Browsing Tag

UK RnB

Gbogboade Sculpted a Soulful Monument to the Frequency of Love’s Fragility with ‘Where Do We Go?’

Posted on 28 April 2025

With the organic percussive textures tapping against the iridescent synth lines, in all of its questioning, Where Do We Go? is an instrumental study in contrasts as Gbogboade exhibits how his passion and adoration remain unflinching in the face of uncertainty. With expressions of jazz and spoken word recordings which run just as smooth as his harmonies, the track is a complete exposition of what it means to love in the presence of doubt, not letting it slip through fear of loss, but instead, allowing your soul to remain steadfast in the presence of limitless possibilities.

Drawing on his Nigerian roots and his London experiences, Gbogboade pours his dual heritage into his sonic signature. Known for his seamless infusion of soul, jazz, hip-hop, and Afro-rooted rhythms, he creates sonic worlds that pulse with lived reality. Influenced by D’Angelo, Solange, Kendrick Lamar, and Burna Boy, his music refuses to shy away from vulnerability, strength, and the tension that pulls between the two.

Where Do We Go? serves as the centrepiece of his forthcoming EP, a three-track reflection tracing love, uncertainty, and transformation. By anchoring the composition with 85 BPM rhythms and layering in analog warmth, Gbogboade offers a rich, emotionally charged soundscape that honours both his Lagos upbringing and his diasporic evolution.

Where Do We Go? is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Soundcloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Kunle B – Wasting Time: A London Edge to R&B’s Classic Pulse

Posted on 8 April 2025
Kunle B

Kunle B may have cut his teeth in church pews and school halls, but his latest single Wasting Time proves he’s now fully in command of the late-night airwaves. Dripping with early 00s R&B swagger and wrapped in the kind of sensuous vocal delivery that leaves fingerprints on your soul, the track is a bold return for the Londoner who’s rebuilt his sound from the ground up after a vocal haemorrhage threatened to pull the plug on his rise.

He doesn’t just throw down smooth grooves—he stakes his territory with a voice that oozes intent. The cheeky edge in the voice note interludes grounds the track in the reality of London’s grit, while the sultry rhythm guitar flickers with Latin heat. It’s this juxtaposition—between street-smart bravado and slow jam sensuality—that makes Wasting Time so addictive.

The influence of Brandy, Craig David, and Michael Jackson is felt in the meticulous vocal layering and slick phrasing, but Kunle B brings something fresh with his aphrodisiacal tone and instinct for emotional weight. Every line is shaped with purpose; every harmony lands with a sting.

Having climbed from mashups on socials to writing for others and securing his own development deal, Kunle B isn’t leaning on anyone else’s vision. He’s here to push R&B forward, spotlight Black male artistry, and show the UK doesn’t need to look across the Atlantic for this calibre of soul.

Wasting Time is available to stream on all major platforms, including Soundcloud, now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Kaia Lar’s ‘I Want You to Lie’ – A Smouldering Subversion of RnB

Posted on 5 February 2025

Kaia Lar isn’t here to offer rose-tinted illusions with her latest single, I want you to lie. The London-based singer-songwriter, who originally hails from Kazakhstan lit up the airwaves with her trailblazing approach to RnB, jazz and soul fusion which nestles into a subversion that flips the script on romantic delusion.

With a title that compels you to lean in, I Want You to Lie is more than just a soul-driven plea—it’s a raw, unfiltered commentary on the comforts of self-deception in relationships. The maturity within Lar’s lyricism is undeniable, and when paired with her nuanced vocal style, it solidifies her as a force within modern soul. She delivers all the accessibility of Amy Winehouse while carrying the torch of the genre’s great chanteuses, effortlessly balancing vulnerability with defiance.

The spoken-word segment alone will arrest any fans of Lola Young, it cuts through the smooth RnB grooves like a razor-sharp juxtaposition to the rich timbres in her harmonies. With a voice that commands attention and a sound that refuses to be boxed in, Lar has proven she won’t have reached her true place in the industry until she’s filling stadiums and claiming her spot at the top of the charts.

After dropping on January 17th, I want you to lie is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Feathers and Fault Lines: Libë’s Haunts with the Neo-Soul Resonance in ‘Birds of a Feather

Posted on 5 January 2025

Libë’s third hit single, Birds of a Feather, flips the script on archetypal RnB lyricality by tenderly exploring the painful facets of attachment, reaching the epitome of emotive duality.

The lyrics are enough to meditate on, and the smooth yet intricately decorated instrumentals ease you further into a reflective ambience. As the reprise of “guess I’m stuck with you” drifts in through Libë’s aphrodisiacally affecting and organically raw vocals, each second in the cinematic scope of the release resonates with the full force of the longing that shaped this smooth contemporary ballad.

Produced by Mercury Prize-nominated Drew Horley—who has collaborated with esteemed artists such as Estelle, Burna Boy, De La Soul, and Jay Sean—Birds of a Feather is the third in a Neo-soul series depicting a toxic couple bound by hopeless circumstances. In a tragic twist on the saying “birds of a feather flock together,” each lyrical protagonist is too toxic for anyone else, leaving them tied to the same fractured union.

Born in London to Nigerian heritage and raised in Sheffield from the age of nine, Libë has used her classical piano background to craft an R&B/Neo-soul blueprint infused with gospel, soul, and Afrobeats nuances. Since choosing music over a law degree in 2019, she’s consistently garnered impressive streaming figures. Keep an eye on social media for the remaining five singles completing the tumultuous relationship arc.

Birds of a Feather was officially released on December 13 and is available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Saasil on earth – 5:30: A Cosmic Neo-Soul Embodiment of Empowerment

Posted on 13 December 2024

Saasil on earth, the North West London neo-soul artist renowned for their otherworldly introspection-infused grooves, delivered a sonic salve for fractured hearts with her latest single, 5:30.

From the opening slick-with-remorse apologetic voicemail, she draws listeners into a narrative charged with unresolved tension. The track’s dual perspective, intimately painted by Saasil’s silky vocals and the tempting honeyed tones of a lothario, takes you straight into the discordance of a relationship that’s well past its breaking point. The seductive contemporary grooves, laced with organic textures and an empowering arcane quality, build a backdrop that is as evocative as it is rhythmically refined.

As the narrative unfolds, you’re caught in a vice-like grip of curiosity, aching for some sense of resolution. All too often, artists fail to paint in strokes as messy as reality, yet Saasil on earth captured the often chaotic nature of love in one of the most original RnB tracks of 2024.

With a flair for weaving cerebral emotional depth into ethereally luxe neo-soul aesthetics, the conduit of soul orchestrated a track that’s equal parts relatable and transcendent with her sensuously silky harmonies which resound as though they belong outside of our material world.

Stream 5:30 on Spotify now, and connect with Saasil on earth via Instagram and TikTok.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sharpen your sense of self-worth in the groove pockets of TAZ’s latest RnB Funk release, tunnel vision

Posted on 10 December 2024

With her latest single, Tunnel Vision, TAZ claims her place as the goddess of groove, delivering a funk-wrapped celebration of self-love and empowerment. Hailing from Surrey, the rising star built on the acclaim of her debut, Summertime x, with an up-tempo Neo-Soul release that bursts with vibrant energy and candid lyrical storytelling.

The lush harmonies in Tunnel Vision pop with radiant colour, intertwining seamlessly with staccato guitar chops that electrify the track’s rhythmic pulse. As the song unfolds, the emotive intensity crescendos, with TAZ’s soulful vocals becoming a clarion call for romantic empowerment.

For anyone who suffered fools in the name of love, Tunnel Vision has what it takes to convince the new generation of RnB fans to take every fragment of their self-worth into the battleground, otherwise known as the modern dating scene. The live feel of the production amplifies the authenticity of her message, with each lyric cutting straight to the listener.

Inspired by legends such as Amy Winehouse, Lauryn Hill, and Alicia Keys, TAZ fuses Neo-Soul, Jazz, and Pop influences to scribe an arrestingly unique sonic signature into her critically acclaimed hits.

Stream tunnel vision on major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sasha Sky found her place in a niche of style and grace with her indie RnB single, Outside of Us

Posted on 20 November 2024

Sasha Sky, a seraphically sublime soulstress emerging from County Durham, reached the epitome of sophistication with her indie RnB release, ‘Outside of Us’. As her lines weave through organically magnetic harmonies that embed the emotions of the lyrics into the listener’s psyche, the melodies carry just as much ease with their mellifluous loungey gentility.

With warm, distinctively embellished textures and intricately stacked layers that don’t merely sum to a whole but open a panorama of soulful experience, the track invites you to immerse in the colour and sincerity of its composition, grooving against your emotional impulses and leaving a lasting mark.

This single stands in stark contrast to the modern charts’ disregard for genuine grace as it vindicates the romantically scorned, showcasing Sasha as the embodiment of the refinement she portrays in her music.

Since beginning her music career during the 2021 lockdown, Sasha has drawn upon her lifelong love for music, songwriting, and poetry, a venture emboldened by her studies in Performing Arts and Music at New College Durham. This background honed her ability to weave sonic narratives that speak directly to the soul. As the crowning point of her career so far, Outside of Us is the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself to a superlative voice in contemporary indie RnB.

Outside of Us was officially released on November 7th and is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify and SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nicole Leaskk unveiled RnB’s most authenticated modern love story with ‘Want You’ ft Strizzy Strauss

Posted on 5 June 2024

Nicole Leaskk’s latest Afrobeat-heated single, Want You, is a subversive symbol of defiance in the face of RnB tropes. If you’re tired of the lyrical fawning and mourning old flames as their light dims, tune into the 90s RnB-inspired summer pop anthem that captures the passion of tragically relatable conflict. Tempers run as hot as the tones in RnB’s most authenticated modern love story.

The reprising lyric “I don’t even want you, I just want to prove you’re mine” testifies to the inevitability of becoming an unwilling pawn in mind games if you dare to delve into the dating pool as Latin flavours ooze through the guitars and percussion and bring the rhythmically kinetic groove in the Afrobeat-tinted production.

Strizzy Strauss’ grime-y rap bars work in dynamic contrast to Nicole Leaskk’s firebranded vocals as he delivers the other side of a cat-and-mouse vignette of tormenting prey before casting aside and moving onto the next chase.

The flawless execution of Want You will undoubtedly leave the UK singer-songwriter open to more critical acclaim. If you’re still sleeping on her, you may as well be in a coma.

Want You was officially released on May 31; stream the single on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The UK’s hottest RnB trio, Y.Q.S, Harmonised Through An Interplay of Light and Dark Duality in Their Latest Single, No Angel

Posted on 24 May 2024

Y.Q.S’s latest harmonised-to-the-nines contemporary RnB single, No Angel, is a sublime equilibrium that delicately balances shadow and light, embodying the complexity of feminine energy and autonomy. This track emerges from the depths of personal scars and speaks volumes of universal archetypes, presenting itself as a bold declaration of independence against the backdrop of love’s darker, often unexplored side.

Y.Q.S, a supergroup hailing from the urban melting pots of London and Manchester, channels their rich RnB heritage into a modern narrative that will ensnare fans of iconic ensembles like 3LW and Destiny’s Child. No Angel is steeped in the trio’s signature style of lush, interwoven harmonies, elegantly layered over a trappy, contemporary beat that amplifies the track’s luxe feel.

The production, handled by Klaudia Keziah and Jojo Farinella at Southampton’s Red Room Studios, further refines the single’s polished fiery signature that carries the potent with empowerment lyrics, which create a resonant anthem for those who navigate the tightrope walk of self-sacrifice in relationships.

As Y.Q.S stands poised on the brink of further acclaim, having already graced platforms at London Fashion Week and received nods from BBC Introducing, No Angel promises to elevate their artistic trajectory even higher.

The release, scheduled for streaming on all major platforms, including Spotify, from May 24th, will coincide with the release of the official music video for No Angel.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Manchester soul sensation, Tsana lit the ignition of self-liberation with her single, All of Me

Posted on 16 April 2024

With her standout single, All of Me, Manchester’s Tsana, rewrote the time-old tale of giving your all in a relationship and receiving only regret in return and reached the epitome of class in the process. Even though emotions run red-hot in the deep groove pockets of the authentic RnB installation, there’s no room for self-pity in the ignition of self-liberation, which feeds into her signature ‘street-soul’ style.

Knowing it is all too easy to slip into a cascade of self-doubt when someone refuses to affirm your worth, Tsana became the ultimate role model for anyone who knows how bittersweet to come away from a relationship scathed by unappreciation.

The Manchester-based soulstress, riding high in her ‘grown woman era’ following a hiatus which saw her bring new life into the world, was a firebrand before her break from the studio and stages, with her latest EP, Lovehood, she’s not just in her element, she’s setting the UK soul scene alight with her cognizant cultivated aura. By finding the ultimate equilibrium between confident sophistication and hell-hath-no-fury unreckonable energy, she’s the best Manchester has to offer in 2024.

All of Me is available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast