Wowashwow - Class Enrollment

Class Enrollment - Wowashwow (HipHop/Rap)  The first thing you notice on this track are the beautiful warbling keys that pull you into the vibe of the song. But trust that this track has a real build and goes a lot of different places, switching up the percussion in verse 2 that defies you to stop paying attention to the expertly crafted lyrics layered into them. Wowashwow is giving us a real Kelis vibe on the airy vocals which seam to float throughout the track, which ultimately is drive by our artist’s expert flow. In that respect, the rap lines have a centered/grounded delivery in a register similar to Latto, which pairs really nicely with the contrasting sung lines. It’s certainly a bop.

Best Lyric: “Flowin’ like water, n***a drinkin’ up the lyrical.”

Red Skies Mourning - A Beautiful Mess

A Beautiful Mess - Red Skies Mourning (Pop)  What a beautiful song. Red Skies Mourning gives a swirling soundscape in A Beautiful Mess which gives us heavy alternative 90s vibes despite also sitting comfortably in hiphop. Chock full of memorable lyrics, the track’s chorus is an earworm and the overall production does a great job of setting the melancholy vibe. Closing our eyes, we envision a music video where our lead singer is walking backwards while singing to camera, as dark clouds roll in on the sky. This broody number belongs on your rainy day playlist, paired with a big glass of wine and an evening of reminiscing on loves left behind.

Best Lyric: “You help me walk when I can’t move.”

Marc Rangel - Song Cry

Song Cry - Marc Rangel (R&B)  Like Jay-Z before them, Marc Rangel is making the song cry, but also the person it’s directed at by telling them that they can basically f**k all the way off. Let’s start with the best part—this song’s lyrics are G R E A T. It was so difficult to choose a best lyric because so many of them made us smile. The smart thing about carefully crafting these lines is that it begs the listener to put the track on repeat until you memorize every single one—that’s certainly what we’re doing over here. The song is also well produced—particularly loving the buzzy bass lead that chimes in right where you want it—and the vocal line is given the intentional heavy hand of autotune that fits perfectly with this song’s vibe. Hey Marc, this blog can really only say one thing— GO OFF! :)

Best Lyric: “Won’t let no loser get me in my feelings.” [it was so hard to pick just one]

Antony Alexander - I Ain't Coming Back

I Ain’t Coming Back - Antony Alexander (EDM)  Antony Alexander’s latest track is an incredible feat of production—a well crafted EDM song geared not just for the club, but also for radio. From the sidechained pulse of the synths to the sparkling vocal delivery and well placed EQ fades, this track will certainly leave you spinning in circles and yearning for summertime, an outdoor happy hour and a vodka soda. The crystal clear vocals are giving us the lovechild of classic Robyn and Kylie Minogue, adding an appreciated retro feel to a very modern soundscape. And like all good pop/dance records, it’s telling a former love interest to get lost, which is a great way to connect to a very particular audience member who will put this jam on repeat and among their post-relationship playlist.

Best Lyric: “I ain’t coming back, there’s nothing left to say, we will never learn to work it out anyway.”

Nekter Gun - Don't Wanna See You Leave

PHOTO: Sean Ward (IG - @seanwardphotog)

Don’t Wanna See You Leave - Nekter Gun (EDM)  We challenge you not to dance around the room to this infectious track from Nekter Gun. The perfect pop-EDM record, with stellar production, is aimed straight at the dance floor. The song takes a page from the likes of Robyn in terms of it’s lyrics—the song is pleading and yearning, but tied to a high octane dance track. The tried and true conflict of ballad-ready lyrics and EDM is fantastic. What makes the song stand out for us is the anthemic melody and thoughtful lyrics—a lot of the time in EDM you can pretty much sense where it is going musically, and this defies normal logic with a few well chosen melodic roads that kept us engaged through the whole listen. This is a top 40 jam in the making, and belongs as a staple on your cardio playlist.

Best Lyric: “Taking up my time, blowing up my mind.”

Amya-Ray - Never Meant To Be

Never Meant To Be - Amya-Ray (Folk Pop)  Amya-Ray’s new track, Never Meant To Be, lives and dies by the vocal performance—which is stellar. Amya-Ray’s voice is like a bell—a lilting soprano with a natural intimacy that draws the listener into the track. Production tricks are light touch on this guitar-driven ballad, used best in a swirling bridge/outro which puts Amya-Ray’s beautiful breathy vocal in a haunting reverb. The lyrics are simple and straight to the point, relying on Amya-Ray’s expert delivery to imbue each word with the pain and melancholy the song successfully conveys. All in all, Never Meant To Be is meant to be on any playlist you’ve made to craft a chill, contemplative vibe.

Best Lyric: “In the end, it’s just not right.”

Zenodro - Unstoppable

PHOTO: Ryan

Unstoppable - Zenodro (Rap/HipHop)  Zenodro’s chorus proclaims that the music is timeless, and we couldn’t agree more. With the warbly keys and vinyl fuzz, the song immediately tells you exactly what it’s going to be—a chill throwback with a vibe that will remind you of 90s/00s Outcast, maybe even a little bit of Snoop, which is exactly the kind of hiphop this blog misses. Zenodro, Samuel Vincent and Sir Nicholas are all equally matched as their distinct flows—one of which is giving us straight Nas—cohesively collaborate on this “I defy you not to two-step to this” track. Unstoppable flow? Check. Immovable rhymers? Yup. Put this track on your throwback playlist immediately.

Best Lyric: “I’m sick, my bars are straight up medicine.”

DJ H Chimist - Run Away

Run Away - DJ H Chimist (Pop)  This is a big song. DJ H Chimist gives the audience an anthem with Run Away, leaning heavy on a vocal modulator to give a distinct vocal reminiscent of 00s electronic pop. The buzzy synth, which feels heavily inspired by the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams”, is complemented by a soaring choral arrangement, which is left swirling in a cavernous reverb. The lead vocal has the range, flying up into the rafters during each chorus, beckoning the listener to let go, be in the present, follow their heart and run away. It’s a simple message and a catchy hook, brought alive by an eclectic instrumental production not tied to current modern day trends.

Best Lyric: “Look me in my eyes, tell me you don’t believe me.”

Lukx - Hello

Hello - Lukx (Pop/HipHop)  We are saying hello right back to Lukx because this song is a straight jam. It’s giving us all the 90s we need and feels like a mainstream top 40 track that Snoop or Coolio would’ve done back then. There’s a Lucy Pearl vibe to it too that is taking us back, or even an early Black Eyed Peas. The song starts off strong, no ramp up, we just dive right into the goodness. The hook is incredibly catchy and there’s a raspy quality to Lukx’s voice that slices right through the gooey richness of the instrumental. We dare you not to sway and nod your head when you hear this perfect little groove. So say hello to Lukx, we think it’s an introduction you won’t regret.

Best Lyric: “The more I realize everybody’s hurt. So many things I don’t understand in this world.”

JUMBOKJAY - Veins

JUMBOKJAY - Veins (HipHop/Rap)  T-Pain’s vocoder is alive and well in JUMBOKJAY’s Veins which really takes us back. JUMBOKJAY’s flow is quite unique—it rides easily over the beat but isn’t married to it, which caught us by surprise. It really keeps you engaged, as if he is pulling you aside during the song to take a moment with you to deliver his message. And that message is that he’s been through a lot, and none of it has defeated him, and in fact made him even more real. This is a track to listen through when you see the light at the end of the tunnel, and you’re on your way. It’s a triumph song. Put this one on your gym playlist.

Best Lyric: “I got real in my veins, it’s running through my veins.”

Datcha - Bonesaw

PHOTO: Anna Madsen

Bonesaw - Datcha (Bedroom Pop/R&B)  We are really loving all these artists digging into some classic R&B stylings, paired with modern productions. Datcha is giving you a real vibe with Bonesaw—in another reality we wouldn’t be surprised if this was a Luther Vandross track brought back to life. Datcha’s vocal FX glistens but doesn’t overpower to the point of hiding the melancholy baked into his performance, which gives this track a lot of heartfelt soul. If you like Disclosure, particularly “Latch”, this is a song for your playlist. Production wise, the reverb playfulness is perfect, from the synths to Datcha’s voice itself. It’s dreamy—a real mood—without losing any elements. And where songs like these can fail, Datcha succeeds—Bonesaw has memorable lyrics paired with a beautiful melodic line that is a real earworm. The artistry of the production particularly shines at the choice to conclude in a warbling piano, elevating what in lesser hands could’ve been a background track into a radio-ready single. This one is on repeat over here.

Best Lyric: “I’ll grow on yah, you’ll see.”

Kurst - The Oracle

PHOTO: Red Skye Visuals

The Oracle - Kurst (HipHop/Rap)  First, we are absolutely in love with the instrumental to this track. That short-verbed vocal chant is absolute heaven—gives a very Naos “Adore You” kinda feel. Kurst himself is a brilliant lyricist, and apparently a huge Disney fan! Take a shot for every reference as you tear it up to this bop on the dance floor. Delivery-wise, Kurst is giving a 00s kind of flow—I’d put this track on a playlist with Eminem, or if going more contemporary maybe J Cole. Kurst’s voice has a real grit to it, which with his meticulous layering makes his entire vocal line pure earcandy without a single FX trick. When it comes to the message of the song, we love when an artist is delivering their ambition, drive and confidence to succeed as they continue to put in the work. And although we are no oracle ourselves, we can certainly see success for Kurst.

Best Lyric: “Like Jafar, I’m getting greedy.”

Natalie Clark - How High

How High - Natalie Clark (Pop)  This track just comes right out of the gate as a bop. At first, it’s very much giving Lorde’s “Royals”—a “body rocking back and forth” kinda jam punctuated by crisp snaps and a bouncing 808. Natalie’s voice is strong, but with an airy huskiness to it that really lends itself to harmonic layering, which is spread throughout the entire track like icing on a cake. But when we get the chorus, the production kicks it up a notch with keys and horns, giving you a very sing-along-able track that now feels a little more “Empire State of Mind.” The entire song is structured on a constant build, which lends not only to the title, but also to the song’s inspirational messaging telling the listener that the sky is the limit. Other than the top of your playlist, we can hear this song on a commercial campaign.

Best Lyric: “Always looking up, wanna be in the skyline.”

Geminy - Rock (Right Now)

Rock (Right Now) - Geminy (Pop/R&B)  This new track from Geminy does quite the switcheroo. First, you think we’re going full retro, with a very Stranger Things synth intro. But when the crisp percussion kicks in, the song transforms into something straight out of Sam Smith’s playbook. Geminy’s voice is buttery R&B perfection and the vocal harmonies are delicious. In the bridge, he really shows off a surprisingly Prince falsetto which helps spice up the track. But the best part of Rock (Right Now) is Geminy’s chewing of the lyrics—it’s a real performance and you can hear the feeling in the delivery of every word, especially in the final chorus.

Carter Ray - Forever, Plus One

Forever, Plus One - Carter Ray (Pop/R&B Ballad)  The first time we played Carter Ray’s “Forever, Plus One” we thought to ourselves—Whitney Houston’s “I Look To You” if sung by the Weekend. It’s a powerful piano driven ballad, brought to life by the focused tonality of Carter Ray’s angelic voice. Sonically, the track feels very situated in late 00’s early 10’s R&B, with some little 80s R&B percussive notes to spice things up. When the sweeping strings finally enter the picture towards the song’s conclusion, you might find yourself raising a lighter and swaying as Carter croons. All in all, Carter Ray’s track is a shining example of the R&B ballad of yesteryear, which hopefully helps bring these songs back to top 40 radio.

Jadamarie - Fallen Angel

PHOTO: instagram.com/sp8sofficial

Fallen Angel - Jadamarie (Dream Pop)  To call Jadamarie’s latest effort a “song” is an injustice—it is truly an experience, and the most interesting, well crafted and engaging track we’ve listened to this year. This masterclass in musicality is like a three act movie. Act one sets the mood—some crowd wallah, a meaty bass guitar and some vinyl fuzz. When Jadamarie’s angelic voice kicks in, it’s a dreamy, harmonic, verby choral arrangement similar to some of the tracks on Adele’s recent album. A very retro vibe for sure. The result is something truly heavenly, and we particularly enjoyed the moments of dissonance in the melody—who does that now? Act two is the build, featuring some deeply satisfying tension and release—it’s a corridor leading you to the finale, and the listener falls like Alice down the rabbit hole. The third act amps things up by adding a crisp drumkit to the production. All we kept thinking was that this song would be a perfect opening credits to a movie. In sum, we are truly in awe of Jadamarie’s showcase of musical artistry on Fallen Angel and cannot recommend it enough.