#rnb funk

London’s ONUR snagged our hearts last year with his debut single Beamin’, a charged swooner blending glittery electronica with incendiary R&B funk. Earlier this month, the alt-R&B musician released his debut EP, A Millennial Rhapsody. The rhapsodic three track release includes this glorious anthem Beautiful Time, whose synth elastic curls and molten sleek crooning are like Ben Khan, Maxwell, and Jamiroquai all meshed into one heavenly song. If you’ve slept on ONUR till now, it’s time for you to be enlightened by his impeccable songwriting and delivery. Stream ONUR’s debut EP on Soundcloud, here, or Spotify, here.

Being lied to isn’t a pleasant experience, but Simon On The Moon’s Lied 2 U sure is music to our ears. The Swedish artist and producer’s latest single is the 2nd track lifted from his upcoming Milk EP release. The music maestro bends genres and paints a vivic sonic landscape utilizing slick R&B pop and a smoldering funk strut on creamy swerving Lied 2 U. After growing up on a diet of Beatles and Backstreet boys, playing in bands and DJ-ing, Simon On The Moon found his voice in production. He spends his time between LA and Sweden while sharing a studio and working closely with Frank Ocean producer Jarami. Simon on the Moon’s new EP Milk is set to drop next month. Snag Lied To You from iTunes, here.

Though alt hip hop collective OFWGKTA, better known to most as Odd Future, may have long disappeared from the music scene, the project certainly spawned some fabulous solo projects and off shoots, all of them brilliant in their own right. Frank Ocean is probably one of the most esteemed R&B artists in the world, Tyler the Creator is also a highly respected artist who’s oft graced the ol’ television box via talk shows and hip series, and there’s Domo Genesis, Casey Veggies (who’s even collaborated with Elohim), Hodgy, Earl Sweatshirt, and so many more amazing talents that were once Odd Future members. And then, of course, there’s The Internet, whom we first picked up on well over six years ago when Syd The Kid and Matt Martian shared their debut video Cocaine. Lately, the world has really ramped up their love for the now five-piece group. They’ve just released a video for their song Come Over, and it’s already racked up well over a million views. The Internet’s new album Hive Mind will be out on July 20th, and they’re slated to tour with Gorillaz soon. Come Over is a groovalicious R&B and soul track, a far cry from the project’s early vaporous & hazy bedroom R&B/lo-fi hip hop. The Internet will gracing the stage at Outside Lands Music Festival this August. Pre-order their new album, here.

UK duo TENDER has always astounded us with their unique brand of indie electronica and alt-R&B, copiously doused in sleek curling guitars and shuddering bass. New seductively brooding TENDER music has been absent from our lives this past year, but the pair have finally returned with their first new material since their debut album Modern Addiction. And they’ve done so with not just one triumphant anthem, but two! No Devotion, which you can stream above, is a slick surging scorcher, with a dark underbelly and much moody, carnal heat. Accompanying No Devotion is Handmade Ego, which can be streamed below. The synth warbling prowler is the sort of palms-sweaty, heart-a-racing injection of provocative passion and restless longing. If you’ve wondered how Jungle would sound if they went extra racy and inky tenebrous on us, Handmade Ego might be your answer. Both new TENDER songs can be streamed/downloaded, here.

Listen to Lucky You as well as FEiN’s prior releases on Spotify, here. You can purchase/download their songs on Apple Music, here. Keep up with them on their website, here.  

I’m sure by now most of you have been enjoying the sudden onslaught of welcome new Disclosure tracks for the past week. But just in case you missed out on any of the five tracks, I’m going to tack them all on before I call it a night. The UK house and future garage sibling duo, easily one of the most influential dance groups of this decade, have been rather quiet since their last album, Caracal. It’s reported they’ve been working hard on their next album for the past year. As it turns out, they’ve decided to explore their love for disco and funk on the new releases, and all of the five new songs are slick and swanky groovers much different from their last two albums. Moonlight, above, is probably our current favorite, though we can’t promise that won’t keep changing and alternating as we continue to shimmy our nights away to these chic jams. There’s much vintage soulful, 60′s barbershop charm to Where Angels Fear To Tread, which can be streamed below. And then there’s the 80s disco pizzazz of Funky Sensation, featuring Gwen McCrae (a take on McCrae’s original), as well as the 90s R&B funk flare of Love Can Be So Hard, and the jiggly jacking panache of Where You Come From, all of which can be found below too. Come to think of it, Disclosure seems to be taking us on a fascinating funk journey through the decades with these five songs. If they’re going to be on their next album, I’ve got to wonder what else they plan on dishing up to complete this delectable tasting menu. You can also stream this fine selection of new Disclosure tunes on Spotify, here.

New UK act ONUR arrives out of London with his debut single Beamin’, a charged swooner of a glittery electronica and incendiary R&B funk jam.  The 22 year old multi-instrumentalist, singer songwriter, and producer presents us with falsettos reminiscent of Prince, combined with Jack Garratt meets Ben Khan like bassy beats and funk curls. ONUR self wrote and produced the track, creating a finely textured collage of audio. Beamin’ evokes his longing to move forward onto new frontiers and his struggle with creeping away from old habits. “I had just broken up from an intensely long and serious relationship. The song is about moving on or at least, trying to, whilst the instrumental was also another reflection of how I was feeling. Yet, it all somehow felt very true to my sense of self at the time. Very lo-fi, very cranky, very out of line with what was deemed as acceptable and right,” explains the artist. Beamin’ will be the first of a collection of singles to be unveiled one by one every month and leading up to an EP to be showcased at the beginning of next year.

No summer is complete without some partying to Cherub’s smash hit Doses & Mimosas, but the indie electro/electronic pop duo from Nashville sure gives that track a run for its money with their new song, Want That. The song arrives with a music video that marks the directorial debut for Jason Huber of Cherub. Get ready to strut it up to this synth jabbing, sexy swaggering spectacular, which carries a whole lot of retro charm that this heart can’t resist. Want That is like modern R&B funk with a whole lot of classic neon dance charm, much reminiscent of Grum.  Cherub kicked off their fall headlining “Free Form Tour 2018” tour recently. The run will hit 40 cities across North America, including San Francisco on November 16th, and wrap in Nashville, TN at Marathon Music Works on December 14th with female electronic artist Maddy O’Neal as the opener. Head here for more information. Want That is available, here.