Loving the callback to the 1980s with synths that feel inspired by early Depeche Mode, Yaz and The Psychedelic Furs. The vocal charisma here will ensnare listeners, while the overall sound of the single will entrance those that appreciate Walk the Moon or later Jonas Brothers. nxtime insert in a synth/drum section to Medicine that rapidly ratchets up the single’s momentum, a move that keeps things fresh until the band…
Riverside Drive is a truly timeless track that immediately impacts listeners with soulful brass and a robust backing instrumentation that rapidly sets up a narrative that runs through the track. We particularly love the keys which push the track forward to its end. The numerous elements contributing here could easily fall into disarray, but the considerable ability of each player makes this into something that will blow fans away. Twisting…
Bigg Z has a hit on his hand with his newest cut, Out Of Reach. This song is able to refresh the late-oughts style of R&B and rap music. The wordplay that is incorporated here builds off of the tradition of Nas and early Kanye. Bigg Z’s decision to feature Blu and Lauren Mateo during his latest single adds considerable depth to the composition. Multiple vocal layers and a scintillating…
On H E A R T B E A T, Jakob The Liar is able to immediately draw listeners in. There’s a considerable amount of emotion that is presented from the single’s onset, while the guitars, bass, and drums unite to make for a wholly unique statement. The complexity of H E A R T B E A T ensures that one will continue to find new twists and turns…
On their new song Shark Attack, Changing Tymz are able to craft a hard-rocking track in the vein of Megadeth, Candlemass and Steel Panther. Chugging guitars, supersonic vocals, and splashing drums never let up. The tale carefully weaved by the vox will have listeners firmly on the edges of their seats even as the instrumentation keeps chugging along. The production of Shark Attack is solid enough to allow each element…
Sebastian Lightfoot’s “Ascension” is an atmospheric track that links together the 1970s work of Klaus Schulze and Kraftwerk with Vangelis and Wendy Carlos. There are nods to the new age styles promoted by Real Music and Putumayo Records. The song has a tremendous narrative quality to it; the deliberate arrangement incorporated during this single will have listeners hanging on every note. While Ascension is cohesive as all get out, Lightfoot…
Nya is able to make a timeless pop song with her latest track I’ll Be Ok. The song builds off of the tradition of performers like Cyndi Lauper through Halsey with an ample amount of her own unique take on things shining through. The backing instrumentation keeps things hopeful while providing ample opportunity for fans to groove on out to. I’ll Be Ok is a great statement for Nya to…
range of her sophisticated harmony in “Where’d You Go.” To say that Jenn Howard is giving the performance of her life from Valiant Woman’s title track to the unfiltered “Lay Down the Law” might not be doing what she’s done here justice; from where I sit, this is a watershed moment in both her career and the underground circuit she’s looking to break free from. FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/jennhowardmusic/ See, Valiant Woman doesn’t present us…
Lavon Coates’s “Raise Her Right” is an ode to 1990s country music. The honesty of the track is build up through an earnest set of vocals and deliberate keys and guitars. More contemplative in tempo, Coates’ latest reads like a book. A tremendous narrative is unfurled during Raise Her Right’s run time. The song will strike a cord with anyone that has ever had children; Lavon is able to put…
Jessica Carter Altman’s Blood Moon has hints of 1980s/90s goth, Depeche Mode, and dreamy pop all knit into a cogent entity. The insistent drumming that works in perfect opposition to the strings may be in the forefront, but each part of this tremendous composition has more than a second to shine. Altman’s vocals are the glue that holds this eclectic blend together, making for a truly timeless effort that will…
Daisy Briggs’ “I Don’t Hate U” is an emotive track that effortlessly ties together pop and country approaches. There’s nods here to Vanessa Carlton, Kelly Clarkson and Jessica Simpson. With a hooky chorus, Briggs ensures that fans will be singing along after a few plays. The backing instrumentation on I Don’t Hate U work to lift up Daisy’s vocals while exhibiting tremendous technical proficiency. The crossover potential of Briggs’ latest…
301icon’s “Love Songs” is beautiful, tying together some high-energy rap flows with an intense backing soundscape fleshed out through dreamy keys, more emotive beats and a constantly-shifting appearance. The percussion tattoos itself deeply into fans’ psyches, all while the patter of 301icon’s lyrics beat a similar tattoo. Moving into an eminently-singable chorus, 301icon ensures that the track will snare the widest swath of fans. Everything works perfectly together to ensure…
Fresh Da Zoe’s “Demon” is a head-banger, tying together rapid-fire vox with an utterly infectious backing beat. The production of the track is popping, with smartly-place samples keeping listeners guessing. Demon is complex, intricate, and will continue to show new twists and turns even multiple plays in. Fresh Da Zoe’s Demon will garner serious looks on modern rap playlists. There’s a sublime confidence exuded by Fresh Da Zoe throughout the…
Milky Chance’s Living In A Haze effortlessly moves between modern EDM, pop, and new wave to ensure everyone will be grooving to the song. Confident vocals share the stage with crisp and bright instrumentation. Blending their music and vox up into a booming, larger-than-life sound, Milky Chance creates a track that will get a crowd whipped up into a frenzy. Loving the different sections of Living In A Haze, which…
Life… Is A Fraction: VI. Realization has a powerful, sludgy sound that builds off of the framework of acts like Corrosion of Conformity and Sponge. Bold guitars, assertive vocals, and splashy drums unite into something special. The product of the single is immaculate, allowing each instrument to shine as a singular entity as well as to coalesce into something intense and engaging. Fans of hard rock as wide-ranging as Ozzy…
Loved Me Like A Weapon, the latest effort from Brie Stoner, has a timeless sound to it that will recall thed style of Natalie Cole and Jewel. There’s a multi-layered approach taken by the guitars and drums on the track, ensuring that there is a high replay value for the song. The range that Brie achieves here is uncommon for more pop-focused alt far, making the single stand out boldly…
Alternative pop doesn’t often go very deep, but when it does, we wind up with era-shaping music that has a staying power as strong as it gets. Amber Nicholson wants to take the indie pop sound in a slightly different direction with the release of her debut EP Far Away Dreaming in 2023, but it isn’t one that should leave the genre’s long-term supporters concerned; instead, Far Away Dreaming is an evolved form of…
LE YORA is a group consisting of Jewels, SOMMA, yuma, and MAGNUS. On Ascension, their new track, they are able to craft an EDM trasck that speaks to the current scene while remaining tremendously reverent of previous eras. The insistent keys will drived the single’s beat deep into the minds and hearts of listeners, while as number of stylistic twists and turns that listeners will experience as the song continues…
Last Prayer has an insistent beat to it, linking together new wave with confident singer-songwriter fare (e.g. Richard Marx, Phil Collins). The depth that UniversalDice achieves here ensures that listeners will continue to find new twists and turns with subsequent plays. The song has enough of a nod of radio rock genres to play well there, but the dynamics established with the instrumental arrangements will titillagte serious music aficionados. Of…
Kyle and Emily Corner have made the step of transforming their life partnership as husband and wife into a musical collaboration. They have a good basis for releasing original songwriting as The Wandering Off. Many potential listeners will appreciate, going in, how the couple, especially Emily, surmounted towering obstacles to putting any music out. Emily suffered through two rounds with COVID and a laundry list of lingering side effects, so…