Vanessa Elisha - 'Don't Go' EP

I've been chomping at the bit to hear this EP and it's finally here! Fresh off of Memorial Day weekend, Aussie soul singer Vanessa Elisha delivers her first EP 'Don't Go.' I've been saying I need to put all new music in my car and this EP is just the right push I needed to clear everything out.

Vanessa has already made a significant imprint on the indie R&B/Soul scene with her singles "Home to Me" and "Blur" and now has 3 more goodies to fill out her EP. She has a really great thing going with producer GXNXVS (genius) and 'Don't Go' is an extremely strong debut because of it. I always enjoy the contrast of hard and smooth and they have just that with GXNXVS' 808 laced tracks and Vanessa Elisha's soft and sensual vocals.

I can't wait to hear a proper album from this girl. She put her foot in this joint!

Grab the stream and download below...

Baiyu - "Mourning Hangover"

At this point, Baiyu is just not playing fair. This 2nd release in her 2013 series of monthly releases called "Mourning Hangover" is SO EFFIN' FLY! I happened to be up last night when the track hit YouTube and I was swept off of my feet at first listen. Her work with producer KQuick is always epic.

February is here which means we can expect a LOT of songs about love and relationships as everyone gears up for Valentine's Day. Many of them will stink. (You won't hear about those from me.) Some of them will be really good. Others still are this level of dope.

One of the greatest elements of Baiyu's songwriting is her mastery of metaphors. In style and approach, "Mourning Hangover" reminds me of "Mind Freak" from her latest album 'Hunter.' Brilliant writing that marries two separate themes with wordplay.

She's got another hit on her hands with this one! Check it out....

Brandon Rossi - "Places & Spaces"

I really really like what Brandon Rossi is cookin' up down in ATL. It's like gourmet chicken and waffles as audio. Soulful, fattening comfort music for 3 am romps after the club. Rossi's sound is super smooth and has a signature on it that all aspiring producers aim for. You know a Rossi beat as soon as you hear the first 4 bars.

This is the first track I'm hearing from Brandon minus Villa. I was already well aware that he could hold his own on the mic, but it's really nice to hear him run solo. On "Places and Spaces" he pulls his "playa" card and charges all that he can to the game.

Get into the track and listen to Brandon Rossi talk that talk to the ladies. It's a fun, laid back track for champion game spitters.

Apollo the Great - "Above the Sky"

They say nothing good comes out of Camden. Apollo the Great says that "they" are so very wrong.

Long regarded as one of the most key independent artists to watch in the tri-state area, Apollo is back in full media swing for promotion of his upcoming 'Hennessy Diaries' project. This new release, "Above the Sky" launched at Complex yesterday and we're sure to see Apollo heat up as the weather cools down.

The young lyricist tore up the scene in 2010 with "Call it Quits" and the next thing anyone knew, he was gracing the pages of XXL, cutting records with the likes of Sean Price and Joell Ortiz and gracing stages wherever real Hip-Hop was to be found. It's no secret that Apollo the Great is drawing from an era slightly before his time. He has a way with words and an ear that are not of this time and place.

That works out to be a beautiful thing and "Above the Sky" has already gotten me fired up for the full album. Dig into the free stream below....

Baiyu - 'Hunter'

Primal. That is how I'd sum up this 3rd effort from Chinese born Soul singer Baiyu.

'Hunter' is a large departure from the wildly successful 'Fan Fair.' It's far more ambitious and incredibly bold. On this release, you really experience Baiyu pushing herself and the envelope from the album's open to its almost too brief close. Producer KQuick handles a large chunk of the album's production and he and Baiyu did a phenomenal job of keeping the main theme tied in across the whole project. Listeners truly get the feeling of being barefoot and sexy in the jungle.

'Fan Fair' was Baiyu's "testing the waters" release, 'Hunter' is the "I've arrived" release. The clear concept, stellar production and strong features all contribute to the brilliant flow of the album. I was all in from the opening 8 bars but "Make Believe" featuring American Idol season six contestant Paul Kim was my instant repeat track. While her duet with Boss star Rotimi is doing insane numbers around the web, "Make Believe" is the stronger offering in my book. There's a heft to it and striking melody/harmony component that is unmatched on the project. The rest of the album is a great blend of up and down tempo tracks.

The only gripe I had with the album was with some of the mixes. The sonic balance was off at times. A minor thing on an album good in a major way. Baiyu truly nailed the performances and writing for 'Hunter.' You already know this is Rox Fontaine approved or else you wouldn't be reading this.

Free stream and download link below and a brief recap of her album release party down bottom. Enjoy!

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Baiyu's album release party was held at Custo Barcelona in SOHO. The store was packed from wall to wall with tastemakers from all corners of the entertainment industry and I was fortunate enough to be on the scene taking in the sights and sounds. The event was hosted by Power 105.1 late night hostess Cherry Martinez and DJ Boof of The Wendy Williams Show. Sponsors included Vitamin Water, Ty Ku and Sprayground among a host of others. Check out these select photos from the night....

Baiyu making her entrance.

Par-City and Baiyu

Baiyu blows a kiss to ThisIs50's Jack Thriller.

DJ Boof and Baiyu give a B-Boy stance.

Spag-Lo (c.) and friends.

 Kelly Harper

Cherry Martinez and Baiyu

Glamo

Neak - "Can't Stop" (I Don't Quit) Audio

There's something to be said about the way Chi town rappers hold on to the classic soul sound of Hip-Hop. Break beats and cleverly reworked samples run through all sorts of filters is a winning formula for what we've come to love about the sound of Chicago. Following in the footsteps of Common, Rhymefest, Kanye and Lupe, Neak is carving his own lane on the independent scene.

This previously unreleased track was recorded during the "Love Greater // The Prequel" sessions. The story is of Neak's drive and resilience as an upcoming MC. Nothing new there but the production is clean and Neak delivers a great performance as usual. Check the stream and download below.

Janky Promoters - Free Stream of Director's Cut

Straight up!  Ice Cube has the entire film available to stream on his website.  Freebies are freebies.  Take all you can get!  Click below to watch.

Janky Promoters