On the Hop Along album opener, “How Simple,” FrancesQuinlan wrangles with what it’s like to learn about yourself—which can get ugly. Quinlan explains, “People romanticize the idea of finding themselves, but when they do, at least in my experience, it can be really difficult. You see how you fail others and how others fail you.”
Raised across Europe and Asia, and based in New York City, AmberMark weaves her deep knowledge of international styles into a stunning musical tapestry. Growing up on a diet of soul, R&B, bossa nova and electronica, Amber’s rich songwriting and production talents were distilled into her 2016 release – “the 3.33am” EP. The release was a dedication to her late mother and an exploration of how grief can birth incredible creativity. Now on Conexão, Amber is turning her sights to the future. “It’s about my process of finding love again,” she explains of the project. “It’s like you’re reading a book about my life and this is the next chapter.” On stunning lead single “Love Me Right,” Amber lays out the terms of a relationship over pared-down, purposeful R&B rhythms. Like all her music, the song is an honest reflection of real-life emotion.
This Spring, Amber kicks off her just announced US tour on May 6th in Washington D.C. running through May 30th. The Conexão EP confirms AmberMark as one of 2018’s most inventive artists, both as a songwriter and a producer. In amongst worldwide tour dates and further releases, Amber’s first 2018 release is a mission statement for the year ahead.
A virtuoso, known for boundary-pushing production (often fusing traditional hip-hop drum programming with sampling and live music) and thoughtful lyrics, Black Milk is respected across the industry for his unique sound, consistency and innovation. Returning to the scene amidst a turbulent political climate, the Detroit-born rapper/producer announces “FEVER,” his upcoming studio album.
Black Milk’s sixth solo rap album, and his first since 2014’s “If There’s a Hell Below,” “FEVER” combines pointed and topical lyrics and brilliant musicianship, including percussion from all-star musicians Chris “Daddy” Dave (D’Angelo) and Daru Jones (Jack White), bass by long-time collaborator Malik Hunter and keys and guitar from newcomers Ian Fink and Sasha Kashperko, respectively. Black Milk evolves his production style of fusing electronic, soul, rock and other soundscapes with electronic programming and live music, a method he began experimenting with on his 2010 release, “Album of the Year.”
Describing the 3-track 12” entitled “Once”, Peggy Gou says: “I really wanted to represent different styles and moods on this EP, from open air warm-up vibes to proper party. I tried to draw on all my influences of the last few years, from electro, African music, early 90s house music and also techno, especially Maurice Fulton and DMX Krew.”
Korean born and residing in Berlin, Peggy Gou has built a sterling reputation for herself via a handful of standout 12”s on Rekids, Phonica White and 2016’s “Seek For Maktoop” EP on Ninja Tune’s Technicolour imprint. The combination of her own profoundly groove-led musical output partnered with her passion and flair in the DJ booth playing week in, week out across the globe – from Glastonbury Festival to Panorama bar, De School, DC-10 and Dekmantel Festival – has won her fans in rapidly increasing numbers.
“Wallflower” could roughly be described as a left-field soul album, but it’s woven from so many threads that such a broad portrayal hardly does it justice. The New Zealand born, Australian soul music artist, Jordan Rakei, crams a kaleidoscopic array of influences— Jazz, Funk, Hip-Hop, Troubadour material, Pop, R&B and much more into the mix, with an elegant, eloquent melodic sense that provides the bed for introspective lyrics, often expressing feelings of yearning and uncertainty.
Despite that, there’s an assuredness that runs throughout—the instrumentation, performed with skillful subtlety by Jordan Rakei and a coterie of players, is embedded with enough electronic touches which give the work an added dimension without overwhelming the songs. Not bad for a guy who just a few years back was sitting in his bedroom, banging away on his MPC.
Since then, Jorja Smith has gone on to create a name for herself as Britain’s most exciting R&B songwriter, with a masterful knack for crafting melodies that make you feel like you could be anywhere from a smoky Parisian jazz club to a North London warehouse party. Her two most recent singles, “On My Mind” (feat Preditah) and “Let Me Down” have been testament to her versatility. The former is a garage-inflected club number that comes with a video featuring cult UK comedy crew Kurupt FM. But, “Let Me Down” (which premiered on Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 show) is a slice of effervescent vocal beauty with a feature from the man of the moment, Stormzy.
In 2018, Jorja will set out on her first full US headline tour, which will include a stop at Coachella and a special song teaser embedded in the HBO hit show, “Insecure” (the show has already featured three of Smith’s songs in the last year). More importantly, the highly anticipated debut album is ready. Featuring songs mostly written between the ages of 16-19, it’s a youthful exploration of love and anger, but also an album about self-discovery. “I like 2018,” says Jorja. Why? “Because what does 2 plus 0 plus 1 plus 8 equal? Eleven. Which is my favorite number in the world. So, I think it’s meant to be.”
As Sa-Roc readies her Rhymesayers debut release, “Forever” finds the hip-hop heroine delivering an empowering self-love message over an ominous bass line, dropping lines like, “No, I’m not flawless. I’m scarred up, and I’m fine with it.”
Following a series of independent releases, she has carved out her own lane through a combination of airtight wordplay and intelligent concepts. Over the course of her illustrious career, she’s performed alongside the likes of Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, Atmosphere, and is one of the few MC’s to perform regularly as a featured artist with The Roots, around the country.
In addition, she’s also landed an underground hit with “The Who?” featuring David Banner. 2017 saw her deliver a fiery cameo on “We Got This” from Brother Ali’s “All The Beauty In This Whole Life,” before joining him as direct support on his Own Light Tour across North America, followed by an unforgettable performance at Soundset. Next up, she appears in William Feagins Jr.’s upcoming film, “The Possibility Of Her,” a feature-length documentary that echoes many of the obstacles overcome by Sa-Roc in her career.