There are some of us dedicated to rummaging the inner regions of the web in search of that good 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 or more 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.
If you dig what you hear, you can also revisit our previous episodes of "The Slice" here.
Jordan Hawkins – "Boarding Pass"
Jordan Hawkins is a man of many talents. The guitarist, producer and sound engineer from Greensboro, NC helps kick off the list with a love-lorn single titled "Boarding Pass". Backed by a solemn guitar arrangement, he dwells on the love of his life from a very reflective point of view. It's definitely a story many have lived and can easily relate to. "Boarding Pass" is the 2nd single from his upcoming EP titled WARM. Get it on Spotify
Chedda Cheese – "Grade 9"
Canadian emcee Chedda Cheese (real name Shea Rodger) shares a summary of his life with us on his new record "Grade 9". The song sees the rapper talk about the events that occurred in his life from 9th grade until now. Under 2 minutes, he talks about his past life as a strip club DJ, heartbreak, his battle rap career and much more over a vibrant trap infused backdrop produced by WIZE.
The visual by Ricky Lam also adds life to the song with its onscreen lyrics and 90s aesthetics. Get it on Spotify.
Kip LaVie – "Blues for Sedi"
Portland-based producer and instrumentalist Kip LaVie shake things up with some lively experimentation vibes on his new song "Blues for Sedi". The track's dynamism is pretty out of this world as he plays with a lot of sound design effects, jazz-influenced music, and downtempo elements. It's captivating, weird and soothing all at once. Download all of Kip's music on Bandcamp or listen on Spotify:
Twin Theory – "Ocean Eyes"
Yorkshire-based duo Twin Theory takes the energy up a notch with their smooth dance infused debut record titled "Ocean Eyes". Tinged with influences ranging from funk and soul to disco, ‘Ocean Eyes' pays respectful homage to decades of influences in the form of refreshing and current dance music. Not much is known about the duo but we do know that they have been producing in other dance outfits over the years and now the pair work head-to-head in Twin Theory, waving years of experienced sound into something completely organic. Get it on Spotify
Narou & James Chatburn – "Oblivious"
Vienna born producer and singer-songwriter Narou teams up with Australian producer and artist James Chatburn on the new collaborative single titled "Oblivious". The two linked up last year in Berlin and worked towards crafting some eargasmic new material. Fast forward to 2019 and "Oblivious" was birthed. The single is a vibrant soul-drenched record built on steel pans, piano arpeggios and detailed layers of percussion and melody. Chatburn really taps into our emotions as well as he reflects on feelings of uncertainty in a tumultuous relationship.
Lady Shaynah – "Confusion"
Lady Shaynah follows through with her new "Confusion" single, a heartfelt record that everyone can easily relate to. She takes a page from her own personal experience of heartbreak and puts it on wax. Backed by a rich, alluring backdrop and an emotionally drenched vocal performance, Lady Shaynah crafts an ode to anybody who has gone through a rough breakup and come out the other side still feeling confused and with a lot of unanswered questions.
"Confusion" is taken from her forthcoming 'Chapter 22' EP. As a seasoned musician, she was awarded the title of 'Music Matters Ambassador Award' in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, in 2014 before releasing her first LP 'Dare' in 2015. Now a vocal, songwriting and band coach, Lady Shaynah teaches at the 'Babette Labeij Music Academy' and ZO! Gospel Choir, and is set to release her next EP this year.
Tee Noah – "Coming to Australia"
Tarik Noah Menzies, aka Tee Noah, makes a grand entry on our list this week with the anthemic "Coming to Australia". The Brisbane, Australia based rapper taps into his African roots and fuses it with contemporary elements on the thumping record. He opens it up with a Fela Kuti vocal sample (shouts to producer James Angus ) and doesn't look back as he lunges towards prosperity in God's own country.
The Green – "Alive"
Hailing from the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu, the 5 man band called The Green deliver some tropical-tinged soulful vibes on their new single "Alive". Backed by rich acoustic guitars and groovy percussions, the soul-drenched vocals really come alive on this aspirational record that dwells on love, peace, and happiness. "Alive" is taken from their upcoming acoustic album release, Black & White, which is set to come out March 22 via longtime label partner Easy Star Records.
Mayhem – "Justin Bieber" Ft. Grizzy.
South London based Drill emcees Mayhem and Grizzy team up on the new track "Justin Bieber". The hard-hitting grime cut was produced by MK The Plug and sees the duo trading ferocious, unapologetic lyrics with a fiery swag. The video is a straight-up performance-based visual with the ‘snow’ acting like a playful nod to the lyrical content in the hook.
Mayhem is currently working on a new project ‘Letter 2 The Streets Two’ as well as much more in the pipes for 2019. Get it on Spotify
Jordan Astra – “All Blessings”.
Toronto born, Australia based rapper Jordan Astra shows us just how blessed he is on his new vibrant record titled “All Blessings”. He delivers an aspirational tune laced with club-friendly vibes enough to motivate and make you groove at the same time. The beats are redolent of UK house and London club music. The delivery is indebted to chart-topping American pop. The moodiness of the production nods to the prevailing tone of music from Toronto, And the lyrics demonstrate that Astra has his mind on more cosmic concerns than those that occupy the thoughts of his peers. The video was directed by Liam Giuliani who focuses on Astra's charismatic performance.
