April was a huge transitional month, not only in the world of general news, politics and hot topics but also in regards to music and even my own personal life. I've been away from the blog for a while and it's had me thinking of all of the artists who have been away from the scene for a while. The ones who seem to have vanished into the abyss when I believe that they could easily fit into the current mainstream musical climate if they were around today.

KATY B 

When Katy B first debuted on the mainstream music scene with the absolute banger, "Katy On A Mission", in 2011 she was the everything girl in the UK. She was on all the stations, on all the line ups and at all of the functions. Her most recent project in 2016 Honey didn't do as well as I would've hoped and despite this being fairly recent, I haven't heard her mentioned in the mainstream in quite the same way as 2011 since. A crying shame.

LA ROUX 

Another singer who made a huge splash in the mainstream and then sort of evaporated a year on. In 2009 La Roux came into my eye-line with "In For The Kill" straight up pop banger with the swagger that Christine (and the Queens) has to boot. I even had the pleasure of seeing her live after her 2014 Trouble in Paradise and almost believed that'd be the start of the comeback. However, here we are 5 years later; no music and no more hope.

MAGNETIC MAN

Since their 2010 hit "Perfect Stranger" with previously mentioned Katy B, I've heard hide nor hair of Magnetic Man as a collective. Artwork and Skream have gone on to do more than their counterpart Benga, however I'm sad that they haven't all come back together to collaborate since. Judging by their debut self-titled album, and given the way that production technology has developed since, had they kept at it I could easily hear them being mentioned in tandem with the Biceps and Bonobos of the electronic world. I feel like we lost something here.

This is one of the biggest losses on this list for me. In a time when the mainstream is inundated with songstresses that not only look alike but also sound alike, the search for a unique female voice at the moment is a strong. Delilah's debut album From The Roots Up played on my iPod Touch for the majority of 2012-13, it's reappeared almost every year since then but alas, mew music hasn't reappeared with it.

ESMÉE DENTERS

This story's a little bit trickier than the rest. Esmée's had quite the tumultuous career since bursting on the scene with "Outta Here". Her debut album, Outta Here, produced by Justin Timberlake was one of my favourite projects to drop that year. Aside from its singles "Outta Here" and "Admit It", there wasn't much of a hullaballoo surrounding Esmée or her album. Since then she's popped up here and there on The Voice and has even recently released a single. However, I unfortunately still feel like there was wasted potential here.

B.O.B

The golden boy and the king of the charts throughout 2010. Where is he now? Similarly to Esmée he's actually been releasing consistently since his arrival on the scene. However, his star seems to have burnt too fast and too bright initially and he's still left chasing its tail. Aside from his 2011 mixtape No Genre I've not had interest in B.o.B or his projects since, and the buzz surrounding his name has died down shockingly and considerably.

ALEXIS JORDAN

I never I thought I'd be writing about the demise of a career that was kicked off by the likes of Jay-Z and Simon Cowell but here we are. "Happiness" was the anthem of the Spring/Summer in 2011, and definitely fits in well with the sounds of people like Little Mix, Anne Marie and Jess Glynne today. However, since the equally catchy follow up singles, "Hush Hush" and "Good Girl", and the self-titled debut album, Alexis Jordan got snapped into dust.

We've already had a phenomenal week of releases from womxn let alone the past 3 months. It's apparent more now than ever the sheer brilliance of the womxn in today's society and how much we're achieving within the music industry and far beyond. So in honour of today, and Women's History Month in general, I wanted to briefly talk about a few of my favourite releases from womxn this year so far and music that should most definitely be on your radar. 

CHARLOTTE ADIGÉRY - Zandoli

I came across Charlotte after seeing her band Wwwater perform early last year and have been following her music since. Her experimental and original instrumentals stand her apart from the saturated whirlpool of today's music world, whilst her voice and lyrics make her music easy to relate to and see the brilliance in. 

ANAÏS - Darkness At Play

I have already raved and raved about anaïs' single "woman" from this album and even though I've said it once, I'll say it again. The vocal perform on not only this single but across the entire album is still one of the best that I've heard this year. Incredible harmonies and unique melodies. I am entirely here for this album. Also, if you hadn't already guessed from the title, it's a pretty apt song to play today of all days.

JAMILA WOODS - ZORA

I can't wait for this album to come out. After her debut record HEAVN last year, this single along with "GIOVANNI" have made me quietly confident in the idea that Jamila's sophomore album might just pip her debut at the post. These singles continue to get me through many a commute or difficult weekday morning. I'm counting on LEGACY! LEGACY! to get me through the rest of 2019.

AMAHLA - Consider This

An up and comer from the Roundhouse artist scene, Amahla demonstrates a vocal control that many have likened to Amy Winehouse. Similarly to the legend, Amahla boasts a voice that can tell stories from before her time. a soulful croon that will stay embedded in your mind long after first listen. Her presence is picking up steam around London and I wouldn't be surprised if the mainstream started hearing from her fairly soon.

EMMAVIE - OOPS

Another memorable London songstress. Emmavie has released a number of singles and music these past few months which, I'm hoping and praying, means that she'll be releasing an album or EP fairly soon. She'll be performing at the Royal Albert Hall in April and rightly so. Her tone of voice is buttery and her songs are catchy, she'd be a welcome addition to today's R&B mainstream.

LITTLE SIMZ - GREY Area

Possibly my favourite release from the entire bunch. Little Simz has done it again. It's no secret how much I admire Simbi and her work and she's not only tweaked and re-invented her sound on this album; she's done it with a confidence and flair that you only really expect from older more seasoned icons. However, that's exactly what Simz has set herself up to be with this album, an icon.

SHINGAI - Coming Home 

Speaking of icons, the legendary Shingai Shoniwa, previously lead singer of The Noisettes, is back to bless our eardrums again with her powerful vocals. Her latest single before her EP release later this year touches back into her Zimbabwean roots with a catchy and uplifting message that you will without a doubt be singing long after your first listen. She has most definitely, still got it.

SOLANGE - When I Get Home 

Of course! The most anticipated album out of the entire bunch. I have been waiting for this album to be in my life ever since the already classic A Seat At The Table. I must say, I was expecting to be more enamoured with the album after first listen but since listening back several times there are definitely a number of shining moments throughout. This is a beautiful and artistic piece of work.

SZJERDENE - Restart

Another name that I hadn't heard from in a while. Since finding out about Szjerdene's voice from Bonobo's brilliant The North Borders I've kept an ear out for what she might have up her sleeve next. After a few singles here and there we have her latest single "Restart", before the promise of a new EP.  Since listening in, I confidently say that I am going to love this EP.

For the few of you who haven't seen Avengers: Infinity War yet, I'll provide a quick debrief. In short, our villain in the story, Thanos, would like to restore order in the world by eradicating half of its population. Thanos (plus the infinity stones) has the ability to do this with a simple click of his fingers. This is relevant because in this new feature, I will have Thanos' ability to click people away, figuratively speaking. I will put two artists and their entire bodies of work side by side and, at the end of deliberations, will decide which one of them would cease to exist. The artists will be up for consideration under four main categories and today in the ring we have Timothy 'Timbaland' Mosley and Pharrell 'Skateboard P' Williams.

Pharrell as a solo artist has had 2 albums, In My Mind and G I R L. I have to say that as a cohesive piece I enjoy the first album better than the second, however the shining moments in G I R L undoubtedly override the shining moments in IMM. Beats and rhymes-wise, Pharrell had it just right the first time. Given his popular culture success with the latter album though, I suspect that many would disagree. I, however, feel like the originality and energy on that album fell a little bit flat for me.

Timbaland has put out 3 solo albums to date and I have to say, the year that it came out, Shock Value II was one of my favourite albums out that year. That album took on a new level of overplaying from me. Before that Shock Value did capture a lot of my attention and put Timbaland on the mainstream map as a solo artist. Listening back to Shock Value I & II I can see that had those been released now I would be far less inspired than I was at the time. However, that's more to due with the evolution of music and my personal taste than the content itself.

Timbaland has been producing since 1993 and his production discography will make your eyes water. The man is basically the key to music as we know it. Spanning across genres and genders, most things that Timbaland touches turn to gold. People like Jay Z, Missy Elliott, Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake, Keri Hilson, Aaliyah, Ginuwine, and the list goes on and on, would not have seen the same success that they did without Timbaland's influence. No question. 

Pharrell on the other hand, started producing in 2005 but only really began to make an impact and a signature for himself in 2013. Since then, he has had a hand in some of the biggest Pop bangers we've seen to date, by both himself and collaborators, and has worked with some of the biggest artists on some of the most memorable albums. No doubt, Pharrell is a household name in production too. The most notable thing about his production is the signature four count intro pattern but as he keeps building I assume there'll be more.

Timbaland is known to support several charities and causes including Chime For Change, Designers Against AIDS and UNICEF. Outside of philanthropy Timbaland has been fairly quiet within other entertainment spheres despite also producing music for TV and Film. Timbaland has struggled publicly with a variety of issues from plagiarism accusations to dealings with addiction and has battled through these whilst also reinventing himself in the process. Although, it's mean that he hasn't had his hand in absolutely all of the pies, it has made him a role model to many without even taking artistry into consideration. 

As well as being impactful in music, Pharrell has also been extremely influential in fashion circles and philanthropical ventures. His charity 'From One Hand To AnOTHER' was developed for at-risk youth between the ages of 7 and 20. In addition to this, Pharrell has had a hand in broadcasting with his multimedia creative collective 'i am OTHER', which brought us shows like Awkward Black Girl and Nardwuar. Pharrell has been known to dabble in most facets within the entertainment industry and continues to make an impact in each one.

Timbaland's style of production originated around the idea of warped records and distorted sounds. Whilst working on Ginuwine's "Pony", Timbaland was famously quoted saying that it was birthed by putting a record out in the sun to warp. He shaped beats around that sound. As well as being a very outside of the box way to begin looking at beats, it was also a starting point filled with an abundance of possibilities moving forward. He's evolved and diversified over the years and every time he branches into something new it switches up the game, and in his own words, he's not done yet.

Some of the most iconic instrumentals, samples and trademarks originated in Timbaland's studio, and although the same can be said for Pharrell, taking into consideration the sheer volume of work and musical development that Timbaland has had an effect on across genres and generations; on this occasion I think that Timbaland may just have won out.

It's crazy to think that we're still in the first month of 2019. The sheer volume of music that has been released over the past couple of weeks makes me feel practically giddy anticipating the level of music that we have in store for the next year. Today has been the first Friday of the year where the new releases have been particularly overwhelming, and I know that there are a few more of those to come. Here are just a few of my favourites.

After her EP last year, anaïs' vocals and vibes stuck firmly in my mind as one to watch in the months to come. I wasn't actually expecting a full length body of work from her so soon but I'm definitely not complaining. Her lead single "woman" cements her place as both an artist and vocalist. The simplicity of the instrumental leaves room to see the most brilliant sides of her creative presence.

Ariana has had the most incredible career leap over the past year. So much so that her latest album, Sweetener, made its way firmly into my Top 10 albums of the year list, something I never would have anticipated at the beginning of 2018. And so now entering the new year with a new Ariana Pop banger seems only fitting.     

Blockhead's reputation precedes him. A recommendation from a friend of mine describes him as a Hip Hop beatsmith from NYC, akin to early Bonobo and Amon Tobin. Today's release Free Sweatpants, is a smooth 54 minutes of effective features and mind bending soundscapes. I will most definitely be looking into some of his older works.

I cannot tell you the ways in which I have waited for this body of work to be made available to me. As soon as the clock struck midnight I was rushing to my Spotify just to look at it. James Blake is able to touch my core every time he releases something new. Every album without fail. And I empirically know that Assume Form will be no different.

I'll never forget the first time I discovered Jay Prince. I was bopping away at Knxwledge's DJ set at XOYO when "Father, Father" came on. Of course I couldn't Shazam it but the beat knocked so hard that I had to just write down any lyrics I could grasp from it to find it later. Thank goodness I did, since then it's been nothing but smooth bangers from his corner.

Kallitechnis on the other hand was a Shazam discovery, at a restaurant somewhere in the middle of summer last year. Since then, she's been a trusty go-to for light hearted, breezy soundtracks for walking along the happy medium. This latest EP CHROMATIC doesn't particularly push any boundaries but it's definitely pleasing to the ears.

Another album that I am over the moon about. Each of the singles that Little Simz has released in the lead up to this album has been different from the last. At the same time as being unique from one another, they're also different to everything that Simz has released since, whilst also being a necessary injection into the current Rap mainstream. I predict big things.

It's been months since I've really heard a peep from Toro y Moi's corner but I had been anticipating something great. His amazing blend of R&B and Electronic music makes his voice pop in a way that I wouldn't expect it to in any other genre. Outer Peace, like many albums, has some shining moments and some forgettable pieces but all-in-all, it's great to have Toro back.

Since their 2011 album Vice Verses I can't say that I've been all too impressed with any of the other albums that Switchfoot have offered us. After that the passion just seemed to dip for me. However, after listening to the singles in the lead up to NATIVE TONGUE it seems that there may have been a small shift in their sound, giving the songs the bite that they'd been missing.

I'm not just upset at the fact that I never got to see them play live, although that is something that will stick with me. The fact is that their music holds such a heavy weight in my musical heart and I wasn't ready to be faced with the fact that there won't be any more of it. Their sophomore album in particular The Things We Think We're Missing has and will continue to soundtrack some of the more emotional moments of my life and has even simply brought a light or a meaning to the more mundane moments of life. I know that Balance & Composure aren't necessarily the best band or the best thing to happen to Alternative Rock music, but their music has always resonated with me in a way that felt personal. I guess that's one of the best things about music. You can listen to a song one way and yet the next person is hearing and feeling something completely different.

Have you ever listened to a song and thought "Great song but man, I think somebody could have done this better."? Well this thought has popped into my mind so frequently recently that I thought I'd better articulate it in words.

Have a listen to a favourite track from each of these records (plus a few extras) on my Spotify playlist here.