Weekend Listening: Jimmy Johnson

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—01-02. Portraits by Paolo Azarraga.

Words

I came across Jimmy Johnson for the first time after he released In God We Trust last year, followed by a handful of singles including standouts 'Sun Goes Down' and 'Northside'. The young rapper-cum-singer has a unique sound, partially due to his creative partnership with producer Eric Dingus, but also because of his relatively mature perspective. After having spoken with Jimmy last summer, it was clear to see that he was not your average 22-year-old, both sonically and in the way he's releasing projects and developing his career. In November he issued Red Ferrari, which I keep going back to. With definite influence from 808s and Heartbreaks, and more subtle inspiration from Toronto natives Abel and PND, Jimmy provides his own perspective and offers an impressively restrained EP, especially for somebody so young. It's yet to be seen whether he'll be next in line for OVO Sound, but I am anticipating another productive year in 2016.

—SoundCloud: Jimmy Johnson

Weekend Listening: PartyNextDoor – PND Colours

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—01. Let's Get Married.
—02. Don't Worry (Feat. Cash Out).
—03. Jus Know (Feat. Travis Scott).
—04. Girl From Oakland.

Words

To coincide with his world tour announcement, PartyNextDoor issued PND Colours this week. The four-track EP includes cameos by Travis Scott and Cash Out, and represents the Toronto-based artist's first release since his debut album earlier in the year.

—SoundCloud

PartyNextDoor Two

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Released on July 29, 2014

Words

Having spent a few days in Toronto recently, the energy around the city is undeniable. There are a handful of young artists coming out with really strong work and the most recent to deliver an album is PartyNextDoor. After releasing his original mixtape last summer, Jahron Anthony Brathwaite has signed to OVO Sound and his debut album, PartyNextDoor Two, is an obvious step forward, in the right direction.

—PartyNextDoor Soundcloud