MINAS releases new EP ‘Grazes’, alongside the pensive lead single ‘Cutting Off’ on 9th February via Silent Kid Records.
HYPE:
+ NME, Clash, Dork, Notion, METAL Mag
+ BBC Radio 1 (Jack Saunders), BBC Radio 6music (Huw Stephens).
+ File next to – Aggy Welsh rap/punk music from the valleys
+ FFO – IDLES, NUKULUK, Bob Vylan
+ Welsh Music Prize Shortlist
+ Confirmed for SXSW Festival and New Colossus Festival NYC March 2024
“ Every local scene needs an enigma, a mercurial character that effortlessly transcends styles and sounds. James Minas is this figure”
Clash Magazine
“.his music captures an array of sound, intertwining both rap and electronic. Each tune takes us on a voyage through his state of mind, from frustrations to anger and the inevitable self-reflection afterwards.’
God Is In The TV Zine
“…presenting his own brutal truth and laying open a vulnerability for all to hear.”
Metal
After the barnstorming success of his recent singles ‘The Public Ain’t Spoken’ and ‘Stress (Feat. Razkid)’, Greek/Welsh producer and musician MINAS has now released his eagerly-awaited new EP ‘Grazes’ alongside the pensive lead effort ‘Cutting Off’.
With two major across the pond festivals New Colossus Festival (NY) and SXSW (TX) on the horizon, MINAS continues to stand out from the crowd with his moody, intense punk rap – cementing a street poet status.
Led by the broad and atmospheric opener ‘Cutting Off’, his latest collection builds upon the dark and immersive aesthetic he has been building for himself the last few years, and adds to the electrifying reputation he looks set to bring to the rest of 2024 as well.
MINAS draws inspiration from the boredom and shenanigans that took place growing up in the circus with parents who were heavily involved in the 1980’s punk scene and holds a mirror up to society, trying to understand it. MINAS doesn’t hold back from discussing heavy personal topics over a blend of spacey soundscapes and his aggressive, punk vocal delivery is reminiscent of IDLES’ blunt writing style and sound. As a respected producer, MINAS is working to build a new sound for the South Wales scene with a number of artists and genres; however, as an artist, he presents his own brutal honesty and lays open a vulnerability for all to hear.
Grazes EP will be available to stream from the 9th February 2024 via Silent Kid Records.
- Cutting Off
- The Public Ain’t Spoken (feat. Freddy Forbidden)
- Chatty Patty
- I Wish I Could Be 23 Again
- Stress (feat. Razkid)
LIVE SHOWS
16th February – Clwb, Cardiff (Headline)
6-10 March – New Colossus Festival, New York, NY
8 – 16 March – SXSW, Austin, TX
- Cutting Off
- The Public Ain’t Spoken (feat. Freddy Forbidden)
- Chatty Patty
- I Wish I Could Be 23 Again
- Stress (feat. Razkid)
LIVE SHOWS
16th February – Clwb, Cardiff (Headline)
6-10 March – New Colossus Festival, New York, NY
8 – 16 March – SXSW, Austin, TX
Every local scene needs an enigma, a mercurial character that effortlessly transcends styles and sounds. James Minas is this figure. His moody, intense brand of punk-rap has been widely-embraced by the Cardiff and wider Welsh music scene. His oeuvre brims with barely-sublimated anger at both the world and himself, ranging from the restrained anguish of ‘Fight One’ to the blunt aggression of ‘Protest’. He’s also a versatile creative, as comfortable in high-energy live shows (backed by drummer Greg Davies and bassist Bob Williams) as he is in a jazz trio or performing Pina Bausch-like dance moves.
Support slots with the likes of Benefits and Bad Dreems have brought Minas to a UK-wide audience, where he deserves to be embraced as warmly as he has been in Wales.
