House producer Florian Picasso has plotted to release a new single and delivered on his promise with his latest record ‘What’s The Next Move’, which has been signed with the new label imprint La Californie Musique, presumably named after the late Pablo Picasso’s home in France, a residence by the name of Villa La Californie. But how does this relate to Florian, you might ask? Well, as his surname suggests, he is the artist’s great-grandson, so it is only fitting that he continues the legacy of the Picasso name.
His new record misbehaves. A disembodied voice urges us not ‘get caught’. Like a conversation between two troublemakers, the vocals call to a well-meaning but rule-breaking part that exists in all of us. And to bolster this naughty quality, the producer draws out tense builds with alarming energy before dive-bombing into a pool of crisp hats that float on a shimmering surface of the higher frequency ranges.
Super Plage is back with another light-hearted record (read our feature on his song ‘Forêt magique’here), a feel-good tune titled ‘Laurence’. Released with the label Lisbon Lux Records, the track is a teaser of the musician’s forthcoming LP Magie à minuit, which will be released on the 31st of March, making it the fourth album he has released after his projects Super Plage I, Super Plage II, and Électro-Vacances. Without further ado, onto the single.
First, you may be asking, who is Laurence? We don’t know, but we sure do enjoy the personality that this French-Canadian producer brings to the table. Giving us no clues, he tells us, “Laurence is a song for Laurence. It is a little bit punk like Laurence and a little bit melancholic like Laurence. It is also a song to party to.” We can’t help but smile at his playful attitude.
His music has an effortlessness to it. It’s easy listening. Despite being sung in French, listeners needn’t speak the language to catch what Super Plage is throwing. He has managed to distil the memories of a night out into a heady elixir of gliding synths, subtle drums, and gentle vocal delivery.
Lowlyland Records founder and independent musician Jacob Lee has dropped his new single ‘Easy For You’, a record that signifies a shift in the producer’s artistic direction. He says, “This track is a departure from my usual production style and represents a step forward in my personal growth as a songwriter and producer.” The shift has occurred at a critical moment: March and April will see Lee tour Europe and the UK forhis The Lowly Lyricist tour.
Making the change without losing the signature philosophical approach to lyric writing, Lee aims for the essential in his new record. Up close and personal, his spacious vocals harmonise in a gentle, layered melody that carries his message along with it.
The song title and chorus lyric, ‘Easy For You’, sounds like a remark one would make during the heat of a fight. Does Jacob feel misunderstood? I think so. Listening to the record, I hear the frustration of feeling like ‘they just don’t get it’, a relatable experience that Lee has managed to pack into just over 3 minutes of warm bass, syncopated rhythms, and heavy synth crashes.
On November 25th, PRIESTESS, the alt-pop artist hailing from London, releases her three-track debut EP Landscapes. The EP includes previous releases‘Landscapes’ and ‘Holy Flesh’, alongside brand-new single ‘Hooks’. A music video for ‘Hooks’ lands the same day, co-directed with the artist Ana Lemos. The video concept was to centre the visuals around a choreographed performance by Kate to create visuals that reflect the primal feelings within the track.
The ‘Landscapes’ EP pieces together an emotive narrative. PRIESTESS’ haunting, crystalline vocal wraps around swirling electronica and plunging basslines to describe silent rages, against harassment, toxic relationships and the environmental damage we are inflicting on our planet. The artistry and power behind each track is reinforced by three evocative music videos which beautifully express the energy and passion of the music.
Kate said about the ‘Landscapes’ EP “This debut EP came from many different spaces and angles emotionally. The name of the title track became an embodiment for the Landscapes of feeling that it was written within. Stitching together a mix of moments in time, whilst I was going through different experiences. It is also representative of how my work has an intrinsic connection to nature and the mirroring of ourselves within its cycles of death and rebirth.”
She continued to talk about the Lead single ‘Hooks’ “This track was written about my experience within an abusive relationship and the relatability I felt about people that go back to their partners even when they know it’s unhealthy and bad for them. This experience was one that was very hard for me to extricate myself from and I felt it was like an intoxicating monster that had its hooks in me making it very hard to leave.”
PRIESTESS was formed in London by Kate Fleur Young. Priestess conjures up images of Nature’s ancient esoteric energy fused into an Alt-Pop world. Kate – at the creative helm and heart teams with producers James Mottershead and Oli Kilpatrick. Haunting melodies, sibylline harmonies and visceral lyrics are woven together by threads of hope. Illuminating them against a backdrop of dark beats, bass and lush electronic landscapes. Celebrating transformation and self-expression through the ritual of music their collective sound has influences such as FKA Twigs, Fever Ray, Massive Attack and Little Dragon. The result is an arresting electronic sound filled with deep sensuality and intuition.
Support for PRIESTESS continues to gather pace. With plaudits coming in from the likes of Wonderland, CLASH, CMU, Get In Her Ears and M Magazine to name but a few, it’s clear that PRIESTESS is ready to stake her claim on the music scene with her powerful representation of dark electronic pop.
