Be Yourself Tonight - Marqelectronica (Pop) This track barrels out of the gate right from beat one. With Marqelectronica’s latest release, “Be Yourself Tonight,” we get a Top 40 worthy EDM jam just in time for summer. With a hyper modern production, the bass and steady kick drive the track forward with incredible momentum, as the modulated vocal line glides through the record like a sports car weaving through highway traffic. There’s an appreciated 80s touch as well in the choruses, with some verbed vocals serving as part of the instrumentation and a handful of memorable synth hits. This is a record that you’d expect to be on the playlist at your gym, only to hear again at the club later. Immaculately produced, this track is a great one for the summer.
Bom-C - Lonely
Lonely - Bom-C (R&B) Bom-C arrives with “Lonely” just in time for sunny weather. “Lonely” is surely a beach/island jam with an afrobeat sensibility and Top 40 crossover appeal. The record is a perfect example of that winning combo of a melancholy subject matter and a dancey groove, resulting in quite a hip winder of a song. Boasting with song of the summer appeal, we see this track as a natural evolution of retro cuts like Justin Bieber “Sorry” and Wayne Wonder “No Letting Go.” Our favorite part of the production, however, are Bom-C’s harmonies in the wall of background vocals that help fill out the sharp instrumental, elevating the entire affair to hit record status. This is one we’ll be jamming to all summer long.
Best Lyric: “Tears in my eye, I’m losing my mind.”
Kapture - New Beginnings
New Beginnings - Kapture (Rap) What would you get if you blended the flow of Megan Thee Stallion with the sung vocal side of Nikki Minaj and the tonality of Saweetie? Why, you’d get the fresh sound of Kapture, who is here to announce a new beginning in her track…”New Beginnings.” Feeling very much as if it could be lifted from Pink Friday, Kapture takes an upbeat approach to fresh starts through a punchy and crisp production. As the trap inspired snares and hats crack, we get a looped warped vocal effect as our synth which leaves Kapture plenty of room to shine as both a rapper and singer. Also filled with earcandy aplenty thanks to producer Sam J. Garfield, “New Beginnings” is that peppy summer bop just in time for the sunny weather.
Best Lyric: “When time slows down I can hear my heartbeat.”
Cas Du Pree - London
London - Cas Du Pree (Pop) Subject matter wise, Cas Du Pree’s ode to London reminds us of Madonna’s own ode to New York back in her Confessions on a Dancefloor era. Sonically though, instead of a pulsing EDM number we’ve got a dancey pop-funk track, which has a great understanding of underlying tension and release—the former driven by the plucky guitar and the latter expressed by the punchy horn arrangement. The record delivers a mellow vibe, easy listening for sure, making it an all ages affair. The vocal lead has a childlike innocence to it, which pairs well with the kind of reverence the song is delivering to the singer’s beloved home. A pleasant listen all around.
Mase J - What's It To You?
What’s It To You? - Mase J (Rap) Mase J is back on the blog, following our review of “Head/Heart”, a melancholy melodic rap. This time, things feel a little more upbeat, as on “What’s It To You?” we have a lush production with crispy percussion on top of a hypnotic guitar loop. Taking a more aggressive approach, this time Mase J delivers a pointed song about chasing dreams and recognizing the matrix-like simulation of life. Our favorite part of a Mase J track continues to be his understanding of melodic phrase—his vocals slip in and out of spoken word and sung verse, with harmonies reminding us of Bone Thugs N Harmony. Never overstaying his welcome, the track fades out abruptly, continuing to leave the listener wanting more.
Talia Grace - Soliloquy
Soliloquy - Talia Grace (Singer-Songwriter) This is one of the delightful tracks where we have a horrible time choosing our favorite lyric because they are all SO GOOD. Talia Grace’s latest track, “Soliloquy”, is the epitome of the lesson that the more specific you are, the more universal you are. Not a cliche in sight, Talia opens her heart and expresses her specific circumstances of loss and regret, evoking the storytelling strengths of Adele, Norah Jones and Sara Bareillis on this lush track. The production delivers beauty in its simplicity and lets the heartache seep through the vocal, in a way that also reminds us of “When Somebody Loved Me” by Sarah McLachlan. Hauntingly beautiful, this is a track that stays with you long after it concludes.
Best Lyric: “And I feel like I’ve wasted all the love I’ve given, cuz they’re all out there living doing fine without me.”
Tali Simone Febland - Straight Lines
Straight Lines - Tali Simone Febland (Indie Pop) Tali Simone Febland’s latest track, “Straight Lines”, has an epic, anthemic feel to it—like it would perfectly fit on top of the closing credits of an indie movie. Boasting a lush production, Tali’s angelic airy lead soars above a driving guitar, muted thudding kick and a heartstring tugging string arrangement (shoutout to the artistry of violinist Morgan Marshall). The light touch of vocal tricks, doubles, harmonies and effects allows them to pack a punch when they do arrive. By far our favorite part of the track is the outro, where it’s just Tali and the piano rounding out the track with a cliffhanger melody line beckoning for a repeat.
Best Lyrics: “You can’t believe in what you didn’t see.“
Isak's Island - Someone I'd Recognise
Someone I’d Recognise - Isak’s Island (Singer-Songwriter) When Isak’s Island’s “Someone I’d Recognise” begins playing, you are immediately transported to places like a countryside or the rocky shores of a sleepy seaside town. With a minimal, intimate, acoustic production, the song pulls you in immediately to be romanced by an intoxicating melody and the husky, mature lead vocal that is drenched in vulnerability. A touching love song with a unique lyrical concept, finding someone you’d recognise, this track could easily be a couple’s “song” played at their wedding. A slow build, the record hits its crescendo with the addition of a bittersweet string arrangement, and when married with the poetic lyrics, the heartstring tugging track soars.
Mara Liddle - Oversharing
Oversharing - Mara Liddle (Pop) After wanting to become “facebook official,” pop robot Mara Liddle has returned to the blog with another catchy little midtempo R&B/pop hybrid with “Oversharing”, a delicate confection about doing too much when trying to forge relationships. With her distinctive tuned vocal production, Mara’s robotic modulation calling card gives the record an almost a plastic innocence, infusing the track’s lyrics with relatability to the universal subject matter of failed social connection, soliciting empathy for the performer as a kid sister you just want to help guide along the way. Catchy and very repeatable, the memorable melody paired with this effect creates quite the earworm. The production on “Oversharing” is very tight, with swirling synths punctuated by an 808 and classic trap percussion, and overall we think this is a great one for your commute.
Best Lyric: “Said some things I should’ve kept to myself.”
Carter Ray - Empty Promises
Empty Promises - Carter Ray (Pop) Carter Ray is back with the dark pop “Empty Promises”—a meditation on toxic narcissism and emotional manipulation, as Carter lets the listener in on the after effects Carter still deals with following a bad relationship. The sonic landscape is lead by heavily compressed and tuned vocals to give a piercing, robotic tone to slice through the swirling production, driven forward by the hefty bounce of the 808. The vocal themselves are soft and vulnerable, reflective and contemplative, accented with a distortion that gives it real ear candy quality. We could actually hear this tune next to some of Kanye’s “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.” This a turn off the lights and vibe out kinda track.
David Nolf - Hell Of A Night
Hell of A Night - David Nolf (Rock Pop) David Nolf delivers two feel good, Top 40 tracks with his EP “Hell Of A Night.” Infusing pop/rock with a country sensibility, David’s strong vocal performance soars above pumping productions to deliver an all ages affair. In both the title track and closer, “Feels Like Summer”, David delivers a soundtrack to summertime beach parties and road trips (though honestly, they are also great cardio motivators for summer body readiness). Not only are the tunes incredibly catchy little pop confections, but they also have an anthemic weight to them, a bit of soul infused into the pop that elevates what might otherwise be stuck in the realm of bubblegum. If you don’t hear this track through us, we wouldn’t be surprised if it was the soundtrack to a big national commercial.
Cliffs + Caves - Eso Si Que Es
Eso Si Que Es - Cliffs + Caves (Folk) What a gorgeous song. With “Eso Si Que Es”, Cliffs + Caves delivers a heartstring tugging folk ballad that is as captivating as it is mesmerizing. The vocals are pure heaven, balancing strength with intimacy, delivering superb lyrics that stick with you long after listening, giving us a very Sara Bareilles vibe from the storytelling. The song seems primed for media placement—an indie romantic drama or a TV melodrama—we could certainly here it playing over a heart wrenching scene. This is one of those records someone clings to when going through a trying time, and hearing it will always bringing them back to a particular moment in time when they worked through something difficult. This track is truly, truly magical.
Best Lyrics: “Life is full of magic things mixed between tragedies.”
De Antiquis Et Novis - Falling Stars
Falling Stars - De Antiquis Et Novis (Dance) “Falling Stars” wastes no time getting started, with the classic house keys and driving bass immediately letting you know that you’re about to get spun around the dance floor. It’s a robust production complete with crisp 90s house percussion elements, but centered with a modern kick that thuds right in the chest. Vocals are sparse on this dance record, a lilting female vocal occasionally popping in and out, leaving it up to the constantly building instrumental to keep the listener dancing. Catchy, driving and full of constant forward momentum, with “Falling Stars” De Antiquis Et Novis delivers a club track perfect for any summer party, surely to be a favorite among DJs to keep bodies moving on the floor.
Sandra Bouza - The City
The City - Sandra Bouza (Folk) There’s a real Sarah McLachlan vibe to Sandra Bouza’s “The City”. A driving piano ballad with vocal tonality reminiscent of the aforementioned on her track “Adia”, “The City” also gives us the storytelling strength of a Sara Bareilles or Adele song. This broody record laments innocence lost, told through the tale of a young woman who thought she knew more about the world—the city—than she did. Sung passionately from the perspective of a woman matured and grown wiser with time, presumably to her past herself, the simple production of piano and voice really lets Sandra’s incredible voice and talented delivery stand squarely in the spotlight. Hey musical theater actresses, put this one in your callback repertoire.
Best Lyric: “Never unseen by the sunrise.”
Marion Hall - I'm Doing Better
I’m Doing Better - Marion Hall (HipHop) While the theme of doing fine without a recent ex and finding someone better is certainly a well explored topic in music, certainly in pop and hiphop, I’m not sure we’ve ever heard such a big 808 bumping reggae infused hiphop track carrying this message where the new better man is THE man himself, the man upstairs—Jesus. With a tonality that strikes as as a reggae-infused Lil Kim, Marion Hall lets her ex know what should be obvious—he cannot compare with the Lord. The song is a straight banger, certainly with great sing-along-ability and the urge to put on repeat to learn all of Marion’s boasts about Gucci suits. Tune into the video above, where the son of God has also blessed Marion and her gal pals with a yacht for all her prior relationship troubles. The Lord certainly works in mysterious ways.
Wotts - Blue
Blue - Wotts (Indie Pop) Wotts’ latest track “Blue” is hazy summertime personified. Dreamy, funky and retro, the track bumps as if it is spinning on vinyl as you listen, with a driving bass line that carries the song through its lush production. As the record continues, permeated with warm analog fuzz throughout, it constantly elevates by adding more and more to an already full arrangement, without ever feeling overcrowded—our favorite moment being a shining guitar solo right before the final chorus. The vocal production is understated, a husky baritone that is baked into the track as if it is just another instrument in the orchestration. This song is just good vibes and a bask in summer sun.