More ‘n More - Baaj & Baaj (Indie Pop) With “More ‘n More”, Baaj & Baaj defies genre by incorporating elements of pop, rock and EDM to create a driving and catchy record. Sonically, there’s a late 90s/early 00s club feel to the track—similar to what Madonna was experimenting with around her “Ray of Light” and “Music” eras. It’s a rich, textured instrumental, on top of which a yearning lead vocal pleads. While a tad brooding, the song is actually one of a tantalizing future between two partners. But the star of the track is the lilt of the piano, adding a contrasting layer that gives the track depth.
Clinton N - Away
Away - Clinton N (Pop) On Clinton N’s collaboration with Mercedes, “Away”, we have a catchy top 40 track about shedding toxicity from your life and finding yourself. Driven by a thudding kick, this masterfully produced record is full of earworms and production tricks that make for a very engaging listen. With a chill R&B crossover vibe, the song is vocal-forward, and in style reminds us a lot of Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” and other mainstream hits of that time period. The melody is very catchy, and we think will stick in your head long after you’ve finished listening. The track gives the aura of new beginnings, a wistfulness for letting the past go, and feels like a fresh morning breeze hitting your face as you set out on the first day of your next chapter.
Best Lyric: “Tell me all the thing I could do it is making me want to pack up my things and go to a new place.”
LUKX - Rotation
Rotation - Lukx (Hiphop) We’re always excited around here when another Lukx track drops. This month, Lukx delivers a house party cut with “Rotation”. With a 90s West Coast Hiphop vibe, Lukx gives us a Snoop Dogg kind of head nodder with some Andre 3000 tonality in the vocal. Listening to it, you almost expect a Nate Dogg feature. The song has a warm, analog, feel good retro mood, driven forward by a steady guitar pluck to give the otherwise easy-breezy track some tension. And that vibe is a perfect match for the subject matter as Lukx tells us all we should just take a deep breath and chill—put down the phone, wake up in a good mood and ignore the inner saboteur. Good message, and a perfect record for lazy summer days.
Best Lyric: “You don’t need to scream I can hear what you say.”
Matthew Joseph - Get Out Of My Way
Get Out Of My Way - Matthew Joseph (Pop) Catchy and infectious, Matthew Joseph’s newest track “Get Out Of My Way” sees the artist claim their space, and state their determination to not let any obstacle get between them and the pursuit of their creativity. We hear a blending of three styles here, the clear pop radio top 40 vibe but with some slight touch of 80s in the synths, married with a vocal that is actually quite punk (we get real Panic! At The Disco vibes in the delivery and tone). Coming together, these influences create a very sing-along-able number, which feels like it could be a karaoke favorite.
Best Lyric: “Now is my time to rise. It’s my time to shine. Now I’m aiming for the sky.”
Jolene Lozano - Saturday Morning Blues
Saturday Morning Blues - Jolene Lozano (Neo-Soul) This is a masterful production. In “Saturday Morning Blues,” Jolene Lozano is channeling early Ariana Grande—like all the way back to “The Way” kinda vibes—with an R&B bop that also infuses some jazz and funk elements for an overall lush production. It’s a classic jam, elevated above placement in any specific time period, with the exception of the quality of the production which places it right in the here and now. Regretting the mistakes of the prior night, Jolene requests her love to just stay inside with her the next day and chill. I hope he agrees, and they put on this bright and dreamy record to help set the mood.
Best Lyric: “Gotta pay the price for the mistakes we made. Cuz midnight we stumble in late.”
NYRE - Glitter with a Vengeance
Glitter with a Vengeance - NYRE (Pop) Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, as they say, and that’s the best way to describe the vibe of NYRE’s new track “Glitter with a Vengeance.” In a very Robyn-esque way, NYRE serenades a former lover who’s moved on. The vocals have an innocence about them, despite the pointed and edgy delivery, adding a nice contrast of sweetness to the looming and foreboding darkness of the track. The instrumental is full of tension, ominous, and rolls in like a black cloud. There’s an 80s sensibility with the synth touches, but it’s careful not to make the track feel dated, specifically helped by the tight trap-inspired percussion production. Overall, we say this one is a great post-breakup song for when you’re feeling your feelings.
Best Lyric: “You always brought out the worst in me.”
Genuine Leather - Even If I Could
Even If I Could - Genuine Leather (Lofi) Genuine Leather delivers some serious 80s vibes in his new synthpop bop “Even If I Could.” Evoking Phil Collins, the record is a synth extravaganza, which often take centerstage as the lead vocals swirl in the background in a miasma of reverb. Beginning with quite the chill vibe, the song escalates quickly into an anthemic chorus with great sing-along-ability. The 80s are truly present at the lead out, where a ripping guitar line ushers us out of the track. Overall, “Even If I Could” evokes the big top 40 pop hits of yesteryear, sitting comfortably among them as a peer.
Best Lyric: “Annie spots a good thing as we push the shark back into the water.”
Neve Bowen - Haunting Sound of Love
Haunting Sound of Love - Neve Bowen (Dream Pop) Neve Bowen is a woman in search love, and in need of a sign from the universe that it exists for her. In "Haunting Sound of Love”, Neve delivers a beautiful and appropriately haunting vocal-forward track backed mostly by a simple dreamy guitar. The vocals, close and intimate, soar above the production as if floating in air. What most impressed us was the subtle build of the instrumental that we didn’t even notice until the angelic wall of background vocals chime in at what we thought was the bridge like a heavenly choir, tugging on the heartstrings even more forcefully. However, this bridge is actually the conclusion, leaving the listener hanging on the edge, just as Neve hangs on the edge of hope.
Best Lyric: “Loneliness holds me and pins me to the ground.”
Marlene Larsen - Galore
Galore - Marlene Larsen (Dream Pop) Well this one is just full of surprises. A stomping midtempo, Marlene Larsen’s “Galore” is an ode to the temptation to transform, using a timeless sound to touch on current hot topics like gender conformity. Marlene’s vocals are as strong as they are versatile, at times slinky and feminine (in moments giving early Gwen Stefani) and playing a perfect counterpoint to the grungy guitar that drives the instrumental, until she overtakes that edge with a shocking and powerful belt—paralleling the song’s messaging with the play between feminine and masculine energies. In combination with the striking and memorable lyrics, Marlene’s “Galore” is a standout, and we could hear this placed at the end credits of a streaming show.
Best Lyric: “Do I dare become someone I’ve always wanted to be?”
Ruby Tingle - Fountainia
Fountainia - Ruby Tingle (Avant Garde/Jazz) Ruby Tingle’s EP “Fountainia” is an aquatic themed trip down the rabbit hole, infusing live instrumentation with electronica to create a gothic jazz journey worthy of a Tim Burton film. The EP is less a collection of songs, and more an immersive art experience, and one we suggest you dive into.
Using natural sound processes and celestial vocals on a jazz template, Ruby’s sound is as unique as it is engaging. Worthy of Danny Elfman comparisons, the mix of cavernous reverbs and haunting operatic backgrounds aids Ruby’s excellent storytelling—we only read her intent with the project after listening to it and boy we were right on the money. Her soundscapes are also not bound by form, with the tracks often spinning into instrumental jam sessions that convince us “Fountainia” might be best consumed live in concert.
As sequenced, the EP feels like a journey through a strange world, equal parts haunting and beautiful, which draws the listener deeper and deeper with each new tributary. Ending in almost a funeral march, the project is cohesive and begs full immersion in order to experience the breadth of the artistic vision at play.
“Through the Canal”, the opener, is thoughtfully placed as it is the most approachable of the set. There’s a mystical introduction with the undertones of darkness that will permeate the project. The vocals are theatrical, curious and lilting, eventually accompanied by a soaring violin. It certainly sets the mood for what is to come.
“Birdland,” which may also be a reference to the noteworthy jazz club in NYC, is a study in musical tension, and begins to build the uncertainty in the project. At this point in the journey, the listener understands that it should leave any expectations behind and allow the stream to carry you where Ruby wants you to go. We particularly enjoyed the percussion in this piece, clearly evocative of raindrops from both the hats to the seductive patter of the bongos. Atmospheric and poetic, “Birdland” serves to solidify the atmosphere.
“Swimming Song” is where we really start moving. While prior tracks seemed playful and whimsical, there is much more drive to this one—we wrote down “the train is leaving the station.” Ruby has a knack for blending herself as a co-equal to the instrumentation rather than stand front and center, this time sharing the spotlight with a surprising guitar solo.
“Oyster” begins to pull away from the live instrumentation-centric tracks to center around a buzzy, urgent synth. Next to the closer, this is the darkest area of the pool, even nightmarish at times, with Ruby delivering her punchiest vocal which at times evoked Natalie Merchant.
“Journey to the Pool” felt like a tour of an otherworldly bizarre, surveying strange merchants and foreign wares. Ruby returns to her signature siren call and silky vocals, pulling us back to the cathedral.
Our favorite, however, is the closer “Gargoyle Mouth” which feels like a cinematic funeral procession. Broody and grim, the song takes on the vibe of an incantation, before finally spinning off into a swirling miasma that leaves the listener to ponder the journey now concluded.
In sum, “Fountainia” is an aural experience we suggest you wade into.
Henka - Caught Up
Caught Up - Henka (Dark Pop) Well this one is full of surprises. When Henka’s latest track “Caught Up” starts, it was clear that we had a cinematic feeling record on our hands with a Top 40 sensibility. It’s a hard hitting EDM production with crisp snaps and trap snares, booming with a distorted lead bass accompanied by a strong, layered lead vocal cutting nicely through the heavy production. And then, we were knocked out of our seats when suddenly Henka’s alter ego seems to take over before each chorus to deliver a heavy metal lead vocalist performance going from pop diva to Insane Clown Posse, delivering our favorite line “why am I hating myself when I should be hating you?” in a very “I hate you so much right now” Kelis kind of moment. There was also a really interesting FX choice later in the production further layering on the darkness that sounded…well…like the demogorgon from Stranger Things. With a hard hitting production, strong pop vocal and several haunting surprises, “Caught Up” stands out from the pop pack.
Best Lyric: “Why am I hating myself when I should be hating you?”
trouble bunny - M.D.L.
M.D.L. - trouble bunny (Avant Garde) Delightfully strange is probably the best way we can describe trouble bunny’s latest track, “M.D.L.” With a tight instrumental production that makes us think of MIA, we get a sort of spoken word/rap performed with all the lethargy and vocal fry of a Kardashian. We don’t mean this critically in the slightest as the quirkiness reads as entirely intentional, which makes the song incredibly engaging and extremely fresh, feeling more like performance art than a run of the mill single. This is also one of those tracks where it is extremely difficult to choose our favorite lyric as they were so unique that we kept rewinding because we couldn’t believe what she just said—we haven’t heard anything like this since LFO days of “chinese food makes me sick.” Maybe would could say trouble bunny is like if Bjork was a social media influencer? We are confounded, and that makes “M.D.L.” a MUST listen. trouble bunny is surely in a lane of her own.
Best Lyric: “Called out today, told my boss I felt sick. Turned around and took a booty pic.”
Gemïny - Nicotine
Gemïny - Sage Wesley (R&B) Gemïny’s newest record, “Nicotine” is a showcase of the artist’s vocals, around which all else in the track serves. It’s a relatively sparse and low key instrumental here, allowing Gemïny’s vocals to take center stage, where they soar. Passionate and emotive, exemplifying the yearning of the lyrics, Gemïny impresses with an escalation into his powerful falsetto. At first, we put this artist in a similar vein as that of Miguel, but there’s a fair amount of Prince flare and even a handful of Jacksonese gutterals that make us believe Gemïny is a true student of classic R&B. This becomes evident in the heavenly punches of background vocals. We are happy to put Gemïny among the bevy of artists bringing back that classic R&B sound.
Best Lyric: “Under your spell, can’t you tell that I’m yearning?”
Alex Krawczyk - Space Between Us
Space Between Us - Alex Krawczyk (Folk Pop) We’ve got a travelling song with Alex Krawczyk’s new record “Space Between Us”—a pleasant midtempo extolling the virtues of living in the present and enjoying life. It’s a "sunbeams streaming through foliage” kind of track that makes the listener yearn for the great outdoors. As to the production, “Space Between Us” has a timeless quality blending elements of folk, pop and even country. The vocalist is certainly a storyteller, her voice ringing with maturity and wisdom, bringing a sense of serenity to the track. Tonally, Alex makes us think of a blend of Joni Mitchell and Stevie Nicks—spiritual and centered. We feel like this track would definitely be a crowd pleaser at an outdoor festival.
Best Lyric: “You’re here, I feel it in my bones.”
Zenodro - Villain
Villain - Zenodro (Rap) Zenodro delivers a certified bop with his ode to his own ambition, “Villain.” As is often the case in songs on this topic, an artist’s drive is regularly used to paint them as the “bad guy” and Zenodro lets you know throughout “Villain” that he will not be deterred. The dark, broody production is credibly tight with a compelling instrumental that uses a trap percussion and 808s, complimented by a driving synth loop that keeps the momentum moving forward. Feeling very much like a Drake/Nikki kind of vibe, Zenodro brings his husky yet silky flow to the record that gives us the feel of a Kendrick vocal. Seemingly designed to put on blast in your car, the track begs you to become Zenodro’s hype man by giving him an encouraging syncopated stream of “ayes!”.
Best Lyric: “We all got agenda that we follow, but I offend yah cuz I put mine on full throttle.”
Ant Tarrant & Fantasy City - Locked In Your Eyes (Acoustic)
Locked In Your Eyes (Acoustic) - Ant Tarrant & Fantasy City (Indie Pop) A rousing and passionate love song, this acoustic version of Ant Tarrant’s “Locked In Your Eyes” manages to convey both the intimacy of a man professing his love and a constant build into an anthemic chant that we think would make for a great live sing-along in concert. The lyrics are poetic and grandiose—talks of eternity, auras and paradise—that also conjures elemental imagery of smoke, rain and fire, which together make the track just as much folklore as it is a love song. Closing our eyes, we see a man bearing his soul with guitar in hand, basked in the light of a roaring bonfire, telling a tale of a legendary love for the ages. Put this one on your tracks to sing along to in the privacy of your car or better yet, shower.
Best Lyric: “Through the rain your aura shows.”