Ride is a laid-back track that showcases the allure of Dom Whalley’s vocals more than anything. The effort refreshes new wave and pop styles – there’s a bit of Tears For Fears and Mr. Mister that can be sussed out here. Luxurious synths provide ample backing upon which Whalley’s voice can ride. The song has a bit of funkiness that rises up at points during Ride that feels more honest…
On The Weekend, JayBandsome is able to create a rapid-fire flow and pair it with a more introspective type of beating beat. The unity moment here occurs when listeners happen upon the single’s chorus, which has JayBandsome lay down some of the hookiest bars we’ve heard so far this year. The track has a bright and crisp sound to it that would slip in easily to the playlists of modern…
Lucia Cifarelli’s “Girls Like Me” is a dance / pop effort that is able to hit all the touchstones of the style from Ray of Light-era Madonna to ATC. There’s an insistent drum beat and soaring synths that virtually drags fans out on the dance floor. Charisma drips off of each lyric presented here by Lucia. The track is dynamic, with an instrumental-heavy side shifting into a brief dubstep-infused interlude.…
There’s something remarkable about the entire world coming to a complete standstill for just about a full year due to a global crisis. The amount of togetherness experienced in the face of a daunting, truly antagonizing force was something to cherish and the way that folks who might have lost sight of their artistic ambitions or creative spark were able to slowly whittle themselves back into creative form with the…
“Blender X” sends Hard Nips’ latest album release Master Cat into the stratosphere from the outset. The sinewy attack present in the opener continues across the remaining seven tracks and plays like a team effort rather than a vehicle for any individual performer. The Ramones are among the four-piece’s self-professed influences and you can hear that in songs such as this. Their punk sound is tempered, however, by a much sharper commercial…
Who is Sarantos? Is he an artist? Is he an author? A spy? An alien from Mars, sent to Earth to infect people with the disease of music? According to Sarantos, himself, he is all of these things, and a few more. His newest single, is an introspective piece, called “I Never Catch The Train.” If you only knew Sarantos for his music, you’ll have a specific, but possibly incomplete…
Audiopharmacy’s “Lose Your Mind” has an experimental flare to it that ties together so many distinct musical styles that it will be a challenge to suss them all out. There are tribal beats, eclectic Massive Attack meets Plastikman-styled electronic, and scratching that is a blend of DJ Premier and DJ Joe (Linkin Park). All of these elements together transform Lose Your Mind into a track that is continually shifting and…
The Tennessee Werewolves’s “Amy’s Gone” calls back to the country performers of the 1980s and early 1990s. There’s a tremendous narrative that is told through this single that will have fans holding on for dear life. The taut instrumentation that the Tennessee Werewolves incorporate to Amy’s Gone will further cement the single’s legacy among The Dixie Chicks’s Goodbye Earl or Deana Carter’s We Danced Anyway. Even with the act performing…
On their live version of Idiology, Last Giants are able to unite fuzzy, distorted guitars with a ropy bass line and splashy drums. The act is able to call forth the spirit of influences like Audioslave, Jane’s Addiction and Queens of the Stone Age. Last Giant’s charismatic vocals shine as brightly as any of the band’s arrangements, making for an extremely well-balanced composition. There’s an insistence to the drum /…
Stringz EMB “Lights On” is bolstered through the presence of Katarra Parson and Will Buchanan. The flow on Lights On takes inspiration from sources as diverse as Cee-lo and Kendrick Lamar. With the back and forth between Katarra and Stringz EMB, there’s a narrative that will stick around long after the song ceases to play. The bit of guitar that plays throughout Lights On showcases not only Will’s chops but…
Trap Commander’s “He Hell” is a head-banger effort for sure. The passion and charisma that the performer brings to the single is palpable. Bold bars blend with a Three 6-styled backing beat to make for something special. The production of He Hell is crisp enough to ensure each bar drops crisply, while there’s a dynamism fostered by this approach that ensures no two notes are the same. Taken as a…
Gaten’s “Add Up” is a booming track that will immediately draw in listeners. With bassy beats and a rapid-fire flow, the single will have one tapping their toes and nodding their heads after its first minute. Add Up has a timeless feel to it, meaning that fans of 1990s gangster and 2000s Atlanta street rap will be able to find something that they appreciate. At all points during his latest…
Corbu’s “Lost & Found” features Jimi Goodwin from the Doves. The track is able to move through countless musical styles. While the first portion of the song is in the vein of reggae (e.g. 311), there’s a more transient, new age meets world – breakdown that occurs shortly after. The shifting into a more focused and intense beat follows shortly after that. Fans will continually have their expectations subverted with…
Sharon Hendrix’s “River Run” is one of the most infectious tracks that we’ve covered so far in 2021. With an approach that is built upon the style of Gloria Estefan and Taylor Dayne, Hendrix is able to bring listeners out onto the dance floor. Synths and a large dollop of bass unite to make for a booming beat upon which Hendrix’s vocals can shine. There’s a strong amount of devotion…
On Move Along, Greg Hoy ties together a very deliberate bass / drum instrumentation with a 1990s alternative sort of approach. Fans of Weezer and early Smash Mouth will find something to sink their teeth into, while technical music fans will adore the dynamic that is established between the guitar, bass, synths and drums here. There’s a bit more substance to Move Along than exists in most of the alt…
On Face2Face’s titular single, the act creates some of the most beautiful pop music of the year. Soulful vocals are matched perfectly with synths and soft percussion. The song possesses a narrative that showcases the results that will occur just as soon as everyone takes the vaccination plunge. While we’re about halfway thee (in the United States, at least), there is still a lot of work that has to be…
Eddie Cohn’s “Animals” calls back to the more introspective rock of the 1980s. With nods made to performers like Peter Gabriel and U2, Cohn is able to establish himself among genre royalty all while crafting music that is wholly different from that garnering attention today. The layered approach taken to Animals’ arrangements will give listeners ample material to dissect in subsequent listens. The skillful usage of the track’s tempo keeps…
The Dead Daisies’s “Like No Other” is a high-energy hard rock track that ties together Axl Rose and Rage Against The Machine to make something loud, furious, and catchy as all get out. The act is able to intersperse the composition with rough and tumble guitars, splashy drums, and tremendous charisma during each segment. Like No Other is able to draw on an earlier hard rock tradition while keeping things…
Wings is a dance/pop track that takes inspiration from the 1980s. Yevae’s vocals stand out boldly from most radio tracks, adding substance to an approach that is a blend of Madonna and Tori Amos. The rapid increase in the tempo on Wings during the song’s second track ensures that fans are kept involved until the effort’s final notes. I Run To You has a slower and more contemplative approach than…
AV Super Sunshine’s “A Wedding Song” is a bold step forward for the act. The track is able to taken up an approach that is partially mid-1970s rock, partially psych / prog. The resulting track both brings a compelling message to the fore while titillating fans’ ears with taut instrumentation. A Wedding Song is a track that will pick up steam as listeners hear it and use it for their…