NEW MUSIC: FT. MARK KNIGHT & BEVERLEY KNIGHT, ANDRW, MATHS TIME JOY AND CLAIRE PITT WIGMORE
Kent’s New Music Friday… picking out tracks that have entered our ears in the past week!
This Friday, while you are social distancing or even heading back to work, let these new tracks from Kent artists tune your ears in to what the most musically productive county in the country sounds like right now.
We have added all tracks to the ‘cene #KeepitKent Spotify Playlist HERE
MARK KNIGHT - EVERYTHING’S GONNA BE ALRIGHT (FT. BEVERLEY KNIGHT & LONDON COMMUNITY GOSPEL CHOIR)
Instagram: @djmarkknight & @toolroomrecords
Maidstone record label Toolroom is making a beeline for summer with the lead single from his forthcoming debut album ‘Untold Business’ (set for release in June).
Featuring the extraordinary vocals of Beverley Knight and the incredibly talented London Community Gospel Choir, there is a powerful message of positivity and solidarity behind ‘Everything’s Gonna Be Alright’.
Known for releasing quality club records, Mark Knight has gone back to his roots, diving through classic Funk, House, Soul and Disco records from the 1970s and 80s, to produce a record in homage to the soulful, vocal-led house music that he first fell in love with in the 90s. The album will feature further collaborations with the likes of Shingai (Noisettes) Michael Gray, Robert Owens and many more. Uplifitng.
ANDRW - WHITE LINES
Instagram: @officialandrw
Ottinge’s finest, Andrw has released a moody and ambient indie pop anthem, with electric guitars and trap beats sprinkled throughout. The artists describes ‘White Lines’ as a sounding “like a midnight drive through a pine forest”. And we don’t disagree. There is a haunting quality to the vocals and mesmerising guitar hook like an engine pushing you through the track.
With an EP on the horizon, Andrw is definitely an artist to watch. He said: ”I’m excited to share these songs and let them fly. Am I good enough? Will I be able to live the dream? There’s only one way to find out.” Driving.
MATHS TIME JOY & RICH - CHANGE
Instagram: @mathstimejoy & @richmusicrich
Kent’s own Grammy-nominated producer (Gallant, Mahalia, Sinead Harnett & more) Maths Time Joy has released intoxicating new single ‘Change’. The first in a series of collaborations with New York based artist Rich, best known as Rich from Refs and Thirdstory; the latter who toured, wrote with and produced for Chance the Rapper.
More recently Rich has been popping off on Tik Tok (a cool 5.4M likes) with his impossibly flawless vocals. This, teamed with MTJ's weightless production, feels like the perfect collaboration.
You’d never know it, but the collaboration has been done long distance, as MTJ is in UK and Rich is in NYC, but the musical chemistry is undeniable.
“Sometimes you have to find the point where you connect musically and other times it just instantly makes sense, and it was that way with Rich” MTJ said.
‘Change’ is a cathartic offering, born from the moment of realisation Rich had that he was in an abusive relationship. The melody was inspired by the folk songs Rich grew up singing with his family. That, coupled with Maths Time Joy’s signature, abstract production is an irreproachable match. Chemistry.
CLAIRE PITT WIGMORE - DREAMING
Instagram: @clairepittwigmore
Margate multi-instrumentalist Claire Pitt Wigmore reminds us of her skills at creating great songs with another delve into the dreamy pit of psychedelia-oozing guitar hooks.
On ‘Dreaming’, her elegant vocals give way to a breakout vignette of a recording that is close to Claire’s heart. She said: “Once a demo written and produced by myself and a friend of mine who passed away last year, I rewrote it [Dreaming] in his memory. He also features on this track, too.” Heartfelt.