This week from around the world of music, The Weeknd returns with a synth-saturated homage to 80’s songwriting on DAWN FM, Billie Eilish is rumoured to replace Travis Scott as the lead headliner for Coachella 2022, and UK garage sensation PinkPantheress is officially named ‘BBC Sound Of 2022’. Whether it’s breaking news, hidden gems, standout singles, revolutionary remixes or archetypal albums, come celebrate the overlooked exceptionalism and individualism of today’s best musicians with the CULTED World Music Round-Up.
THE WEEKND RETURNS WITH DAWN FM
Two years after the release of his critically acclaimed album After Hours, The Weeknd has returned with a synth-saturated homage to 80’s songwriting and the otherworldly instrumentation of psychedelic funk and British Disco. DAWN FM is a radio station of his own creation, curating frequencies favoured by bands like Talking Heads & R.E.M that perfectly cushion the honey-toned vocals we have come to expect after 9 other studio albums. As the host and head honcho of DAWN FM, The Weeknd stands centre stage with a minimal selection of feature artists joining him. Tyler The Creator and Lil Wayne are the only two named features on the project, fitting into his traditionally stripped back style of feature selection.
LUDOVICO EINAUDI – ROLLING LIKE A BALL
Perhaps the greatest and most globally accessible classical musician of his generation, Ludovico Einaudi has returned with a new single ‘Rolling like A Ball’. As the name suggests, this track is a free-flowing meanders through the ever-expanding universe of Einaudi’s construction, once again adding foliage to the branches and ivy to the bricks of his world as he invitess us to discover and dwell in his dreams.
BILLIE EILISH REPLACED TRAVIS SCOTT AT COACHELLA 2022
After the tragic events of Astroworld in November of 2021, Billie Eilish is rumoured to be replacing Houston rapper Travis Scott as the iconic festival’s lead headliner. Although no formal announcement has yet been made by the event organisers, TMZ reported yesterday that Billie will be joining Swedish House Mafia on a revised lineup. Scott was supposed to perform alongside Rage Against The Machine and Frank Ocean as a headliner however now all three artists have been changed due to a myriad of reasons, Scott’s being the most obvious and serious of them all. The announcement comes during a swell of brand dealignment from the rapper as Dior postpones their upcoming Cactus Jack collaboration due to the controversy.
YOUNG T & BUGSEY – BLESSINGS
The young kings of the UK underground are back with the beginnings of a new kind of special relationship as they team up with Jamaican singer Chronixx for a cinematic excursion. ‘Blessings’ is a true good vibes anthem that sees the boys spit pure fire over a full-bodied steel pan and trumpet beat.
GUNNA LINKS WITH DANIEL ARSHAM FOR ALBUM ART FOR DS4EVER
Georgia based rapper Gunna has teamed up with famed and futuristic sculptor and all round creative cut-throat Daniel Arsham for an out-of-the-box album design. DS4EVER is the 7th studio album from Gunna and features hip-hop heavyweights like 21 Savage, Kodak Black, Future, G Herbo & Roddy Rich. Daniel Arsham is making his debut into the album art world with this design, stepping out of his traditional medium of sculptures and animation to extend and give his take on the surrealist statue theme Gunna first toyed with on his 2018 album Drip Harder.
BONOBO & JOJI – FROM YOU
Take a Psychedelic stroll through the saturated sonics of Bonobo’s latest watery riddim ‘From You’ featuring Indonesian singer Joji. This track is exactly the reverb-heavy relaxation we need to soundtrack the start of our year, waking up slowly as the track branches out and unfolds in the most organic of ways.
PINKPANTHERESS WINS BBC SOUND OF 2022
UK TikTok sensation and Garage influenced vocalist PinkPantheress has been awarded the prestigious title of ‘Sound of 2022’ by the BBC just one year after beginning her musical journey from her lockdown bedroom. After going rapidly viral on the platform due to her wispy understated voice and rolling garage influenced riddims like ‘Pain’ & ‘Break It Off’, PinkPantheress was signed by Parlophone Records and released her critically acclaimed debut album ‘To Hell with it’. Now she joins artists like Adele, Micheal Kiwanuka, Sam Smith and Celeste to win the award, raising her stock and future expectations to unfathomable heights. When asked about the award, PinkPantheress replied “I’m honestly gassed, my dad’s going to be so happy!”
BCEE & CATCHING CAIRO – DRACO
Catching Cairo is once again partnering with true heavyweights of the UK DnB world to deliver a hauntingly hard rolling rave anthem. BCEE is the legend in question as the two deliver a tag team performance for the ages on their new single ‘Draco’. Sweeping vocal acrobatics stitched over swooping trumpets make for an all-star single to skank to this month.
