Sevdaliza: High Alone
Experimental artist Sevdaliza releases “High Alone” today, a moody lament that captivates with beautiful darkness. The synth-driven song incorporates elements of psych-rock—a genre the Iranian-Dutch singer-songwriter hasn’t ventured into before. Sevdaliza’s vocals feel especially dejected, with an almost monotone, impassive delivery that conveys a lot of emotion. The track will appear on her new EP titled Raving Dahlia which is set for release on 25 February.
Ibibio Sound Machine: All That You Want
London-based Ibibio Sound Machine—Eno Williams, Alfred Kari Bannerman, Anselmo Netto, Joseph Amoako, Philip PK Ambrose, Tony Hayden, Scott Baylis and Max Grunhard—teamed up with Hot Chip for their just-announced album, Electricity. To commemorate the announcement, the eight-piece released “All That You Want,” a masterful Afrofuturist pop track that incorporates elements of electro-pop, soul and Afrobeat. With Hot Chip’s trademark gleaming, synth-heavy sound and vocalist Williams’ big delivery, the song quickly becomes expansive and uplifting.
Lilblackkids: Planet of The Blues
Georgia Anne Muldrow is no stranger to collaborative projects (from working with Madlib to Erykah Badu, Dudley Perkins, Mos Def and others, as well as her groups Jyoti and The Blackhouse) and last week she and new collaborator Keith Rice released their four-track EP, Planet of The Blues: Part One, under the moniker Lilblackkids. The title track combines psychedelic, funk, soul and rap for a delightful blend that will please enthusiasts of any and all those genres.
Maylee Todd: Show Me
LA-based, Canadian vocalist, producer and 3D artist Maylee Todd’s entrancing new track “Show Me” addresses the quest for personal truth amidst vulnerability and shame. It comes paired with a mesmerizing music video (also created by Todd) that takes place in a minimalist virtual space. Todd will release her debut full-length, Maloo (which she refers to as an album composed of “science fiction lullabies”), on 4 March via Stones Throw.
Meat Loaf: Heaven Can Wait
Meat Loaf (aka Marvin Lee Aday), whose music career spanned six decades, has passed away at 74. Best known for his theatrical, operatic rock ballads, he sold over 100 million records across the world and appeared in various cult films including The Rocky Horror Picture Show (he was also in the original Roxy cast), Fight Club, Wayne’s World and Spice World. Despite his appearance in Rocky Horror, it was in 1977 that Meat Loaf broke into the mainstream with his debut album, Bat Out of Hell. The epic was developed from composer Jim Steinman’s rock musical called Neverland (based on Peter Pan) and produced by Todd Rundgren. In 1972 Steinman had Bette Midler sing the 1972 demo for “Heaven Can Wait,” but it found a home on Meat Loaf’s album and, thanks to his dramatic delivery, transformed. This over the top sound became Meat Loaf’s trademark—dismissed by some, but beloved by many.
Listen Up is published every Sunday and rounds up the new music we found throughout the week. Hear the year so far on our Spotify channel. Hero image courtesy of Maylee Todd