Friday 31 January 2014

The Soft Vocals of Fifi Rong



Fifi's smooth vocals are like musical honey and the subtle instrumentals wash over you like a musical ocean.

Originally from Beijing, Fifi Rong is a unique singer/songwriter/producer and is currently based in London. She describes her sound as deeply instinctual with a dreamy, ethereal vibe.

Her music has been recently introduced by Tom Robinson's Mixtape show as part of BBC Introducing and was also featured on Fresh On The Net BBC Introducing Blog.

Fifi also supported Tricky's Maxinquaye Tour in 2012, which saw her perform in Manchester and Bristol plus in 2013 she supported him in London and most importantly she had her own show in Glaushaus Bayreuth, Germany where she headlined.

Website - www.fifirong.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/fifirongmusic?fref=ts


Post By - Boulent Mustafa



Thursday 30 January 2014

The Rocking Sounds Of Psycho Defiance


Jump (Hit The Floor) is a rock fuelled instrumental, with killer guitar riffs and banging percussion arrangements abound.

https://soundcloud.com/the_bassist/jump-hit-the-floor

Chris is Psycho Defiance's bassist and since his childhood he has been a big fan of Rock Music and his current bands of choice include Asking Alexandria and Black Veil Brides as a lot of his inspiration stems from them.

At the age of 8 he got his first guitar which he dabbled with very briefly but his real interest began at 11 and a year later he received an Electric Guitar, which he fell in love but it wasn't long till he was drawn to wanting to play Bass and as they say the rest is history and even more so as he was inspired by the likes of Nikki Sixx and Gene Simmons.

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Psycho-Defiance/429721167119654?fref=ts

Post By - Boulent Mustafa

Tuesday 28 January 2014

The Beautiful Poppy Vocals of Emma Stevens



Emma's vocals are musical sunshine and her instrumental mastery is purely magnetic. 

Riptide is a corker of a melody and will no doubt get your foot stomping away to the catchy instrumental hooks and fast tempo , plus the lyrics follow suit.



Emma's musical journey began when she got a guitar at the age of 3 as she was enchanted by her mum's playing. She was always singing and wanted to join in and play, so it wasn't long till her parents realised music would play a big part in her destiny.

She learnt how to play other instruments and music played a big part of her life outside of school and Emma even joined the Surrey Youth Orchestra. Whenever the opportunity presented itself she was creating music and also writing poems.

Emma's thirst for musical knowledge led her to enroll in the Academy of Contemporary Music, where she studied guitar and performance - this boosted her confidence as a performer and was invaluable to her as a songwriter.

As her skills developed it wasn't long before she was playing for artists and bands, this led to her touring internationally with the likes of The Kooks, Feeder and Incubus. Emma would perform at Arena style venues to crowds of 20,000 a night, so her experience in performing grew in leaps and bounds.

Now was the perfect time to launch her career, things on the songwriting front really took off once she was discovered by music manager Bob James and this led to her working with established singers and lyricists across the globe and also resulted in frequent trips to LA, Nashville and Europe.

Emma's music has been featured both on the BBC and ITV and she has also worked with the likes of Kate Nash and Passenger. 

Music also helped Emma cope with the tragic loss of her Mum to Cancer, as she prepared 4 EPs each with its own unique cover which her Mum designed and when combined they create a beautiful painting.

Musically Emma is versed in Guitar, Piano, Cello, Ukelele, Banjo, Mandolin, Percussion and Baritone Guitar - all four EPs showcase her instrumental broadness.

Website - www.emmastevensmusic.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/estevensmusic?fref=ts

Post By - Boulent Mustafa

The Funktastic beats of Fudge and the Frequency


Love the creative way in which the music video begins and then the sound of Fudge and the Frequency floors you. 


In addition to the official music video  I have also included an acoustic version



Funk at it's finest and just the amount of dub step, the rhythmic beats and smooth vocals are guaranteed to you grooving.


Fudge and the Frequency describe themselves as an energetic music collective and their lead singer Fudge looks as cutting edge as he sounds, his voice has a soulful rawness which comes naturally. Musically they are a fusion of funk, soul, dubstep, hip-hop, rock and reggae and Fudge's vocals sit perfectly in the middle of this beautiful fusion of genres.

Monday 27 January 2014

Indie Rockers El Born head to The Bedford, Balham


Up and coming Rock Band El Born are set to perform at The Bedford, Balham.



With their 2014 tour in full swing and this talented band's popularity increasing daily, this is one live music event you definitely should not miss.

Since the start of the year front man Si and his band mates have featured on BBC Wiltshire and have received increased coverage in mainstream media, both in printed and online publications such as Digital Spy and they also have a forthcoming interview and session scheduled for The Telegraph.

Currently they are also in an online music poll, which if they win will see them on the playlist of Amazing Radio.

This skilled bunch of musicians continue to go from strength to strength so please vote for them by clicking the following link Amazing Radio 

Post By - Boulent Mustafa

Saturday 25 January 2014

The live sounds of Bèla Takes Chase


I had the pleasure of seeing Bèla Takes Chase perform at the Notting Hills Art Club and they're a talented line up with an amazing female vocalist and band members that effortlessly complement each other with their musical strengths.

Official Music Video for Radiate

This is certainly obvious in the musically powerful tune Radiate, so click play and let the melody radiate over you especially the natural pairing of Bèla's voice and the piano notes.






Love the piano intro, Bèla's smooth vocals , the beautiful lyrics plus Miles Away graces us with a fabulous instrumental arrangement. Top marks for the artistic music video, such an imaginative way to represent music.



Eye Pennies intros with Bèla further showcasing her musical prowess, vocalist, pianist and now guitarist. This is a haunting melody and the chords musically wash over you.

The 31st of January will see the launch of Radiate, at a gig at the Islington, Angel with it been available to purchase from February the 9th.

She will be supported by special guests Helen and the Sirens, with Tom Morley and Away With The Fairies. Doors for the event are set to open at 7.30 pm with Bèla taking to the stage at 10 pm.


With such an extensive set list, I can't wait for a full length album as I have no doubt it'll knock my music loving socks off.

Website - http://belatakeschase.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/B%C3%A9la-Takes-Chase/348340115188776?v=app_178091127385


Post By - Boulent Mustafa

Friday 24 January 2014

The beautiful vocals of Bristol Singer/Songwriter Tom Mitchell


Michael's Garden on Soundcloud

Michael's Garden is a beautiful melody, Tom's calming vocals and the raw instrumentals make it a real delight to listen to, no OTT studio production here just real music.

Tom started his music career over 20 years ago, initially as a supporting guitarist but recently he has successfully made the transition to a singer/songwriter in his own right.

July 2013 saw the release of his debut album New World.

During his work as a supporting artist he worked with artists such as Duffy, The Cadbury Sisters, Juey and John Madden.

Website - http://www.mitchellmusic.co.uk/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tommitchmusic

Thursday 23 January 2014

Time to rock out with The Young Rochelles


Cannibal Island features four rock intense tracks, courtesy of The Young Rochelles.


The band go all out instrumentally that you'll be guaranteed to still be head banging and rocking out hours after you listened to this EP.


http://theyoungrochelles.bandcamp.com/album/cannibal-island

My favourite track has to be Cannibal Island because of the way the band's vocals harmonize together and also as the guitar riffs are so addictive. The rocktastic intro to S.L.O.T.H pt II is out of this world.

The Young Rochelles are a punk rock band who formed in January 2013 ; they hail from New York and are made up of Ricky who is the lead vocalist and drummer, their bass guitarist Rookie and finally the backup vocalist / electric guitarist Ray Jay.


The Band are currently signed to http://moosterrecords.bandcamp.com/

Their musical influences include Kate Rambeau and when they're not busy in the studio their pastimes include Ghost Hunting and watching Adam Sandler movies.


Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheYoungRochelles?fref=ts

Twitter - https://twitter.com/YoungRochelles
Bandcamp - http://theyoungrochelles.bandcamp.com/

Post By - Boulent Mustafa

Wednesday 22 January 2014

The rocktastic sounds of Wolf-Face


Still A Son Of A Bitch is the debut album of Wolf-Face and it features 9 rocktastic tracks with powerful vocals and awesome instrumental arrangements.

Here are my standout parts of the album : I love the guitar arrangement in Came to play, Tonight, Tonight features a beautiful instrumental, Put Me in Coach begind with a catchy drum sequence and the slower tempo of She's In heat along with the catchy drum beats are simply 
outstanding.

Wolf-Face are signed to Mooster Records

http://moosterrecords.bandcamp.com/album/wolf-face-still-a-son-of-a-bitch

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pubesonmyface/

Post By - Boulent Mustafa

Tuesday 21 January 2014

Presenting Singer/Songwriter Sinem Saniye


Her name Sinem means Deep from within my heart and when it comes to her songwriting and performing, you can definitely expect beautiful and heartfelt music.



She has already been featured in TimeOut NY and The LA Times. Her music is already familiar to Passengers of Delta Airlines and viewers of MTV Europe.

Sinem's music is Pop Americana with elements of Bossa Nova, Jazz and Middle-Eastern flavours added to the mixture to create something beautifully unique.

Love Me Love Me Love Me is an upbeat summery tune and Sinem's vocals are reminiscent of Eliza Doolittle and Corinne Bailey Rae.

Given her beautiful vocals and the media coverage she has elicited so far, I highly recommend you check out her album When I Don't Sleep.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/when-i-dont-sleep../id271194605

Website - http://www.sinem.net/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sinemsaniye?fref=ts


Post By - Boulent Mustafa

Monday 20 January 2014

Introducing the Smooth Sounds of Soul Inc




Soul Inc are a recently formed trio consisting of Stephen Granville on lead vocals, Jake Lehdbitte who brings his extensive song writing talents to the group and Lea Rogers who provides his first class expertise in the area of musical production.

They have just released a beautifully crafted four track EP - Heart and Soul Pt 1, which is available to buy on iTunes.

iTunes - Heart and Soul Pt 1

Be Free features a groovy and reggaesque instrumental backing track as well as silky vocals courtesy of Soul Inc's Front man Stephen Granville.

Unafraid on Soundcloud

Unafraid is easily my favourite song from the EP, as it's reminiscent of the music of Swedish Soul sensation Marie Dahlstrøm and as you can see from the review I love her vocal talents so to find another musician with a similar style is simply wonderful.

Some People features catchy guitar riffs courtesy of Lea Rogers also you can't help but savour the percussion hook and also the smooth vocals.

Been A Long Time has a fast paced poppy intro and further showcases Soul Inc's strengths on all levels - vocally, lyrically and also musically i.e. in terms of their instrumental skills.

If you're a soul aficionado or simply love new music then I have a feeling you'll enjoy the melodies of Soul Inc. 

Stephen's vocal abilities always has a habit of surprising just about everyone, he has endless lung power, a fantastic range and control of effortless runs.

He also had the privilege of collaborating with musical greats such as Bryan Ferry, Sharleen Spiteri (Texas) and Dave Stewart. His influences include the likes of Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding

Jake is a versatile songwriter who creates Blues, Rock, Soul and even Dancehall songs. His songs refer back to a time when songs were real songs, which were able to both evoke feeling and tell you a story.

Past collaborations include house music producer Laidback Luke with dance track 'Hypnotize' (sung by Stephen Granville) which reached No.4 in the club dance charts. Jake's influences are Diane Warren, Stevie Wonder and Mariah Carey.

Lea has worked with many musicians and singers in the London area, playing live. recording and producing and writing Spring 2013 saw him playing with classic jazz funk band Atmosfear and members of Incognito and the Jazz Warriors.

Website - http://www.ramjetproductions.co.uk/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/soulincband?fref=ts
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/soul-inc

Post By - Boulent Mustafa

Thursday 16 January 2014

Introducing Foreign Affairs



Foreign Affairs are two brothers Lawrence and Adam Purnell, who are from the South West of the UK. They are a Indie/Folk/Americana band that specialize in catchy music which infuses the best of English Folk, American Country and Modern Pop.

Dead To You by Foreign Affairs (Youtube)

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/dead-to-you-single/id772161884 

This is most evident in their recently released single Dead To You, which is a lively tune not only vocally but also on the instrumental front, with some beautiful guitar riffs.

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/foreignaffairsmusic?fref=ts

Post By - Boulent Mustafa

Tuesday 14 January 2014

Introducing the beautiful sound of Resonance


Think of Resonance as a musical menu, on the one hand you have Radhika's solo performances which sometimes feature an accompanying guitarist.

Consider this as the starter and this is demonstrated in their EP - If the fires they burn too bright, which was released in 2012. Radhika's silk like vocals are simply sublime, additionally she is also one very talented musician. These kind of performances although laidback still manage to captivate.

As Radhika's solo work was the starter then when all the band feature you get the main course, this results in a style of music which is full of funky guitar riffs and features a far more lively sound. This is demonstrated in the live performance of Winner - http://youtu.be/rQiNUYSpzjU 

Resonance's musical variety is the icing on the cake you're just about to order from the desserts menu. No matter whether you like slow moving laidback acoustic tracks or something with a bit more of a musical kick Radhika and Resonance are more than capable of delivering both.


We gotten to know her music so now to find out how she got to where she is today.

Radhika's musical journey up to this point has certainly been a fun one, for at the age of seven she was inspired to take up singing by U2's legendary and award winning front man Bono.

Not only do her talents lie in music but she also graduated University in Physics and Philosopy and shortly after developed an interest for law., Radhika left her legal training behind her and started song writing shortly after she was on stage with her guitar and this was the birth of Resonance.

Resonance have performed in numerous venues both in the UK also internationally including far afield as Singapore, the band have also had the prestigious honour of making the short list for MTV's Brand New Unsigned List for 2014.



Post By - Boulent Mustafa
Twitter - @OBsMusicUk

Sunday 12 January 2014

Introducing Manchester based singer/songwriter Olly Jacob





Olly's powerful vocals as demonstrated in his live performance of A Little Dignity makes us realize that this is one musician we should not ignore. A Little Dignity is an amazing and well crafted tune, with its emotive lyrics and catchy melody.

Website - www.ollyjacobs.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ollyjacob
Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/user/ollyjacobofficial?feature=watch

Post By - Boulent Mustafa

Thursday 9 January 2014

Introducing Electro Rock Duo Junksista



Here is Life is Unfair (and Love is a Bitch), which is the first single from Junksista’s debut album. The song opens with a catchy beat and I love the instrumental arrangement that kicks in a minute into the tune.



Interesting use of the Little Red Riding Hood motif as well as the deep meaning of the lyrics about coolness and happiness, plus how life can be unfair was also interesting.

The music video is disturbing towards the end but having said that their female vocalist Diana certainly has a great voice.

This is the first single from Junksista’s recently released album Bad Case of Fabulous – The Bonus Tracks edition, which contains a total of 37 tracks.

Junksista’s debut album is chock full of candid lyrics, killer instrumental beats and outstanding remixes.


It was a difficult choice for me to make because the album contains so many musical gems but when push came to shove I had no choice but to nominate Devour Your Heart as my favourite and this was mainly in part due to the addictive instrumental beats.

This album is definitely not for the faint hearted as Junksista aren’t shy when it comes to their typical content, which is explicit in places. As we now have a feel for their music it’s time to find out exactly who the band is.

When two old friends with differing musical tastes and backgrounds decide to collaborate musically, the outcome can only be contradictory and that’s exactly what happened with electro addict Diana and talented guitarist/studio engineer Boog. The South German double act offer catchy electro tunes and mind blowing guitar riffs.

Junksista’s musical spectrum knows no bounds as they handle all genres ranging from Garbage to 80s dance to laidback electro. Boog’s first class production skills are like gold dust when combined with Diana’s artistic skills, especially when it results in intense electro rock.

The electro rock duo is currently signed to Belgian Record Label Alfa Matrix.

Website – www.junksista.de

Post By - Boulent Mustafa
Twitter - @OBsMusicUk




Wednesday 8 January 2014

Presenting Eric Bay


Eric's latest Single Glass World opens with a beautiful and powerful intro and then you hear smooth vocals, with its deep and heartfelt lyrics and visually breathtaking video this song is a real gem.

Eric Bay is a British Singer/Songwriter who has had a passion for singing since the tender age of 4, where he belted out songs from one of his favourite albums, the Michael Jackson classic Bad.

At 10 he started learning how to play the keyboard and it wasn't long till he was composing melodies but it wasn't till he was 17 that he started songwriting.

The death of Michael Jackson hit Eric hard but it also inspired him to write both the music and lyrics for a song in the space of 20 minutes. This was the first time Eric had done this as usually one would come first with the other following weeks or months later.

Set against video footage of MJ, Eric uploaded it to youtube and the response was phenomenal and it inspired Eric to start recording his music properly, so 2010 saw him record his first EP - Pair Shaped. because he had great fun he dived straight back into the studio to record his first LP - The World Through A Mirror.

2011 saw the release of his second EP - Four Sided and a one off single - The Yellow Umbrella and all this had been achieved as an unsigned artist.

Website - www.ericbaymusic.com
Twitter - http://twitter.com/ericbaymusic

Post By - Boulent Mustafa

Saturday 4 January 2014

Introducing Zachary Sid




Zachary Sid is the musical alter ego of photographer/model River Woods.

EP - https://zacharysid.bandcamp.com/album/zachary-sid-ep

The music is primarily ambient and texture driven electronic music, with an emphasis on creating and using both improv and custom tailored loops and samples instead of the traditionally used sequencers.

The way Zachary has mixed traditional musical instruments amongst the loops and samples is a good production choice.

The second half of Resurrection grabs my attention, the sun rising backwards has more of a poppy feel to it.

Whilst this isn't the kind of music I would listen to it does have its merit and fans of electronic music will probably appreciate this more.

Website - www.zachary-sid.com
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/zachary-sid
Bandcamp - https://zacharysid.bandcamp.com


Post By - Boulent Mustafa

Thursday 2 January 2014

Jazzy Jess King wows us once again



Following on the release of Own It, Jess presents us with a wonderful 5 track EP, which also includes Own It.


https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/jess-king-ep/id771039665?uo=4


Anyway Whatever is a really catchy pop song with upbeat lyrics and a lovely instrumental track, Your Deep Dark Eyes is a more sombre track with its slower tempo and a beautiful piano track, Jess's voice here is as beautiful as ever, Where You Get Off opens with a powerful intro and Jess's Jazzy Vocals and the song then melds into another poptastic number and When It comes to us is another motivational melody like Own It.


Jess was very kind enough to spare a few minutes out of her very hectic schedule to answer a few questions for us.

How did you get into music in the first place?
Music was a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. My parents encouraged me to begin playing the piano at an early age and shortly after, I began playing the clarinet, trumpet and baritone horn. I was very active in our school’s various bands and musical theater productions. Meanwhile, one of my sisters and I loved harmonizing pop songs ‘a cappella’ from the radio.

Who were your musical influences?
I was exposed to a lot of jazz growing up, through my dad who is a big jazz fan. There was often Nina Simone, Charlie Parker, and Marianne Faithfull blaring from our living room stereo. Also, I was addicted to the Beatles.  However, I was as much influenced by pop radio (top 40).

What tunes are currently on repeat on your Mp3 Player?
At this moment, most of my ipod is full of new songs I’m working on. When I’m songwriting a lot, I tend not to listen to as much of other artists’ music because it helps me stay fresh and in my “zone”. I’m loving Frank Ocean’s music these days, as well as Pink and John Legend. I’m a sucker for a hot pop song, as long as it feels heartfelt.

What’s your life outside of music?
What makes me happiest is connecting with people positively, whether it’s through music or outside of that world. I’m passionate about living a healthy and active life (I’m a marathoner), and about the importance of having a positive outlook on life. Inspiring others to live with intention, follow their dreams and create their own happiness is very important to me.

If you could collaborate with any singer who would it be?
I would love to collaborate with John Legend, I think we could create something really great. 

What’s your favourite genre of music?
I’m a pop music lover first. I also love hip-hop, rock, jazz and classical music. For me it’s all about heart. What I’m listening to depends on the moment, my mood, the feeling at the time – I appreciate almost every genre. 

What’s next for you musically and are there plans for a UK Tour?
As I’ve just released my debut EP, I need to focus on promotion as well as completing the full album. Ideally, I’ll be on tour sometime soon and performing all over the place. I will keep you posted when I head to the UK!

What are your strengths and weaknesses?
I’m pretty emotionally intelligent, which is a huge strength when it comes to songwriting, performing and feeling music. I’m also a positive and resilient person, for which I’m thankful. I have a horrible habit of being overly apologetic, I’m working on it! J 

Where do you draw inspiration for your song lyrics?
My song lyrics are drawn from my personal life and from those close to me, with whom I feel a strong connection. I believe lyrics need to come from a place of emotionally honesty, so I only write what I personally feel and understand.

What is your guilty pleasure?
I hate to admit it, but occasionally during songwriting breaks, I watch a mindless reality tv show, which helps clear my mind and heart from the intensity of a session. Though it’s totally mindless, it’s a welcome break sometimes – I love songwriting, but it can definitely be emotionally draining at times – and to “shut off” during breaks is part of my process! 

Links:

New EP (self-titled, “Jess King”) Available on itunes: bit.ly/1bc3aa7

(Also on Spotify & Soundcloud)

Post By - Boulent Mustafa