Medusa’s “Double Dutch” is a fun throwback rap track that builds upon the tradition of late-1990s performers like Lil Kim and Missy Elliott. The bars that listeners will encounter during Double Dutch are absolutely intense, head-bopping lyrics that both ferry the song’s narrative elements while contributing to the overall beat of the track. I particularly appreciate the different approaches that Madusa adopts here, as there are minor changes to the…
Blacq Prodigal’s For What You Have Done is an engrossing track that is very grounded in the traditional gospel sounds of the 20th century, while adding a multi-media component (see embedded video) that grants further depth to the track. As a result, these three sides (vocals, instrumentation, and emotive visual performance) will keep listeners firmly in their seats until the drums kick into higher gear. After this catalyst, Blacq Prodigal…
On The Dead Daisies’s new single Boom Boom, guitars immediately hit listeners. The song blends together the blues-rock style of a 38 Special or Marshall Tucker Band with all of the aural swagger of a David Lee Roth-era Van Halen track. What separates The Dead Daisies from the rest of the acts currently crafting music has to be the dedication that the act has. Each note is crafted perfectly on…
Danny is an amazingly catchy dance track that will have listeners singing along after their first experience with the track. The absolutely luxurious synths act as the song’s backdrop, while Crystal Starr’s vocals go supersonic at all the right places. This means that Danny is one of those songs that will pack dance floors with its flawless execution. The song is hard to pin down influence-wise; while some of the…
The Other Side is the newest track by Major Spark. The song draws from the mid-1990s alternative rock scene. With vocal nods to performers like Oasis, REM, and the B-52s, this effort will invite in a wide swath of listeners. The Other Side’s production allows for a bit of grit to be paired with the hooky paired vocals. Major Spark is on the top of their game here, with the…
On The Flea, Captains Of Entropy are able to make a heady effort that will keep fans firmly on the edges of their seats. The track blends together jam bands, progressive rock acts, and funk into something vibrant and engaging. COE are able to weave a narrative throughout the single without uttering more than a passing word. The dynamics established between the guitars, drums and keys end up ferrying fans…
Breaking Hearts is the latest single from Stephen Thomas. Beginning with a blend of pop-punk and mid-oughts radio rock, Breaking Hearts is a welcome addition to what’s currently populating radio stations. There is a dynamism here that ensures that listeners are just as amped up at the single’s conclusion as they were when it began. Emphatic drums and stratospheric guitar work are given their times in the spotlight during Breaking…
Eddy Puyol’s “Good Time” is one of those fun tracks that will stick with listeners long after the song has ended. The raw charisma exhibited here by Puyol is hard to deny, while the single’s production ensures that the vocals and instrumentation are able to shine alone or as part of a greater whole. There’s hints of funk, soul, disco, and modern R&B that can all be picked out here.…
Psycho Warfare is the newest work by Ron Brunk, a track which is fun in the eclectic approach that dominates. The song fits into the general rock genre that Brunk’s tracks have previously played in, but there are hints of rockabilly and post-modern rock that are presented here. Of course, fans that pick up Psycho Warfare really have to watch the video (embedded below) to get a full idea of…
GWYN’s I Beat U 2 It is one of the best pop tracks we have heard so far this year. The song succeeds primarily due to GWYN’s impressive vocal range. While the instrumentation is a perfect backdrop for these vocals, I feel that GWYN is able to simultaneously call back to the pop music of the early 2000s (Pink, Kelly Clarkson) while giving fans of current music something to sink…
Aria Mody’s “Made In India” is a softly stated sort of single, with the performer building off of the framework of performers like Corinne Bailey Rae and Ciara. This track puts Mody’s vocals to the fore, but particularly focused listeners will hear exactly how much the backing instrumentation contributes to the overall feel on Made In India. Together, the vox and arrangements combine for something that should get some serious…
On Agape Love, the Archduchess Of Divinity is able to create something absolutely timeless. Blending late nineties and early oughts gospel with R&B and funk notes, there are more than enough reasons for a listener to fall in love. The contributions of Brian Laskey add nicely to the track, blending together Kirk Franklin with a Bryan McKnight. The “silent” third partner, Agape Love’s instrumentation, does a lot of heavy lifting.…
Against The World, the latest single from Mic Nickels, is a track that calls back to the late 1990s NYC rap scene. The flow that starts off things is very curt and to the point, with a bit of scratching that acts as the separator between the different features. It is the collection of Rockness Monsta and Rah Digga to the track’s next sections that provide further complexity and an…
Big Wave Dave has just been released by Nuke The Soup, a track that effortlessly blends together surf rock with 1980s Americana fare (e.g. Winwood, Petty). The track is utterly timeless as it stands boldly away from the music currently populating rock radio and modern music playlists. Mark’s vocals will invite listeners in, no matter whether they hear Nuke The Soup live or one happens on the band on digital…
Dance In The Fire is a glittering composition, one that allows Kendra Erika ample purchase to stretch her arms. Her newest single works in the contemporary EDM scene because she is so reverent to the performers that preceded her. This means that there is the sublime confidence of performers like mid-1990s Madonna, while incorporating some of the more Latin elements of acts as wide-ranging as Gloria Estefan and Don Omar.…
Ian Ward’s “You Can Do Better” is a soulful track that immediately puts a highlight on Ward’s vocals and guitars. The instrumentation on You Can Do Better is amazing, giving each performer ample time to shine. We’re particularly impressed with the dynamic of the bass and the drums here, but the guitars are given the focal point in the time. It is those guitars that interact most significantly with Ward’s…
Voodoo Baby has a seriously brooding aura; Bal immediately hits listeners over the head with his rapid-fire flow. The insistent bass and dark sounds of the single’s instrumentation provide for a tremendous backdrop upon which Bal can make his magic. There are nods here to mid-1990s horrorcore as well as gangster rap. BAL’s supreme confidence and ability to turn the track on a dime makes this a must-listen for anyone…
Bal’s Pardon Me is one of those tracks that will immediately draw listeners in. From Bal’s inimitable vocal style to the on-point production, everything that one hears on Pardon Me is stellar. The shifting between hard-hitting rap flow to more traditionally sang section showcases the tremendous emotions that are playing in Bal’s brain. Pardon Me’s backing beat is a call-back to the early 2000s, replete with booming beats and emphatic…
Make A Scene, the new single from the OMG Girlz, has a gloriously slow and emotional R&B sound that comprises the single’s backbone. The vocal harmonies present here will immediately draw fans in, while the booming bass of the single’s arrangements add a bit of gravitas to the mix. The song feels absolutely timeless; the OMG Girlz have touched upon everything that has worked in the genre over the last…
Ron Brunk’s “You Make Me Crazy” has an interesting blend of styles, with hints of Tom Waits, Randy Newman, and The James Gang all discernible here. The insistent vocals that interlace Brunk’s new single end up making this effort the best we’ve ever heard from the performer. During You Make Me Crazy, the guitars, drums, and Ron’s voice all combine to make for something that one could easily heard on…