Bad Lot is an electronic / EDM effort that feels as if it forwards the sounds of the late 1990s. This means that there are nods to Plastikman and Dirty Vegas as well as a sound not quite unlike drum and bass standards. Airy, soulful vocals are balanced out nicely with booming bass, twinkling synth sequences and just enough Nine Inch Nails to hone the track’s edge. SOUNDQ has a…
Makes My Blood Dance’s “Communion” has an awesome chugging ferocity that refreshes the sound of Machine Head and Coal Chamber, incorporating a sublime theatrical set of vocals that will appease fans of Guns n Roses and The Ghost alike. The band’s instrumentation during Communion is perhaps their most polished. There’s no edge lost here – the guitars are able to tear heaven and earth asunder while the drums keep things…
OMW ‘On My Way’ has a solid bout of wordplay from ThaKayder. There’s a bit of Houston and New Orleans present in his cadence, while the laid-back instrumentation creates a dreamy sort of sound for the flow. The patter of ThaKayder’s lyrics continue to gain a bit more substance as the song continues to play. There’s considerable cohesion in this track; the backing beat works hand-in-hand with ThaKayder’s vox to…
Hot Flash Heat Wave’s “Grudge” has a funky, angular sound that blends together bits of Bloc Party with The Bravery to make for a song that is tremendously reverent of earlier music while creating something that stands out from other rock on the radio. The softly-sang vocals encountered on Grudge are haunting while infectious, adding a further layer of harmony to the math-rock0infused composition of the guitars and drums. These…
Stacy Gabel’s “High Heeled Shoes” has a very traditional, mid-century sound to it. With Stacy’s vocals representing nucleus of the track, the additional instrumentation (guitars and percussion) fill in any of the gaps that still remain. The song speaks to all of our current routines. Stacy identifies the need for a bit of self-care. Touching, fun, and with charisma by the boatful, High Heeled Shoes is a song that will…
Party Life is a pop-dance track that calls back to the days of Pitbull and Flo Rida. Lucky Harmon has a smooth, silky sound to his vocals that 6add mightily to the single’s harmony. A bit of crunchy, booming drums are the perfect counterpoint for the synths and Lucky’s lyrics. The drop that punctuates Party Life’s two halves is precisely what is needed to keep the momentum of the track…
Michael Ghould’s Girls & Boys is a fun cover of the Blur classic. There are nods back to disco, the synthpop of the 1980s, and even a bit of booming EDM. The synth that is weaved through the entirety of the track will assuredly get listeners out on the dance floor, while Michael’s charisma (both in the audio track and present in droves in the attached video) is the cherry…
Chad Rico has an interesting take on rap music. The song provides fans with very heartfelt and intitimate lyrical wordplay alongside with ethereal synths. The presence of booming drums in the mix gives New Level an additional oomph. There are nods to performers like Gorilla Zoe and Chance the Rapper all while Chad Rico comes out with an unique and unmatched style to rap. The song could easily make it…
Jane N’ The Jungle’s “Lucky 7” blends together 1980s goth music (e.g. Siouxsie and the Banshees) with a bit of Hole and The Breeders. The taut guitar / drum dynamic that can be heard during this track keeps things pumping, all while the passion and charisma of the vox will speak directly with listeners. Wicked guitar lines unite the lyrical and instrumental side of things, kicking the song an ample…
Milquetoast & Co.’s Hummingbirds is a thoughtful and introspective track that shines through contemplative instrumentation and a brooding arrangement that will stick with listeners long after the song ceases to play. The single’s vocals call upon the tradition of performers like Chris Cornell and Perry Farrell, tying a 1990s alternative rock sound to a contemporary indie approach. Milquetoast & Co. are able to insert their own style into each second…
New York’s Tabytha Polaris has a long-running podcast under her belt – new episodes are released on Tuesdays; previous episodes have focused on improving sleep and energy. Polaris has just released her new album 7 Spheres of Light, a work in which she facilitates the balancing of one’s chakras. Beyond the podcast and spiritual education side of things, Tabytha also has released a pair of singles for the holiday season.…
All In is a track that has everything for rap fans. There’s a backing beat that will bury itself deep into listeners’ minds just as Jdot Breezy’s flow expertly blends speed with properly swag-laden braggadocio. There’s enough variation with the lyrical sections of All In that the effort ends up sounding fresh no matter where one is at during the track. The chorus links together the catchiness of the introductory…
White Kia has Covington create a beautiful track that blends dreamy vocals with an airy instrumentation. Taken together, these two distinct elements call back to a more laidback era. The dynamic that is established between the booming beats and soulful horns make for something that will tattoo itself deeply ijnto the minds of listeners. Camilla’s vocals achieve a considerable range during her latest single, establishing the track as one that…
Saahil Bhargava’s Wind is an inspirational track that will immediately draw listeners in with compelling keys. After a few seconds, the single is able to incorporate Saahil’s vocals. Bhargava’s voice build upon the rich tradition of late-1990s alt rock and early-oughts emo music. This means that Saahil’s vox are simultaneously able to tell a rich and varied story all while contributing mightily to the overall harmonies achieved to the track.…
True talent and true grit show up in Evan Troop’s The Next Chapter. It takes just five songs to fall under this Texan’s spell. With exciting guitar shapes around each corner, bolstering Troop’s commanding baritone vocals, The Next Chapter is convincingly remarkable. Dallas’ Troop is a former Navy man, and a graduate of Southern Methodist University. His biography materials also state that his Canadian parents met at a music studio…
David King Jones’s The Covid 19 Christmas Song is an effort that showcases the modern era in which we all find ourselves, with enough of a hook present that the song will garner quite a bit of attention on pop and urban stations alike. David King Jones inserts his own unique style of lyrical delivery to the composition. Charisma is present by the barrelful as Jones is able to continue…
Everything but the Everything has one of those lengthy titles that reminds one of simpler, purer times. A particular era it calls to mind is the 80s, where edgy and eclectic band titles weren’t something to be scoffed at but rather lined up the columns of the Billboard 200. The contrast between said name and the common marketing PR choices in the Hollywood music scene only cements the implication creativity…
Jeff Lake’s spirited version of The Beatles’ classic Penny Lane is given additional oomph with the stringwork of the Cellophane Flowers. With Jeff’s unique ability to both lay out the lyrical content while building upon the single’s instrumentation, the cover version easily takes a life of its own. This take ties the modern sound of the middle 20th century with today’s experience, all while calling back to the classical performances…
With a graceful hum that starts to resemble a yearning moan as the next few seconds go by, “Up to Us” charismatically welcomes us into the dark hue of Dreams of a Middle-Aged Man with a rather optimistic melody soon to swell from the silence. In songs like this one and the old world “Hymn for a Wanderer,” Mauri Dark – a.k.a. Mauri Kosonen – will wrap us in layers of neo-gothic…
While it would be foolish to think they’re the only element of sincere expression in the new single “Can’t Press Reset” by Francine Honey, the string arrangement in the song is perhaps reason enough to give it a close listen this season (alongside its companion video). URL: https://www.facebook.com/FrancineHoneySongs/ Creating the right kind of backdrop for a singer of Honey’s skillset can prove to be a little challenging for producers, but…