The Essential UK Gospel Tracklist – October 2013
I won’t lie. I could blame a whole host of things for not posting an ‘Essential Tracklist’ in a while, but the truth is that I haven’t found much to excite me in 2013.
Some good stuff has come out this year but nothing grabbed me by the scruff of my neck, demanded my attention, forced me to drop everything I’m doing and get excited about UK Gospel music again.
Until now.
If I subscribed to conspiracy theories, my take would be that a whole bunch of UK artists decided to leave a whole lot of us UK gospel music fans waiting until the final third of the year before bringing it.
…And bring it they have. Even more exciting is the fact that – in addition to the (pretty much inevitable) stream of Street music that continues to bring a spark to the scene, there’s some intensely delicious Soul, RnB and Singer/Songwriter stuff surfacing.
Anyway here is, in no particular order, some of the music that’s getting me majorly excited at the moment
The Essential UK Gospel Tracklist – October 2013
Name: Jahaziel (follow on Twitter)
Track: ‘They Don’t Know’ (featuring Maxi Priest)
Availability: stream via SoundCloud, buy on iTunes
Genre: Hip-hop
Comment: If the UK gospel scene were a vehicle then street music is the reliable engine that always has something to give.
With sub genres spanning Dubstep, Grime and the inevitable Hip-Hop (and more), I look to street music to bring something interesting (and regular releases) to the table, and this Reggae/Hip-Hop hybrid from one of our very best is a superb example.
Throw in music industry veteran and international artist Maxi Priest (yes, the one and the same – and incidentally Jahaziel’s uncle), and ‘They Don’t Know’ is another sparkling example from one UK gospel’s very best.
Name: Jake Isaac (follow on Twitter)
Track: ‘Long Road’
Genre: Singer/Songwriter
Comment: Jake Isaac is one of the very best singer/songwriters we have in the UK. Simple as that.
While ‘Long Road’ is a great song anyway (concept and storyboard apparently drawn up by Jake himself, and brilliantly interpreted and executed by P Designs Media) the video brings it to life with one of the best artist performances I’ve seen in a video in a very long time.
Name: Triple O (follow on Twitter)
Track: Down on Your Feet (ft Jahaziel and Sean C Johnson)
Availability: stream via SoundCloud
Genre: Hip-hop
Comment: pretty much a perfect blend mass-appeal Hip-hop: equal parts solid sample-based loop, quality lyrics (both Triple and Jahaziel own high-grade wordplay in spades) with an aurally attractive Soulful hook provided by Florida-based US artist Sean C Johnson. Highly recommended.
Name: Utter Once
Track: ‘Easy Peazy’ ft Victizzle and Lola Godheld
Availability: Get it on iTunes
Genre: Electronic Hip-hop/Street Music
Comment: Another masterclass from Victizzle in creating an immediately recognisable, signature sound.
‘Easy Peazy’ reunites the successful trio of Utter, Victizzle and Lola Godheld (the vocal sample Easy Peazy No,No No is actually from Lola Godheld’s breakout single ‘Studio’ featuring Victizzle and Utter Once). It’s obviously not gospel music as your grandmother would recognise it but the signposts are clear in the lyric (there are actually rather clever references to James 2:17 and 2 Thessalonians 3:10)
Name: Matthew Allen (follow on Twitter)
Track: New Man
Availability: stream via SoundCloud
Genre: Pop
Comment: Matt Allen has always delivered music that hugs the ‘Pop’ end of the music spectrum. ‘New Man’ had 3000 plays on SoundCloud within 24 hours of its release and has gone on to receive a lot of support across radio and social networks, and deservedly so.
‘New Man’ expends the envelope of what typically comes out of the UK Gospel scene, and leaves everyone much richer for it.
Name: Donna Akodu
Track: ‘When heaven Breaks In (Acoustic Mix)’
Availability: DonnaAkodu.com
Genre: Acoustic
Comment: This reworking of the original track has a much more acoustic and rhythmic feel, arguably expanding its appeal far beyond the mellow ‘Praise & Worship’ vibe of the original.
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