WE love G.O.O.D Music! & not just that mainstream music either! We love... anything really & from anyone too! If it sounds GOOD, we'll plug it (plug = spread the word lol)! We aim to bring 2 U G.O.O.D music that radio doesn’t play... that U won't hear anywhere!
When a song sticks to you and won’t let go, it just will NOT let go - it keeps playing in your head, in your mind and in your sleep - in a good way. That’s how I describe NOSA’s (full name Nosa Omoregie) songs - it’s like a hug you don’t want to let go off. I don’t know if it’s his voice or his lyrics, his depth or the soothingness of his sound or maybe it’s all of the above; he is such an effortless and natural singer/songwriter and it is with great pleasure that we plug to you this refreshing and unique Nigerian inspirational neo-soul singer/songwriter - NOSA.
OK, I’m sorry but I just can’t seem to start this article in any of the conventional ways I know. I mean, right now I’m listening to a song by our featured artist and I just feel so compelled to talk about it right now! I just can’t wait to introduce this artist to you and we’ll get to that in a minute but first we just have to talk about this masterpiece of a song - which by the way is not on the album I'm featuring/reviewing (heaven knows why) but is none the less still worth PLUGGING!
"The Drowning" is the name of the very first song I am plugging to you from this artist, and not to sound too morbid or anything but if I was going to commit suicide or "drown" myself, it would have to be to this beautifully depressing song! I literally pressed play and that was it - I was utterly captured in his description of his shipwreck of emotions. He describes the love he shares with this person as an old weary boat, and how the water is gushing in and he’s more likely to drown but for her love, it’s worth it!!! If the film Titanic was cool instead of corny, it would have had this as its soundtrack. "The Drowning" - backed only by acoustic guitar strings - is so honest and deep, that it physically hurts to listen to but you just can’t bring yourself to press the stop button. The stillness in your mind it creates is just something out of this world and it’s almost like you would be quite happy to just sit on this boat he sings of while it loses its battle against the waves and just happily drown! I could really go on and on with my not so comprehensive descriptions of "The Drowning" but it might still never quite hit home so you literally have to press play below, perhaps more than once!
I’m disappointed I hadn’t heard of Donald Glover prior to receiving the link to his latest album CAMP and if you’ve heard of the rapper who goes by the stage name Childish Gambino, you’re one up on me.
Born September 25, 1983, Donald Glover is an actor, a comedian, a writer and - adding to his list of talents - a rapper and a producer. He has attended the Dekalb School of the Arts in Atlanta, Georgia and also graduated from NYU with a degree in Dramatic Writing in 2006. No surprises there as Donald was a writer for Tina Fey's NBC series 30 Rock for two years and won the Writer's Guild of America Award for his work on the show's third season. He also starred in the popular US TV show Community as Troy Barnes as well as writing for Jon Stewart'sThe Daily Show amongst other roles in TV and Film. With music, Donald started out in college dropping a few mixtapes here and there, and by few I mean many. His most famous project till date - the album Culdesac - was released last year and now we feature his brand new album titled CAMP. To be precise, CAMP is his fourth album but first commercial release which is scheduled for release on November 15 under Glassnote Records. Lest I forget, Donald also DJs under the moniker mcDJ and has released a number of mixes under this name. I ask is there anything this man can’t do? Let's get into some of the amazing music to expect on CAMP, shall we?
I first heard and saw Martyna Baker back in the Autumn of 2009 - it was a showcase for BBC Sound of 2011 nominee Daley, she was one of the two supporting acts to open for him - and despite the annoyingly noisy crowd and reception at the otherwise intimate Ruby Lo venue in London, Martyna Baker, along with her guitar, delivered a beautiful selection of acoustic songs that simply just blew me away. Unfortunately or otherwise, in the two years that have proceeded after that performance, I haven't seen or heard much of Martyna or her music except for news of an odd gig here or there but fast forward to this week and all that seems rather irrelevant because Ms. Martyna Baker has - out of nowhere - gone and released a short but sweet "introduction" if you will of her music to her wider audience by way of a 5-track EP simply titled Martyna Baker - The Demo's and can I just say right off the bat that it's an AMAZING debut EP from the London-based singer, songwriter and musician - without question!
22-year old singer, song writer and musician Lucy Rose grew up in the country side and spent her early teenage years learning how to play the saxophone, piano, guitar and drums in the basement of the family house. By the age of 19, she made a run for London and started off singing in little rooms above pubs to a highly inebriated audience night after night. It wasn't long before her unique voice and songwriting abilities captured the ears of true fans which subsequently increased her gigging and put her on the radar. She’s been on the scene properly since the start of last year, is under the management of Black Book Management - who also manage Razorlight and Ghost Cat - and is currently supporting Ben Howard on his UK-wide tour. Lucy’s voice alone is capturing but coupled with her heart felt lyrics and beautiful melodies, her songs are just magical. She sings Acoustic/Folk/Pop in a way that keeps you captivated no matter what genre of music you are into. Here are a few tracks that made me an instant fan of Lucy Rose!
I know nothing about music. That’s the conclusion I came to after I listened to Bridget Kelly for the first time today. I mean, how do I call myself a music connoisseur of high caliber and not ever have heard of Bridget Kelly. I’m just saying that if you would like to revoke my card right now, I would be totally OK with that. However, better late than never right? Exactly, right and just in case you are like me and you had never heard of Bridget Kelly- in all likelihood, you probably have but maybe not the music - until you came through here, let me introduce you to the sultry 23-year old singer, who quite frankly is probably one of the freshest voices I have heard in the R&B scene, all year long!
The date - May 26, 2007... The event - Season One of West Africa Idols... The Place - Planet One, Lagos, Nigeria. Suspense fills the air as the announcer starts off with "Now Africa, your votes has been counted... May I have the envelopes, please?", as a male and a female sway on stage and the crowd screams as the words that follow are, "the winner of Idols West Africa, 2007 is...". The winner of the first season of that reality talent show - the West African version of the popular Pop Idol TV series which debuted on British television in 2001 - is who we're plugging to you today! We Plug to You... Timi Dakolo.
Last week (October 3, 2011), one of my favorite artists so far this year and - in my opinion - one of the best new artists of 2011 released his debut album via Island Records. Born and raised in Devon (United Kingdom) and with a certain penchant for classic 60s and 70s singer/songwriters like Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Richie Havens which he picked up from his very musical parents, this 24-year old British "acoustic troubadour" and "keen surfer" dropped out of a Journalism course at Falmouth College (six months before graduation) in 2008 to pursue music full-time.
The outcome - three years down the line - is a recording contract with the label home of the likes of legends such as Nick Drake and John Martyn, a BBC Radio 1 playlisted single in the very excellent "Keep Your Head Up" which we will explore much later, an army of devoted followers that have led to numerous sold-out headline gigs in not only the UK but also in France, Germany and Holland and a fifty minutes long 10-track debut LP that is one of the BEST ALBUMS OF 2011... His name is Ben Howard and the album is called Every Kingdom.
Hello everyone, it's the start of the best month ever. What, you didn't know October was special? Well it is, because it's my birth month and I'm awesome even if I do say so myself. But this is not why you are here and that's fair. The good news is that you are about to be introduced to another dope act from Nigeria. We seem to be churning great acts en mass out of the motherland and I must say I am really impressed as is obvious by the fact that my last couple reviews have been Nigerian Acts and the international recognition that a few of our artists have gotten in recent months only goes to show. Its definitely a good look and that is why I am proud and dare I say honored to introduce to you the duo Olumide 'Ghost' Ayeni and Wale 'Tec' Davis that make up the group Show Dem Camp (SDC) with the release of their debut album The Dreamer Project.
Not the biggest Indie or Electro pop fan but I do appreciate good music when I hear it and Waylayers make good music! The three piece London based band came into existence mid-2009 and since then have steadily gained the attention of fans everywhere. Their Electro pop sound or as they like to call it - "Atmospheric Pop" - keeps them current and relevant in today's music landscape but also goes a long way to widen their existing fan base plus it does help that they pull off their sound remarkably well. With tracks that echo in your head long after the song is over and gloriously catchy hooks, this band is set to grab the attention of a lot more ears at an alarming rate! Although formed in the way most amateur bands are, the sounds of the Waylayers goes past their early beginnings with the great level or artistry and professionalism that is put into every track.
Singer/Songwriter Alyxx Dione’s new album titled September dropped in my inbox on the first day of the month and being a September baby, I was very eager to listen. Known popularly for her YouTube uploaded covers to chart topping hits such as "Best I Ever Had" (Drake), "Russian Roulette" (Rihanna), "Run The World" (Beyonce) and "Do It Like a Dude" (Jessie J) to name a few, Alyxx has managed to gain quite a fan base for herself. Even more recently, after covering one of this year’s most re-made tracks - Drake's "Marvin’s Room" - her recognition grew even bigger. Her version ranks as one of the best I’ve heard, overshadowing top artists who also attempted the song. This newly found spotlight couldn’t have been a better time for Alyxx to drop her free debut album September.
Blog surfing a few months ago, I stumbled across A.V.I.D while one of his tracks was set to auto play on the ‘said blog’. With Neo-Soul being one of my favorite genres, I listened to the song playing and a few other tracks featured and was immediately drawn to this Tanzanian native.
Born Tinashe Bgoya, A.V.I.D - which stands for A Voice I Deserve - hails from one of Tanzania’s largest cities – Dar es Salaam. He certainly is not new to music and boasts of a burgeoning catalogue of beautiful R&B and Soul tracks. Like most artists, A.V.I.D recognized his talents early on and by the age of 7 to be precise, he started taking music lessons to develop his skills and I must applaud A.V.I.D for in a time where most would have given up as a result of not having the right resources to record having been thrust into boarding school, he instead turned to writing and based on the quality of songs he has on offer, he has shown that he is just as good a writer as he is a vocalist. A.V.I.D - apart from his solo work - is also one half of the band named Sy-Meez which he’s currently working on a project with. With no solo album to his credit yet, 3/4 available tracks on his Reverbnation page will be reviewed here giving you an introduction to his music...
It’s not so often that I offer to review a mixtape/album before I hear the finished product. That’s exactly what happened though, when my friend sent me some unfinished tracks by the artist I am about to introduce to you. So I hit my friend back to ask who this was? I had never heard of him before and I was pleasantly surprised. His voice, his delivery, and the lyrics come absolutely correct and I’m glad that with the full mixtape now out, he did not disappoint me. I have to apologize for the late review, as the mixtape came out in July, but this is a great way to start the new month I promise. Without further ado then, meet the Nigerian rapper/singer and songwriter, Ozzy B - who brings to us a fresh sounding vibe on his debut into the music industry in Diaries of a Loner.
I’m almost livid at myself for not immediately recognizing the amazing talent oozing out of Benjamin Francis Leftwich until my 14 year-old sister pointed it out. But for what it’s worth, I’m glad I listened. I plug to you 21-year old singer/songwriter Benjamin Francis Leftwich a native from York, England.
I find it interesting that Leftwich has decided to be known by his full name in a case where most artists tend to shorten their legal names or more often than not, alternatively come up with a catchy stage name. Leftwich grew up listening to artists such as The Rolling Stones and Nina Simone and by the tender age of 10, unsurprisingly could play the guitar and piano. Fast-forward to more recent years and a drive to pursue his musical talent, Leftwich released his first EP A Million Miles Hit in October 2010. Another EP Pictures followed in early 2011 before the release of the the Ian Grimble-produced Last Smoke before the Snowstorm; his debut album in July 2011. The debut album and previous EPs were all released under the Dirty Hit label.
So my editor sent this to me and I thought to myself, "what does this preppy looking kid from Miami know about Reggae music?". Still, I downloaded because the Boss knows me well enough to know what songs excite me. My thoughts after listening were exactly this…“He cannot be 18, who writes for him, OMG This boy is amazing, he will surely get it”.
You know what they say about not judging a book by its cover? Well it is the absolute truth - PLEASE do NOT do it guys and I should know this too. I confess I was one of those people who thought Adele was this black soulful singer from the Motor City somewhere and I promised myself once I found that to be the contrary, to never be so judgmental again, but “oops, I did it again”. Without further ado, I have the ultimate pleasure of plugging to you Cris Cab - 18 year old Cuban singer/songwriter from Miami, Florida and his exceptional recently released debut EP – Foreword.
Help! I'm never usually starstruck but here I am completely won over by the voice of this - rightly put - Super Sun!. However, I'll get myself composed enough to put this review together. I got very excited to do the feature on this particular artist and his music and you can probably decipher the reason why as you read on. I have followed this cool gentleman (even virtually so) from his days of small cozy performances at a Jazz/Soul Jam slash Poetry Slam cafe of sorts called Taruwa in Lagos, Nigeria - a brain child of his sister Lydia Idakula-Sobogun - up to his involvement with one of the most popular and gifted Producers in Nigeria, Cobhams Asuquo and his C.A.M.P production outfit and label. We plug to you, one who many have referred to as "Nigeria's John Legend" - velvety Alternative Soul singer/songwriter by the name of BEZ.
Independent singer, songwriter, composer and producer Muhsinah - pronounced Mu•see•na - is back after a long break away from the music scene with a brand new fourth EP titled GONE which she recently released on July 20 for her 28th birthday. The Washington DC native has already performed in front of President Obama at his homecoming inaugural ball in 2009 alongside veteran Chicago rapper Common and has also been nominated for a "Best Vocal Performance" Grammy Award for her work with Hip-Hop/Soul duo The Foreign Exchange. You simply cannot categorize Muhsinah into one genre or box as I found out when I listened to Gone. I found it difficult to place her but after listening to her a few time, I came to the following conclusion: her music and production are very much Electronica/Indie/Experimental but her vocals and lyrics are 100% Soul music and it's therefore no surprise that Muhsinah's dexterity and style have attracted many audiences and acknowledgments such as this one from Radiohead's front man, Thom Yorke.
The best ones are unsigned… This is my professional and one might add very opinionated position. I have been doing this for about two years now, receiving music daily from people across the globe and this is just what I have found. The music industry as we have it now will be so much better, if we could get a lot of our unsigned artists signed and on the radio. Maybe then radio stations will not have to repeat the same songs every hour on the hour
But I digress... If there is one sect that is particularly lacking in the industry right now, it’s the R&B sector - more precisely the female R&B sector. They seem to have died with the start of the new decade, giving way to only Pop artists and left it all - R&B music I mean - to their male counterparts. In this artist I plug to you today, there is definitely cause to be hopeful, we have a revival on our hands people, “R&B’s back” – said in my best Rick Ross imitation.
I plug to you East-London resident Anita Blay (by way of Hackney); Blay - also known as the unique yet intriguing stage name Cocknbullkid - is a 26-year old UK singer/songwriter of Ghanian heritage who has had a love for music ever since she can remember. Growing up with dreams of one day becoming a pop star, she started writing in her bedroom at age 10 and not before long, got immersed into the industry - writing with rapper-now-turned Soul singer Plan B by the age of 16. Blay went on to release her debut single "On My Own" produced by Joseph Mount (Metronomy) in July of 2008, which landed her a slot on seminal TV show Later With Jools Holland in the same year. With a stream of self-released singles under her belt, she later released an independent EP Querelle in 2009 under the moniker The Cocknbullkid and soon after went off the radar for a while. On her return from a 2-year hiatus, she dropped the pronoun from her name, got signed to major label Island Records and released a very stellar debut album titled Adulthood...
Now where do I start from on this one? From the very beginning I hear you say. OK, In the beginning was a lawyer who got restless with his musical talents and decided to put it to work - writing, arranging and producing songs for other artistes. He got quite excellent at his craft, and the big names kept rolling in, he produced for well known Gospel acts and even top mainstream artistes brought their work to him to engineer, mix and master. His popular sign off on his works 'F-L-O Baby or FloRocka' and his vocalisms on their tracks became a brand. As time went by, he "found" his singing voice and decided to step out into recording his own work, and history began. We plug to you gifted lawyer turned prolific producer turned unique and Inspirational Rock Singer/Songwriter - FLO.
If you are interested in new age electronica music or just some good electronic band music then listen up because Solar Taxi is the band for you. I am one to listen to all different types of music so finding out about Irish band Solar Taxi was amazing. The instrumentation of their songs make them stand out from most other electronica bands and sets them in a league of their own. Imagine a band that hold onto their electronica roots but with a dash of pop, a hint of alternative, a touch of folk - and there you have Solar Taxi.
Solar Taxi is a 4-piece Irish band made up of superb vocalist Aisling Browne, Peter Vogelaar - on bass and production, John Foley on drums and Jamie O'Hallorohan on lead guitar. The band came to life properly in 2010 with a relentless string of tours and gigs all over Ireland as well as the release of a number of singles and remixes which have gotten thumbs up from the likes of Tom Findlay of popular electronic duo Groove Armada and legendary electronic producer/DJ and remixer Timo Maas.
I wouldn’t consider producer Ryan Hemsworth new in the music industry, but it’s quite a surprise it has taken us this long to hear about his work. Ryan is a 21-year old producer hailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada who has been producing and making beats for the past 7 years of his life.
"A couple of months ago, BBC Radio aired a Ryan Hemsworth track and beyond a little rambling about the naughty name of the compilation it appeared on (Dope Valley Fuck) they speculated about who he was, whether the vocals on the track were actually him or not, and surely were thinking to themselves how weird it was that his warm, funk, soul, and R&B infused jams were coming out of Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia. Little did they know, Nova Scotia's the second most densely populated province in Canada, and its capital Halifax is more populous than Pittsburgh. His debut reflects the same intersection of culture that occurs in any reasonably cosmopolitan locale, though we tend to think of Ryan's work as being particularly exemplary, giving nods to and sampling a menagerie of contemporary musicians, referencing internet memes (track 5, "Benny Lava," for example), synthesizing a distinctive, syncretic style and personal aesthetic." - [^]LAND
Let me just start by telling you that this is a full on HYPE post. The difference however in this case is that this is a deserving kind of HYPE. I will not ever hype something that was not totally worth it - DJ Klem's Afrofunkydiscosoul is totally worth it - and the interesting part is, wait for it, wait for it…. It is totally FREE!!! Music this good should not be free, there should be a law against this BUT thankfully, I don't write the rules books.
This - Afrofunkydiscosoul - is the second release from award-winning Nigerian producer and Red Bull Music Academy alumni, DJ Klem (real name Clement Kponu) - his first record being the critically acclaimed Six8Ten EP from last year - and it features some of the best and most promising artists to come out of Nigeria this year. DJ Klem's Afrofunkydiscosoul draws together established acts such as Wizkid, Sound Sultan, Sauce Kid, Mo Cheddah, Zara and Kel and combines them with emerging artists like Iye, Teeklef, Funbi, Efa and Myst to make this album the best album, hands down, out of Nigeria so far in 2011.
Have you ever wondered what a cross breed of Indie, Hip-Hop and Pop music would sound like? Well take that thought and pepper it with masses of attitude, palpible passion, boundless energy and an overdose of stage presence and you have... The Stow - their excellent fusion of genres, hard-hitting lyrics, humour and unapologetic rawness make this band worth getting stuck into. It will be worth your while, I tell ya!
Powerful, passionate and talented are the words that come to mind when asked to describe the poet and artist that goes by the name Iyeoka Ivie Okoawa. Iyeoka pronounced ee-yo-kah means “I want to be respected” - a name originating from her native land of Nigeria - and respected she is or very well should be. Iyeoka is a seasoned and incredible artist and performer by all accounts despite the lack of mainstream popularity and it is with great pleasure and delight that we're able to share her with you...
The Nigerian-American poet, recording artist and singer began her musical career by founding the group The Rock by Funk Tribe and was able to blend her poetry with genres like Jazz, Blues, Funk and Gospel with the aid of this collective of musicians to create a beautiful bridge between poetry and music. In 2004, she released her first album of poem-songs (fusion of poetry and music) called Black and Blues followed by her second album Hum The Bass Line in 2007 and then in 2008, she recorded a live album in Hawaii called Live @ KTUH – Honolulu. Later that same year, she beautifully covered the U2 hit song "Desire" for the compilation album In The Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 which also featured Grammy Award-winning and nominated African artists such as Angelique Kidjo, Les Nubians and Soweto Gospel Choir.
In 2009, Iyeoka transformed her sound and songwriting approach from poem-songs into more traditional song forms with the help of new producer David Franz and original collaborator Francis Phan and released two EPs that year - This Time Around and Run Into the Rain - with a more "electronic soul" sound fusing more Pop, R&B, Dance and Hip-Hop into her music. In November of the following year, Iyeoka released her third album Say Yes. Outside of the music, the list is endless when it comes to what this Nigerian-American singer/songwriter, poet, educator and 2010 TED Fellow has accomplished but for this here feature, we focus on the music and plug to you... IYEOKA
Hi GOOD folks, here's a story for you! A friend of mine heard this UK Hip-Hop group by the name of The Illersapiens while roaming the shops of London late last December and she was ever so kind to send me one of their songs (have no fear, I'll be sharing it later on in this feature). After listening to it and more songs by the group, The Illersapiens have fast become one of the few UK Hip-Hop acts that I find myself constantly looking out for.
I plug to you The Illersapiens, a seven-piece band hailing from South London, UK made up of Mr. Man (MC), Louis (drummer), Ollie (stringer), P-Riddimz (bass), Callum (sax), Dom (percussionist) and Katy B (female vocalist). Some of you might recognize Katy B from Rinse FM and popular hits such as "Lights On" and "Broken Record" to name a few and her very excellent solo debut album On A Mission. In a recent interview with Heads High Music, the group's lead eMCee - Mr. Man described their sound as an eclectic mix of genres that span Afro-beat, Hip-Hop, Garage and Reggae with basically no limits in creativity.
If you're Nigerian and/or into African Music and except you are living under a rock somewhere far away in Yemen or something then I can bet with all that I have (which is not much by the way) that the name Wizkid is not unfamilar to you. Poster boy of the EME family - the stable that birth Nigerian R&B crooner Banky W and also houses emerging Nigerian emcee Skales - finally releases his long-awaited and highly anticipated debut album titled Superstar.
Such an apt title for our very own "Justin Bieber/Chris Brown" and yes maybe I'm stretching the comparison just a tard bit but you can't deny the easy comparison that they are all very young cats who have taken their respective music scenes by storm in recent times. A young Fela as the "superstar" says on his twitter profile perhaps or maybe a young 2face Idibia? I have to honestly say that I am yet to find a suitable comparison, which is testament to the fact that Wizkid - real name, Ayo Balogun - is in a league of his own.
The buzz started slowly but unlike other artists that fade away or burn out before they've even begun, he kept people wanting for more and more of him - the clamour stemming from very stellar features on tracks with everyone from M.I, Jesse Jagz, Olamide, Kel, Ice Prince and so many more. His first single "Gidi Girl" was released and I have to be honest and say I was slightly disappointed. My expectations were much higher than this release... Soon after that, came the controversial hit song "Holla At Your Boy" and I as with quite a few others began to see the makings of Wizkid - the superstar. That record was soon followed closely by the instant banger "Tease Me/Bad Guyz". "Don't Dull" was subsequently released and it went on to rock every Gidi party from Nigeria to the UK to the US, leaving almost no one on their seat, to bring 2010 to an end.
It might then surprise you to hear that I was still not a fan of the kid. He seemed to be holding back just a little bit, and I thought he might be a little lazy with his verses, choosing to let the beats and musical backdrops of his songs do most of the "work". Still I looked forward to this album. To whom much is given much is expected and it was obvious that it was his time to shine.
The first song I got the privilege of listening to and definitely my favorite song on Superstar is the Shizzi-produced "LOVE MY BABY" (yes I had to put this in capital letter). This song just makes you happy and this is coming from a cynic on love such as myself. I found myself wishing I was getting married the next day with Wizkid singing this song while my husband and I danced away. The first thing that grabbed my attention was the instrumentation and I can imagine that a live rendition of this song will be quite EPIC with just drums, piano, a guitar and great backup singers. Banky W harmonizing on this song was the perfect complement. Not one to overhype, listen below to a sweet little extended snippet of the song...
"Love My Baby (Extended Snippet)":
The next song you are about to listen to - "No Lele" - I also like because of the instrumentals. I'm not sure if there was indeed a drummer during the recording sessions but if there was, they need to be really commended because they went all the way hard and hats off to producer Sunny 'Masterkraft' Nweke for this record. While Superstar is largely a party album guaranteed to have you dancing from start to end, Wizkid still manages to infuse two really inspiring songs that motivate & praise (watch out for the other one - "Oluwa Lo Ni"). "No Lele" is a song about survival and overcoming and I can particularly relate to it right now plus those drums patterns are just divine! Listen below
"No Lele (Extended Snippet)":
"When them tell you say, you no go fit, my sister make you tell them say No Lele"
Speaking of party songs, one particular record on Superstar is in my opinion one of the select songs that will be sure to have clubs going mental this year, the song is titled "Pakurumo". I suggest to DJs to start their sets with this song, end it with this song and make sure to play it a couple times in between throughout the night. Before I go on, I have to say that producer SAMKLEF deserves a standing ovation for his work on this song. He goes hard and the combination of Samklef and Wizkid is money everytime kinda like DJ Khaled and Rick Ross; Dr Dre and Eminem; Timbaland and Missy (OK you get my point). I must confess that I'm also slightly biased towards this particular song because he mentions my sister's name in the song (Hi Tolani), check it out below.
"Pakuromo (Extended Snippet):"
"They way you whine, whine, you blow my mind, mind"
Overall, this album is a very stellar debut effort from Ayo Balogun aka Wizkid and highly recommended here at WPGM. Other notable tracks on the 16-track Superstar include the Banky W-featured "Slow Whine", "For Me" featuring Wande Coal, "Wad Up" featuring D'Prince, "Scatter the Floor" and "What You Wanna Do".
I would have liked that rather than include old singles like "Gidi Girl" and "Holla at Your boy", we got treated to some new tracks but alas one can only wish plus remove the four previously released songs and we still have twelve brand new songs and sixteen solid tracks in total on Superstar (bar "Gidi Girl" which is alright but not on par with the kid's best) and in my books that makes for a 100% + "10/10 Shikena" album. As an aside, I would have also loved to see Skales on one or two other tracks on the album but I am sure his time will soon come and we will be compelled to do a similar feature on him when that time comes.
Ok so we can't just tease you with snippets and leave you feening for more, that wouldn't be fair so peep one of the many other stellar songs that did not make it on the Superstar album, this one only barely making the cut as a bonus track - the recently "leaked" "Wiz Party".
"Wiz Party":
It's also definitely a Wiz Party this Summer as Wizkid and the entire EME family come here to the States for a tour starting June 24th in Washington DC. Make sure to check their website for tour dates at a city near you.
Wishing the album was out already, aren't you? Yes ladies and gentlemen, VERY SOON you can get Superstar from your local vendor and stores and for those of us outside Nigeria, you can get your hands on the album via the online store at Not Just OK
Hey music lovers, its time for another plug and I have to say today’s feature could not have landed in my inbox at a better time. Recently, I have been in a funky, electro-house, urban dance listening frenzy and not only did it fill the void in my music library, its GOOD music too. With that I am ecstatic to plug to you LV + Joshua Idehen – Routes.
LV is a production trio out of South East London made up of members Will, Si and Gervase. The three members as you can imagine are all creatively different and their ability to aggregate those talents into crafting an artistic sound can be attributed to their musical success thus far. This recipe has worked over the years for the group gaining them a fan base, respect from record labels, DJs and also on to being mentored by Martin Clark - the UK bass critique, Rinse FM DJ and label boss of Keysound Recordings.
Their recent album Routes is a follow up to their previous EP 38 - both are released on Keysound Recordings. The EP 38 was named after the legendary London bus route 38 and with the new album Routes, it is clear the group is keeping up with references made to transport modes and direction within London. LV has previously worked with MCs such as Dandelion, Erol Bellot and other guest artists successfully but featured guest Joshua Idehen who took the vocal lead on 38 returns and does so again on the trio's new album Routes and plays the fourth member role pretty well... Without further ado, let's get into some music!
The first song I plug to you from the 12-track album Routes is the interesting 'Northern Line'. The track uses a blend of synthesizers, drums and hi-hats with a funky bass loop. When you also consider Joshua’s humorous lyrics, this makes for the complete groove tune. The song fits well with the album title Routes as the track progressively mentions the locations found on the northern line on London’s underground tube. service Luckily, I have been on the northern line one too many times to understand when Joshua asks, "what do you know about places such as Waterloo and Edgware?". And if you are no where able to ‘get on the northern line’, rhythmic body movements once you press play could get you a little closer.
Northern Line:
The next song 'Melt' keeps up with the funky house music style featuring stints of spoken words from Joshua Idehen to make for the ultimate dance track. Instruments common in this genre of music such as a drum-kit and bass in addition to a ‘four to the floor’ uniform rhythm pattern are used and makes this one of the standout tracks on the album.
Melt:
This last song 'PrimaryColors' is more of an electro house dance song with a huge potential in the dance clubs. Sadly however, it is the shortest of all the tracks on the album running at only 1:59 minutes. Just as most tracks in this genre, the songs usually have fewer words with more emphasis on the electronically derived instrumentals. No different, the sole verse on 'Primary Colors' includes only two lines said repeatedly by Joshua Idehen. I included this track to showcase a different sound on the album, as I’m glad to see that the group can embrace diverse styles of music switching genres almost flawlessly.
Primary Colors:
All together, I got the impression the groups purpose was to make an album about London and its very creative sounds which they somewhat succeeded in doing. I think every city has its theme song, which I will leave for a later conversation, but if I had to pick one from this album I'd go with 'Northern Line'. Apart from that, I could not gain a cohesive meaning from the album but I guess that’s the beauty of the music where it is left to the listener’s interpretation and yours will almost certainly be different from mine or his or hers or theirs
On some rare occasions, Joshua’s poetic delivery do not mesh with the track all too well, for example on the song 'I Know' while 'Last Night' with its eerie unconventional sound-bed also stands to be an easy hit or miss. However I enjoyed listening to Routes and it is an all round solid effort from the production trio LV. Adding Joshua Idehen as the guest vocalist seems to be a match that has worked now, in the past and I’m almost certain we will be hearing more from their collaborative unit in the future.
The first time I heard this soulful songbird, I went "Wow! What a deep and husky voice!", she reminded me a lot of Tracy Chapman's vocal essence and texture. I actually just recently posted one of her songs titled "Can You Love Me?"on my Facebook profile - her first release as a solo recording artiste - little did I know she had actually already been in the studio and cooked up some great tunes by way of her debut release and I would be reviewing some of them here for your listening pleasure...
In light of this, with positive soul and 'feel good' vibes, we gladly plug to you... IBIYEMI. Born on May 22, 1981 in California, USA, Ibiyemi started off as a backing vocalist in 2003 for various artistes before a major performance of the Nigerian National anthem at the 228th USA Independence ceremony kicked off her solo career. With her debut album 'Love Always Wins', Ibiyemi set out to blow us all away and we think she's done exactly that on this 12-track record, tracks of which we will be plugging to you in this feature.
Her debut single - 2009's "Don't Leave Me" was met with relative success and garnered her a nomination for Best Female Vocal Performance at the 2010 Hip-Hop World Awards as well as a nomination form Best R&B Song at the 2010 Sound City Music Awards among a host of other award nominations. Said to be influenced by Mary J Blige, Lauryn Hill, Stevie Wonder and (rightly so) Tracy Chapman, Ibiyemi's sound can be described as rich, soulful and of a musical genre I will call Contemporary Afro Neo-Soul with Afrocentric vocalisms akin to Brenda Fassie and vocal energy similar to Angelique Kidjo.
What is so special about Ibiyemi's album 'Love Always Wins'? Trust me, Soul is a music genre I am personally inclined to so my take on this is extremely honestly judged. I am taken by the diverse feel and uniqueness of the songs on this project, the originality in the music composition and arrangement, the perfect fusion of afro-rythms and Soul. The four tracks from 'Love Always Wins' that are featured below represent the diversity I speak of. These four tracks especially caught my musical attention only for me to find out that they were actually produced by the same individual. WPGM decided to take it a step further and caught up with this producer... Nigeria's best kept secret, multi-talented producer, singer and songwriter - FLO. FLO had this to say about Ibiyemi's album.
"There are several singers in the Nigerian music industry with hit~banging tracks but not all of them get to strike that cord and rhythm in your head and in your heart. Ibiyemi has a unique style of delivery to her music..sincerity. You can feel that honesty in these tracks. One edge her tracks have is the ability to draw the listener in on her storyline. Whilst we were working on 'Ore' for example, I already had enough to work with by just listening to the experience she shared with me concerning her childhood friend, you could feel that innocent and pure affection even within her mode of delivery. When Ibiyemi decides to speak about love, she speaks from her heart and not her head" - FLO
We begin our plug with the Ibiyemi's brand new single "It Would Be" which was released yesterday (May 22) as a free download to mark the singer's birthday... A duet with another rising Nigerian Soul "lover boy" crooner by the name of Dipo, "It Would Be" is a powerful boy/girl love "tease" song. The chorus starts off with the phrase "Ta ba fera?" which in Yoruba means "If we love each other/fall in love with each other/marry each other" with Ibiyemi and Dipo expressing it to us nicely that "it would be so nice"... "It Would Be"will get you falling in love again. Dipo makes matters more intricate by adding that soulful R&B'ish zing to this duet.The song is believable, the groove matches the theme. It's an easy listening song with percussion and bass guitar-led R&B production laden with soulful vocals, intercepted with a nice piano solo that gives a suspensive closure to the song's story.
'It Would Be':
"Ta ba fera, baby it would be so nice, so nice.... I wanna go where your wind blows, discover places only you know"
This next song is in Yoruba and is called "Ore" which means "Friend" - it celebrates and appreciates the essence of a true and real friendship. It talks about love, kindness and a reminder and gratitude of the bond and interdependence of kindred relationships. This is an excellent song gift to that friend you appreciate. Even though the understanding of the lyrics of this track may be limited to Yoruba speakers, everyone can still enjoy the flow and feel of the music. "Ore" has an mid-tempo Afro-pop sound backed by gorgeous keyboard chords, very danceable with hip rhythms and drum patterns. Ibiyemi does excellent justice vocally throughout the song, without overdoing her natural deep tone range.
'Ore':
"Ore ma se gbabgbe mi lojokojo nibikibi, ma se gbagbe mi (Friend, don't forget me anyday, anywhere, don't forget me)
Is this next song the potential contender to rival another incredible song of the same title by one Jill Scott on your iPods? Possibly... The difference is Ibiyemi's "He Loves Me" is Gospel/Inspirational in content, it's an expression of God's unconditional love and it's more upbeat than Jill Scott's "He Loves Me". The intro and the backdrop of the track features a slightly electro-pop infused sound while the chorus is easy and sing-along and Ibiyemi maintains her natural depth of real Soul on this as well. "He Loves Me" is a song that makes you comfortable in spirit and in soul with Ibiyemi's assuring tone and the uplifting message about the Creator's love for you keeping you at ease in this track.
'He Loves Me':
Last but not least is the playful, pop, party-feel song rightfully named "Play". It has that 80's disco vibe to it, and FLO's signature rock sound backed by lush bass guitars and musical undertones pops out Ibiyemi's vocals excellently to incite some finger-snapping, toe-tapping moves from any listener. This track is upbeat, full of energy, perfect for the dance floor and I would submit this song for a radio mix anyday. You can't listen to this and not get moving, come on and let's boogie down till the break of dawn with Ibiyemi's "Play" below....
'Play':
"Mi o ronu mo ( I am not downcast anymore), I just wanna dance to the break of dawn, DeeJay play that song"
This is one album you absolutely should own. If you want a break away from the norm, the usual and mundane music then Love Always Wins is the music for you. This is that album you would not only want to listen to but one you'd love to share with others. It's what I would refer to as a 2-in-1 album - for solace and for social interaction; for an audience of one or two as the case may be (per love and soulful communications) or for a party to groove and move to. It ticks all the boxes
Ibiyemi gets two thumbs up for the diverse collection of songs on this album. The sky is limitless for the young singer as she makes her way to making a musical mark globally amongst the current crop of afro-originated Soul singers of our generation. Her voice is not only great, it's not common plus her vibe is appealing, her message is sweet, her sound is market-worthy - it just works. Love Always Wins- the album - is definitely highly recommended. Stamped, signed and delivered... What more is there to say?
Freedom or Death - made up of duo Steve Fernandez and Sway Clarke - is an alternative rock band out of Toronto, Canada. Sway, the singer/songwriter and Fernandez, the pianist/DJ both met while working at a record label a few years ago and burst unto our radar when they released their critically acclaimed self-titled debut EP last year. Fast-forward about ten months on and the duo return with the follow-up project to and what they call a progression from Freedom or Death - an 8-track sophomore EP titled Ego which was recently released on April 26. The EP is self-released on their own label Liars & Thieves with distribution via the good folks at Arts & Crafts and every track on Ego is written, produced and mixed by the duo who assumed full creative control on the EP over the 5 months it was recorded.
On why the record is called Ego, the bands response is “Cause we all have one and have to deal with our and other people's egos every day”. A couple more quick facts about the band; they performed this year at the Canadian Music Week and also played 3 showcases at this year's SXSW (South by South West) music showcase which has previously birthed the careers of other notable artists such as John Mayer and James Blunt. Even bigger achievements - songs off of the EP are scheduled to run in ABC’s series Rookie Blue this Summer. Now unto the music…
'Inside' which in theory is the first song of the EP draws you in immediately, starting off with an electronic guitar riff. On the verses, you hear a light drum sample while on the chorus an Eighties themed electronic sound is vivid. There’s no doubt that this was carefully constructed to make for a strong opening track. While vibing to the song you almost forget its message is that of one trying to find one's way home to where they belong. I must say it is quite a catchy track that you may find yourself singing along to even on the first listen. For almost a minute on the track (from the 2:40 minute mark), a combination of instrumentals - from drum kicks to lush electronic guitar riffs - are merged together to further showcase the great musical production coming out of this track while the song ends with the band holding a falsetto note that was apparent throughout the track. Listen below:
"Inside":
The next song I plug to you is coincidentally also the second track on the EP and arguably one of the best. On 'The Crowded Room', very noticeable are the synthesizers that start off the track accompanied by strong captivating leading vocals from the duo. The build-up of instrumentals on this track is nothing short of genius posing a sound that comes similar to what some have termed "earth music". Accompanying the synthesizers are little shakers and a hint of cymbal sounds, followed by a strong drum kick loop sample that backs the harmonious vocals of the group at around the second minute mark. There is also a hidden bonus acoustic version of this song at the end of the album and I urge you to listen to it as well.
"This Crowded Room":
The third song I'm sharing with you was chosen at random (Yes, the EP is that good). The track titled 'Virginia Woolf' starts off with delicate shakers mixed with guitar strings backing the band's lead vocals. Just as before, it slowly builds up to include a drum, bass and eventually claps to make up the instrumental part of the song. This track's orchestrated sound has one of the most enjoyable instrumentals of the album for me. The track also includes dialogue excerpts from the 1966 movie "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf". Harmonizing, a strong asset of the band is very apparent and very well executed on this track as well.
"Virginia Woolf":
Freedom or Death remind me a lot of the other stand-out alternative bands within the same or similar genre such as OneRepublic and The Fray but this is far from us offering up some easy comparisons because Freedom or Death are certainly different from these bands. I can confidently say Freedom or Death's music can and should very well be ranked and judged along with the veterans and chart-toppers on the scene. The production quality on the Ego EP is flawless while the vocal delivery and musical cohesiveness is one for the books. After listening to Ego, I’m definitely downloading their previous EP as well just because I can’t get enough of their music. Download the EP and listen for yourself and just incase you’re in the Toronto area, do not forget to catch the duo on tour all through the Summer (check their website below for tour dates).
Sipping on a vanilla latte one beautiful morning just after downloading The Demo by an artist by the name of Iyadede; at first I was taken aback by the rather long track listing - 29 tracks - but somehow I summoned the courage to press play.
The girl who fell to earth, that girl from Africa or simply put Iyadede is a singer/songwriter whose life’s journey has transitioned itself into her music. Born Sabrina Iyadede, she was raised in Kigali, Rwanda but due to the genocide that escalated in the country in 1994, she relocated to Belgium then France and now is a resident of Brooklyn, New York. Music has always been a part of her even before birth as while pregnant with Iyadede, her mother worked as a DJ at a Rwandan radio station - a time that has left an imprint on Iyadede’s eclectic sound. In her own words, “the perfect pitch when you are a multicultural inter-continental animal like myself is a schizophrenic exercise”.
Call it Afri-Pop, Afro-Punk, Soul or Electronica, either way Iyadede’s music knows no boundaries... The Demo isn’t Iyadede’s first project either; she released an album Talking to God - her first - in May 2010 but alas, we digress somewhat. Without further ado, let us delve into the world of this aspiring singer/songwriter with melodies that embrace her roots from the motherland - by way of The Demo.
The first song I plug to you from the LP is "Not The Same". This track has a throwback appeal to it and in Iyadede’s words, "talks about love". On this record, she states that the time lapse in a relationship changes things and could potentially create a rift. The imaginary distance could also mean someone else is in the mix or they just aren’t the same people they were when they met. After looking up Iyadede on numerous music blogs, I can immediately see her playful personality translated into the lyrics on this song. The Eighties sounding synths accompanied by a bass groove used on the track is also perfect fit to introducing her sound.
"Not The Same":
If you had your music player on shuffle, this next track "Burnstone and Fire" could easily be mistaken for one sung by a certain Janelle Monáe. Iyadede’s eclectic creativity resounds on this socially conscious song; one she points out is about politics. She speaks metaphorically about occasions of being oppressed that you wonder if she's speaking from experience growing up in Rwanda. Regardless, she shows a great level of vocal skill on this up-tempo song backed by drum kick arrangements which sees the NY-based singer switch up her lyrical delivery.
"Burnstone and Fire":
The final track "Lets Stay Together (2011)" samples the classic Al Green song of the same title and I can confidently say Iyadede does the song justice. Apart from a few lyrics that are lifted off the original, Iyadede’s take is a breath of fresh air to the already acclaimed hit. The instrumentals fuse sultry jazz with R&B and makes for a classic Soul sound. I would love to hear her perform this live as I can imagine such melodic structures and arrangements would sound even ten times better live. The inclusion of a spoken word interlude was greatly written and executed too, adding to the beauty of Iyadede's remake.
"Lets Stay Together (2011)":
Many other standout tracks exist on this LP that deciding which three to share with you was quite tasking. At this point, I should let you in on a little secret - the album has only 14 full songs plus an additional bonus track. The other 14 listed "tracks" are just short interludes to each song so do not be put off. What drew me to one particular standout track - "Pretend You Are A Square" - however was the instrumental arranged and produced by Iyadede herself. On the first listen, I noticed something sounded too familiar then it occurred to me that it samples loops from Apple’s Garage Band application. Makes sense as this application is usually the starting point for most starter and/or emerging producers and this song is Iyadede’s first attempt at producing so kudos to her. Besides that, I find the song title quite interesting and unusual and Iyadede’s definition of it entails not being afraid to be whoever you want to be.
"Mfura Yange" is a track sung in Iyadede’s native language Kinyarwanda, which talks about her sister and eloquently brings out the Afro-pop side of the whole demo. I like the softly used instrumentals backing her vocals on the song and even without an understanding of the lyrics; there is a sense of a heartfelt delivery from Iyadede.
I was very happy to review her album as her eclectic sound is one I had been missing in my collection for a while. Sure enough I’ll definitely be looking to see if she’s got any tours coming up around my way. If you’re in the mood for some refreshing, laid-back meaningful music, I suggest you pick this one up and you certainly won't be disappointed.
