The Predatory Wasp
The opening track on Starrah’s debut album The Longest Interlude, Miss This perfectly sets the scene for what followers: namely, 30 minutes or so of woozy, atmospheric r&b ripe for summer nights. Reminiscent of both 070 Shake and Tierra Whack in its finer moment, I expect I’ll be spending quite a lot of time with it over the coming months.
I tried and failed to enjoy serpentwithfeet’s 2018 album soil so many times. It’s clearly really good, but I could just never get into it: it felt too detached and disjointed, like it was trying to trip you up and eject you just as you felt you were finally getting locked in. Since then it’s felt like every release has been a step towards something I would love, and with his new album DEACON, that journey has been fully realised. I REALLY this album, and Old & Fine is everything I wanted but didn’t get from his earlier work: an emotionally-rich record with depth that’s also easy to enjoy and appreciate without having to work too hard. I can’t imagine he’s been tweaking his career with me in mind, but it certainly feels that way.
Dawn Richard continues to assert her position as one of the most arresting, distinctive R&B artists in the world with release of Jaccuzi, the second single from her upcoming second album Second Line which will land in April. 2019’s New Breed was one of my favourite albums from that year, and everything about her latest material suggests Second Line will be equally brilliant.
I am a massive sucker for exactly this kind of stripped-back, dreamy r&b/pop. Aimed at the youth, Things is good enough to transport us all back to those intensely conflicted times, when even the most mundane conversations can send you reeling for days. Similar in tone and subject to a lot of Khalid’s earlier music – of which I am also a big fan – Things is a perfect, infectious blend of the throwaway and the profound.
10 & 2 – the latest single from Ghanaian/American dancer, rapper and singer-songwriter NanaBcool, and directly addresses his own experiences of police oppression and violence. After spending a couple of months performing and writing throughout multiple cities in Europe, the hook for 10 & 2 came to him while walking around Amsterdam. “I was in such a calm mood, but for “10 and 2, 10 and 2 what the fuck a nigga supposed to do” to come up really indicates that regardless of the mood I’m in, I always have to be aware when police are around.” Intricately, soulfully produced, it’s one of the most impressive hip hop cuts I’ve heard so far this year.
A welcome to return to JUNKHEART whose new single Queen of the Nile landed today. He cites Tears for Fears, Blood Orange and The Japanese House as key influences – all of whom I love, obviously – and while inviting comparisons to other artists can be a risky business, Queen of the Nile is just so good he completely gets away with it. Without doubt one of the most vital, exciting new artists of the year so far.
Southside Chicago native Sunshine Lombre is a dancer, poet and musician set to release her debut EP in a couple of months, from which Just Verbs is taken. On the surface at least this a super sultry, warm, minimalistic piece with little more than Lombre’s closed-mic’d vocal and some gentle Rhodes-y chords playing softly in the background. So far, so relaxing: but there’s something about the ominous pad and sketchy vinyl crackles that run throughout that makes suspect a more sinister atmosphere, like this entire ballad is being whispered to a bound ex-lover as she runs a kitchen knife playfully down their chest. But maybe that’s just me.
Browni is producer Kovey Coles and singer/songwriter Hawa Sako, and Ready To Surrender is about as slick and sultry as R&B gets: the kind of record you listen to half a dozen times on repeat on your way back from a Big Night Out, half drifting off as you gaze out of the cab window at the yellow-white street lights and slowly brightening sky. Remember nights out? No, me neither actually.
There’s very little information out there about Burd Haus, but what I do know is: she’s from Philadelphia, she’s just released her debut album In My Sky and she makes really good music. Also, Fated Feel reminds me a lot of Yves Tumor, which can only ever be a good thing, even though it’s significantly more chill than a lot of their recent work. Possibly it’s the slightly tuned-out guitar licks or the drawling vocal delivery, but whatever, this sits somewhere between R&B, hip hop and indie rock and is highly recommended.
In times gone by Coi Leray’s No More Parties would sound more like a hungover pep talk delivered to yourself after yet another write-off of a Sunday than a grim prediction of just how little fun we’ll be having this year, but regardless: it’s still really fun and I really like it, and lyrics like “I’m only doing shit that’s gonna make me elevate / Only want people around that’s gonna make me better” is making me feel significantly more motivated to Get Shit Done than 1000 ham-fisted open letters from our utter fucking moron of a leader ever could.
The Predatory Wasp 