Bklava X MJ Cole – All Around Me

London-based DJ/producer/vocalist Bklava drops their summer-ready link up with garage pioneer, MJ Cole, and reveals more info on their anticipated 14-track mixtape, c u l8r. Dropping 5 July via Spin Suga, the mixtape is available to pre-order now.

Following recent soundcloud exclusive “Speak My Mind”, as well as their recent singles “Free”, “Make It Work” and “Makes Me (Wanna Move”, Bklava’s link up with MJ Cole on “All Around Me” was a no brainer for the mixtape. Drawing on Bklava’s early inspirations – UK garage and US garage house, powerful vocals and sugar-sweet y2k aesthetics, the sunkissed UKG bop sees the duo blending classic old skool flavours with a new-gen twist. 

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With an effervescent club sound that reflects Bklava’s far-reaching DJ sets and their signature, distinctive vocals, the forthcoming ‘c u l8r’ mixtape showcases their sonic evolution since their debut EP, Bklava, 2020 (Ministry of Sound). Having already found support from Noctis, Kaltblut, Crack, the project marks a fierce return for the Lebanese-Irish artist and features solo productions as well as special guest collaborations. Made with the dancefloor in mind, c u l8r promises to pay homage to club culture and its originators, drawing from Northern UK Bassline culture, 90’s NYC house, garage, UK rave, breaks and beyond.

In their own words, “This mixtape is my truest body of work to date. I’ve drawn on all my inspirations from the music I grew up with, the records I’ve collected and the clubs I’ve attended over the years. The drive behind this project was to focus on creating music for the club and channel the many emotions you go through in a night that makes people want to return to those spaces week after week.” 

The new label, Spin Suga, started life as a platform set up in Brighton aimed at promoting all female and non-binary artists and DJs in the hope of influencing young women to join the music industry and close the gender gap. Having hosted events, live streams and more, the platform is now a home for Bklava to release new music on their own terms, with ambitious plans for the future.

Bklava’s love affair with music began during childhood. While their father introduced them to classic rock and folk early on, their mother’s taste veered closer to radio-ready pop and 90s house music. Their parents’ contrasting interests – plus their respective roots in Ireland and Lebanon – introduced Bklava to a melting pot of styles and two distinctive musical heritages. A love of sonorous vocals, ethereal melodies, and an eclectic array of electronic sounds – their influences including Kate Bush, Amy Winehouse, Imogen Heap meet their love of club bops a la Kaytranada, Joy Orbison, Disclosure and more – culminates in a sound that’s Bklava’s own.

Breaking through with their self-titled debut EP Bklava (2020), Bklava has enamoured listeners with an intoxicating sound self-described as “non-stop bops and flava”. Fast forward to 2023, Bklava is undeniably cemented as one of club music’s most promising new-gen artists with their shimmering productions and unique hybrid DJ and live performance sets incorporating their powerful vocals. Bklava also has an arsenal of impressive releases (Defected, Ministry of Sound) and remixes for giants including Todd Edwards and Jessie Ware.

Counting Mixmag, DJ Mag, Wonderland, Clash and Notion among their arsenal of fans, Bklava has played iconic venues and events including Pikes, Primavera, Snowbombing, and AVA Festival – performing their debut Boiler Room to raucous reception – and made their mark in the States with several US tours. Currently working on a special project – their first as a fully independent artist – Bklava is sure to pull out all the stops, watch this space!