POPDAR: FKA Twigs - Papi Pacify

I would point out the FKA Twigs was formerly known as Twigs, but as you can see, she beat me to the punch.

Twigs' EP1 was a dark and experimental effort - disturbing and unnerving industrial R&B that still managed to be subtly sexy. Her second EP, helpfully titled EP2, concentrates a little more on that final description, with Twigs' voice breathing and floating over a much warmer trip-hoppy ambience on each track.

But on EP highlight "Papi Pacify", the nearest thing to a radio-friendly track Twigs' has produced to date, she allows herself to be more overtly sexual and as a result delivers the most arresting vocal of her output so far.

The track seductively creeps through it's choppy, sparse verses that do very little to accompany Twigs' light and airy vocal, as she clasps at every note as if gasping for air. "Never tell me no" yelps Twigs breathlessly, begging "tell me I'm the one you want" - it feels like she's unleashing two EPs worth of sexual repression. But the real payoff is the exhilarating drop into Weeknd-territory for the *gasp* chorus (!), where Twigs' gleefully unleashes her catchiest hook to date, as a crushing hip hop beat gyrates against a sexually-charged growl of a bass line.

FKA Twigs' EP2 is available to download now from iTunes.

Official Website.
Official Twitter.

FOR FANS OF: BANKS, The Weeknd, Etta Bond

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT/INTERVIEW: Bow Promise

Dagenham's Bow Promise believes in pushing the boundaries of R&B, and she has no plan to start pandering to conventions any time soon. Produced by long-time collaborator Lostchild, an atmospheric electronic London producer with a taste for 80s pads, her debut EP Cactus is a thoroughly intelligent, atmospheric, often experimental take on an over-saturated genre.

Take the title track from her debut EP - an aggressive, rough-around-the-edges R&B/Hip Hop crossover based around a complex and unconventional cactus metaphor. Bow informs me "The chorus actually came from a Whatsapp status that read something like "you can't sow your heart with someone who doesn't want to water it and then say "but it's rooted in fertile soil!" - she takes this musing almost word for word in the chorus of "Cactus", and these kind of philosophical complexities are rife in Bow Promise's writing.

"It's about me yearning for someone's love and becoming unapproachable and alone as a result," she clarifies. And it seems like this distrust of men is also rife in her writing: "I've had situations where I've not only doubted that a guy might be able to hold down a relationship with me, but I doubted that they were even interested in me in the first place. This kind of distrust led me to "Cactus", which is kind of saying "see, I told you you'd leave!"

And it's not just her lyrics that are complex. Her vocal melodies are often unexpected and sometimes even brave. Lostchild provides her, rather cruelly, with a icy, sharp hip hop beat on "Cactus", that would quite easily, and more conventionally, suit a rapper. However, Ms Promise rises to the challenge and throws feisty, acrobatic melodies over the top that catch the ear and demand the attention, much like the attention she demands from her lover in the song itself.

Even on the other two considerably tamer tracks on the EP, her melodies can't sit still, and she's not one to repeat a melody twice in the same song. And this isn't some unnecessary melisma - these are meticulous, delicately written melodies that reflect the rollercoaster of ideas inside the mind of Bow Promise.

If the song "Cactus" showcases her fierce and intelligent side, the remaining tracks on the EP showcase a vulnerability in her persona, and a secretly intense desire for a human connection. "I've been using one relationship as a muse and exploring it with my music" Bow reveals, and the smooth, soulful 90s R&B of "More" certainly explores polar emotions to the EP's title track. Over seductive yet organic slow jam beats, Promise laments that she's "more than a touch and more than a body to take" in a vulnerable form that couldn't at all be perceived from her unapproachable and aggressive character on "Cactus".

"I wrote my first song when I was in year 10 at school" Bow tells me, and the last 12 years of writing and listening about her experiences seem to have all stuck with her. "When I'm going through something that's monumental to me, whether it's good or bad, I have to write about it. Even if I've moved away from that chapter, I can still tap into how I felt at the time to write. That's what happened with more - the chorus and half the verse were 2-3 years old." The manner in which Bow Promise switches effortlessly between vocal deliveries betrays her experience and maturity. Whilst her husky voice barks and bites on "Cactus", her wispy R&B falsetto slides down like vanilla ice cream on "More".

Bow Promise succinctly describes her sound as "atmospheric, experimental R&B", and although that may not give away a hell of a lot, there really is no other way to describe the duet with her producer (and artist in his own right) Lostchild, "Fall To Earth". Lostchild's epic and melancholic chorus is contrasted by an airy, bubbly verse that Promise delivers so effortlessly and lightly it threatens to float away entirely. The track is less chorus driven than the other two, but it's an existential vibe that suggests more experimentation in future material.

And indeed, Bow hints at a more emotional journey ahead of her. "The sounds (of my upcoming material) will be similar to all that you hear with the Cactus EP," she begins, "but some of the tracks will be more sentimental as I begin to step away from the relationship and delve a bit deeper into myself, as I started to do on "Fall To Earth" - There's a lot of expression of faith, hope and facing your fears."

Speaking of faith and hope, I'm told the name Bow Promise refers to "the promise of a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow". Having had many setbacks in her past career, both personal and professional, the quality and emotional depth of the Cactus EP suggests that her pot of gold may be closer than she thinks.

You can download her Cactus EP for free from her Official Website.

Follow her Twitter and Facebook accounts below for the latest details on gigs and new material.

Follow @BowPromise on Twitter.

'Like' Bow Promise on Facebook.

- Joe Copplestone, 12/09/13

MIXTAPE REVIEW - Etta Bond x Raf Riley - Meds

Click the cover above to download Meds for FREE.

Part of Etta Bond and Raf Riley's appeal as a double act lies in their ability to put their own spin on current underground trends. The duo don't so much think outside the box, as think inside the box from the outside.

On their first mixtape, Emergency Room, they took on dubstep. The duo revived the dying genre with Etta's alarmingly blunt songwriting and Raf's brutal yet melodic mix of dubstep with trip-hop and hip hop. Tracks like "Boring Bitches" and "Ask Me To Stay" were instantly timeless, and have outlived the dubstep craze. On follow up mixtape Meds, the two have set their sights on several current crazes, including Deep House, Modern R&B and Trap.

If Emergency Room felt more like Etta's mixtape, Raf makes his presence a lot more known on Meds. Whilst on Emergency Room he largely stuck with a (nevertheless effective) formula of chainsaw synths, colossal kicks and even bigger snares, on Meds he throws caution and commerciality to the wind. With the rise of "weird" producers such as Diplo and Hudson Mohawke, it's a delight that this gives wind for ultra-creative producers such as Raf Riley to let loose with ideas they perhaps couldn't have got away with before.

And let loose he does - Etta even tones down the big hooks in favour of more ponderous melodies to make room for Raf's crazy productions. The result is chicago house pianos over Trap beats and warm pads on the woozy "Fanbabe", a mesh of funky, electro and deep house on the addictive "1 More Time" (surely an underground hit waiting to happen), and schizophrenic 80s synths over a beat straight from Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation on "Big Girl's Vogue".

Not to discredit Etta's contribution to Meds at all. Etta may let Raf show off more this time round, but she's subtely matched his progressive production with a shift in lyrical concept. Whilst Etta's lyrics on Emergency Room were based in gritty reality - relationships falling apart ("Ask Me To Stay"), making out on the tube ("One Way On A Train") and, notoriously, beastly hangovers ("Resolve") - on Meds she delves head first into fantasy. Etta's previously cynical and angry characters are now blinded by their fantasies - the lovesick obsessive uber-fan on "Fanbabe", a girl sharing her wild sexual dreams on "Me First" or the girl in love who thinks she can separate love and sex in "1 More Time".

Another reason Etta and Raf are a genius double act is the way they bounce off each other. Both their presences are always felt equally - Etta never seems like a mere feature singer, and Raf never feels like an anonymous producer. There's a reason the duo haven't thought of a separate name for their collaboration - they want to support each other as solo artists as well. And it's clear they never need to compromise either's vision. This means if Etta wants to conversationally talk-rap loudly one of Raf's sickest basslines, he'll let her. If Raf wants to loop Etta saying "wobbles" whilst throwing a rock'n'roll piano solo over the top, she'll let him (That's from "Big Girl's Vogue" by the way, I'm not making it up.)

Their anything goes approach to making music is what makes them one of the most interesting underground acts in the UK today. Check out their live performance for LiteSwitch TV below to witness the duo's chemistry.

FOR FANS OF: Diplo, Elli Ingram, Katy B

@EttaBond

@TheRealRafRiley

- Joe Copplestone

5/09/13

Luke Fincher - No Response

Brighton teen Luke Fincher is a star. He may not know it yet, but there are certain levels of talent that are so fully formed from a young age that it would be almost impossible for them not to be discovered.

Fincher is technically an R&B singer, and it's quite a feat standing out from the hoards of soulful male singers from the US and UK - but Fincher has something special. 

The scene is saturated with over-emoting mid 20s/30s faux-soul crooners, who use melisma like they use oxygen and take any opportunity to dive in and out of falsetto like they're bobbing for apples. But here we have 17 year old, unknown Luke, who blows them all out of the water in one incredible performance on his self-penned song "No Response".

The track begins like a particularly depressing Weeknd number, with standard reverb-drenched synth chords bouncing gentley off each other. But any initial assumptions are soon banished when Fincher starts to sing. Because Fincher sings low, like really low, and then he sings high, like really high - and never once is it unnecessary. He hits notes with an effortless confidence, strength, and beauty, and every tasteful melismatic flick and achingly tender note shimmers and captivates. There are at least twice as many years maturity in his voice as Luke himself has been alive.

As a songwriter, Luke clearly understands his own voice perfectly. When he needs to draw you in, he reels off lyrics in a rapid stream of consciousness, and when we need to be wowed, he absolutely kills the falsetto climax in the heart-stopping chorus.

The thoroughly deserving Fincher has a chance to win a slot on Brighton music festival Shakedown's Main Stage on September 28th, and all you have to do to ensure he reaches the final is to click "like" on the SoundCloud link below before Friday 30th August. Check out his YouTube for further proof of his talent.

FOR FANS OF: Frank Ocean, The Weeknd, Jamie Woon

Lisa Lewis - How We Do Things

There was absolutely no denying the husky, seductive voice of London soul singer Lisa Lewis from her jazzy first demos. However, the trippy, vibey Soul/R&B of new song "How We Do Things" is undeniably her calling, and has "breakout track" written all over it. 

Much like the subtler moments on Jessie Ware's debut record, "How We Do Things" is unafraid to drift off on its sexy, underwater groove because Lewis's powerful, bluesy voice commands the attention. She has the knack of making even the slightest change in projection sound magnificent. Effortless is a term frequently used with singers, but rarely accurate. In the case of Lisa Lewis, it's entirely appropriate.

FOR FANS OF: Jessie Ware, BANKS, Delilah

Party Tracks of the Week! (FREE DOWNLOADS)

Avicii - Wake Me Up (ft. Aloe Blacc)
#EDM #Country

If you were searching for this year's definitive dance anthem, you could do a lot worse than to stop your search here. Dropping the huge slamming chords in favour of happy-go-lucky strumming and deliriously cheery country melodies, "Wake Me Up" is where EDM meets Country, and the risk couldn't have paid off more perfectly.



Blackstreet - No Diggity (Bondax Remix)
#RnB #Bass #FREEDOWNLOAD

After a relatively quiet few months, Bondax have dropped their long awaited "No Diggity" remix, and it's quite possibly their strongest release to date. Their trademark slip and slide mid tempo beats and chiming chords make Blackstreet's sleazy R&B classic sound as if it was released yesterday. DOWNLOAD FOR FREE BELOW!



Lone - Airglow Fires
#Synth #House #Wonky

Lone brings his gorgeous slightly wonky ethereal sound to the house playground, and judging by it's swanky beats and sleek 90s chords, it's an area he was born to play in. Begging for a topline though. Any takers?

Banks - Warm Water (Prod. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs)

The sudden surge of subdued, soulful singers in the wake of Jessie Ware's success is surely no coincidence, but more often than not, these singers rise to the challenge. The American Banks has a very British tinge to her warm, subtley aching voice, and Oxford dance prodigy TEED tones down the synthpop to create a shimmering and sparse post-R&B soundscape for Banks to vibe over. The toneful is thoughtful and chilled, and as Banks' sings "I think I may love you if you give me some time", it feels like it's not just Banks herself on the verge of something great in the song, but also in her rise to success. It is a joy that we live in an time where subtlety is valued in R&B, and may Jessie Ware have many more protegees to follow.

FOR FANS OF: Jessie Ware, Delilah, Snakehips

Snakehips - On & On

After a string of silky, effortlessly subdued yet irresistibly sexy remixes for the likes of underground cool elite Bondax and Wild Belle, Snakehips drop an absolute stunner of a solo release. The electronica-flecked R&B of "On & On" has the cool demeanor of a Jessie Ware track, with the subtle, addictive funk that London neighbours Bondax have made a name for themselves in. Australian newcomer George Maple brings the achingly perfect vocal, proving herself here and on her gorgeous single "Fixed". as a serious competitor. Expect to see her popping up on a plethora of brilliant feature spots over the summer.

FOR FANS OF: Jessie Ware, Bondax, AlunaGeorge

Toddla T Sound - Worst Enemy

Toddla T Sound, as you might expect, is DJ Toddla T himself, joined by R&B and UK garage royalty Shola Ama, UK hip hop artist/producer Serocee and MC DRS. Their debut track, "Worst Enemy", is breathlessly sexy, and it showcases a superb, slick merging of talents. Shola Ama's vocal has matured since her garage days and her previously R&B-honed syrupy chirpings are replaced with an aching, whispery tone, constrasting DRS' dark and heavily processed MC verses, and the boys manage to create something approaching a post-R&B track, with hints of UK urban and Trap. Altogether it sounds like the beginning of something quite brilliant.

FOR FANS OF: Roses Gabor, Jhene Aiko, The Weeknd

SZA - Ice.Moon

Dark, eerie and seductive was the order of the day in 2011/2012 R&B, with many artists following in The Weeknd's and Drake's footsteps. Now finally it looks like the girls are taking over, and SZA has the potential to become a frontrunner. On new track "Ice.Moon", SZA's gentle, silky tones float over a thick bass drone and menacing trap beat, and on the mesmerizing chorus she borrows the "go, go, go" refrain from Delilah's "Go" and laces the sexual tension with an air of genuine menace, ending on the sneering "go to church if your scared". Equally suggestive and threatening, just like it should be.

FOR FANS OF: Delilah, Aaliyah, Lana Del Rey

LIZ - XTC

Now as much as I love Diplo's label Mad Decent, its dancehall, moombahton and trap based output never really had a place on a pop music blog like this. That is, until now. This will be, without doubt, a cheesy dated mess to many people, but it's an ultimate retro R&B guilty pleasure for me. A deep, langourous trap rhythm is sweetened no end by LIZ's (I'm assuming it's stylized in capitals) feathery, caramel croon and 80s-tastic grandiose keys. And yet, for me, it all comes together to make something quite gorgeous.

FOR FANS OF: Destiny's Child, Mariah Carey, Ashanti

Destiny's Child - Say My Name (Cyril Hahn Remix)

A novelty, but a gorgeous one. Up and coming producer Cyril Hahn mutates the Destiny's Child's voices into mournful, androgynous croons over a dark, minimal house beat. Cyril Hahn's material consists of all remixes at the time of posting, but they are all worth listening to, check out his tumblr, and especially his remix of Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" as well. They aren't so much remixes as reinterpretations, sucking the swag and attitude out of hip hop and R&B hits, and replacing it with an eerieness, sparseness and sense of melancholy.

FOR FANS OF: Disclosure, The Weeknd, SBTRKT

AlunaGeorge - Your Drums, Your Love

As AlunaGeorge climb their way out of blogosphere up onto the ledge where the Jessie Wares and Delilahs of the UK sit comfortably, it would seem that itsy bitsy voiced Aluna Francis and her meticulous producer George Reid walk the line between the bassy and soulful as good as any of their peers. Whilst she may not have the effortless vocal of a singer like Jessie Ware or the instantly recognizable and arresting tone of Delilah, Francis' voice is light enough to ride Reid's deliciously seductive R&B grooves. "Your Drums Your Love" has a hook as strong and a lumbering bass as addictive as "You Know You Like It" before, and this can only raise expectations for their debut album, due 2013, even higher.

 Your Drums, Your Love by AlunaGeorge