Jams of the Week: Cleo Sol, Louis VI, Bodega, Naomi Scott, Sunflower Bean
This week: let Cleo Sol enchant you with her silken vocals, get some jazz with Louis VI, look at the marque in 1080p with Bodega, make your exes irrelevant with Naomi Scott, and allow Sunflower Bean to bring out the Saturday morning sunshine.
*** Listen to even more new music on The Fresh List playlist ***
‘Why Don’t You’ by Cleo Sol
Slowly but surely, the world is falling in love with Cleo Sol – and you will, too. Now in her 20s, this west London native has been part of the music scene since her teens. She stepped away from music for a time. But now she’s back with new songs and greater sense of self, and she’s ready to step up to the next level.
‘Why Don’t You’, Cleo’s comeback single, is an astonishing masterclass of soulful jazz, filled with presence. Cleo’s sonorous jazz vocals are so clear, so silky, that you are practically bathed in them as you listen.
You’ll find equally arresting verses and live instrumentation on her first EP, Winter Songs, which is out now. If you enjoy Sade, Esperanza Spalding, or Lianne La Havas, you need Cleo Sol in your life right away.
‘Jazz Got Me (feat. Mike Jenkins)’ by Louis VI
Wordsmith and producer Louis VI is back with another street-smart hip hop sizzler in ‘Jazz Got Me’. Self-produced by Louis, it also features some conscious verses by Chicago rapper Mike Jenkins. Scoop this.
‘How Did This Happen?’ by Bodega
“Your playlist knows you better than your closest lover,” wails the singer of New York group, Bodega. Bass and guitar lines jolt like seismic tremors on this furious dose of satirical alt-rock, akin to The Stroke or The Fall. The comic quality in the verses (“Look at the marque in 1080p”) make this track all the better.
‘Irrelevant (feat. Nick Brewer)’ by Naomi Scott
Rising star, Naomi Scott, best known for her film and TV roles (Power Rangers, Terra Nova), has returned to UK shores and teamed up with fellow Londoner Nick Brewer on this slick pop jam, ‘Irrelevant’. Embodying a woman wronged by her lover, Scott’s soft verses drift through the sparse electronic instrumentation of this song. And Brewer’s butter-smooth rap fits right in with the song’s tone. If you’ve not heard Scott’s previous work, check out her Promises EP. Scott’s first UK tour starts in May, and tickets are on sale now.
‘Twentytwo’ by Sunflower Bean
‘Twentytwo’ is currently our favourite cut from Sunflower Bean’s second album, Twentytwo in Blue. The trio – guitarist Nick Kivlen, drummer Jacob Faber, and bassist and lead singer Julia Cumming – have taken their harmonious alternative rock to even greater heights with this energetic song. Every time we hear this, it’s like waking up on a Saturday morning to comforting sound of The Carpenters and Tame Impala. Instant classic.
*** Listen to even more new music on The Fresh List playlist ***
Image: courtesy of Cleo Sol