Catch up on the latest releases from artists around the world – in collaboration with Musosoup.
Rising artist and producer, Kilo Kami, celebrates the one-year anniversary of his track, ‘Dreams’, with a special re-release of the song featuring fellow South African artist, Tembipowers.
In 2020, Kilo released the original version of ‘Dreams’ alongside collaborators, Kashcpt & Flowjones Jr. The track has continued to grow and gain new listeners and fans since its original release and has further appeal with the new version. Raised in a small town close to the city of Cape Town, South Africa, Kilo was exposed to a lot of music at a young age. As a producer and coming from a more band and session musician orientated background, Kilo explains that he never wants to be limited by one sound or “genre”, rather seeking to think outside the box and remain fresh. Tembi, who featured on the remix, blew everyone away last year when he dropped his NINA SIMONE freestyle. The video went crazy online and with him also being a fan of Dreams and the fact that Kilo and Tembi have worked together in the past, it was a no-brainer to invite him to be on the remix. With more singles lined up to come out in 2021 and a debut EP in the making, Kilo Kami is excited about what lies ahead and proves to be an artist to watch.
On the remix, Kilo Kami shares: “I can’t believe it’s already been a year since we released the original. It’s crazy! I remember what started out as a quick idea one morning to send to Kashcpt ended up being the first song that really made a difference and made me feel that I can really do this.” He also adds: “The overwhelming love that listeners have shown for Dreams just reminded me how strong music still resonates with people. To celebrate the 1st Anniversary of the track and to say thanks for all the support, I thought it would be special to do a 2021 remix for the fans featuring one of my favorite local artists, Tembipowers.”
Meggie Brown shares the video for ‘Angel Like You’, the new track taken from their forthcoming EP ‘HOME’, following on from the release of ‘Dusty Smells’. The London based artist was named one of The Guardian’s “Artists for 2020” and has since been releasing interesting songs which reflect on their personal experience. During the period spent in lockdown, Meggie explored their gender identity and recently shared they are Transgender. The new EP reflects the period of coming to terms with this new identity, creating a trippy lo-fi EP, in a time that was surreal and difficult for all.
Meggie has opened for Franz Ferdinand and has supported Bodega as well as Gossip on treks across Europe. They’ve become favourites at festivals such as Future Sounds, Latitude, Standon Calling, Green Man, and have picked up plays on BBC Radio 1 and 6 Music where Iggy Pop raved about their single ‘Salute Me’.
Jakliu is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist from Dublin, Ireland who aims to create transportive, organic sounds drawing influences from Thom Yorke, Aphex Twin and Dan Snaith, amongst others. His latest 3-track release was recorded in a bedroom in Dublin and was mixed, mastered and produced by Jakliu with the intention for each song to provide a different vivid mood.
Inspired by his personal experience during the stagnant, uncertainty of early adulthood, Jakliu once again returns to his experiences working as a shop assistant during the coronavirus pandemic, contrasting somber tones, delving into the anxious mind of the artist attempting to deal with chronic mental health issues. The pensive and reflective atmospheres across the three songs transport the listener to introspective worlds, inspiring reflection and deep thinking.
London-based alt-pop innovator JYLDA reminisces about her carefree times of pre-pandemic night life in her latest release, ‘So Alive’. The single is an ecstatic cry for the lost joys of going out and the sense of night club community. With a sound that sits in between Banks, FKA Twigs and Arca, the new single is driven by a roaring bass line and JYLDA’s saccharine vocals culminating in a dizzying mix of euphoria.
Growing up in Germany, JYLDA spent periods of her life living in California before settling in London, where she’s honed her live show. She launched her project in 2019 with an effervescent collection of experimental-pop tracks that were praised by the likes of Clash
Magazine, Kaltblut, and ‘So Alive’ continues to position her as an eccentric pop artist has a lot to offer.
Speaking on the new single, JYLDA explains: “I wrote ‘So Alive’ during my winter isolation period in the middle of nowhere. At the time, it felt like such a surreal memory to think of going out, moving within a crowd in a club. This song is about longing for that carefree feeling which so many times throughout the pandemic has felt unreachable — and about the healing quality of dance.”
The Kecks are based in Hamburg and consist of members from the UK, Austria, Australia and Germany. The band are known for their indie rock output and have been described as a German answer to The Strokes, making waves across Europe with features on BBC Introducing, Radio X, Virgin Radio, BBC 6 Music and more.
The new release ‘Tonight Might Be Different’ is out now on on Blagger Records and is a reflection of the band’s strong, borderline religious DIY ethics – from making their own videos to styling all their photo shoots. They take a punk approach which manifests itself through their charismatic frontman Lennart Uschmann, and the fuzzed out guitar melodies on the single shine next to his original vocal style. Coupled with a video full of obscure visual samples, the release proves an interesting offering from the up and coming group.
Following the release of ‘For the Moment’, which saw international radio support and a spot on Spotify’s Fresh Finds, Warahenege follows up with the first single from his upcoming debut EP, titled ‘Strange New Crowd’.
The new single is about loneliness and the belief that love can save you, but in the end coming up against a more disappointing truth that sometimes it simply won’t. The melodies were written in a few hours in one quiet night, but the lyrics were deliberated on for months before settling on this final permutation. The result is a dreamy sonic landscape of lo-fi indie pop transporting the listener to another world.
‘Strange New Crowd’ was written and performed by Warahenege in his bedroom and was mixed and mastered by Ben Etter (Deerhunter, Big Moon). Warahenege adds: “The EP is a collection of songs that could perhaps best be described as soundtracking quite and lonely nights when the whole internal universe, your own or those close to you demands to be examined regardless of the impossibility of the task. There are no answers to be had and no real questions to be asked and we just have to reckon with the way things are.”
Virgins is the moniker of Belfast based shoegaze band comprised of Michael Smyth and Brook-Valentine Lorimer. Virgins were born after a lust to satisfy their thirst for making music. Taking influence from bands like Slow Crush, Nothing, My Bloody Valentine and Deaf Cult, the group became acquainted during the hedonistic days of their youth, with a chance encounter bringing them together again later in life. The result is the lush, spaced out reverberation of the groups current sound.
The new release ‘Vows’ is an ethereal warning against being coerced into actions simply to appease the needs and wants of others, when these couldn’t be any further from your own desires. Like being warned in a weightless dream, through a haze of colour and smoke. Then trying to retain that knowledge when you awaken in your own hazy reality. Musically, the track is equally dense and beautiful, Guitars drenched in layers of fuzz and reverb dovetail between creating a dense melting wall of sound to beautiful bell like chimes. Brooks vocals are a whisper in your ear from a long forgotten ghost laden with regret, melancholia and a desire to return to a more innocent time. Jonny Woods of Wynona Bleach recorded and produced the track, joining the band on bass for the recording.
