Baba Kuboye - Cultural Canvas (LP)

Cultural Canvas - Baba Kuboye (Afrobeat) A deep affection for afrobeat music and Nigerian culture permeate Baba Kuboye’s latest album, “Cultural Canvas”, a 10-track collection of sultry grooves imbued with Kuboye’s hazy, sultry saxophone. In a celebration of his African heritage and culture, “Cultural Canvas” celebrates a love for life, self-discovery and the power of music.

It is of no surprise to us that Kuboye was raised by a family of musicians, as the album boasts of a bevy of musical maturity. From the genre blend of afrobeat, dancehall, hiphop and big band, to the incorporation of live instrumentation (including Baba’s saxophone), to the cultural touchpoints in the lyrics, this project comes fully baked with experience and depth. The instrumental arrangements are musically complex and multi-layered, giving you so much more than your standard plug-in generated pop albums of today.

We also get something we don’t typically get in our music these days—a bass lead vocal! Baba Kuboye reaches Barry White levels of deep, resonant, rich vocals that roll into his songs like a quiet thunder. With much of the instrumentation sitting higher in the mix, Kuboye is given all the room he needs in the track to take up the basement, at times acting as both lead vocalist and bass line. We highlight a few of our standout tracks below.

Album opener “Soft Life”, for which we get both the radio and extended edits, is certainly a crowd pleaser, and serves as a great introduction to the album as it epitomizes the style and flow that will follow. Kuboye exists in a swirling verb, backed by a lively band and backing chorus as a simple chord progression in the keys presses the song forward with tension. It has a steady build, conveying the feeling of being swept up in a stream, with each new instrument helping push you further downstream. The benefit of live instrumentation is on full display here, with the track becoming more than the sum of its parts. You can quickly picture hearing this in a smoky after hours jazz club.

“Konko” is similarly crowd pleasing, with a call out hook we can imagine Kuboye would have no trouble getting the audience to participate in when performed live. While most of the album feels timeless, “Dey for you” sounds like it was pulled from today’s top afrobeat tracks, infused with elements of modern R&B to make what we think is the album’s lead track for playlisting and crossover appeal. There's also a flare of retro in here, with the "down for my baby cuz she down for whatever" chant feeling like a 00s era Joe feature. This is the one that we can't get out of our heads. Our favorite for sure—a real hip winder.

Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the heart of the album—”WA ZO BIA”—an emotional rap sendup of Kuboye’s ancestral home. “There are two countries in Africa, Nigeria and the rest.” Who are we to disagree? We also give special mention to album closer “Igbala”, a spoken word meditation/incantation about self discovery, self love and inner peace.

From the heart and musically robust, Baba Kuboye’s “Cultural Canvas” is a triumph.

hyyypnos - PARADISE (LP)

PARADISE (LP) - hyyypnos (R&B) It’s straight up chillwave R&B with today’s LP from hyyypnos, “Paradise”. Giving Weeknd vibes with a dash of Drake style, all embedded with an immaculate production, hyyypnos’s soothing collection of tracks is a must listen.

hyyypnos has created a cohesive work, what they refer to as a mixtape, that they say is intended to be listened to sequentially and in a single sitting—which we couldn’t help but do upon starting up the first track.

We don't know much about the artist from their press release or Spotify profile, only that they define themselves as "definitely sleepy". With an aptly hypnotic style, the album did not lull us to sleep, but can certainly be prescribed to lower blood pressure as it is certainly a soothing collection. It's a "glass of wine in the dark" kind of project--hazy and ethereal, maybe pairing well with other intoxicants.

We were immediately enraptured with the first track, one of our favorites discussed below, which pulled us into the project easily. Pulling inspiration from rock and R&B, the LP’s title “PARADISE” references a place outside one’s reach, where the grass may or may not be greener. But when referring to this project, we can confirm the grass is certainly greener in hyyypnos' artist soundscape.

The production on “PARADISE” is impressive, to say the list. Boasting crisp percussion and a piercing tenor vocal, they slice right through thick pads and driving bass lines drenched in heavy verbs throughout 8 mostly mid tempo cuts (including one interlude that we think could easily be treated as yet another track). Mood wise, the album oscillates between hazy chill and club hype as hyyypnos delivers modern melodic lines with just a kiss of tuning and the occasional distortion, which carry through the album to great effect.

The sound is certainly consistent, with the first and last tracks intentionally landing in the same key, but the tracks maintain their own identity, while still melding seamlessly into each other, achieving the straight through listening session hyyypnos was striving for. As such, we don’t think there are any skips on this one, but we will focus on our favorite cuts below.

Album opener “sunkisses” is a modern quiet storm track that fully introduces the vibe that will permeate the entire project. It's the track to pop on first to decide whether the album is going to be your cup of tea, for sure. On the flip, we’ve got “IN LUV’, one of our only uptempo tracks where a bumping percussion and 808 drive a swirling verby production that is giving us a Drake kind of feeling. Our favorite, “FUMBLE” feels the most radio friendly for being very sing-along-able. Our final standout is “Tell Me”, which reminds us of The Dream, and delivers another verby production with some earcandy distortion on the lead vocal. (Sidenote, does anyone else hear Beyonce’s “7/11” on “STRANDED IN LA”?)

While desiring a full listen, we definitely think hyyypnos has created tracks that can easily be sprinkled throughout chillwave playlists, so don't be surprised if some of these records pop up in your algorithmic playlists.

Natalie Clark - Freedom

Freedom - Natalie Clark (Indie Pop) With a timeless sound, Scottish indie pop singer Natalie Clark delivers quite the tub thumper with latest track “Freedom.” Anthemic and boasting quite the build, Freedom is full of tension and anticipation. In “Freedom,” Natalie tells listeners to just go for it, using a rousing gospel choir backing to deliver the hallelujah moment a person may need to make a change and live just as they’ve always dreamed. Mature and powerful, Natalie’s vocals shine on the track, giving a rich alto with the ability to fly into the rafters in those final moments. The sound reminds us a lot of Duffy (“Mercy” and “Warwick Avenue”) in successfully dipping into retro stylings without feeling dated.

Best Lyric: “I was broken, broken and drowing under a tidal wave in the sea.”

Lucid The Dreamwaker - Journey to the Brightside (LP)

Journey to the Brightside (LP) - Lucid the Dreamwaker (Hiphop) It’s always a pleasure when we find an artist who is able to craft an entire LP that not only sounds fresh and distinctive in its sound, but also cohesive without feeling repetitive. That hat trick is certainly pulled off by today’s artist, Lucid The Dreamwaker, in his latest LP “Journey to the Brightside.”

First, let’s talk a little about Lucid. Artist, producer and DJ, Lucid The Dreamwaker harkens from Indianapolis, Indiana, where he’s recently been making waves. By genre blending EDM, Rap and Pop, Lucid works to create a well-rounded and dynamic style that is all his own. Production on Brightside, Lucid’s premier work, began in 2021 and arrives to us today fully baked.

The sound of the album is exactly as described, a hybrid of genres that works to create an individual sound and unique style for Lucid that permeates the project while still leaving each track with its own unique identity. Incorporating a dash of interludes into the mix, the album works as a complete, no-skip work with a distinctive point of view. Through thoughtful lyricism and engaging production, on “Journey to the Brightside”, Lucid captivates.

We don’t know much about Lucid’s inspirations, but the sound overall feels like a cousin of the Neptunes, maybe with a touch of Kanye. Certainly hiphop, the quirky EDM imbued therein borders on the avant garde—say, if Pharrell and Robyn worked together. When it comes to vocals, Lucid impresses with a Lil Wayne sounding rap flow and tonality (he even seems to call this out on an early track stating he’s Lil Wayne before “A Milli”) as well as a Miguel feeling R&B croon. And while a handful of guests help carry a few hooks on a track here and there, Lucid is clearly a one man band and while the features appreciated for their added flavor to certain tracks, Lucid can confidently stand on his own.

Giving an emotive performance throughout with clearly personal lyrics, Lucid bounces from party to melancholy, from positivity to despair, showcasing the inner turmoil at the center of the album. Our favorite tracks include “Warrior Soul“, which, together with introduction interlude “No More Therapy“, takes the audience into his faceoff with futility, where Lucid chooses numbing himself through vice and gives up on therapy. The track is both relatable and a powerful call to action—hearing it you cannot help but want to help Lucid get back to the light. On the flip side, you have other standout “Put In The Air“, which is the Top 40 bop of the project, feeling very much like a Neptunes track made for Kelis. Special mention to “Until Its Gone“ whose drowning and all encompassing oppressive bass fills up your chest in a way that made our ears perk up—it’s a jewel.

Lucid’ premier couldn’t have gone better, in our view. Full of personality, boasting a distinct sound and as revealing as a diary, with “Journey to the Brightside”, Lucid The Dreamwaker steps on to the scene with confidence and fully in his power.

Mia Delamar - H.O.M.B. (EP)

H.O.M.B. (EP) - Mia Delamar (R&B) Mia Delamar makes a splash with EP “H.O.M.B.”, featuring four cuts destined for R&B charts and playlists. A talent o watch out for, Mia delivers a fresh take on a nostalgic and classic R&B sound and makes us hungry for an LP. No skips on this one. Let’s dive in.

An Atlanta native, 25 year-old Mia Delamar’s project details the nuances of love in the modern age, ranging from quiet storm R&B gems to upbeat pop crossovers. She names her influences as MIssy Elliot, Aaliyah and Mary J Blige. We’d like to add to that list. Let’s start with the overall sound and production.

H.O.M.B. is an immaculately produced record, and the influences of late 90s/00s R&B is clear, refreshing and very welcomed by this blog. Grounded in that genre, the tracks remind us of other modern evocations like the Mariah Carey “Caution” album, or any of the latest projects from Jasmine Sullivan. While each song certainly has its own identity, we’re dealing mostly with the 808s, crisp trap drums and swirling soulful synths and keys that you’d expect. As to Mia’s voice, her talent rests not only in her range and delivery, but in her variations. At times she’s gentle, reminding us of Nivea or Brandy, and at other times punchy and belty in a Keri Hilson kind of way. The sound of the record also reminded us a lot of deeply underappreciated NAO with a dash of early Ariana Grande.

We kick off with “Complicated”, a sultry slow burn that brings a Nivea flow to a Jasmine Sullivan kinda cut. Mia introduces her honey drenched voice on this, with an understated production centered mostly around a plucky guitar and synth swells, allowing Mia to take center stage. In fact, throughout Mia is never lost in the production—she’s always the star.

“Say That” picks things up and is sure to get you out to the dance floor. The retro vibe is prominent and Mia is S I N G I N G over the punctuation of claps, leaving the sultriness behind for a strong belt and some Mariah worthy runs into the rafters. The track itself gives us early 00s/10s Keri Hilson and Christina Milian. Dip it low to this one.

Next up, we get our absolute favorite track, “Whatever.” This is where we get the most “Caution” album. It’s extremely sing-along-able and there’s just something we can’t put our finger on—there’s just magic in this one. The vocal layering, melody and verby adlibs that feature throughout the EP seem to come together here, which actually reminds us a bit of early Ariana (think “The Way” era). This is the hit.

Finally, title track “H.O.M.B.” closes the project, standing for “hands on my body.” Tight hats provide the drive to this, and the lyrics make the track prime for social media sampling (“i’m not a popstar, but i’m a rockstar”). Are we in store for a “H.O.M.B.” challenge?

We listen to a lot of music here at this blog, and we are always particularly drawn to the R&B projects that respect what’s come before. So for us, Mia hits our sweet spot, and these tracks are now on constant rotation over here as we anticipate a follow-up LP. Mia is a star, and we stan.

Vale - One Night Only

One Night Only - Vale (Pop) Vale’s lyrical prowess is on full display in her new cut, “One Night Only.” The storytelling is exceptional here, with Vale using specific and unique imagery to take a track about a one night stand and elevate it into something with an identity all its own. In “One Night Only,” Vale tells a prospective suitor that they should make the best of the night they have, as it’s the only one on offer. There’s a melancholy to it though, as the track isn’t so much about a woman who’s only interested in carnality, but rather someone who is currently unavailable, but still wants to be shown earnest desire. The production is Top 40 worthy, with punchy percussion baked with a catchy little guitar effect as Vale’s vocals sit front and center taking a conversational tone, which complements the honesty of the storytelling.

Best Lyric: “My mom buys cigarettes and ice cream, what am I doing here.”

Mara Liddle - All Over The Place

All Over The Place - Mara Liddle (Pop) Mara Liddle brings the funk with infectious little confection “All Over The Place”, an impeccably produced earworm. It’s a kick forward track that almost makes us think of a modern day “I Think We’re Alone Now”, that spins around your head and may even spin you around the dance floor. Mara’s vocals sparkle as they cloak the punchy track with a soothing silkiness that slips right into your ear. The textures throughout the track sit great on the ear, from the smoothness of the vocals, warble of the keys, punch of the kick to the crunch of the claps—the mix is perfect. Add in some engaging instrumental switchups and diversions and a curious vocal production the bridge, and you get something you’ll want to put on repeat.

Best Lyric: “I know that I could talk all day, but I’ve got nothing to say.”

Rehya Stevens - Early Winter

Early Winter - Rehya Stevens (Easy Listening) It’s unseasonably cold in Rehya Steven’s latest track, the brooding ballad “Early Winter”, where powerful vocals tell a tale of relationship troubles making it seem like the cold has arrived before it’s due. The song is wistful, delivered in an understated production of keys, drums and a heartstring pulling verbed guitar, kicked up into high gear when the strings sweep in. But the center of the track is Rehya’s golden vocals. Mature, grounded and emotive, there’s a folk or even country influence to the performance that helps tell the story with emotional truth. With a classic sound and emotional punch, “Early Winter” makes for a great car or shower singalong when you’re caught in your feels or dwelling on the past.

Best Lyric: “It’s colder in my world.”

Mama Blue - Mother of the Night

Mother of the Night - Mama Blue (Dark Pop) There’s an other-wordly-ness to Mama Blue’s latest track, “Mother of the Night.” The record is an incantation punctuated with hiphop influences from the knocking kick to the tight trap percussion. Mama’s lead takes several forms—a lilting seduction hanging in the air, a hissing snake similar to the “parseltongue” of the Harry Potter movies, and finally a layered and synth infused lead that blankets the track as guitars and horns hang in the reverb. When we close our eyes, we almost envision a bazaar, or a hookah lounge, with exotic dancers gyrating in a smoke filled room. An after hours club drenched in tension and a goosebump stirring sense of danger. Hypnotic and entrancing, this is one would go great with an edible.

Best Lyric: “My beautiful creature with darkness in your eyes.”

BŠĀR - Adrenaline

Adrenaline - BŠĀR (Pop) BŠĀR’s aptly titled new track “Adrenaline” certainly gives a dose of it with a zippy little number that has surprises around every turn. The record has a funk feel to it, carried by the splashy synths and plucky guitar that help give this track a momentum that flies right out of the gate. On top of that you’ve got a percussion that we best describe as a patter, all glued together by a slinky bass lead as the lead vocals punch through with classic pop flavor. But what truly makes this catchy record stand out is how refreshing it is with surprising changeups to the instrumental and tempo throughout, constantly keeping the listener engaged as BŠĀR turns the corner into something new and unexpected. This one’s on repeat.

Best Lyric: “Chasing the high not thinking ‘bout the low.”

E.T. Man - Shades of Neon (Synth Seduction Mix)

Shades of Neon (Synth Seduction Mix) - E.T. Man (Synth Pop) E.T. Man brings the lush with swirling new single “Shades of Neon (Synth Seduction Mix)". Since they are in the title, let’s start with those fuzzy synths, which blanket the track in analog fuzz that have a distinctly 80s feel. The chord progression is driving, accompanied by crisp drums and thudding kick that makes this midtempo quite groovy. Abandoning the prominence of the washed out guitar that lead the original mix of the track, this mix elevates the record into anthemic territory—it’s quite a big track—leaving room for E.T. Man’s reedy baritone lead vocal to fill the space with more 80s nostalgia. This is a “turn off the lights and let the song wash over you” kind of track, destined for all those chill vibe playlists.

Sheena-Rae - Politician

Politician - Sheena-Rae (R&B) Sheena-Rae isn’t falling for your BS in her latest track, “Politician”, a super-fresh and incredibly catchy R&B/pop hybrid about a love that finds deception so easy and natural they might as well have a political career. The conceit of the track is clever and makes for great Top 40 material, with the overall feel of the record giving us a little bit of early Ariana Grande (“The Way”) with that Fifth Harmony UK pop feel. The mood is set immediately with the plucky synth strings, eventually accompanied by a knocking hiphop kick with some tuned percussion earcandy. The instrumental remains minimal, however, to let Sheena-Rae’s strong and sassy leads carry the song. It’s one you’ll definitely want to sing along to. Total bop.

Best Lyric: “You played with my heart, you thought you were being real damn smart.”

Bad Bubble - Queen Balloon

Queen Balloon - Bad Bubble (Dream Pop) Bad Bubble soothes with their latest single, the dreamy ballad “Queen Balloon.” It’s a provocative number, just as Bad Bubble intends, as they have a fierce devotion to using actual instruments and mixing on an old school mixing board, with no interest in creating repetitive, empty modern day concoctions. Backed by crisp drums and a hypnotic and dizzying piano line, Bad Bubble uses a tight delay-like distortion to bring a unique quality to his voice that creates an almost robotic feel. That’s not to say that the vocals aren’t strong—the effect doesn’t take away from the fact that Bad Bubble is singing his heart out. It’s a number with a lot of drive, stepping up from lilting ballad to anthem when the electric guitar kicks in to turn things up a notch. All in all, though, the track is as unique as it is fulfilling—listening to it gives the feeling of being electrically charged.

Oddsmokee - The Good, the Bad and the Oddy (LP)

The Good, The Bad and the Oddy (LP) - Oddsmokee (Hiphop) Today’s LP review comes from hiphop artist “Oddsmokee” who, with an “Old Town Road” kinda vibe, brings a hiphop/country hybrid soundscape to the forefront on “The Good, The Bad and the Oddy”. The album is an 8-track exploration of substance abuse, coping mechanisms and mindfulness, which we dig into below.

Born in Thousand Oaks California, raised primarily in NY’s 518, Oddsmokee does it all—writing, performing, designing, directing and more, he is truly a 360 degree artist. From his Spotify bio, we see Oddsmokee began making music in 2019 “as a way to escape a dark road of criminal charges through drug dealing, as well as to help overcome addiction.” On “The Good, the Bad and the Oddy” specifically, the focus is on the “downsides, dangers and pitfalls that come with substance abuse” and its poor utility as a coping mechanism for emotional or mental distress.

By utilizing rap and autotuned vocals over 808s and trap percussion, this exploration is certainly grounded in hiphop, however a notable country infusion through guitar loops gives the entire project its unique identity. The production is perfection, each mix crisp and clean and lathered in professional gloss. While the sound is consistent, each track has a unique identity, with some even veering into ballad territory (which were some of our favorites). We were often reminded of later Timbaland works—post the Justin Timberlake collabs.

Vocally, Oddsmokee has a real grit to his performance, chewing on his rhymes throughout. The resonant baritone and reedy qualities remind us of the sound of a Lil’ Wayne, while the passion in the performance and underlying fire give us Eminem vibes, yet all packaged in a youthful and modern delivery. Slipping back and forth between rapping and singing, the latter is leaned the more Oddsmokee becomes introspective and emotional, which feels correct.

We specifically want to highlight the sequencing of the album, as each track seems to discover yet another new insight into substance abuse and Oddsmokee’s specific struggles as it moves along. As such, the album progresses like an enlightening in progress—the listener stands beside Oddsmokee during his mindfulness journey, unpacking issues in real time as if each song is another step in the therapeutic process. This is best exemplified by analyzing bookends “11:15”, which sets the status quo of a life of sex and drugs, and “Overdosaa” where 8 tracks in Oddsmokee is connecting the destructive behavior to issues with his youth and upbringing and the need to fill an emptiness. When listening sequentially, one might miss how far we’ve travelled over these tracks, but taking a step back, you realize just how deep the album gets, one step at a time.

Our favorite tracks are the more introspective ones. “Dommy Ps” is extremely catchy, reminding us of 00s Timbaland productions, and feels the most radio friendly of the bunch. The introspective analysis touched on there is further developed in other standout “Snow Dayy”, on which Oldsmokee connects his perceptions of the world to his internal struggles and coping mechanisms. It’s followed by our absolute favorite, album closer “Overdosaa”, where Oldsmokee does the most internal analysis in connecting what the drugs are numbing him from.

With a signature sound and great production, we were happy to join Oddsmokee on the beginning of his journey of self-exploration, and look forward to more breakthroughs in works to come.

Emily Nicole Green - Thief

Thief - Emily Nicole Green (Pop/Country) Emily Nicole Green stuns with new record “Thief” which is more than a breakup ballad, it’s a musical gut punch. We don’t say this lightly—this is an Adele worthy track. Or a Gaga “Joanne” era ballad. Emphatic and rousing, Emily’s vocals are as engaging as they are passionate and strong, leading the understated production of keys, live drums and heartstring pulling descending cello sweeps. Emily’s vocals definitely have that country influence, not necessarily a twang but there are moments in her vibrato and her articulation that give us a little Dolly, or maybe some Reba. And because the lyrics are so god damn powerful, we had to choose two below. You can tell it’s a personal track—it’s in the words, it’s in the performance. And for that, we can confidently say Emily stands toe to toe with the artists referenced herein. A stand out track.

Best Lyric: “You didn’t break me, only I can do that.” / “Guess you could be a good man who wasn’t good to me.”

Clare Easdown - Scopolamine

Scopolamine - Clare Easdown (Pop) It’s a four hit streak on the blog today with returning artist Clare Easdown, who delivers another impactful track with latest “Scopolamine”. Following the avant garde turn of the previous single, Clare returns to a more traditional format with this ballad, while still maintaining the elevated poetic lyrics that rise above the standard pop fare that we’ve come to expect from Clare. Despite the more classic structure, Clare continues to surprise with her musical choices, giving surprising moments of close harmonies at just the right point to cut the core on the more painful words, specifically “brutally”. Add the cavernous verb and the steady, yet understated beat of the drum, and we can clearly envision this one as the “last song” at the school dance.

Best Lyric: “I’m brutally in love with you.”