Frederik Abas, decade long denizen of the dance scene, brings a fresh new track out to the eagerly awaiting public in his Powerhouse Music debut, Amsterdamski. Referred to as the “peak-time dance floor destroyer,” Amsterdamski is undoubtedly one of the few dance songs that have the ability to engage listeners throughout the entire song with heavy bass and electronic yet still maintain a a definitive and catchy tune. As resident…
PT Walkley may just be the missing link between Rufus Wainwright, the thoughtful jazz-inspired, sophisticated troubadour, and The Kinks, god’s gift to lovers of pop hooks and sing-along melodies everywhere. The fact that he pulls all of this off with an above-it-all indie vibe (despite still being able to shill for everyone from McDonalds to GE in TV ads) is all the more impressive. His latest, Shoulders,…
How do you know your core audience is hipsters? You record a song with Aubrey Plaza. The Parks & Recreation actress, and fantasy of skinny-jeaned beardos from Williamsburg to Bushwick, “plays” alto sax on “Bona Fide” the second track on Ben Cassorla’s debut EP.
What Now is an R&B track that would easily make it onto radio rotation for stations that would focus on Rihanna or Mariah Carey efforts. The production of What Now is stellar, allowing the instrumentation to pop even as Gemini Wired’s vocals are able to paint a stark and inspiring picture. The track ends with some hard rap bars that straddle the line between Nicki Minaj and Lil Kim. The…
Come Again opens up in a warm fashion, and slides into a cool and collected bit of funky, soulful rock. The shuffling beat of the track succeeds because of the smart instrumentation and insistent vocals encountered; the instrumental interlude keeps things fresh and inspires listeners to move onto Everybody Loves an event. Everybody Loves an event has Lyrd provide considerable amounts of narration, bringing listeners along for the ride. The…
I Just Want To Dance starts out with fiery horns; Greig’s inimitable vocals kick in shortly after. The track is able to take parts of the fifties, eighties, nineties, and today; Greig has frenetic energy through all three minutes of this cut; hints of the New Jack Swing era of R’n’B and the swinging lounge sounds of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin represent major influences to Greig on I Just…
Once you get past how instantly enjoyable Hayley Reardon’s new EP is, your hit by the stunning news that this singer/guitarist is only 17 years-old. Her voice and lyrics (with the exception of the cover of Taj Mahal’s “Fishin’ Blues,” all the songs here are penned by Reardon) are far stronger than anything you’d expect from a teenager and bring to mind everyone from Mary Chapin Carpenter to fellow Bostonian…
The titular track to Mr. Bones is led by a story that would hang with the most memorable of country and western stars of the fifties and sixties. Doug MacDonald keeps things utterly vibrant and infuses this timeless style with a bold style and an inimitable set of pipes. Honk Your Horn is a standout track on Mr. Bones, showcasing a delightful dynamic between the different elements of the…
A Fresh Bottle & A Brand New Day contains a number of distinct compositions that stand up to repeat listens. Norfolk County Jail is a track that touches upon a wide array of styles, moving effortless through punk, folk, and alt-country, as Sunshine Riot is able to immediately impress listeners. Natural Causes is a soft and sedate sound that gradually picks up steam. The guitar and bass dynamic that is…
The term “Norsecore” has been thrown around on the internet for a while and generally refers to bands that ripped off the second-wave Norwegian bands in every possible way from riffs to aesthetics to an extreme over-reliance on blast beats.
Calling to mind everyone from the B-52’s to the dB’s, Athens, GA-based Casper & The Cookies have always revealed in catchy, jerky synth pop that you can’t help but sing along to (quirky choruses be damned!). On Dingbats, their eighth release (their sixth or so with the band full band, The Cookies), the group is still uncompromisingly odd and just as fun as when they first surfaced. Their latest is…
The typical words I would associate with black metal of all kinds do not seem to fit when I attempt to describe Dodsferd’s 9th studio album, ‘The parasitic survival of the human race’. A mix of sturdy riffing, clearly defined instrumentation and somehow structured vocal timings, make, truly gripping, exciting and sincerely different from anything I have heard before. Dodsferd have somehow managed to create a rebellious, ‘fuck you’ sounding…
The Blasterjaxx boys have been taking the music world by storm, leaving the likes of Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga in the dust. Owing to their huge success world-wide, Blasterjaxx pops out two new remixes of their new hit chart-topper Faith: the Lady Bee Remix as well as the Bassanova & Dirty Herz Remix. Shaping two distinct yet eerily similar tunes, Blasterjaxx brings in influences from trap, EDM, as well…
Stop Making Sense and Start Making Success is an introspective and deftly-designed composition that provides listeners with a complete introduction to Lasse Passage; the dense arrangements will take a number of listens before they yield every secret that Lasse Passage has placed into the effort. The darkly emotive arrangements that are present on tracks like Tanker Om Morningen are simply unparalleled. Hints of early oughts Deep Elm emotive rock can…
Michael Stosic has crafted a unique style of music that is fuelled by a number radio-friendly tracks. Before this album ends, fans of raw musicianship and of intelligent arrangements will find something that they can appreciate. The presence of Backstreet Dancer as the initial effort on this release ensures that listeners can be properly inspired to stick with Stosic’s music from beginning to end. The track deftly weaves together…
Dance world’s crowned prince of cats and tacos, Dillon Francis, teamed up with DJ Snake on today’s “Get Low”. The epic collab seamlessly merges Dillon’s signature Moombahton drum programing with Snake’s knack for monumental trap drops. This is a dance floor demolisher and an instant DJ staple. https://soundcloud.com/dillonfrancis/dillon-francis-dj-snake-get
Reachin Out is a heartfelt and softly-spoken track that will allow listeners ample opportunity to familiarize themselves with Jason Mark Yates. The drums really shine during this track to provide further gravitas to this recording, while Yates’ vocals are haunting. The ease of understanding what is going on during this single will endear fans to Yates’s music, while the smart instrumentation will ensure that they are on the edges of…
The Implicate Order EP has 4 tracks which unite to provide a solid introduction to Alex Von Z. Drawn is the initial offering, and it immediately provides listeners with a sense of camaraderie. The production allows listeners to be transported into the closest setting with Alex Von Z, while the Implicate Order CD provides two different ways to enjoy the track. What It Should Be is a complex track that…
Laurelle’s All The Way is a track that blends rap and dance music to create a high-energy track that will work equally well at dance clubs and bars. The infusion of synths and a quick tempo ensures that this track is tattooed deep into the mind of listeners. The drop that is present between the two parts of the track keeps things current and provides further highlighting to Laurelle’s vocals.…
Life Incorporated begins after a brief introduction, which soars on intricate time signatures and an overall arrangement that puts the drums as a focal point to the band. Life Incorporated continues with Liability, an effort that is reminiscent of artists like Rites of Spring, Strike Anywhere, and early (pre Girl’s Not Grey-era AFI). There is greater emotionality and narration going on during each of the tracks on this album than…