ZION - "HER, HER & YOU" [Video]

The 19-year-old British-Nigerian talent stepped out in the UK scene with recent tracks ‘Friendzone’, ‘The Point’ and‘Wahala’, which have collectively garnered over 2 million streams and 1 million video views.

Following their success, and lifted from forthcoming project of the same name, ‘Her, Her & You’ is produced by recent collaborator Fanatix (Giggs, Stylo G, Chip) and combines old school R&B vibes with Afrobeat influences and ZION’s signature smooth vocals. 

Sure to cement his rise in the UK, the accompanying music video sees ZION turn on the charm as he sings to mesmerize the women in his life. Zion says; "I remember being in the mind-frame of wanting three women because they offered three very different things to me, its such a relatable topic I had to put it in a song. 'Her Her & You' is definitely one of my favourite records so far, it's the second track I have made with Fanatix and how everything came together was dope and phenomenal."

Joshua J - "Let Go" [Video]

Following on from the single release which dropped on Christmas Eve, Joshua J can now reveal the official video for 'Let Go', shot in Barcelona.

Watch the video here.

Speaking on the video, the 20-year-old Dutch artist says “Somehow I couldn’t come up with an idea for the video, so my best friend booked us flights to one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and we decided to ‘let go’.”

As well as this, Joshua J has announced his debut LP '1998' which is due for release on 8th March 2019. Joshua J started writing and singing when he moved out of the foster home he grew up in. Creating this album helped him to process a lot of what happened in the first nineteen years of his life. It brought him closer to who he is and outlined who he wants to become. '1998' represents Joshua in his purest, more sincere form.

Sônge - "Roses" [Video]

M.I.A., Santigold, fka twigs and Christine and the Queens are just some of the comparisons that were made when French genre-bending R&B / pop modernist SÔNGEreleased her self-titled debut EP in 2017. Yet much like those boundary-breaking artists, SÔNGE is a creative force in her own right with a distinct and uncompromising musical vision. Equally inspired by synaesthesia, mythology and post-impressionism, SÔNGE is one-of-a-kind.

That’s a trait that SÔNGE resolutely demonstrates with her brand new track ‘Roses’. The song represents the first taster of her full-length debut album, which will follow in 2019.

Produced by Myd (Club cheval, Theophilus London) of Ed Banger Records, ‘Roses’ finds SÔNGE contrasting the languid, regret-filled grooves of the verses with a defiant hook fuelled by echoing synth shots and skittering beats. Her vocals organically capture the emotional heart of the subject matter, from heartfelt regret to strutting self-confidence. The creative vocal production embellishments add to the track’s singular style, especially when her voice is pitch-shifted down to a near baritone.

The track was mixed and mastered by NKF, best known for his work with PNL and Orelsan.

Directed by Arnaud Giacomini, a former collaborator with Olivier Assayas and Mia Hansen-Løve, the video exudes a hazy, late summer vibe. It depicts SÔNGE undertaking a road-trip accompanied by two enigmatic sidekicks known only as A and M. In keeping with the song’s theme of impermanence, the trio ultimately engage in visceral scenes of destruction.

In addition to her more esoteric influences such as Paul Gauguin and Lars von Trier, you can trace echoes of contemporary greats such as Björk and Kendrick Lamar in SÔNGE’s exploratory soundscapes. Whether based in her hometown of Brest in Brittany or dating back to when she lived in Germany and Amsterdam, SÔNGE’s insomnia has provided a silver lining of creativity: an opportunity to write songs free from the distractions of the daylight hours.

Puma Blue - "Moon Undah Water" [Video]

Puma Blue’s incendiary set at The Great Escape to a packed out room at The Arch prompted Clash to conclude: “Puma Blue stole the show on Thursday night with an incredible performance – taut, emphatic, and blessed with wonderful songwriting.”

Now fast rising South Londoner Puma Blue – aka Jacob Allen - continues to share his timeless atmosphere with the latest visuals for fan favourite Moon Undah Water which peaked at #1 on Hypemachine and receive radio support by KCRW, Worldwide, BBC 6Music, NTS. The track gained critical acclaim amongst tastemakers including Dummy, Crack, Notion, Clash, Hypebeast and Wonderland amongst others. 

The track’s central looped riff is hypnotizing in its simplicity, but it grows in intensity with Puma Blue’s impassioned croon escalating to an impassioned howl as saxophone scrawls across the band’s lurching grooves. Moon Undah Water is out now on Blue Flowers(Nilufar Yana, Westerman, Gotts Street Park.)

The new video channels Puma Blue’s dusky midnight vibes that break through the track. The evocative nature of the music is carefully caprtured by director  Netti Hurley ,whose previous video credits include Coping for Dazed, and Adidas. The video was institctively shot around London, with Allen and Hurley leading the way.

“Jacob’s music inspires a lot of feeling, in a kind of effortless way, so wanted the video to reflect this. Lo-fi relaxed candid and intimate. Submerged feelings and thoughts, dreamlike, poetic but very DIY.” Explains Hurley: “Spontaneously shot, with no plan, just wandering across London with a camcorder.”

Allen adds: “It ended up sort of becoming this old karaoke video, and we kind of tried to embrace that. I liked the idea of this song being forgotten about and then brought out at a karaoke bar in 50 years as a kind of ace up the sleeve of someone who happens to randomly know it.”

Although ‘Moon Undah Water’ has been part of his songbook for a while, Puma Blue was inspired to finally record the track, that features his heavier live sound, after working on it fresh from completing a tour. The song was written and produced by Puma Blue - aka Jacob Allen - with mixing and additional production courtesy of Dilip Harris (King Krule, Mount Kimbie).

Mahalia - "I Wish I Missed My Ex" [Video]

British rising star Mahalia has today unveiled her brilliant new single ‘I Wish I Missed My Ex’ alongside a cleverly crafted surrealistic video. In addition, the British songstress has announced that she will be touring the US for the first time this summer and also a 10-date UK tour for 2018 which includes a date at London’s prestigious Brixton Electric – her biggest tour to date!

Produced by Maths Times Joy - who produced Mahalia’s stand-out debut single ‘Sober’ – and emerging producer Swindle, ‘I Wish I Missed My Ex’ is a perfect example of her trademark, open-hearted lyricism fusing old-school soul and atmospheric synths with R&B/pop leanings. The accompanying video was shot in LA by Director Andrew Litten over a 22-hour stint:

“The first time I heard IWIMME, I knew the track needed a big idea. I’ve always loved Spike Jonze’s video for “Drop” by the Pharcyde and decided to pay homage by creating a backwards music video with a contemporary spin. I hired a linguist from UCLA to teach Mahalia the song backwards which she surprisingly learned in a day. The DP, Dustin Lane, and I have always wanted to make something in our neighborhood, Highland Park. We chose family owned locations and hired a few extras while scouting the neighborhood. Mahalia’s reversed performance oozes spontaneity and confidence. I can’t thank her enough for joining us on the journey, and signing on to recreate this insane concept.”

Leicester native Mahalia is quickly becoming one of this year’s most exciting UK female artists, riding fast her in her own lane marrying her supple vocals with magnetic R&B and shimmering soulful production.

Mahalia released her debut single ‘Sober’ last summer which to date has amassed over 20 million streams and seen her social media following swell to well over 150k. Following the release, Mahalia graced the Berlin online platform COLOR’s, where her performance of ‘Sober’ went viral and has since accumulated over 10 million views! ( link).

At 12 years old – the age most of us are aimlessly riding bikes or trying to avoid homework – Mahalia was cradling her guitar and penning love songs. With her entrancing, soulful tones, wise-yet-relatable wordplay and intuitive sense of melody, it quickly became clear that she had an innate musicality and that she’d be doing this for the rest of her life. 

In the time since she first picked up that guitar she’s dropped a scattering of releases – from 2012’s indie-flecked acoustic dream ‘Head Space’ to 2015’s gorgeously understated 4-track EP ‘Never Change’ – and 2016’s genre-flipping mixtape ‘Diary of Me’. But for Mahalia, it feels as if she’s just getting started.