Baze Blackwood - Banana Ketchup

Banana Ketchup - Baze Blackwood (Indie Pop)  “Banana Ketchup” is a record that lives up to its name—quirky and inventive. Baze Blackwood gives some serious 80s vibes in this eclectic production, specifically with the drums and vocal production. There’s an almost reggae feel to the flow—it’s an island/beach jam for sure—belied by the off the wall synth production that makes the track incredibly unique. On top of all that originality, Baze delivers a story song—something we don’t see very often—about a third person, telling a tale with high art poetry—you shouldn’t be surprised that a song titled “Banana Ketchup” has some avant-garde lyrics. But what’s most interesting is that while there is creativity abound, it’s centered on a very catchy pop melody, a great delivery mechanism for this high concept record.

Best Lyric: “Blood on the trees.”

Cause Allure - Dreamzzz

Dreamzzz - Cause Allure (Pop/R&B)  Cause Allure certainly creates a lush dreamscape in their latest track “Dreamzzz.” It’s a warm, analog, retro production complete with that delicious vinyl fuzz whose sonic landscape is the personification of the last glowing ember in a fireplace. It’s a trippy track for sure, with an old timey muffled record spinning in the back on a loop as the retro hiphop drumkit drives the track forward. A proper duet, we’ve got a melodic male rap/spoken word handing the baton to a warbling, layered and tightly delayed female vocal, with each artist pulling the listener further down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. The song seems to exist in that limbo between asleep and awake, like a night when you stay up to see the first crack of dawn before finally hitting the hay. Of all of the intricate layers of this lush track, we were particularly fond of the sax production, which really leveled up the track to make it stand out from its peers.

Best Lyric: “All that we perceive are dreams in another dream.”

Kelsie Kimberlin - Road Trip Summer Remix

Road Trip Summer Remix - Kelsie Kimberlin (Pop)  Kelsie Kimberlin is outta here, heading out on a roadtrip with the hope of leaving all of her troubles behind. In her latest record, the “Road Trip Summer Remix,” we get a hyper modern mid tempo bop that would feel right at home on the Top 40 charts. The overall vibe is dancehall, centered on a driving kick and accented by crisp snares and claps. The record has some great movement, really ‘trotting’ down the road at an easy clip—a lighthearted and breezy listen that beckons repeats. Overall, the “Road Trip Summer Remix” is pure escapism, a happy little bop to 2-step along to.

Best Lyric: “I always thought that my family was perfect, so I never prepared for the day it didn’t work out.”

Annstiina - Berlin

Berlin - Annstiina (Pop)  Robyn vibes abound in Annstiina’s latest record, “Berlin.” It’s a “big” song for sure, conjuring images of a massive club or rave with flashing lights and fog machines as bodies undulate the night away on the dance floor. As the synth bass drives the song forward, adding an urgency to an otherwise airy track, swirling synths and heavily verbed percussion and strings add an epicness to the affair. Annstiina’s vocals are sharp yet slippery, slinking about the production with an emotive delivery, calling like a siren or preaching like a goddess to her disciples. Overall, “Berlin” is an acid trip of a track, and we suggest you take it.

Lukx - Breathing

Breathing - Lukx (Pop/HipHop)  I feel like at this point we just have to say we Likex Lukx, because he’s just a bop factory. “Breathing” marks his fifth appearance on our blog, and is certainly his poppiest effort to date. Screaming Top 40, his latest track leans into a funk/R&B vibe, with his husky Snoop Dogg esque vocals bouncing between earworm melodies and syncopated flow. In fact with this one specifically, we think Lukx’s vocals really take a step up, with the moments he steps into the spotlight to sing without his signature layering he impresses. Having had the privilege to review Lukx often, we can now say that his lane is certainly positivity. Each effort is pure sunshine, delivering a consistent sonic style and yet always giving something new. All in all, “Breathing” is sure to leave you out of breath after you spin to it on the dance floor.

July - Medicated

Medicated - July ([]). Oh hello quiet storm radio. With “Medicated,” July is bringing us a real old school R&B sensibility, with enough touches of the new new to make the track current. It’s a dreamy production overall, containing swirling synths and a glistening piano riff that are cut with tight and crisp trap-style hats. But as bumpin as the instrumental is, the strength of the track rests on July’s vocal—punchy and melodic, emotive yet restrained. And when July takes off into his shining falsetto, we get a Weeknd kinda feel. In sum, “Medicated” a real vibe, and definitely sets a sexy mood. Put this one on your “late night” playlist, if you catch our meaning.

Best Lyric: “Chasing these demons.”

Edie Yvonne - In The Rain

In the Rain - Edie Yvonne (Indie Pop). With “In the Rain”, Edie Yvonne delivers a bittersweet record, full of pathos. Sonically, it’s a tasty blend of pop and folk with a sprinkle of country inspirations throughout—a genre blending recipe that creates a timeless sound. Kicking off with guitar strums, images of sun creeping through the foliage on a humid day are conjured, and the beautiful melancholy of the song is delivered by the inviting descending chord progression in the chorus and the tightly delayed vocal. There’s a fuzzy analog quality to this record as well—we personally think it would make a great vinyl. Finally, with the telephone EQ on the wistful vocal at the bridge, Edie solidifies herself as an artist who understands how to use a light touch on production to evoke the strongest of emotions.

Best Lyric: “Please let me go. Go.”

BLOODLIN3 - Mercy (LP)

Mercy (LP) - BLOODLIN3 (HipHop/Rap) As Lizzo would say, “it’s about damn time!”  Frequent featured artist on our blog, Bloodlin3 has finally blessed us with an album, “Mercy”, after our chance to review singles “Please Don’t Bother Me” and “Until I Fall”. 

In our prior reviews, we noticed a trend to BLOODLIN3 music.  While boasting modern production, BLOODLIN3 tracks were constantly dripping in 90s hiphop nostalgia—the good old days, and the soundtrack to this specific reviewer’s youth.  In “Please Don’t Bother Me” we got Nate Dogg and Marshall Mathers LP vibes, while “Until I Fall” made us think of Ludacris and Twista.  In “Mercy,” we’re happy to say we get even more great references from yesteryear and a boatload of surprises.

BLOODLIN3 calls “Mercy” an homage to the golden era of hip hop in the 1990s, infused with elements of the here and now.  The goal is to give all hiphop and R&B fans something to hold onto in this project.  And in that respect, BLOODLIN3 hits it out of the part.  Let’s dig in.

Quick note, we’ll skip the prior singles so we can focus on the new new.  See our prior reviews for a deeper look at those.

Like any good 90s album, we are treated to an intro, giving us a bit of storytelling in the album to set the stage for the experience, rising the work to more than just a collection of tunes.  “Intro (Enter Bloodlin3)” begins with some TLC/Missy/Usher worthy intro strangeness, and at 2:12 qualifies as a track on its own.  When creepy dolls aren’t haunting us, we get some classic Bloodlin3 melodic layers here that feel like a Timbaland cut for Timbaland & Magoo or Aaliyah’s “One In A Million” LP.

“Execution Day” starts straight Eminem “Forgot About Dre” before moving into Twista and Busta vibes.  While this might not be the intro, it certainly introduces Bloodlin3’s impressive penship and rapid fire spitting.  Bizzy Bone and AC Killer are welcome guests on the track, reminding us of the days in hiphop when all your favorite MCs would hop on a track together.  Don’t miss the bonus Swishahouse remix to this one at the end of the project.

“Where Did All My Homies Go” brings us to Bone Thugs ’N Harmony territory, taking 80s R&B drum kits and synths to create a lush and sparkling production.  If you have nostalgia for “Crossroads,” this is your cut.

“Panic Attack” begins with an ominous newscaster warning us we’re about to get straight up jumped with the next track.  We’re back in Eminem/Twista/Busta territory, with a flow that regularly jumps into triplets that we didn’t realize was a common 90s cadence until we heard it here.  While all the songs are well written, this one has our favorite lyrics.

That being said, “Take Me Away” is our favorite track overall.  The haunting music box background with the tight trap percussion pairs so wonderfully with Bloodlin3’s signature husky, layered vocals and like some of the other tracks, also reminds us of a Timbaland production.  This one just as another layer to it, another dimension.  It sits in the chest — and that sped up vocal hook is absolute heaven. It’s just got extra sauce, we’re not sure how to explain it.

Finally, album closer “I Understand” shocked us with its infusion of smooth jazz, all to tell a deeply personal tale about understanding and appreciating their parents with the 20/20 vision that comes from time.  We were not expecting to hear such a love letter on this project.  The depth of the artistry here is as impressive as it is touching.  What a beautiful note to end on.

In sum, this album had us saying “God damn I miss this music.” And now we don’t have to. Enter BLOODLIN3.

Noelle Carroll - Strawberry Skittles

Strawberry Skittles - Noelle Carroll (Pop). Noelle Carroll delivers sunshine and butterflies in her infectiously upbeat record “Strawberry Skittles”. Impeccably produced with a rousing chorus and crisp percussion, the song has great sing-along-ability only outshined by the masterful lyrics and storytelling. Love songs can get quite repetitive, but Noelle finds specific objects to serve as imagery to tell a tale of love grounded in the little things. It gives vibes of Sara Bareilles, Vanessa Carlton and all those great female singer-songwriters who expertly marry catchy hooks with clever lyrics. Like the cup of coffee she references in the chorus, Noelle’s latest track is an upper, and goes down nice and smooth.

Best Lyric: “I’m sure it’s a glitch in the system, cuz God knows that I don’t deserve him.”

dreamcat - Fresh Air

Fresh Air - dreamcat (Dream Pop). The 80s are alive in dreamcat’s latest track, “Fresh Air.” Familiar synths and retro drumkits abound, dreamcat adds a unique spin on the classic sound by giving the vocal production a hypermodern touch of dreampop. The overall product is an intoxicating record, creating a nostalgic feel along with a bittersweetness by the infusion of a poppy and plucky instrumental with a lethargic sadness in the vocal line. It feels quite heavy in the chest, contemplative and wistful—there’s levels to this. We’re told the track is the first release from an upcoming EP inspired by dreamcat’s journey to sobriety, and after listening to this track, we expect something very special.

Mirnaz - God Complex

God Complex - Mirnaz (Pop). What a change 6 months makes. With one hell of a switchup from her original acoustic version of the song, Mirnaz storms onto the scene with her new take on her track “God Complex.” Sonically, it feels taken straight out of 00s pop, with a strumming guitar loop that called us back to Justin Timberlake’s first solo record, “Like I Love You.” Like that track, “God Complex” is imbued with hiphop sensibility, making for a catchy little bop. In her new rendition, Mirnaz is all about expressing her complexities in hopes time will simply them, and reflects on her mistakes while forgiving her past self. It’s a deep message for such a buzzy little earworm, delivering some heady truth with a spoonful of pop sugar.

Best Lyric: “I’m judgy, I’m hazy, every minute, let me hear it.”

Jesse Pringle - Other Side

Other Side - Jesse Pringle (Pop). Jesse Pringle’s latest track, “Other Side,” is a reminder that patience is a virtue. The song takes its time, beginning with intimate vocals that linger in the air. There’s no rush here, a subtle tension is left on simmer to lure the listener into the production with Jesse serving as pied piper. Sonically, we feel like this one is in the Weeknd category, with its meld of muted 80s synth influences paired with a hard hitting hiphop drumkit bringing the track current. Patience is certainly rewarded with the standout moment of this track—the soaring chorus. It’s extremely catchy and opens up the song to breathe, providing a great contrast to the restrained verses. There’s some real musicality on display in this one.

Best Lyric: “I get more fucked up as the day goes on.”

Majeska - Please Wait, Saving...

Please Wait, Saving… - Majeska (Pop). Majeska’s latest track “Please Wait, Saving…” seems to pay homage to her name, as it truly is one majestic record. The song is a blueprint of build, starting with a melancholy warbling piano paired with a close and intimate vocal production that reminds us a lot of Fiona Apple. The vocals themselves are gorgeous, lush and rich and dripping with passion and theatricality. Tonally, we get a lot of notes of a Katy Perry ballad, especially when the song slams into overdrive in the final moments. This is when the track evolves from an intimate character study into a pop/rock opera with an incoming rolling storm of distortion and cathedral soaring vocals that really open the song into something epic.

Best Lyric: “Where do I sit on your list when you take your pic, God you make me sick.”

Sunny Court - Bloodshot

Bloodshot - Sunny Court (Pop). This one has it all. In Sunny Court’s “Bloodshot”, we’ve got a team of artists (this track is a collaboration with Canadian artists Apollo Rising) together dropping some incredibly memorable lyrics on top of an immaculately produced track. Incorporating some glitchy synths and distorted drums, the record undeniably slams, and ends up becoming a genre defying meld of pop, emo, rap and punk chock full of earworms with a style all its own. It’s truly unique among all the tracks we’ve listened to this year, sonically capturing the vulnerable, yet aggressive, emotional tsunami about the toll of addiction and toxic relationships. “Bloodshot” is Top 40 worthy, through and through.

Best Lyric: “Anxiety is keeping me warm.”

Alexia Vegas - Feel This Way

Feel This Way - Alexia Vegas (Pop). In this pop/R&B hybrid, Alexia Vegas croons a bittersweet song about the tendency of sweet love to turn sour with her latest track, “Feel This Way.” There’s a melancholy to this record, evoked by the telephone-EQ vocals and the cathedral placed backings, as Alexia laments how “i’ll never leave yous” and “i’ll always love yous” can soon be followed by a “but.” The instrumentation is minimal, sitting Alexia front and center to showcase her emotive vocals, but a standout piece of the arrangement were surely the 90s-era R&B synth string plucks that took us back to the days of Brandy, Destiny’s Child and TLC. Catchy and full of earworms, get Alexia’s “Feel This Way” on your playlists.

Best Lyric: “Isn’t that what we always say?”

Adub Nati - Save Me

Save Me - Adub Nati (HipHop). Adub Nati is taking us BACK with his latest track, “Save Me”, a certified fresh summer bop that reminds us of the early Kanye days. Serving up backyard BBQ vibes, Adub gives us melodic flow in the verses with a T-Pain-esque tuned chorus that was prevalent in the crossover hiphop records of the 00s. In “Save Me,” Adub leans into his religious messaging and asks the divine for help, furthering his mission as an artist to make quality positive hiphop. The track is about asking for elevation and evolution, knowing one’s worth and knowing one belongs on a higher plane, and asking for a little help to get there. So at its heart, it’s a chill summer groove about moving on up, and having the confidence to know that when you get there, you will flourish—just as this track does.

Best Lyric: “Cookin’ in this frying pan.”