A Lightning Round Q&A with Marian Hill [TMN Exclusive Interview]

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Here at The Music Ninja, we take pride in being solely focused on the musicians we love and the works they create. This mindset has allowed us to bypass the pop culture aspects that many others focus on, bringing our Ninja following the freshest faces and best yet-undiscovered acts as they appear across the web. This massively time consuming pursuit has introduced us to many a fledgling band as they try to find their ways early in their careers. Back in mid-2013, that hunt led us to a diamond in the rough.

Marian Hill, a band who rose to fame on the back of their debut song, “Whisky” is a Philly-raised, Brooklyn-based duo consisting of Jeremy Lloyd and Samantha Gongol. As early fans of their work, it has been exciting watching the band take off and become a successful name in music behind their jazzy-electronic style. While making their second appearance at Outside Lands Music Festival a few weeks ago, Jeremy & Sam were gracious enough to meet up with us while taking in St. Lucia’s performance to talk touring, inspiration, and the road to success.

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[Festival Review] Outside Lands IX : Revisiting the Most Memorable Acts of the Weekend

OSL7In continuing to build on the foundation laid nine years ago, Another Planet Entertainment has once again outdone themselves; the final product being yet another successfully executed Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival. The 2016 version – keen on replicating the successes of previous iterations – was calculated in its approach, careful not to break the trends and quirks that have made it such a mainstay to the community.

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Instead, APE kept what has worked and improved upon it; meaning deeper lineups, aesthetically more impressive sound and lighting productions, finally allowing payment via RFID-enabled festival wristbands, and a fair amount of side stages to keep all wandering pseudo-bohemians well occupied. Unfortunately, along with the quality improvements also came a pretty substantial price adjustment – putting on a nationally recognized festival is big business, after all.

Those willing to stomach the uptick were treated to an especially diverse lineup ranging from saxophone playing acts like Kamasi Washington and GRiZ, nostalgia-inducing pop rock outfit Third Eye Blind, platinum (and featureless) hip hop artist J.Cole, EDM prodigy Zedd, the Jack-of-all-trades Garratt, and rags to riches rapper Anderson .Paak.

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[Electronic // R&B] Marian Hill – Lips

Marian Hill
Lips

Lips.
The way they part when you are attracted to someone, they way they break into a smile around your friends, the small frown they form when something is wrong.
Lips.
They are the feature on our face that many of us first notice when we look at others, and the feature that many of us are attracted to.
Marian Hill took that seductive feeling of lips and produced a beautifully sexy song about them called, what else, ‘Lips’. Vocalist Samantha Gongol has always impressed us with her way to sing fairly tempting vocals about everything and anything but she really shines on this song. She paints a picture of these lips that you dream about, those perfect lips on that perfect someone. Along with her vocals, producer Jeremy Lloyd spins his magic with a combination of electronic melodies, voice rendering, snap sounds, and some drums to carry this stimulating song to the very end. This duo has found a singly sound that is unlike much we hear these days, and they continue to show why they work so well together, and why their music is so damn addictive.

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Sunday Night Soul [Vol. 17]

Daylight Savings Time was today, so chances are that many of you out there lost an extra hour of sleep this morning (not us though, ninjas don’t sleep). If you’re like a lot people, that extra hour can really throw you off your game, and even ruin your whole day. The good news for you though, is that we’ve got the perfect cure: Sunday Night Soul. Voices like Milo & Otis, Xavier, How To Dress Well, Barnaby, Alex Jacke, and Marian Hill are ready to soothe even the tensest of nerves, while producing talents like Ben Aqua, Muneshine, Dave Luxe, Kaytranada, IAMNOBODI and Jarreau Vandal supply enchanting melodies to serve as the remedy for anything else that may be ailing you. Even if you were completely prepared for Daylight Savings Time (let’s be honest, who really is?), it never hurts to have some extra soul in your life, so checkout out the wonderful collection we have for you below, and get that internal clock back on track.

’Milo & Otis – Entire’
’Daniela Andrade – Something About Us (Daft Punk Cover)’
’Twenty9 & CBR – You’re The One (Free Download)’
’Tydes – Pray For You Feat. Låpsley’
’Marian Hill – Breathe Into Me’
’Spazzkid – Candy Flavored Lips (P A T H R E M I X)’
’Abrahamblue. – goodvibe.(freestyle)’
’Chiara – Close’
’Teri Tobin – Shine ft. Drey Sax (Prod. by Raez) (‘Connecting Miles’ out now)’
{ Talos } – Tethered Bones’
’Barnaby – Things We Could Do’
’Movement – Like Lust’
’How To Dress Well – Words I Don’t Remember’
’Blackbear  – Who You Are (feat. Prie)’
’MAAD*MOISELLE – Callin’ 4 U’
’Alex Jacke – Apart’
’Beldina ft Sway Clarke II – Cloud 9’
’MAAD*MOISELLE – No Love’
’Bridge – You Know (Prod. by Handbook)’
’6LACK x Twelve’Len – Pretty Weather’
’Rico Love – Red Nose (TTLO Remix)’
’Xavier – Now’
’Kwamie Liv – What You Need (The Weeknd Cover)’
’JODY – M.I.A. (Move It Along)’
’Kissed Killed – O N L Y O N E (Prod. YNG SAD)’
’Blackbear – Bodybetter feat T. Mills’
’Elle Varner – Cold Case’
’KeKe Palmer – Ride This Beat’
’Jacquees – Bet I ft Trinidad James’
’SevnthWonder – Why Can’t We (ft. Vince Ryouta)’
’RaVaughn – Love U More’
’Demmy Sober – Real Life Fantasy (prod. by BOSC)’
’Alexus Rose – Actions’
’Friends (S Type Version)
The Way’
’IAMNOBODI – Reaction (featuring JMSN)’
’Jesse Boykins III – Show Me Who You Are (prod. by Machinedrum)’
’John Legend – All Of Me (LUMBERJVCK Late Night Lounge Bootleg)’
’Miguel – How Many Drinks (feat. Kendrick Lamar) (Muneshine Remix)’
’Is It Tomorrow – Only You’
’Naughty boy ft. Sam Smith – Lalala (Jarreau Vandal 6K followers BOOTLEG)’
’Jazmin Sisters
You (Jeftuz Remix)’
’Brandy – I Wanna Be Down (James Tambiance Remix)’
’Justin Timberlake – Holy Grail / Kasùal x Naès Edit’
’Ben Aqua – Drunk Moments In Love (Beyoncé X Art Of Noise)’
’AbJo – WHTNSE (MNEK X White Noise Flip)’
’Bruno Mars – Locked Out Of Heaven (COFRESI Remix)’
’Lapsley – Station (Daktyl Remix)’
’AlunaGeorge – Kaleidoscope Love (Kaytranada Edition)’
’Janet Jackson – Love Will Never Do (Two Can Remix)’
’Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland – Dilemma (Dave Luxe Mustard Fix)’
’R. Kelly – Legs Shakin (Promnite Remix)’
’Beldina – Higher’
’SEVDALIZA☥☯✈ – CLEAR AIR’
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Sunday Night Soul [Vol. 11]

As more and more talent emerges in 2014, our Sunday Night Soul playlists have gotten increasingly larger. This week’s collection features over 50 unique songs to choose from, all featuring some supremely gifted artists. Some of our favorites this evening include particularly strong entries from newbies to the series like Nick Hakim, Kyan, Esco Williams, Johnny Stimson, Eric Bellinger, Fortune, Tanika and BOY/FRIEND, while other notable selections come from such familiar names as Sango, Jeftuz, Jakwob, BANKS, Sam Smith, Slakah The Beatchild, Mikky Ekko, Danity Kane, and Alicia Keys. That previous sentence doesn’t even remotely represent the immense amount of talent we’re working with tonight, however. The best way to find out for yourself is to press play and dive right in, because you’ve got plenty of swimming to do.

’Nick Hakim – COLD’
’George Maple X Slime
Began to Say’
’Harrison – Next to You Feat. Maddee’
’Marian Hill – One Time’
’Gary Clark Jr – Blak and Blu (BIG K.R.I.T. Remix)’
’Melo B. Jones – Be With Me (Extended Version) /// Produced by T.Hemingway’
’Johnny Stimson – SO. GOOD.’
’Jenna G – Senseless – Uncut’
’Lucille Ghatti – At Your (Neck)’
’Reva DeVito – Kisses (Produced By B.Bravo)’
’Algebra Blessett – Danger Zone’
’Anne Marie – Forget My Number – Demo’
’Eric Bellinger – Road Trip’
’Aaliyah – Rock The Boat (Brother Bruno’s Rework)’
’Slakah the Beatchild – Something About Her – Soul Movement vol 2’
’Danity Kane – Bye Baby’
’Alicia Keys – Power’
’Nick Hakim – THE LIGHT’
’Ed Thomas – Hurt’
’Shivum Sharma – FLICKER’
’Emily Colombier & Jessica Rotter – Stay/Animal MashUp’
’Mikky Ekko – Stay (Original Demo)’
’Esco Williams – Breaking Bones’
’Kyan – Rosetta’
’Love Mansuy – Meant It’
’Blue Daisy – Fallin’ Circles feat. Barnaby’
’Muhsinah
L.M.O. (Giant Step Mix)’
’Alpines – Oasis’
’Loe – Glass Table (Prod. By Klmeks)’
’Mizan – Anxious (Aei Remix)’
’Sam Smith – Nirvana (Harry Fraud Remix)’
’JMSN – Love & Pain (aywy. Rework)’
’Joe – Priceless (RillaForce x SevnthWonder Remix)’
’NΞHZVIL – A Ooh (I Like It)’
’Sango – Maluco
’Danity Kane – Damaged (T AARONmusic REMIX)’
’Jhene Aiko
My Mine (Jeftuz Remix)’

’OutKast – Prototype (starRo Bossa Edit)’

’TVNE. – Love & Lingerie’
’Destiny’s Child – Bills Bills Bills ( DGTO Remix )’
’Fortune x RichBeatz – Without You’
’Fortune – Purity’
’BANKS – Change (Jensen Sportag Remix)’
’R ASH – Can I Get With You’
’ΔGØLDWYN – You Remind Me Of Something’
’Destiny’s Child – Say My Name (Chloe Martini Jersey Edit)’
’Jakwob – Somebody New (ft. Tiffani Juno)’
’Tanika – Finally Found It’
’BOY/FRIEND – Never Not Looking (Prod. MNTN & Mel DeBarge)’
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[Electro Soul] Marian Hill – One Time

Marian Hill
One Time

This duo is quickly becoming one of my favorites.
We met Marian Hill some months back with their release of “Whiskey,” a sexy and seductive tune, and the group again shows why their collaborating sounds works. Jeremy Lloyd is the mastermind behind production while Samantha Gongol runs away with the sensual vocals. They both contribute to the writing of the lyrics and from there, pure music magic appears. Their mix of an electronic melody throughout the whole song combined with the cool, collected R&B sound of Gongol’s vocals makes for an intoxicating song in “One Time.” Cannot wait to hear more tunes from this amazing duo, as they prepare for their debut EP Play, which will be out on March 4.

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Sunday Night Soul [Vol. 2]

Last week we launched our new series, Sunday Night Soul, and frankly, we were nearly surprised by the tremendous reception. That’s put a little pressure on us to repeat that success, and we think we’ve accomplished that here. Volume 2 is just as strong as Volume 1, if not better, with features as diverse as Tev’n‘s minimalistic “Rose Petal” to the comedic stylings of R. Kelly‘s “Italian Hero Sandwich.” Of course we’ve got many other soulful offerings from artists like Marian Hill, Bedlam, DB2, Tink, Tinashe, and many more. Now before you get a case of the Mondays, make sure to deal yourself a proper dose of relaxation as you plug in your headphones, lay back and the let the music take its course.

’Marian Hill – Lovit’
’Tink – Treat Me Like Somebody’
’Mae Oriel – Toyin’ (Prod By @soundsmithbeats)’
’Dre Green & The GTW – Neymar Night’
’Naomi Pilgrim – No Gun’
’DB2 – Unconditionally (Reimagined)’
’Drop Lamond feat Jerome Thomas – Breaking The Walls’
’Falcons – Falcon Eye (Reprise)’
’Muramasa – Tough On You’
’Bedlam – Colder’
’Tev’n – Rose Petal’
’Raleigh Ritchie – Free Fall’
’Mélat – The Prometheus Interlude Feat. QuESt’
’Tinashe – Vulnerable feat. Travi$ Scott’
’Kiah Victoria – Breathing Is Too Easy’
’R Kelly – Italian Hero Sandwich(ANGO Remix)’
’Chris Brown – Fantasy 2 Ft. Ludacris’
’Candice – Greatest Song I Ever Felt’
’Erik Hassle – “Talk About It (ASTR Remix)”‘
’Moko – Freeze’
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