Fresh Da Zoe’s “No Sleep” is catchy as all get out. This track will immediately draw listeners in with haunting keys and Fresh Da Zoe’s beastly flow. Fresh Da Zoe is one of the raw rappers that is able to deliver line after line without taking a breath. This is Em’s Rap God meets a Twista level of intensity. The story that is told during No Sleep will be something…
Lemme Go Talk My Ish had Red Shaydez shooting out some serious fire. The rapid-pace approach that the rapper hits here is matched perfectly with acerbic synths and a booming bass beat that will shake windows. Red Shaydez is able to craft a track in Lemme Go Talk My Ish that is able to hang with the highest echelon of rap music while allowing her to infuse the track with…
Sparkle’s “Easy” is a laid-back R&B track that showcases the silken vocals and thick bass lines of the composition most prominently. While the song is grounded in the style of late-1990s and early-oughts pop, there’s a contemporary approach and modern production that ensures that the song is able to hang with what’s currently garnering attention. Sparkle’s track will bury itself deep into the hearts and minds of listeners, all while…
There is nothing worse than hearing that a loved one has a critical illness. Even when a person has been sick for some time, a terminal diagnosis can be devastating. After the initial shock passes, you will have to get ready to deal with the realities of a terminal illness. You might have to talk about death and plan for end-of-life care. These conversations are painful, but you can follow…
Cheri Moon’s “Ain’t I A Woman” will immediately draw attention. There’s a tremendous groove that is crafted at the onset of the song between the guitars, drums, and bass. Cheri’s vocals are able to spin the song in a bold new direction, with the vocal range that she hits here in the same vein as the virtuosic playing that preceded it. Ain’t I A Woman’s narrative will have fans going…
The Remedy (Feel Alright) is our first experience jumping into Xavier Toscano’s music in the last few years. I feel that the music coming from his camp is a bit more firm, a smidge more coherent, and as a result, is that much more ready for playlist placement. Xavier’s vocals are front and center here, hitting fans over the head with a message of “do whatever makes you happy”. Made…
WHATCHUGOT is an effort that is incredibly difficult to pin down. This means that the track is able to come forth with a special blend of 1980s new wave, modern EDM, and hints of indie music. Inzerra’s work here is impressive enough that listeners could easily imagine hearing this tune on 1980s radio stations. There’s the same vim and vigor of a Duran Duran or Peter Gabriel here, while the…
Sin For Saints’s “Sad Songs” is a track that links together the Chicago emo approach of acts like Boys Night Out and Panic at the Disco with a harder-edged rock approach. Moving between these poles, Sin For Saints is able to keep listeners firmly planted on the edges of their seats with charismatic lead vocals, intense drum work, and a rapid set of switches of tempos. Sad Songs has a…
Shonte Renee’s new single “Pretty Girlz” draws upon the R&B of the 1990s and the pop of the early 2000s for inspiration. What results here is a high-energy, dance-infused track that has cotton candy-sweet vocals. The bright and sunny style of Shonte Renee here is matched perfectly with sweeping synths and immaculate arrangements. With her Pretty Girlz, Shonte is able to offer up a timeless track that allows her ample…
Jameel Mason’s “Black Queens” is an introspective and thoughtful track that is wholly uplifting for the titular subject. The backing arrangements do well in providing a colorful backdrop upon which Jameel’s flow can shine. This means that there are emotive synths as well as booming bass and drum beats kicking in all while Jameel puts forward his message. In this frankly depressing period of humanity, it’s always good to hear…
“No Kizzy”, the latest effort from Snypa and Lil Duke has a booming beat and a downright evil sound to the backing instrumentation. Distinguishing the single from the rest of the music currently garnering attention on rap playlists, the duo is able to refresh mumble rap and mid-oughts Atlanta rap like no others could. No Kizzy is the sort of track that will begin to get listeners back onto the…
Koosh Saxena’s “Trying My Best” is one of the most innovative tracks we’ve heard so far this year. There are nods here to Pink Floyd and The Eagles even as subsequent sections will build upon the tradition of acts like 311 and Incubus. Both the vocal and instrumental sides of Trying My Best are generous, pushing the other piece to a higher level. The shining light on the top of…
Casey Ahern’s “Bradley” is an illustrative tale about love. Casey’s ability to have listeners hanging on every word is unparalleled. The careful guitar work and immaculate drums that play in the background of Bradley ensure that each utterance is easily devoured by those listening in. The track is easily able to fit into modern country rotation, but there’s more than a fair share of pop that is weaved into the…
On Chosen and Justified, The Dead Daisies are able to refresh the arena rock of Argent and Boston to possess a more current sound. The vocals this time out blend together Sammy Hagar with Chris Cornell, while the guitars, bass, and drums create something larger than life.; The back and forth between the guitar riffs and the vox pushes each to a high plateau, while the gradual shift of the…
Kristina Murrell’s Got Me Dreaming is dripping with emotion. The range that Kristina’s vocals hit during her latest track is fantastic, adding considerably to the harmonies achieved by the synths and booming drum lines that punctuate the track. The song refreshes the style of 1990s R&B all while allowing Murrell ample opportunity to impress her own unique approach upon listeners. The journey that listeners will be taken on during this…
Here Comes The Light is an intense track that immediately kicks things into a high gear with its guitar / drum dynamic. When the overall fury of the single’s first few seconds recedes a bit, what results is a taut piece of alternative rock that places Greg’s vox at the front and center. The deep and dense instrumentation that plays throughout the entirety of Here Comes The Light will ensure…
La La La (Bulletproof) has a vibrant sound that echoes through time. There’s a bold and confident sound that is fostered through this sound through booming drums, charismatic vocals, and assertive guitar work. It is this instrumentation that will bury itself deeply into the minds and hearts of fans, but the narrative that is weaved through the entirety of La La La is similarly strong. While the song builds off…
Natalie has rich instrumentation that will immediately set the stage for the vocals. Camera2 has a sultry, slinky set of vox here that work well with the backing instrumentation. There is an insistent beat that will have fans focused in deeply to what the band is trying to do here. There’s a surprising depth to the arrangements that one will encounter during Natalie. While the resulting music feels consistent from…
Alex Woodard’s “Halfway” is a powerful piece of Americana that has nods to performers like Neil Diamond and John Mellencamp. Confident guitars skirt the line between country and rock while the bit of grit in Alex’s voice imparts the composition with a well-worn patina. There’s a good amount of crossover appeal here, as fans of college and alternative rock will be able to find something that they can sink their…
Blxst’s “Overrated” has some of the catchiest wordplay that we have heard this year. Blxst’s voice builds off of the tradition of performers like Akon, Eamon and Trey Songz all while having enough melody present to added multiple layers to the single’s backing instrumentation. Repetition of the chorus’s main statements is smartly done here, providing just enough of a foundation upon which listeners can center themselves to. Blxst’s Overrated is…