Michael Jackson - "Xscape" | New Music
Michael Jackson was and still is one of the greatest Pop Icons and performers of our time. When he passed away on the 24th June 2009, he left a gaping hole in music, which many were and still are determined to fill. Jackson's passing occurred shortly before he was to make an explosive return to the industry with a vicious onslaught of back to back performances and new music to follow.Read more
The Internet to headline two UK shows this Summer
Matt Martians and Syd The Kyd bring their smooth, electronic soul sounds of The Internet back to the UK this Summer, with headline shows in London and Manchester. Read more
Fat Freddy's Drop - "Blackbird" | Music Video
New Zealand group Fat Freddy's Drop have piqued the interest of many over the last decade with their unique blend of Dub, Reggae, Blues and Soul. June 2013 saw the release of the seven-piece band's award-winning third album Blackbird, which topped the New Zealand charts, and almost a year on the band have now released a deluxe edition of Blackbird, featuring a whopping eight extra tracks, along with an animated video for the album's third single and title track. Read more
Max Marshall - "Your Love is Like" | Music Video
London-based, Baltimore-born singer Max Marshall revisits her hometown in the video for "Your Love Is Like" - the second single from her debut EP, Pressure. Read more
Sevyn Streeter feat. Kid Ink - "nEXt" | Music Video
Sevyn Streeter follows her Gold-selling single featuring Chris Brown, "It Won't Stop," with a video for the closing song of her Call Me Crazy, But... EP. Featuring rap verses from Kid Ink, waning guitar chords and quirky beeps of the MPC accompany Streeter's frustrated vocals on "nEXt" as she sings of attempting to move on from her ex-boyfriend, only to wind back up with him. Read more
Aloe Blacc - Lift Your Spirit | Album Stream
Many forget that Aloe Blacc is a rapper-turned-singer. Originally one half of underground Hip-Hop group Emanon for a decade (with producer Exile), Blacc, real name Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III, found his own sound with the eclectic, largely self-produced record Shine Through in 2006, and international success followed with his 2010 soul album Good Things, featuring the infectious hit "I Need A Dollar."
The Orange County-born singer has now pushed his musical palette to even further territory with his latest offering, Lift Your Spirit, with production handled by DJ Khalil, Rock Mafia and Pharrell Williams. Read more
Pharrell Williams announces Adidas partnership, collection debuts this Summer
By now it's no secret that Pharrell Williams likes to wear multiple hats, including the large one he's been sporting recently. As well as writing, composing, producing, singing, rapping and playing a number of instruments, the Oscar-nominated N.E.R.D. is also a skateboarder, an artist and a fashion designer - the last of which in particular has opened many doors for him.
Along with co-founding the clothing brands Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream Footwear, working with Timberland, Palladium and A Bathing Ape and designing jewellery and glasses for Louis Vuitton, Williams can now add a long-term partnership with none other than sports fashion monster Adidas to the list. Read more
Slum Village - "Yes Yes" | Music Video
After the group's issues of 2010 leading to Elzhi's departure, fans of Slum Village were wondering what was to become of the legendary Detroit rap crew's legacy. We were given the answer with their 2013 album Evolution, which displayed consistent production from Young RJ with improved wordplay from founding member T3 and Dilla's younger brother, Illa J.
Almost a year after that album comes a new single in the form of "Yes Yes," a feel-good head nodder that had been produced by the late, great J. Dilla a while back. Read more
Zara McFarlane - "Open Heart" (Swindle Remix)
Every so often, I like to log into my brain a list of songs where the cover and/or remix transcends or is as strong as the original. Piquing interest today is Swindle's remix of "Open Heart" by East London's own Zara McFarlane; the second single from the contemporary Jazz singer's sophomore project If You Knew Her, which has been released on Gilles Petersons label Brownswood Recordings. Read more
Mila J - "Smoke, Drink, Break-Up" | Music Video
The older sister of rising star Jhene Aiko, Mila J has had an on-and-off relationship with the music industry since appearing in the 1991 music video to Prince's "Diamonds and Pearls." A brief stint with the short-lived '90s R&B group Gyrl, a shelved solo album and an alias change later [2012 saw Mila J release some music under the name Japollonia], comes her new single "Smoke, Drink, Break-Up," which promises the album M(ade). I(n). L(os). A(ngeles) to follow shortly. Read more
Watch: Sam Smith talks life, love and loneliness with VEVO LIFT
VEVO LIFT launches their second artist of 2014 in the form of Sam Smith - who provided vocals on Naughty Boy's "La, La, La" as well as Disclosure's hit "Latch" - with two videos telling the tales of the London-based singer's rise in the music industry and his overwhelming experience of being alone and lonely in London. Read more
Nemo Achida feat. SZA - "Show Me" | New Music
There's been at least one point every year where I think to myself: "There's nothing new going on in Hip-Hop," only to be proved wrong by hearing something really promising. This year (so far) the promise comes in the form of Kentucky native Nemo Achida with his new single "Show Me," featuring TDE vocalist SZA. Read more
The Floacist - "Try Something New (I Do)" | New Music
I’ll be honest - a few years ago when Natalie 'The Floacist' Stewart (then newly separated from her former creative partner Marsha Ambrosius) described herself on her MySpace as “The creative force behind Floetry,” I laughed. But upon hearing her solo efforts, I quickly shut my mouth. The Floacist’s latest single, "Try Something New (I Do)" is no exception to my being humbled. Read more