No Ceiling hits a number of distinct marks at its onset. There are nods back to 1980s synthpop (think Zapp Band and neo-retro acts like Chromeo), the raw sex of performers like Chris Brown and Jason Derulo, and a bit of the finesse of a Babyface or Lionel Richie. EMG’s No Ceiling has a timeless sound to it as a result, ensuring that the song can bounce around a wide…
LVVRS are able to create a bouncy, musically intense rock track in the vein of Fall Out Boy and Walk The Moon. Supersonic vocals, a catchy clap track and sizzling guitars all unite to make something special. Iconic oozes charisma as LVVRS are able to whip in hints of 1980s rock (The Police, Genesis) to a vibrant and robust guitar and drum dynamic. Listeners will be singing along to LVVRS’s…
On Balance, Leah Jenea is able to call back to the Motown sound of the 1960s as well as the strong vocal style of performers like Angie Stone and Corinne Bailey Rae. The inimitable voice of Jenea is what will draw listeners in to Balance, while the bit of instrumentation that plays at the bottom of the single provides further complexity and drive to the song. There is an honest…
We were fortunate enough to take a trip down to Austin a few months back, and finally had a moment to provide NeuFutur with our impressions about this ATX institution. Uncle Billy’s has something for everyone, whether it be live music, a comfortable place to hang out, tremendous variation in their menu, or a collection of alcoholic beverages that mix up standard beer styles and do the classics well. The…
On What Kinda Music, Tom Misch and Yussef Dayes are able to blend together Jamiroquai with Massive Attack, all while booming bass is inserted into the mix. This chill, laid back composition even has time to whip in a bit of a J Dilla sound to the production. It is this eclectic mix of sounds that separates What Kinda Music from other current tracks; refreshing the sound of the late…
On Through the Fire, Shahana Ross is able to craft a track that looks back to the R&B style of the late 1990s while including a current and contemporary sound. Listeners will marvel at the sheer vocal range that Ross is able to achieve here. Through the Fire is holistic, uniting the vocal and instrumental sides into something truly special. With an approach that would work equally well in contemporary…
Though it’s understated in some moments and beastly in others, there’s scarcely a juncture in the tracklist of Kodacrome’s The Banff Sessions where the piano play of one Elissa LeCoque isn’t the very heart and soul of every sonic hurricane the record has to offer us. In the haunting “Tender Exit,” it gets a run for its money courtesy of the ebb and flow of a string section that nearly washes away…
The Sarandons have just released the video for their single Don’t Mean Much. Using footage from the mid-20th century adds a further layer of complexity to the heartfelt guitars and impassioned vocals representing the front-facing side of the single. By taking these clips of an earlier America, there is a timeless air that is added to an already complex composition. When fans sit down to experience The Sarandons on this…
On PONR, Allan Smooth is able to bring in a booming beat with charismatic vocals in the mold of Jason Derulo and Chris Brown. The instrumental and lyrical content of this single will bring fans out on the dance floor. Touching upon bits of Yelawolf and Ludacris with his main stanzas, Allan Smooth effortlessly imprints decades of the rap style with his own unique flair. There’s enough in the way…
Spanking Charlene’s last album was recorded nearly a decade ago, but the band clearly hasn’t bothered to let rust settle in. On Find Me Out, their third effort, the music is stronger and singer Charlene McPherson’s vocals are seemingly more powerful (quite a feat when you realize how impressive she sounded on the first two records). The New York band builds on the gritty garage pop that came to define…
Loneliness is an apt title for this effort. One can hear the sheer sad, sorrowful memories of lost love bubble through on this composition. The band turns on a dime as they move toward the song’s chorus. With a good dollop of 1970s easy listening included here, Disq espertly craft a song that will have fans hanging on every word. Daily Routine is an incredibly fun track that calls back…
Into the Night is a furious effort that will take fans on a musical journey. This means that there are solid forays into metalcore, traditional metal, and even mid-oughts hardcore punk in a way few bands are able to successfully juggle. Part of this success is due to the impressive vocals that are laid out upon the top of the single, but a further piece of the puzzle has to…
Say Less is a fresh rap track that has 2Dee come forth with his own unique take on street-wise bars. The deep, breathy style of the performer is given a nice patina by the hauntingly beautiful backing beat behind him. Both elements are giving it their all during Say Less. There’s an organic sound to this composition; when the lyrical content speeds up and 2Dee is spitting rapid-fire lyrics, the…
On Over You, Raylon is able to ratchet up the charm to 10 while coming forth with some of the sultriest vocals one’s ever heard. The passion and raw skill that is exhibited during Over You ensures that Raylon will be able to climb the R&B charts; hints of Trey Songz and Chris Brown can be picked up here. The backing beat is something that deserves a bit of additional…
During Dipshits, Dennis J. Leise tells a strong tale of those who would have the world pass them by. With an infectious titular phrase and a bit of bluegrass and cajun interspersed into the mix, Leise makes a powerful chiaroscuro of traditional and modern content. The confident styling of Dennis’s vocals during this composition is the cherry on top of the sundae. While Dipshits comes and goes within a two-minute…
Fans of creative and expansive takes on rap music would do well to search out squirtgrandhoover’s new album. Slated tentatively to be released in 2020, Gett It Off Boss is slated to cover considerable ground. While we touched briefly on squirtgrandhoover’s previous recording Dis Letter of Mind, a few years have passed. This does not mean that squirtgrandhoover has rested on his laurels in the slightest. With intricate wordplay, booming…
Loot is a bouncy, robust track that builds upon the tradition of performers like Ciara and Beyonce. Gabby B’s vocals will immediately draw listeners in while an intense backing beat make this the perfect track for the mall, dance floor, or anywhere in between. Londynn B’s feature on Loot is able to keep things popping at max speed while hitting high-water marks for the single. Loot is a single that…
Chelzzz comes forth with some intense bars on her latest cut, Somewhere in Miami. With a backing beat that brings late-oughts Jeezy and Rick Ross, Somewhere In Miami succeeds in pushing Chelzzz’s rap and pop cred. The 2:115 mark indicates a different section for the single as the backing beat fades a bit into the periphery. By showcasing Chelzzz’s flow, this middle section resets listeners’ expectation. Another shift into a…
On Bad Attitudes, Laney Lynx is able to make the approach of Vitamin C and Mandy Moore sparkle with an entirely new veneer. Lynx has a coyness to her vocals that are bolstered through the laid-back sequencing and synths. As Bad Attitudes moves to the chorus, Laney is able to build up the momentum and keep butts firmly planted on the edges of their seats. The switch over to a…
Kick 5000 has just released a new single, Birthday. This hard-hitting, rapid fire flow will immediate turn heads. With hints of Migos and The Game acting as a backdrop upon which Kick 5000 can further add his own flair, this single could easily slot onto rap rotation just as it will bounce around hip-hop aficionados’ playlist. As Birthday moves towards its chorus, the bit of echo that is included into…