With all the vigour of a politician trying to get your votes by making flimsy promises that they will make food free and iron your shirt on Wednesdays so you have a ‘spiffen day’, Future Flavours is back for another turn where we highlight some of the biggest, freshest flavours that can be found across all genres-it’s all about good music supplied by amazing talents.
So avoiding any ambiguity or obfuscation-you know the score, ‘will there be further cuts to the NHS Prime Minister?’
‘Now that’s an interesting question, that deserves an answer because health is important and you are important -the NHS is important and I think that’s the real question which is of course important- ahem’
So here’s some great music for your listening pleasure from; the mercurial alternative hip hop majesty of Kepler Gold (love that name), the rather sexy smouldering experimental soul Olah Bliss, more hip-hop of that alternative edge with Nick Black and last but by no means the dance vibes of The Six-let’s go in.
Kepler Gold
Sounding like some fantastic comic book hero able to manipulate atoms and jump buildings in a single bound despite wearing a tight fitting leather suit that chaffs at the crotch, Kepler Gold (who actually studies nuclear physics) is the young London based producer, rapper, singer and film director dropping that hip-hop called alternative which I love with all the intensity of bootylicious babe who has only eyes for me. Kepler has worked with the slick UK hip-hop group 808ink highlighted in last month’s feature so you know that Kepler going to be something different and he does not disappoint.
Saying Paris born Kepler is good would be an underestimation. It’s like saying that the book, This Changes Everything written by Naomi Klien detailing the unbelievable greed of those with money who need the world to continue burning fossil fuels will make you angry with the injustice-it’s an underestimation because after reading it you will implode with fracking burning anger taking out those individuals who continue to make money through blackened oil stained hands when there are cleaner ways to produce energy.
Anyway get your teeth into this cut, Tipple in My Jar from his earlier mix-tape Walking Among Strangers
Tipple in My Jar represents Kepler taking a more traditional hip-hop route and it works nicely but it’s his more cerebral and of course more alternative sound melded with his creative visuals that are more interesting. Indeed follow-up material from his album Play Room released last year shows a progression in his sound which is harder to describe as hip-hop ergo Knights Of The Zodiac-which is dangerous like a billionaire keen on staying a billionaire!
Truth is at the moment there’s no new material but considering that Play Room was released last year for sure Kepler will be bringing something fresh soon-Kepler a future flavour!
KEPLER GOLD//TWITTER//TUMBLR//BANDCAMP
Olah Bliss
From a type of hip-hop to experimental soul from the sultry Olah Bliss who drops music that is fresh.
She kind of makes me think of a strange amalgamation of Lisa Stansfield bringing elements of something from 90s UK soul and FKA Twigs-tidy. Her 5 track ep 13.20 released in February is your destination to planet Olah a place that is; dreamy, sensually dark, rather evocative and definitely sexually charged.
From the opening skit of sorts called Diva right through to the last track, this is an ep of consummate energy. Check School Me which has a video featuring none other than one of neo soul’s kings-Dwele and Radar a sexually charged track which made me think of that iconic scene in Basic Instincts (1992)–‘it’s nice’-3.08 if you are interested.
Saying the ep is good would of course be an underestimation; rather like saying that lobbying government officials forms a part of the business activities of companies like Shell and BP to keep their gravy train of money from co2 emitting fossil fuels going-damn fracking right. Nefarious companies like these spend billions in the legitimised activity of lobbying government officials to keep their billions rolling in-in developing worlds the West call it bribery/corruption -it’s fracking infuriating!
Anyway with a feature on Vevo’s rnb channels in April Olah debut’s ep represents a massive look and a bucket full of kudos goes out to her for bringing a debut body of work with such quality. Production on the ep comes from names that to be honest I did not know; Sumgii who has worked with the anti-establishment vibes of Piff Gang, Formula, Pierre Green and of course Olah who lends her productive savvy to Objectify.
In its entirety 13.20 is a stripped affair that manages to titillating and caress in equal measures. At the end of the ep I was indeed in a state of ‘objectifying’ Olah without of course being creepy, finding out where she lives, hanging around her area and maybe getting on the same bus as her and inadvertently following her because she takes a bus that goes close to where I live-about ten miles away I think-ahem!
Olah Bliss- a future flavour!
Nick Black
Ok so it’s more hip-hop for your ear drums with East London’s Nick Black. Truth be told I had not heard of rapper and producer Nick Black until I was sent his single and the accompanying video for the slightly trippy track Luxor coming off his forthcoming mix-tape Select Music By Steering (SMBS).
The debut single features the laid back atmospheric drawl of Stinkin Slumrok from London. It’s a productive bit of rebellious hip-hop from Nick complete with a video that would make B Real from Cypress Hill smile as Slumrok and Nick Black proceed to elucidate (among other things) the joys and the pitfalls of the icky while the David Cronenberg type grainy video grabs you in a tight headlock and drags you to a world where scary individuals live on the fringe of society.
Ok well maybe that description goes too far but it’s hip-hop that puts a strong stiff middle finger up to said UK rappers who can only rap about coming from the hood when they live just off Fulham Palace Road and always get home in time for X-Factor so they can watch the lovely Louie Walsh.
Luckily while the album does not drop until the 01 06 15 I had a chance to check out said album and it’s a body of work that’s so good that when I listened again I realised that ‘good’ was an under estimation. It would be like saying that that the continued search for more fossil fuels to burn causing extensive and close to irreparable damage is ludicrous. It would of course be an understatement because this search is fracking off the fracking scale and it is fracking ludicrous beyond belief we must stop the huge multi-nationals who think they can do whatever they want!
Cuts that grabbed me are numerous but there’s a track called May I featuring Skillit-one word-hard.
Nick’s production using a bit of kit called the Native Instruments Maschines allows him to borrow, twist and create from a number of sources to produce a mix-tape that’s; ominous, immersive and dark while putting you in a state of hypnogogia -I like it and of course Nick Black who promises to bring some fresh material for the summer.
Check out some of his past tracks heaving-Nick Black- a future flavour!
(Select Music By Steering) on 1st June 2015.
The Six
Now for something like this with a group called The Six who I can’t help thinking might be part of some blood sucking vampire cult. They are based in Manchester and while they may well have a tendency for virgins and fresh un-clotted blood (type A preferably) I would still like to join this group because their whole persona could do my youth credibility a world of good
As with any vampire cult worth their salt they are secretive and getting info on said group was like pulling teeth-I actually think that whole ambiguous unknown thing can work wonders as a promotional tool because as the oxymoron goes: less is more. It forces you to focus on the music which is the main thing.
Case in point is their infectious cover of the timeless classic Unfinished Sympathy (1991) by 90s super group Massive Attack. Featuring vocals from Jasmine Thompson the debut is brave because it leaves them wide open for some stinging criticism should they defile such a track but let’s be clear they do the track justice. It’s a more dance inspired version culminating in a cover that is recognisable as the original but most definitely a creation by The Six.
Got to say while that cover is deft it’s their original material that has me really going. The house vibes of Too Much Move featuring vocals from Cleo Tighe is sweet-a definite track for an early morning jam on a beach in St Tropez.
So in terms of back info well The Six are a collection of producers, writers and musicians who just happen to love bringing big tracks to everyone to share. The group are so good it would of course be an underestimation to say so-rather like saying (cheesy as it sounds) that if we collectively stood up to these greedy frackers who make decisions to benefit their already heaving bank accounts we could defeat them.
It’s an underestimation because of course we could beat the fracking frackers and make climate issues and the push to cleaner ways of treating our world with respect as a priority rather than some fracking CEO and his bonus equivalent to a small country’s GDP-frack you!
Anyway I digress.
So what’s next for The Six who I nearly forgot to say are signed to the Black Butter label-a label synonymous with bringing amazing acts? Well for sure there’s fresh material coming with their anticipated debut original track Don’t Go Running-should be a huge single.
The Six- a future flavour!
THE SIX//TWITTER//FACEBOOK//INSTAGRAM
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