the flagship original content for Vevo, working with the biggest names in music – they are the result of close creative collaboration with artists and their teams, resulting in a series of very special exclusive performances. Specifically tailored creatives meant to fit the vision of each individual artist chosen, these performances connect artists with their global audience of fans adding to their visual library.

 Doja Cat previously worked with Vevo when she was named a Vevo LIFT artist in 2020, releasing exclusive performances of “Say So” and “Streets,” as well as a short film, “The Tale of Becoming Doja Cat.” For Doja Cat’s Official Live Performances, Vevo and Doja worked closely together to build upon the themes on Planet Her: futurism, femininity and surrealism, all while showcasing her power and strength as a performer. Shot in California, “ Need To Know” sees Doja Cat clad in all black, emerging from the side of a cliff while covered in shadow. Slinking out into the dusk as she sings, she commands shining golden orbs with her every move, in complete control of all things surrounding Planet Her.

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Signed to LA based label Mind of a Genius ( Gallant, ZHU, THEY.), rising polymath Mindchatter enters 2022 in stunning fashion with sprawling new offering, It’s Ok( It’s Not Ok). Arriving as he tours in support of Polo & Pan, the expansive electronic cut showcases Mindchatter’s dreamy clipped vocals over expansive production.

 Find all upcoming Mindchatter live dates HERE, including him in support of Polo & Pan at The Shrine in Los Angeles tomorrow night ( 5th February).

More on Mindchatter….

 After his debut single Trippy dropped in 2019, Mindchatter quickly gained recognition for his genre-defying sound and unique approach to music. By fusing introspective and thought-provoking lyrics with infectious, danceable beats, Mindchatter earned early praise from the likes of Pete Tong on BBC Radio 1. He was subsequently invited on tour with Polo & Pan where he first debuted his live show.

2020 saw the rising artist sign to Mind Of A Genius Records with whom he released his debut album, Imaginary Audience. He has subsequently released a string of singles in a lead up to his highly anticipated follow-up album, due out in 2022.

Mindchatter’s live performance is where he truly stands apart from the pack, bringing a full live set with a one-of-a-kind visual experience. He first gave fans a taste of this audio-visual spectacle while on his debut headline tour in the fall of 2021.

Look out for more from him very soon.

After their 2017 debut single “Bet On You” landed on Spotify’s New Music Friday in the US, The Man Who caught the Alt Rock scene by storm. Landing syncs with ESPN College Football, MLB, and Hockey Night In Canada, The Man Who’s anthemic sound became the backdrop of the North American sports scene. After the release of their 2019 EP Bet On You, The Man Who toured North America, and their leading single, “Natural Villain” went on to chart #5 at Canadian Alt Radio. With over 28 million streams on their debut EP Bet on You, The Man Who has spent the last year honing their craft and have set out to return with their best work yet.

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Bozeman, Montana-based neo-bluegrass band, raconteurs and outdoor enthusiasts, Kitchen Dwellers have announced their third, full-length album Wise River and are thrilled to share the title track off the record. “Wise River” follows 2021’s release and collaboration with Backline to raise mental health awareness. “Stand At Ease” was inspired by the many mental health issues throughout the music industry, “It’s about losing a lot of our friends and idols,” says Joe Funk. Wise River was produced by Cory Wong (Vulfpeck) and is due out everywhere on April 29.   

In “Wise River,” banjo brushes up against acoustic guitar as visuals of a lonely river town where the barfly knows you best, “the ghosts of miners, and a place “where the snow can fall like cannonballs and lonesome wind blows bitter.

Blue Mar (F.K.A Marcelo Deiss) is a Brazilian born, LA based artist whose music dances between gritty guitar and nostalgic/vintage sounds. Wading through modern-day life hurdles and feeling tense and unable to unwind, Blue Mar’s music is a reflection of how quickly we lose track of what is real and what isn’t. To bring light to these issues, he uses a lot of tongue-in-cheek phrasing and elements of dark humor. The listener may find themselves singing along to the whimsical melodies without realizing that the lyrics are in-depth and meaningful.

“Eulogy For Rohith Vemula” is the new single off the upcoming album The March Hare and pays tribute to Rohith Vemula’s life and activism in India. With the fallout of the pandemic having a profound impact on his life, Blue Mar found himself searching for inspiration in new places, when he stumbled across a selection of 26 essays in a book called “The Good Immigrant”.

Despite being named a “Eulogy” the track is a wash of thoughtful soundscapes, uplifted by a calming trill of ukulele, and a hum of soft yet husky vocals. Written in his Sao Paulo apartment in just two days, the track is one of the quickest songs he has ever written, however it radiates the compassion and admiration you’d show a close friend.

Having lived in both London and Sao Paulo, the musician is able to explore new sounds as well as new topics. Through the rawness of his music and the sheer gravity of his lyrics, the indie artist is creating music that focuses on human connection and elicits strong emotions.

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This February, cult Cumbrian band SEVEN SEALS will be unearthing a previously lost album: ‘Owl Cage’.
 
Fixing a date for its release of 25th February, the experimental post-rock quintet are preceding it with the full-force fury of leading single: “Seventh Wave”.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “SEVENTH WAVE” HERE

Bringing to light one of the album’s standout moments, the single is a call-to-arms that shakes with a vitriolic post-hardcore fist raised-high. Inspired by one of history’s most notorious escape artists, Papillon; “Seventh Wave” floats through references to the ‘butterfly’ himself, while reserving none of the bee-like sting Seven Seals fans have come to relish.
 
As the band explain of the track:“”Seventh Wave” is inspired by one of literature’s most glorious prison escapes. Floating on a sack of coconuts Henri Charrière’s Papillon relies on the seventh wave to take him away from the prison colony of Devil’s Island (Île du Diable) in French Guiana.”
 
“Seventh Wave” follows the previously-released one-off single “Bikini”, with the new single arriving as the band prepare to break the seal on their upcoming album: ‘Owl Cage’; a record ‘lost’ in the void for over 16 years.  Released on 25 Feb 2022 via the Cosmic Glue label (who have coaxed Seven Seals out of hibernation all these years later), the upcoming record promises to be an exploration of prison via posthumously found sounds and a lesson in the importance of finishing what you started.

“It’s a fascinating theme,” lead Seal, Simon says of the record’s overarching concept. “In the studio, when put together, the lyrics looked like a story about a murder, prison, wrestling with identity, with bad relationships, feeling trapped, and escaping from fate.”

Seven Seals is  Simon Pickering (vocals, synths, percussion, songwriting, production, lyrics), alongside John Powney(vocals, drums, percussion), Jay Glover (vocals, guitar, synths, songwriting, production), John Bingley (guitar) and Jim Tyson (bass, vocals.) 

neillfrazer@hotmail.com

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