Showing posts with label Pittsburgh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pittsburgh. Show all posts

We Plug 2 Y.O.U... Joy Ike - Rumors

Hello, ladies and gentleman. How are you all doing? So its my birthday next week and i'm not excited at all, growing older is such a bore. I am however excited about the artist I am about to introduce you. This is why I do this by the way, ensuring that you don't miss out on some truly exceptional artists.

Joy Ike is a sensational soul singer/songwriter based out of Pittsburgh with Nigerian origins. The boss came upon her some weeks back and was really enamored with her and I can't blame him, she sings so beautifully and there is a certain grace about her that you can sense through her music. Her fans have compared her vocally to Corrine Bailey Rae and Norah Jones with an ambiance that is much like that of India Arie and Lizz Wright. Joy Ike released her second album "Rumors" in May 2010 with great reception from all; with The Times, Tribune and Examiner, to name a few, giving her rave reviews.


Despite the stellar comparisons mentioned above, Joy credits much of her musical influence to more modern acts like Sara Groves and Broke Waggoner as well as independent artists like Death Cab for Cutie, Sufjan Stevens and Aqualang. "I really just love soul music and I think soul music has less to do with how a song sounds and more to do with the emotion behind it. I think that’s why these artists mean so much to me.” She says...

She is being honest because with every song, I relate to the emotion the song emits. In her Song "Pain" she talks about a guy who backtracks on his feelings for his lover because he has plans he thinks does not include her. I think every human has this one relationship, your paths just don't seem to be aligned in the same direction.
“Don’t change you plans for me.. I hope you’ll always be someone who sees past the borders in life... Just know that I exist and opportunities missed make for regrets in life”


I'm really impressed with Joy's lyrics. I often wonder how people connect so deeply to their emotion to be able to write songs such as her next song "Rumors". Joy's music has continually been noted for its lyrical depth addressing the human condition, thoughts on Love and the search for God in a tangible way.
"The world has fed us rumors that we cannot be one... And we have gone consumed them. Now we are undone... If two can stay together even in the fire... If two can brave the weather and couple their desire... Then all the world has told us simply stays a lie... And all that God has promised simply comes to life."

My favorite song on this album, that you ought to absolutely have in your collection is called "Nomad". Maybe because I can totally relate, word for word. But I have talked about the songwriting skills, and about this two time Pittsburgh City Paper's best solo artist Joy, but I haven't talked about the music. The beauty about soul music is that from the first strings of the guitar, or the first sounds of the piano, it resonates. As such the artist is only lending his or her voice to the music. Melody like no other and highly orgasmic in its nature.
"I have a thick skin and it's thicker than people seem to think... I have, I have been waiting on the edge for something new... No more, no more. I'll create it, you can join me if you choose."

Certified Good Music, I really encourage you to get this on to your playlist. Its one of the best i have heard this year. She definitely deserves to be a Mainstream artist, so help support her and spreading the word out there to your family and friends by purchasing down below.

Purchase: Joy Ike - Rumors

Till Next Time

Peace, Love and Good Music

Neefemi

We Plug 2 Y.O.U... KELLEE MAIZE


OK NOW before we get into this, I wanna ask you to put to one side any and all of the preconceived notions that you might have about what Music is OR should be OR should sound like OR who OR what should be making music OR whatever notions else that you might have about music... Because you are seriously about to be thrown by this... I know I was!!!


So what do we have here then? It's Kellee Maize from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and her songs, according to  her, are about "Yoga, Meditation, Being In the Now, Astrology, Tarot & Spirituality, Zeitgeist & The Venus Project", although after listening to her latest album, the 21-Track 'Aligned Archetype', you'll FIND that her songs are about so MUCH more... Talking about albums, 'Aligned Archetype' which was released earlier on this year, is her second full-length album, after her 2007 debut album 'Age of Feminine' so she's really NOT a newbie in the game.... YOU know what? Let's just get right into the Music yeah?


YUP! That was Kellee Maize on a track titled 'Pulse' & she is, in her own words, a 'White, Blonde, Rapper'... Now you really don't need to lie about this BUT when you saw that picture up top, did you in your wildest imaginations envision hearing what you just heard? Nah you can be honest lol... iLove it! It's just very different from what I'm typically used to... The production on this & as with the overriding musical vibe on this album is quite Baltimore/East-Coast/D.C Club-Scene Sounding... It's Hip-Hop, It's Dub-Step, Its Reggae, Its Dance, Its House... which in itself is quite impressive that the album is still largely about Kellee's lyrics which do NOT get drowned by the varied musical backdrop... It's a HUGE feat in my eyes! While we're on her lyrics, let's check her out on this next record.



What you just heard was 'Third Eye' and one of my favourite records on the 'Aligned Archetype', it's laced with that hippie, intellectual, retrospective lyrical showing that I'm a sucker for, this record is BIG! For some reason, she reminds me of Kid Cudi (a Kid Cudi that I can actually listen to) mixed with Missy Elliot (circa her 'Miss E... So Addictive'/'Under Construction' days) & that's only when she's rapping... Now on bits that she sings, she does her thing & she does her thing WELL!


Are you still doing a double-take at the picture of Kellee as you listen to the music thinking it can't be the same person? Can I just say something because there is something that should be said about this woman's flow... I like the way she switches up & down between that rapid-fire flow, her easy laid-back persona & the melodic spitting style she throws in from time to time. Kelle Maize is DOPE! We're definitely putting our #goodmusic stamp all over this one...  We're gonna share one more record from the album with you, lemme know your thoughts on this one yeah? I'm actually finding it extremely hard picking just one more song for you, I am SO for choice here... OK check this one out, it's called 'Godette'. #SNM



You can download her 'Aligned Archetype' album for free right after the jump & so you should, it's a little over an hour of quality music that's brightened up my weekend even further & with over 150000 downloads already of this album in what, 3 months? I suppose it's safe to say that we're SO VERY late on this one!

Download: Kellee Maize - Aligned Archetype

Until the Next Time...
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