Back With a Bang: Ms Dynamite 'Neva Soft'

Back in 2001, having just finished university and working in a job I didn't really care for, I spent many a brilliant night in Tooting with some of my best friends, smoking badly rolled joints and listening to Ms Dynamite.


In fact, make that every Friday night for a good few months. We loved Ms Dynamite's album 'A Little Deeper' so much it was often played on repeat for hours on end. Ms Dynamite was new (well to us anyway), fresh and we loved her message. And we weren't the only ones. Mobo awards and the coveted Mercury Music prize all found their way into Ms Dynamite's hands and for a while she was the hottest thing in the British music scene.


Fast forward a few years and after taking a break to have a baby, Ms Dynamite followed up her debut album with the 2005 'Judgement Days. I didn't love this one nearly as much - it didn't have the same impact as 'A Little Deeper' and I wondered if she had lost her way.


Then came the wilderness years. Ms Dynamite went to live under a rock (well in musical terms anyway) and it wasn't until her recent collaboration with Katie B on the brilliant 'Lights On' that I even remembered she existed.


Now she is back though, with a solo single and a new album on it's way. Her new single 'Neva Soft' was produced by Labrynth and is a brilliant drum'n'base-come-dub-step-come-reggae-come-soul extravaganza with an infectious beat. I love her voice on the bits where she sings, in fact I love it all. It's a get up on your feet and shake-it kind of song. She is back and I can't wait to hear the album.

One to Watch: Singer Josh Kumra

joshkumra.com

I really loved the sound of Josh Kumra's chorus on Wretch 32's song 'Don't Go' so was pleased to hear some more of it on this track 'Stand Your Ground'.


The British singer, who comes from Swindon, has such an interesting sounding voice and 'Stand Your Ground' has some beautiful lyrics layered over the soothing sound of the acoustic guitar.


Apparently he is working on solo material, so it shouldn't be long before we can hear more, and judging by the comments written about him all over the youtube video for Don't Go, he is sure to be a hit.


Listen to the song below and let me know what you think.

Mr Musing's: Five Certainties for Wimbledon 2011

I am SO excited that Wimbledon is almost here. I happen to be off work for pretty much the whole tournament, which means that as well as trying to get along and get a ground pass so that I can catch some of the live action, I will happily spend hours watching every match on TV.


I am such a geek when it comes to Wimbledon, devouring all the statistics, reading everything on the BBC news website that is tennis related - rankings, head-to-head, form and completely useless tidbits.


I thought I'd share my five Wimbledon certainties with you. Every year the same anecodotes, debates and discussions happen and it's possible to check them off like a kind of tennis bingo.


1. Andy Murray will be the only Briton to get past Round two in the singles. 

However, much I would like to believe otherwise it just ain't going to happen this year. Even though we are guaranteed a British woman in the second round, as Anne Keothavong and Naomi Broady play each other in the first, the winner will face 8th Seed Petra Kvitova from the Czech Republic. Double bagel anyone?

Elena Baltacha, who admittedly is playing the best tennis of her career, faces an as yet unknown qualifier in round one but if she comes through that unscathed faces Peng of China, the 20th Seed, who recently knocked out two Brits at Birmingham (Broady and Watson). Will she make it a hat-trick?


James Ward, who I got very excited about at Queen's has been pitched against Michael Llodra of France, the 19th Seed. Now Ward did beat players of a higher calibre at Queen's to make the semi-finals, so there is a slim chance, but it is very slim. Although if he did win he would probably face Ricardo Mello, the world number 90.

2. The British press will bemoan the lack of British talent in tennis. 

Following on from my first certainty and after Andy Murray is the only British player left in the singles the press will moan about the state of British tennis - why can we not produce the stars like other countries? Are our tennis players to pampered? There will be talk of a 'new crop' of young players coming up through the ranks (we have been having that same discussion for about ten years now - so where are they?) The words Fred and Perry will no doubt come up time and time again. 


3. There will be a debate about the 'grunting' in the women's game.

Comparisons will be made to aircraft taking off and pneumatic drills. This happens every year, without fail. Either ban it or get over it, the discussion is boring. I personally am not bothered by it at all.


4. There will be a debate about the state of the women's game. 

Questions about Wozniacki and her lack of Grand Slam wins, references to Safina - and discussion about the lack of consistency in the women's game, along with the way the seedings work and a general sense that it 'just ain't as good as it used to be'.


5. Hundreds of people will search for 'Andy Murray muscle', 'Andy Murray bulge' or 'Andy Murray body' and some will reach my site.

Seriously, it never ceases to amaze me that every time there is a Grand Slam, the traffic to my site increases loads due to people entering these search terms in Google. And I have never written about Andy Murray's bulge in my life (well until now).


So there you have it, my five certainties for Wimbledon this year. Let me know what yours are?

London Fashion Week 2011

Dress sizes dropped, stitches sewn, cameras at the ready and tantrums thrown... London Fashion Week 2011 is here and it's the UK's turn to showcase its creative talent.

Whether it be for heritage labels Burberry and Mulberry, rising stars Erdem and J W Anderson or the first British showing by Tom Ford - fashionistas, celebs and those just lucky enough to get a ticket will get a first-hand preview of what we will be wearing this Autumn/Winter.

I thought I'd show you these wonderful photos, from photographer and friend Greg Jackson, who brilliantly captured a mixture of models and generally fabulous-looking people outside Somerset House earlier this week.

You can see more of Greg's work on his website Greg Jackson Photography. Also, look out for a Q&A with Greg here at Mr Musing, which will be posted next week.

To celebrate London Fashion Week 2011 and the fact I have a week off work, there will be a distinctly sartorial feel at Mr Musing with a fashion related post each day this week. 

The 'Five of the Best' feature will return, this time looking at the best men's hi-tops; there will be a feature on a British designer and I'll take a look at some of the highlights from London Fashion Week 2011 as it progresses.