Track Of The Day: Serena Isioma – ‘Stop Calling The Police On Me’

A hazy, genre-bending tune that gently demands the right to freely express yourself without persecution, Chicago-based musician Serena Isioma has shared their latest single ‘Stop Calling The Police On Me’. Taken from their upcoming EP The Leo Sun Sets, the track is an intoxicating blend of Isioma’s dreamy vocals, defiant lyrics and sultry R&B inspired beats.

“‘Stop Calling The Police On Me’ is about searching for peace outside of the society that doesn’t understand you,” Isioma explains about the single. “There was a heavy police presence in my household growing up. It was very toxic. Eventually, I stopped coming home altogether. I was much happier hanging out with my friends.” Isioma, a first generation Nigerian-American, neutralizes these hostile memories via ambient guitars and honeyed vocals.

Isiomia delivers candid lyrics with a swift grace, making the repeated line “Stop calling the police on me / this is not the help I need” all the more affecting. “With a life like this I’ve got so much to prove” Isioma sings, but with their effortless vocals and genre-blending sound, it seems Isioma has already proved their talent for writing intensely memorable and emotive tunes.

Listen to ‘Stop Calling The Police On Me’ below.

Follow Serena Isioma on Instagram, Twitter, Spotify & Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Blue Loop ft. Shakira Stellar – ‘Before It Begins’

An atmospheric, sharply produced debut offering, London-based electronic artist Blue Loop has shared her new single ‘Before It Begins’. Taken from her upcoming EP Grand Illusion, the track is a tentative, ambient piece of “poetronica” featuring the soothing spoken words of poet Shakira Stellar.

Dedicated to sharing the joy of music and encouraging others to do the same, Blue Loop has worked alongside organisations including Girls Rock London, Music Empowerment and Mobility Exchange and ROLI in an effort to demystify all things music & tech.

Born from a collaboration between herself and Stellar when they met during a Girls Rock London showcase at New River Studios in North London in 2019, ‘Before It Begins’ is a shimmering downtempo, expansive soundscape. Filled with intoxicating clicks, beguiling electronics and Stellar’s considered words, Blue Loop’s debut single is an insightful introduction into the new producer’s world.

Watch the video for the single below and follow Blue Loop on Spotify & Instagram for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: LIME – ‘Fever’

A fuzzy, disco-infused indie tune that softly probes at the absurdity of modern life, Brighton-based band LIME have shared their latest single ‘Fever’. Filled with dance-able beats and catchy lyrics, the track is a dive into the mind of generation Z, playfully questioning their efforts to impress each other via jangly guitars and grooving bass lines.

“Why should I get up when I’d rather be in bed?” asks LIME’s lead vocalist Chloe Howard at the beginning of the song. It’s a sentiment that resonates stronger during the current UK lockdown, but the slinky saxophone and jazzy electronics soothe the sting of this reality. Howard’s rhetorical questions – “Why should I do my make-up when it’s all inside my head?” and “Why should I be up when the rest of us are down?” – have a relatable buzz, and her sardonic delivery is underscored by the band’s buoyant percussion.

Formed of Howard (vocals/guitar), Leila Deeley (guitar), Tippi Morgan (bass) and Annabel Whittle (drums), LIME met whilst studying in Brighton. Like many bands, their plans to play shows to crowds this November have been cancelled, but they will be sharing a live session alongside Katy J Pearson recorded at the Battersea Arts Centre for The Close Encounter Club on 19th November (more details on how to subscribe here.)

Listen to ‘Fever’ below.

 

Follow LIME on bandcamp, Facebook, Spotify, Twitter & Instagram for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: CATBEAR – ‘Who Are You?’

A heady, retro-pop tune about the breath-taking nature of new found lust, London-based duo CATBEAR have shared their latest single ‘Who Are You?’. Full of lush synth sounds and snappy yet danceable beats, the track is an aural flirtation designed to provide a moment of joy during uncertain times.

“This was so much fun to write,” explains band member Zoe Konez. “I came up with the first half of the song on a train during my commute on one of the last days before [the first] lockdown and we developed it during those first few long weeks of quarantine where making music kept us going.” Along with bandmate Sarah Smith, Konez wrote, recorded and produced CATBEAR’s new music fromhome over the summer, an achievement that’s made even more impressive by the fact that Smith worked on the frontline in A&E for the NHS throughout the pandemic, and that Konez runs a music programme in a mental health hospital.

‘Who Are You?’ is a wonderfully upbeat escape from the pressures of the duo’s daily routine, brimming with that infectious and overwhelming feeling of attraction when you find your thoughts spiralling over a new crush. Listen to the new single below and follow CATBEAR on bandcamp, Facebook and Spotify for more updates.

 

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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