Another edition of the best new music, albums and EPs of the past month. Our On The Wave playlist is updated with our favourite singles.
Faye Meana – After The Rain EP
Just over a year and some change has passed since she blessed with easily one of the best projects of 2019 (Shades of A Dreamer), Fay Meana is back with new music in After The Rain.
The short 4 track EP showcases Faye’s ability to provide eclectic sultry soul that is truly heartwarming. Despite this being a short project, After The Rain manages to provide a nice variety of sounds whilst remaining cohesive. Then, when you add the fact that Faye not only wrote but also produced the entire project, further showcasing her amazing musical talents.
The EP kicks off with the reggae soul-inspired Like Honey that truly sets the tone. Sonically the track literally takes you to a chilling at the beach vibe, with Faye’s infectiously smooth vocals taking you away. Things then take an up-tempo step on the second track Anywhere. A track which has a very early 90s feel to it, with melodic keys and synths alongside a jumpy upbeat drumline taking centre stage. That being said, Faye again vocally dazzles throughout providing effortless velvet-smooth melodies that simply keep you in the vibe!
Track 3, Your Type is probably the most intimate track on the EP with Faye showcasing her ability to write a true love song. Laidback Sade-esque production is on show here with Faye’s storytelling on love being the premise of the track. The 4th and final track on the EP is Here Comes That Feeling, the lead single taken off the project. Faye’s vocals and way of manipulating melodies regardless of the vibe of the track are again in full flow. The track again very much feels 80s / 90s inspired but modernised to fit perfectly into 2020 effortlessly.
On the whole, After The Rain is another prime example as to why Faye Meana is easily one of the most organically eclectic soul artists doing it right now. Based on her discography to date to this point, a full-length project from her would truly hit different!
Blue Note Re:imagined
Compilation albums are becoming less and less of a thing in music releases. However, this month saw a collection of eclectic Jazz-Soul artists come together on the album, Blue Note Re:imagined. The UK Jazz scene has been truly prolific in recent years and the project pays homage to tracks originally produced from the well-renowned jazz label Blue Note Records.
Blue Note is to Jazz music what Motown Records is to Soul music and has played a prestigious role within the history of jazz for over 80 years.
Blue Note Re:imagined is an amalgamation of a wide variety of artists. Ranging from vocalists like Jorja Smith, Jordan Rakei and Yasmin Lacey to household jazz acts Ezra Collective, Nubya Garcia and Alfa Mist to name a few.
The balance of having decades of music revisited into 2020 blends very well and comes across seamlessly on the album. And despite the eclectic mix of artists on the compilation project, nothing on the album feels disjointed. All of the tracks flow wonderfully well and have a cohesive aesthetic musically. Interestingly, the tracks whilst keeping their jazz roots, also embrace other influences of R&B and Hip-Hop elements in parts which keeps things fresh throughout.
Blue Note Re:imagined on the whole, illustrates how influential jazz has been to the overall sound of music and how it can be rejuvenated to even further great effect. Each song makes a worthy statement as well as having value artistically. Where many compilations projects can hit a ceiling during the listen, this album remains playful as consistently vibrant throughout.
Che Lingo – The Worst Generation
South Wests finest aka ‘The Wizard of Wandsworth’ aka Che Lingo this month released his debut album The Worst Generation. A full-length album has been highly anticipated for some time after blowing us away with the 3 EPs (Better Versions – (2016), Charisma (2018) & Sensitive (2019))
Without question, Che Lingo is one of the most versatile rappers in the UK scene at the moment. A witty rapper with fantastic depth and confidence to his bars he definitely cuts through a stacked list as the UK rap scene progresses.
His confidence and eclectic ability to veer towards the unconventional makes him not only a stand out rapper but this also translates to the musicality of the album. With Jazz, Trap, Grime and Soul influences on show throughout, The Worst Generation provides something for everyone whilst not diluting the message behind the music. Features on the album remain varied and are used sparingly across the project arriving courtesy of Ghetts, Kojey Radical, Sam Henshaw and soulful songstress Rachel Chinouriri.
Themes of introspection, mental health and everyday life battles are prevalent on the project with Che Lingo’s vivid wordplay helping to paint pictures that resonate from beginning to end. Tracks such as ‘South’, ‘Black Ones’ ,‘A Bit Insecure’ all touch on the daily obstacles that youth within inner cities specifically London face. The whys behind these topics are also touched on during the 12 track album which is refreshing in the current hip-hop climate, with the whys of situations often not being explained about through art.
The Worst Generation is introspective album, without ever coming across as preachy. Sonically, the album flows exceptionally well and shows Che’s growth between his EPs and this debut full-length. The album documents Che Lingo’s story which is one many can relate to and is musically diverse for it to cut through as a standout hip-hop album.
Isabelle Brown – In Your Head
When you are talented, age really is no obstacle with the hugely talented singer/songwriter Isabelle Brown being a prime example of this. The seventeen-year-old singer from Brighton has a voice beyond her years and this month released her second project In Your Head.
This is the follow up to her EP, 03 released in 2019. The four track EP was a introductory project which showcased her talent to the world and it’s been a steady rise since. She has so far gone on to play sold-out shows in London and Brighton. As well as supporting the likes of Lauryn Hill, Brittany Howard, Jamila Woods, Oscar Jerome, and Black Pumas.
When describing her project, Isabelle adds: “The project has been like a diary for me because it includes songs written in response to some personal events and relationships I’ve had during the last couple of years… Other tracks are more outward-looking and relate more to world events, and how to deal with them. I guess you could say some tracks on ‘In Your Head’ describe how I feel, while other tracks describe what I do to address how I feel.”
The 20-minute project, showcases elevated growth from Isabelle. With her experimenting with a variety of sounds whilst remaining true to her soulful roots. That being said, her vocals are really what shines through consistently on the project. With a raspy tone that simply gives you chills, accompanied by an array of soulfully based melodies, In Your Head really makes for a very smooth listen The project also consists of one feature from UK rapper on ‘Living For The Moment’ which again provides all the deserved spotlight on Isabelle. Simply put, Isabelle Brown is a name to truly become familiar with and we look forward to following her musical journey.
