Jungle’s “HAPPY MAN” is a funky and fun track in the vein of Crystal Castles or Chromeo. A shuffling dance beat and vocals that shift into a falsetto keep listeners on their feet. Despite this being a track destined for DJ rotation, there is a pretty intense depth that Jungle plums with this single. The clap track that delineates the first and second half of the tracks acts as a…
Adrian Conner’s “Airport Coffee” is a fun track that takes a bit of 1980s synth-pop and imbues it with an inimitable set of vocals. The track is able to get listeners out on the dance floors just as well as impress fans that have a pair of Grados strapped on. Conner’s funky, guitar-heavy effort is one of the quirkiest efforts we’ve heard so far this year, and it bodes well that the…
Shattered On The Inside, the latest single from ash.ØK is bolstered through a Conkarah x DJ Jounce collab. The track is able to bring in some of the ambient electronic music of the mid-1990s with hints of modern R&B and EDM, making for a haunting effort that has enough of a beat to draw listeners out on the dance floor in droves. The bit of echo present on the main…
Mr. Vegas’ “Wakanda Jam” a bouncy, fun reggae track that will stay fresh through this whole summer. A bigger than life beat matches perfectly with Mr. Vegas’ hopeful vocals. We’re particularly surprised at how the instrumental and vocal elements are able to combine here; each side is able to push the other into an entirely higher plateau. A vibrant video is the glue that is needed to tie each of these…
We’re digging the production choices made during the newest Silver Spoon single, “In the Heat of the Night”. With a seventy-five second introduction that sets listeners adrift on a voyage, Silver Spoon is able to make the main body of this song pop. A deliberate, driving beat keeps the energy high. The dynamic between the guitars and bass line keeps things bouncy, while the drums punctuate the track at all…
StereoRiots “Ghost Machines” is a perfectly-posed piece of thoughtful indie rock that draws upon Disintegration-era The Cure, The Appleseed Cast, and Brand New. Assertive guitar lines and splashy drums run parallel to the supersonic vocals. The StereoRiots are able to shift and modify this composition throughout its extended run time, keeping listeners firmly planted on the edges of their seats. We’re in love with the mid-point of Ghost Machines, as the…
People Like You’s “Why Say Why?” is surprisingly deep track that builds off of the alternative tradition, moving through the 1990s (Blur, Dishwalla), 2000’s Panic at the Disco to the current era (Of Monsters and Men). The raw passion and charisma exuded by the vocals are matched well through the dense instrumental of the single. Fans will have to play the track multiple times before being able to appreciate every…
Sweet Sweet’s “Roam” is a bouncy track that draws heavily from the rock of the 1960s. Dreamy vocals, utilitarian guitars, and a bouncy beat ensure that Roam is ultimately memorable. The song is very organic, as listeners can easily imagine listening to the constituent elements of the bands playing the single in tight quarters. The final minute of Roam has Sweet Sweet moving into a more instrumental-heavy section that provides a…
Duncan Morley has just released Find You Now, a track which features the inimitable vocals of Rick Ross. The soulful vocals of Morley reach out over the track, while an EDM-infused backing beat ties together the work of Diplo and Avicii. The track’s rhythms will get listeners out on the dance floor, but the bit of introspection that Morley includes in this effort will be understood by anyone that has…
Herb Alpert’s take on the classic “What A Wonderful World” is able to hit all of the highs of the original while infusing the track with a very cosmopolitan sound. With nods to Native American and Indian styles, the myriad of styles here will keep listeners on the edges of their seats as they discern what’s going on. Alpert’s playing is (as always) impeccable, working perfectly in each format in…
Dave Sereny’s “Talk To Me” is an electrified, funky sort of track that calls back to the halcyon days of Cameo and Zapp & Roger. Emotive guitar riffs, a thick and chunky bass line, and soulful singing are all that is needed to make Talk To Me a must-listen. Dave Sereny’s musicianship on this effort is fantastic, with each element contributing to the overall sound as well as sparkling brilliantly on…
David Olney’s “Situation” is an unique track that has David expertly tell a story. To add further complexity, a brooding, rich, and dark instrumentation is included. Situation succeeds because each element organically builds upon the others. A driving, insistent beat inexorably leads listeners to Situation’s conclusion. The track weaves together traditional country and western wth hints of psychedelic and folk elements. David Olney gets listeners interested; make sure to pick up…
In his first single “My One & Only Love,” ShaQ:Muzik gave us an incredibly intimate and wildly sonic love song that got R&B and electronica fans very intrigued with his unique blend of slick, stylish grooves. The track shimmered with what seemed like a million different colors colliding into one another like a reckless but loving embrace. It was a feast for our ears, and he made sure to keep…
GV’s “Lil Min” is an impressive track. The effort is able to bring together the style of rappers as disparate as I-20 and Kevin Gates while even touching upon the UK grime scene. With other nuances (Gorilla Zoe, Jim Jones and Chamillionaire) that are interspersed through this track, GV makes something gritty, intense, and ultimately catchy as all get out. The speed that GV gets to during Lil Min is…
Daniel Correa’s “Take A Chance” is an upbeat track that works perfectly for the rapidly-warming late spring. Bouncy island-infused rhythms are matched perfectly with Daniel’s vocals, which elicit comparisons to Ne*yo and Shawn Mendes. Take A Chance will have listeners singing along after one’s first play, while having a sterling production that allows each and every element ample opportunity to shine. Correa has evolved with each and every single we’ve…
Scott Gray’s “Maybe It’s You” is a very traditional effort that draws upon the rich musical tradition of performers like Chicago or Billy Joel. With a robust instrumentation and soulful lyrics, Maybe It’s You is a rare example of a modern single that can stand up to repeat plays. Scott Gray is able to include bass, guitars, drums, and a sizzling horn section into the musical backdrop, establishing a voluminous…
18th & Addison’s “Time Bomb” is a punchy and assertive track that builds upon the framework of acts like Coheed and Cambria and Alkaline Trio. With vocals drawing influence from Yellowcard and Taking Back Sunday, 18th & Addison are able to make a track that will bury its melodies deep into listeners’ minds. The guitar and fulfilling bass line establishes a hooky instrumentation that is further punctuated through some spot-on…
My Silent Bravery’s “18” is a sublimely catchy sound. The track is able to have an emotional sound drawing off of the style of acts like the Goo Goo Dolls and Ryan Adams.The production of 18 is perfect, allowing the instrumentation and the vocals to shine alone as well as contribute to something substantially greater than the sum of their parts. This is an easy-going track that shines on the…
Markus Schulz & Emma Hewitt’s “Safe From Harm” is a wonderful melange of emotional vocals and thoughtful instrumentation. These elements flirt with one another throughout the beginning of Safe From Harm, before an insistent synth line gets listeners on the dance floor. There is a refreshing of the late 1990s / early 2000s electronic style here, while Hewitt’s vocals call back to “Ray of Light”-era Madonna. The rising and falling…
Hop Along’s”How Simple” is a contemplative piece of indie rock that draws on the tradition of 1990s alternative for instrumentation. The dynamic between the guitars, bass, drums and vocals pushes each into an entirely higher plateau. The vocals are able to pull double duty; they provide the narration for How Simple just as they add further complexity to the instrumentation. The tautness of this single ensures that fans will be…