Hey everyone, hope you’re staying sane still in these extraordinary and worrying times. Despite all that’s been going on, there has been some truly excellent music released over the past few weeks, some of which I will cover more in depth in the next few days. So without further ado, here’s this week’s roundup! Hope you enjoy!
RIP Bill Withers 🕯️
Features
Conway’s menacing and unapologetic flow coupled with Alchemist’s gritty and unfiltered production makes LULU such a poignant and memorable listening experience
Overall, it’s Conway’s menacing and unapologetic flow and Alchemist’s gritty and unfiltered production that make LULU such a great listening experience. Their chemistry is perfect throughout and I can’t wait to hear what both musicians will do in the future, because I’m almost certain they will work together soon. A match made in heaven on a project that sounds gritty and unapologetically brutal and honest. It’s a great EP that deserves all the support and love it can get!
Releases
Sideshow – Asked Amlak To Wash My Hands
Talented rapper and producer Sideshow has had a pretty great year so far musically with projects like FARLEY and Ginger Shot, and he is back with a a brand new tape titled Asked Amlak To Wash My Hands. The 8-track project features some incredibly engaging production that balances soulful production with more aggressive and energetic moments. His introspection and diverse flow throughout makes him a fascinating artist, and this new project is a testament to that. I look forward to more music from the talented artist.
ANKHLEJOHN – Mahmudra
DC rapper ANKHLEJOHN has released a new EP titled Mahmudra. It acts as somewhat of a teaser for his anticipated new album The Face of Jason, set to be released on the 21st April. Mahmudra is a concise, soulful yet hard-hitting project that sees the talented emcee flow effortlessly over some dusty soul looks and beats. His lyrics are witty, with clever wordplay throughout and an engaging, animated energy from ANKHLEJOHN, who is able to create an engaging body of work with a lot of replay value.
Brother’s Testament – 4:7
Brother’s Testament, the London-based jazz fusion band led by Munashe-Caleb Manyumbu, have come through with a brand new album titled 4:7. They describe it as an album that deals with disappointment, loss and disillusionment whilst navigating through adulthood. Sonically, the album meanders between rhythmic, guitar-driven melodies such as on the opener “TO TIMOTHY.” and more sombre, piano-led melodies on tracks like “deborah II” featuring Ben Vize. The drumming, handled by Jack Robson, throughout the album is brilliant and provides a vibrant energy to the album, while the guitar leads (Mark Mollison) and keys/synths (unashe-Caleb Manyumbu) provide a beautiful, melodic vibe that perfectly captures the infectious and groovy soundscape the album provides. Hugo Piper on bass means funky rhythms as well. The album is an explosive one, with a soulful core that makes it a wonderful listening experience.
Irreversible Entanglements – Who Sent You?
Avant-garde jazz band Irreversible Entanglements come through with a heavy, unsettling and politically charged new album titled Who Sent You?. It’s a truly mesmeric body of work that combines a freakish, truly anxious-driven project with raw and unfiltered political opinion about police brutality, bureaucracy and much more. The energy they are able to create through their music does not stop throughout the 5-track project. It’s a vast musical experience that combines avant-garde melodies with no particular structure or apparent purpose other than to chill you to your bones. It’s a truly masterful body of work, and I can’t wait to hear what they have coming next, because they are definitely a band to remember.
Forest Law – Forest Law EP
Essex-raised, London-based artist Forest Law has released a brand new self-titled 3-track EP. Forest Law brings an infectious blend of Latin American rhythms and soulful electronic music. His vocal performance throughout the project is subdued yet beautiful, adding to the textures and brilliant blend of funky, soulful and upbeat music. The tribal percussion throughout is also incredible, as he is able to bring a raw and dynamic sound to his music. A great release indeed!
Maverick Soul – Knocks and Vibes
Talented beatmaker Maverick Soul has released a stellar new project titled Knocks and Vibes. With gorgeous soul loops and guitar and synth leads throughout, the sound is rich and textured with layered instrumentation that is just brilliant throughout. From the engaging and punchy opener “Faded” to the melodic and thumping closer “Trust Me,” Maverick Soul has created a stellar soundscape that brings such emotive vibes that are truly touching. A great release I absolutely recommend.
Nick Hakim – QADIR (Single)
New York-based singer and overall amazing musician Nick Hakim has come through with an emotive new single dedicated to his late friend Qadir Imhotep West, who passed away in 2018 aged 25, whose young face is on the cover. It’s a truly emotive track, with slow-paced synths and drumming that capture such an ethereal, otherworldly tone, while Nick’s vocal performance sounds angelic. KeiyaA, Pink Siifu, and Oyinda add vocals to the track, again capturing an emotive and stunningly beautiful energy that brings the track to life. It’s an emotive and beautiful track, that acts as the first single to his brand new album WILL THIS MAKE ME GOOD set to be released on the 15th May. Something to definitely look forward to.
SHADEEMUS – Desert Days (Single)
SHADEEMUS is a newly formed psychedelic rock band consisting off musical polymath Scott Xylo, talented guitarist Adam Martin and the incredible Irish singer Demigosh. “Desert Days” is their new single, a soulful and psychedelic new track featuring an incredible groove and beat, poignant guitar leads that evoke a soulful and distant vibe, as well as a vocal performance that’s emotive and beautiful. It’s an amazing track, I expect no less, but it’s great to see Scott Xylo continue to experiment musically and bring people into his eclectic world. Great track!
Fly Anakin & Medhane – Lattice Method (Single) prod. Ohbliv
Rappers Fly Anakin and Medhane connect for a new single titled “Lattice Method.” It’s produced by Mutant Academy member Ohbliv, who brings a groovy, bass-heavy beat that sounds soulful and raw. Medhane and Fly Anakin both kill the beat, providing introspective and vivid lyricism. They sound incredibly hungry on the beat, and I can imagine what a whole collaborative album between the two rap heavyweights would sound like.
Ras G – Dip (Single)
It still hurts me to think that legendary LA producer Ras G is no longer with us on earth. His music spoke to so many people within the hip-hop world, and it goes without saying that I’m excited for any new unreleased Ras G music. His legendary Raw Fruit album series lives on with Vol. 5 & 6, which is set to come out on the 19th June. The first single off the new project is here and it’s titled “Dip.” It’s a soulful, chopped up track with incredible vocals throughout, an infectious groove and his signature “Oh RAS!” sound throughout. I look forward to this new release, and as usual – RIP Ras G, you are dearly missed.
Weekly Playlist
Tracklist
Bill Withers – Then You Smile At Me (Menagerie)
Bill Withers – You Got The Stuff (‘Bout Love)
Nick Hakim – QADIR (Single)
Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes – Kyiv (Single)
SHADEEMUS – Desert Days (Single)
Ivan Ave – Guest List Etiquette ft Joyce Wrice (Single)
Forest Law – New Thoughts New Eyes – Extended (Forest Law EP)
Brother’s Testament – deborah II (4:7)
Maverick Soul – Faded (Knocks and Vibes)
Ras G – Dip (Single)
Fly Anakin & Medhane – Lattice Method (Single)
ANKHLEJOHN – Sailor Moon (Mahamudra)
Sideshow – PointGuard (Asked Amlak to Wash My Hands)
Stove God Cooks – Money Puddles (Reasonable Drought)
Conway & Alchemist – Gold BBS’s (LULU)
Goya Gumbani & Bori – Round 4 (Steps Across The Pond)
Skepta, Chip & Young Adz – St Tropez (Insomnia)
Irreversible Entanglements – Who Sent You – Ritual (Who Sent You?)
In Search of Media 
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