The One - Skar de Line (Pop) Skar de Line soars with the epically cinematic “The One”. We can’t overstate how “big” this song is—a wide rumbling bass grounds the track as vocal punches soar in the reverb to create a ton of space for Skar to play in. Accompanied by walkie-talkie vocal punches and plucky synth leads and keys, Skar shows versatility with his varied, yet always emotive, vocal performance. For most of the track, we are treated to his resonant baritone anchoring the song as the instrumental almost fights to envelope him. But we also get some fun earcandy in some spoken word distortions and of course he lets it all fly in his upper register when coasting through the reverb. This song fills you up while exposing all of Skar’s many talents.
GrayBeat - Diamond Mic
Diamond Mic - GrayBeat (Rap) GrayBeat is on the way to the gig with a trunk full of fresh hiphop beats in latest track “Diamond Mic.” The record has a great old school hiphop and analog feel—in some ways reminding us of when Outkast played with retro sounds back in the 00s. The booming bass drives the track down the freeway as surprising diversions appear along the journey, one being a warbling guitar and another some playful brass. The track hits its sweet spot in the bridge, though, when the vocals start layering, backed by some soft synths, creating a wall of sound that just fills the soul. GrayBeat is out here making feel good hiphop.
Best Lyric: “The only dope I got up in this trunk is this music.”
Toby TomTom - Black Swan
Black Swan - Toby TomTom (R&B) Toby TomTom delivers something truly unique with fresh feel good jam “Black Swan.” The first thing that jumps out about the track is that it defies genre—there’s certainly an R&B leaning, especially with the vocals, but it also ventures into EDM, funk and soul to create an avant garde experience. The collection of sounds shouldn’t work together, and yet they do, creating a sort of future R&B—we could see this being a natural evolution of say, Outkast’s 00s music. What stands out the most is the incorporation of atmospherics into the general flow, from a crunchy sizzle sound to bird chirping to various video game and techno effects that layer on to make a complex and multi-level listening experience. It’s musical ASMR.
Jamcie - Sun Comes Up
Sun Comes Up - Jamcie (Rap/Dance) Following our previous review of “Slow it Down”, Jamcie returns with his unique blend of hiphop and retro 90s house with the breezy and ethereal single “Sun Comes Up.” Similar to his prior track, Jamcie—a gifted rapper most known today for his part in renowned rap trio ‘FREE’MINDS’—is using his specific flavor of soundscape to place this track right on the dancefloor. The vibes remind us of Sonique’s “Feels So Good”, a perfect blend of EDM and R&B sensibility. Jamcie’s flow is an easy one, delivered in a resonant baritone that slices through the otherwise shimmering and groovy instrumental. Jamcie’s out here making feel good music.
Best Lyric: “I’m a naughty boy, it’s in my nature.”
Proklaim - THIEVES
THIEVES - Proklaim (Hiphop) The prolific Proklaim is back on the blog for the seventh time this week following the double feature of “REASON 2 BELIEVE” and “LOVE HIGHWAY” with “THIEVES.” On the record, Proklaim repeats that he sees the world going crazy and asks if it’s just him. We think anyone paying attention sees it too. While his Kendrick tonality remains, Proklaim is serving us something new with this one. Despite its crisp percussion, it’s a smooth record, evoking the feeling of a steady trot down a dirt path on horseback. It’s a travelling song for sure, with olympic level flow—Proklaim’s spit here is relentless, never letting up for one second, as he opines about the world around him. Another well produced, meticulously layered and catchy track from an artist with something to say.
Best Lyric: “Even when I couldn’t see the finish line I had to take another step.”
Belz - Love and Gucci Gloves
Love and Gucci Gloves - Belz (R&B) Look, Belz is straight up—she wants to be rich, famous and successful—and she lets us know all about her ambitions in her vibey R&B pop “Love and Gucci Gloves.” The track sort of has a Meghan Trainor kind of vibe in its retro influences, mixed with a bit of Blu Cantrell “Hit ‘Em Up Style”. The track starts with Belz immediately in the spotlight, backed solely but some crips snaps, giving us a classic R&B vocal, eventually building to the point where she’s backed by a soulful choir and a big band sort of instrumental. It’s a great meld of modern sensibility and 90s R&B retro—a genre that thankfully seems to be on the rise. And with a track like this, we assume those Gucci gloves are just on the horizon for Belz.
Best Lyric: “What if I can never feel that type of love?”
Olya Polyakova & Army of Lovers - Love is Blue
Love is Blue - Olya Polyakova & Army of Lovers (Pop) Olya Polyakova & Army of Lovers are giving us some serious Abba dance floor vibes with their latest track, “Love is Blue.” Driven by a rousing choral vocal and backed by a plucky instrumental, this track is full of the kind of quirky theatricality that would have surely made it a pop hit chart topper and dance floor anthem of yesteryear. The record is big, with the vocals crescendoing into the rafters, lead by an incredible belt from the lead vocalist that is almost operatic in nature. On top of that, the record is extremely catchy and centered in the category of feel good music. So if you’re a bit nostalgic for the disco dance floor numbers of the past, we think you’ll be pleased with the concoction that is “Love is Blue.”
Grant Brown - Low
Low - Grant Brown (Pop) Grant Brown delivers a country-infused pop bop with latest single “Low.” A heartfelt piano sets the mood before Grant enters to take center stage—captivating with his vulnerability and emotive vocal performance. While rooted in pop, there are both country and folk influences here, specifically from the strings as well as Grant’s vocal—almost a meld of those genres with R&B/Pop, creating a unique and engaging sound certain to have great crossover appeal. But above all, it’s hella catchy, with a soaring chorus that we guarantee will be an earworm. Memorable, anthemic and boasting sonics that fill the chest, Grant delivers a rousing anthem with “Low.”
Best Lyric: “Hope you don’t take this the wrong but I think I wanna take you to the grave.”
Clinton N - Dreaming (ft Luma)
Dreaming - Clinton N (ft Luma) (EDM) Clinton N, with guest Luma, delivers an epic EDM banger with latest single “Dreaming”. Ethereal yet dancey, the track soars thanks to some powerful vocals from our lead, backed by a breakbeat that reminded us a lot of Zedd’s “Clarity”. The song swims in a cathedral sized reverb, capturing that soulful melancholy that resonates in the best club tracks—you could certainly picture a bevy of remixes to this one. What strikes us the most about this track are the levels. Clinton N allows the song plenty of opportunities to breathe, giving the record an ebb and flow that help punctuate the higher octane moments. This one’s for the clubs.
Best Lyric: “But how could you let go, I’ve given so much to hold onto.”
Ash Molloy - I Knew
I Knew - Ash Molloy (Pop) Ash Molloy tugs on our heart strings with the emotional and personal “I Knew.” The record is a lesson in trusting your gut, with the insistence of the steady piano strike mirroring that constant nagging voice in your head telling you that something is looming in your relationship. Ash delivers a powerful vocal—soft, vulnerable and intimate at times, crescendoing into a powerful belt that breaks ever so slightly for the emotion of the track to punch through. Mix that with lush vocal stacks and soaring backgrounds and you get an Adele level track. “I Knew” is a triumph and will hit you right in the feels.
Best Lyric: “You knew what I meant when I always said that seeing her made me nervous.”
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.“