Doing OK links together the styles of Akon, T-Pain, and Wyclef Jean into a hopeful sort of track, while Lavish Living slows things up to allow Tion Wayne to have a little bit of the vocal snarl of a 50 Cent or Rick Ross. An infectious hook is all that is needed to turn Bae into a radio-ready single.
Imperfectly Perfect 2.0 is a haunting and compelling single that deftly blenders together dance and R&B styles. The vocals pull double duty here, both coming forth as an honest statement of love while further contributing to the overall sound of the track. The heartbeat-inspired beat provides a further level of depth to Imperfectly Perfect 2.0.
No Love’s To the One Who Loves Her Next being with the retro-infused sounds of Young in Love. Young in Love is an eclectic effort that links together synth-pop, emo, and soul into a funky, emotionally dense track. Vocals are able to effortlessly build upon the framework of Patrick Stump and Conor Oberst. The blend of physical and electronic elements to this introductory effort showcases a duality in No Love’s music…
Hump Day has a downright evil sounding backbeat that is interspersed behind Miss Eaves’ ode to female self-pleasure. Hints of EDM, industrial, and trap can be heard bubbling through the effort with nods made to both 8Ball & MJG (think “Armed Robbery”) along with Hypnotize Minds artists.
overlord create a form of alternative rock that builds off of the foundations laid by early Flaming Lips, Tal Bachman and Jellyfish. Mission to Mars’s magnificent sound shifts to a more resounding and authoritative sounds, where bits of Rush and The Who can be discerned.
Sultan + Shepard create an engrossing tropical-themed track with their Love Me Crazy. Gia’s vocals are featured here, providing a perfect counterpoint to the horns and shuffling backbeat. Sweeping synths provide the glue to unite these elements.
Champion Lover, the latest from Nina Sky, is an unparalleled pop single. Inserting just enough reggae (think Rihanna meets Bebe Rexha) to an EDM style that sits in perfectly with the chill sound of SeeB or Major Lazer’s “Cold Water”.
Runaway is a high-energy effort from Xavier Toscano, impressive to fans of current EDM as well as 1990s Italo-dance. The instrumental and vocal sections of Runaway are impressive enough to shine on their own, but combine to make something considerably greater than the constituent parts would indicate.
The Front End create an honest, earnest form of indie-rock in the vein of The Anniversary and early Alkaline Trio with their new release, the Growing Pains EP. The fuzzy guitar work, splashy drums, and vocals that turn on a dime will ensure that fans are on the edges of their seats by the end of Mandingo.
The new Soles of Passion EP starts out with Hold On, a track that links together the powerful female-led rock of acts like Heart and Fleetwood Mac with a taut instrumentation. Bump Me Up has a bit more pop influence present, with vocals building off of the tradition of The Cranberries and Liz Phair. The bass, guitars, and drums here have a little 1990s-alternative flair to them, making for a…
The Phoenix Rose create a taut type of reggae with their latest single, Is This Luv. An intricate bass and emotive guitar unite with sterling vocals to make for something that is upbeat, fun, and able to stand up to repeat listens. Hints of EDM and R&B can be discerned at the periphery of this track. The Phoenix Rose is able to create something wholly unique with Is This Luv…
Matt Boroff is able to create a furious and fun hard rock track that builds upon Marilyn Manson, Spacehog, and Audioslave. The assertiveness of this single is fantastic, kicking listeners’ butts through considerable guitar fuzz, bombastic drums, and grizzled, dominant vocals.
Aaron Orbit’s Agua Mala is a powerful alt-rock track that marries a supersonic set of vocals with powerful drums. A synthesizer imbues this single with a 1980s-influenced patina, while Orbit’s vocals shift into something that draws equally from The Darkness, U2, and AFI. Each element of Agua Mala works masterfully to create a cohesive sound without losing their unique tone.
Smart debut track that ties together current forms of EDM, reggae, and R&B into an infectious effort. OlofePence’s heavenly vocals add to the overall instrumentation of HalfNaijaHalfCongo. The sharp and angular beat that thumps and bumps in the background provides the perfect dovetailing into the second side of the effort, Premier Gaou.
Doubtless is a complex piece of indie-rock that sparkles through the presence of Alejandra’s vocals. This introductory track has some serious instrumental chops, with a guitar/drum dynamic gradually becoming more chaotic until the effort concludes.
Holly Elle’s newest track I’m Scared a track that stuns with its simplicity and raw vocal power. There is little more to this effort than Elle’s vocals and a piano arrangement. Together, these two elements combine to make for something as passionate as anything Rufus Wainwright or Kelly Clarkson could create.
Get Dead’s second album, Honesty Lives Elsewhere, is gritty, a little sloppy and the veneer has been completely stripped down to the primer – which is everything a punk rock album should be. Recorded in their San Francisco hometown between responsibilities to their day jobs and families, there is an urgency here not found in many of the poppier punk bands that have flooded the market over the years.
Daniel Correa creates a tremendously catchy pop-rock track that is influenced by reggae, ska, and individual acts like 311 and Magic!. The richness of Daniel’s vocals is matched only by the swirling instrumentation that is given ample opportunities to shine.
Last Kiss, the current single by Colette Kavanagh, is a touching effort that immediately draws listeners in with warm production and nuanced instrumentation. The rising and falling of Colette’s voice during Last Kiss builds upon the framework established by Sheryl Crow and Natalie Grant.
On break from doing co-lead vocal duties in the Brooklyn-based San Fermin, Allen Tate doesn’t stray far from the musical territory of that band with this solo effort Though this first go alone is less intricately orchestrated than his main band – with a focus more on the poetic lyrics than the minimalist music – Tate’s fever dream vocals are the trademark which he carries into anything he does.