On Drake Sh!t, Trav Torch is able to create a sexy, sultry sound that looks back to the mid-1990s R&B sound of Public Announcement and Jodeci. The light instrumentation present here provides highlighting to Torch’s vox while standing up on their own. This is the sort of effort that will get the raw passion of a club ramped up to 11. Trav Torch is able to hit all the notes…
My First Hunnid is a hot track. The flow that Mike Smiff lays down here is unparalleled with a hell of a lot of melody and a style that is purely his own. Where a number of performers have some cornerstones that they are influenced by, Mike Smiff is able to boldly forge his own approach through the meat of this single. The presence of Gank Gaank into this mix…
Love You Forever is a dense and deep track that continues to yield new twists and turns 5, 10, or 20 spins in. The synths decidedly look back to the early 1980s while maintaining the same high energy of modern EDM. Settling in Sam Martin to the vocal side of things ensures that Love You Forever will garner airplay not only in the dance charts, but even in the most…
Heartache has a dirty groove to it that sweeps up The Killers with the sizzling guitar work of The Darkness and Wolfmother. With more than enough rockstar swagger to keep the song’s energy high, Biting Elbows state their case quite well here. Give a listen to the all-in chorus at the 2:25 mark for precisely what we’re talking about. Control is a dark and emotive synth-rock track (imagine Franz Ferdinand…
Lovely I Am is a touching pop track that is able to pick up the standards of Lana Del Ray and Ellie Goulding while allowing Empress the opportunity to bring her own unique siound and charisma to bear. A twinkling instrumentation, replete with Vanessa Carlton-esque pianos, provides all the highlighting and support that Empress’ voice needs to make this effort into something special. The back and forth between the piano…
Loaded Gun is an intense track that deftly brings together nu-metal, hardcore, and emo in a fashion that is tremendously reverent of the early to mid 2000s while creating a sound that is wholly unique. The charisma of the vocals is reminiscent of M. Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold), while touching upon the sound of P.O.D., Orgy and Limp Bizkit. Loaded Gun’s chorus will tattoo itself deep into listeners’ minds and hearts.…
Queen is a hard-edged ode to female empowerment. An infectious synth line snakes its way through the track as FATi crafts a rap flow inspired by Nicki Minaj and Eminem. Just a bit of horns are added into the mix towards the chorus, further keeping the momentum high and fans focused into the song. L.O.V.E Love is a light track that shines on the dynamism of FATi’s vocals and the…
Bang is an absolutely sick track that succeeds due to a masterful control of the effort’s tempo. Keeping Lil Jon focused to single lines and paralleling a furious beat makes Bang into one of the unfettered summer bangers. Together, vocals and synths combine to hone the song’s edge, ensuring that it will garner traditional radio airplay as well as practically any trap / dubstep DJ’s playlist. The dynamism of NGHTMRE’s…
On Saint Luxury, the Broke Royals are able to immediately draw fans with with hopeful guitars and drums that touch upon the work of the Goo Goo Dolls. The charismatic, sexy vocals that reside at the top of the track will keep fans on the edges of their seats. The ability of the guitars, drums, and bass to so successfully engage with these lyrics makes Saint Luxury into a song…
Beyond Time & Space is an expansive effort that soars over the better part of eight minutes. With vocals weaved naturally through epic guitars and drums, Wai Lana is able to touch upon new age, rock, and ambient music in a fashion that is earth-shaking. A particular favorite side of Beyond Time & Space has to be the ability of Lana to contribute not only to the narrative of the…
Ma Quale Grande Amore is a multimedia effort that is absolutely epic in its scope. Key to the single’s success is Aurora Kuda’s vocals, which glide masterfully over a clap track, world music-inspired vocals, and rich synths. Truly cosmopolitan in its own, Ma Quale Grande Amore is one of those efforts that will capture fans of all stripes, even those that are not aware of the serious lyrical content that…
Arthur Pri¢e’s Dark Days is a cut that deftly tightropes between hard-edged rap track and pop-leaning crossover track. Key to the song’s success is the smart flow laid down by Pri¢e. The laid back synth and drum instrumentation here ensures that Arthur’s bars are able to shine while infusing the single with a fair bit of energy. With moments (e.g. 1:45) present during Dark Days that drop the instrumentation to…
Terry Light boldly forges through with a unique style of music with her new single, Lately. The haunting vocals that lay upon the track are affecting on their own, but the slower tempo of the drums provide an atmospheric, ethereal feeling to the single that will stick with listeners long after the song ceases to play. Over the course of five minutes, Terry Light is able to take fans on…
On Scream, Stef Chura is able to call back to early Sonic Youth and The Pretenders. A bit of guitar fuzz meshes nicely with splashing drums and a bass line that plays at the bottom of the track. There is a rare sort of charisma that Stef brings here that builds upon the tradition of Patty Smith and Courtney Love. Scream has a decidedly intricate set of musical arrangements that…
Howlin’ Whale comes forth with an intense rap flow / patois that works incredibly well with the instrumentation. YThe guitars, drums, and harmonica on Rat mash up reggae, blues, and funk to make something equally delightful for the jam band head as well as the wizened fest goer. There’s an amazing amount of harmony that is weaved through Howlin’ Whale’s lyrical delivery. The resulting effect is something amazing; one needs…
Carol C carefully crafts All My Love, a slinky, sultry track that possesses considerable emotional depth during its run time. The track melds together Bjork and Massive Attack with a dreamy, ethereal sound. The guitar work that plays throughout the composition takes on hints of Disintegration-era Cure, while Carol C’s vocals play out at the top of the track. By standing at the corner of ambient, EDM, and pop music,…
Truxton Mile enters the thick brush that is modern country music. By the end of California In My Mind, Mile will have a bevy of followers. This is due to the considerable charisma he brights to the traqck, along with thick bass, splashy drums, and infectious beat that will bury itself deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. There’s a certain crossover appeal to California In My Mind that…
Sensy Girl is an effort that refreshes the R&B effort of performers like Sean Kingston and Jason Derulo. The blending of reggae and synth-pop ensures that fans will be lured out to the dance floor. A strong production ensures that the song will interest on a variety of levels. A robust tempo is precisely what will keep interest in Sensy Girl high throughout the single. We’d love to hear more…
Jae Mansa has dropped a pair of singles that bang hard. On YUNG KINGS, the blazing-fast flow of Mansa will require listeenrs to play the cut multiple times before hearing everything that has been palced within. A stark product builds upon the work of Run the Jewels. Smart, intense, and with enough dynamism to keep fans listeners throughout, YUNG KINGS is decidedly a hit. Fate is the track that will…
Pete Muller’s Let You In is an interesting track is it brings together traditional country & western, 1990s pop-country, and a bit of modern jazz and blues. The pair of vocals (Muller and Missy Soltero) included here paint considerably different pictures. We’re particularly in love with the richness of Pete’s vocals here. These lyrics are given a bit more depth through taut instrumentation, which establishes a robust backdrop. There’s a…