The Evolution of BLK ODYSSY & Their New Single ‘XXX’

BLK ODYSSY defies genre categorization, with their new single they prove their inability to be boxed by a genre. Propelled by band leader, composer, producer, wordsmith and vocalist Juwan Elcock and guitarists Alejandro Rios, the band released their new single ‘XXX’ featuring Wiz Khalifa venturing into new sonic territory. Renowned for their skill in blending genres, the band seamlessly combines jazz, funk, hip-hop, neo-soul, and R&B throughout their first two albums. Their venture into hyper-punk and alt-pop represents an exhilarating new phase in their musical journey. 

As they are gearing up for the release of their third album this summer, BLK ODYSSY offers a glimpse into their evolving sound with the release of their latest single, “XXX.”. From the lyrics to composition, BLK ODYSSY has set themselves apart from many of their contemporaries with their raw authenticity. Departing from their previous sound, the band ventures into a hyper punk/alt-pop/indie sound. Earlier in the year they dropped “I Want You” which gives influences of post punk and pop rock. I was able to sit down with frontman, Juwan, to talk about their latest single “XXX” featuring Wiz Khalifa, their musical journey, and the upcoming album. 

LISTEN TO “WANT YOU”

I first came across BLK ODYSSY in 2022 at their performance in Los Angeles at Black Market Flea. They performed their debut album, Blk Vintage, which explores themes of the Black experience including love, lust, and trauma. The band has a beautiful way of warping reality and pulling you into their world, and making time stop. The band’s use of instruments in their music is pivotal to their performances and the quality of their records. After this introduction, I became a fan instantly. It’s so refreshing to see musicians embrace traditional instrumentation in a culture where digital music has taken over. I love that BLK ODYSSY composes original work not utilizing samples as crutches to create impactful records. Their first two albums, Blk Vintage and Diamonds & Freaks, showcased their ability to seamlessly blend nostalgic vibes with contemporary sounds, demonstrating their versatility and creative prowess.

They teased their new single at an electrifying performance on From The Block at an Austin skatepark which went viral as folks are excited to see Black artists reclaiming rock. Personally, I haven’t been able to get the song out of my head since. The latest release has sparked my anticipation for their ever evolving sound. I appreciate their love of experimentation and their commitment to not bending the knee to a single genre/sound. This new single gives hyper punk and pop rock resonance, fulfilling their Black alt fans dreams. 

“XXX” transports listeners back to the early 2000s punk rock renaissance, reminiscent of MTV’s pop-rock era. The song tells the story of a professional yearner who’s committed to fulfilling the desires of the girl he dreams of. To masterfully embrace this new sound, Juwan had to embody the character of this emo kid who’s invisible to the girl of his dreams. With its infectious chorus and compelling storytelling, the song captivates with a blend of nostalgia and modernity. BLK ODYSSY masterfully adopts elements of the past while infusing their unique style, creating a composition that resonates deeply. The eerie background vocals add depth and atmosphere, enhancing the overall sonic experience. You can always count on the band to serve elements of psychedelic surrealism.

As a fan of BLK ODYSSY, I found working with Wiz on this track felt more like a business move than a musical/creative decision. Especially as they branch out to pop-punk/hyper punk it feels that to reach a wider more diverse audience, you need tracks like this to become a certified radio hit. However, don’t let the Wiz Khalifa feature throw you off, this record is still a banger and has been viral online way before Wiz hopped on the track. I had a chat with Juwan to understand why they made this choice and learn more about this new era for BLK ODYSSY. 

Q: As a BLK ODYSSY fan, I’m here for the new sound. I love, love, love XXX. But my first question is, why Wiz? What was behind that decision making and collaboration with him on that song?

A: When we were making this record, we wanted to really bring the nostalgia of a sound that I feel is missing in modern urban music today. We always try to meld genres together. And this particular record is a mesh between, hyper punk and alternative pop. So I just thought it would be interesting to get that sound, mixed with Wiz who brings your modern day hip hop to the table and continue to bridge gaps in genres like we like we try to always do.

Q: I know you guys are known for definitely bending genres and doing a lot of fusions with both ‘Want You’ and ‘XXX’ you’re obviously leaning more to an alt pop/punk sound. What made you want to go in this direction for this specific project?

A: There’s a lot of things that prompted us to do that. To be completely honest, we felt a little bit boxed in by our fan base. We had a very distinct sound when coming into this. We had our first release in 2021, and it was very ingrained and neo soul and funk. Pretty much all of the Sonics that we had lived in, although our influences went way beyond that. We tried to tease that a bit in early records but yeah, we saw a ceiling to what we were doing. We felt like we needed to take an aggressive step, especially after Diamonds & Freaks to prove not only ourselves, but to the people that wanted to follow BLK ODYSSY to see that we couldn’t be boxed into a genre. That was the inspiration behind going in this direction. Also, it’s just a liberating sound for us. I’ve always liked rock music and I’ve always liked listening to things that weren’t necessarily like those around me when I was growing up. So I’m just tapping into different influences at this point and really enjoying the process of doing that too.

Q: This sonic leap feels very organic and authentic. Black kids up 1000. As you’re broadening your audience with this new project, new people are going to be exposed to you and your sound. What songs from your discography would you recommend people listen to and in what order, if they found you through “Want You” or “XXX”.

A: I mean, it’s tough to say because  you’d go back to the previous projects and there’s not very much that  says this is where they were going next. I think we tried to plant a bit of it with “Orange Wine” on our previous record and “Big Bad Wolf” on our debut album. Both of those had pop elements and a Big Bad Wolf had punky elements as well. And yeah, I just feel like that was what bridged this gap, so if people were listening from our newest stuff to our original stuff, I would say that’s probably a good segue because we tried to make those changes seamless within the record.

Q: In general, what has been one of your favorite songs to record and work on?

A: I would probably say XXX. While I was in a studio, I was practicing what actors would consider like method acting, where I was very much trying to embody the character of this album and like, be that person while I was in the studio. So that the emotions came through as genuine and as possible. That meant changing my vocal tone or changing my attitude when I was going in the studio, so that I could really nail the part. For us like this is like cinema, and we want the theatrics within these records to be convincing to the people that are listening to them. So I mean, it was all like fun for me because I love film and I love the acting element of this. When I was in the studio, while recording a part that was more angsty and a kid was yelling in it. I’m in the booth and I’m yelling and in between takes I’m not breaking character- I think we have BTS videos of me really getting into this character and just, you know, embodying the whole role. So I had a great time recording this record. Again, it was really challenging and I had times where I was very frustrated and argued with the team internally about directions musically, but you know, I think what we ended up with, we’re really proud of.

Q: As a fan of your music I’ve dreamed of collaborations of BLK ODYSSY collabs with Yussef Dayes. Paramore, EKKSTACY, Erykah Badu, Will Smith, and so many more. Who do you dream of collaborating with?

A: So many like a lot of the ones that you said would be insane. I’ve always been a fan of Willo and Yussef and many different people. Our sound has evolved and with that, and, who I really want to work with evolves as well and changes. If I’m going based off of this record, you know, it would have been incredible to do some work with like Lana Del Rey or Lenny Kravitz. Willow Smith was definitely on my wish list. I was able to work with Joey Bada$$ on this record, who I’ve been wanting to work with for a while, and I didn’t necessarily think that that was going to happen on this record but cool, it was great. It was definitely a surprise for me. I never thought that I would work with him, but that was great. The list goes on. I think Jack White would be super tough to work with and obviously, my being I think Andre 3000. And the reason I say that is because Outcasts was still very much a you know, expiration on his record, although we have like a little bit more edgy, you know, tones to the record, structurally and like, as far as how the song sound chord wise, you know, songs like Roses and  Hey Yeah was still like very much influential to this phase of black honestly this era black obviously. 

Q: And I’ve noticed that you guys move with a lot of intention with how you produce and write your music? What did the recording process for this specific album look like in terms of intention moving through which songs and etc.

A: The first thing to note is that it pretty much happened chronologically. We did ‘Want You’ first before we went on tour last year, and when we came back we finished the rest of the album in a span of like five months. So it was a pretty short record. But I think it started with understanding the story, understanding the characters within the story. Really like studying their characteristics. A lot of this was inspired by films like just watching different movies and studying how people act and just trying to bring that to life through audio. So once we did that, I just got into a character and went to town with that. I’s good to note that like, for people that know, Blk Odyssy I think that’d be very surprised by this record, because pretty much throughout the entire record, with the exception of maybe one or two songs. I kind of have like a voice character that doesn’t sound anything like mine. People will be like, that’s not really like you’re not giving people anything to hang on to. But that’s the thing people should hang on to the concepts of our records, not necessarily how you hear my voice or how you hear a guitar or how you hear the production because that’s going to be ever changing. But the concept is what we want our fanbase to marry. I embody this teenage angsty, emo kind of vocal. And I had to figure out a way to make that sound genuine and make it not sound like a joke, you know, I’m saying so. That was a good part of the process. Figuring out what their vocal tone sounds like. And then figuring out different ways to create dynamics within this production because I had always done hip hop, r&b stuff, so now I’m moving into the pop space with alternative vibes. We have to figure out different tones. And as a producer, I just say like, Okay, this is how you make this sound happier. That’s how you make the sound darker. This is how you raise the energy in this part. So that was a process, you know, and I’ll go through the same process on our next record. When we change sounds again. 

The band is not one to shy away from addressing uncomfortable topics. In their freshman album Blk Vintage, they transformed the pain, triumph, beauty, and adversity from the personal experiences of Juwan and the collective Black experience, and turned it into a record that echoes liberation through psychedelic surrealism addressing social justice and mental health. Their new punk era is not far from it. At their 2024 SWXSW show, the band took time out of their sets to share their stance on Palestine as they wore Keffiyehs on stage. As a band that created an album about Black liberation, it easy and aligned for them to speak up against the genocide Palestinians are facing. Because punk aesthetics and sounds are marking a mainstream resurgence, I had to ask Juwan about his thoughts on the absence of punk values in the new age adoption.

Q: We are in a space right now in music/culture where punk and alternative culture/aesthetics are starting to become mainstream or in better words more culturally acceptable and sought out, but the values of punkness are not being embraced the same way. As you’re moving into this era, what synergies are there with punk values and the band’s?

A: People that knew BLK ODYSSY before, based off of our first record, know that one of the biggest things that we’re rooted in is activism. Although this record might not like, particularly speak to it, it could be a segue for us to get back into that. When I’m performing I’m gonna talk about whatever I feel is on my chest, in any capacity, whether that’s South by Southwest and talking about Gaza, and whether it’s social injustices around the country. It’s always been what we do, because that’s who we are. We’ve always used our platform to speak up. This sound definitely has a deeper meaning than what this record is. So, in lieu of that, when I get on stage, I’ll always find a way to speak while we’re in front of people about things that are actually important

Punk and its values are here to stay no matter how many folks want to co-opt our aesthetics, our ethics never die. Excited to see Blk Odyssy lean into a sound and movement who’s ethos resonate with them so well. I was able to get a sneak peak of the album and I’m afraid Blk Odyssy will be 3/3 certified. Alt Black kids up 1000.BLK ODYSSY’s music and visuals exist in a realm of surrealism taking us through journeys of real life issues and consolidating them into alternative universes. In the multiverse that is BLK ODYSSY, this new era is bringing forth the unsetting and alluring embodiment of indie punk rock while embodying their true identity- limitless and uncontained.

Q: I was able to listen to half of the upcoming album, and let me say this y’all are going 3/3 with certified records. Let’s give them a sneak peak into this new album and era. What concepts and themes do you want your audience to walk away from with this new album?

A: That’s a good question, because there are commonalities and through lines between all of our projects. The storyline has an element of surrealism and psychedelia. I think all of our records possess that to some degree. And, um, you know, that’s something that’s still here. This one is a fictional story. And it’s definitely surreal, like it feels like one of those crazy shows that you’ll see on Netflix- always bending reality. The character spends a lot of this album in a dream state, but he doesn’t know he’s dreaming. He’s interacting with things on this record that only exist in the subconscious. So surrealism is the main theme of it.

Check out ‘XXX’ featuring Wiz Khalifa, available on all streaming platforms! I can’t wait for their upcoming album dropping this summer. You better believe I’m gearing up for their tour too! Keep up with all things BLK ODYSSY by following them on social media @blkodyssy.

JonoJono Is Making Transcendent Art

Despite the rising visibility in media, Black artists have often been hidden in and on the alternative scene. There is still, among some, a belief that certain genres sit outside the realm of sounds Black musicians should make. Black rockers, punks and indie sensations are the community that Afropunk was founded for. The specific insistence and intention to create in this space is not only a form of resistance but an ownership of spaces we helped create and do exist in. One such artist is JonoJono.

Their latest release, Consciousness shifts between melancholic crooning and explosive lyrics that carry listeners on his journey with him. It’s easy to hear JonoJono’s influences on the track but it’s also clear that JonoJono is forging his own path and ultimately coming into his own. I had a chat with JonoJono about his latest single, the relationship between Blues and alt spaces and what it means to create transcendent art.

Consciousness has just been released, how are you feeling?

Happy that I released my 1st original material for the year of 2023.

Consciousness was written during the pandemic. What’s your experience been like from conception to execution? 

Well…for that time of writing the song and playing it, I was in the process of working on my project “in a toxic world” which was released in 2021. I was in a stuck mental place like everyone else at the time and I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t able to grip reality of my emotions or drive. I felt like I lost touch of who I was and why I do what I do because all I had was 4 walls surrounding me and alcohol to help the day go by, and with that said – paranoia formed and spiritual stress came from it. I kept numbing those emotions and losing consciousness to survive to the next day. Some can say it was depression, but I say it was a catalyst to the rawness power of this project. 

Last year, you mentioned your journey from the church to alternative spaces. I particularly love the description of making Blues in a louder, heavier way. There’s still this perception of what Black music is vs what white music is. How has it been navigating this in your career?

There’s a stigma that needs to be broken on what skin color made what. It’s obvious that blues is the blueprint to all genres that everyone loves today, spanning from hip hop, metal, R&B, country, house/EDM, etc….Blues is the epitome of feeling and raw expression when there wasn’t anything else to use. For me, I stay to facts and history with my performances and influences and make it a point to educate any demographic that objectifies my craft and evoke conversations like these that aren’t inflammatory to let others understand why they do the type of sound their spirits link to. You can’t run away from the impact of black artists because 80% of music (outside of international/cultural genres) that is thought of by any race doing anything mainstream today, will indeed name drop a black artist at some point in time. That fact alone gives me peace and won’t allow me to waver in my sound.  

Word on the street is, you want to produce art that transcends genre. You’ve also said ‘music shouldn’t have a label as long as he’s authentic.’ So I guess, what does this look like to you?

There’s a term that I learned when falling in love with the Early Bay Area thrash metal scene and it’s called a “poser”. A “poser” is someone that uses glitz and glamour, or smoke and mirrors to get their push in the game. In present day time, that could equate to someone who goes for a genre that doesn’t fit them, or maybe an R&B artist that releases a vocally strong and demanding song, but in reality it’s all constructed and auto tuned, or they’re terrible performers but they have all the bells and whistles on stage to hide that fact that they can’t sing live or play like on the released record. Ever since one of my favorite bands like Metallica and peer artists at the time highlighted the disgust of being a “poser” it made me look into myself to make sure I carry this flag to not be that in anything I do. So when I sing, The mic is on. When I play, It’s me playing…when I write and produce on these topics in the sonic spaces of R&B or grunge or metal…that’s just how I feel at the time and there’s nothing anyone can do to change that emotional illustration & there’s nothing forced when I’m doing it. It’s who I purely am, I’m not “posing” for a particular demographic. I make music as my therapy and it gets me through life, not for the approval of others. It’s that mentality that opens the door to make something new and unheard of. We can look back and refer to the greats that innovated sound before us decades ago.

Artist Spotlight: ELI

One of the metrics of a great artist is their ability to reinvent themselves through sound. It’s a fine balance between establishing self  while also exploring the diversity and capability of musical intonation. ELI is one such artist. So early on in her career, her sound traverses multiple planes, transporting listeners through a series of experiences. Her most recent show is testament to that. Amidst an intimate gathering in South London, Eli took to stage and across 30 minutes, explored  the span of alt genres.

Fresh off her most recent track, Too Much, Eli is establishing herself as an artist to remember. Rooted in community, an ELI performance is like being in the warm embrace of long separated friends, engaged by the excitement of catching up on the intricacies of small stories. There is a depth in Eli’s vocals that captivates her listeners, a reminder that music is a fluid thing. Too Much feels like an adventure, a genre fluid track that refuses to be one thing. I Rule is much softer, leaning heavily into its accompanying instruments. On guitar, Eli let’s loose with powerful guitar riffs. On drums, Mike embodies the rockstar feel of the track and Greg leans into the soothing synths of the track.

Alt music is not new. Afropunk is rooted in the resistance and community of the Black punk. While there has been a shift in perception and the mainstream, Black alternative artists are still finding their way. Alt is an amalgamation, as ELI says. She is indie, she is Afro pop, she is soulful. ELI is a unique blend of the musical experiences that reflect her heritage and environment as a London based, Nigerian, Ivorian singer, song-writer and producer. All these experiences and sounds are cultivated in her musical journey and all roads have led to this point. 

This year ELI would like to build more of a community. Find more of the communion that was lost in the pandemic while being a reflection to and of people that look like her. As an alt artist, ELI is breaking the rules of sound and creating something familiar yet entirely new. This is the world of ELI and there’s so much more to come.

 

Somadina Is Here

If we’re talking star power, we’re talking Somadina. In November 2022, Somadina dropped her latest project, Heart of The Heavenly Undeniable (she likes long names). Despite releasing music across the past few years – early fans will recognize previous tracks such as ihy and lay low  – singles SUPERSOMA and Rolling Loud indicated that something new was coming. On SUPERSOMA, Somadina establishes herself as a force to be reckoned with ‘I know nobody can talk to me because I’m very bigger’. And on Rolling Loud affirms her star power ‘Look how bitch shine like wow’. For the past 2 years, she has been setting the stage for her entrance and finally; Somadina is here.

At 22, Somadina is rich in life experiences and she’s only getting started. Born in Port Harcourt and firmly rooted in Lagos, her sound traverses her life in past environments including the Netherlands and London. Ultimately, it all comes down to the music that started it all. ‘My dad had a very deep love of music and the legends, so I was brought up in quite a musical space.’ This is evident in Heart of the Heavenly Undeniable (HOTHU). An incredible body of work, it seamlessly blends genres of punk, dance, psychedelic rock and more with the richness of Nigerian culture and history. The EP is incredibly versatile and fun. It shifts and twists becoming multiple things at once, testament to her belief that ‘music is a playground. It’s the place where I get to be my inner child, where I literally get to play.’ This youthfulness is evident when we speak. Somadina is smiley, bubbly and confident. To me, it reads as a surety of self and yet, ‘Going in, I was just like I don’t know what the fuck I want to make.’ Despite this, Heart of the Heavenly Undeniable showcases an unshakable belief in self and the freedom of trying new things. ‘The things that we think are our weaknesses are actually our superpowers. That’s where the growth really comes from.’ Welcome to Somadina’s world. 

For two years, Somadina explored the sound of HOTHU. In experimenting and researching influences, she pulled on artists from her childhood to make new discoveries about the versatility of sound. Because of this, Somadina is able to express herself across genres. ‘Everyone tells you you’re supposed to have a sound. My sound is my voice.’ She recalls listening to Bongos Ikwue’s Cock Crow at Dawn. The works of William Onyeabor and other musicians she learnt more about when she moved back to Nigeria as a pre teen all play their role in making the project what it is. The ability to incorporate the past with the present lends itself to its features. The balance of accompanying voices like Zamir, the Cavemen, Chi Virgo and L0la, serve as talents that contribute to unearthing more of  Somadina. ‘I wanted it to sound like Somadina featuring Somadina. I wanted it to just be like multiple variations of myself.’ This multiplicity of self means HOTHU is incapable of being one thing because it’s everything. Opening track Time 2 Time is alluring, an almost siren song capturing listeners and drawing us in. The shift in tempo encourages  movement and provides  an insight into the expanse of the project before mellowing out into the psychedelic feel that accompanies Y I Want U. We joke about the playlists HOTHU tracks should feature on. Sounds of chaos (Everybody Bleeds), music to let loose to (Dirty Line), sounds of discovery (Small Paradise), the sound of rebellion (Imagine Giving a Fvck) and ultimately, songs you should not be sober to (Crzy Girl).

The incredible feat of the EP is derived from her relationship with Nigeria. Its production and the features stem from Nigerian producers, artists and song-writers she worked with. Nigeria and the move back have been instrumental in developing her sound. ‘I’ve always loved music but this country is the place that brought out rhythm … it helped me come to terms with my identity when I was little.’ It makes sense then, that HOTHU embodies an exploration of sound and visual expression, ultimately paying homage to Nigerian culture. If you listen carefully ‘the Cavemen are playing drums, there are these little intonations of African culture. I felt the music elevate, we had more soul.’ But it doesn’t stop there.

Over the past few years, the Y2K aesthetic has taken charge in the mainstream. Nigeria holds a special place in the moment, as the rise of more Alté (alternative) artists has also championed the otherness in and of the arts and creativity. Nollywood has made a massive comeback in terms of newer visuals and the unearthed archives of past movies. Accounts like Nolly Babes are doing their part to keep this alive. HOTHU recognizes the role of early 2000s fashion in Nigerian culture. ‘I really like the fashion behind Nollywood… I’ve always wanted to incorporate it into the music in as much as I have a history of being in a different country, I like being inspired by that country as well’

So what’s next? What do you do, when at 22, you’ve dropped an excellent project, performed at a star studded festival, headlined 2 of your own shows (including a sold out second date), and attended a Sony music writing camp rubbing shoulders with producers, song writers and artists? Simple, you casually mention your next project. ‘I try my best to exist in reality… the people that love me, I take it, I accept love, I move in with it. But it’s a process and I’ve dropped this project, I’m looking forward to making the next.’

uk singer farai pops open some “punk champagne”

Fuck that pink champagne— we want the punk champagne.

This rad new track from Farai “Bukowski-Bouquet” is a defiant kiss off to the “poor rich girls” and “poor rich boys” all “drowning in First World problems.” The Zimbabwe-born, London-based singer/rapper mixes post-punk, grime, and hip-hop for a sound that’s simultaneously ferocious and jubilant — which is fitting for an artist whose name literally means “joy” in Shona. Joined on the project by producer TONE, with whom she bonded over their shared pan-African heritage (he’s Afro-Guyanese and Welsh), Farai creates a cocktail of punk directness and flourishes of soulful warmth.  “It’s time for the bright young things to rise,” she sings early in the song. Damn right. It’s time for y’all to rise.

Farai’s fierce full-length debut, Rebirth, is out on Big Dada Records on November 30th. 

ganser’s “pastel” is a shot of pure post-punk ice

Building from a tenuous groove to a full on jagged freakout, the lates single from Chicago post-punk quartet Ganser is a killer. Singer and bassist Alicia Gaines’ vocals are sharpened icicles, all biting sarcasm and cold-eyed cast-off, while Charlie Landsman’s guitar sounds exploding shrapnel. The band is as tight and focused as ever, constantly threatening to veer into pure noise but never losing that driving, insistent pulse. Winter is coming, and “Pastel” is exactly the kind of shot of sonic freeze that you need to face the cold cold world.

Pastel by Ganser

samurai shotgun’s white supremacy clapback

Rise up for what’s right!

Every new release from Tampa’s Samurai Shotgun is like a mini revolution. Their latest single, “Eye See Red,” is a powder keg of punk rock and hip-hop. Frontman Mateo shreds the notion of civility with a call to “clap back tenfold” at white supremacy. DJ Qeys continues to bring some of the best scratch work to ever share the stage with a distorted guitar, while the rhythm section keeps it anchored. “Eye See Red” is practically a manifesto. This is the shit you march in the streets shouting.

Eye See Red by SAMURAI SHOTGUN

If you missed Samurai Shotgun at this weekend’s AFROPUNK Fest in Atlanta, here’s where you can see them next.

shirley tetteh’s nardeydey mixes alt-pop and post-punk

Even among all the young talents on the rise from London’s incredible new jazz scene, Shirley Tetteh stands out as a true don. She is a guitarist of high renown, and a key member of the spiritual-jazz big-band Maisha and the all-star, all-women’s ensemble, Nejira. But on “Speedial,” her first single under the name Nardeydey, Tetteh also reveals herself a fabulous alternative pop singer-songwriter.

Speedial by Nardeydey

Though Tetteh says “Speedial” is under the influence of jazz progressives like Ornette Coleman and Kurt Rosenweinkel, it could not be easier on the ears if it tried. Over an inviting mix of rolling percussion, and a guitar riff detuned and jagged enough to be classified post-punk yet melodic enough to be full of Afro-pop sweetness, Tetteh addresses a partner not sitting in front of her: “I wish I had you on the speedial/just press a button and your person appears,” she sings as matter-of-factly as you like, intimating a complex modern relationship.

Yet by the time we reach the chorus, and Tetteh’s voice ascends to a strong insistent falsetto, and the vibe has become more passionate and elemental. “So I’ll sing to thunder/dance my rain/I will sleep with the fire,” she sings — before returning to her phone, “don’t wait for me.”

It’s a masterful turn-of-perspective, one that the songwriter and singer pulls off with comfort. And it makes us very excited to hear more. With all the other stuff Shirley Tetteh has got going on — both Maisha and Nejira also have albums scheduled for 2018 — it’s fascinating to wonder what the rest of the Nardeydey project will sound like.

blxpltn’s “no english” is a call to action

If you don’t know by now, BLXPLTN is straight-up one of the fiercest punk bands out there in 2018. Their razor-edged social commentary and high energy performances are a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart. It’s been two years since the duo’s prophetic album, New York Fascist Week, and the time has only sharpened their resolve.

TaSzlin, Javelin and Jeremy’s latest single and video, the focused and ferocious “No English,” takes aim at the language of colonialism. Shots of a man fleeing ICE jut through, as the band is seen tearing up the song in a dark field. It’s a visceral and powerful call to action, not to mention one of the best songs the Austin punks have put out over the course of their five-year run.

BLXPLTN will be taking the stage at AFROPUNK’s Carnival of Consciousness in Atlanta, on October 13^th. You won’t want to miss it.

premiere: river spirit’s unclassifiable “fall”

“Genres? Where we’re going we don’t need genres.”

Hailing from Detroit, a city where musical movements are born on the regular, River Spirit cross lines no-one else had even noticed were intersecting. Their new single “Me I Fall” bares traces of jazz-punk, Oakland Afropop, math-rock, and a little classic R&B for good measure. Jagged riffs vie for space with Vanessa Reynolds’s plaintive, expansive melodies. It’s haunting one moment, riveting the next. Basically, it’s a lot of awesomeness packed into a little over two minutes.

River Spirit (photo: Tricia Talley)

“Me I Fall” is the title track to the band’s forthcoming full length. The record has been years in the works. The band tells us that “the album explores what it means to fall apart and what can be created when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable enough to unravel; spaces of transition, the feeling of being submerged, literally and metaphorically.”

River Spirit, ‘Me I Fall,’ image by Hillary Illyssa

Me I Fall is due out January 25^th. That’s a ways out, but helpfully we’ve calculated that you can listen to “Me I Fall” roughly 69,617 times between now and then. You’ll want to.