Sexy, sassy, stylish and more importantly, talented are truly only a few words to describe London-based singer Liza Owen. Born to a Cambodian mother and a British father, Owen’s fierceness is practically embedded in her music and undoubtedly in her fashion. It becomes evident why thousands and thousands of people follow the bombshell on Instagram. However, within her world of glamour is also a bursting pride about her Khmer heritage which she holds near and dear. In fact, Owen is a shining model for the Cambodian community in the UK and abroad. Yet while she effortlessly walks the line between both cultures, Liza Owen’s status should honestly be marked as 'global'. And one thing is certain, she knows that the world is soon to be in the palm of her hands.
Questlove and Black Thought of The Roots visited Sway and Hip-Hop Nation to discuss their …
Hailing from Wrocław, Marcin Cichy and Igor Pudlo formed Skalpel in 1998 through a mutual love of musical tastes and an admiration of one another’s production style. In 2000 Igor Pudlo interviewed DJ Vadim for Klan (a Hip-Hop publication based out of Poland), which ultimately led to the Ninja Tune artist inviting Skalpel to tour with him and the Russian Percussion band throughout Poland. After releasing their CD-R “Polish Jazz”, Cichy and Pudlo signed with Ninja Tune to release their critically acclaimed self-titled debut album in 2004. Riding high, the duo unleashed their second LP “Konfusion” in 2005, which was welcomed with praises by publications such as JazzTimes for their detailed production.
Jazz has been and continues to play an intricate part in today’s music culture. Whether cleverly being sampled by DJs and producers during Hip-Hop’s “golden years”, resurrected throughout the rare groove and acid jazz period of the UK or carefully twisted by acts in the broken beat and future jazz scene, the sound has served as a foundation to many of the modern grooves that resonate with audiences worldwide. Polish duo Skalpel, consisting of Marcin Cichy and Igor Pudlo, were among the top tier of nu jazz artists fostering a new wave of jazz to the masses while simultaneously reintroducing the 60s and 70s cool jazz sound of their home country.
With a mission to enhance the way listeners experience music, in 2010 Colleen Murphy created Classic Album Sundays, a communal LP listening event in North London where albums are played from start to finish on premium high fidelity audio gear. Coverage of CAS by the BBC as well as numerous publications internationally, helped the event’s popularity to spread globally with Classic Album Sundays now happening in various cities around the world.
With a mission to enhance the way listeners experience music, in 2010 Colleen Murphy created Classic Album Sundays, a communal LP listening event in North London where albums are played from start to finish on premium high fidelity audio gear. Coverage of CAS by the BBC as well as numerous publications internationally, helped the event’s popularity to spread globally with Classic Album Sundays now happening in various cities around the world.
Raw, uncut and unfettered is the music of Bucharest-based producer Liar. The unsparing boldness embedded within each track smacks you in the face like a playground bully. And no matter the direction of genre that he chooses to travel, the level of quality always remains undeniable. Perhaps this is why his songs have garnished support by the likes of Mary Ann Hobbs down to Jamie xx. Whether manipulating vocals in a haunting manner over rumbling bass or remaking tracks like Katy B's "5 A.M." into dark dance floor scorchers, Liar's production seems to steamroll over even the thought of cookie cutter electronica in today's market.
Raw, uncut and unfettered is the music of Bucharest-based producer Liar. The unsparing boldness embedded within each track smacks you in the face like a playground bully. And no matter the direction of genre that he chooses to travel, the level of quality always remains undeniable. Perhaps this is why his songs have garnished support by the likes of Mary Ann Hobbs down to Jamie xx. Whether manipulating vocals in a haunting manner over rumbling bass or remaking tracks like Katy B's "5 A.M." into dark dance floor scorchers, Liar's production seems to steamroll over even the thought of cookie cutter electronica in today's market.
As the house music community recovers from the loss of Frankie Knuckles, Defected Records label …
Good music should also be fun music - and nothing spells fun like the French-bred, London-based trio We Were Evergreen. Comprised of Fabienne Débarre, Michael Liot and William Serfas, their sound incorporates pop, indie, folk, electro and things in between, but not limited to any of those titles. It’s just well…brilliant music. In fact, their charming quirk adds to the band’s appeal, allowing them to weave through an array of musical styles, making full use of their talent as multi-instrumentalists. Their chemistry and energy projected as a band instantly pulls you into a sort of wonderland of joy.
