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Kevin Erlicher aka Loverground shares his seductive new EP "My Love Is True" via Nice Guys. The two artists will make you flutter to the rhythm of the overpowering synthesizer notes.

Loverground draws inspiration from elements of his daily life to create haunting lyrics accompanied by melodies that mix electronic music, pop and soul. Captivated by what sound experimentation can bring, he wishes to share and transcribe the personal experiences he has had with music through his original creations.

"In both life and music, I think honesty is the most important value. ''My Love Is True'' is my first attempt at delivering the realest and most honest music I could produce.'' - Loverground

With this new release, more pop and rnb than his first EP, "Whatever Happens, Happens" released on Majestic Casual, the producer also shows his attachment to the genre of lofi house music. The five tracks that make up this new project bring together dreamy synthesizers and danceable rhythms, with the addition of Erlicher’s reverberated voice. The multi-faceted producer offers us a musical ensemble that reveals all his creativity. His songs combine the sweaty club atmospheres with the pulsating freshness of London’s teeming streets.

In his texts, he deals with the complexity of relationships that are made and unmade with the wind. He writes about doubt, excitement, sensations that another can provide, creating a suave and enveloping auditory that mirrors the perceptions generated by the attraction between two beings. This EP announces the arrival of a summer under the sign of an audacious Cupid; to listen to without moderation under an amused sun or dimmed lights.

Tracklist:
1. How U Feel
2. Time Like These
3. Zonin'
4. Your Body/Mind
5. My love Is True (ft. bb sway)

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Berlin-based Australian songwriter, vocalist and producer James Chatburn releases his highly anticipated second album, "Late Night Howling", along with visuals for "Some Kind Of Fool".

The video is a vision from Shari Annabell Marks and Dhanesh Jayaselan, involving local Berlin dancers moving in free form in an open misty light space, transforming this vintage groove into a floating fairytale like image.

The floating free movement performed by Nino Benito Marks, Kaodi Alum and Lara Scheiber and the music performs by talented Berlin musicians, Keys/Vocals Tim Granbacka, Johnny Kulo Guitar/Vocals, Adam Sait on Bass and Richard Young on drums, Youka Snell and Paul Rundel on Violins

"This song is about noticing being taken advantage of by other people and manipulated, but taking power over that situation by noticing it and calling out the behaviour. When producing and performing this song I wanted to land somewhere between Cleo Sol, Shuggie Otis and Curtis Mayfield, I was like fuck it, I love it, I am going to make one of these songs.’”- James Chatburn

Chatburn settled in Berlin in 2015 and began carving out a niche in the world of independent music. Having first made a name for himself in the modern soul scene, he honed and matured his sound to encompass a fresh direction, embracing psychedelia and nostalgia into his songwriting and production. He has since become renowned for his soulful, heartfelt voice, world-class production talent and collaborations with Jordan Rakei, Rum.Gold, Noah Slee, Sedric Perry, Hilltop Hoods and more.

The video was created in Callie’s Berlin, Directed and Produced by Berlin based Dhanesh Jayaselan and Creative Direction and set design by Shari Annabell Marks, Cinematographer Kimani Schumann, Styling by Youka Snell, Recorded by Birk Buttchereyt, First Assistant Camera Finnegan Wagner, Gaffer Gonzalo Artabe, Colour Grading by The Cinesthetic (Claudia Maneka Maharaj).

Side A:
1. Some Kind Of Fool
2. Worship Your Creedence
3. OK. ok. (Be A Man)
4. Unknown Interlude
5. Do You Wanna Live Like That (feat. Noah Slee)
6. Rain Interlude

Side B:
4. Baby I'll Care Ya (feat. Sedric Perry)
5. Holding On
6. Who's To Blame (feat. Noah Slee)
7. Howling
8. Coulda Lived Our Fantasies
9. Noise
10. Gilden and Woven

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via 823
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Having risen to prominence as one of Australia’s most in-demand beatmakers, Ta-ku returns with the new duo project Please Wait, in collaboration with Canadian artist matt mcwaters. To be released on Ta-ku and Jakarta Records’ joint label venture 823, Please Wait share the first single ‘Flight 99 (ft. Masego)’, taken from the upcoming ‘Black & White’ EP.

Please Wait is the culmination of numerous online exchanges and years of sharing voice memos, stems, musical ideas & TikTok links between Ta-ku and matt mcwaters. Their cathartic approach to this body of work has been more about self expression than anything else, and has culminated in an EP that reflects on their experiences.

Featured on ‘Flight 99’ is Masego - the soul super-heavyweight who needs no introduction, bringing his signature flow and musicianship to the forefront, accompanied by minimal yet vivid production.

Ta-ku’s 823 label represents the appreciation for the people/ideas/places that inspire and push us forward. The artwork is shot by the artists and each release is accompanied by a photo zine.

Masego
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via Havêa Records

Manchester-based songwriter and vocalist ZULA (aka Freak Slug) presents her new EP, titled "SKIN44", due for release on Berlin-based independent label Havêa Records/

Following up on their recent singles, "Elevate Me", and "Let's Go Out", the 6-track EP features an eclectic mix electronic rnb doused in ZULA's sultry vocal tones and driven by collaborator glue70's off-kilter synths and percussive grooves.

Forged in the small hours following late nights, the quiet time of cocooned downtime and amongst the lived hours soaking up inspiration from her home city of Manchester, this is a project born of experimental experiences. Speaking on the focus single, "Cleo Patra", ZULA explains: "‘Cleo Patra’ is a referential play on Egyptian history, where female energy in its purest form was highly regarded and worshipped in society. It is an industrial, moving love song, for those wishing to be adored by their admirer."

ZULA has received support from Complex, XLR8R, Rinse FM, Reprezent Radio, BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra and 6 Music. Most notably with ‘Cute’ being played by Arlo Parks on Annie Mac’s Power Down show, adding "I'm absolutely in love with the beat". The new EP features the duo's catchiest and most refined works to date, including the recently released "Cute" and "Neighbours" featuring rapper and long-time collaborator KinKai.

Tracklist:
1. Cleo Patra
2. Elevate Me
3. Neighbours (feat. KinKai)
4. Let’s Go Out
5. Feel the Same
6. Cute

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via ST.VLADIMIR

After two years of experimenting in his Berlin studio and learning the art of production, creating literally hundreds of song ideas, Sofia born artist Bulgarian Cartrader is ready to present the first single, "No Other Drug", from his ten-track debut LP "Motor Songs".

"No Other Drug" is a charming offering, opening with vocals sitting somewhere between John Lennon and Prince on top of an innocent acoustic guitar. The falsetto vocals in the uplifting chorus are carried by rumbling drums and quirky synths playing super catchy melodies to complete the infectious composition.

The track, just as the rest of the album, was mixed by Steve Sedgwick, who mixed the most recent Gorillaz albums – no surprise, as BTC is counting Damon Albarn to his influences alongside acts like LCD Soundsystem or Toro Y Moi.

Cartrader explains: "It's me strumming my old guitar in a room with wood paneling, sitting right next to a portrait of Willy Nelson and then - chabang - the hook comes and I see my forever girl surrounded by 359 lucky cats waving."

After moving to Germany with his family in the 90s, Bulgarian Cartrader worked as a session musician, background singer and salsa dancer - always driven by his passion for sounds, melodies, old cars and a phone in his pocket that hasn't rung for three years. Follow him, pursuing his dream of waving the Bulgarian flag on every big festival around the world, sweating in that magical sheepskin coat that his grand-uncle Ivan gave to him.

"No Other Drug" premiered on School Night (Billie Eillish, Dua Lipa, Arlo Parks & more) with a live performance streamed via Twitch. KCRW host/School Night founder, Chris Douridas, labelled it as "hands down one of the best sets we've ever featured."

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via Hip Dozer

Berlin-based, Casablancan beatmaker Saib is back for 2022 with a brand new 13-track LP, entitled "Under The Stars". The album features solo tracks and collaborations with key figures of the beats and lofi hip hop scene, including Tom Doolie, Bluestaeb, Flofilz, Cap Kendricks and Leaf Beach. His latest single, "Sunset Drive", is due for release on Hip Dozer.

Over the last five years, Saib's focused efforts have amounted to the release of 7 albums and a dozen EPs and singles. This has awarded him an online audience of more than 150,000 fans and the accumulation of more than 400 million streams with music being released on Blue Note, Chillhop, Jakarta Records and more.

Addressing the rationale for the album, Saib explains: “with "Under The Stars", I stay committed to diversifying my musical palette and inspiration sources. The release is a musical journey that will accompany the listener throughout the day, ranging from early morning relaxed grooves, lush melodies to jazzy four on the floor beats you'd hear in a lounge.”

Saib started his career in the early 2010s by posting his productions on SoundCloud that he crafted from his bedroom in Morocco. His insatiable desire to create stems from his childhood. Passionate about bossa nova, Japanese anime soundtracks and jazz as well as old school hip-hop, he draws his inspiration from Yoko Kanno, Joe Pass, Pete Rock and Nujabes. Naturally his tastes pushed him to learn guitar and production, bathing in the cosmopolitan culture of Casablanca, a melting pot at the crossroads of the two African and European continents. This diversity is a constant in the beatmaker's music, where groove and melody are skillfully mixed in a style inspired by the classic hip hop productions of the 90s.

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via Jakarta Records
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Berlin based rapper JuJu Rogers shares his highly anticipated '40 Acres N Sum Mula' LP via Jakarta Records.

The 10 track album delves in to JuJu Rogers' psyche and explores his identity with themes of spirituality, while reflecting on the struggle of building a career in hip hop while remaining real. With production that flows from laid back hip hop to contemporary trap, JuJu's multi-faceted identity is in the spotlight.

Born to an American GI out of New Orleans, and a German mother with Austrian roots, JuJu was raised in Schweinfurt; a southern-German city filled with stationed US Army troops. From this, he was exposed to a rich New Orleans musical heritage, alongside the German way of working precisely and accurately. These cultural influences have manifested into a unique perspective, which accounts for the depth on his latest LP.

"Forty acres and a mule refers to Special Field Orders No. 15, a promise made by the United States government for agrarian reform to aid formerly enslaved black farmers. Approved by president Abraham Lincoln, the field orders were written 1865, and specifically allotted each family a plot of land no larger than 40 acres (16 ha) plus a mule for the agrarian reform effort.
I changed »a mule« into »sum Mula« in order to place the legitimate struggle for equal rights and reparations into the context of our current capitalist world and underline the historic connection to the very beginning of today’s society.
Sound, lyrics and vibrations represent a mixture of ancestral spirit and contemporary characteristics and lead you through the self reflecting and rebellious thoughts of a black man born and raised in Germoney." - JuJu Rogers

Tracklist:
1. Intro
2. 89
3. Real Shit
4. Black Thurzday (feat. Sanó)
5. Follow Me
6. Mula
7. 10 Yas
8. Identity
9. God (feat. Sampa The Great)
10. Babylon

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Ethereal Australian singer-songwriter Erin presents her new single ‘Still’ with accompanying visuals. The unguarded offering begins with an encapsulating and nostalgic lullaby. With meditative words, “so it begins”, carried by her soprano range, she draws you into a soft dream. Lead by warm cinematic synths, a deep melodic bass line and off-kilter beats, the listener is thrust suddenly into a new realm of dark production layers, dancing on the outskirts of avant-garde.

Of the song, Erin says the polarising sound was a very organic process where the collaborators, Godriguez & Ken Allars, had total creative freedom. “I gave them a very fragile melody, with no expectation of likeness to anything else or intentional message to convey. Dave (Godriguez) & Ken are both artists that I have a beautiful connection to musically and I simply leave the music in their hands. It’s exciting to see what comes back and rewarding to hear each time that the three of us naturally fulfil a role that the song needs.”

Erin says that while she understands the lyrics speak to her listeners in the language of love, she was really just contemplating the word still, on stillness, and on how if we are not still sometimes, we miss what is in front of us. She believes the essence of her thoughts translate well as a love story, although the meaning runs much deeper for her.

The oxymoronic sound of her angelic voice met with the gothic-like production have produced a sound that is both salt of the earth, yet spiritual and mystic. Erin's ’Still’ forces the listener to ricochet between nightmare and dream, where dark has been married to light. These two strongly divergent themes of light and dark build to a stubborn dichotomy in which the audience is left unable to choose between the dark yet earthly pull, or the existential light. Beautifully, Erin’s song allows the listener to sit in both and just be still.

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via Jakarta Records
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Californian producer Freddie Joachim shares his full length LP ‘Beyond The Sea of Trees’, released via Jakarta Records.

Freddie gained worldwide notoriety through his work with Brooklyn rapper Joey Bada$$ with their single 'Waves'. Renowned rapper J.Cole later picked up the same instrumental for his 'False Prophets' release.

After teasing the album with the 'Backyards (ft Natalie Oliveri)' and 'Serenade' single releases, Freddie Joachim shares his full length instrumental, jazz influenced hip hop record. With nods to the 90's golden era of east-coast US hip hop, the album features 16 beats showcasing the producer's polished production style. Growing up as an avid listener and collector of music, Freddie began djing in the mid 90’s, which progressed into recording and producing his own music. Since then, he has produced music featuring the likes of J.Cole, Joey Bada$$, Aloe Blacc, Blu, Grap Luva, LMNO, Kev Brown, and more. He has performed around the world, headlining shows in Asia, South Africa, Europe, and North America, sharing the stage with artists such as, Jean Grae, Joss Stone, Jimmy Cliff, Ali Shaheed Muhammad (ATCQ), Teeko, DJ Babu, Rakaa Iriscience, Bobbito, Scoop Deville, Blu, Choice37, and others.

Over the past 15 years Freddie has remained prolific, releasing albums and singles, the majority of which with San Francisco based label, Mellow Orange. His signature jazzy and soulful sound can be heard across all of his releases. And as Freddie grows and matures, so does his music. This is particularly evident in his latest release, 'Beyond The Sea of Trees', with German based, Jakarta Records. The album is another instrumental endeavor by Freddie, featuring artists including FloFilz, Elijah Fox, and Natalie Oliveri.

Tracklist:
01. Rising
02. Serenade
03. Winding Road (ft. Elijah Fox)
04. River
05. Backyards (ft. Natalie Oliveri)
06. Yesterday
07. Runaway
08. Inher Space
09. Out There
10. Unlimited
11. Sun Dress
12. Dreamstate
13. Mulled Wine
14. Power Profit
15. Beyond The Sea of Trees (ft. FloFilz)
16. Dying Light

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via Qrates

Australian legend Ta-ku has teamed up with Japanese full-service vinyl crowdfunding and manufacturing platform Qrates to curate the first volume of their 'In Good Hands' compilation series.

"It's about connectivity, really,” says Regan Mathews, of the inaugural Qrates compilation. Better known as Ta-ku, the Perth-based producer behind the heart-rending 'Songs to Break Up To' album, and high-profile remixes for Flume, Justin Timberlake, Chet Faker, BANKS and Childish Gambino, has curated features from many of his friends, collaborators and contemporaries. “Nearly everyone on the record are people that I've had existing relationships with, whom I have known for a really long time, in the music industry and on a personal level, as well,” he says. “They’re people that I really admire—not only in their music but also as people.”

The outcome of this carefully selected mix is 12 tracks of soulful funk, RnB and nu-jazz that thaws through icy electronic beats and moments of smooth dub and ambient by Jarreau Vandal, Jael and Sango—as well as regular Ta-ku collaborators like Wafia, Masego and Matt McWaters. They each mark their own point across the geographical and cultural map, while sharing a common experience as digital natives. That experience with growing up online hasn’t stopped artists like DOT and Kerri from appreciating a classic format though, with many of the artists featured on 'In Good Hands Vol. 1', growing up with cassettes and vinyl and a lingering appreciation for them.

The 'In Good Hands Vol. 1' artwork features romantic pastel-pink and grey with its glowing, flowery silhouette coming from Samuel Burgess-Johnson. Not only is the London-based designer behind releases from pop icons Tove Lo, The 1975 and Usher, but he's also responsible for the baroque beauty of Ta-ku's own 2014 album 'Songs to Break Up To'.

Qrates is the world's first vinyl crowdfunding platform, revolutionizing the way independent artists put music in their fans' hands - without the waste, risk, or red tape. From design and on-demand pressing to sales, storage, and shipping, Qrates provides everything you need to get your music on vinyl.

Tracklist:
01. Dot - Loneliness Hits Different Now
02. Jael - Unworthy
03. Mr. Hong x Pastels - Past And Mirai
04. Subeck - Lost Yourself
05. Kerri x Ache - Hamilton Street
06. Full Crate - Stick To Being Myself
07. Wafia - Wide Open feat. Masego & Ta-ku
08. Jarreau Vandal - Call Me Up feat. Latanya Alberto
09. Please Wait - Taking Time
10. Matt McWaters - Pour
11. Sango - Spinning Top feat. Alayna
12. Kanna - Hide And Seek

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via Jakarta Records

The third and final album from REMI, ‘Fried’ was written and recorded from 2017-2020 and features an array of guest vocalists including Silent Jay, Lorry, Children of Zeus’ Tyler Daley and Konny Kon, Whosane and Baasto. ‘Fried’ was recorded at House of Beige studios and comes out via House of Beige/Believe in Australia/New Zealand and Jakarta Records for the rest of the world.

REMI burst onto the scene in 2012 with the impressively unique and fresh-sounding ‘Regular People Shit’ mixtape, however it was the break-out laid-back summer vibes of their ‘Sangria’ single which appeared on the 2013 mixtape ‘F.Y.G. ACT:1’ that garnered national and international attention. Later that year REMI went on to win triple J’s Unearthed Artist of the Year and in 2014 they independently released their debut album ‘Raw X Infinity’ which went on to win the Australian Music Price (AMP) for Australian Album of the Year, the first hip-hop record to ever do so.

2015 saw the release of the ‘Call It What You Want (F.Y.G. ACT:2)’ Mixtape in which REMI reimagined tracks from artists such as Radiohead, Nick Cave and The Police and then in 2016 REMI released their sophomore album ‘Divas and Demons’, again independently. Receiving critical acclaim across the board, ‘Divas and Demons’ went on to reach the top 10 of the ARIA Charts. More touring followed and in 2017 REMI were nominated for the prestigious US BET Awards.

Over the past 7 years REMI performed numerous sold-out headline shows and tours across Australia, Europe and the UK and also shared the stage with acts such as Danny Brown, Vic Mensa, De La Soul, Joey Bada$$ and Blackalicious. They performed some of the world’s biggest and best festivals including Splendour in the Grass, Openair Frauenfeld (Switzerland), Fusion Festival (Germany), Les Escales (France) and performed at international showcase events including SXSW and the Great Escape.

With features across acclaimed tastemaker media outlets such as OkayPlayer, Majestic Casual, COLORS, Billboard, NME, MTV, NPR and shout outs from the likes of hip-hop luminaire Chuck D and Outkast’s Big Boi, REMI’s appeal was as diverse as it was impressive.

Both Remi and Sensible J would like to thank everyone who has supported their music and their journey to this point and have released statements on their individual socials regarding ‘Fried’ being the final REMI record.

Statement from REMI: www.instagram.com/p/COjXgqqAs4G

Statement from Sensible J: www.instagram.com/p/COjD97ptg_X

FRIED Tracklist:
01. Reptile (ft. Silent Jay)
02. 5.A.M. (ft. Whosane)
03. The Times (ft. Tyler Daley)
04. Finesse It
05. Elevate
06. Jimmy’s Jam
07. Uneasy (ft. Whosane)
08. Brain (ft. Lori)
09. Full of Tar
10. Good Mates (ft. Konny Kon)
11. Goin Up
12. Warrior Tribe (ft. Baasto & Whosane)
13. Get It Right (ft. Jace XL)

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‘Enough’ is the final single taken from narou’s forthcoming ‘GOOD COMPANY’ EP. It is this title, and the spirit behind it that led him to collaborate with the transcendent talent of Noah Slee - an artist for whom the term ‘community’ is also a defining factor in his creativity.

narou explains: “Enough is a song I wrote for my sister. She’s been supporting me and my career since day one and a lot of my achievements would not have been possible without her. Like so many others, she is struggling to find her true passion and purpose in life. She is such a talented creative with a truly amazing visual aesthetic and I do believe in her more than anything.”

“In the song I am saying that one should try to be mindful and present, surround themselves with positive people that help you grow and be brave enough to fully pursue one's potential and talents instead of playing safe by just staying in your comfort zone.”

Noah Slee beautifully tapped into this idea, adding: “this song really takes you on a journey both sonically and thematically. Listening to ‘Enough’ is a beautiful reminder to be present and vulnerable. It was a pleasure to work with narou and contribute to his art.”

These artists both know the value of their company, influences and communities and enough is the last sneak-peek before narou reveals his EP 'GOOD COMPANY'.

narou
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US / German vocalist and songwriter ESCHES shares the intimate new single 'Levitate Us' with an accompanying lyric video. The single is taken from his forthcoming EP release.

ESCHES creates lush indie-soul that merges with his abstract, somewhat surreal lyrics. Having grown up between South Florida and West Germany, his music is influenced by a variety of musicians and styles, drawing from voices such as D'Angelo, Caetano Veloso and Joni Mitchell, but also non-musical artists like Alberto Giacometti and Andrei Tarkovsky.

The resolution of pain through abstract escape is a recurring theme in his music. Minimalism serves as the signature aesthetic encompassing it all – with deep, soothing rhythms setting the stage for organic sounds and lofty, male vocals, ESCHES creates his music DIY style – and is now in the process of releasing a second wave of new tracks. This includes 'Levitate Us' – an upwards striving, enigmatic song about distance and hopeful naiveté accompanied by jazzy nuances and toplines that melt like marshmallows on a wave of musical color.

"'Levitate Us' has this pull to it - musically and lyrically, it's heading somewhere, constantly. I love the fact that it has these quirky little nuances, like rhythmic layers that almost sound like an animal trying to break free, and multiple sonic worlds just melting together. The song was developed in three steps - I wrote it on a basic instrumental I produced, then OSIVE, Sixtus Preiss and I had these super intense sessions in Vienna, then we finished it by just sending things around. Brave new world, so to speak. I have the feeling this process definitely worked for the track - it's about negotiating distance, and this naive sort of honesty. I added the Rhodes in the very end, it's great when sounds and lyrics resonate together as one." - ESCHES

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Driftwood. is a producer, singer-songwriter and music video director from Sydney, Australia. Since his debut release in 2015, he’s been making his mark through an output of contemporary rnb and soul paired with his self-curated video productions. Visuals for his latest single “Bremfields” with UK rapper Still Greedy are out now.

On “Bremfields”, Driftwood. teamed up with South London’s Still Greedy to craft a driving future-rnb cut which he describes as “breaking the fourth wall." He continues: "It’s about the idea that there could be subterranean energies and other factors operating within other paradigms of consciousness. Its about feeling like I’m trapped within this paradigm and I don’t belong here. The one thing I love about art is I have a license to explore ideas no matter how crazy they may seem. It's fascinating to me that whole genres of music can reside within the confines of 3 concepts and identities.”

The visuals for "Bremfields" are directed by Driftwood. and represent the ebb and flow, the push and pull of energies which are manifested within the material world. It features his friends and collaborators, DOP Matt Scott, Chow Was and Ben Covro.

Through his time growing up in Southern Sydney and time living abroad, Driftwood. developed an appreciation for culture through his eclectic experiences. With a heavy emphasis on aesthetics and visuals, he draws on his influences from street culture, fashion and architecture to create ethereal soundscapes that are more easily experienced than articulated.

Discussing his process, Driftwood. explains: “my work creates a narrative that treads a line between reality and ethereal paradigms within my imagination. I aim for my art to provoke thought and emotion with my listeners by creating an overall aesthetic, where the music and visual components work together as one unique artistic piece, in essence creating an online gallery that will stimulate the senses. I don’t believe in describing narratives and storylines but instead prefer the viewers to use their own abstract intelligence to digest and interpret it for them for themselves.”

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Australia-born songwriter, vocalist and producer James Chatburn shares the new single, "Howling", from his upcoming second album release.

Chatburn settled in Berlin in 2015 and began carving out a niche in the world of independent music. Having first made a name for himself in the modern soul scene, he honed and matured his sound to encompass a fresh direction, embracing psychedelia and nostalgia into his songwriting and production. He has since become renowned for his soulful, heartfelt voice, world-class production talent and collaborations with Jordan Rakei, Rum.Gold, Noah Slee, Sedric Perry, Hilltop Hoods and more.

"Howling" was conceived when Chatburn overheard his neighbors having some audible 4am fun after returning home from a party. Everyone has experienced this in a big city and Chatburn began to appreciate that sometimes as humans we need to completely let go of ourselves, even if someone may overhear. The track is introduced with a mellotron violin hook and a 1/4 note groove which interplays with pianos and warped textures. A sung spoken verse and impassioned chorus flow to a dream like falsetto in the bridge.

"This aligns well for me with the entire album, it is these moments which we need to let go of ourselves in order to experience life. I wanted to produce something which everyone can get both musically and lyrically." - James Chatburn

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via Remote Control/Majestic Casual

"Ngaiire's impassioned vocals seem to make the ultimate plea." - The Fader

"The future soul singer-songwriter’s positive energy is palpable; even without seeing her face, you can hear her smile in her voice." - NME

Sydney-based, Papau New Guinea-born future-soul artist NGAIIRE shares her emotionally charged new album, '3', via Majestic Casual. NGAIIRE has released two previous albums; neo-soul 'Lamentations' and pop-soul 'Blastoma'. Her third album began as an experiment in 2017 to go back to her home country with a small creative team in the hopes of extracting unique visual aspects of PNG culture to present in a contemporary context and alongside music that would be composed throughout and after the research period.

The result is '3', a perfectly acceptable odd number, just like her - a bit odd. A bit queer. A bit brought up in church. Thinks she’s a bit cool but really just a big nerd. As slow and breezy as a New Islander but also as stubborn and passionate as a Highlander. A bit Australian but also a bit Kiwi. A bit short and a bit not the right kind of black to be commercial enough. A bit full of joy but also a bit angry. A bit privileged but also a but disadvantaged. A bit obsessed with death, sex, life, spirits, fashion, expensive cocktails, art, board games, rice and bully beef, sitting on the beach all day and living beyond her means. And definitely not your normal cup of tea out of a dainty little English teacup. As much as she's tried to pour herself into that teacup over the years, she's accepted that she's really better suited to a brilliantly well charcoaled aluminum kettle full of black tea leaves cooked on a very lived in fire built upon the soil that smells like her mother, her Aine, her Pupu and and those that came before who said "reach for the stars but always come back to us".

Speaking on the focus single 'Moonshine', NGAIIRE explains: “I wrote this while I was high on Opioids. I just desperately wanted to feel like a whole human again. Most days I’d be writhing in pain on the floor screaming, or throwing whatever I could find near me at the walls because I was just so frustrated at how I felt. The neighbours must have worried. The painkillers helped sometimes but mostly never even touched the sides as my body had grown immune to the drugs. As a result I was mostly just in a constant state of stupor on top of the excruciating pain. I was popping about 8 top shelf opioids a day just to take the edge off but I was feeling increasingly out of control of my life, my career, my pregnancy and the life of my baby. I was in and out of hospital with no answers, hanging on the words of the revolving door of doctors that were sent to my bedside. The more questions went unanswered the more I felt trapped and so far away from what I knew of as my normal life. I’d watch the sun go down and then the moon would illuminate how delicate my mental capacity had become. All I wanted was to sit at my favourite bar and throw a few very stiff drinks back. Until the bar shut. With my lover who I’d just married. Just like the old days. Ironically I wanted to be reckless and out of control on my terms so as to not feel out of control by something that seemed to own me. I just wanted that moonshine.”

Having built a musical identity that effortlessly crosses genre and art form, her renowned vocals, tight beats and big pop sounds have seen NGAIIRE acquire countless accolades, as well as gracing the stages of Glastonbury through to Splendour In The Grass, and touring alongside artists from Sufjan Stevens to Flume to Alicia Keys and John Legend.

Tracklist:
1. 3
2. Shiver (prod. Jack Grace & Ngaiire)
3. Shoestring
4. Closer
5. Takeover
6. Moonshine
7. Akura
8. Him
9. Boom
10. Glitter

open.spotify.com/artist/ngaiire
soundcloud.com/ngaiire
instagram.com/ngaiire
facebook.com/ngaiire
twitter.com/ngaiire

via Asmara Records / Kitsuné Musique
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Cologne based indie four-piece Xul Zolar share the new three-track 'Nightfalls' EP via Asmara Records / Kitsuné Musique. Alongside two recently released singles: 'Perfume' and 'Nightfalls', the ‘Nightfalls’ EP includes the new single 'Your Ways'. A harmony of analogue and digital, the new single creates an atmosphere that is melancholic yet blissful.

Speaking to the rationale of the EP, the band explain "instead of moving on straight to work on our second full length we opted for the EP format which is a perfect playground to experiment and try things out. One aspect in which the songs of the EP differ from those on our record is that, while retaining electronic elements and influences, the sound is more ‘band-like’. For example while we often used triggered drums and samples on the all of the drums and percussion on the EP are played live and recorded. Another major difference to the last record is that the tracks on the EP are the first ones on which we worked as a four piece. We never follow a strict formula and though the tracks on the EP are in our opinion a clear continuation of our previous work, they are different enough to keep both the listener and us excited."

Since forming in 2011, Xul Zolar have gained recognition for their captivating sound and live presence, including performances at major European festivals Dockville, c/o Pop, Immergut and Incubate, as well as support shows and tours with the likes of Battles, Future Islands, Balthazar and SOHN. Having honed their craft, they have earned the label of being one of the most promising indie acts to come out of Germany in recent years.

Tracklist:
1. Perfume
2. Nightfalls
3. Your Ways

twitter.com/xulzolar
facebook.com/xulzolar
instagram.com/xulzolar
soundcloud.com/xul-zolar
open.spotify.com/artist/xulzolar
xulzolar.bandcamp.com

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via Nice Guys

Fan-favourite Hector Gachan releases the new single "Asking For A Friend" from his upcoming second album, "Care 2 Share". After years spent abroad in Sarajevo and Sydney, the budding artist is now based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Oscillating between his younger years spent adapting to different cultures, Hector Gachan is like the image of his music: timeless and without borders. "Asking For A Friend" is out via Nice Guys on March 18th.

Following the positive feedback and public appraisals from his first album "Untitled ‘91" (2017) which amassed over 10 million streams and received support from KCRW, France Inter, Rolling Stone, Noisey and many more, Hector spent the four last years honing his craft and writing new material. Still operating in the intimacy of his home studio, the 11 songs that comprise "Care 2 Share" are all infused with soft melodies, identity questions and cultural crossroads.

The record is inspired by the groove of Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson, the romantic undertones of Jorge Ben and the lo-fi aesthetics of artists like LA Priest. Throughout the entire album, he gravitates towards writing music that can be interpreted in multiple ways; finding his sweet spot when composing something that doesn’t necessarily come across as sad or happy - rather something that is nuanced and open for interpretation. His upbringing between Eastern Europe and Australia can be felt throughout the his intimate lyrics. He offers the explanation of being “no land's man, in no man's land” to attempt to identify his cultural roots.

“Overall I want my music to have a positive influence on others. If it can serve as a soundtrack to someone else’s life, particularly someone discovering their own unique potential or courage then that's great. I genuinely believe that displaying courage and facing fear is what fuels my inspiration. I try my best to always find that challenge no matter where I’m at in life, it keeps me on my toes.” - Hector Gachan

open.spotify.com/artist/hectorgachan
youtube.com/channel/hectorgachan
facebook.com/hectorgachanmusic
soundcloud.com/hectorgachan
instagram.com/hectorgachan

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Merging contemporary rnb with resonant Brazilian rhythms, emerging artist YVY MARAEY offers a fresh and soulful voice. Her debut single, “A Família (ft. Noah Slee)”, was created in collaboration with Berlin-based US rapper Mike NASA.

Working with New Zealand guitarist and producer Simon Abela, YVY MARAEY weaves playful melodies, chill beats and expressive vocals into her upcoming debut EP. With a unique blend of European, Antipodean and Latino elements, her sound is laid-back and light, yet rooted in strong grooves that make you want to move.

Her debut single "A Família" reflects a reverence for the natural world and indigenous culture, balanced by an effervescent youthfulness that infuses her sound. With features from fellow Berlin-based artists Noah Slee and Mike NASA, the single sits in between Bossa nova, hip hop, rnb and soul, merging sounds that influence her life into a clear expression of her experience.

instagram.com/yvymusic
open.spotify.com/artist/yvymaraey
soundcloud.com/yvy-maraey
facebook.com/yvymusic

via Havêa Records
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Berlin-based independent label Havêa Records presents the new collaborative EP from UK-based ZULA (also known as Freak Slug) and glue70. Forged in the small hours following big nights, the quiet time of cocooned downtime and amongst the lived hours soaking up inspiration from their home city of Manchester, it is a project born of experimental experiences.

Following up on their recent single, ‘Elevate Me’, the duo present another offering from their upcoming ‘SKIN44’ EP, due for release in November. 'Let's Go Out', out 22nd October, is yet another highly considered and curated electronic rnb cut from the pair. Pitched vocals interplay with ZULA's sultry vocal tones driven by glue70's off-kilter synths and percussive grooves culminating in an expressive piece of electronic pop.

"'Let's Go Out' is for those who love to dance, and haven’t forgotten the rush they get when they lock eyes with somebody and throw some shapes. Dance is a language that ZULA loves to speak in and this slow rhythmic floor filler reunites those we haven’t seen for a while in low-lit clubs." - ZULA & glue70

The project between ZULA & glue70 has received support from Complex UK, Rinse FM, Reprezent Radio, BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra and 6 Music. Most notably with ‘Cute’ being played by Arlo Parks on Annie Mac’s Power Down show, adding "I'm absolutely in love with the beat". The new EP features the duo's catchiest and most refined works to date, including the recently released ‘Cute’ and ‘Neighbours’ featuring rapper and long-time collaborator KinKai.

ZULA
instagram.com/zula_baby
open.spotify.com/artist/zula
soundcloud.com/zula_baby
youtube.com/channel/zulababy

glue70
instagram.com/glue70
open.spotify.com/artist/glue70
soundcloud.com/glue70
twitter.com/glue70

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via Majestic Casual

French-Argentinian, London based multi-instrumentist and producer Kevin Erlicher aka Loverground releases his new EP 'Whatever Happens, Happens' via Majestic Casual. The EP is a collection of 6 tracks that were written since the beginning of lockdown in the UK. All the songs were written, recorded and produced in Loverground's home studio in South East London.

"It’s a very personal project as it summarises what I have been through personally over the past year. I see it as a series of advice I give myself, a record of lessons learned. I learned the importance of being patient, that good things take time and that time heals everything. I learned to let go of control and expectations, and that whatever happens, it happens for the best. I also learned to believe in myself and try as hard as I could to achieve my dreams and ambitions.

The record is filled with different samples of people saying things that I resonated with at the time of writing. From a wise young man in the streets of SE London telling the world to try the best they can and let go of the results (‘’Whatever Happens, Happens’’) to Lauryn Hill giving a speech on love and God (‘’Froggy Style’’), these are all words that meant something to me and I wanted to give them a second life.I think being able to use other people voices to express what I couldn’t put into words so beautifully is truly wonderful thing." - Loverground

Loverground's music is imbued with positive messaging, all riding on joyful instrumental backdrops. Previous support has come from Complex, This Song Is Sick, Majestic Casual, David Dean Burkhart and BBC Radio London, as well as Spotify and Apple Music curated playlists.

Tracklist:
1. Be Patient
2. Pup Slushy
3. Whatever Happens, Happens
4. Froggy Style
5. Feet Up, Feet Back
6. You Can Make It If You Really Try

instagram.com/loverground_
soundcloud.com/loverground
facebook.com/lovergroundmusic
open.spotify.com/artist/loveground
youtube.com/user/kevindiemusic

via Majestic Casual
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Off the back of the successful debut 'Naboo' EP from German musical prodigy Moglii, Majestic Casual Records presents the release of the 'Tonic Water' remix from 19 year old LA producer Nick Minutaglio aka Snocker Cot.

The remix provides the perfect additions in production to complement what was already a textured, intricate soundscape on the original. Pitched vocals, lush hooks, moody synths and a carefree guitar melody carry the track to create a vibe which serves to "overcome contradictions and catch attention with unexpected sounds and ideas". The remix adds another level to Moglii's original and is sure to turn heads and keep listeners coming back for more.

"I was very excited to remix this track because I’m a big fan of Moglii and his sound. I love the way his music sounds so organic and natural, and how he blurs the line in between synthetic and acoustic sounds. I wanted to replicate that and pay homage to it in my remix. That’s why I decided to use an acoustic guitar in order to create that natural sound. I’m very pleased with the way the remix turned out!" - Snocker Cot

Moglii:
facebook.com/moglimoglimogli
soundcloud.com/moglimoglimogli
instagram.com/mogliimusiic
twitter.com/MogliiMusic
play.spotify.com/artist/0lIIsJafIVVi3ruN2vFzpS

Snocker Cot:
facebook.com/snockercot
soundcloud.com/snockercot
instagram.com/snockercot

via Jakarta Records
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After finishing the full circle with Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring Compilations, Jakarta Records are back with their newest edition in 2019.

SEASONS IN JAKARTA is compiled by Jakarta Records, alongside an impressive list of featured artists who have provided exclusive tracks for the release - including Ta-ku, JuJu Rogers, Suff Daddy, Ill Camille, K Le Maestro, J.Lamotta and many more.

Released over three separate drops, initially exclusive for one week with Apple Music, the SEASONS IN JAKARTA compilation brings together lo-fi hip hop, rnb, and rap from true masters of their craft.

Tracklist:
01. FloFilz x The Deli - Green Flash
02. Otis Junior & Dr. Dundiff - The Touch
03. K Le Maestro - Café
04. Like - Sorry Not Sorry
05. Suff Daddy with Ill Camille & J.Lamotta - Magic
06. Melodiesinfonie - Dreaming Reality
07. Ivan Ave - Oh Word
08. Nanna.B - Be Mine
09. Juju Rogers - Stand Firm
10. quickly, quickly - Lesson on Counting
11. Ta-ku x matt mcwaters - White
12. Freddie Joachim - Brisk
13. Geronimus Brothers - Chicken Soup (REPRISE)

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Berlin-based Australian multi-instrumentalist and artist Frank Lee shares the first single, 'Shortcut (ft. J.Lamotta)', from his upcoming 'Taken' EP. 'Shortcut' is an intimate and soulful electronic offering with vocal features from Tel Aviv/Berlin-based Moroccan producer and artist J.Lamotta. Frank Lee's driving rhythmic production ties in the subtle refrain from J.Lamotta, effortlessly blending genres to create something unique.

Having studied jazz and toured as a professional trombone player with Lime Cordiale and Salmonella Dub, Frank Lee settled in Berlin in 2016 and fell in love with the creative freedom and potential of music production. His music is inspired by unquantized, diverse and rhythmically driven Black-American beat music, reflecting the influence of artists like Theo Parrish, Madlib, Dilla and Moodymann. Like them, he creates grooves that don't make sense but feel good. The music is raw, lo-fi and expressive; blending Frank Lee's wide musical knowledge with contemporary styles of sampling to create cerebral soulful house for the club or the locked-down living room.

"This song's been a long time in the making. I spent a while getting the drums to hit so that they complement the mood and vibe of J.Lamotta's vocals. The song is structured as a dialogue between the vocals and the synthesizers. They each get a turn taking a verse before finishing the song together :) Hope you feel the track." - Frank Lee

instagram.com/frankitrom
spotify.com/franklee
soundcloud.com/frankitrom
franklee1.bandcamp.com
facebook.com/frankitrom

via Compost Records
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German-Chinese electronic music group and digital art project C.O.W. 牛 share their new three track 'EPIC' EP, as well as the music video for the 'Cringe Lords' via Compost Records.

Following on from the release of the first single,‘Shang Dang (feat. Jake Masca)’, the ‘EPIC’ EP is the first of four elements to be released from C.O.W. 牛. EPIC embraces the powerful moments, the grandness and limitless nature but also the great failures of our digital lives and rules.

On the 'Cringe Lords' single/video, the band add ‘everything is EPIC. At least we’re deceived to believe that. Our eyes are guided towards the beautiful. The internet, but more specifically, social media is a place of worship of the flawless. “Lords” plays with those themes and highlights this trope by shining light on the ugly, the hidden and madness of a world that made authenticity a commodity. The text and video depict the paradox and pain of a world that could be used to make us more human instead of making us less of what is natural. The instrumental and beat however are truly EPIC.’ - C.O.W. 牛

Tracklist:
1. The Cowing
2. Cringe Lords
3. Shang Dang (ft. Jake Masca)

cowcowcowcow.com
twitter.com/cowregards
facebook.com/cowregards
instagram.com/cowregards
soundcloud.com/cowregards
youtube.com/channel/cowregards
giphy.com/channel/c-o-w

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Canadian artist Matt McWaters shares the first of a string of singles to be released this year with 'Bad Habits'. This is his first release since working with Ta-ku on their collaborative Please Wait EP.

Having picked up music at a young age, McWaters has spent years cultivating his production knowledge and music theory to create music inspired by his eclectic taste. This led to traveling around Canada to create music and brought him the opportunity to write with Australian producer Ta-ku. The collaboration culminated in producing tracks for Masego, Alayna and his long-time friend kerri for their EP and over 5 million streams for their debut.

The new single 'Bad Habits' is an energetic and rhythmic cut with funk infused rnb sensibilities. Matt McWaters adds: “it's about learning to deal with my own anxieties and not letting them dictate the way I behave in my personal life and relationships.”

open.spotify.com/artist/mcwtrs
soundcloud.com/mcwtrs
instagram.com/mcwtrs
facebook.com/mcwtrs
twitter.com/mcwtrs

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via Majestic Casual

Loverground is the latest project from London based multi-instrumentist and producer Kevin Erlicher. Former front-man of indie band Smooth Ends, the French-Argentinian beatmaker draws on influences, talents and interests beyond the world of music. Having released only three singles to date under the Loverground moniker, Kevin proves he’s doing something right; with a slew of editorial DSP and blog support since the project's conception in 2019. His new single 'Pup Slushy', taken from his forthcoming 'whatever happens, happens' EP via Majestic Casual.

Loverground's music is imbued with positive messaging, all riding on joyful instrumental backdrops. Previous support has come from This Song Is Sick, Majestic Casual, David Dean Burkhart and BBC Radio London, as well as Spotify and Apple Music curated playlists.

Erlicher's latest positive and uplifting lo-fi house offering, ‘Pup Slushy', is “an ode to spring, a celebration of good times to come. It is inspired by the ice cream van at the park in front of my house, which has a big ''slush puppie'' sign and kids queue for hours to get one. When I see the ice cream truck through my window, I know spring is here, and that summer is coming. This is the first single of my upcoming EP 'whatever happens, happens', which will be an ode to summer. The EP will be out in July via Majestic Casual Records" - Loverground

instagram.com/loverground_
soundcloud.com/loverground
facebook.com/lovergroundmusic
open.spotify.com/artist/loveground
youtube.com/user/kevindiemusic

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Silicon Valley/Tel Aviv indie bedroom-pop artist Guy Bokobza aka Boko shares his 'Dirty' EP. 'Dirty' was written, produced and performed in Boko's bedroom with minimal studio equipment, his guitar, and a $30 dynamic mic. The EP took 2 years to create and is titled 'Dirty', as all the songs are produced by Boko and are intentionally unpolished, rough and harsh - “they are diamonds in the ruff!”. Some things are best left bare. It was made to be heard in its vulnerable state; real and unfiltered. So rough you have to find the potential for yourself. He wants you to feel like you can do it too. These songs are down to earth, low hanging fruit, and not hard to reach.

The production Boko creates throughout this project is another vehicle for self expression and his will to have fun and be himself. He feels it is validation in becoming a self-sufficient artist and sees an opportunity to color everything in his aesthetic.

"This EP is about honesty, express yourself, do it yourself. Paint a picture with your words, Exploration, hornyness, loneliness, angst. My faults, my apologies. My urge to share... Maybe over-share." - Boko

Tracklist:
1. Mood 4 Luv (ft. Minny Juno)
2. Vegan's Interlude
3. Dirty
4. Fake Friends
5. Miss u so
6. Lifted
7. emoji (ft. Xavley)
8. So sorry

instagram.com/helloboko
youtube.com/user/guybokobza
open.spotify.com/artist/boko
facebook.com/bokomusic

via 823 Records
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Ta-ku is back with a new duo project Please Wait, in collaboration with Canadian artist matt mcwaters. To be released on Ta-ku and Jakarta Records’ joint label venture 823, Please Wait share the new ‘Rush (ft. alayna)’ single and visuals, taken from the upcoming ‘Black & White’ EP.

Following on from the ‘Flight 99 (ft. Masego)’ single, 'Rush' enlists the vocal performance of Auckland, NZ based singer-songwriter and Spotify favourite alayna. The single shares a candid reflection of the heartache that comes with ending a once loving relationship. Coupled by moody strings and electronic elements, 'Rush' is a tale of heartbreak, swelling with emotion.

Please Wait is the culmination of numerous online exchanges and years of sharing voice memos, stems, musical ideas & TikTok links between Ta-ku and matt mcwaters. Their cathartic approach to this body of work has been more about self-expression than anything else and has culminated in an EP that covers a range of issues and experiences from different times in their lives.

Ta-ku’s 823 label represents the appreciation for the people/ideas/places that inspire and push us forward. The artwork is shot by the artist, and each release has an accompanying photo zine that acts as a visual story to compliment the music.

Ta-ku
soundcloud.com/takugotbeats
instagram.com/takubeats
twitter.com/takubeats
ta-ku.co

matt mcwaters
soundcloud.com/mcwtrs
instagram.com/mcwtrs
facebook.com/mcwtrs
twitter.com/mcwtrs

alayna
instagram.com/alaynamusic__
open.spotify.com/artist/alayna
facebook.com/alaynamusic
twitter.com/alaynamusic__

via Jakarta Records
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Louisville, Kentucky based hip hop/rnb duo Otis Junior & Dr. Dundiff share the new single 'You And Me (ft. J.Lamotta)' , taken from the recently announced ‘Rising With It’ EP.

“'You And Me' is a flowing, abstract view of sharing a moment with a person, and J.Lamotta was the perfect person to share the track with.” - Otis Junior

“Having J.Lamotta and Otis on a track together is truly special. We all three have such a strong chemistry. Everything about this song came naturally.” - Dr. Dundiff

Otis Junior is a singer, songwriter, and recording artist based in Louisville, KY and originally from North Carolina. While most of his youth was spent in various performing arts, it wasn’t until later that art became a viable career path. After a few months spent flirting with the local open mic scene in 2015, Otis met the founding members of his band, The Jesse Lees, and one of his biggest collaborators, Dr. Dundiff. The duo have released multiple albums through Berlin-based record label Jakarta Records, earning them international notoriety. Through much time spent immersing himself in the world of music, and collaborating with artists around the world and around the corner, Otis has solidified his profound passions for music and art.

Dr. Dundiff (Done Different) is known as one of Kentucky's top hip hop producers. With dozens of beat tapes and EPs to his name, Dr. Dundiff has made official releases with labels such as Jakarta Records, Cold Busted, Grand Garden Records, and more. He is best known to create tracks by sampling everything from vinyl records, YouTube videos, Vine videos to local news reports and sounds from everyday life. He just as seamlessly creates songs in which he plays and layers all live instruments himself. While staying in the realm of hip hop any one of his tracks can be soulful, jazz, down tempo, indie or any type of genre he feels.

Otis Junior
instagram.com/_otisjunior
facebook.com/otisjuniormusic
twitter.com/_otisjunior

facebook.com/otisjuniordrdundiff

Dr. Dundiff
youtube.com/user/drdundiff
instagram.com/drdundiff
facebook.com/drdundiff
twitter.com/dr_dundiff

J.Lamotta
instagram.com/j.lamotta.suzume
open.spotify.com/artist/jlamotta
facebook.com/jlamottasuzume
soundcloud.com/jay-lamotta
twitter.com/lamottaj
jlamotta.de

via Jakarta Records
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Having risen to prominence as one of Australia’s most in-demand beatmakers, Perth-based artist Ta-ku has found himself curator of a rapidly expanding, multi-disciplinary creative empire.

Borne from a late-night sideline to his day job shilling health insurance, Ta-ku’s music has quickly become a global, full-time concern. From early days uploading chopped hip-hop cuts to Soundcloud, the “genre-killer”’s prodigious credits now include ambitious projects like 50 Days For Dilla, high-profile remixes for Flume, Chet Faker, BANKS, Childish Gambino and Justin Timberlake, as well as a clutch of co-writes, production efforts and countless self-releases.

Teaming up with Jakarta Records on the 823 joint label venture, Ta-ku is sharing his now classic ’25 Nights For Nujabes’ project as a digital/vinyl release alongside two completely new Bonus Tracks - both featuring Toronto based producer Matt McWaters. Drawing inspiration from the likes of D’Angelo, James Blake and J Dilla, Matt McWaters fuses modern electronic production with soul and indie undertones. A love for smooth basslines, soulful keys and catchy melodies allows him to carry out his vision with every track.

’25 Nights For Nujabes’ Bonus Tracks:

Night 26 (feat. Matt McWaters)
https://open.spotify.com/track/2ezkmhRh0gUODlsrDer86N?si=QfpKPHgnRhyNjyAQII_pHQ

Night 27 (feat. Matt McWaters)
https://open.spotify.com/track/6XwgdV5ZIIjDPlzsM7AxSw?si=Rwjk8F6SRAO38Rwy602KQQ

25 Nights For Nujabes. A beat a night for 25 nights in dedication to Seba Jun. His music was so full of emotion and beauty. Rest in peace. - Ta-ku

facebook.com/takugotbeats
instagram.com/takubeats
twitter.com/takubeats
always823.com

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Australian-born, Berlin-based indie singer-songwriter Jackson Dyer is back with his new single ‘Losing Light’, taken from his upcoming EP.

'Losing Light’ is an upbeat, joyful track written with fellow Berlin-based musician Florian Höfer and featuring drums from Pascal Karier. The single reflects Dyer’s move to a more collaborative approach to songwriting. Particularly in recent, more isolated times, writing with others has offered Dyer a way to connect more with other musicians and approach his music in a more open and enjoyable way. This care-free approach is evident in ‘Losing Light’, an uptempo and optimistic song.

Jackson Dyer says of his upcoming single: “'Losing Light' is a song that I wrote about that sweet spot on those special afternoons with friends when everything seems to fit perfectly together, those special moments that you don’t want to end. However, time passes and then the sky starts to lose some of its colour, and I imagined this song to be focused around trying to extend that sweet spot for as long as possible, chasing the sun and demanding a few more minutes.”

Since arriving in Berlin, Dyer has shared the stage with Hozier, Hiatus Kaiyote and Alice Phoebe Lou, as well as playing a host of festivals and touring Europe extensively in support of acts like Mighty Oaks and Dennis Lloyd. His laid-back songs are often influenced by nature and he brings a mix of soul, folk and indie to his spacious production and evocative lyricism. Dyer is set to release a new EP this year, featuring a mix of collaborations with fellow Berlin artists, further developing his distinct style.

open.spotify.com/artist/jacksondyer
instagram.com/jacksondyermusic
youtube.com/user/jacksondyerau
facebook.com/jacksondyermusic
soundcloud.com/jacksondyer
jacksondyer.com

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via Majestic Casual

Following NGAIIRE's recent single 'Closer', the Sydney-based, Papau New Guinea-born future-soul artist shares her emotional new track 'Him', taken from her forthcoming album '3' out Friday, 27th August via Majestic Casual.

NGAIIRE is a Papua New Guinean/Australian artist who has released two previous albums; neo-soul 'Lamentations' and pop-soul 'Blastoma'. The latest single, 'Him', is the reality of the darkness traversed to get this album finished. It’s a letter that would have been left if it hadn’t been complete. It’s about a deeply personal conversation that no one dreams of having with the people they love. It’s about the legacy of love.

“I am full to the brim of stories that many don’t have the privilege to hold within themselves; some I know quite well and some live deep in my DNA that I won’t have enough lifetimes to unpack. But the ones I know, I will tell how I want to because I can. So here is a collection of love letters to 3 entities - myself, my country and those I love both here and now departed.” - NGAIIRE

Having built a musical identity that effortlessly crosses genre and art form, her renowned vocals, tight beats and big pop sounds have seen NGAIIRE acquire countless accolades including four National Live Music Awards, an FBi Radio SMAC Award for best live act, Australian Music Prize and AIR Award nominations for her 2016 release 'Blastoma' and the inaugural Australian Women in Music Award for Artistic Excellence. Not to mention gracing the stages of Glastonbury through to Splendour In The Grass, and touring alongside artists from Sufjan Stevens to Flume to Alicia Keys and John Legend.

Pre-order / pre-save | https://ngaiire.lnk.to/Ngaiir3

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via Majestic Casual
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Loverground is the latest project from London based French-Argentinian multi-instrumentalist and producer Kevin Erlicher. The former front man of indie band Smooth Ends draws on a range of multi-media influences from around the world, resulting in his distinct lo-fi house sound. ‘Be Patient’ is the third single from Loverground, due for release via Majestic Casual.

Loverground’s first two singles ‘Easy :)’ and ‘About You (w/ bb sway)’ received support from a slew of Spotify playlists including Fresh Finds, NMF, New Pop Revolution, The Other List, Our Generation, Chilled Pop Hits, Happy Beats, metropolis and more, as well as niche labels Routine Espresso and Island Beats, and airplay on BBC Radio London and BBC Introducing. Erlicher’s previous works have also been featured by YouTube music channels David Dean Burkhart, MORIndie, alona chemerys and Røsco.

The new single ‘Be Patient’ is a heartfelt journey through a dreamy lo-fi house aesthetic. Erlicher explains: "I wrote the lyrics as if I was writing a letter to my future self.”
‘’break through, feel love from another. straighten up, be a man, be a lover."
”These lyrics are a series of advice I give to Kevin from the future, as I was quite lost at the time both career-wise and in my personal life. I took some time to work on myself and I now feel that my life is resembling more and more what I envisioned in those lyrics. There is still some work to do but it feels like it is going in the right direction." - Loverground

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A career spanning 5 years and 2 continents has led Berlin-based Australian born, singer, songwriter and producer James Chatburn to the completion of his two part debut LP titled ‘Faible Teil 1’ and ‘Faible Teil 2’ - with Part 1 featuring lead single 'Why You Gotta Lie’.

Having toured with Jordan Rakei and The Internet, produced for Brooklyn's rum.gold, released on Majestic Casual and Soulection and collaborated with Australian hip hop legends Hilltop Hoods on their certified Gold single ‘Higher’, 2020 marks the culmination of years of work in a debut LP.

Through ‘Faible’, James explores his vulnerability - he explains: ’for as long as I can remember, before people spoke so openly about it, I had these issues with anxiety, I kind of wanted to explores these ‘weaknesses’ that we are all susceptible too. I mean the way I am wired led me to be quite insular and creative especially when I was in my teens. I now see how much of a strength it can be, it opened up my empathy and creativity and I think we all have these things we gotta talk through, if we talk about it we can band together and be stronger for it.’

This year, James has released 'In My House', 'Jewellery and Gold' and ‘The Hurt’ which have received praise from such places as NME and COMPLEX, as well as being featured on leading Spotify playlists.

‘Faible Teil 1’ features the lead single ‘Why You Gotta Lie', which delves into his interest in compulsive lying, ‘I noticed meeting a few people who would lie for the sake of it, and I found it kind of impressive seeing the creativity which goes into that act, like wow! I kind of looked at this habit (in the process of writing music) as a way to open up the possibilities of how creative you can be.’

‘David Tobias and I produced this album together in his house, he is like this mad collector of vintage gear and has this incredible scope of music throughout the decades, I had this vision of Soul meeting hip hop and modern Psychedelic music I have been listening to. I could not have made it sound old but new without this genius dude backing me.’

Tracklist:
1. Why You Gotta Lie
2. Just One More
3. Jewellery And Gold
4. Never Get Far
5. Sink For You
6. The Hurt

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via The Orchard
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"With his voice alone, he could start a fire” - Noisey Germany

Berlin based Australian singer-songwriter and producer Jackson Dyer shares his new single ‘The Font’ along with a live performance video. This is the final single taken from his debut album ‘Inlet’.

‘The Font’ is a heartfelt and emotive offering from Dyer that is lyrically centered around a journey along a bush track to a waterfall that he experienced in Australia’s remote “Far North”. Accompanying the release is a live performance video, shot in Berlin, produced by KATSU. and directed by Adam Sait.

“In the tropical North of Australia, around where my brother lives, there are an abundance of beautiful waterfalls that you can trek up to. I wrote ‘The Font’ after one particularly beautiful bush walk that cut through dense jungle and finished at the feet of a gushing waterfall. Personally, I find nature to be very calming and spiritual, and in ‘The Font’, I lyrically compare swimming in the fresh water to being baptised in a natural “baptismal font”. Without formal religion in my life, I find a lot of meaning in the wonder of nature and I wrote this song almost as a gospel hymn, dedicated to unrivaled beauty of the Natural World.” - Jackson Dyer

Having arrived in Berlin in 2013, Dyer has progressed from playing on the streets to sharing the stage with the likes of Hozier, Hiatus Kaiyote and Alice Phoebe Lou, as well as playing a host of festivals and touring Europe extensively in support of Mighty Oaks and a recent large European tour in support of Irish Indie act Talos.

After independently releasing three EPs, Jackson Dyer decided to concentrate on writing his debut album and returned to the shores of Australia. His ‘Inlet' LP, is deeply influenced by the Australian landscape and the awe-inspiring ocean that surrounded him as the album progressed. ‘Inlet' is an optimistic and introspective collection of songs, blending field recordings of Australian flora and fauna with Dyer’s evocative lyricism and spacious, electronic production.

Jackson Dyer will release ‘Inlet’ on Friday, November 15, celebrated with an album launch show in Berlin:

Thursday, 14th November
Burg Schnabel - Berlin, Kreuzberg
facebook.com/events/377162713239199

Support Tour w/ Dennis Lloyd:
18.11. Vienna - Simm City
22.11. Munich - Freiheiz
23.11. Frankfurt - Gibson
01.12. Hamburg - Mojo Club
02.12. Berlin - Columbia Theater
05.12. Zurich - X-Tra

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via Real Cvltvre

Born in Silicon Valley, Guy Bokobza aka Boko moved to Tel Aviv in 2010 after several back-and-forth trips from the US to Israel. His latest single release, 'Miss u so', is taken from the upcoming 'Dirty' EP.

'Miss u so' is a rough, warm ballad somewhere between indie-alternative-rock and bedroom-pop, written in a time of longing for a previous relationship. Knowing it ended for a reason, but not being certain why. Either it’s the boredom or desperation, maybe bad timing and another bad breakup. But you can’t help trying to convince yourself that it could work again. Even for a short time.

As with all the tracks on the EP, 'Miss u so' was written, produced and performed in Boko's bedroom with minimal studio equipment, his guitar, and a $30 dynamic mic. The EP took 2 years to create and is titled 'Dirty' as all the songs are produced by Boko and are intentionally unpolished, rough and harsh - “they are diamonds in the ruff!”. Some things are best left bare. The EP was made to be heard in its vulnerable state; real and unfiltered. So rough you have to find the potential for yourself. He wants you to feel like you can do it too. These songs are down to earth, low hanging fruit, and not hard to reach.

The production Boko creates throughout this project is another vehicle for self expression. He feels it is validation in becoming a self-sufficient artist and sees an opportunity to color everything in his aesthetic. Following the recent success of Israeli artists such as Noga Erez and Dennis Lloyd, Boko is bringing his musical journey to the world, positioning himself as the next artist to watch with the release of his upcoming 'Dirty' EP.

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via Majestic Casual
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Following on from his highly praised and 4x Pacific Music Awards NZ nominated debut album ‘Otherland’, Noah Slee returns with his new single ‘Maybe’, alongside German production collaborator Delusion, via Majestic Casual.

Championed by tastemakers around the world including Jamz Supernove and MistaJam (BBC 1Xtra), Annie Mac and Huw Stepehns (BBC Radio 1), Lauren Laverne (BBC Radio 6), KCRW, Boiler Room, leading online media, and festivals across Europe, Noah Slee is a force to be reckoned with, and is continuing to add to his prolific catalogue of releases with this latest jam.

Delusion began turning heads with his innovative remix releases for Pham and SG Lewis which stacked up millions of streams and landed him the #1 spot on the Hype Machine charts. Tight production and Noah Slee's characteristic swagger sees 'Maybe' reach soulful heights, driven by textured percussion and a groove that promises to be a dancefloor filler.

''Maybe' plays with the energy you get when you meet someone and there's an instant connection. As long as I have been single (a while now) every encounter feels more distant and lost. When I met this guy it was different. Maybe is about the grey zone, the uncertainty, the leap your waiting for the other person to take because you don't want to. All these things you take into consideration in such a small amount of time about someone and maybe disguise it with other things to protect yourself from taking a relationship to the next step. Simplicity of something like love can be pretty complicated. Maybe is about pursuit of connection.
Working with Delusion felt natural. He is attentive and has a chilled energy. Sharing ideas back and forth was easy. Although it was a compact few days in the studio we made sure to have fun, drink wine and make the best music we could. He was on production duties and we also had some friends participate with minor details (guitar, lyric).' - Noah Slee

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Delusion
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via Jakarta Records
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Louisville, Kentucky based collaborators Otis Junior & Dr. Dundiff announce their upcoming ‘Rising With It’ EP with the release of the first single ‘When It’s Sweet’ - out with accompanying visuals via Jakarta Records.

Otis Junior is a singer, songwriter, and recording artist based in Louisville, KY and originally from North Carolina. While most of his youth was spent in various performing arts, it wasn’t until later that art became a viable career path. After a few months spent flirting with the local open mic scene in 2015, Otis met the founding members of his band, The Jesse Lees, and one of his biggest collaborators, Dr. Dundiff. The duo have released multiple albums through Berlin-based record label Jakarta Records, earning them international notoriety. Through much time spent immersing himself in the world of music, and collaborating with artists around the world and around the corner, Otis has solidified his profound passions for music and art.

Dr. Dundiff (Done Different) is known as one of Kentucky's top hip hop producers. With dozens of beat tapes and EPs to his name, Dr. Dundiff has made official releases with labels such as Jakarta Records, Cold Busted, Grand Garden Records, and more. He is best known to create tracks by sampling everything from vinyl records, YouTube videos, Vine videos to local news reports and sounds from everyday life. He just as seamlessly creates songs in which he plays and layers all live instruments himself. While staying in the realm of hip hop any one of his tracks can be soulful, jazz, down tempo, indie or any type of genre he feels.

“We all know what’s it like to overindulge. Whether it’s a tummy ache from too much candy, or the heartache of sweet, sweet love, ‘When It’s Sweet’ is a reminder that everything that is good to you is not necessarily good for you.” - Otis Junior

“I always title the instrumentals for Otis and he uses the title to write his lyrics. 'When It's Sweet' is something everyone can relate to. Wanting something that is so bad, but it feels so good at the same time.” - Dr. Dundiff

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Otis Junior
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narou shares his 'GOOD COMPANY' EP; a body of work reflecting on the importance of being surrounded by positive people. With features from Noah Slee, at the crib. and Golow, the collection of tracks wind through narratives of modern relationships with production that showcases narou as a multi-talented artist.

2020 saw the whole world being held hostage and many of us forced to take a step back. COVID had us all redesigning our way of living, but more than anything it made us think about what’s important in life, what we spend our time on and who we spent our time with - not just during lockdown.

Keeping GOOD COMPANY in whichever form has been, and continues to be the credo to all, and ​narou​ used this time to engage with these tropes. For him, 'GOOD COMPANY' is about how to be 100% honest and transparent with the people you love. “Like so many others, I often struggle to be myself and to communicate my true emotions and feelings In relationships, especially when they are new. My own insecurities combined with other peoples constant input and opinions about how to do things really enhances my impulsive and indecisive behavior” he says.

Usually - as an acclaimed producer and writer - he is working behind closed doors on productions for other artists. Now, he finally translated his thoughts into his own music and delivers a stunning debut. To him, music is a very personal journey, and every track he brings to light reflects a part of him, or a process that he’s explored, adopted, and transformed from mind to music. He reflects on his own shortfalls, uses his music to send intimate messages to his loved ones and aspires for further personal growth.

After a series of strong singles with unique artists such as Bearcubs, iris and James Hersey, radio-charting singles and 8M+ streams, narou is giving his listeners a more intimate view into his universe. 'GOOD COMPANY' is a love letter to all the people, moments and things around him.

“This EP really was a big emotional outlet for me. It helped me to process everyday life and the challenges we face with people close to us” the producer and artist says - “This is also why I chose to involve my brother and sister as close collaborators on my visual vision because with them I can truly be me and they help me communicate myself to the outside. All the people involved in this project are close friends and loved ones.”

As 2020 showed to all of us: It’s not just about the journey but more about who you travel with.

Tracklist:
01. Deep End
02. Honest (w/ Golow)
03. Hesitated
04. Enough (w/ Noah Slee)
05. Check It Out (w/ at the crib.)
06. 0,1 (outro)

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via Jakarta Records
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Louisville, Kentucky based hip hop/rnb duo Otis Junior & Dr. Dundiff today release their new EP 'Rising With It', available digitally and on vinyl via Jakarta Records.

"'Rising With It' is a concise example of why Dundiff and I first collaborated, and how we have both grown as a result of teaming up. This EP blends all the styles we’ve touched on in the past few years, and combines them with our newest developments as artists and as people.” - Otis Junior

"When Otis and I work together everything just comes natural. This EP feels like an obvious lineage for us. We are trying to keep Neo-Soul alive and interesting. 'Rising With It' was created at a time when the world needs music. We both felt that we needed to say something specific during such an unfamiliar time. Emotion and vulnerability are two of Otis’s strong suites and that’s what makes him such a great storyteller.” - Dr. Dundiff

Otis Junior is a singer, songwriter, and recording artist based in Louisville, KY and originally from North Carolina. While most of his youth was spent in various performing arts, it wasn’t until later that art became a viable career path. After a few months spent flirting with the local open mic scene in 2015, Otis met the founding members of his band, The Jesse Lees, and one of his biggest collaborators, Dr. Dundiff. The duo have released multiple albums through Berlin-based record label Jakarta Records, earning them international notoriety. Through much time spent immersing himself in the world of music, and collaborating with artists around the world and around the corner, Otis has solidified his profound passions for music and art.

Dr. Dundiff (Done Different) is known as one of Kentucky's top hip hop producers. With dozens of beat tapes and EPs to his name, Dr. Dundiff has made official releases with labels such as Jakarta Records, Cold Busted, Grand Garden Records, and more. He is best known to create tracks by sampling everything from vinyl records, YouTube videos, Vine videos to local news reports and sounds from everyday life. He just as seamlessly creates songs in which he plays and layers all live instruments himself. While staying in the realm of hip hop any one of his tracks can be soulful, jazz, down tempo, indie or any type of genre he feels.

Tracklist:
01. Rising With It
02. Every Night
03. When It’s Sweet
04. You And Me (ft. J.Lamotta)
05. One Time
06. Rising With It (Instrumental)
07. Every Night (Instrumental)
08. When It’s Sweet (Instrumental)
09. You And Me (Instrumental)
10. One Time (Instrumental)

Otis Junior
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James Chatburn is a Berlin based Australian soul singer, songwriter and producer. Since settling in Berlin in 2015, he has released his first two EPs '001' and ‘Damen’, followed by a string of collaborations, creating out of a dilapidated old GDR office building.

He has toured with Jordan Rakei and The Internet, produced for Brooklyn's rum.gold, released on Majestic Casual and Soulection and collaborated with Australian hip hop legends Hilltop Hoods on their certified Gold single ‘Higher’. He’s now back with his latest single 'In My House’, along with the announcement of his debut album.

James has combined influences from divided musical worlds to create something which does not fit into any one mould. Having first made a name for himself in the modern soul scene, he now edges into a world of psychedelia and nostalgia with the upcoming debut 2020 album ‘Faible’. Exploring Unknown Mortal Orchestra to D’angelo and from Donny Hathaway to Shuggie Otis, James brings the essence of something familiar to something new.

‘In My House’ is an analogue spring jam, infused with James’ distinctly passionate gravelly voice. The slapback vocals overlay saturated tripped out wavy guitars and a punchy drum sound. With a warm vibe that allows you to slowly fade into another world of imagination, it marks a distinct new direction for James Chatburn’s sound.

"This pieces asks the question of who we allow into our lives and why we do so, the ones which we allow close can leave so much behind when they dive into our being, so it is wise to be careful. The song came together quicker then any other song I have ever written, Ironically I used the chopped up recorded drums from another song which was supposed to be included on the upcoming Album ‘Faible’, a song I reformatted and re-wrote 4 times to be left discarded. All of the other instruments and vocals are the original recordings from the first day of writing.” - James Chatburn

2020 will reveal the culmination of the last few years of persistence and discovery.

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via Majestic Casual

Plastic Skin is a brand new project comprised of Donovan Ferra of Fallen Roses, Mexico’s Eduardo Lopez, and newcomer Jorge Porragas. Their sound is a mixture of genres and influences oscillating between lo-fi beats, bossa nova, jazz, r&b and Latin music. The trio's debut single 'No Plans' is out now via Majestic Casual.

The project came to life after Donovan flew to Monterrey, Mexico to hang out with Eduardo. After a few months of working together, he discovered that one of the interns in Eduardo's studio was a talented vocalist, and they began collaborating.

'No Plans' is a re-worked version of a demo which Jorge had sitting on his SoundCloud, and the first demo that introduced Eduardo and Donovan to Jorge’s singing skills. After listening to the demo, Donovan and Eduardo agreed that the topline had a lot of potential and it was just the context of the instrumental that wasn't quite there yet. Donovan approached long time collaborator of Fallen Roses, guitarist Greco Murillo, and together they re-harmonized the vocals with new chords to elevate the track.

"Jorge initially wrote it just to make something that was fun and catchy, he wanted it to be the song you listen to when you were having a good time; to decorate happy memories . The song has a very lighthearted, chill vibe but with a little more complexity and energy." - Plastic Skin

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via Jakarta Records
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Prolific hip-hop duo REMI deliver a double dose in ‘Elevate’ and ‘Get It Right (ft. Jace Excel)' via Jakarta Records. The Double A-side single galvanizes the duo's position at the top of the hip-hop sphere both in their homeland of Australia and internationally.

Since emerging in 2014 with their Australian Music Prize-winning debut 'Raw x Infinity', REMI have clocked up a number of stellar collaborations, including with fellow AMP winner Sampa The Great, Manchester’s R&B/Soul singer [ K S R ] and Jordan Rakei on their triple j feature & ARIA nominated sophomore album: ‘Divas and Demons’. As well as performing their own sold-out headline tours and world-class festivals, REMI have also shared the stage with Kendrick Lamar, Danny Brown, Vic Mensa, De La Soul, Joey Bada$$ and a bunch more.

Remi on 'Elevate': “This song is more about the feeling than the content. When Sensible J made the beat, the whole neighbourhood I was living in was obsessed with all things Parliament. Bootsy, Zapp, Bernie Worrell, Brides of Funkenstein, Redman’s Dare iz a Darkside, Georgia Anne, Dudley Perkins etc. I feel like all of that just exploded out of me and with some help with the arrangement from J, we were able to pay homage to those that came before us.”

Bumping into ‘Get It Right’, the second single presents a masterclass in balancing softer, intricate elements with heavier raps and punching attitude. A perfect culmination of the REMI sound, the beautifully constructed jazz and funk-driven melodies are merged with hard-hitting flows and Remi’s feverish yet fluid wordplay. Between formidable verses,

Jace Excel’s huge soul choruses colour the space, any cracks filled by shimmering keys and saxophone. The soundtrack mirrors lyrical sentiments in strength, work, determination and laying it all out on the table to show where they’ve been and where they’ve come today.

Remi continues: “If ‘Elevate’ is an example of expression and fun, ‘Get it Right’ is what it takes to have that fun. This song is the last song on our album. It’s a reflection. On our desires, our drive, our fear and our insecurities. The journey of maintaining inner strength and working tirelessly until you get it right. Jace captured this so perfectly you probably didn’t even need to hear from me and as per usual it was an honour working with him. Sensible J once again on production with a little help from Silent Jay on the sax.”

The double release follows the duo’s heated returning single ‘5.A.M.’ and hip-hop ballad ‘Brain’, both synonymous with the REMI sound while stemming from the vast differing corners of their repertoire. Each song’s multi-layered components shine a light on the duo’s iconic brand of hip-hop, soul and R&B on full display in forthcoming LP. After waiting four years for their next full length, ‘FRIED’ will enter the world this April not only as a representation of their continued growth, but also a tribute to over 8 years of friendship, trust and magic that exists between this incomparable pairing. With 'FRIED' just around the corner, 2020 is shaping up to be another huge chapter in the REMI story.

FRIED Tracklist:
01. Reptile (ft. Silent Jay)
02. 5.A.M. (ft. Whosane)
03. The Times (ft. Tyler Daley)
04. (Capitalism is a) Finesse
05. Elevate
06. Jimmy’s Jam (ft. Tom Scott)
07. Un-Easy (ft. Whosane)
08. Brain (ft. Lori)
09. Full of Tar
10. Good Mates (ft. Konny Kon)
11. ADD Break (Interlude)
12. Warrior Tribe (ft. Baasto & Whosane)
13. Get It Right (ft. Jace Excel)

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Following on from the recent release of the ethereal single 'Levitate Us', US/German vocalist and songwriter ESCHES returns with the latest offering from his 'Riviera' EP, titled 'D.O.T.'.

Having grown up between South Florida and West Germany, ESCHES' music is influenced by a variety of musicians and styles, drawing from voices such as D'Angelo, Caetano Veloso and Joni Mitchell, as well as non-musical artists like Alberto Giacometti and Andrei Tarkovsky. ESCHES triumphantly merges his lush, marshmallow melting, indie-soul sensibilities with deeply personal lyrics and warm vocals and guitar tones on 'D.O.T.'.

ESCHES explains: "DARK OF TOMORROW, or 'D.O.T.', is, without a doubt, the most personal song of the EP. Probably even one of the most personal I ever wrote. The central melody line, played by the guitar, was conceived hand in hand with the vocal melody of the lead hook. The melodies converse, the lyrics portrait a monologue. That's the context, someone standing on a shoreline, talking out into the dark, promising some relief for a soul in need. A loved one. It's about hurting, a final passage, and acceptance. I started writing the song about two years ago, and it took some time to understand where it was really heading. I think it's very much where it's supposed to be, now. Roughness was really important to me, and the appreciation of a strange, blemished sound. To me, it's a very moody, soulful kind of music, and it resonates with me, especially the deep spots."

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via Havêa Records
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Berlin-based independent label Havêa Records presents the new collaborative EP from UK-based ZULA (also known as Freak Slug) and glue70. Forged in the small hours following big nights, the quiet time of cocooned downtime and amongst the lived hours soaking up inspiration from their home city of Manchester, it is a project born of experimental experiences. ZULA's sugar-sweet vocals whisper 5am epiphanies over glue70's molten beats. It’s all glitches and switches with space and breaks - every element considered, crafted and curated.

‘Elevate Me’ will be the duo's first release on new indie label Havêa Records and offers another glimpse at the new EP, ‘SKIN44’, which is due for release in November. The project between ZULA & glue70 has received support from Complex UK, Rinse FM, Sparky, BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra and 6 Music. Most notably with ‘Cute’ being played by Arlo Parks on Annie Mac’s Power Down show, adding "I'm absolutely in love with the beat". The new EP features the duo's catchiest and most refined works to date, including the recently released ‘Cute’ and ‘Neighbours’ featuring rapper and long-time collaborator KinKai.

'Elevate Me' is a refined electronic rnb offering from the pair. Intricate percussive textures move alongside a spaced out lo-fi aesthetic to capture one of glue70's signature production moods. ZULA's sugary melodic refrain floats on top, reflecting on a story of friendship. ZULA explains: "'Elevate Me' is about being there for a friend in need, someone who needs an elevating touch.”

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narou continues to build anticipation for his upcoming debut EP 'GOOD COMPANY' with the latest single and video 'Check On Me (w/ at the crib.)'. After 7M+ streams, strong features, a Hypem #1 and charting radio-songs, narou continues his journey for ‘GOOD COMPANY’ alongside ever-talented, established and undiscovered talent.

narou unites many sounds. One of which is only revealed when he teams up with his close friends and fellow band-members of at the crib. Mike Nasa and Kijana bring out a soul and lustful side of the producer/artist that is rarely seen, but can’t be missed on his upcoming EP.

Mike Nasa, who brings his lyrical-rap finesse to ‘Check On Me’, and just released a smash with Noah Slee says: “'Check On Me’ is an ode to my childhood. I grew up watching Soul Train and listening to funk and boogie records and I remember the bright lights, crazy outfits and fly dance moves that entranced me as a youth. When narou played Kijana and I the song, I knew we had something special on our hands. I wanted to pay homage to the music that made me the artist I am today and put some extra spice on it for the culture.”

Kijana, a queen of her own kingdom adds: “the single is very dear to me, since it was the first song narou, Mike Nasa and I collaborated on and therefore laid the groundwork for us coming together as “at the crib.”. I’m super proud of the vibrancy and nostalgia for the Disco and Boogie era we were able to create with 'Check On Me' and can’t wait for the whole world to vibe to it."

narou
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at the crib.
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Since the recent announcement of signing to Dot Dash Recordings & Remote Control Records in Australia, Sydney-based future soul darling NGAIIRE has also joined the roster at Majestic Casual. Her new single, titled 'Closer', is co-written with Japanese Wallpaper and Jack Grace, and taken from an upcoming album, '3'. The single is out now via Majestic Casual.

Having built a musical identity that effortlessly crosses genre and art form, her renowned vocals, tight beats and big pop sounds have seen NGAIIRE acquire countless accolades including four National Live Music Awards, an FBi Radio SMAC Award for best live act, Australian Music Prize and AIR Award nominations for her 2016 release ‘Blastoma’ and the inaugural Australian Women in Music Award for Artistic Excellence. Not to mention gracing the stages of Glastonbury through to Splendour In The Grass, and touring alongside artists from Sufjan Stevens to Flume to Alicia Keys and John Legend.

"This is my sweaty 80’s summer love song. It’s the ‘I want you, I’ll drop everything including these panties for you whenever you’re near so don’t come here, WAIT come here - NO DON’T’ song. It really is about how I observed love, sex and dating as a girl growing up in Papua New Guinea - that desperation of lust and love that grows out of your secret fantasies for another and that silent after thought of whether it’s wise to fall that hard because it might be short lived. Over the years my siblings and I had a lot of young Aunties who’d move in with us as live-in Nannies as both my parents tried to maintain their careers. As a kid normally dating and sex is that naughty thing you shouldn’t know about so our ears were always ready to eavesdrop on forbidden phone conversations to their lovers while they were supposed to be babysitting us. PNG considers itself a Christian nation post years of mission work from Western missionary societies starting as early as the 1800s. Missionaries destroyed and discouraged a lot of existing PNG social structures. Cultural dress, hairstyles, agriculture, gender roles and our relationship to sex were challenged The whole ‘no sex before marriage’ rule is upheld quite highly and really played out in all kinds of interesting but mostly negative ways. It was a blanket rule with no room for error. Courting wasn’t really allowed - you just got married. You didn’t go out on dates. PDAs were a no no - god forbid you held hands or called each other ‘baby’. If people found out you were having sex on the DL outside of marriage you were shamed, excommunicated, ridiculed, probably called the equivalent of a whore, or in some cases would be beaten - at least from what I had seen with my Aunties. As a result there were (and still are) a lot of pent up sexual tension felt by a lot of young people who are so hungry for sex and romance that when they finally got it, the fall into disorientating love and lust meant they didn’t even know which was which because they were so hot and on fire. And it’s all a rush - the sneaking around, the late night phone calls when everyone’s asleep. And there’s the other side. The high rates of STDs and the unplanned pregnancies because you weren’t allowed to talk about safe sex because you just SHOULDN’T have it or even utter the word sex. Relationships get found out and ended by your parents or those who hold an authoritative role in your family. The number of times I’d seen my Aunties crying for days into their pillows wilting away from loss of appetite because their relationships had been discontinued by someone else. It was a little different when I started junior high as I went to an International school that didn’t condemn dating so much. We had kids from all over the world in our classrooms who had been brought up differently to most Papua New Guineans in my school which made it a little more acceptable. That said, sex and dating was still always something you didn’t parade to anyone. That level of unbridled want for someone coupled with religious guilt, heartbreak and the human need to have love reciprocated was a mean cocktail of emotions that I came to know quite well, even as a spectator." - NGAIIRE

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Miqui Brightside is a DJ, producer, and photographer from Madrid. After receiving support from GQ Magazine, Nylon, DJ Mag, Vice, The Line Of Best Fit and more, as well as collaborating with Kitsuné’s Les Gordon, releasing music with Majestic Casual and playing SXSW and venues and festivals across the US, Mexico and Europe, he returns with the new electronic pop single 'Kelly Kapoor (ft. Kenjamin Franklin)', out February 28th.

The self shot and directed visuals for 'Kelly Kapoor' take a journey through candid glimpses at some of Miqui's experiences from growing up in Madrid. Featuring his own photographs including some of the much loved Spanish band Hinds, and memories back to his school days and first kiss. The video takes a unique approach for you to get to know more about the multi-talented artist.

"With 'Kelly Kapoor' I decided to keep the DIY video format. I've decided to come back to my roots and share my life, from the years I was going to school to my passion for sitcoms and board games. And trust me, not all videos talk about real first kisses, but this one does." - Miqui Brightside

Known as an electronic and rnb taste-maker, he has performed at Madrid Fashion Week, FIB Benicassim, and collaborated on events for Urban Outfitters, Red Bull and Jägermeister. The latest single 'Kelly Kapoor (ft. Kenjamin Franklin)' is inspired by Miqui’s love for the hit US version of the cult classic TV series The Office, and follows the story of the singer who falls in love with the character played by American actor Mindy Kaling. This certified dancefloor filler features a balance of upbeat synth arpeggios and the deep, house inspired vocals of Kenjamin Franklin.

Upcoming Shows:
*Paris and Beijing TBA

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via Majestic Casual
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Cypriot artist Metaxas and US indie duo GHSTWRLD have teamed up once again for the uplifting new electronic pop single ‘Everything’ via Majestic Casual.

After releasing a 5-track EP and a series of singles and award winning music videos ('Selene' & 'Sirens'), Metaxas shifted gears with the summer 2018 release of the downtempo nu-disco single 'Be Real' in collaboration with Swedish producer Rasmus Faber, via Majestic Casual. With overwhelming support from both the Majestic community, over 3 million clicks on YouTube, and placement in leading playlists, the hit single quickly broke the 10 million milestone and is currently closing in on 15 million streams on Spotify.

‘Everything’ is the latest output from the union of Metaxas and GHSTWRLD, who after working on music for the past 6 years under the moniker of CHROMA as well as independent projects and collabs, met again in Atlanta in 2018 and got back into the studio. Drawing influences from acts like Bonobo and Moderat as well as pop producers like Zedd and Madeon they have created an organic melodic experience.

“‘Everything’ started out as an instrumental track. After working on it on and off for a few months without vocals, we finally got the right top line for it. There is a strong visual sense of leading a carefree uninhibited life full of dance, color, thrill and romance that we hope cuts through to the listener. That being a true free spirit is the sum of experiencing everything you possibly can in life.” - Metaxas

GHSTWRLD
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Metaxas
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Madrid based DJ, producer and photographer Miqui Brightside shares his latest offering - the corona lock-down inspired '19 More Days'. Since receiving support from GQ, Complex, Nylon, DJ Mag, Vice, The Line Of Best Fit and more, as well as collaborating with Kitsuné’s Les Gordon, releasing music on Majestic Casual and playing SXSW and venues and festivals across the US, Mexico and Europe he is proving to be a force to be reckoned with.

'19 More Days' features stunning visuals from US photographer and director Melania Brescia, and is a visual story of the experience of being under house-arrest to combat the devastating effects of the corona virus in Spain and across the world.

"I've been producing tonnes of beats and songs during this lock-down, but '19 More Days' is no doubt the song that I wanted to release first. I gave it this title because it's the amount of days that we were supposed to have left in Spain to come back to the streets and to come back to our lives when the first house arrest happened due to the virus. '19 More Days' is a song that expresses without vocals that situation we all experienced; a cloud of uncertainty, nostalgia and hope that enveloped the entire world. Melania Brescia did outstanding work with the video, depicting the evolution each person lived in their personal lives." - Miqui Brightside

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Sydney-born, Berlin-based indie singer-songwriter Jackson Dyer follows up his recent 'Losing Light' single with the release of the visuals for the new dreamy indie pop single, 'At Ease'. The single is taken from Dyer's upcoming EP.

"'At Ease’ is a song about mornings at home, when the coffee is freshly brewed and the sun is filtering through the curtains. It’s about those moments of absolute contentment when you wake up with someone special besides you and the day is pure and untouched by the stress and obligations of the outside world. ‘At Ease’ was a calming song for me to produce, almost meditating on the warm optimism of mornings and love." - Jackson Dyer

Since arriving in Berlin, Dyer has shared the stage with Hozier, Hiatus Kaiyote and Alice Phoebe Lou, as well as playing a host of festivals and touring Europe extensively in support of acts like Mighty Oaks and Dennis Lloyd. His laid-back songs are often influenced by nature and he brings a mix of soul, folk and indie to his spacious production and evocative lyricism. Dyer is set to release a new EP this year, featuring a mix of collaborations with fellow Berlin artists, further developing his distinct style.

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Berlin-based Yuphoric team up with Sedric Perry to release their new single, “Changes”. Having recently shared 3 singles, 2 videos, and a remix from Moods, “Changes” marks the final release from their soulful EP.

Yuphoric are three individuals from different continents who were brought together by their common love of music. Candid and expressive vocalist Sedric Perry out of Philadelphia later moved to New York City, where he honed his sound into a blend of jazzy, groovy rnb. He now resides in Berlin and makes up one half of FHAT, constantly providing innovative and unapologetic soundscapes. As a queer artist, Perry places importance on spreading the message of love and self-acceptance and has received praise from Highsnobiety, Complex, Gay Times and Earmilk among others.

Yuval Gantz is a guitarist and beatmaker from Tel-Aviv and one of co-founders of the live jazz group Alaska Snack Time. In his musical journey he gathers tools from the worlds of rnb, hip hop and jazz to craft his voice. Now residing in Berlin, Yuval has become an active member of the local art scene.

Phøn (Ron Warburg) is a New York-based multi-instrumentalist, producer, audio engineer and mixer. In addition to composing and producing music, he has shared the stage as a trumpet player with multiple GRAMMY-Award winners and was a part of the team at the legendary Avatar Studios.

Combining the energies of Berlin, New York and Tel Aviv, Sedric, Yuval and Phøn have created a deeply emotional yet groove-filled realm. Yuphoric explain "the song and whole experience has been about growth and internal reflection. Learning how to take what comes, and making the most of hard times. We all have them, and sometimes it's best to relax and let it all play out. In the end everything will be okay. Throughout the past year and a half, we’ve all gone through lots of hardship, tests of patience and persistence. "Changes" is about learning to acknowledge the tough times, keeping your loved ones close and focusing on growth."

Tracklist:
1. Don´t Leave Me On Read
2. Don´t Leave Me On Read (Moods Remix)
3. Get Away
4. Unbreakable Habits
5. Changes

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via Majestic Casual
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To celebrate the success of Swedish artist Rasmus Faber and Cypriot producer Metaxas' 2018 single 'Be Real', which now has over 20 million streams, Majestic Casual present the 'Be Real: Remixes' EP. Re-imagined versions of the track come from German nu-disco kingpin Satin Jackets and a debut solo remix from LA-based producer Kenny Gold.

Rasmus Faber now sits comfortably alongside electronic dance music’s royalty. 2018 saw Faber celebrate his 15th year of releases on his own label Farplane alongside a slew of releases via labels like Global Underground, Defected, Hed Kandi and Subliminal, featuring team-ups with Deadmau5, Kaskade, Candi Staton, Axwell and Pete Tong to name a few.

Metaxas is no stranger to crafting hit pop singles - a producer and singer-songwriter in his own right, his recent two collaborative releases with US duo GHSTWRLD have continued to showcase his natural talent. The 'Be Real: Remixes' collaboration is a molding of different influences from artists separated by land but connected by music. Together, they have used their songwriting and production abilities to forge different iterations of an original piece of music into an EP in a space of its own.

“‘Be Real’ is a song about dialing back the individuality in relationships, and the empty promises. It is a reality check on the basic human needs of love and selfless support of each other.” - Metaxas

"Metaxas shared my sense of perfectionism which I really appreciate!” - Rasmus Faber

Tracklist:
1. Be Real
2. Be Real (Satin Jackets Remix)
3. Be Real (Kenny Gold Remix)

Satin Jackets
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Rasmus Faber
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Metaxas
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Kenny Gold
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'Better Days' is the first single and title track of the upcoming debut EP from the newborn collaboration between Berlin based piano virtuoso Dario Lessing, and Rezar - the side project of electro-pop band NIHILS’ frontman.

The newly announced 'Better Days' EP features 5 beautifully captivating and moody alternative pop tunes for fans of Apparat, Radiohead and James Blake. This is just the beginning of an unlikely collaboration between one of Berlin's most exciting upcoming neo-classic piano talents and the vocalist of the electro-pop band NIHILS who have 51million+ Spotify streams to date.

A partnership formed truly by chance, Ramon Riezow aka Rezar stumbled into Lessing's studio, they had a spontaneous jam and the result was 'Better Days'. With the help of producer Gustav Anders, they managed to create an atmospheric yet grooving and melodic alternative-pop tune revolves around moody piano chords and cryptic refrain. In response to recent social tensions and how media capitalize on sensationalism, the song is trying to see the good in the world, beyond all the negatives.

Speaking about the release, Rezar adds: "It’s easy to get demoralised in a society where we tend to sensationalise how bad everything is and how dark these times are - but underneath the turmoil, the chaos, the seemingly random acts of nature and humanity, there is a current of positivity to be felt and this song focuses on that energy and tries to tap into a future that is brighter and better in every way.“

Dario Lessing
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Rezar
instagram.com/ramonrezar

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Vienna born, Berlin based songwriter and producer narou shares the first offering from his long awaited debut EP 'GOOD COMPANY' with the 'Deep End' single and video release.

After a series of strong singles with acclaimed artists such as Bearcubs, iris and James Hersey and 6M+ streams, narou is giving his listeners a more intimate view into his universe. The EP 'GOOD COMPANY' is a love letter to all the people around him - and 'Deep End' is the first paragraph. It’s not just about the journey but more about who you travel with.

narou on the track: “I wrote this song about my somewhat impulsive behaviour after fights in a loving relationship. I challenged myself to start with the hook in order to hit the listener with that dramatic message and feeling right away. Saying that I don't ever wanna hear back from that person is a feeling that doesn't reflect my actual needs when the storm has cleared, but more so a display of pure anger I felt in that very moment. The second verse really brings clarity because I realized that this feeling will pass and all I want to do is forget about it and move on. We often find ourselves in situations like this. For me personally it has been an immense learning curve and I am slowly learning to control my emotions and my anger from a place of peace and love.”

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Having recently released his 'In My House' single which received praise from NME and COMPLEX, Berlin based Australian soul singer, songwriter and producer James Chatburn is back with the 'Jewellery and Gold' single, taken from his upcoming debut album 'Faible'.

James Chatburn has combined influences from divided musical worlds from Unknown Mortal Orchestra to D’angelo to create something which does not fit into any one mould. Having first made a name for himself in the modern soul scene, he now edges into a world of psychedelia and nostalgia. 'Jewellery and Gold' takes a tongue-in-cheek look forward to a future where money would flow steadily and all of his issues would dissolve. With a break-beat groove pushing the song forward, the vocals and bass keep it cool in the chorus, while relenting to a more passionate performance in the verses.

"It started off as a noughties Pharrell/Neptunesy kind of vibe, but then I replaced the original synth with a piano and I decided to go for this throwback soul feeling, coming back to this Neptune’s vibe in part c. As an indie artist I don’t live off much money, but sometimes I think, damn it would be nice to have a little more, even if I know that’s not gonna solve anything” - James Chatburn

Since touring with Jordan Rakei and The Internet, producing for Brooklyn's rum.gold, releasing on Majestic Casual and Soulection and collaborating with Australian hip hop legends Hilltop Hoods on their certified Gold single ‘Higher’, 2020 will reveal the culmination of the last few years of persistence and discovery.

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German indie-pop artist Henry And The Waiter celebrates the announcement of the new 'Hidden Spirit' EP with the release of the first single titled 'Little Paradise'.

With over 12 million streams on Spotify alone, and successful tours around Germany, Switzerland and Austria, Henry And The Waiter mixes indie and electro pop, combining vintage guitars, smooth key sounds, electronic beats and catchy yet melancholic lyrics. His music is thoughtful and it radiates courage and hope.

The new single 'Little Paradise' describes Henry's home which is his ideal place to ground himself. He wants to show how important the familiar environment is to him since he and his girlfriend created their cozy space within their four walls to forget their worries during the current pandemic.

Henrik adds: “my little paradise is my home; my retreat which I created with my partner. Especially in times when it's not possible to be in public that often, I have become aware of the importance of a safe retreat for inner peace. The prescribed isolation stimulated my creativity since there were only a few options for distraction."

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via Jakarta Records

On the back of two recent video releases for the 'Can't Refuse' and 'Hope So' singles, Berlin based Israeli/Moroccan artist and producer J.Lamotta shares her 'Brand New Choice' EP, via Jakarta Records.

Moving on from the organic sound of her retro band album, 'Suzume' (2019), the new EP shows fresh flavours in her music and contains contributions from a variety of producers. Brand New Choice’s futuristic rnb sound is achieved through extensive use of synths and up-to-date rhythms and makes it Lamotta’s most contemporary release so far. The singer/producer’s previous releases have focused on lyrics and personal delivery, and Brand New Choice follows a similar path as Lamotta expresses her life experiences and thoughts through her work, and reveals a liberal, independent and robust thinker that uses her music to speak out. The release also celebrates her special connection to Japan, where she has gained a loyal fan base and recorded the songs that were later produced in Berlin, Germany.

Speaking about her EP rationale, J.Lamotta adds: "Life is a matter of choices and when things got complicated, I found myself swimming in a sea of questions. I understand that every butterfly oscillation in a distant forest has an effect on us, so surely our choices and actions, too. Brand New Choice was a safe zone for me to express all my questions and the things I didn't understand, and by creating it, I made my brand new choice."

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Vienna born, Berlin based songwriter and producer narou has teamed up with Norwegian singer iris to craft the emotive and soulful electronic pop offering 'Her Love'. Featuring vocals from both narou and iris, the collaboration has resulted in a duet of heartache and reflection, while remaining uplifting and filled with memorable hooks.

narou believes in the invisible natural forces that shape us and change the world, one person at a time. To him, music is a very personal journey, and every track he brings to light reflects a part of him, or a process which he has explored, adopted, and transformed from mind to music. This constant hunger for progression and development led to producing music with Bearcubs and James Hersey as well as supporting James on tour in 2019. He has since released a string of singles that have seen him receive praise and further develop to become known as an artist with an undeniable talent for writing pop music that is filled with deeper elements than the usual. This year will also see the release of narou's debut EP 'GOOD COMPANY'.

narou adds: "'Her Love' is the story of losing someone who is manipulative. You still love that person but you realised that you never actually felt love back. I really like the fact that Iris and I are both talking about a different experience that however in fact was really similar. The combination of a female and male voice projects the idea of an argument or a back and forth between the two of us. I really tried to combine organic instruments with heavy synths that would enhance the dramatic message of the choruses. I went to Norway last summer and we created this track in just one session. She is such an amazing artist and I am so happy to have created this track with her."

"For me, the lyrics are about mind-control, somewhere where there is no love left, only selfishness. Trying to please, trying to be loving, but it doesn't work. And you're realizing you don't really get anything back. And she just wants to be wanted" - iris

narou
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iris
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via Majestic Casual

Plastic Skin is a brand new project comprised of Donovan Ferra of Fallen Roses, Mexico’s Eduardo Lopez, and newcomer Jorge Porragas. Their sound is a mixture of genres and influences oscillating between lo-fi beats, bossa nova, jazz, r&b and Latin music. The trio recently released their debut single 'No Plans' to support from the online music community and are now following it up with the release of 'Don't You' via Majestic Casual.

Plastic Skin came to life after Donovan flew to Monterrey, Mexico to hang out with Eduardo. After a few months of working together, he discovered that one of the interns in Eduardo's studio was a talented vocalist, and they began collaborating. 'Don't You' was mixed and mastered by 2x RIAA certified Platinum engineer Javier Casanova (TRA TRA & TRA TRA REMIX by Guaynaa & Ghetto Kids).

"'Don’t You' came about when Donovan shared one of the instrumentals he had made some time ago with his group Fallen Roses with Ruben aka B Dom. The track was already called 'Don’t You', which Jorge felt was the perfect name for the track; so he wrote the lyrics around that title.The lyrics speak about long distance relationships and the feelings of powerlessness and longing that come with being part of one." - Plastic Skin

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via Jakarta Records
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On the back of two successful single and video releases, Berlin based producer and artist J.Lamotta shares her sophomore LP 'Suzume'' via Jakarta Records.

The album was recorded across four different studios in Berlin, involving 24 musicians from all around the globe. Two singles 'Turning' and 'Back In Town' have been recently released with accompanying music videos, and have received international blog support as well as features on Spotify's Butter and Fresh Finds playlists.

The new album sees J.Lamotta expanding her production repertoire by crafting a warm body of sound, laced with live strings and a horn section provided by her band which have toured together from Berlin to South Korea and Japan over the past three years.

'Suzume' is out on vinyl, CD and digital formats via Jakarta Records and features artwork created by Simone Cihlar (Anderson .Paak, Tom Misch and more).

Tracklist:
01. If You Wanna
02. Shake It
03. Back In Town
04. Shine
05. Where’s The Sun In Berlin
06. Deal With It
07. Turning
08. Free The Jazz (ft. Technical Development)
09. Shugaboi
10. That’s What I Call (Freedom)
11. Free The Jazz Instrumental

jlamotta.de
twitter.com/lamottaj
facebook.com/jlamottasuzume
instagram.com/j.lamotta.suzume
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via Majestic Casual
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Mexican-Chilean duo Fallen Roses and NYC born/Berlin-based singer Hannah Jenkins collaborate on 'Crush', the new sultry electronic-pop single to be released via Majestic Casual.

After stacking up over 10 million streams, Fallen Roses return with their first original vocal track release since 2018’s 'Sad Romance' featuring Girl Ultra and 2017’s 'Underwater' featuring Ayelle. 'Crush' is written by Canadian songstress and YouTube sensation Daniela Andrade, and features the talented Hannah Jenkins, who previously worked with James Hersey producer narou on their single 'Prophecy'.

'Crush' revolves around jealousy and obsession. The laid-back and lo-fi productions ooze with warmth and passion, combining earthy hip-hop beats with vibrant cosmic sounds. An echo of summer memories swirl, as the heartfelt and organic textures weave together to transport you into heady dreams of sun-soaked days gone by.

Fallen Roses
soundcloud.com/wearefallenroses
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Hannah Jenkins
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via Chrome Music
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Berlin based, Vienna-born songwriter and producer narou returns with his latest single ‘Prophecy (ft. Hannah Jenkins)’ via Chrome Music. Having worked on numerous notable collabs spanning over a dynamic range of emotions and moods, his latest offering lives and breathes on its own, with a singularly strong yet minimalistic vibe.

Having grown up with music from a very young age, with his father also a music producer, narou’s love for writing has continued to evolve. In 2014, he started producing and performing with James Hersey and supported Milky Chance on their European Tour. After moving to Amsterdam to study Sound Engineering, his next steps took him to Berlin, where he further explored and discovered his songwriting and singing.

narou is delving into an electronic-soul and rnb sensibility with renewed perspective in the process of creating an EP that will feature his talented friends. As well as numerous collaborations with James Hersey, narou is also a featured artist on a soon to be released single from Berlin based Australian James Chatburn.

'Prophecy' co-writer and vocalist Hannah Jenkins, is a New York-born, Berlin-based singer and songwriter. Coming from a strong soul background, Hannah creatively collects influences from early exposure to greats like Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder and Otis Redding, to name a few. She takes these deep roots to a place of gentle modernity, crooning over a simple yet strong beat, and bringing the listener into a place of honest resonance.

“I wrote ‘Prophecy’ at a time when I was letting my own sense of self get clouded by other people's expectations or definitions of yourself - whether it's a romantic partner or even friends and family. Once you let go of that, get in touch with your own currency and give yourself unconditional love, that's where the magic lives for real. Deep down I knew narou would do an awesome job in realizing the full potential of it because I really dig his sort of weird and simplistic style in a lot of his earlier stuff so I ran it by him and he made it what it is.” - Hannah Jenkins

“In the beginning we struggled with the structure and overall mood of the song. I always felt like it needed a stronger hook so I decided to write something and sing it myself. Surprisingly our voices fit together perfectly. The Idea for the Lyrics were to answer to Hannahs cry for love. Saying that no one involved really knows whats going on and that both sides seem confused and hesitant over what to do with their feelings. We hope people resonate with it and see a way out of their own patterns of destructive thinking. And know it's not the end of the world when shit happens to you. You gotta dive deep and find the answers within yourself. And yeah we want people to be nice to themselves and identify and own their own beauty.” - narou

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via Majestic Casual
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Moullinex is the alter ego of Portuguese producer, dj and multi-instrumentalist Luis Clara Gomes. After establishing himself as one of the leading artists in the disco scene, with much loved singles such as ‘Take My Pain Away’ and ‘Maniac’, as well as remixes for Røyksopp, Cut Copy and Two Door Cinema Club, he capped off a successful 2017 with his third studio album ‘Hypersex’ to critical acclaim. He now returns with his new single ‘Dream On’, released via Majestic Casual.

Moullinex has been one of the key contributors in developing the Lisbon club scene with his DIY approach to music making and by lending his production skills to several other acts. After touring the world for almost a decade, playing at some of the best clubs in Europe, as well as several Boiler Room sessions and festivals like SXSW, Eurosonic and ADE, everything he does, be it a song, dj set or a live show is both unexpected and irresistible.

The new single ‘Dream On’ offers another trip in to the musical mind of Moullinex, and features a lucid mix of washed out vocals, motorik rhythm, floating synths and an infectious summer vibe that would be best enjoyed at sunset in a beachside cabana with a cocktail in hand.

Longtime Moullinex collaborator, Lisbon-born/Brooklyn-based graphic designer Bráulio Amado has lent his talents to the release with the creation of the ‘Dream On’ artwork. Having worked for the likes of Frank Ocean, Roisin Murphy and Beck, as well as designing for media publications like Time Magazine and Bloomberg Business Week, the two are a strong representation of the talent coming out of Portugal right now.

Moullinex has been touring a brand new live show, where live music meets a virtual drag show with characters being filmed live on green screen and projected on stage.

'"Dream On" was made almost entirely on a train trip I took right after a show. I was high on endorphines from a beautiful night where I did a DJ set in just the right place, with the right crowd, and imagined a track I would love to play should this ideal setting occur again. Being used to having all sorts of instruments around in the studio, the self-imposed restriction of having to work with that fleeing harp sample dictated its dreamy direction.' - Moullinex

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Austin, TX based indie-pop trio Fanclub are back with their latest single release 'Trespassing', released independently. Join them as they search for the nostalgia of 80s synths and 90s guitars in their songs of modern love and heartbreak.

Fanclub formed in 2018 and is comprised of Mike Lee, Leslie Crunkilton, and Daniel Schmidt. The band craft songs driven by their love of all things twee, electro and dreamy. Following on from their successful SXSW showcase this year and with their debut EP 'All The Same' already reaching over a million streams, they are hard at work with a slew of tour dates under their belt and many more to come.

"'Trespassing' is meant to embody the fleeting feelings of summer. It's about having fun in the midst of heartbreak, and how the seemingly small experiences you have and the people you spend time with carry so much significance because they become a part of your healing process." - Leslie Crunkilton

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via Believe
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Vienna born producer & singer/songwriter narou and Australian producer and artist James Chatburn have teamed up to create their new single ‘Oblivious’.

After crossing paths in 2018 in Berlin, James Chatburn and narou were drawn together due to their shared strong collaborative spirit. The two are both currently releasing various singles with different producers and artists and are excited to share 'Oblivious' as their first joint release.

‘Oblivious’ is a soulful, yet driving taste of electronic rnb, featuring smooth duet vocals from the producer/artists as well as complex and detailed layers of percussion and melody. Steel pans and piano arpeggios interact with textured percussion to create a lush soundscape, laying a foundation for lyrics reflecting on feelings of uncertainty in a tumultuous relationship.

narou
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James Chatburn
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via Jakarta Records

Born in Tel Aviv to a family with Moroccan roots, Berlin based artist and producer J.Lamotta has gone from strength to strength since her 2019 sophomore album 'Suzume', garnering support from the international music community and touring across Europe and Asia, including the iconic Blue Note Tokyo. She is now back with a new EP titled 'Brand New Choice' which features the first single ‘Can't Refuse’, along with an accompanying music video via Jakarta Records.

'Can't Refuse’ marks a new direction for J.Lamotta. While soulful rnb vocal harmonies remain, hard hitting hip hop drums drive the single forward and bring a new energy to her music. With lyrics reflecting on relationships and sexuality, and a music video with J.Lamotta's signature aesthetic at the forefront, the single is an exciting first taste of the upcoming 'Brand New Choice' EP.

Speaking about 'Can't Refuse', J.Lamotta comments: "At some point in life, I realised that I wasn't fully accepting myself; maybe I was obeying a taboo and trying to set a so-called "good" example. I went a long way to be able to embrace my sexuality, and I wish that everyone who faces a similar thing will be able to discover the liberty that comes with accepting your desires."

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via Jakarta Records
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After kicking off the countdown for his second solo album ‘40 Acres N Sum Mula’ with Farhot (Isaiah Rashad, Nneka) produced anthem ‘Babylon’, Berlin based JuJu Rogers releases ‘Follow Me’.

The second single taken from his upcoming LP is an energetic and fierce rap track playing with the bittersweet temptations JuJu Rogers sees himself confronted with as an up-and-coming rapper. ‘Follow Me’ drops via Jakarta Records with accompanying visuals directed by Ante Milio. The song is split in two parts - good vs evil - and was produced by Modha, The Kii and Crada (Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Kid Cudi).

“The idea behind the song is clearly the dualistic temptation of good vs evil. I feel like I am at a stage in my career, where I continually have to make decisions between the two. Especially when you’re in a phase of weakness or feel insecure material things and a certain lifestyle can be tempting. That’s what I tried to show in ‘Follow Me’: Sheytan trying to seduce JuJu and showing how easy it could be vs. God/Allah, who responds in the second part and puts a twist on the plot.” - JuJu Rogers

The visuals for ‘Follow Me’ were shot in Berlin with director talent Ante Milio and - like the song - is split in to two parts: “The first part is about living lavish in a Berlin loft. Fast life with drugs, money and alcohol, basically having no worries at all and living a chilled life. The second part is inspired by the 'Buffalo Soldiers' video by Bob Marley: Souljahs with natty hair in nature. It shows a close connection to community and nature as a clear contrast to the first part. In order to find God within I feel like nature is a very important place to experience.” - Ante Milio

Upcoming Shows:
Thursday, 26th September
Support for Jay Electronica - Gretchen, Berlin
www.facebook.com/events/club-gretchen/jay-electronica-gretchen-berlin/2269649929975623

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via [ v c r s ]
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Born to Russian immigrant parents, the now Berlin based ethereal talent O-SHiN returns with her dreamy new cut ‘Not How I Know Me’.

Having taken her first steps into music as a solo artist in Holland and spending time in numerous sessions with many different producers in Stockholm, she felt the urge to seek inspiration surrounded only by nature and trusted friends. This lead to O-SHiN founding her artistic identity in an isolated cabin in Sweden, where she experimented with field recordings and allowed her environment to dictate her writing.

An existential realisation shapes O-SHiN’s music, and is mirrored in her thoughtful and imaginative lyrics: life is transient. Her music is about accepting death, which goes hand in hand with appreciating life and using the time we have. Musically, this is realised in a mixture of organic, familiar sounds; catchy arrangements on the one hand - and unusual, exotic harmonies and instruments on the other.

The new single ‘Not How I Know Me’ is a strong reflection of these core values and inspirations. O-SHiN’s distinct and unique cadence shines through a dreamy sonic reflection of her heartfelt lyrics. Swelling with emotion, the single creates vivid imagery of her path of self-reflection and introspection.

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via Majestic Casual
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Cypriot artist Metaxas and US indie duo GHSTWRLD follow up the recent 'Everything' single with their newest collaborative release ‘Take It Slow’, available via Majestic Casual.

‘Take It Slow’ further cements the pairing of Metaxas and GHSTWRLD as a dynamic project worthy of praise, as they continue to create catchy indie-electronic singles with polished production and feel good pop sensibilities.

"'Take it Slow’ materialised in Atlanta when we started working again as a group after a four year hiatus. We had been listening to a lot of organic sampled grooves and harvesting ideas in the studio for inspiration. Slowing down, shutting out the noise, deep breathing and re-centering ones energy are the themes we wanted to explore both musically and lyrically.” - Metaxas

After releasing a 5-track EP, a series of singles and award winning music videos ('Selene' & 'Sirens'), Metaxas shifted gears with the summer 2018 release of the downtempo nu-disco single 'Be Real' in collaboration with Swedish producer Rasmus Faber. With overwhelming support, the single now has over 15 million streams, and has been masterfully reworked for some upcoming remixes.

GHSTWRLD
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Metaxas
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Berlin based psych-indie-pop group Morioh Sonder share the new self edited and animated music video for their debut single ‘I Want To Die On My Birthday’.

Speaking about the release, Morioh Sonder explain; “The video is montaged from cuts of a public domain Russian movie called “Ruslan and Ludmilla”, inspired by the respective fable. The classic story is about Russian and Ludmilla getting married but then having to face a number of hardships after Ludmilla is kidnapped by an evil warlock. Ruslan finally defeats the warlock but is then killed by a former friend; in the end a mage resurrects the hero who returns home and meets with Ludmilla.The story by the video instead has Ludmilla being taken to the realm of death after wishing to die and Ruslan going crazy over the loss. He is so insane that a friend has to kill him, sending him also to the realm of death. There he finds and kills the ruler of hell but seeing how Ludmilla is afraid of his present “him” decide to leave her."

Morioh Sonder’s songwriting brings together surf pop and psych rock, in an amalgamation with influences from post punk, disco and Brit-pop, all together encapsulating a unique, dance worthy, yet whimsical modern pop sound. The band's debut single 'I Want To Die On My Birthday' is a wash with shimmering synths, catchy guitar melodies, quirky vocals, and a climactic chorus, all elevating the track to a level that showcases the band's skill in writing music which differs from the norm.

Hailing from various parts of Europe, Morioh Sonder’s sound is an expression of the eclectic personalities of each band member. The original duo of Alexy and Flavy came together in Italy in 2017. After meeting drummer Elijah, the band moved to Los Angeles where they began to refine their sound in front of a live audience, eventually leading them to the cultural melting-pot of Berlin in late 2018. It was not until the band snuck backstage at a show in Berlin and befriended acclaimed producer Martin ‘Lucky’ Waschkowitsch, who recorded and mixed Parcels' breakthrough album, who in turn introduced them to bass player Samira that the band was truly formed. Without a home in the German capital and forced to live a transient lifestyle, the band set up camp in Bewake Studios in Berlin with Lucky, where they produced their debut EP “Is This Psychedelia?”.

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facebook.com/moriohsondermusic

via Believe
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Based in Western-Sydney, Australia, Kamaliza John Salamba is a self taught musician who has honed his craft to become an artist that writes, produces, mixes, and performs all of his original material - creating a style that blends electronic R&B/Soul with UK Garage influences.

Former front man of the much loved duo Olympic Ayres which amassed over 12 million streams on Spotify, Kamaliza has now switched the focus to write material influenced by the music he grew up on; music that is emotive and tells a story of friends, family and the community around him. With his debut single 'Zermatt' amassing close to 1 million streams on Spotify and the follow up 'Zanzibar' sitting at 1.4 million streams, as well as recently signing a distribution deal with Believe Digital, Kamaliza introduces, 'Zenith', the 3rd of the “Z” trilogy.

'Zenith' represents the two minds that can be found when entering a new relationship. There are always reservations about heading into uncharted territory, but this is usually coupled with excitement and enthusiasm. The track features themes of trust, patience, understanding and the desire to help one another out of their shell.

As always Kamaliza has teamed up with long time collaborator and right hand man Ben Thomas from Cape & Monocle to create the artwork to compliment the music. Ben has become a trusted and integral part of the creative process, offering his ear for music and his eye for detail and imagination.

Stay tuned for an additional 3 more Kamaliza singles arriving in the next 12 months and a soon to be announced Sydney show later in the year.

“I’ve always been inspired by the UK Garage scene, I have a romantic imagination as to what that would've been like in the 90’s & 'Zenith' pays homage to that era. I needed to create something that was warm and understanding, but in a key that represented uncertainty, with lyrics that were unabashed, confident & reassuring.” - Kamaliza

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via Friendly Reminder
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Austin, Texas’ freshest upcoming band Fanclub share their debut EP 'All the Same' released via Berlin based label Friendly Reminder.

Fanclub is Mike Lee, Leslie Crunkilton, and Daniel Schmidt from Austin, TX. Fanclub began from Mike's love of twee pop, synth pop, and dreamy guitars. He searched for a vocalist, and when Leslie started singing on a song, it became clear that her voice would be the drive of the band. The songs are dazzling, both melancholic yet upbeat. Fanclub gives us a sound that is hopefully nostalgic but also distinctly brand new.

Following on from the release of the ‘Stranger’ and 'Reflection' singles, the 'All the Same' EP rounds out the collection of Fanclub's debut collective output, showcasing the band's penchant for writing songs that incorporate beauty and pain into a lo-fi, melodic aesthetic.

’Leslie and I started working on a song and before we knew it, we had a ton of material in a short matter of time. Leslie’s band had just broken up and mine was on an indefinite hiatus. Fresh off a heartache and a death in the family, Fanclub was the perfect place for both of us to find creatives ways to move forward. This EP represents a new beginning where we could do old things in a new way. With Daniel supporting us in every sense of the word, we were very careful to sculpt a sound we loved and we hope others will love it too.’ - Mike Lee

Tracklist:
1. Stranger
2. Swear
3. Leaves
4. Reflection
5. Dreamers

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via Absent Mind
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UK label Absent Mind present their latest soul-drenched collaborative single, as No Spirit team up with London duo fika on the new single ‘Better Now’, featuring US vocalist RickyAtoms.

Having already made an appearance on Absent Mind with their single titled ‘High', fika now bring No Spirit in to the fold to contribute to the label’s growing catalogue.

No Spirit are an illusive group of musicians with a pure desire to make music that unites through melding influences from across the globe in to a style all of their own.

The creative output of this collaboration has yielded the effortlessly warm ‘Better Now’ , a languid yet expressive sound, blurring lines between lo-fi hip hop and hook-driven rnb production. RickyAtoms’ rolling vocals collide with the low-slung, blissful beat and nuances of guitar to allow the sun-soaked vibe of the release to shine through.

"'Better Now' is a bittersweet song, reminiscing about the best parts of a relationship but ultimately knowing it would never work and that you're both better off apart." - No Spirit, fika, RickyAtoms

fika
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No Spirit
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RickyAtoms
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