Focus Music Notes. "Out of the Blues". Popular music through the decades

John Newman , owner of one of the most distinctive voices, writer and performer of some of the biggest anthems including 3 number 1  singles -  Feel The Love, Love Me Again & Blame, and one of the major breakthrough artists in the UK in recent years, marks his very welcome return with the release of his brand new single “Fire In Me”. Released on Island Records, “Fire In Me”, co-produced by John and Mark Ralph (Clean Bandit, Jax Jones, Alma), finds Yorkshire’s finest doing what he does best, belting out a bona fide banger that is guaranteed to light up dancefloors and airwaves for months to come. Lyrically the song sees John reclaiming the spotlight and reminding his fans that he’s back bigger, stronger and making those classic pop anthems that elevate the form and uplift the soul.  Following the release of 2015’s acclaimed “Revolve” album, which was the follow-up to his platinum selling no. 1 debut album “Tribute”, John took a well-earned break to take sto

Last week, Flyte performed to a packed Heath Street Baptist Church, using string quartet accompaniment to reimagine their critically acclaimed debut album ‘The Loved Ones’. Reminiscent of an MTV unplugged session, the night further established their reputation as a remarkable live experience. Having reached the end of seven months of touring, the band took a break on the Isle of Wight, to write and produce two completely new songs. The result was ‘Moon Unit’ - a nod to Frank Zappa’s daughter and an ode to the songs their parents would listen to on cassette during long drives- and ‘Victory Girls’ - a simple, melodic piece, which crosses history both lyrically and stylistically. The two tracks are produced and mixed by longtime friend and collaborator, Burke Reid (Courtney Barnett). Tap link to Listen to Moon Unit and Victory Girl Flyte began to form when Will Taylor (vocals, guitar) and Jon Supran (drums, vocals) started playing together age 11 at their local c

Following on from global hits 'Alone' and 'Vaadi' , British singer, songwriter and producer Arjun released his much-anticipated debut album 'Closer To Home' , on 2 nd March via Island Records/Universal. Listen to 'Closer To Home' here Effortlessly straddling two cultures, Arjun's first LP showcases his versatile talent as a very modern triple-threat as he bridges the gap between his two worlds, seamlessly marrying R&B and trap with his South Asian roots.  Arjun says, " Collaborating with a talented team of creatives, including my mentor Sway, we have put together an album that instinctively fuses contemporary Pop/R&B melodies, big bass drops and ethno-infused sounds from the subcontinent, which we hope will resonate with music fans around the world.". Since signing to Island Records via their Dcypha Productions imprint, Arjun has been developing a unique, contemporary sound true to his mixed musical influen