British-Nigerian artist Tony Njoku will release a new EP called Our New Bloom on October 7 through PRAH Recordings. He has shared the lead single, “Lotus”, which features the wonderful Anna B Savage.
Speaking on the new single, Njoku says it “is the awakening, the blossoming, rising from the filth, powering on cautiously.”
Through the opening verse it’s hard to pick out exactly what Njoku is singing about, but that feeling of rising through dirt and ash, reaching up for strength and light, is certainly conveyed in the ascendant electronics and muscular guitar that pushes his tender vocal tones upwards. Anna B Savage’s rich vocal takes over in the second verse. Already a naturally powerful singer, her words about working with chaotic forces and breaking the mould are emboldened by the detailed and overwhelming production – we can practically hear power surging through her body as we listen. Produced by Njoku himself, “Lotus” is a towering display of the talent’s abilities, capturing strength, beauty and self-belief in a progressive and impactful modern art-pop package.
Njoku also had a hand in the video, which he explains by saying:
“Like the Rhododendrons visual I was going for stillness and simplicity. The aim was to focus on speaking to audiences emotionally, through colour, pacing, texture, shape, sound etc. The symbolic aspects (lyrics and other visual gestures) of the work could be seen as a sort of primer for the audience to then paint their own picture, like a rorschach chart.”
Watch the video for “Lotus” below or find it on streaming platforms.
Tony Njoku’s Our New Bloom EP arrives on October 7 through PRAH. You can find him on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Bandcamp.
