WSTRN
Congratulations to WSTRN who have just hit #4 in the charts with their debut single!
WSTRN members and cousins Akelle Charles and Haile have been on a similar journey of musical discovery all their lives, ever since their fathers played in the same reggae band. Third member Louis Rei also grew up close by in the collective’s neighbourhood of west London, meeting the others through his friendship with Akelle’s older brothers. They were each raised on a dizzying array of popular genres and styles and it shows in ‘In2’, their debut track together, which charged up to number ten on the Shazam Urban UK chart shortly after they released it on YouTube. It’s as spacious, psychedelic and immediately gratifying as ILoveMakonnen, as emotive and effortless as Drake, yet it resists any comparisons thrown at it. It is quite simply a British banger.
It was ‘In2’ that actually brought WSTRN together. All three members had been artists in their own right, though not always clearly travelling that path. For all three, eventually getting in a room together to collaborate artistically was inevitable considering the proximity of their homes, lives and interests. One thing led to another and soon they found themselves making music that was feverishly in demand. From here, they continued to craft their identity and the collective, WSTRN, was born. With In2 being only a taster of this impressive and wildly inventive jam session they were then signed by Atlantic Records.
There’s a genuineness to their creative outpouring that eschews the need to be categorised and moulded by tribal identities. Roots reggae, motown, hip hop (in all its incarnations), contemporary and classic R&B, pop music and much more, all shaped WSTRN equally. “It’s an eclectic sound,” says Louis, “that’s rare, and I think that’s why it’s so refreshing. It’s genuine and it’s feel-good and there’s not much of that anymore”. While ‘In2’ rapidly built a fanbase and brought its creators together, it’s certainly not the apex of their writing abilities. Any one of their songs features a club-baiting hook.
Ultimately, WSTRN’s music is the celebration of life. Its creators are bound by a deep chemistry and a shared experience that solidifies their familial bond. They’re the romantics of London’s urban music scene, eschewing posing and false bravado in favour of something more universal and collective: a feeling of reciprocal joy. Even after the raving around ‘In2’ has passed, you can bet they’ll have planned ahead, ready to drop a new track and increase their fanbase exponentially. The music scene is changing, time is speeding up and today’s big fad will be yesterday’s news tomorrow. Amidst all this, WSTRN have a shot at permanence, their complete disregard for scene politics and their unpretentious approach to music making aligns them with their heroes in their pursuit of something honest. It’s early days but already WSTRN’s star is ascending.
TIMOTHY BLOOM
Fresh off the release of the deluxe version of his new self-titled album, two-time GRAMMY award-winner Timothy Bloom is excited about the future. Recently named a VH-1 Soul “You Oughta Know Artist,” Timothy Bloom is on the move.
“I feel I was put on this earth to create music that is relatable, and touches the hearts and souls of people.” Timothy’s work sings the emotions of the human heart. “That’s what inspires me,” he says. “People are yearning for stories and songs that will fill their hearts and souls. That’s what we escape to when we can’t outwardly express ourselves. If you want to be happy, dance, cry or even be angry, it’s all in the music.”
Forged from a childhood of diverse experiences, powered by a kaleidoscope of musical influences, Timothy’s music defies category and refuses to be put in a box. His refreshing voice and sound reflect the multiple influences of his musical heroes and his varied upbringing. He attributes his unique blend to the styles he heard growing up. Rock, Folk, Gospel, R&B—all these elements and more add to his unique, signature style. His favorite singers were the likes of Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra, Jeff Buckley because “those type of cats had tone and texture.”
Timothy’s tone and texture caught the eye of skilled musicians early on. He began his career as a songwriter and producer writing for the incomparable Smokey Robinson (“My World”, “Fallin in Love”). Timothy then moved on to writing and producing GRAMMY award-winning songs for both Ne-Yo (“Say it” on Because of You) and Chris Brown (“All Back” on F.A.M.E). He recently produced a song on K. Michelle’s new album (“How Do You Know” on Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart). Wisely, he came out from behind the board with his own EP, “The Budding Rose”, followed by the eponymous album Timothy Bloom, with the deluxe edition dropping in October 2014. Musicians and music influencers have taken notice.
“I feel about Timothy the same way I felt when I first met Tupac as far as artistic talent, hunger and quest. He has a real skillful driven soul.” says Chuck D.
Adds DJ Skee, CEO, Dash Radio, “Timothy has one of those rare voices that transcends genres and instantly hooks you in. His potential is through the roof, and I can’t wait for the world to catch on.”
To help build up the next generation of musicians, Timothy speaks at high schools about pursuing music goals and the reality of the music business. He also works with the Gospel for Teens Youth Choir in Harlem, and has invited teens to be back up singers for shows and TV appearances. “We need to take care of music’s future” is his mantra, and he devotes considerable energy to this goal.
Timothy Bloom’s diverse gifts as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and producer are steadily lighting up the music scene. Savvy industry players are excited to see what he does next. When asked what that is, he says “I’m going to keep making great music that touches people’s souls.” This will include new videos, a tour, some unexpected new collaborations and of course, more producing and writing.
Whatever it is, we know he will bring his signature tone and texture to touch our hearts.
TALLIA STORM
16-year-old Scottish singer/songwriter Tallia Storm released her debut EP ‘Social Security’ on 10th May 2015 to great critical acclaim. Tallia’s catchy first single ‘Social Security’ and 4 track EP offer you a glimpse of her unique sound, one hailed by Sir Elton John as ‘one of the most impressive soul signatures I’ve heard in years’ and by Nile Rogers who said Tallia was ‘one of his favourite new artists in the world’.
After leaving her demo CD with Sir Elton John’s partner in a hotel restaurant, singer/ songwriter Tallia Storm’s life changed in 2012 when she was just 13 years of age. Elton John called within 24 hours and invited her to open his football stadium concert in Scotland. She belted out her strong soulful melodies, with an R&B groove that simply defied her petite teenage frame. To great critical acclaim, she was front-page news in the UK media, newly dubbed ‘Tiny Chancer’. Since then Tallia has performed across the world with her trademark ‘big hair’ and quirky, fearless sense of style.
Having grown up singing along to Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington and Lena Horne and later finding a love for contemporary artists such as the late Amy Winehouse, Frank Ocean, Drake & Kendrick Lamar, Tallia has crafted a unique sound to deliver a powerful and modern urban vocal, which is gathering an array of fans from around the world. Her forte is live performance and her simple acoustic set is where her heart it, which is why her social media fan base goes from strength to strength.
She’s currently working on her studio album and has been championed by the UK’s BBC Radio 1Xtra / BBC Introducing platform and UK regional radio. ‘The Sun’ newspaper tipped Tallia Storm for big things in 2015 in their ’10 Acts to Watch in 2015′ feature. On hearing her sing live it is clear to see why. With her ever growing popularity in the music arena, this #storm is undoubtedly picking up speed!
“An infectious beat reminiscent of a Kylie Minogue dance style track” – Vibe Magazine.
“Like, Follow, Tweet, Tweet, is the ultra modern hypnotic hook that draws you into this garage infused track” – Gigslutz.co.uk
“It’s safe to say that Tallia Storm is well on her way to becoming the next big thing and only time will tell us just how much stronger she will get” – Hitthefloor.com.
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COLOUR THE ATLAS
Colour The Atlas are four friends from Swindon whose agile musicianship and complex songwriting belies their tender years. They have released 4 EP’s to date, the lastest, Amethyst, was produced and mixed by Jake Gosling (Ed Sheeran, George Ezra), who became a huge fan of the band after working with them on the NCS single Come Together, which also saw the band perform at Brixton Academy.
‘Amethyst’ follows the ‘Opaline’ EP- released in 2014 – which saw the band receive impressive radio support on Radio 1, Radio 2, 6music and showcased a deeper, denser and more expansive sound than previous releases. With ‘Amethyst’, Colour The Atlas continue to develop and explore their sound and talent, with lead single ‘Scared’ once again demonstrating the band’s versatility, ear for big hooks, memorable moments and a darker, more earthy sound.
The band feel they have come along way in the past year, explains Jess; “We have grown up and changed a lot and our music is growing with us. We’ve spent so much time on these EPs and there are many more layers than before”.
MI’DAS
Mi’das, a.k.a Mike Davies, creates soulful music infused with his trademark vocal and guitar playing. He started 2015 as an iTunes ‘Ahead of the Curve’ featured artist both in the UK and US and has in the months since played 60 gigs to over 20,000 people. From busking the streets to performances with artists such as Leona Lewis, Rita Ora, Labrinth and Jamie Cullum, you could say the last 10 years has been quite a journey for this Brighton born soulful strummer. A string of three EP releases earlier in 2015 was an eclectic mix of the soul and pop music he loves so much. Quoting Stevie Wonder, John Mayer, Joni Mitchell and Elton John as strong influences the sound is rooted in timeless songwriting but is discernibly of our time.
Mi’das has recently released his new single “Feels Like Only Yesterday” which has had strong support from the BBC introducing platform, and he has also finished an album due for release in February 2016.
“Absolutely fantastic!” – Robert Elms, BBC London 94.9
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4i
‘4’ is the vibe and the ‘I’ is the vision. London based Rapper/Singer/Songwriter 4i has been putting in the groundwork, independently rising above the noise. His contagious musical vibrations have resonated with the hearts of many after putting out his first major project ‘Soul Rich’ in December 2014. Soul Rich is about its title to simply put it, being soulfully endowed, casting away the need for material possessions to define ones wealth. The conscious undertone yet melodic skilful delivery compels a beautiful balance of feel good empowering conscious music. Circulating around various blogs and a hot topic for conversation, ‘Soul Rich’ has undoubtedly taken things to a whole new level. The encouraging communal support to this project fuelled the trailblazing that was about to take place. 4i and producer ‘DA’ then went onto signing a distribution deal with Rue Du Faubourg.
After solidifying a team, 4i went on to giving a consistent flux of visual musical projects and build upon his ever-growing fan base. ‘Soul Rich’ is not only the name of 4i’s latest project but it is also the movement and culture of what 4i represents. 4i is also a member of Paradime, which is a collective of close friends that all share a common interest within the arts of music/drama and film.
4i is currently piecing together a new project entitled “Dreamt but never slept” alongside producer DA, planned for release in early 2016. The concept behind this tape is about striving towards ones goals and ambitions, having dreams pictured so vividly in your mind that you are unable to put them to rest, not even for a moment. This tape will give the listeners a deeper insight into 4i as an artist and introduce a more personal side that wasn’t explored as much on Soul Rich. The first single from this project, entitled ‘illa Vibes’, has just been released along with a video that was produced by XON, which was picked up by SBTV.
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THE ISLAND CLUB (BIMM Breaking)
With their “unique grasp on an alternative sound”, The Island Club create dance infused pop with acute sonic awareness. Taking inspiration from the current crop of psychedelic revivalists, the band fuse the audaciously quirky melodies of Peace, the dreamy soundscapes of Tame Impala and the smooth disco licks of Nile Rogers to carve themselves a groove that is unlike any other.
Formed in late 2014 and comprised of members Michael (vocals, rhythm guitar), Julien (lead guitar), Sam (drums), David (bass) & Barney (synthesiser), this 5 piece “pleasure pop” outfit are striding forward, armed with a new wave of inspired hooks and daring melodies. Currently based in the cultural melting pot that is Brighton, The Island club are whittling away at their truly distinctive sound.
THE TAPESTRY
The Tapestry are all about the music. They’re not about where they’re from (Manchester), or whether they’re working class or posh twats (but put it this way, none of them are called Orlando, Hugo, Felicity or Jemima), or their music industry contacts (they haven’t got any), or how long they’ve been together (“ages”). They’re about the music, which lead singer Liam Faherty describes – with tongue placed firmly in cheek – as “angular, post punk, landfill indie pop”. Bassist Katy Baker describes their sound in simpler terms: “Two guitars. Drums. Bass. No bullshit.”
Gaz Coombes reckons they’re alright, and Liam Gallagher thinks they have “fucking tunes”. YouTube comments are short and sweet, like The Tapestry’s songs: ‘shit hot tune’; ‘top tune’; ‘quality’. The Tapestry’s steadily growing fanbase are fanatics – see them live and you’ll see why. “I was last into the band,” says drummer Zara Finnegan, “and remember seeing them live and thinking ‘I wish I was up there playing with them’, ‘cos the gigs were so electric.” “Out on the road and gigging is the best part of being in a band,” guitarist Dyna says. “We’ll play anywhere – north/south, east/west. As long as there’s a PA and a bar, we’re there.”
And there’s plenty more to come. The band plan to continue gigging around the country and will release a new single later in the year. After that, they want to find a record label, put out an album, play some festivals, and then there’ll be the inevitable band documentary: Spinal Tapestry.
JORDAN ALLEN
At a time when lyricism in pop music is so often reduced to nothing more than inane rhyme schemes and vapid odes to no one in particular, the emergence of Jordan Allen comes as a long overdue breath of fresh air. With a razor-sharp tongue capable of licking lyrical couplets at a pace that would leave fellow wordsmiths like Jamie T and Alex Turner all tied-up, Allen has a true gift of the gab when it comes to song writing and is undoubtedly destined for great things.
Harking from Bolton, Greater Manchester, Allen began writing while still at school where he first realised his penchant for a poem. An introduction to the work of punk poet and local hero John Cooper Clarke, would furthermore convince Allen of the vitality of social commentary and narrative in poetry. Before long he began to amass a back catalogue of lyrics written with edge, intellect and most of all – meaning. Throwing into the mix the indie boom of the mid-noughties, Allen had all he needed to begin coupling the frenetic flow of his words to the crashing electric guitar sounds. Taking inspiration from the early sounds of The Streets, Franz Ferdinand, White Stripes and The Libertines.
Making his mark with a series of head-turning indie singles including the bile-soaked “Rich & Famous”, the fuzzed-up thrills of “Remembered”, and the punch-packing “Set In Stone”, it didn’t take long for Allen’s sounds to resonate with some familiar faces. With the BBC and XFM having cottoned on early, plus rock icon and 6music tastemaker in residence Tom Robinson professing his love for Allen’s unique “swagger and attitude” and a public nod of approval from Northern brethren The Happy Mondays, even Allen’s earliest recordings scored instant kudos throughout the industry.
In 2015, the 21 year old finds himself bunkered up in Peter Gabriel’s stardom-steeped Real World Studios with production guru Steve Osborne (Happy Mondays, New Order, U2, Doves, KT Tunstall). With over 20 new songs inked-in and at his disposal, a brand new body of work is already well underway and in the pipeline for a 2016 release. A little older and a little wiser, Allen promises his forthcoming new material will be darker than anything he’s released before. And it’s not just the lyrics that are evolving. Under the wing of Osborne, Allen feels confident that he’s embarking in a new and exciting direction that may surprise fans of his earlier work. Taking inspiration from the glowering presence of Lou Reed, glam-era Bowie and the grit of 70s punk, Allen believes he is on to a deeper, more powerful sound that will separate him from the pack.
“I’ve been forging my own style for a long time now. It’d be nice to finally get away from the Jake Bugg and Arctic Monkeys comparison. The songs we’ve written are really fresh and strong. At the risk of sounding a bit arrogant, the new music’s not even in the same ballpark as my earlier material. I’ve got a legendary producer on board who genuinely loves what we’re doing and has allowed us to develop a really unique sound and I can’t wait to show people what we’re all about over the next number of months. I’m not here to ‘save guitar music’ I just want to write some great tunes and hopefully inspire a few kids to pick up a guitar and write instead of standing behind a set of decks playing someone else’s music”
While his roots may be in the indie genre, Allen’s passion for a good pop song and his conviction of its reliance on a powerful lyrical mainframe is one of the driving influences that challenges him to always create songs primarily from poetry. In turn, it is his confidence in his skills that he believes will be his secret weapon for future success:
” There’s no doubt guitar music has lost its edge, you’ve just got the same bands reusing the same ideas again and again and again. Hopefully by injecting that element of poetry and a focus on strong lyrical narratives mixed into the formula, people will begin to see something fresher. You can’t be afraid to write good pop songs, because there’s too much crap pop music about at the moment.”
Whilst the creative responsibilities have always been solely in his hands, on the live stage three tight knit musicians from his hometown join Jordan Allen on stage to perform under his moniker to assist in fleshing out the songs. Over the last few years together the band have become regulars on the gig circuit in Manchester and around the Northwest with live accolades including crowd-winning sets at Kendall Calling, The Etihad Stadium and Bolton’s Macron Stadium.
“Sharp lyrics, great attitude and a seemingly unstoppable momentum behind him – what’s not to like?” -Tom Robinson BBC 6 Music Introducing.
“I think we’ve found Manchester’s answer to Jake Bugg” – Michelle Hussey BBC Introducing Manchester
“Diggin’ these tunes” – Happy Mondays
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HOST: Tom Pakinkis (Editor of Music Week)
Location: UNDER THE BRIDGE, STAMFORD BRIDGE, FULHAM ROAD. LONDON SW6 1HS
25 SWAN STREET, MANCHESTER M4 5JZ
Tickets – Early Bird: £6 | Early Advance: £8 | Advance: £10 | On The Door: £15
