Azealia Banks // 1991

After many a delay (okay, just one), Azealia Bank’s “1991” EP is finally released. It’s good to get something else bar “212” released officially, although thankfully there have been a number of tracks on soundcloud and a few leaks to keep us interested ‘till now.

On first listen, you can immediately see why Azealia decided to call this track 1991 instead of 2004. Starting off with hollow drum kicks, it isn’t long before an early 90s style house beat kicks in and really gets things going. It gets even lower and fuller not long after the two minute mark, which sounds amazing against an array of chopped and screwed vocal effects. The production is basically fantastic - they’ve captured that early 90s vibe with the sound technology of 2012 to perfection. If Azealia herself wasn’t born in 1991 I would have called the track 1994 in honour of myself though.

Azealia’s verses are slick as ever on “1991”, as she continues to switch effortlessly between rapping and singing. It helps that she’s also really good at both. We’ve also got a final mastered version of Liquorice, but it’s “1991” that I’m going to be spinning for the meantime. Hopefully it’ll still sound just as great when we lose this great summer weather.

Jessie Ware // What You Won’t Do For Love

After posting “Strangest Feeling”, “Running” and “110%” I’ve basically come to the conclusion the Jessie Ware is amazing. I’m way behind on getting loads of new music, so thanks to Deluzan I’ve discovered that Jessie has put this new track up as a free download over here on facebook.

A cover of Bobby Caldwell’s ‘1978 classic’ (admit it, you’d never heard it either), producer Sampha puts a 90s R&B spin on the song. There’s loads of synths and muted keys, which combined with layered backing vocals give the song a real sensual feel. You just can’t help but groove when you listen to this song. No one actually knows what ‘groove’ means, but if you’ve hit the play button on this post then you’ve most likely experienced it. It feels good, right?

This cover manages to combine all the best parts of 90s R&B with a modern ambient production, only adding to the sleekness of that groove. Jessie really knows how to make a sexy downtempo, so hopefully her debut album “Devotion” will have a few more of those when released this summer.

David Stewart // Incredible [Feat. Yasmin]

I haven’t been posting much for the past month, sorry about that. I’m trying to revise for my exams, but that’s not going very well either - oh well. I’m going to be on here even less this month, but I’ll try and set up a queue so that the site isn’t too barren. Then I’ll be back in full swing on June 15, once my Media Studies exam is over and posting loads of music. So if you’re another one who’s thinking of pressing the unfollow button, please think twice. Amazing things are coming. Maybe not, but still, you get the point, right?

Here’s some new music to fill that empty space that currently exists on my tumblr. It’s by British singer-songwriter David Stewart, who just so happens to be a guitarist for everyone’s tweeter - Example. His ‘Late Night Viewing’ EP is very good. There’s a lot of downtempo R&B stuff, mixed in with some Hip-Hop influenced stuff too. But while tracks such as the Example accompanied “Run The World” have a distinct British feel, a few of the tracks have that sound which has clearly been influenced by the likes of Frank Ocean and The Weeknd. Mixed in with UK urban sounds and a little pop at times, that’s a pretty combination if you ask me. But you didn’t ask me, so that doesn’t really matter.

“Incredible” is my initial favourite off the mixtape. Mostly because it features the wordscannotdescribehowamazingsheis Yasmin, but also because it’s a really good track as well. With a slow bass groove complete with a nice piano riff and subtle strings, this one’s a bit of a sensual number. “Incredible” doesn’t really have a hook, which gives it that understated feel that made Usher’s “Scream” “Climax” so good. The song builds up bit by bit until you realise you’re at the chorus - and it’s sounds so right.

David and Yasmin’s voices blend really well together. There’s a want in their voices, yet they remain calm as ever on the verses. I love how soothing that makes the track. If you want to hear more go and check out David Stewart’s mixtape. It’s pretty good, and most of all it’s available for free right here. No paypal mess here.

StooShe // Black Heart

StooShe are probably the only really good girlband about right now. It’s refreshing to see a group who aren’t making music tailor made for Capital FM’s playlist, and are willing to add alittlelot of personality into their music.

Following two foul mouthed singles, StooShe have decided to show a slightly softer side to their personalities, with new single “Black Heart”. Filled with funky bass riffs, soulful piano melodies and brassy horns, the Future Cut produced number has an irresistible 60s doo-wop vibes, that will no doubt have you swaying from side to side as you snap your fingers and whip your hair. Okay - I doubt any of you will be doing that, but you get the point, it’s good.

What makes “Black Heart” stand out however, are StooShe’s perfectly arranged harmonies. Echoing back to the R&B girlgroups of the 90s, Alexandra, Karis and Courtney’s voices work so well together, setting them apart from rivals whose voices are almost indistinguishable at times. There’s still some fun talky bits here and then, but even without that the song has a distinct sound about it. I have a feeling that might make it good enough, that not even Capital FM will be able to resist playlisting it. It seems Radio 2 will as well, judging from the awful radio presenter’s reaction in this clip.

Little Boots // Every Night I Say a Prayer

“Every Night I Say a Prayer” is the latest single from everyone’s favourite nonchalant popstar Little Boots. After releasing “Shake” last year, the small footed singer has released this new song for Record Store Day 2012. There aren’t many record shops about anymore, so if anyone knows of any good ones in Belfast let me know.

Enough of my desperation to find a good place to buy music, let’s talk about Victoria’s new track. With a a slight house bassline, the song starts off cold and pensive, before the 90s house influences really kick in with a bouncy piano melody. Mixing the past with the sophisticated electronica of today, the singer has created a pop song which manages to be both sophisticated and restrained, yet zany with it’s big pop chorus.

With enough hooks to reel you in for another listen, “Every Night I Say a Prayer” is better than most of the material on the good, but patchy “Hands”. Hopefully this is the last of these low key releases from Ms Hesketh, and we’ll get the big Little Boots comeback you all the odd person has been waiting for.

Mikill Pane // Paper Princess [Feat. Yasmin]

Hackney rapper Mikill Pane has been building up some attention after featuring on Ed Sheeran’s “Little Lady” and releasing two EPs onto Itunes in the past year. He’s now back with collaborations EP “You Guessed It”, which includes features from Ed Sheeran, Example and young, fresh talent Katie Price.

The song that immediately caught my attention was “Paper Princess”, which features none other than the fantastically superamazing Yasmin. The singer’s voice provids a soft chorus against Mikill’s heavy verses, which deal with becoming so obsessed with a woman that he’s never met, that he photoshops photos of him with her. Of course that’s completely unrelatable, as I can’t imagine anyone who could ever become totally obsessed with Yasmin, but it’s a very good song nontheless.

I haven’t heard the rest of the EP yet, but if this dark midtempo’s anything to go buy then it should be pretty impressive to say the least. It’s available for free off SBTV, so click here and hit the download button for temporary happiness.

Usher // Climax (Diplo & Flosstradamus Remix)

With new artists such as Frank Ocean & The Weeknd changing the face of R&B and established performers such as Beyoncé & Mary J. Blige mixing classic R&B vibes with forward thinking sounds, and it was about time Usher got off the Guetta and co bandwagon and started making R&B with a little more substance.

And with “Climax” Usher did exactly that, teaming up with Diplo to create a sensual piece of understated R&B, laced with electronic undertones. Teaming up with production duo Flosstradamus, Diplo has beefed up the song a little in the way off adding more 808s and the odd synth riff now and again.

There’s not too much of a difference between this and the original, but it’s such a subtle song that anything too over the top would just ruin it. Plus that build up before the final chorus is truly mesmerising. Hopefully we’ll get more tracks as good as this, when Usher’s seventh record “Looking For Myself” drops on June 12.

Linkin Park // Burn It Down

I get worried when a band say their new album sounds like a mixture of their old albums. Often it ends up that they’ve run out ideas or are playing it safe and trying to regain popularity after a new sound resulted in a decline in sales. Linkin Park are planning on mixing their old nu metal style with their newfound electronic sounds on fifth album “Living Things”, so will they fall into this deadly trap?

We won’t know until the album drops on June 26, but things seem quite promising with the release of lead single “Burn It Down”. It’s nothing groundbreaking, mixing earlier sounds with a synth groove reminiscent of “A Thousand Suns” and a big pop chorus  that wouldn’t be out of place on “Minutes To Midnight” - but it does it well. With a hard hitting industrial beat and a stellar verse from Mike Shinoda, the band have taken the good parts from their earlier material and added a slight pop appeal to survive in today’s musical climate.

I’m not sure what to expect from “Living Things”. I’m not one of those fans who complains that they should go back to the way they used to be, because I find it boring when a band sticks to the same formula time and time again. In fact despite a few duller moments I found “A Thousand Suns” a very good album, albeit one I got tired of a little too quickly. However if the whole album was like this I probably would find myself a little bored.

It’s great that Linkin Park are mixing their previous styles, I just hope they’re not retracing their steps with this album. I’d love something as good as “Numb” or “Faint” on here, but instead of trying to recreate old sounds hopefully the band have created something great in a more natural way. Besides, some things were better left in 2003.

Nelly Furtado // Big Hoops (Bigger The Better)

It’s been six years since the juggernaut that was “Loose”. That’s a long time in the music industry, but finally Nelly’s coming back with upcoming album “The Spirit Indestructible”. Sure there’s been a Spanish album, a Greatest Hits with some dreary new songs and some features, but this is what we’ve really been waiting for from Ms Furtado - the big follow up.

And she’s come back with a song about hooped earrings. The bigger they are the cooler you are - but of course you already knew that, right? However I take it you didn’t know that everytime a guy passes by Nelly she says “no diggity no doubt”. Well it’s true, that’s what she says. Fun lyrics like that which save this from being a ‘heels so high, drink in the air, let’s go yeah yeah yeah’ type song. But Nelly’s never been like that, so I never expected it from her.

Furthermore the sound of “Big Hoops” definitely separates Nelly from her peers. Instead of doing the normal comeback thing and teaming up with Pitbull on a four to the floor RedOne clone, Nelly’s teamed up with the genius that is Rodney Jerkins to create a quirky urban jam. Darkchild has done his thing on the beat, with heavy drums and an undercurrent of synths proving that bigger is better in the end. This urban-jungle sound may be a bit too harsh for radio, but it’s a perfect progression from Nelly’s Timbaland sound back in 2006.

And just when you thought this comeback was near enough perfect, the last 30 seconds of the song comes in. You thought it was over? No. On top of the countless choruses and hooks there’s a mental drum ‘n’ bass breakdown, before some Matrix slow-mo ish. It’s crazy. My only complaint is that Nelly’s vocals sound like a chipmunk take some getting used to in places, but apart from that Nelly’s touched the sky with her return.

Jai Paul // Jasmine

I’ll be on my third hip replacement by the time Jai Paul has an album out. It took him until 2011 to release “BTSU”, after the demo leaked way back in 2007. Now it’s a year later and he’s finally given us a second song. Except that the song is clearly tagged “Jasmine (Demo)” on Itunes, so it could be a while until we get the finished product.

Hopefully the XL signee has a lot of hidden gems stored on his computer that are just waiting to be released - but somehow I’m not so sure. But despite the lack of product, what Jai Paul has given us has been pretty brilliant. This supposed demo of “Jasmine” is a thing of beauty. With an soulful melody laid among a whole bunch of studio trickery, Jasmine is a Neo-R&B work of genius. Sure, this genius may come at a lengthly pace, but when you get a funk laden piece of distortion such as this then it’s well worth the wait.

Hopefully “Jasmine” will get as much notice as Jai’s last single did. After being sampled on a Drake demo and by Beyoncé on the brilliant “End Of Time”, it seems that his small amount of excellent material sure is getting some attention. Maybe some of music’s stars should take note that quality is better than quantity ~ but please don’t take that mantra quite as far as Jai Paul.