Category Archives: Blog

Listen to Ursa Major Moving Group’s new single ‘Reverse Invisible’

16 May 2023

Photo: Hermione Russell

‘Reverse Invisible’ is the third new single lifted from Ursa Major Moving Group‘s upcoming self-titled debut album. On the new track, Ursula Russell, the London based multi-instrumentalist, composer and writer behind the project, delves into the theme of “alienation from belonging”, as she puts it recalling her own childhood alienation memories:

“I was a school refuser … I would lie in bed and feel like I could not even get up. It’s a child feeling like a total freak, going “Oh my god! What is this world? I’m too sensitive for this!”.

An utterly gorgeous and gripping ballad, ‘Reverse Invisible’ is a flood of emotions. Listen to it now and grab the album when it drops on June 9th through Faith & Industry Records.

Nico Paulo unveils video for ‘The Master’ from self-titled debut album

10 May 2023

Hot on the heels of her recently released self-titled debut album, St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador based Portuguese songwriter Nico Paulo has unleashed a video to accompany the gorgeous ‘The Master’. Of the video and track, Paulo had this to say:

“Evoking romantic renaissance met with the natural elements around St. John’s, Newfoundland and a favourite beach in Portugal we gathered memories from a period of emotional intensity and recreated the sleepovers, the bonding around a fire, the laughter and tears, the hikes, the tireless chats and the time holding space for vulnerability and holding each other. This music video doesn’t just recreate human connection, sisterhood, empathy and heartbreak in an elegant way, but aspires for the observation of our surroundings and connection to space and nature. To stop and pay attention for a moment. The strength alive in the escarpment walls and the fragility of our fragmented memories of peace and ease can lead us.

‘The Master’ the song is largely about mastery over one’s own feelings. It’s an inquisitive song more than anything else as it looks to understand how people around you live and feel. In those times of upheaval where your feelings threaten to overcome you, this song looks to others and their ability to keep it together. It doesn’t tell us which way is better, it simply looks to encourage belief and change in ourselves, curiosity and intrigue in what’s to come, and the power of being honest.”

Jamie Miller and Nico Paulo directed the video and you can watch it now.

Nico Paulo is out now through through Forward Music Group

Donny McCaslin shares final single, ‘Stria’, from upcoming album

09 May 2023

We were blown away when we heard ‘Body Blow’, the brilliant and blistering lead single lifted from Donny McCaslin‘s upcoming new album, I Want More. With just over a month to go until the album is out,  the ingenious artist, saxophonist and composer has shared the final single from the record, ‘Stria’, an intoxicating track demonstrating yet again his versatility and virtuosity. Take a listen now.

I Want More is out on June 16th through Edition Records

Yussef Dayes to release debut album, Black Classical Music, in September; listen to title track

09 May 2023

Renowned and gifted multi-instrumentalist Yussef Dayes has been a key player on the London jazz scene for a long time. He has recently announced his debut solo album, Black Classical Music, releasing on September 8th through Brownswood Recordings, Warners and Cashmere Thoughts Recordings. Speaking about his upcoming album, Dayes comments:

“What is jazz? Where did the word derive from? Birthed in New Orleans, born in the belly of the Mississippi River, rooted in the gumbo pot of the Caribbean, South American culture & African rituals. Continuing a lineage of Miles Davis, Rahssan Roland kirk, Nina Simone, John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong ~ music that is forever evolving & limitless in its potential. The groove, it’s feeling, the compositions, the spontaneity, with a love for family, the discipline & dedication in maintaining the very high bar set by the pantheon of Black Classical Musicians. Chasing the rhythm of drums that imitated one’s heartbeat, the melodies for the mind and spirit, the bass for the core. A Regal sound for this body of music.”

Alongside the news, Dayes has unveiled the utterly brilliant title track, ‘Black Classical Music’,  featuring Venna and Charlie Stacey. It comes with an accompanying video directed by Barka and you can watch it below.

Ligeti Quartet and Anna Meredith’s collaborative album, Nuc, out now

06 May 2023

Last month saw the the release of Nuc, the new collaborative record from Ligeti Quartet and incredible electronic contemporary composer, producer and musician Anna Meredith. Nuc sees Ligeti Quartet perform compositions from Meredith, including pieces arranged by viola player Richard Jones.
An exuberant and exhilarating record, Nuc sprouted from a conversation between Meredith and Jones who have been collaborating with each other for more than a decade. As the press release describes, Nuc “is a joyful, occasionally furious, never too serious, sometimes energetic and sometimes restful collection of tracks which dazzle with Anna’s signature compulsive harmonies, rhythmic shifts of gear and sparkling textures.”

Opener ‘Tuggemo’ kick starts the album majestically. The track was previously released as a single with an accompanying video directed by Ewan Jones Morris. Watch it below

Nuc is out now through Mercury KX

Matthew Herbert shares second single, ‘The Rider (Not The Horse)’, from upcoming record

29 April 2023

The announcement of The Horse, the new album from Matthew Herbert, made us tingle with excitement, all the more as the British artist, producer, composer and experimentalist had then shared the triumphant and propulsive lead track, ‘The Horse Has A Voice’, featuring Theon Cross. A collaboration with the London Contemporary Orchestra, The Horse is a star-studded album and in addition to Theon Cross, it also features contributions from guests Shabaka Hutchings, Evan Parker, Danilo Pérez, Seb Rochford and Edward Wakili-Hick.

Ahead of the album’s release on May 26th through Modern Recordings / BMG, Herbert has unveiled a second spectacular cut from it called ‘The Rider (Not The Horse)’, a track with horse bone percussion and bone flutes made from the full-size horse skeleton at the origin of the project. Here it is.