Five For Friday: Tendai, [@SPRTYK], [@MiniKingz], [@brentfaiyaz] & Bel Cobain

The tide of new music never seems to stop coming in and friday being one of the most intense days for new music we can understand if it all feels a little overwhelming. that’s why we’ve delved into the deepest and darkest corners of the musical ocean to bring you five for friday: our weekly round-up of the crème de la crème in new music.

SPRTYK  – Reggie Rocket

FROM: Bronx, NY

GENRE: hip hop / rap

SPRTYK’s latest single matches her unconstrained creative footprint; the energy of her delivery is tenable and revolutionary as she leads the way into her own metaverse. The Bronx-based takes this unbounded innovation from her multitude of skills from her artful creative direction and modelling to styling the likes of Westside Boogie, A$AP Ferg and Joey Bada$$. SPRTYK’s venture into music is highly logical.

MINIKINGZ – Iced Out Summer

FROM: North London, UK

GENRE: alternative rap

North London supreme trio MINKINGZ, made up of BenjiFlow, Oscar #Worldpeace and Ragz Originale, have released a new single ‘ICED OUT SUMMER’ pulled from their upcoming debut mixtape ICONICY. Over a synthed-out, bubbling beat the three evoke their individual flows, vocal pitch shifts and staccato rhythms. The synergy is without a doubt present as the visual supplement, directed by Lauren Luxenburgm set the group in a curated party/ studio setting amongst friends. A simple yet effective accompaniment to the track.

Brent Faiyaz – Price of Fame

FROM: Maryland, US

GENRE: r&b

“They just wanna take me off of here / They just wanna knock me off my square, look at that / I can’t fake a smile, it’s hard to wear.” R&B prince, Brent Faiyaz has graced us with a new album ‘WASTELAND’, with lead single ‘Price of Fame’ released earlier last week. The six-minute song consists of two parts. In part one, Faiyaz is frank with his experiences of popularity and stardom, detailing the grueling sides to the supposed glamorous lifestyle. He goes on to share how some people want to see him fail and how challenging it can be to keep a smile on your face at all times. 

Tendai – Pressure

FROM: East London, UK

GENRE: alternative rap / r&b

Based in the industrial surroundings of Canning Town, Tendai delivers the revitalising ‘Pressure’, produced by Blakey. An r&b inspired track which, once again, brandishes his superior knack for versatility. From his lauded debut ‘Not Around’, to the equally commended ‘Infinite Straight’ and his UKG-inclined ‘Lately’. Said versatility feels infallible as he still channels a strong branding through his musical style, through contemplative penmanship providing a mirror into London’s social landscapes. The 22 year old is breaking speed limits as he drives the next generation of UK music to dizzy new heights.

Bel Cobain – Leader

FROM: East London, UK

GENRE: indie jazz/ nu-soul

It’s not hard to fall in love with Bel Cobain’s seraphic vocals. ‘Leader’ is the first part of the East Londoner’s recent double-single and is the result of her innovative fusion of genres. Largely her sounds evoke intonations from Afrobeats and Latin music. Making for an idyllic addition for those summer soundtrack’s as she surrenders herself to the greater forces in the world. A liberation from confing thoughts. Something that would resonate with many as it shifts the magnifying glass over her experiences in the last few years. On the B side, Bel delivers a haunting, psychedelic infused ballad with ‘Unsafe House’ continuing in the Latin theme with muffled percussion, Triphop elements and a bassline courtesy of Bel; subtly tackling ancestral trauma.