What a year it has been for music. It was the year I delved into the London hip-hop scene and continued to champion the incredible jazz that is coming out of this beautiful, vibrant and diverse city. I developed more of an interest in house, techno and R&B music as I covered a plethora of…

After releasing a stellar EP earlier this year titled Rhodes To Success, talented North London based producer Naye Fshr comes through with a new 4-track EP titled Seleção Trio.  Starting with the sound of the Brazilian national anthem as well as a snippet of what I believe is their national football team during the 2002 World…

Martin Boev: Depression and mental health are themes that are often explored within the depths of music but rarely is it as poignant or brutally honest as on Earl Sweatshirt’s third studio album Some Raps Songs. At 15 tracks, it spans just 25 minutes. It is a brief but heavily dense album which features incredible…

UK-based musician Steve Spacek has given us an insight into the future of music for years now with his spacey, soulful and mesmerising albums. His second official studio album LP Natural Sci-Fi brings his sound to new heights, with deeply meditative electronic compositions, as well as tribal grooves and soulful vocal performances throughout. The interesting thing…

Spoons EP is the new collaborative EP from producer/DJ Shy One, who is one of the most respected musicians in the scene right now and Kwam, a poet and lyricist from London who is also doing bits in the scene. Recorded in one day after a meeting in an East London Wetherspoons, the six-track project brings…

I feel moved by Weyland McKenzie’s music. I suppose it’s a mixture of the heartfelt and genuine story he tells throughout the music and the gorgeous, dreamy and angelic production that acts as a soundscape to his journey and growth as a musician. The Stoke Newington emcee comes through with his debut EP titled Northeast, an…

As one of the most exciting new young electronic artists to come out of Detroit in recent years, Jay Daniel exceeds expectations with his new full-length album titled TALA. With strong synth leads that command centre stage of the album, subtle but gorgeous keys throughout and heavy drums pulsating throughout the record, TALA is his best…

Talented jazz septet EABS are back with an excellent collaborative project with Tenderlonius titled Kraksa / Svantetic. Having released one of the best jazz albums last year with Repetitions (Letters to Krzysztof Komeda) as well as putting on the best jazz shows I’ve seen this year at the Total Refreshment Centre in London earlier in February, it goes…

*2018 Album of the Year* Just when I thought I’d have my albums of the year list ready for 2018, Danish soul-queen Nanna.B comes through with an incredible new album titled Solen, released on Jakarta Records.  Already impressed by the soulful aura she creates through her powerful vocal performances and incredible production on her EP…

Looking back at some of the releases I may have missed over the last few months, I realised that I missed an essential tape from two excellent producers. FarragoL is a highly talented producer hailing from Taiwan, while NICKELMAN is an excellent musician from Osaka, Japan. Together, they have come together thanks to Beatbliotek, a…

Filipino singer Eyedress comes through with a deeply personal and reflective album on his experiences living in Manila. It’s titled Sensitive G, a dream-pop influenced record that is guitar-heavy, finding a balance between meditative melodies and aggressive rhythms that sound menacing and dark. Eyedress’ vocal performances are clear highlights to this record, who is able…

London based DJ and producer Barney Whittaker goes under the name Footshooter, a talented musician who experiments with skippy, broken beat production and live instrumentation to create a warm, organic and authentic sound that instantly captures a gorgeous, soulful mood. His new project, Technicolour Nights, is an excellent journey through textured electronic landscapes that, as mentioned…

*2018 Album of the Year* With every London jazz release, I always wonder whether there will be a time when I’m left disappointed by the music. Every release so far I have listened to has been nothing short of brilliant, and this is mostly thanks to the tightly knit collective of musicians that collaborate regularly…

21 year old Weyland McKenzie is on to something. The talented Stoke Newington-based musician is back with his second single off his upcoming EP titled “Navigation,” following the release of his first single “TDM.” With heavy trap-influenced production, his catchy flow and hook is accompanied by clever wordplay and an engaging delivery which keeps you…

One of my biggest regrets this year in terms of music discovery is not getting onto 808INK sooner. The talented hip-hop duo from South Lundun, consisting of producer/rapper 808Charmer and Mumblez Black Ink, come through with their new project When I’m About, You’ll Know, Pt. 2, a follow up album to When I’m About, You’ll Know. Spanning 15 songs,…

Paris born, New England-Raised and long time Chicago-residing Makaya McCraven comes through with an incredible double LP titled Universal Beings. Having already worked on one of my favourite releases this year in Where We Come From (CHICAGOxLONDON Mixtape), it goes without saying that I was really looking forward to his new album. It really does not disappoint.…

Apron Records head honcho Steven Julien AKA Funkineven, comes through with a new EP titled 8 Ball. Filled with drum an bass-heavy rhythms, the 3 track EP is full of crazy energy and rhythmic drum programming that is vibrant in tone and character. This is especially the case with the first two tracks “BLK808” and “POT808,”…

After releasing his fantastic new album It’s A World Before You earlier this month through First Word Records, the talented musician comes through with a short new EP titled In My Life, featuring 4 tracks worth of infectious grooves and stellar soulful compositions which prove that he is one of the best producers right now. “Freddie Can’t…

Low Leaf’s spiritual and earthly aura translates beautifully throughout her work. Having followed her growth for years now, it is amazing how much she has blossomed as an artist. PRiMiTiVA is her new project, a 6 track EP that includes some of the most complex, layered and musically enriching compositions I’ve heard this year. It starts off…

What is there to say about legendary Richmond, Virginia producer Ohbliv that hasn’t been said yet? Simply, one of the most gifted producers around today. He comes through with a new project titled LewseJoints The Seventh One Pt. 2, an incredible new beat tape with funk-heavy grooves and iconic samples that make for an immersive listen.…

London based producer eahwee (stylised ǝɐɥʍǝǝ.) comes through with a new beat tape titled The Black Man is Gawd Vol​.​1. Featuring a funk-driven and smooth and jazz inspired sound, the talented musician is able to craft a project that sounds retro in sound, taking inspiration from sample-based hip-hop production. Features include Mutant Academy member )and one of…

Brownswood’s inspiring initiative to work with and mentor some of the most talented young artists in the UK is back for another year of incredible new music. With new talents, new mentors, new experiments and new creations, Future Bubblers 2.0 is an excellent project showcasing music from artists pushing their creativity and talents to the maximum. Don’t…

South London funk quartet The Expansions come through with a musically dense and rich new EP titled Mosaic. Following their impressive debut album Murmuration, released earlier this year, the group continue experimenting with new sounds and develop their sound even further. Despite it only being 3 tracks long, the compositions on this record are vast…