Julian Tran is a 23 year-old songwriter from London. He was born and raised in Paris and came to London 6 years ago with the band he was playing in at the time (REV). After 3 years of playing concerts around London, he decided to focus on his solo projects.
From 2018 to 2019 he released several titles under his alias Sonic Eater and even started playing his own shows. From mid-2019 to now, he worked on developing the ‘Misery’ project
The project was delivered in 3 steps: First the ‘Misery’ single, then a Live Performance of the single shot in the 7th Sky Studios in Paris and finally, the ‘Misery’ Album. All this new material has been released under his real name as they no longer wish to use an alias.
Image Credits: Kiiara by Dennis Leupold; Felix Cartal by Trevor Brady
Spotify’s New Music Friday has always been one of our favourite places to discover the hottest and newest releases. Felix Cartal and Kiiara’s ‘Happy Hour’ is an unstoppable mix of happy vibes and enticing basslines that lead us down a road of mischievous drinking, a little partying and a whole lot of fun.
A self-described “loser-anthem” (in Felix Cartal’s own words), the single will leave all who hear it longing for a beach, a half-price cocktail and the simplicity of a summer break. The single is the first original piece of work that the two have released together however, the pair have been in contact for years – since Felix Cartal remixed Kiiara’s ‘Feels’ (which was also remixed by Jai Wolf and AWAY).
Kiiara has established a firm social media presence, with just under 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify, nearly a million followers on Facebook and over 350k followers on Instagram. She’s collected over 2 billion streams across platforms, with features hit singles from DavidGuetta, LinkinPark, and CheatCodes to boost that number. However, her own work is quickly allowing her to take over the airwave. Check out the single with the dynamic duo below.
Kid Cudi released his highly anticipatedMan on the Moon III: The Chosen,his eagerly awaited seventh full-length studio album and the third instalment of his legendary Man On The Moon series
Cudi returns with 18 new songs, inviting a cast of A-list collaborators to join him in space. These include anthems such as “Show Out” [feat. Pop Smoke and Skepta], “Lovin’ Me”[feat. Phoebe Bridgers], and “Rockstar Knights” [feat. Trippie Redd]. Not to mention, acclaimed director Nabil [Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean] has directed the music videos for “She Knows This”and “Heaven On Earth”—set to be unveiled soon. Check out the full track-listing below.
In other big news, Cudi recently co-founded his own production and music management company Mad Solar backed by none other than Bron.
Cudi blasted off into history with Man on the Moon: The End of Day in 2009. It has since gone double-platinum, garnered three GRAMMY® Award nominations, and seized a spot on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”A year later, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager claimed #3 on the Billboard Top 200 and went platinum.
Audiences worldwide have clamored for the next chapter of this trilogy for a decade now. Cudi delivers with Man on the Moon III: The Chosen now.
Lu’s irresistibly warm timbre sits alongside luscious electronic R&B infused instrumentals, delivering a rich tapestry of sound that ebbs and flows through an introspective journey of pain, self-discovery and empowerment.
The track opens with vocals twisting in and out of some delightfully distorted synth chords, before hitting a poignant catchy chorus, where a lucid, spacey bass line joins the dots between the song’s jazzy hip-hop beats and Lu’s rich, alluring voice.
Lu said about the single “The title British Daisy stems from the typically British trait of putting on a brave face, instead of saying what we mean and acknowledging the fact that we are all fragile. After being in an unhealthy relationship in which my self-worth was slowly eroding, this song talks through the fight to break out of a bad relationship and the bad habits they leave us with. ‘British Daisy’ speaks of a time where I found myself daydreaming of a life where I was happier, but didn’t have the strength to make it happen.”
Lu’s breathy, jazzy tones rest beautifully between soul and R&B. The artist grew-up in a home filled with music, listening to everything from the classic soul/jazz maestros of the 50’s and 60’s, like Nina Simone and Sam Cooke, to noughties RnB and Hip Hop outfits such as Outkast, Eminem, Rihanna and Amy Winehouse, this is where her love for songwriting and melody truly began. Since then, her contemporary influences have aligned with the times, citing Little Simz, Anderson Paak, Maverick Sabre and the Blue Note Re: imagined album as huge sources of inspiration.
Lu began writing her own songs at the age of 11, having joined the school choir and taken up singing lessons she quickly progressed into musical theatre, but at 19 realised that it wasn’t quite the right fit and subsequently, made the switch to creating and performing contemporary music.
The young artist recently graduated from the London branch of the BIMM Institute (British and Irish Modern Music Institute) and set to work on her debut EP ‘Notes to self’. It is a body of work that radiates warmth and a magnetic energy, woven together in a narrative that tells of the vulnerability and the solitary venture of self-discovery as a young woman. The 2020 pandemic hit just before the EP was completed and live dates were cancelled, but Lu used that time productively to complete the finishing touches remotely and concentrate on her songwriting. The result is a collection of musically detailed, immaculately produced treats.
