BREIS – Arise & Shine [EP]

As the title suggests, the new Arise & Shine album from UK emcee BREIS (pronounced “breeze”) is an energizing outing that creates a genuinely engaging musical moment. BREIS and his collaborators anchor this EP to a firmly rooted yet refreshingly expressive sound. Similar to Michael Franti and the late-great Ty (…don’t boo me! You knew that comparison was coming.), BREIS seems to pick beats and backdrops that move organically with his rhymes instead of battling him for the listener’s attention. Because of this, we get a chance to appreciate his wit, verve, and uplifting spirit as an emcee. “Stay Diligent“, which welcomes us to the album, is a soulful strut that is earthy and jazzy and just makes you feel good. Instead of giving us an unrealistic “all I do is WIN!” look at life, it reinforces the idea that we should celebrate putting in the work needed to get the achievements that we deserve. The title track “Arise & Shine” steps even further onto the “keep ya head up” ledge as BREIS swings between rallying rhyme-spitter and easygoing chanter over a plucky-funk beat. “Give Dem” and “Wahala” are particularly dope as they both allow our leading man to backstroke in his British-Nigerian roots while expanding his flow into realms that mix slow-flowing trap styles, jungly double-time cadences, and the various forms of African patios as they exist throughout the Diaspora. Singer Nneka provides a beautiful assist on “Wahala” and adds rousing energy to a song whose subject matter could easily idle down a joyless path. “Keep On” closes Arise & Shine on the same sort of body swaying, “don’t give up, don’t give in” sentiment that it started on. BREIS and singer Joy Jones fly near and around each other in a cloud of broken-beat grooviness – elevating each and the audience towards a satisfying piece of closure. Overall, Arise & Shine succeeds in its campaign to stir up inspiration and doesn’t waste a single moment of its 19+ minute running time. You can show your support by purchasing the EP from your favorite spot below as well as check out more from BREIS by visiting the links listed.

“This project was a statement to myself to arise after life had knocked me down. It was also a reminder not to rely on the validation of others but to understand my intrinsic worth, which I’m doing daily” – BREIS

★★ And on September 13th be sure to catch BREIS taking part in a livestream event on Instagram along with The Yoruba Calligrapher. Click (HERE) for more info. ★★

vibes – absorbing, artful, impassioned, rousing, ambitious, spirited, dynamic, jazzy, distinctive, uplifting, upbeat, high spirited, energizing

Stream & buy BREIS’ music on…
( Amazon | Bandcamp | Deezer | Google Play | iTunes | Spotify | Tidal )

https://listen.tidal.com/album/150720988

Connect with BREIS on…
( Facebook | Instagram | Official Site | ReverbNation | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube )