In January of this year Phil Beaudreau teamed with Dawaun Parker and released Ether……the world stood still momentarily as I soaked it all in. It is a great album and deserves all the critical acclaim that came it’s way. If you have not purchased it click here. You will not be disappointed. Recently he took to covering a Jhene Aiko track, “Spotless Mind”, and KILLED IT! Not that I do not like Jhene’s version, I have not heard it, and I certainly do not need to now. SHADE.
Drums….drums can make or break a track. When Stro Elliot, producer for The Procussions, remixes a track there is always one constant, THE DRUMS ARE BANGING. This is as sure as the sun rising in the east and setting out west. Mackenzie is an up and coming vocalist from Los Angeles, CA. He voice is nearly flawless, his song writing is on point. Together the two take us on a trip through the cosmos on the back of a Luck Dragon. The milky way is the backdrop and aurora borealis tour guide. Enjoy.
On May 20th, Kwabs’ Pray For Love EP, will be available. Powerful and touching visuals for the title track were released today. You can get an early preview of one of the tracks from the album titled “Brother” for free if you Shazam the video. Kwabs has a great voice and he bares his soul vocally. His music is commanding and beautiful. Be sure to check out more of his music by clicking here
PRE-ORDER- KWABS – PRAY FOR LOVE EP
Juliette Ashby, is the latest in a line of potentially incredible British female vocalists. This is not to say she does not stand out on her own, she does. She has a great voice and range. Over the past several years we’ve seen an influx in female soul singers from the UK, so it bares to be said. Like Emeli Sande, I see a potentially huge upside for Juliette. “Over & Over” appears on her debut album Bittersweat which will be available soon. It serves as the warm up and free download for anyone who pre-orders Bittersweet. For all pre-order customers once their goal is met in pre-sales, they will release 5 demo tracks. As an added, added bonus, they are also donating 5% of all proceeds to VH1’s Save The Music Charity. Win/Win/Win. Check her out on Facebook too.
PRE-ORDER: JULIETTE ASHBY – BITTERSWEET
1-O.A.K. finally blesses us with some new material, enlisting the help of Richmond, CA’s P-Lo (The Heartbreak Gang) on the rappity raps and Hyperspace Music boom baps. 1-O.A.K. delivers on “Slide Thru”, touching on that time in every man’s life when he has to make the choice to get over their ex and get on with things. That’s the PC version, of course. That bass line is hella dope!
Top Dag Entertainment’s SZA will be dropping her album Z, tomorrow and the DJ Dahi produced “Babylon” is but one song on the stand out album. The song is a great representation of SZA’s potential, of course, a cameo from Kendrick Lamar never hurts anyone. SZA can certainly stand on her own two feet. She has the voice of a siren infused with this bass heavy beat which makes this an instant repeat track.
Video from South Chicago RnB singer Chris James featuring King Push. Purchase the single from iTunes by clicking here. Be sure to check out Chris James L.I.F.E. (Love Isn’t For Everyone) dropping this year. Since linking up with John Monopoly and Rich America in 2012, see Kanye West, things have been looking up for the Chi-Town soul singer. Video was directed by Gravitii Films
On “Tonight”, the newest offering from R&B crooner Kerry Thomas, he is taking his girl for a night on the town. Guest spitter TrickyLT? He’s not exactly going out NOWHERE. I wonder why the traditional R&B/Rap formula is the vocalist is the nice guy and the rap guy is only trying to creep? I know it’s a proven formula and this track works well and should get some serious radio attention but once I’d like the rapper to talk about taking his girl out and spending the night for her. What a non-rap perspective?
Yuri Jones is a New Orleans born musician and poet, 7th Ward to be exact, who was relocated to Houston post Katrina. Times got tougher for Jones as he was diagnosed with cancer and defeated it not once but twice. Those hardships can derail some people, but not Jones, he turned it into motivation. Instead of seeing despair and heartache he saw hope. In an interview with InvadeNola he is quoted as saying “I’m inspired by waking up in a world of joys and sorrows, successes and failures, victories and defeats. There’s always a story to be told, whether it be my own or the story of someone I’ve never met. Everyday deserves a different page in my notebook.”
“Running” was produced by Los Angeles based Blair Taylor. The video is directed by Jacob Turrentine. The video has the feel of a short film as Yuri is shown looking for a female in a hotel, but remains a step behind her the entire way.
Songbird Lucille Ghatti is back with some produced by her longtime co-conspirator DJ Wes. “At Your (Neck)” is from Banner Manners, an EP which is available now, go preview it on Okayplayer
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