Throwback is an effort that showcases Ingram Street’s vocal chops as the backing instrumentation presented during the single’s first minute is fairly light. As the song continues to roll along, the vocals and instruments unite to create something special. Classic R&B, soul, and even hints of gospel can be heard here as Ingram Street makes something familiar while still bold and refreshing in its execution. Providing a back and forth…
Benedict Sinister creates an engrossing narrative-dense track in Only Sixteen. The vocals come forth with a wizened, well-worn approach in the vein of Tom Waits and late Johnny Cash. The track straddles the space between traditional American singer-songwriter and modern dance genres. This is one of those tracks that listeners will have to focus on to properly receive everything that Benedict Sinister is laying down. I appreciate the distinct vocal…
We always love covering music from our old stomping grounds. Ingram Street – from Columbus, Ohio – have just released their new single I Just Want Your Love. The track is a picture-perfect recreation of 1980s and 1990s R&B, touching all bases (a robust bass line, intricate arrangements, and superb vocals) over the course of the single’s run time. The sweeping synths are our favorite on this track as they…
Spitting Rhymes From Debby Harry has a wonderful blend of 1980s and modern musical styles, with hints of The Psychedelic Furs and The Pogues playing alongside the synth-pop of Owl City and MGMT. The spoken word / early rap (e.g. Gil Scott-Heron, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five) approach refreshes the track and gives it the energy needed to end strong. Benedict Sinister’s narrative here is as inviting as a…
On Arlena, DJ Stan Johnson is able to expertly craft a dance track that links together disparate musical styles including salsa and funk into an effort that will get listeners out on the dance floor. Particularly interesting about Alena has to be the fact that the narrative requires no vocals to succeed; the dynamic achieved between the different instruments is enough to tell a rich and fulfilling story. The sizzling…
Nobody, But Me is a high-energy pop/dance track that showcases Belle VEX’s clarification and polishing of his creative output over the years. There is a confidence that is exuded here that will appease fans of Mike Posner and Charlie Puth. The song has enough momentum to it that it could garner some serious consideration for placement on DJ mixes. The momentum that Belle VEX achieves here ensures that Nobody, But…
The Diamond Collective come forth with a wholly-engrossing track in Pull Up. The song is deeply reverent to the rap of the 1990s while allowing each performer ample time to lay down their own inimitable style. There are nods here to LA and NYC with a bit of the chiller approaches heard in the Chicago and Atlanta scenes of the early-oughts. Pull Up is a true bop, a song that…
twenty3wayz’s “twenty3 & one” has a booming bass beat that acts as a solid canvas upon which the flow can reside. The track nestles itself well between R&B and rap styles utilizing a production that ensures that it could hang well on radio and Spotify playlists. The song hits the two minute mark, leaving an indelible mark on anyone fortunate enough to listen on in. There’s a good cohesion between…
During Roll The Dice, Love Crushed Velvet are able to make a slinky and sultry splashy into modern rock. The sheer distance between the chorus and the stanzas ensures that fans remained energized through the entirety of the single’s runtime. Theswitch to a more swingy sound (around the 2:22 mark) acts as the glue to meld the beginning and ending of Roll The Dice together. This is a song that…
Stacy Gabel’s “Merry Christmas My Friends” is a welcome addition to holiday music. Where it seems like every mall store and public place has the same playlist, Gabel is able in her latest track to refer back to this corpus of Christmas music and to add her own unique take things. The multiple vocal layers that come forth during Merry Christmas My Friends’s chorus keeps things light and airy, while…
The emotional gravitas that Shawna Linzy imbues this performance of Silent Night is amazing, showcasing an amazing vocal range. There are nods to gospel, traditional musicals, and R&B genres with this performance. The atmospheric arrangements playing throughout the track are nearly as eye-popping as Linzy’s vocals. Together, these elements end up making for a wholescale reimagining of Silent Night, a must-listen for anyone that has appreciated the song in the…
Let It Out is a wind-swept rock track that links together Paul Simon and John Denver with the California pop of a Tom Petty. The back and forth between the guitars and drums on MattO’s latest make for a bouncy backdrop upon which his vocals can reside. As the song continues to play, MattO is able to ratchet up the tempo. Let It Out is one of those efforts that…
The Robinson James Band’s “Spoonful” immediately washes over listeners with a bit of retro-inspired swagger. There are powerful blues-rock infused guitar lines mixing with assertive drums and insistent keys, all providing support for the Nancy Sinatra-meets-Elle King vox. The song hammers its melody over fans’ heads with precision. Smart repeition of the titular phrase ensures that the song’s melodies will be buried deep into one’s mind. The video (presented below)…
Elrey James’s The Prodigal Son is a heartfelt rock track that is able to blend incredible guitar work with passion and charisma. The dynamic existing between the guitar and Elrey’s vox pushes each to a higher plateau. The drums and bass that play at the bottom of the composition ensures that the song will stick around with listeners long after the song ceases to play. While there are ample nods…
VIBE has a unique sound present that gradually opens up into a hard-driving dance vein. Fans of Iyaz, 808s and Heartbreak-era Kanye, and Flo Rida will find something to dig into; ALYKXX is able to spin that formula into something current. The brooding sound of VIBE’s backing instrumentation adds a bit more ambiance to the single. There’s a surprisingly deep aspect to VIBE that ensures fans will continue to come…
Beside Me At Christmas is a hopeful, fun effort that will immediately draw in listeners’ attentions after their first few moments with the song. Andon is able to both tell a story to listeners as well as contribute to the overall melody. It is this ability to flawlessly execute this double-duty that mendears Andon to me, and is a skill that I’m sure will continue to be developed as he…
OpenSoul has created a heartfelt track in his Blue Christmas. The song is able to impress with its simplisticity. Confident vocals are able to stand boldly alongside the percussion. Fans of R&B will be able to find something that they can appreciate here. Smart production on Blue Christmas ensures that both the vocal and instrumental sides are able to shine singularly or as contributing to a larger whole. In an…
Alone On Christmas Day is the latest effort from New York’s The High Plains Drifters. The single is very touching in its execution. Hints of 1980s alternative (e.g. They Might Be Giants, Cocteau Twins) are present as the act makes a play for “most memorable holiday track” of 2023. Smart repetion of the vocals are paralleled well with twinkling instrumentation and perfectly-paced drums. The crooning vox imbue Alone On Christmas…
BUCKSHOTS is a fun, funky journey. Duprai Marcel’s tight groovy is matched to a fantastically sultry set of vocals. The shuffling beat created with the guitars and drums on BUCKSHOTS will have one out grooving, while the stellar production of this effort ensures that both instrumental and verbal sides of the song are able to shine singularly or as parts of a greater whole. Listeners will be singing along with…
Hickory Dickory is a rap single that builds upon the sublime swagger of Ludacris, Kendrick Lamar and I-20. The patter-patter of Fayro’s flow will have listeners bobbing their heads, while the keys that comprise the backing instrumentationadd further depth to the composition. Increasing in speed through the single, Fayro is able to keep fans firmly on the edges of their seats. This song is able to work perfectly alongside other…