London-based Italian producer Chewbeats has teamed up with fellow producer and keyboard maestro Joel Dawe for a brand new project titled Circles. For those who don’t know, Chewbeats has been a part of the burgeoning beat scene in London, creating hard-hitting yet soulful beats with warm and inviting basslines, something he continuously improves with every…

London-based Parisian singer and songwriter Léa Sen has released a short but sweet new EP titled You Of Now, Pt. 2. Having been introduced to her music via her contributions on the latest Wu-Lu and Oscar Jerome albums, I was eager to get introduced to her incredibly soulful and soothing voice, and this 5-track project…

I have been hearing of Jim Legxacy for a little while now, but never really got into the London rapper, singer and producer’s music until now. homeless n***a pop music is his new project, a collection of 12 tracks, all self-produced, and all incredibly beautiful, as his revealing and vulnerable side shines through. He’s had…

Having covered LA emcee and producer YUNGMORPHEUS for a good few years now, releasing tapes independently, it’s amazing and inspiring seeing him release what is arguably his most complete album to date. From Whence It Came feels like summer, a colourful, soulful and incredibly warm body of work, with varied production from the likes of…

Backwoodz Studioz and the artists associated with the label have been at the forefront of some of the most captivating and inspiring hip-hop of the last decade or so. High Bias is a compilation of sorts, including both artists signed to the label and frequent collaborators and friends. It’s a great introduction to the label,…

Alfa Mist’s expansive musical universe has reached new heights, both in terms of the complex and intricate compositions that represent the growth in his musicianship, and his overall vision. He is a composer, masterfully crafting bodies of work that tell stories through sound, and with the release of his new album Variables, he has set…

Come Thru is a London-based collective of passionate hip-hop lovers and musicians that run occasional events celebrating the community through cyphers of beatmakers and emcees that capture the talents of some of the city. Having been to a few of these events, it really is a celebration of the culture in the best possible way,…

Was doing my general Bandcamp browse this past weekend, and the Bulgarian Beat Wave vol. 2 compilation album. As it’s my country, I feel a sense of pride in the quality of music coming out of there, and also a sense of responsibility in covering a project like this. The guys at Stereofox put this…

Richmond, Virginia emcee Fly Anakin has teamed up with Connecticut producer Foisey Side A of their new project Skinemaxxx. The Mutant Academy member has been on a roll over the last 5 years or so, releasing some incredible music in the process. Seeing him live a few weeks ago in London was a reminder of…

B. Cool-Aid, the special duo of Pink Siifu and Ahwlee, have just released what is their most complete and captivating project to date. Their debut project together was in 2017 and titled BRWN, an incredible neo-soul tape with incredibly lush and textured production, and the melodic and versatile Pink Siifu on the mic, talking about…

Ok, I’m going to say this right now – SCARING THE HOES is my album of the year so far, and I would be very surprised if it wasn’t at #1 on my end-of-year list. JPEGMAFIA produced the entire album, and oh my god, this is one of the most experimental yet weirdly accessible albums…

Over the past 5 years or so, Navy Blue has shared with the world his heart, his vulnerabilities, his mental struggles and his hope for the future, all in soulful, concise and incredibly powerful bodies of work that capture the talents of the New York-based multihyphenate. Whether we’re talking about his 2020 debut, Àdá Irin,…

Led by London-based artist, DJ, and curator Anja Ngozi, Síbín is a label and community of innovative talented artists in the world of ambient, hip-hop, electronic and jazz music – usually of the eclectic soulful, ethereal and head-nod type shit. Having followed her journey with this Síbín project for a few years now, it’s great…

Vulnerability is power – Yazmin Lacey is proof of this. She has been coming into her own over the last few years, with intimate soul tracks that shed light on her talents as a vocalist and songwriter. EP’s like When The Sun Dips 90 Degrees set the standard for her textured, densely produced soulful and…

Yves Tumor may be one of the defining, most important artists of the last decade. I said it, but it’s true. They have been at the forefront of some of the most experimental psych and glam rock, hip-hop and electronic music since their 2011 debut as Teams Dxys Xff. Since then, he’s released some exceptional…

LA-artist Sideshow has been making some of the most unique hip-hop music in recent years, helped by idiosyncratic and varied production that’s captivating, textured, and all-round exciting. His 2019 project Farley is exemplary of this, and with the release of his new project 2MM DON’T JUST STAND THERE!, he continues to set his own standards…

The Atlanta, US-based post-punk quartet Algiers have been at the forefront of some of the most dynamic, politically-charged music of the last decade or so. Their 2015 eponymous debut album set the scene for a group that doesn’t fear the unknown, rather embraces it. Sonically harsh and abrasive, often high-energy and deeply reflective, with colonial…

Maxo has never shied aware from sharing his vulnerabilities to the world, as exemplified with his exceptional 2019 album LIL BIG MAN. The California rapper has always been able to articulate his pains and struggles through introspective raps and soulful production, and has improved considerably as a writer and storyteller over the last few years.…

London-based designer and artist Ryan Hawaii has been an influential figure within the arts scene in the city, and has been contributing his talents on the mic for a few years now, but Factory Settings, his new mixtape, feels like his most complete work to date. 9 tracks and 21 minutes in length, the project…

Brooklyn, New York emcee Nappy Nina has been sharing her introspections on her life for some time now, with intimate and cohesive albums over the years in The Tree Act, Dumb Doubt and Double Down among others, painting vivid pictures of her state in mind, her vulnerabilities and her dreams while doing it over electronic-influenced…

Dallas, Texas native Liv.e is somewhat of a soul and R&B legend of the independent scene in the last decade or so. Her incredible unique voice and artistic versatility make her one of the interesting musicians working today, and this became even more evident with the release of her breakout official 2020 album Couldn’t Wait…

South East London meets Brooklyn, New York on one of the more impressive collaborative projects I’ve heard in a while. Repping London is Jadasea, a super talented emcee who has been releasing some of my favourite hip-hop in years, with projects such as half-life, time-will-tell, and more recently LOOKALIVE!, which came out mid-last year. His…

There are few emcees working today that are able to channel the cacophonous intensity yet lyrical sharpness and prowess as SKECH185, and I’m basing that off one album alone. I was introduced to the talented wordsmith briefly via Armand Hammer’s record “If He Holla” off their classic 2018 album Paraffin, and have been intrigued by…

Young Fathers’ experimental, meandering and expressive sound has only gotten better over the years. I remember the feeling I had listening to TAPE ONE and TAPE TWO for the first time when they came out in the early 2010s. Their soulful, eclectic and absolutely mesmeric sound has only strengthened with each and every release. Heavy…

Nelson Bandela has quietly become one of the most innovative producers and artists of the last few years. Projects like God Dad Bod and Black James Blake E​.​P are exemplary of his talents as a producer, combining his usual funk-driven grooves, electronic and synth experimentations, and a uniquely soothing and soulful voice that I’ve come to…

Queens, New York artist KING VISION ULTRA has been an integral part of the independent experimental hip-hop scene in the last few years, with his dystopian, striking and eclectic production making it onto some of the most interesting albums of the last few years. His collaborative album An Unknown Infinite with AMANI is an example…