One good thing about music, other than "when it hits, you feel no pain" (word to Bob Marley) is that it knows no boundaries or barriers. Just ask new collective People On The Hill. The group, led by Scandinavian soul artist Jonas Rendbo and featuring producers Te'Amir Sweeney and Henry D'Ambrosio, not only crosses genres but several national borders in order to bring its distinctive sound to the masses. You need look no further than their debut single "4 Seasons In A Day," which brings together Rendbo, New York-bred rapper Louis King, Londoner Omar and New Zealand-born Mark de Clive-Lowe for an eclectic, worldly mashup.
The song uses a brooding, piano-led beat to express the unease with the current state of the world and the need to make our voices heard. "Four seasons in a day / Got me feeling some kind of way," Rendbo begins the track. "Flowers bloom in winter snow / I just want you to know." While it seems that Rendbo is concerned with the environment and fighting the system, King directs fiery callouts toward Trump, crooked cops and racists while inciting the revolution. Omar brings up the rear with a verse that, while calming and reassuring, still points out that things aren't sweet. Once each fella has had his say, Mark de Clive-Lowe brings it home with a bit of eerie piano.
The song's video acts as a simple introduction. Directed by Wakas Ali Qadri, it features each of the song's contributors as they perform the track solo. Though the fellas are never featured together (and for good reason — the footage was shot in Copenhagen, Denmark, Rennes, France, Los Angeles and London), they still manage to put on a united front, once again proving that music has the ability to bring everyone from every background together.
“This song and video is a good introduction to what People On The Hill is about," says Jonas Rendbo. "A worldwide tribe of artists, producers and musicians, who have come together representing diversity and creative freedom. It’s an open collective musical kitchen, where we all get to add our spice to the recipe.”
"It's a rootsy, soulful, international collab," chimes in producer Te'Amir Sweeney. Takes me to some of my favorite sonic places, like Jamaica and LA. Underground beats and smooth vocals."
"4 Seasons In Day" is lifted from the group's upcoming EP One, which will release April 6th and is available for pre-order now. They will follow the drop with a release concert on April 8th (details and ticket info for which is available here). Check out our exclusive premiere of the song and video below.
