Calvin Harris + Sam Smith – “Promises”
“Magic is in the air” sings Sam Smith in the bouncy chorus for the new Calvin Harris assisted single “Promises“.
The catchy song comes along with a music video that explores New York’s iconic ball culture. Directed by Emil Nava, the video opens up with several dancers explaining what it is like to just “let it out, and finally not having to be somebody that I don’t want to be at that time“.
The celebratory video sees Sam dancing and singing, while taking us inside the Vogue culture, where dancers are breaking out on the dancefloor and walking the catwalk.
The song is an infectious offering as well, with feel-good lyrics about embracing the here and right now, without any commitment or promises. All is left to the pure feelings of being your own self.
The new single has Smith teaming up with Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, who is collecting one hit after another with his trademark sound. Eyeing for the number 1 spot on several top charts, the single is sure to be the next club smash of the season. As the weather is finally catching up to us, we will need some good music to keep us company during the winter days.
Luckily, Sam Smith and Calvin Harris’ collaboration will just do that for us. You can watch the video below:
Gallant – “Haha No One Can Hear You!”
Grammy-nominated and steady rising R&B singer Gallant shared recent single, “Doesn’t Matter”, back in May, before the summer officially kicked off and it only went from strength to strength when weeks later he followed it up with a remix featuring A$AP Ferg.
As the summer season comes to a close, Gallant prepares us for the colder months ahead with a sultry new cut, coming in strong once again with his brand new record titled “Haha No One Can Hear You!”
Throughout the track, Gallant effortlessly floats over the production by Grammy-nominated producer STINT (who was key in the creation of Gallant’s debut album) with the bassline playing a key part in its smooth feel to the ears.
Gallant sheds light on someone trying to fit into the fast lifestyle (“All your friends say, ‘Don’t be the sad one, lighten up,’ but you can’t help it”). The result is the phrase “all that glitters isn’t gold” in song form—with some life advice about not always wishing for what others have. The titles of his latest releases seem to fit right into this same theme.
Eminem – “Fall”
Eminem stunned the entire world when over the weekend he unexpectedly and with no promotion released his tenth studio album Kamikaze. And just days after dropping his controversial album , Eminem takes his critics head on in the brand new video for “Fall”.
“Everybody’s been telling me what they think about me for the last few months,” he raps on the Justin Vernon-assisted song. “Maybe it’s time I tell them what I think about them.”
Addressing the criticism he got for his last album Revival, the video opens with Em being bombarded with notifications from news publications negatively commenting on his last efforts while driving with Royce Da 5’9″.
Dashing his phone to the floor, demons start emerging from the tech devices in the form of black smoke and chase Em through buildings and streets as he takes shots at every rapper in the game bar a few.
James Vickery – “Violet”
Following the success of his critically-acclaimed debut EP Complexion and selling out both his debut headline shows at Notting Hill Arts Club and Omeara in London, emerging UK R&B artist James Vickery returns with brand new music from his upcoming sophomore EP with new track “Violet“.
Vickery’s superb falsetto over a stripped-back piano sample and a subtle beat mixing trap and gospel influences, is sure to continue to generate intrigue around a UK artist whose recent performance on COLORS Berlin has now passed 2M views – seeing him join the likes of Billie Eilish, Daniel Caesar and Tom Misch in viral numbers.
Speaking on the track, James states: “‘Violet‘ is a play on words for feeling Blue. It’s around a point when you feel everything is trying to keep you from being with your significant other, but despite all the signs and the negative aura surrounding it, you would never let anything keep you from being together. It’s feel-good, warm, which in my opinion, is everything a good relationship should represent.”
Team Salut – “Drive N Motion”
On the back of the early success of their latest single and quickly after their show-stealing performance on the Red Bull stage at Notting Hill Carnival, acclaimed London producer-artist duo and UK Afrowave pioneers Team Salut are proud to unveil the exciting new music video for “Drive N Motion“.
Directed by British creative artist, designer and director FilFury (J Hus, Lotto Boyz, adidas) the video is a fun, colourful and vibrant visual affair, which not only brings the record further to life, but also lets us hold on to the last few moments of the summer that bit longer.
Focused on Team Salut as performers and their consummate dancers, the visuals do well to highlight the duo as artists in their own rights, and allow for their infectious personalities to shine through, in a way that we haven’t fully seen until now.
Speaking on the video, Team Salut say, “the video was made to reflect the mood of the song. The track is all about good times and carefree vibes, so we recreated those vibes onset for the video. We wanted something that was fun with colours and had lots of movement, so having dancers and a car wrapped with our TS pattern was a dope touch.”
Jevon – “Paranoia”
Jevon has been assuredly making moves XL Records’ excellent compilation of UK hip-hop New Gen back in 2017, which saw the rise of many notable names in the scene right now.
This year, we have been blessed with hit singles from the rapper/beat maker extraordinaire including “Redemption” and “Judas” and now the West Londoner is back to form a trio as he pleases with brand new single “Paranoia“.
This one sees him collaborate with SmokeyGotBeatz and Sillkey on production, as the trio cook this beat to the highest standard. He illustrates self-righteous anger yet lustful desire over the slinkiest of R&B production. With a crooner’s touch, he doesn’t lose his rapper’s grit.
“Tell me why you out at night/Who that nigga by your side?” quickly turns into “But baby bring it back/Why you thinkin that?/Let’s play broken guitars/Call it no strings attached” – the internal conflict of his emotions is clearly causing him Paranoia yet so eloquently presented for listening pleasure.
Words by Jay Tijani & Camilla Marotta
