One of Scotland’s most celebrated artists of the 21st Century – MULL HISTORICAL SOCIETY – will return in 2023 with a wave of new activity.
Signing with Demon Records, the alias of Colin MacIntyre will be releasing a trilogy of colourful classic album reissues (‘Loss’, ‘Us’ and ‘This Is Hope’), plus a lavish 80 track media-book box set (‘Archaeology: Complete Recordings 2000-2004’) – all released on 24th February. Order here: https://mullsociety.lnk.to/archaeology
In addition, MHS will also be returning to the live stage for a very special anniversary show in celebration of his early works.
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The jewel in the crown of these revisionary releases is ‘Archaeology: Complete Recordings 2000-2004’; an expansive and ornately produced 4xCD media/book set that is a must for every Mull Historical Society fan. A monument to MacIntyre’s earliest period, its 80-strong tracklist includes the first three MHS albums in their entirety (Discs 1-3), plus a fourth disc compiling a trove of unreleased rarities, live tracks, demos, and covers (inc. The Strokes’ “Last Nite”, Ms Dynamite’s “It Takes More” and Radiohead’s “Motion Picture Soundtrack”). Accompanying the audio is a lovingly produced book, compiling exclusive photographs, extracts from Colin MacIntyre of MHS’s celebrated writings (inc. a preview of his new memoir ‘The Boy In the Bubble’), plus a reflective chapter on ‘Loss’ extracted from Tom Clayton’s 2022 book ‘When Quiet Was The New Loud’, and an essay from journalist Billy Sloan discussing the Mull Historical Society legacy.
In tandem with the boxset release, MHS’ first three albums (‘Loss’, ‘Us’ & ‘This Is Hope’) will also be available as individual vinyl editions for the first time since their release.
The record that started it all, ‘Loss’, Mull Historical Society’s Gold-selling, Top-40 breakthrough album is being remastered and repressed in a 2xLP black vinyl edition. Featuring the 7-minute epic “Barcode Bypass” (a track named NME’s Debut Single of the Year in 2000), the single signalled the emergence of a truly original song-writing talent for the new millennium, with MTV supported follow-up singles such as “I Tried” and “Animal Cannabus” laying the groundwork for a momentous debut album. Sumptuously crafted, with quirky and thought provoking lyrics, ‘Loss’ proved to be an instant hit with fans and critics alike. “‘Loss’ was about dealing with grief, celebrating life and a tribute to Community too” remembers Colin, “and I feel so blessed it found one”. Widely acknowledged as one of the best British albums of that year (2001), ‘Loss’ received universal praise from the likes of NME (9/10), Uncut (5/5), The Scotsman (5/5), The Observer, Time Out and more. Standing the test of time over the years, ‘Loss’ was a recent subject of the Sunday Herald’s ‘Scotland’s Best Albums’ series, while its featured hit single “Watching Xanadu” featured on STV’s ‘Scottish Greatest Album’ show.
Miami-based Nu Deco Ensemble led by Jacomo Bairos and Sam Hyken premiere their symphonic reimagination of Earth, Wind & Fire’s celebrated catalog of songs performed at the Miami Beach Bandshell on Saturday, April 10th, 2021.
“Earth, Wind & Fire is one of my all-time favorite musical groups that has had a profound impact on me musically. The rich harmonies and complex arrangements inherent in their music presented unique challenges in creating our re-imagination of their catalogue. These new takes on timeless classics were created during and very much influenced by the beginning of the global pandemic in 2020.” Sam Hyken (Nu Deco CEO, Co-founder, Arranger)
Nu Deco Ensemble kicked off their Eighth Season at the Colony Theatre on October 7th with special guest Angélique Kidjo. The season will have shows at Miami Beach Bandshell and Adrienne Arsht Center. Patrons can expect to hear a blend of Nu Deco Ensemble originals, orchestral classics, and their take on popular songs from Fleetwood Mac, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, and Lauryn Hill. Nu Deco Ensemble’s season is sure to highlight their genre-bending innovative sound. The season is set to continue on December 10th welcoming back guest artist Wyclef Jean. The following shows will feature new guests X Ambassadors, Lawrence, and Derrick Hodge. Together these virtuosic artists and performers emphasize what Nu Deco Ensemble is all about.
ALEXIS DE VEAUX WINS 2022 PAMELA SNEED AWARD FOR
BLACK QUEER|ART|MENTORSHIP ARTISTS & ORGANIZERS
WENDI MOORE-O’NEAL AND STEFA MARIN ALARCON WIN SIXTH ANNUAL QUEER|ART|PRIZE AWARDS
GRADUATION OF 2021-2022 QUEER|ART|MENTORSHIP FELLOWS
On Thursday, November 10th, a radiant crowd of LGBTQ+ artists and allies convened in-person at The Whitney Museum of American Art for Queer|Art’s biggest event of the year: The 2022 Queer|Art Annual Party. This year’s grand celebration took the form of a hybrid event, with 150 members of Queer|Art’s vibrant community of artists and supporters attending in-person and many more tuning in virtually via Zoom. Activist and drag artist Junior Mintt guided attendees through a dynamic awards program and an uplifting graduation ceremony that honored the outgoing Fellows of the 2022 Queer|Art|Mentorship program cycle. The night concluded with a dazzling afterparty emceed by advocate, organizer, and storyteller Cecilia Gentili, and DJ sets by Body Hack artists Cisne and NYMPH.
This year’s slate of awards (made possible with generous support from HBO Max) celebrated luminaries and emerging artists alike within queer creative communities across the country. The 2022 Pamela Sneed Award for Black Queer|Art|Mentorship Artists and Organizers offers a $10,000 prize to a Black Mentor or Fellow from the Queer|Art|Mentorship (QAM) community for uplifting foundational histories of Black queer mentorship. In its second year, a judging panel of celebrated artists– Justin Allen, Stephen Winter, and Pamela Sneed–bestowed the honor to multihyphenate writer, educator, and activist, Alexis De Veaux.
The 2022 Queer|Art|Prize Award honored the New Orleans-based freedom singer and community leader, Wendi Moore O’Neal, along with multidisciplinary artist, stefa marin alarcon with $10,000 prizes, each recognizing their significant contributions to queer culture and community. Moore-O’Neal was acknowledged in the category of Sustained Achievement, a category that serves to highlight art practices that have significantly impacted queer community and contributed to its endurance and expansion. alarcon received the award for Recent Work, a category that recognizes an outstanding work created by a US-based LGBTQ+ artist between Pride of 2021 and Pride of 2022, for their transdisciplinary opera, Born With An Extra Rib.
ALEXIS DE VEAUX, 2022 Pamela Sneed Award Winner
The Pamela Sneed Award for Black Queer|Art|Mentorship Artists and Organizers was founded by BlaQ, Queer|Art’s Black LGBTQ+ Artists Group to acknowledge Black QAM Mentors and Fellows who uplift critical histories of Black queer mentorship and exemplify steadfast commitment to values shared by the QAM community. The judges selected Alexis De Veaux as the award’s second annual recipient for her “invaluable contributions to the queer community across mediums.”
Judges remarked, “Alexis De Veaux is a pioneering force within the LGBTQIA community. Her expansive practice is wide-ranging: from poetry and journalism to children’s literature. Alexis has made invaluable contributions to the queer community across mediums. As a writer, educator, and public speaker, Alexis’s longstanding dedication to mentorship is clear across fields and generations. To be in the presence of her generous wisdom and infectious spirit is to be inspired.”
Upon accepting the award, De Veaux remarked, “I’m really, really just thrown by this opportunity and this award. I’m grateful to the judges, to all the other nominees, to this entire community that I am part of… I’m also deeply thankful to all the people up here that you may or may not see that may or may not be visible to you, but they are here with me. These are my ancestors and my future, and I introduce them to you tonight so that you can bear witness to their presence and so that you don’t see me as singular. I am not singular. I am part of a great and grand community.”
Sid Seth is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who forms a blissful blend of soul and pop into his truly unique repertoire. Originally from India, he moved to New York five years ago to study at the Manhattan School of Music, and has been pursuing music in the city ever since.
Working alongside producer Kris Crawford (Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, Josh Groban), and Grammy winning mastering engineer Alex Psaroudakis, his next single “Caffeine High” came to life. Exploring the vibrance of the city that never sleeps, Sid’s latest tune came to fruition with spontaneity and excitement at its core. He explains, “This was written in New York. Of course, it changes everything! This song is a happy vibe however the pre-story may not necessarily be. NY is quite challenging at times and the most bustling city in the world can be quite secluded and lonely sometimes. I call it the heart-attack life. The lows are crazy and so are the highs.”
Growing up, his mom introduced him to The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Boney M and Abba, while Sid’s dad introduced him to the rhythm and melodies of Bollywood, Hindustani Folk Music and Indian Classical music. Paired with the soul-inspired tones of Michael Jackson and Ella Fitzgerald, Sid’s enriching sound can be attributed to his vast musical influences. Taking a more light-hearted approach to its predecessors, “Caffeine High” packs the perfect punch. Ear worm hooks and funky melodies make you want to dance, whilst his lyricism provokes thought and hope. He continues, “The word high was probably in the back of my head. And, I wasn’t really a big coffee drinker – at least not a New York coffee person (in terms of the quantity). For some reason, I started having 3-4 cups of coffee. I guess all of that triggered it and I wrote Caffeine High. I was laughing when I came up with that song title. It made me smile, which was exactly the vibe I wanted for the song, so I stuck with it.”
Floating to the forefront of pop culture on their own terms, buzzing alternative pop duo BETWEEN FRIENDS—Brandon and Savannah Hudson— release “Fri3ndsHip bRaceleTs” in collaboration with Mexico City based jewelery brand, Blobb. Available HERE.
Inspired by objects from childhood, “Fri3ndsHip bRaceleTs” pulls aesthetics from rave kandi and friendship bracelets. The duo photographed their fans in the bracelets while on their sold out U.S. headline tour last month as an ode to rave style photography. Between selling out their U.S. headline tour in a day, releasing their latest EP, CUTiE, and now collaborating with Blobb, they are pushing the boundaries of pop music with their DIY mentality.
Singer/songwriter TJ Stafford returns with an electrifying and introspective look at the life of an artist with “The Astronaut,” out on December 8th, 2022. The Los Angeles-based musician is known for his work in various bands before branching out on his own with his 2017 debut album, “All My Bad Habits.” He’s written and performed thousands of placements on television, including AMC’s The Walking Dead, HBO’s True Blood, NBC’s Parenthood, and FX’s Sons of Anarchy. While his music filtered through various television shows, he began performing live, selling out shows at famous L.A. venues like The Roxy, The Troubadour, and the House of Blues. After suffering a bout of depression that led to his previous release, “The Death of Zossima,” he set to work on his next body of work, “Nipple Whisk,” where he explores both the dark and light of his journey.
An immediately thrilling introduction sets the tone for “The Astronaut,” which booms to life with electrifying guitar riffs and a uniquely cohesive feeling of chaos. The track explores the desperate need to shine brightly in a world where your life and, in Stafford’s case, career depend on being noticed. The juxtaposition between not wanting to be just one of the many but being desperate to have your voice heard is built into the instrumentation itself. From the harrowing drums hammering away beneath Stafford’s howling vocals to the explosive bridge that brings everything together all at once, only to drift off into quiet introspection — it’s visceral and intense. Just the way artists feel when bringing their works into the world.
WHO: Sean “Diddy” Combs / Bryson Tiller
WHAT: Sean “Diddy” Combs soared to the top of the R&B/Hip-Hop media base Airplay chart with his hit song “Gotta Move On” featuring Bryson Tiller making this his first number one hit for LOVE RECORDS. With Gotta Move On hitting number 1, this marks 11 number 1 hits total for Combs.
“Gotta Move On” featuring Bryson Tiller was released in June and is the first single from Diddy’s highly-anticipated new album under his LOVE RECORDS imprint, in partnership with Motown Records. The song paves the way for more music to come, with his new album due top of 2023. The song has 95.8+million streams and the official video directed by Teyana “Spike Tey” Taylor has more than 13 million views on YouTube.
Additionally, in October, Diddy released a bundle featuring three variations of “Gotta Move On”, which he co-produced with J-Louis, Teddy Walton, RNSOM, SllimWav and Roark Bailey. In addition to the original version of the song, the set includes Queens Remix and the Kings Remix.
- The Queens Remix features Ashanti, Yung Miami and Bryson Tiller produced by Ron Browz. Diddy opens the track singing a Phil Collins sample of “In the Air Tonight,” Yung Miami brings a fire standout verse, and Ashanti provides the spice with powerhouse vocals with lyrics reflecting a past relationship.
- The Kings Remix features Fabolous and Torey Lanez, a DJ remix by Cool and Dre, and the original smash-hit single “Gotta Move On” featuring Bryson Tiller.
Diddy’s music career includes 10 #1 hit songs, 3 Grammy Awards, ASCAP¹s ‘Songwriter of the Year¹ and he has produced hundreds of songs as well as performed with the biggest names in music. Diddy and his Bad Boy label have produce 27 platinum and 15 gold albums including 23 Platinum Singles, 28 Gold Singles, 3 #1 albums and 9 #1 singles. Over the past three-plus decades, Bad Boy has sold more than 400 million albums and their songs have over 3 billion streams.
Crunk music was never dead, but Memphis rapper Duke Deuce has taken it upon himself to inspire a new generation to tear the club up. With inexhaustible energy and a booming voice, he’s reclaiming the ecstatic subgenre for his hometown, making music as grim as it is gleeful, and turning up all the while. Rapping about harrowing realities and detailing the benefits of his hard-won success, Duke has reached millions of fans who dig his music’s intensity as much as they do the playful dancing (a.k.a. gangsta walking) he does in his videos. With each release, Duke makes the case that crunk is more than music. It’s a way of life. He often bellows his signature ad-lib “WHAT THE FUCK?!” with the force of a wrecking ball—or rather, the force of his own breakout single, “Crunk Ain’t Dead,” a high-octane anthem that earned a remix featuring a few legends of the genre: Lil Jon, Juicy J, and Project Pat. Since signing with Quality Control Music, Duke hasn’t let his foot off the gas, releasing Memphis Massacre [2018], Memphis Massacre 2 [2020], Duke Nukem [2021] and Crunkstar [2022], the latter of which cemented his signature ‘crunk-rock’ sound with breakout single “Just Say That,” powered by guest features from Glorilla and Quavo. Duke continues his worldwide takeover with the release of his latest mixtape offering Memphis Massacre III [Quality Control Music/Motown Records/Made Men Movement].
With their upcoming project The Juice Vol III set for release on December 9th, LA based R&B duo Emotional Oranges reveal a final teaser of what’s to come with the release of new single, ‘ On My Way’. After going through a tough breakup, EO took to the studio in Greece. Using live percussive sounds inspired by traditional middle eastern rhythms, and blending with S. African amapiano, the duo truly pushed the boundaries on this innovative dance track.
This record came from experimenting with new sounds and a few long nights in Mykonos. I genuinely haven’t felt this excited around creating fresh textures & grooves since we were working on The Juice: Vol I. Conceptually, we always thought it’d be cool to flip our perspectives and essentially write the response track to “Just Like You”. Big shout out to my boy Robbie Gardunio who helped see through both the production and (a very complicated) mix with us – it’s the first of a whole batch of ideas we’ve made together!
Fast-rising South London rapper, dancer, and comedian, Stepz returns with his latest heater “Pacman” – featuring fellow UK rap prodigy Fizzler.
After a whirlwind of success conquering the digital scene, 20-year-old Stepz continues to develop his artistry with the unrelenting drill offering “Pacman”. Clever wordplay and rigorous patter at its core, the record modernises the infamous sound effects of the beloved video game atop a heavily addictive beat. With choppy percussive layers and chest-rattling 808s to set pace as Stepz illustrates the unpredictable natural and inner-city pressures of growing up in a busy London environment.
With just two releases to date, the young talent has rapidly amassed well over 3.5M streams on Spotify alone, all the while becoming one of the UK’s most recognised
TikTok stars on an international scale. Currently sitting on over 200M+ views across his viral POV videos, Stepz’s entrepreneurial spirit and voracious approach to music has rapidly become intertwined – which garnered key co-signs from UK staples AJ Tracey, Unknown T, Ms Banks and Russ Millions.
Looking to continue the trajectory ahead of his hotly anticipated single “Pacman”, Stepz’s natural flair and brazen aura will no doubt announce his entrance into the mainstream sphere.
Over the years All Is Fused has explored new musical territories in order to expand their skills and find new forms of expression. Throughout this journey they have gone against standard, expected musical forms and explored outside their comfort zones, discovering new ways to write music that might lead to fresh sounds. However, the All Is Fused philosophy is not one to reject ideas, but of integrating them. Therefore, for this record, the ensemble decided to embrace these forms as a grounding device from which to innovate.
Embrace Form is an album that explores the relationship between experimental instrumental music and popular music by leveraging familiar forms and enhancing or appropriating them to fit the ensemble’s expressive style. Tracks featuring common musical forms or compositional techniques such as verse-chorus (Explode), vamps (Friends, Memories, Loops), canon (Crystalline) are present as much as improvisational forms that are open (Cotati Reset) or that follow call-and-response patterns (Caribbean Mountains). These familiar forms are then modified to bring listeners something familiar with a twist. Take for example, Crystalline, where a common form such as a canon, which usually includes repeated motifs with added layers, in this case grows not just vertically (additional layers), but also horizontally (additional bars that add to the initial motifs).
All Is Fused leverages conventional forms to keep moving beyond the constraints of current fusion, eschewing conventions and showcasing virtuoso playing without becoming self-indulgent. Embrace Form adds to the sextet’s body of work and continues to expand their sonic horizons creating enjoyable textures that can appeal to fans of progressive Jazz and non-fans alike.
It’s official — the holiday season has begun! Minneapolis-based alternative R&B artist Mayyadda (may-YAH-duh) is ready to set the tone for the season with the release of her new EP, Holiday Joint, out now! The five-track project was crafted to encourage listeners to focus more on the spirit of the season rather than the sometimes-stressful commercial aspects that are typically associated with this time of year.
On the EP, the high vibe R&B artist created an original R&B-soaked holiday track, “Holiday Joint,” about resting as nature does in the wintertime, as well as her original soulful takes on the Christmas classics “Jingle Bells,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Sleigh Ride,” and “Silent Night.” With her delicate guitar accompaniment and unique vocal arrangements, the artist seeks to provide listeners with a fresh perspective on the traditional sounds of the season.
As someone who doesn’t tend to subscribe to the tradition of this season, Mayyadda explains her intention and inspiration behind her new holiday EP, saying “I wanted to create a holiday project that my Grinchy self actually enjoyed.”
Becoming Merseyside’s most unique and hauntingly honest disarming folk styled singer-songwriters, Marvin Powell has earned the love and respect of fans and hugely influential peers alike having released a number of singles and EPs ulimating in his debut album ‘Dust Of The Day’ in 2019.
After numerous tour supports with The Coral, She Drew The Gun and legends The Fairport Convention and gained fans from 6Music’s Steve Lamacq, Lauren Laverne and Radio 1’s Jericho Keys, it’s been a labour of love and emotional journey for Marvin, who has slowly been developing a second album written at his home in West Kirby.
‘Careless By The Coast’ , the follow up to ‘Dust Of The Day’ , was recorded over two years with Tim Cunningham (The Sundowners, Jamie Webster, The Lightning Seeds) engineering and producing, offering an honest reflection of what was going on during a period in Marvin’s life.
“ Some of the songs like ‘The Prophecy’ ‘Careless By The Coast’ and ‘Tenant Of My Own Time’ I’d had and gigged for a while prior to recording, so it was nice to finally get them down and work with artists like Fiona Skelly and Mat Gray who’d both played with me during this time. “ Marvin Explains. “After that the rest just seemed to flow out of me”.
The album was recorded partly in Parr Street Studios (ahead of its closure earlier this year) then finished up in Hoylake at the makeshift studio at the Coral Caves (rHome of The Coral). A place Marvin is really familiar with and comfortable in after recording his first album there “I think the record has a live feel to it and I love the fact you can hear the creeks of the guitar and all the little noises over production can destroy.
Marvin feels like he’s also getting to know his craft well and feeling very at home with the recording process, especially for ‘Don’t Want Nothing “I felt a little bit more experienced this time round in my approach although still a little out of my depth as I’m still learning to enjoy the recording process. I was lucky enough to be working with Tim Cunningham who is one of the best and Chris Taylor did an excellent job with the mixing.”
Brooklyn-based alt-pop singer-songwriter Sabrina Song shares her long-awaited, delicate third EP When It All Comes Crashing Down, produced, written and engineered by Song herself, out everywhere now. Alongside the full release, Song shares the latest melancholic, piano-driven single & accompanying stirring video, “Down” out now. The dark, weighty tune sees Song earnestly wrestling with the fears that come with falling in love.
The four track collection from Sabrina Song is a tender, observational glimpse at the artist’s assessment of relationships in her life where she discovers her own strength as she learns to advocate for herself, further solidifying both her sound and sense of self. Song explains, “‘When It All Comes Crashing Down’ represents a personal and musical evolution for me. The majority of my songwriting prior to this project was extremely inward-facing, working through my internal issues, insecurities, doubts, and streams of consciousness. I began writing this project at the end of college, and finished writing it through the end of last year. It was a period of rapid growth and transformation for me, and for the first time in a long time, I felt real security in who I am as a person and artist. I found the ability to turn outward, and begin evaluating my relationship dynamics, holding people accountable that I’ve let walk over me in the past, and being the best person I can be in the friendships and relationships that I hold dearly in my life. The result is four songs that find me trying to advocate for myself in my romantic and platonic relationships, and find a stronger sense of self and happiness.”
To those that know Dave Brandwein as the frontman of Turkuaz, the indie-Americana/folk-rock music of Band For Sale might seem like a radical change. But to the multi-instrumentalist and producer, the upcoming album, Sleeping Sun, Waking Moon, slated for release on December 9, 2022, represents a return to his musical roots.
“This album is who I’ve always been deep down,” Brandwein explains. “I grew up on The Beatles, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, and the other classic sounds of the 60’s and 70’s… The truth is that Turkuaz was the departure.”
The last ten years have seen a flurry of change for Brandwein. He got married and got divorced. He got sober, drunk, and sober again. He oversaw the growth of Turkuaz, the nine-piece funk band he’d fronted since college, into an internationally touring powerhouse sharing the stage and collaborating with legends like The Talking Heads’ Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew (King Crimson, David Bowie, NIN). Finally, in the fall of 2021, he saw Turkuaz disband, halting upcoming tour dates and bringing the band’s future into question. It was at that point when he moved from Brooklyn, NY, to Los Angeles, California, seizing the opportunity to assess his past accomplishments and the uncertain future that lay ahead, a chance to clean out his closet and start fresh.
New York City, singer, songwriter, Jake Lancer encapsulates the art of storytelling, the nostalgia of pop music, and the vitality of the New York City club kid scene in his debut EP as a solo artist.
His debut EP Take Off!, explores the defiance of his own fears, love, trauma, and joy, using his life’s stories as a canvas to create a compilation of tracks that serve as one singular function. The EP features the single Feel Your Love, an exploration of sexuality, the timeless nature of pop music, and Lancer’s longing for affection. While
Paris is a 90’s inspired dance ballad that tells a story of having to say goodbye to a lover who is moving to Paris. The last track on
Take Off!, is
Tomorrowland being the epic finale to what was an intense love affair, yet another reason to dance!
His latest single “Baby Is The Moment” is a theatrical pop explosion that explores themes of love and betrayal. Inspired by artists like Lady Gaga and Charlie XCX, Lancer takes you on a journey that will empower any heartbreak, evoke escapism, and quite literally takes you to church. “Let’s dance because baby YOU are the MOMENT,” he confides.
Jake Lancer’s influences range from artists like Lady Gaga, Abba, David Bowie, to Troye Sivan. Growing up closeted yet a part of the LGBTQIA community, Jake dreamed of creating pop music that not only inspired but could give a voice to anyone on their own healing journey. Now a proud out gay man, Jake Lancer is also a mental health professional as a working therapist in New York City. Having studied mental health, musical theater at various esteemed institutions, and worked as a part of the music industry at Universal Music Group, the multi-talented artist has translated his training and life experience into his music.
Jake Lancer’s music is more than an expression of pop and dance, but a mechanism for healing, a love story, and a voice for those feeling both heartbreak and life’s greatest euphoria.
Emm Gryner is an award- winning singer, songwriter, actor and best-selling author.
Emm sang and played keyboards in David Bowie’s band, and appears on numerous recordings, including his landmark 1999 SNL appearance, Bowie at The Beeb and Toy. Bowie’s acclaimed Glastonbury 2000 documents her performance in front of more than 100,000 fans at Worthy Farm.
With her rock band Trapper, Gryner shared arena stages with Def Leppard, and she also helped coordinate and create the first music video recorded in outer space to the world (Space Oddity with Commander Chris Hadfield).
Detroit radio formed the soundtrack of Emm’s life and career and her brand new record is a celebration of that music. From Motown, jazz and pop, to Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac and the Doobies, Business & Pleasure is infused with the sunshine soul and stellar playing of the late 70s and early 80s. These songs, produced by Fred Mollin, written with poet Michael Holmes, and recorded with drummer Shannon Forrest (Toto), keyboardist Pat Coil (Michael McDonald), bassist Larry Paxton (Alison Krauss), and guitarists Tom Bukovac (Taylor Swift) and Pat Buchanan (Hall & Oates, Dolly Parton), embody a take on yacht rock that sails deep into the 2020s and introduce the world to a bold new character: a powerful woman whose passion, presence, conviction, humor and grace serves to unite the world in music, joy and love, once again.
LA-based futuristic R&B-funk artist, Shira Elias, highly anticipated sophomore EP SERVICES the EP, out everywhere now. Alongside the full project comes the latest triumphant, self-assured single “OK“. The silky track explores the complex feelings that come with exiting an unhealthy relationship, and the moments of acceptance and relief that follow.
Catch Elias perform new music and longtime favorites during a solo set on December 10, and later, join the new Cool Cool Cool funk outfit on December 11 at North Beach Music Festival with tickets and more information available now at shiraelias.com.
SERVICES the EP is a dreamy, six track collection from Shira Elias that boldly encapsulates the singer’s growth as she further establishes her sound and discovers more of herself–both as an artist and as a person. The release of the EP picks up where Elias’ 2020 debut EP, GOODS the EP left off. It kicks off a new chapter for the singer, one that is refined and self-assured. Elias explains, “Where ‘GOODS’ was my first solo endeavor, really trying to find a voice while still living and grinding in New York, ‘SERVICES’ is me exploring a new world, moving to Los Angeles during a global pandemic, and trying to love who I am. I think you can really hear the evolution and the difference in the writing and production.” Produced by MEGA, featuring co-writing by Mackenzie Green and Taplin on keys, Elias is thrilled to share her most realized body of work to date.
Alongside the release of the EP is the project’s newest emotional single “OK.” The sleek, sultry track allows Elias to find peace in parting with someone she once loved. Delving into the nuances of love, Elias ultimately finds confidence in leaving the unhealthy relationship behind and proudly recognizes her self worth. “This is an ANTHEM for me. I needed to make this song for myself,” says Elias. “For so long I let myself be in a toxic situation because of fear. OK is the final moment of acceptance and honoring that it’s OK to walk away and it’s OK to acknowledge that you are worth all of it. I think everyone can relate in some way or another to feeling stuck in a situation, and I hope that everyone can chant along at the end, that epiphany, “I NEVER NEEDED YOU.” I really dug deep for the emotion in this one.”
Today’s release follows the EP’s first romantic funk-filled groove “HOOK’D” which explores the thrilling early stages of an all-consuming crush. The track masterfully blends Elias’ smooth vocals with a funky bassline and an electric, futuristic R&B sound. “‘HOOK’D’ is about animalistic love; that carnal, raw, exciting feeling of the chase at the beginning of a connection,” shares Elias. “It’s supposed to sound like the sparks that fly and build inside of you when you are attracted to someone but the mystery of not knowing where it will go.” Well-established tastemaker Live For Live Music lauded about the track, “Elias personifies the first spark of a crush with her vocals overtop a laid-ack R&B groove. The lead single is emblematic of things to come as Shira is given the space to sing with her own voice, rather than blending into a choir.” On the brand new EP, the publication added, “For her second EP, Elias has come back stronger and more sure of herself as an artist.”
Following the release of their monumentous new single, breakout rapper JELEEL! teams up with Denzel Curry on the official video for “SHOTS!”
Watch it HERE and get “SHOTS!” HERE via 10K Projects.
The high-energy visual finds JELEEL! as a robotic machine stuck in a metal contraption in a warehouse, ready to break free. While he raps his way through his verse and into the chorus, Denzel Curry makes the final tweaks on JELEEL!, bringing him to life and helping him break free.
The video arrives on the heels of the duo’s collaboration, which dropped on Friday to praise from the likes of The FADER, HotNewHipHop and Hypebeast who said, “pumping up listeners…the new single is sure to inspire a sense of playful, party-ready rage in fans.”
“’SHOTS!’ is such an important song to me because I feel like it’s an elevated version of a lot of my harder and aggressive type songs, and obviously Denzel just made it that much more special,” says JELEEL! “We were jumping on couches having so much fun making this in the studio. We are such a great combo on the track, and I’m just super proud of this record.”
Breaking London artist – George Hennessey – is back with the brand new single: “Prisoner”.
WATCH OFFICIAL VIDEO HERE || STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE
His final release of 2022, the anthemic new cut arrives as a foretaste of his highly anticipated debut solo album: ‘If You Can’t Find What You’re Looking For Please Ask’, which will be released on 3rd February 2023.
With a glimmering guitar lick that Paul Weller or Noel Gallagher would have been proud to put their names to at the peak of their powers, the new single “Prisoner” is a psychedelic-tipped, Brit-Pop embodying joie de vivre. Finding nuance in nostalgia, the song is ultimately about escaping the constrictions of life through the music you love.
As George explains:
“”Prisoner” is about when luck isn’t on your side, and you feel like you’re being held emotionally captive… your guitar and melody can be your only ways out.”
Tim Nelson nominated for his first Grammy – for his contribution to Baynk’s album ‘Adolescence’ (Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical)
With over 250 million combined streams, Australian pop sensations Cub Sport announce they’ll be hitting the road for a headline UK tour in spring 2023.
The Brisbane group continue to soar with their glossy alternative pop, showing zero signs of slowing down with their propulsive new house single “Replay” – stream here. The track transmutes the band’s trademark warmth and empathy into a piece of glassy, gorgeous dance music.
Marking 3 years since their last tour of the UK–which involved a sold out stint at London’s iconic Scala–fans might say it’s long overdue that Cub Sport make a return to our stages… Now the wait is finally over, next April/May will see the band kick off their new UK tour in Glasgow before heading to Manchester, Bristol and finishing off at London’s pristine Lafayette. Full list of shows below. Tickets here.
“We’re so happy to be coming back to the UK for these shows! We’ve got so much exciting stuff planned and can’t wait to be back with our beautiful UK fans. See you all soon!“ – Cub Sport.
Since the release of their acclaimed fourth record ‘LIKE NIRVANA’, Cub Sport have been working towards their next project, unveiling the effervescent “Always Got The Love” and the trancey “Replay” in the process – tracks you can expect to hear live for the first time next year.
29th April – Poetry Club, Glasgow
30th April – Deaf Institute, Manchester
1st May – Louisiana, Bristol
4th May – Lafayette, London
London’s SOMOH impresses once more on her sophomore single ‘I Know You Care’ further cementing herself as an artist worth keeping an eye on throughout 2023 with her brilliant debut EP ‘A Plan To Get Home’ being a stunning piece of work out in the first quarter.
You can listen to I Know You Care now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDcw16LomrA
Playlisting – here
Speaking about today’s mellow, cathartic new single, SOMOH said “This song is about how people’s intentions don’t always reflect well in how they act towards you. I tend to just walk away from situations that hurt me, without holding the person accountable because I’m not the best at confrontation. At least I can get my anger out in writing songs!”
Ella Grace returns with the accompanying video for her majestic new cut ‘Grace’
Taking shape as a moving folk rock anthem, ‘Grace’ is a captivating next move from the hotly tipped artist.
Recorded at the legendary Rockfield Studios, produced and mixed by Brit Award-winning legend Ethan Johns (Paul McCartney, Laura Marling, Michael Kiwanuka), Ella Grace’s new single is an enchanting showcase of her rich, soothing vocal talent and powerful songwriting. The track was aptly recorded on the legendary Studer A820 tape machine that spun the likes of Simple Minds, Annie Lennox, Paul Weller, Kasabian and Queen.
‘Grace’ embodies heartache and the torturous longing for someone you can’t have, sharing more Ella Grace explained: ‘Grace is a song about rejection, about wanting to be with someone who is too scared to move towards you – it’s like a love letter that’ll never be read’
Grace is Ella Grace’s first single since the release of her debut album ‘Reverence’ (Gay Times, Notion, Clash, Wonderland) which was unveilled last year. The stunning 11 track body of work explored themes of queerness and self-acceptance, which connected with many and has racked up over 6 million streams in it’s short lifetime.
AlienBlaze is a 20 year old mad as hell singer/songwriter and lead guitarist crafting genre-fluid anthems resulting in a fascinating hybrid of everything from dark alternative pop, grunge and emo, to rock and electronic elements. Her dominating presence emits an angsty appeal, encouraging a sense of self-empowerment to her young audience.
In her school years, AlienBlaze spent most of her time at home through sickness, so spent hours and hours learning the electric guitar on her mum’s old guitar, wanting to play like her guitar inspirations Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains and Slash. Blaze’s sense of alienation from her peers is what inspired her to add the ‘alien’ part to her name as an artist.
Finding influence from artists like Billie Eilish and Ashnikko to bands such as The Cure, Alice in Chains and Bring Me The Horizon, AlienBlaze has crafted a vision which embodies the spirit of music that has inspired her whilst creating her own completely unique sound.
Having recently signed to Sumerian Records, AlienBlaze is now unveiling a live version of her most popular single to date, “Romantically Dead”. Speaking of the single, the singer shares, “It has a gothic vibe and I was thinking of it in filmic terms, if it was a soundtrack of a movie.” Full of attitude, the song showcases reverberating basslines, raucous guitars and crashing percussion, emitting an almost otherworldly, ominous atmosphere while simultaneously delivering an energetic backdrop to AlienBlaze’s echoing vocals which illuminate the entire track.
Covering topics such as the everyday experiences of a young adult, to more poetic themes including pathetic fallacy and imagery from nature, AlienBlaze delivers her message in a way that allows listeners from all walks of life to interpret it.Since only uploading her first song to Spotify in 2019, she has received attention from numerous Spotify editorial playlists, garnering hundreds of thousands of plays. She has also had praise from the likes of Oli Sykes (Bring Me The Horizon), Rou Reynolds (Enter Shikari), Grimes and Ellie Roswell (Wolf Alice), as well as from publications including Wonderland Magazine, NOTION and Kerrang!. She explains, “I consider my music to be slightly ‘genre-fluid’ because I take inspiration from many different sources. I like my lyrics to be poetic and different, and hopefully everyone can relate to the sentiment in the songs.” With a name like AlienBlaze, the young musician takes listeners into an undiscovered cosmos, staying true to her ethos of, “I don’t want realism. I want magic!”
Now let’s face it we’ve all been there. We’ve all had that one friend who just can’t seem to take our advice on board and to our shock horror seems to make the same mistake over and over. Northern songstress Jamilah expresses her frustration on exactly that in brand new genre-blending single, ‘SOS’.
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: JAMILAH – SOS
Housing a percussive production courtesy of Footsteps, Jamilah’s signature buttery vocals sit centre stage as she vents her frustrations, “Don’t call my number / Telling me how you don’t know what to do now / After i told ya/ Over girl over and over to move on / Ears so hollow / You Want my advice that you never do follow”, she sings. Merging elements of both R&B and Pop into one feel-good sound, ‘SOS’ is the call for help we’ve all needed! Paired alongside a set of story-telling visuals, we follow as Jamilah sits down with her girlfriend who’s experiencing yet another problem in her relationship.
Some artists define a genre, but Lil Baby defines a generation. The GRAMMY Award-winning rapper has smashed records, made history, and impacted the course of modern hip-hop with his instantly identifiable and inimitable style. He has garnered dozens of multi platinum certifications and tens of billions of streams as arguably the biggest new rapper to emerge this decade. Following the success of his platinum full-length debut Harder Than Ever in 2018, he seized #1 on the Billboard Top 200 with 2020’s My Turn, becoming “the year’s #1 selling and #1 streaming album in the US.” At first, it cemented him as “2020’s first and only artist to go double-platinum,” but it has since gone quadruple-platinum and has logged 85 weeks in the top 10 of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart – marking the longest top-tier run in the chart’s history.
He notably tied Prince and Paul McCartney for Billboard Hot 100 hits and Taylor Swift for “most weeks atop the Billboard Top 200 in 2020” with a total of 6. Out of eight nominations, he scored his first GRAMMY® Award in 2022. He has appeared on the covers of Rolling Stone and the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players Issue in addition to receiving honors from VEVO, Rap Caviar, the Apple Music Awards, and more. He teamed up with Lil Durk for The Voice of the Heroes, marking his second #1 debut on the Billboard Top 200. It’s just the beginning though. He’s bound to revolutionize the culture again with his third album in 2022. This year, he released “Right On” and “In A Minute” which both songs debuted on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. This feat puts Lil Baby in rare territory, making him the youngest of only 12 artists to have ever landed 100 or more songs on the Hot 100. This generation belongs to Lil Baby.
A cinematic insight into her fast-approaching debut solo album – FE SALOMON – bows out of 2022 with the stately new single: “Interstate 10”.
STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE
Worlds away from the twisted Middle England countryside Fe Salomon tapped into on earlier release “Quintessential England”, “Interstate 10” transports listeners to the endless metropolis of the United States.
Synced to majestic and widescreen arrangements cut straight from a Hollywood flick, “Interstate 10” finds Fe ruminating on her earliest experiences of touring America at the tender age of 19. A backing singer at the time, with no money and only a futile fake ID to make-do with, she remembers:
“”Interstate 10” connects far-flung events that occurred during my travels around the US, including having to escape from a violent manager who gambled all the money away in Vegas. The song was written with my old friend, producer Ru Cook, and it was originally envisioned as a country song.”
After a successful immersive exhibition at Rich Mix showcasing ‘Drummer Warrior Storyteller’ as a theatre production for the first time, Apex Zero releases his powerful short film and the first EP. The music can be heard running throughout the film which premiered at Breakin’ Convention at Sadlers Wells Theatre going on to win the Audience Award at the Short Focus Film Festival 2022.
The film went on to be aired at sold out events at The Hackney Social on August 22nd 2021 (aligned with the 230th anniversary of the Haitian Revolution) and Bernie Grant Arts Centre.
The EP is produced by Apex himself, Al Lawson, DJ In:Theory and legendary UK Hip Hop producer Micall Parknsun, with internationally renowned features Crazy Haze, Mazzi (US), and Nilotika Cultural Ensemble (Uganda).
‘Drummer Warrior Storyteller’ narrative experiments with linear and non-linear storytelling and different cultural perceptions of time, charting Apex’s personal experiences as an African Caribbean diasporic man growing up in London, weaved with those of wider migrant and diasporic communities, with the aim to honestly depict some of the battles and pressures faced, as well as the joys, growth and moments of liberation.
Apex is a powerful lyricist and cinematic storyteller with an insightful mind and eye, an unmatchable flow, atmospheric sound and ability to connect people to create multi-layered experiences and provoke change. Working with creative producer Steph Be and Muti Musafiri’s Village 101 Studios to interpret the album into an award winning short film working with some of the world’s finest contemporary and Hip Hop choreographers and dancers, the film won a Short Focus Film Festival 2022 Audience Award. It focuses on the frustration, anger, alienation and awareness caused by racism, its embedded structures, police/state violence and denial of opportunity, whilst aiming to offer genuine solutions and open windows for future possibilities, as opposed to only highlighting the problems. This latter goal will be further explored in ‘Drummer Warrior Storyteller (Part Two)’ – set for release in early 2023 that strives to break from the image of the ‘struggling’ Black figure, exploring joy, love and aspirations to live and grow despite society’s obstacles.
Apex’s style strives to retain the underlying themes of social and political issues over beats that act as a rollercoaster ride to match the emotions. This impressive combination is balanced perfectly, acknowledging both the need to express his thoughts and to entertain.
Email: neill@outloudculture.com
