The Sik List #5
Soundtrack your upcoming week!
Welcome to the fifth edition of The Sik List, where each Monday I round up the best music from the past 7 days to soundtrack your upcoming week.
Mazza_l20 - 678 (Prod. Young Pepo)
Score: 8/10
Since he came home, Mazza's been grinding. Already having announced a forthcoming album and having a baby, he's dropped his latest banger, 678. On the song, Mazza flexes around his successes and growths as an artist, discussing his viral hit ‘Murdaside,' the newest addition to his family, and more.
Cleo Sol - Fear When You Fly (Prod. Inflo)
Score: 8/10
On her most recent single, West London songstress Cleo Sol transports us into her new sonic world. The song is her first release since last year's Heaven and Gold albums and is produced by her husband and fellow Sault member Inflo. In the song, she lets go of her 'Fear When You Fly,' likely a letter to her toddler and a metaphor for her growth as a mother, which she discussed earlier this week in a rare interview with Zane Lowe.
FLO - AAA (Prod. Pop Wansel, Roget Chahayad, MNEK)
Score: 8/10
London-based girl group FLO's latest release is the title track of their highly anticipated debut album, Access All Areas, due on November 15th. The album is set to be executive produced by MNEK, one of the song's producers and a veteran of the UK music game in their own right.
BXKS - Wagashi (Prod. El Londo, Kxmel)
Score: 8/10
One of London's top spitters is back. BXKS' latest release is an ode to the aesthetic of the future, with fittingly dark production, courtesy of cult producers El Londo and Kxmel. The title of the song is Japanese for confectionary, and the tune itself sounds like a late-night pick and mix at the cinema, with BXKS searching for her way home after a long night.
Fabiana Palladino - Drunk (Prod. Fabiana Palladino)
Score: 10/10
This week's best release comes by way of South London-based chanteuse Fabiana Palladino. The single "was written with the chaos of modern dating as my backdrop: trying to navigate the apps, the blurred line between casual and serious, experiencing the evolving terminology in real life —situationships, love bombing, ghosting, breadcrumbing..." she says. Her debut album from earlier this year was no disappointment either, and I highly recommend checking out her discography whenever you get a chance.
Kairo Keyz - WENT UP (Prod. Anyvibe, Tweeko)
Score: 7/10
Kairo Keyz' latest single, WENT UP, is him to a T; youthful, lively, and jumpy. The song is a fun look at how his mindset and relationships have changed as he's grown more successful. The song's accompanying video features many of Kairo's peers including Lewisham don Novelist and mellow pioneer Sainte cosigning the artist.
Krept & Konan, Popcaan - Smooth Lovin (Prod. P2J)
Score: 7/10
The first single from Krept & Konan's upcoming album is Smooth Lovin, featuring Jamaican pioneer Popcaan. Produced by P2J, the song has many Caribbean and Afrobeat influences. The song, and the majority of the upcoming album, was recorded in Jamaica, where both Krept and Konan have roots, and like to ensure they remain connected to.
Avelino, Aitch - Scary Movie (Prod. The FaNaTiX)
Score: 8/10
Avelino's latest run has no intention of stopping if his latest single, with Manchester superstar Aitch, has anything to do with it. The song came expertly timed with the announcement of the Wayan Brothers' next Scary Movie instalment. Having not worked with Aitch for almost 3 years, Avelino said to Clash Magazine; "Reconnecting on that creative level has been a vibe. I’ve always believed in the philosophy of work hard, play hard, and ‘Scary Movie’ is us having fun with the concept, playing with words and energy. Big shoutout to FaNaTiX for delivering on the production.”