music news – Page 2

September 16, 2024

September 16, 2024September 26, 2024 Mew Zikwryder

Soul Sensation Alain Clark shares a new track, ‘Pressed Out Emotions’

Alain Clark dropped his new glorious single ‘Pressed Out Emotions’ on September 6th via A Sides. Alain, a powerhouse in the music scene for over ten years, first made waves when he signed with Warner Music UK in 2009. His impressive journey has earned him accolades like the Edison Award and the Silver Harp Award, thanks to Triple platinum physical sales in The Netherlands. Additionally, his singles enjoyed top 5 radio airplay in The Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, and Poland.

Alain’s signature sound is drenched in warmth, as well as soul-soothing melodies and rhythms. Hailing from The Netherlands, but now splitting his time between Amsterdam and Los Angeles, Alain’s musical roots run deep. Influenced by the likes of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder as well as Marvin Gaye, he was immersed in music since he was a child and wrote his first song at nine-years-old. Another major influence for Alain was his father’s Soul Cover band, Soulful Blues Quality, where Alain grew up performing alongside them, immersing himself in the soul and blues that now define his sound.

‘Pressed Out Emotions’ is a sonic escape, likened to a breezy Sunday drive. It pulses with a blend of sultry, smooth vocals, infectious grooves, and lush, melodic guitar riffs. Its instrumental backdrop weaves a rich, classic R&B tapestry, enhanced by crisp, contemporary production that lets every element shine with soulful brilliance. Alain’s velvety voice soars above it all, delivering timelessly heartfelt and irresistibly warm performances.

With production and mixing by David Michael Ott (known for his work with A Tribe Called Quest), mastering by Mike Bozzi (who’s collaborated with Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd), and writing credits shared by Alain, David Michael Ott, and Alex Duncan VI, this sensational track is a blend of jazz, R&B and soul.

Alain divulged: “Recording ‘Pressed Out Emotions’ with James Gadson on drums and Pino Palladino on bass was like going to the groove casino with super favourable odds. The track to me feels like an all analog, lowrider cruise down Crenshaw Blvd, car windows down with a golden hour palm tree backdrop.”

Stream Alain Clark – ‘Pressed Out Emotions’ below:

Follow Alain Clark:

Website – Facebook – X – Soundcloud – TikTok – Youtube – Instagram – Spotify

July 17, 2024

July 17, 2024July 17, 2024 Mew Zikwryder

Enchantress I’MMORTAL Shares ‘KILLED U IN A DREAM’ Video

I’MMORTAL, an avant-pop artist straddling New York and London, unveiled a mesmerising music video for her third single, ‘KILLED U IN A DREAM’, on 7 June under her label, Immortality. Initially from California, I’MMORTAL honed her musical talents in orchestras and high school productions. Praised by Metal Magazine, this release comes after her debut tech-house track, ‘Versace Spaceship’, and the electropop hit ‘Supervillain’, which received accolades from CLASH Magazine and Earmilk. Despite being a newcomer, her first two singles have amassed 50,000 streams, with an ever-increasing audience and playlist features. I’MMORTAL‘s EDM-driven sound is enhanced by her audio-visual synesthesia, blending imaginative beats with vibrant visuals that delve into themes of mortality, rebirth, and her AAPI heritage.

The music video for ‘KILLED U IN A DREAM’ unfolds as a mesmerising fever dream, where I’MMORTAL embodies a dark, almost divine presence. Directed by the acclaimed PXKRW, known for their expertise in creating hypnotic, hyper-realistic dreamscapes and alternate realities, the video is a hauntingly surreal experience. It immerses viewers in a mystical realm where themes of destruction, death, and renewal are vividly explored. The visuals, bathed in dim light and punctuated by fleeting flashes, evoke a disorienting yet compelling atmosphere. I’MMORTAL captivates with her entrancing movements and evocative gestures, drawing audiences deeper into her enigmatic and fantastical world. The video masterfully blends dark aesthetics with immersive storytelling, showcasing I’MMORTAL‘s distinctive artistic vision and leaving a profound impact on viewers.

I’MMORTAL shared: “This music video is a reflection of the concept metamorphosis. I had the wonderful chance to collaborate with the directing duo PXKRW over the span of a couple months. Since the song is about rebirth, PXKRW fleshed out the concept to encapsulate this supernatural being undergoing a very raw transformation. PXKRW wanted to create a performance-based video with stunning styling and makeup to compliment their signature VFX. The styling and makeup was very intentional to the metamorphosis theme, as we wanted there to be a stark difference between the initial white dress look and the final black dress look. My personal favorite was the second neo-baby bump look, which combined with PXKRW’s VFX genius ultimately became a representation of the chrysalis stage of metamorphosis. This was also the first time I did a movement-based project, and I spent a lot of time working with the movement director (Donna Kim) to put intention behind the movement. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone in a good way, and I feel inspired to learn more about movement for future projects!”

Follow I’MMORTAL:
Facebook – Soundcloud – Youtube – Instagram – Spotify

July 26, 2023

July 26, 2023July 26, 2023 Mew Zikwryder

Maribou State return with their new single “Blackoak”

Image via publicist

Maribou State — the duo formed of Chris Davids and Liam Ivory — mark their highly anticipated return with brand new single “Blackoak”, their first new music in over three years, released today on Ninja Tune.

“Blackoak” is a classic slice of signature Maribou State sound, blending intricate electronics with organic live instrumentation and vocals, built around the kind of enticing hooks that have earned them such a huge and dedicated fan base over the years. It acts not just as a reintroduction of Maribou State to the world but as a marker for where they are at both sonically and creatively, a statement of intent on what is surely to follow.

“Over the past few years we’d both begun to struggle with our sense of selves and how connected we felt to our roots in Britain,” they explain. “The world being in a state of flux seemed to amplify this feeling of disillusion but it led us to explore all the things we loved about where we’re from; the musicians, from artists like David Bowie and The Beatles, through to The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers, and also the likes of Burial, Aphex Twin and Sault; all the electronic genres born here, from Jungle to UK Garage and IDM; and Festivals, namely Glastonbury, the countryside & English summers.”

The release comes after an intense period of song-writing that saw them embark on several makeshift writing retreats, building their own DIY studios at various secluded locations throughout the UK, and inviting a cast of friends and collaborators along to help. “Blackoak” ended up being written almost entirely in one day during one of the early writing sessions, and was completed on a later trip with the help of their own amateur choir.

“We invited all our friends down and got them to sing the main hook, “do that for you”, in the stairwell of the house. The whole thing was fairly chaotic and turned into more of a party than anything productive whilst they were there, but all that energy ended up feeding back into the song and the vocals we recorded really made the ending come to life.”

The Blackoak in question actually refers to the area where the bulk of the track was written over the winter of 2021, surrounded by snow covered woodland — something which is close to the Hertfordshire-born pair’s hearts. As part of the physical release, the band have made a donation to the Woodland Trust, equivalent to £1 of every vinyl sold. “Having both been fortunate enough to grow up in an area surrounded by woodland, we’ve always had a strong connection and affinity with forests and now more than ever we fully support the Woodland Trust in their efforts of restoration and protection for these magnificent and vital areas”

Follow Maribou State:

Instagram – Spotify – Facebook – TikTok – Soundcloud

July 25, 2023

July 25, 2023July 25, 2023 Mew Zikwryder

Klay Cartier ventures past genre with ‘Good For Nothin’’

Image credit: Rachael Baker @RWPhotography

Klay Cartier is an emerging artist who dabbles in the deep end, where the borders between genres have evaporated into mist. His latest offering, a percussion-heavy (or should I say heavy percussion) single titled ‘Good For Nothin’’, showcases his ability to veer off into new lanes without changing course.

Stream / Download: Klay Cartier – ‘Good For Nothin’’

To this end, he shared: “I recorded and worked on this song over a year ago. I knew I wanted to step out of my wheelhouse like I usually do, and it pushed me to make this incredible song. I took aspects from R&B, Pop, Rock, and Latin genres and mashed them together to create this electrifying experience for the listener.”

Signed with Kult Klassic Studios, his latest offering is a bare-bones production. This is not to say that it is by any means sparse, but rather that the focus on the raw physicality of the drum rhythms mixed with Cartier’s unblemished voice makes for an essential and directed work of art.