Bringing you a pick of the month’s best releases, Maria Hanlon presents 10 tunes that have hit her decks – and got a reload – in March. Starring SVETLANA, Kieron Boothe, Tolushorts, Paleblu, Zoka the Author, JyellowL, Yiigaa, Lava La Rue, Samm Henshaw, Kiko Bun, Louis Culture & RADA…
SVETLANA
YDKM
Think Twice Records
For fans of… Billie Holiday, Betty Davis, Nia Chennai
Why listen… SVETLANA is an authentic and incredibly talented artist that needs to be on your radar.
SVETLANA is a west London born, singer-songwriter, who takes influence from some of the greats while creating a sound that is both fresh and exciting. ‘YDKM’ is the first single from SVETLANA’s debut EP and sets the tone for the rest of the project. The song is empowering and encourages the listener to be their authentic self, despite what anyone else thinks. On Instagram SVETLANA says the song is, “For the forever-journey of being oneself amongst the noise.” Check out the beautiful live performance of ‘YDKM’ too.
Kieron Boothe, Tolushorts
Agenda
Kieron Boothe
For fans of… The Silhouettes Project, Skepta, Kano
Why listen… ‘Agenda’ has it all – a catchy chorus, slick bars and a gritty London sound.
Newham native’s Kieron Boothe and ToluShorts have teamed up for their first collaboration together on the incredible ‘Agenda’. The pair created musical magic, recording this in just one night and combining Boothe’s hip hop flow & witty bars with Tolu’s dark and gritty production. Boothe & Tolu originally met back in 2019 through The Silhouettes Project but only just started working together. This has to be one of my favourite tracks from Boothe and I’m excited for more potential collabs between him and Tolu.
Paleblu
Belong
Paleblu
For fans of… Sammy Virji, mustbejohn, The Streets
Why listen… Paleblu’s new track ‘Belong’ needs adding to your playlist ASAP.
‘Belong’ is the first track from Paleblu’s ‘Daisies’ EP which has just dropped. The track delves into themes of identity and self-discovery and is an open and honest tune about navigating the vibrant cityscape of London as a person of mixed heritage. Since bursting onto the scene back in 2017, Paleblu has kept us on our toes with a steady flow of fresh releases fusing together drum & bass, garage and indie influences. The whole EP is incredible and shows off Paleblu’s diverse musical palette, so make sure to have a listen.
Zoka the Author, JyellowL
ELEPHANT
Evil Genius
For fans of… Kendrick Lamar, Kojey Radical, Travis Scott
Why listen… ‘ELEPHANT’ grabs your attention from the very first bar as Zoka the Author and JYellowL push the boundaries of UK hip hop.
After seeing Zoka the Author perform at one of UD’s Open Mic nights, I was really impressed so I’m not surprised his new track with JyellowL is a total vibe. The production is playful and on point. It has so many different layers which work perfectly with Zoka and JyellowL’s well written bars. On Instagram, Zoka the Author says, “I want you to hear this tune and understand that your difference isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength, and you should treat it as such. Step into rooms comfortable in the knowledge that you are the ELEPHANT, and though they may try, they can’t ignore you for long.”
Yiigaa
Figure of Doubt
Yiigaa & Supernature
For fans of… Nao, Cleo Sol, Loie
Why listen… If you ever struggle with self-doubt, this beautiful track is for you.
South London’s Yiigaa recently released ‘Figure Of Doubt’ following on from her ‘Light Years’ EP last year. This track was created with producer DRIIA and moves between downtempo pop and trip hop. Lyrically the track is about embracing fear and turning it into strength and power and making art from it, which I’m sure most creatives will be able to relate to. It’s a stunning and uplifting track from Yiigaa and as always, I can’t wait to see what she works on next as I know it will be amazing.
Lava La Rue
Push N Shuv
Dirty Hit
For fans of… NiNE8, JGrrey, Biig Piig
Why listen… This track is perfect for Spring, get outside & get this on!
Lava La Rue is set to release their highly anticipated debut album, STARFACE on June 21st via Dirty Hit. The expansive indie album will see Lava collaborating with the likes of bb sway, yunè pinku and tendai to name a few. ‘Push N Shuv’ gives us a taste of what’s to come and the album is said to be a reintroduction to Lava as an artist. The music video is a masterpiece and is really ethereal and nostalgic. Make sure to watch it whilst we eagerly wait for June 21st!
Samm Henshaw
Troubled Ones
AWAL Recordings
For fans of… Lauryn Hill, John Legend, PJ Morton
Why listen… Samm Henshaw is back with brand new music, and I’m very happy about it!
Renowned singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Samm Henshaw returns with his latest single, ‘Troubled Ones’. The soulful song was produced by Josh Grant and is about fear and doubt surrounding love. After taking a break from music, it’s great to see Samm back on the scene with a new sense of creativity and hopefully more music coming. Samm shared a cute message on Instagram following the release of ‘Troubled Ones’, “Good to be back, really hope you love this one. As always thanks for giving me the time to take time with my art, love you all.”
Kiko Bun
Just Magic
Kiko Bun
For fans of… Gentleman’s Dub Club, The Mouse Outfit, Prince Fatty
Why listen… This one is ready for those sun-drenched long summer days.
As the weather begins to (very slowly) warm up, this is the tune you want on your playlist. It comes from north west London’s Kiko Bun who’s contemporary voice sits over timeless production to create a sound that’s really unique. After establishing an authentic reggae sound over the years, you won’t be able to stop playing Kiko’s feel-good tunes & we hope there’s more music to follow this year. On Instagram Kiko says, “Sometimes the songs just write themselves. I played all the instruments on this one and you can listen to the dub I mixed too.”
Louis Culture
Anyway
Different Recordings
For fans of… Finn Foxell, Kam-BU, King Krule
Why listen… Louis is one of London’s most exciting artists, if you’re not familiar with him check out ‘Anyway’ to see what all the hype is about.
South London’s Louis Culture has announced his forthcoming ‘I Can’t Wait To See U Again’ EP, which will be out on April 5th. In the meantime, he’s dropped debut single ‘Anyway’. He joined forces with producer Jim Reed for this one, who he’s worked with before. It explores the raw emotions of missing someone and trying to fill the void they left behind. The track is an eclectic mix of rap, R&B and folk and I’m sure the album will be taking us on a sonic journey across many genres too. If all that wasn’t enough, Louis will also be heading on tour from April 10th.
RADA
payme
RADA
For fans of… PinkPantheress, Lucy Tun, NiNE8
Why listen… This song and the remix are both epic, get on it before your mates do.
RADA is back with her first release of 2024, and it’s a banger! This one is perfect for club sets with the underground sound combined with RADA’s perfect pop vocals. There is also a remix of this track from Endeavour which has just come out that’s heavier and faster, which you should definitely check out too. The music video has already been really popular on YouTube and is giving early 2000s nostalgia, with loads of people commenting that the track is about to blow up and I’d have to agree.
Words: Maria Hanlon @mariahanlon
Listen to The Voices Breakfast Show with Maria Hanlon on the 1st Friday of the month 9-11am on voicesradio.co.uk.