Press Releases For August. Here Are The Artists
Betty Who, MuMu, Genesis Owusu, Nick Leng, No Win, Reckling, and Channel Tres are the artists among these press releases for August.
Betty Who – “She Can Dance”: An airwaves-ready light dance track with a hooky chorus. This is a song from Australian pop iconoclast Betty Who’s upcoming album, “BIG!,” out October 14th via BMG. ““She Can Dance” is about as autobiographical as I could get,” Betty says about the single. “I knew making this album that the stories had to be true, that it had to feel scary and more vulnerable than ever. So without further ado, I present to you a retelling of the facts of my life as I see them. She was never perfect, but at least she tried and had a great time along the way. I hope “She Can Dance” makes you feel like YOU can dance through the trying times.” Directed by Aerin Moreno (Madison Beer, Sofi Tukker), the aqua-tinged “She Can Dance” video sees Betty Who come into her own. There’s no elaborate backdrop, just Betty and a crew of talented dancers. Moreno’s vision places all the emphasis on the singer’s story and infectious dance moves. 2022 ushers in a new era for Betty as an artist. After taking a hiatus during the pandemic to self-reflect and record, her sound is more refined and in tune with her inner world than ever before. “Blow Out My Candle,” Betty’s first single release which debuted last month, was a triumphant return to form for Betty Who and a catchy ode to perseverance. Last month, Betty performed “Blow Out My Candle” on both The Late Late Show with James Corden and Good Morning America.
MuMu – “Wrapped Up”: A light R&B vibe, the song is heavy on guitars while MuMu’s strong vocals carry this pro-choice anthem. With the recent, abhorrent overturning of Roe v. Wade at the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court, NYC singer-songwriter MuMu felt a responsibility to share this new single, a song that retells real stories of three women who faced the challenges of unplanned pregnancy. It expresses the vitality of one’s right to choose, and the detrimental effects of those rights being taken away. She also shared an emotive live performance of the track. She additionally wrote the following essay, breaking down the song’s deeper meaning and the deeply moving, and relevant message it relays: “When I was a little girl, I didn’t fully understand the term “pro-choice.” I thought that meant I would be ok with having an abortion if the time came. One of my older sisters delicately explained to me that pro-choice isn’t about personal choice, it’s about acknowledging that everyone has the right to choose for themselves. A simple shift in perspective made all the difference. As I got older, I realized that not everyone has a wise family member or friend to help them gain perspective. It’s difficult to determine what’s fair or just when we’re inundated with misinformation and skewed personal agendas. But it’s not my place to tell you that you’re wrong. I just tell stories – real stories about living, breathing women who have been overlooked and under-heard. Verse 1 is about a small girl in a little town. She’s being raised by a neglectful mother who has had a string of abusive relationships. This little girl finds solace in a boy who tells her everything she wants to hear, for selfish reasons. She ends up needing an abortion and when she gets to the clinic, protestors scream and throw rocks at her. “They wanted a child to have a child of her own.” Verse 2 is about a college student who’s worked hard in school and has big dreams for her future. She is drugged and raped at a party. Her mother blames her and pressures her to carry the baby to term. Everything she’s been working towards has been taken away by the decisions of others. Verse 3 is about a single mother of six. She does not receive child support and works around the clock to support her children. When her ex stops by one night, she ends up pregnant again. She lives in a state without access to abortion care and she doesn’t have the funds or the time to travel somewhere that does. In a desperate moment, she tries to miscarriage at home. It goes terribly wrong. Abortions have always existed and always will. They are part of our human herstory. There is written documentation of different abortion methods used all over the world. Archeologists have discovered instruments used to perform abortions that date back hundreds of years. Limiting abortion access does not prevent abortions from happening, it prevents them from being safe. An abortion is not an easy choice to make, but it’s an impossible choice to make for a stranger. And if we take away the right to safe reproductive care, people will suffer. People will die. I’ve had the honor of supporting friends while they go through the process of getting an abortion. I’ve never for a second gotten the impression that the process was easy. “Wrapped Up” is a love song to all the women out there who have braved the storm of misunderstanding. All the women who were pressured into a life they didn’t choose. All the women who resisted. All the women who rose up. And all the women who fell. I love you. You deserve better than this.“ More New Music Coming Soon via InKind Music/The Orchard.
Genesis Owusu – “GTFO”: Rap verses above a lullaby-like choir that swells the simple song into cinematic levels. The video (directed by Rhett Wade-Ferrell aka Uncle Friendly) that accompanies the song could indeed be the opening credits for a fantasy film. An unmistakable warmth and spoken word lead the track to a bridge and chorus, its analog instrumentation co-written by Genesis and a smaller version of his recording band including Michael DiFrancesco (Touch Sensitive), Jono Ma, and OURNESS label founder, Andrew Klippel. Produced by Andrew Klippel, Dann Hume, and Jono Ma, and mixed by Spike Stent, the accompaniment shifts with the band leader’s groove, as Owusu yells “get the f*ck out” over a marching beat and a crash of cymbals, kept in razor-sharp time. With “GTFO,” Genesis Owusu invites us once more to the listening party of his innermost thoughts, in which he simultaneously shares his compelling story and unreservedly expresses his truest opinions. In the video, Owusu kneels in prayer before a candle-lit shrine as he recites the song’s opening lines. After an escaped cockroach breaks his attention, the remainder of the video sees Owusu driven insane as he hunts down the insect, wreaking havoc to the house in the process. “There are many people like Roach. Strugglers, doing whatever they can to get through hell and high water. Bankruptcy, depression, sickness; God himself can try to stand in the way, but a struggler has to keep struggling. And a Roach has to keep Roaching. Even when it’s told to GTFO.” The press release reads. Genesis will be performing across North American festivals including Osheaga Festival, Lollapalooza, This Ain’t No Picnic, and Austin City Limits.
Nick Leng – “Easy”: An anxious ukulele, spacious keys, and airy falsetto vocals build up a layered psychedelic, polyphonic soundscape with a symphonic vibe and an emotive dimension. This is another song from South African alt-R&B singer-songwriter Nick Leng’s new album, “Spirals,” released last month via SOTA Records. “I feel much more in tune with myself,” says the South-African-born, Los Angeles-based Leng. “In the past, I’ve battled this insecurity making music.” Classically trained as a child, he’s metamorphosed into a free-spirited musician who sees opportunities, not boundaries. But he’s also a natural-born perfectionist, which comes with some trappings. “I was stressed and had anxiety. But with Spirals, I reconnected with joy.” His listeners are beneficiaries of this, an artful journey entrenched in the many dualities in life. The album “Spirals” is anchored by a pair of songs examining the everyday human condition, as a commentator, Leng is fearless in chasing emotions and candid about wherever they lead him.
No Win – “Hit the Line”: A hooky pop song with confident melodies, bright soaring harmonies, and sunny vibes for an uplifting result. “Hit The Line,” which comes with a vintage karaoke-style music video, is the newest single off the band’s forthcoming album, “Dodger Stadium,“ due August 19 via Dangerbird Records. The entire forthcoming album was co-written by Jeff Enzor (Joyce Manor, Merry Christmas) and David Jerkovich (Deep Dreem, Ill Lit, Kind Of Like Spitting). Speaking on their new single, Danny Nogueiras wrote: “‘Hit The Line’ was written by me and two friends (Jeff Enzor, David Jerkovich). We all brought our own meanings and interpretations to the table but I think the song is ultimately about being that unreliable person hurting someone you love. We tried to juxtapose that feeling against a fun dance-y track that felt like a party.” “Dodger Stadium” came to life early in the pandemic, and themes of political dissatisfaction, confusion, and societal angst peak through on the album. The horror of the Trump Administration and the uncertainty of COVID put Nogueiras in a weird headspace. However, instead of letting that negativity manifest itself as gloom, he inadvertently found himself making art as a way to boost morale. “The studio became a safe haven and it felt really good to express things and explore things here (Balboa) that were, like, ‘fuck yeah! This feels fun, this feels good, this feels happy!’,” Nogueiras says when asked about the things going on in his life that shaped his work. It’s this overt sense of optimism that makes the record so exciting and memorable.
Reckling – “Verbalize”: A dark tone for this melodious track where guitars and drums are in full force but still dominated by Kelsey Reckling’s strong vocals. Reckling is an LA-based four-piece led by vocalist/songwriter Kelsey Reckling that specializes in garage/punk rock. Made up of drummer Max Keuhn (FIDLAR), guitarist Erik Jimenez (Together Pangea), and bassist Joey Mullen (Paramore/HalfNoise), the supergroup will be sharing a brand new four-track EP entitled “Human Nature” On August 12. The album was recorded, engineered, and mixed by Danny Nogueiras in his Los Angeles-based Balboa Recording Studio, and it was mastered by Joey Oaxaca of Oaxaca Records. This summer, Reckling is playing a handful of live dates, including gigs supporting Death Valley Girls and Death Lens. Released on 7” vinyl from independent label Wink and Spit Records, the digital release additionally includes a husky and raucous Bad Brains cover.
Channel Tres – “Just Can’t Get Enough“: Waves of harmonies, a funky dancefloor, and Channel Tres’s cool and sultry delivery for a new single off his debut LP, “Real Cultural Shit,” out this fall via Godmode. “Some people say this ain’t black music. Well, it ain’t. It’s black precision. And I’m as precise as they can be,” declared Channel Tres. Embodying the glam and decadence of the ‘70s, he talks up his “custom cufflinks” and “gator shoes” over jubilant production that samples legendary soul man Teddy Pendergrass. Recent releases “Acid In My Blood” and “Ganzfeld Experiment” served as the first installment of Channel’s new vision of Compton dance music and upcoming album – a harder, more techno-inspired record for his day-one fans. “Compton house” is his invention, a blend of the rhythms of Chicago house and Detroit techno with the snarl of West Coast rap. It’s proven to be an irresistible formula. His deep Barry White-like voice has found fans in everyone from Tyler, The Creator to Elton John to Barack Obama. Additionally, following on the heels of his debut Coachella performance, a showstopping set at NYC’s Gov Ball and a host of summer festival stops, the west coast polymath announces his largest North American headline tour to date where he will make stops at Brooklyn Steel in New York City and Emo’s in Austin.
