Capturing the dichotomy of knowing ones potential and being trapped by the short changing expectations of others, “Run It Up” is a powerful encapsulation of life under modern society. Similar to the nail biting tension of living under the gun, the lyrical prowess is a stark reminder not to ever underestimate the downtrodden. The first single off the debut album by Bex & Bright showcases their emotional and melodic range offset by the featured rapper 1L1L’s knife’s edge seething delivery. The track infuses drilling percussion, thundering bass, and haunting choral elements.
Next on the list, “My Style”, where Infectious Philadelphia emcee GradedAxe joins the incomparable production duo Bex & Bright to deliver another instant classic. GradedAxe pairs a truly impressive vocal performance with one of the hard-hitting ethereal beats that Bex & Bright have become known for. This track is a true earworm and one that you will want to have playing on repeat.
Lots of fun , lackadaisical energy coming from the get-go. Lyrics are pretty simple. It’s a young man giving warning to another that if he doesn’t treat his woman right the narrator will snatch up his boo-boo bear for his own.
Blaize Infinger (grimeykenneth) is a 22 year old Alt-Rap act out of Austin, TX. He started making music about 2 years ago and have committed to it through and through. In 2020, when the pandemic hit, he transferred from playing football at D-2 in Texas, to a private trade school for audio engineering so he could hold the means to creating his music and content. Ultimately, his main goal is not just to be a musician, but an entertainer with widely varying work.
Rising R&B talent Milla Thyme positions himself for commercial success with the release of his single “Exaltation”.
The single is described as a “sonic journey into the transformations I have undergone in my own personal life” says Thyme. Exhibiting his ability to note an intersection amongst genres, Thyme is venturing deep into the synthesized soundscapes to create a new sound that effortlessly blends his hip-hop, electronic and gospel roots. The song opens with sultry female vocals repeating “Exaltation” and a groovy beat to quickly get listeners in the R&B headspace. Immediately upon the song’s opening, one can hear the fusion of hip-hop, electronic, and gospel elements – a dash of bass, guitar, chords, synthesizer, oohs and ahhs, and an irresistible groove. Thyme’s rapping could not be crisper, with excellent timing, lyrics about transformational freedom and the self, and a tone that feels powerful yet simultaneously meditative. Further representing his ability to work cross-genres, Thyme makes his listeners feel motivated yet completely calmed with the various musical elements incorporated into the new single. The paradox of sensations from the track makes it all the more addicting to hit the replay button.
Milla Thyme is a true devout artist building on the foundations set before him and fearlessly molding it to the present day and time. Born and raised in Toronto, based out of Montreal, Milla Thyme’s artistry is unique and, on a technical level, irreplaceable. By intertwining his skills as a rapper, bassist and producer/composer, he has set the stage for himself as a socially conscious rapper and proficient musician who has earned critical praise amongst his peers and across Canada.
Being influenced by so many different genres, musicians and artists, Thyme prides himself of blending Hip-Hop, Neo-Soul, and Jazz into his craft. His songwriting and well-crafted verses speak to the experiences we all go through, making it easily accessible and universal. He looks to the iconic influential musicians like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Miles Davis, to be inspired to push boundaries and make music that will stand the test of time.
For this track, Thyme teamed up with Vancouver based, Grammy and Juno nominated keyboardist/producer Jonny Tobin. Over the last few years Jonny Tobin has established himself as one of the most sought after producers in Canada, working with artists such as D-Smoke (LA), Sarah Kang (NYC), and Jonny Burgos. With their two talents combined, “Exaltation” feels like as much a promise from the rising star to outdo himself as it does declare him a presence of evolving R&B music.
H.O.M.A flatters honestly on magical r&b single titled “Nubian”.
H.O.M.A pays a powerful homage to women of colour with a new single titled “Nubian”. It is a song which celebrates women of color in a heartfelt and empowering manner. He showers worthwhile praises in poetic nuances towards a love interest who is symbolic of women of colour in general.
Nubian captures H.O.M.A in a super flattery but honest state, painting vivid pictures of the awe, beauty and sensuality of a modern day Nubian princess. Graced with a magical sonic contribution from Nigerian based producer Clogz, the record was created in between the lines of contemporary R&B and highly eccentric alternative music. It is a sensual, percussive and progressive alternative R&B song.
COMPILATION 2 is a seven-track mixtape by impressive alternative artist H.O.M.A, an ardent effort in reflective exploration of sonics and subject matter. He sings about amorous feelings and relationships in different contexts on soulful r&b, pop and eclectic alternative compositions.
Creating a body of work like COMPILATION 2, H.O.M.A has also developed the talent for evoking strong emotions and moods in his listeners through his music and it can be why the music he creates leaves a mark on his ever-increasing blend of unique audience. Scheduled for official release on the 22nd July, COMPILATION 2 welcomes listeners into the deep waters of musical potential H.O.M.A possesses and sets the tone nicely for everything else he offers.
The latest from the innovative Canadian composer is poised to become one of the anthems of the summer just in time for the summer solstice.
The Independent Sound brings a rare level of technical intricacy to their propulsive brand of modern pop called “Jank”. On their new track, a collaboration featuring The OBC, they balance warm summer grooves with poetic lyricism to create a deeply nostalgic summer anthem.
‘I Feel Like I’m Missing’ blends disparate rhythms and shimmering textures to create its hypnotic groove. The mixture of summer imagery and ruminative lyrics creates a compelling vibe that will linger in listeners’ heads for days. It is a track that will appeal to fans of adventurous electronic pop everywhere.
‘I Feel Like I’m Missing’ is available everywhere now.
Edy Forey is a debuting duo based in Edinburgh, UK. Pianist & composer Guilhem Forey makes magic with producer & singing lyricist Edy Szewy. Their eclectic sound lives on the groovier side of jazz – a fusion with retro rhythm & blues, house & soul – simply known as urban jazz.
Their upcoming debut record Culture Today is due for release in 2023. It features an award-winning range of contributing artists from around the world: the signature touch of Bob Power (the engineer behind D’Angelo, Erykah Badu and A Tribe Called Quest), guitar by Mark Lettieri (Snarky Puppy / Vulfpeck), bass by Sharay Reed (Funk Apostles), veteran Nat Reeves and Luca Alemanno on bass; drums from Femi Koleoso (Ezra Collective / Gorillaz) and Tom Gordon (BBC Big Band), soulful rhythm section Leonn Meade and Dean Mark (London Community Gospel Choir), sax by Bob Reynolds (Snarky Puppy) and Los Angeles prodigy Alex Hahn, Japanese jazz legends Toku on flugelhorn and Miho Wada on flute; Berkley’s Sarpay Ozcagatay on flute, percussion by Brazil’s finest Carlinhos Percussão and a range of finest British talent, such as Adam King, Jonathan Tuitt, Andrew Robb and counting…
‘AC Press’ is the EP’s first track and the introduction to the young American’s story. The main character and his brother are on the highway in a Tesla they “borrowed”. The music is catchy, and the Kaytranada-like rhythmics make us get intoxicated by the speed of the electric car, alongside the two protagonists. A synthesizer played in arpeggio counterbalances the power of the kicks and 808’s, like a reminder that the two brothers’ car joyride is far from being safe..
Lonely is a folk style Hiphop song mixed with pop style Melodies and sophisticated lyricism that can relate to all people all ages! Being alone is a feeling some can enjoy while others can find it discouraging but being lonely is a feeling one can find themselves falling victim to even when I’m a room full of people. Produced by L Marquee, this mainstream sound is definitely friendly to the ears while containing a substantial message that spreads awareness on human feelings and emotions.
Rolling Loud is your classic Banger with real traditional hip hop, Bars, word play and a story. Mixed with catchy melodies in the hook and a vibe of structure, this song goes out to the people who have finally reached a new high in life, re defining their level of success in the field they passionately work in to obtain personal gain..
Purple Tribe is the first single from Some Dub Stories, the first story in the band’s visual and musical epic. It’s the melodic loop of the bass, slow and repetitive, that takes us into the world of Purple Tribe, joined by the familiar Dub beat. The loop is fed by a soaring guitar riff, soon joined by a jazz trumpet. The sounds multiply; here we are enveloped in an electro-acoustic Dub symphony. On the video side, thanks to a high-level graphic realization, we discover the fifth member of the group, the turtle Obaba. Obaba leads us in his cosmic journey, where however the environment seems familiar; a people demonstrating, bad guys in armor, the caricature of a former American president… If the music is dreamlike, the message of Purple Tribe is political, as evidenced by the voice samples present on the track, whispering “Make Racism Wrong again”.
Signed on Hidrophonik Records since 2020, Montreal-based jazz-rap singer and songwriter L.Teez is a one-of-a-kind artist with a unique style. He is the product of different cultures, his father being from Quebec of Kabyle descent and his mother Chinese and Jamaican. He mixes sharp rap styles to create a universe of his own, between avant-garde jazz and old school hip hop, between Tyler The Creator, Flying Lotus and Pusha T.
“Waves is a song that shows my growth as an artist, both production & song writing wise. There was a lot of work that went into making it sound the way it does, big live drums triggered with heavy hip hop sounds around them.”
L.Teez crafted “I Need You” in a jam session fashion, with drums, keys and bass. Impossible to resist.
“Never Thought” is part of his new album “Studio Blue”, a real calling card of the young artist, where we can feel all his jazz, soul, funk influences, coupled with a devastating flow reminding the American pioneers of the genre…
HipHop Paranoia 