Its been a while since I last wrote. Excuse- I simply haven't heard anything remotely worthy of recognition. At least that was the case until this August. Queue Delilah, and her debut album From the Roots Up.
Now to place Delilah in one singular category would be both inaccurate and restrictive. And what good would it do anyway? I like many others, appreciate that current music is not so black and white; a feature to be thankful for. Fusing different styles as happens in fashion, can produce something quite striking as is the case here.
Delilah is not just a Dubstep, Garage, or Blues artist but a combination of all three. Whether you keep her voice in the background or crank it up, the sound is equally convincing.
What I've come to understand about music lately is that an artist will not stand out for their good looks or album artwork alone. Today's society wants something more, provocation. And this singer-songwriter will do just that. From the sultry tone of her voice and longing of lyrics, to the dramatic visual manifestations of her art, Delilah will inevitably make you go 'OOH'.
Listen now
Tuesday 21 August 2012
Saturday 31 March 2012
Jessie J....a voice of hope against a backdrop of despair
Gang warfare, higher taxes, fuel strikes, and social media race rows...just a few of this week's hot topics.
It's not that I am disinterested by these subjects but conscious that most of what we read lately seems to impart a growing sense of doom.
Now being my optimistic 'there's always a solution to every problem' self, I am reluctant to believe that because of these issues, we cannot grow or achieve greatness. Yes it might be a little harder but it's certainly not impossible.
With that, we must seek ways to stay motivated and engaged. One of my methods is to listen to great music and this week my favorite pick-me-up is, 'We Found Love' by Jessie J...maybe she can inspire you too!
Listen here
Wednesday 29 June 2011
Carried away by Benjamin Francis Leftwich
Summer is here and the inevitable has happened -speakers from Edinburgh to London have been taken over by those season only tracks, peppered with rhythms that take you back to the beach, where the sun was warm and the tanning oil a flow.
But what if you're not on a beach somewhere in the Med? Surely there must exist another sound that can evoke that summer sensation, and dare I say it, stay in our music psyches longer than the average 'summer anthem' . Well I believe I have the answer. His name is Benjamin Francis Leftwich.
I will not go into depth about a particular song of his but so far 'Atlas Hands', 'Box of Stones', and 'Pictures' are all of equal standing. With a warm almost haunting voice, his songs have the ability to take you away to those long summer evenings, walks in the park, over heated journeys, and my personal favorite-encounters with old and new friends.
So instead of jumping on board the traditional Ibiza themed playlist this summer, why not give into Benjamin's still hopeful, still dreamy tracks-as only winning summer tunes should be.
Listen to Benjamin Francis Leftwich now:
http://youtu.be/sin9PRz583E
But what if you're not on a beach somewhere in the Med? Surely there must exist another sound that can evoke that summer sensation, and dare I say it, stay in our music psyches longer than the average 'summer anthem' . Well I believe I have the answer. His name is Benjamin Francis Leftwich.
I will not go into depth about a particular song of his but so far 'Atlas Hands', 'Box of Stones', and 'Pictures' are all of equal standing. With a warm almost haunting voice, his songs have the ability to take you away to those long summer evenings, walks in the park, over heated journeys, and my personal favorite-encounters with old and new friends.
So instead of jumping on board the traditional Ibiza themed playlist this summer, why not give into Benjamin's still hopeful, still dreamy tracks-as only winning summer tunes should be.
Listen to Benjamin Francis Leftwich now:
http://youtu.be/sin9PRz583E
Wednesday 18 May 2011
Jennifer, I'm Into You
Regardless of this seemingly new trend in popular music to mix genres, namely rap and dance of late, the pairing of pop Latina J Lo with for want of a better term dirrty rap artist Lil' Wayne, still left me wondering.
Well not anymore. Since hearing Jen's second latest track 'I'm Into You' from forthcoming album Love?, I feel I can say with absolute certainty that her comeback is more than mere fluke.
After the no.1 success of 'On The Floor' ft Pitbull, I have to admit that I wasn't sure of what to expect but thankfully it seems that marriage, the birth of twins and a stint as judge on American Idol have only served to empower this diva further.
In true J Lo style, the track incorporates provocative Latin sounds and even has visual references to Latin American culture with shots of Mexico's sacred Mayan ruins, the Kukulkan Pyramid at Chichen Itza. I think this blend of ancient and contemporary cultures gives the track particular potency. Other attractive aspects of the song include not so subtle word plays by the supporting rapper and of course a (too brief) dance section in which Lopez, as always, leaves the viewer wanting more!
'I'm Into You', with its love drenched lyrics, earthy colors, and of course beach front visuals is a perfect summer tune. So get this season under way and listen to 'I'm Into You' now:
http://youtu.be/IgLcQmlN2Xg
Well not anymore. Since hearing Jen's second latest track 'I'm Into You' from forthcoming album Love?, I feel I can say with absolute certainty that her comeback is more than mere fluke.
After the no.1 success of 'On The Floor' ft Pitbull, I have to admit that I wasn't sure of what to expect but thankfully it seems that marriage, the birth of twins and a stint as judge on American Idol have only served to empower this diva further.
In true J Lo style, the track incorporates provocative Latin sounds and even has visual references to Latin American culture with shots of Mexico's sacred Mayan ruins, the Kukulkan Pyramid at Chichen Itza. I think this blend of ancient and contemporary cultures gives the track particular potency. Other attractive aspects of the song include not so subtle word plays by the supporting rapper and of course a (too brief) dance section in which Lopez, as always, leaves the viewer wanting more!
'I'm Into You', with its love drenched lyrics, earthy colors, and of course beach front visuals is a perfect summer tune. So get this season under way and listen to 'I'm Into You' now:
http://youtu.be/IgLcQmlN2Xg
Sunday 27 March 2011
Woon and his Lady Luck
Have you heard of Jamie Woon, that folk/soul/dubstep infused singer-songwriter?
If you haven't I suggest you familiarize yourself with him a.s.a.p. At least then I'll know I'm not the only one with his latest song-Lady Luck-playing over and over again in my head! The track from his debut album mirrorwriting, set for release on April 11th, is quite frankly the sh*t.
Even though it would be insufficient to describe the song with words, I will say this. There is something almost therapeutic or spiritual about it. Upon hearing the track you will experience that wholly satisfied feeling that only good music can bring. So start the week right and listen to Lady Luck now:
It isn't over for Adele
Continuing on in the fashion of my last blog post, I wanted to call attention to another artist who doesn't fit the stereotypical mold, her name is Adele.
Flying the flag for the UK music industry, this multi-million record selling songstress reminds me why I listen to music-to connect, be it with myself, friends, family or even strangers.
The emotion seeping from Adele's voice and inextricably woven into her lyrics is enough to strike a chord in the steeliest of characters. With every song, she lays bare a bit of her soul, and the result painful or not is also the obtainment of top chart hits.
What can we learn from this? Even if it is hard, giving flight to emotions will culminate in eventual success.
I would like then to dedicate this post to Adele, who in her courageous musical pursuits, teaches us to embrace all that life brings be it good or bad.
Listen to Adele's latest track Someone Like You:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqzsezZFCt0
Flying the flag for the UK music industry, this multi-million record selling songstress reminds me why I listen to music-to connect, be it with myself, friends, family or even strangers.
The emotion seeping from Adele's voice and inextricably woven into her lyrics is enough to strike a chord in the steeliest of characters. With every song, she lays bare a bit of her soul, and the result painful or not is also the obtainment of top chart hits.
What can we learn from this? Even if it is hard, giving flight to emotions will culminate in eventual success.
I would like then to dedicate this post to Adele, who in her courageous musical pursuits, teaches us to embrace all that life brings be it good or bad.
Listen to Adele's latest track Someone Like You:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqzsezZFCt0
Wednesday 12 January 2011
A subliminal debut for James Blake
With the new year underway, I have made it my mission to find an artist that not only breaks the the mould of last years most popular acts (which were comprised mainly of Pop and Rnb players like Katy Perry and BoB) but that also has talent enough to warrant the label of musician rather than commercial brand!
Although this may seem like an impossibility given today's climate of celebrity fanaticism, which more often than not puts looks and controversial behaviour before the individual's professional merits, I may have found a man who does throw caution to the wind in this sense and you have permission to sue me if you think otherwise! His name is James Blake, a 22-year-old Londoner who mixes electronica with soul drenched vocals culminating in a subliminal sound more in keeping with the work of a big black man than a skinny white boy.
Whether you have heard his name or not, you can rest assured that by the end of 2011 you will have something to say about the indomitable force that is James Blake.
Listen to James' debut single Limit To Your Love from his self-titled album James Blake set for release 7 February 2011:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOT2-OTebx0
Although this may seem like an impossibility given today's climate of celebrity fanaticism, which more often than not puts looks and controversial behaviour before the individual's professional merits, I may have found a man who does throw caution to the wind in this sense and you have permission to sue me if you think otherwise! His name is James Blake, a 22-year-old Londoner who mixes electronica with soul drenched vocals culminating in a subliminal sound more in keeping with the work of a big black man than a skinny white boy.
Whether you have heard his name or not, you can rest assured that by the end of 2011 you will have something to say about the indomitable force that is James Blake.
Listen to James' debut single Limit To Your Love from his self-titled album James Blake set for release 7 February 2011:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOT2-OTebx0
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