Liam Bailey shares a new single ahead of the release of his forthcoming album. “Cold & Clear” highlights Bailey’s roots on a songwriting and personal level, through the track’s vintage Dub production style and standout lyrics such as the heartfelt refrain, “I am my mother’s child.” The new song follows previously released single “Paper Tiger,” as well as Liam’s remix for “Champion” featuring Black Thought, rapper and co-founder of The Roots, and “White Light,” “Don’t Blame NY,” and the Digi-Dancehall inspired “Angel Dust.”

Ekundayo, out November 13th via Big Crown Records, was produced by Leon Michels of El Michels Affair, who first teamed up with Liam on their 2012 7″ “When Will They Learn/I’m Gonna Miss You.” The two reconnected to make the record they’ve always strived towards following their first meeting in 2005, embodied in the album’s title, which translates to “sorrow becomes joy” in Yoruba, a language spoken mostly in Western Africa.

The title perfectly encapsulates the essence of the album and offers a true introduction to Liam’s artistry. There’s a through line of creative freedom and liberating honesty across Ekundayo that pairs old, textured Reggae riddims with the introspective storytelling of old soul records and modern R&B. Beyond testing the boundaries of genre, Liam’s songwriting finds him tackling personal moments in his music free of any prior restraints and presents a full portrait of Liam’s identity as an artist and a man.

Liam Bailey
Ekundayo
Big Crown Records
November 13, 2020

1. Awkward
2. Champion
3. White Light
4. Don’t Blame NY
5. Cold & Clear
6. Angel Dust
7. Fight
8. Vixit
9. Ugly Truth
10. Young In Love
11. She Hates This Life
12. Where Do I Start?
13. Paper Tiger

Order Ekundayo by Liam Bailey here