PICK OF THE WEEK: JAEL

JAEL is a singer-songwriter and UK-based wordsmith with a soulful voice amongst jazzy and Afro-beat instrumentation. Her music is a mixture of soft and upbeat, intertwined with a clear and soothing voice which makes Jael an artist suited as 'anytime music'.

Here is a snippet of her performing a version of Bob Marley’s ‘Is This Love’ which played at the We Welcome Party back in March earlier this year.

Jael can also be found featuring on Boadi’s track, ‘Grow’ which is well worth a listen. 

Her debut EP ‘ODYSSEY’ will be out on all platform in the coming days! For more, follow JAEL at @jaelthevoice.

PICK OF THE WEEK: CLEO SOL - 'WHY DON'T YOU'

Having experienced some success in the music industry as a teen, West London soul singer Cleo Sol returns from her hiatus with a newfound maturity which shines through her comeback track "Why Don't You", proving to us that her time is, without a doubt, now.

Beautifully crafted and flawlessly executed, "Why Don't You" introduces the listener to an ultimate chill vibe the second the first drum beats. The instrumentation unfolds to become nothing short of an orchestrated masterpiece, with the introduction of a sweet and almost eerie string sound that soothes while it chills.

Cleo's lyrics are beautifully downbeat and painfully real, softened by some sweet harmonies dancing in the background. The mood is lifted a little into the second half of the track when she picks up the pace and educates us with her words-

"So I try every day and I grow a little bit

Read a little more so I can educate my fears

Reap for my soul and cleanse my spirit

Pray cus I'm ready for the bloom of the sea

Peace and serenity is all that I need"

A track packed with life lessons and the rawest of honesty, "Why Don't You” is tangible proof of Cleo Sol's growth as a credible artist. Every single listen provokes a heartfelt experience which stays with us after the final beats have faded away.

Written by Aoife Chaney

PICK OF THE WEEK: TASH SULTANA - 'JUNGLE'

Oíche's 'pick of the week' is a track by Melbourne-born busker turned psychedelic rockstar, TASH SULTANA. Best enjoyed between some good quality earphones with pristine clarity, JUNGLE is a manic exploration and fusion of musical styles and emotion.

The almost 2-minute long intro is Tash's sonic form personified - a story without words, told by an electric guitar, with the slow addition of some loop pedaling & drum beats as the plot unfolds. And, impressively behind every instrument - is the multi-instrumentalist & one-woman show that is Sultana. The words enter in an unpredictable manner that carries us this far and keeps us guessing what the singer-songwriter's next display of talent will be.

In keeping with a jungle theme, her vocals are wild & the lyrics untamed, jumping from high octaves to a touch reggae, even complemented at times by some welcomed rap. We are warped in the sounds like a chaotic yet perfectly harmonised stampede until the electric guitar solo is calmed by a final drum beats. We are captivated but free, dancing in the jungle.

Here we have a live performance of 'Jungle' below by Tash Sultana, which truly depicts her diversity and abilities as we claim her to be, one of our generation's most talented multi-instrumentalists.

Written by Aoife Chaney