Music by Bergman: Genesis Owusu

Genesis Owusu has the smile of someone who eats fruit directly from the tree, who laughs at bad jokes because they know they are bad and, above all, who knows that their happiness comes from making others happy. Good Time, Don’t Need You, Wit ’Da Team, and WUTD are serotonin pop. Although the Ghanaian-Australian Kofi Owusu-Ansah does not live on funk bubbles alone. On his album Smile With No Teeth, there is also electro-rap, hot ballads, all-embracing falsettos, open-minded hip-hop or pop-rock for those who consider that Prince, Outkast, The Roots, Cody ChessnuTT and Blood Orange were also in their own way pop-rock. Be that as it may, in whatever style you fancy dressing up Genesis Owusu in, his smile breaks through.

After returning earlier this year with ‘GTFO’, Multi-ARIA award-winning artist Genesis Owusu has shared his latest single, ‘Get Inspired’, ahead of his support slot for Tame Impala’s current Australian tour.

Introducing…Sam Austins

Backed by a genre bending sound Sam Austins is an artist that needs to be on your radar. Sam Austins makes music in the service of one thing: a desire to communicate. Creating immersive and genre-fluid sonic worlds as conduits for his stories about growing up between the Michigan suburbs and the roaring city of Detroit, Austins’ music buzzes with a propulsive energy and has been described by Pusha T as “a mix between ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ and Prince”.

Sam Austins has shared his latest release, the new single ‘Matador’, which expands his journey into the world of pop hits. Fusing alt-pop and R&B with his authentic tales and informed style, the track throws the concept of bullfighting into the arena of romance.

Best Covers: Tom Jones & The Art of Noise ‘Kiss’

Tom Jones and The Art of Noise’s cover of Prince’s song, Kiss, has been rated one of the most danceable songs in history. The 1988 release reached number five in the UK charts (and number one in Spain and New Zealand) and came 14th in the list of more than a list of 8,000 songs to appear in the UK top 10 singles chart.

Hit of the week: Lazarus Kane ‘Narcissus’

Lazarus Kane, the latest musical alchemist to bend the scope of genres to create a truly eclectic sound. His debut single Narcissus, the first taste of an artist signed to the Speedy Wunderground label, the people responsible for bringing us the likes of Squid, Black Midi and Black Country, New Road. The key themes between the artists being a focus on ground-breaking, unconventional and at times downright weird music.

“Narcissus” is a wonderfully disco-drenched number with the soulful cocksure vibe of Prince, but hemmed beautifully with a Primal Scream edge. There’s a wonderful magnetic intimacy from Lazarus Kane that ropes you in but somehow keeps you at arm’s length for the track’s duration.

Introducing…City Park

Saux and Sjaak come forward with a truly beautiful number as their first track together and under the stage name City Park. The duo produces powerful electronic indie that is driven by all time classics like Peter Gabriel, Blood Orange and even Prince at times. Bringing the strongest vocals we’ve heard in quite a bit. Not only that, but in this day and age. How you package your art into a compelling body of work is equally important. For lasting visuals, they brought on Jiye Kim and her otherworldly simplistic, minimal approach to painting. Capitalizing on a single color and inspired by the music the pair have put forward.

Best Covers: Fenech-Soler “I wanna be your lover”

Electropop duo Fenech-Soler just dropped an EP that consists of covers of some of the 80s greatest hits. Appropriately titled “The Covers EP”, Fenech-Soler pays tribute to Prince, David Bowie, Talking Heads, Robin S., and Janet Jackson. The group released “Zilla”, their second album, in February, so it’s a nice surprise to get more music from them. Fenech-Soler does a great job keeping the essence of the original songs while infusing it with their unique style of electronic, pop, and a little rock. Prince’s “I Wanna Be Your Lover” is definitely our favourite one.

Best Covers: Christine & The Queens ‘Sorry’

French pop sensation Christine And The Queens has recently covered Prince and “Panda,” and now she takes on Beyoncé‘s Lemonade highlight “Sorry” for the BBC Radio Live Lounge. Christine stamps ‘Sorry’ with wonderful quirkiness and the occasional French verse. Beyonce’s modern R&B pop gets a synthy, vintage makeover. Four minutes of perfect girl power.