[MP3] Benny Cassette – Sunrise Sunset

Here’s a cool record an old friend from my days at Jive records put me up on. RIYL the more ‘Island’/’World’ sound of Drake (‘One Dance’) and Rihanna (‘Work’). This is the official PR blurb with the background on it:

World-renowned as an influential and in-demand GRAMMY® Award-nominated producer with credits as diverse as Kanye West, The Band Perry, John Legend, Miguel, and The All American Rejects, Benny Cassette continues to simultaneously evolve as an artist in his own right. Today, Cassette announces his debut single “Sunrise Sunset” from his anxiously awaited full-length debut album Broken Hearts And Dollar Signs, due out later this year.

“Sunrise Sunset” is about trying to get to a place where life is simple and not letting the stress and happenings in the world get in the way of your happiness,” says Cassette. “I wanted the song to feel like the neighborhood I lived in as a kid like MacArthur Park (in southern California) and also something my grandma could dance to since she loved Spanish music so much.”

A born storyteller, Cassette quietly assembled the Broken Hearts And Dollar Signs album while traveling around the world. During his travels, he penned a series of letters addressed to those closest to him—everyone from old flames (inspiration for “Sunrise Sunset”) to his beloved grandmother. Now, each letter inspires its own song on the tracklist. Signed and sealed with his inimitable production, he delivers these songs with impassioned vocals and raw lyricism. He’ll unravel this narrative over the course of the next six months, debuting one music video per month until the record’s release.

ABOUT BENNY CASSETTE:

Benny Cassette has established himself as one of the music industry’s most sought-after visionaries behind-the-board. His influence can be felt throughout Kanye West’s groundbreaking Yeezus—for which the creator personally tapped Cassette’s talents after hearing him. Signed to West’s G.O.O.D. Music as a producer, he went on to produce for other A-list superstars such as The Band Perry, Miguel, and many more. Born and raised in Los Angeles’s MacArthur Park Latino mecca, the multi-talented Spanish-Italian personally took the spotlight with the single “Empires,” which Rolling Stone extolled as “emotive like Sting.” Meanwhile, Mass Appeal described his 2016 track “Be Wild” as “like you’re watching a tribal ritual in the woods, but the twinkling piano notes and Benny’s voice reassure you that the ritual is for blessings for the coming year.”

Follow Benny Cassette online: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

[MP3 + Music Video] Stefflon Don – Real Ting (Prod. by Rymez)

Just got up on this UK artist, Stefflon Don (clever name, geddit??) after listening to BBC 1 Xtra today where she was the guest co-host on Charlie Sloth’s show. Something told me, “Check out her music, I bet it’s actually aight.” I wasn’t wrong. She’s giving me Young M.A meets Nicki Minaj vibes. This is the title track from her Real Ting mixtape album (plus a remix with fellow UK spitta, Giggs). What y’all think?

[MP3 + Music Video] So Loki – Lil Ma (+ Liquid Luck)

Here’s another one culled from my work on CBC’s Searchlight. This one, by West Coasters, So Loki, was some cool underground, left-field, alternative hip-hop with a bit of a Tyler The Creator feel that made it to the regional finals round and belies the unfounded (IMHO) complaint some have lodged that Searchlight is all about playing it safe and to the middle, mass audience. Really??!

Check out their SUPERMANIC mixtape released on Owake Records for more or the “Liquid Luck” track also included here from their forthcoming album entitled, Baggage.

[MP3 + Music Video] NAV – Some Way Feat. The Weeknd (plus bonus tracks)

If you’re over 25 and live like a grown up, you might have missed the ascent of Rexdale, Toronto rapper-producer, Nav over the past couple years unless you still stay in the clubs or are trying to keep up by reading The FADER. Quick cheat sheet though: he’s the man behind hits by Travis Scott, Drake, Belly and The Weeknd. Intrigued? Don’t even bother trying to hit up that Mod Club show, his first ever, advertised in the flyer above this Thursday. It’s been sold out. Your best best might be to ante up for a trip out to Coachella to his US and festival live debut instead!

[MP3 + Music Video] Napalm Dreams – Wavy (Original + discofox Remix)

More late night steez vibes courtesy Mississauga’s Napalm Dreams. Yes, he is doing that “Toronto sound” and yes, this is reminiscent of Weekend, River Tiber, DVSN and of course fellow ‘Sauga native, Partynextdoor but this is very good. You’ll never know just how close this dude got to making the Final Four of CBC Music Searchlight which is how I discovered him. The newly-released house remix here is just aight but that original version of “Wavy” is pretty epic to my ears. Agree?