The best way to get through a weekend slump is to disconnect from reality, said no one. We can’t whip up the remedy to your problems but we can help put you onto something good in the meantime. We go back to basics with 5 for Friday and share some of the abundant sounds that are travelling around the four corners of the internet. A long awaited return from Louis Culture plus a King of the Hill inspired video from westside singer SiR are just some of the sounds that await you below.
JVCK JAMES – Overseas
JVCK JVMES takes digital love to sky high levels on this stirring outfit which finds him relishing in the heart ache of a long-distance romance. The sweet-toned singer melts over diced up nostalgic samples worked over by Scribz Riley.
The tension woven on a multitude of R&B sonics is present on ‘Overseas,’ but unlike other contemporary takes the emotional strain is palpable. JVCK JAMES conjures up picturesque moments fabricated from his trips across the world. A wise person once said: It’s not about what you wear, it’s about how you wear it. A gem which Scribz Riley subscribes to on ‘Overseas’, resulting in a delightful match-up of sounds composed of airborne warbles and mellow keys laced into James’s explosive runs. Exemplary work for the duo with great potential to rise amongst the music ranks in the years to come.
Jarreau Vandal – Nothing Nice feat. Gaidaa
Jarreau Vandal’s latest joint flaunts his stylish and smooth sound which is set to restore the faith amongst us all with Kojey Radical and Gaidaa. ‘Nothing Nice’ makes good work out of lowkey guitar play and Gaidaa’s velvety vocals.
Kojey Radical works through the exquisite production from varying angles, kicking off the score with thick notes offset by Gaidaa’s soft sung notes. His dwindling faith is uttered poetically over plush piano keys and broody drum strokes which cease at the advent of the chorus. “I just want to see another summertime, summertime, summertime”, echoes Gaidaa, emphasising the wistful qualities of the score. Nevertheless Vandal’s artful touch is ever so present through intricate beams of sound and vocal-layers as Kojey Radical signs off with a cold verse.
SiR – John Redcorn
SiR released his album ‘Chasing Summers’ to much acclaim from listeners deeming it as one of his best releases. ‘John Redcorn’ cuts into the feeling of lost love and the heart ache that follows the hopeful singer.
Top Dawg Ent seem to be on a roll especially with this visual in which SiR and director Daniel Russell parody King of the Hill. The westside singer drowns in the perpetual pool of loneliness and belts dejected notes to the spiritual strumming of guitar strings. On this outfit SiR inhabits the role of an unlucky lover, Mr. Redcorn, and vocalises the deep-felt sorrows that trouble a fictional character. We wouldn’t expect anything less from the singer who is perceived to be a golden talent in the crop of rising R&B stars. Will he be the one to restore the faith of a sceptic fanbase? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Drake – Pain 1993 feat. Playboi Carti
Big rappers are known for hopping on trends in the hip-hop arena and making a mess out of it. The mumble era rap phenom Carti features on Drake’s latest offering ‘Pain 1993’ off ‘Dark Lane Demo Tapes’, and makes magic on the ethereal operation.
Pi’erre Bourne secures yet another huge production credit with Pain 1993 which finds the rapper-producer cook up an off-center score made up of gushing chords meshed, rigid hi-hats and ambient elements. Drake makes light work of the the production with nimble delivery while Carti’s childlike persona raps clock between his taste for luxury fashion and the countless amount of money in his pockets. On the theme of wealth, Drake’s rap persona finds him glossing over his riches with the nonchalance you’d expect from the biggest rapper in the world.
Louis Culture – Being Me
Coming out the Elevation/Meditation rap pack, Louis Culture hops on an alternative production in which he challenges the labels we assign to humans in society. On ‘Being Me’ the rapper makes his return to the music as a defiant rebel.
The self-produced operation finds the rapper take on a hands-on approach with assistance from Pullen, Fredwave & Ben Beheshty. Pulling from a variety of sounds Louis Culture zips up his space suit and explores a new soundscape. “I fuck up your preconceptions” he reiterates, over the squelch of lasers. The rigid drum beat of drum & bass coupled abreast a burgeoning whir re-imagines the indiscriminate sound of club music. Somewhat forming an audible portrait of the artist with layers to his identity. The music video, directed by Milo Blake, casts Louis under the lens of different faces and elaborates on the number of angles that make up our perceptions. Nevertheless, let it be known that no one can define his identity but himself.
