https://yannloisel.bandcamp.com/releases

Down By The River is the first release from Yann Loisel’s Debut LP. Recorded in Berlin and France, the project is the result of a collaboration with renown artists from the German and French Reggae scene. Produced by Alex Brechow (La Gorda Dubs, iLLBiLLY HiTEC), the project features members of The Evolution Band (Gentleman), Sebastian Sturm as well as Tribuman among others.

Based on a slow and powerful Roots Reggae groove, Down By The River invites its audience to a first journey into Yann Loisel’s World. Using a deep Nyabinghi vibe as well as Dub elements, this meditative and melancholy song carries a message of hope in troublesome times through its deep and personal lyrics.

“There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen.” (Rumi)

The well-known Persian mystic and poet Rumi (often referred to as a bridge builder between cultures and religions) knew that behind the beauty of his poems there is a deeper, wordless truth that cannot be experienced with the mind.

Fish And Scale’s new video for the single “Rumi says” wants to remind you of that truth; a truth that blossoms in your silence.

Let yourself be touched by “Rumi says”. The mystical sounds and the lyrics inspired by Rumi’s poetry guide you to the place inside where your heart speaks to you without words

https://www.facebook.com/fishandscale/

Just ahead of Piano Day tomorrow, pianist/composer Vanessa Wagner celebrates the release of her new album Study Of The Invisible on InFiné with her stunning take on Philip Glass’s “Etude N°16” — a tense, and determined vision of the piece.

The album sees her breaking new ground in a repertoire that she is, in France and even in Europe, practically the only “classical” pianist to tackle – a contemporary and timeless repertoire that can be described as “minimalist”, but which in reality covers a multitude of singular universes and musical personalities that are often out of the ordinary, all generations combined. Bryce Dessner, Caroline Shaw, Harold Budd, Brian & Roger Eno, Nico Muhly, Timo Andres, and more, are all here.

https://vanessawagner.net/

https://www.instagram.com/vanessa.w.a.g.n.e.r/

https://twitter.com/vwagnerpianiste

https://www.facebook.com/vanessawagnerpianiste/

https://smarturl.it/hgypzw

The fourth single to be released from her debut album titled ‘Mitti’ (‘Mitti’ being Urdu, for ‘earth/soil’), ‘Exile to Space’ is a soundscape with a hybrid Ethnic-Chillout-Blues-Rock sound.

‘Exile to Space’ has a mystical-cum-empowered mood to it, as the English and Urdu lyrics mingle with each other. Whereas the English lyric speaks of the relationship with her Beloved and the qualities of both merging into a oneness; the Urdu lyric (excerpts from her poem, titled ‘Faqeer’ (‘Mystic’)) declares an almost royal sense of liberation discovered while being in ‘exile’ (‘jilawatni’, in Urdu). This exile is a state of being, not a physical banishment, but an emotional/spiritual escape into a parallel-universe where she found freedom and yearns for enlightenment.

Maham Suhail is an international award-winning artist of Pakistani origin: vocalist, multi-instrumentalist & travelling composer/producer. Her wider genre is World Beat: she has recorded songs in 8 languages and composes across genres & styles. Spoken Word, MIDI Drums and looping are part of her recent live acts & recordings.

Maham has produced and directed live events nationally and internationally, she has been featured on global radio stations, and written about in many Pakistani, as well as Indian, Italian, British, German and American publications.

Maham recently announced the release of her debut album, ‘Mitti’ (Urdu, for ‘soil’), and she continues to release additional works as a Composer/Producer.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

www.instagram.com/maham_suhail_

A new song that brings spring to the world, with live, warm, bouncy and exciting sounds.

www.youtube.com/Maham1686

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZSeWeh4cp/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4HJ21OjtMdgkgXAuwrSx9b

www.maham-suhail.com

Last Drop was produced at Montreal’s legendary Breakglass Studio on analogue gear with producer Jace Lasek (Besnard Lakes, Patrick Watson…) and Brad Barr (The Barr Brothers) on back vocals. Last Drop is about being ready for change, for a shift. There is a strong emotion of resolve that translates into a classic folk tune supported by trailblazers Jace Lasek and Brad Barr from the heart of Montreal’s folk scene.

https://lnk.to/LastDrop

Last Drop is a stripped down singer-songwriter confession and plea for change; a sentiment that resonates with our times. The song was written in one sitting and was then recorded as a one-take in studio with Jace Lasek who invited Brad Barr (The Barr Brothers), to put back vocals, giving the song depth and dimension. The video was created in the same spirit, as an improvised dance on a one-take shot. Val interpreted the song in movement without any touch ups. Nothing too tampered with; a raw expression of needing to move to a new horizon and back to the heart of what matters, invoking some kind of healing. Last Drop will be out now on all digital platforms.

Hero or Anti-Hero? Formwandla comes down on his colorful surfboard to present his track “Down with me” to the earthlings. Since the low cut was simply omitted, you can look forward to basses all the way down. Because such a dancefloor sometimes swings with pleasure at 4 Hz. A nice feeling! The unusual video underlines the cool feeling. In the truest sense, Formwandla remains true to his line without becoming too straightforward. After the original mix, two remixes are then waiting to be used. The earthlings will dance!

https://www.instagram.com/formwandla

Wisconsin-born singer-songwriter Jacob Miller sets a timeless, introspective tone for his upcoming album Around My Head released on March 18. Bringing about feelings of nostalgia and comfort, Around My Head serves as an open-ended response to the questions of daily life that surround all of us. Between the silky vocals and the rhythmic guitar, Miller utilizes poetic stream of consciousness to draw in listeners. The character at hand is reflecting lightheartedly on a lover of the past, not necessarily with intense yearning but with genuine curiosity and tenderness. In this way, Miller encapsulates the simplicity of connecting with someone and feeling the loss on a myopic level, which is to say, holding on to the small things. “Do you look for the moon between the trees,” he sings in the title track, “while you hum sweet melodies?” This reflective lyricism which Miller is known for brings about an organic sense of introspection within the listener, as Miller invites us to examine ideas of personal growth and acceptance when it comes to love or new beginnings. The album features 9 songs including already released tracks “Leave”, “Lonely Nights”, and “It’s You I Like”.

The album is titled Around My Head because, as Miller explains, “it expresses this visual idea of relationships, hardship, learning, etc. constantly circling my mind.” Nevertheless, “when you pull back and look at the big picture you see these things that seem so large and dominating personally are actually very minimal or almost irrelevant in the grand scheme of life.” With a catchy candidness, the song affirms the darkness which can sometimes circle all of us while bringing to light the depth of the mundane. “Around My Head, feels to me like a personal letter written to each respective listener. It is my hope that people can find themselves and their own story in between the folds of this record.”

Jacob Miller is an artist that creates with intention and integrity. Preferring lyrical precision over flashy production, Miller’s skillful yet effortless guitar style serves as a modern take on the established yet expansive genre of Singer-Songwriter. With unusual candor and intent, Miller stands apart for his thoughtful musicality and timeless sound.

Starting as many do by singing in church, it didn’t take long for Miller to become intrigued by the idea of exploring music. After being gifted his first guitar at 12 and learning some basics, Miller says his younger self “immediately identified music as a way to emote” as he started to “put words to things [he] was unable to articulate before.” Playing in his first band at 14, he went on to gig for groups that played everything from alt-rock, metal and even electronic music. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until his late teens when he discovered 1920s country-blues recordings, citing influences like Blind Boy Fuller and Lonnie Johnson, as well as 1960s American Folk Revival that he found his true musical home.

From his small town Wisconsin background, years studying the regional music of the Appalachians, to his present roots in Portland, OR, Miller has had the opportunity to absorb diverse cultural settings and grow musically through each experience. Though his own personal sound tends to stay within the general bounds of singer-songwriter, that doesn’t mean Miller isn’t drawing inspiration elsewhere. It’s evident that his culmination of experiences from playing country-blues to jazz have become embedded into the fabric of his music. In this way, his style is a reflection of his learnings, creating an approachable nature while balancing subtle sophistication.

Despite often being compared to artists like Paul Simon, Andy Shauf, Chet Baker and others alike, his time performing on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2020 gave Miller the opportunity to break away from likenesses and establish himself as an artist curating his own sound. Garnering praise from both Nick Jonas, who said Miller is “connected to every word he sings,” and James Taylor, who admitted the aspiring artist has “really got something,” Miller was able to draw in fans from around the world for his passion and authenticity.

Alongside “The Voice,” which brought an audience of millions, Miller has also played live for thousands in concert halls, auditoriums, TedTalk events and for festivals like the Treefort Music Festival, Doe Bay Festival and Fisherman’s Village Music Festival. Even so, it’s the ability to connect that Miller strives for, which is best achieved in an intimate setting. “Though I am fond of traditional venue shows, there is something special about connecting with an audience in an intimate listening room or DIY space where it feels like your exchange with the crowd is on a deeper level” he explains.

Connectivity being the underlying purpose behind everything Miller releases, it’s no wonder that many describe his music as “tender” and “evocative.” With a string of singles and an album already out (This New Home, 2019), Miller is ready to usher on a new chapter with the anticipated March 2022 release of his sophomore album, Around My Head. The album will be in collaboration with Patrick Tetreault, Craig Alvin (Kacey Musgraves, Brittany Howard) and Grammy-winning composer/trumpeter, Charlie Porter. Around My Head aims to draw from his past music while establishing a fresh take on his abilities as a songwriter, composer and bandleader.

Devon-born singer-songwriter Fable today announces her much anticipated debut album Shame, due on 20th May via Naim Records. The announcement comes accompanied by the release of the title track ‘Shame’, out now with a striking video directed by Matt Hutchings.

https://www.facebook.com/whoisfable

Driven on by a dynamic synth arpeggio and Fable’s spectral vocals, ‘Shame’ laments the state of the world and the uphill battle her generation faces, and is emphasised by a powerfully hyper-fake video that delves into themes of overconsumption, vanity and toxic media.

“Shame masquerades as a sleek pop song, but when you unpack the themes it’s uneasy in its skin. I wrote the synth arpeggio first and built the vocal around my beat and brought it to the studio where Jonas Persson and I turned into this sharp, melancholic pop track. It’s about the feeling of impending pressure in the modern world being met with ever increasing resistance to do anything differently.

“I think it’s really important that people take what they want from the video. Our generation needs to relate differently to our history than previous ones, as we try to reclaim our identity, separate from the one history has handed us. Working with my visual collaborator, Matt Hutchings, I wanted to broaden the scope a little more and ask some searching questions about the nature of shame and the state of society right now,” Fable explains

Having last year relaunched an impressive fledgling career that had already included performing at Glastonbury and collaborating with Orbital, Fable’s second coming has been met with enthusiasm from tastemakers, including NME, 6Music, CLASH and The Independent, notably for the trip hop and neo soul blending ‘Orbiting’, which has racked up over a million streams, and the emotionally introspective ‘Womb’. Signed to Naim Records, the label wing of the award-winning premium audio brand, and an ambassador for mental health charity My Black Dog, she has recorded a debut album of genre-fluid, searingly honest and darkly beautiful music that spans from urgent post punk to introspective electronica, whilst posing questions that are both timely and personal, yet timeless.

https://il-lo.ffm.to/soldiner

French electronic duo il:lo announces that they have signed to Nettwerk (Ark Patrol, Dreamers Delight, Hermitude) and make their label debut with the new single “Soldiner.” Comprised of producers Dejan Dejado and Andreas Schültz, il:lo creates an angular, yet airy deep house blend with expansive builds and mesmerising textures.

“Our new single Soldiner stands out from previous releases and marks the beginning of a new era, a musical production resolutely turned towards deep house which is more on electronic elements,” the duo remarks. “We wanted to grab the listener with powerful leads and soulful arpeggiators. This track is an emotional journey with a joyful start, intense body and final resolution.”

Producers Dejan Dejado and Andreas Schültz prove that two heads are better than one. After meeting in Prague in 2010, the duo formed a fast musical connection that spawned their dynamic and sprawling electronic act il:lo. With Dejado digging into unique samples and Andreas the editing and arranging mastermind, il:lo embody a yin and yang style of complimentary forces.

They describe il:lo as “difficult to capture or hold permanently, having wings.” This meaning can be derived from the definition of the world volatile and highlights their proclivity for shape-shifting moods and the uncanny ability to mutate between downtempo, trip hop, and deep house. Their influences are as far ranging as their music, citing 90s IDM, liquid drum & bass, and even hip-hop, jazz, and world music as playing a role in their compositions.

Throughout their career, il:lo have toured much of Europe taking cues from the exotic architecture around them. The angular aesthetic serves as a driving force in their bold minimalism. From 2015 EP Places to 2019’s Sloh, the duo’s creative vision is apparent in both their musical evolution and their visual identity.

Following the release of Sloh, il:lo took to the road once more touring with renowned beatmaker Blockhead as well as collaborating with electronic mainstay Emancipator, and the otherworldly CloZee on official remixes. They continued to broaden their horizons with remixes for Mt. Wolf, Panama and Jerro. At the top of 2022, il:lo unveiled their first live record with Anjunadeep Live Sessions, a culmination of their work with the progressive London-based dance label Anjunadeep.

Now, joining forces with Nettwerk, il:lo’s composition methods remain unchanged. Through their endless musical journey, the dualistic mindset continues to evolve and encourage listeners to let go and take flight.

Stay tuned for more from il:lo.

https://www.illomusic.com/

Pop-soul duo RubyGld Smoke is releasing their sexy, lively single “Forbidden Fruit” on March 2. As husband and wife, the two’s undeniable chemistry creates a feeling of yearning for a lover’s magnetic energy. “Forbidden Fruit” allows listeners to embrace their guilty pleasures and chase after the relationships that aren’t necessarily the best for them. “Something sensual about it keeps both parties running back,” the couple says. “It’s the age old tale of wanting what you can’t have because it feels so good.”

RubyGld Smoke inspires lovers and artists alike with their irresistible charm. After a series of successful releases, the duo took some time to hone in on their sound and upgrade the quality of their artistry to give fans their best yet. “We wanted to make records that were bigger, broader, and more memorable. We listened to and heard our fans, and now we are taking the sound to the next level.” -T. L. Williams