Featured by Offbeat Magazine, My Spilt Milk, and more, Stephanie Marcellé released “guts” on May 7th for Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. As a black woman who is mixed with different ethnicities, Stephanie Marcellé is the great-great-granddaughter of a Chinese immigrant. She grew up with close ties to the Asian community, so she pays tribute to East Asia and South Asia with “guts.” Singing in English, with hints of Chinese and Hindi, Stephanie Marcellé fills “guts” with career experiences. Like all successful artists, she has overcome plenty of no’s in pursuit of her dreams. To show how she fights those no’s, she sprinkles affirmations throughout the first half of “guts” and raps her haters away in the second. As Jillian Fontana of My Spilt Milk wrote, “It’s evident that her lyrics are coming from the rawest part of herself, and every word echoes with purpose.” “Guts” is the fifth song of HUMAN, Stephanie Marcellé’s debut album and sexual assault awareness project.
Throughout 2021, Stephanie Marcellé is releasing HUMAN one song a month until December. To check out “guts” and the rest of HUMAN’s released songs, visit stopsexualassault.org/music, Spotify, Apple Music, and other digital music platforms. Twenty percent of Stephanie Marcellé’s profit from HUMAN will go towards the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN).
Described by NOW magazine as a “tantalizing Afro-soul combo of folk, roots, desert blues and African continental music,” AfroSoul Volume III: Re’ is the new EP from Amai Kuda et Les Bois. It is the follow-up to their full length release, AfroSoul Volume II: MaZai, hailed as “earthy and rootsy and good for your ears” by CBC’s Errol Nazareth. Amai Kuda’s debut album, Sand from the Sea, was considered “one of the year’s most exciting discoveries” in 2012 (Nicholas Jennings – Canada’s foremost music journalist and historian).
Amai Kuda et Les Bois have been featured in NOW magazine and on CBC’s Canada Live and Big City Small World, as well as performed at venues like the Jane Mallett Theatre, Harbourfront, The Rivoli, and festivals such as Luminato, Kultrun, and Small World Music Festival. They’ve give workshops on music, decolonization, and African cultural knowledge at schools, universities, and community centres internationally. Selected as one of the ‘101 Standout Artists’ during the nationwide CBC Searchlight competition (2015), they have opened for Joel Plaskett, Kellylee Evans and Sarah Slean, and collaborated with M1 of Dead Prez.
Most recently the group won the Best Folk/Roots award and also placed 2nd for the Best Song across all categories at the Toronto Independent Music Awards. Whether on the street, the stage or in the studio, for Amai Kuda et Les Bois, music is about healing –the healing of the earth, our ancestors, and ourselves.
Amai Kuda et Les Bois share a fluid and stunning new single, Ecouché.The piece is sonic magic -a spell for healing of the waters, it will arrive as the first single from Amai Kuda et Les Bois’ upcoming full-length album, EmUrgency!, to be released as a limited edition vinyl recording on May 20.
Channeled and sung entirely in a language of ancestral communication, Ecouché can never be performed the same way twice. The song was written and produced by Amai Kuda Yemoja Ile, with vocals, guitar by Amai Kuda Yemoja Ile, and second guitar from Jimmy Smalbach (Jimmy Kiddo).
EmUrgency! will be released on exclusive limited-edition vinyl next month, followed by a full-length visual album in the form of animated episodes, set for digital release this summer into the fall. Ecouché is a sample of what audiences can hear from Amai Kuda et Les Bois as the months progress.
“The album is about my journey as a woman of African descent to overcome internalized sexism, racism and the negative stigmatization of African spiritual beliefs in order to come into my power as an artist, community-leader, and particularly as a traditional healer,” Amai says. “Similar to other ‘coming out’ processes this emergence process is filled with a sense of urgency as it is in fact a matter of survival.” Follow her here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amaikudaetlesbois Listen to Ecouché on Spotify:
Multitalented artist Katrina Kusa is back with her latest single, “Two Times”. Produced by Nick Mair and executive produced by mega producer J2.
“Two Times” is an infectious record that showcases Katrina’s playful tone atop a current production with a Pop/Hip-Hop fusion. Katrina, who is an award winning author, actress, songwriter, and recording artist, lends her lyrically prowess and flow to the empowering record.
She shares, “I want listeners to feel empowered by the message of the lyrics. I want people to follow their passions and realize that if someone tells you that you can’t do something, ignore it because you won’t get to repeat your fate ‘Two Times.”
Fresh off her last collaboration with Indian Trap, Ta$te It, Katrina is hoping her new single will have the same impact as her last. Ta$te It debuted to high streaming numbers for a debut release, with over half a million streams across platforms.
In addition, Ta$te It has received Radio support from The Heat 100.9, where it is currently spinning daily. Two Times is available on all streaming platforms.
‘Blind Season’ are an alternative rock band formed by Shane Sigro. The new single from ‘Blind Season‘ is entitled ‘The Dark Bedroom’.
How was the writing and recording process ?
“It’s a tricky song to write in terms of tempo, but after a couple re writes I love how this song turned out”
‘The Dark Bedroom’ represents a schizophrenic feeling that can be hard to pin point at times. Feeling trapped within yourself and just not leaving your room for days on end.
Rock and Roll and turbulent relationships have gone hand in hand since the beginning of time. The origins of Blind Season are no different. Beginning with a rag tag group only forming through the means of owning instruments, and an evening involving the smashing of a mutual friend’s car.
Blind Season had undergone 5 different incarnations until Shane Sigro the founding guitarist was faced with the ultimate decision between succumbing to normalcy or proving the previous members wrong.
Choosing the latter, Sigro doubled down by taking vocal lessons and penning the new music that would breathe life into the new era of Blind Season.
Blind Season’s upcoming album is an ode to loneliness and toxicity that feel as if they were ripped from Billy Corgan’s Diary and featured in a film by Tim Burton.
With Amanecer, Welan Edvee and Luis Ledman take you into their warm and dancing world.
In these complicated times, this title will give you a smile.
Welan Edvee is on all streaming platforms. You can find these albums with various universes online.
With an exceptional mix, this track was produced in 3D Dolby Atmos. This new musical training will allow you to better immerse yourself in music and discover a unique sound.
So, turn up the sound slightly and fly to the warm and rhythmic atmospheres of the Latin Trap.
“Afternoon Ambience” is an album combining Indian Classical Music and Ambient music, in the World Music genre. It is a lush soundscape for relaxation and rejuvenation.
It is based on Rāga Bhimpalasi, an afternoon rāga. Rāga is the main component of Indian Classical Music. Rāga, a Sanskrit word, means “that which colours or leaves an impression”. A mood is created by its notes and phrases, and a full recital of a raga consists of several movements, and is very similar to a western classical symphony.
The listener is brought of a journey through melodic and rhythmic structure and improvisations.
Dan Blanchard blends ancient Indian classical music with world and electronic music to transport you to blissful states of mind during yoga and meditation practice or to uplift you during your daily life.
Classically trained on the santoor by Indian master Pandit Satish Vyas and joined by other talented musicians from the world and sound healing scene, Dan explores the therapeutic power of music and adapts it for modern world needs, providing a powerful and engaging experience for overall well-being and inner peace.
Mixed by Dan Blanchard and Ronan Chris Murphy
Mastered by Ronan Chris Murphy at Veneto West https://ronanchrismurphy.com/
What’s the Unique Thing About This Album ?
Indian Classical musicis improvisation in nature.
There are rules (certain notes and phrases) to each raga, and there is a typical progression (discussed below with the details of each track).
The album is one raga – it has the same mood throughout, through movements of freeform melody as well as rhythmic exploration.
Cello and Ambient Guitar are not typical Indian Classical Instruments. Having these instruments provides another dimension to the album.
The first song particularly has been described as cinematic. Indian Classical music is a tonal music style, all notes are in relationship to the drone. As opposed to equal tempered tuning required for western music with chords and different keys which slices the octave into equal steps, the Indian notes (Swaras) are based on simple ratios (3/2, 4/3, 5/4, 7/5, etc.) and mimic the relationships with nature. This adds to the relaxing quality of the music.
1. Unwind (Alaap) [17:29] – Alaap is the beginning of the rāga where the melodic structure is slowly improvised and unveiled in a freeform style without rhythm. This is performed on the santoor, a 100-stringed Indian instrument, with accompaniment by Bansuri Flute, Cello, Ambient Guitar, Harmonium, and Tanpura (drone instrument).
2. Deeper (Jod) [12:41] – Jod adds a rhythm to the melodic introduction in Alaap.
3. Swirling (Vilambit Gat in Jhaptaal) [14:30] – This is a slow (“Vilambit”) tempo composition (“Gat”) set to a 10 beat (“Jhaptaal”) rhythmic cycle, accompanied by the tabla (Indian hand drums).
4. Building (Madhya Gat in Teentaal) [8:22] – This is a medium (“Madhya”) tempo composition (“Gat”) set to a 16 beat (“Teentaal”) rhythmic cycle, accompanied by the tabla.
5. Ascent (Drut Gat in Teentaal) [6:34] – This is a fast (“Drut”) tempo composition (“Gat”) set to a 16 beat (“Teentaal”) rhythmic cycle, accompanied by the tabla, ending with a very fast climax called Jhala. In a typical performance this would be the end of the rāga.
6. Let Go [10:27] – A final relaxation with vocal and flute, to integrate the musical journey.
‘Wil Berrios’ a.k.a Wilfredo Berrios Mendoza arrives on the world music scene with the vibrant, warm, melodic, uplifting, rhythmic and festival party sound of new single ‘Cumbia Junto Al Mar’.
‘Wil Berrios’ is an artist and musician who was born in Trujillo Colon Honduras in the Caribbean.
‘Cumbia Junto Al Mar’ is the debut music video from ‘Wil Berrios’ with it’s fragrant world flavoured Extravaganza of rhythmic sound with an overall warm, tropical Caribbean vibe.
When asked about more about the song and video, Wil Berrios said:
“My new single is ‘Cumbia junto al mar’ and the video was filmed, recorded and produced at ‘Cocoa Beach’.
The incredible warm and festival party fuelled new single ‘Cumbia junto al mar’ was recorded at ‘Tampa Flat Paris Recording Studios’.
‘Wil Berrios’ a.k.a Wilfredo Berrios Mendoza is currently based in Orlando Florida and is rising high on the world music scene.
Join ‘Wil Berrios’ for the Best Caribbean Pop Party Sound!
