Demae - Life Works Out... Usually (2020)

Touching Bass continue to prise open a distinct, exciting lane for themselves as a label home for forward-thinking, soulful music with the incredible debut project from London's Demae (aka Bubblerap and ⅓ of Hawk House) entitled “Life Works Out...Usually” - a soothing antidote to these turbulent times; a soulful coming-of-age story celebrating black joy, selfempowerment and life learnings centred around an integral two year period of growth and featuring appearances from Fatima (Eglo Records), Joe Armon-Jones, Ego Ella May and Nala Sinephro — all part of our close-knit, London-based musical community.

Sonically, it draws a unique line between the grit of inner-city London soul, interstellar Flying Lotus electronic rushes and new-age Dillaisms mixed with flecks of London’s exciting jazz-influenced sounds. Production comes from rising producers like Eun (Ego Ella May, Denzel Himself), Jake Milliner (Slum Village, Yazmin Lacey, Lord Apex), 104.ROG (Liv.e, THEESatisfaction) and Wu-Lu (Ego Ella May). For those not yet accustomed, Demae's work stretches beyond her solo project. She has been a fundamental part of Fatima’s touring band as a backing vocalist since the release of her much loved second album And Yet It’s All Love. Prior to that, she was onethird of hip-hop adventurists, Hawk House, whose introspective, eclectic style was reshuffling the rule book for UK-based rap, quickly making them one of the UK’s most exciting emerging sounds and earning fans from Mac Miller and Ghostpoet to Wretch 32 and Jill Scott.