Browsing Tag

London Hip Hop

Reject your nihilism with Etoile Marley’s alchemically eclectic track ‘LockItDown’

Posted on 1 December 2020

I would probably sell my soul to be able to exude as much confidence and positivity as Etoile Marley did in her latest release ‘LockItDown’ which throws back to 70s Funk Rock, weaves in elements of Neo Soul and finds its structure around Old School Hip Hop.

The jazzy-soul driven hit is practically an intervention, you’ll feel any lingering apathy or pessimism evading you as soon as you hit play. LockItDown is an accordantly high-vibe hit, but it makes no bones about confronting you with the very real fact that you’re in charge of your mentality.

Only an artist with an insurmountable amount of talent and vision could blend elements of Hip Hop, Blues Rock and Dark Pop to such an alchemic effect. It’s safe to say that you’re going to want her on your radar.

You can check out LockItDown via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

King J turned up the heat with their latest single I’m In the Kitchen

Posted on 15 November 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5RpLoXlieo&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=KingJOFFICIAL

If you like your Hip Hop gritty, you’re going to love the steely new drop from Rap trailblazer King J, ‘I’m in the Kitchen’, recorded at Goodfellastudios and mixed by Jamo Beatz.

Kicking off with a trepidation-laden atmosphere, the mix seamlessly amps up the momentum before hitting you with ensnaring hooks which will lock you into King J’s relentlessly fierce Rap bars which allow you to appreciate the playful ominous charisma behind I’m in the Kitchen.

The intensity of the track is one thing. The authenticity behind it is quite another. Make room on your radar.

You can check out what King J cooked up in the kitchen by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Zeggé and Reemo cook up convictive chemistry in their latest Drill Rap track “Connect”

Posted on 23 October 2020

Very few artists manage to capture our attention, excitement and adoration as unrelentingly as the Drill Hop Hop duo Zeggé & Reemo.

Their latest release “Connect”, which is due for release on Friday 23rd October affirms that the faith they instilled in us with their previous release “Bang” was appropriately positioned.

With Zeggé hailing from the North (of London) and Reemo from the East, they’re set to take over the length and breadth of London and go far beyond with their atmospherically ensnaring approach to dark Hip Hop.

After hearing the trepidation-infusing beats laid out by the 808-god Ghosty, Reemo penned a lyrical attack which perfectly complements the nihilistically-textured instrumentals which will be a hit with any fans of Dave, AJ Tracey, Headie One, Skepta, J Hus, Novelist, Ghetts, Wretch 32, Stormzy, Chip, Drake and Travis Scott.

Everything about Connect feels contemporary. It’s so fresh, it’s raw. The dynamically metered bars ensnare you from the first verse, from there on out, you’re utterly transfixed by the convictive chemistry which breaths between Zeggé and Reemo.

Before lockdown, Zeggé and Reemo were able to premiere Connect live at GBNGA. We have no doubt that they’d be tearing their way up from the underground and gracing major stages if live music was still happening. Considering that they achieved over 20k plays with their debut single Bang, Connect will undoubtedly make the scene erupt.

Connect is out now! You can listen for yourselves on all major platforms via this link.  

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lucas Ramsell: “Instagram Models” – Life through a Lens.

Posted on 28 August 2020

Lucas Ramsell is a London-based Hip-Hop/RnB artist, mixing his confessional indie inspired lyrics with sharp urban production.

Prior to lockdown, Ramsell had just come off a run of gigs including The Alternative Escape, Cargo and O2 Academy2 Islington with his group DBA; now he’s dropped ‘Lockdown: The Playlist’, a collection of ‘ten tracks, ten different vibes’, all put together with Ramsell’s vocals atop instrumental tracks composed by his friend and collaborator the multi-platinum producer Jackson Romain (Gunna, Chris Brown, Offset). ‘Instagram Models’ is laid back urban RnB, an edgy urban vocal in the style of Skepta or AJ Tracey over chilled vibes from Romain, telling the story of a world of influencers, photo-ops, and falsehood; Ramsell’s London, in four-minute microcosm.

You can check out Instagram Models via Spotify.

Review by Alex Holmes

London’s Sols X the Nominees bring that real funky Hip Hop with ”Best Of Us”

Posted on 10 June 2020

Yes please. This is exactly what the doctor ordered and us mere mortals must just chill back, turn this up loud and enjoy. That good vibe is here and its all going down right in London town, thanks to Sols X the Nominees featuring Braceman.

This stripped-down Hip Hop Funk Jazz band starts us off with some awesome bass lines to dust off the speakers, followed up by the phenomenal vocals of Ashleigh Barker-Hughes to make everything okay. We are treated to a sound that is so joyful and the overriding human instinct is to just smile and dance away.

The Nominees teamed up with Sols, a well-respected rapper and poet from East London recently and together with Braceman, they bring the good times back on ”Best of Us”, a song all about keeping your head despite all the madness going on. The band impresses with a song that is of timeless quality. This is a happy journey of self-reflection and knowing what your best is and keeping that to those that really matter. One of the UK’s biggest rising bands are in top form with this release and the world is their oyster.

Get some funky soul in your ears on Spotify.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

East London Hip Hop Artist and Producer Haz has Made Their Debut with the Single “Midas”

Posted on 7 March 2020

Given the state of our society, I find myself consistently surprised at the lack of socially-inspired Hip Hop on the airwaves. East London Rap artist Haz has more than made up for the shortfall with his debut single Midas.

There’s a slight nuanced touch of Grime in Midas, yet, it is a track which is bound to appeal to any fans of the Hip Hop greats such as Biggie and Tupac. As well as holding a stark mirror to contemporary injustice, Midas lays down a smooth Old School jazz-soaked beat which amplifies the reflective feel of the multi-layered soundscape.

It may be a debut single, but Haz has perceptibly learned a thing or two working as a producer and an engineer in their studio for the past 6 years. Debut Hip Hop tracks don’t often come as polished and as radio-ready as Midas.

You can check out Haz’s single Midas for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Boris Massot Ft. EMRO – Disconnected Lines: Unadulterated EDM Hip Hop Catharsis

Posted on 18 January 2020

Alt Electronica Hip Hop artist and producer Boris Massot has followed on from their sensational debut “Running Out of Time” with their equally as resounding second single “Disconnected Lines”. This time, they teamed up with EMRO to create meltingly experimental RnB Trap mix which will undoubtedly amplify the hype surrounding them.

The concordant wavy grooves in Disconnected Lines prove just how disarmingly arrestive Hip Hop can be under the right production. While the constant vocal switch-ups keep the mix fresh from the first verse to the last. If you’re always on the lookout for cathartic Hip Hop which still comes with plenty of bite, you’ll strike gold with Disconnected lines.

You can check out Disconnected Lines for yourselves by heading over to Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast