Glastonbury ’17 – Sunday Picks

“Knowing there are people in the audience who  possibly don’t even like my music at all and are just there to sort of see – that excites me.”  Ed Sheeran

As Glastonbury 2017 draws to a close, we have one final day of music ahead of us – and what a day! The nicest man in music, Ed Sheeran, is set to headline the Pyramid Stage tonight as the curtain comes down on the illustrious music festival. Having broken records left, right and center with his latest album ÷ (Divide), and every single track making it into the Top 20, Ed has become the fastest selling male solo artist ever. From ‘Thinking Out Loud’ to ‘Shape Of You’, get ready for one man and his guitar to completely captivate the main stage. Speaking with Annie Mac ahead of his headliner set, Ed commented on his excitement of closing out Glastonbury. So, for one last time, check out my Glastonbury Top 5 Picks.

1) BBK: Other Stage (22.15:23.15)

We’re in for something really special tonight! BBK, AKA the Grime collective, Boy Better Know, are set to close out The Other Stage Tonight. Made up of Producers, DJ’s and MC’s such as Skepta, JME, Jammer, Frisco, Shorty, Maximum and Godfather of Grime, Wiley, this is sure to be a momentous moment for the Grime scene. Formed in 2005 by brothers Jamie and Joseph Adenuga (Jme and Skepta), the Grime collective have gone from strength to strength, both as a unit and as solo breakout artists, with Skepta entering the charts at No 2 with his 2015 album Konnichiwa, followed by scooping the coveted Mercury prize and an Ivor Novello awards. The Grime collective will power their way through much-loved tracks such as Solo 45’s ‘Feed ’Em to the Lions’ and Skepta’s ‘Too Many Man’ and ‘Shutdown’ – the latter of which BBK is certainly going to do tonight! In the lead up to the General Election, JME encouraged his young fanbase to register and vote, and sat down with with Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn for a Q&A, further promoting the social media campaign, #Grime4Corbyn. With support from the likes of Kanye West, who invited them to join his performances at the 2015 Brits, Canadian rapper Drake, who’s since signed to the BBK label, and a BBK takeover this August in the O2 London; the future of Grime looks pretty damn good!

2) HAIM: Other Stage (17.35-18.25)

Californian sister act, HAIM, made up of Danielle, Alana and Este, are set to bring their charmingly, nostalgic vibes to the Other Stage this evening. With the success of their 2013 debut album, Days Are Gone, bringing us much loved tracks such as ‘Falling’, ‘Forever’ and ‘The Wire’, the girls have since unveiled new material from their forthcoming sophomore album, Something To Tell You. With their trademark Fleetwood Mac influences, lush harmonies, breezy acoustic guitar licks and a perfect mix of soft-rock and 90’s r&b, expect a charming set spanning fan-favourites to new singles such as ‘Right Now’, and ‘I Want You Back’. With their new album produced by Ariel Rechtshaid (Adele, Madonna, Beyonce), the girls have a busy Summer of touring and promoting ahead. In the meantime, make sure you get down to the Other Stage for some ambient, soft rock, and more importantly, Este’s ‘bass face’!

3) Sampha: The Park Stage (19.30-20.30) and The Beat Hotel (22.30-23.30, DJ Set)

British Singer/songwriter and producer Sampha, (Sampha Sisay) is set to bring his achingly beautiful vocals to the Park Stage tonight. Having recently unveiled new material such as the breathtakingly beautiful ‘(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano’ and his most recent collaboration with Richard Russell, (AKA Everything Is Recorded) on ‘Close But Not Quite’, Sampha knows how to immediately captivate an audience with his heartfelt vocals. The multi-talented producer and songwriter has lent his talents to a whole host of artists over the years such as SBTRKT (‘Hold On‘), Drake (‘Too Much‘), Jessie Ware (‘Valentine‘), and Kanye West (‘Saint Pablo‘); but now it’s Sampha’s turn to take center stage with the release of his debut album Process. If one performance isn’t enough, be sure to catch Sampha for his second performance of the day, when he joins Jamie xx & Friends at The Beat Hotel for a DJ set.

4) London Grammar: John Peel Stage (20.30 -21.30)

Fresh from the success of their number 1 sophomore album, Truth Is A Beautiful Thing, London Grammar are set to captivate audiences on the John Peel Stage tonight. With the release of recent singles ‘Big Picture’, ‘Rooting For You’, ‘Truth Is a Beautiful Thing’ and ‘Oh Woman Oh Man’, get ready to witness Hannah Reid’s lush vocals, Dan Rothman’s hazy guitars and Dot Major’s ethereal synth and percussive work. The new material marks the long awaited return for the Ivor Novello-winning band, whose 2013 debut album If You Wait brought us the mesmerising ‘Wasting My Young Years’, ‘Strong‘, ‘Help Me Lose My Mind’ and ‘Sights‘. Having produced a string of cinematic videos of late, expect to see some impressive visuals and mesmerizing colours on display tonight. With a string of festival performances on the cards this Summer, including a headline performance at London’s Eventim Apollo (Oct 21) and O2 Academy Brixton (Oct 30), it’s going to be one busy year for the dynamic trio.

5) Barry Gibb: Pyramid Stage (16.00-17.15)

The Sunday afternoon set on The Pyramid stage is known as the ‘The Legend Slot’, where an established, well respected and much-loved artist, takes to the stage for a set filled with nostalgia and feel good vibes. The legends slot, has fast become one of the most coveted and popular acts of the weekend, with previous legends such as Tony Bennett, Shirley Bassey, Lionel Richie, Tom Jones and Dolly Parton, pulling in some of the biggest crowds of the weekend. This year, legendary Bee Gee, Barry Gibb, has the task of lifting spirits this afternoon. The 70-year-old music veteran, who not only defined the disco era along with his brothers Robin and Maurice, has sold over 220 million records worldwide, and released the most successful film soundtrack ever with Saturday Night Fever selling more than 40 million copies worldwide. With 2017 marking the 40th anniversary of Saturday Night Fever, expect plenty of celebrations this afternoon and much loved classics including ‘How Deep Is Your Love’, ‘Night Fever’, ‘Tragedy’ and this year’s official flashmob, ‘Stayin Alive‘.

As always, notable mentions have to go to a whole host of other incredible acts playing today, including Justice, Rex Orange County, Emeli Sande, Biffy Clyro, Slaves, Declan McKenna, GotSome, Blaenavon and Jamie XX & Friends. Also, there’s still a TBA for the John Peel Stage at 17.30. Might we see The Maccabees as part of their farewell tour? What better way to say goodbye than at Glastonbury. Update: The Killers have been confirmed as the 17.30 secret act on the John Peel Stage.

Check out the playlist below for all of today’s top picks. Don’t forget to catch all the live TV coverage across BBC 2, BBC 4 and the red button, as well as the BBC’s dedicated Glastonbury site for live streams across 6 stages. BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, Radio 2, Radio 3 and 6 Music will all be broadcasting live from the festival site all weekend too.

 

July Selections

As we’re halfway through the calendar year, it’s time for some music stats and records that I know you’re just dying to hear …. ‘Uptown Funk’ continues to dominate, with a total figure of 1.93 million sales worldwide, while Hozier’s ‘Take me to Church’ and OMI’s ‘Cheerleader’ were also high sellers and came in second and third places respectively. Rihanna on the other hand, has become the best-selling digital artist of all time, surpassing the 100 digital singles award mark. The best selling album of the year so far goes to Sam Smith for his album ‘The lonely Hour’, beating off competition from Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift. We’re only six months in and  a lot can change over the next six months.

After 63 years, NME announced plans to become a free weekly music magazine, while the Official Chart has moved to Fridays with Greg James, to coincide with the new release day for singles. There’s been so many great new singles unveiled this month from Disclosure’s collaboration with Sam Smith on ‘Omen’, Eric Prydz’s incredible ‘Opus‘, to Pharrell’s ‘Freedom’, which coincided with the Apple’s streaming service, Beats 1. Speaking of Apple’s new streaming service, Dr Dre has secured a new show on Beats 1 called ‘The Pharmacy’, and is also set to release his first solo album in nearly 16 years. Other albums set for release over the next few months include Chvrches ‘Every Open Eye’ (Sept 25),  John Newman’s ‘Revolve’ (Oct 16) , Rudimental’s ‘We Are The Generation’ (Sept 18) and Disclosure’s ‘Caracal’ (Sept 25) featuring a whole host of guest artists such as Lorde, The Weeknd, Sam Smith, Gregory Porter and Kwabs, to name a few. In streaming news, more people in the UK are streaming music online, with reports reaching over 500 million. Eager to cash in on the online music streaming service, Amazon have announced plans for Amazon Prime Music to rival Spotify. Speaking of Spotify, Prince has followed taylor Swift and removed all his music from the streaming service. There’s been plenty of music beef the past month, starting with Taylor Swift vs Nicki Minaj, which prompted Ed Sheeran to jokingly stir trouble with Bruno Mars. What wasn’t a joking matter however, was the spat between Meek Mill and Drake, where Mill accused Drake  of not writing his own lyrics. Queue a diss track from Drake and plenty of online coverage, and you’ve got yourself one nasty fight.

Following his successful set at Glastonbury Festival, Lionel Richie achieved his first number one album in over 23 years!  Fans were still reeling from his classic performance, that ‘Lionel Richie & The Commodores’  jumped 103 places, fighting off competition from Florence + The Machine. Later that month, The Chemical Brothers claimed their sixth number one album with ‘Born in the Echoes‘, making them the only dance act to achieve 6 number one studio albuns. The MTV VMA’s were announced with Taylor Swift leading the pack with 9 nominations, closely followed by Sheeran with 6 and Beyonce, Lamar and Ronson with 5. Are we running out of music ideas? French DJ David Guetta, has only gone and remixed well known nursery rhyme ‘If You’re Happy And You Know It’, while Avicii took on a more well known dance classic and reworked Faithless’ ‘Insomnia’. Australian DJ duo Mashd N Kutcher have started a new craze at gigs, where they troll the audience with Spandaau Ballet’s ‘True’ just at the pivotal drop.

Festival Season was well under way with festivals such as Lovebox, Latitude, Lollapalooza, Longitude (All the L’s), EDC, Secret Garden Party, Melt!, T in the Park, Open’er and Wireless, to name but a few. Now in August, we can look forward to V Festival, Creamfields, Electric Picnic, Reading & Leeds, SW4 and  Notting Hill Carnival. In the meantime, check out my favourites from July:

1)Alessia Cara – Here (Lucian Remix)

Rising NYC producer Lucian, puts his spin on Allessia Cara’s ‘Here’. Lucian takes Cara’s airy vocals and infuses them with some weight, courtesy of some viby horns, trap snare rolls and a swelling bassline that drives the track along.  Top that off with some glitchy style effects in  production and Lucian certainly delivers on all levels. Previous collaborations for Lucian include Remmi and M. Maggie. An exciting producer on the rise, so grab yourself this free download now.

2) Rudimental – I Will for Love ft Will Heard

Festival favourites, Rudimental, unveiled their new single ‘I Will For Love’ Ft Will Heard. You might remember Heard’s vocals from Klangkarussell’s ‘Sonnentanz (Sun Don’t Shine)’. Heard once again lends his infectious, soulful vocals to deliver yet another euphoric and uplifting DnB single. Having premiered as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record, Rudimental also took part in Radio 1’s Ibiza20 celebrations on San Antonio’s sunset strip. Their new album ‘’We The Generation‘, features a whole host of guest artists including the late Bobby Womack, Lianna La Havas and Foy Vance. ‘We The Generation’ is set for release September 18th, while ‘I Will For Love’ is available now.  Full dates for their ‘We The Generation’ World Tour can be found here and you can also catch them at Fusion Festival in Birmingham.

3) Lianna La Havas – What You Don’t Do (Grades Remix)

London based producer Grades, has delivered a new remix of Lianna La Havas ‘What You Don’t Do’. Grades works his magic yet again, dispersing elements of funk, garage, house and soul throughout. Grades cleverly intertwines the vocal between the retro sounding synths and chiptune inspired elements. Upcoming dates for Grades include Boardmasters Festival in Cornwall 

4) Tazer x Tink – Wet Dollars (Original, Redlight and Tazer VIP remix)

Chicago based rapper Tink and UK producer Tazer have collaborated on their new single ‘Wet Dollar’. The infectious beats and stylings from Tazer mixed with Tinks effortless flow and groove, delivers a collaboration that just oozes creativity and imagination. With Tink being referred to as the new Aaliyah, be sure to keep an eye out for her debut album ‘ThinkTink’ due later in September. Redlight and Tazer have taken the single a step further with their own remixes. Tazer’s VIP remix goes in a bit deeper than the original with a driving bassline that just hooks you right in, while Redlight infuses his unbeatable deep house house vibes with looped vocals throughout. Upcoming dates for Tazer include Sheffield Foundry in September, while Redlight is set to perform at Bestival.

5) Fekky ft Skepta – Way Too Much

Grime MC Fekky has enlisted Skepta for his new Splurgeboys produced single ‘Way Too Much’. Having previously worked together on ‘Still Sittin’ Here’, the Grime duo compliment each other’s styles with Skepta owning the hook and jumping on one of the verses, while Fekky’s flow anchors the track along with the simple, yet infectious beats. ‘Way Too Much’ is taken from Fekky’s forthcoming album ‘El Clasico’. Upcoming dates for Fekky include Reading & Leeds and Grime Live, while Skepta is set to appear at Bestival and Ceremony Festival.

6) Nero – Two Minds

‘Two Minds’ is the latest track from electronic trio Nero and follows previous singles ‘Satisfy’, ‘Dark Skies’ and ‘The Thrill’. While we’ve come to expect their trademark gritty synths, broken beats and thunderous bass, ‘Two Minds’ takes on a surprising and slightly tamer direction with a bit of future-house. Alana’s efford vocals remain on point throughout. Having debuted as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record,  various remixes  have started to surface, including dnb producer Dimension and Nero themselves with their Nero ’92 Minds Remix Their highly anticipated new album ‘Between II Worlds’ is set for release August 28th via MTA Records and serves as the follow up to their 2011 debut ‘Welcome Reality’. Pre-order now and receive 3 free tracks. Upcoming dates for nero include Sziget and V Festival.

7) Lion Babe – Impossible

Lion Babe duo, Jillian Hervey and Lucas Goodman, unveiled their latest single ‘Impossible’. The track serves as the follow up to the Pharrell assisted ‘Wonder Woman’, gaining them some well earned attention. ‘Impossible’ delivers a retro, uptempo spin on r&b, mixed with Jillian’s vibrant vocals and Goodman’s infectious production stylings. The NY duo have also been announced as one of the artist collaborations on Disclosure’s new album ‘Caracal’ on their track ‘Hourglass’. ‘Impossible’ is available for release now via Polydor Records. Upcoming dates for Lion Babe include Bestival with a headline performance at Heaven in November.

8) Chvrches – Leave A Trace

Chvrches unveiled their lead single ‘Leave A Trace’ from their forthcoming second album ‘Every Open Eye’. While their debut album ‘The Bones Of What You Believe In’  delivered a string of hits from ‘The Mother We Share’, ‘Gun’ and ‘Recover’, ‘Leave a Trace’ is the first new material to surface from their highly anticipated second album. The  Glasgow based trio consistently deliver infectious melodies and dark synth pop textures, while Lauren’s piercing vocals give the middle finger to previous relationships and heartbreaks.  Having self produced by the album themselves, ‘Every Open Eye’ is set for release September 25th via Glassnote, while ‘Leave A Trace’ is available now. Upcoming dates for Chvrches include V Festival, Electric Picnic and Alexandra Palace.

 

9) Lay Z ft JME and Frisco – That’s What I’m On

Lay Z has premiered his new single ‘That’s What I’m On’, featuring his BBK Brothers JME and Frisco. Produced by the UK’s most influential grime producer, Teddy Music, the MC’s take turns jumping on the verse , adding their own unique spin and flavour, throwing back to a real old school grime vibe. Mix that with one one catchy hook and some sinister and dramatic sounding beats , and it’s a win-win situation.

10) Duke Dumont – Ocean Drive

Duke Dumont unveiled details of his new EP Series ‘Blasé Boys Club Part 1’. The first single to be taken from this is ‘Ocean Drive’; an 80s disco-pop track, with heavy synths and plenty of bass guitar. While ‘Ocean Drive’ is more mellow than previous chart toppers such as ‘Won’t Look Back’ and ‘Need You’, it nevertheless features some catchy hooks from legendary house vocalist Robert Owens. Dumont commented: “I’ve been thinking of adapting the release format from a traditional album for a while. The Blasé Boys Club series will be my outlet for music which would have previously been considered songs for my albums. Rather than the old format of the LP, the new way allows me the freedom to bring music to people quicker , and more regularly.” The 4-track EP ,is set for release Oct 2 via Virgin EMI. Upcoming dates for Dumont include V Festival, Creamfields and The Warehouse Project, before embarking on a full live tour 

 

11) Max Jury – Great American Novel

Time to slow the pace don’t a bit. Introducing 22 year old American singer/songwriter Max Jury, who just unveiled his new single ‘Great American Novel’. The single serves as the follow up to last years ‘Something In The Air’ and ‘All I Want’ EP’s and showcases Jury’s effortless vocal and melodic songwriting skill. The ballad offers simple piano accompaniment, while the stirring strings provide real depth and emotion. Having recently supported Rufus Wainwright on tour, upcoming dates include The Roundhouse in October. Expect a debut album later this year but for now, ‘American Novel‘ is available now via Marathon Records.

 

12) Denney – Lower Frequency (Shiba San Remix)

French DJ and producer Shiba San, unveiled his latest remix of Denney’s ‘Low Frequency’. Arguably one of the biggest underground hits of the year from Denney, Shiba San’s deep house vibes infuses the track with rumbling basslines and infectious looped hooks, reminding us to ‘feel the bass’. Shiba’s heavy remix and wobbly basslines builds and builds to deliver one exceptional dance floor filler. Upcoming UK dates for Shiba San include The Warehouse Project with MK and Groove Armada.

 

13) Riva Starr – The loft ft Dajae

Italian DJ and producer, Riva Starr, unveiled his new single ‘The Loft’ ft Dajae. Having previously collaborated with Fatboy Slim on ‘Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat’, Starr once again works his magic on ‘The Loft’, serving up another house classic filled with soul. With it’s infectious vocal hook ‘there’s no party like a house party’, Starr reinvigorates house with it’s funky basslines and looping melodies.  The three track ‘Loft’ EP is available July 13 on Cajual Records and also features Cajmere (Green Velvet). Upcoming dates for Starr include Rooftop R2 in Marseilles, France.

14) Etherwood – Light My Way ft Eva Lazarus

Lincoln DJ and producer Etherwood, unveiled his third single ‘Light My Way Home’, taken from his highly anticipated second album, ‘Blue Leaves’. ‘Light My Way’ features the stunning, emotive vocals from Dub Mafia’s Eva Lazarus, that soar effortlessly above Etherwoods stirring beats and exhilerating melodies. ‘Light My Way’ serves up a captivating drum ’n’ bass classic.  With plenty of support from Netsky, Sub Focus and TC , as well as plenty of airtime across Radio 1 and 1Xtra, Etherwood is an exciting, rising artist in the drum n bass scene. ‘Blue Leaves‘ is set for release Sept 4 via Medschool Records.

15) Eats Everything ft Tyga VS Audion – Dancing (Again!)

Eats Everything aka Daniel Pearce, has reworked Tyga vs Audion’s ‘Dancing (Again!)’. The already infectious single, takes a darker turn, with its techno infusions and electro grooves throughout. Like Tiga’s ‘Bugatti’, ‘Dancing’ serves up an infectious hook that you won’t be able to get out of your head for a long while. ’Dancing’ is set for released via Disclosure’s Method White; the new club-focused division of their Method Records and follows previous releases from Jonas Rathsman and MJ Cole. Upcoming dates for Eats Everything include Creamfields and The Warehouse Project.

 

Check out the full playlist below, with over 1 hour for your listening pleasure:

November Selections

As we edge ever closer to the end of 2014, November certainly didn’t disappoint with its quality of music. Former Swedish House Mafia members Axwell and Ingrosso debuted their new collaboration with the track ‘Can’t Hold Us Down‘, while Mark Ronson teamed up with Bruno Mars for the incredibly infectious ‘Uptown Funk‘. Lorde continued to unveil songs from her curated ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1‘ Soundtrack with Stromae’s ‘Meltdown‘ ft Pusha T, Q-Tip, HAIM and Lorde herself.

In terms of music news, not only did Ed Sheeran sell out three Wembley gigs, he reached number 1 with his single ‘Thinking Out Loud‘. If you watch one video this month, let it be Greg James singing ‘Blank Space‘ with Taylor Swift. It’s no wrecking ball, but thoroughly entertaining! Speaking of Taylor, the pop princess recently removed all her music from Spotify due to ‘fair royalties‘, while Youtube unveiled plans for a new music  key subscription. Tweet of the month has to go to Lorde who jokingly put Diplo and his manhood in his place after he criticized Taylor Swift. Next year’s Super Bowl XLIX Half-time show artist is none other than Katy Perry who is set to follow in the footsteps of last years performer Bruno Mars. The EMA’s took to Glasgow’s SSE Hydro with host Nicki Minaj, while here in London the Brits Critics Choice Nominees were unveiled with George the Poet, James Bay and Years and Years all shortlisted for the coveted award.  Fleetwood Mac and Clean Bandit announced details for their 2015 tour, while Foo Fighters announced their Slane gig in Ireland with the Kaiser Chiefs and Hozier.  Bob Geldof returned with Band Aid 30 to support the Ebola Crisis. Order your copy here to support the cause. Even though it’s only November, Summer festivals are only a few months away. Reading and Leeds announced Meatallica as the first headliners for 2015, while Muse are set to headline Download Festival. Roll on festival season!

Now in December, we look forward to the first ever BBC Music Awards, a Top of the Pop’s Christmas Special, non-stop Christmas songs on the radio, and a roundup of Best tracks/albums of 2014. Keep an out out for my top tracks of 2014 and in the meantime, have a look at my Top 100 Tracks for 2013.

1) Prides – Out Of The Blue

Scottish synth-pop trio Prides, made up of Stewart Brock (piano, lead vocals), Callum Wisecow (guitar, piano, vocals) and Lewis Gardiner (drums), unveiled their explosive new single ‘Out of The Blue’. The single serves as the follow up to ‘I Should Know You Better’, ‘The Seeds You Sow‘ and ‘Messiah‘ and immediately serves up a synth-pop indulgence with its infectious hook, spiraling synths and pulsing beats. Having recently performed at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony in Glasgow, The electro-pop trio are currently in the middle of their UK Tour. ‘Out of The Blue’ is set for release Dec 8th.

 

2) Axwell Λ Ingrosso – ‘Something New’

Having just unveiled ‘Can’t Hold Us Down’ as the first new material from collaborative super-duo Axwell Λ Ingrosso, the duo have only gone and dropped their official debut single ‘Something New’. The single once again featured as Zane Lowe’s ‘Hottest Record’ and are the first band ever to receive the honour twice from the same album. As with ‘Can’t Hold Us Down’, the single stays true to each of the producers form with its euphoric top line melody, big kick drums and roof-raising vibes. The former SHM duo sure know how to make an impact, with the single also featuring in the latest Beats by Dre #SoloSelfie Campaign. ‘Something New’ is set for release 8th March , with their highly anticipated debut album set to drop later in 2015.

 

3) DJ Fresh ft Ella Eyre – ‘Gravity’

UK producer Daniel Stein, aka DJ Fresh, unveiled his new single ‘Gravity’ which premiered as Zane Lowe’s Hottest Record. Featuring the soulful vocals from Mobo Award winner Ella Eyre, ‘Gravity’ serves as the follow up to ‘Flashlight‘ ft Ellie Goulding and ‘Make You Bounce’ vs TC. With its drum n bass vibes and jungle flair, Ella lets loose throughout this high energy, piano driven track with her soulful powerhouse vocals; Perhaps taking a page out of her own book, having co-written Sigmas epic single ‘Changing’ ft Paloma Faith.  ‘Gravity’ is set for release February 8th, via Ministry of Sound Recordings.

 

4) Bakermat – Teach Me

Upcoming Dutch dance producer Lodewijk Fluttert, aka Bakermat, unveiled his new soul-filled house single ‘Teach Me’. The single serves as the follow-up to the successful ‘One Day’, which sampled Martin Luther King’s infamous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.  ‘Teach Me’ received its premiere with Pete Tong on BBC Radio 1 and delivers a retro-inspired, deep house track with soulful gospel-style vocals and euphoric strings that take the track to another level. ‘Teach Me’ is set for release February 8th via Be Yourself Music.

 

5) Show N Prove x Big Narstie – Gas Pipe

Sottish producer Ellis Taylor, aka Show N Prove, dropped his new single ‘Gas Pipe’ ft Big Narstie. The colossal sounding single received its premiere with Sir Spyro on Rinse FM. Having previously collaborated with artists from Wretch 32, to Tinchy Stryder, Show ‘n’ Prove enlists the skills of grime MC Big Narstie (What’s The Story Brixton Glory Pt II), who delivers with such energy over the bass heavy beats and  industrial sounding production. Currently signed to AATW/Universal, Show N Prove is fast becoming one of the UK’s finest producers with ‘Gas Pipe’ further adding to his already impressive back catalogue (Zimma Frame, My People, If Only ft Shakka)

 

6) Stormzy – Not That Deep Remix (ft Solo 45, Big Narstie, P Money and JME)

Having already delivered his massive breakthrough banger ‘Not That Deep’, Mobo Award Winner Stormzy takes it to the next level with an all-star grime remix. Stormzy enlists grime heavyweights P Money, Big Narstie and BBK’s Solo 45 and JME for a deadly collaboration, each of which goes in hard on their verse and spit with such vigor and bite. The remix premiered with the People’s Prince, AKA Charlie Sloth on BBC1 & 1Xtra. Big things in store for Stormzy for 2015!

 

7) Jack Garratt – ‘The Love You’re Given’

London based producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Jack Garratt, unveiled his new single ‘The Love You’re Given’. The single premiered with Zane Lowe as his Hottest Record and serves up a complex multi-layered track. Opening with simple piano and haunting vocal sample from Lisa Fischer from the film ‘20 Feet From Freedom’, Garratt intricately crafts each layer with fuzzing synths, falsetto vocals and off kilter beats. All the music heard throughout the track is played/sung by Garratt showcasing his never-ending skills and placing him as a firm favourite for 2015.

 

8) Bastille ft Haim – Bite Down

Last month, Bastille unveiled their latest single ‘Torn Apart vs Grades vs Lizzo’ from their forthcoming mixtape ‘Other people’s Heartache, Pt III’. The latest single to surface is titled ‘Bite Down vs HAIM’. The Californian Sisters are the latest artists to collaborate with Bastille on their highly anticipated and unique mixtape, which sees both bands style represented and fused together seamlessly. Bastille frontman Dan Smith, perfectly harmonizes with Este, Danille and Alana and serves up some killer riffs and a catchy chorus as expected. While their previous mixtape featured a collection of original songs, covers and mash-ups, ‘Other People’s Heartache, pt III’ serves up a collection of originals, with collaborations from artists such as MNEK and Angel Haze. The experimental project is perhaps a taste of what’s to come for the next album and see Bastille experiment with different styles and sounds. Bite Down vs HAIM is set for release November 30th, while the mixtape is set for release December 8th.

 

9) Slaves – The Hunter

2-piece Garage Punk duo Isaac Holman and Laurie Vincent, have unveiled their new single ‘The Hunter’. The 3-minute single serves up a riff-laden grungy vibe, with crashing drums and intense vocals as it builds to it’s clamorous conclusion. The Hunter is available now  via Virigin/EMI. Upcoming London dates include the London Forum (March 4th) as well as the NME Awards Tour 2015.

 

10) Cashtastic – 808

South London rapper Cashtastic, unveiled his new single ‘808’, which premiered with Charlie Sloth on BBC 1Xtra. Cashtastic has teamed up with Dutch producer Diztortion (Stylo G – Soundbwoy, Lethal Bizzle – Rari Workout) who works his slick production combining heavy 808s and infectious beats. Despite Cashtastic recent deportation to Jamaica, he continues to make waves in the UK scene. ‘808’ is set for release February 15th via 3 Beat Productions.

 

11) Destructo – Dare You To Move ft Problem (Shiba San Remix)

French producer Shiba San has remixed Destructo’s ‘Dare you to Move’ ft Problem. Having recently re-interpreted Deadmau5 and Kaskade’s ‘I Remember’, the French producer transforms the original, delivering a slower-paced remix, highlighting its deep bassline, yet retaining the originals garage and dub vibe. Shiba San’s remix is set to shake up the dance floor and is taken from Destructo’s ‘Dare You To Move Remix EP’, set for release December 9th.

 

12) Wiley – From The Outside ft JME and Teddy

The Godfather of Grime Wiley, unveiled his latest single ‘From The Outside’ ft Teddy and JME. The single is taken from Wiley’s forthcoming tenth album ‘Snakes and Ladders’, and serves as the follow up to Wiley’s massive summer single ‘On A Level’. ‘From The Outside’ delivers an absolute beast of track as the trio spit with vigour over the melodic beats. ‘Snakes & Ladders‘ is available via Wiley’s own label Big Dada and features artists such as Cam’ron, Problem and Stormzy.

Check out my November Selections below in one big playlist for your listening pleasure: