Best New Music Of The Week // January 14 – January 20, 2019

Labrinth – “Don’t Fence Me In”

With all the success of his joint venture with Sia and Diplo, LSD, music from our very own music maestro Labrinth has been very few and far between. But taking a break from the LSD project, he’s teamed up with car manufacturer Mini to provide us with something special. Staring in a new campaign for the new Mini Countryman, he’s released a new song to go with it. A cover of the classic Country hit by Robert Fletcher & Cole Porter and made famous by Bing Crosby, Labrinth’s take on “Don’t Fence Me In” is a mostly minimal track, made beautiful with piano before exploding into a grand brass symphony.

Though we haven’t seen any solo stuff from Labrinth since “Same Team” with Stefflon Don in June last year, we have been getting a whole host of bangers from the LSD camp like “Genius“, “Audio” and their latest single “Mountains“. We are definitely waiting in anticipation for their debut album, set for release this year… Adanna Duru – “King”

Budding R&B/Pop sensation Adanna Duru is back! She’s been making waves since the release of her EP Manic Pixie Dreamgirl, with notable acclaim from the tastemakers but now she returns with new music. “King” is the start to a new chapter in her story. Sticking to her guns, this new cut is leftfield of R&B, dancing with pop tendencies and definitely soft to the ears with the synths. She’s out here trying to challenge the negative personification of men in the modern age…not all men are ‘trash’. While saluting to all the good men in the world, “King” still serves as her ode to her ideal man. Adanna has been around for a minute. Having been a contestant on American Idol and The Voice in the past, she is clearly taking her singing chops seriously. Working with Grammy award winning producers and the best in the scene, she is steady crafting her own bonafide sound and we can’t help but be impressed. Swindle + Ghetts – “Drill Work”

Two driving forces for the UK scene for anthemic new track. London producer Swindle is gearing up to release his brand new album and to wet the appetite of his fans and fans of the UK scene as a whole, he’s unveiled “Drill Work“, a brand new collaboration with legendary grime artist Ghetts. Having worked together for some years now, this new track comes with all the added chemistry as the pair raise the bar. The production packs a whole lot of punch; the undertones elements of grime bubbling over while emphatically colliding with horns and strings and gunshots to give an audible experience that is full to the brim with energy. And the addition of Ghetts adds even more heat as he flows the production easily, like we would expect, as he takes the listener on a tour of his East London.

After the release of his critically acclaimed album Ghetto Gospel: The New Testament, Ghetts reminds why he shouldn’t be slept on as a top MC and with Swindle’s No More Normal set for release January 25, we will surely be keeping our eyes peeled for more. Take A Daytrip + Octavian – “Stressed”

New York-based producer group Take A Daytrip have just unveiled a new single with UK golden boy Octavian as they gearing up to release a new EP titled Take A Daytrip vs. London, a collaborative project with multiple artists from the Brit scene. The new cut, titled “Stressed” is a hot take crossing both trap and grime as the South London rapper flexes with his unmistakable flow  over a catchy, 808-driven beat, heavy with the ad libs and the potential to be a fierce head bop tune. Denzel Baptiste and David Biral, the duo behind the moniker, are following up on their major 2018 which saw them collaborate with some of the hottest artists including notably Sheck Wes on the smash “Mo Bamba“. Meanwhile, this is the first taste of new music from Octavian. Recently crowned the winner of the BBC Sound of 2019 poll, the young rapper is gearing up for his European tour kicking off next month in Paris with a huge show at the Kentish Town Forum on February 28. Laville – “Thirty One”

North London singer-songwriter and smooth crooner Laville builds on the momentum of previous single “Easy” with new cut “Thirty One“, the sensational follow up from the Acid Jazz Records artist, as premiered on Complex. His latest offering is a slow jam that’s as smooth as silk. If his calm and assured vocal performance doesn’t have you drawn in and attentively listening then the band that are surely bringing this beautifully jazzy track with pinches of funk to life will certainly have you swaying in awe. His coming of age story is certainly something.

Speaking about the track, Laville explained: “‘Thirty One‘ is about love that you know you are ready for, and it is also about knowing who you are and being ok with you. I think its important to understand yourself and your age and to not let that hold you back from doing what you need to be fulfilled.” “Thirty One” serves as the title track of his forthcoming debut EP, which will be released in spring. Get ready for the remarkable introduction to the musical world of Laville. Elle Varner + Wale – “Pour Me”

We have not heard much from the artist Elle Varner, however today she has returned with a beautiful single titled “Pour Me”. Elle Varner has joined forces with American rapper Wale and produced this amazing track. The two had previously collaborated in 2013 for the single “Rover”. The singer has shared with Rated R&B the lyrical content of the track as well as the inspiration for the instrumentation that accompanies her melodic vocals: “It’s a double entendre about being a poor girl who’s lost the love she wants. So, pour her another. It has that ’90s feel. It has these hard drums and chords that are just so tickling. It’s me on a thousand”. “Pour Me” serves as a follow-up to her previous release “Loving You Blind”. Moreover, Varner had only dropped one studio album for now which it titled Perfectly Imperfect. However, it looks like the artist is just at the beginning of a successful career. And there is no doubt that “Pour Me” won’t make it to the top of the charts. We look forward to see what Varner has in store for us in the near future, but until then we can enjoy her new single. Make sure to check it out below. Words by Jay Tijani and Pia Subramaniam