Blog interview: Saint Joshua

Congratulations on the release of “Nasty (En)amor” how does it feel? Thank you! This is one of my most creative tracks I have made so it’s exciting to see it being received well What’s the story behind the song? This one’s a bit of a rollercoaster init? It starts off pretty sultry – I wanted …

Single Review: “In The Way” – Slic Vic X TravizWILDE

Slic Vic and TravizWilde have come together on a jazz soul spiced tune and it’s… beautiful. The track starts off with a drum beat with a guitar playing the four chords around which the track is built. The song has elements of 90s R&B in the harmonies, which are beautifully layered – you can almost …

Album Review: “Eleven Short Stories – The Remix Album” – The Music Of Sound

The Music Of Sound X Minimums – First Light  This has such a cinematic feel to it, and I wouldn’t expect any less from Minimums having played and reviewed their work before. This is like an overture to the album and it’s an inspired choice both in choice of remixer and the sequence in which …

In The Spotlight: Sammy Stein Talks To Kim Cypher.

Tell us briefly about your journey in music until now. Music has been a lifelong journey. As a young child I was drawn to all things musical. There was always music playing in the house (my dad loved big band music) and when I was introduced to the recorder and the piano, I could instinctively …

Single Review: “You Lost Out” – The Music Of Sound

This song is just gorgeous. With a line up change and the addition of Sherry Sahayaraj, The Music Of Sound keep their melodic flavours going but with a slight spice in flavour.  Let’s talk about the instruments first. It’s a simple arrangement, bass keeping the groove along with the drums with a slight variation in …

Single Review: “Why Can’t I Wake Up With You?” – Take That

Today is the Mercury Music Awards and they are being hosted at @abbeyroadstudios @freshonthenet asked a question on his fabulous #nowplaying show on @bbc6music – what album in the past got nominated but never won? Naturally there are so many, but one I didn’t realise was nominated when looking for my favourite was Take That’s …

Single Review: “World Happy” – Michelle Ward

Michelle Ward is back with a new single “World Happy” – I played it on my show and I’m absolutely in love with it. It’s an indie pop tune heavy on the pop elements – catchy melody that brings sunshine – lyrics that get to the point – the world needs more happiness.First verse: God’s …

Single Review: “Money” – Ahmala

Well! This combines jazz, hip hop, neo soul, a touch of Motown and some gospel into this lovely track! There’s a flute to kick off proceedings over a bass that I’m suspecting is played live on the recording – it’s got some depth to it. Add to that a Rhodes piano and an upright piano, …

Single Review: “Last Call” – Summer Lee Carlson X Mute Speaker

Keeping with their overall vibes of old school soul Summer Lee Carlson and producer Mute Speaker are back. This takes a drop in tempo but maintains the same temperature, there are snare drum rolls with ghost notes as well as some sneaky percussion to keep the groove going – there are some synth pads in …

Single Review: “Kitty Paw” – Shook

This track is full of 80s goodness! What do I mean? Well, this track has what I reckon is a LinnDrum machine – very much that synth pop vibe, combined with synth chords with a touch of vibrato, and that bass line is part of the Yamaha DX7 playbook – Lately Bass at least? This …