Lukx - Let Me Believe

Let Me Believe - Lukx (R&B)  We’re on our seventh Lukx track and we continue to love his brand of fresh, feel-good funk. With latest single “Let Me Believe,” Lukx delivers another vibey track with that West Coast feeling we’ve come to expect from him. We’ve said it many times: Snoop Dogg flow and tone mixed with some Andre 3000. His layered vocals are a warm blanket, with a fuzzy whispery husk that slips right into your ear. You can feel your shoulders lower as the track chills you out. What we particularly liked about this (as always) impeccably produced track is the punchy and intricate percussion arrangement. Chill vibes and positivity, Lukx remains a ray of sunshine in the indie music scene and we’re ready for #8.

Best Lyric: “It’s never too late for a totally different life.”

Benedict Sinister - Only Sixteen

Only Sixteen - Benedict Sinister (Pop) Oh boy we were not expecting the turn of the chorus of this one. With “Only Sixteen”, Benedict Sinister reminisces on a love from his teens, reconciling the heartbreak he experienced with the fact that he, and his lover, were so young at the time. However, there is still pain here as this track is pure barbed wire, psychoanalyzing the ex to understand her motivations, but not excuse her for them or the hurt she caused. What’s surprising about this track are the way the sing-songy, warbly keys lull you into a cozy space before Benedict Sinister hits you with the sneak attack. His Johnny Cash style vocals also give him a unique identity in the genre, and his delivery proves that this track is personal.

Best Lyric: “Didn’t know you could be such a bitch, thought you didn’t mean to.“

Marina - Vindictive Bitch

Vindictive Bitch - Marina (Pop)  Marina doesn’t get mad, she gets even. In her latest track “Vindictive Bitch”, Marina pulls no punches, serving an in your face track that tells her ex lover that they are about to reap the seeds they’ve sown. The track feels like it might have a country influence in parts of the melody and storytelling, reminiscent of another vindictive bitch who took a baseball bat to someone’s car, but with the edge of a Pink track. Marina’s vocals are strong and emotive, it’s clearly a personal song as she sprays fire on the track like a dragon. Overall, this song is meant for the scorn lover, the recently single, and those wishing to jam out with the windows down while feeling their freedom.

Best Lyric: “I don’t think you’ve me yet.”

Juva - Sun's Out

Sun’s Out - Juva (R&B/Rap) The clouds have parted on Juva’s latest track “Sun’s Out”, a hazy ode to good weather and good vibes. The track is underlaid by a plucky synth lead and pads that bring a mystery and tension to the track, with featured steel drums to evoke that image of a sun drenched beach, sand between your toes and the smell of suntan lotion. The kick has the knock you want, with a slippery 808 bass and a lead vocal that slices through the percussion with a reedy timbre, accentuated by a light touch of intentional tuning for some sprinkling of ear candy. This is a windows down, cruising down the highway kinda track—a real vibe.

Luna Keller - Ocean Inside Of Me

Ocean Inside Of Me - Luna Keller (Indie Folk)  Nature stands front in center in Luna Keller’s latest track, “Ocean Inside Of Me”. References to rivers, stars, clouds, forests and of course the ocean are used as metaphors for the turbulent and at times overwhelming emotions sitting just below the surface. The track flows like water, beginning with a zen and soothing synth, adding a lilting guitar and warbled keys that, together with a patient percussion, give the feeling of a live performance at a jazz club. The vocal is mature and emotive, rising like the waves described from verses to a rousing chorus. Chock full of stunning lyrics and swelling chord progressions, this is a song you feel.

Best Lyric: “The ocean inside of me flooded my eyes.”

Maria Deirisarri - In The Beginning (LP)

In The Beginning (LP) - Maria Deirisarri (Pop) Holy shit. This album is beyond spectacular, showcasing a vocal talent and impeccable production, Maria Deirisarri blew us away with her latest LP “In The Beginning”, and if she doesn’t become a household name something is wrong with the universe. We don’t say this lightly. With a thoughtfully sequenced and diverse collection of timeless ballads and pop/R&B mainstream bangers, Maria stunned us with her talent, musicality and clearly painstaking and meticulous construction of one of our favorite albums of the year. Download this N O W. Let’s dig in.

Now this is the way you introduce your artistry to the world. With ethereal instruments, power driven themes and quirky use of spoken word punches, Maria self describes her work as “lyrical sentiments [that] span across love, fear, and resistance”, culminating in self-discovery. Based in Atlanta, the 17 year old dynamo showcases olympic level lyricism that defies her young age, already winning a Trailblazing Performer accolade from the International SingerSongwriters Association and a second-place finish in Omega’s Got Talent.

The production on “In The Beginning” is top notch, from the heartbreakingly beautiful piano ballads to the punchy pop-rock scorchers and fresh R&B cuts (she even spits some bars). Maria showcases a a versatility that proves that she is more than a pop singer—she is a musician in every sense of the word. One of the many qualities of “In The Beginning” that stood out to us are the surprising turns in instrumental production with specific songs, which made each track incredibly engaging. This is a listen straight through album.

But our favorites have to be the simple guitar numbers which let Maria show off her vocal prowess. With a sound that at times reminded us of Sara Bareilles, and others a touch of Fiona Apple, Maria’s serenades are beautiful, and we must specifically shout out her moments of duet with a male vocalist, whose rich baritone melds seamlessly with Maria’s alto to create honey for the ears.

It’s difficult to pick our favorite tracks because we cannot emphasize enough that they are all equally spectacular. “Te Necesito” is probably our favorite ballad on the album, with heartstring pulling guitar and strings met with Taylors strong and centered performance. We’d love to hear this one live. “Diamond” is also a standout, which feels like the most Top 40 of the tracks. We are particularly in love with the lush harmonies in the backgrounds which sing like a siren song—seductive earcandy. Album closer “Pieces” also shines as a perfect finale—resolute and heartfelt.

We should also point out tracks like “Blindfolded” and “Junctional Rhythm”, where Maria ventures into pop rock. The latter’s production makes this another Top 40 track, incorporating an almost country flavor, with a distorted delay on the vocal that elevates the track without overproducing Maria’s voice. Interlude (we assume) “Freedom” also stuck with us for its haunting beauty, reminding us a lot of Adele’s recent work (elements of this carry through to the aforementioned “Diamond”).

We celebrate Maria Deirisarri’s masterpiece that is “In The Beginning” and bow to an artist destined for stardom. Hats off to you, Maria, and we look forward to watching you ascend.

Grace & Moji - Sad Times

Monster - Grace & Moji (Pop) Following our reviews of previous tracks “Monster” and “Tipping Point”, Grace & Moji return for the third month in a row with “Sad Times”, a melancholy subject matter set to a poppy retro dance beat. While “Monster” gave us some 90s Smashing Pumpkins alt rock, and “Tipping Point” gave us anthemic folk, “Sad Times” gives us yet another side of Grace & Moji, conjuring those doo wop evocations of “Hey Yah” and “F*** You". But what all these tracks keep in common are those anthemic builds, with the song pivoting in the bridge to a rousing singalong. Of all the tracks we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing, this one is Grace & Moji’s most commercially appealing track, which we think you’ll be hearing in some ad placements very soon.

Best Lyric: “Cuz days are growing darker I need to open my heart yeah.”

Lew McKenzie - Alone

Alone - Lew McKenzie (R&B) Lew McKenzie brings some classic R&B with latest single, “Alone”. With Ginuwine vibes abound, Lew explains that his track contemplates residing in two worlds, outside with the people and then inside the mind, and Lew hopes to explain that the division isn’t that straightforward. The sound is certainly R&B with with a very unique instrumentation, matching lilting keys with a fuzzy synth lead that reminds us of Timbaland’s productions for Justin Timberlake in the 00s. Lew’s voice is honey, giving us a strong baritone and even a little rap sampling, beautifully performed and exquisitely layered as earcandy. But what stuck out to us the most are those Janet-level chord progressions which seem to have been abandoned in recent music, taking us in different and unexpected directions that make the track very engaging.

Best Lyric: “Up all night inside my nightmares.”

Joe Lington - Black Desire (LP)

Black Desire (LP) - Joe Lington (R&B) Last week, we got to listen to Joe Lington’s latest EP, “WTPA”, a trio of R&B tracks that we said was a solid preview of his upcoming EP. This week, we go back to last year and review his most recent LP, “Black Desire” (his fourth), another R&B gem tinged in retro with a sprinkling of 90s dance influences as well.

Again, Joe shows off his bilingual skills by bouncing between French and English, showcasing his crystal clear instrumental mixing. The production is much less minimalist than WTPA, providing a multi-layered, rich sound with clear instrument separation in the mix, which is a tribute to his production abilities (he does this all himself y’all). With a background in gospel choir, Joe is trained music producer in both mixing and mastering, and claims both Sisqo and Keith Sweat as his influences, with favorite albums by Mary J, Toni Braxton and Usher. We can certainly hear these references all over “Black Desire”, along with some other influences.

The LP kicks off with the title track, almost an introduction of sorts as it rests in a spoken word poetry style, explaining that the title of the album describes the pervasiveness of the need for black people to implement code switching, as their ambition and drive will not be viewed the same as that of another race. “It’s Gonna Be Alright - Remix” kicks off the suite of tracks with straight Usher vibes, as if lifted from the “Confessions” album. "Mamacita" places a latin flare on top of a gritty 90s synth bass lead to make a real hip winder, while "Je Pleure" takes a surprising turn into 90s house for the most Top 40 friendly number of the bunch. We even get some fun spoken features by a gaggle of girls that made us think of the intro to Sir Mix-a-lot's "Baby Got Back" or Kanye's intro to "Work Out Plan".

A taste of "Marshmallow" follows with a quiet storm R&B vibe underlying a rock guitar riff, making us crave a longer version of the track. "Ce Soir" slows things down even further with a beautiful 90s Toni Braxton-like ballad, layered with rich vocal chorals like a 112 track. "I Can't See You" takes us back to Usher territory where Joe dusts off his falsetto to show you he has range not just as a producer/artist, but also as a vocalist, before the "On se complete - Remix" sees the return of the rock guitar, which quickly gives way to a TLC sounding bass bop. This track is one of our favorites on the album.

The final suite of songs are introduced with "Pretty Girl", with "Because Of You" giving another twinkling ballad before ending with dance floor spinner "On Dance", rounding out the LP with an eclectic mix of instrumentation, styles and tempos that show the full breadth of Joe's talent. It's refreshing to have a cohesive, well plotted and thoughtfully sequenced album that has genre exploration centered on core sound.

An impressive, multi-talented one man band, Joe Lington does his inspirations proud on “Black Desire”.

Arden Alexa - Petty Bitch

Petty Bitch - Arden Alexa (Pop) Oh do we love a “Petty Bitch”, which is the mantle Arden Alexa has claimed with her latest track, all to go toe to toe with a shitty ex lover. After 10 years, the former object of Arden’s affection is being petty and so our vocalist has decided to take the low road and beat them at their own game. The track is classic Top 40 with a driving rock guitar leading the record as it duets with Arden’s powerful and emotive pop vocal. Overall, the track gives us a “The Truth About Love” era Pink vibe with a dash of Kelly Clarkson, with lyrics just as clever and memorable as you want from a breakup song. And this is just for you Arden—”oh by the way, we love you.” ;)

Best Lyric: “We were thrown out the window.”

Carson Ferris - Talkin' to You

PHOTO: Gabe Taylor

Talkin’ to You - Carson Ferris (Pop). Our favorite little pop prince Carson Ferris is back with yet another straight down the center Top 40 bop “Speed Limit.” Entering our four timers club, following “Crazy”, “1999” and “Speed Limit” before it, the title track to his recent EP moves beyond Carson’s love affair with late 90s pop to venture a bit more into more of the here and now with a very Ed Sheeran feeling number. The production, as always, is impeccable, with crisp percussion over a driving guitar loop and synth fills that make the entire record one big dose of earcandy. Complete with Carson’s strong pop vocal performance, we can’t stress enough that you need to get on board with this one-man boy band as he ascends.

Best Lyric: “Cuz I can take on anything except for tryna saying something to you.”

Nauria - Known Your Name

Known Your Name - Nauria (R&B) Nauria brings the timeless R&B with her anti-attachment anthem “Known Your Name.” Proclaiming an anxious attachment style, Nauria sings about liking someone too much and getting too deep in her research too fast. Over twinkling rhodes, organ fills and a classic drum kit, Nauria brings a refreshing self awareness to her behavior, criticizing herself for abandoning a slow trickle of getting to know someone by diving right into social media stalking. She learns the hard way that it only fuels assumptions and paints a preconceived notion of a person. With a classic sound and a universal subject matter, Nauria’s heavenly vocals and extra sweet harmony backing punches make for quite a scrumptious track.

Best Lyric: “I ignore the warning until I find things I shouldn’t have.”

Dax - Life

Life- Dax (Rap)  Entering our four timer’s club, Dax returns with his latest track (and now expected well produced video) “Life”. Following “The Abyss”, “God’s Eyes” and “The Devil’s Calling” before it, “Life” continues the rapper’s message of positivity and rising from the ashes of a troubled past. The track has a 00s feel about it with it’s hypnotic guitar loop and tight trap percussion. With sometime’s Twista levels of rapid fire spit, the track is Dax’s most Top 40 crossover effort to date, taking his pain and his struggles and using them as a beacon of hope for others. Here, Dax is less inward facing, instead serving as your life coach, telling you to seize the moment now because life’s too short to waste. With “Life” you can rely on Dax for the pick me up you need when you’re starting anew.

Best Lyric: “I gotta remind that we’re not meant to survive.”

Nicholas Dante - Inferno

Inferno - Nicholas Dante (Pop) Nicholas Dante heats things up with the dark and menacing “Inferno”, the title track from his 13 song LP. The record is a slick, tension laden production beginning with foley effects before ramping up into a plucky synth mandolin. Nicholas’ laser focused tenor enters, sweetened with some intentional tuning, and slices straight through the tribal beat before dipping into a demonic chant with vocal processing straight out of the Exorcist. In some ways the track feels like it could be from Lady Gaga’s “Fame Monster” era, as the record evoked of a mixture of “Born This Way”, “Judas” and “Scheiße”. We think this one needs a full on dance number and a slew of remixes.

Best Lyric: “This is something you risk your life on.”

Colm Donnelly - Money

Money - Colm Donnelly (Pop) Colm Donnelly is the everyman in his latest track “Money”, as he uses clever and memorable lyrics to lament the looming despair that comes with existing on the ground floor in a post-capitalist society. With a lilting and dreamy guitar lilt hanging in the back to frame the track, crisp punchy percussion complete with bells and bongos punctuate as the thrashing of a rock guitar enters to punch up the choruses. The entire affair has a late 90s alt rock feel, with Colm’s grungy baritone and delivery reminding us a bit of The Offspring. But what truly makes this track a winner are the clever, relatable and poetically specific lyrics. It was hard to pick our favorite.

Best Lyric: “These lump sum bills are known to kill when you gotta pay them all at once.”

Joe Lington - WTPA (EP)

WTPA (EP) - Joe Lington (R&B) Joe Lington brings a trio of tracks on EP "WTPA", a collection of catchy R&B bops that serves as the perfect appetizer for what's to come. As Lington tells us, the EP precedes a planned 2024 album "Pinkteen", which will house these three tracks.

Bouncing between French and English, the album is straight up R&B with a retro tinge, and is particularly notable for its crystal clear instrumental mixing and distinctive and driving bass lines throughout. The production is minimal, reminding us of Jermaine Dupri productions of the past (think "Emancipation of Mimi" days), allowing Lington to take up most of the space in the tracks with his layered vocals. It is evident that Lington is a methodical artist, as all of his backgrounds are akin to choral arrangements, and his leads always accompanied by a sharp harmony or counterpoint.

The EP begins with title track "WTPA", kicking off with immediate tension of the strings before diving into a 00s era R&B beat. Standing for where the party at, it certainly evokes Jagged Edge's version in the phrasing and melody of the chorus. That era imbues the track overall, reminding us very much of tracks by Mario and Joe. We have our only guest of the project on this track, Isabel Izzy, who brings a sultriness to the track. The song bounces between French and English, and Lington's vocals shine especially when he flies up into his falsetto.

This brings us to "Pinkeen." According to Lington, a Pinkeen is "a woman who repeats the same pattern over and over in all of her relationships until she realizes that she needs to do some therapy in order to break those habits, because she destroyed all her partners each time." Heavy stuff. With this track, we get the soul side of Lington's R&B influences, with a choral background in a call and response with the lead, not to mention the "heys" and "hos" reminiscent of Kris Kross's "Jump." With a buzzy lead bass, the track is more of a vocal riff and interlude, clocking in at just over a minute long, and again showcases Lington slipping around his falsetto in a very Prince-like fashion. We definitely think this one needs an extended cut, especially since Lington is introducing new slang vocabulary. We'd love for Lington to take a page from TLC and like they did with "scrubs", teach us all about the ins and outs of how a "pinkeen" lives their life.

Finally, we get album closer "Hypocrisy", which is definitely giving us vibes of "You Should Let Me Love You" by Mario mixed with some Ciara "Promise" and a touch of "My Love" by Justin Timberlake. Slipping back into French, Lington is now fully getting his falsetto on, which at times harkens to Prince, and other times more Maxwell. It's another clean production with probably the best vocal mix of the three. The backgrounds sit nicely in the support position.

With three solid tracks, we look forward to what Lington serves up in his forthcoming LP.