Industry news & advice blog

CÓCÒA - ‘HigH (Loke Loke)’

London based, Nigerian singer songwriter CÓCÒA creates an addictive, sophisticated fusion of Afrobeats, Jazz, House and Funk. Or as she likes to refer to it…’Afropop’.

‘HigH (Loke Loke)’ is the result of collaboration with her longtime producer Thẹ́ Kínnsmàn, forged remotely in summer 2019 and finally recorded at Pepperpot Studios in December 2019. Her signature R&B vocal style rides effortlessly on the backbeat of nostalgic traditional Yoruba Fuji and Juju drums with sprinkles of Jazz and 80s House melodic textures.

Once the track was eventually unveiled this year, it was quickly jumped on by Abbie McCarthy of BBC Music Introducing (BBC Radio Kent) who gave the song its radio debut and provided CÓCÒA, who grew up in Lagos and moved to London in her early teens, with a stand-out experience, “That was an epic moment listening to my Afropop song on British radio.”

More exhilarating firsts lie ahead over the coming months, as CÓCÒA will give her debut performance at the Urban Showcase Event hosted by G Town Talents at The Albion Rooms in Margate on the 8th December. And she is also preparing to drop another single from her upcoming debut EP entitled ‘Horns + Halos’. I, for one, cannot wait to hear more.

Instagram   Facebook   Twitter   Spotify

​

bigfatbig - ‘Let’s Get Married’

Soaking up the nineties and noughties slacker pop-punk vibes of The Subways, Kate Nash and The Front Bottoms...then chewing them up and spitting them back out again, are North East twosome bigfatbig, who have recently unleashed their boisterous fifth single ‘Let’s Get Married’. The title may sound saccharine sweet, but the song definitely packs a punch and isn’t as lovey-dovey as first impressions may suggest:

“The basis of the song is essentially about when you want to spend every second of the day with someone, so much so that you're willing to ignore some red flags that you probably shouldn't. It's a bit of an exploration into unhealthy dependencies in relationships - neither of us are in positions like this so it's for sure more of a story-telling commentary on narratives we've witnessed people we know going through. It was also inspired by seeing a lot of people we know suddenly growing up, getting married and starting families, and the disparity in where we are in our lives. It's really weird how we always feel compelled to compare our situations to other people's, even if we don't necessarily want the same things.”

Racking up national airplay with BBC 6 Music and Amazing Radio, as well as playing at Radio 1’s Big Weekend, it seems that bigfatbig’s cheeky and chaotic sound is flourishing. And more new material will be on its way in 2022 as the pair show us that their regeneration of pop punk is here to stay! After a series of stand-alone singles, the duo aim to bring us something even more substantial in the new year, “I think more than anything we're proud of how we've managed through the pandemic - to find a way to release music we love despite everything that's gone on has been really difficult, so it feels like a huge payoff when we do actually get to share our songs! We're hoping to release a larger body of work which is really exciting for us. I think this coming year is going to be full of firsts for us.”

Facebook   Twitter   Instagram   YouTube   Spotify





Third Girl From The Left - ‘Oxygen’

Conjuring eerie, intimate avant pop, Third Girl From The Left has been able to use the pandemic and lockdowns over the past couple of years to reassess her musical direction and reignite her creativity, “Prior to TGFTL I gigged as a singer/songwriter playing acoustic roots venues but lost my mojo for a while and didn't think I would get it back. Amazingly, lockdown had a positive effect and gave me the time to reinvent myself. I learnt how to record and produce my own work at home which ignited something new in my creative process and I love it.”

The result is an intoxicating melting pot, both slick and refreshing, yet shadowy and haunting at the same time, with Nicky’s understated vocals incredibly reminiscent of Portishead’s Beth Gibbons. “I love to use poetic lyrics and experimental guitar tunings mixed with ethereal pads and field recordings to create other worldly soundscapes, to sooth and unnerve in equal measure. ‘Oxygen’ was heavily influenced by lockdown and the climate crisis. I spent a lot of time walking in the woods, noticing nature and listening to and recording my surroundings. Absorbing the magnificence of trees and how truly special they are.”

This change of direction has certainly sparked wider appreciation, with Third Girl From The Left picking up airplay from the likes of BBC Introducing, Amazing Radio and Fresh on the Net Listening Post, as well as reviews from Loud Women, Chalk Pit Records and Listen With Monger.

Live dates are on the agenda, plus a debut album which should be released in 2022. But for now, we can look forward to another electrifying single and video which are in the making. Watch this space!

Website   Facebook   Instagram   YouTube   Spotify




VICTORS - ‘How Can You Just Turn It Off?’

Driving synth pop with all the hooks, not to mention all the feels, is the signature sound of Leeds trio VICTORS. Perfectly capturing the essence of break-ups and heartbreak is dream pop gem ‘How Can You Just Turn It Off?’, taken from their latest EP 'III', in which Harry, Simon and Leon depict the highs and lows of a relationship.

Writing about such universal topics has clearly fostered a deep connection between VICTORS and their fans. In fact ‘How Can You Just Turn It Off?’ was inspired in part by parallels experienced by band member Harry and one of their fans, “Lyrically, it came at a time where one of our biggest fans here in the UK was going through a tough time, so we dedicated this song to him. Simultaneously, Harry was going through a breakup at the time as well so it came together very quickly. That’s the best part about breakups I guess! We debuted a demo version of this song live at our last headline show in London at the Islington O2 Academy in March 2020. It was a special moment as that particular fan was at the front in tears. Once we got it into the studio, it was eventually recorded and produced by the wonderful Megan Amour and Alex Quinn.”

After a hectic summer where VICTORS have smashed live sets at Liverpool Sound City, Wild Paths Festival, Gone Wild Festival and more, the trio have also just embarked on a few headline shows - their first in 2 years - which will finish up with a hometown gig at Oporto in Leeds on 8th December. With a constantly growing fanbase in the US, the band dream of touring America and hope to make this a reality in the near future, ”We’d say that our biggest fans are in the US so we can’t wait to get over there and meet them!”

In the meantime writing has begun for VICTORS’ next body of work. With high praise and features already bagged from the likes of EARMILK, DORK Magazine, Gigwise, BBC Radio 1, NFL, Topman, Made in Chelsea, it looks like we’re not the only ones who will be eager to hear new material from these Yorkshire lads.

Facebook   Twitter   Instagram   YouTube   Spotify


Wednesday’s Child - ‘Nearby Nowhere’

Crafting their own unique, kooky and inimitable sound, London based duo Wednesday’s Child (aka Emily and Georgia) are far from conventional. They began making music together during the lockdowns of the past 18 months, culminating in a debut, self-titled EP which was unveiled in October.

‘Nearby Nowhere’ is a retro pop pastiche embracing many genres and eras, and Emily’s previous gig in a Queen tribute act certainly filters through during those guitar solos; “The first draft of ‘Nearby Nowhere’ was written last winter, but we didn’t record it until the start of the summer. It ended up being the final song we finished for the EP, and the second on our tracklist because we wanted to shock listeners into a more upbeat energy after ‘Begin Again’. Georgia was awake one night in January, dealing with insomnia and feeling quite stuck so started to write ‘Nearby Nowhere’ as a way to feel more hopeful. When we came to work on it together, we drew inspiration from The Ronettes and Rubber Soul-era Beatles.”

The process of creating and producing the entire EP themselves, mostly from their bedrooms, has clearly been a cathartic experience for the pair, and now being able to observe as their project takes flight and garners new fans and praise along the way is fulfilling for them, “We recently felt very honoured to have ‘Nearby Nowhere’ played on BBC Radio 6 Music on the BBC Introducing Mixtape. It was a super exciting moment and cool to know that even two people who aren’t trained in recording and producing can get airplay with some hard work.”

With more new releases planned, plus some live shows on the horizon, we’re sure an intriguing journey lies ahead for the duo, and as Wednesday’s Child seem to play by their own rules, this should be a journey worth watching.

Facebook   Twitter   Instagram   Spotify  

How can I get featured on the Spotlight blog?

Our Spotlight blog is compiled every month from fresh new music submitted to us by our members. We want to hear from you!

We select 5 of the best tracks from our members to champion on Spotlight. As well as being featured on our new music blog, your track will also be played on our monthly Reform Radio show, get a free release package from CD Baby, plus the 5 tracks are also forwarded onto a select bunch of music industry professionals...including folks from Big Life Management, Club Fandango, Decca Records, Memphis Industries, Rocksound, DIY Magazine, Transgressive Records and The Great Escape. Find out more about Spotlight here.

To be in the running you’ll need to sign up as a member to The Unsigned Guide, then follow the instructions in your Welcome email to submit a track for Spotlight consideration to us.

Members of The Unsigned Guide get access to our huge directory of over 8,000 UK music industry contacts, spanning 50 areas of the music business. Check out our quick video to find out more about the directory & other services we provide to help emerging bands and artists.