Portuguese Pop/EDM producer Sekai touches on the hardships of having a lover out of reach in his latest single “Kiss Me.” Themes of jealousy and infidelity naturally arise within the relationship as they are separated by countries. Adept at blending warm organic sounds with EDM production techniques like builds, drops, synth hooks and sidechaining; Sekai expertly balances a driving electronic beat with his emotional vocals to create a banger with heart. Originally from the rural coast of Portugal, Sekai has explored an eclectic range of genres spanning from future bass to pop and R&B within his decade-long career. Although best known for his infectious EDM tracks, he continues to develop his singer-songwriter skills.
This month UK record producer Phil Simmonds (aka Navah Sea) released “Roll Call”, the third single from his forthcoming eponymous debut album. Flexing his producer muscles and perhaps adding a bit of playfulness to the album, “Roll Call” features psychedelic elements like tape manipulation, whimsical percussion and Baroque Pop strings on the chorus. The song’s lyrical narrative speaks to the evolution of young love and how maturity influences relationships throughout adulthood. The theme of growing up and reassessing life runs throughout the album. Widely known for his production talents, Phil Simmonds created the Navah Sea moniker to highlight his exceptional songwriting skills and soulful vocals. The British-born producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and painter has been a hidden gem within the music scene since his teenage years as a touring musician. After coming off tour, he became musical director for Jessie J, Zak Abel, and Conrad Sewell while scoring credits and collaborations with established artists like Kareem Lomax, Masego, Snoh Allegra, Nao and Lucky […]
When you make music with your life partner, it gives you the freedom to expose your most vulnerable side. Having done so for more than a decade, Alejandro y Maria Laura have developed a unique sonic language. In their new single “Lagrimón” (or “big tear”, in English), Maria Laura takes the concept of a big tear and weaves it into a metaphor for the deep sadness and longing she feels for her mother. As her emotions build, her lagrimón fills the clouds and grows into a storm. Translated into English: The sky is closingThe big tear is pouring downEvery time I want toWrite a song about youThe sky is closingThe big tear is pouring downLet it fall, let it rainLet the heart heal itself Originally from Lima, Perú but now living in Mexico City, this singer-songwriter/producer duo incorporates Latin American folklore and elements of classic film score into their signature sound. Their intimate and […]
Bronze Radio Return is back with a new compilation album Chillers, featuring the best of their mellower organic material from the past decade. The album features a brand new song “Natural Rattle”; a warm and heartfelt song about the everyday woes of life, encouraging us to stay strong through it all. So unwind, but don’t unravelWe can’t help but be a little fragileThrough the clatters and sudden cracklesAre the soundsOf the natural rattleVibrating us allThe natural rattleVibrating us all In the band’s signature fashion, “Natural Rattle” starts off with an open, reverberant soundscape, with Chris Henderson’s finger-picked guitar and piercing vocals shining through like a ray of light after a storm. The song remains calm and subdued until the introduction of a beating kickdrum, quickly followed by lead guitar and bluesy harmonica that lifts the song up into the atmosphere like a tornado. Since its founding in 2007, Bronze Radio Return has gained […]
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 […]