R & B aint Dead : Mik's Listen EP

Mikiale, thats the name he went by when we first met him, its been a few years since then and now he is better known simply as Mik. Like many other artists, we have watched him grow...from the time he had us singing along, "i'm on my nooos"

We were lucky enough to get our hands on his new EP, "Listen" and well...we had a listen. According to Mik, this one is going out for free...and he has even plan to do a mini tour. All this comes as a prelude to his next problem which may just be one to really look out for.

A representative for his generation's R&B, Mik's following is sure to grow over the years as a settles even more into his style.  This EP is a lovely collection to use to judge him by. Just five tracks but you get to see what he is about.

Love in Harare ft. Joker da vinci and Marcques.

Recorded on a mellow beat, here, Mik gave an uncomplicated hook, "i'm from the city that don't sleep, haurare...all night with me", lyrically flirting with the girl. And yeah Joker da Vinci and Marcques come and lace it...the slow beats Marcques flourishes on and we're sure a subject he likes.

Like ooh ft Mile.

On this Anonzi Xndr and Absurd produced record the two young singers show us that there isn't a thing to worry about in as far as Zim R&B goes...the future isn't bleak. Two complementing voices, the very talented feature ensures that you enjoy the song so much you don't see it end, or maybe its just us.

Roller Coaster ft Maniac Beazy.

One thing about Mik that we saw on the Listen EP is that he isn't afraid to experiment and recreate his ideas in his music. We found ourselves liking the chorus...another song for the ladies...don't worry its clean. Then while you ease into it he gets into the climaxing bridge that jumps straight into Maniac Beazy's well delivered verse.

Easier.

This was our second favorite track on the EP. It was mellow and (though we don't have all the composition details) this would be the song with the most lyrical depth from Mik. Tugs at the hearts of those more inclined to 90's type R&B. "I'm tryna make it easier, why am I the only one who still believes in us." The song describes a situation most of us have been in when it comes to love, when it all becomes hard. Caught some hints of emotion in this one.

This love.

Produced and written by the godfather of Urban Grooves, Delani Makhalima. How do we know this? Delani reminds us a lot...like a lot lot...every other shift. STILL...its our favourite track on the Listen EP; well written, well produced, and definitely well performed. Good work Mik!

Overall. Mik is a good singer he knows what he wants us to hear. We don’t think he is afraid to sing about deep love in one song and sex in the other, which is good. However, we think that there are more than too many songs where its either a case of misplaced autotune, or a shaky delivery. He has a strong voice and it seems like he is restricted from fully “singing” except well in the case of “This Love” where he holds notes a little more fully and a little more completely. Not that we want to be music fundis or anything but we feel like because  he is singing and not rapping, a more articulate attention to mastering is necessary if Mik’s music is going to stand toe to toe with his competition locally. 

When people hear a ballad, they want to be captured by the emotion of it all, which Mik is good at but they also don’t want to feel uncomfortable when certain words are not audible or bouncy. This didn't stop us from loving the EP, in fact, we are sure you will love it too. Mostly because he sounds like R & B from this century. The sound is one we can relate to, its not too old school, retro or just bang bang clang!  We are sure you will love it.

So yeah, grab a copy...or you might randomly get one free. And for those of you on the Abuse-work-internet grind...follow the link below

www.soundcloud.com/mik-manjengwa

"THIS WILL BE OUR GENERATION'S WEDDING SONG"

.

And we agree, Roki's “Chidzoka” is now old and she can’t "po po po po!" down the aisle.

So...here at PUSH, one of our writers tends to go hard on vocalists when he does reviews. actually, we suspect he is a hater. So we sent him this song early last week, and waited for the hate-speech to come.

Unfortunately for us, we didn’t get the show we had banked on (glad we didn’t make a wager) but what we got was so much worse. He fell in love with the song and he has had it on repeat all week.

This has got to be the best sing along track so far this year, and we are a way past halfway in 2014.

With that up tempo that midtempo happy go lucky feel that has that “Am I Wrong” (Nico and Vinz) touch, we were hooked from the onset. Chashe's smooth voice jumps in as soon as the song starts and this is when it happens; hook line and sinker!

Lovely, catchy and simple lyrics that tell the story of young love. To be honest, you won’t know this song is Zimbabwean until the Shona comes in the chorus. The effect the song has on people is the same; first there is the general appreciation of a nice seemingly well written song...then when the Shona comes in, the song just gets deeper love, "tiri bhande nebhrugwa, zviya zvekupenga". Sounds exactly how any young and old couple wants to love each other.

The last time we had heard Tinashe Makura was on the MMT LP where he featured twice and he hadn’t gotten the best reviews from us. Now Tinashe, well he has definitely made fans out of us. The way his voice comes in, bringing a beautiful contrast to Chashe's and creating the wonderful blend that turned a great song into an awesome one!

Chashe and  Tinashe Makura - "Zvekupenga" a well written and wonderfully produced record. From now on you will see...the expression for deep love will be #zvekupenga.

We are curious about how exactly how the song came about, for us and for the great people who read our blogs. So we will hunt them down for you.

You can follow them on twitter @tmakura @chashemusic

The song is available for purchase on the link below:

https://soundcloud.com/tinashe-makura/tinashe-makura-chashe-zvekupenga-we-gotogether

@PUSHZW

TWO FORTHCOMING COLLABORATIONS SET TO ROCK THIS AUGUST

NAVY SEAL AND THE ART DEPARTMENT : THIS AUGUST!!

If you don’t know Navy Seal by now then WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN LISTENING TO!! The Bulawayo emcee whose released chart topping Jae Mac Beatz produced, single “Elevated” (four weeks number 1) is teaming up with re-formed group Art Department to release an album “While you were sleeping”. The trio, Art department are the same guys who dropped “pop one” under much respected label “Mic-A-Blaze”.  After that, they kinda fizzled out, but THEY ARE BACK! Illsicker, Fly Scarecrow, Tone Lakeside together with Navy Seal will this August release their album “While You Were Sleeping” a reminder and sorta “game straightening message to all those who have been sleepin on ‘em. The album has some pretty talented producers working on it including, Itayi “PHD” Mupawaenda  (Harare), Michael Mhonda and Michael Chikwanda aka First Class (Bulawayo), Veiltorn (Bulawayo), and Thabang “T.R-Hitz” Ratshee (Botswana). We heard the first song off the project “Ride with us”, WE LOVED IT. Its like street rap is back. (we were getting tired of too many songs that sounded immature). The song features vocalist Alaina and has a pretty straight up message. Check the video out here  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE4kYxB2N1w

BOYZ REMUKUTE (REMIX) MONDAY 11/2014

Riding SEVEN DEEP on DJ Krimz Beatz production comes the remix to “BOYS REMUKUTE”.  Sinbad90 has teamed up with the apparent best vernac emcee Noble Stylez, Baller, Sharky, Millz, Covil James and blogger/rapper/cartoonist McPotar. We  have been  fortunate to receive the promotional first and they did not disappoint. It’s a single that you must hear. Packed with entertaining metaphors, similies that will make you snigger and say “.. but these guys though”. Just the weekend and we will give you the link to it!!

“I DID NOT STEAL XNDR’S BEAT!” FTR

Of course the Nyarai FTR Mazango did not say it as dramatically as that but certain proceedings from the internet that we saw were just as dramatic.  A week and a half ago, GZE released a song “ I made it” which featured former Major Playerz vocalist Chyllur. The song itself was really good, what proceeded afterwards, maybe not so much.  Apparently, Rehab President Alexander “Anonzi Xndr” Mutumha was not so amused by the fact that the instrumental used, (which he claimed that he made) was credited as FTR’s production alone on most blog publications, radio and also that it only had FTR’s tag.  (a tag being what most producers place on beats as an identity of where or who produced it “Mustard on the beat” or “Turn the lights off”  Rico Loves Tag). After reading the rant that Rehab Producer had on the issue on social media and his comments on a radio show about the issue, we caught up him and he told us that, he was disappointed at the fact that even though, he is the one who plotted the original instrumental that FTR then edited and added on, none of the creative credits came to him.

We did not know why FTR who, we must say, is one of the best Hip Hop – R & B producers right now would do such a thing so we asked him to see his side of the story. And he said that he would like to clarify that the song was produced by Alexander "AnonziXndr" and himself. He went on to say that it had been unfortunate that when he received the initial components of the instrumental which he was asked to build, complete and arrange, there was miscommunication between himself and the executive producer of the project. FTR, then assumed that the instrumental belonged (or was made by) the executive producer.

FTR then told us that he only found out that Xndr was the co-producer of the song (by virtue of being the guy who came up with the instrumental) after the latter posted his grievancies on his facebook account. He (FTR) said he got on touch with the executive producer and Anonzi Xndr and though the issue may have drawn “bad blood” the issue has been rectified at radio and the new online link of the song is www.datafilehost.com/d/4cb443c4

the credits of the song stand as thus

Track Title                         : I made it
Artist                                 : Gze featuring Chyllur
Composed by                    :Alexander "AnonziXndr" Mutumha & Nyari "F.T.R" Mazango
Recorded and Mixed by    : Nyari "F.T.R" Mazango

Mastered by                      : "Cutty Beats"

It is our hope as PUSH that the two producers may still work together like they did on Marukaz Remix --> http://www.reverbnation.com/rehabzw/song/21029489-anonzi-xndr-marukaz-remix-ft-ftr

 FTR is currently promoting another one of his masterpieces titled African Beauty which also features Chyllur which you can find here

 http://www.hulkshare.com/ftrftrftr/f-t-r-african-beauty-feat-chyll-1

@pushzw