Words by Axel Metz
Ahead of the release of their debut EP, we highlight the music of R&B artist Violet Jones and producer Dom Porter.
Breaking into the mainstream music scene is never an easy task, but it’s one up-and-coming R&B artist Dom Porter and producer Violet Jones are working hard to achieve.
Combining the vocal sentiments of the likes of Sampha, Blood Orange and Frank Ocean with a stripped back, percussive approach to beat-making, the pair have crafted a sound that feels right at home during the lonely months of lockdown. Theirs is the sort of music that really finds its feet when you’re fresh out of a relationship – sexy and sad, if you know what we mean (we know you do).
They describe their work as a “synthesis of soul and electronic R&B”, and in tracks like their debut effort, “Honey” – released back in November 2020 to acclaim from the BBC, Reprezent and Rinse FM – it’s not hard to see why. “Honey” is a simple song that seems to combine only three or four instruments, but this works to the benefit of allowing Violet’s lulling voice to take centre stage.
“Burden”, though, is an altogether different beast. Released in January of this year, Dom and Violet enlist the help of fellow vocalists Mercy Cartel and [ K S R ] (who, incidentally, we profiled as the first artist in this series) on a track with a much faster pace and a higher level of production. Still, it’s one which manages to maintain the same sense of calm that emerges from their other work, and acts as a sort of R&B sing-off between the equally-talented artists involved – which, of course, is only ever a good thing.
Produced again by Porter, “Burden” describes one’s yearn to be loved by someone who doesn’t know it yet – you see what we mean about relationship music? – and emulates 90s RnB with modern synth beats and thumping kicks.
Now, the pair are looking towards the release of their debut EP, SEASONS, set to drop on Valentine’s Day this year (that’s February 14, for the singleton readers). Hopefully, it’ll come packed with the sort of tracks that have already made Violet Jones and Dom Porter one of the most exciting artist/producer combinations out there.
Stream Violet Jones and Dom Porter on Apple Music, Spotify and SoundCloud.