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Hear BANKS’ Swooping Aaliyah Homage ‘This Is What It Feels Like’

Banks

BANKS is a singer from Los Angeles, but her approach to music — fusing the tempo and rumble of the U.K. bass scene to the ethereal accents of R&B — codes strictly as London. That is at least partly because she’s collaborated heavily with artists from Britain, including Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and Lil Silva. Her latest single “This Is What It Feels Like” is produced by Silva and features vocals from Brit singer Jamie Woon, but cops heavily (so much new bedroom R&B does) from Timbaland and Aaliyah’s template. Silva’s production puts a stuttering beat to gurgling bass and swooping strings straight out of “We Need a Resolution.” But BANKS’ vocals — smokier than Aaliyah’s ever were — is able to cut through production that threatens to overwhelm, and that’s to say nothing of the delightfully cascading chorus.

Her LONDON EP (fancy that) is out September 10, and it will feature the previously released track “Waiting Game.” She’s also currently on tour with The Weeknd.

BANKS tour dates:

September 10 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theater *
September 13 – Berkeley, CA @The Greek Theatre Berkeley *
September 14 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl *
September 16 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre *
September 17 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre *
September 20 – Broomfield, CO @ 1st Bank Center *
September 22 – Grand Prairie, TX @ Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie *
September 23 – Cedar Park, TX @ Cedar Park Center *
September 24 – Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center *
September 26 – Tampa, FL @ David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts *
September 27 – Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live *
September 28 – Miami, FL @ James L. Knight Center *
September 30 – Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre *
October 1 – Charlotte, NC @ Ovens Auditorium *
October 2 – Durham, NC @ Durham Performing Arts Center *
October 4 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center *
October 5 – Washington, D.C. @ DAR Constitution Hall *
October 7 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall *
October 8 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall *
October 11 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre *
October 13 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre *
October 14 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre *
October 15 – Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre *
October 17 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall *
October 18 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall *
October 19 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall *
October 20 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall *

* = with the Weeknd and Aluna Lunoe