R&B

Today's Track: Brittany Howard – “He Loves Me”

March 30, 2020 — Leave a comment

What better way to kick off a new week than with “The Real Deal”? It’s new post time!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Jaime” (Released on 20th September, 2019) (via ATO Records)

She truly is “The Real Deal”! I’m talking about four-time Grammy winner Brittany Howard, of course! I’m Jacob Braybrooke, writing about your daily track on the blog, as it’s my day-to-day pleasure to do so! Brittany Howard is an alternative R&B/Soul singer, with Gospel influences, from Athens in Alabama, in the the US! Hence the name of her former band, Alabama Shakes, whom Howard has been producing records with since 2009. She’s also the lead vocalist and songwriter for the aptly-named Thunderbitch! It sounds like a joke name, but Howard is actually a highly credible and gifted talent, hence why I think she’s “The Real Deal!”. With her powerful voice and her artistic writing flair, it’s easy for you to forget that she’s also done the production work behind most of her music. In most recent times, she’s been getting a little bit of mainstream attention, having performed on last New Year’s Eve’s Hootennany with Jools Holland and she also headlined the BBC Radio 6Music Festival in Camden earlier this year, replacing an unwell Michael Kiwanuka, in the Friday night headliner slot. “He Loves Me” is a single taken from her first solo record, “Jaime”, which was released last year by ATO Records. Let’s watch her perform the track below.

“He Loves Me” is a funk-rooted tour de force in contemplative, soulful R&B and personal, faith-based songwriting. Howard emotionally croons about a long-awaited, spiritual re-connection with God after a time where she was brought up away from her family church due to the passing of her older sister putting a damper on her religious values, but she’s found her voice as a result of finding God again. Howard uses a sample from a pastor’s sermon that she found on YouTube, which proclaims: “But we Christians ought not ever intentionally miss church”, a sample-based opening which leads to an upbeat performance from Howard, singing: “He loves me when I do what I want/He loves me, he doesn’t judge me” over a soulful, steady drum melody, which gets layered above an explosive bass guitar riff and a Trumpet chord. Howard sings: “I don’t need to know why/’Cause I know what love means/I don’t need forgivin'”, before repeating her main vocal hook: “He loves me when I’m smoking blunts/He loves me when I’m drinking too much”, as the sample of Rev. Terry K. Anderson’s service exclaims: “Somebodiness does not come from your opinion of God” in the background of the guitar-driven chorus and the knock-out vocal performance from Howard. I’d be intrigued to see what different Christian denominations would make of the lyrical content of the tune, as her blunt portrayal of God’s unconditional love is a thought-provoking theme. I really like the use of varied instrumentation on the track as well, with an eclectic mix of Jazz-based percussion, a late 1960’s rock-and-roll guitar sensibility and the robust, electric sample use within the vocal textures of the track. I think she really is “The Real Deal”!

  • Pictured: Brittany Howard performing her Friday headline set at the BBC Radio 6Music Festival in 2020 (via BBC)

Thank you very much for reading this post! Don’t forget to check back with the blog tomorrow, where I’ll be posting an in-depth review of a single from a collaborative album produced and recorded by a Florida-based musician who started rapping while in his sixth grade at school and released his first mixtape in 2011 – who’s been working with a Connecticut-based songwriter who’s produced records for the likes of Vince Staples, Gucci Mane and Zack Fox, among others! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today's Track: Jill Scott – "A Long Walk"

March 26, 2020 — 1 Comment

We are allowed to do one of these walks for exercise per day! It’s time for a new post!

  • Pictured: Jill Scott ahead of her 20th Anniversary World Tour (February 2019) (Photo Credit: Gail Mitchell/Billboard)

I’ve got a 00’s classic to write about today! It’s Jacob Braybrooke, hoping that you’re staying healthy of course, writing about your daily track on the blog, as it’s my day-to-day pleasure to do so! I rediscovered this classic earlier in the week, as it was played during Lauren Laverne’s Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 6Music. “A Long Walk” is just one of the beloved singles taken from Jill Scott’s “Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1”, her Grammy-Award nominated debut LP record. Though it’s predominantly an R&B record, she also fused elements of neo-soul, electronic jazz, trip-hop and gospel into the neat, cohesive album. It was certified platinum and Scott went on to receive positive acclaim for her future releases, namely “Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2” in 2004 and “The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3” from 2007. Scott went on to earn three Grammy Awards and, in more recent years, has become a successful actress in the likes of a 2015 biopic film “Get On Up” as well as starring in the lead role of Mma Ramotswe in the BBC/HBO co-produced TV series “The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency”, based on the critically acclaimed novels of the same name written by Alexander McCall Smith. So, let’s take “A Long Walk” with Jill Scott below…

Jill Scott paints a romanticized picture of a sunny afternoon stroll on “A Long Walk”, as she takes a break from her busy life with her partner. Scott starts: “You’re here/I’m pleased, I really dig your company/Your style, your smile, your peace mentality” in a mid-tempo speech-talk style over the top of a layered downbeat Soul sample. She has a flaunting Jazz aura, crooning: “Let’s take a long walk around the park after dark/Find a spot for us to spark conversation, verbal elation, stimulation” and “Share our situations, temptations, education, relaxations, elevations/Maybe we can talk about Surah 31:18”, a religious nod that feels very self-referential to the Gospel era of the late 70’s. She later suggests further activities: “Or maybe we can see a movie/Or maybe we can see a play on Saturday/Or maybe we can roll a tree and feel the breeze and listen to a symphony”, a refrain which continues at a steady pace under a relaxed keyboard riff and a quiet trumpet section. It’s 11 years old, but it still seems beautifally arranged and I love her Afro in the music video. I feel the songwriting is a tad basic and rather predictable in places, for example: “Let’s take a long walk around the park”, of course the next line is going to be “after the dark”, a slightly juvenile way of rhyming. I like the suggestive lyricism though, and it’s delivered with an engaging soul wit and an early talent for sampling material. A decent bit of exercise for the ears.

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds (Vol. 1)” (Released in 2000) (via Hidden Beach)

Thank you for reading this post! Stay inside – I’ll be back tomorrow with my in-depth thoughts on a recent favourite track of mine which comes courtesy of a famous American singer, bassist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who was the lead vocalist of the legendary US indie rock pioneers The Walkmen, of which he recorded seven well-liked and critically-acclaimed albums with! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Tawiah – “Recreate”

February 25, 2020 — Leave a comment

If you’ve heard this one before, why not ‘Recreate’ the experience with another listen?

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Starts Again” (October 2019) (Available from Tawiah’s page on Bandcamp.com)

It’s time for your new post! You’re reading the typing of a slightly exhausted Jacob Braybrooke and I’m finally here to deliver my thoughts on an exciting sound, as it’s my day-to-day pleasure to do so! “Recreate” is a track which I first heard on Steve Lamacq’s Roundtable show last week, a book-club-for-music style of show which he presents on BBC Radio 6Music on a Thursday evening here in the UK. It turns out the track isn’t quite as new as I thought it was, since an earlier version of “Recreate” was recorded for Tawiah’s “Recreate” EP back in 2017, before it was reworked with higher production values for “Starts Again”, her debut album, which was released in October 2019. I hadn’t been familiar with Tawiah’s work at all before hearing “Recreate” on Lamacq’s radio show. Tawiah is a Neo-Soul Singer-Songwriter based in South West London, who’s spent the last few years of her career writing, producing and recording her own material for several different labels, with “Starts Again” exploring her background as a black woman raised by a Pentecostal family. Tawiah made her earliest steps by getting involved with her church, where she became the youth Worship leader. She was inspired by her love of Jazz, R&B and Gospel music to teach herself how to play the clarinet, guitar and piano. Let’s give “Recreate” a listen below!

A heartfelt work of electronic neo-soul with a pinch of light hip-hop elements for good measure, Tawiah’s “Recreate” is an essentially anecdotal, urban-sprawled and fresh-sounding anthem on the nostalgic feeling of self-reflection and running away from your inner demons as you frantically search to find a light at the end of a dark tunnel. Tawiah repeats: “I’ve been searching/searching” a few times before completing her sequence: “For the love that we once had/For the freedom that we felt”, before refraining: “I’ve been running/running”, which she concludes with: “Now my legs are numb” as she references a feeling of chasing an ambition or a desire of recapturing youth in her relationship, to no avail. Tawiah repeats the lines, soundtracked by an introspective Funk guitar melody and a calm, mid-tempo vocal delivery. She offers to “Recreate the times”, a catchy hook she follows up with: “Take me home”, as a light crescendo of synth lines and string-based melodies quickly wash over her soulful vocal arrangements, signaling an internal breakthrough to the beat of a 70’s-influenced Jazz and Soul street texture. Her personality continues to translate across to the listener, which is thanks to the distinctively British context of the track, most of which is down to the potent lyricism and the nostalgic callbacks to Prince and Chic with the line of “Recreating” the times. I’m also getting a slight influence from Damon Albarn in the downbeat tempo of the backing vocals. Tawiah continues to move forward: “I’ve been thinking/Of the times we were so close”, “I could hear you when you spoke”, with the subtle pop grooves of the “Recreate the times” line bringing hazy synthpop effects to the old-school R&B/Soul sound. In mixing a discernibly classic 70’s Soul sound with the electronic effects of a modern Jazz sensibility of electronic production work, Tawiah manages to create a vibrant and exciting sound from the remnants of a much older influence. Along with the Arlo Parks record that I covered on the blog yesterday, it sounds like a new artistic boom of contemporary, sincere and fresh Soul music is coming from the South London area. Keep it rolling, I say! On ‘Recreate’, Tawiah is a stunning new voice of Alternative Soul!

  • Pictured: Tawiah in a photoshoot to promote the release of “Starts Again” (2019) (Photo Credit: Studio Myrrh)

Thank you very much for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look at a recent track from an Australian Electronic Dance group who have made friends with the likes of Noel Gallagher and U2 while touring in Melbourne, with the group explaing their plans to have The Edge playing a Tambourine part on a future release in an interview with the Triple J radio station in the US. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Arlo Parks – “Eugene”

February 24, 2020 — 1 Comment

Perhaps you should “Park” your pre-conceptions at the door! It’s time for a new post!

  • Pictured: Arlo Parks in a photoshoot for an interview with diymag.com (December 2019) (Photo Credit: Jenn Five)

Good Evening to you, this is Jacob “The Music Lover” Braybrooke writing about your daily track on the blog, as it’s my day-to-day errand to do so! I actually discovered this new artist just yesterday afternoon, at time of writing, through listening to Steve Lamacq’s Roundtable show from Thursday night via catch-up. This is a brand new single from Arlo Parkes, a Soul singer-songwriter from South London, who’s been working with Loyle Carner, and his brother Ryan, with the two directing the music video for her latest single “Eugene”. Parks was nominated for the BBC’s Sound Of 2020 poll, which was ultimately won by Celeste, who scooped up the Critics Choice Award at last week’s BRIT Awards, which is the annual prize for doing so. Parks hasn’t released a full-length album yet, but she’s released two EP’s, “Sophie” and “Super Sad Generation”, along with other singles including the likes of “Cola”, “Second Guessing” and “Romantic Garbage”. I haven’t had the spare time yet to check out some of Arlo Parks’ other singles, but I really like the music video for “Eugene” and I thoroughly enjoyed the song on my first listen. I guess you could say that’s a spoiler, but I think it’s just common sense really because why would I be introducing you to a song that I didn’t like? Hear what the fuss is about with the video for “Eugene” below.

A fresh, emerging talent who is currently signed to Transgressive Records, Arlo Parks displays a sensual knack for storytelling with the subtle grooves, lo-fi guitar strums and the tender, gentle pacing that carries the narrative of the track through with an emotional quality of warmth, but also with a broken, melancholic sense of trepidation due to her complicated bond with a friend who she, quite simply, wants to be more than friends with. Parks recites her lyrics with a direct approach and a first-person perspective, it’s almost like she’s writing a confessional diary entry or even a written letter to her crush-friend interest. She’s emotionally hurt and vulnerable by the simple fact that her interest is currently dating a guy, leading to a soft anger about her interest reading Sylvia Platt with their new lover (“I thought that was our thing), as well as playing him the records that Parks showed them. She even calls the guy she’s dating “a son of a b—-” at one point, but the tone of the track remains calm and collected due to the soft, acoustic sounds and the honest, genuine delivery of her intimate vocals. The chorus goes: “Hey/I know I’ve been a little bit off but that’s my mistake/I kind of fell half in love but you’re to blame/I guess I just forgot that we’ve been mates since day”, capped off with the light-footed stunner “Yeah, I don’t know what to say”, a line that chillingly sinks in. I think the music video is superbly directed, with the facial expressions and body gestures of Parks and the supporting cast telling the story in a direct, but emotive, way that doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. I’d also love to point out the fact that Parks is a black female artist who is singing about her crush on another girl, played by a white actress, in the video – but it just feels like part of the song and it’s story, rather than a political statement or a loud footnote for diversity. I feel the visual editing of the video nails the aesthetics of the track and also carries the story along very well. A fantastic video. The single itself is simple, but effective, I give top marks to it – I really think it’s just absolutely fantastic!

  • Pictured: Official tour date poster for Arlo Parks’ “Super Sad Generation” European Tour (2020) (via Twitter)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual – with an in-depth look at another emerging talent who is an Alternative Neo-Soul artist, also from South London, who started her career as a Worship Leader at her church! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Yirim Seck – (feat. Adra Boo) – “2 Scoops”

February 4, 2020 — Leave a comment

It has nothing to do with the famed Gladiators contestant! It’s time for your new post!

  • Pictured: Yirim Seck in a still image of the music video for “(We Call It) Murder” (September 2016)

Good night to you, it’s a late-night one for me today! So busy, but it’s my duty to write about a different song on the blog every single day! Jacob Braybrooke writing, as promised, and I’m here to write a glowing review for the track “2 Scoops” by Seattle-based rapper Yirim Seck, which features guest vocals from the amazing Adra Boo. It’s an album track taken from the latest Yirim Seck LP release, “Hear Me Out Too [Seckond Edition]”, a spiritual successor to his debut album, “Hear Me Out” released way back in 2009. Yirim Seck is a wordsmith MC who I’ve only recently discovered and I spent the whole of last weekend streaming most of his discography after hearing “Clicks” on KEXP’s Song Of The Day podcast. He usually leads a very outspoken, policially charged and street poet sound, but “2 Scoops” sees him explore a much more romantic style of lyricism and composition. Let’s give “2 Scoops” a listen below.

11 views on YouTube and counting! HOW? Call me an angry little nerd, but it deserves a lot more recognition than that because this is simply an absolutely wonderful little tune. Seck implements elements of Jazz and Soul with the use of saxophone samples and a wistful piano melody. Seck begins: “The modern grove/the good game with nice clothes/the execute and principles”, as he begins to tell the story of a random date where Ice Cream is heavily featured. He describes the encounter: “Start conversation/name, age, occupation/had to tone down the lingo/so as not to be abravise” before he whispered in her ear: “Meet me by that ice cream stand/I’ll buy you two scoops”, before the feminine vocals of Adra Boo chime in: “I keep replaying back to where you said hi/Wondering in my mind if you’re that guy/Trying to make me your favourite flavour” over a sugar-sweet line of twinkling keyboard notes and an intersecting Trip Hop beat. Seck makes me laugh at the point where he recites: “As always, I leave a trip for the Ice Cream man” before hitting the shore of the beach with his date. Seck says: “like my ice cream, I hope she doesn’t melt away so soon”. The whole experience seemed a bit sketchy to the girl, but Boo later expresses the genuine emotions of having a nice time chilling out with Seck: “I can’t say that you hadn’t made an impression/You’re clear with your tongue, no need for a second passion”, before she croons: “So I don’t see why I wouldn’t let you walk with me/Moving and Chilling with me/You’re a cool breeze just like this Ice Cream/So let’s see what this could be”, followed by another verse as the soft piano melodies fizzles out to the tune of a glitched-out synth line. In case you hadn’t figured it out yet, I LOVE THIS SONG SO DAMN MUCH! I love how Seck tells a witty anecdote and a genuine expression of love in the form of beautifally layered street poetry and the result is a bright, colourful summertime rap bop which allows us to see a diffrent side to Seck’s talents – while seeming very genuine and heartfelt at every turn. I love how I can easily tell that every single lyric is coming from the bottom of his heart and the jazz-tinged instrumentation feels very inspired as a result. It’s a nice and accessible tune that anybody can listen to and enjoy with very little challenge, although it is quietly experimental and doesn’t sound corporate or commercially-oriented at all. It’s simply just excellent hip-hop music. Like a melting Ice Cream, this is a treat to savour!

  • Pictured: Yirim Seck performing “Crush On You” in a “Stories About Home” video for Seattle Times (2019)

I recently covered a different song by Yirim Seck, “Crush On You”, a tonally different story of moving on from a long-term relationship and his local community becoming a playground for the rich, of which you can still read my thoughts on here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/01/25/todays-track-yirim-seck-crush-on-you/

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Hear Me Out Too [Seckond Edition]” (Released in November 2019)

Thank you for reading this post! I hope you enjoyed reading the post as much as I enjoyed discovering this wonderful piece of music! As always, I’ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look at an interesting house tune from a German electronic dance music producer who went on an iconic album tour with LCD Soundsystem and created a highly acclaimed remix for one of The Knife’s track “Marble House” in 2006! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Pink Lotion – “Activated”

January 31, 2020 — Leave a comment

It’s been a good 7 months since I “activated” my blog, but I’ve somehow managed to keep up with it every day since! It’s a real mystery to me… It’s time for your new post!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Lusters” (EP release) (December 2019)

Good afternoon to you, Jacob Braybrooke, as always, writing about your daily track on my blog, One Track At A Time! Two powerhouses of the Seattle local independent music scene, Erik Blood and Rachael Ferguson, have recently teamed up for the sensual, pop-laden collaborative project, Pink Lotion. One of Blood’s solo LP’s, “Lost In Slow Motion”, originally released in April 2016, is one of my all-time favourite alternative albums, so I was very delighted to hear about the project when I saw that Seattle music and arts organization KEXP had premiered the official music video for “Activated” on their radio station’s website. “Activated” is the closing track on the Pink Lotion EP, “Lusters”, a six-track release which was dropped on their Bandcamp artist page on December 18, 2019. Let’s take a look at the video for “Activated” below.

The music video features Blood, on the right, in a black wide-brimmed top hat and a pink scarf while Ferguson, on the left, wears a similarly bright-coloured pink dress with an elaborate headdress topped with several small coloured balls. It also features cameos from many other musicians from the Seattle indie music scene – such as Emily Nokes from Tacocat, Lelah Maupin and Ishmael Butler, who works as Blood’s collaborator on the Knife Knight project, among a few others. They aren’t necessarily taking it very seriously and neither are Blood or Ferguson, which is a very good thing. “Activated” starts off with the memorable vocal hook: “I would like to know/how to say your name/I would like to see/how you play the game”, a sensual nod to late-night sex calls and adult chat rooms. A call-and-response format begins to follow, as Ferguson calls the likes of: “I won’t let you win/Nobody can lose/Do I have consent?”, while Blood responds with the likes of: “I won’t let you win but I have to say/Nobody can lose, not the way I play/Do I have consent/and if you’re all set”. The lyrics are very suggestive and the playful vibes of the electronic production work, triggered by a bouncing synth pad and a bassline which feels dipped in the purple glitter of an 80’s bass guitar melody, with added reverb for extra measure. This leads into a gorgeous, atmospheric bridge: “Tell me when my sun is shining/Baby I can see your star is rising”, another instance of the very comedically sexual writing on the track. It mostly reminds me of Blood Orange, as it infuses elements of classic R&B and Soul, along with an overall Prince influence. On the surface, it appears completely different to the gloomy atmosphere and the spiritual tone, created through a darker texture, on Blood’s “Lost In Slow Motion”. It deals with similar themes of disconnection with a lover as well as intense, personal feelings of isolation and intimacy, though. I think the dark synth-pop underlayer also forms part of the Bread and Butter Pudding of this Pop project as well, due to the light sprinklings of guitar riffs and the euphoric sense of romance which provides a synth-based backdrop to the sound, although the tone and mood is much more light-hearted and tongue-in-cheek compared to the sound of “Lost In Slow Motion”. Overall, I’m really glad that I’ve discovered the project, with other tracks including the funny titles of “Sex On Mars” and “Moisturbate”, although there is a professionalism which holds the overall sound together very well. Overall, this is a deeply satisfying and curiously appealing exploration of progressive synthpop within a context which endlessly has a lot more to give, unfolding and rewarding in repeated listens. Make sure you check out the EP!

  • Pictured: Erik Blood (Producer) and Rachael Ferguson (Lyrics/Vocals) in a photoshoot for “Lusters” (December 2019)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look at the brand new track from Enfield’s finest, an indie rock songwriter who gained his big breakthrough from winning the Emerging Talent competition at Glastonbury Festival in 2015! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Josef Salvat – “In The Afternoon”

January 29, 2020 — Leave a comment

Often likened to Morrissey, Lana Del Rey and Gotye, you could spend your whole afternoon streaming this track from Josef Salvat! I’ve got better things to do though…

  • Pictured: Josef Salvat in a minimalist photoshoot for his “In Your Prime” EP (2014) (Photo Credit: Culture.com)

Jacob Braybrooke here, with your daily track, as promised! Last month or so ago, Sydney-born singer-songwriter from London, Josef Salvat, returned from a 4-year hiatus with the track “Modern Anxiety”, his first piece of new music since the release of his debut LP, “Night Swim”, released in February 2016 here in the UK, although it was released in September in most other European territories before then, for some odd reason. Nonetheless, it was a far-from-perfect, but very diverse and crowd-pleasing pop record which still went down as a “Jacob Classic” in my book as he’s still pretty unknown. He’s since released another new track, accompanied by an official music video, “In The Afternoon”, in January. It’s taken me a little bit of time to get around to reviewing this track due to my busy schedules, but I’m writing to see how it lives up to “Night Swim” and to see if it’s an improvement upon his return track, “Modern Anxiety”, which I found to be underwhelming. Let’s have a listen to it below!

It looks like Josef’s been up to some naughty business this time! Good for him though, as he seems to have the perfect Afternoon lined up for himself. An intimate, care-free pop jolt, “In The Afternoon” starts off with a swiping synth that swells it’s grips around the main vocals of the track. Salvat sings: “You like your coffee black and your drinks strong” and “You like your hair pulled back and your nights long” with a quick-witted, rhythmic R&B style. He adds: “Stay for a while/I’m not busy, if you wanted, you could spend the whole afternoon”, with a dark-tinted layer of auto-tune layered above his vocals. In the video, he has a romantic, if kept simple, evening with multiple lovers as they eat takeaways, catapult around the bed and mess around with alcohol, adding a paint of imagination to the fantasy happenings. It’s a slightly interesting concept, but again, as with “Modern Anxiety”, I just don’t find the music to be very interesting at all. I’m good with unashamedly pop and I’m a big fan of that style, but it sounds like the auto-tune machine is used a little bit too much and the ultimate problem that I have is that, after a 4-year absence, Salvat has returned and doesn’t seem to have anything very interesting to say to us or explore, lyrically. It just sounds very manufactured and it’s probably not entirely his fault. Knowing the industry and the fact he’s signed to a major label, it sounds like the label have been having a lot of interference with his creative direction. If you look back to his early tracks like “Shoot and Run” and “This Life”, he’s got a very unique style of vocal performance and he lends himself very well to a dark-pop use of synthesized beats, which got me to really notice his talent in the first place. Overall, I think there’s some great harmonies here and there, but it’s weighed down by bland lyricism and a corporate feeling that seems destined to relegate it to streaming playlist fodder. It’s a big shame for me to express, but as with “Modern Anxiety”, it’s flat and disappointing.

  • Pictured: Josef Salvat in an intimate photoshoot for his “Paradise” music video (2016) (Photo Credit: DIY Mag)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, with a look at a new track from an independent American pop singer-songwriter who shares her surname with a brand of dairy products, namely Mayonnaise and cheese spread, from the US. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: HONNE – “Warm On a Cold Night”

December 17, 2019 — 1 Comment

As I’m typing, I’m sitting comfortably at my desk in my sister’s old bedroom, mine over the Christmas period, as I’ve made the trek back from University to the family home! Here’s a winter warmer of a new post to liven up your cold Tuesday afternoon!

  • Pictured: James Hutcher (left) (Keyboard, Synths) and Andy Clutterback (right) (Lead Vocals, Producer)

“Warm On A Cold Night” by HONNE, a London electro-soul duo comprised of Andy Clutterback and James Hutcher, is a track that has always meant a lot to me, as they were one of the bands who I discovered in this weird 2015 phase of my life where I was sitting between school and college, finding my own path as a new young adult in the world, with the discovery of this duo helping me through the awkward period. The track later became the title of the duo’s debut album, which was released in 2016. However, the track was originally released as one of their first recordings on their debut EP in 2015, released by Tatamae Recordings. HONNE have come a long way since then and have ditched the early mystery to their careers when they would reveal very little of their personal lives to their loyal fanbase, however, they still go down as underrated in my book. Good afternoon to you, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about HONNE’s (True feelings in Japanese) track, “Warm On A Cold Night”.

An appropriate title for a foggy and rainy Tuesday afternoon/early evening such as right now, “Warm On A Cold Night” by HONNE, is a delightful R&B, old-school soul-laden electronic belter of an intimate tune, once described by The Telegraph as “Futuristic Soul” and “Babymaking Music” in 2015. The track kicks off with a mock late-night radio announcement, as the presenter pleads to “keep you warm on a cold, cold night” before the lead vocals from Andy immediately snatch the lead off him. The lead rhythm is a melodic take on sophisticated synthpop, a precursor to the sexual lyrics filled with hopeful romance, instead of a necessarily explicit sound. It’s backdropped by a smooth layer of sleek keyboard riffs and the duo’s R&B/soul influences, which feel heatwarming and familiar to fans of the duo during their early beginnings. The sound is very down-tempo and low-pitched, although there is an evocation of moody and gloomy London on a night ridden with frost and snow. It feels claustrophobic, yet emphatic, which is an intriguing mix of emotions and conventions. I feel the pick-up style of the vocals won’t be to suit everybody’s tastes, with the themes of super-slick flirtation possibly coming off as meandering for some, but I will always remember the track as a glimpse of the artists’ career at the time and a strong invention of the duo’s identity while they were finding their feet within their discography and artistic concepts, with the best material obviously yet to come, as they didn’t quite have it nailed down, to the fullest extent, yet. A track for a cold night.

  • Pictured: HONNE performing “Coastal Love” on the BBC Introducing stage at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend (2015)

Thank you very much for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as we get back to the festivities with a comedic track by a funny man from London who was once described by BBC Introducing’s Gary Crowley as “Guaranteed to put a smile on even the grumpiest of faces…an absolute favourite”! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Girl Ray – “Girl”

November 27, 2019 — 1 Comment

The girls of North London are finally back in town! It’s time for your Wednesday post!

  • Pictured: Poppy Franklin (Guitar, Vocals), Iris McConnell (Drums) and Sophie Moss (Bass Guitar)

Girl Ray, made up of Poppy Franklin (vocals, guitar), Iris McConnell (drums) and Sophie Moss (bass guitar), are an alternative pop group formed in their home of North London in 2015. They later released “Earl Grey”, their debut LP record, back in August 2017. The follow-up, “Girl”, was released on 22nd November via the Moshi Moshi label. No, not Moshi Monsters! The trio love to specialise in small-scale psychedelic punk, with the girls releasing their first track, “Ghostly”, on Soundcloud while studying for their A-levels. The girls have cited the likes of Cate Le Bon and Rundgren as influences for their new record, a sophomore lo-fi critical darling that gives you a sugary sweet texture with electro-synth hooks and ambitious songwriting. “Girl”, a staple of the daytime BBC Radio 6Music playlist, is the title track of the new LP record.

Naming themselves as a pun of low-key Avant-garde icon Man Ray, Girl Ray have since been headstrong in their pursuit of experimental pop vibes and a sonic juxtaposition between cool and receptively geeky. It’s a sentiment that can be found on “Girl”, a single which is full of glossy electronic production work and endearingly imperfect percussion. Lyrically, this is a wistful indie-pop metaphor of adolescent romance and subtle youtful angst. Franklin recites: “I’ve got a lot of love to give/You’ve got a lot of love to give/And we can have fun, play games/Or you can just hold my hand” and “Course of true love never did run smooth/I wanna move right up next to you/Wear my t-shirt by the pool/I love the way you work that room so cool”, establishing an indebted tone of playfulness and a sensual tone. It reminds me of Haim and The Beach Boys, but Girl Ray take a creative boldness to up the synth work, as Franklin croons: “Girl won’t you be my…” and conveying a rhythmic harmony with: “You’re my high school sweetheart prom-queen babe/And I’m the nerdy boy that the jocks all hate”, a playful R&B-like jive that feels instantly recognizable for a young audience. The lyrics are each delivered under the sounds of funk-laden guitars, 1980’s keyboard melodies and groove-ridden, new-wave percussion. Although the overall style is more polished than some of the band’s prior efforts, I feel this track doesn’t quite find it’s own identity and the cracks of the group still finding their feet as a new artist are still present. This is because, although the song isn’t afraid to pull electronic influences from a couple of different genres, I feel the lyrical content doesn’t quite reach into a higher gear, lacking a cohesive quality that blends the different styles into one package more neatly. I think it’s down to their work on the new record with Ash Workman, a producer who’s been credited to the likes of Christine & The Queens, Metronomy and Stealing Sheep. I get the sense that he’s not quite the right collaborator for Girl Ray, as the production work seems a little bit makeshift and they sound much like these other acts. However, “Girl” is still an overall enjoyable track that has a very charming pastiche style and an intoxicating combination of nostalgia and beauty. The group are very talented, but I think they are capable of a little better.

  • Pictured: Girl Ray in a promotional photoshoot for “Earl Grey” (November 2015)

Thank you very much for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with an in-depth look at one of the tracks from Beck’s new LP, “Hyperspace”, which was released on Friday! It has not been released as a single though! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Ms. Lauryn Hill – “Guarding The Gates”

November 19, 2019 — Leave a comment

It’s been a long day and a long night, but I’m here and it’s finally time for today’s post!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill” (1998)

The day’s almost been as long as the wait for new material from Ms. Lauryn Hill, who has just released her first solo track, “Guarding The Gates”, in five years! Lauryn Hill is an absolute, stone-cold legend of the industry. She’s one of the most influential artists of all-time, with a very dedicated fanbase of nerds who will always love her and cherish any new material she pumps out, myself included, even though she’s only released one official LP record, “The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill”, which was a hot new release back in ’98. However, it’s an absolute belter of a record, selling over 19 million copies worldwide and being critically regarded as one of the best albums of all-time. It’s pretty damn hard to ever make a follow-up to that, and the record didn’t really need one, so Hill hasn’t made a sequel. She started her career as a member of 80’s group The Fugees, but she went on to record the solo LP after the band had split up, which famously earned ten nominations at the Grammy Awards of 1999, with the album winning five awards, including Album Of The Year and Best New Artist. Critics absolutely fell in love with Hill and so did the hearts of the international audiences. “Guarding The Gates” is her new track, her first since 2014’s “Black Rage”. It’s also the soundtrack for an upcoming film, “Queen & Slim”, set for release on January 31, 2020.

“Guarding Of The Gates” is an alternative hip-hop track with a very mature sound, which combines elements of old-school R&B and neo-soul electronica. It kicks off with an elegant, rhythmic guitar riff, before a sweet and soulfully-written chorus of vocals kicks in, as Hill chimes: “Everybody, everybody wants to know/Where you’re goin’ to, what you’re runnin’ from/What you’re goin’ through, where you’re comin’ from”, which builds up to an orientally-influenced composition of a steady drum and a groovy bass hook, as Hill sings: “All that you could be is a spectacle, following after every single miracle/Watch them marvel at, all the joy you have/But they’re too important to have all the joy you have, what a tragedy, you can laugh at me,” with Hill tackling ideas of finding self-actualization in a situation full of doubt and unrest. The track clearly has it’s roots set in contemporary R&B, but it has a real old-school tinge of psychedelia and an earthly melody to it – which cleverly walks a line between the input of blues, soul and R&B – with lyrical aesthetics which evoke some of Hill’s iconic hip-hop work in the past, all of which is conjoined together by harp melodies and ambient synth instrumentation. The end result is an enjoyable and consuming rap ballad which has a lot of power and heft behind it. Move over Cardi B, she’s still got it!

  • Pictured: Ms. Lauryn Hill performing a live set on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival (2019)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with an in-depth look at an early 00’s track from an Icelandic artist who has had a surprisingly large number of 20 singles to reach the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/