Toronto R&B musician Mykell Messiah asserts himself as one of Canada’s most polished artists with the release of the video for his latest single ‘Two Wrongs’. Watch video here.
Backed by moody and atmospheric production, Mykell continues his journey as a melodic mastermind on ‘Two Wrongs’.
“They say two negatives equal a positive, but not in relationships,” says Mykell. “‘Two Wrongs’ is about a relationship between two people that aren’t right for each other, no matter how hard they try. Culminating in the line: yeah, we tried, but nothing could make us get past our pride.”
The official video directed by Lighter Juice documents a harmoniously pensive Mykell coping with the reality of unfaithfulness weighing him down, the value of genuine admiration, and standing strong when hopelessness creeps in.
In the second verse, Mykell reiterates the trials and tribulations that are attached to expecting said reciprocation in relationships and being able to tolerate the shortcomings that may come with loving the wrong partner unconditionally as he ends the cinematic visual with a ‘To Be Continued’ message.
‘Two Wrongs’ follows the release of Mykell’s previous single and video ‘Show Me’ (released in 2021) which just passed 1 million views on YouTube. He was also recently verified on Facebook and Instagram and has a strong TikTok presence with 100K followers, 5 million+ views, and close to 1 million likes on his TikTok video posts—a strong sign that his stardom will only continue to rise.
Rhode Island-born and Los Angeles-based rapper JELEEL! releases two new singles, “UNCIVILIZED! (GO!)” and the Mike Dimes-assisted “CLUBHOUSE!”
Get “UNCIVILIZED (GO!)” and “CLUBHOUSE” feat. Mike Dimes HERE.
A pair of raucous, unapologetic anthems, JELEEL!’s latest tracks are destined to soundtrack the summer. That celebratory mood is reflected in the “CLUBHOUSE!” video, which finds JELEEL! hosting a wild gathering.Watch the video HERE at 10am PST/1pm EST.
JELEEL! has swiftly become one of the most exciting and genre-blurring artists working thanks to his blend of turn-up beats, infectious pitch-shifted vocals, and undeniable charisma—all of which are on full display on these two new singles. On “UNCIVILIZED! (GO!),” drippy, neon synths and heavy bass add weight to his raspy, intoxicating voice. “Smoking like a rasta, I’ma leave ‘em scorching,” he raps. “Yeah it’s summertime, but it’s raining and pouring.” His ability to blend ornate melodies, emo-inspired choruses, and propulsive bars makes the track a unique genre-blending banger.
Cumbria-based trio – VACANT WEEKEND – unveil their debut single “All Over”.
STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE
Glimmering with youthful promise, jangling percussion and an amalgam of heady funk influences, “All Over” arrives as an idiosyncratic introduction to to Vacant Weekend — the creative outlet of three friends who bonded over a shared love of dry ‘70s funk, 00s- indie-rock and milk chews.
With rhythmic funk-laden grooves, steady drum-beats and danceable retro bassline, the track deftly blends clean indie vocals with scintillating instrumentals and a crystal-clear approach to production. Capturing the band’s genre-hopping nature and impeccable, out-of-the-box approach to musicianship, the result is a shimmering sound well-beyond their years.
Fast-rising French dark pop star Eugénie drops her highly anticipated EP Moment In Time
Boasting a raw-chic aesthetic that has captured critical acclaim across the likes of CULTED and CLASH MAGAZINE, and with YouTube recruiting her for their recent International Women’s Day campaign, Eugénie’s magnetism has also drawn in haute-couture fashion house Chanel, performing at their recent afterparty. With momentum building from her infectious recent 2-step offering “Tears For Breakfast” and the distorted “4D”, Eugénie’s new body of work feels like a pivotal moment in her own progression.
Moving like a coherent body of sound, the 6-track ensemble effortlessly fuses spacey instrumentals with sharp, synthetic production that places Eugénie’s euphoric vocal in a celestial, dystopian blend. Invoking a complex retelling of her life experiences detailing the ongoing struggles with heartbreak, lust, vulnerability and self-expression that we face every day – Eugénie’s introspective, potent wordplay remains a significant strength across the project.
Sussex indie-pop trio WILD HORSE have unveiled their latest single “Joy Ride”.
LISTEN ON SOUNDCLOUD HERE || STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE
With a sunny, funk-tinged blend of laid-back grooves and a glimmering guitar-pop sounds, “Joy Ride” is a joyous earworm that refuses to take itself too seriously. Of the new track, Wild Horse explain:
“”Joy Ride” is an ‘80s inspired RnB/funk/pop song and our most ambitious to date. It’s now quite common for artists to try too hard to have overly deep meanings to songs, we just wanted to put out a song that people could have fun while listening to and not have to think too much about its lyrics. Essentially, it’s about car sex.”
Drawing from an abundant range of influences including Arctic Monkeys to The Beatles, Bruno Mars to The Jackson 5, this strutting new cut manages to fall somewhere between them all. Written by frontman Jack Baldwin amidst an at-home “writing frenzy” in 2021, its playful rhythms have already proved a hit when trailed at their live shows and with dedicated fans of the band alike. They add:
“We sent a small group of our hardcore fans, “The Listening Group”, several demos to critique to help us decide what to release next. “Joy Ride” was high on the list. We hope they like what we did with it, and we think they will.”
“I feel that music is the most powerful medium in our culture because it is a universal language. Music has the ability to move us into our heart and out of our fears.”
Hailing from Vancouver’s North Shore, Rose Ranger’s creative process is inextricably linked with the ocean and mountains that are stone’s throw away from her front door. Combined with her love of all musical genres and her utmost appreciation for all the creative arts – the blend creates a dynamic vibrancy in her songwriting process. And that sentiment is a testament to her new music. The lush songs are an ode to self-discovery, and to the subtle yet profound moments of life – with the results being unpredictable, vulnerable, strident and sincere. “I was always musical, I didn’t really follow any one type, I absorbed it all. I grew up dancing as a kid: ballet, tap and jazz. And with dancing there is a different style of music for each dance form. With ballet it was classical, tap was mostly Broadway show tunes and jazz dancing had pop and rock. So, I’ve been influenced by a lot of different styles of music and creative art forms.”
psych-pop multi-instrumentalist Elijah Montez, the frontman and sole songwriter of Daydream Review, dreams about the end of the world on new single, “Dream Sequence #29,” out everywhere now. The single is Daydream Review’s follow-up release to last month’s “Sensory Deprivation” via Side Hustle Records. A limited run collection of 7″ lathe cut records of both singles, in collaboration with local Chicago label, Ur Mom Records, are available now on Bandcamp here.
“Dream Sequence #29,” written, recorded and produced by Montez, brings his strange, apocalyptic dreams into his musical reality. The creative sonic choices meet with the track’s dystopian lyricism to convey the unsettling feelings that the last two years have brought to the surface. Montez explains, “I don’t think I’m alone in this, but I have had more than a few dreams about the end of the world, which I think were probably more common in the era of COVID.” Montez continues, “So there’s some intentionally jarring qualities, both sonically and lyrically, that I tried to get across to communicate some of the more unsettling nature of those kinds of dreams.”
After many years collaborating behind the scenes, Jim Roach and Dan Avidan have joined forces to form the epic rock band Shadow Academy.
They have now shared a new music video for “The Other Side” from their debut album that was released in April. The stunning video was created by Simon Macko, who also made previous Shadow Academy music videos “Once and Never More” and “While Whale.” The band has accumulated over 1 million views on YouTube have built a strong, engaged following across YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.
Dan says “This video wasn’t part of our original plans, but ended up happening because our animator (Simon Macko) called me late one night to say how he couldn’t sleep because he had been listening to ‘The Other Side’ and had all these amazing images running through his head. Jim and I figured that if Simon was that inspired, we should let him run with it and see what he’d create. I’m so glad we did. The video is incredible!”
Elizabeth shares, “Happier Now is about the feelings that come after a heartbreak, you know, you are getting better, you are healthier, you won’t fall apart if you see your ex at a party. But you also start to have the rose coloured nostalgia for a relationship that was no good and wondering what could have been if you’d been able to make it work.”
‘Happier Now’ is a perfect introduction to the Elizabeth of 2022. The lyrical motifs of her debut album The Wonderful World of Nature are recast in neon here, their old prismatic glow replaced by a dangerous, alluring coolness. Unlike Elizabeth’s protagonist’s past, though, the main character in ‘Happier Now’ is marked by her defiance, her total refusal to backslide even as she’s pulled into an ex-partner’s web: “I am happier now,” she insists, “you’re not around.”
Rebounder is the project of New York City native producer and writer Dylan Chenfeld, with his brother Noah Chenfeld. Joined by Cobey Arner and Zack Kantor.
Rebounder has toured with the likes of The Neighbourhood, Dayglow, and Cautious Clay. Rebounder has received praise from NME, DIY, Notion, Culness, and has been played on Ezra Koenig’s Time Crisis.
Rebounder recently teamed with good friend Jesse Rutherford (lead singer of The Neighbourhood) for the collaboration song Change Shapes (feat. Jesse). The song received press from The FADER, Office Magazine, & Pigeons and Planes. The band performed the song with Jesse for the first time at a halloween party in New York.
Rebounder recently modeled for a brand collaboration with menswear company Corridor, the song used in the digital ad campaign was “Slow Angel”.The Rebounder song “Night Sports” was synced in an episode of Showtime’s “Shameless”.
Rebounder recently supported Joy Again on a west coast tour, and has supported MUNA, Twin Shadow, How Long Gone / Chris Black, Dayglow, & The Neighbourhood. Rebounder is on a full North American tour with Last Dinosaurs.
Rebounder’s debut track “Japanese Posters” just broke 6.5m on Spotify, with the project now boasting more than 380,000 monthly listeners with very few songs out.
Boy Friday is the new single from Rebounder, self produced and written, the song boasts a video shot in Los Angeles starring Chris Black as the brothers’ LA spiritual tour guide. The video was directed by Ben Klein (Sundance 2022 winner).
“Some bands just seem to have it all together. From the first second of music they release to the accomplished videos, it all just works.” – NME
“Japanese Posters is two-minutes-thirty of delightful cynicism, all packaged in the kind of earworm that could fool even the most hardened of hipsters into allegiance” – DIY
Los Angeles indie-pop vocalist KiKi Holli creates stunning and soulful music woven with intricate emotive storytelling for a truly captivating and cathartic listening experience with an eclectic musical aesthetic. Holli draws on inspiration from her rich theatrical background, as well as from iconic artists such as PRINCE, Dusty Springfield, The Cure, Stevie Nicks and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Crafting a unique sound, KiKi Holli’s music is beautifully vulnerable and nurturing, with themes of connection, healing, personal growth, and living in the moment. If her delivery seems genuine—empathetic even—that’s because it is. She’s been there.
“You know, Amor fati — love your fate, love whatever is in front of you and embrace the moment,” she says.
Holli’s debut single was a breathtaking cover of Roxy Music’s “More Than This”, a raw and intimate version of the celebrated 80’s hit. Collaborating with acclaimed producer Ethan Allen (Throwing Muses, Tricky, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club), she was inspired to release her own version of the song in the midst of dealing with intense grief and loss.
Her new release, her first original song, “New High” is a celebration of simple pleasures, finding solace in your happy place and a returning to love after a time of hardship. With soaring vocals singing sunshine-dipped melodies over lush and blissful pop rock soundscapes, “NEW HIGH” is a welcome sonic escape, collaborating again with Allen to create a landscape of music that pulls the listener into the neon glow of a surreal joy ride down the coast of Malibu.
“The music was inspired by long trips down the coast from Highway 10 to the PCH, a trip I take often with my husband. It helps me find my center again to see and sit by the ocean. It’s my happy place. I think that ‘NEW HIGH’ is a good song for all of us, transitioning out of our houses and from looking at each other through screens. That separation really does a number on your brain. ‘NEW HIGH’ is saying that we’re going to be all right, we’re making it through and coming out stronger,”
she explains.
Dancehall legend Beenie Man has announced a special live show in London this September.
Moses Davis, better known by his stage moniker Beenie Man, will be bringing his timeless music to Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo this Autumn. The reigning “King of the Dancehall” is a prime example of an artiste never losing touch with his fans, and the entertainer will be reconnecting with audiences at the special live show later this year.
With much of his success stemming from his talent as a true entertainer able to withstand the test of time, Beenie Man was born in the tough Waterhouse district of Kingston, Jamaica in 1973. Regarded as one of Jamaica’s biggest exports, the artist’s recording career stretches back to 1981.
Getting his big breakthrough with ‘Matie’ in 1993, the trailblazing single went to number one in Jamaica and led to the artist winning the DJ of the Year Award in that same year. Soon signed to Island Records, it was with that major label that he would release his critically acclaimed studio album ‘Blessed’. Featuring the dancehall smash ‘Slam’, it was the first of his records to receive an international release and would be responsible for establishing Beenie’s reputation nationally.
With an impressive number of international music awards including a MOBO for Best International Reggae Act in 1998, his contribution to dancehall was officially recognised by the Jamaican entertainment industry when he was formally crowned King of Dancehall in 2009 at Reggae Sumfest.
BEENIE MAN @ EVENTIM APOLLO HAMMERSMITH, LONDON
THURSDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER 2022
Tickets available here
neill@outloudculture.com
