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Listen to Bicep’s BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix

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Last Friday saw Bicep take the reins of the BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix, adding some extra shine on a
watershed twelve months for the Ninja Tune-signed duo. With the dust still settling around their landmark debut album, the iconic mix series ties off a success-studded year for the Belfast-born, London-based duo. It features an exclusive track by Hammer (forthcoming on their Feel My Bicep imprint), several unreleased Bicep edits, as well as cuts from Norwell, CJ Bolland and Fantastic Man. They explain the idea behind the mix: “We’ve both got fond memories of long car journeys spent listening to the Essential Mix. For our contribution, we wanted to do something different to our normal club sets: exploring the influences behind our album and touching on genres we wouldn’t normally be able to play out.”

Releasing their self-titled debut in September, the album runs rich with the warmth of club music’s
halcyon days and is a perfect distillation of a sound that’s been honed over a decade-long career. ‘Bicep’ has been heralded as one of the best-realised dance music albums of 2017 which went in at #20 in the UK album charts. The record was framed by impeccable design across the campaign from Portuguese collective Royal Studio. On it, they channel a many-sided, personal gamut of club music influences – including (but not limited to) house, garage, ambient and breakbeat – into an album that’s as innovative as it is well-schooled in music, successfully striking that elusive sweet spot: making dancefloor-minded creations that work just as well for home listening.

Inaugurating their stellar live show at Coachella, they toured it to sell-out venues in LA, New York, Japan, across Europe and played the world’s most revered festival stages including Pitchfork Paris,
Glastonbury, Dekmantel, Melt! and Primavera. They sold out Village Underground in just 3 minutes,
Electric Brixton in 24 hours, with a Roundhouse show in April 2018 close to sold out too. Bicep have
been announced in the first wave of acts for Sonar, are taking the live show across Australia and already have a packed diary for 2018.

Praise was heaped on ‘Bicep’ by The Guardian, Pitchfork and Resident Advisor, along with gracing
the front cover and extensive feature in Mixmag. Radio 1’s Annie Mac has championed all three singles ‘Aura’, ‘Glue’, ‘Vale’ and new track ‘Metro’ extensively, along with inviting them on to perform a prestigious Maida Vale session while Pete Tong made ‘Metro’ his Essential New Tune. The album was BBC 6 Music’s Album of the Day, where ‘Glue’ reached the B list and ‘Vale’ is currently on the A list.

It’s fair to say it’s been an incredible year, cementing Bicep’s clear-eyed vision of dance music’s limitless possibilities. Listen to Bicep’s Essential Mix here.

Tour dates:

Dec
14 Jaeger, Oslo, NO
18 Rise Festival, Les Deux Alps, FR (DJ)
21 Mondo, Madrid, ES
22 Contrair, Antwerp, BE
23 Modular at Maasilo, Rotterdam, NL
30 Oval Space, London, UK
31 Stealth / Nottingham, UK

Feb
1 FMB at Electric Garden, Galway, Ireland (DJ)
2 FMB at District 8, Dublin, Ireland
3 FMB at Shine, Belfast, UK

March
2 Oxford Art Factory, Sydney, AU
3 Max Watts, Melbourne, AU
9 TBC Club, Brisbane, AU
10 Days Like This, Sydney, AU
11 Pitch Festival, Moyston, AU

April
1 Terminal V, Edinburgh, UK (DJ)
12 Snowbombing, Mayrhofen, AT
28 Roundhouse, London, UK

May
3 Paradiso, Amsterdam, NL
6 AMP Lost & Found Fest, Malta (DJ)

June
1 AVA Festival, Belfast, UK (DJ)
15 Sonar Festival, Barcelona, ES

Get your tickets here.

Maya Jane Coles releases latest music video ‘Darkside’

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London based award-winning DJ/producer/artist, Maya Jane Coles has just made a prodigious comeback with the release of her latest music video ‘Darkside’, directed by celebrated art direction team, The Fashtons.

Despite only being 24, Maya Jane Coles continues to impress her fans exceptional work. She has mixed compilations for DJ Kicks and Fabric Live, remixed The XX, Ella Fitzgerald, Bonobo, as well as being sampled for Nicki Minaj’s mega hit ‘Truffle Butter’. The artist does not end her success there, she is also leading campaigns for favoured British footwear and clothing brand Doc Martens.

The Fashtons (Ben Ashton and Fiona Garden) have directed her phenomenal previous video for ‘Weak’ that has garnered 139,630 views on YouTube and over 42,100 plays on Soundcloud. Working on the latest video ‘Darkside’, The Fashtons return to create the next chapter working alongside a team of close friend artists (Natalia Latyszonek,  Rachel Freire, Georgie Bee and Kristina Vidic).  ‘Darkside’ consists of striking, illusive polyhedric shapes in which a ‘Blank Conscious Being’ tries on masks of the faces of those who live in Maya’s waking world. He based the masks that we see throughout the video on portraits of people who Maya has collaborated with.

Ben Ashton explains his use of the Polyhedron environment in the video: “Polyhedric shapes are beautifully simple but remarkably stable structures ­- the perfect blend of art and mathematics. The polyhedron we used in this project is called an Icosidodecahedron. ­ I’m particularly drawn to the star shapes that you can see around the pentagons, and if you look at it from a different angle you can see a skull shape.”

Watch ‘Darkside’ here:

Noya Rao releases new single ‘Golden Claw’

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Purveyors of enigmatic dreamscapes and organic, danceable electronica, Leeds­ based, electronic­ soul quartet Noya Rao released their debut album, Icaros, this November.

Founded by producer Tom Henry (Cosima, Yellow Days) Noya Rao was originally conceived as a solo production project with a separate live band representation. Alongside bassist Jim Wiltshire and drummer Matt Davies, whom Tom had met playing in other bands within the Leeds music scene, the project grew to become a collaborative effort mixing Tom’s production ideas with the attributes of Jim’s unique bass synth lines and Matt’s polyrhythmic beats. Their compositions drew on the influences of jazz, hip­hop and electronic music whilst incorporating the sounds of the bass- heavy­dub music synonymous with the Leeds music scene. Their sound really came into focus when they met vocalist Olivia Bhattacharjee who brought her gospel style and complex choral harmony to the band. Developing from raw, psychedelic improvisations, their sound became more defined and minimal, underpinned by live instrumentation and more structured songwriting. This co­existing electronic and organic thread gives the band a strong identity and their powerful live show sets them apart from other producer­led bands. Matthew Halsall from Gondwana Records saw the band perform at an intimate show in Manchester in 2016 and blown away, signed the band on the spot.

Tracklisting
1. Azimuth
2. Moments
3. Golden Claw
4. Midas
5. Dreaming Pt.1
6. I Feel
7. Same Sun Will Rise
8. Fly
9. This Time
10. Dreaming Pt.2

KONGSTED’s latest single ‘Get Away’ is packed with tight, percussive beats

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‘Get Away’ is the latest single and offering by Danish DJ and producer KONGSTED  released on 1st December via Universal Music. The track is a fresh, summer-fueled, anthemic hit brushing off any cold reminders that come with December’s frigid clutch. KONGSTED has been a prominent gear in the Danish DJ scene for as long as twelve years and counting, who has won several awards to date, most noticeably; Club DJ of The Year, Danish Deejay Favorite Of The Year, Dancechart.dk Award and The Voice Clubbing Award, which he was nominated for four consecutive years in a row, winning in both 2010 & 2011.

With career propelling hits such as ‘Chuck Norris’ which has garnered over 10 million Spotify streams and has gone 2x Platinum in sales, the Platinum-selling single ‘Whine Dat’, and a gold-certified single titled ‘Wild Child’ featuring fellow Danish musician Cisilia.

KONGSTED has received substantial support after being handpicked by acclaimed international DJs such as Pete Tong, AVICII, Tiesto and Martin Garrix during their trips to Denmark. Filling a residency at Copenhagen-based nightclub ZEN, KONGSTED has also been deemed an official DJ for the prestigious nightclub network The World’s Finest Clubs, and has been requested at renowned clubs all around Europe, some of which include: Just Cavalli (Milano), Club Hollywood (Milano), Byblos (Milano), Carpe Diem (Barcelona), Gibson (Frankfurt) and NoX (Oslo). With a busy schedule ahead of him and more than a handful of singles in the pipeline, KONGSTED is excited to bring new music to fans worldwide.

KONGSTED’s latest single ‘Get Away’ is packed with tight, energetic and percussive beats, steamy pop-guitar hooks, glowing textures and steady basslines synchronized to an excitement-soaked groove. Group chants are vital here, with compliments to the rhythm provided by vocalist Ida Kudo, rapper Peaceful James and AO who all feature as guests on the track, embracing it’s rich, seductive atmosphere, just enough to make you forget all about winter’s withdrawn woes.

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Smino releases video for ‘Anita (Remix ft. T-Pain)

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Smino and T-Pain are a dynamic crooning duo, both with a taste for coloUrful fashion that’s on full display in the “Anita” remix video. The original version of “Anita” was the lead single on Smino’s debut album, blkswn, which released earlier this year. Smino performed in direct support of T-Pain on his acoustic tour last month, where the iconic Atlanta singer has been calling the rising St. Louis-bred, Chicago-based artist back to the stage during his own closing set for a performance of the remix, which Smino previously shared video of on Instagram. With the “Anita” remix video, Smino’s also unveiled a new line of Zero Fatigue clothing.

Smino’s owned 2017. His blkswn album has earned continued critical praise, having neared the top of many best of (so far) lists that came at the year’s halfway point. Following the album, he headlined his own North America tour in April-May, with support from his fellow Zero Fatigue crew members Monte Booker, Bari, and Jay2. His opening spot on T-Pain’s acoustic tour this month came at an opportune time during a break on SZA’s Ctrl. tour, where Smino has also been performing as the direct support act, backed by a full band and backing singers.

 

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KAIXEN releases album Pecado + new single ‘Wasting Time’ featuring Dvwez & Native Youth

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No stranger to the music scene, Julian Munro aka KAIXEN hails from a musical family and trained as a contemporary jazz guitarist, playing in various bands in the past.  He forfeited a full economics major scholarship in order to pursue his music career – a decision he must be glad to have made.

He has received substantial support from tastemaker publications such as BBC 1xtra’s Jamz Supernova, Majestic Casual, The Fader, Run The Trap, Clash, and Indie Shuffle among others. Rightfully so as he has shared stages with the likes of Crywolf, Sango and Tim Gunter opening for Joan Jett and Two Door Cinema Club and headlining at the 2016 III Points Music Festival and Okeechobee Music Festival.

He now releases his new album. Entitled Pecado meaning “sin” in Spanish and Portuguese, the name perfectly sums up the hypnotic and tempting nature of the album.  The self-produced record features collaborations with experimental hip hop and R&B artists such as Twelve’Len, MRKI, Austin Paul, Christian Rivero, The Loft, Savannah Cristina, Dvwez & Native Youth and Silk Matthews.

His previously released singles off the album were ‘In Private’ and ‘Brand New’ telling stories of love and lust while reflecting on personal affairs. Similarly is ‘Wasting Time’ featuring Dvwez & Native Youth. More laid back than the previous two tracks, the sax-tainted song is a duet between the two vocalists in which Native Youth takes the lead.

KAIXEN had this to say about Pecado: “I hear everything a certain way and have an exact feel of how I want things to be. This whole album was really inspired by growth, but growth in doing things we know are wrong. I feel like life tests you, you can make the worst decisions in a given situation and it can stunt or catapult your growth.”




Pecado Tracklist:
1 – What You Think ft. Silk Matthews
2 – Just Like You ft. Austin Paul
3 – Locking Eyes ft. Cristian Rivero
4 – Brand New ft. Twelve’Len
5 – Wasting Time ft. Dvwez & Native Youth
6 – Through You
7 – Unfamiliar Energy ft. Savannah Cristina
8 – Survive ft. The Loft
9 – In private ft. MRKI
10 – Constellation In The Sky
11 – Run Away

Follow KAIXEN:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaixenmusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lemonadeplayboy
Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/kaixen
Instagram: http://instagram.com/kaixen__
Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2h9nFfR

“Pecado” on  Spotify  – iTunes

Cimo Fränkel shares debut solo-single ‘Never Give Up’

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Cimo Fränkel is causing a stir with his debut solo single ‘Never Give Up’ which was released on the 13th October. The young singer, songwriter and producer has already written multiplatinum hits for Cheat Codes & Kris Kross Amsterdam – the track ‘Sex’ has almost 450 million Spotify plays to date, going Gold in the USA, double Platinum in the UK, quadruple Platinum in the Netherlands, and gathering 7 more Platinum awards in other countries.
Fränkel’s inherent music ability is partly due to being raised within the DIY ethos of funk culture. His father was a musician and encouraged Fränkel to create music and craft his own musical identity. Cimo started experimenting with music production as a teenager and soon became more than adept at every facet of the creation of pop music.
Thus, with the release of Never Give Up,’ Fränkel is more than well versed – and ready to rock the scene. In spite of a having to rebuild most of the song after losing data to a computer crash (including the vocal takes) Fränkel is more than happy with the end result.
‘Never Give Up’ invites the listener on a seductive, yet groove-fueled journey across sun-kissed cityscapes. A level-headed bass guitar strolls in alongside clicked percussion, as Cimo’s crisp vocals kick in – the atmosphere brightens beyond belief, proving that this may just be your next favourite thing.


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cimofrankel/

Yaeji shares ‘Drink I’m Sipping On’ ahead of EP release

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Earlier this year she released her debut EP pairing her deft vocal abilities with her electronic production which garnered a lot online attention. She further made waves with her summer remix of Drake’s ‘Passionfruit.’

South Korean DJ and singer Yaeji is back with EP2 set to drop 3 November comprised of 5 new tracks including her version of Passionfruit.

Previous singles such as ‘Guap’ and ‘Last Breath’ she boasts a unique flow sounding much like rap easily switching between Korean and English.

She released her latest single off the EP ‘drink I’m sipping on’ along with the visuals in which Yaeji sports an oversized blazer with the words ‘Drink’ on the back.  She has traded in her signature four-on-the-floor style for a trap beat embracing her inclination towards hip hop.  Floating over the drums, she takes a laidback approach to personal failure and conflicted memories. It’s clear that she is on the “electro watch list” for this year – and it seems every other genre’s as she experiments with various styles.

Yaeji plays a number of shows at selected dates around the release of the EP: Paris (November 2nd), Los Angeles (November 4th) and Seoul (November 11th).

Check out ‘drink I’m sipping on’ below, perhaps it’s passionfruit:

Riton x MNEK x House Gospel Choir – new track ‘Deeper’

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Riton has teamed up with MNEK and House Gospel Choir for his latest dancefloor anthem, ‘Deeper’. Out now via Ministry of Sound, the soulful new single highlights all three artists incredible talent and  looks set to be another crossover smash.

‘Deeper’ follows the success of Riton’s previous singles ‘Money’ and his hit ‘Rinse & Repeat’. The latter was a UK Top 10 single, the third most played single on BBC Radio 1 in 2016 and was a record breaker on the Radio 1 Dance Chart, spending 7 weeks at #1. Surpassing 50 million streams to date, ‘Rinse & Repeat’ also earned the producer a coveted GRAMMY Award nomination for ‘Best Dance Recording’ at this year’s ceremony. Not stopping there, Riton is also riding high after producing and releasing Kah-Lo’s debut single ‘Fasta’ on his own imprint Ritontime. The track is currently on the Radio 1 playlist and featured as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record as well as Clara Amfo’s tune of the week.

A singer, songwriter and producer in his own right, MNEK is known for fusing pop, R&B and dance music to create hits perfect for the dancefloor and radio. Over the years, the acclaimed producer has received a wealth of success, working with a range of musical talent from the likes of Beyonce, Dua Lipa, Diplo, Rudimental, Jax Jones and Stormzy. In 2015, he became a household name with his multi-platinum selling single ‘Never Forget You’ with Zara Larsson. Their collaboration has had over 550 million streams to date.

Meet the choir that house built! Aside from collaborating with some of the biggest artists in the game including Loyle Carner, Gorgon City, JP Cooper and Hurts, House Gospel Choir have built their own fanbase as an artist entity. From touring this Summer with Annie Mac, opening West Holts at Glastonbury and performing with Annie Mac B2B Disclosure at Radio 1’s Ibiza takeover, HGC are poised to continue their burgeoning mainstream success with ‘Deeper’.

Over the course of the summer, Riton completed a rigorous run of festival dates where he played Tomorrowland, V Festival, SW4 and Bestival to name a few. Alongside these festival appearances, the producer also performed in Ibiza, where he took over the decks at Pacha, Ushuaia and Amnesia.

To round off 2017, Riton has been announced to play two dates at The Warehouse Project in Manchester, ‘Gorgon City presents Kingdom’ on 4th November and Jax Jones’ ‘HOUSE WORK!’ take over party on the 15th December alongside two London dates at The Egg on the 20th October and Electric Brixton on the 1st December.

‘Deeper’ is sure to prove a massive hit with both Riton and MNEK’s loyal followings, making the artists a solid fixture in the charts once more.

Evil Needle shares ‘Subsonic,’ unveils “Abyssal” LP

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Garnering significant attention with the release of ‘Pays Her Bills ft Noah‘ as well as ‘Loud ft Naji,’ Evil Needle has released ‘Subsonic’ as the final track before the unveiling of his new album Abyssal.

A vigorous touring scheduling during the release of the album has not slowed the prolific beatmaker   down. He has played recent dates in Europe, Thailand and Africa, juggling track premieres with live shows.

Known for his collaborations with Troiboy, SIvey and Mr Carmack, Mo Vibez, Sivey, Elaquent, Freddie Joachim, JMSN, Doja Cat and Naji, Evil Needle stands out in the current Future Beats / Trap landscape by his multi-layered music personality. His savvy and finely chiseled productions are unique and pervaded with his multifaceted influences that include Mr Lif, Pharcyde, Bicasso, Hieroglyphics and Wu Tang Clan.

“I’ve always been producing a lot of different genres over the past 10 years” he says. “This release pretty much sums up my various producing styles, ranging from House, Future Beats and RnB to Trap and straight Boom Bap. Same styles, but deeper, aka Abyssal.”



Website: http://www.evil-needle.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsmeneedle/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsmeneedle
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/itsmeneedle/
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