Sunday 5 December 2010

Shuanise (The magnificent)

Shuanise is a singer, nay human being, that makes us joe averages sit up and take notice. Blessed upon blessings with her voice, charisma and beauty she shines out completely peerless in an increasingly dull music market.

Born in Dallas and raised in North London she is an unusual hybrid, mixing her native Nigerian roots with glitch hop influenced beats. "Kingdom" is just one of her majestical musical offerings... I became entranced by her melodies, harmonies and spoken word riffs. Another release Voice Of Reason EP on Up My Alley is intimate, sensual and introduces us to her innate ability for killer vocal arrangements.

She has collaborated with many of the great and the good including TOKiMONSTA- (Solitary Joy) and Duktus (On the Brownswood Bubblers track "Wide Eyes").

"Wide Eyes" is certainly one of my most treasured tracks of the last few years...

"to find true self..one must live within... and as I took off my mask and opened up my eyes.. gold dust hit the floor... WIDE EYES"

fLako & Shuanise - Untitled

I am now extremely lucky to call Shuanise a truly close friend. She is a person that radiates light and has often mused that "Music has been my biggest healer throughout my life". How lucky for us (the listening public) that we gain such joy from her musical meanderings. We are now working together as a deliciously dulcet trinity with the similarly vocally blessed Zayna Daze.

As Shuanise implores us "tune your ears" and lets make it in a shuanise now now time signature.

Saturday 4 December 2010

Requiem & Belle 'Crazy Little Thing'


So. (DRUM ROLL). For your delectation and delight listeners comes the first video from Requiem et Belle . We had absolute PUUUUUUUURE jokes making this video! Requiem and me met at a Rodney P gig when I first moved to London about 6 years ago from the grimy north in search of streets paved with record deals and cheesy chips. We hit it off musically... loving Ninja Tunes, Dub and Uk hip-hop and all sorts of musical genres inbetween and he has since become one of my best mates.

"Crazy Little Thing" has it's genesis in us wanting to do something less floaty and more up tempo and I think it shows off Requiem's rather sublime production techniques. Lyrically this song charters the journey of sexual deprivation and yearning I was going through in a rather protracted long distance relationship...hence its more natty live title of the "sex song".

I am happy to say that there has already been such a wicked reception to our tune...which is GRRRRRRRReat! So keep sharing this beauty and commenting. It has already been featured in a number of blogs including Pinboard Blog and Tru Spinna Personally my favourite quote comes from the gorgeous Eva Lazarus "..you minx i wish i could lick your voice! its so tasty!" If that doesn't incur your interest... then god damn it...I dont know what will. Your support is always muchos appreciated people..please keep it coming.

There are so many talented people to thank for this video and in a weepy Oscars stylee ( but without the A-list laxatives and cocaine) I would like to extend massive big ups in the area to Director/Producer: Dave Goodall Assistant Directors (&Additional Animation): Justin Lowings and Kooch Chung Artwork/Art Direction: Jess Wilson and the wonderfully talented Kristine Moen on Hair and Make-Up.