Exploring the world of folk music, Nancy Hays has released her single entitled Friends For A Day And Age which has been released on all streaming platforms today. Full of beautiful violin and string arrangements and led by her crystal clear and controlled vocal, the song replicates a timeless classic that will live in peoples playlists long after today’s release day. 

Inspired by the melody of A Day and an Age by award winning Irish America fiddler, Liz Carroll, Nancy composed this song herself. Recorded with a mixture of talented musicians, the track features the performances of Country Music Hall of Fame multi-instrumentalist, Wanda Vick on acoustic guitar and fiddle and Brian Cunningham on the Irish tin whistle.

Produced by Randy Gardner in Nashville, the single ‘Friends for a Day and Age’ has been touched by a mixture of creatives who have all given their specific musical flavor to the song. The track has been described as creating a feeling of drifting on the water towards a destination surrounded by the eternal love of true friendship and dreams that will last far beyond this day and age. 

The new single entitled ‘Friends For A Day And Age’ by Nancy Hays is now available to listen to in full on all streaming platforms.

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Marking the first collaboration between RAYE and American rapper 070 Shake, Raye releases new single Escapism as part of a small EP to announce upcoming debut album.

Written by Rachel Keen, Mike Sabath and Danielle Balbuena and Produced by Mike Sabath, this has to be the most powerful songs from the mini EP as it marks the third since becoming an independent artist after ending her contract with Polydor Records in 2021.

The song lyrically describes the copying mechanisms that Raye has leaned on when experiencing her ‘blues’. The release was gifted to fans with another song titled ‘the Thrill Is Gone’. When comparing the two songs, they are both of very different genres, showcasing Rayes’ capabilities as a songwriter and artist.

To listen and add Escapism to your playlists, follow the link below:

Words by Carmen Lees-Green

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“Red Room is in part about a feeling of isolation, caused maybe by depression or some external factors. We left that open to interpretation, as it was written in Moscow right when the war started, and both me and Gau felt the influence of that uncertainty about the future” – Cee (Maere, Producer)

It may be rare, but every so often, a very unique and special artist hits the scene with a niche, but frenzied appeal to a puzzle-loving fanbase who treats every one of their releases like an enigma code to crack, as cryptic characters like Aphex Twin and Kendrick Lamar continue to appeal. Comprised of numerous different collaborators, Maere is a project that prides itself as something else entirely and it is led by producer Cee. An elusive front person who has revealed little info about their name, location, age, influences or production process is Cee, who thinks of Maere as less of a solo platform and more of an art collective which functions as an outlet to relate your feelings through. Remember that we are listening to no singular voice here, as we veer towards the more experimental and R&B-infused side of sparkling electro-pop which feels vague but deeply personal. Maere’s latest single is ‘Red Room’, another jigsaw puzzle of a piece musically that encourages you to confront your emotions concerning intimacy, curated by a curious personality, with no frills.

Starting life in 2021 when Cee met various other members of Maere hailing from Italy, Russia, Germany and The USA – with Gau being cited as the most notable new addition to Cee’s collective – in locations as obscure as a Karoake in Moscow in December 2021, Maere are a group that are geographically distanced yet brought together by socio-political issues as varied as feminism, anti-racism and anti-capitalism. An openly non-binary creative, Cee creates music that is deeply fascinated by the concept of inner versus superficial identity and how we are shaped by the details that we project into and retract from the world. To build upon this idea, ‘Red Room’ has been mostly constructed to encourage like-minded deep reflectors to come together to explore – and express – who they are.

‘Red Room’ is largely all about the empowering nature of frequent collaboration which underpins the ambitions of Maere as a spiritual project for finding unity through art, a fusion where the creativity flows. The separate parts of a whole, intertwined soul who operate individually but work towards an essential collective goal altogether.

Rather than being surface level stuff, Maere take the concept further by bringing new elements to the table including lyrics that detail the feelings of paralysis and confusion that comes along when we’re stuck in different situations where no obvious solution presents itself. A sense of restlessness is present in Cee’s songwriting as Cee reflects on confusion and romance, giving off the idea that Cee has a few ideas for how to overcome an obstacle, but he’s not sure which route is best to take specifically. Bright R&B-style verses with a light Neo-Psych tinge and minimal chord progressions characterize the sonic palette while the emotive ballad-style vocals create a more commanding presence for the vocals. The instrumentation is quite subtle and airy throughout, with no hyper-melodic sense of aggression but occasional qualities of Trip-Hop and Industrial Pop rearing their heads throughout. The synths are sparse, but pleasant, and the more minimalist electronic pop beats are laced together by contemporary Neo-Soul production. It feels a little overlong and it may be too subtle for some, so it could have been improved a touch by some more fresh additions to the soundscape being made here and there to make the sounds feel a tad more varied. What stands out, however, is the richness to the tune that makes it stand out well.

The synths are textured meticulously and the drawing Trap-Hop bassline feels vague yet intriguing, which creates a memorable single in ‘Red Room’ that feels subtle yet subdued, polished yet intimate. While it may suffer a bit from a plodding structure, it’s well worth keeping an eye out for ‘Red Room’ in physical formats so that you own the single and can keep coming back to it when you need to zone out, or most likely find yourself in a relatable situation to Cee’s.

Words by Jacob Braybrooke

Connect with Maere

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If you’re a fan of eclectic Art-Rock and Psychedelic Pop groups like Alt-J, Django Django, Vanishing Twin or Everything Everything – the Manchester-based Alternative Pop trio of Porij are a refreshing new band who you are going to absolutely love!

Formed in Manchester by Eggy (Vocals/Keyboard), Tommy (Guitar/Vocals), Jammo (Bass/Percussion) and Tom (Drums/Vocals) while studying and staying together in the halls of residence at The Royal Northern College Of Music – Porij have enjoyed daytime playlist airplay from BBC Radio 6 Music, and their other claim to fame is that Disclosure loved their cover of ‘White Noise’. Porij have also covered The Prodigy – and support has come pouring in from sources as varied as NME, The Guardian, DIYMag and ITV Granada. Their name – which is pronounced as ‘Porridge’ – was also seemingly picked at random as an inside joke between the 4-piece band, a sentiment that feels as close but genre-fluid as their explorations of Jungle, Liquid Drum ‘N’ Bass, House, Garage, New Wave and Lo-Fi Rock that you can preview when you hear their music.

A favourite of the One Track At A Time blog and The Subculture Sessions podcast, Porij have released critically acclaimed singles like ‘Nobody Scared’ and ‘Can’t Stop’ as well as two EP’s – 2020’s ‘Breakfast’ and 2021’s ‘Baby Face’. They will be taking these diverse sounds on the road with many solo shows throughout the year. They will also be supporting Lynks – who appears in the music video for the new single ‘Figure Skating’ – as well as Obongjayar and Metronomy later this year. If you are a festival enthusiast, you can also see them at Green Man Festival, Dot To Dot Festival, Brighton’s The Great Escape Festival and more throughout the year – and so it’s shaping up to be another crowded year for Porij – a quartet whose music feels as exciting as it does intriguing.

The Winter Olympics in Beijing may be over, but Porij have still put the discipline of ‘Figure Skating’ to good use with a refreshing new single that is currently doing the rounds across numerous radio playlists and indie music publication features. They explore intimacy and immovability of a person’s distinct character through ‘Figure Skating’ as a purveyor, explaining that it is “about intimacy and sensuality in moments that aren’t overtly sexual. It’s appreciating romance in the day to day, not the big drama’s or passions but the kind of stuff that’s put in a montage in a film. It’s an insight into a secure relationship and explores the moments that are beautifully average, but somehow turn out to be the best bits“, in their collective press statement.

Opening with a whimsical sequence of Horn-like Synths that marries Eggy’s low-lit croon with a more dance-oriented bassline through euphorically high tempo percussion, ‘Figure Skating’ has the drive and determination of a futuristic dance track while keeping things grounded with intimate vocals and soft Synths that feel detailed and decorative among the quickly building soundscape. Lyrics like “Inverse/Focus, I’ll hold you down just you and me” and “Drifting past subconscious feel/Phaser building from within” have a slightly witty delivery to their vocals, while complementing the mood of the tranquility of two partners building chemistry and trust through the rather dangerous practice of figure skating. It’s another gorgeously produced – yet never overtly too produced – single that reminds us how Porij are getting even better, and they were fairly good to begin with.

With Porij set to take to the stages of numerous atmospheric summer music festivals throughout the year as they continue to release stunning new tracks roughly every few months, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that they are taking to the rink with an unimitable presence and a fluidity that is difficult to pin down despite genre boundaries. Come along for the ride – or skate.

Words By Jacob Braybrooke

Header Image retrieved via Gigantic.com

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Chart-topping musician and Amazon TV series host Jack Rose is here with his most powerful single to date. Covering the well-known track Overdrive by Oliver Helden & Becky Hill, this is his third hit that has made it to the charts. Both his last two releases landed him on Official UK Music Week Commercial Pop 10, this has increased his already 200,000+ fanbase.

When Jack isn’t doing his music, he hosts the Amazon TV series Ghost Hunting with Jack Rose, where he is joined by celebrity guests taking on the most haunted sites they can find in the UK. Not only does Jack have otherworldly music, but he also can communicate with the other side.

Jack has not only made this hit one of his own, but he has become hugely successful in other endeavours, having both front and back covers of Music Week Magazine, being titled by Official Charts Company as “The One to Watch”, as well as an astonishing 3.3+ million views all under his wing at just the age of 19, watch out for this one!

Overdrive is available to stream now on all platforms.   

STREAM OVERDRIVE HERE

Follow Jack Rose below:

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Strutting onto the scene with a bucketful of groove, Raya Max brings us disco-relief with her new tune ‘Classy Lady’. She’s already maxed out her skill tree: writing, producing and performing on this track. And it’s clear she has a firm handle on all three disciplines. 

The performance is powerful and positive; showing assured, celebratory and even slightly sultry in different passages. The lyrics outline a character with a much more depth than you’d catch on first listen, enticing you in like that confident figure under the disco ball. The mixing… I’d say the drums dominate a little too much but there’s always bonus points on offer for a well placed synth. 

The main refrain is constantly evolving with each pass. Building up through vocal harmonies and melodic repetition – capping off with some bass slaps – the song is engaging throughout, even with a relatively simple structure. [Effortless AND breezy?!]

Warm strings, occasionally plucked for sharp effect, form a lovely background to this big, disco picture. When paired with a Jamiroquai-like bassline – kneesliding across the floor – it amounts to a sound that begs you to get up and dance with it. 

“We can go to music as a dreamland escape, a moment in time to just dance and forget everything.” Raya says “Sisterhood can be a soul saver in those moments!”

She’s right. You can tell Raya had a lot of fun making this song and that feeling is infectious. Now go, and boogie on to the break o’ dawn. 

Tune into more Raya Max at the links below:

Website

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The track very much proves lightning can indeed strike the same place twice. Raya’s first single, ‘Starlight’, made its way onto BAFTA award-winning comedy ‘Alma’s Not Normal’ – a well-earnt launch pad for the diva to begin her rise to stardom. In keeping with the debut single’s own glitz and glamour, ‘Classy Lady’ collides worlds as the contemporary dancehall beats and groove-laden bass is met by Raya’s gospel deliveries – stemming from her Ghanian heritage for a rich and dynamic soundscape.

Raya also has no issue in making you think – as well as dance – as the track provokes an anti-materialistic stance against the general consensus of what it means to be “classy”; Raya instead offers something far more in keeping with the modern world.

“Are you loyal, are you truthful, do you appreciate your loved ones, are you there for them when they’re down, do you lift people up? This is the kind of classy lady I want to be this is the kind of classy ladies I have as my soul sister girlfriends and I’m so grateful this song is for you ladies!” – Raya Max

With far more sentiment than we’re perhaps used to hearing paired with a disco beat, Raya Max has set herself up to champion the genre’s second wind; here’s hoping it’s not a mere passing phase, but the start of a new chapter.

The post Single Review: Raya Max – Classy Lady appeared first on No.1 Music Blog.

Raya Max, London-based Ghanaian-British singer and songwriter, hits the UK disco scene with single ‘Starlight’, replete with electro driven beats and cleverly layered vocals that add groove with ease. Max aims to bring out all our inner disco divas, following the difficult time the UK and the world has gone through recently. Offering empowerment and release through the feel-good energy tracks.

Writing ‘Starlight’, Raya Max takes influence from traditional soul approaches, reminiscent of soul and funk powerhouses Stevie Wonder and Rod Temperton. Studying the vocal style of Patti Labelle, James Brown and Tina Turner, the 70’s Motown edge is subtly woven through her tracks, with composer Quincy Jones having made a huge impact on Max’s work.

Lyrically mirroring the feeling of liberation from a time of unhappiness and entrapment, backed by an equally freeing and funky instrumental, Raya Max herself says “we can go to music as a dreamland escape, a moment in time to just dance and forget everything”. Max goes on to say, “Sisterhood can be a soul saver in those moments!”. Showcasing high points and lilting mellow sections, ‘Starlight’ switches it up, meaning you can get out all your dance moves.

Weaving her African musical heritage through cleverly crafted use of multi-instrumental layers that get the dance floor filled and feet moving, Raya Max’s music is supported by talented Afro-Caribbean musicians. Inspired by the creativity of the LGBTQ+ community and the extravagance of London club culture., Raya performs with a flare of optimism and a fresh approach to disco soul, whilst paying homage to the 70’s disco movement.

You can listen to ‘Starlight’ and find Raya Max via the links below…

Website

Article by Olivia Barnes

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Having a song communicated to you through the paranormal plane isn’t everybody’s first assumption for ‘ordinary songwriting techniques’ but, in Jack Rose’s case, ‘ordinary’ was out of the question on latest single ‘Overdrive’.

Amidst the filming of his Amazon TV series ‘Ghost Hunting with Jack Rose’, specifically hunting for the ghost of Robert Welch in Shrewsbury prison, his phone would seemingly become possessed – repeating the, then unreleased, single’s lyrics: “Take me to another dimension…Only you can make me come alive.” From there, Rose took the track to this next performance to the acclaim of less supernatural crowds; and from there no further encouragement was needed to secure ‘Overdrive’ as the artist’s next release.

As for the song itself, ‘Overdrive’ is as much an ethereal experience as its otherworldly inception would have you believe. With Jack’s vocals soaked in a spectral reverb, his presence over the track will possess listeners and force them to move to the number’s driving, bombastic bass beats. It brings a glorious contrast to the incoming autumn chill, a blissful reminder of the summer just gone with memories of sticky dance floors and overpriced drinks brought firmly to the forefront of our minds.

It’s the type of quality that we, and his legions of followers (in both this world and beyond), have come to expect from Jack – the type of quality that propelled him onto the Official UK Music Week Commercial Pop Top 10 with his previous singles – and will only serve to grow the dance master’s rabid fanbase.

The accolades don’t stop there. Jack has graced both front and back covers of Music Week magazine, being championed by the Official Charts Company as “The One to Watch” and has amassed 3.3m views across YouTube; all at the age of 19. Jack Rose clearly has much more to give with many years of making dance halls writhe ahead of him; lets hope he stays in touch with his ghost writers.

Follow Jack Rose below:

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When you’ve worked behind names like Stormzy, Lisa Stansfield and IAMDDB, carving yourself an identity is no easy feat – having lived in the shadow of so many greats – but RnB star Medy Lema has found no issue in doing just that with new single “Fresh ‘n’ Nu”.

Carrying over a plethora of on-stage experience, performing to crowds since he was three, Lema’s persistence and bold spirit is told through autobiographical lyrics and pounding funk bass beats.

“I was in a difficult period of my life a few years ago but it was with the help of a few friends and the will of rising up that brought me this far because I’m not a quitter. Most of my songs are autobiographical in a way.” – Medy Lema

With this in mind, the Manchester-hailing genre-blender makes quick word from standing out from genre’s congested scene as the track bursts into a ripping guitar solo and funk jam to divert expectations and move feet; a sound as fresh and new as the title suggests.

Medy Lema is undoubtedly destined to take his unique brand of RnB, Soul, EDM and Funk to high places and beyond – whatever your musical preference, “Fresh ‘n’ Nu” is an undeniable hit and deserves to be heard.

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