It's that time again, New Music Friday curated by Kindred. straight to your phone every fortnight. This week we saw Nia Archives release yet another jungle banger as well as see an EP from Welsh rapper Luke RV. Social media sensation Stepz has slowly started to kick off his rap career and DEJA takes us back to her roots with her sultry number this week. Lets take a closer look and see if anything tickles your fancy.
Nia Archives - So Tell Me
Reflecting on difficult decisions, Nia Archives is back with a jungle-infused roller 'So Tell Me' with accompanying visuals that reference Massive Attack and Arctic Monkeys. With 'So Tell Me' a warm and utterly timeless jungle roller lush with soaring strings, melodic piano harmonies and brooding bass guitar licks, this track speaks volumes on Nia’s incredible talent not only as a producer but as a vocalist and songwriter. Lyrically reflecting on a personal memory of a time where she struggled with a decision to leave or stay, her knack for ardent story-telling and effervescent relatability strikes again - 'So Tell Me' will be sure to capture the hearts of millions of listeners. Dropping alongside the track today is another incredible Nia Archives co-directed video alongside Dan Emerson, that follows the story of two young lovers in London hanging out with their separate friends, only to find each other at the end of the night.
Luke RV - WHAT'S THAT, over there
Welsh rapper, singer and songwriter Luke RV has released an eight-track project 'WHAT'S THAT, over there' which showcases Luke's personal navigation through life and his musical career through introspective and meaningful lyrics. With production provided by his close circle of friends from back home, Kiddus, Minas and Kaspuh, Luke RV highlights his knack for production as well as his passion for the pen. "'WHAT’S THAT, over there’ is a bit of an oxymoron to me." Luke RV says about the project. "In terms of the title and the themes. My last big project was 'Going Nowhere', and I wanted to sort of reflect on my journey since then. That project alluded to the idea that you can accomplish lots, but still remain in the same place. With this project I wanted to convey that I am growing as an artist and as a person."
Stepz - Pacman ft. Fizzler
TikTok sensation Stepz, well known for his viral videos reenacting peculiar situations on 0.5 camera, released a new track titled 'Pacman' featuring rapper Fizzler. After a whirlwind of success conquering the digital scene, 20-year-old Stepz continues to develop his artistry with the unrelenting drill offering. Clever wordplay and rigorous patter at its core, the record modernises the infamous sound effects of the beloved video game atop a heavily addictive beat. With choppy percussive layers and chest-rattling 808s to set pace as Stepz illustrates the unpredictable natural and inner-city pressures of growing up in a busy London environment.
DEJA - Leave Me
Back with a sonic twist, DEJA reveals her latest single ‘Leave Me’, a feisty cut which refuses to turn its back on the good vibes of the summer. Coming through as effortlessly powerful – both sonically and sentimentally, 'Leave Me' portrays mellow pads and an infectious afro-beat groove providing a bed to DEJA’s sassy vocals, as she confidently delivers her message of keeping bad vibes away with the assistance of her indigenous African tongue. In her own words, DEJA explains; “Don’t get me wrong - I’m definitely an extrovert at heart but sometimes I just want to be left in my peace. “Kiloṣe ẹ? Go shift your shhhh” “Kiloṣe ẹ” is Yoruba for “what is the matter with you?” - as in, what are you doing?! Keep your bad vibes away from me and remove yourself from my front! I wrote “Leave Me” as a statement to anyone who even dares to bring me stress. Basically this song is saying, let me live my best life!”
daine - shapeless
Expanding on their transformative debut Quantum Jumping, daine draws deeper into their coming-of-age experience with today’s release, exploring the notions of appearance, agency and perception as they find security in their place in the world. ‘Shapeless’ sets the stage for the drama of daine’s constant reinvention.“It’s a dark track about becoming what people want but using that as leverage to get what you want” they reveal. Through ‘Shapeless’ daine transcends forms both physical and meta, honing in on the mixtape's core themes of a boundlessness beyond structure built through their experiences with disability, heartache and hardship. “The lyrics are: ‘lips fake, eyes fake, teeth fake, facelift. I got it all, now I'm shapeless.’”daine explains. “I’m customising my avatar to become a flawless CGI character, and using that to get further in my life.”
Chinwe - Paranoia
East London’s Chinwe creates music as a means to make sense of the world around her. An introspective artist, her latest release 'Paranoia' transforms past setbacks into personal growth - discovering the light within. using the contemporary musical stylings of Portishead with the rich, jazz filled rhythms of Nina Simone, Chinwe’s brooding soundscapes glitter with rich instrumentals and her warm vocal timbre. Following the release of her debut EP Scar Tissue, Chinwe ushers in a new era with 'Paranoia' as she sets her sights on her sophomore EP project - due for release early 2023. “Don’t look behind” she urges the listener, “you won’t like what you find”. This is the track’s mantra, imploring that we find beauty and gratification in the present as opposed to fixating on the troubles of the past. Accompanied by the gentle plucking of her harp, 'Paranoia' is filled with celestial magic - laced with Chinwe’s soulful vocals and shimmering electronics.
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