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James Deacon’s new music video for ‘Mr Misery’ is a COVID-19 pièce de résistance
The video for ‘Mr Misery’ brings James’s vibrant energy and iconic look to life by giving a nod to anti-establishmentarianism and resistance in light of recent South African social injustice.x
Following the recent release of his EP ‘Renegade’ – which has already seen major support across some of South Africa’s main radio stations; 5FM, 947, KFM, Jacaranda FM and Algoa FM plus A&R Worldwide’s Passport Approved playlisting and Amazing Radio play in the UK, as well as support from streaming services across the board – South African alternative pop artist James Deacon reveals the official music video for his alt-rock banger ‘Mr Misery’.
The video is out today, July 8th, and sees James and his band mates teaming up with creative visionary and video director, Eric T Graham, who says “I was absolutely blown away when I heard the new music James has been putting out. It took no more than a few seconds of Mr Misery’s first listen before I was adamant on making a music video with these guys.
Eric explains the theme and concept for the video, saying “Being heavily restricted by lockdown, I knew I wanted to incorporate and use the restrictions as an advantage, rather than having the video postponed. I took an antagonistic approach towards the current circumstances and restrictions put in place by the overarching pandemic and the South African government’s response towards it.
The music video introduces us to the band wearing face masks, staying the appropriate distance from one another and applying hand sanitizer. Monitoring an empty street at night, the band addresses the situation head-on with withered statements on cardboard (all of which being segments from local headlines). The main theme would be questioning and confronting reality, authority and the layered response from our government.
After editing a preliminary video, we shot some silhouettes to mask over the main narrative and performance, to amplify the forms of deflection, masking and deception that this pandemic (and how the government is responding towards it) yields.
While being one of my proudest works, this was easily one of the most effortless music videos I’ve ever produced. James, Dan and Pierre were amazing to work with and never doubted or questioned my vision for this video.”
Speaking about the making of the video, James explains “Shooting ‘Mr Misery’ was a 3am decision!
I got a message from an old friend from my days playing guitar in a previous band, who turned out to be an amazing videographer! We literally decided to do the video and started filming 2 days later.
Eric T Graham was the Visionary behind the video and from moment 1 I knew that he was the perfect person to truly bring out the meaning of the song and make a statement at the same time.
From start to finish the entire project took only about 2 weeks and it flowed amazingly from phase to phase without any major issues, which is really rare with these things! It’s the kind of video that you will instantly want to re-watch.
Part of the video’s message is a statement on the current socio-political climate in South Africa.”
‘Mr Misery’ which was released on James’ ‘Renegade’ EP on June 12th through Bad Future Records is perhaps the genre-defying artist’s most alternative-rock offering to date. The song is a bluesy, rock infused sing-along anthem with sweeping distorted guitars, driving bass lines and a thumping beat topped off with infectious vocals and headbanging hooks.
When asked about the track’s narrative and lyrical content, James confesses: “I try to be a positive guy for the most part, but sometimes I have trouble with the cynical, negative Debbie-Downer side of myself. This song came about at around 4:00am, as I stumbled to the kitchen to get some water, the melody and chanted delivery of the opening line for the song came to me and it kinda developed from there.”
“It’s basically the dark side to my last single ‘Shine’, because as much as I believe that persistence and positivity are the keys to success, I think a healthy tolerance and understanding of the undesirable aspects of one’s mind is just as important. ‘Mr Misery’ is a metaphor for my bad side, and the song itself is a kind of resilient juxtaposition to “Shine”,
After his single ‘Son Of Apollo’ was selected to soundtrack HBO’s 8-week movie promo campaign in America, follow up singles ‘HERO aka Rich’ and ‘Reason’ both achieved stints at #1 on 5FM’s Indie Chart, and Deacon’s work has received online tastemaker support from Record Of The Day, Earmilk, Indie Shuffle and CLASH, to name but a few – this 23-year-old multi-instrumentalist is quickly becoming some of the hottest property in alternative music.
While most of us are ready to write off 2020, the lockdown has only reinforced James’ undeniable talent and there seems to be no end in sight to his musical prowess and fierce determination.
Listen to ‘Mr Misery’ HERE: https://ditto.fm/jd_renegade
James Deacon Links:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/jimideacon
Twitter – https://twitter.com/deacon_official
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jamesdeaconofficial
Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/jamesdeaconmusic
Bandcamp – https://jamesdeacon.bandcamp.com/
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesDeaconOfficial
SonOfOld’s brand new album is an 8-track masterpiece
| SonOfOld’s album is out now at http://africori.to/sonofold |
| [PICTURED: Nic Olsen – SonOfOld] Photo Credit – Cornell Meyer  SonOfOld today releases his 4th and self-titled studio album across all digital platforms and it’s an 8-track masterpiece from start to finish. SonOfOld has had Texx And The City describe his music, stating “With so many of today’s popular releases conforming to a certain style of form, SonOfOld legit does not give a sh*t about what’s mainstream, instead focusing on exactly the kind of art that he wants throw out into the universe.” A quote taken for the music video for ‘Much Better’ that not only defines one song, but is pretty apt for the entire album. Nic Olsen, aka SonOfOld, finally gets to release his full body of work after teasing with 4 singles leading up to the album drop today. Explore the making of the album here as Richard Chem interviews Nic Olsen about the brand new SonOfOld album: The last Sonofold record “The Wolf Album” recorded with Steve Albini, was released in 2011 and 9 years later the 4th studio album is finally out. The “SonOfOld” album was recorded over a two week period in 2019 with Tom Hughes and is something special in that the music is taken from a writing period that spans just over a decade. It is in a way for Olsen to reflect and move on. For SonOfOld, or any artist who has not seen the A-list success with their name, looking to break a new album is a tough task in its own, so how do you please the masses? You don’t. You make an album you love and you reach those who resonate with it. Nic has finally achieved this. “All I can say about this record is that I enjoy listening to it… other albums I have written/been involved in I have little desire to reflect on, but this one is different. So, for anyone else, this album just might be worth taking some time to stick on some headphones and take a listen . It’s only 8 tracks and 30 minutes long, what’s the worst thing that could happen?” With singles ‘Atom Man’, ‘Saturday Night’, ‘Much Better’, and ‘A Message’ already released from the album, these remaining four tracks complete the newly released SonOfOld masterpiece that is Nic Olsen’s eccentric 4th Studio album. Nic explores the stories behind these remaining singles and how they came about: Shout it out: This track was written in 2018… when I recorded the demo I laid down a drum beat based on the Portishead track “Machine Gun” from their third album. Shout it Out though is a pretty straight forward pop song … I think what makes it sound special are the drums and the bass line which sit in direct contract to the piano and vocals. No Escape: This is my favourite track from the album. The beats again full of 90’s flavour … Rob Zombie-ish some have said. My favourite part of the track is the bass line in the chorus and the backing vocal “doo doo doos” . Guitars I kept minimalistic; I was going for that Velvet Underground feel in places. Take a Trip: This track took a while to finish … one of those pieces one keeps revisiting. I eventually decided “f*ck it, let’s finish it and put it on the album.” The highlight in this one is oddly enough the outro, more specifically the melody. I have been influenced a lot by Brian Wilson and in particular his work on “Pet Sounds”, which comes through strong in the outro for ‘Take a Trip’. The lyrics are inspired by the true crime documentary “Murder Mountain”. Whiskey and Plastic: This is an oldie. I originally recorded the track with David Birch and we have recently pulled that from the archives, but that’s for another time. The song came out of nowhere. I simply sat down at the piano and wrote it from beginning to end (because I’m a musical genius – lol) . Lyrically the song is introspective and, in a way, hasn’t lost its meaning… perhaps a self-fulfilling prophecy. SonOfOld’s self-titled album is out now, so play it loud at http://africori.to/sonofold In support of the album release, SonOfOld has a few shows set up in Joburg, so see him live this weekend at the following venues: Saturday 24th Oct @ 6pm – Grid n Grill, Benoni (Free entrance) Sunday 25th Oct @ 3pm – Lock Stock & Beer, Fourways (Free entrance) Tracklisting for “SonOfOld – SonOfOld” album: 1. Atom Man 2. Much Better 3. Shout it Out 4. A Message 5. Saturday Night 6. No Escape 7. Take a Trip 8. Whiskey and Plastic Follow SonOfOld online: Follow Gallo Record Company online: Official Website |
James Deacon’s new single “Take Control” explores serendipity while living it up
James Deacon’s new tune “Take Control” blends old school swagger and contemporary coolness After being nominated for a SAMA for Best Alternative Album and his previous singles receiving massive support, including playlisting and charting on the biggest radio stations in South Africa, as well as streaming services across the board, James Deacon returns with some feel good vibes. His latest single and the accompanying video for “Take Control”, out on October 23rd through Bad Future Records, is a positive and upbeat expression of the appreciation of chance encounters, and shows off the singer’s trademark sound as he continues to blaze an exhilarating career path.  “Take Control” co-written with Paul Gala is a bluesy, blustery jam. Deacon’s signature genre-busting style shines with haughty, enigmatic rap verses that contrast his soulful vocals, groovy guitar riffs and bold, heart tickling bass lines. This clap commanding anthem is an instant modern day classic, featuring 60’s style blues guitar driven lines layered effortlessly over slickly produced hard hitting hip-hop beats, vintage breaks and 808s. The middle 8 section makes use of psychedelic country soundscapes created with Deacon’s voice and some production genius on behalf of the ever present Paul Gala. “‘Take Control’ is a fun track all about meeting a girl at a house party and the song is basically just me hitting on her for 3 minutes. I started off only singing in the verses, but after listening to the track a lot I decided I wanted to try and rap over the verse and it flowed really nicely. The main guitar line that features throughout the track was written years ago but never used until one day in the studio when I heard Paul’s beat which seemed to fit with it perfectly and ‘Take Control’ was born”, James explains. Stream “Take Control” on all platforms: https://ditto.fm/jd_takecontrol James also releases the video for “Take Control” which sees him once again joining forces with creative visionary Eric T Graham, who explains: “‘Take Control’ is essentially a homage towards every house party I’ve ever thrown. Taking place within a broader framework (yet to be revealed), ‘Take Control’ makes an early reveal as the culmination and celebration of a few different projects. As with most of the projects I’ve tackled alongside James, we started off with a vague idea of what we wanted to accomplish and figured the rest out on the fly. I’m all about nudges, easter-eggs, references and pouring elements of the artist’s life (as well as my own) into a project, without feeling the need to ever discuss the underlying meanings. Is it poetry? Is it art? It’s just a house party.” With James’ previous work receiving online support from lauded sites Complex, Record of The Day, Earmilk and CLASH, playlisting on Passport Approved, an independent internationally syndicated tastemaker import radio show that airs on over 70 radio stations and six continents worldwide, and HBO selecting his single “Son Of Apollo” to soundtrack an 8-week movie promo campaign in America, the anticipation around “Take Control” is palpable and warranted as James is poised to spread his musical message globally. “Take Control” is the latest single off James Deacon’s highly anticipated upcoming debut album ‘Season One’ which is out November 20th. Catch James performing at the 947 Joburg Day Festival on 23rd October. James Deacon Links: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/jimideacon/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/deacon_official Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jamesdeaconofficial/ Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/jamesdeaconmusic Bandcamp – https://jamesdeacon.bandcamp.com/ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesDeaconOfficial |
Vaughn Prangley finds a sense of hope with the release of his debut single and music video for ‘Oasis’
Watch the music video for ‘Oasis’ here: https://youtu.be/it6GSSFV6eE |
| [Pictured: Vaughn Prangley] Photo Credit – Graeme Wyllie Vaughn Prangley releases his debut single ‘Oasis’ which is out today across all digital platforms. Stream or download it now from http://smarturl.it/VaughnOasis On his way to quickly becoming one of indie-pop’s most promising young talents, South African singer-songwriter and guitarist, Vaughn Prangley is carving out a unique path with his unmistakably deep, soulful and emotionally weathered voice, that speaks to a maturity way beyond his years. Humble, loving and ridiculously talented are words often used to describe the 16-year-old. Vaughn has achieved more than most his age, and there ain’t no stopping him now. He describes his songwriting process as something that comes naturally, “I tend to write from my sub conscious, from experiences of my own and observing what is going on around me. Songwriting is a way of expressing myself. I am also heavily inspired by what is happening around me, everyday situations are just another little melodic story waiting to happen.” Prangley explains what the single is about and being in a recording studio for the very first time, “2019 was not my greatest year. There were moments where I felt down, I was not myself… I was in need of an Oasis, a sense of hope. I felt like I was stuck in a desert. The meaning behind the song, is finding your sense of hope and motivation in difficult times. It’s looking to the positives when surrounded by negatives. The process of bringing my music to life was just incredible – from a boy and his guitar on his bed to fully produced songs. I have learnt so much and was very lucky to find such an amazing producer (Howie Combrink from The Hit Lab) who has a very similar thought process when it comes to music. The whole production process has been something I will never forget.” Vaughn’s energetic presence can be felt as soon as he walks in a room and his heartfelt, honest lyrics never fail to take his audience on a rollercoaster of emotions. Howie Combrink, producer and owner of The Hit Lab explains what the production process was like, “Working with Vaughn was a truly amazing experience. For a 16-year-old to be so articulate and developed as an artist is very refreshing. Oasis was an intense acoustic song when I first heard it in my studio and after we had completed the production, I felt something entirely different and big. It’s a big song with an epic music video and I hope the listeners enjoy the journey.” The music video was shot in one day during July at a location in Hartbeespoort Dam and directed by Rici Martins. “Working with Vaughn on the ‘Oasis’ Music Video was an absolute pleasure. I could already see the idea for the video when we were recording the vocals for the song and he was a champion at embodying the energy we needed to tell the story through the visuals. The idea was to have him in a desert environment experiencing a variety of emotions”, Rici explains. “Vaughn Prangley – Oasis” is out now across all digital platforms – http://smarturl.it/VaughnOasis [OASIS Cover artwork] Follow Vaughn Prangley online on all social media platforms: Instagram: vaughnprangley Facebook: Vaughn Prangley YouTube: Vaughn Prangley Official Website |
Maxïmo Park announce’S new album
| Watch the video for lead single Baby, Sleep |
| Maxïmo Park | Photo credit: Em Cole Maxïmo Park are today announcing details of their forthcoming new album “Nature Always Wins”, along with the album’s first single proper – Baby, Sleep. The news follows last month’s surprise new track Child Of The Flatlands, a majestic, psychedelic slow-burner that cast a lovelorn look toward the meaning of place and its impact on identity – all set to a visual art piece from experimental designer and video artist (and recent Daniel Avery collaborator) Greg Hodgson. The track was described as “absolutely beautiful” by Lauren Laverne on BBC 6 Music and laid out a marker for their ambitions with “Nature Always Wins”. It follows, then, that “Nature Always Wins” arrives as something of an examination, zeroing in on the notion of the self, identity as a band, and that of humanity as a whole. The album’s title nods to the famous Nature vs Nurture debate. Discussing whether change is capable under the influence of time, perspective, environment or if we are destined to be bound by our own genetics, it asks, “who are we, who do we want to be, and do we have any control over it?”. Refining their approach as a three-piece, writing began last summer with Smith, Lloyd and English seeking a different kind of fourth member – a producer who was also a musician. Fitting the bill came Atlanta-based Grammy-winning producer Ben Allen (Animal Collective, Deerhunter) who afforded the band freedom to play and create. What wasn’t anticipated was how that freedom would be soon be stripped, as Lockdown restrictions left the band making the most of technological advances to perform real-time recording sessions across the ocean – themselves in Newcastle and Liverpool, with Allen at the helm in Atlanta. Resulting first single Baby, Sleep is a world of pop energy, driven by the inimitable guitar of Duncan Lloyd and the deft turns of phrase that can only come from Paul Smith. Paul Smith comments: “I’m so happy we were able to make this album during lockdown, as it’s been a challenging time for everyone. After almost 4 years since Risk To Exist, we wanted to explore new musical territory (for us) without sacrificing our trademark melodic twists and heartfelt lyrics. As always, the passing of time looms large, although the songs contain more affection for the past than before, and there are occasional hints of the fractious, divided time that we live in. Baby, Sleep is a light-hearted look at the surreal nature of sleep-deprivation, and the way it distorts normality in a capitalist society.” Hear Baby, Sleep on streaming services HERE and watch the video HERE. Pre-order “Nature Always Wins” HERE. The album title was revealed by superfan, BBC Radio 1’s Greg James, in a humorous spoof of Celebrity Mastermind between him and lead singer Paul Smith. Watch it back HERE.  Nature Always Wins album artwork Maxïmo Park – “Nature Always Wins” track listing: 1. Partly Of My Making 2. Versions Of You 3. Baby, Sleep 4. Placeholder 5. All Of Me 6. Ardour (featuring Pauline Murray) 7. Meeting Up 8. Why Must A Building Burn 9. I Don’t Know What I’m Doing 10. The Acid Remark 11. Feelings I’m Supposed To Feel 12. Child Of The Flatlands Maxïmo Park Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify Follow Gallo Record Company: Official Website |
Josh Wantie and Conor Maynard’s much-anticipated collab single ‘Never Let Me Go’ is out NOW!!
| ‘Josh Wantie x Conor Maynard – Never Let Me Go’ Is Out Now!!! http://africori.to/nlmg |
| [Pictured: Josh Wantie / Conor Maynard] Earlier this week Josh Wantie announced his collaboration with celebrated UK singer-songwriter Conor Maynard on the brand new single ‘Never Let Me Go’. The wait is finally over as the single is out today through Gallo Record Company and available across all digital platforms. Listen to ‘Never Let Me Go’ here: http://africori.to/nlmg Josh Wantie had a great start to 2020 releasing his ‘Lifeline’ EP in late January and soon thereafter receiving a SAMA nomination for “Best Pop Album” for the release. Wantie, regarded as one of SA’s finest Pop artists, added to the 2020 silver lining announcing on Monday October 12th that he has teamed up with one of the UK’s biggest singer-songwriters, Conor Maynard, on a brand new single. So, how did the collaboration on ‘Never Let Me Go’ come about? Wantie and Maynard have been friends for a while and during a writing camp in London early 2020, Wantie really enjoyed the way Maynard worked. So, a few months later Wantie sent him some of his material for his input and he loved the ‘Never Let Me Go’ track so much, that he wanted to work on it together. Conor Maynard was excited to finally collaborate with his friend. “Me and Josh have been close friends for a long time now, so the fact we finally get to work together on a track is so exciting and truly an honour. Josh is such a talented musician and when he played me the track to ask me what I thought, I instantly knew I had to be a part of it. I hope everyone enjoys it!” Sounds like it happened so easily, but Wantie has worked hard for years to have this opportunity arise and it’s such beautiful coming together of two incredible artists. Asking Wantie what it was like working with Maynard, he says “He is a consummate professional and one of the best writers/singers I have ever worked with so it’s an awesome opportunity.” Delving into the theme and inspiration behind ‘Never Let Me Go’, Wantie explains “The song follows an upbeat plea of two people to stay together after some ups and downs.” Adding to the South African talent on the single, ‘Never Let Me Go’ was co-produced by SA producer (now based in London) MusiCLI who also produced Wantie’s SAMA-nominated EP ‘Lifeline’. Speaking on the production of the track, he says “As with many of his demos, Josh had produced the song to a high standard so when it came over to my studio it was more about final bits and pieces and some deep diving into the mix. We were really pleased with the way this song came out and really captures a fresh sound for Josh.” ‘Josh Wantie x Conor Maynard – Never Let Me Go’ Is Out Now: http://africori.to/nlmg  [Cover artwork for “Never Let Me Go” single] ABOUT CONOR MAYNARD: Conor Maynard, born and raised in Brighton, rose to fame in 2012 when he was nominated for, and subsequently won, MTV’s Brand New for 2012 award. His debut album, Contrast, was released in July 2012 which produced the successful single “Can’t Say No“. Since then, Maynard has hits with singles “Vegas Girl”, “Turn Around feat Ne-Yo”, “R U Crazy” (produced by Labrinth) and most recently “Hold On Tight”. Maynard has also collaborated with some major artists, including Snoop Dogg, SHAUN, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Hardwell, Cash Cash, R3HAB, Kriss Kross Amsterdam, Sam Feldt and Ty Dolla $ign. Follow Josh Wantie online: Youtube VEVO Follow Conor Maynard Online: Follow Gallo Record Company online: Official Website |
The Waterboys tour of South Africa postponed to November 2021
New dates announced as: Friday 26 November 2021 – Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Town Sunday 28 November 2021 – Casalinga, Johannesburg Tickets and info from https://breakoutevents.co.za/ |
| Due to the continued Coronavirus pandemic and the current restrictions within South Africa, as well as the impact and restrictions on travel and the live music scene across the world, the November 2020 shows for The Waterboys have been rescheduled and will now take place in November 2021. The Waterboys will perform in Cape Town at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens on Friday 26 November 2021 and in Johannesburg at Casalinga on Sunday 28 November 2021. Tickets purchased for the shows are valid for the new show dates. For any info on the shows and to purchase tickets, please go to https://breakoutevents.co.za/ About The Waterboys: Few bands have as great a live reputation as The Waterboys. From their mid-1980s “big music” period through the influential mix of Celtic, gospel and country on their classic Fisherman’s Blues and Room to Roam tours, to the hundreds of brilliant shows accompanying the rootsy, soulful triptych of albums This is the Sea, A Pagan Place and Fisherman’s Blues – The Waterboys have consistently blended tightness, inspiration and improvisation to reach heights of performance few other acts can. The 2020 version of the band features the established core of Mike Scott (vocals, guitar, piano), Steve Wickham (electric fiddle), Memphis keyboard great “Brother” Paul Brown, ace British drummer Ralph Salmins and funky Irish bassman Aongus Ralston. Meanwhile the relevance and popular reach of The Waterboys has never been greater. Their songs have been used in key shows such as Ray Donovan and The Affair, as well as being performed by artists as varied as U2, War on Drugs and Ellie Goulding, who scored a top 3 UK hit with “How Long Will I Love You”; Prince and U2 who sang “The Whole Of The Moon” onstage; Fiona Apple who recorded it last year; and classic singers Tom Jones and Rod Stewart. Irish magazine Hot Press also listed The Waterboys as the best rock ‘n’ roll band in the world. The Waterboys’ music shows no sign of fading, and the very best place to experience it is live. Come and feel the fire. The Waterboys live in Cape Town Date: Friday, 26 November 2021 Venue: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, Cape Town Ticket Price: R595 (excl booking fee) Ticket Link: https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1500754979 Times: Gates open at 6pm / Show starts at 7pm #waterboyscapetown Social media links: Facebook Event – https://www.facebook.com/events/1760702700743830/ Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/abreakoutevent Twitter – https://twitter.com/abreakoutevent Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/abreakoutevent The Waterboys live in Johannesburg Date: Sunday, 28 November 2021 Venue: Casalinga, Rocky Ridge Road, Muldersdrift, Johannesburg Ticket Price: R495 (excl booking fee) **Kids 12yrs old and under get in for free Ticket Link: https://breakout.howler.co.za/events/the-waterboys-live-in-johannesburg-dccd Times: Gates open at 11am / Event done by 6pm #waterboysjoburg Social media links: Facebook Event – https://www.facebook.com/events/552181788983675/ Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/abreakoutevent Twitter – https://twitter.com/abreakoutevent Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/abreakoutevent For more info, go to https://breakoutevents.co.za/ |
Josh Wantie announces his latest collab release with International singing sensation Conor Maynard, due for release this Friday
| [Pictured: Josh Wantie / Conor Maynard] Local pop star and SAMA-nominated Josh Wantie announced today that he has collaborated with international singing sensation Conor Maynard on a brand new single entitled ‘Never Let Me Go’. The single is due for release this coming Friday, October 16th, through Gallo Record Company and is available on pre-save HERE. Listen to a teaser clip of ‘Never Let Me Go’ HERE. Josh Wantie had an incredible start to 2020 releasing his ‘Lifeline EP’ and then having it nominated for “Best Pop Album” at this year’s SAMAs. One of SA’s finest Pop artists has now teamed up with one of the UK’s biggest singer-songwriters. Conor Maynard, born and raised in Brighton, rose to fame in 2012 when he was nominated for, and subsequently won, MTV’s Brand New for 2012 award. His debut album, Contrast, was released in July 2012 which produced the successful single “Can’t Say No“. Since then, Maynard has hits with singles “Vegas Girl”, “Turn Around feat Ne-Yo”, “R U Crazy” (produced by Labrinth) and most recently “Hold On Tight”. Maynard has also collaborated with some major artists, including Snoop Dogg, SHAUN, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Hardwell, Cash Cash, R3HAB, Kriss Kross Amsterdam, Sam Feldt and Ty Dolla $ign. So, how did this collab come about? Wantie and Maynard were at a writing camp together in London early 2020 and Wantie really liked the way Maynard worked. A few months later Wantie sent him some of his material for his input and he loved the ‘Never Let Me Go’ track so much, that said he was keen to feature and work on it together. Sounds like it happened so easily, but Wantie has worked hard for years to have this opportunity arise and it’s such beautiful coming together of two incredible artists. Asking Wantie what it was like working with Maynard, he says “He is a consummate professional and one of the best writers/singers I have ever worked with, so it’s an awesome opportunity.” Look out for the brand-new single from Josh Wantie and Conor Maynard ‘Never Let Me Go’ due for release this Friday, October 16th. Pre-save it now from http://africori.to/nlmg. Follow Josh Wantie online: Youtube VEVO Follow Conor Maynard Online: Follow Gallo Record Company online: Official Website |
SonOfOld has ‘A Message’ 2 weeks ahead of the release of his brand new album on October 23rd
Pre-save the SonOfOld album now from http://africori.to/sonofold |
SonOfOld releases ‘A Message’ as the 4th single from his forthcoming self-titled album, due for release on October 23rd and available on pre-save now from http://africori.to/sonofold Listen to ‘A Message’ here: Nic delves into ‘A Message’ and explains the feel and writing process behind the track, saying “The Piano part for the track was written around 2016… I had a verse and a bridge by the time we started recording the Album. I always had an idea for the chords and structure of the song but only came up with the Chorus melody while recording the vocals… kind of last minute writing.com. I told Tom (Hughes) when we were tracking that I was looking for that old school West Coast hip hop feel, kind of like ‘California Love’ (2pac featuring Dr Dre) … Straight out of ’95 . I think the piano and keys contribute most to that vibe.” It’s just 2 weeks to go until the release of SonOfOld’s album on 23 October. With singles ‘Atom Man’, ‘Saturday Night’, ‘Much Better’ and now ‘A Message’ already released from it, the fourth and self-titled album has more tracks to come and believe us when we say, it’s an incredible release from Nic Olsen.  ‘SonOfOld – A Message’ is out now – stream or download it HERE Pre-save the SonOfOld album now at http://africori.to/sonofold Follow SonOfOld online: Follow Gallo Record Company online: Official Website |
PHFAT has emerged from a pandemic-induced hiatus to release his brand-new single and music video for “Whatever You Like”
| “PHFAT – Whatever You Like” is out now across all digital platforms http://hyperurl.co/mvsj |
| PICTURED: PHFAT music video still from “Whatever You Like” PHFAT, enfant terrible of South African electronic rap and stalwart in the local industry, has emerged from a pandemic-induced hiatus to release “Whatever You Like”, the latest track in a series of anthological and in some cases autobiographical releases about love and human relationships. The track also marks a collaborative first between PHFAT and friend and director Paul Ward (A commercial director who has worked on campaigns for Puma and Sanlam). Paul conceptualized and directed the song’s music video. Watch the music video for “Whatever You Like” here: Looming, hopeful and darkly serenading, Whatever You Like is a rumination on the totality of falling in love, and its oscillations between bliss and apprehension, that feeling of “oh dear, this might be inconvenient at some point.” PHFAT (real name Mike Zietsman), laments on the track and it’s concept, “I’ve found love at this stage of my life to land with a more complex set of emotions than some of the idealization that characterized love in my early twenties. Love also arrives with a set of responsibilities, with sacrifice and compromise, with the possibility of devastating rejection and pain. Responsibly falling in love really does take a certain type of courage when the stakes are higher. I think the content and tone of the track manages to capture a lot of that, and I’m quite proud of it.” The song was written and produced by Zietsman and composer Greg Abrahams (the Sound Foundry), at the beginning of this year. The duo expects to release a series of tracks together throughout 2021. Of the track and his time away from the stage, Zietsman says “creating in isolation was incredibly difficult for me, and has largely been an act of discipline while keeping some type of lockdown-induced OCD under control, and feeling like an underwatered houseplant. I’ve had to completely rethink how I write songs.” Of the music video, which comes to life with a strong collaboration between 21-year-old creative Hana Jayne Sho, Ward says: “With this film, I wanted to take the viewer on an abstract journey through the rollercoaster of emotions of love. The dark, beautiful honest reality of love. I didn’t want to tell the viewer how to feel, to leave it open for interpretation. Everybody has their own personal emotions that resonate around love, and with this highly-visual film, we didn’t want the viewer to think. We wanted them to feel.”  [Cover art for “Whatever You Like” single] “PHFAT – Whatever You Like” is out now across all digital platforms: http://hyperurl.co/mvsjex PHFAT Links: Website YouTube About PHFAT: Rapper, producer and long-suffering enfant terrible of the South African music industry, PHFAT has held the attention of audiences in SA for almost a decade with his versatile discography and consistent touring schedule at home and abroad. He has never won any awards. About Paul Ward: Paul first made a name for himself as a documentary photographer, capturing niche sub-cultures within the south African youth landscape. It is with this keen observational eye that Paul is able to seamlessly and honestly transform his documentary aesthetic into a commercial frame. Paul Ward Portfolio: https://vimeo.com/paulward Video Credits: Written & Directed By Paul Ward Producer : Hana Jayne Sho Dop : Deon Van Zyl Additional Camera : Paul Ward & Hana Jayne Sho Editor : Xander Van Der Colourist : Nic Apostoli Post : Strangelove Studios Title Design : Daniel Ting Chong |
Embrace how great and unique you are with the brand new Werner Bekker single “It’s You”
“Werner Bekker – It’s You” is out now across all digital platforms http://hyperurl.co/d8bnlr |
| Werner Bekker, arguably one of SA’s greatest rising folk pop artists, delivers his most upbeat single to date with the release of “It’s You” across all digital platforms today. Listen to “It’s You” here: https://youtu.be/tQOOjNQ3ogo Werner Bekker brings warmth and self-love to his sound with the release of the sweet love song “It’s You” and explains the inspiration behind it, saying: “The song is about respecting and loving your partner completely. I wrote this song as my parents went through a divorce a couple of years back. It struck me that both of them just needed to hear that they were loved just the way they are. I think the song also addresses the issue of over-sexualised pictures in media and how we feel we need to live up to those examples. The point I want to impress here is that every person is beautiful in the body that they have and should embrace their unique looks and personality.” The national lock down has made it nearly impossible for Werner to go into a studio, so he tracked and produce a lot of music at my home. That being said, for “It’s You” he did the initial production himself and then sent the song onto Brent Quinton, Brian O’Shea and Mike Zietsman (from PHFAT) for some extra touches and mixing. “I am so honored to have these legends working with me. I feel like they have really pushed the recordings to the next level,” and Werner could not be prouder of how the single turned out. “I hope this song can really ease people into what is set to be an unsure summer. These days we are stuck behind screens even more than in recent years and it’s easy to be too hard on yourself. Give yourself a break and know that you are loved for who you are. Nothing more nothing less.” About Werner: Werner Bekker is a full time musician with over eight year’s experience in songwriting, composition, performance and teaching music. Growing up with creative parents, Werner joined his father on the road at an early age – music was ingrained into his existence. He went on to study music at the Campus of Performing Arts and has since written music for various artists, as well as for film. Inspired by the likes of Damien Rice, Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz and Ben Howard, Werner is known for his unique storytelling through acoustic-driven folk pop. In 2015, he independently recorded and released his debut EP Lalaith, followed by A Northern Summer in 2017. That same year, his internationally acclaimed single ‘Run’ was selected to be part of the BalconyTV Compilation CD. Werner has shared a stage with major South African acts, including Shortstraw, Man as Machine, The Parlotones, Desmond and the Tutus, Rubber Duc and many more. In February 2018, he released his first professionally recorded single ‘Alive Again’, to critical acclaim. This was followed by ‘I’m With You’ in June, garnering the attention of industry heavyweights and securing him prime spots on major festival line-ups, such as Splashy Fen, Mieliepop, Lush Festival, Oppikoppi, White Mountain Festival and Smoking Dragon Festival. In 2019, Werner achieved a major breakthrough when he released his single ‘Open Spoken’, which reached #2 on the Jacaranda SA Top 20. This was followed by his long-awaited professionally recorded EP ‘Parts of a Broken Man’, which finally capturing the distinct sound the songwriter has so longed to achieve. “Werner Bekker – It’s You” is out now across all digital platforms: http://hyperurl.co/d8bnlr  [Cover art for “It’s You” single] Follow Werner Bekker online: YouTube |