A Peaceful Event showcases a tremendous narrative skill by Ian Green, telling a story with nothing more than a piano. The arrangements that he utilizes during the onset of Starlight are incredibly deep while being delicate, intricate without bogging down the overall sound of the album. Cycles of Sound speeds things up considerably, showcasing Green’s ability to stop and change styles on a dime. The more playful sound of this…
Aventyr’s Driven (the eponymous track) comes forth mightily, with a late-seventies to early-eighties metal style in the vein of Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, and Twisted Sister. The production on Driven is fantastic, with sizzling guitar lines, splashy drums, and catchy vocals working together to create some of the most memorable metal that we have heard in 2015. Betrayed starts with a strong, thick drum beat that has a number of…
Drift Away immediately places listeners in a rainy night somewhere urban, with a harmony created from the interaction of the different elements. There is a deliberate story being told here, with a guitar representing the narrator. Tolar is able to break free of the domination of vocals and creates something that is as rich and fulfilling as any lyric-heavy artist. SargeantJohn Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder…
There is a timeless sound to Nikia’s Maybe I single, which is versed in the soul and funk of the seventies, the post-disco 1980s, and the rich female-led R&B of the 1990s. The production of this track allows the instrumental and vocal sides of the composition to shine on their own and together, creating something that will resound with listeners long after the song has ceased playing. Nikia’s vocals are strong enough…
John Roy Zat has been based in San Francisco, but the sheer amount of influences that are showcased on his latest album Who Zat (released on Flyin Bayou) represent a road map through some of America’s most memorable musical cities. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Zat is that the specific array of sounds and styles that are broached during each of the compositions on Who Zat are modified based…
There is a sultry and richly emotive sound to Holly Elle’s vocals during the beginning of Mirage that will ensure that listeners are firmly ensconced in the single. The track builds upon the framework of artists like Sia, Madonna, and Rihanna. SargeantJohn Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since…
There is a sultry and slinky sound to Mercy’s vocals on her latest track, Breath. There are hints present here of Shakira, Christina Aguilera, and Megan Trainor, but the cut succeeds on the unique twists and turns that Mercy does here. SargeantJohn Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since…
Only On Tuesdays have released the Darling Dearest single from their Break Free EP. The track sits at the juncture of pop, country, and mid-nineties alternative rock, succeeding due to smart instrumentation, lush production, and a set of vocals that are awe-inspiring, strong while ageless. SargeantJohn Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech,…
Ghost Lit Kingdom’s You Don’t Know Me is led by ethereal vocals and a haunting composition that echoes and twinkles throughout. The vocals are fresh and interesting while still having some special quality which listeners can love. SargeantJohn Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25…
There is a bouncy sound that works well for Smoke, which has weareTheBigBang blend together pop, EDM, emo and rock into something that is fresh, fun, and interesting from beginning to end. The production allows the rich bass, guitar, vocals, drums, and synth into something unitary without losing out the passion or the intricate arrangements that lead Smoke to the mountaintop. SargeantJohn Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the…
It’s a little surprising to hear that Faith Healer is actually the alias for Canadian folkie Jessica Jalbert. Her first solo album, Cosmic Troubles is under this new moniker, while still having a softness thanks to Jalbert’s light as air vocals, is complimented nicely with a strong psychedelic pop vibe. John B. Moorewww.neufutur.com
Simple Minds’ sixth studio album, Sparkle in the Rain, was released in 1984, a full year before the band would permanently be wedded to The Breakfast Club movie, a feat that defines the band in the country to this day. But the album was still an impressive collection on its own. John B. Moorewww.neufutur.com
Babe that Boasts is the first track on Velvet Lane’s latest album, Sitting on the Fence. The track ties together the psychedelic rock of the late sixties and early seventies with mid-nineties alternative (Happy Mondays, Oasis); what results is a track that is tremendously infectious. SargeantJohn Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech,…
Whorrifick creates a flow in his “l.o.l.” single that is more beat poetry and Gil Scott-Heron than it represents current sorts of rap music. The instrumentation utilized in this track ties together electronic and industrial styles, intruding just enough to highlight specific lines and phrases. SargeantJohn Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech,…
Inspekta’s Jump Jump is a track that touches upon the trap and electrified-rap style of Juicy J; Inspekta’s flow here is dark, dingy, and dirty. This means that there are hints of Gravediggaz and Bone Thugs n Harmony that can be discerned, but with a cleanness to the arrangement that will garner radio play for the track. SargeantJohn Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of…
Nothing’s Out Of Reach is the first track on Matthew Charles’ Roam and it ties together Crimpshrine, Defiance, Ohio and hints of Against Me! into a frenetic track that straddles the line between folk and punk. While this introductory track is only a hair above two minutes, there simply is a lot of material for listeners to digest. As a result, the energy that listeners have when they move into Reliance…
Girl From California is a feel-good sort of pop-rock that takes equal parts seventies rock, funk, soul, and an easy-going sound and makes them something that will work on current radio stations. The infectious harmonies created by Ian and the Dream will stick with listeners long after their album has ceased; this is one of the first albums that we have heard in 2015 that makes it seem as if…
Woman Clothed with the Sun is a track that tells more with an instrumental arrangements than most bands can do with four members and an entire page of song lyrics. There are nods to the organic and the electronic throughout the entirety of this album, which takes an epic turn with Apocalypse. The track possesses a very deliberate beat, which is fleshed out with strings and atmospheric soundscapes into something…
D.C.’s Mittenfields have been pretty under the radar since the release of their 2011 EP, The Fresh Sum, but rather than just taking it easy, it seems the five-piece have spent the time evolving their sound from simple indie rock, drawing in influences like shoegaze and noise pop. The result can be heard all throughout their solid debut full length, Optimists. John B. Moorewww.neufutur.com
The self-titled album from Birds of Night marks their third full-length in four years, a pretty impressive feat for the label-less Denton, Texas four-piece that show DIY is still alive and well. John B. Moorewww.neufutur.com