Yumi Zouma – Bruise
Yumi Zouma, the gauzy, globe-trotting indie-pop band whose three core members span the US, the UK, and New Zealand, finally concluded their long-running trilogy of EPs last year with the release of the aptly named EP III. And today, they’re back with a standalone single inspired by Timbaland, Nelly Furtado, and the departure of former guitarist Sam Perry. As the band explains:
On EP III, we were literally finishing tracks the day before they had to be turned in and uploaded. This helped us to realise that we could release our next songs in a more direct way, and put “Bruise” out independently. The origins of “Bruise” were steeped in loss, but the track has become a beacon of optimism for us. We started writing the instrumental after our great friend Sam told us he was leaving the band and moving to Serbia. We were all distraught until Josh said, “Cheer me up guys — let’s write a song for Nelly Furtado.” Nelly never replied but we came up with a smash.
“Bruise” was actually written before EP III was finished but deliberately set aside. “When we wrote it, it was way too club to ever be a Yumi Zouma song,” guitar and keyboardist Charlie Ryder tells i-D. “I couldn’t imagine it being on a record with other Yumi Zouma songs.” It still sounds like a Yumi Zouma song, but their pop sensibilities are in clearer focus than ever before.
Read the rest of this article at Stereogum
Steve Lacy – Only If
As a teenager, Steve Lacy released two albums with funk troupe the Internet, one of them Grammy-nominated; he also released a solo EP, and, often building beats purely on his iPhone, worked with Kendrick Lamar, Solange, Vampire Weekend and many others. He also became a Louis Vuitton model. At 20, most of us are happy merely to have got laid and been on a plane; Lacy however is now also independently releasing his debut album and, gallingly, it’s really very good indeed.
His age perhaps gives him a puppyish energy, and he gads about from style to style. Love 2 Fast is slacker indie rock, a bit like Mac DeMarco, but topped with one of Lacy’s most full-throated vocal lines, recalling Miguel’s alpha-laconic psychedelic soul. Basement Jack is breezy summertime rap. Amandla’s Interlude is a lovely violin instrumental. Guide is like Prince delivering relationship advice over post-punk pop. 4ever has its two bars of gospel looped a la Madlib. N Side is as sensual as D’Angelo or Maxwell, but offset by cheap drum machines and a central line – “Tell me is it inside” – that is both erotic and insecure. It all stems from the galaxy-brained freedom of a generation unencumbered with boring genre considerations – but where the Internet’s similarly emancipated mindset can lead them down tuneless corridors, when left alone, Lacy turns towards hooks.
The most purely glorious song is Playground, whose one-chord rhythm guitar jangles as if announcing the arrival of swallows, ice cream and Love Island all at once, and is met by a limber falsetto top line worthy of Sly and the Family Stone. Lacy has the kind of confidence – even arrogance – of youth that allows him to make In Lust We Trust and Only If two-minute lo-fi ditties, despite having the kind of rock-solid melodies that could support much bigger numbers. This casual approach is what perhaps stops this album short of being an all-time classic, but it’s also what makes it such a joy. Lacy is a man wise enough to leave rough edges on his perfectly rounded talent.
Read the rest of this article at The Guardian
Kan Sano – Sit At The Piano
Born on August 6th 1983. He is from Kanazawa City, Ishikawa in Japan.
Started to play piano and guitar and also started to compose at the age of 11.
His band played at Monterey Jazz Festival in 2003. Graduated from Jazz composition major of Berklee college of music, 2006.
Worked with Mabanua, groovemanspot, Marter, Hanah, Chikuzen Sato, Pizzicato Five, Eric lau, Twigy, Comachi. Put in many compilations from Tokyo Dawn, project Mooncircle, Jazz & Milk Recordings, Ubeat Records, Soul Unsigned Records and Mercedes Benz mix tape. Working on solo piano improvisation live from age of 16.
Read the rest of this article at Resident Advisor
Aura Safari – The Lost Reel
Aura Safari is the brainchild of a group of musicians and DJs based in Perugia, Italy, whose diverse musical backgrounds see them bring a unique blend of influences to their debut LP for South London label Church. The imprint proves the perfect place for this release to land, having built a distinct musical flavour since launching in 2012, with releases from the likes of Chaos In the CBD, Mall Grab and label head Seb Wildblood.
Aura Safari’s self-titled long player exhibits their love of everything from Italo and Balearic to jazz funk and boogie, a sound that has also been shaped through annual visits to Umbria Jazz Festival and Red Zone Club in their home city. Our selection is ‘The Lost Reel’, a wash of reflective synths punctuated by broken drum work and funk-laden bass; a perfect illustration of a sound that’s become synonymous with Italy.
Read the rest of this article at Stamp The Wax
NASAYA – PATTERNS (ft. Sara Diamond)
Born and raised on the curious Reunion Island, the now Los Angeles-based NASAYA draws artistic influence from his upbringing. The island, quaintly nestled outside of Madagascar, is an ethnically diverse region home to a range of world cultures that define NASAYA’s sound. .
A spectacular blend of classic rock, jazz, R&B, and indie-electronic, “PATTERNS” is a smooth configuration of funky rhythms and electronic accents. With a stand-out feature from Sara Diamond, this incredible track stands as the first single to be released on RAC and Goldroom’s newly founded label Minerva. A seductive sway prompts sara’s soulful vocals to reign high atop layers of buttery production. Enchanting guitar licks bleed into digital frequencies, defending the track’s ability to avoid contemporary cliches. Inspired by Tame Impala, this NASAYA original is a success that paves the way for the future of Minerva Music.
Read the rest of this article at Earmilk
