On Life Without You, Mark Newman is able to make an impassioned, funky rock track that soars due to interesting arrangements and a timeless set of vocals. While the song builds upon the 1970s type of rock of Thin Lizzy and Wild Cherry, there is a vibrancy present throughout Newman’s latest that will make his latest into something special for many eras of fans. The contemplative instrumental dynamic that kicks…
On Ride Tonight, Dress Code is able to craft a dance track that immediately draws listeners in with a high energy and charismatic vocals. The song is able to refresh the 1990s electronic sound of Jesus Jones and a bit of INXS. Sweeping synths and emphatic drums tattoo the single’s melody deep into the hearts and minds of listeners. By including just a hint of U2-esque guitars into the mix,…
The titular single from Kundalini Rising blends rap, modern rock, and hints of acts like Linkin Park into a cohesive sound that will stick with fans long after the song ceases to play. Smart usage of synths unite these disparate elements and provide ample energy to the rest of the album’s compositions. Sacred Temple is a hard-hitting track that has a similar clap/bass assertiveness to Eminem’s Till I Collapse. The…
In her latest single, “Hold the Moon,” Charley Young is as vulnerable with listeners as she is fierce in her cunningly charismatic style of attack. Atop a swaying synthesized groove, Young’s vocal ascends into the heavens from which her harmonies were first spawned, taking all of us with it in a powerfully melodic chorus that I haven’t been able to get out of my head. “Hold the Moon” is quite…
Oh No is an effort that destined for big things. With bars that will immediately have listeners nodding their heads, Big Greg is able to insert a bit of a hooky groove with the cut’s chorus. There’s a bit of a retro sound to this with hints of Dorrough and Fabolous sprinkled in here. LaTruth, the featured rapper on Big Greg’s latest, does a tremendous job in varying the overall…
On Drake Sh!t, Trav Torch is able to create a sexy, sultry sound that looks back to the mid-1990s R&B sound of Public Announcement and Jodeci. The light instrumentation present here provides highlighting to Torch’s vox while standing up on their own. This is the sort of effort that will get the raw passion of a club ramped up to 11. Trav Torch is able to hit all the notes…
My First Hunnid is a hot track. The flow that Mike Smiff lays down here is unparalleled with a hell of a lot of melody and a style that is purely his own. Where a number of performers have some cornerstones that they are influenced by, Mike Smiff is able to boldly forge his own approach through the meat of this single. The presence of Gank Gaank into this mix…
Love You Forever is a dense and deep track that continues to yield new twists and turns 5, 10, or 20 spins in. The synths decidedly look back to the early 1980s while maintaining the same high energy of modern EDM. Settling in Sam Martin to the vocal side of things ensures that Love You Forever will garner airplay not only in the dance charts, but even in the most…
Heartache has a dirty groove to it that sweeps up The Killers with the sizzling guitar work of The Darkness and Wolfmother. With more than enough rockstar swagger to keep the song’s energy high, Biting Elbows state their case quite well here. Give a listen to the all-in chorus at the 2:25 mark for precisely what we’re talking about. Control is a dark and emotive synth-rock track (imagine Franz Ferdinand…
Lovely I Am is a touching pop track that is able to pick up the standards of Lana Del Ray and Ellie Goulding while allowing Empress the opportunity to bring her own unique siound and charisma to bear. A twinkling instrumentation, replete with Vanessa Carlton-esque pianos, provides all the highlighting and support that Empress’ voice needs to make this effort into something special. The back and forth between the piano…
Loaded Gun is an intense track that deftly brings together nu-metal, hardcore, and emo in a fashion that is tremendously reverent of the early to mid 2000s while creating a sound that is wholly unique. The charisma of the vocals is reminiscent of M. Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold), while touching upon the sound of P.O.D., Orgy and Limp Bizkit. Loaded Gun’s chorus will tattoo itself deep into listeners’ minds and hearts.…
Bang is an absolutely sick track that succeeds due to a masterful control of the effort’s tempo. Keeping Lil Jon focused to single lines and paralleling a furious beat makes Bang into one of the unfettered summer bangers. Together, vocals and synths combine to hone the song’s edge, ensuring that it will garner traditional radio airplay as well as practically any trap / dubstep DJ’s playlist. The dynamism of NGHTMRE’s…
On Saint Luxury, the Broke Royals are able to immediately draw fans with with hopeful guitars and drums that touch upon the work of the Goo Goo Dolls. The charismatic, sexy vocals that reside at the top of the track will keep fans on the edges of their seats. The ability of the guitars, drums, and bass to so successfully engage with these lyrics makes Saint Luxury into a song…
Beyond Time & Space is an expansive effort that soars over the better part of eight minutes. With vocals weaved naturally through epic guitars and drums, Wai Lana is able to touch upon new age, rock, and ambient music in a fashion that is earth-shaking. A particular favorite side of Beyond Time & Space has to be the ability of Lana to contribute not only to the narrative of the…
Ma Quale Grande Amore is a multimedia effort that is absolutely epic in its scope. Key to the single’s success is Aurora Kuda’s vocals, which glide masterfully over a clap track, world music-inspired vocals, and rich synths. Truly cosmopolitan in its own, Ma Quale Grande Amore is one of those efforts that will capture fans of all stripes, even those that are not aware of the serious lyrical content that…
Arthur Pri¢e’s Dark Days is a cut that deftly tightropes between hard-edged rap track and pop-leaning crossover track. Key to the song’s success is the smart flow laid down by Pri¢e. The laid back synth and drum instrumentation here ensures that Arthur’s bars are able to shine while infusing the single with a fair bit of energy. With moments (e.g. 1:45) present during Dark Days that drop the instrumentation to…
Terry Light boldly forges through with a unique style of music with her new single, Lately. The haunting vocals that lay upon the track are affecting on their own, but the slower tempo of the drums provide an atmospheric, ethereal feeling to the single that will stick with listeners long after the song ceases to play. Over the course of five minutes, Terry Light is able to take fans on…
On Scream, Stef Chura is able to call back to early Sonic Youth and The Pretenders. A bit of guitar fuzz meshes nicely with splashing drums and a bass line that plays at the bottom of the track. There is a rare sort of charisma that Stef brings here that builds upon the tradition of Patty Smith and Courtney Love. Scream has a decidedly intricate set of musical arrangements that…
Howlin’ Whale comes forth with an intense rap flow / patois that works incredibly well with the instrumentation. YThe guitars, drums, and harmonica on Rat mash up reggae, blues, and funk to make something equally delightful for the jam band head as well as the wizened fest goer. There’s an amazing amount of harmony that is weaved through Howlin’ Whale’s lyrical delivery. The resulting effect is something amazing; one needs…
Carol C carefully crafts All My Love, a slinky, sultry track that possesses considerable emotional depth during its run time. The track melds together Bjork and Massive Attack with a dreamy, ethereal sound. The guitar work that plays throughout the composition takes on hints of Disintegration-era Cure, while Carol C’s vocals play out at the top of the track. By standing at the corner of ambient, EDM, and pop music,…