@skopemag news – tuesday – february 9, 2021 @ 6 pm est

@skopemag HQ – http://smarturl.it/skope

Lil Durk Releases Monumental Deluxe Version Of Critically Acclaimed Album ‘The Voice’

After making waves among critics and long-time fans, Lil Durk has released a deluxe version of this critically acclaimed album, The Voice. With over ten additional tracks, the veteran Drill star keeps his heart on the pulse of the culture with a rousing intro reminding listeners why they call the Chicago native “The Voice.”

Horace Bray announces new EP ‘Fame, Fortune and Perfume’ – shares new single “Let Go”

LA-based pop artist Horace Bray has announced his new EP Fame, Fortune, and Perfume, due out February 26, 2021. Alongside the announcement, Bray has shared a new single, “Let Go,” a skying, U2-inspired vista dedicated to making sense of big city parties. Described as “a song about the first stages of a fling. It is about the release into the first layer of trusting yourself and the other person as you get to know each other,” fans can check out “Let Go” now.

BABYFACE RAY ANNOUNCES EP + DROPS VIDEO

Detroit-rapper Babyface Ray has announced his new EP Unf*ckwithable out February 12th via The Motion Gang/EMPIRE. His first release in almost a year, the EP includes production from Hit Boy and features Moneybagg Yo, Kash Doll, and EST Gee. Today’s announcement comes with the release of the Moneybagg Yo featured track “If You Know You Know,” a song Babyface Ray recorded in quarantine after contracting COVID. The song is accompanied by a hilarious video (filmed post-COVID recovery) starring the two rappers, where Ray’s dry humor and wry storytelling shine through. Watch it here.

DAKOTA DANIELLE TAKES THE ‘BACKROADS’ IN NEW SINGLE

Emerging singer/songwriter Dakota Danielle is adding a tinge of rock to her country in a self-penned new single “Backroads.” A departure from her typically stripped down, sentimental sound, the bold new track is ready to be turned up loud on Apple Music, Spotify and all digital platforms today.

The Boot premiered “Backroads” with an exclusive first listen: “…the track is made for cranking up and cruising.”

DAKOTA DANIELLE TAKES THE ‘BACKROADS’ WITH NEW SINGLE

OH! THE HORROR Offers Metalcore Take on Pop Songstress Faouzia’s “Tears of Gold”

An unusual choice of tracks to cover, the Sacramento-based group threw the idea on the table after guitarist Jeremy Suddeth came across the Candadian-Moroccan songstress’ original and shared it with vocalist Grady Finch. “We thought we could do a cool hard rock/metal remake of it in our own style,” explains vocalist Jonathon Hellhouse. “After getting in the studio it just felt so natural.”

DOM LA NENA RELEASES NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR “TODO TIENE SU FIN”

Dom La Nena releases a stunning music video for her song “Todo Tiene Su Fin.” The song first debuted with Complex who said, “La Nena puts her talents as a producer to full use, employing minimalist arrangements to maximum effect.” The new single is from the forthcoming album, Tempo due out February 26th with Six Degrees Records.

MYOPIC & AT THE GRAVES: BrooklynVegan Premieres “Through Veins Of Shared Blood”

BrooklynVegan is currently streaming “Through Veins Of Shared Blood” from Washington, DC-based progressive doom trio MYOPIC and Baltimore, Maryland-based one-man doom/sludge unit AT THE GRAVES. The punishing track comes off A Cold Sweat Of Quiet Dread, a collaborative full-length set for release on March 12th via Grimoire Records.

MYOPIC and AT THE GRAVES met in 2013 at the Velvet Lounge in Washington, DC, and have since gigged together frequently. Having become good friends and sharing similar musical interests, the two bands have talked about uniting for a singular project for years. In 2019, the idea came to fruition with the six-track A Cold Sweat Of Quiet Dread.

Black Pistol Fire – New Album ‘Look Alive,’ Available Now via Black Hill Records

The Austin rock group Black Pistol Fire is back with a brand-new full-length album, Look Alive, out January 29 via Black Hill Records. A far-reaching sonic landscape, venturing out beyond traditional rock touchstones, Look Alive, sees the acclaimed group refining their singular two-man approach, outfitting explosive, impassioned rock ‘n’ roll with an expansive, ethereal, and cinematic soundscape. Their sixth full-length album, Look Alive delivers Black Pistol Fire’s renowned southern rock, blues, and garage punk fusion through a handful of diverse and standout singles–among them the raucous title track “Look Alive,” the psych-laced “Level,” an R&B-inflected “Temper, Temper,” and a new focus track “Never Enough.”

OUT NEXT FRI: Jane Birkin’s deeply personal new album ~ lead single out now!

Partly inspired by Birkin’s theatrical play of the same name, Oh! Pardon tu dormais… (which translates as “Oh! Sorry you were sleeping…”) marks her most intimate and personal album to date. Its 13 songs feature lyrics written by Birkin—including, for the first time, two tracks in English—and music by Etienne Daho and Jean-Louis Piérot, who also produced. Daho co-wrote lyrics on multiple tracks as well. “At the start, we took inspiration from the script of Oh! Pardon…,” Birkin says of the process. “But then, gradually, we moved away from this and more pressing, urgent themes emerged. My daughter Kate, loss, heartbreak… Little by little, we drifted towards other horizons.”

BAEST Releases Third Track And Music Video For Title Track “Necro Sapiens” Today

“Escaping the creeping death of COVID-19, BAEST decided to bring the audience along, to a cleansing real experience of the after/pre-show shenanigans (The truth may differ, intoxication-wise. No one remembers anymore…). Enjoy the title track video and watch some real necro sapiens in action – braindead and thriving,” states BAEST about the new music video.

The band adds, “Bred by the elite, necro sapiens roam the earth. Soulless beings dictated at the hands of the Czar. Subjects of autopsies, and Meathook Massacres for entertainment, these lifeless reprobates have only each other. They are one, they are none.”

NASTY CHERRY UNVEIL FIRST NEW TRACK OF 2021 “LUCKY”

Written by the band alongside the track’s producer, Yves Rothman (L Devine, Conan Grey), “Lucky” is built around understated synths, escalating drum beats and rich vocal melodies, highlighting the importance of friendship and unity. The song arrives accompanied by a Kristen Jan Wong-directed video, which sees the band playing the roles of different audience members and winners at an award show, each being celebrated for their own induvial traits.

Little Bird Chase Dream Girl in Retro-Horror Flick Video, “Mega Hot Super Babe”

After kicking off 2021 with jazzy groove, “SWIPE,” Charleston quintet Little Bird are here with a retro-horror flick-style music video, as they fall to the demise of one “Mega Hot Super Babe.” Infectious, glittering guitar riffs contrast the gory scenes and serve as the perfect prelude to the release their first EP of a three-part series, ALPHA, due out on February 12th.

Vintage Culture & Fancy Inc Debut California-Inspired Dance Track ‘Cali Dreams’ feat. The Beach on Spinnin’ Records

Brazilian powerhouse acts Vintage Culture and Fancy Inc are setting the tone for a huge year in 2021 with a California-inspired dance record ‘Cali Dreams.’ Scheduled for release on January 29th via Spinnin’ Records, ‘Cali Dreams’ sees the Brazilian artists and UK vocalist The Beach come together again for another notable track, following their collaborative Billboard Dance #1 Chart hit ‘In The Dark’ (over 35 million Spotify streams).

For Skope: Kosling and American Idol finalist Robbie Rosen return to Protocol with “Long Way Home”

Kosling’s newest release – “Long Way Home,” featuring vocals from American Idol finalist Robbie Rosen, out now on Nicky Romero’s Protocol. “Long Way Home” is a classic progressive anthem, that Nicky Romero and his Protocol are known for, and follows Kosling’s recent releases on Armada, Proximity, Revealed, and SIZE.

glimmers announce new EP ‘Worlds Apart’ – share new single “Not Good At Goodbyes”

On Worlds Apart, glimmers vocalist Maggie Schneider shares, “This EP means a lot to all of us because it represents two years of hard work. It is a concept record, from the very first song to the last. Each of the five songs follows the progression of a relationship, as well as the stages of heartbreak: love, loss, denial, bargaining, hope, and acceptance. Will our characters get back together? Or will they remain worlds apart? It’s up to you to decide.

Belle Tower Shares “Small”

Belle Tower is the lo-fi indie folk rock project of Tiohtià:ke/Montreal + Xwilkway/Halfmoon Bay based artist Isabella Harned. Belle Tower writes songs about growth whose lyrical content reflects the heavy processes of pain and healing, but the ethereal vocals, dreamy guitar lines, and layered instrumentation deliver songs that have a certain sonic lightness to them.

Portland Duo Wonderly Release New EP “Story We Tell Volume 1”

What if longtime friends Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk came clean about the fact that their bevy of instrumental theme songs and film soundtracks—including the New York Times’ famed podcast The Daily, Cheryl Strayed’s Dear Sugar Radio, and many indie film scores—were only half of the story? Well, there’s no need to get rhetorical, because the day has come for Brunberg and Landsverk, known collectively as the Portland-based duo Wonderly, to share their other side with the world. Today, the band released a brand new EP, Story We Tell Volume 1; five new songs—including a deeply groovy appreciation of legendary skyjacker D.B. Cooper, a soulful tribute to self-care featuring Portland soul legend Ural Thomas, and an ELO-meets-Elliott-Smith bop about a troubled dude named Steve—each accompanied by their own epic, narrative music videos that expand and embellish on Wonderly’s sonic storytelling. Ahead of Volume 1’s release, the Portland Tribune dubbed Wonderly “storytellers extraordinaire,” while Glide Magazine called the duo “two seasoned songwriters attempting to surprise, delight, and outdo each other at every turn.” Yesterday, Vortex named the duo’s recent single “Bayocean” the PDX Song of the Week – listen via KINK FM. Read more about Wonderly here and stream or purchase Story We Tell Volume 1 at this link.

Sheyda Releases Powerful Alt-Pop Single “The Dragon”

Though her name may be new in music circles, lifelong singer-songwriter Sheyda has arrived with a powerful debut single, “The Dragon,” out today. The affecting track was written about the struggle of addiction, as well as that of those who watch a loved one deal with addiction.

“I think a lot of people struggle with understanding,” Sheyda told American Songwriter about the song. “Healing and growing is a huge job and no one can do it for you. That’s the same concept around addiction. I can’t make someone want to be better or stop something, not my love for them or even their love for me. It’s got to be about the love they have for themselves.”

New Music: Gentleman’s Dub Club Release New Single “Honey” Feat. Hollie Cook On Easy Star Records!

After finding themselves Lost In Space in early 2019, Gentleman’s Dub Club are continuing their voyage through some of the freshest sunshine sounds, and now is the time to unveil a new chapter. November 2020’s release of single “Castle In The Sky” started paving the way for things to come, and on January 29, they’re bringing us back Down To Earth with a brand new album announcement and new single “Honey,” which features the incredible Hollie Cook.

KEAN FARRAR SHARES THE NEW SINGLE ‘ALWAYS COME AROUND’ PRODUCED BY STICKLE

Kean Farrar’s alternative R&B casts a magnetic allure on listeners. The 21-year-old has become an insider tip following a handful of underground tracks, earning praise from tastemakers and attention from the fashion world. The emergence of the Persian-American artist is set to accelerate with the release of his new single ‘Always Come Around’.

Pushing Daizies Duo Makes Their Emotive Bass Debut via “Want It To End”

“The Pushing Daizies project was almost 2 years in the making, and we couldn’t be more excited to finally roll it out. What began as a couple of collaborations ended up turning into a full project with over 20 unreleased originals. I think the fact that the intention was never to form a duo, and was purely organic, makes this even sweeter. We just hope the world enjoys our music as much as we did creating it.” – Pushing Daizies

King Yosef teams up w/ Youth Code for collaborative LP & shares first single “Burner” via REVOLVER

Today Portland artist King Yosef and LA duo Youth Code have announced a new collaborative LP, A Skeleton Key in the Doors of Depression which they will self-release on March 9, 2021. They have shared the album’s first single / video “Burner” over at Revolver.

French math-metal/progressive engineers Vertex premiered new single + music video “Following Arrows”

About 2 years (or a little bit less) after the official release of their debut EP ‘Scalable’, French math-metal/progressive/mathcore engineers Vertex premiered a brand new single called “following Arrows” available right now on Digital exclusive through all legal paltforms thanks to the courtesy of Atypeek Music.

Tems Drops Out Of This World Video for “The Key”

With press nods from British Vogue, Pitchfork, The FADER, HYPEBEAST, and OkayAfrica, Tems has collaborated with a slew of exciting artists such as Khalid, Davido, Disclosure, and DRB as well as landing the coveted title of Apple’s newest Africa Rising Artist. Meanwhile, her feature on Wizkid’s new track “Essence” has been No.1 on the BBC 1Xtra Airplay Chart for over 4 weeks and currently sits on the A-List.

O.T. Genasis “Big League” Out Now!

OLIVIA O’BRIEN RELEASES NEW STRIPPED TRACK + MUSIC VIDEO “BETTER THAN FEELING LONELY”

Olivia O’Brien, the Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter with over 1.6 billion global artist streams, continues to provoke the extremes of post-modern era romance in “Better Than Feeling Lonely,” her band new stripped track + music video available today. Broadcast premier is on MTV Live, mtvU and the Viacom Times Square billboard. Olivia will also be appearing on MTV’s Friday Livestream show today. The original version of “Better Than Feeling Lonely” was released January 1st as a fan appreciation track and drew amazing support out the gate. The music video is a black and white retro/mod ’70s-inspired performance visual directed by Another Realm (Elizabeth Miranda and Jacqueline Kulla) at the Peppermint Club in West Hollywood.

ANDREW GABBARD’S NEW SINGLE “WAKE UP, BROTHER” IS OUT TODAY!

“I wrote the first verse of this song on a plane about a year ago (can’t believe it’s been that long) when I was on tour playing shows. I came back to it and recorded it this Christmas Eve. The more it went on, lyrically, the more it became this kind of New Years tune. I think we all can agree 2020 was a real drag. But here we are in 2021. “Wake up, Brother/Sister/Change the world” Let’s put on our shoes and kick the fu**ing door open to tomorrow. Happy NY!” ~ Andrew Gabbard

Artist: Ólafur – Track: Let Me Be

The track is called “Let Me Be” and is a folk-pop song I wanted to create a positive song about the year ahead since 2020 was so tough for so many people. It’s about finally being free to explore the world in the same manner as we did pre-covid

Electro-Pop Singer-Songwriter EMPRESS(R) Releases New Music Video “SnowGlobe” – Out Now

San Francisco-based singer-songwriter Shannon Rugani musically known as EMPRESS® will release her cinematic music video for her single “SnowGlobe” on Friday, January 15, 2020. Filmed on Lake Tahoe, Nevada, the video captures EMPRESS and six dancers emerging from zorbs onto land signifying that happiness is but a mere breakthrough away. The video was directed by EMPRESS, Siege INC. and Dino Elias, the latter also acted as choreographer. “SnowGlobe”, the first single released from EMPRESS this year, is available now on all streaming platforms.

Post-Western Drone Duo Cortége Premiere New Single, “Chasing Daylight Part 1”

“We couldn’t possibly be more pleased to announce our formal partnership with Albuquerque, New Mexico based Desert Records, for both the release of the forthcoming Chasing Daylight EP and yet to be revealed future endeavors. In procuring an impressively diverse and uniquely curated armada of heavy, droning talent across the country, Brad and his team have carved a deep etching in the independent label sphere and we’re proud to say many of our new label mates we already count among friends. And so, from an otherwise dismal year, hope springs eternal. Mark your calendars for the release of our first collaboration together; a cascading, hypnotic post western epic taken to the edge of the sunrise.”

Cortége Premiere “Chasing Daylight (Part 1)” from Chasing Daylight

18-YEAR-OLD NORTH PHILLY RAPPER YXNG K.A SHARES VIDEO FOR “A.M. THOUGHTS”

Raised in the Abbottsford Homes family development, YXNG K.A began exploring music as an emotional outlet and escape from his troubled surroundings before he started releasing his steady string of hits. “Coming up in the projects, you grow up different and you learn fast,” he says. “There’s always violence and drugs, and if you don’t adapt you’re gonna be lost.” As his prodigy-like ability became overwhelmingly apparent, YXNG K.A’s breakthrough single “Forever Committed” led to his signing with Interscope Records in May 2019. The following February, he made his label debut with “Soul Bleed,” an emotionally raw single showing off his tremendous range, melodic flow, and fearlessly honest lyrics.

New video from Jimkata – Entitled “Liar With The Lights On”

Singer Evan shares, “I’ve always been inspired by artists like The Police who often paired poppy upbeat music with darker lyrical themes as well as classic reggae artists like Third World and of course Bob Marley and Peter Tosh who often sang about deep political or moral issues set to an uplifting beat. I couldn’t help but follow in that path a little bit with this song, imagining a character who by day deals in lies but by night fears his reckoning. Ultimately, it’s sort of a moral tale set to a shiny dance groove.”

LISTEN: Sam Feldt and Kesha Team Up for New Single ‘Stronger’

Sam Feldt keeps raising heads, kicking off 2021 with stellar new single ‘Stronger’, featuring internationally acclaimed, Grammy-nominated US singer/songwriter Kesha. ‘Stronger’ blends Feldt’s sultry production sound and taste for undeniably tasty pop hooks with Kesha’s touching and unique vocals. It’s two artists bringing out the best in each other, making us ‘Stronger’ for a surely invigorating new year – out now on Heartfeldt Records.

Dave Herrera Releases New Track, “Visiting Nashville,” an Ode to Music City

Following its distribution to Country radio via PlayMPE and becoming the #1 downloaded and streamed song last week, Herrera announces the release of the song that recounts an unforgettable trip to the city “where the stars are made.” With mentions of three tier honky-tonks, rooftop bars and old-style country mixed with the new, Herrera paints the picture of the perfect trip surrounding the home of Country music: “Welcome to Nashville – where the music flows through the veins of the city streets with a country beat…”

Dave Herrera releases ‘Visiting Nashville’