In The Spotlight

INDIANA – “Sweet Things”

Born in Leicestershire, UK, Lauren Henson took her stage name in memory of her late father who was an avid Indiana Jones fan. She started writing songs in 2010 on her sisters piano she was storing for her. After uploading one of those songs to YouTube, she got noticed by John Beck who wrote songs for Tasmin Archer and Corinne Bailey Rae. She released her debut single “Blind As I Am” in 2012.

Driven by a punchy electro beat and sleek, shimmering synths, her latest single is overflowing with easygoing, 80s-inspired buttery-smooth grooves. Dipped in auditive neon pastels, the chill melodic soundwaves carry her sultry, honey-soaked vocals to a, slightly Sade-touched, harmonious synthesis. Blending the 80s electro sounds with a modern production, it is packed with sweet things.

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In The Spotlight

Marqueal Jordan – “It’s All Up To You”

This highly talented, Chicago-based vocalist and multi-instrumentalist has been delving into his vast melange of musical genres for over 20 years. As a member of Brian Culbertson’s band, he and his saxophone gifted the jazz world his melodic virtuosity. He shared the stage with legends such as Peabo Bryson, Aretha Franklin and Lalah Hathaway. In 2013 he released his debut album “Catalyst”.

Taken from his latest album “Intention & Purpose”, this track is a sultry, soul-infused smooth groove. The gentle rhythm and his bewitching, velvety saxophone tones set the scene for his sexy, satiny and soulful vocals to create the soft, flickering glow of the candlelit, rose thrown atmosphere of impassioned romance and an enamored serenity to hold your loved one close and slow dance to.

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In The Spotlight

LOU’ANA – “Eye To Eye”

Hailing from New Zealand, this Auckland-based singer and songwriter has been a part of the lively local music scene for 6 years. She’s performed all over the country as part of funk group Hipstamatics and Two Many Chiefs and supported jazz act Andrew Faleatua and electro outfit Sola Rosa. With a vivid fusion of sweet soul and gritty blues, she’s headlining the Waiheke Jazz Festival later this month.

Adding a haunting atmosphere to her debut solo single, this song combines jazz, pop and a touch of South-American flair into a spell-binding brew of auditory witchcraft. With enchanting keys, an enthralling rhythm and hypnotic handclaps conjuring the mythical melody, it’s her Amy Winehouse-touched vocals filled with esoteric grit and mesmeric magic, that will put you under her spell.

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In The Spotlight

Jake Najor & The Moment Of Truth – “High Costa Living”

You can hear the R&B, funk or hiphop beats of this San Diego native drummer on bounteous recordings over the past twenty years. He’s contributed to recordings of a plethora of artists, like Raphael Saadiq, Kelis and De La Soul to name but a few. Now, he himself has been searching for gifted West-Coast funk musicians to create an album filled with soulful stylishness and powerful raw funk jams.

The first single, taken from their resulting debut album “In The Cut”, is an exhilarating explosion of funkadelic proportions. Jake’s incredibly infectious rhythm drives the rugged, 70s-soaked funk sounds of sprightly wah-wah guitars, vibrant Hammond organ and the potent brass section into a hard-hitting, funkalicious powerhouse in which the vocal grit of MixMaster Wolf feels right at home.

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In The Spotlight

Georgia – “About Work The Dancefloor”

When you are the daughter of Neil Barnes of Leftfield fame, chances are you’ll find yourself starting a music career as well. She began playing drums at an early age and studied ethnomusicology at the School Of Oriental And African Studies. First working as a session drummer for offbeat British artists, she forged a distinctive electro-pop sound and released her debut EP “Come In” in 2014.

Her new single travels back to the 1980s and picks up every single neon-dipped synthesizer sound it can find, before returning to the here and now and blending them together into a pastel colored power jam. With a pulsating synth-pop beat, a voltaic robotic touch and her delicate, yet dynamic vocals generating that vintage electro vibe, this groove will let you work that dancefloor!

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In The Spotlight

Julian Taylor Band – “Learn To Love”

Described as the best Toronto band you’ve never heard, these powerful Canadian musicians are fronted by singer, songwriter, guitarist and sonic chameleon Julian Taylor, who’s tasted a radio hit in 2001, tread the cover circuit, ran his own indie label and now fuses his wildly eclectic influences, ranging from Stevie Wonder to Los Lobos, into a premium vintage sound of  funk, blues and roots ‘n’ rock.

Taken from their new album “Avalanche”, which is released today, their latest single is a blues-soaked auditory experience. Slightly Kravitz-touched, it’s an exhilarating, guitar-heavy powerhouse with infectious hooks and vivid rhythm, allowing the mighty, audacious vocals to soar. Blending 70s funk with bold New Orleans blues and a dash of rock, this is a vitalizing jam which is easy to love.

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