Mpho Sebina – Black Butterfly

Consider yourself introduced to Moël, a singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer from Toronto whose debut single ‘Votk’ will take your breath away. Produced by Alex Ernewein, ‘Votk’ is a multi-layered, soulful cut that evokes a sense of nostalgia as it incorporates sublime guitars with subtle electronics to carve the perfect path for Moël’s lush vocals to weave through with ease. This is undoubtedly one of the strongest debuts you’ll hear all year.

Brooklyn/Tel Aviv based producer, guitarist, and composer O Mer serves up ‘Repack The Junk’, a groovy gem taken from his forthcoming EP of the same name. Citing the likes of Damon Albarn, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell and Fairuz and Mohammed Abdel Wahab as influences, O Mer crafts a spectacular guitar-driven haven on ‘Repack the Junk’ which boasts an ever so infectious hook. Everything from the emphatic guitars, the pounding bass and O Mer’s angsty vocal delivery gels wonderfully – it’s an absolute blast!

London based artist Tom Tripp marks his return with ‘TAM’, the taste of new music since he released his brilliant ‘RED’ EP a few years ago. Serving as the lead single from his forthcoming new EP titled ‘FLAG’, the single was originally uploaded as a demo on his SoundCloud over four years ago. Inspired by Daft Punk, the electronic-led dance track is tinged with Tripp’s soulful musings and is undoubtedly going to get you moving from the moment that bass kicks in.

Somalia born, Toronto based singer/songwriter Amaal’s voice is quite frankly heavenly. Sharing her songs on social media catapulted her reach before landing her a deal with Universal Music Canada through whom she released her stunning official debut single ‘Not What I Thought’ earlier this year. On latest single ‘Later’, which is taken from her newly released ‘Black Dove’ EP, Amaal enchants with her super smooth vocals and poetic lyricism.

The gorgeous ballad is also accompanied by an equally stunning and insightful visual directed by Kat Webber. Dedicated to F.E.A.T, “a bus program that brings families across the province to visit loved ones in the criminal justice system”, the video depicts Amaal’s own experiences with the program, highlighting a wonderful initiative.

South Florida based native Q introduces himself with ‘Forest Green’, a seven track arrangement which impresses from start to finish. Encompassing a myriad of musical influences from R&B, soul and alternative rock, the self produced record takes a deep dive into topics such as preoccupied anxiety, lack of connection, and love. Whether it’s the rock tinged ‘I Get Tired’ and ‘I Might Slip Away if I Don’t Feel Nothing’ or the smoother intonations of ‘Pray Together’ and falsetto laden ‘Your Special’, Q showcases his versatility wonderfully as a musician, singer and songwriter.

Zambian-born, Australia-based artist Sampa The Great unveils ‘OMG’ the vibrant and utterly hypnotising lead single from her long awaited debut album ‘The Return’. Produced by Kwes Darko, the blisteringly  energetic track which sees Sampa the Great blending together a myraid of sounds from Jazz and Hip Hop to spoken word and soul, is accompanied by an equally bombastic music video which is directed by Sanjay De Silva. Check out the visual and keep an eye out for ‘The Return’ which is out later this year.

Toronto based R&B duo dvsn (comprised of producer Nineteen85 and singer Daniel Daley) mark their long awaited return with two new singles, ‘Miss Me?‘ and ‘In Between’. Serving as their first new music since their 2017 sophomore album ‘Morning After’, the songs are just as slick and smooth as any dvsn tracks out there. The latter, is the one we’re highlighting here – its simple, guitar-laden production allows Daley’s exceptional vocals to melt your heart as he serenades you with those golden tones.

When he’s not snapping breathtaking shots for Vice, The New York Times and The Fader (to name a few), Brooklyn based creative Nathan Bajar soothes your soul with his magnificent sounds. Featuring previously released singles ‘Devil Girl’ and ‘Silver Surfer’, his brilliant debut album ‘Playroom’ which is released via In Real Life, is packed with tracks that are just as diverse as they are playful. With contributions from the likes of CeCeFayce, Nelson Bandela Nance, Gabe and more, the ten-track project encompasses a spectrum of sounds from Hip-Hop and R&B to Soul and Jazz.

Italian quartet Lucifour M introduce themselves in thunderous fashion with the release of debut single ‘Dog’. Accompanied by an equally vibrant and wacky animated visual directed by Emanuele Kabu, the track is an absolute blast and is packed with everything you’d want and need in a pop track. Packed with oodles of groove, funk and soul, ‘Dog’ is a wonderful introduction to the band and serves as the perfect taste of what’s to come with their debut EP slated for a September release.

There’s next to no information on SAULT, except that they’re a trio (that features London based artist Dean “Inflo” Wynton Josiah who’s written for the likes of Jungle and Little Simz) signed to Forever Living Originals, and that their debut album ‘5’ is an absolute blast. The fourteen-track record is a kaleidoscopic sonic adventure that’s packed with groovy disco gems like previously released singles ‘We Are The Sun’ and ‘Don’t Waste My Time’. If you’re looking for the perfect album to soundtrack your summer, look no further than ‘5’.

Tamacú is the name of a peculiar character from the Mexican Pacific coast able of taming crocodiles. He is also the inspiration that gave name to an emerging one-man project that takes the form of ancestral alien and arises after an experimentation that fused tribal sounds with rhythm machines. This, opened a gap that, allowing him to travel through time and space collecting sounds of different terrestrial and interplanetary tribes.

The influences on ‘Crónicas de un Alienado’, the Mexican’s debut album – range from sacred texts such as The Bible and novels by Bradbury, Vonnegut and Asimov to films such as ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ by Kubrick.Nuances from all of these permeate throughout the lyrics and sound to create an exogenous and apocalyptic mood.

‘Jaago’ is one of the most critically acclaimed albums to have been released by an Indian independent artist this year. Lifafa is the solo project of Suryakant Sawhney who is also the frontman at Peter Cat Recording Co. that came to life as a part of a quest to find his identity. Adopting a more organic approach, the album builds up as a live set to an audience would, the tracks start off slow with prolonged harmonium and gradually build up to more danceable disco worthy grooves. A perfect combination of vintage soulful Bollywood in a modern electronic setting bridges or eliminates the gap between the highly commercial movie industry and the independent music scene.

Having featured on Denzel Himself’s brilliant COLORS session, South East London based singer, rapper and producer KEYAH/BLU shared the hypnotic ‘Sweet’ last year. This past month, the rising newcomer followed up the single with another innovative and atmospheric new track in the form of ‘Choker’. On ‘Choker’, KEYAH/BLU manoeuvres her way through the stop-start instrumentation with a playfulness that comes with a bit of a bite as she sings/raps about breaking free and doing whatever you want.

Opening with the line “I feel like a god right now” couldn’t be more apt for ‘I Know’, the latest single from Sri Lankan-Canadian artist and producer Yanchan. Fusing a fiery hip-hop beat with Carnatic nuances, ‘I Know’ is a collaboration with fellow native Shan Vincent de Paul who blitz through his powerful and hard-hitting verse with ease. Together, the pair have created a song that empowers and celebrates both the Eastern and Western influences, masterfully blending the sounds to create a seamless, powerful statement.

South Korean born, New York raised singer, songwriter and producer Alice Kim aka Hunjiya (pronounded hun-jee-yuh) shares her breezy new single ‘give it/what i get’, which follows up previously released single ‘said’. Backed up with a breezy soundscape which intertwines the world of R&B/soul with electronic and trap-inspired flourishes, the track encompasses a refreshing atmosphere as Hunjiya’s serene voice permeates through with ease. The perfect soundtrack to those hazy summer days, listen as Hunjiya, soothes your soul with those golden tones.

After last year’s brilliant ‘Ginger Juice’, Switzerland based rapper Makala has become inseparable from Varnish La Piscine who produced his highly anticipated debut album ‘Radio Suicide’. Encompassing a dirty yet sensual funk aesthetic, the two Swiss acolytes celebrate an hybrid and refreshing sound that resonates wonderfully on each track. The MC, of Congolese origin, whose name means “embers” in lingala, delivers punchy rhymes and bewitching flows on retro yet modern moods. The Superwak Clique member displays and cultivates his unique sound with ease… and it suits him well.

Swedish based artist and producer Simon On The Moon shares the latest single from his forthcoming ‘Milk’ EP in the form of ‘Sleeping With You’. The dazzling single serves as the follow up to previously released offerings ‘Lied 2 U’, ‘Stromboli’ and the titular ‘Milk’. Sparkling guitar riffs are accompanied by Simon’s delectably smooth, falsetto-laden tones to create a refreshingly vibrant and groove-inflected atmosphere.

Mumbai based producer and vocalist Your Chin has recently dropped new single ‘Horticulturist’ his first release in three years. One of India’s most seasoned artists, he has never failed to impress listeners with his whimsical take on electro-pop. His music often comes across as effortless mood music, but there is a solid groundwork of talent and aesthetic sense that supports it all. Rich layered beats with catchy choruses giving out a sombre message disguised in feel good metaphors, resulted in a multifaceted sound totally unique to him. Highlighting a contrast when listening to music, that of being a joyous experience to thought provoking the artist returns to his sonic roots making this the first of many releases lined up for the year.

Formerly of indie-pop outfit Chairlift, singer/songwriter Caroline Polachek unveils her sparkling debut solo effort in the form of ‘Door’. Accompanied by an otherworldly music video and serving as the lead single from her forthcoming debut album, ‘Door’ is a dazzling pop song that sees Polachek’s crystalline vocals shine across a twinkling soundscape as the cryptic lyrics allow your imagination to run wild. An exemplary taste of what’s to come from Polachek’s debut full length (two thirds of which is produced by Danny L. Harle), ‘Door’ is everything you need and want in a pop song.