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…
Andrew X has released a new single in Whatever It Takes that builds upon the radio rock tradition of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Learning to Fly and Jeff Healey’s Angel Eyes and incorporates just a hint of Endless Summer Nights-era Richard Marx. Huge synths and splashy are the perfect one-two to bring his vocals into the stratosphere. The sizzling guitar work and intense drums work well as the bridge.…
Mike Smiff’s new single goes deep into the crate for the incorporated single, Brand Nubian’s 1998 classic Don’t Let It Go To Your Head. The flow here takes up hints of Fat Joe and Notorious BIG, all while showcasing tons of his own style. Smiff’s lyrical content is poignant while working perfectly in the single. Rap fans will be bopping their head after a single play of Go To Ya…
On Good Enough, G Flip is able to create a compelling, honest effort. The song’s introductory section is able to draw in listeners as a more rock-forward beat rises to promise. The blend of singer-songwriter and pop-punk styles is something that keeps the song’s momentum high as Good Enough hits its chorus. The guitars, synths and drums are able to provide an emotive and rich backdrop upon which the vocals…
Jenny Grace’s Dreaming is a hopeful, bright track that builds upon the tradition laid down by 2000s and early 2010s country performers. There’s a vibrancy to this single that would make it slot in perfectly to modern country playlists. Strong, vocal-led with just a hint of guitar and drums, Dreaming is that track that will reverberate long after Grace ceases singing. The range that Grace achieves here does more than…
On Funky Rhetoric, Lee Oskar is able to create a fun track that is able to tell a tremendous story all with his harmonica and backing instrumentation. There’s a certain timeless sound to this single that ensures fans of all ages will be able to find something that they can sink their teeth into. The different sections of Funky Rhetoric are able to keep things engrossing from the single’s first…
Rich R&B in which Holley’s voice is going to bury itself deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. Smart repetition in the single’s chorus does well to ensure fans will be eagerly hanging off of each word Amanda lays down here. There’s a dynamic feeling to Ride or Die that makes the single’s run time go by quickly, stoking one’s desire to delve ever deeper into the singer’s discography.…