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.”

Chris Caulfield - Stockholm Syndrome

Porchlight - Chris Caulfield (Pop). We’ve got Chris back for the third time on our blog—can you tell we like his stuff?—with “Stockholm Syndrome”, we’ve got a slinky, sexy and versatile vocal-first track that has more of a hip-hop and R&B leaning than his previous efforts. Following singles “Ugly” and “Porchlight”, Chris continues to deliver spectacular vocals—strong mids, resonant bass and shining falsetto all on display here. The song itself is careful, restrained, and reminds us a lot of “Worth It” by The Weeknd as it clips along with steady tension as Chris bleeds all over the track. The song itself, however, is about treating chronic pain and addition, which makes Chris’s seductive performance all the more poignant. What makes Chris stand out from his peers is his theatricality—he truly throws himself into his performances and you have to imagine his tracks come alive even more in a live performance. Get this one licensed on a Netflix show, stat.

Best Lyric: “Running in circles is my specialty.”

Airyen Vay - Another Woman

Another Woman - Airyen Vay (Pop) With “Another Woman,” Airyen Vay delivers a cinematic pop ballad, evoking the soundscapes of the 00s and early 2010s. With emotive and passionate lyrics, Airyen’s strong alto is feels almost R&B tinged, delivering a melody that we think you’ll want to sing along to in the shower. Quite genre blending, the track also has a folk sensibility particularly in the choruses, as if Airyen is belting a siren song off the edge of a cliff. We think this track will certainly resonate with listeners both due to the relatable subject matter—not wanting to be the side piece—and the anthemic quality of the track. Melancholy and stirring, “Another Woman” hits the heart.

Best Lyric: “Begging God for mercy, and he put me right back on my feet.”

Wotts - Garden

Garden - Wotts (Indie Pop) Wotts is back for the third time on our blog with “Garden”, a dreamy bedroom pop number with a super catchy hook. Like “Wheel” and “Blue” before it, “Garden” incorporates those wistful retro touches, specifically the ending organ hits and the hazy guitar hanging in the background. Much like an image of a garden may conjure, the track feels sun drenched, and drives forward like a convertible cruising down the coast. Wotts has crafted a signature sound for sure, feel good and nostalgic with a husky layered baritone that is as smooth as it is an earworm. These are songs of joy and contentment. What a perfect track for a summer roadtrip.

Best Lyric: “Hope you’re doing lovely.”

JYŌSHU - Paradise

Paradise - JYŌSHU (Pop) In JYŌSHU’s latest track “Paradise,” he delivers a driving, anthemic number that would fit perfectly well on summer time dance floors. The song exists in a cavernous space, with a mid tempo drumbeat adding a danceable quality and drive to an otherwise chill track. In addition the crisp drums and centered on that familiar modern kick, the song is propelled forward by a piano chord progression and dreamy synth plucks. The layered vocals match the swirling of the synths and pads that set the tone, floating in the air as the the instrumental pulls it along. Overall, it’s a catchy number, and one we think DJs will want to add to their club sets.

Best Lyric: “Drop your defenses, stay with me.”

Zoe - Sun

Sun - Zoe (Solarpunk) It’s a cinematic and spiritual landscape that Zoe paints in her latest track, “Sun”, a record from the solarpunk aesthetic movement. Zoe tells us the purpose of the record is to create and inspire a vision of a collaborative future. Even without seeing the music video (above), the song itself conjures nature—a clearing drenched in sunlight. It’s a driving instrumental, with the appearance of the drums later in the track serving to escalate the entire affair, adding urgency and tension that barrels the initially lilting song forward, like a train speeding down the track. Zoe’s lyrics preaching inclusion and abundance are delivered with an ethereal quality, incorporating folk elements that leave the impression of a poetry slam.

Best Lyric: “We think we’re better off this way.”

Jay Moussa-Mann - Indiana Tonight

Indiana Tonight - Jay Moussa-Mann (Pop Rock) It’s a nostalgia fest with Jay Moussa-Mann’s latest, “Indiana Tonight.” The driving pop rock track is chock full of tension, giving flavors of old school Top 40 jams of the late 80s and early 90s. We get a lot of Belinda Carlisle solo hit vibes with this one, but with the modern feel of a HAIM record. Catchy and easy breezy for sure, the standout element here, beyond the crystal clear production, is actually the storytelling. Jay conjures specific imagery and utilizes unique and memorable lyrics to tell a tale of romance from the third person, a point of view we don’t see much anymore in modern music. Classic vibes abound, dig into “Indiana Tonight.”

Best Lyric: “Says I hate snakes, it’s my fatal flaw.”

CATDADDY - Disco Love

Disco Love - CATDADDY (Disco) It’s an ode to the genre with CATDADDY’s latest, “Disco Love”, a big band number and jam session sure to spin you around on the dance floor. It’s an old school sound for sure, complete with a soaring guitar solo in the bridge, with a super catchy chorus and beautifully layered, R&B tinged vocals. The genre celebration here is similar to what Bruno Mars has done with respect to the motown genre, a pure resurrection of the style whole cloth. There’s no confusion here as the song itself clearly states what the music is doing—reminding you how much you love disco and that this record is going to groove you, plain and simple. CATDADDY’s vocals are strong and emotive and, you know what…he has us convinced. DJ, spin the disco.

Best Lyric: “Cuz I’ve got what it takes to take you away with the music I play.”

Loulita Gill - Drifted

Gifted - Loulita Gill (Easy Listening) In “Gifted,” Loulita Gill processes her trauma in a echo chamber of melancholy. The vocal is that of an ingenue who’s been dealt a blow: you can hear the lost innocence in the performance overlayed with a newfound maturity and grounding that trauma can often bring. Loulita is close an intimate, which works well to pull the listener into the story. Overall, it’s a minimalist and reserved production serving to highlight Loulita’s careful performance; it’s a patient song using guitar plucks to give momentum through the miasma of synths which set a sort of “limbo” atmosphere in which Loulita floats. It’s a weighty track, and will leave you adrift, and with a heavy heart.

Best Lyric: “What I remember still haunts me.”

Rachel Davie Lee - Found My Way Here

Found My Way Here - Rachel Davie Lee (Singer Songwriter) In her latest track, “Found My Way Here,” Rachel Davie Lee gives us a cabaret-styled piano ballad about looking at her past as she appreciates her present, struggling with the emotions that kind of recollection often brings. The track is featured on a new compilation release 'Connexion' by French label Noussanseux, Rachel selected as one of only six international artists to contribute, and we can see why. On the track, her vocal is strong and mature, grounded and confident, and we wouldn’t be surprised if this was a live track done in a single take. Tonality wise, Rachel gives us moments of Annie Lennox. Strong performance all around.

Best Lyric: “Can you remember that there was a time when we never ever let go?”

Izzy Pingrey - narcissus

narcissus - Izzy Pingrey (Pop) Izzy, get away from this person! In the beautiful and bittersweet “narcissus”, Izzy Pingrey paints a haunting and compelling picture of what it is to be in love with, then walk away from, a self absorbed, gaslighting narcissist. Now, songs like this can quickly turn into straight diss tracks, but Izzy’s maturity in analyzing not only the love interest but also her own decisions that kept her with them is captivating. What’s also captivating are Izzy’s Top 40 vocals over a heartstring pulling instrumental—those glistening hits of keys got us every time. And while there is so much to love about this track, what makes it stand above its peers is the absolutely brilliant storytelling and lyrics—from the word choice to the phrasing to the specificity, this track is pure poetry. A real standout.

Best Lyric: “Say you’re sorry just to listen to yourself while you talk.”

Abz Winter - Wasted Energy

Wasted Energy - Abz Winter (Rock Pop) In her latest record, Abz Winter is done wasting her energy on a frustrating relationship that can’t seem to find it’s peaceful center, or at least stay there for long enough to be worth it. In short, “Wasted Energy” is a perfect pop bop infused with rock sensibility and feels perfectly at home on today’s Top 40. It’s incredibly catchy, anthemic and rousing, with a great build throughout, reminding us at times of a Charlie XCX cut. We particularly enjoyed the strength of Abz’s vocals—strong and mature with some serious power behind them. They also showcase versatile, ranging from up close and personal to a big belt. This is a sing along in the shower type of jam.

Best Lyric: “We’d argue all the time, and then we’d never speak at all.”

Maclayne - Out of The City

Out of the City - Maclayne (Rock Pop) With a sunlight drenched, roadtrip evoking track, Maclayne lets her listeners know it’s time to get “Out of the City.” For this New Yorker, it’s certainly relatable, as Maclayne showcases her storyteller prowess in longing to get out of the shoebox she’s in and away from the rain and dreariness of urban life. The instrumental is anthemic, the strumming guitars out of the gate providing tension that carries you through the song, eventually joined but some real tub thumpin drums. What makes the song unique is the theatricality of the strong and versatile lead vocal, which at times brings the song into “the heroine/protagonist song in an animated feature” territory, which makes the track quite singalongable.

Best Lyric: “Locked up in this box for months now, it’s been raining nonstop now.”

Ben Freeman - Long Distance

Long Distance - Ben Freeman (R&B) This track drips soul from the jump, wasting no time to get right into the main affair. In Ben Freeman’s “Long Distance” we get a rousing duet that evokes classic R&B while delivering a clean, modern production. The approach of the instrumental is restrained; the song is careful, patient, and slowly simmers as Ben’s lilting voice commands the listener’s attention with its vulnerability. He has a beautiful instrument, and quite the range—from reedy baritone to delightful falsetto pops. He is perfectly complimented by guest artist Nora Rothman’s equally soulful, and powerful, vocals. This beautiful blending of rich maturity makes the track special. We’d love a copy on vinyl.

Best Lyric: “Babe I want you but I don’t know how to ask for it.”

St. Niklas - Comfy (ft DØSSI)

Comfy - St. Niklas featuring DØSSI (Pop) Equal parts catchy and soulful, St. Niklas and DØSSI deliver an impactful Top 40 bop with “Comfy”. The record tackles a specific and relatable subject matter—sitting in the stillness of a dying relationship wondering when communication will begin to take you out of love limbo. The melody is perfection, with the layered duet proving the adage of “greater than the sum of its parts.” The lyrics are clever and captivating, with the first line being our favorite because of the way that it gut punches and immediately grabs you. Once it does, the driving instrumentation carries you through, with expert storytelling that uses specific imagery elevating the lyrics to the realm of poetic. While this is certainly a “big” song, the production remains restrained and tension laden which feels perfect for the subject at hand. This one hits your heart.

Best Lyric: “Lately, I’ve been holding onto maybe.”