Love Supreme
Nneka
Born in the Delta region of Nigeria, moving to Germany at the age of 19 to study anthropology, Nneka has earned a notable neo-soul singer reminiscent of Erykah Badu. “Love Supreme” is a beautiful project carried by Nneka’s voice and the poetic lyrics that give gravity to each track. It’s a powerful look at a diasporic life with an eye towards politics and broader society. The single “Tea?” released ahead of Love Supreme is an emotional tour de force while “Yahweh” re-introduces the African rhythms into the neo-soul universe. In Nneka’s words, Love Supreme is an album inspired by introspection and existentialism, “to be present in this very moment is the key.” With 13 tracks Nneka has the time to flesh out these questions with style and grace.
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Twisted Base
Crystal Murray
Crystal Murray has created a whole universe around her exciting sound that brushes the edges of many genres. Sometimes the album sounds like a hyper-pop ballad, others a deep alternative r&b or experimental electronic. The palette is distinct, like the ocean blues, bright pink, and cherry red on the album cover, but works like a charm. At just 19 years old, the former Gucci Gang fashion collective member has mastered the art of reinvention, breaking from the “soul” music box and entering a new dimension all the more boundless and creative. Crystal was exposed at a young age to the music of the world as daughter of a booker for afro-descendant artists. This may explain how she has released so much music in such a short time. However with “Twisted Bases” it feels that the artist has come into her own realm. On “Bags on Bags” she sings, “my reach going off limits” and it certainly feels that way. Listen to “Like it Nasty”, “Other Men”, or “Break” to get a sense of the limits not set on Murray’s universe.
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Horoscopes
Basketmouth
Bright Okpocha, aka Basketmouth wears a lot of hats. Known as a comedian who took his craft to the world via his Basketmouth Uncensored tour, the artist has also been dabbling in music since his 2020 album Yabasi. That debut was as star studded as this follow-up Horoscopes, featuring the likes of Johnny Drille, Buju, Simi, Wande Coal, Peruzzi, Oxlade, Blaqbonez, The Cavemen., Falz, and many others. Overall the album is a masterclass in afrobeats. “Celowi” is a sweet blend of Peruzzi’s pop vocals and a smooth afrobeats production. However, we get a welcomed highlife detour on “The Traveller” with the renaissance men of the genre, The Cavemen.. We have to wait until the album closer, the cheekily entitled “Assembly of Gods (feat. Magnito, Illbliss & Dremo)” to get a taste of Basketmouth’s comedy. The slow rap circle type beat is full of punchlines, smiles and feel good vibes.
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Música da Terra
DJ Nigga Fox
DJ Nigga Fox’s Música da Terra kicks off with a bang. “Madeso” has an accordion loop that is ready to drive dancefloors mad with the kuduro rhymes that define the artist’s career thus far. Signed to Principé records, the Lisbon based label pumping out contemporary dance music with a vengance, DJ Nigga Fox is one of the mainstay, dropping ear bending EPs and singles since 2013 at least. This EP, like many of DJ Nigga Fox’s past projects, are compositions made for dance floors. There’s something daring and overpowering in each cut, “Sanzaleiro” has a poetic detour before returning to the thumping bass and chaotic samples. “Sasuke” however is something new. It’s a slow build and gives listeners a taste of what’s possible in the DJ Nigga Fox universe without letting fans down. It’s a bit of Chicago House, it’s synthy and fat, but most of all it’s a recognizably Música da Terra.
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South of Hell
A$CII DAGGER
Based in Cap, South Africa and signed to the I.O.T. Records from Marseille, France, A$CII DAGGER is a punkcore hip-hop project born from the controversial group DOOKOOM. This first EP South of Hell is a heavy, hardcore mix of metal trap, drill and grime with Human Waste spitting bars and on the prodcution, POTT$ on the drums, spo0ky handling the visuals, and lyricist Dada Shiva joining the original trio for the fourth dimension of A$CII DAGGER. Strap in for four tracks of aggression and industrial beats, peaking at track 3 “Gas! (Pussy Shit)” where the group’s hip-hop DNA is front and center. Though the group’s name is some clever wordplay on the “American Standard Code”, the music of A$CII DAGGER is ferociously unique.
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This week’s releases also include:
- ICONIQUE by Le Juiice
- Nouveau né by Badd Lime
- LETTER by Sofiane Pamart
