West Coast mainstays and frequent collaborators Cashus King and Blu have returned with a new single called “Black Israelis (The New World)”, produced by clouded slum. The first single from King’s upcoming album, The W.O.W. (The Weight of Wind), releasing June 17, “Black Israelis (The New World)” provides an airy, uplifting sound and characteristically vivid, insightful verses from King and Blu.
“Black Israelis (The New World)” opens with warm, atmospheric vocal samples that drift alongside warm guitars, before organic-sounding percussion picks up an engaging rhythm. Underscoring King and Blu’s dynamic, crisp vocals, the beat glistens with ethereal energy.
Regarding the single’s content, King says, “in a way, I consider myself a Black Israeli and a Black Palestinian, conceptually. Black Israelis, not to be confused with Black Israelites, is a metaphor for overcoming hardship and adversity. Both the Palestinians and the Jewish people (although not all Israelis are Jewish) have been historically persecuted, and like the Blacks of America, they thrive on. Blu and I represent the struggle of artistry, the struggle of blackness, and the struggle of humanity”.
“Black Israelis (The New World)” will appear on King’s new album The W.O.W. (The Weight of Wind), releasing June 17.
Genre-blending group illusion hills have connected with aldrch for a new single called “chasm”. Explosive and energetic, the song’s textural, sharply-crafted instrumentation and refreshing blend of punk, indie, and more make for a vital listen.
“chasm” opens up with warm guitars that convey a sense of longing, as rich bass moors the track. The song begins with wistful, calm vocal delivery before an engaging switch brings in driving, distorted vocals. Beneath, clattering, powerful percussion continues to build excitingly until a memorable, infectious chorus is brought in, showcasing the enticing dynamics of the band’s songwriting.
Topically, the song discusses coming of age, change, and the impermanence of youth, making for a relatable offering. Speaking on the track, vocalist/producer warp mj said, “Whether change is positive or negative, it allows you to adjust, grow, and learn in order to get out of the same cycle of stagnation. That’s the ‘chasm’ we are climbing out of – staying the same because it’s comfortable.”
The latest from illusion hills and aldrch, “chasm” is an engaging, enlivening single that continues their streak of forward-thinking, genre-blending releases.
The emerging Lubbock, TX native continues to apply pressure in 2022. Deion is fresh off releasing his fourth hit single of the year, “Third Person,” which garnered a rotation on SiriusXM’s Channel 44 Hip-Hop Nation. He has returned with perhaps his most personal record to date.
The gentle piano keys and pitched vocals fit Deion’s mood on the track perfectly. He reflects on the traumatic events that he’s had to witness, which includes the heart-breaking effects of gun violence. Deion carries a melodic flow throughout the song. He opens up about the vices he uses to suppress his pain and grief. He also expresses the sense of desperation people feel when facing financial burdens, but he vows to make a better life for himself and his mother.
Deion touches on losing contact with people he was once close to and how the loyalty he could once count on was broken. “I move solo!”, he sings with conviction. He’s content navigating this path alone because he’s been able to sustain success. Even though he previously had doubts, Deion now “feels like we’re next to win.” With a string of highly successful releases, it appears that he is right.
Ohio R&B artist Monroe Jordan has released his latest single “bound”.
With an ethereal sounding bass-line and smooth guitars, the song is like entering an enchanted forest on a warm, summer night. Fireflies light up the woods, revealing beautiful rosebushes and aged trees, all underneath a starry night sky. From its very beginning, it captures the listener and brings them into his world.
The highlight of the song is Jordan’s voice. Similar to Frank Ocean’s, his voice has a beautiful upper register, and he creates simple, yet incredible harmonies. Clearly inspired by Frank Ocean’s music, Jordan uses those harmonies to create movement throughout the song, fading in and out like waves on a beach. Through this, those harmonies make a satisfying sound that forces the listener to continue all the way to the end.
Sareem has finally dropped his highly awaited self-titled project, his first full-length release in 2 years. The 12-track tape boasts of features from AG3, Alexander the Great, and SPYKid, as well as others. It also features a personal favorite track of mine, “Sareem Abdul Jabaar”.
When I asked him what his self-titled album meant to him, he said “Sareem is me, it’s my family name. Sareem is a way for me to harness confidence that I fought like hell to find when I was growing up. It’s a way for me to search the words of what I’m feeling at that time. I’d say I’m at my most real/vulnerable on this album specifically because I don’t try to frame it as some “I’m better than you” or “I’m flexing this and you ain’t” type shit. I feel like anything that can be seen as flexes rather reflect my flaws on the later songs. I guess that’s what I was trying to go for with some of it, like if I’m flexing, it’s not out of desire or a want, but more out of desperation, selfishness and survival”. Sareem is full of hits and I honestly feel like everyone should check it out, and see why he’s called Sareem Abdul Jabaar.
Jillian Rossi recently released an emotional single called “Not Used To Normal” and our team at Roundhouse cannot stop listening to it. Her vocal range and delivery on the track is outstanding and the song is addicting the more times you listen to it. The catchy lyrics and sad vibe make you feel as if you know Jillian yourself. The song fits perfectly into your playlist that you use to drive with your windows down at night.
Jillian is now gaining the recognition and respect she so rightfully earned. With her name appearing across blogs, playlists, and garnering over 100,000 pre-saves on two singles she is destined to be in every kids mind soon. Jillian is creating a unique lane for her style of pop, her raw emotion is felt in each track. If you have not yet, hit the link below to stream her latest single.
Surrey, Canada artist PEAK has returned with a new song called “SLIDE”, the first single from his upcoming debut album 99 Reasons. Staying true to a prolific release schedule, he follows up recent releases such as “OUTLAW” and “NO HOOK” with another energizing and catchy single that showcases infectious production and sharply-crafted vocals.
Produced by KULTARGOTBOUNCE, “SLIDE” contains smooth, stylish instrumentation that neatly blends R&B and hip-hop influences. Refreshing in sound, the beat is vital and uplifting, underscoring PEAK’s emotive vocal performance. Topically, he discusses persevering through tough emotions and feelings of uncertainty about a love interest. Capped off with a catchy, ear-worm chorus that lingers in the one’s head long after listening, “SLIDE” marks another infectious and vibrant offering from the emerging Surrey, Canada artist.
“SLIDE” will appear on PEAK’s upcoming debut album 99 Reasons, and has given us many reasons to be excited for the full release.
Canadian Artists Rylis and Kashaga have shared a new single and video, “Cyclone”, following their recent success with single, “Dumb With U”, that amassed over 25,000 streams on spotify and over 15,000 views on the music video directed by Colton Davis.
The pair met in early December of 2021. After having viral success on TikTok, making musical content around the trending, “Timbiebs”, Rylis and Kashaga met up in person and began collaborating their creative minds.
Their latest release is “Cyclone”, an infectious offering that provides heavy replay value through sharply-crafted, vibrant songwriting. Accompanied by a refreshing new visual, “Cyclone” is a release that is simply easy to revisit again and again.
The production on “Cyclone” is energizing and catchy, centred around vital, raw guitars and driving percussion. Beneath, rich bass underscores the vocalists’ engaging verses, as the song builds into an explosive, addictive chorus. Showcasing focused songwriting paired with cohesive production, “Cyclone” finds Rylis and Kashaga expanding upon their recent releases to provide a bright offering.
The accompanying visual enhances the song’s summery mood, making for a refreshing viewing experience. Arriving just in time for the balmy summer months, “Cyclone”‘s visual finds the artists’ delivering a charismatic performance that complements the song’s lively feel.
The latest from Canadian artists Rylis and Kashaga, “Cyclone” showcases poised songwriting and provides a fresh mood before the arrival of summer.
Erik Evy: My parents were always playing music around the house. Most of it being alternative and rock music. I was introduced to hip hop by kids at school. My first bands I loved were Green Day, Linkin Park, and Avril Lavigne.
Dami: What inspired you to start making music?
Erik Evy: I was living at home after college and I thought screw it, I can write the music just as good as the music I am hearing now. The biggest hurdle was honestly getting over the fear of being judged. Ultimately, I chose myself and I have learned not to care that other people see my music.
Dami: Who are your biggest inspirations?
Erik Evy: Being from Chicago, Chance the Rapper, Saba, and Kanye are all big influences. Right now, I am drawing a lot of inspiration from other artists that I am connecting with. There are a lot of artists who are relatively unknown who are pushing the sound.
Dami: Where do you grab inspiration from?
Erik Evy: Inspiration comes from myself. I am eager to discover what I can create. The more I experiment, the more I find my sound. The rest of the inspiration comes from life. In my opinion, the best music relates to life.
Dami: What’s your creative process like?
Erik Evy: My biggest perk is having a studio in my apartment. That way anytime I think of an idea, I can create on the spot. I am learning to plan ahead in my work so I do not feel pressured to make a hit. I typically find a beat, feel the emotion from that and then take my time to write the song. I cannot freestyle a song haha I need to write it down and let it sit for a few days.
Dami: You just dropped a single titled “Quarter Life Crisis”. Can you tell us more about it?
Erik Evy: I released “Quarter Life Crisis” on the 23 rd of May. Song is on all platforms and the music video is on YouTube. I love this track. This is my most confident song yet. I am singing, rapping my ass off, and delivering a catchy hook. This has been a moment I have been waiting for.
Dami: What’s next for Erik after this?
Erik Evy: I have a show coming up on June 7 th in Chicago. My first show and I cannot be more pumped. I will be playing unreleased music, and some of the recent songs. Following the show, I will release another music video, and then I will have a small project in July.
Dami: Any dream collabs?
Erik Evy: Oh my haha, here we go. Saba, Chance the Rapper, Dominic Fike, James Blake, Bieber, Vince Staples, Alicia Keys and Jaden. There are lots of lesser known artists that I want to work with but I want to keep those plans secret for now. They may happen sooner than you think!
Dami: What do you hope to accomplish by the year’s end?
Erik Evy: I hope to release my full mixtape and have it featured on Lyrical Lemonade’s “Chicago’s Top 50 Projects” for 2022. It will be my most complete work. Outside of projects, I want to be able to meet more artists in Chicago and I want to get more performances. I believe my next big step is to develop a core fan base here in the city.
Dami: What’s the most challenging part of being an artist to you?
Erik Evy: The biggest challenge has been staying consistent on the grind. Sometimes I can get wrapped up in the less important tasks but keeping track of my goals has been a huge motivation. I have come a long way in the past year and I need to continue to look forward to give everyone the best I can create.
The experimental rapper-producer digs through his catalog to share a once-exclusive song on streaming.
The Jackson, MS Gios4ma standout builds on the success of his 2021 EP, “GO LIVE,” which was lauded as a refreshing project in the otherwise dark times of the COVID-19 pandemic. The EP has accumulated more than 40,000 streams across digital streaming platforms, and it also landed on the “Trending Albums” section on Audiomack next to Danny Brown’s acclaimed “XXX” (Deluxe Version) album. Gio’s latest drop is a notable track from his “Heatwave vol. 1” EP, available on Bandcamp. Re-released publicly on June 1, Gio is celebrating the song’s five year anniversary.
Listeners witness a masterclass in rapping over a woozy instrumental. With unique talents as a producer, Gio simply provided the instrumental and allowed his collaborators to show out in their respective verses. Chicago native King $ly delivers poignant rhymes about the state of the world post-2016 election and his determination to keep fighting in the midst of hard times. LA-based rapper Ghostie 8k takes aim at racism in our society, empathizing with his friends caught in an oppressive cycle. Gio takes a unique approach towards the end of the song, mixing the refrain of Ghostie 8k with $ly’s catchy hook. “Saudade Samba” is a song that rewards repeat listens.
ROUNDHOUSE MUSIC 