Kadiata - Porn Hub Freestyle
2 minutes of braggadocios lyricism and scatty rhythms make up the DNA of Kadiata’s latest bop. The South London rapper’s ability to combine infectious deep house with the raw energy of UK HipHop separates him from many of the artist’s failing to break through his scene. However, ‘Porn Hub Freestyle’ sees him becoming even more versatile, steering towards a more trappy beat, produced by SAKARI. The tune’s more fiery nature is a perfect switch up from his two latest singles ‘On Tap’ and ‘Margherita’, which are both equally bangers in their own right.
Matt Martians - Off My Feet/Westside
It’s been a big month for fans of LA funkadelics ‘The Internet’; Matt Martians’ new LP took many of us by surprise, but it‘s a project that’s long overdue. The Jazz drum rhythms, goofy manipulated vocals and indie piano work on this tune compliment the story of love affairs on the West Coast very well and the elaborate mix up for the second half of the tune is trademark Matt Martians. Give the full album a listen, it’s well worth your time.
Steve Lacy - N Side
Back with a bang, it’s fair to say the anticipation for 21 year old Lacy’s debut album has been incredibly high. After his ‘Steve Lacy’s Demo’ ep, which featured the absolute tunes ‘Dark Red’ and ‘Some’, you can’t really blame the hype. He’s lived up to the expectations on this one though, and proved he’s an integral element to ‘The Internet’, who he joined a few years ago. Like on a lot of Lacy’s other tunes, he has plagued us with psychedelia on ’N Side’, the twangy guitar riff is so contagious and exonerates the more moany vocal tones the Kali Uchis collaborator adopts.
Octavian - Lit ft A$AP Ferg
Just when you thought Octavian couldn’t get any bigger, scoring a collab with his personal hero Skepta on the ‘Bet Remix’, the London come French star lands a feature with Mob member A$AP Ferg. Justifying his BBC sound of 2019 win, ‘Lit’ sees Essie talking about fending off fans and coping with this sudden increase in fame, whilst Ferg spits about archive Prada and all white Mercs. It may not be the most relatable of tunes, but the beat is an incredibly hard one, produced by Kodak Black collaborator London on Da Track, so it’s well worth a listen.
KAYTRANADA - DYSFUNCTIONAL
Just in time for Summer, the Montreal DJ demon is back. Hopefully this is the first of many singles; ‘Dysfunctional’ doesn’t disappoint with its classic Kaytranada house hops and the elegant vocal melodies of VanJess. A new album is rumoured to be on its way after the success of 99.9%, an album that took on influences from every corner of the electronic spectrum - Chicago House to Trap and even hints of Detroit Techno. Stay locked on news of the Canadian’s forthcoming LP.
Kings of the Rollers - Round Here ft Redders
The inventors and self confessed Kings of ‘Rollers’, a unique DnB sub genre, DJ trio Serum, Voltage and Bladerunner have relished the opportunity to produce their debut commercial album. Released on vinyl, an act that rarely happens nowadays in the Drum and Bass community, the album currently sits in the top 30 of the charts, and ‘Round Here’ is the stand out track. ‘Redders’ offers an incredibly catchy chorus of lyrics at the start of the drop, and the influences of other genres, like Jungle, elevates the quality of the tune. No rave will be the same this summer with this track now on he scene. Straight shellas.
Ninioh - Bandz
One of the anthems to our travels around Asia has been ‘Tokyo’ by Blue Room Mafia, so as we were chilling in Borneo and saw a new release from prolific member Ninioh, we knew this could definitely be a contender for our tracks of the month. It didn’t disappoint. The Brummie’s playful lyricism fits the synthy, staccato beat perfectly, where he raps about sipping grey goose on the roofs of houses and your wifey loving him because he’s wavy. Let’s be honest, if your wifey did love him, you’d let her go freely. As a member of the BRM, there’s not really any competition. Give the jam a listen below.
BINA ft KISH! - Caged Bird
Who isn’t a sucker for the harp? It’s quite possibly one of the most beautiful sounding instruments ever, and ‘Caged Bird’s’ melody thrives off it’s elegance. We’ve had BINA’s debut EP on repeat, no pun intended, since it’s release a couple of Friday’s ago but this tune really stood out. KISH! offers some intimate bars addressing addiction, ambition and love; his tone is very fitting to the delicate beat. BINA’s lyricism is equally unfaultable, adopting the story of a bird who can only have her voice heard when she sings, for otherwise she just stays quiet within the confines of her cage.
Loyle Carner - Ice Water
Earlier this month, we wrote up a proper review of Loyle Carner’s pretty spectacular new album ‘Not Waving, But Drowning’. If there’s a track that optimises the rapper’s evolution from debut ‘Yesterdays gone’, it’s ‘Ice Water’. Produced by Kwes and Joice, who’ve worked with Kelela and Jorja Smith respectively, the song sees Carner igniting a more fiery flow, whilst the beat incorporates classic HipHop elements and some lovely harmonies. Read our full write up here.
Kevin Abstract - Georgia
‘Arizona Baby’ is Kevin’s first solo project since Brockhampton’s Saturation trilogy and Iridescence album. It’s a far more intimate LP than what his group produced, and Georgia optimises its more sincere tone. There are elements on this track taken from Brockhampton’s prolific releases last year; the childish vocal effects being the most evident. However, the use of guitar and acoustic drums is what really gives this song soul.
Lava La Rue - Burn
What a beautiful song this is. The tropical vibes on Lava’s latest tune makes her back catalogue all the more diverse; the harmonic chorus and tribal percussion are especially smooth. Whether you are jiving out in your bedroom or lightly skanking at a house party, this song is the perfect summer anthem for such antics. If you’re going to Boomtown this year, catch her with Kate Tempest and Little Dragon at Whistlers Green. We will see you there.
Schoolboy Q ft Kid Cudi - Dangerous
Although short in length, barely reaching the three minute mark, ‘Dangerous’ steals the show on ‘CrasH Talk’. The Kid Cudi revival is one of the big talking points in the American urban scene at the moment; he was one of the first to truly open up about mental health in HipHop, and the likes of Schoolboy, A$AP and Kanye are commemorating his legacy with a string of features. This is definitely one of our favourites from the new Schoolboy album, read our full write up here.
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