Track Of The Day: Poppy Ajudha – ‘Watermelon Man (Under The Sun)’

A charming, empowering re-work of American pianist Herbie Hancock’s original tune, vocalist Poppy Ajudha has shared her version of ‘Watermelon Man’ as part of the Blue Note Re:imagined project. Bringing together the label’s musical past and future, the project features contributions from internationally acclaimed jazz, soul and R&B acts.

“Herbie’s ‘Watermelon Man’ was my first thought when asked to imagine a track from the Blue Note catalogue,” explains Ajudha. “It’s an iconic song and one that has been with me throughout my life. I based the lyrics on my research of Watermelon Men in America, aiming to capture what it may have been like to be a black man in America at that time – newly emancipated but still heavily oppressed – and the race relations that had brought him to this point.”

Through empathetic lyricism and effortless vocal delivery, Ajudha reminds listeners a “change is gonna come, don’t give up on yourself, don’t give yourself away”. In the accompanying video for the track, she continues to celebrate blackness and the strength of the black community by working with an entirely black and mixed-race team.

“I wanted the video for Watermelon Man to be a celebration of blackness in all its forms, I wanted it to show joy and community,” Ajudha explains. “I cast my sisters, my best friends, and my grandma amongst all of the other beautiful souls. It was a really special video for me, and the team captured this vision incredibly. The feeling was unspoken because they just knew what I wanted and why it was important, they felt it too, I’m so happy with how it turned out.”

Watch the video for ‘Watermelon Man (Under The Sun)’ below.

Follow Poppy Ajudha on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify & Twitter for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Zilched – ‘Sixteen’

A swirling, grungy reflection on the contradictions that come with growing up, Detroit-based songwriter Zilched has shared her latest single ‘Sixteen’. Lifted from her recent debut album DOOMPOP, released via Young Heavy Souls, the track smoulders with fuzzy guitar sounds, frantic drums and Zilched’s strung out vocals.

“It’s more or less about questioning both what marks a loss of innocence, and the obsessive purgatory of waiting for your life to start,” Zilched (aka Chloë Drallos) explains about ‘Sixteen’. She explores the sting of being caught between adolescence and adulthood through moody reverb-heavy guitars and her deadpan Kim Gordon-esque vocal delivery.

Inspired by 90s grunge icons like Nirvana and The Jesus and Mary Chain, Zilched has channelled her influences into a collection of compelling noise-pop tracks on debut record DOOMPOP. “It’s an honest reflection of my attempts to grow up and make sense of absurdity,” she explains about the album. “I wrote the first song in my last month of high school at 18, and finished recording/producing just a month after my 20th birthday. With these songs I wanted to go as deep into my insecurities and confusion, however immature I felt. Just write what I felt when I felt it in order to move on.”

Watch the self-directed video for ‘Sixteen’ below and follow Zilched on bandcamp, Facebook & Instagram for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Two Tribes – ‘Cruel Sensuality’

Full of commanding beats, jagged synths and soaring vocals, Two Tribes‘ latest single ‘Cruel Sensuality’ is a cathartic oscillation between emotional resilience and the unexpected apathy that comes with the ending of a relationship. Taken from their upcoming EP, which is set for release in 2021, the London-based trio blend vivid electronic textures with jolting rhythms to create an anthemic new sound.

“The lyrics focus on detaching yourself emotionally from another person, making the transition from sensuous to desensitised, trying to figure out what part of yourself needs to be severed in order to leave a bad situation behind,” the band explain about the track. This emotional catharsis is led by Annalisa Iembo’s striking vocals, and accompanied by a backdrop of intoxicating electronica.

“Identity is a common theme in our music, and writing ‘Cruel Sensuality’ was an opportunity to explore the self-reflection and reinvention that occurs when dismantling a relationship”, the band continue. Formed of Patrick Smith (vocals/guitars), Annalisa Iembo (vocals/synths/samples) and Kim Engelhardt (bass), Two Tribes take inspiration from an eclectic range of influences such as Primal Scream, Jagwar Ma, Grimes and Pretty Hate Machine-era Nine Inch Nails, from which they’re carefully carving their own musical identity.

Listen to ‘Cruel Sensuality’ below.

 

Follow Two Tribes on Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Coral – ‘i just want you cause you’re gone’

A buoyant slice of indie-pop that gently acknowledges the mixed feelings that blur your thought processes post-relationship, Swedish newcomer Coral has shared her new single ‘i just want you cause you’re gone’. Taken from her upcoming debut album which she recently recorded with Joakim Lindberg at Studio Sickan, the track showcases Coral’s talent for writing catchy yet confessional music.

At the age of 16, Coral (aka Miranda Coral Engholm) moved from Österlen to Malmö and began studying music. After she graduated from high school, she experienced a flood of creativity and began writing songs and with the support of her friends, she began performing live on the Swedish underground scene, with one of her first lives shows playing as support to American songwriter Lucy Dacus.

Now, Coral is preparing to release her debut record, and ‘i just want you cause you’re gone’ is the first taste of what to expect from the album. Clinging to fragile hopes like “You like brown eyes I like blue / You’re quite weird but I’m weird too,” Coral explores her mixed emotions through her endearing lyrics, but ultimately she’s aware her feelings are going to waste. Listen to ‘i just want you cause you’re gone’ below and follow Coral on Instagram & Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Ebba G. Ågren

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment