Day 59: Lionhearted by Porter Robinson

I first came across Porter Robinson many moons ago on Greg James’ BBC Radio 1 drivetime slot. I forget the song that was played, but it was from the 2014 album, Words. An exciting and unique sensory experience, his electro-house roots have blossomed into what feels like a conceptual project, doused in synth-pop and wrapped together with some stunning vocal performances.

Lionhearted comes quite far down the album tracklisting, but it is my favourite off Words. Intergalactic collections of synths and drums roar into a song that feels heavily influenced by Passion Pit and M83, amongst other titans of the synth-pop movement. The instrument ensemble feels like it is chomping at the bit to be blasted out over across a festival tent, filling its canvas with the whimsical creativity of the North Carolina native.

Whilst Porter Robinson does jump on vocals on occasion (Sad Machines is a particular triumph of DJ/producer trying their hand at melodies; not dissimilar to pre-glow up Calvin Harris), he has chosen to employ Urban Cone to fill the music with a lyrical accompaniment. A Swedish indie-pop band, they really give the track the sound of a band song. The production tethers the record to Porter Robinson, but Urban Cone bring a gusto and festival-readiness to it that creates such an interesting sound.

An artist that perhaps doesn’t get the credit he deserves (ok fine, he was nominated for a Grammy this year) for the depth and complexity of his sound. I’ve championed a lot of genre-fluid artists on this blog, and I’m happy to add Porter Robinson to that list. Now I’m going to relisten to this whole album and take myself back to my sixth form and freshers year days!

Spotify Playlist Link: https://spoti.fi/2CKuVex

Day 58: Honesty by Pink Sweat$

Apologies in advance, but the next week will heavily feature dollar signs in the track titles and artist names. Personally, I think the music world should open themselves up to different currencies. A euro would be easy to squeeze in, maybe get a kroner involved or maybe just a humble pound. Anyhow, that trend is kicking off today with Pink Sweat$ and his track, Honesty.

Philadelphia born and raised, Pink Sweat$ obtained his name from a studio session where he was songwriting for other artists. His pink sweatpants came to define him, especially to those who didn’t know him besides outside of his attire.

Honesty first released as a single but is also the opening track on his debut EP, Volume 1. All the songs on here were meant for other artists as Pink Sweat$ started out as a songwriter. When he turned to recording, he drew on inspirations such as the icons that are MJ, Prince, and Kanye. Big shoes to fill, but music is purely for a vessel for him. It could have been anything, but music spoke to him the loudest and allowed him to get his voice heard.

It is a beautiful RnB track with a very stripped back feel. It is an invitation into his intimacy and his voice is silky enough to make you float into his world. The guitar underneath is an unusual touch for an artist that grew up listening to gangster rap and experiencing those songs first hand later that day. Just a singular guitar helps to create this delicate world of love that Pink Sweat$ is creating. A very soft song that showcases a soulful voice wise beyond it’s years, I for one am certainly glad he chose to stand in front of a microphone rather than pen the words one would hear.

Spotify Playlist Link: https://spoti.fi/2CKuVex

Day 57: Retrograde by James Blake

2019 saw James Blake return to the musical forum with Assume Form, an epic, true to form saga that utilised the stratospheric clout of the likes of Travis Scott, ROSALIA and Andre 3000. For today’s post, however, we go back to a pubescent Blake, musically speaking. 2013 saw his sophomore album, Overgrown, grace the world after hearing a sample of it in the form of lead single, Retrograde.

Soulful and heartfelt, Blake’s low slung voice plods through the synth-filled, minimalist jungle of his production. Retrograde is part of a progressive journey away from dubstep, away from the singer/songwriter tag. Away from any genre restraints at all really. His sound is truly unique, with this song, in particular, forming a melancholic hark back to dubstep’s hay-day when Blake was growing up. Pioneers of the sound such as Burial and Skream were huge inspirations along Blake’s musical journey, and this shows how his style has shifted, encompassing more and more of RnB.

The rhythmic humming that underpins the whole song have a gospel quality to them that yet again dodge classification from one genre. Blake’s entire sound, across his entire discography, is fluid and complex. The production always makes each song feel like an audio blockbuster capable of transporting you anywhere. From an incredibly serious debut, self-titled project, to the gloomier, hip-hop rinsed offering from earlier this year, James Blake is a rare artist that is ever-evolving, and one that can be turned to no matter what the occasion, no matter what the emotion.

Spotify Playlist Link: https://spoti.fi/2CKuVex

Day 56: First Fuck by 6LACK ft. Jhene Aiko

An RnB stalwart and a new kid on the block combine for First Fuck. Wintery, intimate and passionate, 6LACK and Jhene Aiko make a surprisingly delicate love song, considering the title.

Released in 2017 between 6LACK’S (pronounced “black”; the 6 is significant to him because of its spiritual importance and being raised in Atlanta’s Zone 6) freshman and sophomore albums, First Fuck came out as a single on LoveRenaissance and Interscope Records. He started recording at the age of 4 (yeah, 4! His father owned a studio) and started out his musical career with rap battles, famously engaging with Young Thug pre-fame for both of them. His moniker first entered the public eye in 2016 with his debut album Free 6LACK, bagging a Grammy nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album in 2018. With a name like Ricardo Valentine, it’s amazing he chose to adopt a pseudonym, but the pronunciation debates regarding 6LACK have only served to raise his profile.

East Atlanta Love Letter is a fabulous second album, soaked in RnB and soul with just enough rough edges to occupy the ever-diversifying gap between hip-hop and rhythm and blues. 6LACK’s rap roots make for an interesting amalgamation of genres within a song and an album. Jhene Aiko’s inclusion makes for a dichotomy that reflects the songs battle between love and lust. Her voice is purer and smoother and has a cheeky knowingness that compliments 6LACK’s voice of the streets. He is lust, she is love and the song is a constant battle of emotions.

First Fuck is a prime example of modern-day RnB. Jhene Aiko helped pioneer the transition from the early noughties through till now, whilst 6LACK has a promising career as one of the artists to fly the flag proudly for the genre over the coming years.

Spotify Playlist Link: https://spoti.fi/2CKuVex

Day 55: Ottolenghi by Loyle Carner ft. Jordan Rakei

There is a trend amongst rappers nowadays to namecheck basketball players in their bars. Recently, on his feature on 21 Savage’s a lot, J Cole mentioned New York Knicks and Orlando Magic point guards Denis Smith Jr.and Markelle Fultz respectively. 2009’s star-studded Forever was done in honour of Lebron James, and at the start of this blog, we featured Sheck Wes’ breakout hit, Mo Bamba (another Orlando star, this time a centre).

Loyle Carner opted for a different approach. Following his critically acclaimed debut album Yesterday’s Gone in 2017, Ottolenghi is named after Israeli-British chef, Yotam Ottolenghi. A bit different to a sports star! This was Carner’s first release since his album, and the honouring of the chef is fitting, considering the charity work he does. He runs cooking schools, primarily for children and teenagers with ADHD, to help them to cook and cope with their disability. It’s an issue close to his heart, having grown up with the condition also, and his school is brilliantly named Chilli Con Carner.

It’s based off an experience Loyle Carner had on a train, where he was reading the chef’s cookbook, Jerusalem, and was asked by a fellow passenger about his “Bible book”. He cites it in the song, singing “they ask about the bible I was reading/Told them that the title was misleading labelled it Jerusalem but/really it’s for cooking Middle Eastern” and he has employed New Zealander Jordan Rakei to supplement his gritty, hip-hop-washed singing voice.

The gentle combination of piano and synths becomes slightly more energetic with an assortment of drums, but the pairs delicate voices combine beautifully to create a frollicking track that breezes through a lazy summer evening. Loyle Carner’s intelligent lyricism and eloquent rapping are becoming notorious within the British hip-hop scene; a thriving community outside of the now global grime scene. Rakei is cut from the same cloth as Carner, producing effortlessly chilled out, hip-hop inspired music. The combination is as expected; a cleverly produced, mellow song that was well worth the 18-month wait Loyle Carner fans had before he released new solo music.

Spotify Playlist Link: https://spoti.fi/2CKuVex

Day 54: Super Rich Kids by Frank Ocean ft. Earl Sweatshirt

Coming off Frank Ocean’s unbelievable modern classic, Super Rich Kids is a stereotypical slow jam that ebbs and flows smoothly through the world of substance abuse and the mistakes made by kids and young adults born into money.

Channel Orange, released in 2012, will go down as one of the best debut albums of all time. It followed a 2011 mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, which itself came after Ocean’s induction into hip-hop collective Odd Future in 2010. It was released on Def Jam Recordings and bagged a Grammy for Best Contemporary Album in 2013.

Frank Ocean has recruited fellow Odd Future artist Earl Sweatshirt to spit in his deep, slow voice that compliments Frank’s RnB tones. The beat is minimal and seems an accessory to the much more important lyrical aspect of this track. This isn’t always the case, but with such a stripped back instrumental led by a piano and supplemented with a light scattering of drums and jazz-influenced synths, it forces the consumer to mull over and really feel the song. It is an analysis on the life of, well, super rich kids and is documenting a perspective that, in 2012, wasn’t as obvious to the masses.

Frank is a hugely important figure in music. Whilst he is an influential RnB artist and is cited as an inspiration for the newer generation, such as Khalid, Ella Mai, and H.E.R., his career has seen him impact and shift hip-hop culture. Historically a hugely homophobic genre, Frank Ocean coming out as gay was a positive step for the culture. He was supported heavily by fellow Odd Future members, Beyonce, Jay-Z, and countless others after he came out on his Tumblr blog in the summer of 2012. Never had such a huge star come out as gay so publically, and it was this brave step that has helped change hip-hop. It is by no means a finished journey, but with artists like Kevin Abstract of BROCKHAMPTON, and currently involved Tyler The Creator and Jaden Smith actively and proudly promoting inclusivity and individuality, the gay community has role models in high places in hip-hop. Long may that continue!

If you are unaware of the hype surrounding Frank Ocean, have a quick search for the frustration and anticipation for his next project following Channel Orange. It took 4 years for Blonde to release, and the internet broke down when it did. With such a beautiful voice, Frank Ocean’s discography is one you need to delve into. Late nights or early mornings, get this playing and enjoy.

Spotify Playlist Link: https://spoti.fi/2CKuVex

Day 53: BABY by Giggs

Hollow Man Giggs has finally released a beefy project! Landlord was released in 2016, Wamp 2 Dem was back in 2017, and the follow-up project Big Bad dropped today. It’s an impressive album and is a yet another rung on the ladder connecting the grime world to the rap scene on the other side of the Atlantic, with features from French Montana, Lil Yachty and Swizz Beats.

BABY is the standout club anthem that will fill dark, strobe-lit rooms up and down the countries this weekend and beyond. A funky instrumental that kicks in and feels out of place on an out-and-out grime record, yet when Giggs’ gruff, husky voice starts methodically spitting it all makes sense. The beat wouldn’t sound out of place in a Fast and Furious montage and feels quite Americanised, but it is Giggs’ unmistakeable Peckham flow that grounds the track in the streets of East London.

The hook is catchy and it has the feel of his next single, following 187 which lead the promo ahead of this album launch. His accent seems to change during the hook, purposely adopting a posher tone which makes it seem cheeky and catches the ear. With the moaning of a girl playing understudy for ad-libs in this track, it is an excellent blend of UK and US rap culture.

There are more complex tracks on this record lyrically, but having given it a few listens this is the one that gets me going. It is quite a generic song about trying to pull girls, but that has never stopped songs on that topic from becoming bangers, and I don’t think it will hinder this track’s ascension into radio playlists, grime lore and, who knows, maybe even the charts. I am very excited that Giggs is releasing solo music again and this body of work is impressive. Give it a listen, and keep an ear out for Baby on your next night out.

Spotify Playlist Link: https://spoti.fi/2CKuVex

Day 52: Blue Lights by Jorja Smith

Fresh off the back of her BRITS success last night in the Best British Female category, Jorja Smith delivers a standout modern masterpiece discussing the turbulent relationship between police and the young generation in Britain. Jorja has a song entitled February 3rd so I missed a trick there, but I think the day after a hugely successful night is not a bad second option for a February Jorja Smith showcase.

The song is off her BRIT nominated (I will stop soon I promise) 2018 album Lost and Found, though was released as her debut single after finding seismic success releasing her music on Soundcloud. The song is Jorja at her best, both vocally and with her songwriting. Her perfectly smooth RnB tones are wonderful and make the ideal pen to tell the story she has created.

Jorja acts as a passive observer, a narrator talking to a troubled youth. Her tone cleverly changes from one of repentance and development to one of self-preservation. She flips her stance 180, telling the faceless figure to run from the titular blue lights of police sirens that are in pursuit. The song is wrapped up seamlessly with a fitting sample from Dizzee Rascal’s 2007 song Sirens. Jorja borrows the line “better run when you hear the sirens coming” and it is a poignant, emotive reimagining of a song and a message that is all too relevant in a modern world plagued by police brutality.

For such a young artist, everything about her artistry shows levels of maturity scarce seen in veterans of ten years. Complex, full-bodied and genre fluid, she has tackled music creation with an art-first mindset and used her voice to reach millions. This 21-year-old star from Walsall has made fans out of Stormzy and Drake, and I think it will be scary how far she can go.

Spotify Playlist Link: https://spoti.fi/2CKuVex

Day 51: Location Unknown by HONNE ft. Georgia

Location Unknown is the subject of today’s blog, put together by all-caps British duo HONNE with Georgia providing the vocals.

HONNE consist of James Hatcher and Andy Clutterbuck and started collaborating just days into university. The name comes from the Japanese word for “true feelings” and they have a truly unique sound, fusing electronic and synth sounds with soul that amalgamates to create a delicate blend of music that is perfect for those intimate nocturnal moments. Location Unknown was originally released as a single ahead of the duo’s sophomore album Love Me/Love Me Not in August 2018.

It is synth heavy and has an ethereal feel to it, especially with Georgia’s wispy, haunting voice. The start of the song makes me think of a forest carpeted in fog at twilight, though it transforms into more of an understated dance track. It’s a very emotive song, as I can imagine a contemporary dance routine done to this track, which is amplified by the male and female voices

The duality of the song is not restricted to 4 minutes and 50 seconds within the album though. The whole album explores the highs and lows of life, with half the songs focusing on the positives and the other half focusing on the negatives. The album title, Love Me/Love Me Not reflects this and each song is stylised with a circle, half white half black, at the end of the title. Location Unknown is on the melancholic half, despite the tempo being quite high. This could be raw emotion and passion for the lost person the lyrics talk about driving the speed of the song along.

Whatever their creative decisions, it’s a well thought out, beautifully modern project that draws inspiration from some of the greats of yesteryear, such as Michael Jackson, Al Green and Quincy Jones. HONNE are rising stars and show that modern British soul music is thriving.

Spotify Playlist Link: https://spoti.fi/2CKuVex

Day 50: Do It Like Me (Icy Feet) by TCTS ft. Sage The Gemini and Kelis

What a milestone! 50 days, 50 posts and 50 certified bangers brought to you via this blog. Bring on the next 50!

Now, we’ve had a few songs I’ve heavily associated with my time at student radio and this is another one to add to that pile. It got a lot of plays on my show in my third year (when I had actually deferred-minor details) and it is a very unique bop that I’m excited to bring to you.

Do It Like Me (Icy Feet) is a 2017 release from TCTS, known offstage as Sam O’Neill. A Mancunian DJ and producer signed to MTA (the Chase and Status-founded label), he has brought in Sage The Gemini fresh off his smash bop, Now and Later. It is a great feature verse, with his style and lyricism matching up perfectly with the uptempo, summery vibe TCTS is going for.

It is also hard to avoid the second feature. Kelis, most famously known for her milkshake, her boys, and her yard, comes in during the chorus and on the bridge. Her vocal range is well suited to this house sound and compliments Sage on the chorus really well. It is nice to hear vocal duties being split on a house track, albeit a commercially washed one.

Summer feels all around you with this song. It is carefree and cocky and is a perfect soundtrack for a summer recapturing lost youth. So clearly I’ve given it to you in February. Enjoy!

Spotify Playlist Link: https://spoti.fi/2CKuVex