Global Artists Spotlight: PRINS, Psycho YP, Datura4 and More

Datura4 – “Open The Line”

Australian rock act Datura4 are psychedelic, bluesy and surging on their new single “Open The Line” which is part of their upcoming album Neanderthal Jam, which is slated for release in August. The message, as the band states, is simple – “Love is the only answer.” Frontman Dom Mariani adds about the making of the song, “Occasionally you get a stream of consciousness thing going when the rhythm invites you in, so to speak. We had fun putting ‘Open The Line’ together and it slotted in well amongst the heavier/darker tunes of the album. The group vocals, Bob’s Hammond organ motif, the fuzz guitar riff and the cow-bell that comes in halfway through all help to seal the deal. I’m also particularly proud of the guitar solo – a live one-take wonder.”

Bhi Bhiman – “Up All Night”

Tamil-origin American artist Bhi Bhiman has notched up several collaborations over the last few years – from Keegan-Michael Key to singer-songwriter Rhiannon Giddens and others – but he’s also been prepping his own album, I’ll Sleep When I’m Famous. While that’s due in July, we have the single “Up All Night” to lean on, a comforting, dreamy song that could be a lullaby despite the title suggesting a sense of sleeplessness. Bhiman says, “I wrote this song during a pretty difficult time. I was alone taking care of our young daughter while my wife was caring for her father.  For two months, I was living this parallel existence on the other side of the circle of life. And out of the intensity of that experience, this beautiful, fully formed song came out of me.”

Psycho YP – “Midlife Crisis”

Nigerian rapper Psycho YP is repping a new level of hip-hop from Africa and the proof is in his latest song “Midlife Crisis.” At times chill but also trap-infused, the beat allows YP to sing about a loved one – an older woman – who’s going through troubling times and how he has to be there for her. He says, “The song comes from a special place because I’m used to showing my strengths and hardcore side. This time, I really wanted to tell people the kind of relationships we face right now. They are filled with broken people finding something special in each other. ‘Midlife Crisis’ tells the story of a young boy in love with an older woman. Their bond is formed from the need to escape and craving for intimacy.”

PRINS – “That’s the thing x”

New Zealand pop artist PRINS dives into love with all its intensities and dangers on her latest single “That’s the Thing x.” Over buoyant beats and a sprightly guitar riff that jumps in and out of the mix, the singer laments her own shortcomings and having a proclivity for “the unknown.” In the video, PRINS and her partner link up and get into it, but ultimately fizzle out.  

Sacred Son – “Le Blakheth”

Trust British black metal to dig into something truly historical and channel puerile riffs and blast beats into it. Sacred Son, who previously shot to fame for completely unconventional album covers, are singing about the peasant’s revolt of 1381 on their upcoming album The Foul Deth of Engelond. They lead with their journeying and menacing single “Le Blakheth.” Founder Dane Cross says about the album, “It chronicles the bloodiest and most violent chapter of the 1381 Great Rising; when corrupt and sycophantic ruling figures were beaten and beheaded whilst their obscenely lavish buildings burned around them.”

SOY – “Yawa”

Thailand band SOY (also known as Sin Of Youth) released their self-titled EP earlier this month and it was preceded by the mercurial single “Yawa,” which showcases their screamo and shoegaze blend. In the accompanying music video, a date that’s going perfectly well gets disrupted in the unlikeliest of ways. The band previously said in a statement about the EP, “The main concept of the name Sin Of Youth is about disorder and how it gets passed from generation to generation and is represented as ‘sin.’ But the EP isn’t just about social issues, there’s also a warmth we’re trying to exude.”