‘Soy Lo Que Soy’ is the type of song that gets stuck in your head from the first listen. The intro is significantly long, but MONOGEM‘s progression makes it worth the while as you’ll be met with a real Spanish melodic feel with heart touching vocals.
The song shows that the Los Angeles based artist isn’t afraid of speaking out of her heart through music and you’ll definitely feel that through her catchy rythme. “Soy Lo Que Soy”, meaning “I am what I am” gives that Jazz / Soul feel mixed with modern electronic music elements, flavored with Jen Hirsh’s own Guadalajaran heritage.
This is a personal and career milestone for Hirsh—it marks the first time she was courageous enough to incorporate her Guadalajaran heritage in her music, all to follow through on a promise she made with her abuela never to lose it.
Soy Lo Que Soy is part of a forthcoming EP called ‘So Many Ways’.
Sounds like: Goldroom, Silk Cinema, ASTR, July Child, Lights, Evvy, Micky Blue
South Coast-based R&B singer and producer Nakala recently dropped her hefty, eight track ‘GIRL’ EP, which features production from long-term production partner Brad Baker and co-production from Jonah (Ayelle, Dom Mcallister) who at only 19 has been working with Nakala and Brad as part of their in-house production team for the last four years.
To coincide with the ‘GIRL’ release, Nakala has put together a smooth playlist for us. Check it out below.
Nakala – Ringer I finished this track after I came back from LA and it just gives me good vibes
Mac Ayers – Get To You Again I loved Mac Ayers from the first single I heard..
Ella Mai – Trip Ella Mai is out here making waves, fave song from her album.
KHALID, 6LACK, Ty, Dolla $ign – OTW I love all the artists on this track especially Ty, this track is a vibe.
J.Cole – 1985 J. Cole is my one favourite artists, this was my fave track off his latest album.
Drake – In My Feelings This isn’t my fav drake track but it makes me happy.
SZA, Travis Scott – Love Galore I actually love this track because I LOVED the Khalid cover, his cover made me love the original.
Ayelle, Nakala – Actor This is a vibe, I love Ayelle, she’s my girl and we have some great songs together.
Kehlani, Cardi B – Ring I LOVE Kehlani and loved the new Cardi album, this was one of the best tracks for me.
Frank Ocean – Solo This track reminds me of LA, my happy place.
Brent Faiyaz – All I Want Summer vibes, chills me out and love Brent’s voice.
MONOGEM (aka Jen Hirsh) is back after a brief hiatus with ‘Shade’, an explorative song about standing up and speaking your truths, no matter what shades they may be.
Lead by dramatic pizzicato plucks, and written with pop songwriter and producer Bleu of Coach & Ref, MONOGEM explains of ‘Shade’,
“I wrote “Shade” on a day when I felt particularly bleak and dreary. Dark thoughts ran through my head about anything and everything: my artistry, my life, my body, my family, I was having one of those moments where nothing was right. As an artist, those days are more frequent than I’d like to admit. As a woman, I’ve felt pressure to cover up this little dark corner, put my face on and show up for the party. “Shade” is a personal anthem that reminds me to stop hiding my truths, even if they aren’t pretty.”
Sounds like: Goldroom, Silk Cinema, ASTR, July Child, Lights, Evvy, Micky Blue
Formed in 2013 by a group of musicians in the sleepy town of Senoia, Georgia, All The Rest makes honest music for a disoriented and systematic generation.
Their new single, ‘Waste My Money’ is about spending literal and mental money on your significant other.
Nakala is a refreshing nu-R&B duo comprised of South Coast based Nakala and long-term production partner Brad Baker.
Their new track ‘Never Changed’ melodically free flows between the indietronica and hip hop genres and is reminiscent of a late-night drive through the city suburbs.
Alt-pop romantic RAIGN today releases her album ‘SIGN’, which features a dark and dreamy cover of ‘God Only Knows’, the Beach Boys‘ classic.
RAIGN runs her own record label, Millionaire London Records, designs clothes, writes songs for some of the biggest names in music and is currently penning an audiobook (scored by herself), and after taking a listen to her album, we’ve decided that this girl is badass!
Break-ups suck, we all know that, and Kent-based Gabriella Vixen perfectly describes the process of bumping into an ex in her new single, ‘Old Mistake’,
“Old mistake is about the empowering realisation that comes after that brief moment that we all at some point have experienced. When you bump into someone from your past, a flash of memories, followed by belly flipping butterflies, losing the ability to talk without stuttering, rosy cheeks and even an exchange of new numbers.”
Feisty! Gabriella is on our ones to watch list for 2019.
Sounds like: Zara Larsson, Ariana Grande, Mura Masa, Rita Ora
Introducing New Arcades, a cinematic synth duo comprised of Dean Canty and Adam Sullivan.
They have today released their new single ‘Hideaway’, which is a slow-burning ballad that gently builds to a powerful synthetic harmony of electronics and an epic guitar finale.
Laélia is an energetic, Brazil born, London based femme fatale. Her music is eclectic to say the least, channelling the likes of Madonna and Cyndi Lauper.
She has teamed up with producer Inu The Strange on ‘Television’.
Listen below
Sounds like: Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Kate Bush, Gwen Stefani, Lady Gaga, Yonaka
BBC 6 favourite, breezy indie band High Hazels share their new single ‘Days Of No One’.
Fighting an ever-losing battle of love and being lonely, lead singer James admits that despite the conflicting themes in their music, he is a fan of people; “Weirdly that’s why I think loneliness pops up in our music quite a lot, I suppose it’s more the fear of it.”
Sounds like: The Last Shadow Puppets, Miles Kane, Arctic Monkeys, Babyshambles, Richard Hawley, The Coral, Beach House, Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine
Swedish alt-pop artist Bishat shares the intriguing ‘Unholy Romance’.
It has an intense and destructive undertone and was written in collaboration with producer Damian Ardestani (aka XOV) on a freezing day just outside of Stockholm.
Sounds like: The Weeknd, Robyn, LKA, Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, July Child, Nao, Lorde
My My My! Troye Sivan is getting us hot under the collar with his new video.
The video commences by following a peaceful and sweaty Troye dancing in an abandoned warehouse veiled in black and white, before flipping to an equally as sweaty but colourful night in said warehouse.
Rising pop artist ADAL shares his new single ‘Synthesize’, featuring the vocals of Alexanderson of XY&O.
It oozes nostalgia combine with forward-thinking pop sensibilities, and there are even more exciting times ahead for ADAL – he is currently writing a debut album, with an array of featuring vocalists which include FREJA, Indiana, Farida and NINA.
New London-based Kid Cupid shares the video for ‘Easy’.
Despite it’s overall blissed-out sound, it’s a song that deeply delves into self-destruction, including the harsh realities of addiction, through pulsating beats and gritty beats.
New Shack is the synth-wave project from Cat Leavy and Eric Robertson.
They’ve supported Glass Animals, and you can see why due to their quirky attitude to making music. ‘Ways And Means’ has vintage synth notes and retro percussions throughout.
UK trio STITCH are giving London Grammar a run for their money with ‘Goodbye Highline’.
The mid-tempo track is about that tricky middle moment where you look back nostalgically on a love lost, but also welcome the bright future ahead. It contains 150 layers of strings, all of which were recorded by band member Kye in their shared living room.
Expect their ‘Welcome To The Dream’ EP in March.
Sounds like: London Grammar, Jessie Ware, Nimmo, Kudu Blue
KOLAJ (pronounced collage) share sky-lifting new track, ‘First Time With You’.
KOLAJ is a duo headed up by Tessa Houston, who cites a lot of influences from her upbringing. Born in Nagoya, Japan, she was adopted as an infant from Okinawa, Japan to an American military family and grew up all over the U.S. – “I don’t know my full ethnicity, but I do know that I’m Filipino and Polynesian and Japanese and Indian, so that’s a collage right there.”
The new single switches it up between chilled jazz and charismatic pop sounds, with an all important message from ZAE,
“‘Faking Love’ is about coming to terms with who you are and learning to embrace your true self. I wanted the song to highlight the importance of breaking through traditional, right wing ‘society norms’ in order to get to a place where you feel comfortable in your own skin. To be able to love fully and openly without fear.”
Sounds like: VÉRITÉ, Banks, SZA, July Child, Låpsley, Liv Dawson, Caswell, Jorja Smith
A funky and humble track, ‘Running’ is bang on the pop trend for 2017.
It’s the first offering from B.Miles’ self-titled EP, out 17 March. The EP was written in the same storage-unit-turned-studio where ‘Twenty Fifteen’ was recorded, alongside co-songwriter Eric Nizgretsky and Brooklyn-based production duo Noise Club. Producer Matias Quarleri was also added to the mix this time around.
Sounds like: Rhye, Years & Years, Jess Nolan, London Grammar, Banks, Ji Nilsson, Lyves, Broods, SOHN, The Weeknd, Jesse Ware, Shura, Noosa, James Blake, July Child, The xx, Jai Paul, Rationale, Austra
