On Give It All Up, viseMènn are able to infuse the alt-rock of Weezer and The Smoking Popes with a vibrancy for the current era. Whether it is through the crooned-out vocals (themselves drawing upon The Smiths) or the intricate guitar/bass/drum dynamics, the act is able to put forward a single that hits on all cylinders. Fuzz and distortion are used to meld together distinct sections. We’re particularly enamored with…
2019 has been offering up some of the most intriguing new hip-hop in a generation-plus, and among the more emotionally-charged efforts that I’ve heard out of the genre’s storied underground circuit on the west coast comes from none other than Hollywood’s Swigga Geovanni. Geovanni is a New York-born newcomer on the scene, but his first single, “DMLY (Daddy Mi Love You),” is a provocative, chicly-mixed power ballad seemingly tailor-made for…
Cairo Liberation Front create a wholly unique sound that is able to distinguish itself from the mass of contemporary music due to whipping in hints of electronic and industrial from the late 1990s and a bit of the stark sound of acts like Little Big and Lords of Acid. Linking together sultry vocals the mold of Garbage with the haunting instrumental sounds of Downward Spiral-era Nine Inch Nails, Cairo Liberation…
Sonja Béets has devoted the better part of her life to creativity, and in her most recent work – the gilded “De Stad” – we get an up close and personal look at the fruits of her labor in high definition stereo sound. “De Stad,” a cut from Muzikale Stadswandeling, asks us to sit at attention amidst the unfurling of melodies that are at once cunning and simple, cruel and comforting,…
Upper Hand is a robust effort from Bblasian that refreshes the R&B approach of performers like Trey Songz and TK N Cash. Upper Hand shines because Bblasian is able to weave a cogent story along with bolstering the bouncy back drop that blends trap-esque drums with haunting synths and guitar samples. Louisville hasn’t had much of popular talent outside of Flame and RA Scion so Upper Hand is a desparately-need…
Long before the current generation of garage rock punks were even birthed, the Dogmatics were pioneers of the genre, with the band’s brilliant 1986 debut and for 30 years, sole release. The Boston band is finally back with the 5-track She’s The One EP and time has certainly been kind to the band. The themes of this album are wildly, pleasantly all over the place, from the title track; the…
Donna has The Inoculated Canaries calling back to the pop and ska-punk of the late 1990s. With nods to acts as widespread as The Dead Milkmen, The New Radicals and Blur, the band is able to firmly ground their current music in a rich and storied musical tradition. The bit of a bouncy bass / drum dynamic that plays at the bottom of Donna will capture listeners’ attentions, as does…
For close to a decade now, Brett Newski has been living the troubadour life. And not, “oh, that guy tours for a month at a time, he’s a real troubadour.” No, the Wisconsin-based musician Newski, began his career in 2011 with a six-month Southeast Asia tour. He followed it up the next year with a 20-date South African tour and has pretty much been on the road ever since –…
I’m All In, the newest single from Michelle Johnson, hits all the high notes. With an approach that touches upon traditional Broadway, R&B, and 1980s pop, Johnson is able to refresh older styles and imprint her own unique approach on this effort. With hints of guitar added into the mix, Johnson’s output here brings in additional fans. Timeless in its approach, I’m All In is good music done right. When…
Promnesia is an interesting effort that equally blends rap, R&B, and pop styles. Perhaps the most fascinating side to ck outlaw’s latest single is how the performer is able to both tell a cogent story and add considerably to the overall harmonies achieved by the synth and percussive elements here. A bit of distortion separates the vocals from the aforementioned backing beats, making for a stark song that will resound…
On their cover of Beautiful Escape, Bencoolen is able to create a warm, alluring effort that will finesse fans with luxurious synths, horns, and a coy set of vocals. The band’s ability to rise into bright, 1980s yacht rock-inspired sounds during their Beautiful Escape is unparalleled. By the time that one finishes this effort, they will be changed. The dynamism of the band’s instrumentation, the robustness of the song’s production,…
KiKi Wraye is able to refresh the dance genre of the 1990s and early 2000s with her new single, Addicted to the Beat. With a high BPM and assertive synth line weaved through this effort, Wraye’s latest will indelibly tattoo its melodies onto listeners. With nods to Darude and Benny Benassi, Addicted to the Beat’s strongest suit has to be its ability to change tempo on a dime. Listeners cannot…
Like a wild wolf howling at the moon, the electric guitar that blasts a hole through the first ten seconds of Jeremy Rice’s “Arriianne” is intimidating, familiar and rife with intensity. The drums click into place and leave just enough space for the bassline to fill the background with warm tonality, and even before Rice starts serenading us with a punkish might, there’s a seditiousness to the undercurrent of percussion…
During Just A Dance, Casey Ahern is able to weave a cogent narrative that will be appreciated by anyone that has thought something was there with an experience that ultimately didn’t go their way. Ahern is able to take the approach of modern country performers like early Taylor Swift or Maren Morris and imbue her latest single with an approach that is uniquely hers. The softly-sang vocals on Just A…
On All Your Love, JPRiZM is able to infuse sunny beaches and a bouncy disposition. The track is able to incorporate both EDM and 200s R&B in a fashion that is organic. The distinct sides of All Your Love are able to push the effort into an entirely higher plateau. Sweeping synths and vocals simultaneously further the narrative quality of the single while bolstering the effort’s arrangements. The presence of…
Sick As Our Secrets is the new single from Makes My Blood Dance, coming forth with a tremendously catchy set of lyrics. A funky bass lines, chugging guitar work, and on-point drumming unite to make this effort a perfect melange of CKY and Ratt. Sick As Our Secrets has everything needed to make it big on modern mainstream rock radio; the band is able to make an effort here that…
Run, Hide has Like Machines bringing in a bit of the dirty hard rock of early Guns ‘N Roses and Megadeth to their inimitable sound. As a result, the band has a considerable hit on their hands. Assertive guitars are matched by splashy drums; the vocal snarl that plays at the top of the track melds decadence with some serious chops. The production on Run, Hide allows each element of…
Crystal Ball is an atmospheric, softly-sang piece of alt rock that looks back to Kiss Me-era Cure and Wham for inspiration. Haunting compositions play at the back of the single, imbuing the single with a unique flair that will stick with listeners long after the work ceases. Witt’s dreamy vocals provide further complexity to the guitar / synth dynamics backing them; a bit of chiptune and 1980s new wave bubbles…
With Slot Machine, Zaritza is able to simultaneously emote a narrative that anyone that has been in love will be able to understand while adding a further depth to the synths and piano. Supersonic vocals showcase influences as wide-ranging as Bjork and Massive Attack. Slot Machine is one of those timeless tracks that work just as well in 2019 as it would in 1999. A truly epic sound is cultivated…
KMFDM comes forth with a ferocity that links together industrial and metal in a vibrant way. The sequenced section mesh well with the tortured, screamed-out vocals. A slinkier set of vocals provides the perfect counterpoint for the bold, brash, and in your face styles that bubble up throughout the track. Few acts are able to continually bring the same intensity over 30+ years, but KMFDM are able to cut through…