The Offline - La couleur de la mer [Out now on digital + 12" vinyl)

Take an adventure into the world of the finest cinematic soul around, and dive deep into The Offline’s debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’

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. 

Quinn Oulton & Col3trane - Lately

Quinn Oulton teams up with celebrated RnB artist Col3trane to explore the negative effects of regular, low-level alcohol consumption on ‘Lately’.

‘Lately’ further explores Quinn’s blend of alt-RnB, jazz, and innovative production, with bouncing, rhythmic vocal lines phasing into a conversation between voice and saxophone in the choruses. The song discusses the often-ignored negative impacts that casual drinking can have on our physical and mental states and the difficulties of saying no to drinking when it’s so deeply ingrained in our social lives. The collaboration came about after Quinn recorded saxophone for Col3trane, and the duo struck up a creative partnership.

On the track, Quinn says: "I started writing Lately one morning lying in bed after having a few drinks the night before. Not badly hungover, yet still feeling like getting out of bed was too much to handle. It made me realise how much of an impact even casual drinking can have on your physical and mental state. Cole resonated with this a lot, and he took it a step further in his verse - thinking about how casual drinking can easily become something much more serious if your habits go unchecked for too long.

SHOLTO - The Changing Tides of Dreams EP

Enter the world of SHOLTO and the stunning sounds of his debut EP ‘The Changing Tides of Dreams’

Inspired by soundtrack composers from the 1950s-1970s like Piero Umiliani & David Axelrod, ‘The Changing Tides Of Dreams’ refers to the way our lives and selves are constantly transforming, learning and growing; never fully sculpted or content. Written during a time of personal transformation for SHOTLO, the project balances unapologetic ethereal textures with a deep sense of nostalgia and longing, drawing on disciplines from the world of film & classical music, as well as jazz and experimental arrangement techniques.

“I wanted the music to reflect welcoming of new dreams, or departures of previous ones, letting go of old ways to navigate the challenges life can present with a sense of calmness. Ultimately, I also wanted to make something pretty – I’d made lots of louder angrier music when I was younger, but allowing myself to make something more delicate meant more to me than anything had before.”

Sitting alongside cinematic soul-soundtrack contemporaries like Robohands and The Ironsides, tracks like ‘The Peal That Glitters’ highlight SHOLTO’s abilities as an arranger, with a nostalgic edge and shimmering string arrangement that reflects its title. Lead single ‘Vampire’ was arranged in collaboration with Syd Kemp at Haha Sounds Studios, a composition built around contrasting dark choral vocals and heavy beats with soaring flutes, cascading harps and swirling Wurlitzer pads.

Cuts like ‘Over The Sky’ simmer in tension, with a growing urgency displayed as the swung grooves intensify, harkening to the emotive jazz fusion of Makaya McCraven. However, psychedelia looms large on ‘The Pleasure Principle’, where synths create a wall of sound decorated by Arthur Sajas’ playful flute interjections. Filtered drums and percussion suck the listener further into SHOLTO’s hazy dreamscapes, ensuring there’s no escape from the journey ahead.

Buy ‘The Changing Tides of Dreams’ on Bandcamp below:

SHOLTO - Over The Sky

London-based multi-instrumentalist, producer & composer SHOLTO continues the rollout of his forthcoming debut EP ‘The Changing Tides of Dreams’ with new single ‘Over The Sky’

‘Over The Sky’ acts as a mirror reflecting SHOLTO’s personal and musical growth, and the journey through periods of change. At times it simmers with tension, invoking the state of uncertainty and fear that can come during times of personal upheaval. However, the beauty of cascading harp and ethereal strings carries an undercurrent of hope. The unfolding urgency of the track is displayed as the swung drum grooves intensify, harkening to the emotive jazz fusion of Makaya McCraven.

"Over The Sky is a piece of music about reflections and transformation. I wrote the hypnotic harp line whilst on a flight overlooking the sky and the horizon. The sun was setting and the light was bouncing off the plane onto the clouds. I wanted to create something that was tense but beautiful, reflecting how, in life, whenever you’re scared and blue, you know good is around the corner. Time causes youto see and reflect on past moments with more clarity."

‘The Changing Tides Of Dreams’ refers to the way our lives and selves are constantly transforming, learning and growing; never fully sculpted or content. Written during a time of personal transformation for SHOTLO, the project balances unapologetic ethereal textures with a deep sense of nostalgia and longing, drawing on disciplines from the world of film & classical music, as well as jazz and experimental arrangement techniques.

“I wanted the music to reflect welcoming of new dreams, or departures of previous ones, letting go of old ways to navigate the challenges life can present with a sense of calmness. Ultimately, I also wanted to make something pretty – I’d made lots of louder angrier music when I was younger, but allowing myself to make something more delicate meant more to me than anything had before.”

Pre-order ‘The Changing Tides of Dreams’ on Bandcamp below:

MEDUSA, Stella Talpo's debut album is here!

Following a series of singles supported by the likes of BBC Radio 6, BBC Introducing, COLORS & Wonderland, Stella Talpo shares her debut album MEDUSA.

Created with support from PRS’ ‘Women Make Music Fund’ the record was released on Friday 13th October .

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 RnB 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.”

The album follows the success of singles like ‘GOOD GIRLS’ and ‘BONES’, which introduced the grittier, primal sound and visceral imagery present in the record’s lyrical themes. Cuts like ‘QUICKSAND’ lean more into Stella’s alt-RnB stylings, but implement booming, 808-powered basslines that add to the fierce attitude adopted in handling anxieties head on, whilst ‘DUST’ charts previously unmarked territory, taking a turn into twisted alt-pop.

The Offline - Le motard [New single + Music Video]

Hamburg’s finest is back with another cinematic soulful cup of goodness, spiced with a dose of funk throughout on his new single ‘Le motard’.

Watch the music video + order his debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’ on digital and 12” vinyl below.

Based around an urgent shuffle and Khruangbin-esque guitar parts, ‘Le motard’ comes as a near centre-piece of ‘La couleur de la mer’, taking the energy of the album up a notch as listeners enter the second act of the soundtrack. An infectious bassline forms a tight rhythmic unit with the kit, opening up space for a boisterous horn section, again taking influence from the dark, jazz-tinged hip-hop sampling of the likes of MF Doom and Madlib.

“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.”

Reminiscent of film scores from the 60s and 70s, The Offline worked with co-producer Timor Litzenberger to channel the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix, Brian Bennet & David Axelrod, creating his own soundtrack on ‘La couleur de la mer’. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the seas 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.

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. Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack. Sonically sitting somewhere between the washed out, sun-soaked sonics of Surprise Chef and Robohands, his music has seen support from BBC Radio 6 and Jazz FM, whilst amassing well over one million streams on his debut EP.

Quinn Oulton - Throw Your Weight

Quinn Oulton takes an introspective look into his teenage years on his new single ‘Throw Your Weight’. It continues a prolific streak of releases which have included his 'Alexithymia’ Deluxe album, and the COLORS and BBC Radio 6-backed collaborative single ‘100 Degrees’, which saw him partner with Reuben James and Linden Jay.

Similarly to ‘100 Degrees’, ‘Throw Your Weight’ utilises a gripping hook and Quinn’s signature blend of jazz-infused instrumentation and leftfield electronic/RnB production. After performing the song throughout the UK and Europe over the summer, it’s become a mainstay and audience favourite in his live set due to its relatability and sing-back qualities.

On the track, Quinn says: "When writing ‘Throw Your Weight’, I dug into my teenage years, thinking about the social dynamics of growing up and learning to deal with feelings of inferiority and jealousy. Kids can be mean, and a lot of the time it feels as though you’re left to fend for yourself. This song is a look into the toxic relationships that can develop at that stage in your life, and how you create defences against them as you grow up."

Myele Manzanza shows his deep connection to his origins on new single ‘Homesick’.

Myele returns with ‘Homesick’ the second single from his forthcoming album ‘Crisis & Opportunity, Vol.4 - Meditations’.

'Homesick', sees Myele lean on the musicians at hand and the music itself to tell a story. A melancholic atmosphere throughout the 7-minute acoustic track self-expresses the story at hand for the aptly titled track, which once again showcases the nuances of what the trio of acoustic piano, double bass, and drums can do. 

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.’

SHOLTO releases new cinematic-soulful gem 'The Pearl That Glitters'

London-based multi-instrumentalist, producer & composer SHOLTO returns with new single ‘The Pearl That Glitters’, the second offering taken from his forthcoming debut EP ‘The Changing Tides of Dreams’

Having found support from the likes of Gilles Peterson and New Music Fix on BBCR6 for recent single ‘Vampire’, SHOLTO’s second act of the unfolding cinematic journey that is his debut EP, ‘The Changing Tides Of Dreams’, is ‘The Pearl That Glitters’.

Inspired by soundtrack composers from the 1950s-1970s like Piero Umiliani & David Axelrod, ‘The Pearl That Glitters’ has a nostalgic edge and shimmering string arrangement that reflects its title. Recorded at SHOLTOs studio, the track features some of London’s finest musicians, including Penguin Cafe Orchestra’s Clementine Brown on strings, Rupert Cox on piano, Arthur Sajas on flute, Marcus Hamblett on horns and Rachel Horton Kislew on harp.

“The music started with me observing how sun light shimmered and bounced off the iridescent insides of a pearl, inspiring me to write a string arrangement that mirrored that, evoking hazy sun-drenched nostalgia."

‘The Changing Tides Of Dreams’ refers to the way our lives and selves are constantly transforming, learning and growing; never fully sculpted or content. Written during a time of personal transformation for SHOTLO, the project balances unapologetic ethereal textures with a deep sense of nostalgia and longing, drawing on disciplines from the world of film & classical music, as well as jazz and experimental arrangement techniques.

“I wanted the music to reflect welcoming of new dreams, or departures of previous ones, letting go of old ways to navigate the challenges life can present with a sense of calmness. Ultimately, I also wanted to make something pretty – I’d made lots of louder angrier music when I was younger, but allowing myself to make something more delicate meant more to me than anything had before.”

Pre-order ‘The Changing Tides of Dreams’ on Bandcamp below:

The Offline drops Permanent Vacation-inspired music video to ‘Un bout de chemin'

The Offline just dropped the Permanent Vacation-inspired music video to his latest single ‘Un bout de chemin’. Landing ashore, The Offline wanders around Hamburg’s infamous St. Pauli district, where he’s confronted by a gambling deadline as he searches for a better place.⁠

Watch the music video + order his debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’ on digital and 12” vinyl below.

Following 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 continues to showcase music from his forthcoming debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’, with ‘Un bout de chemin’.

Based around a soulful cello ostinato, rising string & synth melodies and rhythmic, funk-inspired guitar parts, ‘Un bout de chemin’s’ rolling rhythms represent the journey The Offline transports the listener on over the course of his soundtrack-worthy debut record. Influenced by the work of film composer Francois de Roubaix, The Offline employed cellist Martin Bentz of the Kaiser Quartet (Chilly Gonzales, Jarvis Cocker) to add strings into the mix, adding a further cinematic edge to the music.

“Un bout de chemin, which means something like a bit of a journey, felt right for the rolling rhythm and the driven cello, but also in terms of the dramatic structure of the track. For me it felt like someone is pursuing a goal and this track tells a part of the journey. The name came about when I had the order of the album ready.”

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.