On 801, The Aces are able to establish a layered, emotional effort that has a wonderful blend of 1990s-tinged vocals and ethereal compositions. Even adding a hint of reggae into the mix, this song is able to speak volumes to anyone fortunate enough to listen in. The lyrics provide considerable narrative to the composition, but the dynamic between the constituent instrumental elements contributes mightily to the story that the band…
Rotation, the latest effort from Legaxy, is a track that will undoubtedly garner attention as it rolls out to a wider audience. There’s a memorable, booming bassy beat that represents the backend of the song. The silken vocals that come forth at the single’s beginning will get listeners singing along, while the track keeps interesting when the slightly harder-edged flow kicks in. Rotation has enough to it to work well…
Malek Hanna’s Beautiful Stranger is an alluring pop single that calls back to the highwater mark of the 1990s. During his latest single, Hanna builds upon the tradition of Enrique Iglesias and Robbie Williams. The song is extraordinarily cohesive as Malek pulls double-duty here. More than just convey the overall narrative of the track, he is able to interact with the guitars and drums. This has the effect of bolstering…
GoodLook’s “Good Friday” is a track that refreshes the hardcore rap style of NWA and Beatie Boys. With vinyl scratching and booming bass beats, the backing instrumentation to this track will assuredly get listeners out on the dance floor. The confidence and lyrics laid down here by GoodLook will endear the performer to anyone listening in. By creating a track that so faithfully recreates the first decade of rap music,…
Creaky Crooked Woman has a funky, bluesy sound to it. There are nods to acts as diverse as The Rolling Stones, Jethro Tull, and Primus in the overall instrumentation that is present here. The funky, gonzo type of take that War Panties create here calls back to the halcyon days of the 1970s, but there’s a brightness and vitality to this composition that speaks to modern generations perfectly. Delaware Cornfields…
We Matter has some of the most hard-hitting and effectual flows that we’ve had the opportunity to hear so far this year. The duo is able to build an engrossing track off of one another, tying the two tacks taken with a soulful backing instrumentation. There are nods to traditional gospel and soul music, married to some eye-opening political content. Wholly unique in the way that the pair take the…
The robot mix of Snuttock’s Stay has transformed the original track into something wholly different. What origimnally had an early 1980s, new wave sort of jam to it (see our review of the original here) is now a quaint romantic effort in the vein of Spandau Ballet and the Culture Club. The two-part harmony pushes each voice to a higher plateau, all while resting comfortably on top of an electronic…
On Face To Face, America’s Sweetheart call back to the mid/late-1970s with emotive guitar work, carefully-arranged percussion, and narrative qualities to each and every note that makes its way into the track. The vocals tie together Karen Carpenter and Sheryl Crow. The band is able to create considerable cohesion with these elements. Fans can do nothing else but hang on to each thick bass line and intricate guitar riff on…
Kayne Dynell’s “Shining” has a front-facing set of vocals that immediately spin off in a fun fashion. The song itself ties together a bit of Soulja Boi and Migos, while incorporating a catchy backing beat. Taking these two elements together, Shining ultimately is one of those works that will play equally easily on pop and rap stations. The hooky chorus of this cut will bury itself deep into the minds…
Utilizing a jagged groove to emphasize the simplicity of their melodies in “Daughters of Progress.” Drawing together otherwise perplexing pulsations out of the ethers to form a casual rhythm in “New Dogs.” Dabbling in the best sort of overindulgence you can hope to find in a guitar-driven album in “Myth of You.” Slapping us around with the very audacity of a signature harmony in “Equation.” Waxflight mean business in their…
ayoka’s “Elevate” will immediately bring fans in through the tremendous vocals achieved at the onset. When the percussion and dreamy vocal samples being brought in to the equation shortly after, Elevate ends up being a track that will stick with fans long after the song ceases to play. When ayoka’s vocals drop out and the instrumentation is able to have a few moments to wind things up, listeners will find…
LBM’s “Bad Habits” is that sort of track that will easily make it only modern R&B station. There’s a laid-back, late-1990s infused backing track that adds a timeless air to composition, while the coolness and confidence of LBM’s vocals were draw fans in by the barrelful. The range that LBM hits between the stanzas and chorus is surprising as well; there’s a lot more to this composition that many efforts…
Hidden Beams’s “Animals” possesses an epic sound that manages to cram a ton of material into the space of 2:50. The distinct instrumental sides of Animals are wholly different from one another, but these deviations from the song’s main fare end up highlighting the song’s body rather than detract from it. The instrumentation that is laid down during Hidden Beams’s latest is epic, whether it be the booming drums or…
Kemme’s “Cyclorama” is darkly-crafted pop that builds upon the tradition of performers like Massive Attack and Bjork. The effort has a brooding introduction that gradually shifts into a vocal-focus track replete with longing for a previous event. The two distinct sections – vocals and instrumental content – are able to rise and fall over the course of Cyclorama. The result of this is to keep the song sounding wholly unique.…
From an instrumental point of view, there’s no argument that Rob Alexander isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel in his new album Dream Out Loud; however, there’s also no denying that while he isn’t trying to break new ground in the pop/rock genre, he’s definitely stepping up his game as a soloist in a bold new era for the style. We’re given the chance to hear what Alexander can do at…
Joyann Parker’s “Carry On” is a tremendous effort that exists at the nexus of gospel, soul, and blues. The track has a truly timeless sound to it. Listeners will be helpless to do anything but focus into Joyann’s tremendous vocals. The backing instrumentation encountered on Carry On is impressive in its own right, as well. The band works as a cohesive effort, linking together chunky bass lines and sizzling horn…
On Motivated, Leph Louie is able to weave a tremendous narrative of self-improvement. By providing his own story, Leph Louie is trying to showcase that uplift is possible. There’s a whole heap of help that is provided here for individuals that want to try to improve their own lot. The track itself is understated, providing a drum beat with skillful keys. Where many rappers are more than happy to just…
Shadow Puppet Theatre’s SETIA is a fun track that builds upon the style of performers like Van Morrison and Weezer. The band is able to establish a very deliberate bass / drum dynamic that acts as a backdrop upon which the soulful vocals lay perfectly on. The bit of introspective and alluring guitar work adds further differentiation to SETIA. There’s no two seconds during Shadow Puppet Theatre’s latest that sound…
Cokah’s “Boom Boom Boom” immediately hits listeners with intense vocals and a catchy tagline that will be bouncing around listeners’ brains long after the song ceases to play. The rapper is able to build upon the tradition of performers like Trina and Nicki Minaj, all while imbuing Boom Boom Boom with her own unique flow. The vibrant visuals that are utilized in the video for the single will get viewers…
Lesibu Grand’s “Hot Glue Gun” calls back to the stripped-down punk style of The Donnas or the X-Ray Spex. There’s a bit of Shirley Manson that can be picked up in Lesibu Grand’s vocal delivery, ensuring that the intense guitars, bit of synths, and punchy drums are given a bit more urgency. The song’s chorus will tattoo itself deep into the minds and hearts of listeners, while the ascending scales…