Stream "Garden of Gethsemane", the DOPE New EP by London Rapper Lynx Cane

London based rap artist Lynx Cane just released his latest EP “Garden of Gethsemane”. Speaking about the project, he says “The EP is about my "coming of age" in a sense. I talk about how much I've grown and learned from my mistakes in my past, detailing problems in my personal life, and how faith has helped me overcome those issues and made me more grateful and optimistic about life”.

The five track EP includes several self produced songs (“Agony”, “Prayers”, and “Olive Trees”) and production by Scottish producer Swordbearer ("Willpower") is produced by Swordbearer, and WilfMerson, a rapper and producer from South-West London ("NINETEEN"). There's also a Bandcamp exclusive track called "Iscariot" produced by WilfMerson also.

We guarantee that you will love the “Garden of Gethsemane” EP, especially if you are a fan of artists like Earl Sweatshirt, Jay Electronica, and Kanye West. Listen to it right now below, stream it on your preferred music service and connect with Lynx Cane on his social media. Also, be on the lookout for our exclusive interview with Lynx Cane coming soon.

Stream and Share “Garden of Gethsemane” on: Apple Music | Bandcamp | Soundcloud

Connect with Lynx Cane: Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Interview: Brooklyn Based Artist/Producer T@NE Talks About His Latest Single "Autumn"

Photo Credit: Jerry Sumit Suksawat

“For the creative process, I try stay as open as possible. So it can be anything, a song can start with a rhythm, melody, chord, sound design, lyrics, etc., the main thing is to record and save your ideas so you can go and work on them.”

— T@NE

We're blown away by your new single "Autumn"; tell us about what inspired you to write it and whether it will be appearing on an upcoming EP or album.

Thank you so much, glad you like the song.

Yeah I had been talking to my friend Be Steadwell about working on a song together, so I went to her place and we pretty much wrote the whole composition and lyrics in like 3 days, I remember working on a few chords when I got back to my place.

Be wrote the lyrics, I just remember her composing all these lyrics on the spot, I was thinking to myself this is incredible. After that the song stayed in pre-production for quite some time, and I changed some things from what I had originally composed but for the most part the composition stayed close to what we wrote.

And yeah, it can work on an album, working on more projects with my bandmates, so it should work with other songs.

The accompanying cover art for "Autumn" is incredible. Who did the artwork?

Yeah, that’s my guy Fishman Art 89; he’s amazing. Fishman’s done a lot of our album covers; I love working with him.

Can we expect a music video for "Autumn" to come next or will you be dropping another single?

Yeah working on music videos and more new music as well. But you know, I just work and whatever is ready to go we put out.

As a musician, saxophonist, producer, rapper and so much more, tell us about your creative process when you are developing new music.

For the creative process, I try stay as open as possible. So it can be anything, a song can start with a rhythm, melody, chord, sound design, lyrics, etc., the main thing is to record and save your ideas so you can go and work on them. Usually when I get an idea I’ll sing it into my phone to save it because you gotta catch it while you can.

And for composition, I might compose different sections of the song at different times, like maybe a part at the end of a song, then I’ll go work on the beginning of the song then the middle or some production or melodies, or rhythms, it really can be anything.

So yeah, I just try to stay open because when your working it can be nonlinear or linear. Once the composition and pre-production is done my bandmates and I will track our parts, then post-production, then mixing and then mastering.

What led to you and your bandmates, Taber, Andrew, Dan and Peter, coming together to form T@NE?

Yeah I have incredible bandmates. I learn from them all the time and they’ve helped me grow so much as a person and as a musician.

We had been playing together previously in different settings, so It just kind of happened naturally, you know compose some songs get together and start playing them.

The main thing I would say is just start, just show up and take that first step, consistently put in the correct hard work and let it grow.

Stream and Share “Autumn”

Connect with T@NE: Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Interview: Latin Hip-Hop Artist Ray Pearson Discusses His New Single "Haciéndolo (Doin' It)"

“My creative process is what am I envisioning, what am I trying to get across, how am I being challenged, what did I do in my last releases that I need to do in this one. I start listening to beats and thinking of lines...”

— Ray Pearson

As an emcee, tell us about your creative process when you are developing new music.

First things first and I'm probably going to get crucified for this but I'm not that much of a "singles" artist. I enjoy putting out a body of work. I enjoy the journey from track 1 to the last track. Starting off strong, building mid project leading to the closing.

My creative process is what am I envisioning, what am I trying to get across, how am I being challenged, what did I do in my last releases that I need to do in this one. I start listening to beats and thinking of lines. Once I have the direction of what I want to do I execute......RAY!

Salute to you on the release of your new track "Haciéndolo (Doin' It)", featuring DutchessQony. What inspired you to write the track and how did you connect with DutchessQony?

What inspired me was LL Cool J's "Doin' It". Throughout the year's there's been many Spanish remixes to English records. Originally "Haciéndolo" was supposed to be called "B.A.D" in response to Cardi B's "W.A.P" record.

As I mumbled the flow I wanted to attack it with the plans changed and it changed for the better. I connected with DutchessQony...... Well, Dutchess I've been a fan of her through battle rap. Dutchess knows my cousin DJ HekTek from BluntsquadTV/Bronx Mob and I bought some studio equipment off her some years back and I always knew I wanted to collab with her because she's a dope dope songwriter as well. It all made sense to reach out to her and we took it from there.

What attracted you to the dope instrumental provided by Fear! The Faithful, and in general, what do you look for in the beats that you decide to write to?

Fear! has been my big bro since high school. After my 2 Puerto Rican festivals back in 2019 I was inspired to start tapping into my Spanish side and then the pandemic hit and he presented me the beat to Haciéndolo and that pretty much birthed my upcoming project.

What I look for in beats is detailed beats. I look for beats that have dope instruments played. I look for things in beats that are going to stand out, so when I write I save the best lines for the part of the beats that stand out so it pulls the listener in more. I'm a writer, so I want my pen to be challenged.

"Haciéndolo (Doin' It)" is a featured track on your upcoming album "Suave Ramón”; what can you tell us about this project?

"Suave Ramón” is my first English/Latin cross over project. Production is all Spanish style, Spanish sampled. All my features are Hispanic.

I tried to keep it solely Puerto Ricans but that changed as soon as I heard Gabriel De Los Santos whose featured on my project. Once you hear someone on something then the rules change. I definitely wanted all Hispanic artists on my project.

Tell us about your experience performing at the Puerto Rican Festival in 2019; from a motivational standpoint, I can only imagine how it impacted you artistically.

I did the PR festival in The Bronx and Newark. The Bronx was the first one. Standing in the crowd is completely different than standing on that festival stage. I never performed in front of that many people before. As I waited for my cousin DJ HekTek to give me the cue to turn on my mic I tried to speed mumble my lyrics as I do with every performance but the lyrics weren't coming to me. I looked at my cousin to see if it was time as I tried to remember my lyrics in my head and he gave me that nod but as soon as I turned my mic on it all came to me.

Amazing experience and that lit the fire for me to now refer to myself also as a Latin Hip Hop artist.

Connect with Ray Pearson: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Interview: Chicago Based Writer/Producer Haji Outlaw Talks About His New Track "After Good Sex (Leave U Alone)"

“My biggest accomplishment as a creator, hopefully hasn’t happened yet. But for what I have created thus far, I would say it’s a 3-way tie between The Eric Andre Show, standup, and beats.”

— Haji Outlaw

Your new single "After Good Sex (Leave U Alone)" is beyond DOPE. Tell us about your creative process for its development and when you knew definitely that the beat was complete.

First off, thank you 🙏. My creative process when it comes to sampling begins with crate digging. I find a record or records and listen to them intently. Then when I find a record I like, sometimes love, I pull out my favorite parts and put those parts into my iPad. From there I manipulate those parts until I find a combination that makes me feel something good. From there it's crafting. While that feeling is usually created anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes, the craft part may take a day or two, as I'll come back to the beat the day after and the day after that and the day after that, making sure that I continue to get that same feeling once I get away from that sound. From there I send the beat, along with several others, to my dude Derek. If Derek's feeling it then I know it's a banger.

The song appears on your five track EP "Tittynope VI"; would you say that there is an overlapping concept or theme to the project? If so, how would you describe it?

For “Tittynope VI” there is definitely a sexual feel, which can be seen in the videos which are all up on YouTube (not to mention the cover). But with my music in general, there is no definitive theme besides making music that grabs me.

The method of my musical "grabbiness" revolves around comedy and an eclectic vibe, which I would most readily describe as Ron Swanson (Parks and Recreation) meets Madlib.

If you don't mind sharing, what software/hardware do you use to produce your beats and what did you use when you first started out?

I currently use iMaschine 2 by Native Instruments on my iPad Pro. When I first started producing I used an MPC2000XL along with a Korg Karma keyboard and Korg Kaoss Pad.

You're not just a talented producer but a writer whose work has appeared on the hilarious The Eric Andre Show, Amazon (music + ebooks), CBS, NBC and Comedy Central. What would you say has been your biggest accomplishment as a creator?

My biggest accomplishment as a creator, hopefully hasn't happened yet. But for what I have created thus far, I would say it's a 3-way tie between The Eric Andre Show, standup, and beats.

With "After Good Sex (Leave U Alone)" now released, what are some of your goals musically for the remainer of 2021?

My goals for 2021 are three-fold. One, gain more exposure as a producer so I can pay real bills with my art. Two, get my music placed on one of my favorite artist's projects (Ransom, Royce da 5'9", E-40, Kool Keith, Ghostface Killah, Devin the Dude, Stove God Cook$, Griselda). Three, get my animated web-series Hey Doorman! - which features original music of mine, sold to a network.

Connect with Haji Outlaw: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

BIGSOUND Announces Six Aussie Artists to Share in $90,000 Levi's Music Prize

Joining the star-studded ranks of previous winners like G Flip, The Teskey Brothers, and Ecca Vandal, the $15,000 cash prize and additional support package from The Indigo Project and Bolster comes at a time when artists need it most.

The prize winners are ASHWARYA, Beddy Rays, Birdz, Jerome Farah, JK-47, and Sycco.

"Winning the Levi’s Music Prize has always been a dream of mine," said Brisbane pop artist, Sycco, whose song Dribble debuted at #29 in triple j’s Hottest 100 and took out Song of the Year in the 2021 Queensland Music Awards.

"I remember seeing G Flip and Hatchie win over the last few years and manifesting in those moments! Hopefully we can tour overseas next year so the money will definitely assist with getting over there! This is so awesome, I cannot believe it!"

Selected from the BIGSOUND50, who were featured as the future of Australian music in BIGSOUND’s 2020 online pivot, Levi’s® Music Prize judge, Casey O’Shaughnessy said the quality of the artists and their achievements thus far is truly impressive.

"The past 18 months have been a particularly trying time for new artists to break through given the uncertain nature of touring throughout the pandemic. I’m a genuine fan of each of the winners and I look forward to watching them flourish over the years," said O’Shaughnessy, who is the senior booking agent at Select Music, Australia’s largest independent agency.

Giving almost half a million dollars to artists and bands since partnering with BIGSOUND in 2017, Levi’s® Head of Marketing for Australia & New Zealand, Trent Bos, is proud and grateful to continue Levi’s® support of Australasian artists through the Levi’s® Music Prize.

"We believe that music is a force for good. But belief without real backing isn’t enough to help aspiring musicians fulfil their ambitions, and our dream and desire is that this contribution can help these incredibly talented artists do just that."

Delivering the good news in the wake of last week’s devastating cancellation of September’s BIGSOUND conference and festival, QMusic CEO, Kris Stewart said how critical the ongoing support of initiatives like the Levis® Music Prize is to the survival of the music industry.

"Our musicians and the music industry at large continue to be one of the hardest hit sectors, having to prove their resilience time and time again in the face of cancellations and tougher restrictions than other industries.

"The Prize will go a long way to supporting these talented BIGSOUND artists to not only survive but thrive through COVID and beyond."

Each winner receives $15,000 cash to boost their music career, an online mental health workshop provided by The Indigo Project, plus a custom BLOCKS by Bolster digital marketing workshop, and an outfit from Levi’s®.

The Levi’s® Music Prize in partnership with BIGSOUND is administered by QMusic and presented by Levi’s® Australia and New Zealand, with support from Bolster and The Indigo Project.

BeatConnect Makes Remote Collaboration Easy and Accessible For Producers and Musicians Everywhere

In Nick Laroche’s experience, there’s always been a need for accessible tools in the music realm. “We’ve had the idea of doing remote collaboration for years, but the music industry hasn’t ever offered a solution for most musicians,” he says. “When COVID hit, I said, you know what, I’m going to see if I can actually do something.”

With the present surge in virtual collaboration and long-term sustainability in mind, Laroche co-founded BeatConnect, which lets musicians work together online from the comfort of their own creative spaces. Users can install BeatConnect as a VST plugin that lets them open up a virtual studio directly from their audio workstation. They can then invite other artists to join their session either in real time or for asynchronous work. Available for macOS and Windows, it supports major DAWs like Ableton, GarageBand, FL, and many others, maximizing compatibility for all users. And its Premium version is priced at a level any musician can afford: a one-time fee of $29.95.

From the user’s point of view, BeatConnect is compatible with any level of technical expertise. As a plugin, it requires no extra setup. Users can install the software and start jamming right away, with persistent in-app text chat (and video chat for Premium users) available as they work in a shared studio. Not a producer? BeatConnect’s standalone version lets musicians record vocals and instrumentals without needing a DAW, and integrates seamlessly with users who have the plugin.

BeatConnect's pricing tiers keep the service low-barrier. Its free Lite version allows three users per session, while Premium allows for up to five. Whether you’re working in Lite or Premium, BeatConnect provides a convenient, time-saving alternative to emailing bulky WAV files back and forth, and cloud storage adds a failsafe protecting musicians from inevitable technical glitches or user error. “Musicians are not project managers. Every musician I know has screwed up their computers and sometimes lost years’ worth of projects,” says Laroche. “With everything in the cloud, you can reload it on a different computer and all your sounds are still there.”

Laroche knows how exciting musical collaborations can be and how stressful it often is to make them happen. “My friends live in different cities,” he says. “So many weekends I rush home, shovel my gear into my car, get stuck in traffic for three hours, so excited to jam all weekend, and when I start plugging in I realize I forgot a cable. I get so mad!”

Life constantly comes between musicians and face-to-face jam sessions. “They’ve got to work all day, they take care of their kids, so they can’t make music with their friends anymore,” Laroche says. When they hear about BeatConnect, “they see the door open. They didn’t even know it was possible to do something like this.”

For BeatConnect, those moments of community are crucial, and accessibility is a core value. “Most of our users right now are bedroom producers,” notes co-founder Alexandre Turbide, whose workplace meeting with Laroche and project management expertise brought BeatConnect to life. “You don’t need to have high quality gear or the perfect internet connection to work with BeatConnect because of our straightforward workflow.”

“You can still make and export music with the free version,” adds design lead Yohan Antoine-Édouard, whose vision and experience in UX/UI design has been central to BeatConnect’s user-friendliness. “It’s still a comfortable space.”

With virtual collaboration increasingly common in music, BeatConnect couldn’t be a more timely option for maximum accessibility. “A lot of creators tell us that because of the pandemic, they’ve set up their home studio in such a way that they don’t want to leave it anymore. If they can make the music from there, it’s so much better for them. I think that’s here to stay,” says Antoine-Édouard.

That interest in using a personal workspace has longer-term implications. “If it’s not COVID,” says Turbide, “it’s going to be something else tomorrow. It’s become apparent that many areas of our lives are completely underserved in terms of collaborative tools.”

Laroche agrees. “If you’re a professional musician, time is money. Being able to go back and forth with BeatConnect helps people with time management and efficiency.”

At the end of the day, “it's about connecting people, not just systems.”

Connect with BeatConnect: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Mon Laferte Tickets ON SALE NOW For U.S. National Tour

Tickets for Chilean artist Mon Laferte's two-month tour of the U.S. are ON SALE NOW. The coast-to-coast run behind her recent album, SEIS will kick off September 14 in Seattle and head down the West Coast for shows at the famed Wiltern in Los Angeles and the Ohana Festival in Dana Point with Pearl Jam, Kings Of Leon, Sharon Van Etten, Maggie Rogers, My Morning Jacket, and more. The tour will then cross the country from Phoenix to Brooklyn wrapping back west in Tucson.

SEIS is an intensely personal album inspired by a documentary about Mexican-via Costa Rica singer Chavela Vargas, who is best known for revolutionizing Mexican ranchera music. The songs were born during the global pandemic and heavy isolation, and include carefully crafted lyrics, brought forth from self-reflection, allowing Mon to explore her deepest feelings, leaving nothing but vulnerability at this rare time.

Rolling Stone called Mon’s powerful duet with Alejandro Fernandez, "Que Se Sepa Nuestro Amor," "theatrical," adding, "Fernández and Laferte exchange operatic verses befit for a bodice-ripping romance novel.” Billboard said, "It’s the collaboration we didn’t know we needed… one of the most attractive pairings of the year."

Discussing “La Mujer,” The New York Times said, "Mon Laferte infuses vintage styles with up-to-date sentiments and fierce attitude" and The New Yorker added, "Laferte channels [Chavela] Vargas’s ability to convey both fierce grit and shattered vulnerability.” Robin Hilton at NPR Music noted SEIS, “Reminded me of a Chilean Édith Piaf...It’s easy to imagine her performing these songs late at night in a little club somewhere.”

Enjoy Mon Laferte's enamoring live performances of "Amor Completo,” "Que Se Sepa Nuestro Amor" and "Tu Falta De Querer" to prepare for her upcoming trip across the United States.

Purchase tickets here - https://linktr.ee/MonLaferteUSTour2021

Connect with Mon Laferte: Twitter | Instagram

L.A. Exes Announce Their Upcoming Debut Album "Get Some", and Share New Single

L.A. Exes are thrilled to announce their debut album “Get Some”, out August 20th on Black Rainbow Records. The queer alt-pop rock quartet comprised of fast friends Sam Barbera (vox, bass), Jenny Owen Youngs (vox, guitar), Rachel White (lead guitar), and Steph Barker (drums) have already released a pair of singles, including “Skinny Dipping” and “Temporary Goodbye” which Stereogum described as “a jump, fizzy piece of power-pop about wanting to get away from all the stressful shit that’s constantly surrounding you.”

With this announcement, L.A. Exes give us “Baby Let’s Pretend”, a blunt and cheeky song about stealing a girl away from her lame boyfriend. “I’m really not convinced he keeps you coming / You don’t seem to miss him when we’re touchin’” go the opening lines.

“This song deals with the sticky situation of being kept as a secret. Not everybody's been there, but anyone who has knows it doesn't feel great. But just because something sucks doesn't mean you can't still have fun doing it!” - Jenny Owen Youngs

Listen to “Baby Let’s Pretend” below, stream it on your preferred music service and connect with L.A. Exes on their IG. Also, be on the lookout for the “Get Some” album which drops on August 20th.

Stream and Share “Baby Let’s Pretend”

Connect with L.A. Exes: Instagram

Amplifihub and Airbit Partner to Collect Unclaimed Royalties For Over 10,000 African Beatmakers

Many African creators have been the driving force behind global and regional hits--yet have never reaped the reward. Amplifihub, a Nigerian-based music production and licensing e-commerce platform, is partnering with Airbit, the producer hub and beats marketplace, to change this. The partnership will empower emerging and established producers across Africa by collecting unpaid publishing royalties from a wide range of sources.

As part of this partnership, Airbit will offer its unique music monetization tools and pioneering technologies to Amplifihub’s users. These tools will unlock vital revenue streams from platforms like YouTube for composers, artists, and producers across the region. Amplifihub, co-founded by award-winning Afrobeat beatmaker and producer Sarz, and Airbit share a vision to support talented producers at all stages and give them everything they need to create the career they want.

Speaking on this opportunity, Ezekiel Olayinka, COO of Amplifihub, expressed that Amplifihub is excited at the opportunity of working with Airbit, and looking forward to a long-lasting partnership between Amplifihub and Airbit. He also said that the partnership is in line with Amplifihub’s goal of ensuring that music producers earn while they create.

Excited to experience the value Airbit will bring to African creators and music producers, Judah Wiedre said, “Our mission is to create pathways to sustainable careers for some of the most talented audio creators on the planet, the world’s producers. This collaboration with Amplifihub lets us extend our mission to a new region and new creator communities.”

“The future of music is being created in markets that have been overlooked for too long. We’re excited to help connect more producers with the global royalty system and help them get the remuneration they deserve,” Airbit Founder and CEO Wasim Khamlichi explained.

Expressing her zeal to continue to provide opportunities for Music Creator across the Africa, Oyinkansola “Foza” Fawehinmi commented: “DMCE’s investment in Amplifihub is towards giving African creators the opportunity to live on their creation and this partnership is step towards making that happen and we are looking forward to the disruption”

“I have always stood at the forefront of emancipating African sound composers towards self dependence by making a living out of their creation. This partnership is part of getting that done,” Sarz stated.

About Airbit

Airbit’s mission is to make music more fair with an online marketplace where producers can sell their beats and artists can buy those beats at a fair price. We provide a wide array of selling tools, as well as user friendly music monetization services. Airbit is one of the most trusted and well-known names in beat-sales. Airbit was founded to champion producers, and offer them a creative career path through licensing, selling their music when they want, how they want.

About Amplifihub

Amplifihub is an online platform where music producers, artistes and media houses in Africa can sign up to offer African music making services online. Our platform aims to make accessible, the African sound and music making experience to the world. It was founded in 2019 with investment from Digital Music Commerce and Exchange Limited (DMCE), the pan-African music investment company, and foremost African Music producer “Sarz” . Amplifihub offers users with the following services:

• Personal Online Beat Store For African Music Producers

• Html5 Beat Stores For Music Producers To Use On Personal Websites

• African Instrumentals & Beat Store Database

• African Mixing & Mastering Service Hub

• Classic Catalogue Sample licensing

Osabuhoien Osaretin popularly known as “Sarz” is an award winning Afrobeats producer and starmaker who has more than 100 Afrobeats hits to his production credit. He is also the Founder of The Sarz Academy, a non-profit organization that develops emerging producers into household names and to name a few such producers include Dunnie, Ppriime, Tempo, STGprodigy.

BADBADNOTGOOD Announce New Album Due Out 10/8 and Share New Song/Video

Canadian ensemble BADBADNOTGOOD returns to announce a new album. “Talk Memory”, the band's first album with XL Recordings in partnership with Innovative Leisure, features 9 new songs and is due October 8th. The album features musical contributions from Arthur Verocai, Karriem Riggins, Terrace Martin, Laraaji and acclaimed harpist Brandee Younger, who has worked with Moses Sumney, and Thundercat. Sporting visuals from Virgil Abloh, whose design firm Alaska-Alaska™ designed the cover for “Talk Memory”, the album is an evolution focused on collaboration and the magic of improvised live performance. Demonstrating emotional and poetic progress, the new album is an aural odyssey and a heartfelt expression of joy for the music and community the band considers itself lucky to inhabit.

Of the album, BBNG says: "It took a year or two of just living life to get to the place where the creative process was exciting again and once we actually went in to the studio it was the most concise recording and writing process we’ve ever had. We hope that the improvised studio performances bring the listener closer to our live experience."

To coincide with the announcement of “Talk Memory”, BADBADNOTGOOD are also sharing the album's lead single. “Signal From The Noise” is a psychedelic jazz track exploring balance and harmony through improvisation. The new track is accompanied by a Duncan Loudon-directed video. Starring Steve Stamp, writer and star of the BBC's sitcom People Just Do Nothing, the video is a pitch-perfect accompaniment to the song.

The album announcement comes on the heels of the band going viral on TikTok in June. Tallying 500k+ Tik Tok edit videos of "Time Moves Slow," the band is now averaging 4.4 million monthly streams and over 3 million monthly listeners on Spotify. The band also recently released issue one of The Memory Catalogue; a print series illustrated by Moya Garrison-Msingwana (Gangbox) of world-building newsletters that fold out into a 32” x 24” poster, releasing with each piece of new music to contextualize Talk Memory. Available in select locations such as Stussy, Noah, Psychic Wines, and more, the newsletter-turned poster features exclusive content (sheet music, illustrated artwork, unseen photos etc.) that allows fans to peek behind the curtain of the BBNG universe. See the list of locations here. This collectible item is also available via the XL webstore and indie record shops and downloadable sheet music for "Signal From The Noise" is available here.

Listen to and watch "Signal From The Noise" and pre-order “Talk Memory”, and stay tuned for more from BADBADNOTGOOD soon.

Stream and Share “Signal From The Noise”

Connect with BADBADNOTGOOD: Instagram | Twitter

Interview: Seattle Based Artist SevenLeafs Talks About Her Debut Song "Pokerface"

“I think I stand out by accident. LOL. I have alway been told I was an odd one...but I have learned it is my strength rather than a weakness.”

— SevenLeafs

We're huge fans of your debut song "Pokerface"; describe for us your creative process for its development and who produced it?

I was basically just speaking from experience when I made the song. My creative process? Well, I basically hear the music and the music starts to speak words (lol) I wrote the lyrics to this song and I had a ghost producer.

Can we expect to hear "Pokerface" on an upcoming EP or album in development? If so, what can you tell us about it?

Yes, I am one song away from finishing my album. This album allows you to think if you want to think and if you want to chill you can vibe.

Who are some artists that have influenced you musically throughout the years and how do you stand out from them?

I love old school artist like Luther Vandross, Bobby Caldwell, Patty Labelle, James Ingram, Chaka Khan, Journey, Earth Wind and Fire, Sade, Eagle, Tears for Fears, Odessa, Masego, Yuna, The Fat Rat, Crywolf, Kerli, Jacob Lee, Dabin, Tokio Meyers, Sango, Tupac... I have a lot of international artists I like as well...OMG! I have so many! It's like asking me what my favorite color is...there are just too many!

I would say these artists are my encouragement and my chill point. Stand out? I think I stand out by accident. LOL. I have alway been told I was an odd one...but I have learned it is my strength rather than a weakness.

Tell us about your process when you are working on new music; do you generally write music before or after you have an instrumental track?

I would say 70 percent to the time I will make a beat or hear one from my trusted producers and begin to write. The other 30 percent of the time I will hear a song in my sleep (ancestors) and I will write it down in my dream journal as fast as I can or use my phone to record so I can go back later and work on it from there.

Sometimes this is more challenging because I want it to sound exactly like what I heard and sometimes I can't find or explain the right instruments.

When did you know that you wanted to pursue music seriously and what do you remember about your first time in the recording studio?

When I was really young (lol) but it wasn't until the last couple years ago that I finally started finding myself, my own style and my own message. Again, I have to thank my guides, angels and ancestors for being my biggest inspiration and encouragement.

My first time in a recording studio singing was with a church group I was a part of; at the time we were making an album almost in one night. I was on a few songs but freaking exhausting and at the same time exciting. It was fun because I was with so many people. The Tech was super cool. This man worked long into the night with us. I was in AZ at the time.

Stream and Share “Pokerface” on: Spotify | Soundcloud

Connect with SevenLeafs: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Interview: New Zealand Based Artist/Producer Manu Francois Talks About His New Song "Fire Love"

“...the song “Fire Love” is inspired by the calling for expressions of love and freedom. Particularly in a spiritual sense. Although many of us feel the presence of the divine in our life more or less from time to time...”

— Manu Francois

Congratulations on the release of your new song “Fire Love”; tell us about what inspired you to write the song and who produced it.

Thank you very much! Yes the song “Fire Love” is inspired by the calling for expressions of love and freedom. Particularly in a spiritual sense. Although many of us feel the presence of the divine in our life more or less from time to time, there still is a distance between us and that that is our source, our Creator. And the cultural differences that we live with make the expressions of Divine recognition a bit of a mine-field.

So this song was created in and around that sense.

How would you say that the music you create as a solo artist is different from that of your band ZoLeKa?

Well, for those who don't know. I play in a band called ZoLeKa. We are a groove roulette band, each member taking their turn at the front of the band to bring to life their own creations with the backing of the rest of the band.

I have the delight of playing with some truly iconic people and creating new and interesting versions of my own songs such as 'A Way For Both Our Ways', 'Home', even cross-genre renditions like my song 'Belly With The Bone' which is a bit of a sultry RnB tune, we play as a Ska rendition! Which is great! Totally unexpected and delightful.

Imagine a Reggae version of 'Fire On The Breath'!

So yes, when I create music on my own, it's a whole nother vibe than when I create music with the band. Co-creation is just a different process, and for me, I want to make music that gels with everyone in the band. So we do what sounds best rather than sticking to faithful renditions of the old versions, and in this, truly fun music is created.

Will “Fire Love” be featured on an upcoming EP or album? If so, what can you tell us about it?

Yes, “Fire Love” will feature on my next solo production EP, which I am very excited about (in the midst of all that is going on professionally at the moment). I have a fantastic 'House Remix' of my song “Home”, which will also feature. This is such a charming song I really can't wait to release it. There are some videos of it being played on my Instagram (@manufrancois98).

This and the other songs on this EP are reminiscent of my African heritage and my appreciation for the African culture and language, while at the same time, remaining perfectly consumable by audiences anywhere in the world. This is my aim. To make Fusion music that pays homage to a certain culture and style while still being fully relatable and enjoyable for audiences worldwide.

Tell us about your creative process when you are working on new music. What do you look for in production?

When I'm working on new music, if I don't start with a riff or chord progression on the guitar, then I usually start with a drum beat/rhythm. Once I have something that I feel makes my body want to move, then I move onto the chords, often wanting to honour both Major and Minor progressions. For I have come to realise that the typical sweet and melancholic minor movements are sweeter when they come out of a progression that spoke to a different part of us. For we have both joy and sadness in us. Mixing the two is how you really emphasize their characters.

Tell us about how you ended up as a playable character in the mobile game S.O.O.N.?

I formed a friendship and business partnership with Anthony Spady from R1Dmusic (R1Dmusic.com, R1Dvideos.com) and it is him who is the creator of the upcoming mobile game 'Something Out Of Nothing' (S.O.O.N).

I have seen myself as a playable character in this game, I am dressed in my Black Belt Kung Fu outfit and it looks awesome.

I am excited to see how developments with the game come along in the coming year.

Blessed Thanks for interviewing me today. I would direct you to my Spotify and my Instagram, to follow me on both accounts. When you hear something that you like, share that on your socials, let's all work together to make a buzz around my music and artistry and get my ass out of New Zealand and come touring around the world! Haha, Much love, one and all!

Connect with Manu Francois: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Soundcloud

SZA Drops Her First NFT Collection Called Amex UNSTAGED x SZA: The Collection

For the first time ever, American Express Card Members have the opportunity to purchase NFTs with Grammy-nominated artist SZA’s very first NFT collection - called Amex UNSTAGED x SZA: The Collection - to commemorate the 4-year anniversary of her critically-acclaimed debut album, “CTRL” and her Amex UNSTAGED performance during Membership Week, that included a surprise performance with Travis Scott. Today, at 5pm ET, the drop became available for the public to purchase with any Card. The extremely limited, one-of-a-kind collection is hosted and sold by Fanaply, one of the industry leading NFT developers for the biggest names in music, sports and entertainment. SZA is dropping her first-ever collection of NFTs, featuring her favorite moments from the show, including behind-the-scenes and other never-before-seen photos from her recent Amex UNSTAGED performance, as a way for fans to keep a piece of her epic performance forever.

Fanaply is one of the original creators of NFTs, beginning in 2019 with digital collectibles for the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. Fanaply believes the future of NFTs is an accessible one, where people can actually afford to buy them and purchase with credit/debit cards. No crypto or crypto knowledge needed to buy! Fanaply has the most environmentally friendly NFTs and has built a proprietary system that dramatically reduces the impact of energy consumption.

The Amex UNSTAGED series is built around giving Card Members an opportunity to go beyond the stage and connect with artists in new innovative ways, and providing Card Members with access to this NFT collection builds on that experience.

Amex UNSTAGED x SZA: The Collection Assets/Details:

Animated/NFT Videos HERE

NFT Images HERE

More drop details:

o Each NFT is one-of-a-kind

o 14 total one-of-one NFTs will be available for purchase with an American Express Card at fanaply.com/szaamexunstaged

o Price - $100 each

o NFT drop #1 - On sale to SZA’s Amex UNSTAGED performance attendees on Friday, July 9 at 5pm ET – sold out immediately

o NFT drop #2 - On sale to all Card Members on Monday, July 12 at 5pm ET

Review: "Roses 4 Tha World" Album by Amarii Davu

San Diego based rap artist Amarii Davu crafts stories with pure soul on the intense journey of his debut album “Roses 4 tha World”. The lyrics work wonders for every verse has a perfect balance to it. Production provided by shrmpboy, Play Dat Beat Wee Wee, and Capx has a glowing presence to it and there is a gleaming quality to the arrangements.

Stylistically rooted in hip-hop, Amarii brings together pieces of R&B, jazz, and pop into a singular whole. The album work best when taken in one setting, as each track builds off the last. The guest vocalists seem to nicely solidify Amarii’s hybrid southern rap roots, and there is a sense of endless possibility built into the sound’s very DNA.

The references abound throughout the album’s musical journey, but perhaps the most obvious one is the playful attitude of Outkast. Akin to their work, there’s a cleverness to the narratives alongside the many different flows that Amarii employs throughout. Various pop culture snippets are woven into the sound as well for the sound rolls on through with such luxury. Pieces of the Odd Future approach, one that blends the autobiographical with the societal further adds to the appeal.

A bombastic intro “Wake Up”, featuring ‘lilah Monroe, stuns with its fiery presence. The beat absolutely snaps and the samples have an eclectic presence about them, with the harp in particular being a fine touch. Minimalism with a hint of mystery comes the cryptic claustrophobia of “Dollamarijuana”. On “Aquarium” the energy that races on in a delirious blur is a joy. With a bit of a tropical scope comes the summer jam of “WANT.”

Easily the highlight of the album “Too Close”, featuring Karla Felecia Scaife, brings a lush, luxurious tenderness to the sound. From the incredible keyboard to the catchy melody, it all blends into this stream of consciousness. Rather joyous “Healin’”, with Durand Bernarr, incorporates a hopefulness. Going for a classic funk is the stylish “Cognac”, featuring Lyric Reddick. Things have an origami tact on the multi-faceted spirit of “Dreamchasin’”. Bringing it all to an epic conclusion is the gigantic “R4TW”.

With the “Roses 4 tha World” album, Amarii Davu sculpts a powerful, living breathing musical entity that feels so inviting.

Stream and Share “Roses 4 tha World”

Review: "Voxcore" Album by Voxcore

Voxcore aka Patrick Hansford imbues a soulfulness into his nostalgic self-titled debut album “Voxcore”. Full of such tremendous heart, he taps into the very core of dance music. Rather than have a hyper-active beat, his is a much more sophisticated take. Voxcore’s arrangements are soaked in a golden hue for his is one that feels positively ancient, even regal in the gallant processions.

A keen ear for melody guides these tracks forward because Voxcore makes sure to balance them with the utmost of care. Such great textures alongside a slight fondness for experimentation results in a serene experience. Every track builds off the last for they make sure that there is a bliss behind it all, one that is soaked in sunlight.

Voxcore goes for the Second Summer of Love element within the sound, as his is a gracious hue. References to L.F.O.’s early work dominates, from the acidic tinge that recalls Mark Bell’s sophisticated sound design to the gentle gallop of the rhythm, it falls into place quite wonderfully. Beyond this, the yearning quality of the work touches upon the childlike sense of wonder that early Boards of Canada’s output seems to explore. Quite delicate too, the beats have a poignancy to them for the album has a surprisingly large emotional range.

Neon-hued splendor radiates on the triumphant opener “Perpetuance” right down to the pitch-perfect wordless choir. On the more tech house poppy side of things is the dramatic quality of “Fabrication” where the construction has an 80s yearning quality. Full of energy “Orbit” bursts right at the seams with brittle snaps and snares adding to the giddiness.

On “Pulse”, Voxcore chooses a late-night noir quality to the overall spirit. Layer upon layer filters together on the longing “Her Song”. Delicate touches make “Fall” the true highlight for the evolution of the sound gives the song a living, breathing quality to it. With “LookaLike” there is a thoughtfulness to the way that the song sprawls and soars out into the infinite. Woozy warped cadences radiate from “Destiny”. Pulling out all the stops is the surreal trip of “Reign”.

On Voxcore’s self-titled album, he delves into the inner meditativeness that all good dance music possesses.

Stream and Share “Voxcore” on Spotify

Interview: Sydney Duo Warwick Smith Talk About Their New Single/Video "Vertigo"

“I think next we’re going to lean into that more rock-based sound that we teased throughout “Vertigo”. This felt like the best song to represent our transition into a new era for our music... ”

— Warwick Smith

Congratulations on the release of your single/video “Vertigo”; what initially inspired the creation of the song itself?

Warwick: For me, “Vertigo” started as a translation of what I felt almost immediately after I experienced my first anxiety attack last year, it was a new and somewhat scary experience for me so I grabbed my phone and started sending lines to Luke, mid-shower, to expand on when I was fully clothed and in a position to write.

Luke: I really enjoyed writing the drumline for this, from the very start I told Warwick my idea of letting the drums convey that feeling of “unsteadiness” with what I described to be a “spinning beat” on the hi-hat. One of my favourite parts was in the pre-chorus closing and opening the hi-hat in time with the vocals portraying the “short breath” he’s singing about.

The music video is awesome; how did you connect with the clip’s director, Joshua Frost, and how difficult was it to film remotely?

Warwick: We had the pleasure of meeting our director for “Vertigo”, Joshua Frost, online through a social group chat and he had done a lot of videography work before, especially with music. Alongside him, we had a very talented, internationally scattered, production team doing the concept and visual effects for the video.

Luke: Working with them remotely was at times difficult; especially trying to coordinate time zones from different places like Sydney, Atlanta, Britain and even Mexico but I think it gave us a really unique opportunity to work together digitally. They were even on a conference call while we were on set at a soundstage in Sydney. They’re work was truly incredible on the video and the entire concept.

With “Vertigo” now released, what is next for you guys musically and will it be appearing on an upcoming EP or album?

Warwick: I think next we’re going to lean into that more rock-based sound that we teased throughout “Vertigo”. This felt like the best song to represent our transition into a new era for our music and I think it’s a safe bet it’ll make its way onto an upcoming album.

Luke: I’ll go a step further and tell you it's slated to be track five out of fourteen. I do feel that these coming songs are a lot more refined and “Vertigo” is a pretty fair indicator of what’s to come. I really like how our sound is coming along and I’m very excited for these future releases.

Tell us about how you two met and what made you decide to join together as a musical duo?

Warwick: We met for the first time at a concert where I think I said five words to Luke and then bounced. A few weeks later in a group chat for that concert, I mistook him for a loud mouthed guy screaming at everyone there but he quickly cleared up that he was not that awful person. So I agreed to go visit him and stay in his basement (I know, real smart move) and we immediately started jamming together.

Luke: We decided to start playing music together the very second time we met, however it was just covering songs we both liked for fun in my basement. But that helped us see that there was some musical chemistry at play and ultimately led me joining Warwick for releases and shows.

What’s the music scene like in Sydney right now? Are venues back open for artists to perform and if so, do you have shows coming up?

Warwick: The music scene in Sydney is almost non-existent right now. Venues are shut for the time being and we’re, at the time of writing, in another lockdown. We’re hoping we can play our debut Sydney show at The Factory Theatre, it’s scheduled for July 24th and we’re very excited to play the same stage that some of our biggest influences have played. That being said, it’s currently a mystery as to whether or not it’ll move forward.

Luke: The brightside to this otherwise very dim situation is that since larger bands aren’t really allowed to tour to Australia right now, venues are willing to take chances on smaller, local bands (like us) giving them the opportunity to establish themselves. Once the dust settles, there’s a good chance that we’ll be adding a lot more dates to our tour schedule. It’s going to be great to see everyone come out.

Stream and Share “Vertigo” on Spotify

Connect with Warwick Smith: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook