Where do I start on this one? A lot has happened since the last instalment of the Post Lockdown Mixtape. Time has shunted by at pace and there’s barely been time for a stock take. Next Monday this blog officially begins to transition into other realms and avenues. It will be the big day, the big breakout event, the showpiece, the curtain-raiser. It’s Jackson Mathod and fika live from St Pancras Old Church and the event symbolises more than just music. It symbolises the beginnings of The Sound Sniffer being more than just a babbling introverted WordPress thing. From now, the pressure will rise and the stakes will rise too. Love it.
Blogging will still carry on. What a marvellous assortment of tunes we have to showcase this afternoon.
ALMAHATA / Black Hair, For You
Coming from the same talented branch of Brighton’s music community as Bess Atwell and Route 500, we have a new act making tunes to make your head turn. ALMAHATA‘s third single Black Hair, For You is enchanting to the core and filled with character. Since coming across her music a few weeks ago, I’ve been absolutely transfixed. This one follows two outstanding opening tracks Heart of Me and the standout What If Now We All Change.
Cannot wait to see her performing live and I’ll be nodding away to these stellar early works. A talent we will be seeing a lot more of soon.
Ted Jasper / Alone
It was a few years ago I first stumbled upon some golden Ted Jasper remixes. It was around the time I was on a Laurence Guy buzz and totally obsessed with Romare and Axel Boman. Ted Jasper was another producer who made beats I could really feel good to. A few years have passed and Ted’s sound has really matured and expanded fantastically. Opting to go down the route of organic sounds rather than fully electric, we are now seeing a fresh and absolutely stunning artist rising to the surface.
Everything he has touched so far has oozed class and encouraged a sense of chill. His new single Alone is no different. Written in January whilst his girlfriend was away, this tune brings out his emotional side and we as listeners are all the better for it. He may have been feeling alone at the time of its creation but his listeners are with him every step of the way.
Emmélin / Ripple of Still
The debut release from Danish-born and now adopted Londoner Emmélin was released yesterday and it did not disappoint. One of the purest artists I’ve ever witnessed live, she made the whole audience at The Finsbury as quiet and attentive as I’ve ever seen them a few months ago. Ripple of Still displays her experimental style of performance – it’s a unique sound and each note is sculpted with care and passion. Emmélin is an important artist and this is an introduction to her work as she enters into a surely long-standing career as a cherished songwriter.
Fusing classical elements, soulful flavours and traces of spoken word, there’s not many acts like her around.
Rudi Zygadlo / Transport (Miaoux Miaoux Rework)
Rudi Zygadlo is a big deal. As I took in an intimate set from Someone a while back in Hackney, in the corner of my eye I saw a bizarrely enigmatic looking character standing beside me in the crowd. I did a double take, digesting the thick painted-on moustache, long blonde hair and choice attire before moving my gaze back to Tessa’s tunes again. I wondered if this was some sort of new emerging hip style I’ve missed out on (I’m not very in touch with trends) but I was soon to find out who this character was and fully understand the look.
It was Rudi Zygadlo of course, a dramatic looking Scotsman, the next act on the bill.
I took my place at the back of the room and Rudi and his cohorts took to stage. I didn’t know what to expect. The whole place took off in a big ball of collective energy. I’m not joking, this was a madness – the best kind. The music was pure but it was the stage presence that really got me. Rudi satirically dedicating a song to the ‘the long and caring arm of the music industry‘, he has been through the wars. Zygadlo + co. gave the small room a 10/10 performance. Miaoux Miaoux remixed a song by him today and I’d like to share it.
Novo Amor / State Lines (Live for Greenpeace)
I looked into the submissions inbox this afternoon and couldn’t believe my eyes. Staring back at me was a Novo Amor live rendition of State Lines recorded in the Antarctic. I sat mesmerised as the video played through. One of the most beautiful songs written this century chiming away as imagery of something more sinister came to the forefront. Melting glaciers are depicted as wildlife (for now) still flourishes in it’s ever-eroding environment. Images of seals and penguins surround Amor as he sings. How much longer will we wait before tackling global warming? How long will that wildlife remain if we continue butchering our atmosphere? Amor is showcasing this plight and asking these questions here.
This is a brilliant way of raising awareness – what a superb song, what a setting – hopefully it can be preserved for years to come. If not, we are in trouble. Hoping to interview the man himself shortly and get his two cents.
Billy Nomates / Blue Bones
One of my first ever interview victims back in early pandemic days. Billy Nomates (Tor Maries) took the call as I haphazardly threw together an array of questions I deemed interesting and late night talk show worthy. I was green and new to the scene (I hope I’m better at interviewing now). She was ace throughout and a really interesting and cool woman. It was a cool experience talking to one of my idols and it’s been absolutely quality seeing her rise to prominence since. Releasing under Invada, touring with Sleaford Mods, UK tours aplenty and a Jools Holland appearance, Billy Nomates is rightly at the very top of the tree nowadays.
Her debut single No is an unstoppable anthem and I have to say that Blue Bones her newest tune is right up there with it. Not to mention every other song she’s released…
Stunning work from one of the best artists to emerge in my time blogging. So good.
Yarni + Jonoa / Nova
Sheffield’s Yarni is an exceptional music maker. I came across his music off the back of a recommendation from fellow producer Give Me Monaco and have been an avid listener since. Today Yarni has released a new single alongside collaborator Jonoa and it’s another home-run. A constant fusion of styles is the general theme running throughout any of Yarni’s releases. This latest single Nova is the third offering from his forthcoming Jazz/Funk EP. It follows on from In A Dream and The Astral and is something I could see myself swaying to in The Jazz Cafe at some point. Uplifting and classy.
Absolutely wonderful.
– About ‘The Sound Sniffer’ –
The Sound Sniffer is a music blog that’s still only a baby – Founded in early 2019 by Kevin Coakley, a music writer and ghostwriter. ‘The Sound Sniffer’ also runs gigs and showcases in London since Oct 2019. The showcases are picked from artists found in the blog’s submission inbox.
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