London continues to prove itself as a hotbed for fresh musical talent and singer-songwriter Azu is the latest hopeful aiming to keep the city on top. The West African-born, London-based newcomer, who has already opened for the likes of Gabrielle and Lemar, has just released his debut single, "Hands," now available for free download for a limited time on his Facebook page. Though it's hard to target one specific genre to describe Azu's sound, the easiest way would be as a pop/world music hybrid sprinkled with a dash of soul. His West African heritage shows itself in the subdued track. While he counts Stevie Wonder, Seal, Ray Charles and Corinne Bailey Rae amongst his musical influences, Paul McCartney was the first artist who came to my mind during the song's opening moments. "Hands" is the first single off Azu's debut EP The Fall, which is due out on June 2nd. In the meantime, you can listen to the album prior to its release on SoundCloud and UK fans can check him out live as he opens for fellow Brit musical sensation Matt Cardle this spring.
