Imelda Gabs - Thieves

Thieves - Imelda Gabs (Pop) Imelda’s smokey, sultry voice grabs you immediately as soon as the track starts and slowly introduces you to a dance-pop track that builds right out of the gate into full dance bop. This is surely a club track that deserves like 100 dance remixes, with the original version we had the privy to listen to sliding comfortably into today’s Top 40. Imelda has a distinct vocal—the closest we can come is maybe a Sade/Shakira/Ariana Grande hybrid, and even that doesn’t do her justice. We also hear some influence of Sonique’s “It Feels So Good” in here as well, intentional or not. The track uses a lot of modern convention—the bouncing bass, trap percussion, crisp claps and vocal modulation punches creating a midtempo that gets you on your feet—married with a great set of house keys and a sprinkling of rhodes to bring a touch of retro dance. SIdenote—check out Imelda’s incredibly produced music video—seriously, it’s really f*cking impressive, plus, she’s a STUNNER.

Best Lyric: “Still you think you know it all. You know it all? You know it all, do you?”

Sugar Nova - Touch Me I'm Going To Scream, Pt 2

Touch Me I’m Going To Scream, Pt 2 (Pop) As soon as the track starts, you know it’s a vibe. From the swirling synths, warbly bass and crisp snaps, it sets the mood quickly as a modern groove with a bit of disco influence. A midtempo by nature, Touch Me has got some serious danceability to it. Style wise, it feels like something from the Sam Smith playbook. The production is crisp, incorporating an orchestra of instrumentation, continuing to add something new to the ear every few measures. The lead vocal is incredibly emotive, sliding seductively all over the track, beautifully accompanied by a hazy summertime guitar. Touch Me I’m Going To Scream, Pt 2 seems destined for a chillwave playlist.

Best Lyric: “Human needs, heartbeats.”

Faith Louise - Heartbreak?

Heartbreak? - Faith Louise (Pop) From the muted guitar to the thrumming synth, you know the second you start Faith Louise’s new track—Heartbreak?—that you’re bracing for something with some serious intensity. When the drums it, the proverbial train truly leaves the station at full speed, and you continue to feel a sense of urgency throughout the entire song—say, Since You Been Gone style. But rather than a belty anthem, this track sits comfortably in confectionary bop. Faith’s voice is perfectly in line with modern pop female vocals— focused, pointed, with a nice pure tone at every punch. With a fresh production and a strong vocal, the track screams Top 40.

Best Lyric: “But somewhere deep inside there’s still a little girl too scared to admit defeat.”

Karen Harding - Devil In The Mirror

Devil In The Mirror - Karen Harding (Pop) Oh this one is quite the groove. The drum beat kicks off and gives us a very retro feel, in the way that Adele sometimes dips into. The cadence of the kick made us immediately think of Sha Na Na’s “Blue Moon” or even some “Please Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes But rather than simply sit in retro 60s, there’s also a really great 80s bass lead that makes the track quite unique, elevating it out of pure throwback nostalgia. After setting the stage, we get a strong vocal that we think would even translate well to the Broadway stage—there’s some real Bernadette Peters moments in here. We also noticed the restraint of the background vocals, letting Karen’s lead vocal be the main feature. If you’re looking for a place to sit this track in your library, we suggest any playlist with, say, Duffy and Amy Winehouse.

Best Lyric: “But the devil in the mirror, oh she knows. There’s no hiding thoughts behind my fancy clothes.”

Magdalia - Great Expectations

Great Expectations - Magdalia (Pop) A shining pop anthem is exactly what Magdalia delivers with Great Expectations . Magdalia’s vocal sits at the center of the track around which all else revolves, strong and focused, with one hell of a belt register. In finding a comparison, we look to Florence and The Machine, especially when she decides to really chew a word, or when her vibrato kicks in on a punch. With a vocal performance like this, you’re going to want to hear this song live in concert—it’s a real “lighters up” moment. The instrumentation is steady and methodical—a swirling ambience and steady beat of the drum serving as mere table setting to a glorious vocal. And while we love a ballad, this track is BEGGING for a dance/club remix.

Best Lyric: “Now in the face of my frustration, with all the life I’ve seen, there’s nothing left to give, nothing left of the old me.”

lilac frog - Flying Without Wings

Flying Without Wings - lilac frog (Pop) We’ve got a double feature with lilac frog’s Flying Without Wings. We start with Happy Ending, a JoJo worthy modern pop bop borrowing a bit from trap with the top percussion. Vocals are front and center with this track, with guest vocalist Mia Robson’s storytelling on full display with a lilting innocence. We particularly love the instrumental changeup in the chorus, which elevates the track to top 40 worthiness. lilac frog takes over on the lead vocals in Friends and Strangers in an anthemic ballad, continuing the innocent purity of vocal delivery but this time with an ear-pleasing, breathy husk wrapping around the voice. We love the distorted elements in the instrumental as well as the dampened piano at the end which really pulls on the heartstrings. All in all, lilac frog’s effort feels deeply personal and does an amazing job of pulling in the listener as a confidant in the melancholy of love lost.

Best Lyric: “Because I can’t bare to face the feeling of flying without wings, of trying out new things.”

Segana - Fever Dreams

Fever Dreams - Segana (Pop) We are so happy so many indie artists are embracing 80s sensibilities. Segana perfectly captures the essence of 80s synthwave with a driving bop Fever Dreams, incorporating everything from those retro synths, fuzzy bass, synthetic toms and even a few guitar flourishes. We’ve also got an end of song fade out that we haven’t heard done in AGES and a car ignition intro that is giving us Mercedes Boy. That’s not to say the production isn’t modern as hell, impeccably missed with a crisp instrumentation lead by a thudding kick and strong vocals front and center. When it comes to the lyrics, the imagery of monsters in the street guarantees this song placement on your Halloween dance party playlist, we think perfectly sandwiched between Thriller and…oh what the hell, the Monster Mash.

Best Lyric: “My innocence devoured, indulging the midnight hour.”

Gus Walker - Gazing

Gazing - Gus Walker (Reggae) Gus’s latest track, Gazing, is a straight down the middle reggae track that will have you yearning for a beer and a sandy beach to drink it on. The vocal versatility is notable, with Gus perfectly navigating the jumps between his falsetto and midtone. When it comes to the instrumental, we are particularly in love with the horns, which are a welcome added element to spice up the classic reggae flow, not to mention the soaring guitar at the end. Another ear catching moment is Gus’s delivery on the bridge—he really emotes those lyrics in his delivery—adding a subtle distortion that injects some fire into this otherwise easy-breezy track. Listen today, but make sure to circle back on this track come summertime.

Best Lyric: “These days in cyberspace make me feel I’m lost in the jungle.”

Lisa Danae - I'm Not Sure What To Do

i’m not sure what to do - Lisa Danae (Pop) The best word to describe Lisa Danae’s latest track is ‘haunting.’ The production thankfully takes a minimalist approach, thought not without build, to clear the way for the true star of the song—Lisa’s heavenly vocals. Emotive and pure, Lisa’s crystal clear tone sits front and center around the swirling reverbs and dampened percussion to empower her as the storyteller. The restraint from the production is impressive, as it takes until the second verse to start building in some delicious harmonies and additional instruments, including a great driving guitar pluck that really adds to the momentum of the track. With each act, another element enters, always contributing to the overall build but never leaving us with nowhere else to go. In the last line, Lisa may say that she’s not sure what to do, but we think you’ll be sure to add this track to your chillest playlist.

Best Lyric: “My heart is just a muscle.”

Black Silver - Westside Glory

Westside Glory - Black Silver (Rap) Black Silver’s message is clear on his first single from his upcoming full length LP “Forbdden Slanguage”—he’s not here for dumb rap, and if you want to enjoy him, it’s time to turn your brain on. It is common to come across a track in the rap genre where the artist is bragging about how great they are, but it is a rare gem to find someone who raps about how much smarter they are than their competition by how intelligently they craft their lyrics—all while proving it in the process. Flow-wise, Black Silver gives us serious Common vibes, and the instrumental also gives us that 00s feel of crunchy lofi percussion on top of a verby synth loop. The heavy use of vinyl scratches is great ear candy as well. In the end, using Black Silver’s own words, we say welcome to his mental mansion.

Best Lyric: “Enable me to think beyond, but beyonder, what I be on is around yonder.”

Through The Trees - Tic Tac Toe

Tic Tac Toe - Through The Trees (Pop) The first few notes of the track gives us “My Love” by Justin Timberlake—with those synthesized strings heavily utilized by Timbaland in the mid 00s. In fact, the entire production harkens back to that R&B/pop hybrid era. With a relatively sparse instrumentation, it leaves all the room it needs for the true focus of the song—the lyrics. The cleverness of the lines made it very hard to choose a favorite lyric. Despite three vocalists sharing the track, the song feels very personal, which always leads to the best lines. The chorus is extremely catchy—a real earworm—and there’s a husk to each of the vocalists that is very pleasing to the ear, adding a smoothness to the harshness of the actual words. Been through a breakup recently or still working through one? This is the track for you.

Best Lyric: “Come on down to Texas, I could use some F*cking Os cuz my inbox full of Xs.”

Tom b - She's Like A Dream

She’s Like A Dream - Tom b (Lofi Pop) Tom b’s latest track sets a mood that immediately reminded us of NAO’s “Adore You”—a throbbing beat with R&B sensibilities. Using a distorted spoken vocal as part of the instrumentation, the song presents a masterful sonic landscape with a unique point of view. The singer’s vocals are heavenly—light and pure, soaring above the dense production, navigating all of its twists and turns. We are most impressed by Tom b’s playfulness with song structure, always keeping the listener engaged as different instrumentation weaves in and out of the track, quite seamlessly. We recommend this one for a rainy day playlist, it’s a real vibe.

Best Lyric: “My words are worth nothing around her.”

Ann Marie Nacchio - Tell Me Something

PHOTO: Ted Maniatakos

Tell Me Something - Ann Marie Nacchio (Indie Pop) Tell Me Something straddles two worlds—it’s a perfect pop song in one respect, and at the same time we could clearly hear this song featured in a modern day musical. From the powerful, swelling instrumental to the vocal delivery, this track is begging to be heard live. Ann Marie’s voice has a duality to it—there’s a pure innocence to it, but also a strength, highlighted by her lyric delivery choices. The song also has a refreshing instrumental break—something we don’t hear very often—letting her guitarist shine. Of everything to love about this track, the chord progression is our favorite element, ending on a beautiful strum that instantly triggers you to repeat the track to begin learning the words. With a Sara Bareilles sensibility, Tell Me Something is a perfect showcase of musical storytelling.

Best Lyric: “We went this long, only hearing half the song, never knowing just how wrong we were before.”

Eric Cohen - Live For Christ

Live For Christ - Eric Cohen (Hip-Hop/Christ) Eric Cohen is an artist with a mission, perfectly encapsulated in his first line—you may rap about killing, but I’m going to rap about Christ. Beyond clarity, the lyrics are clever (the epitome of that noted in our best line below) and the flow is tight. The vibe of the song is definitely retro, giving us very 90s hiphop—particularly in the warbly organ that adds a gospel element to the track which clearly fits the message of the song. Also, shout out to featured artist Yolanda Reece who’s strong straight tone adds am almost 90s/Lauren Hill-esque vibe to the track which we loved. The lush background harmonies are also equally gorgeous.

Best Lyric: “Deep inside my conscious, opening my cognisance, I can taste the consequence living in my godlessness.”

Josh Tepper - Poison Apple

Poison Apple - Josh Tepper (Pop) There’s a beautiful retro feel to Josh Tepper’s Poison Apple that helps place this track not only among modern tracks, but also let’s it blend perfectly into an 80s or even mid 90s playlist. The song has drive right out of the gate, which continues throughout the track, incorporating small instrumental flourishes as the song progresses—we are particular fans of the guitar that chimes in during the last chorus. As to Josh’s vocals, he has quite the pure tone, and continues to showcase his range as the song progresses. We have to say we enjoy his higher range quite a bit, beginning to showcase in the bridge and hitting a crescendo during the final chorus. Catchy, dreamy and well produced, this track has real sing-along-ability.

Best Lyric: “Somedays it felt like slaying a dragon, both knowing that the end would happen.”

Wotts - Wheel

Wheel - Wotts (Indie Pop) Wheel is one of those tracks you can imagine playing during a montage in a movie, or during the ending credits. It’s a feel good song, a contemporary track that infuses a lot of retro sensibilities. Like, we think rereleases should substitute this song in any parts that unfortunately used a Smash Mouth song (sorry Smash Mouth fans). The mixing and mastering is perfection, with the crisp strum of the guitars complemented beautifully by that crystal clear bell. We also particularly loved the end of the track when Wotts’ husky baritone pulls back from the big choral sound down into a more intimate solo. This is a wind down the windows and breeze down the freeway kinda track.

Best Lyric: “We’re going after ever after.”