Listen to the final single from Stella Talpo's forthcoming debut album 'MEDUSA'

Embracing folklore once again, offering the last glimpse into her forthcoming debut album ‘MEDUSA’, Stella Talpo continues the rollout of 'MEDUSA', with ‘BONES’.

‘BONES’ channels Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ ‘La Loba’ tale, invoking the imagery of a woman’s spirit resurrected and reborn. It continues with the recurrent themes of empowerment and mythology explored by Stella across MEDUSA, once again leaning into the unique blend of RnB hooks, moody synths and bopping grooves masterfully constructed by Stella and co-writer/producer Lewis Moody.

“BONES relates to the tale of La Loba, singing a woman’s bones back to life. I invoke the vision of woman across the fire, like an ancestor watching me today, questioning if she would be proud.”

Across the 11-tracks that make up her debut album ‘MEDUSA’, Stella challenges societal ideals and oppressive frameworks. A central thread of mythological, primal & visceral imagery is used to normalise elements of life that are part of the ugly (but real) human experience, contrasting with the sterilised society we occupy, where we’ve been detached from our primal nature. “Initially, the concept was inspired by the ‘Chimera’, a creature villainised for its grotesque form, which paralleled the story I wanted to tell about our inner darkness & imperfections, the things that make us animals that we’ve hidden away, particularly from a woman’s point of view.”

A result of years of musical experimentation and growth with producer Lewis Moody (30/70, Cherise), the project marks an injection of ethereal darkness and alt-pop sound design into Stella’s soulful R&B songwriting. Influences range from the leftfield electronics of Gazelle Twin and the cinematic soul of SAULT, through to engagement with contemporary feminist literature by the likes of Gillian Alban and Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Their writings acted as a springboard for many of the lyrical motifs explored by Stella, as she explains; “Women Who Run With Wolves unlocked so much for me creatively, inspiring a lot of the purpose, metaphors and repeated literary motifs on the album.”

Born in a small town in Italy, but now firmly rooted in South London by way of Singapore, Spain and America, Stella has released a trilogy of EPs in the lead up to her debut album. Finding widespread critical support from the likes of The Line of Best Fit, CLASH and New Wave Magazine, as well as BBC Introducing, Reprezent Radio and Rinse FM, she’s now ready to share a body of work that truly represents her eclectic musical tastes and travelled upbringing. Also a keen reader of literature and poetry, her evocative, insightful lyricism is at the centre of her alluring, boundary-pushing work.

PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM

Myele Manzanza Announces 'Crisis & Opportunity, Vol.4 - Meditations'

The ever-prolific Myele Manzanza has touched down with a brand new single - ‘Something Old Something New’ - the first single from the fourth instalment of his ‘Crisis & Opportunity’ series.

Over the past two years, the first three instalments of his lauded 'Crisis & Opportunity’ record series saw Myele garner praise from Mary Anne Hobbs, Cerys Matthews, Jamie Cullum, Huey Morgan, The Guardian, Complex, Jazz FM, Lefto, Worldwide FM, Jazzwise and more. The latter of these offerings extended Myele's sound deeper into the electronic world, venturing further into dance & club territory. From this underground energy, the steady swing of life’s pendulum reaches its apex, so we see Myele revert to a purely acoustic line-up, channelling a focused and razor-sharp return to his Jazz roots on ‘Crisis & Opportunity, Vol.4 - Meditations’. Showcasing an incredible level of musicianship between three musicians at the top of their game - including Matthew Sheens (Ross McHenry, John Patitucci) on piano and Matt Penman (Joshua Redman, SFJAZZ Collective) on double bass - the trio exchange motifs over the length of 7 tracks.

On the forthcoming full-length record, Myele explains: ‘ With this album, I’m yearning for the music itself to hold space. The title 'Meditations' suits the more interior mood of the music too. This is a solitary & introverted album compared to my previous works. I’m not trying to entertain you. I’m not trying to make you dance. Not on this record. With the interference of modern technology on our lives and how so much of our attention is tethered to the digital world, perhaps this album is a small rebellion against that. At least in the sense that it’s a purely acoustic album. It relies on the interplay of three musicians, listening to each other and making spontaneous decisions in order to execute the music. The quality of the sound directly reflects each person’s artistry, command of their instrument, physical technique and mental acuity.”

Opening proceedings with frenetic rhythmic improvisation, complimented by melancholic and cinematic layers of sound, ‘Crayford’s Room’ is a tribute to Myele’s musical mentor back in New Zealand. Remembering his time as a student in Wellington, Myele shows his deep connection to his origins, manifesting itself as lament on ‘Winter’ and ‘Homesick’. Introducing hypnotic, contemplative melodies take centre stage on ‘Something Old Something New’ (the first single to be released from the project)’ It maintains a sense of tension and intrigue throughout, and intensity rises to a crescendo sending sonic particles sprawling into space.

Intuitive, darker and deeply contemplative, Myele Manzanza shares his innermost thoughts on ‘Crisis and Opportunities Vol.4 - Meditations’. He divulges ‘The personal angst and existential frustration I was going through across 2020 - 2022 I believe is well reflected here. The album is deeply informed by the musicianship and sound of my trio, Matthew Sheens on piano and Matt Penman on double bass. Knowing that musicians of their calibre were going to be involved gave me licence to go further in my writing, deploying odd time signatures, sharing the melody roles across the piano and the bass, and delving deeper into the nuances of what the acoustic piano / bass / drums trio can do. The compositions present a challenge even to the best musicians, and I knew that it was essential to have a team on this level to really move the music beyond an academic exercise and draw out the emotion and colour from the material.’

The Offline unleashes villainous theme, 'Cap Camarat'

Returning with another cinematic gem, The Offline reveals ‘Cap Camarat’, the second album from his forthcoming debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’.

Watch the music video + order the LP below.

Dramatic horns and decorative flutes open proceedings, picking up the story where lead single ‘La mission commence’ left off. The Offline sets an off-kilter tone, with the composition creeping along, painting a mysterious picture of fog-swept, silhouetted manors, and sailing boats off the coast of Cap Camarat. It continues the records’ cinematic journey, blending MF Doom-style spectacle with delicate arranging.

“Cap Camarat was one of the last tracks I wrote for the album. I guess it started off with a drum groove from an old funk record as a foundation, then we added guitar and bass and all other instruments while playing along the beat. After the demo was set every instrument was recorded again in different studios.”

Reminiscent of film scores from the 60s and 70s, The Offline worked with co-producer Tim Liztenberger to channel the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix and Brian Bennet, creating his own soundtrack on ‘La couleur de la mer’. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the sea's edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. Experimenting with themes and atypical song structures, the music moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism. It incorporates psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by The Offline’s extensive record collection and crate-digger status.

“Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by the soundtracks from the 60s and 70s, and I always wanted to make an album in the film score direction. I wrote about 30 demos, kicked half of it and stuck to the ones that felt right in the dramaturgical structure of the ‘movie'. Interestingly the main theme was set really early on while writing the album, which made the writing process much easier.”

Aptly named, ‘Thème de la couleur de la mer’ opens proceedings, establishing the core motifs of the record. Haunting flutes and xylophones lead the way into Khruangbin-esque guitar lines, which sit against a hip-hop canvas that returns on boom-bap head boppers like ‘Quelque chose reste’. Retro soul revival takes precedence on deep cuts like ‘Un bout de chemin’, with wah-gated guitars interacting with emotive cello lines and symphonic string & horn sections.

The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. His Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack.

Stella Talpo shares her new track ‘DUST' - the third single from MEDUSA

Following COLORS & Wonderland-backed singles ‘GOOD GIRLS’ and ‘QUICKSAND’, Stella shares her new track ‘DUST’, embracing the mythological themes present across her forthcoming debut album MEDUSA. Created with support from PRS’ ‘Women Make Music Fund’, ‘DUST’ releases on Thursday 3rd August via DeepMatter Records.

‘DUST’ takes the animalistic, fierce energy from ‘GOOD GIRLS’ & ‘QUICKSAND’, but ramps it up to new heights. Stella moulds her R&B sounds into a progressive alt-pop palette with chaotic, percussive production akin to Gazelle Twin and SOPHIE. The track channels themes of empowerment and embracing pain as a tool to drive personal growth, using the imagery of a trip to visit the Greek god of wine & revelry Dionysus.

“DUST is a call to action and a celebration of the human spirit's resilience and ability to rise above adversity. It’s an Invitation to rise, and refers to the energy surge when a woman feels the monster within her come alive; a tribal conjuring of her true nature. I wanted to encourage listeners to abandon their doubts and fears, and to rise up from the ashes of their past.”

Across the 11-tracks that make up her debut album ‘MEDUSA’, Stella challenges societal ideals and oppressive frameworks. A central thread of mythological, primal & visceral imagery is used to normalise elements of life that are part of the ugly (but real) human experience, contrasting with the sterilised society we occupy, where we’ve been detached from our primal nature. “Initially, the concept was inspired by the ‘Chimera’, a creature villainised for its grotesque form, which paralleled the story I wanted to tell about our inner darkness & imperfections, the things that make us animals that we’ve hidden away, particularly from a woman’s point of view.”

A result of years of musical experimentation and growth with producer Lewis Moody (30/70, Cherise), the project marks an injection of ethereal darkness and alt-pop sound design into Stella’s soulful R&B songwriting. Influences range from the leftfield electronics of Gazelle Twin and the cinematic soul of SAULT, through to engagement with contemporary feminist literature by the likes of Gillian Alban and Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Their writings acted as a springboard for many of the lyrical motifs explored by Stella, as she explains; “Women Who Run With Wolves unlocked so much for me creatively, inspiring a lot of the purpose, metaphors and repeated literary motifs on the album.”

Born in a small town in Italy, but now firmly rooted in South London by way of Singapore, Spain and America, Stella has released a trilogy of EPs in the lead up to her debut album. Finding widespread critical support from the likes of The Line of Best Fit, CLASH and New Wave Magazine, as well as BBC Introducing, Reprezent Radio and Rinse FM, she’s now ready to share a body of work that truly represents her eclectic musical tastes and travelled upbringing. Also a keen reader of literature and poetry, her evocative, insightful lyricism is at the centre of her alluring, boundary-pushing work.

PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM

Quinn Oulton's '100 Degrees' arrives in good company, featuring Reuben James & Linden Jay

Quinn Oulton’s teamed up with Reuben James & Linden Jay for the song of the summer, ‘100 Degrees’

Following strong sustained demand from their fans, the trio have finally given the people they want and delivered this beautiful studio recording of '100 Degrees' - building it into a laid-back R&B summertime gem zoning in on the importance of slowing down to appreciate life and the fleeting moments of summer.

Devra's debut self-titled EP has arrived in full force

Italian drummer, composer and producer Devra has today arrived with his debut EP over on Root Records. Consisting of 5 tracks journeying across jazz, neo-soul and hip-hop, the EP is an introduction to the world of Devra and what’s to follow.

Sonically connecting with the overarching themes of transitional spaces between light and dark moments in life, the track acts as an introduction and mission statement of what’s to come. Inspired by the sounds of the Italian underground music scene, as well as hip-hop-inflected jazz of acts Robert Glasper and Roy Hargrove, ‘Moses’ also has space for expressive solos to trumpeter Francesco Fratini and tenor saxophonist Lorenzo De Luca.

Originally from Vicenza, Italy, Devra made a name for himself as a session drummer in his native country, collaborating with several artists on the national scene across the worlds of jazz and pop. His experiences and cross-genre collaborations led to him arriving at a personal synthesis resulting in his upcoming debut EP. It’s a project that moves between jazz and neo-soul, with echoes of hip-hop and RnB that reflect the musical shifts and transitions he’s been through in recent years.

“Moses was the first track that I wrote on the EP, and it was very challenging to write, in many ways. I had the idea of rhythmically introducing parts in ‘stolen time’ but created an obvious contrast through it developing into a strong hip-hop groove within a well-defined, formal structure.”

The EP's second single ‘Blood Water’, uses neo-soul as the canvas for creation, and sees Devra team up with vocalist Sara Vanderwert to deliver an explicit message on this track – it’s our duty as human beings to respect the Earth and our connection with it.

Combining dancing vocal and flute melodies with atmospheric synth layers and a bopping neo-soul backbeat, the track also retains the jazz throughline found across Devra’s upcoming EP. There’s space for tasteful solos from both tenor saxophonist Lorenzo De Luca and alto saxophonist Zeno Merlini, which channel the emotional energy delivered by Sarah Vanderwert’s vocal performance.

The EPs final single, ‘The Stealer’ acts as the final preview of Devra's expansive self-titled debut project -- A self-professed nod and homage to the late great trumpet player Roy Hargrove, ‘The Stealer’ paints a sonic picture of New York City. It puts the weaving horn lines of trumpeter Francesco Fratini and alto saxophonist Zeno Merlini front and centre, with their urgent, dancing melodies adding spice to the relaxed, half-time feel of the rhythm section. The title alludes to the jazz traditions of recycling and interpretation. 

Stella Talpo drops 'QUICKSAND', the second single from her debut album

Stella Talpo returns with the second single from her forthcoming debut album ‘MEDUSA’, with the brand new cut ‘QUICKSAND’, taking us further into the world of her debut album.

Following Jamz Supernova & Wonderland-endorsed lead single GOOD GIRLS, Stella returns with QUICKSAND. This one is full of a fierce attitude that mirrors her willingness to tackle her anxieties head on, as she explores themes of depression and the passing of time through the metaphor of entrapment in quicksand. It's a building block in the story of a growing UK R&B scene, with a gritty twist that's present across the rest of the record.

Across the 11-tracks that make up her debut album ‘MEDUSA’, Stella challenges societal ideals and oppressive frameworks. A central thread of mythological, primal & visceral imagery is used to normalise elements of life that are part of the ugly (but real) human experience, contrasting with the sterilised society we occupy, where we’ve been detached from our primal nature. “Initially, the concept was inspired by the ‘Chimera’, a creature villainised for its grotesque form, which paralleled the story I wanted to tell about our inner darkness & imperfections, the things that make us animals that we’ve hidden away, particularly from a woman’s point of view.”

A result of years of musical experimentation and growth with producer Lewis Moody (30/70, Cherise), the project marks an injection of ethereal darkness and alt-pop sound design into Stella’s soulful R&B songwriting. Influences range from the leftfield electronics of Gazelle Twin and the cinematic soul of SAULT, through to engagement with contemporary feminist literature by the likes of Gillian Alban and Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Their writings acted as a springboard for many of the lyrical motifs explored by Stella, as she explains; “Women Who Run With Wolves unlocked so much for me creatively, inspiring a lot of the purpose, metaphors and repeated literary motifs on the album.”

Born in a small town in Italy, but now firmly rooted in South London by way of Singapore, Spain and America, Stella has released a trilogy of EPs in the lead up to her debut album. Finding widespread critical support from the likes of The Line of Best Fit, CLASH and New Wave Magazine, as well as BBC Introducing, Reprezent Radio and Rinse FM, she’s now ready to share a body of work that truly represents her eclectic musical tastes and travelled upbringing. Also a keen reader of literature and poetry, her evocative, insightful lyricism is at the centre of her alluring, boundary-pushing work.

PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM

The Offline announces his debut album with new single 'La mission commence'

Hamburg’s finest cinematic soul artist ‘The Offline’ announces debut album with lead single ‘La mission commence’.

Watch the music video + order the LP below.

Following his debut EP ‘En clair-obscur’ and a series of singles earlier this year cementing his place as a rising voice in the world of cinematic soul & funk, ‘The Offline’ shares the lead single from forthcoming debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’ - ‘La mission commence’.

A track characterised by contrasts, playful horn melodies and soulful guitar lines develops with a rising intensity, balanced with dramatic, stomping beats that wouldn’t go amiss in MF Doom’s discography. The rich array of instrumentation, from Fender Rhodes through to a brass section, creates a symphony of sound that places the track as a movement within an album self-styled as ‘the soundtrack to a movie that has never been shot.”

“I used repetitive patterns in the song to immediately capture the listener's attention and create a sense of intrigue, building anticipation and welcoming people into the screening of the movie to which this is a part of the soundtrack.”

Reminiscent of film scores from the 60s and 70s, The Offline worked with co-producer Tim Liztenberger to channel the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix and Brian Bennet, creating his own soundtrack on ‘La couleur de la mer’. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the sea's edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. Experimenting with themes and atypical song structures, the music moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism. It incorporates psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by The Offline’s extensive record collection and crate-digger status.

“Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by the soundtracks from the 60s and 70s, and I always wanted to make an album in the film score direction. I wrote about 30 demos, kicked half of it and stuck to the ones that felt right in the dramaturgical structure of the ‘movie'. Interestingly the main theme was set really early on while writing the album, which made the writing process much easier.”

Aptly named, ‘Thème de la couleur de la mer’ opens proceedings, establishing the core motifs of the record. Haunting flutes and xylophones lead the way into Khruangbin-esque guitar lines, which sit against a hip-hop canvas that returns on boom-bap head boppers like ‘Quelque chose reste’. Retro soul revival takes precedence on deep cuts like ‘Un bout de chemin’, with wah-gated guitars interacting with emotive cello lines and symphonic string & horn sections.

The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. His Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack.

Stella Talpo announces debut album 'MEDUSA' with 'GOOD GIRLS'

After spending the last few months hunkered down and tapped into a creative stream of literature and art, Stella Talpo returns with the support of PRS’ ‘Women Make Music Fund’. ‘GOOD GIRLS’ acts as the introduction and announcement of her debut album ‘MEDUSA’, releasing this autumn.

Immediately marking a grittier, primal turn in Stella’s R&B sound, ‘GOOD GIRLS’ brings in elements of leftfield alt-pop and a wild edge that sets the tone for the upcoming record. The track holds no prisoners, adopting visceral, gory imagery to comment upon oppression experienced by women under patriarchal structures. The message is double-edged, with lyrics discussing the importance of solidarity, and the power in numbers needed to break barriers and enact change.

"GOOD GIRLS is about empowerment and solidarity. It urges listeners to be strong and fight for freedom, rather than being a ‘good girl’ who follows the rules and stays in the shadows. I set out to describe the struggles of being a woman in a male-dominated world and the ways in which women have been held back and manipulated.”

‘GOOD GIRLS’ will release on May 25th via DeepMatter Records

Across the 11-tracks that make up her debut album ‘MEDUSA’, Stella challenges societal ideals and oppressive frameworks. A central thread of mythological, primal & visceral imagery is used to normalise elements of life that are part of the ugly (but real) human experience, contrasting with the sterilised society we occupy, where we’ve been detached from our primal nature. “Initially, the concept was inspired by the ‘Chimera’, a creature villainised for its grotesque form, which paralleled the story I wanted to tell about our inner darkness & imperfections, the things that make us animals that we’ve hidden away, particularly from a woman’s point of view.”

A result of years of musical experimentation and growth with producer Lewis Moody (30/70, Cherise), the project marks an injection of ethereal darkness and alt-pop sound design into Stella’s soulful R&B songwriting. Influences range from the leftfield electronics of Gazelle Twin and the cinematic soul of SAULT, through to engagement with contemporary feminist literature by the likes of Gillian Alban and Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Their writings acted as a springboard for many of the lyrical motifs explored by Stella, as she explains; “Women Who Run With Wolves unlocked so much for me creatively, inspiring a lot of the purpose, metaphors and repeated literary motifs on the album.”

Born in a small town in Italy, but now firmly rooted in South London by way of Singapore, Spain and America, Stella has released a trilogy of EPs in the lead up to her debut album. Finding widespread critical support from the likes of The Line of Best Fit, CLASH and New Wave Magazine, as well as BBC Introducing, Reprezent Radio and Rinse FM, she’s now ready to share a body of work that truly represents her eclectic musical tastes and travelled upbringing. Also a keen reader of literature and poetry, her evocative, insightful lyricism is at the centre of her alluring, boundary-pushing work.

PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM

Quinn Oulton reveals brand new Alexithymia (Deluxe Edition)

Following the release of his debut album 'Alexithymia' in May 2022, Quinn Oulton releases the Deluxe Edition, featuring Ella Grace, Monica Martin, Hemai & more.

After teasing us with a series of diverse singles, including a team up with singer-songwriter Ella Grace for Wonderland-backed single ‘Next Time (Ella Grace Version)’, Quinn is ready to share 'Alexithymia Deluxe'. Consisting of six reinventions of tracks from the album, plus the original track listing, this is a special package that reflects a capsule in time in his artistic journey, and hints at what’s yet to come.

With reimagining’s ranging from heartfelt piano duets through to experimental electronic & 808 heavy explorations, Quinn has used the project to recontextualise his music and connect with new collaborators. Alongside his solo reworks, he’s taken the opportunity to team up with Chicago-based singer-songwriter Monica Martin and London-based broken beat & trip-hop producer Hemai.

“The writing and production process for the original album was a time of growth and development in my sound as I toyed with different areas of influence from song to song. For this Deluxe version, I wanted to bring some of these tracks into a new context by stripping away all of the production or approaching them from a completely different angle sonically. I love how different the same song can hit when presented in a new context.”

South London based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist & producer Quinn Oulton exhibits a raw sound, melding soaring vocals and tangled acoustic textures with abstract electronics. His music spans several genres, including jazz, indie and pop.

His debut album 'Alexithymia' was released in May 2022, receiving national radio support from Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan & Cerys Matthews (6 Music), Jack Saunders & Sian Eleri (BBCR1), along with Jamie Cullum (BBCR2) & Jamz Supernova (BBC1X). It includes tracks featuring Moses Boyd and Genevieve Artadi.

Recently Quinn has played shows at the Blue Note in Milan, HEAVEN and Band on the Wall supporting KNOWER, and Woolwich Works supporting Laura Misch. Alongside his solo career, Quinn tours and regularly appears on radio and TV alongside 2020 Mercury Nominee, Moses Boyd, and performs with artists such as Priya Ragu, Yellow Days, Theo Cross, & Conor Albert.