premiere: kenneka cook’s alt.-pop ‘moonchild’ is a totally unique record that needs to be heard to be believed
Moonchild by Kenneka Cook is one of the most unique albums I’ve ever heard. The album is part improvised vocal loops and part Billy Holiday-esque deceptively upbeat songs about heartbreak and pain (both often at the same time), with touches of neo-soul and Flaming Lips kind of indie rock thrown in for good measure. But here’s the really weird thing: it works. Really. Really. Well.
Cook reportedly came to the style after seeing Reggie Watts perform, and you can hear traces of his glorious weirdness throughout. But more often, Cook seems to be summoning a 1940’s jazz singer into the 21st century. Where far too often working synths under a jazz melody can feel self-conscious and precious, album highlight “Don’t Ask Me” is riveting from the contrast. Then she covers Nancy Sinatra’s “Bang Bang.” Then goes on a looped vocal adventure with unreasonably catchy “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance.” That any of this works at all, let alone so well is a testament to the warmth, personality, and serious vocal power Kenneka Cook brings to everything she does. As Kanneka explains, the album was an attempt to combine the myriad facets of her personality into one little package:
“I want Moonchild to be an introduction into who I am not only musically, but in all areas of my life; The mystic metaphysical thinker, the girl who isn’t afraid to ask her mom for help when she feels the weight of the world on her shoulders, the movie buff who also appreciates cinematic orchestra and more.”
stay in the valentine’s day spirit with lion babe’s sultry new single “honey dew”
You may not have had a bae yesterday, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be gifted with the blessing of love. That’s exactly what you will receive when listening to New York duo Lion Babe’s sensual new single that dropped right in time for the day of romance, “Honey Dew.”
The stripped down melodic anthem is as sweet as its titular fruit, of which lead singer Jillian reminds us at the beginning, “everybody wants a piece.” And you’ll want another when you’re done listening the first time, too!
Listen to “Honey Dew” below!
jilted lovers get a rousing ballad in soul singer jorja smith and hip-hop artist stormzy’s “let me down”
UK soul singer and AFROPUNK alum Jorja Smith teams up with fellow Brit and hip-hop star Stormzy on the piano-laden anthem of disappointment reminiscent of Sia.
video premiere: nothing is impossible with this self-empowerment anthem by soul singer jackie venson, “fight”
“To change the world we first must change ourselves,” croons Austin-born soul/pop guitarist/vocalist Jackie Venson on her newest track from the EP, Transcends. “Fight” shows off the artist’s trademark empowering lyricism and undeniable musical talent that caught the eye of Gary Clark Jr., with whom she toured last year.
Also known for her skill as a guitarist, Venson’s dynamic approach to music, honed as a student at Boston’s Berklee College, brings together blues, soul and pop in a way you’ve never heard before. Giovanni Lazarini captures this dynamism in a compelling live recording of the track premiering exclusively on AFROPUNK. If you need some empowering, this is the perfect video for you!
“Fight is a song about inner growth and the desire to improve oneself,” explains Venson. “I am debuting this solo arrangement featuring the drum machine, a new addition to my show.”
Check out a live recording of the song below!:
leave your unhealthy relationships in 2017 with alt soul artist fousheé’s rock-heavy breakup anthem “by one”
“We don’t need another sad, sad love song, one is too much…”
So croons New York-based alternative soul singer Fousheé on her latest single, “By One.” Originally from New Jersey, the artist formerly known as Britanny Fousheé brings the region’s no nonsense approach to the rousing breakup anthem, right in time for your new year’s resolution to stop giving time to people who do not reciprocate.
And it’s time that is the central theme of the track. Carried by her tender but powerful vocals, Fousheé narrates how it only takes until 1 o’clock for her lover to remind her why they are no good for her, and how she has given up on waiting for a change.
Check out “By One” below!
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zen out to alt. r&b singer opal’s wavey af single “coco miyaki” fy. sunny moonshine
Wavey AF, alternative R&B singer Opal’s latest ‘Coco Miyaki’ fy. Sunny Moonshine is a vibe-y electronic track perfect to blow one back to over winter break. Currently based in Virginia, born in Chicago, and raised in L.A. Opal blends futurism with eclectic soul to create her uniquely listenable sound. All tricks and gimmicks are used sporadically but give way to eerie calm and all-encompassing ambiance.
14-year old isabelle brown proves she is an old soul to watch with debut track “pot of gold”
“There’s a power deep in me, I’m sitting on a Pot of Gold”
It’s no secret that deep artistry has no age limit, but in the case of 14-year old Isabelle Brown, her rich, soulful voice produces an experience well beyond her years. With her debut track “Pot of Gold” ft. AZ-based Injury Reserve, she issues a sturdy call-to action preaching self-love and inner strength, breaking the boundaries of age and every expectation in her way.
A spirit well before her time with a voice that makes you think her heart was broken 100 times, this Brighton-based performer is making moves and letting her powerful voice lead the way. Though the industry is quite familiar with younger stars telling older stories—from Michael Jackson’s “Never Can Say Goodbye” at 13, to Stevie Wonder’s “I Was Made To Love Her” at 12, and every juvenile ballad in between—Brown’s “Pot of Gold” is a whole other level.
With the track’s layered arrangements and cadenced rhythm bringing an almost church-like vibe to your senses, this is an activation track at its fullest. Taking inspiration from greats like Nina Simone and Tina Turner, Brown is truly “an old soul trapped in the body of a fearless fourteen year-old” as she adds a generational twist to a classic sound.
This infectious vocalist is one to watch, and if this is her at 14, we’re not even ready for what the years will bring. Check out Isabelle Brown‘s “Pot of Gold” below, and look out for her upcoming mixtape to drop early next year!
get swept into a new dimension with gorgeous new ep by nao-approved soul singer tom tripp
After catching AFROPUNK alum NAO’s attention with his debut single “Aurelia”, which was later picked up for a full release through her record label, Little Tokyo Recordings, 22-year-old Tom Tripp is just getting started. Having teaching himself to produce his own music since he was 12, the reclusive singer/songwriter’s first solo EP, RED, is a culmination of years of impressively honed artistry.
Hailing from London’s Caledonia Road, Tripp has appeared on Mura Masa’s album alongside A$AP Rocky and others, which resulted in the electronic DJ inviting the soul singer to make his first ever live performance for Masa’s Coachella set in front of 10,000 fans. Now Tripp is ready to step out on his own, and, if the six track offering is any indication, he’s far more than ready for it. Reminiscent of the production of artists like The Weeknd, the reflective EP is a mature and dynamic listening experience that is proof this artist will be one to watch.
Check out the full album below (standouts “Aurelia” and “Pamela”)!
premiere: electro soul mastermind abslm vltn’s “jungle” is candy for your ears
Here’s something sweet for your ears. Mercurial alt soul singer ABSLM VLTN makes dreamy alt soul and electronica that swirls with retro vibes. His last single “LOVE” echoed back to some classic 80’s electro funk and pop with it’s massive drums and new romantic guitar. “Jungle” strips the sound back to a rhodes and bass beneath ABSLM VLTN’s entrancing baritone calling back more to the 70’s than anything. The song is hooks all the way down, layering sound on sound to tease an explosion that never comes. Stream it exclusively here and melt into the sound.
ABSLM VLTN explains:
“The song is about the raw, unpredictability of a new relationship and uses the imagery of the jungle as a metaphor for the fear of the unknown. It lays bare the struggle of a primitive romance, whose subject battles through a Jungle of vulnerability and emotional survival. The theme helped inform my production process, I went into it as organically as possible and ended up with this wonky sounding track that in some parts is quite sparse and other parts high energy.”
premiere: nothing can stop the magic in infectious new single by danish soul-pop star iris gold “all i really know”
Originally from London and raised in Copenhagen, singer/songwriter Iris Gold’s sound is unlike anything you have ever heard before. Having lived a self-described nomadic life surrounded by free thinkers influenced by 60’s 70’s counterculture, Iris channels those elements into a radically irresistible sound. She dubs it “hippie hop,” an alluring fusion of retro hip-hop, soul and pop, that is as melodic as it is powerful.
It’s that power that Iris harnesses in her latest track, “All I Really Know”, an infectious anthem about overcoming obstacles and realizing the sky is the limit.
“When you have been dealing with adversity throughout your life, it will either kill you, or make you blossom into a positive person, and I decided very early on in life that I would always be positive, energetic, and a go-getter,” Iris explains. “‘All I Really Know’ is my Rocky Balboa/Apollo Creed track. It’s a song about picking yourself up, dusting yourself off and trying again, after failing, no matter how many attempts it takes.”
Take a listen to the catchy single below!: