Another month of an avalanche of great music. Our no-skip, ever fresh On the Wave playlist is updated with our favourites from the likes of Mahalia, Bryson Tiller, Sasha Keable, KALLITECHNIS and more. Plus new projects from VanJess, Lucky Daye, Benjamin A.D, Sykes and Nyhasina.
Enjoy the playlist and our picks of 5 new albums and EPs you need in your life below.
Lucky Daye – Table For Two
On the eve of Valentine’s Day weekend, Lucky Daye delighted us with his new project, Table For Two.
For Table For Two, Daye plucked a flawless feature list. The 7-track project features musical contributions from Ari Lennox, Tiana Major9, Joyce Wrice, Mahalia, Yebba and Queen Naija who all add spice to the romantically influenced album. Lucky Daye continues to rise whilst never dumbing down his soulful sounds. In 2020, he was nominated in nearly every R&B Grammys category. Something that these days is virtually impossible. Moreover, Daye has made the adjustment from songwriter to main artist appear seamless and Table For Two further cements this.
The tracks on the album play out as individual date scenes, going along with the Table For Two theme. With Daye appearing to make notes towards the end of many of the tracks. That said, despite the heavy female features, the project is not lovey dovey puppy love romantic ballads. In many ways quite the opposite. Lucky Daye touches on the relatable rollercoaster of love. Themes of breakups, miscommunications and frustrations are revealed throughout the 23 minute album.
A clear example of this is on My Window, featuring Mahalia. The trade off between what both parties are willing to compromise within a relationship is delightfully touched on over the classic Ann Peebles ‘I Cant Stand The Rain’ sample. Surprisingly, the idea to create Table For Two came to Daye by chance. Whilst working on his new album, he realised that he had tracks with a lot of women, so thought to dedicate a project to women-only collaborations. Table For Two is a brilliant execution of the concept, packed into a short album.
Benjamin A.D – MOOD: EP
As Hip-Hop and R&B continue to amalgamate, as do the types of artists it continues to birth. Benjamin A.D this month released his new MOOD: EP.
Benjamin delivers honest, relatable lyrics over a fusion of styles sonically, which enable both sides to flourish. MOOD: is a collection of 5 tracks that cohesively play wonderfully well with Benjamin sharing some snapshots of his experiences.
Kicking off 2021 on a high, delivers a short, concise EP which despite only being 15 minutes long, delivers a big punch. As always Benjamin takes the reflective introspective stance with his bars and each track offers a different scenario. The opening track ‘Thinking Out Loud (No Luck)‘ considers life’s perceived narratives; ‘Trouble‘ sees Benjamin unlearning masculinity from a toxic view point. ‘F*ck The World’ showcases his refusal to accept the cards life has served; ‘Money Me‘ considers his way out and lastly ‘Broke’ sees him reflecting on his lifestyle and as well as choices.
This mesh of introspective hip-hop with soulful production and smooth melodies is exactly what the game needs right now and simply put Benjamin A.D is offering this and them some.
VanJess – Homegrown
The dynamic R&B duo are back with their new EP Homegrown. For sisters Ivana and Jessica, this is the follow up to their 2018 debut album, Silk Canvas (cannot believe it’s been 3 years already!)
Where Silk Canvas was much more eclectic, VanJess took a more traditional soulful route on Homegrown. With this greater sense of clarity in direction, comes a more well-rounded listen throughout Homegrown’s 9-track.
But do not get it twisted, VanJess are still oozing sauce, delivering R&B on their own terms. Themes of sexuality, sensuality, openness and stories of romance are delightfully spread throughout the project effortlessly.
And whilst the sound on Homegrown is much more channelled in the soul lane, the tempo of the tracks is diversified throughout. Tracks like ‘Come Over’, ‘Caught Up’ & ‘DYSFUNCTIONAL’ display this shift very reminiscent of 80’s disco soul. However, Homegrown reaches its peak when VanJess are in their R&B bag. Tracks ‘High & Dry’, ‘Boo Thang’ & ‘Come Down’ being prime examples of this. The ability of VanJess to vocally weave their way in and out of the varied tempos on Homegrown is outstanding. With harmonies that are meshed effortlessly between tracks, adding so much depth to the overall sound.
Above all on Homegrown, Ivana and Jessica shine through as women in full control throughout the EP. Confident women who aren’t afraid to embrace their sexuality and more importantly communicate their needs. This, blended with a smooth mix of soul throughout, make for a colorful and very enjoyable listen.
Sykes – We and Us EP
Rotterdam-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist as well as producer (I know right?!) Sykes this month released his new EP ‘We and Us’.
The five track EP, entirely written and produced by Sykes is truly a musical melting pot. The EP pulls on jazz piano loops, neo-soul melodies and rich and ambiguous vocals. Sykes has drawn comparisons to the likes of Alfa Mist and James Blake. Something that you can hear in parts on the project. Sykes creates smooth electronic music containing shades of everything from UK garage and broken beat, from soul to jazz.
Sykes is part of Rotterdam’s refreshing eclectic evolving music scene, and we are here for it. Check out a live performance of the first single from the EP, ‘We and Us’.
Nyhasina – Essentially for the Aesthetic
Essentially for the Aesthetic, the new EP from the talented singer, Nyhasina, is deeply soulful. Jam-packed with smooth sounding thematic production, the 4-track EP packs a mean punch.
Vocally, Nyhasina shines throughout. Melodically on point, the blend between traditional and modern R&B works well. A prime example of this is on ‘Light’. Here, Nyhasina’s soulful storytelling over a piano-led produced beat is a standout moment.
