LEK - Hurricane Sam (R&B/Pop) Hurricane Sam let’s everyone know in retro crossover R&B jam, “LEK” with a UK garage instrumental by Def Starz. From the artist, the song is “inspired by raucous nights out in London's Shoreditch, Islington and Camden…chart[ing] an attempt to round up a group of completely mad friends for a successful late night out on the town.” In their call to party, Hurrican Sam delivers a punchy tenor lead supported by some classic R&B harmony backgrounds, reminding us of some Craig David jams of yesteryear. Cutting through the silky flow of the vocals is a poppy and plucky percussion arrangement, with a crisp kick setting the groovy mid tempo. Equal parts funky and dancey, Hurricane Sam’s “LEK” is feel good music—and you may just want to join them at the club.
Moon and Aries - A Love Revival
A Love Revival - Moon and Aries (R&B) Moon and Aries are back for a third time on the blog to light some candles and ignite a roaring fire in latest single “A Love Revival.” The group continues to show versatility following the jazzy “traffic” and dreamy “Blurred Vision” by going full throttle into bedroom music. The track screams 90s R&B, a smooth and sparkling R&B cut that evokes the early work of Toni Braxton and LaFace productions. A poppy percussion overlays shimmering keys and a sultry sax, while honey dripped vocals bolstered by warm harmony punches seduce. In sum, “A Love Revival” will get you hot—this is quiet storm radio at its finest.
The Feels - I'm Not That Guy
I’m Not That Guy - The Feels (Funk) The Feels—a Long Island, New York based duo currently uplifting souls and generating electrifying buzz with their funky pop—are certainly setting a vibe with funky new record. In “I’m Not That Guy”, the duo lets future lovers know that if it’s not kismet, they are moving right along. It’s a retro affair with this one, a funk infused and disco sprinkled groove that serves as a real two stepper. Ear candy abound in this single, with the plucky panned guitars and sparkling synths and keys. Vocally, the leads remind us of early George Michael with the layered choruses and backgrounds taking it into BeeGees territory. This one will certainly spin you on the dance floor.
Best Lyric: “I’m not the one to go and waste all your time.”
Jessenation - Fire Party
Fire Party - Jessenation (Afrobeat) Afrobeat goodness is abound in Jessenation’s latest jam, “Fire Party.” The artist tells us that the track is quintessential Afrobeat, “infusing pulsating beats, electrifying synths, and Jessenation's signature charismatic vocals into an inferno of sonic brilliance.” We agree with that “Fire Party” is sonic brilliance, with a groovy guitar lick complimenting a molten lava baseline, the vibe is set while some Akon-reminsicent vocals carry a straight up party song. The instrumental is quite hypnotic and intoxicating, conjuring the image of a hazy summer evening at a beach dance party. All in all, “Fire Party” is just that, and a real hip winder.
Super Saiyan Jay - Staying In
Staying In - Super Saiyan Jay (Rap) Super Saiyan Jay just wants to lay on the couch in his latest track, and ode to introverts, “Staying In.” Jay tells us that the track is about “finding a need to escape into your own reality and being at peace with that.” There’s some introspection here, with a touch of melancholy about having no desire to venture out into the world. The tale is told over a retro hiphop instrumental with percussion that punches through the mix, while a soft organ synth paints a chill atmosphere in the background. It’s a vibey track for sure, giving rainy day overcast feels that might make you want to stay in as well.
Best Lyric: “Vibin to my songs, peace inside my home.”
Mara Liddle - Be Alone
Be Alone - Mara Liddle (Pop) Mara Liddle is back for the fourth time this year with “Be Alone”, a breakbeat led avant-garde dance number that reminds us a lot of 90s alternative pop. We are again treated to Mara’s intimate vocal performance, this time cutting through some swirling synth keys that cast a dizzying spell on the listener, making you feel like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole. What always impresses us with Mara is the way she’s able to take something that should be a straight down the middle bubblegum pop number and add an element of danger and tension, twisting it every so slightly to imbue a bit of beautiful strangeness. We could hear this one on an early Kelis album.
Best Lyric: “The proof is right there in the way that you avoid my gaze.”
Kelsie Kimberlin - Turn Back
Turn Back - Kelsie Kimberlin (Indie Pop) Kelsie Kimberlin paints a lush portrait with latest track “Turn Back.” this is the third in a trilogy of songs from the artist, with accompanying videos meant to draw attention to the unjustness of the war in Ukraine. “Turn Back” is a siren song sung from home, coaxing wandering souls to return to the safety from which they came. Kelsie delivers that message through a vocal wall of intricate harmony layers that are truly heavenly. Accompanied by a haunting piano line, Kelsie crafts an epic ballad that lingers in the air like smoke.
Best Lyric: “There is nothing out there for you, you’ve got everything here.”
Carson Aday - Fade Away
Fade Away - Carson Aday (Rock Pop) We feel love slipping through Carson Aday’s latest single “Fade Away”, a heartbreaking and heartstring pulling alternative rock bop with some 90s chart-topper vibes. The melancholy is palpable on “Fade Away”, carried through the track with a lilting guitar line and haunting background vocal chant. Layered on top are Carson’s honey vocals, close and intimate, giving an emotive and vulnerable performance that really gets you right in the chest. The record is beautifully sad, the kind of song that gives you that tingly sensation when listening.
Best Lyric: “Don’t even let me start, don’t let me fall apart.“
DPB - Undefeated 3.0 (Radio Edit)
Undefeated 3.0 (Radio Edit) - DPB (Pop) With “Undefeated 3.0”, DPB serves an anthemic pop record and love letter to his own resilience. It’s a simple, yet filling, arrangement, centered on a wide 808 and punchy toms and kicks, backed by some twinkling keys and amped up with some guitars in the chorus. It reminds us a lot of R&B crossover records of the ‘10s—the height of acts like Neyo and the return of MJB. But this soundscape just sets the stage for the true star of the track—the lyrics. Delivered with a Rick Ross-esque husky flow on the verses and complemented with a strong chorus vocal, the song is a pep talk set to music. Gratitude, positivity and resilience are served for anyone needing to be reminded of their own power and potential.
Best Lyric: “I am the champion of this fight.”
Skar de Line - The One
The One - Skar de Line (Pop) Skar de Line soars with the epically cinematic “The One”. We can’t overstate how “big” this song is—a wide rumbling bass grounds the track as vocal punches soar in the reverb to create a ton of space for Skar to play in. Accompanied by walkie-talkie vocal punches and plucky synth leads and keys, Skar shows versatility with his varied, yet always emotive, vocal performance. For most of the track, we are treated to his resonant baritone anchoring the song as the instrumental almost fights to envelope him. But we also get some fun earcandy in some spoken word distortions and of course he lets it all fly in his upper register when coasting through the reverb. This song fills you up while exposing all of Skar’s many talents.
GrayBeat - Diamond Mic
Diamond Mic - GrayBeat (Rap) GrayBeat is on the way to the gig with a trunk full of fresh hiphop beats in latest track “Diamond Mic.” The record has a great old school hiphop and analog feel—in some ways reminding us of when Outkast played with retro sounds back in the 00s. The booming bass drives the track down the freeway as surprising diversions appear along the journey, one being a warbling guitar and another some playful brass. The track hits its sweet spot in the bridge, though, when the vocals start layering, backed by some soft synths, creating a wall of sound that just fills the soul. GrayBeat is out here making feel good hiphop.
Best Lyric: “The only dope I got up in this trunk is this music.”
Toby TomTom - Black Swan
Black Swan - Toby TomTom (R&B) Toby TomTom delivers something truly unique with fresh feel good jam “Black Swan.” The first thing that jumps out about the track is that it defies genre—there’s certainly an R&B leaning, especially with the vocals, but it also ventures into EDM, funk and soul to create an avant garde experience. The collection of sounds shouldn’t work together, and yet they do, creating a sort of future R&B—we could see this being a natural evolution of say, Outkast’s 00s music. What stands out the most is the incorporation of atmospherics into the general flow, from a crunchy sizzle sound to bird chirping to various video game and techno effects that layer on to make a complex and multi-level listening experience. It’s musical ASMR.
Jamcie - Sun Comes Up
Sun Comes Up - Jamcie (Rap/Dance) Following our previous review of “Slow it Down”, Jamcie returns with his unique blend of hiphop and retro 90s house with the breezy and ethereal single “Sun Comes Up.” Similar to his prior track, Jamcie—a gifted rapper most known today for his part in renowned rap trio ‘FREE’MINDS’—is using his specific flavor of soundscape to place this track right on the dancefloor. The vibes remind us of Sonique’s “Feels So Good”, a perfect blend of EDM and R&B sensibility. Jamcie’s flow is an easy one, delivered in a resonant baritone that slices through the otherwise shimmering and groovy instrumental. Jamcie’s out here making feel good music.
Best Lyric: “I’m a naughty boy, it’s in my nature.”
Proklaim - THIEVES
THIEVES - Proklaim (Hiphop) The prolific Proklaim is back on the blog for the seventh time this week following the double feature of “REASON 2 BELIEVE” and “LOVE HIGHWAY” with “THIEVES.” On the record, Proklaim repeats that he sees the world going crazy and asks if it’s just him. We think anyone paying attention sees it too. While his Kendrick tonality remains, Proklaim is serving us something new with this one. Despite its crisp percussion, it’s a smooth record, evoking the feeling of a steady trot down a dirt path on horseback. It’s a travelling song for sure, with olympic level flow—Proklaim’s spit here is relentless, never letting up for one second, as he opines about the world around him. Another well produced, meticulously layered and catchy track from an artist with something to say.
Best Lyric: “Even when I couldn’t see the finish line I had to take another step.”
Belz - Love and Gucci Gloves
Love and Gucci Gloves - Belz (R&B) Look, Belz is straight up—she wants to be rich, famous and successful—and she lets us know all about her ambitions in her vibey R&B pop “Love and Gucci Gloves.” The track sort of has a Meghan Trainor kind of vibe in its retro influences, mixed with a bit of Blu Cantrell “Hit ‘Em Up Style”. The track starts with Belz immediately in the spotlight, backed solely but some crips snaps, giving us a classic R&B vocal, eventually building to the point where she’s backed by a soulful choir and a big band sort of instrumental. It’s a great meld of modern sensibility and 90s R&B retro—a genre that thankfully seems to be on the rise. And with a track like this, we assume those Gucci gloves are just on the horizon for Belz.
Best Lyric: “What if I can never feel that type of love?”
Olya Polyakova & Army of Lovers - Love is Blue
Love is Blue - Olya Polyakova & Army of Lovers (Pop) Olya Polyakova & Army of Lovers are giving us some serious Abba dance floor vibes with their latest track, “Love is Blue.” Driven by a rousing choral vocal and backed by a plucky instrumental, this track is full of the kind of quirky theatricality that would have surely made it a pop hit chart topper and dance floor anthem of yesteryear. The record is big, with the vocals crescendoing into the rafters, lead by an incredible belt from the lead vocalist that is almost operatic in nature. On top of that, the record is extremely catchy and centered in the category of feel good music. So if you’re a bit nostalgic for the disco dance floor numbers of the past, we think you’ll be pleased with the concoction that is “Love is Blue.”