Soul Boy Sundae
Hobson have released ‘Misunderstood’.
‘Misunderstood’ is from Hobson’s début album, ‘Falling as We Fly’ which is being launched on 17th September. There will be a launch show at Oporto, Leeds.
Hobson have a website, at hobsonband.com, where you can pre-order the album and book tickets for the launch event.
On 7th August, Man Wazimu released ’72 Hrs’.
We’ve previously hear ‘Reggae Nice’ (Week 91, March 2023), and ‘Sugar Daddy Lover’ (Week 29, January 2022) from Man Wazimu. Now the Kenyan based musician is back with ’72 Hrs’.
Song writer, Singjay reggae and dancehall musician Man Wazimu was born Peter Wagany. Being a native of the community of Mukuru Kwanjenga, a slum in Nairobi, has shaped his bias in the music industry. An adherent of the Seventh Adventist faith, he is a Saturday Sabbath keeper. So he works six days a week and rests from Friday evening to Saturday evening.
The song ‘72 Hrs’ is a reggae song that tells what happened in the four counties in Kenya. Police in uniform unleashed terror when they targeted the Luo community. They unleased indiscriminate brutality to Kenyan citizens in their homes. Sixteen were confirmed dead by the time this song was released. This occurred because of demonstrations across the country due to the high cost of living which has been made worse by a tax increment. This increase in taxation is very unpopular among the Kenyan citizens.
The members of parliament, the presidency and high ranking officials in the government received salary increments to cushion them from the high cost of living. But the rest of the citizens had more taxes levied on them minus any salary increment. What is still ongoing is the ethnic profiling of the Luo community from the parliament to every high ranking government official. Weaponized state sanctioned militia operations – reminiscent of what happened in Germany in 1938 – is happening alongside the police in the pretext of quelling demonstrations.
Man Wazimu is on Facebook, YouTube, Insta, Twitter and Bandcamp.
‘Hold That Spirit’ is the title track from Raye Zaragoza’s new album.
‘Hold That Spirit’ is the third album by LA-based songwriter Raye Zaragoza, and dropped on 8th August. It is a profound statement on Zaragoza’s quest for joy. Plus her journey to celebrating a vibrant, intersectional identity as a woman of mixed Indigenous, Asian, and Hispanic heritage.
Raye explains, “‘Hold That Spirit’ is an album about reclaiming the spark inside you that you once thought had to be lit by something outside of yourself. I wrote most of ‘Hold That Spirit’ the year I was 29. The year where I got engaged, the year the engagement ended, the year I decided to seek help for an eating disorder I had been running my life for over a decade, and of course, the year I thought my youth was gone. Every writing session that created this album was an escape from the tumultuous year I experienced, and the place I went to, to heal.
Each of these songs tells the story of my healing process, and I hope it makes people out there with similar experiences feel less alone. This album was created entirely by women – from the writing to producing, instrumentation, mixing, and mastering. I am so proud to have created this with some insanely talented women – especially in an industry where about 2% of producers are women. ‘Hold That Spirit’ was funded by what would’ve been my wedding budget. I hope this album reminds people that life is beautiful and messy, and as long as we can hold on to the spark within – we will be okay.”
Raye has a website, at rayezaragoza.com.
Lydia Ford released ‘Leave the Country’ on August 9th.
Irish indie pop artist Lydia Ford is taking the scene by storm with her latest single ‘Leave the Country’. It is the final single release before her highly anticipated début album, ‘Faking It’ drops on September 8th.
Known for her soulful melodies and introspective lyrics, Lydia Ford continues to captivate audiences worldwide with her unique sound and candid storytelling. In ‘Leave the Country’ Lydia shares a tale of self-discovery and growth. Written during a COVID lockdown in Berlin, the song reflects on the artist’s experience of moving to a new country with the hope of escaping her problems, only to realize that challenges are universal. The juxtaposition of the lively and upbeat melody with the poignant lyrics creates a captivating musical journey that is both relatable and thought-provoking.
As Lydia herself explains, “I wanted the song to be fun and upbeat despite the slightly melancholic lyrics – almost teasing myself for being so naive and repeatedly running away.”
You can follow Lydia on Facebook, Insta and Twitter.
‘Crying in My Car’ was released on 11th August by Tyler Cole, and it features Teezo Touchdown.
On August 11th, genre-bending rising singer/songwriter, producer and screenwriter, Tyler Cole released his new single ‘Crying In My Car’. It features artist Teezo Touchdown and is available via Def Jam Recordings. This new release comes off the heels of Tyler’s highly anticipated solo return to music with his two-track bundle of ‘Good Drugs/Bad Joke’.
Tyler says, “My car has always been my safe space. The only place I feel truly alone. When I first started recording music, I did a lot of it in my car because I didn’t have access to a studio setup. I wanted to make a song about sadness & heartbreak but in a fun way that doesn’t take itself too seriously. And Teezo, being the most fun and creative artist I know, was the perfect person to call for this record.”
Tyler has a lnk.to page with all his down-load links. He’s also got a website, at tylercoleofficial.com, and is on Insta, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.
On 11th August, The Victory released ‘Making Some Music’.
Originally the solo project of singer-songwriter Shane O’Reilly, Irish trio The Victory draws together the sounds of the Beatles, The Strokes and The Beach Boys in a pretty sonic package. Formed in 2020, The Victory hit the music scene at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, no pandemic would dampen the passion of these Irish lads. Garnering a fan base with their confident performances throughout Dublin, The Victory intoxicate listeners with a single note.
Taken from their début EP of the same name, ‘Making Some Music’ finds the line between indie and pop, but it is the slithering of soul throughout the single that makes it something special. Recorded and produced with Michael Heffernan at Blackwater Studios in County Louth, ‘Making Some Music’ is elegantly arranged but there is a sense of vulnerability in the song. Combining bold guitars with powerful drums, The Victory tosses you into a swirl of music. However, Shane’s vocals bring obscurity in the rich, warm but slightly off-kilter tone.
When speaking about ‘Making Some Music’, Shane explains, “The song is about having a voice, speaking about things you see as an artist and expressing them to the world. The song is about that duty we have to the world as songwriters to aim to inspire, to capture history for others to read about in the future and to do it with music that fills yourself with satisfaction…Writing a song is extremely personal and this song explores the reason why we do it all…”
You can follow The Victory on Facebook.
JD Kelleher released ‘Over the Rainbow’ on 11th August.
London based, non-binary, gay, Irish actor & singer/songwriter JD Kelleher released their version of the classic Judy Garland song ‘Over The Rainbow’ on 11th August. It marks 30 years since homosexuality was decriminalised in Ireland in June 1994.
JD has reunited with Spanish musicians, Jimmy Pinol, David Ibarz and Marti Rieira, along with new band member Alex Badia. ‘Over the Rainbow’ is the first single to be released from JD’s forthcoming 2024 début album, ‘Now Is Our Time’.
Speaking about the album, JD says, “All of the originals are co-written by me and my producer / drummer Jimmy. I’m the lyrics guy. Jimmy is the melody guy but we’re both very involved in the production & sound of the album. It’s good vibes all the way. Singing Judy’s iconic classic song is a dream come true and, of course, that is exactly what happens Over the Rainbow. It’s the place where dreams come true. Our personal dreams, the dreams of our communities…the dreams of our World. It is a song about wishes & dreams becoming reality. The video is all about colour, art and imagination. Make a wish and then go check it out on my YouTube!”
JD Kellher has a website, at jdkellehermusic.com and is on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Spotify.
The Hives released ‘Two Kinds of Trouble’ on August 11th.
On August 11th, The Hives released ‘The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons’. It is their first album in over a decade. The LP is a supercharged, head-banging collection of tracks produced by Patrik Berger and engineered by Pelle Gunnerfedlt, making it their most electric release yet.
The album release is accompanied by anthemic, rollicking single ‘Two Kinds of Trouble’, alongside a double-drummer video of Chris Dangerous performing ‘Rigor Mortis Radio’ with Arctic Monkeys’ Matt Helders.
The Hives recently closed out an extended support slot for Arctic Monkeys on their European arena tour. In the autumn, they will return to North America with their frenetic live show. It’s a cross-country tour that completely sold out in less than 30 minutes. They have newly announced a Latin American tour, kicking off in November. The Hives will be the first Western band to play in Venezuela in a decade.
Kicking off at Leeds Academy on March 27th, The Hives take their famously frenzied show to 12 cities across the UK and Ireland, culminating with a date at London’s Eventim Apollo on April 13th.
UK Tour Dates:
March 2024
Wednesday 27th: Leeds, Leeds Academy
Thursday 28th: Newcastle, City Hall
Friday 29th: Nottingham, Rock City
Saturday 30th: Wolverhampton, The Halls
April 2024
Monday 1st: Glasgow, Barrowland
Tuesday 2nd: Bristol, Academy
Wednesday 3rd: Brighton, Brighton Dome
Friday 5th: Cardiff, Great Hall
Saturday 6th: Manchester, Academy
Monday 8th: Dublin, Olympia
Wednesday 10th: Norwich, UEA
Saturday 13th: London, Eventim Apo
The Hives have a website, at thehives.com, where you can buy tickets for their shows. ‘The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmon’ is available digitally, on CD, and on vinyl, via their found.ee page.
On 11th August, Linda Lamon released ‘Venus, Shine on!’
Linda Lamon is a songwriter, composer and lyricist. Her multi-genre compositions have reached global audiences, and achieved success where it matters.
The release date of ‘Venus Shine On’ was set for August 11th to coincide with Venus’s conjunction with the sun on the 13th and the Perseid Meteor Shower peak – when the planet becomes a ‘morning star’ in the east.
Linda says, “At the age of seventy I decided to start singing my own songs, forced into it by the lockdown as I had the tracks recorded remotely in Nashville and no artists available to record them in the UK because of the restrictions. I’ve since released three albums and numerous singles, with a fourth due out in October, so yeah, it’s been a busy time.”
Linda has a website, at lindalamon.com and is on YouTube, Twitter, Insta, Bandcamp and Facebook.
Riovaz and Kanii released ‘waiting alonE’ on August 11th.
Experimental artist Riovaz and fellow up-and-comer, Kanii drop a brooding new single ‘waiting alonE’ on August 11th. Soulful and bouncy yet disruptive, the track finds the 19-year-old musician expanding his sonic horizons by delivering an infectious yet ominous piece of electro-pop pageantry.
Of the track Rio shares “This is a song I made with Kanii at 4am one night. It feels like when you go home with someone and never see them again. Really fun but kinda dark at the same time.”
“Pick your side, I know you’re waiting alone”, the New Jersey native croons over bass-heavy production and fluttering synths. “Just take your time.” Rio’s tender voice is the perfect foil for the song’s gloomy soundscape. That comes through on the propulsive chorus when he belts, “I would take you, but you’re not mine to keep for long” over layered effects and dizzying distortion. It’s clear that Rio’s thirst for experimentation hasn’t been quenched.
You can follow Riovaz on Insta, TikTok and Twitter.
Zorr Alex and Cyrillic recently released ‘Non Son Di Qui’.
Music has an uncanny way of bridging the past with the present. This summer, the radios of Europe are reverberating with the soulful echoes of the 70s, given a modern twist! Celebrated music producer Zorr Alex has teamed up with the electronic duo Cyrillic to breathe fresh life into a revered classic from the 70’s by the legendary Facundo Cabral.
While many remember this iconic track as also being sung by the maestro Julio Iglesias, this new rendition by Zorr Alex and Cyrillic promises a unique blend of nostalgia and contemporary energy. The perfect harmony of Cabral’s original emotion and the modern electronic vibes that Cyrillic brings to the table blends perfectly with the beautiful Italian vocals in this version. For those who’ve grown up listening to the original, this rendition offers a trip down memory lane. For the new listeners, it’s a fresh, energetic experience with a hint of the past.
Zorr Alex is on Facebook, YouTube, Insta, Spotify and Apple.
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