Artists You Need To Hear About Right Now
Four unmissable artists, all in one place. The team at Slow Motion Panic Masters has four more suggestions for you all to pay attention to right now, or regret missing out on some of the most exciting music the world has to offer.
But first, make sure to follow our spotify playlist with the link below and tune in to hear our favourite tracks of May 2020 right now:
NATASHA BLAINE - NASHVILLE, TN
Raised in the Pacific Northwest, it was only right that a voice like Natasha Blaine would find its way to Tennessee. Drawing together an infatuation with classic jazz vocalists and the very best of English language singer/songwriting - its clear to hear in Blaine's musicianship a deep appreciation, not only for music, but of literature too. Currently studying English and Music at Vanderbilt University, this artist is in exactly the right place to start stitching together both generously imaginative lyricism and a gorgeously harmonious sonic design. Featuring on our 'Best of May 2020' playlist, Blaine's newest single 'I Don't Want to Break Your Heart' is a *perfect* introduction to the American's promising combination of the past and the ever-present. Hovering above exceptionally rich horn contributions and relaxing bass guitar passages, this artist's ear for a melody is clear to hear on her latest tune. Blaine's accent pokes through from time to time, and please Natasha, don't change a thing. The drawl of words like "band-aid," "don't" and "heart" suit the style of this music so perfectly; warm, inviting and (best of all) genuine. There is very little that comes between the heart and the hum of Blaine's music-making, leaving her songwriting as direct, unfiltered and emotionally immediate.
Comparisons to her self-professed influences Amy Winehouse and Norah Jones are entirely justified, with the artist offering a sound that traverses nostalgic retrospection so very well. If 2020 has more songs like I Don't Want to Break You Heart' on the way, then we all better be paying attention to the timeless voice of Natasha Blaine.
TASHAN - LONDON, UK
If you were following us back in March, you should know this guy. If not, Tashan needs your attention right now. Stylistically it would be pointless to try and define this West London artist to any one sound, or even a single genre. Pulling influences from trap, hip-hop, R&B and even grunge rock, Tashan is an ever-shifting anomaly of an underground artist that needs to be heard to be understood. Often working on top of heavily industrial beats, Tashan really cannot be reduced to sounding like one particular artist. Moments reminiscent of Travis Scott and A$AP Rocky arguably push through from time to time, not that they are bad company to keep at all, but it really cannot be stressed how unique Tashan sounds. His vocal melodies are consistently well realised, his harmonies satisfyingly constructed and his rap technique cannot be faulted.
Taking the UK lockdown as a perfect opportunity to dedicate serious time to pushing himself as an artist, expect the next few months to be incredibly impressive from this musician. Working with producer Kid Snow, a 3 song 'quarantine capsule' is dropping in the very near future, before joint tape Minerals drops in collaboration with Snow, Songer, Aonenine and Frazer, and then another project: Tashan's debut: titled City of Vices. We at Slow Motion Panic Masters can't wait to hear more of his work and, when the music drops, rest assured we will be the first to tell you that it slaps. Tashan on: Instagram / Spotify
THE NEW AMERICA - BRISTOL, UK
For our American readers, there are two main reasons why you should know about Bristol. One, it's the city that sparked an international movement to dethrone, deface and (deservedly) decapitate statues of racists and colonists the world over. Two, Bristol makes good fucking music.
The New America are just one more band to be paying attention to in the hotbed of artistic creativity that Bristol represents. Each member of the group is responsible for totally disparate stylistic influences, but somehow it comes across so well.
Be it Iggy Pop, Rage Against the Machine, Diiv or even 100Gecs (ed: fuck yeah) the inspirations behind this group fuse together so comfortably. Straddling somewhere between hard rock and post-punk, The New America are an infectiously fuzzy proposition, and their music deserves to be heard while heavily bevved on a sun lounger, at least until we can all get sweaty in a mosh pit again without fear of cross-contamination. Meet you there x
RELLI - BIRMINGHAM, UK
With an EP under his belt, Birmingham's Relli should be seen as an artist with a great deal of ambition moving forward. Combining hip-hop structures with atmospheric and dark R&B, Relli's music is imposing and intimidating but simultaneously honest and inviting.
2020's Bad Dreams is an EP that has picked up deserved attention and airplay from an increasingly burgeoning fan base. Sparse and mysterious production perfectly suits Relli's songwriting style, fusing The Weeknd and Travis Scott - coming out somewhere like Frank Ocean from an alternate universe. Connecting together tunes in an incredibly efficient, Tierra Whack styled project, no song outstays its welcome on Relli's most recent offering and demonstrates the artist as one with a great deal of songwriting interests but committed to moving onto the next song before the first comes *close* to sounding boring.
Tune 'For Me' needs to heard right now. Combining heavy production with an infectious hook and a wonderfully realised vocal performance, it proves to be the best track from Relli's newest project, and an excellent introduction to his style.
This artist has an incredible work ethic, and always seems to be working on something new, with his next project 'Violet' set to drop later in 2020. Catch him now while Relli's on the ground floor, because he's heading up.
Thanks for reading! Slow Motion Panic Masters is a music, arts and culture blog created and edited by Ben Wheadon, a literature student and musician based in South Wales
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