Ayo Reveals Emotion, Positivity and Love On Her New Self-titled Album

As an artist who has consistently defined her musical expression through emotion, reflection and love, it’s no wonder why Ayo’s latest record is a powerful account that showcases the artists’ recent challenges through gripping imagery, impeccable songwriting and passionate vocals that deliver a masterful composition to her listeners.

When asked to write a preview of Ayo’s fifth studio album, ahead of the record’s release party at New York City’s, DROM, on Wednesday, I was relatively excited based on Ayo’s extensive reach in the independent music scene over the past decade. With over 1.5 million records sold in 40 countries, Ayo’s versatility in her music, empathy towards each composition and gentle, yet harrowing nature of her voice details Ayo’s complex and focused approach towards her artistry.

In her latest self-titled album, “Ayo,” the Brooklyn-based artist concocts a blend of indie soul and contemporary folk, with a touch of hip-hop elements simmered in reggae. The expansive reach of her musical repertoire in these genres provides a level of versatility that offers a license to embellish in the sounds of Baduism, while also providing a firm contrast to the lyricism of Lauryn Hill – all while crafting a sound of her own that combines retro-pop-soul with the refine African percussions and the vivid storytelling of reggae folk.

Born to a Nigerian father and Romani mother in Cologne, Germany, Ayo was raised on the musical influences of American soul, reggae and Afro-beats that spawned her studying the violin, piano and guitar. At 21 years of age, Ayo re-located to London, diving her time between Paris and New York City on the way to earning her first opening act for Omar and Cody Chesnutt.  Ayo’s debut album, “Joyful,” hit Top 10 in four countries, performing with Babyface, winning prestigious European Music Awards and even appearing on the “Late Show with David Letterman” and “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” in the United States.

Her musical approach, rich with honesty, sentiment and passion, releases a mist of positivity and emotion on each record of “Ayo,” guiding audiences to embrace their feelings and reflections on what’s been gained and lost. We see these components in songs such as “Nothing,” “Why” and “I Pray” which showcases Ayo’s vulnerability over these past five years with personal and career challenges.

On “Nothing,” Ayo offers us a reggae-soul inspired perspective on the material things in her life that she believed would make her feel better about herself, all while feeling empty as she realizes the void is just a temporary means of satisfaction. Composed over the African kalimba (strings) and loosely affirmed Afro-percussions, “Why” provides a heartfelt and revealing account on Ayo’s personal issues with her father and the stubbornness and grudges held within their relationships. Ayo’s enduring spirit on the recent challenges of her life, written over gently bright keys and a calming beats, are boldly displayed on “I Pray” as she reaches towards her spirituality for help during a possible career-ending situation.

Ayo also brings to the table a politically and socially charged record with, “Boom Boom,” regarding her outrage over the Mike Brown police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014. Ayo’s realism is illustrated through her temporary folk and reggae style composition that also challenges the issue of police brutality, social injustice and our government’s response towards these racially charged issues.

With emotion, love and positivity remaining a consistent theme throughout the album, Ayo pays homage to the city that developed her musical ear and early success – Paris. On “Paname” (the surname for the City of Lights), Ayo composes a more complex multi-cultural arrangement with hints of reggae, pop-infused soul and traditional Parisian sounds, such as the accordion, is apparent on the record. The song is written as a love letter to Paris for how the city made Ayo personally, musically and culturally.

Ayo even spreads her hip-hop wings on the contemporary soul records, “Forever & Beyond” and “All I Want,” which exemplifies Ayo’s love of Hip-hop and the lyricism that I represents in music. With deep percussion, smooth vocals and confident melodies, Ayo offers another take on her sound’s versatile and complex approach to her songwriting ability.

With a cascade of emotions over the past several years, Ayo latest record is a testimony to her artistry that thrives on feeling. From the passions of love to the politically/socially charged stance, “Ayo” delivers an account of the world around her both personally and culturally.

As one of the leading independent artist in the world, Ayo’s distinctive songwriting, vivid storytelling and revealing honesty that both painfully and respectively is released through each composition. Ayo’s languorous and delicate vocals, paired with profound musicianship and multi-cultured adaptations, is why Ayo is still a heart-warming figure in the independent music scene.

You can catch Ayo and the anticipated performance of her self-titled record this Wednesday at DROM in New York City. Doors open at 6:30pm with the show starting at 7:15pm. For more on Ayo, please follow her socials listed below and listen to her music on all digital streaming platforms today.

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Deem Spencer's Raw Emotion Shined At El Cortez

Deem Spencer breathing on the mic at The Safari Room. Photo courtesy of Sergio Carrasco.

New York’s independent hip-hop scene has endured a multitude of changes over the years with the rise of trap-infused beats and sharp-edged vocals; this growth has spawned some of the mainstream titans that flow through our airwaves today.  As listeners crave for the club ravaging and intensifying sounds of trap music one can argue that the raw lyricism, vivid storytelling and deep productions of New York hip-hop - which made the east coast so successful - has been put on the back-burner.

Yet, some of NY’s young and talented emcees continue adopt the traditional flows of east coast hip-hop alive with fresh new sounds and production, which altogether, has even attempted to move the trend needle forward: This is where Deem Spencer comes in.

Deem Spencer prepping up at The Safari Room. Photo courtesy of Sergio Carrasco.

The Queens-based rapper, overnight, has become one of the biggest talks on the scene and has impressed both his listeners and audiences with razor sharp lyricism, honest emotion and raspy-esque flows. His ambling vocalization and handsomely smooth compositions resembles the flows of Mos Def mixed with a hint of Tyler, The Creator.

Over a series of crispy bundled-up beats blended with an array of soft keys and complex strings, Deem’s rhymes are as complex as his stage presence: keeping audiences guessing and on their toes for what comes next next.

We came out to El Cortez in Brooklyn last Saturday to watch Deem Spencer’s performance of his latest EP, “We Think We Alone.” The show took place at El Cortez’s, The Safari Room, adjacent to the Tex-Mex bistro in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn (definitely recommended for some hearty bites and luscious margaritas). The faint aromas of Mary Jane, overnight IPA hops and cigarettes hovered in the air as audiences slowly poured in to catch a scent of some good old NY hip-hop.

Deem Spencer movin' on stage at The Safari Room. Photo courtesy of Sergio Carrasco.

Crimdella and Venture Klan opened the show for Deem as they kicked off the night with ferocious bars, brilliant production and ravaging beats that assailed audiences into that uptown sound that never disappoints.

Crimdella, aka Black Zeusx, provided a series of poetic rhymes and intense imagery that breathed heavily through pulverizing beats. Zeusx’ gripping charisma on the mic pierced through every chord, as the Harlem emcee broke into the crowd – getting us wiled up for an awesome night of hip-hop.

Venture Klan also offered a pulsating performance through their club-banging anthems filled with character, swag and humor. This three-piece act conquered the stage with their enduring styles; precision-like flows and energetic jibes that made The Safari Room crowd keep their hands in the air. They even gave us some free merch for us to make our friends hate us just a little more.

Deem Spencer showing his lyrical talent at The Safari Room. Photo courtesy of Sergio Carrasco.

With his performance on “We Think We Alone,” Deem Spencer delivered an unforgettable performance that was rich, grieving and outright amusement that forced us to all “shake our a$$” while Deem performed the record in its entirety. Inspired by the death of his grandfather last winter, the Queens-based artists’ stage presence reflected a mellow and introverted persona, it was Deem’s precise melodies and intricate wordplay that helped keep audiences afloat – keened in on his heavy-hearted storytelling and brilliance.

Perfectionist, soft-spoken and meticulous, the Southside Jamaica emcee, poured his soul into every bar and mastered them beautifully behind a complex nebula of sensual synths, soulful chords and a mix of venomous beats that elicited a challenging sound of emotion and exasperation.

Deem opened with a killer freestyle on Saturday that showcased the indie-rapper at his lyrical best, along with an early 90’s-esque boom-bap and lulling keys. On “Soap” and “Eve’s T*****s,” we caught a glimpse of Deem’s vivid symbolism, strategic metaphors and illustrious productions with an instrumentation that’s unnerving with its precise strings. On these tracks, we got a sense of Deem’s patience and detailed flow that spoke assertively through his mic.

Deem Spencer spittin' on the mic at The Safari Room. Photo courtesy of Sergio Carrasco.

The night flowed on, and on tracks such as “Mother Earth” and “Moonflower,” we saw Deem with a more peevish and scrappier vocal with a high degree of synths and complex percussions. With “F***d Up Flowers,” Deem relieved himself of that conservative stage presence with a groovy chilled-out track that got him, Sly Cooper and the rest of crowd “shaking their a$$.” With a jazzed-out J-Pop sample, patient chords and complex percussion, Deems' vibed out track helped to bridge that relaxed demeanor with a stellar upbeat performance.

Deem Spencer’s nebulous sound, smoky aroma and artistic lyricism is blueprint for the future of indie hip-hop. It’s genuine & cunning, apologetically honest and deeply descriptive with grief & empathy. With raw emotion and petite aggression, Deem Spencer’s metaphoric scriptures are surely a trend ahead of today’s mainstream and independent hip-hop scenes. No doubt, Deem Spencer will be obtaining that recognition as his music persists.

Deem Spencers honesty & grief on display at The Safari Room. Photo courtesy of Sergio Carrasco.

For more information, and to stream/download his music, follow Deem Spencer today. Also be sure to catch Deem live at his next show at Baby’s All Right on December 4.

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The Zombies Reclaim their Status Amongst The Pillars of Rock & Roll In NYC

Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone - founding members of legendary British invasion band the Zombies - played an impressive set at Rough Trade NYC last month in front of a packed-house filled with generations of inspired fans. Argent and Blunstone showcased an incredible set that was indicative of the Zombies harmonious sound and psychedelic expressions. Their performance highlighted how the band has reclaimed their relevancy in the rock & roll genre; while also making a substantial impact on both older and younger audiences bridging the gap between classic and modern rock.

As with most British Invasion bands that spread through the airwaves throughout the early to mid-1960s, the Zombies began touring the United States in 1964 behind their hit single, “She’s Not There,” which peaked to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. the Zombies performed at various venues across the U.S. while on tour and made their first U.S. television appearance in 1965. Their subsequent hit single, “Tell Her No” peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March of 1965 and had become one of their biggest U.S. releases.

After signing with CBS Records from Decca Music Group, the Zombies released their classic studio album, Odessey and Oracle, in 1968. Over the past several decades, the album has since received international acclaim as one of the staples of 1960s expressionism with the Zombies hit song, “Time of The Season,” “This Will Be Our Year” and “Care of Cell 44.”

On that Thursday evening in Brooklyn, we were honored to witness Argent and Blunstone perform some of the Zombies' hit songs that triumphed during their 1960's debut. With open arms, Blunstone’s entrancing voice embraced audiences as they were drawn closer to the intriguing harmonies and melancholy hooks. The duo opened the show with the charming “Tell Her No” followed by the Zombies' debut hit “She’s Not There.” We stood together with the crowd and sang along with Blunstone’s cadent voice, echoing graciously across the stage. He helped the crowd follow his lead, providing comfort for both those reviving their youth and for the new generation reaffirming their appreciation for the Zombies' pioneering sound.

We were ultimately blown away when the Zombies performed their hit song, “Time of The Season,” when the crowd, no matter the generation, sung along to the classic record. Blunstone and Argent’s breezy acapella smoothed our ears with the songs expressive harmonies and relaxed melodies that were able to make us feel as one. They also performed songs from Still Got That Hunger, which provided audiences with a fresh taste of the Zombies latest works such as, “Moving On” and “Edge of the Rainbow,” that exemplified the band’s historic versatility and dynamic reach within their music.

Our experience of the Zombies performance that evening was intangible. The ability to witness these two pioneers of rock & roll brought upon a rare treat that reinforced our appreciation for musicians from that classic area and illustrated how powerful their impact has been and will be on current and future musicians. Although their music careers have had twists and turns – make no mistake – the Zombies are here to stay. As one of many 60’s and 70’s rock bands re-defining their legendary status through new albums and sold-out tours around the world, the Zombies have come off the bench and into the starting line-up.

Their new album is filled with vividly expressive lyrics, powerful instrumental talent, and a puff of smoky vocals that's rare to find these days. The Zombies showcased those talents effortlessly at Rough Trade, and most importantly, they did so by collectively bringing back the classic hits that continue to draw appreciation from fans and musicians across the world. They have continued their musical journey that aims to break barriers and surpass preconceived notions of rock: we couldn't be any more thrilled to hop along for the ride.

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