NÓWNØIS - For Tomorrow

For Tomorrow - NÓWNØIS (R&B) NÓWNØIS’s newest track, For Tomorrow, is a vocal showcase, displaying the singer’s talent and ability to carry a song entirely. The production is spare—a few synth swells, a simple percussion to keep time as more of a metronome than anything—and serves only to center a strong yet intimate vocal. The vocalist is quite a storyteller with an emotive voice as clear as a bell. While the instrumental stays pretty level, it is the vocal that continues the build as layer after layer is added, including some beautifully close harmonies and some shining upper adlibs. With each layer the song becomes more passionate—like sirens beckoning you to shore. We could certainly hear an acapella group covering this track.

Best Lyric: “The well practiced fake smile feels twisted around my mouth.”

Reno & Rome - Live Without You

Live Without You - Reno & Rome (Pop) Reno & Rome delivers a funk inspired groove with Live Without You—a certified bop with a late 80s/early 90s pop sensibility. That retro soundscape is particularly highlighted by the tinny guitar, which could trick a listener into believing the track is actually from back in the day. Not only radio friendly, we could also picture this track in the credit sequence of a John Hughes film. The production boasts a great blend of live instrumentation and modern FX tricks—the latter specifically highlighted in the distorted and pitch adjusted vocal that takes center stage in the driving bridge. The classic pop song structure is a welcome return, creating a feel good, all-ages track to spin you around on the dance floor. Sure, add this to your playlist, but we think you’re also going to want to hear this one live in concert.

Best Lyric: “This love is bittersweet, I got a sour taste but what can it be?”

Proklaim - Around

Around - Proklaim (Hiphop) We couldn’t help but wind our hips when listening to Prokaim’s latest record, Around, and think you’ll do the same. It’s an infectious groove with a 00s R&B sensibility, conjuring images of basking in the summer sun on a private yacht. Proklaim delivers a hyper chill groove with a catchy earworm of a chorus, providing the needed musical tension with a driving guitar pluck as a through line that carries the listener through the track. Vocally, we’re getting Kendrick vibes, and Proklaim is undoubtedly skilled with the pen. The lyrics are clever and distinctive, performed expertly with a liquid flow that rides the beat. This one goes on your summer playlist next to some DJ Khaled.

Best Lyric: “You’ll never get to where you wanted if you never start.”

Trust The Mask - Otaku

Otaku - Trust The Mask (Pop) Trust The Mask’s newest track, Otaku, is a smorgasbord of goodies. It’s a buzzy techno experience, with a crystal clear production that gives almost an ASMR experience. But it’s also 80s with respect to its percussion and yet 00s Robyn-esque with its driving synth bass. But it’s most interesting and distinctive element is the seemingly Indian inspired instrument—possibly a shehnai—that weaves into the track and certainly catches the ear. When it comes to the vocals, they have a modern sensibility—close and intimate, mysterious and haunting—with a Sia sensibility. Overall the track is an inventive blend of influences with an anthemic catchy chorus that, when working together, make it Otaku a standout record.

BLOODLIN3 - Until I Fall

Until I Fall - BLOODLIN3 (Rap) We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing BLOODLIN3 before, and what a treat it’s been to listen to his latest track. First off, it’s an incredibly impressive production. Distinctive in its use of epic strings and a haunting classic choral loop sitting behind a buzzy analog bass lead, this track barrels out of the gate with some Twista level flow that knocked us out of our chairs. We are not exaggerating when we say that there are enough lyrics in this track to make three different records, and all these lines are impressively penned. This song strikes lyric gold. But thankfully BLOODLIN3 gives the listener some respite by introducing a diversity of flow, one of which really gave us Ludacris vibes. We can definitely hear this track placed in the credit sequence of a Hollywood blockbuster, and so we suggest that you put this on a playlist right next to Kanye’s “Monster” to give yourself a horror double feature.

Best Lyric: “Bout to kill them all, better get the law.”

Chris Caulfield - Ugly

PHOTO: Chris Caulfield l LivingRoomSociety

Ugly - Chris Caulfield (Pop) Chris Caulfield delivers a provoking blend of genres with his new track Ugly, featuring an extremely emotive and expressive vocal performance that makes this record a standout. We are of two minds about this track. First, it certainly has pop/R&B sensibility in the instrumental production with the crispy trap percussion and 90s house claps. Behind that, however, is a winding distorted guitar that snakes throughout the track on loop, gluing it together, which reminds us of Blackhole Sun. And that’s where we come to our second view--the vocal production and delivery is very 00s alt rock, or even 90s grunge. Stressed and theatrical, Chris really delivers those lyrics by throwing himself into the song entirely. It’s a passionate project, and one worth listening to.

Best Lyric: “How we wish for Sunny Ds for better morning.”

WIZTOM - Weather For Two Ft Don Corleone, 17 Milez

Weather For Two - WIZTOM (ft Don Corleone, 17 Milez) (Afrobeat) Now this is what you call feel good music. With Weather For Two, WIZTOM is bringing summer sun and island breeze with a catchy little love song sure to get bodies winding. An upbeat midtempo, this sparkling track is an afrobeat landscape cut with highly compressed and tuned vocals to slice right through the center and give that modern resonant buzz. We really like where the melody sits in the overall chord structure with the background synths providing tension throughout. Our favorite part, however, are the little synth plucks that appear throughout, introducing new depth to the track with each appearance. We guarantee that Weather For Two will bring a smile to your face and some movement to those hips.

Best Lyric: “This is my melody for you.”

MN Moder - Just Forget It

Just Forget It - MN Moder (R&B) In Just Forget It, MN Moder gives a big old “nevermind” to a potential love interest over an incredibly fresh R&B production. The general vibe of the song gives us a Jazmine Sullivan feel—we could hear her tackling a beat like this. It certainly has that “knock” you want as a dry percussion and kick perfectly compliment a swirling synth and key line, with even a pan flute showing up at the end to close out the track. The vocals are given the heavily compressed and tuned effect with what we think is a synth harmonizer that creates a unique sound for the vocalist that is just pure ear candy. When our rapper makes his appearance, he features with an easy flow that was giving us flashbacks to Jeezy features in the 00s. A classic R&B sensibility with a modern production makes MN Moder’s Just Forget It playlist gold.

Best Lyric: “Play the next man, never me though.”

Tainted Youth - Numb

Numb - Tainted Youth (Pop) Tainted Youth takes an EDM approach to alt rock classic Numb, originally recorded by Linkin Park, taking the track in a new and surprising direction. While still applying heavy distortion to the vocal at times, the approach here was to take out a lot of the “grunge” from the original production and instead focus on the power of the lyrics themselves. The vocals are clear and strong, centering the track, as a relatively sparse production sits back and allows the singer to shine. Without the crushing guitars of the original, this pivots the focus of the track from the raw emotion of the original to a more storyteller approach. Our favorite part is the little call back to the original’s counterpoint melody which Tainted Youth puts in a heavily verbed bell hanging in the back. When it first appears, if you didn’t recognize the cover up until then, that’s the moment that it really jogs your memory. It’s such a great eureka moment for oldheads like us here at Necessary Outlet.

Ace Rosewall - Stay Friends

Stay Friends - Ace Rosewall (Pop) Ace Rosewell delivers a perfect Top 40 pop gem with his latest track, Stay Friends—an easy-breezy song about the end of a relationship and transition into friendship. The production is fresh and crisp—a punctuated percussion with all the little pop string plucks, whistles, piano chords and other production tricks one would expect from modern pop. We are even treated to a luscious guitar solo at the end, which really elevates the track. All of these elements build throughout the record as it trots along at a steady pace. It is very much a travelling song—a midtempo that bops along smooth and easy with a real sing-along-ability to it. We can picture pulling up next to someone in traffic belting their lungs out to this one.

Best Lyric: “You know, it was never gonna be us.”

Antony Alexander - It's Always Been You

It’s Always Been You - Antony Alexander (EDM) As soon as those synth chord hits start, you know that you are in for a dance anthem with Antony Alexander’s It’s Always Been You. It’s a Calvin Harris-esque track—poppy, bouncy and catchy, and destined for outdoor summer DJs at tea dances and beach dance parties. The sidechain is heavy, adding to the movement of the track that beckons a few spins on the dancefloor. The vocalist soars, at times having an almost Ellie Goulding quality. We especially loved the chant that wraps the chorus as a great earworm and very sing-along-able. So grab a drink and get that suntan lotion on as you let It’s Always Been You be one of your songs for the summer.

ICEBERG - Swim (EP)

Swim - ICEBERG (EP) (Indie Rock) It’s been quite a pleasure to wade our way into ICEBERG’s Swim project—a brilliantly produced effort chock full of pop gems meant to appear on Top 40 radio. Creative and personal lyrics matched with a consistently lush production, Swim is one of those “play through” albums that doesn’t lose your attention once. Catchy, relatable and highly sing-along-able, Swim is a success.

Which makes it even more impressive that Swim was produced by the artist herself. A Pennsylvania-born artist/producer with ambient indie rock in her soul, this classically trained pianist has also engineered and written for X-Factor winner Matt Terry. And so it gives us great pleasure to not only celebrate ICEBERG as a performer, but also as a multi-talented, multi-faceted artist able to bring her vision to life in nearly every respect.

We start with the general and move into the specific. If we had to give ICEBERG’s project a chart-topping pop radio comparison, we’d say if you liked Alessia Cara’s “Know-It-All” album or are a fan of Sara Bareilles, you’ll feel right at home swimming through all seven tracks of Swim. There’s a melancholy air to the project, with a consistent midtempo flow, centered on live instrumentation and classic song construction that we are happy to say pulls off the hat trick of making the songs both firmly rooted in today and yet timeless. The way the tracks are constructed, they are destined for longevity and to continue reaching audiences long after release.

ICEBERG’s vocals are both strong and intimate. They sit very “front” in most of the mixes with powerful, yet restrained, deliveries which beckon the listener to pull up a chair and lose themselves in the stories told throughout the album. Background vocals are also incorporated subtly, sitting far back in the mixes often in swirling reverbs that add emotional weight to the tracks, making them feel anthemic. It’s a great balance that the songs are so intimate and yet still BIG. Listening to Swim, we have no doubt that ICEBERG is a great live performer—vocal tricks are spare on this album, the vocal production is very light touch—and we can visualize the tracks on Swim filling any venue.

Now, to our standout tracks. Our favorites sit on the backhalf of the project—10ft, Nothing At All and Don’t Give A Fuck. 10ft is a powerful ballad, and tugs on the heartstrings the most out of all the tracks. The verbed wailing guitar and strings swell with emotion and ICEBERG’s vocal range is on full display, from the powerful belt down to the intimate coos. The chord progressions are really driving, they fill your body when listening to them, and the descent at the end of the chorus where she repeats the title is intoxicating, giving us a touch of Fiona Apple.

Nothing At All feels the most radio friendly, mostly due to its distinct lyrics and expertly crafted slow build. This one really sweeps you along and the chorus is very memorable and sing-along-able. But if you want to talk about build and drive, then it’s the finale that you want—Don’t Give A Fuck. The tension is palpable throughout and that kick drum thuds so good—hits you right in the chest. While the entire effort is well produced, Don’t Give A Fuck is a standout and a great track for ICEBERG to take her bow.

Final word: dive into Swim, we guarantee many replays.

Breon S.Y.N.D.E.L - Buy Me Some Time (LP)

By Me Some Time - Breon S.Y.N.D.E.L (LP) (Hiphop) By Me Some Time is loud and in your face, just as a hiphop record should be. It’s a feel good album of midtempos that feel custom made for speeding down the highway, which makes total sense considering Breon’s inspiration for his work, which we discuss more below. The album succeeds in creating a holistic sound that carries through the entire album, and is chock full of nostalgia (particularly in the synth choices) while keeping the drumkits and basslines freshly modern.

Breon describes his project as “what happens when a fever dream meets Wreck-It-Ralph/Sonic the hedgehog” and is heavily inspired by “your favorite video racing games.” We feel this especially comes through in those synth choices—retro and fuzzy, they sound very similar to the Prince 1999 synths. We also have some really great early Nintendo synth effects, specifically highlighted in Sunrise, which give a great throwback feel to the modern hiphop 808s and drumkits.

The album has a consistent sound throughout, and tends to stick to roughly the same tempo, making for a cohesive project. It’s a smart way to capture an audience—if you like one song, there’s no reason you won’t like anything else on the album as each delivers in a specific style. The songs flow directly into each other and make sense in sequencing, making the LP a pleasant listen through.

Aside from the common synths and hiphop bass/drum production, the vocal production is also consistent throughout, and reminds us of Kanye’s vocal production his My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy project. Heavily tuned for that distinctive robotic effect and and airy distortion throughout, it assists in giving the album it’s specific soundscape. That production is matched with deeply personal lyrics that at times hit pretty hard in the chest—Drake-level explorations of heartache and a few references to suicidal ideation really catch you and let you know that Breon is letting you in on some pretty personal stuff. He has an easy flow, and rides all of his beats without a single hiccup, never losing the listener on the journey.

For us, the standout tracks are Double or Nothin, Sunrise and Lemon Squeezy. Double or Nothin is the most personal track on the album, exemplifying what we described earlier as a Drake-level exploration of heartache. It feels the most radio friendly and the back and forth between the lead vocal and an octave drop, dueting in the second verse, is that part of the song that you can’t wait to get to because it just sounds so cool. Sunrise explores those Nintendo and arcade-esque synth sounds that elevates the song into pure earcandy thanks to that healthy dose of nostalgia. Finally, Lemon Squeezy is a perfect closer—the synth progression feels like a finale—and it has a distinct percussion to the rest of the album that really stands out.

Excellently mixed and mastered and chock full of certified two-steps, add Breon S.Y.N.D.E.L’s Buy Me Some Time album to your commute playlist.

Damage Media Group - Come to DMG

Come to DMG - Damage Media Group (LP) (Hiphop) What a pleasure it’s been to listen to the showcase of Memphis, Tennessee talent that is Damage Media Group’s 10-track album Come to DMG. High quality mixing and mastering with a fresh hiphop sound, the album is a soaring success without a single weak track in the bunch. Below, we break into some of our standout tracks and the elements that make the project so successful.

We start with the sound. Come to DMG starts off on a somber note with the broody Remedy, introducing us to the soundscape that will permeate the entire collection. With every song, we’re looking at those crisp trap drumkits and booming 808s. In addition, the tracks stick with a consistent tempo, committing to head bopping and two-stepping mid tempos. In lesser hands, this choice could quickly turn monotonous or make every track sort of blend together and lose its distinctiveness. Not so with Come to DMG, we’re happy to report, which strikes a perfect balance between establishing a unified sound while using slight variations—typically in the complimenting synth bass leads—to give each track its own unique identity.

And of course what helps with that are the collection of stars in the making that feature on each track. When Damage Media Group defines itself as a collection of Memphis talent, we think the label is far too limiting—this is a group of universal talent, who just HAPPEN to all be from Memphis. This isn’t just the best Memphis has to offer, this is the best independent hiphop has to offer.

The lyrics are incredibly clever, the flows varying and all riding their respective beats expertly, and the vocalists all shine and soar. Normally, we’d pick standout songs on these points but we wouldn’t want to make any of these artists feel left out, who all succeed in their own right. So instead, let’s just talk about some of our personal favorites.

First off, title track Remedy is a very strong number and a great way to start the selection. It trots out of the gade with ease, not giving it all away quite yet. The sound took us back to JD in the 00s—think Emancipation of Mimi days—and this one specifically was reminding us of Mary J’s “Be Without You.” As with most of the tracks, the instrumental is impressively mixed and mastered, but restrained, thereby accomplishing what Damage Media Group has set out to do—highlight the performers. 808, drumkit, a few keys, and otherwise just sit back and let the rappers and vocalists lead the way.

Get Some Money is a certified bop and reminds us a lot of Missy’s “Throw it Back” and boy do we wish we had a car with a suped up stereo to listen to this on. Same goes with Own and Sky is Falling. Our personal favorite, though, is Call You Right Back which for us is one that knocks hardest, flows superbly and had the best replay potential. This is the one to invest in, we think, and get placements. There’s a real retro feel to it—for some reason we were reminded of Juvenile—and the sung elements really elevate the song. And finally, we have to shout out Complicated, which closes the EP with what we think is a sound that differs the most from the rest of the album, using a fanfare of brass to give the track a real finale feel. We could hear this beat on a Jasmine Sullivan project.

Hats off to Damage Media Group—you’re repping Memphis very well.

Juliet Callahan - Depth of Soul

Depth of Soul - Juliet Callahan (Alt Rock) There’s something haunting about Juliet Callahan’s new track, Depth of Soul, and we attribute it to the incredibly cool vocal production. Juliet sings with intimacy, soft spoken and subtle, but with a deadliness—a danger. Heavily compressed and tuned for effect, with a tight double/delay, Juliet becomes otherwordly—a silky smooth layering which serves as a great contrast to the grunge of the guitars in the chorus. The song is anthemic, really thrashing in those choruses, housing an impressive mix with a strikingly clean instrument separation. We’re getting Stigmata soundtrack vibes from this one. So we say paint your nails black and turn the volume all the way up with Depth of Soul.

Best Lyric: “I see again, finally found a way to be me again.“

davvn - depressed in heaven

depressed in heaven - davvn (Pop) With an impressive production pulling out all the stops, we can confidently say that davvn’s depressed in heaven belongs on the Top 40 charts. Like, no joke. The track not only centers the vocal, but puts it right up front—intimate and close—and boy does it deliver. Strong and emotive it’s a perfect pop vocal, delivering lyrics that feel right out of the Taylor Swift playbook. We can’t quite place it, but the melody line has a bit of a retro feel—something from the mid-90s. Not “Love Fool” but something from that era, which we are here for. Also, these lyrics are incredibly clever, and while it’s a total cop out, we have to say that our favorite line is the chorus. All in all, davvn’s latest track is a certified earworm, has great sing-along-ability and feels like an obvious choice at any karaoke night.

Best Lyric: “I could win the lottery, angel’s right in front of me, still don’t know if I believe. Got a confession I’d still be depressed in heaven.“