Alex Bruce drops infectious new jam “Yakap”

It’s been a very challenging year for the music industry in general, but not for Filipina rapper Alex Bruce, who continues to enjoy commercial and critical plaudits—thanks to her slickly produced, empowering anthems.

Her Wish 107.5 Bus performances of “Mind As A Weapon” and “Pull It Off” have garnered more than a million hits respectively, while the latter earned the young prodigy a record for the youngest female artist to have scored a top 3 on Wave 89.1’s weekly chart. To top it off, the 13-year-old rapper/songwriter has recently teamed up with global hitmaker August Rigo, whose songwriting and production credits include BTS’ “Black Swan” and Justin Bieber’s multi-platinum album, My World 2.0, for the trap banger “Go Crazy.”

With barely two months left for 2020, the feisty newcomer isn’t showing any signs of slowing down with the release of “Yakap,” an endearing love song in hip-hop/R&B form.

Intricately laced with dreamy atmospherics and infectious beats, “Yakap” finds Alex Bruce dealing with her first-hand experience on puppy love and infatuation. Her latest single plays out like a simp-worthy jam: thematically appropriate for Alex Bruce’s age, but charismatic enough to sweep listeners off their feet.

“Yakap is all about my crush,” the bubbly newcomer fondly shares the inspiration behind the urban jam. “Well, if you guys didn’t know, I’m 13 turning 14 this Christmas, and like a normal teenager, I started to experience weird things like puppy love. So for me to express my feelings, I wrote a song about this person.”

The song was a three-way collaboration with Alex Bruce, her dad, who is currently in Australia, and music producer Cursebox. The songwriting, recording, and production were done in a span of two weeks, with the involved heads brainstorming and working together though Zoom meetings to discuss matters related to the new track. Alex adds, “Sometimes it’s hard because I have online class and it’s still very different from homeschooling that I’m used to. I’m still adapting to this kind of set up, all of us are.”

For what it’s worth, “Yakap” truly has the makings of another game-changing hit. It’s another testament to Alex Bruce’s incredibly compelling talent as a rapper, singer, and lyricist—a triple-threat that will surely go to places in the many years to come. 

Yakap” is now available on all digital platforms worldwide via Sony Music Philippines.

Image and details provided in a recent press release.

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Singapore hip-hop producer Wovensound drops brand new single “Sickleberry Sunsets”

Singapore hip-hop producer Wovensound has released his new single “Sickleberry Sunsets” via indie label Umami Records.

With its exquisite fusion of lo-fi, jazz, and hip-hop, Wovensound’s latest jam exudes a feel-good summer road trip vibe while leaning towards a classic, stylistic lineage in terms of production and overall sound.

According to the underrated producer, the song was recorded during the lockdown period in Singapore, with no access to the studio. He collaborates extensively and roped in 4 artists from Singapore on this track, including rappers Ihasamic!, SHAK, Andrew Marko, and singer Raina Sum. “I just love how this song takes different turns throughout its different sections, with each
artist bringing their own flavour to the table and bouncing off each other,” Wovensound shares.

Lyrically, “Sickleberry Sunsets” doesn’t adhere to bland compromises. It’s a slickly produced hip-hop anthem that tackles two sides of a familiar persona. “In the song, there are two stories playing simultaneously: a cynic’s struggle with staying optimistic as a realist, and an optimist’s struggle of dealing with a loss of innocence and ignorance”, shares Wovensound. “I was in a very Nujabes mood when creating the track. The horns at the end is me paying some tribute to an artist I love dearly.”

“Sickleberry Sunsets” is the lead single of Wovensound’s 6-track debut EP Vertigos Fulfilled, dropping in June 2021.

Listen to Sickleberry Sunsets via Umami Records.

About Wovensound
Singapore hip-hop producer Wovensound weaves his love for music with other artists, collaborating extensively and producing
something unique every time. Wovensound AKA Vinod Dass is also a veteran of Singapore’s underground metal scene, playing guitar in various bands including Truth Be Known and Mucus Mortuary. He decided to establish this moniker in order to pay tribute to his love for other forms of music, mainly hip hop and rap. Wovensound’s 6-track debut EP Vertigos Fulfilled drops in June 2021.

About Umami Records
Umami Records is a Singapore-based indie record label founded in 2013. Much like the “5th taste” reputation of its namesake, the label strongly believes in discovering new, interesting sounds that run underground and away from the mainstream. The label’s tight-knit, curated roster includes releases from Linying, The Steve McQueens, brb., Evanturetime, CampFire, Martin Baltser, Phoria, Oriental Cravings, and more.

Image and details provided by Umami Records in a recent press release