South London hip-hop duo Blackmale Beats pair up with MeaKoom for soul-drenched single "Smile"
Drawing their listeners into urban environs that "sample golden-era soul, funk, jazz and dub", South London duo Blackmale Beats practice all that is good, timeless songwriting. Brand new single "Smile" is about to put a big one on your face.
"Smile" is steeped in class from the offset, with Hackney soloist MeaKoom's (former The Kemistry vocalist) sophisticated and silky vocals riding on a high with Shem Lawrence and Lukman Shoge's loungey padding and blurts of brass. Blippy synths, chugging beats, glowing choral woohs and a plush, cyclical bassline make for a fascinating blend of hip-hop, R&B, soul, and electronic music that is pure bliss to listen to.
Speaking about the track, Lawrence says: "I fell in love with the saxophone and trumpet at a very young age, and the first time I experienced a brass band was back in the early '90s when my mum took me to see her good friend (Fela Kuti) perform at Brixton Astoria (now O2 Academy Brixton).
"The brass instruments in "Smile" complement Meakoom's voice, they also take me back to those golden moments with my mum and Fela in Brixton."
Lawrence and Shoge are clearly passionate about what they do beyond producing music. In 2013 the Brixton/Stockwell-based pair put together Community Roots, a compilation album made with other south London musicians to encourage a respect for their neighbourhoods. More recently the twosome toured London classrooms to teach sampling techniques to pupils, which culminated in a session at Tate Britain.
"Smile" is released on 4 December. Stream below as Song Of The Day:
- Ani Glass shares new single "Phantasmagoria" from upcoming second album
- Campbell King presents new single, "My Mates"
- Paul Weller joins forces with Robert Plant on "Clive's Song"
- Loreen signs to Polydor France and shares new single, "Echoes"
- BIG SPECIAL unveil surprise new album, NATIONAL AVERAGE
- A. G. Cook announces songwriting workshop with School of Song
- Boko Yout unveils debut album GUSTO, driven by semi-fictional character
Get the Best Fit take on the week in music direct to your inbox every Friday

Lorde
Virgin

OSKA
Refined Believer

Tropical F*ck Storm
Fairyland Codex
