Finn Foxell, a rising British rapper and artist, has revealed his latest single Make It Count. The single comes before the release of his forthcoming EP Talk Is Cheap. With Make It Count, Foxell takes a new direction in his style; he changes up from rapping to singing, displaying the diversity of his talents. Lauren Ralph produced the song itself.
As a rapper, Foxell is most widely known for his 2017 song Buddha, and his 2018 eight-track album Stuck in Motion. Just before lockdown, Foxell headlined a sell-out show at Peckham Audio and last year performed at the respected Boiler Room festival.
Make It Count is available to be streamed via Spotify.
Ever since the premiere of Manyara back in 2019 on Our Culture, the beloved Kendl, has been on our radar. To mark and celebrate the release of his new EP Dreamlike, Kendl joined us for an interview to talk about his latest release, his influences and how he has evolved over the years as an artist.
Firstly, how are you, what have you been up to since quarantine?
I’ve been well! It’s crazy to think this life lin lockdown has become the new normal. Like most people, though I’m just trying not to go mad, haha. It’s been good having the extra focus on music, but at the same time, it’s been challenging without a change of scenery for so long, which is important for my mind to keep creatively stimulated. Not all doom and gloom, though! It’s been great being able to spend more time with the fam (my better half and my dog Billie). I’ve jumped on the bread-making wagon while in iso. So gone are the days where a dense bun compromises my homemade burger. Other than that, I’ve just been doing my best to stay on top of my health mentally and physically.
Releasing new music during this time has been really good for my spirits. Initially, it felt like a weird time to be putting out new music and I wasn’t sure how to go about doing so, but it has helped me feel a lot less isolated connecting with people through this new music.
Dreamlike has been a long-awaited EP of yours, how did the idea start for it?
I bought a medium size upright piano, which was long-awaited! The melodic ideas all started there. I’ve been quite spellbound by the piano, it’s such a beautiful instrument and in turn, it has inspired the feel throughout the EP. There was a fair bit of daydreaming involved while writing the music, which I find is the best state of mind to be in while fishing for ideas. Hence the title.
You’ve gained a respected amount of recognition on platforms like Spotify, how has the digital age influence the way you mould and plan your releases?
I’m very grateful with how my music has been received and supported on these platforms.
It’s been a huge learning experience releasing and promoting my music over the years. As a self-managed and unsigned artist, I’ve found it to be quite overwhelming at times, especially around planning releases due to the many varying forms of advice out there on ‘how to build your career as an artist’. I found the internet can be a double-edged sword in that way. I’m always learning and always will be. Right now my attention is more focused on what’s most important and in my control.
It’s clear that you have evolved as an artist over time, how has your creative process changed over time?
I think back to when I put out my first set of releases and my journey since then. Navigating the music industry has had its share of pleasant and unpleasant experiences as well as a lot of change and growth in my personal life. All of which have had an impact on my sound and in turn, my creative approach. Over the past few years, I’ve become much more in tune with my feelings and who I am. There have been some barriers that I’ve had to overcome to get myself closer to sharing the music that best conveys my point of view.
In terms of process – one of the biggest changes has come from now having physical instrumentation to work with. I bought my first synthesizer as I was finishing up my debut EP. Since then I’ve been slowly acquiring various hardware synths and acoustic instruments. Having physical instruments that I can play and get hands-on with feels more intuitive for me.
In terms of your sound, what has influenced it the most over the years?
My sound is shaped partly by being a self-taught musician. Music has been an emotional vent for me and a therapy I’ve relied on since I was a kid. My mum was a music teacher, so there were often wind instruments on stands in the living room and a piano. I never really wanted to learn how to “play” an instrument growing up or read sheet, probably because of my ADD I was far too distracted. I was more interested in freely playing instruments and allowing my imagination to create sounds and textures I enjoyed. I feel like the lack of rules from being self-taught has given me this free flow approach, which just means I rely on my ears and being in tune with my sound palette and what does and doesn’t work musically.
Finally, what is next for you?
I’m planning to have another body of work finished by the end of the year as my pandemic goal. I’m keen to do some live studio sessions, too. Other than that, I plan to get out and going camping as soon as I’m allowed and making more bread.
Headie One, Stormzy, and AJ Tracey have joined forces for a new collaborative track called ‘Ain’t It Different’. The first single from Headie One’s upcoming album Edna, the song was produced by FRED and Toddla T and notably samples M-Dubs ‘Bump and Grind’ as well as Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ ‘Pretty Little Ditty’. Check it out below, alongside an accompanying music video directed by Taz Tron Delix.
‘Ain’t It Different’ follows on from the success of ‘Only You Freestyle’ featuring Drake, who called Headie “the best drill artist in the world.” AJ Tracey recently released the hit single ‘West Ten’ with Mabel, while Stormzy released his latest studio album, Heavy is the Head, late last year, earning him a Mercury Prize nomination.
There is now less competition to have the wedding of the year, as the number of marriages has fallen to a record low. Get inspired to have the most talked-about wedding by checking out the latest trends and designers. You might be looking for unusual ways to accessorise a suit for the groom, or you may be looking for the best bridal gown. Here are some ideas on where to look for inspiration.
Be A Trend-Setter
The year 2019 saw many unusual trends, from from pets attending weddings to colourful bridal gowns. In 2020, colour seems to be here to stay, particularly in bridal dresses, but also for flowers and décor, replacing the traditional white wedding. Many wedding planners are looking for dried or artificial flowers as opposed to a traditional bunch of posies, likely due to increased interest in becoming more eco-friendly. Non-traditional dresses are trending, with many opting to avoid dresses altogether in favour of skirts, jumpsuits and tuxedos.
Be Inspired
To ensure you are on-trend with your engagement ring, check out what your favourite celebrities are wearing. Priyanka Chopra’s square-cut diamond was extremely popular, as was the Duchess of Cambridge’s blue sapphire. For dresses, many boutiques such as Katya Katya or Phillipa Lepley, both in London, do sample sales where dresses on display are sold for a fraction of the price. Alternatively, the Rosa Clara collection for 2020 has a selection of contemporary, feminine designs for brides who love white. Vera Wang’s collection has a selection of dresses in ivory, pink, and even black for a non-traditional look.
Where to Shop
Independent bridal stores often stock the latest trends but may also be able to make something unique if you have an idea in mind. The average wedding in 2019 cost around £31,974; therefore a few price hacks means you will make your budget. Many brides have been searching vintage fashion websites such as Vestiaire for wedding dresses and accessories: a sustainable and affordable option. For those who cannot part with the idea of a unique, new dress, sites such as David’s Bridal provide a user-friendly online shopping experience.
There appears to be a pattern in wedding trends for this year, with many going for eco-friendly accessories or choosing pre-loved outfits. Keep searching in your favourite stores for something off the hanger to create a unique, authentic vintage-look wedding.
Nick Syrett, a neo-classical musician originally from the United Kingdom, has presented a superbly touching album named Refuge. The album includes twelve magnificent, mellifluous pieces that touch upon the topic of the refugees.
Talking about the song, Syrett stated: “During the recording of Refuge, I often found my mind drawn to refugees in the Middle East, who were being forced from their homes and experiencing terrible suffering. My prayer is that these simple songs would touch hearts, restore souls, and help many to find healing and peace.”
Cabaret Voltaire have announced their first studio album in 26 years. Titled Shadow of Fear, the follow-up to 1994’s The Conversation comes out November 20 via Mute and marks the project’s first release with Richard H. Kirk as the sole member of the group. Accompanying the announcement, Kirk has also unveiled the first single from the album, ‘Vasto’. Check it out below, and scroll down for the album’s cover artwork and tracklist.
“The mission statement from the off was no nostalgia,” Kirk said in a statement. “Normal rules do not apply. Something for the 21st Century. No old material.”
He added: “The album was finished just as all the weirdness was starting to kick in. Shadow Of Fear feels like a strangely appropriate title. The current situation didn’t have much of an influence on what I was doing — all the vocal content was already in place before the panic set in — but maybe due to my nature of being a bit paranoid there are hints in there about stuff going a bit weird and capturing the current state of affairs.”
Shadow of Fear Cover Artwork:
Shadow of Fear Tracklist:
1. Be Free
2. The Power (Of Their Knowledge)
3. Night Of The Jackal
4. Microscopic Flesh Fragment
5. Papa Nine Zero Delta United
6. Universal Energy
7. Vasto
8. What’s Goin’ On
Deftones have revealed the details of their upcoming album, Ohms. The follow-up to 2016’s Gore is out September 25 via Reprise. In addition to the announcement, a 30-second snippet of the title track is also available to hear via Apple Music, while the first single will be unveiled tomorrow (August 21).
As Brooklyn Vegan notes, the Apple Music listing for the album recently went up, revealing the tracklist, cover artwork, and release date. Ohms was recorded with producer Terry Date, who has previously collaborated with the band on multiple albums, including White Pony. As the band have issued no official announcement, it is possible that the information went up a bit too early by accident, but until then, you can check out those details below.
Ohms Cover Artwork:
Ohms Tracklist:
1. Genesis
2. Ceremony
3. Urantia
4. Errorr
5. The Spell Of Mathematics
6. Pompeji
7. This Link Is Dead
8. Radiant City
9. Headless
10. Ohms
London Grammar, the British trio led by singer Hannah Reid, have returned with their first new song in three years, ‘Baby It’s You’. The single, which was teased earlier this week with an Instagram post and the caption “nothing else matters”, was co-produced by the band and George FitzGerald. Take a listen below.
London Grammar’s last album, Truth Is A Beautiful Thing, was released in 2017. Last year, they collaborated with Australian producer Flume on his single ‘Let You Know’.
Nine albums into their career, alt-rock titans Biffy Clyro have established themselves as one of those acts constantly straddling the line between the commercial sound that catapulted them to fame and the experimental leanings of their earlier work. It’s a familiar story, but you can probably count the bands that have successfully carried on that balancing act for so long on the fingers of a single hand. Their 2016 LP Ellipsis was a mostly uninspired attempt at honing in their knack for stadium-sized riffs and radio-friendly hooks, so it only makes sense that the Scottish rockers had to bring back their more ambitious tendencies for the genre-bending soundtrack for Balance, Not Symmetry last year.
Though Biffy Clyro have nothing to prove at this point – most fans already know each release will land somewhere on the mainstream-experimental rock continuum, and adjust their expectations accordingly – but their new album, A Celebration of Endings, is one of those out-sized, apocalyptic efforts that has unintentionally taken on new resonance in the wake of, well, everything. An album largely about witnessing the end of the world as we know it, it might not usher in a wave of new fans, but it might spark the curiosity of listeners who can, now more than ever, relate to the creeping feelings of dread that prevade it. “Times are changing/ And everybody knows,” singer Simon Neil declares on ‘Worst Type of Best Possible’, while on ‘Weird Leisure’ he makes a pertinent observation: “We’re fighting an ugly war/ And it’s no good to freak out.”
If we weren’t living in the year 2020, though, the fact that the way the album is framed is really just a way to up the momentum might have come off as a little more obvious. A Celebration of Endings is, for the most part, a record about the dissolution of a relationship that’s been magnified to cataclysmic proportions, and not always a very effective one at that. Neil’s most obnoxious impulses come through on the track ‘End Of’, in which he bafflingly wails: “I’ll tell you right now/ I woulda fucking died for you/ You wouldn’t know how/ To be a friend.” But the lyrics aren’t usually the main reason one listens to a Biffy Clyro song, and what the album lacks in depth, it makes up for with some of the band’s most exhilarating compositions. In fact, few tracks here are as musically riveting as ‘End Of’, with its thunderous riffs, pummelling bass, and all-around great performances.
Also worth highlighting is the rapturous ‘Worst Type of Best Possible’, which opens with a gnarly riff that grows into one of the more surprisingly decent cleaner-sounding songs on the album, while ‘Weird Leisure’ retains its fiery energy throughout. But for almost every impressive feat the band manage to pull off, like the grand theatrics of ‘The Champ’, there’s a disappointingly predictable track that does little more than stick to modern rock’s most tired tropes. ‘Space’ is the biggest offender here, a painfully saccharine ballad with lines like “We tried to conceal the scars we wore/ ‘Cause we couldn’t show what we couldn’t show”; ‘Instant History’ also relies too heavily on melodrama with little to no substance. Still, listening to the gutsy lyrics on the otherwise mundane ‘Opaque’ or the epic prog-rock closer ‘Cop Syrup’, it’s clear that Biffy Clyro are still far from a boilerplate alt-rock act, and those ambitions are mostly put to good use on their latest outing.
Moses Sumney has shared his rendition of Ariana Grande‘s hit single ‘thank u, next’, from her 2019 album of the same name. Sumney’s slowed-down cover is available exclusively via Amazon Music. Check it out below.
