Every month we are dedicated to rummaging the inner regions of the web in search of that underground alternative urban music and serving it directly to music lovers. This initiative is what we call "The Slice" at EARMILK. Every fortnight we share with you 10 ear-grabbing songs from genres ranging from hip-hop, grime, soul, afrobeat/pop and dancehall. So let us do the digging for you while you sit back and relax to some brilliantly crafted music from around the globe.
Kat Deal – "Cologne"
North London singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kat Deal helps launch this week's list with her lush RnB jam "Cologne". Backed by an infectious groove and dreamy soundscape courtesy of producer Baker Aaron, Kat Deal delivers a commanding vocal performance laced with sultry undertones. Her take on being madly in love is energetic as she expressively breaks down every single detail that revolves around the individual and as she puts it "…It’s like a temporary but happy madness, and that’s what ‘Cologne’ has tried to capture".
"Cologne" is the first single from her forthcoming debut EP, which is set to be released in February 2019.
Donnie Raven – "Vapor Trail".
Donnie Raven faces his demons on his new song "Vapor Trail". The rapper addresses personal struggles with addiction and ultimately decides to clear his head and go sober. Over a neck-snapping backdrop, he takes the listener along for a ride into sobriety. The visuals add a vivid feel into the situation by showing the exact moment where he decided to confront his addiction, a decision that has kept him clean for almost two years now.
"Vapor Trail" is off his recently released debut EP 'Livelihood'.
Tieran – "Sick"
Columbus based emcee Tieran shares his frustrations and challenges when it comes to balancing his life and music on his new song "Sick". On the self-produced song, he employs the use of solemn piano chords and a laid-back groove which serves as the perfect canvas for his emotion-laden lyrics. The video shows Tieran being chauffeured by an invisible driver while he is dressed in a hospital gown. Quite vivid and symbolic if you asked us.
Chuuwee & Trizz – "See Today"
Chuuwee & Trizz release the music video for "See Today" off their new album AmeriKKa's Most Blunted 3.' The video sees the two rhymers doing what they do best as they soak in the West Coast sun. The track spits smooth poetic lyricism alongside warm, sun-soaked beats. It feels like a walk in the park for the duo as they show us how they get down on this part of the U.S where it's all sunny and laid back.
ChampionsLeak – "TooTurnt" ft. Radiiio.
Producer duo ChampionsLeak team up with Roc Nation singer/writer Radiiio on their newest RnB banger "Too Turnt". The duo made up of German Lulou (Loules) and Choukri craft an upbeat, lush banger for Radiiio's rich vocal style that invokes anthemic 80s vibes and then some. Like the title suggest, this tune is definitely something to crank the volume to the max to.
Rita Klara – "Lush"
Straight out of Paris, Bordeaux born singer/rapper Rita Klara blends the world of high-fashion, wine culture, and music. "Lush" is the sophomore single from her debut 'Fancy Love' EP and on it, she shows a whole new skill set as a rapper. Over a mellow, lo-fi styled backdrop she delivers a unique hushed flow laced with her love for all things classy and it works like a charm. She is currently working with Canadian producer SAGII.
Silent Dust (ft Terror) "$$$"
Drum 'n Bass duo Silent Dust team up with emcee Terror on this dark, gripping single titled "$$$". The beat here is so cinematic and surreal that it's hard to ignore but on the flipside, Terror brings a whole new vibe with his passionate flow and vivid lyrical content. His style ebbs and flows to emphasize his lyrics and he also adds some little melodies and inflections to spice things up.
The Tribe Of Good – "Turning It Up For The Sunshine"
We head to London, UK with the music collective called The Tribe Of Good as they lace us with some good old funk on their new single "Turning It Up For The Sunshine". The energetic jam exudes that classic hip-hop production from start to finish with driving rhythms and grooving bass lines. Besides the feel-good vibes, the message being conveyed is meant to pump the positivity to the max and keep out any negativity far from the vicinity. The collective is headed up by Grammy-nominated producer Hal Ritson (The Young Punx, Duke Dumont, Cassius, High Contrast, Kanye West, Katy Perry), Michele Balduzzi (Phonat – OWSLA), Rich ‘Fiasco’ Adlam (Nas, Cee Lo, Taylor Swift) and Thomas Gandey (Southern Fried, Suara).
F.Y.I. – " Boom" (produced by !llMind).
LA emcee F.Y.I takes us back to the grit with some headbanger boogie titled "Boom". He taps the production skills of the one and only !llMind who cooks up a cinematic backdrop for the young emcee to go full retard over. He brings the big guns on this one as he decimates the beats with multis, sharp metaphors and an unprecedented array of wordplay to boot.
He says the inspiration behind the track was to let everyone know that true school hip-hop is far from being dead.
Eddy Mufasa – "No Problem"
Togolese rapper Eddy Mufasa takes it easy in the video for his laid-back, trap jam titled "No Problem" (Produced by K!ck'F ). The bi-lingual emcee flows effortlessly with a smooth demeanor as he switches from English to Ewé" (the language of his country of birth Togo). The Peter Marvu directed visual follows him around several spots from the barbershop, African supermarkets and to the street corners where he does his thing. Mufasa is in his element as long as he's rapping.
astralblak – "Wanna Be Saved"
Electrosoul collective ZULUZULUU returns with a new name and now go by the moniker Astralblak and their new single sets a whole new precedence for the group. "Wanna Be Saved" is a soul-drenched, hip-hop cut that blends the best of both worlds with soothing melodies and dense lyrics.
vice souletric – "Stayin Out The Way"
Rapper and producer Vice Souletric teams up with Skyzoo for the vibrant single “Stayin’ Out The Way”. The self-produced cut utilizes a classic guitar riff and head nodding drums as the two rappers go back to back with solid verses.
Ova Wise – "Me & You"
Canada based Ghanian act Ova Wise dishes out some afro-wave flavor on his new track titled "Me & You". He blends the worlds of rap, R&B, and Afro-pop. He takes some time to shower praises on the lady that caught his eye. The visual is crisp and fun-filled with so many unorthodox set pieces but overall it is pretty entertaining.
Andrew Bigs – "Squeeze"
Andrew Bigs delivers a nice mix of jazz and hip-hop with the release of his new $anchez produced single titled "Squeeze". He brings in a couple of talents such as Mike Deuce who plays the sax and Lena Nelson who adds some soothing melodies over the vibrant soundscape. This is pure feel-good music with a heavy jazz influence.
Shacar – "Fallin'"
Rising singer-songwriter Shacar switches the vibe with a dreamy love-laden tune titled "Fallin' ". The singer displays a heartfelt and rich vocal performance over a sleek, surreal soundscape provided by Daniel Lynas. The single serves as a precursor to his upcoming debut EP Beautiful Pain
If you dug what you heard, you can revisit our previous episodes of "The Slice" here.
