Oculate UK: This Week In Music

OCULATE UK
Jun 20
3 min read

What a week. If the heat’s got you beat, now’s a good time to cool off with This Week In Music. Stick it on at the BBQ or while hiding from the sun. There’s something in here no matter your mood.

Fred again.. links with Skepta and PlaqueBoyMax for Victory Lap; a fast, glitchy banger that sounds like sweat and strobe lights. Kwn’s with all due respect takes her silky R&B sound further, folding in funk, soul and jazz. Loyle Carner returns with hopefully !, a grounded, personal record built around fatherhood and fresh perspective.

CMAT turns a Jamie Oliver encounter into pop gold. Nectar Woode’s Ama Said is full of warmth and soul. Dexter In The Newsagent’s Special is a heartfelt return. KOKOROKO’s Just Can’t Wait is funky, tight, and very replayable.

All that and more in the TWIM playlist, right below.

Welcome to This Week In Music.

Fred Again.. , Sketpa, PlaqueBoyMax - Victory Lap

Fred again.. kicks off 2025 with Victory Lap, a heavy-hitting collab with Skepta and PlaqueBoyMax. It’s frantic, hooky and built to destroy dance floors. Teased on Twitch and premiered at a Brooklyn rave streamed live from the Paramount Theatre, the track’s finally out. The result is messy, glitchy, and exciting. A proper crossover that doesn’t dilute any of their voices. It pulls from early Skepta, Fred’s Twitch-era spontaneity, and Max’s shitpost surrealism without feeling stitched together.

Kwn - with all due respect

Week after week, we’re reminded that UK R&B is in safe, masterful hands. One of those hands, of course, belongs to kwn, who is back and somehow even better with her latest EP, ‘with all due respect’. WThough we’ve come to love kwn for her faculty and dedication to keeping true-to-genre slow jams alive, ‘with all due respect ‘sees her pushing her bona fide R&B M.O. into new territory, experimenting with old-school soul, funk, and neo-jazz. A sleek, sumptuous, and seductive project to sink your teeth into today.

Loyle Caner - hopefully !

Nearly three years on from hugo, Carner returns with hopefully !, a project that doesn’t just mark a new chapter; it shows he’s rewritten the book entirely. The first thing you hear on Loyle Carner’s new album is the sound of his young son playing a xylophone. It’s a small, almost throwaway moment. But it sets the tone for what follows - an album made from the ground up with family in mind.

View the full review here

CMAT - Jamie Oliver Petrol Station

Picture the scene. It’s been a long day and you’re ready to head home. You’re not only hungry, but that dreaded petrol light starts flashing. So, when you rock up for a caloric fix and the lowest acceptable fuel spend possible it’s no surprise that hatred might start brewing if you're met with pictures of your least favourite public figure. For irish pop-trailblazer CMAT it’s a visit to the ‘Jamie Oliver Petrol Station’ that triggers just this. In this witty and satirical offering, under the guise of a Jamie Oliver diss track, CMAT is actually here to make us question where does bitterness towards others really get us.

Nectar Woode - Ama Said

We’re big, big fans of Nectar Woode here at Oculate, so you can imagine our joy when this one dropped today. Her latest single, ‘Ama Said’, is brimming with the first-class musician’s signature soul and positivity. And while we’re absolutely on the edge of our seats for her upcoming EP, slated for release next month, we’re more than content to bask in ‘Ama Said’s’ dulcet tones in the meantime.

Dexter In The Newsagent - Special

This one's Special, literally and descriptively! Dexter In The Newsagent returns with a new single, and our hearts also sing as a result. With her comforting indie-speckled pop she creates a unique, and welcoming soundscape. Special sees her delve into love with appreciation for whomever it is she speaks about. What a wonderful return - thanks Dexter!

KOKOROKO - Just Can't Wait

The most wonderful of collectives, KOKOROKO continue on their run of excellent music with Just Can't Wait. With an album rapidly approaching, this group are quickly cementing themselves as one of the finest outfits in the business of jazzy funk anywhere in the land. This new one is a finger-clicking, head-nodding gem. I Just Can't Wait for more! (Sorry, couldn't help it).

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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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What a week. If the heat’s got you beat, now’s a good time to cool off with This Week In Music. Stick it on at the BBQ or while hiding from the sun. There’s something in here no matter your mood.

Fred Again.. , Sketpa, PlaqueBoyMax - Victory Lap

Kwn - with all due respect

Loyle Caner - hopefully !

CMAT - Jamie Oliver Petrol Station

Nectar Woode - Ama Said

Dexter In The Newsagent - Special

KOKOROKO - Just Can't Wait

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