Author: Admin
Afropark Fest is back for its biggest edition yet, returning to Milton Keynes’ Middleton Pavilion on Saturday 25 July 2026 with a line up that reflects the breadth and energy of contemporary Black music and culture.Leading the bill is Nigerian rap phenomenon Odumodublvck, whose genre blending sound has made him one of Africa’s most exciting breakout stars. Joining him are UK afroswing pioneers NSG, Brixton rap favourite Sneakbo, UK funky house icon Malika and MOBO nominated R&B rising star Amaria BB.The growing festival, which has evolved from a series of sold out indoor events into one of the UK’s fastest…
With more than 100 million streams to his name, Finnish Ecuadorian rapper J€AN-MARC continues his rise with the release of his latest single and video, “Chrome Heart Jeans.”Born in Finland and raised in New Jersey, J€AN-MARC has built a loyal following through his blend of motivational lyricism, West Coast inspired energy, and authentic storytelling. His breakthrough track “8 O 8” became a viral hit in 2022, reaching the top of Spotify’s USA Viral 50 chart and helping secure a licensing deal with 10K Projects.On “Chrome Heart Jeans,” J€AN-MARC reflects on his New Jersey roots while addressing the challenges that often…
Pia Baris opens her world with stardust, her debut EP, a six-track release where classical discipline meets emotionally exposed pop. The Berlin-based artist brings years of opera, conservatory training, piano, ballet, and hip-hop into a sound that stays clean, direct, and contemporary. Nothing feels over-trained. The craft is there, but it serves the songs.Across i know, picket fence, silhouette, machete, dangerous mind, and complex, Baris moves through intimacy, heartbreak, dependency, self-discovery, and the messy edges of early adulthood.Stacked harmonies, close vocal detail, cinematic imagery, and polished production give the EP its shape.With stardust, Baris avoids the usual debut-artist mythology. No…
Prem Byrne, based in Forest Knolls, United States, is back with his deeply reflective new song “When the Honeymoon Is Over”. The new soft rock song has lots of world influences and a strong nostalgic vibe to it…. a dreamy, sun-kissed soft rock gem overflowing with warmth, nostalgia, and heartfelt musicianship.As is usual with his music, his vocals lead the way. The first minute offers the listener a sleek acoustic feel, before some dreamy sounds come in just before the half-minute mark. Then, ultimately, some sliding guitars offer the listener a shimmering, sun-kissed sound.I personally loved the guitar solo just…
In this new entry in our ‘Diamonds In The Rough’ category, we would like to re-introduce you to frequently featured, upcoming artist HoodTrophy Bino and his brand new single titled “Fell 4 It” featuring Baby Money. HoodTrophy Bino continues to build momentum with the release of his latest single, “Fell 4 It,” featuring Detroit heavyweight Baby Money. Out now, the collaboration brings together two artists whose styles complement each other effortlessly, delivering a record packed with confidence, sharp lyricism, and the kind of authenticity that can’t be manufactured. “Fell 4 It” showcases the chemistry between Los Angeles native HoodTrophy Bino…
The remarkable debut of a 21st-century crooner.Where do crooners come from? Surely this thought must have kept you awake in the late hours, when time stands still and there’s nothing to do but face the big questions in life. If we were to make a case study of Andrew Sa, nothing would seem strange about a childhood riding around in a Ford F150 for his mother’s travelling karaoke business. It would also only be natural for names like Roy Orbison or Patsy Cline to emerge as inspirational figures for the young crooner-to-be. But of course, regardless of origin stories, the…
Putting some meat on the bones of last week’s passing reference to a new album when announcing their upcoming live dates, we can now reveal that the new album by The Jayhawks is called Sanctuary Park and it’s due to be released on the 28th of August, with the lead single Keeping Our Heads Above Water being released today. While the album title references an actual location in Dundas, Ontario, Sanctuary Park in the band’s vision is also being used as a fictional place where distant memories re-emerge, childhood friends from years prior start speaking again, and teenage lovers start…
5. Could you tell us more about the creative process behind ‘Only Young Once’?I prepared digital synthesizers in my DAW that I thought sounded nice together. Then, using a MIDI controller, I started arranging the sounds. I looped a vocal and played in the synth chords. I thought it would sound really nice to have a deep bassline and a bouncy kick drum like those summer hits in the 2000s did.6. Was this track inspired by a particular person, event or situation?As I was gathering the lyrics, I tried to think about how far I have come from where I…
© Adam WilliamsDownload Festival – Sunday (also see Friday and Saturday)Donington Park, Derbyshire14th June 2026By Sunday morning, Download Festival has become a test of character. Rather more specifically, a test of how many questionable decisions made last night could be overcome with coffee and stubbornness.Whatever optimism exists when my alarm goes off quickly disappears. Cameras stay in the bag. The campsite looks brighter than any human being should reasonably be expected to tolerate. Bands are playing somewhere. I assume they are probably very good. Eventually, however, duty calls.And so my final day at Download Festival begins not with an early…
“It’s very hard to make money off it, so might as well have fun, you know.” Right at the end of our chat,Shooting Daggersvocalist/bassistBea Simiondrops that line, and it basically sums up everything: the band, the new recordThe Real Life Thing, the punk ethics, the wrestling, all of it. This is a band living in the space between brutal graft and pure joy, and refusing to give up. We talk about their new release, working with Dennis Lyxzén from Refused, and why women’s wrestling is basically the best thing on TV right now, in WWE, AEW and beyond. “Now It…
We have been big fans of Nate Amos around these parts for some time now and what a few years he’s had. Between delivering breakout records both as a solo artist — under his This Is Lorelei moniker (which we have finally learnt how to spell which is progress) — and with his band Water From Your Eyes, sold out shows across multiple continents, to seeing artists such as Jeff Tweedy, Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman cover his songs, Amos has clearly found his stride, and he’s announcing today details of his next record which arrives on September 11th. As the…
Besides fronting US prog metal pioneers Fates Warning since 1987, Ray Alder has his fingers in a number of pies, including Engine, Redemption and, most recently, A-Z. As he unveiled a second solo set, II, in 2023, Prog placed a call to the singer’s home in Spain.After being a ‘band guy’ for so long, how did it feel to release your solo debut, What The Water Wants, in 2019?I like doing a lot of different things, which is why I’m involved in a few projects. A solo album just seemed like the next step. But if Fates Warning is no…