Over the course of the last 19 years, we have covered a wide variety of performers that have run the gamut from Christian to death metal. One of our major focuses was in electronic and dance music, based on my own love for 1980s synth-pop and 1990s dance and ambient genres. As the styles laid the blueprint for the modern style of EDM and all of the subgenres that reside…
The Refreshments may be seen by many as a 1990s one-hit wonder, but the band is almost a religion to a smaller, but much more rabid group of music fans. And can you blame them? Roger Clyne and his crew churned out two LPs crammed with a slew of fantastic songs that vacillated between roots rock, Americana and dessert boogie.
Airy Jeanine’s “Everywhere” is a delightful track for August. Powerful vocals and a powerful dance beat vie for dominance. Airy Jeanine’s vocals are deep, drawing well from pop and singer-songwriter traditions. The track hammers home a beat that will bury itself deep into the minds and hearts of leaders. There is a sense that the instrumentation does more than provide highlighting for Airy jeanine’s vocals. Give Everywhere a few additional…
My Silent Bravery’s “Got It Going On” is a bouncy effort that has just a hint of Latin guitar to it. This allows for a more robust backdrop upon Matt (My Silent Bravery). The bit of beatboxing bridges the gap between vocal and instrumental, making for a compelling effort that hangs well with other pop fare. My Silent Bravery is able to make a catchy tune, have thoughtful instrumentation, and…
Tremble’s “Thorns” is amazing. This catchy track is built off a set of vocals that play nicely with Jess Glyne or Ingrid Michaelson. The atmosphere generated by the hazy synths and fuzzy drums imbues Thorns with a mid-1990s sound. There is a crispness to the vocal / music dynamic that works perfectly in 2017. The spontaneity of Thorns further pushes this track to a new plateau. Over the course of…
MRYGLD’s “Cool Kids” is a power-pop / alt-rock song that draws upon The Killers and Franz Ferdinand. The two-part harmonies establish the band from others, while there is a tautness to the instrumentation that stands up to repeat plays. The dynamic between traditional (guitar/bass) and electronic (synth) styles makes for a track that could easily garner airplay through the end of the summer and into the fall. Each element is…
