Listen to these lot to prepare yersen for a spot of trick-or-treatin'
Juga-Naut x Sonnyjim
The Purple Door
Album
Sonnyjim once said that there were only a few rappers in the UK that he truly liked. On The Purple Door, Juga-Naut demonstrates why he’s one of them. An excellent pairing of boisterous and witty personalities, this release is a highlight of Sonnyjim’s career as EatGood records head honcho. Both are well known by their fans as lovers of the finer things in life, yet they shrug off their lavish brands and instead inject wordplay into a variety of flows. However, their similarities end there. While they both excel in gluttonous bravado, Jugz reminds listeners of the proactive, positive message of hip hop on Look Around, a highlight of the album. Whereas Sonnyjim’s verse on Duck Season is a belter, with searing punchlines delivered by his signature nonplussed demeanour. Ashwin Balu
Paul Ibbotson
Consolation for Violin & Piano / Prelude for Piano
Album
The delicate level of rhythm coming from Paul’s mix of violin and piano is fit for a meditation, a slow dance and a drift-off, all rolled into one. With each track played so beautifully and carefully, there’s time to admire the pace changes between slow and speedy, shown best on the Violin and Piano Mix, which builds with some slight suspense. The album has a wonderful blend of artistry, sound and general musical brilliance, played with passion and pleasure. It’s the type of album that you could listen to on repeat. Invigorating to the brain, and riddled with that other-wordly wooze; if you’re looking for something to relax your bones after a long day, Paul’s therapeutic melodies will do just the trick. Hanna Mawla
Chloe McShane
Butterfly
EP
Chloe McShane made her first mark on the Nottingham music scene back in 2012, when she provided vocals to various underground producers. In 2013, she started writing her own music and recorded her debut EP, Singing Red, comprised of four hard-hitting tracks showcasing the best of her singing ability. Chloe’s velvety-smooth vocals are back out to play on latest release Butterfly, reminiscent of early noughties r’n’b classics. The track was played on BBC Introducing in December, and has been making waves on Spotify and Apple Music since. A jack-of-all-trades, Chloe’s songs successfully venture into pop, indie and electronic genres. Inspired by her own personal experiences, her lyrics provide an outlet for the singer to “express herself without being judged.” We can’t wait to hear what’s next. Alexandra Chrysotomou
J. Cooper
Malignant Spectres
Album
J. Cooper returns with an album full of impressive experimental tracks, and no two sound the same. His lyrics are sung with a soft touch and come complemented by mind-soothing accompanying instruments. Whether it’s the press of a key or a guitar string plucked, the music empowers the vocals, creating an alternate, experimental-indie style that can't be compared to anything else. It's not just the songs and lyrics that showcase Cooper's alternative tendencies; even the album's eerily atmospheric artwork matches the experimental style of the tracks. When men are dressed as goats, you know things are going to get strange. Get past the goats though, and Malignant Spectres will transport you. Soft and peaceful, it’ll lift your mood in an unconventional way. Ryan Muress
Theorist
Ghosts
Album
Appropriately named, Ghosts is a haunting album by Theorist. Smudges of blurry vocals are interspersed with jarring pauses and static to give the tracks a chilling feel that had me looking over my shoulder to check I was alone. No genre can describe the unique, unnerving atmosphere these songs create; listening to Ghosts is like watching a horror film that doesn’t stop when you turn the TV off. Each song is utterly different to the next, possessing distinctly addictive and morbid personalities, yet the tracks still share an identical underlying tension. This album feels more like an experience than just music; Ghosts will plunge you into something resembling fear, then rip you back out at the end before turning off the lights. Hannah Beresford
Nusic Box
Your new Notts music tip sheet, as compiled by Nusic's Sam Nahirny
Tilly Greentree
Ever think back to when you were a wee lad or lass at school and how you did absolutely nothing productive? Tilly Greentree is fifteen years old, and has already written and released three banging pop songs that wouldn’t sound out of place on an early Dua Lipa EP. Soulful and diverse, mixing between vibey summer-pop and melodic acoustic numbers, it’s crazy to think that Tilly has crafted these beauties at such a young age. Where she’ll go next musically, we don’t know, but we are definitely intrigued to see what slick productions drop next.
True Colours
This is the new project of former Adelphia frontman Nick Crampton, and if you loved the epic guitars and monstrous choruses of Adelphia, you're in for a treat. This proper exciting project takes all the best bits of that band and ruffs it up around the edges with added ferocious screams, while still maintaining that beautiful pop sheen that could see them take on the Rock City stage one day. Get your best fringe cut and prepare yourself for the best emosh-mosh of your life.
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