ZZ Ward Ft. Nathan Santos – Cinnamon Stix x Criminal EP (Audio)

I love it when new music stops you dead in your tracks. In today’s case, ZZ Ward’s new track with Nathan Santos is one bad-ass record. Ward, a blues diva from Oregon, is one to pay attention to. “Cinnamon Stix” is off her January mixtape, Eleven Roses.

“Newcomer ZZ Ward is equal parts throwback blues wailer, steely hip-hop crooner and razor-sharp pop belter, and her era-spanning talents are on full display in her eclectic new mix tape Eleven Roses, which is now available as a free download. While working on her debut full-length, Ward found herself constantly inspired by other artists, and here she’s taken time to burrow into her influences. After singing an impromptu riff over Tyler, The Creator’s “Yonkers” beat , she knew she had tapped a rich vein worth exploring. Besides the aforementioned “Yonkers” re-work, the mixtape features Ward’s soulful take on songs from Childish Gambino and Freddie Gibbs as well as some of her original work. The songs all share a raw, confessional edge that evoke blues greats Muddy Waters and Big Mama Thornton with a slick, modern twist that recalls Adele and Cee Lo Green.” – Purevolume.com

Criminal EP, released on May 8, 2012, and available on iTunes.

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