Peter And Kerry – “They Know God (But I Know You)”
“They Know God (But I Know You)” is the beautiful new single from South London duo Peter And Kerry, which comes on the back of last year’s comeback single “Cold Hugs”, and is a precursor to their forthcoming sophomore album, due to be released via Ferocious/Kobalt.
You might remember the duo from their 2012 debut album La Trimouille or their Clothes, Friends, Photos EP, a year before that, which saw the duo garner support from the likes of BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music, XFM and Channel 4, with rave reviews from Clash Magazine, The Guardian, The Line of Best Fit, and The Quietus, among others.
Unfortunately I don’t remember Peter And Kerry from any of their previous music, but as for this new single “They Know God (But I Know You)”, it’s one hell of a record! Musically, it’s nothing edgy or anything like that – it is a simple piano ballad, with some subtle string arrangements added for good measure, but it’s Kerry’s voice that steals the show here, with some help from Kerry’s backing harmonies.
The thing that first struck me about the song was the title, or at least the first half of it ‘They Know God’, and putting the excellent vocal performance to one side, the songwriting on this is beyond. This line “To see someone you care about that way, that must be what people mean, when they say they know God / To see the strength in someone that you know, that must be what people mean, when they show they know God / Because I believe in you” will get you every SINGLE time.
Their comparison between the human relationship Kerry sings about and someone’s knowledge of God is so intriguing. Can you believe in any human being at the level at which one believes in God? So many layers to unpack here but I’ll let you listen for yourself. It’s an amazing record.
Unknown T + Crazy Cousinz – “Throwback”
After making serious waves with his debut single “Homerton B” last year, Unknown T is coming back strong. With his first official release of this year and his debut follow-up, he links up with Crazy Cousins for his new single “Throwback“.
Unknown T adapts his low-tone, near haunting flow for a completely different vibe. Making lightwork of a classic throwback in Tinie Tempah‘s “Wifey Riddim“, he enlists the help of Crazy Cousins for this fresh refix, making good use of melodic charm. The visuals are even more throwback, as T paints a picture of his early days growing up. The good and bad.
Like the name suggests, there’s real old gems. It was Sony Ericssons before smartphones, the back of the bus where you’d spit your best bars, chicken and chips was the motive after school and Choice FM was the number one place to listen to music. Every young boy had a love interest, lucky for T, he runs into her into years later by the end of the video.
Vadé + Jermaine Riley – “Be Mine”
It’s coming up to that time of the year where the single ladies dream of pairing up with that special one. Well UK five-piece R&B/A cappella sensation Vadé’s brand new single, “Be Mine” with R&B sensation Jermaine Riley, proves there are still good men out there who are more than willing to settle down.
Written by the band, “Be Mine” documents a man’s burning desire make a commitment to his love interest …and makes it potently clear that he’s not into playing silly games. Beautiful vocal arrangements adorn this new track and their vocal alone make for a sumptuous R&B palette. And Jermaine Riley leads the track with the charisma that can make anyone fall in love.
Vadé’s powerfully soulful sound won them Sky 1’s Sing: Ultimate A cappella in 2017, and since then they have recorded their debut album, Cry Your Heart Out and generate more recognition scooping the 2018 A cappella Awards for Best Quintet along the way. it goes without saying that the ‘Boyz II Men of A cappella’ have got what it takes to send shockwaves throughout the music scene across the globe.
Zion – “Her, Her & You”
Following on from his R&B/Drill fusion “The Point” at the end of last year, rising South London artist Zion returns with hs first release and video of the year, the brand new single “Her, Her & You“.
Following the success of former singles, “Her & Her & You” is courtesy production-wise by recent collaborator Fanatix. It continues with Zion’s fusion theme, giving us classic R&B melodies and vocals with hints of Afrobeat influences.
The accompanying music video sees Zion take on the role as the unassuming waiter at a diner. He turns on the charm as he sings, trying to mesmerize the women in his life. Renowned director Sesan is on hand to give us yet another clean-cut quality visual.
Sharing his sentiments on the new single, Zion says: “I remember being in the mind-frame of wanting three women because they offered three very different things to me, it’s such a relatable topic I had to put it in a song. ‘Her Her & You‘ is definitely one of my favourite records so far, it’s the second track I have made with Fanatix and how everything came together was dope and phenomenal.”
SLANG – “Every Weekend”
Rapper, producer and songwriter Dan Dare, also known as SLANG, has officially unveiled his brand new single “Every Weekend“.
Following last year’s trio of releases “Richest Man In The World“, “Let Go” and “See You Again“, the track is the feel-good soundtrack for the weekend with impossibly catchy chorus, a heady mix of hip hop beats infused with an indie sensibility in its melodic flow, witty, original lyrics and SLANG’s distinctive lyrical flow.
In an age where new release playlists all sound the same, SLANG leaps out from the crowd, rapping about debauched nights out with friends.
Speaking about the new single, SLANG said: “This song was to honour the Friday or Saturday phone call of ‘Are we going out tonight?’ and the 4am ‘Let’s go find food.’ I wrote ‘Every Weekend’ in downtown LA with [production team] Alex & Alex. We had a huge two weeks in Vegas for my birthday and went back to Hollywood where we broke our brains with the amount of toxins we put into our bodies.”
Mullally – “Think About You”
Brit-soul contemporary Mullally returns with emotive new ballad “Think About You” – a track produced by Grammy-nominated duo Rice’N’Peas, the brains behind hits from G-Eazy and Bazzi.
Laying his emotions bare and spotlighting powerful, rasping tones, “Think About You” also sees Mullally draw influence from classic R&B and Soul to tell the story of a love cherished and lost. Delivered with a tenderness that belies his age, it is the latest in a series of singles that have reinforced his credentials as one of the UK’s most promising acts.
“’Think About You’ is me spilling my feelings on a page, and into a song”, explains Mullally. “Sometimes we forget that the world doesn’t stop when you go through shit. I had to pick myself up and go to the studio when I was emotional and drunk, and in a happy accident we captured a really honest, true reflection of what was happening in my life at the time.”
Words by Jay Tijani and Ayo Adepoju
