Best of October 2017 by MusicMap
The Richer Unsigned Best of October 2017 has been curated by MusicMap. “MusicMap is a music discovery platform that celebrates independent artists from every corner of the globe. Primarily based in London and Barcelona but with scouts on every continent, MusicMap aims to uncover emerging music and exciting scenes via track posts, interviews and exclusive mixes. For this playlist, they selected five fresh international artists alongside five London-based acts who represent the cosmopolitan flavour of the UK capital…”
Take a listen to their favourite 10 emerging artists from around the world:
1. Makola
Rising duo Makola have their roots in Finland and Ghana but their sound, an irrepressible explosion of hip-hop and afrobeat, could only ever have been forged in London. Their latest track, ‘All My People’, compares the frosty reception Ghanaian immigrants received in the ’50s to the more inclusive attitude that largely reigns in the capital today (“nowadays everyone’s your bruv”), and does so to an infectious beat bolstered by some exuberant samples. Look out for a debut album from Makola next year…
2. FEMME
British summers aren’t known for being particularly hot, but that hasn’t stopped London’s FEMME from bringing the ? on her latest single.
Having previously scored hits with the fresh, ebullient pop of ‘Gold’ and ‘Fever Boy’, both of which were featured on last year’s Debutante album, ‘Fire With Fire’ finds the artist taking her sound in a new direction. Tossing a quintessentially London two-step beat into the mix, she adds smouldering bass and a sprinkling of finely sliced vocal edits. The result? This year’s first essential summer jam.
3. Luke Marzec
Anglo-Polish multi-instrumentalist Luke Marzec has spent most of his career as a session musician, but his debut solo track suggests it was only a matter of time before he stepped into the spotlight. The pensive electro-soul of ‘Another Guy’ recalls Mount Kimbie’s work with King Krule, with Marzec’s hoarse, plaintive vocals adding a distinctive texture to the deftly restrained production.
4. Amelia Payne
Barbados-born Amelia Payne recorded her first track aged just 13, which might explain why the now 19-year-old artist has such a fully rounded sound. Having already appeared on Bajan TV and radio, a move to study in London has helped her hone her skills still further, resulting in the addictive future-pop of tracks like recent single ‘Down’. Time will tell if she can follow in the footsteps of Barbados’ most famous musical export Rihanna, but she clearly has the talent to do so…
5. Tony Njoku
Tony Njoku is a London based electronic artist.
6. ANKA
For a long time the only ‘Anka’ in music was fifties singer Paul, but the late Canadian crooner’s New Zealand namesake ANKA is breaking through by doing something very different right now. The Auckland native is bubbling up with his slick production skills and rubbery, bass-driven beats, which have even popped up in a new adidas ad starring basketball star Damian Lillard.
7. Faizal Ddamba Mostrixx
Faizal Ddamba Mostrixx is a Ugandan artists. A breakdancer, choreographer and social worker as well as a music producer, his recent album Tribal Match takes samples of traditional African music and places them in a powerful electronic context. “The motivation behind my work is to preserve and develop African cultural heritage”, Faizal Ddamba Mostrixx states, and his Nyege Nyege set will surely show he is succeeding.
8. Kuromoji
Kyoto’s kuromoji makes jazzy, tripped-out beats of a standard that Flying Lotus would be proud of. A skilled producer, he also strives to layer his creations with real-world recordings, carefully embedding the sound of his surroundings into his songs.
9. Lyzza
Lyzza is a Brazilian born, Amsterdam based DJ.
10. BENET
Influenced by artists from Elliot Smith to Ryuichi Sakamoto, BENET’s corresponding interest in folkloric music from Arabia, the Balkans and North America has helped forge a startling, mercurial record. Each track explores its own route, sometimes quietly reflective, sometimes rising to emotional crescendos.
