Bringing some more heart for the weekend, it’s Friday and it’s only right we get you another five on it!
Kelela – ‘Take Me Apart’
Kelela finally releases her long-awaited, highly-anticipated debut studio album ‘Take Me Apart’ today via Warp Records. Launching the project with an interview with Ebro on Beats 1 and a few singles including the world premiere of ‘Waitin’ on BBCR1 yesterday. ‘Take Me Apart’ arrives with 14 tracks, no featured artists and includes the lead single ‘LMK’.
Abi Ocia – ‘Expo’
After debuting the impressive ‘Running’ and following up earlier this year with ‘Konfyt’, Abi Ocia is back with ‘Expo’ a powerful and earthy new single produced by regular collaborator, London based Mkulu. Kicking off with a powerful drumbeat, Abi’s beautifully rich and flawless vocals yet again give rise to the nagging conviction that this is a singer who may be surfacing slowly but is doing it with a charging confidence.
Abi says about the track, “Expo is a journey through the hidden thoughts of an overthinker. One who always tries to maintain a calm exterior, so that no one can see the flaws they have seen within themself. I am certainly guilty of this.”
DVSN – P.O.V
While it’s pretty damn obvious DVSN are influenced heavily by Maxwell, I guess it’s only natural that the duo would move to sample one of Maxwell’s classic cuts. So with P.O.V together with a co-sign from the man himself, DVSN sample ‘Fortunate’ and deliver yet another slow jam with one and only one intention in mind. The between-the-sheets single is the fourth track to drop as a preview to the forthcoming sophomore album ‘Morning After’ due Oct. 13.
Shakka – ‘Heart The Weekend’
Shakka is back! The West London singer returns true to form with a uplifting track dedicated to the weekend.
“’Heart The Weekend’ came from not just me enjoying some raving at the weekend, but me touring,” Shakka tells us. “I’ve got a grin on my face because every time I play with the band, it’s always the same wherever we go – we’re gonna destroy the show, and then we’ll drink and party with the fans. That kind of energy and vibe went into this song. Me and my boys have been listening to a lot of new age hip-hop and a lot of 80s music, so there’s a very Californian feel to this. But there’s also a Milly Rock trap element to it as well. Lyrically it’s also got elements of ambition, and debauchery and indulgence, so I was definitely able to capture many aspects of my personality with this.”
Jordan Bratton – Spaces
Singer, Songwriter and Producer, Jordan Bratton is most certainly one to keep an eye on and with his new track ‘Spaces’, he’s adding all the right ingredients to tease his forthcoming mixtape, ‘Driver’s Ed’. Following the release of previous singles ‘Pieces’ and ‘Sunsets’, Jordan delivers two sides to ‘Spaces’ kicking off with a falsetto rich vocal and flipping it half-way through with a deeply soulful delivery.
The Long Island, NY, native and 22 year-old Jordan relates the sentiment behind his new video for ‘Spaces’, “There is something special about this video because it isn’t very theatrical, but it still has a theme of resolution. It’s one of the most heartfelt things I’ve seen in a while and I’m not just saying that because I’m a part of it.”
