I drove a few hours just this last Sunday. The temperature was fantastic. The sky was clear, but after a few hours of being on the road, I started to get a massive headache. This seems to happen once every year or so. What happens is that I get enough sun that I start getting a day-long, severe sort of migraine. Surprisingly, it’s due to all the sun that gets…
Show You is a hard-hitting track with beautiful samples that provide a brief break from the main meat and potatoes of the song. There’s a bit more Atlanta in Lateef’s lyrical approach here, but with enough edge to appease even the most wizened of rap fans. Together, vibrant samples and big bass lines make for the perfect backdrop upon which Jelani’s inimitable style can truly shine. Settling down at a…
Can’t Stop Now has a focused groove to start things off; Jelani Lateef sets the stage with the sequenced beats before laying down his inimitable flow. There’s a number of influences that are jockeying for dominance here. There’s a bit of 1990s NYC rap (e.g. Jaz-O, Nas) mixing with a bit of California rap (E-40, Too Short). Lateef makes a big splash with one of the catchiest choruses that we’ve…
Voodoo Nights has a wonder anime video associated with the song, an homage to the late 1990s and early 2000s dance bangers with just enough in the way of dubstep elements to keep things more current. The different vocal elements are able to keep things continually interested, while the numerous syllables/elements that comprise the lead-out from the chorus act as a palette cleanser for the rest of the track. This…
Climbing To The Top, the latest effort from Ragga Lox, is one of our favorite tracks that we’ve dug into early in 2024. The song is able to succeed due to a bouncy backing beat and a set of vox that are able to both tell a story and contribute to the overall harmonies presented in the cut. There’s a timeless sound that ensures that Climbing To The Top could…
On Sconnie Girl, Joyann Parker is able to create a slice of country music that is tremendously reverent of what was released back in the 1990s. There’s a very downhome sort of instrumentation that is at home no matter where one resides – the song’s message of being proud of where you come from is something that individuals can appreciate. The tautness of the single’s guitar and drums ensure that…
Cheflodeezy’s “Ecstacy” has an assertive tempo and a strong blend of reggae and EDM music. Together, these styles combine to create something that will bring fans out onto the dance floor. The rapid-fire patter of Cheflodeezy ensures further complexity to an already-heady effort. The song works in so many distinct situations that we’re sure that we will be hearing it on DJ playlists, Spotify lineups, and everywhere inbetween. Adding TeeJay…
Perfect Timing has an airy sound that will immediately draw listeners in, while the charisma of Flau’jae’s vocals will keep them interested until the song’s last few seconds. The blend of pop and rap elements during her latest track ensures that a wide collection of fans will be accumulated. The booming bass and drum beat punctuate the track, giving a further level of depth for one to delve into. Flau’jae…
We were fortunate to receive a package of Big Grove Brewery (Solon, Iowa) offerings. Citrus Wheat was one of our favorite offerings, pouring with a golden colration and a small amount of white head. It is an eminently crushable beer, providing ample amounts in a style that oftentimes is discounted by beer aficionados. There’s a careful balance between the grain and wheat flavors comprising the main body of Citrus Surfer…
There are a lot of fun things coming out from Durango, Colorado’s own Ska Brewing. A new effort from the brewery is their Prickly Pear Sour. Available in cans, the brew pours with a brownish-pinkish coloration and just the lightest in the white of light head. The depth of the flavors here provide Ska’s Prickly Pear Sour with a leg up on a great many other sours we’ve had the…
Wonderful Day immediaterly will capture listeners’ attention with the classical, thoughtful composition that starts off the single. There’s a lot of Souls of Michief or J. Dilla in the production here, while Knoc-turn’al’s paralleling of the chorus adds a distinctive style to the composition. This is one of those sorts of songs that listeners will have to put on multiple times to hear everything that has been ensconsed within. When…
What Bombardier Jones does on his new track Golden Hour is summon the spirits of Chris Isaak, Donovan and Paul McCartney to make an easy-going and softly-sang composition. The honesty that is imbued into this track will bring fans aboard, while deft instrumentation (keys, drums, and guitar) are able to keep them firmly planted on the edges of their seats. The range that Bombardier Jones achieves during this single is…
On her new track Man Or The Monster, Liza Jane is able to build upon the framework of performers like Cher, Lady Gaga and Madonna all while putting her own unique flair into the composition. Man Or The Monster is a modern dance song with an assertive beat and considerable charisma poking through. Liza Jane’s vox are able to do double duty here in telling a narrative while building up…
Dodo (2020), 14 songs Bleedin is the first track that starts off the “Dodo” set of releases that Jeuse Kastoan has released over the course of the last few years. Percussive elements continue to set the stage for subsequent releases as the emotive vocals peek their head through the instrumentation. I Know has Kastoan build upon the style of performers like Kid Cudi to make for something thoughtful and deep,…
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…