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!
Introducing emerging Brit Soul Singer/Songwriter Wilson with his debut EP, Painted On Silence. Hailing from North London, Wilson has been singing his entire life with performances starting from as early as primary school and according to his Facebook page, his influences range from the late great Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston to Stevie Wonder and Donnie Hathaway among others. Wilson, who is a University graduate of Commercial Music, has performed at some of London's famous venues such as the Jazz Cafe, Hackney Empire and the Royal Albert Hall over the years but Painted On Silence marks his first public foray into the world of recorded music. Read on to find out what we thought...
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!
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...
Hello GOOD people, hope we all had a memorable weekend? Mine was filled with mixed emotions (from the football especially) but what better time to seek comfort from good music than the present right? Let me not bore you with my "tales by the moonlight"... Now unto our feature presentation...
Jamar Nolan is an upcoming Hip-Hop artist from New Haven, Connecticut, but currently reside in Atlanta, Georgia who goes by the stage name - J. Nolan. Although he'd be categorized as a "new comer", J.Nolan sounds and feels like he is certainly not new to the game. The first time I heard J. Nolan was almost reminiscent of the first time I had heard Nas and the more I listen to the Atlanta-based emcee, the more he reminds me of a young Talib with the continuous delivery of intelligent subject matter and a cool swag that keeps it interesting and never boring (think Lupe Fiasco). Comparing him to all this Hip-Hop minds might seem quite premature and almost like I'm hallucinating a bit but trust me, the kid is legit but enough from me, let J.Nolan tell it...
"I got into Hip-Hop music at a very young age. My introduction to it was through my parents watching MTV in the early 90s and I remember seeing Wreckx n Effect’s “Rumpshaker” video, Kriss Kross, and MC Hammer. Rapping-wise, my older brother got me to write my first rhyme when I was about 8 years old" - J.Nolan
The 'Loose Files' is J.Nolan's latest project featuring 14 original songs for your listening pleasure and the mixtape serves as a warm up to his highly anticipated album titled 'Chaos Theory' which we will be on the look out for certainly.
At this juncture, I'm tempted to insert a health warning that reads: WARNING - health hazard, material contains explosive Hip-Hop... Light minds please keep off. I shall slow my roll with the writing and allow J.Nolan introduce himself via the first track on his mixtape titled "Reintroduction" as produced by oriJanus. The clear head bopping beat laced with bold drum patterns reminds us of why 90's Hip-Hop music is so missed these days and sees J.Nolan spit that conscious rap focusing on a wide spectrum of subjects ranging from his biography, family, music, record labels, friends, fans, and life... all in less than four minutes. I should really have used this song as this feature's first paragraph, this song describes his kind of music with a single line, catch it if you can ("we use the convo to remove the blind folds cleaning up a cloudy soul"). He starts the song on a very sober note straight from the heart with the following monologue: "... I have done a lot of music over the years and i'm only 22yrs and I done put out 100 of songs, for what? a couple of pats on the back..."Please listen to the full joint below.
"thanks for the introduction/is an induction of influx/ big bucks commits the corruption/and the youth live and stuck with only injustice/as i drew a picture perfect my pen is entrusted/i'm giving them substance that they request/my quest is on a mission for success/nothing less."
The second track I decided to share from this mixtape is right after "Reintroduction" on the mixtape and I love the way J.Nolan switches from the sober state of mind on the preceding song to bursting into a venomous rapper spitting fire on this track titled "Excellent" which is also produced by oriJanus and clearly reflects Nolan's state of mind on this joint as mirrored on the hook which says, "I'm excellent... I feel excellent" and once again he starts the track with some catchy witty word play like, "back in the flesh like the flesh on your back". He goes further on in the song to describe himself as a "gentle man speaking genuine facts with eloquence" and I wish I could find a '"like" or "cosign" buttonright now for this song. This is that much needed feel good and motivational song that I want to relate to. Life is bound to throw challenges at us and granted, only the strong survives but this here song gets you in that "winning" mode to face those challenges... Click play and feel "excellent".
"Even when I lose, I'm still ahead of my contenders / January to December / I'm relishing my splendor / Making the fans stand up like the hair(heir) of a throne"
So what song from the 'Loose Files' mixtape (book of knowledge) should be my final selection to PLUG to you? *thinking* Oh yes! The track "How It Feels" might just let you know how I really feel right now... I had to take a long pause before writing this because this song evokes so much emotion and puts you in a reflective mood. The very soulful keyboard-driven production is courtesty of Tuelv and what an excellent musical backdrop it is. This song gives me that weird nostalgic feeling mixed with a feeling of 'dejavu' almost like I know and feel what his next line will be - the song screams believe. J.Nolan kick starts the track with his characteristic intelligent wordplay which has become quite the trademark - "focus your ears and your eyes to the lyrics." - I obeyed immediately and listened, please do so as well below.
"Why are you on twitter talking about who got the fresher phone? Better refresh your dome, this is a war zone. Firefox learn to explore, then they resort to chrome..."
The 'Loose Files' features J.Nolan at the top of his game with intelligent word play, witty lines, metaphors, level-headed social commentary, food for thought, stylistic and thematic consistency, and fantastic production. I particularly like the fact that he had twelve producers on this mixtape as he has clearly proved he can kick knowldege on the mic, stay versatile by working with a wide variety of producers and still remain relevant and make relevant music. If you are a fan of Hip-Hop then you will like this project. In his own words below...
"I think the current state of Hip-Hop is in a strange place. It’s a lot of people rapping, but not enough making actual music, in my opinion. And I feel as though a lot of people are ignoring the reality of what’s going on in ‘the streets’ and focusing on their image more than ever. I just want to make some dope music for the people and give them some messages they can hold onto". – J. Nolan
What more can I say? This is rated GOODD music, five mics plus two loud speakers... I leave you with one word - DOWNLOAD (below).
When I received an email six days ago that read 'New Artist To Consider Plugging' from one Zemmy Momoh, I thought it was from the same Zemmy Momoh that I went to boarding school with a decade ago and I wasn't gonna open the email because the Zemmy I know cannot sing to save her life. Anyway I opened the email and to my pleasant surprise, it wasn't (1) the Zemmy Momoh I knew and (2) this Zemmy Momoh could actually sing! We'll refer to her by her stage name which is purely and simply Zemmy...
SO who is Zemmy then? Well I'll let her tell you herself...
"I'm a female pop artist originally from Nigeria but I've been a Londoner for the last thirteen years. I like to think of myself as falling stylistically somewhere between Norah Jones and Beyonce and would describe my style as soulful pop. I started making a go at being a career singer/songwriter when I finished my undergrad degree. I found myself a lovely guitarist in early 08, a lovely manager in early 09 and my brilliant drums and bass were recruited at the end of last year. I've been with my wonderful band for just over a year now and we've spent this year (since January) gigging all over London." - Zemmy
It took me the first song to be completely hooked on this Pop/Soul singer and her other songs do NOT disappoint either. There's something about her voice that you cannot help but be captivated by and I just love her whole sound which she describes as 'soulful pop' but it's more than that. I would buy her album right now + it's an added bonus that some of the songs you're about to hear are live recordings and I know that not all of you will be immediate fans of live music over studio recordings but there's something about the organic element and authenticity that shines through on Zemmy's songs that the live music definitely helps bring out that much more BUT enough of me talking, let's listen to some music!
This one is a song titled 'Like Drowning' and I quite like it, I quite like it a lot. It's got that whole chilled-out vibe going on and by God, those guitar riffs capture your ears from the word go and do not let you drift away plus Zemmy's voice just does it for me... It's definitely not your usual or typical vocal powerhouse BUT it's rather soothing and beautiful to listen to and if lyrics and song-writing are your thing then I think you'll like this as well but tell me what you think though...
Here's a very beautifully done cover of the Kids in Glass Houses record, 'Easy Tiger' from their 2007 album 'Smart Casual' that Zemmy and her band absolutely nail. I totally love this cover and how Zemmy absolutely switches the levels on this song, I didn't even recognise it at first. You need to check out the original (HERE) to fully appreciate what Zemmy and her band have done here. They completely turn this rock song on its head and bring it down quite a few notches and turn it into this rather colourful poppy soulful pop song. I'm not sure if fans of Kids in Glass Houses will like it BUT I definitely do like it & hopefully you do too...
I'm loving Zemmy right now and I just wanna hear so much more music from her! You should definitely be up on this young woman BUT if you're not yet completely sold on Zemmy as an amazing artist then these next two songs should literally tip you right over...
This one is called 'Limbo' and I absolutely LOVE it... On constant repeat right now I tell ya! It almost reminds me of a Dido song (only slightly though) with its subtlety and the understated but also (at the same time) commanding vocals. Without mirroring my earlier comments about her voice, it really is just captivating and the musical backdrop, especially those drum patterns, aptly adds to this very compelling listen! I hope you like this one as much as I do.
I know I should go now & leave you to listen to the music without me butting in every five or so minutes with my two pence BUT just one more and I will be gone! This next one is a rough mix of a song titled 'Superman', you have to listen to it (I won't even comment, you give me your 2 pence on this one)...
#Tune!!!
Before I forget to say it, I feel a special mention should be made about Zemmy's 3-piece band; Ifan Emyr on Drums + Daryl Clayton on Bass + Zoltan Naggy on Guitar, because they do a smashing job, especially on the two live recordings we heard up top, giving those songs their full and rich organic sound... SO yeah definite kudos to the band!
I do not have to tell you that I am utterly and completely sold on the 'Soulful Pop' artist that is Zemmy and I hope you are too even if it isn't 'utterly and completely' yet but you cannot deny the potential that this young woman has. The variety in her music + her ability and willingness to play around successfully within such genres as Pop, Soul, Rock and even a bit of Folk is just beautiful and it means that she appeals to a wider range of audience such as Y.O.U and I think it's her voice that gives her that appeal. The first two songs we featured could not be more far apart and different from the latter two but her voice pins them all together. Did I already say that I'd buy her album right now? Well I so would!
Hi There! Its been a week but I'm back, today's review is oceans way from my last week's feature, in terms of genres, that is. So I proudly present to you a collaborative album, brought to you by MC Ema-the-kid & producer Origimoz. When I was told that the album was a collaboration with a producer, I was wondering why that was necessary, but when you listen to the songs, you will hear the creativity and talent both parties equally bring to this album.
Based on the information I received, it's obvious that these dudes don't like talking too much about themselves but would rather let the music do all the talking so I'll quickly introduce you to the artists behind this album and move it right along;
Harlem-born Rapper Ema-the-Kid grew up in new york citybut is currently working and studying in London, UK. He is actually studying for a degree in music informatics, so you can tell that the dude is all about the music. He says he draws his inspiration from the likes of Kanye West, Andre 3000 & Gnarls Barkley and following that list I bet you can sense the type of music this album is going to bring
Producer Origimoz with Mozambique origins was born in China and grew up in his hometown (Mozambique). At just 20 years of age, he has been into quite a number of things from graphic designing to MC-ing and now finally resting comfortably into production.
With that said, let's listen to some music and you can be the judge...
This song, 'Once Upon A Time', is a song I can totally relate to albeit not directly but the story telling is one that everyone will be able to relate to & credit to Ema-the-kid for adeptly bringing us along on this story. Considering its imaginary flow & dreamy musical backdrop, the meaning behind the song is far from a fairytale. The storyline is a perfect example of a sweet food with a very bitter after taste. This song is one of the realest on the album if you ask me, hope you like it too.
As we proceed...
This next track, 'Smiles & Frowns' is another sweet & sour track but I decided to plug it anyway because it's different from the previous song in terms of the sound & music. Truth be told, if you have ever heard of Light House Family and like them, then you'll most definitely love the chorus of this particular track which is sung by a featured artist called Mex. Even as much as iLove the hook, I have to say that Ema-the-kid delivers on every verse...
This next one is a must listen, this particular track cemented my decision to feature this album. It is the type of track you wanna listen to, top-down in your convertible, if you have a convertible that is (anyway it's too bad it's Winter time even if you did have a convertible except you wanna do like Jay-Z and go "Top-down in the Winter..."). Sorry to digress however, this track has that New York Hip-Hop feel to it with a very catchy hook. I present to you, 'Top Of the World'. The singer sings...
"Im sitting top/im getting that money/i got the whole world/ you aint taking that off me....."
Well that's it from me folks... All in all the album Above and Beyond is a really good Hip-Hop album, it sounds like a fusion of modern day and classical music (thanks to Origimoz) with a great Hip-Hop element (Ema-the-kid) and it all works. I'm personally impressed with this one because you can be in any particular mood and still find a song on here to match that mood. The 15-track album has a general feel good sound which I'm sure you'll like...
Download the album "above and beyond" right now. Its FREE + it's GOOD MUSIC so you need to get it, its that simple...
We Plug Good Music, you love it and everybody's happy
SO AFTER a brief hiatus, we are back with a flurry of the very best emerging music that we've been blessed to find and come across... Let's get right into it ladies & gentlemen!
I received an email a couple of months ago from a Hip-Hop/Soul group from London by the name of K.I Project of their debut album that is being released today for FREE but we'll get back to that detail later on, I was at first reluctant to download their entire album unto my laptop and then have it turn out to be utter rubbish (no offence but it's happened) but I took a little faith and let me tell you, I was BLOWN away!!!
SO who are K.I Project? K.I Project is the combination of Hip-Hop & Soul Producer Kensaye, born & raised in France, who's now based in London and Innocent, one very impressive Rapper from Watford & together they formed the Kensaye & Innocent Project thus 'K.I Project'... "Simple & Honest" according to Kensaye and he goes on to clarify that "Simplicity and Honest is what they thrive on. The Music has a soulful blend of samples and electronic sounds and the lyrics are honest and heartfelt". 'The Article' is the 13-track debut offering from the duo and like I said earlier... BLOWN AWAY!
Anyway enough of the background info, let's get right into some of the MUSIC, shall we?
YES YES! What you just heard is titled 'Riveta' and on my first spin of the album, this was my favorite record... You know how much I love Soulful Hip-Hop, I cannot help it & Kensaye is a BEAST for this production (SO SOULFUL!!!) and as well as much of the records on the album + something about Innocent on the MIC, it just feels all so natural and I love his flow and then they add the amazing vocals of Nic Brown on this & its an EPIC Hip-Hop Love record! I'm totally feeling it! What do you think though?
We DO have some more music, what say you?
Damn I love the sampling on this record + the thumping production does it for me, I just had to include it on here and Innocent gets his retrospective real-talk on on this one, it's the final track on the album so it's only right (I aint mad at that at all!), it's titled 'Had To Go'. There's something about music like this, it's NOT about trivial OR far-fetched OR bulls**t subject matter like fast cars & popping champagne at the club or glorifying peddling drugs or boasting about your crib with 10 bathrooms (when you're an upcoming artist? Lol Please!), this music is listen-able, well at least to me, because iBelieve Innocent on here, I can relate to him on many levels & I don't even know him... That's what MUSIC should be! Right? Anyway that's only what iThink, lemme know your 2 cents please!
What you just heard is titled 'Goodness'... SO apparently, Kensaye told Innocent to calm down on the 'About-a-Girl' tracks (there are quite a number of em on the album and I love every one of em! #sueme!) and so they made this 'Goodness' instead & what we get is Innocent getting his braggadocio rapping on! I can't be mad at that, it's in every rapper's genes plus we're blessed with some amazing vocals from another emerging singer by the name of Sharika Medla.
Now you know I just had to do it, as a final parting shot, we're gonna close out this feature with one of those 'About-a-Girl' tracks or as Innocent called em "track for the hunnies"... We just gotta do it! You'll like this one, truss me...
This one's titled 'Feel Like That' and in some ways, it feels like the sequel to 'The Break-Up Track' featuring Sharika, which you'll hear immediately before you hear this one on the album, I kinda feel bad playing you this one without the other BUT take it as further reason to download the album... Do you like this one though?
PLUS Kensaye & Innocent show their versatility on the 8th track on 'The Article' titled 'Not a Bad Man' & it will definitely catch you out when you listen & as Innocent bashfully concedes "You didnt think we'd do 'Grime', did you?". Yup! They go all 'Grime' on us on that one record alongside Blazay & Conrad the Scoundrel and iQuite liked it & if you're on that flex, you'll definitely like it too!!!
Other notable records that you'll wanna check out immediately are 'Travellin' Again' which is the token Posse Cut on this album and it features two of the most promising emerging UK emcees at the moment, Artcha & Cage Lu plus Nic Brown lends his brilliant vocals on the hook for that one... & Cage Lu also lends a verse to another record I quite like, the abstract 'Rap Tales' which features emerging UK-based Songstress Ella Bites, who completely murks this record... like completely murks it! Add the Ella Bites assisted 'Coming on Strong' & 'Fool The Industry' to this list and it's virtually the whole album! 'The Article' is that good!
All in all, 'The Article' is a brilliantly put-together body of work and if you're a music-head then you'll really enjoy this one because above everything, the music on here is really really good and I cannot wait for K.I Project's next release but until then, I will be RINSING the heck outta 'The Article' and I recommend you hit the download button below and help yourself to some amazing music that really shouldn't be free BUT yup it is FREE, you have NO reason NOT to get this!
