Against The World, the latest single from Mic Nickels, is a track that calls back to the late 1990s NYC rap scene. The flow that starts off things is very curt and to the point, with a bit of scratching that acts as the separator between the different features. It is the collection of Rockness Monsta and Rah Digga to the track’s next sections that provide further complexity and an…
Big Wave Dave has just been released by Nuke The Soup, a track that effortlessly blends together surf rock with 1980s Americana fare (e.g. Winwood, Petty). The track is utterly timeless as it stands boldly away from the music currently populating rock radio and modern music playlists. Mark’s vocals will invite listeners in, no matter whether they hear Nuke The Soup live or one happens on the band on digital…
Dance In The Fire is a glittering composition, one that allows Kendra Erika ample purchase to stretch her arms. Her newest single works in the contemporary EDM scene because she is so reverent to the performers that preceded her. This means that there is the sublime confidence of performers like mid-1990s Madonna, while incorporating some of the more Latin elements of acts as wide-ranging as Gloria Estefan and Don Omar.…
Ian Ward’s “You Can Do Better” is a soulful track that immediately puts a highlight on Ward’s vocals and guitars. The instrumentation on You Can Do Better is amazing, giving each performer ample time to shine. We’re particularly impressed with the dynamic of the bass and the drums here, but the guitars are given the focal point in the time. It is those guitars that interact most significantly with Ward’s…
Voodoo Baby has a seriously brooding aura; Bal immediately hits listeners over the head with his rapid-fire flow. The insistent bass and dark sounds of the single’s instrumentation provide for a tremendous backdrop upon which Bal can make his magic. There are nods here to mid-1990s horrorcore as well as gangster rap. BAL’s supreme confidence and ability to turn the track on a dime makes this a must-listen for anyone…
Bal’s Pardon Me is one of those tracks that will immediately draw listeners in. From Bal’s inimitable vocal style to the on-point production, everything that one hears on Pardon Me is stellar. The shifting between hard-hitting rap flow to more traditionally sang section showcases the tremendous emotions that are playing in Bal’s brain. Pardon Me’s backing beat is a call-back to the early 2000s, replete with booming beats and emphatic…
Make A Scene, the new single from the OMG Girlz, has a gloriously slow and emotional R&B sound that comprises the single’s backbone. The vocal harmonies present here will immediately draw fans in, while the booming bass of the single’s arrangements add a bit of gravitas to the mix. The song feels absolutely timeless; the OMG Girlz have touched upon everything that has worked in the genre over the last…
There’s a rare kind of magic that happens when an artist opens a window into their soul and invites you in. Laura Sawosko’s Not What I Do does exactly that. With a warm blend of Americana and modern country, Laura crafts a 12-track journey that feels personal yet universally relatable. URL: https://www.laurasawosko.com/ Right from the opening notes of “You Just Being You,” you know you’re in for something special. It’s…
Ron Brunk’s “You Make Me Crazy” has an interesting blend of styles, with hints of Tom Waits, Randy Newman, and The James Gang all discernible here. The insistent vocals that interlace Brunk’s new single end up making this effort the best we’ve ever heard from the performer. During You Make Me Crazy, the guitars, drums, and Ron’s voice all combine to make for something that one could easily heard on…
On Baby, A-Wax 1 Million “Baby” is able to craft a track that calls back to the halcyon days of early 2000s rap. With a string-infused backing beat, the single presents A-Wax 1 Million with an accomodating canvas upon which he can indelibly imprint his own unique style. The contrasts between the dreamier, almost R&B styled sections with the more intricate and lyric-heavy main sections ensures that listeners are kept…
On Southern Boys Dream, 2 Pistols enlist Cooper Greer to craft a track that could easily rocket up the modern country charts. Cooper’s twang will have listeners take attention. The sheer range that he hits during this single is truly a sight to behold, drawing in anyone fortunate enough to be within earshot. Southern Boys Dream will scratch the itch of anyone that is looking for the next hot rap-country…
Healing is one of those efforts that is able to cover a massive amount of ground over the course of its run time. The linking together of modern jazz, Sade-esque pop, and R&B makes for a sound that feels timeless while standing out from the vast majority of music coming down the pipeline. The very deliberate arrangements that comprise Healing will have fans firmly on the edges of their seats.…
Pastor Jamaal has just released his Global Word, a song that deftly links together rap and R&B styles. PJ’s vocals are able to tell the song’s story while adding mightily to the overall harmonies that are built here. The booming bass beat and hi-hats add a sense of immediacy to Global Word, while Pastor Jamaal’s titular message is enough to inspire fans to firm up their relationship with God. We’ve…
Peter Rabbit has a laid-back feel that feels pulled right out of the early K.Dot discography, albeit with a bit of the UGK approach to the backing beat. This is a track one can put on and just relax to. The repetition of the track’s chorus allows for daFinchi to traverse a lot of ground during the main lyrical flow. There is a considerable replay value to Peter Rabbit that…
The Black Seed, the latest track from BEEWARE, showcases a very focused rap flow alongside a dreamy backing beat. The single’s subtly stated style ensures that fans will be locked-in to what BEEWARE is presenting here. There’s a good amount of late 1990s / early 2000s influence here, while the crisp production of the instrumentation and rap flow ensures that it will fit nicely among other contemporaneous rap efforts. Give…
On Part Time Lover, Crystal Starr is able to create a vibrant sound upon the framework of 1990s poerformers like Madonna and Annie Lennox. The bit of Prince-meets-Depeche Mode backing instrumentation imbues a timelessness to the track. As Part-Time Lover continues on to the chorus, Crystal is able to imprint her unmatched vocals deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. The inclusion of a sizzling guitar line into the…
Over the course of the last half-decade, we’ve had the privilege of covering The Dead Daisies’ own music. Crossroads, the Eric Clapton classic, is given new life by the band. The additional layer of guitar fuzz is precisely what the original needs. There’s an organic, dirty feel to the track that better captures the subject material of the song. During this track, the absolutely insane guitar work that is such…
Back Home’s drums are front-and-center, showcasing a booming sound that acts as the perfect backdrop upon which Stephen Thomas’ super-sonic vocals can reside. The song settles into a mid-oughts modern rock style, albeit with a clarity and crispness that is hard to achieve. Back Home has something for everyone, whether it be the tremendous vocal range that Stephen achieves, the tautness of the instrumentation, or the production that gives ample…
Stephen Thomas’s Stay Strong is a wonderful blend of emo, pop-rock, and the lightest trapping of modern country music. What results with this effort is a bit Yellowcard, a bit Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and a whole lot of riffy guitar work that will get fans’ toes tapping. Stay Strong’s chorus is one that will bury itself deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. I can see this effort rocketing…
No Where is the latest track from Susan Aquila, showcasing an intense rock effort that is replete with sizzling guitar work and assertive vocals. The track is further built out through Susan’s violin, an inclusion that differentiates No Where from the rest of the music currently comprising modern rock playlists. With subtle hints of 1980s goth music playing nicely with the single’s hard rock backbone, Aquila’s newest contribution to music…