What I really like about Py’s mixtape Tripping on Wisdom is it appears to have been a real collaborative effort between herself and producers Throwing Snow, George Fitzgerald, Damu, iO, Raffertie, Breton, Greenwood Sharps, Kadabrah (like the name) and Black & White Diamond Tiles. Py apparently never being too precious with her vocals here and allowing the producers to indulge their wants which in turn makes this mixtape in terms of arrangements, an absorbing listen.

She also displays a consistent ability to write catchy, ear-wormy hooks across a range of styles that incorporate slick R&B, House and bass driven Dub. It’s a strong body of work like this that helps establish Py is an artist with clear ideas of where she wants to go stylistically and for me cements her position as one to watch.

I for one will be making sure I catch her this Thursday at YoYo (Notting Hill Arts Club).

Download: Py – Tripping on Wisdom

A few weeks back, we put you on a fresh sounding R’n'B singer, who dropped his infectious heartbreak track, ‘Alone’ and then we revealed the mid tempo ‘Motions’. Now Poo Bear drops his new mixtape.

Burrowing into the awkward corners of all things badloving, from emptiness (‘Holding On To Nothing’) to distant relationships (‘Couldn’t Be Love’), Poo Bear uses his rich, smooth tone over hints of hip hop breakbeat to chronicle the typical course when it comes to lovelost. Sharp layered harmonies and honest breaking lyrics, the mixtape is full of  original penned songs, but it’s also a nice addition to have the Lauryn Hill ‘Sweetest Thing’ cover to complete the journey too.

Download for free below.

Last time Falcons gave us original R’n'Bass, this time the duo gear up for some summer sunshine by offering a free soundtrack of subbed, trilled out, hard hitting heat.
Finely selected, the duo go against the grain, to include obscure remixes of some classic tunes from Ludacris, Ciara and Jagged Edge. Also thrown in the mix, a modern edge made up of xxxy, Machinedrum and their own banger – Nigeria.

Back in December, we introduced you to Julian – an XO / the Weeknd affiliated singer foregoing his own interpretation of contemporary, darkwave R&B. Like the sound he’s expressing and his aforementioned crew, Julian hails straight out of Toronto – a current mecca for all things progressive in Rhythm and Blues.

His melodic tendencies may sound familiar to many traditionalists and while vocally there is room for improvement, it’s the atmospheric wave he’s riding on the production side of things that make this tape most appeasing. Masochistically sexy and hauntingly chill – Black Heart is scattered with THC enabled odes to nights gone dark.

As with any new artist, it’ll be interesting to see Julian’s progression – looking forward to more finely tuned, cohesive sounds from him.

It’s been a long road of delays, label drama and personal issues but 21 year old Teyana Taylor has finally released her new mixtape The Misunderstanding of Teyana Taylor. Aimed at setting the record straight, the 15 track tape consists of production from the likes of Tone P, Jukebox, Hit Boy and more and also features appearances from Wale, Jadakiss and Fabolous.

Taylor impressed us with ‘D.U.I’ last month – hoping theres more like that on this tape. About to tuck into this myself now, do the same by downloading below and the tape very much follows in the same promising way – it’s good to see Taylor mature from her ‘Google Me’ days. Paying homage to Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill throughout (from title, to skits), it consists of brooding atmospheric R&B slow jams, sexy mid-tempos and a couple bangers. In all – it’s a strong listen front to back.

Download: Teyana Taylor – The Misunderstanding of Teyana Taylor

So, have you per chance been hooked yet on Iman Omari’s extended player Energy? I mean, it does herald a new dawn where the residue of a commersh T-Pain/Terius R&B world coalesce with the twitchy abstractions of underground Electronic Soul and even hints of early Fly-Lo. It’s all colliding into what feels like a warm, ambrosial five year mess. Yum.

Well, Tiffany Gouche by birth, yet Tgooch on digital wax, this 23 year old Inglewood singer/songwriter/self-instrumentalist cites The Fugees and The Roots amongst her inspirations – but inhabits a similar subversive Leftcoast realm as Omari (who submits a few productions on here). Admittedly whilst her debut tape Lionheart is still rough around the edges and there’s a couple fillers you can tell were made when still searching for a direction…. for everything else there’s evidence this young lady’s almost found hers. I’m excited to seeing where T and those of her ilk will be taking that amalgamated style. Definitely worth a download, some surefire glimmers of something great. Her tone recalls a bit of Jazmine Sullivan aswell. Peep the taster tracks uploaded below & download the rest of Lionheart. #nosimba

Download: Tgooch – Lionheart

Portland’s Chi Duly unleashes his latest project Balloons of Haus. As the title indicates, the producer offers up on some of The Weeknd’s tracks from the mixtapes that paved the way for Abel’s success last year. According to Chi, this is “‘house music for the “I’m not really into techno’ folks.” I’m about to get into this and make sure you peep his earlier mashup project October’s Very Cold combining Drake and Coldplay while you are at it. Let us know what you think!

Download: The Weeknd – ‘Balloons Of Haus’