Tag: A.K. Paul

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Ruthven Shares Dance floor Friendly “Kiss Goodnight”

Throughout his nearly decade-long career, South London-based producer, singer/songwriter and musician Sean Nelson, best known as Ruthven, emerged in 2017 as a co-founding member of The Paul Institute with A.K.Paul and Jai Paul, while Nelson was simultaneously as a firefighter with the London Fire Brigade.

Between emergency calls and equipment checks, the South London-based artist meticulously shaped the songs that would eventually comprise last year’s Rough & Ready, which was released to widespread praise across the UK and elsewhere. The response to the album lead to collaborations and opening slots with Sampha, Berwyn and Overmono, helping to further cement Nelson’s growing reputation as one of the UK’s most compelling, emerging voices.

Ruthven closes out 2025 with the recently released Precognition EP, an exploratory three-track EP that marks the beginning of a bold new chapter for the South London-based artist. Where Rough & Ready introduced an artist with a meticulous production style and a fiercely individual voice, Precognition EP captures Nelson writing much more instinctively, leaning deeply into the warmth and dynamism of live instrumentation, inspired by his recent live shows. “This small body of work feels like a good segue into the next era for me” Ruthven says. “I’m using a lot more live instrumentation and programming a little bit less.  Playing more guitar, more acoustic drums – all of which have formed a new sound for me. The fundamental DNA of my music is there, but there’s a new evolution. This is the first of it.” 

The EP sees Nelson moving freely between funk, disco and classic songwriting. And as you’ll hear on the hook-driven, disco funk-tinged “Kiss Goodnight,” Nelson has an unerring knack for crafting a catchy, dance floor friendly groove anchored around glistening synth arpeggios and a supple bass line paired with Nelson’s effortless yet heartfelt croon. If you’re a fellow old, this one will likely bring memories of Prince, Morris Day and The Time, Cherrelle and several others.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

 

A.K. Paul is a London-born and-based singer/songwriter, producer, engineer and recording artist, who first came to prominence with a contribution to his brother Jai Paul’s debut single “BTSU.” The following year, Paul was very busy: he worked on his brother Jai’s “Jasmine (demo)” and Big Boi‘s “Higher Res,” feat. Jai Paul and Little Dragon, as well as co-writing material for Sam Smith and Emeli Sandé, which resulted in the London-born and based artist winning a Ivor Novello Award back in 2013.

In 2016, A.K. Paul, Jai Paul and Muz Azar started their own label Paul Institute, and the label released A.K’s full-length debut Landcruisin’. Unfortunately, Paul Institute and its co-founders had gone through a protracted legal fight that nearly shut the label down — but over the past few months, the label, along with its co-founders and artists have released new material.  “I’m really happy we’re releasing new music with Paul Institute this summer,” A.K. Paul says in press notes. “It’s been a while coming and the last couple of years have been perilous at times for PI, particularly because of a legal fight that set us back. So besides it being sick music, to return with such a strong set of releases feels like a vindication of our rights as artists too.”

Paul’s latest single “Be Honest” is a New Jack Swing-like take on house and electro pop, centered around stuttering beats, shimmering synth arpeggios, an infectious hook and the British artist’s soulful crooning. Sonically, the song is an escapist (and necessary summer) banger — even if it’s one of the strangest summers in recent memory. In press notes, Paul describes the song as being “about giving up control for a moment, allowing yourself to feel something beyond what you’ve known. It’s a song about liking something you didn’t think you would like, feeling something you didn’t think you’d feel — and as soon as you come to your senses being faced with the prospect you’ve only half lived . . .”