Showing posts with label soul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soul. Show all posts


No matter what production she’s singing over, Faith Walker’s vocals stick out like a diamond in the ruff. Sharp and effulgent, these harmonies will spin celestially between your headphones, with the final effect being your “Head In The Clouds”. With that being said, these Los Angeles-born/Toronto-raised songstress couldn’t have titled her EP better.



Embarking on this album destines you for an cottony, R&B joyride. Not only does Faith prove magical with her singing; but her command of the early-2000 aesthetic of R&B is equally top notch. She glides soulfully, wafting through production that forwards heavy-hitting drums, and guitar-tinged, chord-waving instrumentation. These elements give “Head In The Clouds” a musical purity and authenticity that is impossible to ignore. Soar into songs such as the title track, as well as “Love By Now”, “Catch My Heart” (feat. Orion Tukal), and “Enough Of Your Love” and the beauty of this album will illuminate; deeming Faith Walker a beacon for the indie R&B circuit. For, if one thing can be concluded from listening to “Head In The Clouds”, it is that this amorous woman is destined for astronomical stardom. 



Full EP “Head In the Clouds” on Spotify 


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“It’s been a while since I first saw you, something about that kiss...” For those of us who have had tremendous romantic encounters, these words from Chris Knite are a blast down memory lane. “Your pretty smile, girl, I can’t front it; Girl, I reminisce...” By the beam of his star-striking chorus, we are warped into complete recollection of that special someone; and reminded of the very moment each and everyone of us knew we were “Ready For Love”. 

Native and nigh-tropical percussions keep this enamored power at a constant throughout the record. Surely, the beat is flavored by an array of synths, rises, and basslines that assign it Pop perfection; however, these drums are powerful enough by their lonesome to lift your spirit. Lift it high into the atmosphere of this singer’s superb vocals. Through clouds of reverb and autotune, Chris Knite sings with the resplendence of his Sunshine State. As he serenades his unnamed love interest (in a fantastic mixture of English and Spanish), his voice flourishes with a lushness only Jacksonville, Florida could provide; making for an earth-shaking R&B hit. Love is in the air this summer and, thanks to Chris Knite’s latest, it’ll remain that way for the rest of 2019. Singlehandedly, he’ll have us all “Ready For Love”.

“Ready For Love” on Spotify




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Just when you’d thought every nugget of gold and every rock of diamond had been robbed from the gorgeous continent of Africa, a gem juts from the earth. It glows with the colorful hues of Afro-beat, and glistens with melodies that those native to the motherland will irresistibly feel in their souls. That jewel is Thandiwe Love’s “Good Life”; and through its lustrous prism of sounds, you’ll come to know that the wealth in Africa is far from low. For, there are still mountains of riches in their arts and culture. Thandiwe shows this with twenty-four tracks of enchanting dance music. Albeit, a handful of these records sport modern-trap sensibilities; most of them pump with the Worldly, four-to-the-floor rhythm that the motherland is known for. Raw, stomping kicks and energetic percussions keep this project pumping with the lifeblood of African music; a lifeblood that is further vivified by the melodious vocals Thandiwe splices into it. The lead single, “Loving You” is a quintessential example of such performance; manifested by a club-rocking trap beat and astounding, autotune harmonies. An inflection, with which Thandiwe uniquely excels. All in all, “Good Life” is a powerful embrace of international pop music— mixing World and Afro-beat brilliance with auto-tune and trap magnificence. Out of twenty-four tracks, you won’t skip a single one. In fact, you’ll be pining for the next song from Africa’s rising star.


"Good Life" 




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The city of Philadelphia is breeding a powerhouse. An imprint of epic potential that could very well be the next leading label of ‘The Birthplace of America’. Known as Born Made Bosses Music Group (BMB), this East Coast collective is spearheading consciousness and the revival of boom-bap; utilizing their latest tape, ‘Soul & Spice Vol. 1’, as a swift introduction into their lasting magnificence. Sporting seven tracks, and seven tracks alone, the effort is fully produced by JSoul Musiq (BMB’s first artist and in-house producer). Over twenty minutes of runtime, our New Orleanian beat-maker splices sweet, soul samples with punching, Golden Era drums. These instrumentals lay the foundation of some of CG QUE’s (BMB’s head honcho), JSoul Musiq’s, and Super K’s most impassioned and thought-provoking verses; returning the essence of organic hip-hop to ‘The City of Brotherly Love’. Granted, a couple tracks feature modern percussions— with ‘Kryptic’ being a powerful, 808-driven rhyme-fest; and Atiya’s ‘What I Need’ braving shimmering R&B vocals over soft kicks and trap snares— they do not subtract from the project’s cohesive, old-school sound. Their equivalent use of soul samples is an adhesive that binds these records to the other joints on the project; keeping ‘Soul & Spice Vol. 1’ a smooth-flowing, nostalgic affair. Every artist spotlighted on this project uniquely holds their own; offering another dimension of brilliance to ‘Soul & Spice Vol. 1’ that hadn’t existed before their part. In twenty minutes, these artists combine and create something remarkable. Just imagine what they’ll be presenting us years down the line. If Philadelphia had no hope in R&B and the revival of Golden Era Hip-Hop, they certainly have one now; and Born Made Bosses is leading the way.


We recently caught up with suave conscious rap spitter, CG Que for to get the story behind thejoint project "Soul & Spice Vol. 1". Peep the in-depth FB LIVE interview above on the TheDopeness interview series.


“Soul & Spice Vol. 1” 




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With their first three projects, “Koinda Vol. 1”, “Koinda Vol. 2”, and “Koinda Vol. 2.5” (Producers Only Album), the Koindanomics collective succeeded in bringing their worldly agenda new light. They focused greatly on showcasing talents from around the world; cultivating international bodies of work that spread their message of global growth, community, and love. Now, after all of that amazing externality, Koinda Records are changing directions; dedicating their latest installment, “Koinda Vol. 3”, to the power of self. Presented as a “meditation album”, this eight-track opus is devoted entirely to spiritual betterment and growth. For its four zen-ful, mind-calming instrumentals, the collective tapped A-Rell and See See Beats. For the three “guided meditations”, Ace Burns is our tranquil host. Albeit, only three notable parties are spotlighted on this project, the strength of Koinda Records, as a whole, is still awesomely felt. Their agenda to impact, enlighten and heal the world around them illuminates even brighter with “Koinda Vol. 3”; further proving the magnitude of this collective’s potential.



“Koinda Vol 3” on Youtube/Spotify 






Recent Interview: 




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An earth-moving synth progression jump starts King Pablo’s “Zombieland”, foreshadowing an unimaginable banger to come. To fulfill that prophecy, the Denton artist hits the mic with a melodic torrent of bars; and after fifteen seconds, this Texan smash is mobile. What King Pablo wants us to know, most of all, with this three minute anthem, is that he is back from the dead. After a four year hiatus, The Lonestar emcee has to resurrected; and his first order of business is giving us a trunk-rattling taste of “Young Rebel”, his upcoming debut. To that end, “Zombieland” is flawless. It features the Southern artist spinning through synths, 808s, and lively trap drums, in a blur of melody and autotune. Both elements swing his rhymes into irresistible territory, making “Zombieland” a track you won’t be able to deny. Certainly, King Pablo has been gone for quite some time. However, with a track like this, he has thrust his palm from the grave, and gripped the Texas rap game.



“Zombieland” on Spotify 
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“I know my name is on the map!” After dropping such a climatic single, Owen Mc Grory could not be more correct. His heavy, danceable track “Army” is capable of making insane waves across the United Kingdom, and European continent. That is because this nearly three minute single blends two of the most indomitable genres known to the world: Hip-Hop and EDM. Its instrumental is a grand adventure of dance music, pushing a four-to-the-floor rhythm whilst whipping a club-grooving bassline. Mc Grory’s performance, however, is all bars. He accelerates through verses that harken towards his determination and shining ambition to thrive with his music. “Army” is a flavorful embodiment of the Irish artist’s potential. Not only does it highlight the emcee as a promising powerhouse in his home country, but it likewise opens him up to being an impactful, international star.

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Obviously, the anticipation for K3’s latest project, “LoveTape” has been at an all time high. That much can be gathered from the mixtape’s opener, “#LoveTapeOTW”, wherein a plethora of locals and fans of the Cleveland rapper alike share praises of his talent and yearning to hear his upcoming work. Once the opus gets rolling, we know exactly why. Both lyrically and productively “LoveTape” is astronomical. For fifteen tracks, spanning approximately fifty minutes, K3 gives a sensual, yet Hip-Hop take on Midwest love. With an instrumental style that blends R&B with fragments of Trap and old-school Hip-Hop, plus a flow that flirts along the border between conversation and rap, this Ohio artist cranks out a list of bangers that both Drake and Bryson Tiller would have to admire. “Midnight Thoughts”, “In Too Deep”, “Ashanti”, “Let Me Know” (feat. TYuS) and “LoveTape” (feat. Ye Ali) are just a few examples of that astonishment. Truly, K3 has crafted a perpetual mood with “LoveTape”; and that type of artistry is precisely what separates the rookies from the greats. As far as this LP goes, greatness is definitely within this man’s reach.


“LoveTape” on Soundcloud 




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If you were unaware of the city of Opelousas’s existence before, P.A.T. will be damned if you are not enlightened by the end of this record. He, alongside iconic emcee, KXNG Crooked, land on “Soul 4 Real” with the intention of leaving a mark. One that puts this phenomenal lyricist, as well as his Louisiana city, undoubtedly on the map. At least, that is the impression you’ll receive listening to P.A.T. rip through verses on the new-age boom-bap track. He is lyrically relentless on “Soul 4 Real”; spitting bars that hold both introspective and conscious weight. KXNG Crooked takes this angle a step further with his own 16, ridiculing emcees who spend more time rapping about their riches than speaking a heartfelt, beneficial message to their fans. When placed over such a futuristic, electronic melody, pulsating 808s, and dusty Golden Era drums, these verses purely convey that Hip-Hop has indeed been resurrected; and it is taking an evolved, sonic form. “Soul 4 Real” is that illuminating. It shows how easily conscious rap and new-age Hip-Hop can fuse to create an anthemic hit any lover of the culture can stand behind. All thanks to the artistic capacity of P.A.T. With little over three minutes, he proves that he is one of Louisiana’s most gilded upcomers; and Opelousas is clearly a goldmine. 



“Soul 4 Real”on iTunes 



Even in March, the Valentines Day emotions are still rolling in. One artist, intent on this season of sensuosity continuing, is Benji Kriis. In a glowing wave of autotune, the New Jersey crooner lets every lady know where to go for love: “Hotel Rendezvous”. This two minute record is the paragon of modern R&B. Melodious, impassioned vocals, illuminated by delay and autotune, coast a gentle, trap-ladened beat. Lyrics, regarding Benji’s growing lust for this female character, poke through floating bells and a slow-rolling bassline. All the while, a ravishing fog is growing thicker and thicker around you. Before you know it, you are submerged in the Nigerian-born singer’s enticing depictions. “Hotel Rendezvous” is an undeniable mood-setter; with Benji Kriis proving just how excellent in can be in the modern R&B circuit. She has the talent, and the sound; all she needs is the right ear to hear her.




Recent Interview-





“Hotel Rendezvous”
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Motor Mouth has perfectly placed nostalgia between electronic synths and boom-bap beats. With three minutes and twenty seconds on the clock, this Hawaii-born, former United States Army soldier casts a light on every Hip-Hop legend whose inspired him thus far. That light refracts into “Back In The Day” featuring Marissa Delmonico. The producer, Darren Vegas contributed instrumental brilliance to this record; guiding it in slowly with a progression of atmospheric synths, frosted by Marissa Delmonico’s enchanting adlibs. Motor Mouth enters just as the muddy bass does, rolling along with the loop of Golden Era drums to a story he spits about his Hip-Hop upbringing. From being “on the courts playing ball with the homies blaring Biggie Smalls” to Eminem blowing his mind with every release, our Los Angeles-based artist displays a vivid love for the culture. This love is so pure and gargantuan that only Marissa’s angelic voice can emulate it. She belts a poppy, yet soulful hook for “Back In The Day”; surging with an identical passion to the track’s creator. On this record, Motor Mouth is golden. You may hear a song full of shoutouts and believe paying homage is the reason this Seattle native excels. That is not the case. It is his ability to tell the story of his upbringing , and be himself entirely, that pays this artform the greatest respect. Continue to honor that; and this emcee will be paid back even sooner.




Recent Interview-