Nnaomi - ‘Hate Me’ Single Review

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Nnaomi - ‘Hate Me’ Single Review

Nnaomi evokes even more emotion and sentiment with her swirling, impactful and atmospheric new single, ‘Hate Me’.

This new single from Nnaomi should certainly be praised for its daring and experimental nature. Currently, RnB and neo-soul are genres that are often at risk of being represented in incredibly dull and uninspired forms. Dragging structures, tired performances and bland instrumentation plagues the style, especially in the mainstream. Which is why a progressive, texturally interesting and innovative RnB single like ‘Hate Me’ is so important for that corner of contemporary music; it displays that even a genre that has travelled as far as RnB still has room to change, adapt and evolve.

The track begins with a lo-fi aesthetic due to the old home video tape that crackles over the opening piano. This nostalgic tone is then instantly contexualised with the opening lyrics, “Reminiscing on old days.” I think this clear emotive intention and focus from Nnaomi powers this single and is the main reason why the alternative creative choices work so well.

The filtering bass synth introduced near the middle is used as an early hint that these retrospective thoughts could be too much to deal with and are at risk of overwhelming her. This is then interrupted by Nnaomi trying to explain herself. The moment she sings “explain”, the intense bass is silenced, as is the emotional use of reverb and echo on her voice. This is a fantastic example of a production technique being repurposed as a narrative device.

At just over 2 minutes long, this track still manages to progress so organically and timely; it takes its time to set the pace and tone of the story told in the lyrics. At the climax of the track, it feels like Nnaomi’s painful memories begin to swirl more unstably around her head as samples and synths begin to distort, warp and spin around the stereo space. These flittering pieces of audio eventually start to drown out Nnaomi’s voice which paints a tragic image of her thoughts and guilt becoming overpowering and too much to process.

The production prowess needed to craft such a powerful, yet carefully crafted wall of noise is impressive and brave, considering that Nnaomi’s voice is so delicate and vulnerable on this track. The dissonant and wild synths heard towards the end are kept in a cage just big enough to have a volatile effect but small enough as to not overpower too much in the mix.

The direction Nnaomi decided to go with this track is obviously genius however, the only way I could imagine it becoming more impactful is if the crescendo of noise grew even more and briefly took over completely before clearing out and finally letting her breathe.

Nnaomi has now contributed two tracks to Jeeni’s RnB channel and we look forward to expanding the channel with similarly brilliant tracks in the future. Nnaomi has been a keen member of Jeeni’s mission for several months now. She sat down for an ‘Inside Story’ interview last summer at Victorious Festival in which she mentions her influences and favourite artists which ranges from Tyler, The Creator to Whitney Houston. Jeeni would love to flood our RnB channel with more acts just like Nnaomi, so reach out to us on social media if you'd like to contribute your work to Jeeni's library of talent:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeenimusic/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeenimusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeenimusic

Check out Nnaomi's showcase on Jeeni: https://jeeni.com/showcase/nnaomi/

How can Jeeni support artists like Nnaomi?

JEENI is a multi-channel platform for original entertainment on demand. We’re a direct service between creatives and the global audience.

• We give creatives, independent artists and performers a showcase for their talent and services. And they keep 100% of everything they make.
• We empower our audience and reward them every step of the way.
• We promise to treat our members ethically, fairly, honestly and with respect.
• Access to artist liaison and a supportive marketing team.

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05
Jun

6 of the best music related sites and blogs

We have been scanning the internet and asking members what they think are the very best music-related sites and blogs. Basically, what's hot and what's not! Our choices may well differ from yours, so let's have the debate. Many things have changed in recent years and will change at an even greater pace now. With online streaming services we can enjoy our music for free or a low cost. So let's get started with the ones we love. We love Vampr. Vampr is an app that helps you discover, connect and collaborate with fellow musicians, the music industry and music lovers alike. Vampr stats show 33,798,736 swipes and 5,017,135 connections made in 198 countries worldwide. Pretty impressive stuff, so check them out here. https://vampr.me/ We also love Pitchfork. Pitchfork has some awesome features such as best new music, and we really like the music reviews. The writers seem to be in the know and very much "thought leaders" in the music industry. They are continually updating the website with the latest information related to the music industry. Unfortunately one of Pitchfork's main features is that they have their own music festival, this year to be held in Berlin which would have hosted over 40 bands across three different stages, but now cancelled. Check out Pitchfork here: https://pitchfork.com/ We also love Hypebot. Hypebot is one of the most well-known online music sites in the industry, and there is good reason for that! This site is updated very regularly so you know you are getting all the latest information possible. They also cover other areas such as “Music Tech”, “DIY” and “Charts”. You can also sign up to the Hypebot newsletter to get the daily lowdown on everything happening straight to your inbox! Hypebot covers a wide variety of topics in the music industry, so no matter what you are looking for, you’ll probably be able to find it here. They also have a charts section where you can filter by “emerging artists” or “established artists” as well as the country and city. And of course you can play artist tracks. Check out Hypebot here: https://www.hypebot.com/ Our next site is Your EDM, dedicated to Electronic Dance Music. Everything you need to stay up to date with the latest in this music genre can be found here. This includes all the latest news as well as featured articles and sub-sections/ genres of EDM, like house and bass. On this site you even have the ability to download free songs, from a variety of different artists trying to make a name for themselves in the industry. All the different sub-genres are listed on the site as well, so even if your taste is really narrow in EDM, you can still find some great information. New info is updated almost daily. Make sure you follow them on social media as well, so it is even easier to get updated on the latest information. Check out Your EDM here: https://www.youredm.com/ Next on our it's-gotta-be-hot list is All Music. All Music doesn’t really have as much news on the music industry as the others listed here, but their focus is mainly on providing information in new music and helping visitors discover their next obsession. They also provide recommendations if you create an account, and once you have rated albums, you will get recommendations on what to listen to next. They cover music from all common genres including pop, rap, electronic, classical, blues, country and more. They provide an in-depth review of all the latest albums and give options on how to stream the tunes, if you want to. There are three different ratings available to view, “All Music Rating”, “User Ratings” and “Your Rating” so you can have a more detailed view on what people think about a particular album. Check out All Music here: https://www.allmusic.com/ Last but not least we love Jeeni. Jeeni is a new platform that we are developing for Independent Musicians and Performers and is in beta testing phase. JEENI is a multi-channel streaming service for original and unsigned talent. Jeeni provides a showcase for musicians and performers to put their talent in the spotlight, giving superfans the power to make them stars. The Jeeni promise is to treat their creative talent ethically, fairly, honestly and with respect. Most importantly Jeeni is committed to – No hype. No adverts. No rip-offs. No Fakes, and making sure that the artists get 100% of their direct sales. Jeeni is presently looking for beta-testers to help us improve the site. A beta-tester simply registers for a FREE account, then designs their own showcase by uploading their music and videos and give us feedback on their user experience. Please contact Shena@jeeni.com or call 07703567196 if you are interested and want to find out more. Check out Jeeni today: https://jeeni.com/ That's all Folks!

01
Mar

WesLi D - ‘Walk Of Life’ Single Review

WesLi D’s first single of this year is an inventive and ambitious hip house banger, sure to evoke warm summer memories from all. A new addition to Jeeni, ‘Walk Of Life’ is currently the only track on WesLi D’s showcase and yet, the track still paints a vivid and inspired image of his craft and creative capabilities. We can’t wait to add more of WesLi D’s older and future tracks to Jeeni’s database of talent. Check out WesLi D on Jeeni: https://jeeni.com/showcase/ctq6hi7bzb6e/?view=about WesLi’s versatile voice and production style means that he’s able to represent a host of sub-genres and influences. His album from last year, ‘Sunny Days Ahead’ covers UK jazz rap with ‘Time Flies’, garage with ‘Pressure’ and most relevant to his newest track, WesLi dabbles with house in the last two tracks, ‘Clear Mind’ and ‘Yours To Keep’. Featuring chopped-up piano chord stabs with intense, layered beats, WesLi does so well to incorporate old-school house elements into his sound without diluting either his or his muse’s style. WesLi’s entrance into hip house is a calculated and smart transition; the final tracks to his album acted as a hint at what he’s been experimenting with lately and then, chronologically, comes ‘Walk Of Life’. The introduction for 'Walk Of Life’ is brave and very unsubtle for such a chill single; instantly the majority of the beat is heard, except without the four-to-the-floor kick drums to act as its backbone. The result is frankly, a jarring and odd display of almost random drum hits. Which is why it’s so satisfying when the kick finally does enter after four bars. The payoff for that initially weird introduction is beyond worth it, because the perfect context and explanation for those eclectic drum beats is provided in the form of steady kick drums and a commanding bassline sitting under it all. A totally effective and brilliant introduction that catches the listener off-guard and lets them know that this single isn’t standard by any means. WesLi D’s particular step into hip house feels particularly reminiscent of Channel Tres and his approach to beats and rumbling basslines. However, something that WesLi can utilise that Channel Tres struggles with is an adaptable and flexible voice. Where Channel Tres mostly just speaks softly over his beats, WesLi can confidently speak, rap and sing on his tracks. On ‘Walk Of Life’, we mostly hear WesLi’s singing voice which is as velvety as the Rhoades-esque electric piano that warbles across the entire piece. A highlight for me on this single are the choruses which completely changes the vibe from the pre-chorus which is the most pessimistic and tonally dark section of the track. In fact, the lyrical sections of this single are so clever in that they each represent mood shifts in WesLi as he processes the passing of time and trying not to let his dreams pass him by: In the verses, we see a hopeful but concerned mind-set, “I don’t know where I’m going on this walk of life, But I’m hoping that everything will be alright”, then in the pre-choruses, WesLi is in a dark and gloomy place as he says, “I’ve been searching for some time now. Tryna take some time out. Feel like I’m running out of time now”. Finally, the choruses move from minor to major in an uplifting modulation to represent WesLi D at his most optimistic, “It’s all mine, walk of life. Ain’t no dream passing me by”. A deceptively simple track from WesLi D as he seemingly masters the hip house genre in one of his first attempts. Listen on Jeeni here: https://jeeni.com/walk-of-life-wesli-d/ How can Jeeni support artists like WesLi D? JEENI is a multi-channel platform for original entertainment on demand. We’re a direct service between creatives and the global audience. Album review album review album review • We give creatives, independent artists and performers a showcase for their talent and services. And they keep 100% of everything they make. • We empower our audience and reward them every step of the way. • We promise to treat our members ethically, fairly, honestly and with respect. • Access to artist liaison and a supportive marketing team.

13
Dec

Artist Focus: Baby Panna

The Portsmouth Rapper’s raw, tongue skipping, quick style of rapping is very unique. His raps are a breath of fresh air due to the spoken word, poetry style. Depth and meaning in lyrics are Baby Panna’s forte, you can’t help but digest, despite the pace at which he spits. He keeps up a consistent, fast pace in most of his music, yet it’s still remarkably easy to follow and understand which is rare. He has an alikeness to names such as Hopsin, Immortal Technique, Akala, Capital Steez and Wretch 32 in his lyricism, while his voice has similarity to President T or a British Famous Dex. Baby Panna addresses a lot of current issues we encounter today, such as the ‘Instagram’ popularity/filter façade, love, his demons, materialism and those against him. These hot topics make for some very interesting listening, he is clearly very clued up on for example spirituality, politics, class systems and relationships, which he heavily delves into in each of his tracks. His track ‘T1GR355’ particularly grabbed my attention, the lo-fi style of cut up samples communicates a brilliantly romantic energy while he professes his adoration for a ‘Golden Tigress’ he cannot commit to. The chopped-up guitar and low frequency, oscillating bass adds a lot of emotion and finesse to the track, reminding me of certain romantic Slowthai songs such as ‘Feel Away’. The track ends with an emotional call from who I assume is the aforementioned ‘Golden Tigress’. ‘Grinding’ is a soulful, happy, lighthearted hip hop track, as Baby Panna speaks well of his will to work, progress, and that of his friends. The strings make a great backing for a song of such a topic, you can tell he really enjoyed writing this as it’s got a real bounce to it. That and the positive energy of the song make it truly catchy. The hook is also very catchy, reminding me of ‘New Freezer’ by Rich the Kid and Kendrick Lamar. There’s also a certain Eminem quality to his speed and rhyming patterns, particularly in ‘Murder She Wrote’. The upbeat, fast moving, start-stop nature of the tune is really interesting. While the detuned sounding, almost creepy beat is very unique and hard hitting. Baby Panna does incredibly well to keep up with the beat, that is around 87bpm but in double time. Baby Panna has made his own sound which is brilliant, the alternative rap enthusiast would love his music and the topics he covers. The production in itself is also very different and fresh, we love artists like Baby Panna. Check out Baby Panna on Jeeni here: https://jeeni.com/?s=baby+panna How can Jeeni support artists like Baby Panna? JEENI is a multi-channel platform for original entertainment on demand. We’re a direct service between creatives and the global audience. • We give creatives, independent artists and performers a showcase for their talent and services. And they keep 100% of everything they make.• We empower our audience and reward them every step of the way.• We promise to treat our members ethically, fairly, honestly and with respect.• Access to artist liaison and a supportive marketing team.

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