Beginning with lead single ‘Crash‘, the collection is launched into distorted guitar and drums which clearly portray the song’s title, with the lyrics, “If you ask me one more question, I’m about to crash.” The track was produced by Nick Hakim and made an appearance on the Radio 1 show Future Sounds With Annie Mac as her Hottest Record in the World on the day of its release.

Speaking directly to Annie Mac on the radio show, Nanya discussed her writing process: “I started writing it last year and it was a pretty busy year for me. I was just touring a lot, playing lots of shows – I think I actually started writing it on the road which I don’t normally ever do, so that was a first.”

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A post shared by Nilufer Yanya (@niluferyanyaaaaaa)

As a whole, ‘Feeling Lucky?’ explores themes of good, bad, and the unpredictability of both. Yanya said in a press release, “One of the songs had the theme of luck in it as a concept but then I realised they all do. That got me thinking about luck in general; good and bad.”

These themes are continued on ‘Same Damn Luck’, co-written by Will Archer, which sees the artists singing about a break up with some surprising comparisons to the current restrictions in the UK due to Covid-19. For example, “News, all bad news lately/Every single time that you called and said/”Girl, stay in, they all knew, they all knew/I told you, I told.” The music video for ‘Same Damn Luck’ was also released today to coincide with the EP.

According to a press release, the singer had this to say about the song: “I hadn’t quite escaped what I thought I previously had. A personal reminder in the form of a pop ballad that the past is never that far away and will regularly come back to haunt you.”

The last song of the EP is ‘Day 7.5093′, taking a groovy approach to the instrumental with a walking bass line and a chorus consisting entirely of the word “Yeah” sung repetitively in Yanya’s intriguing breathy voice. Its first appearance was in July when it was performed live on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concert which Yanya took part in. It was later released on Bandcamp in October for only 24 hours for the Good Music To Avert The Collapse of American Democracy Comp.

In total, there are twenty songs to choose from, and fans can vote via Twitter by tweeting @BBCR1 with the hashtag of their chosen artist. Voting closes on at 7pm on Thursday 3rd December, giving voters one week to decide.

Included in the list are Arlo Parks with ‘Black Dog’, Bring Me The Horizon’s collaboration with Yungblud ‘Obey’, and Laura Marling for ‘Strange Girl’ from her album ‘Song For Our Daughter’. Parks shared the news on her Twitter page, with an excited post saying, “That song has touched so many, in more ways than I could ever really understand – I feel filled with purpose and I’m smiling away to myself.”

.@AnnieMac has picked Black Dog as one of the contenders for “Hottest Record of the YEAR” on @BBCR1!!!! That song has touched so many, in more ways than I could ever really understand – I feel filled with purpose and I’m smiling away to myself. pic.twitter.com/RGGMYqlMY2

— Arlo Parks (@arloparks) November 26, 2020

There are a number of UK artists who have released amazing new singles and even albums in 2020, but there are also a few from around the world. Billie Eilish received a nomination for her July track ‘My Future’, while Haim’s ‘The Steps’ and SZA’s ‘Hit Different’ featuring Ty Dolla $ign were also included. The full list of nominees are below with their hashtag to vote with.

1. Aitch and AJ Tracey - ‘Rain’ #R1AITCHAJ
2. Arlo Parks - ‘Black Dog’ #R1ARLO
3. Ashnikko - ‘Daisy’ #R1ASHNIKKO
4. Bicep – ‘Apricots’ #R1BICEP
5. Billie Eilish – ‘My Future’ #R1BILLIE
6. Bring Me The Horizon and Yungblud – ‘Obey’ #R1BRINGYUNG
7. Clipz featuring Ms.Dynamite, Ms. Banks, and Jaykae - ‘Again’ #R1CLIPZ
8. Fontaines D.C. - ‘A Hero’s Death’ #R1FONTAINES
9. Franky Wah - ‘Come Together’ #R1FRANKY
10. Haim -‘The Steps’ #R1HAIM
11. Headie One featuring AJ Tracey and Stormzy – ‘Ain’t It Different’ #R1HEADIE
12. Idles – ‘Model Village’ #R1IDLES
13. Laura Marling - ‘Strange Girl’ #R1LAURA
14. Pa Salieu featuring Backroad Gee - ‘My Family’ #R1PA
15. Paul Woodford, Diplo and Karen Lomax - ‘Looking For Me’ #R1WOOLFORD
16. Phoebe Bridgers - ‘I See You’ #R1PHOEBE
17. Romy - ‘Lifetime’ #R1ROMY
18. Royal Blood - ‘Trouble’s Coming’ #R1ROYAL
19. Rina Sawayama - ‘Bad Friend’ #R1RINA
20. SZA featuring Ty Dolla $ign - ‘Hit Different’ #R1SZA

Voting for @AnnieMac’s Hottest Record of the Year 2020 is now OPEN!

Tweet @BBCR1 + the # of your chosen nominee to vote.

To vote online and for terms & privacy notice go here: https://t.co/O467XQdino

Voting closes on Thursday 3rd December 2020 at 7pm GMT pic.twitter.com/wH9KKUhLur

— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) November 26, 2020

With close to 40,000 Instagram followers, the singer explained the meaning behind the song. He described it as “a song about disintegration, about belligerence, about refusal to change even when change is the only thing.” He continued, “I wrote it as the start of a conversation with myself, but when you hear it, it’s whatever it means to you.”

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‘Gone’ is out now wherever you get your music. It’s a song about disintegration, about belligerence, about refusal to change even when change is the only thing. I wrote it as the start of a conversation with myself, but when you hear it, it’s whatever it means to you. Listen link in bio. Written by me and Moon Willis. Produced by me, Moon Willis and Paul Epworth. Mixed by Manny Marroquin. Mastered by Chris Athens. Artwork by Andrew Archer.

A post shared by James Vincent McMorrow (@jamesvmcmorrow) on Nov 2, 2020 at 11:01am PST

McMorrow regularly moves between genres, making it hard to pin down his sound, but very exciting to listen to it. ‘Gone’ uses incredible beats and percussion sounds which fill out the instrumental almost entirely, while his husky vocals echo over the top, accompanied by some gorgeous harmonies.

Speaking to Mac on the radio show, the Irish singer discussed his sound, saying “I’ve always gone in with an agenda because I get very scared of what people will think of me,” but with his upcoming album “the idea of trying to fit a brief just seemed pretty ridiculous.” He also revealed that ‘Gone’ was the first song written for the new album, which will be his first in three years.

The album, will contain fifteen songs including earlier release ‘I Should Go’, as well as ‘Gone’. According to McMorrow, it was finished at the start of 2020, but he felt that there was more he could with it, and found that he finally had the time to focus entirely on his music during lockdown. ‘I Should Go’ is an incredible collaboration with Kenny Beats which – in McMorrow’s true style – has a powerful funky bass-line, R&B beats, and his classic folk vocals.

James Vincent McMorrow released his debut album ‘Early in the Morning’ in the US and Europe in 2011 after its success in Ireland, which was widely acclaimed. Featuring on Later…with Jools Holland, he then saw his music shown in American TV show Gossip Girl, and released three more albums in just three years: ‘Post Tropical’, ‘We Move’ and ‘True Care’. During this time he also composed a film score for a short film directed by Sam Benenati, created a cover of Chris Isaak’s ‘Wicked Game’ which was included in Game of Thrones, and collaborated with Kygo on the song ‘I’m In Love’.

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‘Feed The Fire ft Lucky Daye’ is @anniemacmanus ‘s Hottest Record In The World tonight on @bbcradio1 Tune in from 6pm GMT to hear the first play & interview

A post shared by Sam Lewis (@sglewis) on Oct 26, 2020 at 6:03am PDT

With Lewis’ typical electro-pop sound, the track is upbeat and disco influenced, hopefully bringing joy to those who listen – especially in the current climate. The artist told Taggart that he and his family are “safe and well”, and that he’s been spending most of his time at home. Introducing the song, he said, “I’ve been so, so excited to share this record, and it’s one of those records that – when you listen back to your own music sometimes it can be difficult – but I’m not gonna lie, I absolutely love this record.”

Lucky Daye, an American R&B artist, co-wrote and performed on the song, entering into an entirely new genre. While a surprising collaboration, for Lewis, this is definitely on-track as he enjoys pushing boundaries and creating new sounds.

Fans were treated to some more details of the upcoming debut album from the singer, who explained, “The album became more of a study of the euphoria and the celebratory element that all that (’70s and disco) music had. I was kind of exploring ‘why did that music feel so emotional and just so celebratory when you hear it in the context of the dance floor?’ “

The album is due for release on 19th February 2021, and fans are becoming increasingly excited as the promotional singles have been shared. Out now are tracks ‘Chemicals’ and ‘Impact’ featuring Robyn and Channel Tres. Lewis revealed that he has even more incredible collaborations coming out on the album, but could not disclose who will appear.

Although this will be his first LP, SG Lewis has previously put out three separate EPs which, together, formed and album; he admitted on the Radio 1 show that he didn’t feel he could commit to making a full-length record at the time. Luckily, fans will soon be able to hear more music from the songwriter, and more news tomorrow: Lewis said in an Instagram post that he’s got something else to tell his 83,000 followers.

 

 

 

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  ‘FEED THE FIRE ft LUCKY DAYE’ is out now on all good platforms  Huge love to @mattjohnsonjamiroquai for providing some keys magic, and Simon Hale for arranging the strings  Lyric video is now live on @youtube  I’ve got some more news for you tomorrow too… hope you love this record as much as I do    A post shared by Sam Lewis (@sglewis) on Oct 26, 2020 at 11:28am PDT

‘Crash’ has been hugely anticipated and was well-received by fans. Musically, the song reflects the title well with its crashing drums and distorted guitar, while on the other hand Nanya’s vocals are clean and reserved to contrast. The music video was also released yesterday, and has already gained close to 8,000 views. In the visual, the lyrics are taken literally as the singer is found performing from a control room dressed as a flight attendant.

Nanya explained the premise of the single and the video to Pitchfork, saying “Last year, doing a lot of touring I found myself becoming more and more anxious each time I boarded a plane, something which was new for me as I’ve never had a fear of flying. With each flight we took it felt like the turbulence was getting worse and I was convinced my luck was due to run out. I didn’t write ‘Crash’ about being on an aeroplane but I really like it visually as an embodiment of the song.”

Speaking directly to Annie Mac on the radio show, Nanya discussed her writing process: “I started writing it last year and it was a pretty busy year for me. I was just touring a lot, playing lots of shows – I think I actually started writing it on the road which I don’t normally ever do, so that was a first.” It was also confirmed that there are two more tracks on the way, which will form an EP along with ‘Crash’, to be titled ‘Feeling Lucky?’.

Along with ‘Crash’, Mac played a song from Nanya’s 2019 album ‘Miss Universe’: ‘Heavyweight Champion of the Year’. As detailed by the presenter, the debut album was widely acclaimed, and it was noted by many that Nanya has an incredible ability to move between musical styles.

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C R A S H out now on all platforms:) Produced by @en_hakim Means a lot more to be able to release music this year in this strange worrrrld than any other time so thank you for listening xxx @apocalypticvirgin thanks for the photoooo

A post shared by Nilufer Yanya (@niluferyanyaaaaaa) on Oct 20, 2020 at 10:16am PDT

Opening with some jazzy saxophones, the track is surprising as it shifts into Afro-beat with rhythmic vocals. ‘Can’t Let You Go’ combines cultural influences which inspire Don such as the music of Yoruba, creating a surprising new sound which is a commercial success.

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#CantLetYouGo is being premiered on @bbcradio1 with @anniemacmanus NOW! Make sure to tune in, it’s her Hottest Record in the World

A post shared by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀DON V-IV (@stefflondon) on Oct 15, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

The singer told Mac about the writing process, which happened during lockdown, saying; “I feel like the beat, obviously was speaking to me – when my producer played the beat I knew exactly what type of thing you’d wanna hear on there.” Don also confirmed that she will be putting out a music video soon to accompany the song.

The is her second instalment of new music this year, after ‘Move’ in September which has reached over 2 million views on its YouTube music video, featuring the rapper and her posse living enviably extravagant lives.

First appearing in 2015, the artist released a cover of Wretch 32’s ‘6 Words’ before being featured on Lethal Bizzle’s ‘Wobble’, ‘Sneakbo’s ‘Work’ remix, Angel’s ‘Hop On’, and KSI’s ‘Touch Down’. She has also worked on her own music, and went on to collaborate with Skepta, Future, and Demi Lovato. In 2018, her debut mixtape ‘Real Ting Mixtape’ came out, followed by a 16-track album entitled ‘SECURE’.

NAO first revealed the news last week in an Instagram post with the caption, “It’s been too long, it’s time to drop new music …. THIS MONTH.” On Sunday 23rd August, just a day before the release, she announced La Havas’ feature, the release date, and confirmed that the song would be premiered as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record in the World on BBC Radio 1 (currently covered by Clara Amfo).

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I have something real special for you coming tomorrow with my fav girl @liannelahavas Tune in to @bbcradio1’s hottest record in the world from 7pm (UK) for 1st listen. Track comes out straight after

A post shared by Nao (@this_nao) on Aug 23, 2020 at 9:22am PDT

In the interview, both La Havas and NAO discussed the song and its importance. “It kind of came together during the time of the Black lives matter movement, and obviously both me and Lianne being women of colour and being British as well, it felt like a really important song to release and talk about, empowerment. And especially as women of colour, celebrating ourselves and all we’ve done and how far we’ve come,” NAO explained.

Following on, La Havas said, “I think it’s important all the time to empower black women so I don’t mind that this has come out a little later in the year. I think it’s always a good message to be empowering women.”

Combining both NAO’s self-described ‘wonky funk’ sound and La Havas’ soulful guitar and vocals, the song has resonated with many, gaining 4,000 views on the music video in the first four hours. The video shows colourful, intricate animations and features both artists, to the absolute joy of their fans.

NAO has been creating music professionally and publicly as a singer, songwriter, and producer, since 2014, releasing her debut album ‘For All We Know’ in 2016, and sophomore, ‘Saturn’, in 2018. She has been nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Female Solo Artist, Album of the Year at the Mercury Prize, and Best Contemporary Album at the Grammy Awards.

La Havas wrote her first song at age 11, learning guitar when she was 18. Her first solo EP was released in 2011 after she signed with Warner Bros. Records the year before. ‘Lost and Found’ was the name of the EP, and La Havas went on to create another EP and three studio albums. Her debut album ‘Is Your Love Big Enough?’ won iTunes Album of the Year, followed by self-titled work released in 2020.

New tune. New albums. New tours. Get the scoop on Annie Mac at 7:30p GMT. Pre-order & tour details available tonight at https://t.co/tQ07ijOzvs pic.twitter.com/3vgSn11nFz

— FOALS (@foals) January 21, 2019

The band have been teasing information via social media for the past week, and full lyrics of ‘Exits’ were tweeted by the band earlier in the week, but tonight was the first time any songs were heard in full and fans were quick to react on Twitter, and at 5 minutes and 57 seconds long, it definitely left an impression on fans.

It´s happening! Thank you for playing so much @foals, @AnnieMac !

— Oscar Salas (@Oscarsaser) January 21, 2019

You have any idea how fucking amazing it is to think there are THOUSANDS of people listening to the same band, nodding at the same time, dancing, humming… All around the world at the exact same moment? Feeling it, for the same thing. This is just amazing.#FOAL5 #EXITS #foals — Crystal Demon (@Ilse_thecat) January 21, 2019

All four band members, (Yannis Philippakis, Jack Bevan, Jimmy Smith and Edwin Congreave) were live in the studio with Annie Mac this evening (21/01/2019) and they discussed how they are set to have a massive 2019. To start with the new album titled, Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost, will be released in two parts. The first coming in March, 2019 with the second album coming the following Autumn. Explaining this decision the band explained how they needed to release two albums to save removing anyone members favourite songs, and that they are looking forward to the challenge of releasing two records in a year. Yannis also said album one is more of a “groover” whereas album two is more of a “banger”. Social media posts of the bands future tour dates were also released while they on air with Annie Mac, with tickets going on sale in February for a UK tour.

Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1 // 8 March 2019 Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 2 // Autumn 2019 Trailer directed by Albert Moya, produced by @LawebdeCanadapic.twitter.com/u9lCxX7Crm — FOALS (@foals) January 14, 2019

.@foals have announced a new tour for June this year!
Tickets on sale Friday 1st February at 9am:https://t.co/Zkksllbk1f pic.twitter.com/pOL5klkfu2

— See (@seetickets) January 21, 2019

Since forming in 2005 the band have released four studio albums, their debut being ‘Antidotes’ in 2008, followed by ‘Total Life Forever’ in 2010 and ‘Holy Fire’ in 2013. Their most recent album being 2015’s ‘What Went Down’ which reached number 3 in the UK charts and came 8th in NME’s Albums of 2015.  This however is the Oxford band’s first album since the departure of bassist Walter Gerves in January 2018, who “left to pursue a new life”

X pic.twitter.com/prsjrVOmjT — FOALS (@foals) January 5, 2018