On All Your Love, JPRiZM is able to infuse sunny beaches and a bouncy disposition. The track is able to incorporate both EDM and 200s R&B in a fashion that is organic. The distinct sides of All Your Love are able to push the effort into an entirely higher plateau. Sweeping synths and vocals simultaneously further the narrative quality of the single while bolstering the effort’s arrangements. The presence of…
Sick As Our Secrets is the new single from Makes My Blood Dance, coming forth with a tremendously catchy set of lyrics. A funky bass lines, chugging guitar work, and on-point drumming unite to make this effort a perfect melange of CKY and Ratt. Sick As Our Secrets has everything needed to make it big on modern mainstream rock radio; the band is able to make an effort here that…
Run, Hide has Like Machines bringing in a bit of the dirty hard rock of early Guns ‘N Roses and Megadeth to their inimitable sound. As a result, the band has a considerable hit on their hands. Assertive guitars are matched by splashy drums; the vocal snarl that plays at the top of the track melds decadence with some serious chops. The production on Run, Hide allows each element of…
Crystal Ball is an atmospheric, softly-sang piece of alt rock that looks back to Kiss Me-era Cure and Wham for inspiration. Haunting compositions play at the back of the single, imbuing the single with a unique flair that will stick with listeners long after the work ceases. Witt’s dreamy vocals provide further complexity to the guitar / synth dynamics backing them; a bit of chiptune and 1980s new wave bubbles…
With Slot Machine, Zaritza is able to simultaneously emote a narrative that anyone that has been in love will be able to understand while adding a further depth to the synths and piano. Supersonic vocals showcase influences as wide-ranging as Bjork and Massive Attack. Slot Machine is one of those timeless tracks that work just as well in 2019 as it would in 1999. A truly epic sound is cultivated…
KMFDM comes forth with a ferocity that links together industrial and metal in a vibrant way. The sequenced section mesh well with the tortured, screamed-out vocals. A slinkier set of vocals provides the perfect counterpoint for the bold, brash, and in your face styles that bubble up throughout the track. Few acts are able to continually bring the same intensity over 30+ years, but KMFDM are able to cut through…
Too Much immediately hits listeners over their heads with a flow that builds upon the tradition of Schoolboy Q, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar. The backing beat rises and falls, smartly utilizing repetition to further highlight ND’s lyrical flow. There are a few distinct sections to Too Much; the hard-hitting beginning bounces over to a more laid-back interlude before resuming the intelligent, contemplative approach to lyricism. By weaving the distinct threads…
On Deliriously Good, Rat City is able to create a sultry R&B track that has hints of 1980s funk and electronic music studded into the mix. Soulful vocals build upon the tradition of Trey Songz and Cee-Lo, while there’s a thick, luxurious bass line playing in the background. While the two elements would seem a bit far afield from one another, a taut production ensures that each element is able…
Seattle, the city that brought you grunge, and one of the only emo bands that every really mattered (Sunny Day Real Estate), is not the first place you think of for witty, melodic warp speed pop punk. But The Subjunctives just might change that. On Sunshine And Rainbows, the trio reel through 15 blistering tracks in just over 30 minutes, leaving you both spent and wanting more. The band spans…
Blue Roses has Katrina Stuart come forth with a touching composition that anyone that has been through relationship or love issues will be able to identify with. The vocal range achieved here by Stuart is considerable, further highlighted through a bit of EDM-influenced synth and a clap track. The resulting effort is something that could easily be blared out to a crowd as part of a DJ’s set this autumn.…
4 Leaf Clover is our introduction to Penelope Robin’s vocals, showcasing considerable ability alongside Major Lazer-styled backing beats. The confidence that exudes from Robin’s vocals sell 4 Leaf Clover for us. During this track, Penelope is both able to showcase considerable emotional gravity and imbue an additional level of depth to the harmonies of the single. Proficient, engaging, and ultimately able to slot in nicely with modern pop music, 4…
Swimming in My Sleep is a contemplative song that ties together 1960s psychedelic with 1970s progressive. The resulting effort is able to immediately gain listeners’ attentions. Squaring The Circle has a bit of political content to add some gravity to the overall album, while Pirate Jane changes the whole formula by bringing a bit of blues and the bayou into the mix. The one element that is weaved through the…
Nick Lowe should be as well-known as Springsteen… or at the very least Elvis Costello. And by musicians, of just about all stripes, he is. But to the casual music listener, aside from his 1984 earworm, “Cruel To be Kind,” (initially release five years prior to little notice), many have no idea just how influential he is as a musician, songwriter, producer and all around dapper guy who has seamlessly…
The British indie dream-pop duo have a heartfelt and wholesome story to tell us with their newest record My Resignation. This is the third record from Geowulf and is a narrative follow-up to 2017’s Great Big Blue. To cut a long story short, My Resignation is among those records which will prompt a listener to take a dive into the archives and dig out past records, and is a stellar…
Talon’s talent is on display during his newest single, Unique. More than just stringing together lyrics, this performer pulls double duty without breaking a sweat. Where rappers are typically able to be bolstered by their backing flow, Talon’s able to add a further complexity to the laid-back beat that is strung through Unique; having that bit of harmony present during his bars is able to make a more comprehensive overall…
Janine The Machine’s Snatched is a tongue in cheek blend of pop in the vein of Nicki Minaj and Cardi B, albeit with a bit more of Taylor Swift and Halsey whipped in. Riding the workout leitmotif to its logical extreme, Janine The Machine is able to work in an infectious melody and booming bass beats deep into one’s cardiac muscle. Vibrant visuals are utilized to tremendous effect on Snatched,…
All That I Got Tonight is a fantastic EDM/pop effort that showcases the struggle of addiction and the potential for a rosier outlook after one gives up the stuff. The sentiment shared here by Judah Holiday is something that anyone that has struggled with any sort of addiction will be able to understand. At a surface level, the track is a banger. From a slower start to the absolutely sick…
On FÊTE, Triple Island is able to call back to the late nineties rap style with a synth and clap-heavy backing beat. Upon that canvas, the trio is able to keep things interesting. With a more pop-focused hook, the song is able to whip in a bit of reggae and mid-1990s NYC rap. Taken together, these distinct sides to Triple Island make for a track that is chill and distinct…
On Keep Smiling, Swimming With Bears are able to craft a charismatic and catchy brand of alt-pop. Taut instrumentation ensures that distinct sections can be masterfully weaved into a cogent narrative. Down and dirty guitars act as the perfect counterpoint for smooth vocals, while the sweeping synths at the top of the song are matched through punctual drum work. There are a surprisingly large amount of things occurring at any…
Few indie R&B singers are getting the sort of buzz that James Cole has been attracting as late, and it’s pretty obvious why when we take a look at his brand new single “Type of Guy,” which is out this August 23rd everywhere that highbrow urban pop is sold and streamed. Cole doesn’t pull any punches with us in this lyrical gem; contrarily, he wears his heart on his sleeve and gets right down to business…