The Kickdrums have been killin’ it for over a decade, and won’t stop any time soon. Back with a new full length album, The Ghost Tapes is an all-encompassing project with a wave of songs passing through a wide array of sonic textures. The album kicks off with a cool, laid-back instrumental called “She Killed Me With Her Eyes”, then begins pushing off into darker territory. “Love Buzz”, a meta-cover based on the Nirvana version of the 1969 original, features the fuzziest of fuzz guitars and filtered delay vocal treatments. Fitts manages to take this song into psychedelic depths, all while preserving Nirvana’s snarky tone and catchy hook. The album closes with “Hum”, a hard-hitting indie rock track with electronic and dub overtones. All in all, quite a trip! The Kickdrums is the recording alias of producer/songwriter Alex Fitts. Well known in the industry for his signature style, Fitts effortlessly blends together elements of trip-hop, dub and indie-rock into all […]
Los Angeles-based artist/producer K. Roosevelt hits us with “The Voodoo” on the lead single from his upcoming full-length album “Day Glow”. Reminiscent of modern jazz-adjacent R&B artists like Thundercat, Kamasi Washington and Anderson .Paak, the track features K’s signature sparse, soulful vocals nestled perfectly between a laid-back beat and mellow slap-bassline. The son of acclaimed blues artists Keb’ Mo, it’s no wonder K. Roosevelt is one Cool M.F. First cutting his teeth as a drummer and then moving on to guitar, piano, vocals and beat production, K has evolved from an instrumentalist into a multifaceted artist, writer and producer. His first break as an artist came in 2012 with a feature on The Game’s “Can’t Get Right”, followed by a string of successful collabs with Jhené Aiko, Hit-Boy, Rapsody and Mahalia. K continued writing, producing and featuring on records up until 2018 when he released his eponymous debut EP on […]
After the prodigious release of four full-length albums, three EPs, as well as numerous singles and features, YONAS is back once again with his newest EP Skyfall. The overall tone of the record is hopeful; a testament to his newfound conviction in response to a multitude of personal challenges. Through his signature thought-provoking lyrics, YONAS illustrates how music has helped him rediscover faith and his true self. Skyfall opens with the rugged lead single “Fuego”, gradually moves through a more melodic soundscape, and then culminates with the inspirational anthem “Glory” featuring the soulful vocals of John Splithoff. YONAS has enjoyed plenty of syncs throughout his successful career, including recent brand partnerships with Ralph Lauren, Target, and Citibank. He’s shared the stage and collaborated with industry power players like Kendrick Lamar, Logic, B.o.B and Macklemore and has charted on both the Billboard and iTunes charts. With more than half a billion streams and sales worldwide, there’s no denying that YONAS is a major […]
Have you ever felt so consumed by love that it feels like your soul is on holiday? In “Soul Holiday”, the first single off of Chewii’s highly anticipated full-length album Fragments of Me, the Quebecois songstress dives deep into the overwhelming and all-consuming effects of love. The sultry, dreamy, yet melancholic song imagines the idea of the perfect holiday one would never want to end. You grant my dreams And make my life complete A text from you Can turn my day so sweet Time seems to stop And us is all I need Collecting all these treasured memories Following Chewii’s debut EP entitled Black Skin Lullaby which dealt with themes of social justice and racism, her new album pivots to a modern take on love. With a wide range of influences including Aretha Franklin, Alanis Morisette and Erykah Badu, the Montreal-born soul singer, producer and songwriter is creating her own lane in contemporary R&B. Fragments of Me was co-produced by her […]
Daz Rinko’s exceptional new EP “Sweet Jeezy” smoothly blends together elements of jazz, future-house, disco, soul and hip hop. Daz’s endearing Memphis drawl sits so perfectly in the pocket atop slick the dance grooves that you might completely miss the message. Coming from a somewhat dark place lyrically, themes of poverty, heartbreak, family drama and general disillusionment are a throughline throughout the album. “The paranoia of struggling, living paycheck to paycheck my entire life, the struggles of having a child without being able to support them emotionally, and the feeling of being alone in the present because I’m always working to be stable are things I touch on and continue to think about.” As a counterpoint to the heavy subject matter, the music is upbeat and joyful, even celebratory in tone. The infectiously hooky “When You Call Me” is a gorgeously produced throwback featuring jangly guitars, DX7 jazz chords and […]
Most cover albums are predictable and boring, which is why we’re generally not overly interested in taking them on for representation. In order for one to be worthwhile, it needs to be a completely original take on music that hasn’t been covered too many times before. Which is why when DJ Nu-Mark asked if we’d like to take on his album “Run For Cover” we just couldn’t resist! Oddly enough, as far as covers go hip hop and R&B from the late 90’s and early aughts is kind of uncharted territory. But for a member of the acclaimed hip hop band Jurassic Five, this era is all but too familiar. I mean, Nu-Mark was THERE! You’d also expect a turntablist to approach covers as sample-driven remixes, but again you’d be wrong there. Instead, DJ Nu-Mark brought in live musicians to reinterpret these songs and give them a completely new spin […]
In a powerful tribute to her grandmother’s resilient spirit, Pop/R&B songstress Alyxx Dione’s new single “WILDFLOWER” is an inspirational self-empowerment anthem. “My grandmother was someone who truly marched to the beat of her own drum. After being disowned by her family for dating outside her race, she began to embrace everyone who didn’t look like her and began to create a community around her that she called family. She never took no for an answer, and was extremely strong-willed to get what she wanted and I believe that is why my grandmother called herself “wildflower”. A wildflower is someone who is resilient, can grow in any situation, and lives life on their terms! I wrote “WILDFLOWER” as a reminder for myself and for all those who has ever felt different, out of place, misunderstood or unappreciated to continue to bloom! It is our birthright.” Alyxx Dione got her start with […]
Cecilia Gault’s new single “Kawasaki” is fierce and sexy, and comes paired with a scorching hot music video that dropped just last week. Typically featured on progressive house anthems such as Audien’s “Higher” and “Love Me Like You Used To” by Kaskade, this time around Cecilia lays back in the cut and delivers a sultry vocal performance over a more ethereal Pop track. “With both English & Japanese verses, Kawasaki’s sound is a culmination of who I am as an artist: a Japanese/American sexy, sultry, powerful woman who is ready to take charge.” — Cecilia Gault Born and raised in New York to Japanese and Irish parents, 21 year old Cecilia Gault’s diverse cultural traditions informed her musical tastes as well as her own artistic output. Growing up in Lower Manhattan, Cecilia has an innate sense of creative abandon and passionate strive for success, priding herself on her differences and […]
There are literally billions songs out there about romantic love, but for some reason very few artists write about friendship. Songs about platonic love is a common request in briefs and we always struggle to find them. Which is why we’re psyched to have the best friendship song ever, “Pick Up” by retrowave goddess Anna Yvette. The opening verse says it all: Who do you call when you’re all aloneand you need to get outta your head?F-r-i-e-n-d your friendWho lifts you up when you’re feeling down?And can help you to turn it all around?F-r-i-e-n-d your friend “Pick Up” is the second single off of Anna Yvette’s much anticipated album “Deja Vu”, which will be released with an accompanying graphic novel by the same name. Anna’s music has been featured in several popular video games like Rocket League, Forza Horizon 4, and Need4Speed, and her catalog has racked up an impressive […]
As the summer winds down to a close, everybody needs some smooth grooves to relax to. “Naked Neighbor”, the new album by New York City Nu-Disco collective Bad Business Club, whisks you away to a dreamy 70’s poolside soiree with the smell of chlorine, coladas and cocaine in the air. With flawless chops and super tight production, Bad Business Club gives us a modern take on Giorgio Moroder-esque Disco and classic Yacht Rock. Granted these are two genres most people either hate to love or love to hate, but there’s no denying that it’s as smooth as silk. The standout single on the record is “Runnin’ From You”, a masterpiece complete with funky bass, jangly guitar, congas, swirling synthesizers and sugary harmonies. If this one doesn’t get you to unbutton your shirt a little, chances are nothing will. Check out the brand new music video for “Runnin’ From You”: