Ashley Best comes from Cadiz, Ohio, a town I’d always used to stop through when we’d take 22 East to see my grandparents. You Make Me is a composition that will bring similarly positive memories bubble to the surface through its spot-on homage to Bob Seger and early-1990s country music. Ashley’s vocal range on his latest single is nothing less than impressive; adding a secondary voice into the mix further…
On Somebody Else, Dos Floris is able to establish an engrossing and emotionally dense style that is bolstered through emotive keys and electronic keys. The song incorporates hints of Suzanne Vega, Bjork and Adele all while allowing the performer ample opportunity to insert herself. Somebody Else has a style that will ensure plays on pop radio stations, but contains tons of intricate dynamics among the instrumentation and Dos Floris’s vox.…
I Got You is a bouncy, fun pop track in the vein of N*Sync and Robbie Williams. The charisma that is infused into this composition does welll in getting listeners focused on to what Jake is laying down. The multiple vocal layers that are built up at points during this single add a good amount of depth, further increasing the single’s replay value. The song is utterly timeless in its…
ADVM’s “She’s Gone” is a soft and sedate track that will be appreciated by anyone who has been in and fallen out of love. Even years after the relationship ends, there are still times where I briefly miss those I was previously with, and it’s this single that perfectly matches that feeling. The vocal styling of ADVM will be eagerly devoured by fans of Oliver Tree, while the airy composition ends…
Powerful vocals will immediate draw listeners in to Baker Grace’s latest single, Painkiller. The track is able to stand out distinctly from the vast majority of popular music in that it brings in new and refreshing instrumentation. This means that there are subtle nods to Pulp, Cornershop and Massive Attack even as Baker lays out lines that will garner high rotation on radio stations and in playlists around the world.…
Kick 5000 released his new album Frequencies in September; the lead single “sink” will immediately tattoo booming bass deep into listeners’ brains. A sublimely confident flow follows forth. sink’s dynamic sound is crafted through Kick 5000’s desire to continually tweak and test different segments of the track. This effort concludes at the 2:30 mark, making a big splash from its onset while hurtling headlong into the final moments of the…
Hell 2 Pay is an engrossing track that builds upon the framework of Stevie Nicks and Vixen to straddle the line between pop and rock. The song gradually grows to incorporate a sizzling sax line that kicks things into high gear. Watching Hell 2 Pay’s video provides additional narrative depth, contrasting distinct visuals with a song that keeps bringing in new and unexpected twists. This means that the guitars delve…
Losing Out To Crazy is a powerful rock track that brings the supersonic vocal approach of Sammy Hagar and Hall & Oates into the modern vernacular. These vox are paired with intricate instrumental arrangements, a collection of drums, guitars, and bass that run the gamut from rock to progressive metal and even contemplative alternative rock. The extended instrumental bridge acts as a palette cleanser for listeners, resetting them as Philbrick…
Lan Lawd’s So Good will draw listeners in from the single’s first few seconds. The patter of the vox bring considerable harmony to a backing arrangement that seems very close and cozy. The dynamic that is established between the guitars and vocals push each to a higher plateau, making So Good into a single that could easily garner attention of pop or college radio stations. The presence of Nicko Rebel…
The Real Meladee’s Set The Tone is a head-bopper, a track that has both the booming beats and impeccable synths combine to create a solid framework upon which she can lay down some sublimely confident bars. The double duty by The Real Meladee ensures that the track both is able to tell a story while coming forth as a coherent effort. Changing up her flow a bit for the final…
Petit Biscuit’s You Don’t Ignore (Too Late) is an effort that immediately impressed with the thumping beat and airy synths. Taking up the standards of insightful 1980s new-wave, the band is able to imprint their own approach to things with each passing second. The vocals kick in, bringing an engrossing element on top of the composition. Petit Biscuit has made their new single into something that can easily slot onto…
Norwegian alternative R&B-soul singer-songwriter Beharie shares his highly anticipated, dynamic debut album Are You There, Boy? out everywhere now. Alongside the full LP, the musician shares the melancholic “Don’t Forget Me” featuring Dutch singer-songwriter Judy Blank out now with its lyric video. The passionate, playful project sees Beharie at his most authentic–weaving together narratives of love lost and gained and exploring complexities of human emotion with ethereal vocals and dazzling production. In support of the new album, Beharie will embark on…
Something To Ride To is precisely what Shaheed and DJ Supreme say it is, a head-bopping track that’s got all the drip of 1990s Cali rap. Adding Lauren Strain’s heavenly vocals to the track adds that further period-correct veneer to the song. The back and forth between the quicker bars and the more measured chorus keep things fresh throughout the single’s run time. The string-like synth that enters into the…
On Take You Home, Benjamin Race is able to make one of the most soulful efforts we’ve heard released this year. The track is able to build upon the framework of the Isley Brothers and the Motown Sound, all while putting his own unique charisma into every utterance. The back and forth between Race’s vocals and the brass on Take You Home pushes each to an entirely higher plateau. The…
We’re loving the distinct style that Shaheed and DJ Supreme are cultivating during their new single, Jazz Men. Bringing on the inimitable guitar work of Eric Essix, the duo are able to create a flow that will bury itself deep into the psyche of fans. There’s a sublimeness to the effort that will have fans floating away. It’s truely a statement to the act’s skill that all pieces are able…
On her new track “Birkin”, The Real Meladee is able to hammer home a sick flow with a deliberate, intense backing beat that will stick with listeners long after the song ceases to play. The track comes and goes in a flash as The Real Meladee is able to wind things up at the two-minute mark. The sheer confidence that is exuded during this cut is such that I feel…
Tyte and Wizz Havinn released their new single “Ask Around”, an effort that builds upon the framework laid down by performers like Boosie Badazz and Turk. Tight instrumentation comprise the perfect backdrop upon which the duo’s bars can shine. The track is able to refresh the booming bass and keys present in the late nineties and early 2000s into something that will shine brightly no matter where one slots it.…
During Vibe Flow, a sizzling horn is able to provide the perfect counterpoint for the intense wordplay and patter of Nemesis. Listeners will enjoy the cohesion between the lyrical and instrumental sides of things, making for one hard-hitting track that has ample finesse to incorporate at all the right times. Nemesis’ approach refreshes the midwest and NYC rap style of the mid-to-late 1990s. The single’s production is able to make…
On Kronos, Sonarpilot explores a variety of sounds and thematic elements in order to create something utterly engrosssing. As listeners progress through Kronos, they will be confronted with dark industrial elements, wind-swept synths, tribal-inspired sections and more. The dynamism of Sonarpilot here is part of the experience. While one can pick out some sections that come back periodically through Kronos, the distinctive movements presented on the song ensures that fans…
Jealousy is one hell of an intense reggae effort. There’s such an assurance to the delivery of the single’s vocals that fans will be immediately incorporated into the dirty groove. The chorus is something that serves both masters – it both is able to punctuate the main mass of heavy bass beats and horns while furthering their themes and overall sound. Jealousy is one of those songs that will have…