Lei Hope (Heist or Hit) delivers a soulful exploration of ambition and intimacy
Stream new single 'Cranium' HERE
WATCH, 'Cranium' video:
https://youtu.be/s73p18bfUQY
STREAM, 'Cranium':
https://orcd.co/cranium
"Manchester-based Lei Hope concocts a blend of indie and R&B in his crackling, delicate music; latest track "Boyfriend" is full of his signature warmth in between its addictively coy guitar lines"
The Line Of Best Fit
"...an infectious fusion of indie, bedroom-pop, R&B, psychedelia, and soul. Languorous guitar tones generate a sense of longing for the warmer months, giving hints of Tyler, The Creator’s ‘Flower Boy’ LP"
DIY Magazine
"Achingly intimate and yet so full of warmth and light...is voice a tender, fragile vessel of raw emotion in a sea of sweet sonic wonder"
Atwood Magazine
"Summery and soulful...emotionally punchy"
EARMIK
"A perfect encapsulation of the Lei’s sound, which mixes psychedelic R&B elements with indie and jazzy elements that creates a super smooth and easy listen... Lei Hope is a name to keep an eye on"
Fashionably Early
"There’s an in-the-room intimacy that adds weight to both the lyrical guitar playing and airy vocals"
Songwriting Magazine
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(13th November) – Today, Manchester singer-songwriter and producer Lei Hope releases his soulful new single 'Cranium' via Heist or Hit.
Arriving off the back of recent UK & European tours with Nature TV and Zach Templar, 'Cranium' is the first new music to be heard since his 'Matrices' EP was released earlier this year.
New single 'Cranium' is a song that explores the dualities of ambition and intimacy. By weaving starry metaphors, the lyrics delve into the desire for long-lasting success in both music and love. A reflection on personal growth, the song was inspired by Hope's international touring experiences this year in support of Zach Templar (and as Hana Vu's touring guitarist).
Produced by Lei Hope himself, the song finds a neat intersection between indie and R&B, following through on his comparisons from press to artists such as Blood Orange, Tyler, The Creator and Clairo. Bursting with vitality and conviction, intricate guitar lines weave through stuttering drum loops and soulful vocal harmonies.
Speaking more on the release of new single "Cranium", Lei Hope said:
"My past music inspired Cranium’s lyrical theme. I feel like I’ve kept my past lyrical content quite PG so it was fun to subvert that and step outside expectations by being a bit explicit. The song is about romanticising longevity, both in my music career and also in intimacy. The lyrics use celestial themes to convey those double meanings - “I’m not a shooting star” / “Girl I’m a superstar, young supernova, please don’t break my heart”. The chorus ties it up by showing that these thoughts are occurring in my head (or in my cranium). To sum up, the song is about aiming for success in the two most important areas of my life; music and love."
Lei Hope is the project of Zimbabwe born, Leeds-raised and now Manchester based musician Hope Chiguvo. Hope is a man making whatever the fuck music comes into his head with the power to dismantle and reassemble genres. A pallet cleansing, no filter aesthetic; not just indie for the sake of it, but affectingly human, and irresistibly soulful.
Following glowing praise and support for 2024 EP 'Matrices,' from The Line of Best Fit, DIY Magazine, La Blogotheque, Ones To Watch, Atwood Magazine, Songwriting Magazine, DMY Mag, EARMILK, Fashionably Early and more - Lei Hope stands tall as one of the most exciting prospects on the Manchester indie scene, with ambitions to take on the world.
Lei Hope's new single 'Cranium' is out now via Heist or Hit.
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Instagram: @lei.hope
X/Twitter: @leihopeee
TikTok: @leihope
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