New Boots editor Phil Moore takes you through the best new tracks this week.
Pa Salieu feat. slowthai ‘Glidin”
East meets West – Midlands that is. Warner Music signee, Coventry lad Pa Salieu raps over a sweet Afroswing beat with plenty of his Gambian heritage worn on his sleeve – and Ty matches him by leaning on his own Bayan family background with his delivery. “Just look to the sky and say/Nah, I’m blessed”, one of slowthai’s lines, sums up the ‘chase the good life’ vibe on this raw, refreshing – and frankly breathless – collaboration.
Bermal ‘Affiliation’
Teenager bassline producer from Northants is a new kid on the block, and his second release is a sweet four-track EP. Included here is the title track, a snappy piece of EDM to shake your head into gear.
Bad Money ”84′
Kieran Smith and Tommy Francis are two Northants players who have teamed up with a couple of mates up the M1 to churn out some fun’n’cheesy ’80s rock that works much better than that sales pitch suggests. If you like to punch the air whilst driving in your red convertible then you’ve come to the right place with this bad boy!
Great Adamz ‘Your Attention’
The quality just never drops from this guy! A nice slice of two-step afro-pop is once again on offer; his lover man credentials fully on display. A sweet chorus to bop along too, and once again a video that’s unmissable [shout out to Rushden Lakes!]. Get this guy on the television, someone…
Emily Faye ‘Fearless – Reimagined’
We finally get to write about the Northants-raised London-based country-pop singer-songwriter. Having discovered her talents last summer this is the long wait for a song to talk about! It’s a glorious classically-tinged reworking of her May 2020 single, that tones down the band/rock elements and ramps up the emotional vulnerability of the original. It’s criminal not more people are talking about her. But we can all help with that now 🙂
Robyn Wilson ‘Love Songs To Myself’
She’s back! A couple of years on from ‘Hotel Room’ the Northampton songstress always sings straight from the heart. And on this summery, modern-pop banger [produced by heavyweights Christian Ballard and Arno Spires] she confesses to preferring loving herself over a partner. “I spent Valentine’s Day writing my name in hearts”. Guys, what have you been doing?!
Greg Coulson ‘You Haven’t Done Nothin’
The first fruits from his upcoming sophomore album, the Northampton-based singer has spent the pandemic setting up his local studio with fellow in-demand musician Adam Gammage and recording and writing non-stop. Funk and blues are Coulson’s forte, and this number channels the freewheeling vibes of early 70s Stevie Wonder and, further back, some Stevie Winwood-type keys workouts. It’s a soulful shuffle to get you in a Friday night kinda mood.
Deadboi feat. L30 Robinson ‘Want Me Dead’
Nice NN hook-up here; the deadpan delivery of these two is properly cold as ice as they take aim. A relaxed beat and synth provides room for the guys to let the bars do the talking. Deadboi always throws up some crackers, like “I’m burning down the whole building just to raise the roof”. Check out the funny Mike Musanu-directed video too.
Blue Eyes ‘What’s The Use?’
From the southern depths of Northants comes new artist Blue Eyes, displaying a rare vulnerability in his voice, lyrics and arrangements that you won’t forget in a hurry. Whatever heartbreak has fueled all this creativity has been turned around in something incredibly cathartic.
Amii Dawes ‘Bricks’
Dawes is becoming something of an old faithful round these parts, drip-feeding quality songs of a tender nature. Except on this one she’s brought along the alt-rock shapes, channeling some fuzzy 90s sounds to excellent effect [a la Katie Malco on ‘Creatures’ and ‘Animal’]. That bass is a crushing as those barbed lyrics [“I’m laughing in the face of those who doubt me”]. Delightful as always, but an unexpected delight in many ways.
