It’s release day for Marcus James and RYYZN as they share their latest single, ‘Night Light’. The single is taken from their upcoming collaborative EP (which will be available early next year) and provides a small preview of what fans can expect.
Marcus James tells us about the single and EP: “Night Light is about trying to put on a brave face to the world when things aren’t going well. One of the hardest things is to be vulnerable and ask for help, and sometimes when you don’t want to talk about it, you just want to be around the person that makes you feel like it’s okay to feel this way. As the first single off our upcoming collaborative EP, the lyric video for Night Light really captures how RYYZN and I basically became family over the past year as we worked on these songs. After everything we’ve been through together, the RYYZN guys and I will always be there to support each other and we have this music to thank for that.”
This is not the first time Marcus James has collaborated with RYYZN as they previously released the single, ‘Honest’ earlier this year. The single was featured on Dave Rave, who had the following to say: “Marcus James uses the issue of time differences and space as a barrier between a relationship, but truthfully it boils down to the emotional distance between the two lovers.” Read the full feature here.
Reagan is an alternative pop singer who shares her woes of teenage adolescence, with her latest song release ‘Crybaby’. With a passion for poetry, the songstress writes her own lyrics. ‘Crybaby’ is a cheeky and quirky single that talks of the hopeful girl meets a shy boy narrative.
We find out more about the quirky songstress below.
Looking back, what were some of your earliest entries into music appreciation? And music production?
I learned to read and play music as a child and loved to dabble on the piano, drum set, ukulele, and clarinet whenever I had time. I started singing in a church choir early on and eventually graduated into a studio setting later in my teens. Both of my parents are practicing musicians, so I’ve always been blessed with opportunities and encouragement to make music from an early age. I’m truly grateful!
Please tell us more about how your latest song/release/project was conceived.
“Crybaby!” was written in the car, as a lot of my best songs are. I like to drive somewhere relaxing (in this case I went to a park) and soak up my surroundings before touching pen to page. It helps me tune in with myself first. I was relaxed and happy when writing “Crybaby!” and I think that really shines through in the song. The day I wrote it will always stick out in my memory as a good one!
Take us through your songwriting process. Are there any particular steps you take when putting music together?
Usually, I’ll choose the beat I’m working with and start piecing together some melody ideas first. I’ll record a couple of voice memos on my phone then write words to them when inspiration strikes. Songwriting is definitely an art though, not a science. Sometimes the words come first, sometimes it’s the melody, sometimes it’s a concept that rattles around in my head for months before coming to fruition. In the end, it’s always a gratifying process!
How much do you invest in how your music is received upon release? Are you very concerned about how your art is received?
Yes and no… it’s a healthy balance of both for me. If I drop a single and it doesn’t pick up traction from the jump I won’t beat myself up. However I do value public opinion because listening to others‘ advice, likes, and dislikes helps me improve my relatability! I want to create music that is beautiful, unique, yet digestible. Paving my own way while being mindful of what sounds other people enjoy listening to is my number one focus!
What is the most memorable response you have had to your music?
About a year ago I got the opportunity to show my song to an artist I enjoy during their music video shoot. I showed up for the day as an extra and by the end, we were in my car exchanging music! They really enjoyed my sound and it was a memorable experience that I’ll never forget.
Are there any key non-musical influences on your sound and creative process?
Yes, definitely being outside! It’s so important for me to be relaxed and in the right headspace to get my words out, and open-air does that for me. Sitting in nature is key!
Do you have any information regarding upcoming releases, projects, DJ mixes, or collaborations in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?
I’ll be expanding my sound in 2021 and I’m very excited to share my new direction! As far as specifics go, it’s too soon to tell…
Famous last words?
Do what you love while you can. We only get one shot, so make it count!
Oslo-based, Iran-born pop and Urban-electronic artist/producer Paria drops catchy cut ‘C’mon’. This is the second release from her forthcoming debut album: the first, ‘Despite All Crazy’ already surpassed 300k streams on Spotify, no surprise for an artist with over 1 million plays in 80 countries and counting.
The 23 year old talent who writes, produces and mixes all her own songs began her music career when she moved to Norway from Iran in 2013. Her refreshing new sound captivates her audience with the pure emotion in her lyrics, rhythmic hip-hop flow and dreamy harmonies. Her vision is to create relatable, honest music reflecting her life, values and experiences; music that connects us all.
‘‘C’mon’ is about someone who tries to convey their basic needs to someone else, but they’re too scared to say the words,’ Paria says. ‘I tend to write story-based lyrics, often from a certain character’s perspective, but this time I just wanted to paint pretty pictures with the melodies and lyrics.’
Musically, she was brought up on artists such as Frank Ocean, Amy Winehouse, Stromae... Her passions don’t stop with music though; she lives by sustainable values, founding her vintage store ‘VintageKid’ in Oslo (also available online) which focuses on upcycling and secondhand clothing, in response to current fast fashion trends.
“C ́mon’ is really my most spontaneous song ever. I wrote it while staying on a farm in Norway last summer. I found myself walking around humming the melody that is now the hook, “c’mon, c’mon, c’mon”. I figured, I could just record it on my phone, then ended up putting the recording in a project and started making a beat. After half an hour I had written the whole song. The hook and the chords gave me a really dreamy and romantic vibe and the melodies went together perfectly.’
Los Angeles based producer and composer Fischer King creates pitch-black alternative pop, with influences that range from James Blake and Nine Inch Nails to Claude Debussy and Herbie Hancock. As a child he forged an early love for tense, bombastic classical music before diving headfirst into the punk rock and hip hop scenes that surrounded him in Detroit. After moving to LA as a young adult, Fischer has spent years working behind the glass for a host of artists, producers and directors, constantly absorbing inspiration and refining his sonic identity.
His self-titled EP will be his first time stepping into the light with a personal, singular artistic vision. King shares, “I combed through a mountain of half-finished ideas, pages of lyrical snippets and after a few months of intense pre-production I landed on a core group of songs and a “textural signature” that felt as honest as it could be.”
Sonically the EP has a streamlined palette, with regular appearances of simple drums, pitch-shifted guitars, cascading strings and synths that feel like they might fall out of tune. The songwriter explains, “Ultimately I wanted everything to feel just ever-so-slightly bent.” King credits Billie Eilish’s debut album for emboldening him to stick with a vocal-forward, almost claustrophobic sound, “a concept that would have been far too vulnerable for a younger me to stomach” he reveals.
Leading single “Fault Lines” showcases beautifully muted tones and a grumbling bassline which acts as a juxtaposition to the scintillating synths. His music has been dubbed as “existential crisis pop”, with narratives concerning what one’s purpose might be, what in life holds actual value, and how one’s environment can affect those perceptions. This is particularly true with “Lost” – a track about losing your footing outside the context of a relationship. “Lost” features an amalgam of sounds which gradually build into a unique, cinematic release.
King’s music reflects life’s less glossy moments with addiction and deception (both of yourself and others) being major themes throughout the EP. The musician confides, “Anyone who’s familiar with the former knows it invariably breeds the latter, and unfortunately they’ve both touched my life to a considerable degree. I’ve lost friends, I’ve seen family struggle, and I myself have flirted with going down the wrong path.”
