We’ve been bumping Justice for about 15 years at this point after we were turned on to DVNO. The act is back with One Night/All Night, a luxurious dance track that benefits from the rock stylings of Tame Impala. Haunting vocals match perfectly with a shuffling dance beat that assuredly will get fans out on the dance floor. The funk-infused bass that comprises the middle part of One Night/All Night…
During Spider Cherry’s “Little Bit Shy”, fans will absolutely adore the numerous musical styles and approaches that the performer inserts within. There is a look back to the pop music of the late 1990s, the bit of Fall Out Boy that drips off the vox, and a tremendous amount of charisma that glues the different parts of the song together. Little Bit Shy could easily garner DJ attention because of…
GaREE ALL has created a spoken word track in Cheeky that is able to build upon the work of a Gil Scott-Haron or mid-20th century beat poet and make it speak loudly for modern audiences. Listeners will be focused in to the narrative that GR is laying down here. The presence of robust backing instrumentation provides further depth to the statements that are presented in the track. We’re loving the…
I’m no EDM luddite, nor an adherent, but I believe I’ve heard enough music to know quality when I hear it. Nik:11’s new single “Pillow Talk” shines. The reasons are numerous. The Detroit native begins, however, with the song’s foundation. She plucked Sylvia Robinson’s 1973 R&B classic “Pillow Talk” from the past and refurbished it with producer Chicco Bennett. The results produce unfettered musical magic. She further displays her creativity…
Changes has such brilliant imagery that Johnny PE presents. One can identify with the narrative that is built up during the track; the sheer amount of self-doubt and one’s lack of confidence in their own abilities is something that practically everyone can understand. Discussion of substance abuse will also hit home for many listeners, but there seems to be a bit of a bright light shining behind the clouds here.…
PSALM 118 is one of those timeless gospel tracks that will have listeners bouncing around and singing along even after a few play. The number of moving parts during PSALM 118 is substantial, but everything – the numerous vocals, the tight backing band, and even the visual components to the music video (attached below) – works together flawlessly. It’s a sight to behold and showcases the tremendous skill that goes…
Heading For The Light has a strong, shuffling sound that gradually opens up to allow for sizzling guitar work and some seriously charismatic vocals. At any point during Virtue Scripts’ new single, there are a number of things occurring – fans should go in and play the song multiple times to hear each twist and turn that the band has inserted within. I love the fact that the band does…
The amount of 1980s/1990s funk finesse that is dripping off of the new Benjamin Race single Memories is intense. The vocals (laid down here by Donna Odain) are rich and warm, the perfect counterpoint for the synths and perfectly-placed percussion acting as the song’s instrumental back drop. Everything feels period-accurate while possessing an immediacy tthat will keep listener interest in the single high. We love every new element we’re exposed…
Blackstate’s The Arsonist immediately tattoos its melodies deep into the minds and hearts of listeners; one can here a bit of Plastikman and Benny Bennassi in the song’s opening minute. The ability of the act to tell a story without having to dip into vocals too often showcases the act’s ability. The Arsonist is one of those songs that you’ll have to strap on your earphones and really focus on,…
At first blush, the new single from the Autumn Kings, Sleep When I’m Dead, builds upon the tradition of performers like Bring Me The Horizon, Tom McDonald, and Imagine Dragons. Assertive drums, synths, and a perfect blend of metal and pop-tinged hard rock turn Sleep When I’m Dead into one of those songs that listeners will be singing along with long after the song ceases to play. The Autumn Kings…
Somehow is a slinky and sultry track that will immediately draw in listeners with haunting instrumentation and smooth vocals. There’s a deceptively deep dynamic that is achieved between the vox and the instrumentation, virtually ensuring that one will need to play the single multiple times before hearing each and every nuance that Johnny PE has placed within. We’re particularly digging the chorus to Somehow, which both changes up the overall…
Cookie Delicious’s Broken Connection begins with a fun, funky groove that differentiates itself from much of modern EDM with its look back to the late 1980s and early 1990s. The vocals (laid down here by Natalie Bohrn) stand out boldly among the drums and the slinky synths. Broken Connection is one of those tracks that will have listeners going out on the dance floor, but the most interesting side of…
Eddie Cohn’s Who Or What I Was Before has hints of U2 and Erasure, albeit with a much more emotive and engrossing instrumentation playing at the bottom of the track. Synths, wind-swept guitars, and on-point drumming combine to make for an eclectic backdrop. There’s a confidence to Cohn’s vocals that will strike anyone fortunate enough to listen in. The song concludes before the three-minute mark. It is a testament to…
Michael Little’s “Yesterday” calls back to the late 1990s with the smooth, silky and sultry R&B style that it achieves. There’s tremendous passion that Michael incorporates into every line of the track, while the song’s instrumentation is able to add a backdrop to Little’s vox while acting as an equal partner in establishing’s the song’s inimitable melodies. The song could easily garner radio rotation at any point in the last…
Reeling is MattO’s first track of 2024, and the song builds upon some of the trends that he presented fans in 2023 as well as draw upon different musical traditions during the single’s run time. The performer’s Americana approach hints to Neil Young and John Melloncamp, all while the guitar work seems a bit Bakersfield and a dollop of Lynyrd Skynyrd. The timeless sound of Reeling will stick with listeners…
Show You is a hard-hitting track with beautiful samples that provide a brief break from the main meat and potatoes of the song. There’s a bit more Atlanta in Lateef’s lyrical approach here, but with enough edge to appease even the most wizened of rap fans. Together, vibrant samples and big bass lines make for the perfect backdrop upon which Jelani’s inimitable style can truly shine. Settling down at a…
Can’t Stop Now has a focused groove to start things off; Jelani Lateef sets the stage with the sequenced beats before laying down his inimitable flow. There’s a number of influences that are jockeying for dominance here. There’s a bit of 1990s NYC rap (e.g. Jaz-O, Nas) mixing with a bit of California rap (E-40, Too Short). Lateef makes a big splash with one of the catchiest choruses that we’ve…
Voodoo Nights has a wonder anime video associated with the song, an homage to the late 1990s and early 2000s dance bangers with just enough in the way of dubstep elements to keep things more current. The different vocal elements are able to keep things continually interested, while the numerous syllables/elements that comprise the lead-out from the chorus act as a palette cleanser for the rest of the track. This…
Climbing To The Top, the latest effort from Ragga Lox, is one of our favorite tracks that we’ve dug into early in 2024. The song is able to succeed due to a bouncy backing beat and a set of vox that are able to both tell a story and contribute to the overall harmonies presented in the cut. There’s a timeless sound that ensures that Climbing To The Top could…
On Sconnie Girl, Joyann Parker is able to create a slice of country music that is tremendously reverent of what was released back in the 1990s. There’s a very downhome sort of instrumentation that is at home no matter where one resides – the song’s message of being proud of where you come from is something that individuals can appreciate. The tautness of the single’s guitar and drums ensure that…