New tracks from the most musically productive county in the country right now, writes Rob Hakimian

We have added all tracks to the ‘cene #KeepitKent Spotify Playlist HERE

MaZz - idea of u.

Admitting your conflictions to yourself is a difficult thing to do, but for Canterbury songwriter MaZz it’s a path to beautifully honest, soulful music. idea of u. is a skeletal song built on a rhythmic acoustic guitar and atmospheric hiss like rain outside the window. With these minimal elements, MaZz makes idea of u. into an R&B adjacent song purely through her rich voice, cadence and soul.

idea of u. is at once painful and liberating to listen to. The hurt comes in recognising in ourselves the mistakes that MaZz admits to - “told myself I’d never go back”. The freedom coming from her determination to “make it out alive”. It all mingles together in the exquisite chorus, where she mutli-tracks her voice into pristine harmonies and faces up to the true fact of her struggle: “I’m falling in love with the idea of you.” With this acknowledgement of her crucial weakness, idea of u. is the sound of MaZz climbing out of her infatuation and determinedly looking to a healthier future.

Matt Weeks - Give It Up

Instagram: @matweeks_uk

With social distancing now lifted (for the time being, anyway), it’s time for parties to cme thundering back, and DJs up and down the country are dusting off their finest productions to celebrate. Maidstone’s Matt Weeks has returned with the monstrous Give It Up, a thumping tech-house track that doesn’t need to be complicated – he just ensures every element is working to maximum capacity and lets the song roll from there.

With a classic drum pattern that’ll make you spontaneously bust out the fancy footwork, boulder-like bass that ensures your hips will be rolling unreservedly, and a muted but laser-like synth melody to hypnotise the mind, he’s got you locked. Once he drops in the vocal sample, it’s like an echo of heaven floating down upon a packed dancefloor; sheer hedonistic bliss.

Oversight - Look To The Skies

Instagram: @joeoversight

A Folkestone-based family man and lover of furry friends, Oversight is also a caped crusader in production, making glistening D’n’B tunes to fuel many late nights – both equally applicable for parties with friends or solo ventures into the mind.

His latest, Look To The Skies, is a typically stylish affair, combining an oily stream of bass with a crystalline sputter of high hats, creating a star-filled sound. He brings a surprising level of emotional heft through his choices of minor-chord melodies that put you in a reflective state of mind. Then he ambushes us with samples of academics talking about some kinds of beings from alternate dimensions who can walk through walls – which adds to the spaciness of it all without dampening its beauty or impact.

Harley D - The Jungle

Instagram: @harleyd_dnb

The opening track from Margate musical mad man Harley D’s new Bud Business EP takes the old adage “jungle is massive” and rockets it up a few levels. Beginning by placing us within the titular Jungle with samples of running water, plenty of animals trilling all around, and a voice saying “I see nothing but jungle”, we’re immediately immersed. It’s all a lure from the producer, whose manic beats start in the distance, but rapidly approach with the warning “jungle is coming alive”. And when they drop, along with a skull-shuddering synth, there’s no resistance possible.

“The jungle has started to claim its body, now it will claim its mind,” goes another sample – another warning from Harley D that he’s got more in his locker. He duly unloads with a sack load more bruising beats and sunburn-inducing beams of sound that pound you to a pulp. If you’re looking for something to knock you into next week, look no further.