Lady Alderney - She's Boss

She’s Boss - Lady Alderney (Pop)  Much like the lady described in “She’s Boss”, Lady Alderney is certainly a boss with this infectious jam. A girl power anthem, Lady Alderney brings some serious 80s jams with a pop-rock sound that fits right in with the new wave girl bands of that era. When it comes to the vocals, Lady Alderney’s pure tone stands apart from the rest of the production, making clear that she’s in charge and the song services her. Tonally, we get a little bit of Robyn in some of the spoken delivery, but overall we actually hear something that reminded us of the Spice Girls…maybe Baby? It’s innocence a great compliment to the rip-roaring, grungy, guitar soaked production that drives from the moment the song kicks off. It’s a freight train.

Best Lyric: “Step out of our way, she’s here to stay.”

Federick, The First - So Good

So Good - Frederick, The First (Pop/Funk)  It’s all the title with this one. In “So Good”, Frederick, The First delivers a song that’s just that, a dreamy retro funk vibe with a sprinkle of disco influences. The production is stellar, with a tension and intensity building throughout and some beautiful vocal layering with some surprising melodic switchups that keep the track interesting as it grooves along. The chorus is simple, yet elegant—a catchy little earworm. The track reminds us a lot of The Time—that 90s style exploration of 70s funk, so it’s actually double retro. For a track that started as a well-received instagram post, we wouldn’t be shocked to believe this evolution finding a place on playlists and radio.

Songs for Sabotage - Pills

Pills - Songs for Sabotage (Pop). With “Pills”, Songs for Sabotage takes us back to the Fame Monster, with an early Lady Gaga-esque midtempo. “Pills” explores a former life of meaningless friendships and empty party culture—the realization of that serving as a “bitter pill” to swallow. The production on the track is top notch, featuring a driving synth bass and crisp percussion with synth swells that add an epic quality to the track. The vocals, layered perfection, are also VERY Lady Gaga—you might even mistake this song for one of hers. But as excellently produced as this one is, the standout of the record are the lyrics, with incredibly creative word choice and phrasing exploring a unique subject matter and fresh point of view. This is a special one.

Best Lyric: “Dead all day and then awake at night.”

Avaraj - Til Death [EP]

Til Death [LP] - Avaraj (Pop/R&B)  Flashback: put yourself back in the mid 00s-mid 10s towards the end of the days when pure R&B would crossover onto the Top 40 charts. Think the days of Neyo. It is that classic R&B sound that Avaraj resurrects in the 12 track LP, “Til Death.” The project is one of love—from all angles. Love wanted, love achieved, love lost, the mistakes, the regrets—all of it. It’s an album of yearning; of vulnerability. Before we go our highlights, let’s start with the overall sound.

“Til Death” is Avaraj’s first album, and tells the story of a failed marriage and the self-blame that came with it. The songs were written, Avaraj tells us, as a way to process the emotional fallout, and the artist hopes the rawness of the record resonates with others on a personal level. If that was the goal, Avaraj has achieved it.

As mentioned above, the sound is classic R&B, with a few twists and surprises. Deep bass with sparkling synths and tight snares, we are mostly dealing in ballads, reminding us of the aforementioned era’s Mary J (“Be Without You”), Mariah Carey (“We Belong Together”) and Toni Braxton’s criminally slept on “Pulse” album. It’s a mature record sonically, despite the sweet and innocent vocals that often stand alone in the spotlight, centering each track in pure vulnerability, yearning and heartache. Fortunately, Avaraj is able to pull off the hat trick of having a consistent sound without the tracks feeling repetitive. From the different points of view on love to the varying productions, “Til Death” is a cohesive, play-through record that doesn’t lose the listener.

Avaraj’s voice is best described as pure. Not without its moments of power, for sure, the vocal production is mostly spare, allowing for the artist’s openness to flourish without all the bells and whistles of modern day production. It’s fortunate that this was the chosen route as it adds emotional weight to each song, each of which feel grandiose—they all feel like a “moment.”

Two standout tracks, however, take a welcome diversion from the R&B, giving us some unexpected shifts. First off, the poppy-punk of the Greenday-esque “Don’t You Worry” is a great sound for Avaraj, and we hope it is one the artist continues to explore on future projects. There even moments of the GoGos here. It’s total Top 40. The other diversion is “Peace With You” which has a latin flare to it. Moonlight tinged guitar riffs lead this track, and spice up the procession of ballads.

The other 9 tracks (we also get an alternate version of “Little Monsters” at the end) stick to the R&B ballad formula, and for us the standouts are title track “Til Death” and album closer “Are You Missing Me?” From the vocal production to the melodic lines to the lyrics, these tracks in particular are very strong contenders for playlist placement and radio spins. “Til Death” marries a raw piano line with spoken-word features and a shining upper register that elevates the chorus to epic levels. But just when you think the album hits its crescendo, “Are You Missing Me?” knocks it out of the park—our favorite track next to “Don’t You Worry”. It’s got some great flow to the rap portions, the chord progressions are moving and the production is top notch, especially the vocal layering, all married with a chorus that is catchy AF.

“Til Death” is a sing along in the shower record, and one where you don’t skip a single track.

Rogue FX - Two Hearts

Two Hearts - Rogue FX (Synth Pop)  The 80s are alive and well in Rogue FX’s latest track, “Two Hearts”, which revives that classic retro sound similar to the way Robyn did a few years ago with “Missing You”, in addition to blending in with all those great Top 40 synth records of the 80s. In fact, from the instrumentation to the structure of the song itself, it wouldn’t be difficult to convince someone the track came out in the late 80s. You can almost imagine the A and B side cassette tape of “Two Hearts.” The vocals are a layered baritone, sitting at the center of the swirling synths, propelled by the driving synth bass and gated drums typical of the era. In sum, when the Stranger Things kids over at Netflix go to a school dance, this song should be on the soundtrack.

Best Lyric: “What’s pure and good, don’t let it fall apart.”

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.”