Oculate UK: This Week In Music

Aaaaaaaaand breathe out. Anyone else's week felt like a spin in a washing machine? Luckily a hectic time has been matched by an equally hectic release schedule.

Sammy Virji & Skepta on a track? I never thought I'd see the day!

New albums from Obongayar, MRCY, Lea Sen, how divine!

It's also been a week of long-awaited returns, so it's a warm welcome back to Kojey Radical, Ms Banks, Clipse and Sainté!

We're gunna have a lie down. While we rest, check out all these and more on the playlist, & read all our thoughts on the website.

Welcome to This Week In Music x

Sammy Virji & Skepta - Cops & Robbers

DJ play one for the badman! Sammy Virji has teamed up with Skepta for Cops & Robbers, a grime and garage hybrid that’s already causing a stir online, epically after their pop-up, and rightly so. Virji’s clean, swinging production meets Skepta’s icy bars for a track that hits hard without overcomplicating things. It’s a link-up that feels loud, sharp, and long overdue. The energy’s pure reload material, play this loud.

Obongjayar - PARADISE NOW

Wow, it's PARADISE NOW! Obongjayar is one of our favourites creatives out there doing their thing. His unique blend of sounds and influences converges with a bow on for this gift of a project. He's hard to pin down, or categorise, and that is surely his best quality. And if you need any more motivation to listen to this belter of a record, it even has a Little Simz feature! Congratulations, Obongjayar.

Olivia Dean - nice to each other

The breath of fresh air she is, Olivia Dean talks about being nice to each other. A message we'd do well to remember, this is latest in a long line of wonderful tracks. It's warm and inviting, and it further solidifies her wondrous songwriting and gorgeous voice. Keep 'em coming, Olivia.

Kojey Radical & Bawo - Rule One

Oh snap, Kojey's Back! He returns with Rule One, a new single that immediately provides a swaggering groove atop Kojey Radical sits, expounding some rules you'd do well not to forget. He's got something hasn't he? Some kind of flow or energy that belongs to him alone. It's been shown to us for years, but he reached new heights with his debut album, Reason To Smile, back in 2022. Bawo joins alongside Kojey's return, and what a pair they make. One for the playlists? Most definitely.

MRCY - Volume 2

We're turning up the volume too... because MRCY just released Volume 2. The second project from the most exciting duo in soul comes highly welcomed. We loved the first entry from Barney Lister and Kojo Degraft-Johnson last year, and this one sees them grow even further into the sound they're cultivating. Sierra is a standout, and Man, I certainly don't have Wandering Attention listening to the rest. This feels high quality (unlike my puns) - so give it a spin from start to finish.

Léa Sen - LEVELS

Gosh we have been on the edge of my seats for this one, following Léa Sen at every step, through teasers and new singles, in the lead up to her debut album LEVELS. And it’s here! From start to finish this debut is a tender and stirring synthesis of the french artist’s capacity as both singer and songwriter. Striped-back, idyllic yet industrial at moments, it really feels like Léa is reaching through your headphones, drawing you closer by means of an invisible sonic string. As she muses on self-discovery and self-growth atop woozy trip-hop production and re-fracted guitar progressions, Léa Sen’s ‘LEVELS’ is a truly magnetic listening experience and one we’re going to struggle to direct our attention away from this coming week.

p-rallel - Blessings

Mr. p-rallel really is that guy when it comes to making big tunes for the summer. He's kicked off a new EP run here with Blessings feat. Sam Deeley, and this one is no exception. It's high-octane fun, and immediately in conjures images of festival sets all summer. p-rallel is playing his fair share, with a Glasto slot, his own party and The Cause in July, and much more. We even heard there's some exciting news regarding Oculate UK & p-rallel... watch this space!

Sainté - Dora

Oh, he’s back, and aren’t we glad! Sainté makes his return this week with his latest single, Dora. Dim the lights, maybe even light a candle, because this latest offering from the Leicester local drips with the kind of moody sensuality we cannot wait to sink into afterhours. Having first risen to prominence within the UK underground scene with his breakout single 'Champagne Shots', this new release feels like a homecoming. ‘Dora’ taps back into the lo-fi production that defined his debut EP ‘Local MVP'. Most certainly an effortless return that is very much Oculate approved.

Ms Banks - SILHOUETTE

The queen, Ms Banks, is back! SILHOUETTE is her latest, and it sees her tell tales of relationships over Afrobeats infused production. Issa whole vibe! She has a knack for making it sound effortless, and this track is a prime example. A feature from Efosa fits in nicely, with the pair exhibiting a strong chemistry. Despite all she's achieved, Ms Banks still has bags of potential, and we'll be looking out excitedly for what comes next.

Clipse - Ace Trumpets

And, Clipse are back! Pusha T and No Malice have dropped Ace Trumpets, the lead single from Let God Sort Em Out, their first joint project since 2009. Pharrell’s behind the decks with a beat that snaps clean and cold. It’s sharp and tight. No filler, no hooky fluff, just slick verses over a brass-heavy loop that sounds like a warning shot. They recorded the album inside Louis Vuitton’s Paris HQ, which feels fitting. Pharrell runs the studio and the suits now, pulling double duty as executive producer and menswear boss. It’s high fashion rap with a classic Clipse sting. You get coke bars, you get God bars, and you get them in luxury surround sound.

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