Born in Brooklyn, New York, 21-year-old rapper, singer and producer Haleek Maul was sent to the tropical island of Barbados at a young age to attend school and be raised outside the chaotic American city. Inspired by the sounds that filled his childhood environment, he began creating music while in high school, and what started off as innocent rhyming and mimicry of his favorite artists became an obsession which led him to pursue production and greater musical exploration.
Check out his first single “Ceiling Fan” below, which was features as one part of EBro’s “Discovered On” feature on his Beats1 show this week!
Automatic is Izzy Glaudini (synths, vocals), Lola Dompé (drums, vocals) and Halle Saxon (bass, vocals). The band first met while immersed in L.A.’s DIY music scene and started jamming together in 2017. Over the past year they have become a mainstay on the L.A. club circuit. Their debut album Signal is out now – vinyl at Stones Throw / Bandcamp. They’re touring Europe in October, and North America with Black Marble in November. Dates below.
US DATES WITH BLACK MARBLE
Nov 7: Austin @ Levitation
Nov 10: Nashville @ The Basement
Nov 12: Columbus @ Ace of Cups
Nov 13: State College, PA @ Webster’s Bookstore Cafe
Nov 14: Oberlin OH @ Dionysus Discotheque
Nov 16: Montréal @ Bar Le ‘Ritz’ P.D.B.
Nov 19: Hamden @ Space Ballroom
Nov 20: Philadelphia @ Underground Arts
Nov 21: Baltimore @ Metro Gallery
Nov 22: NYC @ Bowery Ballroom
Nov 24: Washington DC @ Black Cat
The three members of Girl Ray were all teenagers when they released their enormously promising twee-pop debut album Earl Grey two years ago. But while that album did a great job evoking the glimmering lo-fi sounds of ’80s and ’90s UK indie, the members of Girl Ray are on a whole different wave now. Next month, the band will release Girl, their sophomore LP. And this time around, they’ve been influenced by circa-now centrist pop titans like Ariana Grande and Rihanna, though they still sound very much like themselves.
The band worked with Christine And The Queens/Metronomy producer Ash Workman on the new album, and they’ve also expanded their sonic palette, bringing in synths. You can hear that in first single “Show Me More,” which we posted a few months ago. And you can also hear it in the bright, charming “Girl,” the new album’s opening track.
“Girl” is built from a bright, strutting guitar line, one that sounds a bit like the ’80s new-wave version of reggae. It’s also got lush, pillowy amoxil-info and dazed, euphoric keyboard sounds all through it. Singer Poppy — they don’t use last names — delivers her lyrics in a voice that weirdly recalls Nico. And somehow, all those things together sound vaguely like HAIM? Check out director Crusoe Weston’s video for “Girl” Above!– READ MORE VIA STEREOGUM
French producer SebastiAn links with London riser Bakar on new single ‘Sober’.
A producer closely linked to the rise of French electro, SebastiAn has broadened his approach and style to encompass something almost genre-less. New album Thirst – his first since 2011 – lands shortly, and it features some of his most emphatically creative work to date.
His new single ‘Sober’ is online + at radio now, and finds the French artist colliding with searing London talent Bakar. Bolshy, aggressive electronics linked to Bakar’s emphatic vocal, it’s a neat pairing of two utterly distinct talents. – READ MORE VIA CLASH
On her new single with actor/rapper Lakeith Stanfield, ALA.NI is fed up with a love interest who won’t get their shit together – and she’s ready to move on for greener pastures instead of continuing to waste her time.
“Got no patience with this masquerade / I’m not falling till you catch my wave / and there’s beauty only steps away / all these silly games you want to play,” ALA.NI laments, before Lakeith Stanfield (known for his roles in Get Out and Atlanta) delivers a frustrated, fearful verse about losing something special.
But part of what makes “VanP” special is the instrumental. ALA.NI initially planned for upcoming record ACCA to be an acapella album, so much of the album is made up of human voices. ALA.NI’s arrangement is rooted in a moody beatbox by Dave Crowe and supplemented with a bass guitar by Phil Simmonds, lending to a sparse, spacious soundbed that leaves space for ALA.NI’s breathy vocals to shine. – READ MORE VIA VIBE
Guitar game recognizes guitar game on the new album by Marcus King, which finds the South Carolina musician teaming up with producer and Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach to release King’s first solo LP, El Dorado.
Due January 17th, the album is a collection of 12 tracks, all written by King and Auerbach with songwriters like Pat McLaughlin, Paul Overstreet, and Ronnie Bowman. El Dorado also finds King backed up not by his eponymous Marcus King Band (as he was on his last effort, 2018’s Carolina Confessions), but by Auerbach’s roster of studio heavyweights, including keys payer Bobby Wood, drummer Gene Chrisman, and bassist Dave Roe. Check out the first single “The Well” here + read more via Rolling Stone HERE!
It’s safe to say Blue Note Residency is off to a great start. Weekend one = FIRE.
Robert Glasper’s official guest that weekend was Yasiin Bey, but the weekend of shows also saw additional special guests Qtip, Black Though, Talib Kweli, Yebba, Bilal and more.
Catch the show yourself this month, and visit our record cart dedicated to the new mixtape + food truck posted up outside the venue too!
