This week’s music picks feature some great hits from Shannon Luke, WSTRN, River Tiber, Marian Hill and Fauxe that are sure to get you on your feet.
This British trio won’t be able to stay under the radar for long, especially after dropping this smooth track as their debut single. A mix of R&B and a vibe reminiscent of old-school LA influences, coupled with catchy vocals and rap verses, makes this tune the perfect bouncy bop.
Singapore producer Fauxe collaborates with Mediocre Haircut Crew and Cap’N Malas to release a new EP titled Huh Fuck Another Beat Tape. The EP embodies Singapore’s music from the 60s, overlapped with Fauxe’s signature dreamy soundscapes. One track we’ve been keeping on loop is “The Cyclones”, which sounds like a Smash Mouth track – with rap. It’s safe to say we totally fauxe with this.
Following the release of their Play EP back in 2014, this songwriting duo is continuing their streak of making good music with “Lips”. Without being formulaic, they continue their mix of strangely addictive and hard-hitting beats interspersed with sultry vocals within this entrancing song.
Any Drizzy fan should find River Tiber familiar. The latter’s previously unreleased track “No Talk” was sampled by Drake for If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. River Tiber (real name Tommy Paxton-Beesley) has a huge array of electronic, slow jams coupled with lo-fi sounds that are peppered with his signature vocals. Having studied music on a professional level, Tiber wears multiple hats, often switching between featuring artist, beat-maker and producer. Yet, his goal is singular and centered on creating new jams constantly.
Here’s another little-known local talent: Shannon Luke. The former lead singer of the band Inventions Made Inventors has shown a penchant for indie-rock, a genre that is a huge hit-or-miss in the local scene. The first 20 seconds of “Priceless” almost seem like an interlude, before it segues into a bouncy tune that is reminiscent of music back in the 70s, with Luke’s muffled vocals lending dreamy vibes to the song.
According to Luke, Priceless was written by his lecturer and him at Stansfield College. The teacher contributed the poem and the student put it against a melody that he wrote himself. The song draws listeners to the state of affairs in Singapore and expresses the struggle of citizens amidst a developing nation and how each person’s way of life is pre-determined and dictated by leaders left in charge.
“Home is where the heart is but can sometimes also be a harsh place to belong. The poem is placed in a modern context but is somewhat juxtaposed by vintage and ambient sounds where there is subtle play on irony,” Luke said.