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Love is the latest track from Hackney based R&B / electro artist Blooms, and the second to be lifted from her forthcoming second EP Still. There's a cool, laid back 80s-soaked feel to this - a little bit Blood Orange, which can only be a good thing. You've also got to love that percussion - check it out below.
Cool R&B sounds from London-native, Columbian / Italian descendent Desta French. On Take You For Dead she combines sounds from her Latin background, 80s pop and sophisticated production to create this catchy track.
Look out for the big hooks in the chorus and the bridge - there is a real early 90s R&B sound to this - understated and excellent.
Another great track from Brighton group Fickle Friends... Paris is the second track to be taken from debut EP Velvet, out today. This is a slightly more laid back track than those we have heard from the band previously - still starry eyed but with the edge taken off. In singer Natassja Shiner's words:
“Paris is our quiet storm." explains singer Natassja Shiner, continuing "It captures the subtleties we love in Bombay Bicycle Club's instrumental layers but with our own Janet Jackson-esque spin. It's the song you hear at 3AM when things are getting hazy.
Embrace originally featured on one of Goldroom's earlier EPs, and I've been hooked to it's big warm sunny synths since I first heard it... Here with the addition of George Maple's vocal we get to hear the version Goldroom always had in his head - he and Maple wrote the song together, so it's fitting we now get this new version with her lovely vocals. In the artist's own words:
"George Maple and I actually wrote Embrace together, so having this come full circle, and to have her singing on the song, feels like a dream. The song Embrace is all about re-connection, and so having George back in my studio again, singing the song, felt like it was meant to be."
I first heard the original version of Embrace back when it was a little colder and more wintery here in the northern hemisphere, so it's fitting to have it bubble up again now it is getting warmer... Particularly as it now features the awesome talents of George Maple. Love it.
Embrace is taken from Goldroom's new EP It's Like You Never Went Away, out now on Downtown Records.
Another big slice of melodic pop from Glastonbury band Dive In. New track Can't Hold Me Down has been released by the band ahead of their debut EP Eighteen, out next week. Described by band member Matthew Guttridge:
"Can't Hold Me Down was probably the first of our songs to take influence from pools of music outside of the 'band' world ... We wanted to write something that had a more classic song type feel - as opposed to your straight up rock out vibe. "
If you like this, check out the title track from the forthcoming EP, in this post from last month. Pre-order the EP on iTunes [affiliate link]. You can also check out the band live in London at The Lexington for The Line Of Best Fit on 5 August, 2015 - tickets are £5, 18+ only. Buy tickets here.