“NAH SHE GOT LITTLE” is just one of many highlight tracks on Charlotte-bred, Brooklyn-based artist Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon’s vibrant album I’ve Really Never Been Better. The album title truly speaks for itself- as it is is lyrically, visually and artistically his best work thus far. Following the visuals for “ANGELA BASSET” and “SHE GOT THAT DAWG IN HER”, Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon’s third music video from I’ve Really Never Been Better is unlike any other visuals from his album. From the dazzling, chilled tints and shades of blue lights beaming on his melanin skin against his crisp white shirt- the video somehow made his appearance emulate an expressionism portrait painting. Being the one and only role in his music video, Ogbon wanted all eyes on him as he successfully managed to orchestrate as he states “……the growing divide between his predecessors, former lovers and peers”.
The expansion of Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon’s artistic growth and development is unmatched. He never disregards the importance of implementing creativity and innovation into his work- whether it’s visually, lyrically or sonically. View Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon’s music video for “NAH SHE GOT LITTLE”, produced by Dirty Art Club, below and if you haven’t already be sure to listen to I’ve Really Never Been Better on Bandcamp HERE (where you can support Ogbon DIRECTLY!!) and on all streaming platforms.
Prolific emcee RU$H and Montreal standout rapper-producer Mike Shabb recently shared their collaborative project MONCLER BOYZ, a stylish, sonically rich project containing potent, detailed lyricism and warm, evocative production. The title track, “Moncler Boyz”, featuring underground heavyweights Tha God Fahim, Big Cheeko, and Jay NiCE, caught our attention for its silvery, laid-back instrumentation and memorable vocals that demonstrate a natural chemistry between the emcees.
Underscored by graceful keys and emotive backing vocals, the track takes on a reminiscent mood, as the rappers glide atop the sleek joint with ease. Focused, vividly detailed verses flow together seamlessly, laced with memorable lines that have the listener rewinding to catch everything. Shabb’s glowing, minimalistic production manages to evoke rich feelings of nostalgia while also providing the perfect backdrop for the rappers’ charismatic, braggadocios lines in the process.
Give “Moncler Boyz” a listen now below, a track off RU$H and Mike Shabb’s potent recent project of the same title.
LOS KEMET has dropped off a fresh project, titled Starrunner. LOS KEMET is an artist originally from the deep southern city of Jackson, Mississippi, who has resided in various big cities like Chicago, Memphis, Atlanta, and now Austin, Texas. The variety of styles he provides across his discography are a clear depiction of where he has resided- and he chooses to dub his sound “New Soul” or “Seeds Of The South”. LOS’ latest project, Starrunner, conjures a warm feeling of nostalgia with a series of soulful, quintessentially southern hip-hop tracks that bristle with a laid-back yet vital energy.
Starrunner opens with the stylish, relaxed “Jules Winnfield”, which begins the project with a sense of triumph- laced within expansive vocal samples, sturdy percussion, and confident flows from LOS. Lead single “Barter 7” is an infectious, refreshing take on classic southern sounds, while “Die Tonight” presents a highlight at the end of the project with wistful vocal samples, potent percussion, and catchy, relaxed vocals from LOS. He sounds assured atop the drill-influenced production, while both reminiscing and looking towards a bright future.
Give LOS KEMET’s latest project, Starrunner, a listen below now.
Massachusetts artist blackbyrd showed previously on his eclectic project Shoegaze for Black Kids that he was a musician that cannot be put in a box- and this trend continues his latest offering, the two-pack Lo-Fidelity. His latest release since his well-received Shoegaze for Black Kids album, Lo-Fidelity once again finds blackbyrd versatile and focused, delivering dynamic verses alongside Chicago mainstay Mick Jenkins.
“Black Twitter”, featuring Jenkins, kicks off Lo-Fidelity with an ethereal, rich soundscape bolstered by sparkling keys, hypnotic strings, and a punchy rhythm section. blackbyrd opens the track with character-rich inflections and a sharp delivery, followed up by Jenkins’ captivating baritone. The second song, “Vibin'” finds him displaying the indie and shoegaze-influenced side of his sound, with bittersweet guitars and driving bass creating an emotive backdrop for blackbyrd’s wistful vocals.
Showcasing blackbyrd’s versatility with a vibrant blend of hip-hop and shoegaze sounds, Lo-Fidelity continues the Massachusetts artist’s run of potent, engagingly diverse drops. Give it a listen below.
Rising Chicago artist Tala Silva has dropped off a new song, titled “Goddess”. With a DIY approach to crafting music and a heartfelt, vibrant sound, Silva continues to make waves in Chicago and beyond for her versatility, emotive songwriting, and vivid creativity. Her latest offering, “Goddess” is a house-laced cut that is relaxed and potent, cojuring an infectious sound that is difficult to ignore.
“Goddess” is the newest addition to Tala Silva’s groovy, laid-back discography, experimenting with a new indie house sound that will have you either dancing on your feet or kicking back on a late night sunset drive. The single’s undeniably infectious dance beat, coupled with Silva’s honeyed vocals, and rhythmic lyrics are the ingredients for an absolute Fall banger.
The song was inspired by a short-lived rendezvous that left Silva absolutely charmed. Inspired by her lover’s Goddess-like beauty and playful nature, along with Chicago’s house & dance scene, she decided to create a fun indie dance/disco house track to sonically and lyrically reflect the good times she experienced during her brief love affair.
Give Tala Silva’s latest song “Goddess” a listen here.
Bocar, a fresh voice in the Afropop scene to watch, has recently dropped off a single called “FREE”, featuring KRUMPYBLAZE. From the get-go, the aptly-titled song provides free-spirited vibes with its breezy, vibrant production and infectiously atmospheric vocals. Bocar shines as a vocalist with dynamic melodies that suit the song’s warm instrumentation, as his voice soars atop lively synths, bouncy percussion, and a bubbling bassline. Combining pop aesthetics with refreshing influences from eclectic genres, “FREE” is a focused demonstration of his versatile songwriting and vocal prowess.
Tune in to Senegalese-French artist Bocar’s latest song “FREE”, for a refreshing glimpse at an up-and-coming Afropop artist with a character-rich sound. Bocar’s latest track is a freeing experience, one that whisks away the listener into another world. Its energy is memorable, melodies difficult to ignore, and its presentation is sleek and smooth. Give it a listen below now.
London lyricist Lynx Cane has returned once again with a fresh album called SNIS. Following up his spiritually-themed, soulful projects Garden of Gethsemane and The Spirit And It’s Fruits, SNIS finds him detailing his personal journey with vibrant lyricism laid atop potent, evocative instrumentation. SNIS’ introspective tone and meditative production gives it much character, paired with Cane’s distinctive baritone delivery and poetic lyricism.
“TESTIMONY” opens the project and does a lot with a short run time and minimalistic sound, as Cane gets deep on the microphone with a series of poignant, focused lines that capture SNIS’ themes of personal growth and redemption. “MANNA” brings in a more hypercharged, trap-laced sound that showcases Cane’s versatility, while “DEAD RIGHT”, featuring Retropxssy, continues this trend with production that flirts with rage and electropunk sounds and hard-hitting vocals. “Tabernacle” presents an evocative, reminiscent posse cut featuring Mary Sue, Jay Cinema, Kip C, Swordbearer and Kingayeo, that sees the emcees laying down heartfelt lines atop airy soul loops to a stirring effect.
Give London emcee Lynx Cane’s latest project SNIS a listen here now.
New York-based artist rivan has dropped off a new single, titled “BIG (tom hanks freestyle)”. Following up his DnB-laced, atmospheric single “paper tabs”, “BIG (tom hanks freestyle)” takes on a different tone sonically with its icy, hard-hitting production that flirts with trap, and staggering, poignant flows. “BIG (tom hanks freestyle)” finds rivan shining as a vocalist with sleek vocals intertwined within a charismatic delivery, as booming 808s, raw percussion, and airy samples create a layered backdrop beneath him. With much replay value and sonic power, “BIG (tom hanks freestyle)” presents another engaging release from rivan. Give “BIG (tom hanks freestyle)”, produced by @bashofsb, a listen below.
LOS KEMET‘s track “Barter 7 (Dig Dat)” stands as one of the more potent songs from this fall. Sonically, “Barter 7 (Dig Dat)”- produced by @guttylim0 & Zach Neiss– uses warm grooves and immersive keys to conjure a feeling of assurance and confidence, laden with crisp percussion that locks in a hypnotic rhythm. LOS sounds light on his feet on the microphone, weaving together dynamic lines with ease and never falling into a predictable rhyme pattern. Even throwing in subtle yet memorable melodic flourishes, LOS demonstrates his diverse skillset as an emcee and vocalist with “Barter 7 (Dig Dat)”. Watch the music video- directed by Thomas G– here.
Lord Sko- “James Worthy Goggles”
New York artist Lord Sko captivated us with his single “James Worthy Goggles”- a song off his engaging recently album United Palace. On “James Worthy Goggles”, Sko delivers silky flows atop smoky guitars, winding flutes, and warm bass that conjure a hazy, laid-back soundscape. He sounds comfortable in his lane and in the pocket- delivering detailed, observational verses atop the relaxed production. Dropping some quintessentially NY lines and shouting out Stack Bundles, he paints a vivid picture of his life in his city on “James Worthy Goggles”, drawing the listener into the track’s atmosphere in the process.
Blu, Real Bad Man- “Bad News”
West Coast legend Blu and prolific production outfit Real Bad Man‘s project Bad News made waves throughout the underground, and the title track proved to be a standout from the project, released with an engaging music video. “Bad News” finds Blu lacing the track with poetic, thought-provoking lines at a rapid pace atop dusky, subtly ominous strings and horns. As organic percussion and memorable bass build up a hypnotic groove, he launches into a verbal assault that keeps the listener on their toes with each line. The new visual, features crisp shots and an attention-grabbing performance from Blu, capturing the track’s vigorous energy. Watch the music video here.
Daniel Son, Wino Willy- “Frog Legs”
Toronto emcee Daniel Son and New Jersey producer Wino Willy‘s song “Frog Legs” caught our attention in September for its warm, vibrant sonics and powerful vocals. This eclectic joint from the two prolific artists contains an undercurrent of powerful energy- expressed through Son’s elaborate flows and Willy’s atmospheric, cathartic production style.
Nebula.- “Jive” (prod. JUNE!)
Louisiana artist Nebula.‘s frigid song “Jive”, produced by JUNE!, remains as one of our favorite songs from this autumn. “Jive” is a claustrophobic head-trip of a track that is unafraid to experiment and dabble in psychedelica, making for a captivating listen. Nebula.’s vocal tone suits the ominous edge of the production, while he keeps his flows dynamic in a manner that entices the listener and has them guessing.
Chelsea Reject- “I Just Wanted 2 Yell LOL”
Brooklyn artist Chelsea Reject demonstrates her versatility with the punk-infused rhythms of “I Just Wanted 2 Yell LOL”. Further proving that her artistry cannot be placed in a box, Reject draws from her roots in hip-hop with a raw, lyrically-focused vocal performance while also injecting hearty doses of punk in the track’s infectious bass-line and raucous delivery. An expressive, genre-bending offering from the Brooklyn standout, “I Just Wanted 2 Yell LOL” conveys a carefree creativity that is simply refreshing.
Voidness, HLP- “Toquinho”
A song from New York artist Voidness’ recent project It’s Windy Again This Morning/The Short End, “Toquinho” is nostalgic and fresh, making it a perfect soundtrack for the autumn months. His flows are poignant and focused, with a laid-back delivery that injects just enough presence and energy to keep it engagingly dynamic. The breezy production from HLP is a gift to the ears, with drifting Spanish guitars floating in a freeform manner atop organic percussion.
Lo Artiz- “la bruja”
Miami-born, LA-based artist Lo Artiz‘s song “la bruja”- from her recent album LOVE LACED- shows layers of depth in its songwriting and lyricism, taking on a mystical tone that captivates from the get-go. Backed by a tapestry of watery, expansive keys, starry synths, and rich bass, Artiz shines with sleek, emotive vocals laced with dynamic melodies. With an undertone of catharsis, “la bruja” makes for a poignant song with themes of women accessing and wielding deeper powers- providing a fierce roar within the patriarchy of the music industry.
South Bend, Indiana artist Gxldsoulrebel has dropped off a fresh single, titled “Known Stranger”, produced by Yung Elder. Taking on a spiritual tone backed by refreshing sonics, Gxldsoulrebel delivers poetic lines entrenched with wisdom and wistfulness that give “Known Stranger” its own character.
Listening to the aptly-titled song feels like re-uniting with an old friend- or perhaps a meeting with a stranger that you intuitively feel you have always known. It’s immersive warmth and relaxed, cosmic production reflect this motif, while the chorus solidifies it with its references to campfires and sharing stories. Gxldsoulrebel and Yung Elder manage to do something truly refreshing with “Known Stranger”, a track that strips back frills and pretenses to examine our basic nature, storytelling, and methods of communication and connection.
ROUNDHOUSE MUSIC 