Give one listen and look at singer ILIRA and one will quickly come to the understanding that she was born to be a star. With a consistent record of pumping out impressive pop singles, themes of confidence and high self-esteem flow continuously in her songwriting. Aside from possessing a killer voice, her ear for polished production choices puts her in a win-win situation. At this point in her career the powerhouse artist can do no wrong.
Swiss / Kosovo-Albanian pop singer ILIRA steps up with a new video for her single 'Royalty'. Directed by Tatjana Wenig and Jakub Rzucidlo, and filmed in an exquisite castle-like mansion, the singer is not only dressed like a princess but is treated like one as well. From having her picture painted to being wined and dined, ILIRA is definitely showing off her royal demeanor (no pun intended) throughout the visuals.
It is easy to get caught up in the romanticism of various periods of jazz, whether it be the swinging sounds of 40s bebop, 60s cool or the 70s spiritual and edgier period. Imagery of musicians making their treks between St. Louis and Chicago, on over to bustling Harlem nights prompt vivid flashes of Charlie Parker and Miles Davis jamming on stage with the skillful drumming of Max Roach powering behind them. Whilst for some these moments hold dear with a strong arm protection like the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, if you’re a jazz band from Switzerland, it would almost seem rational to work extra hard to remotely follow-up behind some of the legacies that were left in the genre. However with Swiss group Kaos Protokoll’s latest LP ‘Everyone Nowhere’, the band have opted to simply do their own thing, making a journey into their truths about a sound that they simply love to play.
Jazz - a music that has been a source of cultural and spiritual connections of a people trapped in a cruel web of uncertainty; a sound that has undergone multiple transformations over decades whilst simultaneously taking the world by storm. This was the form of expression for a charismatic trumpeter from New Orleans to a North Carolina-born saxophonist who used it to communicate to the heavens above, proving the ultimate supremacy was that of love. Yet in 2018 with the general public's ears being more attuned to synth-driven pop songs or bass-quaking trap music, where jazz stands in the mainstream psyche is indeed that of question. However the counter question is, does it really matter? When the music is produced with passion, heart and respect it will find its way to touch the emotions of people.
Pablo Nouvelle has occupied an interesting space in music. Whilst establishing himself as a prominent producer who can knock out atmospheric electronic soul, he has also crafted moving deep house records that have been equally as good. Having been critically praised for his debut self-titled release back in 2013, followed by his 2016 album 'All I Need', for his latest LP 'Wired', Nouvelle has bridged the best of both worlds resulting in a moody and illustrious piece of work.
Releasing her EP 'Marée Basse' on Rekids back in March of 2017, Swiss producer Honorée now returns to the label with another offering entitled the 'Marée Haute' EP. Out January 19th, the record is a lush journey into the deeper side of house presented with two original tracks. 'Dorian' is a thumping sliding spearheaded by a thick, reeling bass line and sleek synths propelling a jacking experience whilst '208' shoots right into the peak hour of the club with bouncing low end, steamy, sparse vocals and sharp keys that is the perfect music backing for hedonism. The EP also includes a lo-fi and atmospheric remix of 'Dorian' courtesy of producer Margaret Dygas. 'Marée Haute' is a sexy and exciting record by one of the top gunners of the Swiss house scene.
If we're to have the conversation about dub in Switzerland, then we have to go straight to the man who is one of the better at creating it, Daniel Jakob aka Dubokaj. Originating what he labels Alpine Dub, the multi-instrumentalist released his debut LP boasting the same title back in 2016. Carving an imprint in his name in the digital dub landscape, Dubokaj know teams up with South African artist Fortune Shumba for their new collaborative EP 'Dubokaj Meets Fortune Shumba'. Comprised of seven songs split between vocal versions and dubs, this melting pot of not only musical styles but cultures have been cultivated into a package that will not only properly serve traditionalists but the future dub circuit as well. Scheduled to get released July 14 via Mouthwatering Records, we have a premiere of Dubokaj and Fortune Shumba's 'Trinidadian Babies'. You may want to turn up your speakers for this one! Have a listen below.
Jazz music has definitely gone through its share of phases over the years. Whilst a resurrected interest in the genre manifested through late 80s and 90s Hip-Hop, as well as the rare groove and acid jazz scene of the same period, the music slowly took backseat to various modern and not so modern forms of music. However, in this day and age, it takes an almost Godsent act to be able to brilliantly bridge the gaps between the past and present, doing it in a manner that is classically respected and currently accessible. Perhaps Swiss singer Lucia Cadotsch was sent down from the Heavens. With her 2016 critically acclaimed 'Speak Low' LP placing the singer among the top tier list of current jazz singers, her latest record 'Speak Low Renditions' perfectly restructures the album into experimental works of art that sounds like nothing else at the moment.
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