Five on it: Little Simz won’t be stopped during lockdown

With the news that Notting Hill Carnival has officially been cancelled, I was left unsurprised but nevertheless disappointed. Of course, it had to be cancelled. Last year’s carnival has an estimated attendance of over 2 million. It’s an event that simply could not take place during these unprecedented times. This didn’t change the fact that I felt a little deflated after thinking about the unlikelihood of there being any music events this year that can be attended in person. Feeling the bass coming up through the ground is a sensation of the past, and the future, but not for right now.

I began wondering how this year will go down in music history. Will 2020 be a dark cloud that devastates the music industry commercially? Or will this extra time indoors mean better lyrics from songwriters and better music from producers? It’s difficult to say, but what I can do know is that the music coming out week-on-week does not disappoint, which must be a good sign. See for yourself with this week’s five on it:

Little Simz – ‘might bang, might not’

Over darting beats that dance on the edge of jungle, ever eloquent Little Simz proclaims her self worth: “I am a one woman army”. In relation to the track name: yes, it does bang. And so do many others on the Drop 6 EP which she impressively recorded entirely in lockdown.

Tomi Agape – ‘London’

Rising Star Tomi Agape’s ‘London’ stands as a love story to her city, with effortless vocals, sleek production, and a video to remind us of life before lockdown

Arlo Parks – ‘Black Dog’

With breathy, beautiful vocals, Arlo explores the difficulty and helplessness of living with someone with mental health issues. The video is poignant and really brings home the fact that isolation is as much a feeling of the mind, as it is an act.

Jenevieve x BENZIBOY – ‘Tell Me’

As somewhat of a pessimist towards remixes of great songs, I was thoroughly impressed with this. Jenevieve’s sweet and sultry rendition of Groove Theory’s ‘Tell Me’ over BENZIBOY’s dancehall-style beat makes for a charming pairing that will have you missing nights out.