JayWood featuring McKinley Dixon - "Shine"

Photo by Tonje Thilesen

JayWood is Winnipeg based musician and songwriter Jeremy Haywood-Smith. His latest single, "Shine," is a blend of hip hop and R&B that has a terrific classic hip hop summertime feel. The song also features Richmond, VA's McKinley Dixon and is oddly positive despite the track's inspiration. While all of the song's on JayWood's upcoming album take place in the same day, "Shine" was written on the night of George Floyd's murder. 

Jeremy Haywood-Smith says of his new song:

“I don’t think I’ve ever really felt activated or militant as much as I did the summer of 2020. It was an exhausting time but I wanted to try to do something to commentate on everything that was happening. As soon as the idea came to make a hip hop song I knew I had to get McKinley on it. The way he writes is so wild, I felt inspired to do something on that level as well." 

You can watch the video for "Shine" below. Slingshot is due out July 15 on Captured Tracks, and can be pre-ordered/pre-saved here. For more on JayWood, check out the artist's Facebook and Twitter.

JayWood - "God is a Reptile"

Photo by Tonje Thielesen

Jeremy Haywood-Smith is a Winnipeg musician who releases music under the name JayWood. His latest single, "God is a Reptile," is relatively straightforward music but still not quite like anything we've brought you before. The best description I can come up with is indie funk. The song has all the hallmarks of classic laid back funk from artists like Funkadelic and Isaac Hayes, but while those artists have a smooth sound, "God is a Reptile" is grimey. It's coming at you through a filter of psychedelia with crunchy indie rock guitars. While I adore classic funk from the 70's, it's great to see an artist like JayWood take the genre and blow the normal parameters off completely.

Jeremy Haywood-Smith says of his new song:

“‘God Is A Reptile’ feels like the angstiest part of myself. I wrote it at a time where I was experiencing a lot of anger all at once and I really just wanted to focus it into something healthy."

You can watch the video for "God is a Reptile" below. The song is available as a single via Captured Tracks, and can be downloaded over at Bandcamp. For more on JayWood, check out the artist's Facebook and Twitter. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

Sat. March 12 - Salado, TX @ Barrow Brewing Company
Tue. March 15 - Austin, TX @ Swan Dive (SXSW)
Fri. March 18 - Austin, TX @ Cheer Up Charlies (SXSW)
Fri. March 18 - Austin, TX @ Valhalla
Wed. March 23 - Boise, ID @ Treefort Festival
Fri. March 25 - Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole *
Sat. March 26 - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar *
Sun. March 27 - Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room *
Mon. March 28 - Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room *
Tue. March 29 - San Francisco, CA @ August Hall *
Thu. March 31 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge *
Sat. Apr. 2 - Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre *
Mon. Apr. 4 - Boise, ID @ Neurolux *
Tue. Apr. 5 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell *
Thu. Apr. 7 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge *
Thu. May 5 - Wrexham, UK @ Penny Black Room (FOCUS Wales)
Fri. May 6 - Wrexham, UK @ Ty Pawb (FOCUS Wales)
Sat. May 7 - London, UK @ The Fox Inn
Sat. May 14 - Brighton, UK @ Green Door Store (TGE)
  
* w/ Molly Burch