The collaboration between Azmeryth x NTRE, “Feel You”, begins with a sweeping set of synths and dreamy vocals. A slower tempo gradually picks up at the 1:15 mark before moving into an instrumental back and forth between assertive synths and sequenced percussion. Feel You is a journey. At nearly five minutes, one will be surprised at how rapidly the track goes by. The single effortlessly includes intricate and deep instrumentation,…
VanWyck’s intensely personal effort “Red River Girl” will draw fans in through a careful and intricately-arranged 90-second introduction. The rich tones of VanWyck’s videos contribute doubly to the track in that they lay out a cogent narrative as well as interact with the strings and strummed guitars. The dynamic between instrumental and vocal sections of Red River Girl are continually shifting and changing, ensuring that the four-minute run time of…
Jazzy Amra’s “You Got Me” is an effort that draws from late 1990s R&B, funk, and pop styles while cultivating a very unique sort of sound. The richness of Jazzy’s vocals makes the backing instrumentation pop. We’re big fans of the vocal / synth dynamic that is fostered throughout You Got Me. By crafting keys that build off of the 1980s electro-funk, this single feels absolutely timeless. The presence of…
Mikey Wax’s “Big Little Life” is an emotional, passionate single that will have Mikey tattoo his melodies deep into listeners’ minds. The backing instrumentation blends bass with 1980s-tinged guitar, while additional vocal layers reveal themselves like an onion with subsequent plays. Wax’s latest single reaches its next plateau at the 2:45 mark, where the momentum kicks up and the instrumentation stands as a bold counterpoint to Mikey’s vox. Big Little…
I’ve been down this road before – the Detroit music landscape. It’s crinkled edges dog-eared for rock’s dingy clubs. Or maybe it’s the Motown avenue, where vocal groups in perfect harmony have synchronized themselves walking down the street. Still yet, maybe Detroit is the hardened, rough streets where rappers use lyrics instead of fists. There’s always room for more, the ghosts of Detroit remind me. Always.
Hi Lo Ha’s intriguing new offering Ain’t Gone Tonight opens in the gentle daze of its leading track “Cold Weather Clothes,” a slow churning journey through a sonic oasis delicately pieced together in an ethereal patchwork woven by its four equally talented players. Its essential harmony isn’t buried in feedback but instead presented to us in an extremely vulnerable clarity that creates a unique feeling of intimacy between the listener and Hi Lo…
MAAD’s “New Religion” exists at the nexus of a number of styles, as MAAD’s vocals pull from the mid-oughts R&B style and the bass/keys backing beat interacts with the thick beats of modern EDM. The light, airy sound of MAAD’s vocals work perfectly with the heavier bass elements. The extended synth solo that occurs at the 2:15 mark provides just enough in the way of variation to refresh fans and…
Nothing More’s “Just Say When” begins with a contemplative instrumentation that gradually snowballs into an orchestral brand of rock that draws from the rich musical tradition of Mumford and Sons and Of Mice and Men. A multi-layered approach means that any second of Just Say When has vocals, drums, and guitars shining brightly while contributing to a cohesive and coherent sound. The raw passion and charisma of the lead vocals…
Just Loud’s “Electrified” is a riveting synth-pop single in which the performer draws upon performers like MGMT and Crystal Castles. The back and forth between vocal and instrumental sides keeps things light and airy through Electrified’s run time. The drum / synth dynamic allows for a perfect beat and just enough spontaneity to keep fans firmly planted on the edges of their seats. The cross-over potential of Just Loud’s current…
John Paciga and Charlotte MacMurray’s cover of the Bocelli/Dion performance “The Prayer” is a sight to behold. The duet is able to stand boldly alone and as a cohesive element, with each pushing the other to an entirely higher plateau. The back and forth between John and Charlotte will make listeners feel that they’ve known each other their entire lives. While the effort just makes it to the four minute…
Who We Are’s “Memory” adds Kevin Thrasher from Escape the Fate to the mix. The track immediately strikes listeners with brutal guitars, intricate drum lines, and a luscious set of vocals bringing brightness to the track. Hints of hardcore, metal, and emocore can all be picked up here, but what Who We Are do here goes far beyond that. By building upon these influences to make their own music, Who…
Eryn’s “Hallelujah You’re Gone” is a powerful song that will be appreciated by anyone that has a toxic force in their life. Eryn’s vocal style touches upon performers as distinct as Amy Winehouse, Meghan Trainor, and Elle King. Hallelujah You’re Gone refreshes the Detroit soul sound of the 1960s with solid instrumentation and a production that is immaculate. With the keys / vocals dynamic pushing each to an entirely higher…
On The Dead Daisies’s latest effort, “Rise Up”, the act is able to intertwine chugging guitars, supersonic vocals, and sizzling solos into a track that bridges the gap between late 1990s hard rock and today. The vocals will have fans singing along while one will have to play the single multiple times before hearing each riff, note, and drum beat. It’s surprising exactly how far that The Dead Daisies have…
Juno Reactor’s “Let’s Turn On” is an assertive electronic dance track that is able to refresh the sound that the act cultivated during the late 1990s into the current era of EDM. A driving beat, quick tempo, and a bit of vocals are all that’s needed to get listeners out on the dance floor. Sweeping synths and otherworldly vocals are layered on top of this intense beat to make a track…
BUNNIES’ “The Deep State of Strawberry Tart” is one of those immersive efforts that fans would do best by strapping a pair of headphones on and focusing in. Taking on bits of Trans-era Neil Young, The Velvet Underground, and the 1980s efforts of Kraftwerk and Devo, BUNNIES ensure that listeners will have to play this track multiple times before hearing each and every note and interaction secreted within. The chiaroscuro…
Matt Tarka’s “Vision Hazy” is a thoughtful piece of alternative rock that draws upon Tom Petty and the Avett Brothers. With a robust instrumentation that allows the guitars, bass, and drums to shine at all the right points, this track possesses a polish that would allow Vision Hazy great ease in sliding into radio or playlist rotation. Tarka’s vocals build upon the style of Perry Ferrell and Wayne Coyne. We…
Ben Bostick’s “No Show Blues” is a fascinating track in that it blends together traditional country and western music with hints of mid-1990s Dave Matthews. No Show Blues is able to link together a very close and comfy production with tremendous charisma and instrumentation that will have listeners’ toes a-tapping. Bostick’s able to craft something familiar while boldly forging through with his own unique take on one of America’s most…
Cat Called, the latest single from Witchsister, has the same immediacy of early Dead Kennedy. The taut instrumentation of this single will immediately be present to listeners as the band draws upon the tradition of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the technical metal of Primus and Fear Factory. When the vocals enter into the mix, the single shifts into a totally unique effort. The vox are able to both…
It’s been more than 35 years since the Dave Wakeling-fronted group, The English Beat (known outside of Canada and the U.S. as simply The Beat) last put out a record of new music. Maybe it’s the fact that the band has been touring fairly frequently for the better part of the last decade – and still putting on an amazing show, by the way – but it’s hard to believe…
In 1994, Liz Phair was coming off of one of the most critically-lauded debuts of the decade. With expectations set incredibly high, she put out the follow up, Whip-Smart, just 15 months later and while she could never escape the comparisons to Exile in Guyville, decades later, that second album still remains a gem. UMe, alongside Capitol is finally re-releasing a trio of Phair records from her time with Capitol.