The week between Christmas and the first working week of the new year is always a weird space for new music – journalists and bloggers have their automatic ‘out of office’ replies on but are still updating their websites and publications with new content, while most artists that depend on blog coverage to get their music heard tend to hold off on releases until this week has past. Be that as it may, Kanye West debuted some new music this week featuring Sir. Paul McCartney, Davido announced the release date for his sophomore album, SBTV’s Jamal Edwards got awarded an MBE and The Prodigy announced their new single “Nasty Nasty”. However the only news that matters is this – here are our favourite releases of the week, ending January 4, 2015. Enjoy them below.
Eastern Shift – “Somewhere”
Passion Pit front man Michael Angelakos under the name of Eastern Shift, has unveiled his new track “Somewhere”, an electronic infused belter of a song! Apparently this track is a rework of Barry Manilow’s ”Somewhere Down The Road“, which Angelakos has completely transformed into something unrecognisable! An array of vibrate sounds shapeshift throughout this dazzling track, interwining, this is a sound clash of the extraordinary. Take a listen here for yourself and also check out Eastern Shift’s Soundcloud for more tunes!
Alysia Harris + JP Cooper – “Will Not Go Without”
These two are just the very best! Alysia Harris and JP Cooper get together again, this time to perform a new poetry piece titled “Will Not Go Without”, paying homage to Alysia’s mother, and all our mothers as well. Listen below from around the 2:20 minute mark. This is one of the best things we’ve heard this week without a shadow of a doubt.
Ruck P – “Rise Up (Demo)”
Ruck P is at it again, this time with a silky smooth demo he has called “Rise Up”. This groovy piece of mastery by the young Swiss producer ensures that he will be finishing 2014 in quite some style. It’s been a great year by Ruck P, he has released a continuous flow of feel good remixes and originals that have brightened up the year considerably. “Rise up” is only a demo but it shows what the producer is all about, with an addictive catchy rhythm, groovy bass line and smile educing layers of keys and synth. Listen and enjoy it below.
MØ – “New Year’s Eve”
Every year we hear Christmas songs, new and old, but we don’t often hear new year’s eve songs. Danish singer MØ has seen this gap in the market and filled it with a new song simply titled “New Year’s Eve”. Karen Marie Ørsted, aka MØ has had a very successful year with her brilliant debut album No Mythologies To Follow and several highly acclaimed festival performances. The artist, who draws parallels to Lana Del Rey has brought out a wintery video for the new track, a mish-mash of black & white film footage around herself singing, somewhat like the videos of Lana Del Rey. Instead of being a cheesy or awkward attempt at capturing the event in music, the song is in fact a deep and full bodied song with lots of emotion contained within. Check out the video below.
Words by Melanie John, Ayo Adepoju and Jake Garrett
