Oculate UK: This Week In Music

OCULATE UK
Jun 13
3 min read

Still in need of a Father's Day present? We suggest you pass your progenitor the gift of our This Week In Music round-up. Because, quite simply, what could possibly be better than the gift of music?!

AJ T is back with an album - at long last! Nxdia promises no one's watching, but we can clearly see how great they are. Col3trane, Antslive AND Erick the Architect on a track? How GREEEEEDY.

Find the aforementioned and more in our TWIM playlist at the bottom.

Welcome to This Week In Music! x

AJ Tracey - Don't Die Before You're Dead

Mr Tracey, where have you been?! After a four year wait, AJ Tracey has released his 3rd studio album, Don't Die Before You're Dead. Flu Game, the last full length offering, was conceptual, experimental, and brilliant. Also perhaps slept on, but that's just one guy's opinion. This provides us with high hopes for this new one. So, first impressions? Very strong. Time will need to be taken to form a final view. But out the gate? Punchy, grime-infused, modern, innovative. More personal, offering more insight into the man behind the music. A nice blend of hits and reflections. At this stage, the only thing we can say for sure, is this is going to on repeat for the foreseeable. Welcome back, AJ.

Nxdia - I Promise No One's Watching

A new project from Nxdia is wonderful news. The Egyptian-Sudanese-Mancunion has been offering perspective in a place it was lacking over a string of recent releases. They've taken their audience with them as they become who they are, both musically and personally. The result is an adoring fanbase, but that has also only been possible due to a delectable discography. Whilst much came before, everything clicked with She Like's A Boy. Since then they haven't missed. I Promise No One's Watching is ten tracks of energy, light, darkness and love - tune in now!

Col3trane, AntsLive, Erick the Architect - Skincare Riddim

Sorry but we’re here to loudly and proudly remind you that the UK R&B scene is on absolute fucking fire at the moment. We’ve had teasers coming at us from every angle, and with no shortage of releases to choose from, it's Col3trane's latest single Skincare Riddim that has well and truly piqued our interest this week. Skincare Riddim is a neat new release that sees Col3trane enlist the help of UK rap starboy Antslive and US rapper Erick the Architect, with both rappers utilising their continent-spanning flows as the perfect side dish to the intimate and poised melodies we’ve come to love from Col3trane.

Girls Don't Sync - Our House

Our favourite DJ four-piece Girls Don't Sync have just dropped an absolute HEATER. Our House (which doesn't sample the Madness classic fyi), is high-octane fun. DJs dropping this be warned - it's going to go off. It feels like there's not many festivals the girls aren't playing this year, which is wonderful, so keep an eye out to catch this one live.

Raghd - Side Effect

We do love an artist that makes songs that sound like nothing else. This description aptly describes Sweden's alt-pop-dance (idek), Raghd. Her new one Side Effect is a fun, playful track with bouncy, glitchy drums. Her voice possesses a unique tone, which when paired with hyper-pop-esque production sounds wonderful. She's an artist for which the size of her listenership and talent are non-congruent. A wordy way of saying, she's underrated! Oh and also, she is in fact brilliant, so tap in!

Jessy Blakemore - burna / shiloh's type beat

Welcome to the stage, Jessy Blakemore. Making one hell of a debut, burna and shiloh's type beat are the first singles from a very exciting new talent. Heartfelt songwriting is melted together with a voice like butter. Her lyrics feel relevant, and real, and her voice, did we mention? Yeah it's pretty special. A very bright future indeed.

Nemzzz, Latto - ART

Yeah, this one's ART. There are times when Nemzzz leaves something to be desired. Whilst always great, his sound has sometimes err'd on the side of repetitive. The departure from that on ART is wholeheartedly welcome. It feels deliberate, well thought out, yet exciting and fresh. Possibly the Tay Keith production elevates things, but I think the flow switch is the standout element. That chorus is infectious, and his tone is everything. It feels like one of his most matured offerings. A sign to what may be to come from one of the UK's brightest prospects. Oh, and Latto's verse is f*cking great too!

Check out the above, and honourable mentions, in the playlist below:

LATEST FEATURES

GET TO KNOW: QUINCY TELL EM

If you’ve been tapped into UK rap over the past few years, you’ve probably heard the tag “Quincy Tell Em” a sure sign that the beat’s about to go off. Working with heavyweights like M Huncho and helping shape the sound of UK rap, he’s steadily become one of the genre's most crucial architects.

GET TO KNOW: ARCY DRIVE

Already boasting more than 600,000 monthly Spotify listeners. Arcy Drive have quickly established themselves in the indie-rock scene. The Long Island four-piece, who self-describe their sound as “attic rock”, combine a DIY approach with an exceptional talent for anthemic storytelling. Their music blends sun-soaked melodies with an underlying rawness, creating a sound that feels comfortingly familiar, yet distinctively fresh.

DIGITAL COVER 004: P-RALLEL

OCULATE UK - DIGITAL COVER 004 - JUNE 2025
P-RALLEL: " I WANT TO CONSTANTLY BE RELEASING AND DJING, HAVING FUN WITH WHAT I’M DOING."
MONDAY 2ND JUNE 2025

WORDS BY BEN BROYD

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HARRY MCCULLOCH

One of the most exciting forces in the new wave of British electronic music, west-London born-and-bred p-rallel has been tearing it up for years. With his unique approach to production, and live sets that are fire from start to finish, he has been channeling London’s spirit in everything he does. Recently bringing this spirit to a global scale, there is a magic to p-rallel. Dance music runs through his blood, and everything else that runs through him is a passion to keep driving the scene forward.

WE F*CK WITH: SAIMING

Having first arrived on the scene in 2022, South-London native Saiming has been romancing with the genres that raised him amongst a community of like minded individuals looking to reimagine the sounds of grime. Splicing and fusing the genre’s dextrous flows with soulful neo-jazz production, Saiming is the poster-child for how community and collaboration are driving the UK underground scene, which he showcases through his sophomore project, ‘what’s the alternative?’

When I first got off my call with Saiming, a warm and gentle presence at the other end of the zoom, there was one phrase that had begun running laps around my mind; it was that Saiming has made ‘a house a home’ with his music and most recent project what’s the alternative?. While this phrase is more likely to muster images of a wooden pyrocraft sign from TK Maxx or kitschy ‘Gin O’Clock’ memorabilia, than it is a rapper who’s creating music inspired by the sounds of grime, drill and neo-jazz; it fits. Through music, community, and collaboration Saiming is an artist reshaping the architecture of his corner of the scene. Not just building a name for himself, but building something others can step into. He tells me candidly, “there's so much more that you can make when people are putting their minds together”.

GET TO KNOW: JERUB

It’s been hard to miss the passion and depth of rising star JERUB, with his effortlessly soulful vocals paired with poetically powerful lyricism, he has cemented himself as an artist to watch over the last few years.

Amassing over 65 million streams across two EP’s, JERUB has gained major support and recognition from BBC Radio 1’s Greg James, Madonna, Tom Grennan and a plethora of magazines and radio stations across the globe. Beyond his social presence, JERUB has proved his musical craft and experience through jaw-dropping performances, supporting respected artists including JP Cooper, Gavin James, and Victory Ray whilst also selling out countless headline shows.

His new single Deeper gives us an authentic and raw insight into JERUB’s emotional world, an undeniably powerful song about “Showing up for someone, not just when things are good, but when they’re at their lowest. Loving without conditions—through the mess, the doubt, the days when they don’t even feel worthy of it”. Produced by the industry-renowned Edd Holloway (Tom Grennan, Lewis Capaldi) the two found a spark of passion and interest from a voice note on JERUB’s phone, leading to the song’s creation.

We recently caught up with JERUB to hear more about his journey to get here, his new single Deeper, Nottingham, his upcoming headline tour & more…

GET TO KNOW: KOJ

When we think of the UK rap scene, we might assume that our attention is best left exclusively to the genre’s nucleus, London. But, we would argue that only having eyes for this portion of the scene is like watching just the first five minutes of your favorite film on its 50th rewatch; you know it's great, but can you really say you've experienced the whole thing?
While there’s been a steady stream of names rising from the North over the last few years, notably Nemzzz, Aitch, Meekz, and Aystar, it’s been left to a few legacy names - think Bugzy Malone - to switch the full beams on their cities rather than on their output alone.
While rap fans are gradually evolving, and their priorities with them, it doesn’t change the fact that, at its core, rap has always been about rebellion and highlighting the gritty realities of UK cities. Now enter Liverpool-hailing rapper KOJ, an artist wearing his city like the proudest of sportsmen and on a mission to tell both his own story and that of his hometown. On his ascent, KOJ has brandished a stark and slick pen, one that allows him to blend deep emotional storytelling with a level of lyrical dexterity fit for the UK’s main stage.
Now, releasing his debut EP, Villain With A Conscience, we caught up with KOJ to discuss the story behind the project, the importance of emotional vulnerability in LY, and the rising Liverpool rap scene he’s hoping to spearhead.

DIGITAL COVER 003: LEGZDINA

On a crisp morning in Shoreditch, Legzdina brought the bold energy that defines her music and style. She discussed her debut EP, Celestial Girl and Her Milky Way, a fearless mix of drum’n’bass, sung-rap, and poetic storytelling. The project captures her journey as an artist forging her own path. In conversation, she reflected on the personal stories shaping her music, her community-focused open-mic series Say It Back, and her drive to inspire through art. With ethereal vocals and experimental production, she’s pushing boundaries while eyeing her next milestone - representing Latvia at Eurovision -all while staying true to her belief in individuality and connection.

GET TO KNOW: HUMANE THE MOON

Rising East London artist Humane The Moon returned with Debris Joice, his eagerly awaited second EP, showcasing the new singles “The Curb” and “Humane Error.” This project marked a milestone in Humane The Moon's journey, pushing his genre-blurring sound into fresh sonic landscapes while retaining the intense, alternative energy that fans love. From raw, angsty grunge elements to pop-infused beats, Debris Joice balances familiarity with bold innovation

GET TO KNOW: MACKWOOD

Mackwood, the multifaceted drummer, producer, and bandleader, is making waves in the UK jazz scene with the release of his debut album, Master Changes. His genre-blurring sound merges modern electronic production with live instrumentation, creating a dynamic and unpredictable listening experience. Having already captivated audiences at festivals like Cross The Tracks and Wilderness, Mackwood is set to bring his vision to life with a headline show at Peckham Audio on October 22nd. This marks a significant moment in his career as he steps into the spotlight with his unique approach to jazz and electronic fusion.

GET TO KNOW: NIINA

With tracks like the tongue-in-cheek garage banger "Limousine," co-produced by Kornél Kovács and DJ Carli, niina blends alt-pop with dance music, creating an empowering, confessional record that reflects her journey through mental health struggles and self-acceptance. Having crafted her sound in a London bedroom over nearly a decade, niina's unfiltered creativity has already made waves in the UK tastemaker circuit, with remixes for notable artists and a growing reputation in underground circles.

We caught up with niina to find out more about her debut album, her creative process, who 'Patrick' is, and more...

GET TO KNOW: ATRIP

Once cultivating his current sound during the 2020 lockdown, ATRIP has gained recognition with high-profile collaborations and remixes, including work with Disclosure and Poté. Fostering community through pub meet-ups before gigs, with a busy tour schedule, ATRIP is set to become a dancefloor staple.

We caught up with ATRIP to delve deeper into his influences, his musical career, and more...

GET TO KNOW: ARCY DRIVE

DIGITAL COVER 004: P-RALLEL

WE F*CK WITH: SAIMING

GET TO KNOW: JERUB

GET TO KNOW: KOJ

DIGITAL COVER 003: LEGZDINA

GET TO KNOW: HUMANE THE MOON

GET TO KNOW: MACKWOOD

GET TO KNOW: NIINA

GET TO KNOW: ATRIP

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AJ Tracey - Don't Die Before You're Dead

Nxdia - I Promise No One's Watching

Col3trane, AntsLive, Erick the Architect - Skincare Riddim

Girls Don't Sync - Our House

Raghd - Side Effect

Jessy Blakemore - burna / shiloh's type beat

Nemzzz, Latto - ART

Check out the above, and honourable mentions, in the playlist below:

Comments

LATEST FEATURES

LATEST POSTS

Oculate UK: This Week In Music

UK VS. USA: Skepta Lands the First Punch with Friendly Fire

Jim Legxacy Announces ' Black British Music (2025)', Gearing Us Up For The Next Gen Of UK Rap

From Pitch to Pendant: Bazanetti and The Lionesses Blend Sport and Style with Jewellery Collection

[REVIEW] Lorde's 'Virgin' transcends her past works with instinctive emotion and grace