Thursday 24 April 2014

Royal Blood

Who knew a bass guitar and a drum kit could make so much noise! Royal Blood, the Brighton born rock duo, Mike Kerr (bass+vocals) and Ben Thatcher (drums) are easily one of the hottest bands of the moment. 

Their track 'Little Monster' getting air play on Radio1 by their number 1 fan Fearne Cotton, performing on BBC2's 'Later...with Jools Holland', and with Arctic Monkeys Drummer, Matt Helders wearing one of their t-shirts at Galstonbury last year, they are racking up quite a following!

I saw them perform last month at the NME awards at Brixton Academy along side Circa Waves, Temples and Interpol and the crowd were in awe, hanging on to every line, solo and hook.

Their new single 'Come On Over' has their signature mix of dynamics, energetic drums, snarling bass, engaging lyrics and a whole lot of sound. Their new video for it can be watched below.



You can see them playing at The Great Escape in their hometown Brighton on the 9th May, and at Finsbury Park, supporting The Arctic Monkeys on the 23rd & 24th May, as well as various other dates across the UK and Europe. 

Find Royal Blood on Facebook HERE
Twitter - @RoyalBloodUK
www.royalbloodband.com

You can buy Royal Blood's new single by clicking on the iTunes link below.

Friday 18 April 2014

Max Marshall

I recently had the privilege to observe Max at work in the studio, and amongst the repartee and jokes I soon realised I was witnessing some incredibly talented musicians, from skilfully played silky keys, a rhythmically flawless beat played on a cajon, a deep, mellow bass, and of course Max's smooth yet powerful vocals accompanied by her acoustic guitar.
Originally from Baltimore, the talented singer songwriter recently featured on the Matrix & Futurebound record - 'Control', which peaked at #7 in the UK official singles chart and #2 in the UK Dance chart.
With a new track out, 'Blu Magic' by Ill Blu, co-written by
and featuring Max, it's catchy beat and lyrics are most certainly guaranteed to leave you wanting more.
Max is certainly an artist to keep your eyes on, and ears open for in the future, in the meantime you can see her live at Brighton's Great Escape Festival on the 8th May at the Komedia, and again during Camden Crawl at The Monarch on the 21st June.


Buy new single 'Don't Trip' by clicking on the iTunes link above.
Check out Max Marshall on Facebook HERE
Twitter - @TheMaxMarshall

Wednesday 9 April 2014

Kygo - Diplo & Friends Mix. Radio1 Xtra

Summer is just around the corner and we're already getting a taste of the sunshine. If you're a fan of chill out house then this mix is definitely up your street. Straight from Radio1 Xtra, Kygo presents Diplo & friends, this mix is sure to kick off summertime with style and get you in the mood for drinks, bands and summer tans! 

Tuesday 8 April 2014

Duke Beatbox

So I stumbled upon these three guys when a friend posted a link on Facebook. They have played at some of the hottest music festivals in the UK as well as abroad. Their covers are engaging and skilful, three guys equipped with only a guitar and their voices/beatboxing, their musical ingenuity from within their garden shed is well worth checking out.
Enjoy Duke Beatbox's acoustic summer mashup, including 'Waves' by the terrific Dutch producer, Mr Probz below.

http://www.dukebeatbox.com
https://twitter.com/Dukeofficial

Sunday 6 April 2014

Scarlett Emmanuelle

Scarlett Emmanuelle is a vibrant R&B artist born in London, England with international aspirations. 

Her passion for songwriting paired with a commercial image and dance training make for a multi-faceted entertainer. Growing up with neo-soul allowed her to develop her own unique style which would redefine the stereotype, breaking the mould for such soloists. A desire to perform and convey a wider message makes this young singer more than a superficial pop act..a desire to lead, inspire, become a role model and raise awareness of issues young people face in our society.
Scarlett does not wear these titles idly; she trained at performing arts school, has professionally performed in all entertainment categories. For example, Scarlett was in the UK girl group, The Madame Project - their promo single, Chemistry, reached number 15 on the Pop Billboard Charts in the US. A true artist both in form and substance.
The upcoming generation is waiting to be recognised.. this time someone better be listening.

When and why did you start playing?
My mum is a great writer and used to read Shakespeare explaining it to me along the way from when I was about 8, this evolved into my love for poetry and that then developed into songwriting. I came out singing though; there was no process or realisation.

Who would you most want to do a duet with? 
Beyonce is incredible all round- vocals, dance ability, stamina, work ethic - she'd be my dream duet.

What artists did you grow up listening to that have inspired you today? 
My dad had me listening to american hip-hop like the Beastie boy whilst my mum loved neo soul..I loved albums by Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Maxwell, D'Angelo etc growing up,

If you weren't a musician, what would you be and why? 
Its cliched, but nothing. I choose not to have a backup plan or envisage an alternate career path because I wake up every morning for this. Music will always be in me whether I succeed or not.

Have you got any up and coming gigs? 
I'm focusing on recording new album material but after the EP release first I will be performing again. After singing live in Indonesia for 4 months with a 9 piece band I'm suffering withdrawals; nothing compares to the adrenaline that brings.

What is your favorite thing to see in the audience while you are on stage? 
Its always great to watch people dancing, enjoying themselves and maybe picking up on catchy lyrics or the hook but the ultimate satisfaction comes when you catch someone eye and you can tell you've managed to put into words the way they might be feeling. Music is powerful in the sense its universal.

What is your inspiration when writing new material?
Honestly just general life, I enjoy writing on the spur of the moment where an entire song and melody may come in minutes..evoke by what ever may be affecting you or happening in that instant. Also friends relationship issues as I rarely have any of my own!

What are your long term ambitions?
Just to be doing what I love everyday and be able to call it a job; so few can say that. But also to gain recognition on a larger scale for all the years of passion and dedication to my craft, all the material stuff is (and should only be) the icing. Credit where its due and helping young girls to accept themselves balance out my scale of motivations.

What kind of sound can we expect to hear on your debut EP?
Eclectic rnb...the lyrics are sometimes controversial others helplessly romantic but always with a soulful feel even when the beat is commercial.

and finally...

If you were on a desert island, what three things would you bring?
I'm quite content with my own thoughts! So no people haha..a frozen yogurt machine without doubt, a laptop to write my songs on for sanity anddddd. A trampoline?