Perth, AustraliaGriffin RL defies categorisation and draws inspiration from numerous iconic bands, and then bottles up every ounce of creativity to let it explode across a slightly dark and immensely heavy soundscape on his track Smile. We have drawn-out, throaty vocals that make their way through a structured smashing of instrumentals. Smile emphasizes feelings of hopelessness and heart-wrenching, soul-numbing intensity that sprout with complete vulnerability. Griffin RL delivers an addictive hit of longing, a need for approval, and a remedy that is only found within two upward curves of simplicity: a single smile. Each verse climbs into a higher octave, the tempo builds, and the guitar strums kick into final gear as Griffin RL bursts into infectious emotion, leaning into the final lap of expression and leading to an outro climax. It's accelerated, volatile, sudden, and beautifully sharp! “Over the years, I’ve created and listened to an array of different genres and musical styles. I was brought up on Jeff Buckley, Gorillaz, Leonard Cohen, and Frank Zappa, just to name a few. The inspiration for Smile came from an obsession with a heavier style of music that occurred throughout my adolescence and into my early adulthood. The attention-grabbing lyricism and songwriting of some of the earlier influences I mentioned, combined with the distorted landscapes of bands like Bring Me the Horizion, Citizen, Deafheaven, and The Story So Far, inspired me to create something that reflected the isolation and anguish I felt at the time of writing.” - Griffin RL Recorded and mixed by the seasoned hands of Matt Templeman, whose fingers have adorned projects by Sly Withers and Pot Plant House Party, Smile finds its sonic home. Then there's the touch of Michael "Jelly" Jelinek, who completed the mastering, elevating Smile to new heights. “The track was recorded and mixed by Matt Templeman (Sly Withers, Pot Plant House Party, late 90’s) and mastered by Michael “Jelly” Jelinek (Psychedelic Porn Crumpets). Over time, I have maintained a good friendship with both of these creatives. Matt’s undeniable ability and perfectionism made him the ideal engineer for my process, and I’m thrilled with the sound we formed in the studio together. Meanwhile, Jelly is an absolute master of his craft (no pun intended). His work on the track added a real oomph to the final product, and I couldn’t now imagine it sounding any other way.” - Griffin RL With a couple of musical gems under his belt, Griffin RL has created space for more variety in the near future. Stay in the loop and keep Smile in your rotation.
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North Carolina, USAWhen Kami Michelle and Toyin create, it's soul-soothing, like the moon to the stars and fire to a candle. These two are mesmerising and enticing while they're harmonizing, and as they vocally ascend, they emotionally submerge into the profound depths of love with their release, Go Round. This track is heaven on earth, delivering angelic tones and delicately airy exhales. Kami Michelle and Toyin's tune dances in melodic lightness; their songwriting captures the essence of falling and surrendering to love; the guitar strokes vibrate with gentle peace and emanate a slow burn of pure euphoria. Go Round is a perfect addition to any playlist featuring Alex Isley. The song transition between the two exudes the energy of connection and the pleasantries felt when discovering the planet of love. Kami Michelle is fearless when it comes to wearing her heart on her sleeve, and this is reflected in her pen. "Go Round was influenced by Love Makes the World Go Round by Deon Jackson, and the cadence of the song was influenced by Into Orbit by Alex Isley. What started off as a content idea for a TikTok I was doing called If I Wrote for Alex Isley turned into the making of this song. In 2021, I was listening to some of my unfinished songs with my college roommate/friend Dorothy, and I played the track for her. She told me that she thought her best friend from Ohio, Toyin, would compliment the song very well since our voices mesh together. Toyin and I co-wrote it via Zoom calls and sent the track-outs to each other to create the song in its entirety. We dream of getting this track placed on film or television for black love scenes." - Kami Michelle Produced by SFR Beats and mixed and mastered by BRNDN, Go Round further proves the breath of life that is still bubbling in the hearts and minds of producers when it comes to the soundscape of R'N'B. "The beat was already made by SFR, but the mix and master were done by BRNDN. (@brn.d.n) is a singer as well, so I got him to mix our vocals, as I knew he would add an organic touch to it." - Kami Michelle Kami Michelle is an artist to keep an eye on this year and beyond as she explores her musicality and dives even deeper into her heart and mind space to produce more soul hits. Take a listen below to her catalog, and be sure to tell a friend to tell a friend that R'N'B ain't dead. |
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