XXIM Records is proud to release Icelandic classically-trained pianist and post-classical composer Eydís Evensen’s second release on the label with the new Frost EP, featuring four brand new piano compositions inspired by the harsh, dramatic winters of her homeland. She’s also been announced as part of the first wave of performers for this year’s edition of Iceland Airwaves.

https://www.facebook.com/eydisevensen

To celebrate the release, she shares her new video for “Dawn Is Near” today — an intimate yet warm look into her engaging piano style. The track has bright spots, and is a little quicker; the strings, together with ascending piano lines, strike a hopeful note, optimistic even, mirroring the warmth that starts to creep in as the days lengthen.

Amanda Pascali’s newest track “Temporary Home” serves as an honest look into the life of an immigrant and details the struggle of being caught between two worlds. Released on March 31, as millions of refugees flee a war-torn Ukraine, “Temporary Home” fuses sweeping vocals and complex classically-inspired instrumentation in order to take listeners on a journey across genre and time. Finding inspiration in the extraordinary story of her father, Pascali explains that at 18 he “spoke out against the dictatorship in his home country and was thrown into a forced labor camp.” Two years later he moved to New York City as a refugee with asylum and began work at a refrigerator factory. “Without money, friends, or the ability to speak English as a native language, he promised himself that America would only be his temporary home,” she says. Later falling in love with his wife, an Egyptian immigrant by way of France, Pascali’s father ended up staying in the States. The song details those early days after immigrating when it was revealed to her father that America wasn’t exactly the “gold-paved paradise he had dreamed of.”

Pascali explains that as the daughter of two immigrants from two different countries, she grew up feeling as if she was “too foreign for here, too foreign for home, and never enough for both.” Evoking that same feeling through her track, Pascali brilliantly cross-pollinates Afro-Cuban music, indie folk and even splices in samples from the American civil rights movement in order to effortlessly blend the modern world with musical stylings that are deeply rooted in history. The song ends poignantly with the question “where do you belong?” as if to point to the ceaseless struggles which encompass cultural assimilation. Through passionate storytelling and a deep connection to an omnipresent subject matter, “Temporary Home” is powerful on every level, lyrically and musically.

“Temporary Home” will be accompanied by the release of a music video for the track directed by Mexican-American filmmaker Joel Valdes and starring Gabriel Regojo, Oscar Riojas, and Amanda Pascali herself. The short film – a collaborative effort between Pascali and Valdes – tells the story of an immigrant who carries an allegorical suitcase as he perseveres through hardships in America (working in a factory, sleeping among roaches, eating stale bread) and ultimately gives that suitcase to his daughter at the end of the video. The suitcase, the roach, and the letter showcases a few of the elements of powerful symbolism that are displayed in this short-film-music-video hybrid production that captivates viewers as Pascali shares a visual representation of her father’s story.

https://www.amandapascali.com/

https://www.facebook.com/YvesPaquetMusic/

The weather may be chilly where you are, but don’t be dismayed: the days are getting longer, and the seasons are turning. Soon enough, it’ll be time for those midday joyrides, trips to the beach, outdoor parties, and the sort of carefree exploration that only happens during the summer. And if you can’t wait to feel the sunshine, SUPER-Hi and NEEKA have created the perfect track to score all of your hot-weather reveries. “Following The Sun” is a breezy July day captured in song: a sparkling, honeyed, daylight-drenched sonic excursion. Everything about the track is designed to generate illumination and warmth.

The musicians in SUPER-Hi are radiance specialists. Their sense of balance is impeccable — they create tracks that are wistful and danceable at the same time. No matter how smooth and chill the sound, their songs always jump. In their alternate identity as the hitmaking production team Red Triangle (David Guetta, Charlie Puth, Alesso, 5 Seconds Of Summer), they’ve demonstrated an aptitude for house-shaking, party-starting electronic dance music, but they’re sure hands with acoustic instruments, too. “Following The Sun” rides along on a propulsive electronic beat, and it’s decorated with a gorgeous, twinkling synthesizer, but the entire track is underpinned by an irresistible ukulele groove. The result is a production that feels timeless, equally suitable for clubs, beach bars, and nights around a bonfire. Already certified Gold in Germany and Australia, “Following The Sun” is a radio smash across Europe – and it’s now breaking in Australia and New Zealand. Having reached more than 135 million streams, the song has reached the Spotify Top 200 in Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, and Slovakia, as well as the Shazam Top 200 in 48 countries (and #1 in Australia and #2 in New Zealand!).

The track is a collaboration with the accomplished singer-songwriter duo NEEKA, who’ve worked with Drake and James Arthur, to name just a few of their creative partners. They’ve penned a lyric that celebrates summertime fun and explores themes of release, aspiration, romantic longing, and personal fulfillment. That tone is extended to the gorgeous clip for “Following The Sun,” which chronicles the most perfect summer day imaginable. The camera follows a pair of beautiful young women on a ride through the south of France in an open-topped jeep. We watch them take in the sunshine, walk through the forest, and leap into the blue Mediterranean from a rocky shore. The cinematography throughout is nothing short of spectacular: wide blue European skies, long ribbons of road through gorgeous countryside, crystalline blue water, handsome architecture in the towns the pair pass through. But the truly engrossing thing about the clip is the chemistry between the two actresses. Their affection and mutual admiration are instantly apparent. Wherever they’re going next, it’s clear that they’ll be going together.

Follow SUPER-Hi:

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Alice DiMicele: “Long Dry Winter expresses some of the deep grief that I’ve experienced over the past two years including the death of many friends and family plus the loss of my dog Roxy and my cat Grace. Sometimes singing is the best way for me to process these feelings and this song is a testament to that. It also references the drought we are experiencing in my home state of Oregon and on the West Coast.” Filmed at Table Rock in southern Oregon in January 2022 in the midst of a Long Dry Winter.

Every Seed We Plant is groove folk acoustic soul songstress Alice DiMicele’s sixteenth independent album on her own Otter Music label (Release date: March 11th, 2022). After the pandemic shut down nine months worth of planned shows, DiMicele turned her practice/teaching space into a recording studio she named Tiny Wonderland Studio. She enlisted producer Bret Levick whom had mixed her 2018 release “One With the Tide” and together they produced and arranged this new album and Levick co-wrote the first track. Bret is a songwriter and producer whose tunes have been featured on TV shows such as Sons of Anarchy, Desperate Housewives, Boston Legal, and more.

All of Alice’s vocals and guitar tracks were recorded at Tiny Wonderland and most of the musicians recorded themselves in their home studios. The album features Jenny Conlee-Drizos (The Decemberists) drummer Terence Higgins (Ani DiFranco), Alice’s long time bassists Rob Kohler and Damian Erskine, guitarist Gene Black (Joe Cocker)), LA keyboard wizard Skip Edwards (Dwight Yoakum, Johnny Rivers), David Jacobs-Strain, Andy Thorn (Leftover Salmon), Santa Cruz Cellist Barry Phillips, and many more wonderful musicians.

http://www.alicedimicele.com/

www.localblac.com

LocalBlac is a Los Angeles-based artist, with roots in Little Rock, AR. He presents a melodic, hooky vein of hip-hop, with lyrics that explore the human experience with a relatable charm. “The beauty of writing is just being able to really digest everything you’ve been directly, and indirectly affected by,” LocalBlac says. “Converting that and packaging it into a condense style everyone can relate to all while upholding its full depth, and truths.”

Artist said about hsi Album Creative Process:

“This album definitely took a little bit longer to complete; I wanted this body of work to wholeheartedly reflect my continued growth, eagerness to be vulnerable, and really capture what it looks like to be an artist living in the 2nd year of a pandemic. The last part particularly you won’t be able to hear in my lyrics, but more in the tone, direction, sequencing, you know all the small details that really define the bigger picture. During the process there was more pressure than one would like; Me dealing with leaving for Japan for a year because of school, and having that back and forth dialogue on why it’s continuously getting postponed, on top of living in the now. That can weigh down on your psyche, and you lose sense of control making room for doubt, and uncertainty. Regardless of how fantastic I believe the album to be, there’s still that dark cloud that’s lingering, which ultimately I think is the most possessive part of the project when you listen to it. For example it took me 3 months to complete the Title track #14 Holding These Balloons, because something would change in my world, and now my hook didn’t make sense anymore or the second verse didn’t make sense anymore. It was the last track I actually finished late August.”

http://www.instagram.com/localblac

Just admit it. With standard phrases like “a new kind of music” or “revolutionary genre mixes” most of you probably just roll your eyes and click on the next mail. Or you may read a bit further now and let us convince you that it really is “something different”. Whatever it is, we think it’s awesome!

LITO aka Marlon Bertzbach grew up on a farm as the son of a Filipino mother and a German father. Under the stage name FINN, he has played countless small and large concerts over the last eight years, gaining experience and fans. He has released two albums in German, and parted ways with his musical team after eight years.

The new journey begins with a decision: he sings in English, because this language has been part of his reality since birth and lets him explore new artistic paths. The music leads LITO out of his reserved singer-songwriter past and into a new greatness.

Between scene-astic soundscapes and catchyPop melodies he develops together with producer Stefan Heinrich (Klan) an international and modern sound, that is born out of indie and flirts with the mainstream. LITO’s voice stands out so proudly from the arrangements that you can feel the newfound freedom.

If that still doesn’t convince you, check out the video – unique visuals meet intricate animation. A video from the studios of the big film companies.

NEON DREAMBOAT is the lead single off Triple One’s upcoming project, A Dangerous Method Vol. 1. Another stadium sized anthem, this song is produced by multi-platinum producer Styalz Fuego, and Grammy Nominated producer 18YOMAN. Confident and brazen, yet emotive and vulnerable, this is Triple One at the top of their game, laying everything on the line for a love that won’t be lost. The audacious and daring 4 piece release this song in anticipation of their upcoming national tour and highly anticipated debut performance at Splendour in the Grass later this year.

https://www.instagram.com/tripleonemusic

100% created by women, “Queendom” is a fierce female empowerment anthem written by Ali Stone and Gaby Lagarda, produced and mixed by Ali, mastered by Jett Galindo. The music video that will be released along with the song was also created by a female team and this has all be made during Women’s History Month and will be released on the last day of this celebratory month. Sang in both English and Spanish, the song reaches out to wider audiences to make the strong message heard. The music is a base of Latin rhythms that make you want to dance, a contemporary electronic element and a little bit of Colombian sounds which is Ali’s native country.

https://www.facebook.com/gabslagarda/

Another powerful, transcendent song from Snatam! Sung in the sacred language of Gumukhi, the words Ang Sang Waaheguru mean, “In every cell and every limb and every fiber is the miracle of the Divine.” Deep and transcendent, the track begins with Snatam devotedly singing a poem by Guru Arjan that describes how to approach the mantra to come to a place of profound harmony and happiness. The music swells at 3:15, as the track grows into a spirited rendition of the mantra, underscored by exquisite tabla rhythms.

The world-renowned, devotional singer, musician, teacher, and author is known for her stirring, luminous voice and insightful Kundalini Yoga teachings. “Ang Sang Waaheguru”, out on Be Why Music, the track is from Snatam’s upcoming album Nirankaar, out May 13.

Snatam Kaur will embark on her Into the Light Tour in May with summer concert dates across Europe, the UK, and Israel. The tour corresponds to the release of Snatam’s 16th major album, Nirankaar, and a new Mantra and Meditation workshop series she is teaching live during the tour on Kirtan and Kundalini, her online school, and on YouTube. Snatam’s touring band includes Ram Dass (piano and vocals), Grecco Buratto (guitar and vocals), and Sukhmani, (percussion and vocals), the same extraordinary musicians who collaborated with her on Nirankaar.

An alternate version of the single will be released as a companion track on April 8, the third in Snatam’s newly launched music library, Mantra and Meditation, for students and practitioners. “Ang Sang Waaheguru Meditation” is for meditative chanting of this mantra. Snatam will teach an online workshop on the deeper meanings of this transformative mantra on April 13 at 1pm Eastern in her school of sacred music and yoga, Kirtan and Kundalini. For more information and registration, visit www.kirtanandkundalini.com/booking-calendar/mantra-meditation-1.

Snatam has also released singles “Soul Prayer” and “Akaal” off her album Nirankaar.

https://www.facebook.com/snatamkaur