Dan D’Lion – “Treading Water”
After coming out of the background and sharing his debut single, Dan D’Lion has returned with follow up single in quick succession – “Treading Water“.
After working with artists for years, Dan Bartlett branched out on his own at the end of last year, staking a claim with debut track “Give What You Take“. His newest cut further showcases his instantly definitive sound. Dan’s distinctive falsetto and remarkable use of melody runs against crisp production that swiftly heightens in intensity, once again changing the goalposts of what alternative pop can be.
Dan has worked with some talented names on the production and songwriting front including the likes of Salen, Punctual, Delilah Montagu, Zilo and Feder. But Dan Bartlett is ready to add ‘artist’ to his repertoire. Who else knows your sound and how to work it better than you?
Aitch – “Wait”
The Manchester-based rising artist Aitch has decided to start off the new year with a brand new banger for his followers. And this one arrives with a music video.
Aitch’s new single is titled “Wait” and is a “trap-esque” song that features one of Manchester’s counterpart WhyJay. The young artist has added a slight twist to his usual style and created this catchy beat. The instrumentation has a consistent guitar riff that accompanies the smooth rap verses and slick beat perfectly.
The visual opens with Aitch along with two other young men dressed in black hoodies who approach a car holding hammers in their hands. The video then captures tight shots of the artist with a black backdrop, rapping the verses.
As the shot cuts back to the car scene, the young men are seen wrecking the vehicle with their tools and smashing the windows. Towards the end of the visual, Aitch is surrounded by beautiful young women and bottles of champagne.
Aitch is definitely rising to be a big star with over 400,000 views on his YouTube channel within only two weeks. The artist is already making himself known in the UK music scene with his unique styles and artistic work.
He had previously shared the single “Miss Me With It” and prior to that Aitch has been headlining many shows across the UK since the release of his banger “Straight Rhymez”.
His fame and reputation continues to evolve through the country and we are excited to see what Aitch has in store for us in the near future. But until then, make sure to check out his fresh new banger “Wait” below.
Mazi Chukz – “Classy”
Royalty Records’ finest and fast rising Afrobeats artist Mazi Chukz has released his first visual of the new year for “Classy“.
This latest single was produced by none other than acclaimed producer and artist Maleek Berry but this is not the first time the two have joined forces, with their first efforts dating back to 2016 with Mazi’s single “Dem Hail“. The two have cooked up a wondrously infectious hit and it surely won’t be the last we hear of them together
Directed by Alexx Adjei & David Sule, the visual takes the viewer on a journey as Mazi Chukz searches through a fortress to find his love interest. We are treated to a fine array of women, fine clothes and fine dancing, making for an exciting eyeful of a video.
“Classy” is the first release of Mazi Chukz forthcoming project which is set to be released later on this year.
Lana Del Rey – “Hope Is A Dangerous Thing For A Woman Like Me To Have”
Lana Del Rey has ushered in the new year with some music! Freshly released and totally melancholy, Lana shares “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have – but i have it”, the third single from her upcoming album Norman Fucking Rockwell.
Quite the long winded title (originally titled “Sylvia Plath“), it carries very minimalistic production as Lana’s vocals resonate on a soft, purely piano-backed canvas – arguably the most minimalist you will find her. She brings one of her most sincere offerings as she compares herself to the troubled poetry icon to which the song was formerly named after.
“I’ve been tearing around in my fucking nightgown. 24/7 Sylvia Plath, writing in blood on the walls,” Del Rey sings on the new track.
No word on the release date of the new project but she has confirmed that it is finished. She also happened to mention the possibility of releasing a book of poetry first so, if news of the book surfaces, expect a new album on the horizon.
Ea Kaya – “Talking”
Following the success of several releases in 2018 including “Remedy” and “Tied Up” as well as her most recent hit “4AM“, Ea Kaya continues her assault on pop consciousness with her raw, confessional new track “Talking”.
The young Copenhagen-born singer/songwriter again manages to balance a riveting and well executed vocal performance with a finessed hook and melody on this latest cut. Synths aplenty and a rhythmic beat, “Talking” continues to cement the growing critical attention around the young star.
Speaking on the track, Ea states: “‘Talking’ is an explanation in the form of a song. Personally, I’ve had a hard time sharing my vulnerable side with people, and I’ve mostly preferred to fight my insecurities and handle my low times on my own. I’m now in a relationship and for the first time ever, I can’t hide what’s going on inside of me. I’m no good at talking, but I’m definitely getting better day by day.”
With her debut EP Fragile but Strong as Hell set for January 18, Ea Kaya continues to define herself against the pop landscape with her frank, outspoken wisdom on sex, love and human nature. Still just 22, she is fast making waves as Denmark’s most exciting future-pop prospect and now 2019 is looking like a milestone one.
The Weeknd + Gesaffelstein – “Lost In The Fire”
Music artist The Weeknd starts off the year with a fresh new single titled “Lost In The Fire”. And this one definitely sounds like the next big hit you will hear on the radio.
The Weeknd and French producer and DJ Gesaffelstein have previously collaborated and created the My Dear Melancholy EP tracks “I Was Never There” and “Hurt You” together. Now, the two have joined forces once again and produced this brilliant new track.
“Lost In The Fire” has got some pop and disco vibes to it. The Weeknd’s amazing vocals accompany the techno drums and rhythm very smoothly. The instrumentation reminds us of his bangers “Starboy” and “The Hills”, an iconic rhythmic style of the artist.
“I just want a baby with the right one, ‘cause I could never be the one to hurt one. We lost a lot of things in the fire, so it took a year for me to find out. I can’t lose you, babe”, Abel sings so effortlessly to the sensual beat.
Gesaffelstein is currently preparing his forthcoming album Hyperion which serves as a follow-up to his 2013 Aleph. We are excited to see what The Weeknd has in store for us in 2019. But until then, check out the new single. “Lost In The Fire” is now available on all streaming platforms.
Words by Jay Tijani and Pia Subramaniam
