Rebecca Sichon - Breaking Free

Breaking Free - Rebecca Sichon (Soul) If you don’t appreciate Rebecca Sichon, she wants you to just let her go, which she clearly tells us in latest single “Breaking Free.” The track is a bluesy, soulful and timeless waltz hosting a lovely build that takes us from simple singer-songwriter to a lush and beautifully layered production. The track is carried forward by patient hats tapping out the tempo as a Prince-evoking guitar strikes to punctuate the heartbreak throughout, all while a soulful organ swirls in the background. But despite all of that deliciousness in the instrumental, the standout of this track is Rebecca herself, whose vulnerable and soulful performance shine as pure as her tone.

Best Lyric: “I’ve got so much left to give and so much life to live and so much more to me.”

Yael Lanciano - Runnin' Away

Runnin’ Away - Yael Lanciano (Pop) Yael Lanciano delivers a lush pop production with the synth soaked single “Runnin’ Away”. It’s a universal subject matter, Yael asking why her love interest is scared of diving into the real thing. Listening to this track, which is boasting with ear candy, reminded us a lot of Carly Rae Jepsen. The track screams summer, with a perfect pop vocal from Yael that shimmers on top of the splashy synths and punchy percussion. What really makes this track standout, however, are the constant switchups that keep engagement high as the song breezes by to its conclusion. From the slow down of the bridge, to the breakbeat of the last pre-chorus, the song’s complexity really had us in our feels.

Best Lyric: “Want you to tell me what’s on your mind all the time, but you keepin’ me at a distance.“

Love Ghost - Dopeman

Dopeman - Love Ghost (HipHop) Love Ghost delivers a thumping afrobeat inspired genre-blending banger with latest single, “Dopeman”, featuring guests Camidoh and DJ Switch Ghana. That afrobeat inspiration is overlaid on a hazy rock guitar that bleeds punk rock vibes, creating quite a melding of styles for a truly unique sound. Add on the repeated choral chant throughout, and you elevate to anthemic, then sprinkle in that flute line, and we get into world music. Most surprising is how well this concoction works to create something that just screams Top 40. From the alt punk sung vocals to the liquid flows of the rapper to the ethereal lilt of the female vocalist, “Dopeman” is a slam dunk collab that reminds of the multi-artist Timbaland tracks of the 00s/10s.

Best Lyric: “Sunlight overdosing, my spirit can’t be broken.”

Ivon Roberts - Better Guy

Better Guy - Ivon Roberts (Pop) In Ivon Roberts’ latest, “Better Guy”, Ivon and guest Cian O’Donoghue are letting you know you won’t find a better man. As described by the artists, this duet takes place between a heterosexual and a bisexual man competing for the affection of the same woman—it’s 2023’s “The Boy Is Mine”. Dreamy synths set the mood before the groove takes off like a freight train barrelling down the tracks to the song’s conclusion. With a molten lava 808 bass and a driving guitar riff, the overall sound reminds us a lot of what Madonna was doing back on her “Music” album—we specifically got “Don’t Tell Me” vibes. Catchy, quirky, commercial and with a unique point of view, Ivon Roberts delivers something for you to karaoke battle your friends with.

Best Lyric: “He’s busy unzipping his lips.“

Partyat4 - FWM

FWM - Partyat4 (R&B) Partyat4 brings the sexy with sultry new single “FWM”, letting their love interest know that they have what they need. Giving us some real Chris Brown vibes, Partyat4 utilizes a modern production pallet while still paying tribute to some retro R&B influences—we specifically here a lot of Usher in this. It’s a strong vocal on an impeccably produced track, backed by plenty of ear candy, verbs and doubles that fortunately never distract from the main groove of the track. But where the song really catches fire is the chorus, with a bouncy bass lead that backs an extremely catchy chorus whose melody will certainly stick with you. What can we say? After listening to this track, we fucks wit Partyat4.

Best Lyric: “And I hear what all your friends say, but do they really know me baby?“

KHi - over

over - KHi (R&B) Short but sweet, KHi delivers a morsel of a single “over”, on which the artist laments the end of a relationship, coming to the realization that it is truly the end. While chastising a former love for letting their petty little friends get into their ear, KHi delivers a heart wrenching and vulnerable vocal, left to bleed on the track due to the light touch of vocal production. The instrumental is foreboding, looming in the background like a storm cloud, symbolizing the torrent of torment going through KHi’s mind. If you’ve recently been through a breakup, we think “over” is the right kind of track for your current playlist.

Best Lyric: “You’re only making it colder.“

Crusada - Killer Signs Prelude

Killer Signs Prelude - Crusada (HipHop) Crusada makes us miss the days of 00s hiphop with latest track “Killer Signs Prelude”, a record that serves as the introduction to an upcoming theatre production at London’s Courtyard Theatre this month. Giving some real “Magic Stick” vibes, we were half expecting Kim to hop in on a verse. Our artists here have the vibes of Eminem’s D12 group, with each rapper passing the baton throughout the track without ever interrupting the flow, all while a They Might Be Giants “Constantinople” style violin slides around the retro hiphop percussion production. If “Killer Signs Prelude” is a prelude of what’s to come, we can confidently say that we’re ready for the show. If you’re in London, be sure to check it out.

Best Lyric: “The black falcon, not Peter Pan.”

Dax - To Be A Man ft Darius Rucker

To Be A Man - Dax ft Darius Rucker (Country)  Dax returns for his fifth entry with “To Be A Man” (see our previous reviews of “Life”, “The Abyss”, “God’s Eyes” and “The Devil’s Calling”) to surprise us yet again—and we’re not talking about the mic drop appearance of Darius Rucker. No, here Dax mostly leaves his rhymes behind for a soul stirring country number—yes, country—where he duets with the one and only Darius Rucker. Now what isn’t different here is Dax’s dedication to meaningful lyrics and messaging, this time discussing the responsibility of fatherhood and what it is to be a man. Production wise, it’s your classic mainstream country crossover—our first time hearing this from Dax—and continues to prove that Dax is a versatile, multi-talented and prolific musician with a hell of a lot to say.

Best Lyric: “It’s not ‘bout how you feel but what you provide inside that home.”

KÄRMA SOUNDS - Mysterious

Mysterious - Kärma Sounds (Pop) There’s a lot to love with Kärma Sounds’ latest track, “Mysterious”—a funky NuDisco track that is destined for the dancefloor. The lead vocalist, the dynamic Karina Morin, goes toe to toe with all the major dance divas in her sexy delivery, while backed by a vocoder and ushered into an outro by a hella-retro guitar solo. From it’s funky percussion to it’s slinky and molten lava bassline (which gives this groove its drive), the track reminds us a lot of “Get Lucky” from Daft Punk/Pharrell. Kärma Sounds hopes to evoke the “magic that unfolds when two souls connect in a mysterious realm, where time stands still.” For us, that real would be a summertime dance floor with vodka soda in hand and not a care in the world. That’s where you’ll find “Mysterious.”

Kyle Richardson - Louder Than Words

Louder Than Words (LP) (Pop) There’s not one skippable track on Kyle Richardson’s debut LP, “Louder Than Words”, a Top 40 slam dunk fresh of the presses. Preceded by singles “Fight The Good Fight”, “Anything” and “Can You Hear Me”, Kyle’s first album sets a high bar as he ventures forth to build what is sure to be a strong career. From the vocals to the impeccable production, Kyle blends a modern pop sensibility with retro nostalgia to create a record that is both very much of the here and now, but also timeless.

This Vancouver-based artist comes to us with quite the resume. Having written with the likes of Carly Rae Jepsen, DYLN and Garrett Neiles, he has also had success in TV sync placements and radio work, generating over 1.5 million Spotify streams as a guest vocalist on Bobina’s “Love is the Answer.” Also, as this blog is run by a queer artist himself, we of course need to shout out that Kyle is family. :)

Let’s start with Kyle’s vocals. After some hemming and hawing, we finally settled on this: What if Michael Buble and Sam Smith raised a child together with the sole intention of having him to replace Ed Sheeran? That’s where we put Kyle. His vocals are pure pop, showing a warmth in baritone and a punchy strength in his upper register—i.e., he has the range. Those vocals are always mixed right in front, the star of every track, with the instrumentation serving merely to boost him up. That instrumental production sits mostly in mainstream pop, each mixed with beautiful depth and richness, with the occasional detour into retro influences. So before you even get into the actual content of the tracks, this album sounds amazing.

For the most part, Kyle leans towards anthemic tub-thumpers. Immediately launching with album opener “Can You Hear Me”, Kyle evokes a “We Will Rock You” stomp and clap that permeates most of the album. “Fight the Good Fight” carries that torch as well, and it’s clear on first listen why this was a preceding single—it’s a perfect concoction for today’s charts. Now, with a voice like Kyle’s, you couldn’t not have a selection of ballads. On that front, “Perfect Crime” stands out as our favorite, a love song about a hookup turning into something more—which for the queer experience is pretty common and certainly relatable.

Our personal favorites, however, are the ones that bake in a few hints of nostalgia. These aren’t full on time travel tracks, but more like the way Meghan Trainor has a doo wop sensibility in a lot of her work. In that regard, “Fun” shines as that sort of track, which even gives us a Christmas pop track kind of vibe—it’s kind of a sleigh ride. The album delivers another retro bop with “Nice to Meet You” that gives us vibes similar to Duffy’s “Mercy”, while “Sooner or Later” is a hazy retro soul track that stands out as unique among the collection. However, it all comes together in our favorite track on the album “Everything About You”, which is the perfect midpoint between his stomp/clap modern style and his retro leanings. That one’s a chef’s kiss for us. Not that the others on the album won’t, but these records in particular will stand the test of time.

In sum, Kyle Richardson’s debut LP “Louder Than Words” is a triumph. A masterful production, soaring vocal performance and mainstream sensibility, Kyle will have no problem finding a devoted and adoring fanbase.

LÖNA - Game

Game - LÖNA (Pop) LÖNA delivers a hypnotic dance floor bop with latest single “Game.” The track bleeds with darkness and danger, feeling like an incantation—especially with those spoken word urgings leaning into the choruses. The sweeping synths, which paint the atmosphere as hazy and forboding, are cut with a punchy production paired with clear and crisp vocals that callto the listener like a siren song. As the track draws you in, it conjured images of those underground party scenes in The Matrix films, and also gave us a bit of “Florence and the Machine” vibes—but like if Florence was in a real funk. We also have to highlight the clever and captivating lyrical content, often missing from these kinds of dark pop dance floor tracks.

Best Lyric: “Whiskey on the rocks, I am the queen of hearts.”

Connor Desai - Forever

Forever - Connor Desai (Indie Folk) The latest from Connor Desai, “Forever”, is a surprising genre blend with gut punching emotion and clear crossover appeal. As the track begins, you immediately place it in indie folk, with intimate and close vocals set to a lilting guitar strum. Hypnotic and intoxicating, Connor’s vocals shine as both strong and vulnerable, as she sings of the melancholy of an unresolved breakup, which have just a touch of Sheryl Crow in their maturity. But then we’re pleasantly blindsided by the introduction of a punchy kick and trap percussion production that marry beautifully with the stripped down arrangement that came before, deepening the emotion of the track and giving it extra drive. We were also deeply impressed with the lyrics, making it hard to choose our favorite. “Forever” is poetry set to music.

Best Lyric: “The poets try to ground us, but you’re nobody’s fool.”

Rob Elo - Either Way

Either Way - Rob Elo (R&B/Neo-Soul) Rob Elo has found a love worth waiting for on latest track, “Either Way”, the first of four monthly singles that will culminate in an EP next year. From the moment the sparkling rhodes and plucky guitars enter, the listener is immediately put at ease, trusting Rob to lead them down a sonic landscape that feels like a flowing river. The production is incredibly lush, with soothing Brandy-level vocal stacks, harmonies and counterpoints slathering butter on a close, intimate and vulnerable vocal. Rob’s crooning plus the warm blanket of the instrumentation are hypnotic and seductive and just as he’ll wait for you, you’ll have no doubt that his upcoming tracks are also worth waiting for. One of our favorites of the year.

Best Lyric: “So if you wait, don’t wait, either way I’m on fire.”

Jason Shand - Selfish Bitch

Selfish Bitch - Jason Shand (Indie Rock) Welcome to the return of the diss track. On his latest single “Selfish Bitch”, Jason Shand pulls no punches, calling out a former lover for their self centered egoism. The delivery, however, comes not from anger, but from hurt, with the message coming from a raw and vulnerable vocal that easily slips up into falsetto at moments of peak pain. The production thuds and swells on “Selfish Bitch”, with the subby kick feeling like a heartbeat as a ‘wild west standoff’ guitar sets the atmosphere. The instrumentation remains understated until the shimmering synths sweep the listener into themselves and usher in the drums, as well as a ‘radar ping’ that really punches the heart. Still unpacking a recent heartache? Get this on your playlists.

Best Lyric: “Maybe it’s better that I never know, maybe it’s better that I let it go.“

wht.rbbt.obj - Keep You Like A Secret (Tidal Wave)

Keep You Like A Secret (Tidal Wave) - wht.rbbt.obj (Soft Rock) wht.rbbt.obj delivers some silky jazz in the lounge lizard single “Keep You Like A Secret (Tidal Wave)”. Bluesy and sultry, the star of the track is surely the lead vocal—a smoky and intoxicating female voice that combines the vowel shapes of Amy Winehouse, husk of Ellie Goulding and punk rock of Fiona Apple. The song as a whole reminds us of that era in the 00s/10s where Norah Jones and Duffy hit the charts—that “new retro” kinda feel. We also loved the little touches of the verbed organ, which was just pure earcandy. It’s a timeless record destined for your smooth grooves/chill vibes playlist.

Best Lyric: “You don’t know what you do to me, do yah?”

Joe Lington - Focus

Focus (LP) - Joe Lington (R&B) This month we’ve had the pleasure to explore the discography of French R&B artist Joe Lington, and today we take on the remaining projects, the “Focus” LP. Released in 2021, the album shares commonalities with his other offerings—the prior “Trust” LP, subsequent “Black Desire” LP and the “WTPA” EP preceding the forthcoming “Pinkeen” LP—to the point that we now believe we can confidently say that we understand the Joe Lington formula. Let’s break that equation down below.

As we’ve often noted in our reviews of Joe’s work, Joe likes to serve a comprehensive and meticulously structured work. Aside from general sequencing choices, Joe likes to use introductions and interludes to separate his projects into acts, a technique that we don’t see used very often these days now that the music scene is far more a culture of singles rather than one that focuses on album releases. It’s a refreshing throwback, and “Focus” is no different, with the title track being the intro to the album that reminds us a lot of the beginning of Usher’s “Monstar”, coincidentally also an intro track. Track “Maman” also gets its own introduction later in the project, “Alone” helps guide us from uptempo to ballad around the halfway mark and “I wanna Be” is a transition track as well that feels akin to Prince’s “I Wanna Be Your Lover” complete with the falsetto. We kind of want a full song of the latter.

Also part of Joe’s formula is showing off his bilingual skills, which is also present on “Focus”, getting to reach two audiences in one project. Shrewd business move for sure. In addition, Joe also likes to use spoken word in order to deliver specific messages to his audience directly. In “Black Desire”, the title track explained the necessity of code switching. On “Focus”, the spoken word follows the intro number, with “Are You Ready?” letting us know this album is about the love of music.

And then the final ingredient, of course, that punchy 00s R&B sound. On “Focus” our standout tracks include “You & Me”, whose guitar strums take us back to Justin Timberlake’s “Like I Love You” and also give us a resonant baritone feature with guest artist frederic. “Call Me Maybe”—no, not that one—also stands out as an upbeat number with touches of jazz influence, from a wailing sax to a jazz piano, baked into a tight percussion with added tension of house infused synths. Of the slow jams, “Partir” is probably our favorite, with a lilting melody, luscious vocal stacks and a seductive quiet storm instrumental.

It’s been quite a journey with Joe Lington this month and we look forward to linking up with him again in 2024 for the forthcoming “Pinkeen” album. What we've discovered so far is an artist with a dedication to his craft, a focus on his specific sound, and a robust vision of comprehensive works. With a deep discography, we think it might be time for the "Pinkeen" project to take Joe on tour. We'd certainly love to hear many of these live and see what Joe has to bring to the stage.