Anthony Touma - Baklava

Baklava - Anthony Touma (Pop/R&B) Anthony Touma treats us to a sweet and sultry dessert with latest track “Baklava.” The track is an overall bop, a definite groove, lead by a perfect pop vocal with plenty of ear candy, also including some baked in 00s feels and R&B sensibility. We were trying to place the influence, and then Anthony delivered a suite of references to Justin Timberlake in the second verse that handed it right to us—we really liked the cute aside to please not sue him for the references haha. The production is immaculately polished and we can’t see any reason a track like this wouldn’t top the charts—in the 00s or today.

Best Lyrics: “She got me lovestoned, and I’m swear that she knows.”

Mara Liddle - girl of your dreams

girl of your dreams - Mara Liddle (Pop) After a bit of a hiatus, Mara Liddle returns to us with our first track in 2024, “girl of your dreams”, following 2023’s “Facebook Official”, “Oversharing”, “Be Alone” and “All Over The Place”. On “girl of your dreams”, Mara delivers yet another sharp and plucky pop confection with collaborator JB Thomas. There’s always a sweetness to Mara’s tracks—a cute innocence—as her tuned soprano slices through a tight production. There’s almost a Japanese pop feeling to her tracks, with a 90s electro-pop tinge. “girl of your dreams” explores the shock of unexpected affection from someone who barely knows her, someone conjuring a perfect image of her based on minor interactions. It’s not quite a love song, more of a contemplation on infatuation from the point of view of the target—something we found to be quite unique.

Dax - A Real Man

A Real Man Dax (Pop)  We last saw Dax assembled with a supergroup of 12 different artists on the Mega Remix of “Dear Alcohol”—as usual paired with a stellar music video. Today, he returns to us for the eighth time with “A Real Man”, which returns Dax to center stage. On “A Real Man”, our genre defying artist comes with a country-infused pop track about the false image of masculinity. With a strong point of view, Dax dissects the kind of man a woman might want, and analyzes the contradictions therein, describing how such a concept is no more than fantasy and ultimately destructive. With a strong and timely message and well-produced beat, we think this track would fit perfectly on Top 40 radio.

Best Lyric: “He’s the rock that she needs but she hammers away.”

Proklaim - PROMISED LAND

PROMISED LAND - Proklaim (Rap) Today we get our nineteenth track from Proklaim, “Promised Land”, a song that revisits the soul sample boombap beats era of hiphop from artists like Slum Village, early Kanye West and Talib Kweli. We also felt even older influences on this one, the flow feels very Fugees, often times evoking tracks from Lauryn Hill like “Lost Ones” or even “If I Ruled The World.” It’s a bumping groove for sure, Proklaim dispensing with his tried and true vocal layer chants this time in favor of hitting his rapid fire spit right out of the gate, relentless until the song’s conclusion. This one is one longing for the old school.

Best Lyric: “Most people only want to take.“

John Taglieri - Oh, There You Are

Oh, There You Are - John Taglieri (Pop) Today we welcome twice Billboard charting artist John Taglieri to the blog with his anthemic new single, “Oh, There You Are.” Tension abounds in this punchy number about finding a new place to go when reaching the end of the road, as guitar plucks lead us in with anticipation before the drums slam and vocal chants take this up to 11. The track has a real “rise up” feeling—a fist in the air while singing along with the group kinda vibe, think maybe Pink Floyd “The Wall.” John’s vocals are whip smart and speedy, adding to the overall tension of the track. The crescendo, and our favorite moment, comes with the dense choral arrangement in the bridge. This is a windows down, turn the speakers up kinda record.

Best Lyric: “And everything I had was never meant to really last.”

Moon and Aries - Slow Motion

Slow Motion - Moon and Aries (Reggae) Moon and Aries returns for the fifth time on our blog with “Slow Motion”, following tracks “FIRENIGHT”, “Traffic”, “Blurred Vision” and “A Love Revival”. On “Slow Motion”, the new single from an upcoming LP which will feature 12 themed songs based on the months of the year, a plucky guitar lays a mellow reggae inspired beat which simmers throughout the runtime. It’s a sultry affair, with our female vocalist laying down her ethereal performance which we have come to expect from a Moon and Aries track—to us, she’s a goddess over a mist covered lake, a siren. On a bed of synths and bathed in reverb, this groove is a trippy record about finding your own path in life and going at your own pace.

My Satellite - Denial

Denial - My Satellite (Pop) My Satellite delivers a punchy, psychedelic pop track infused with funk with latest track “Denial.” This catchy little confection is a treasure trove of nostalgia, from the 80s feeling on the vocals to the 90s neo funk instrumental arrangement. The production is perfection, lush and complex, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the listener engaged throughout. Over the plucky synths and funky retro bass, our male vocalist has a soaring pop tenor, which hit levels of Maxwell “Woman’s Worth” when he just let it fly up into the rafters, asking a lover to shake off post-fight anger and relish in a night of fun. Lush, complex and funky, “Denial” is a bona fide jam.

Great Adamz - Talk To Me

Talk To Me - Great Adamz (R&B) Great Adamz wants to make his woman his wife in latest track “Talk To Me”, an afrobeat summertime island jam that we defy you not to dance to. A thudding kick and tight snare hit move the track along as a verbed guitar fills the backing with a seductive quality, creating one hell of a hip winder. Great Adamz’s slippery tenor is backed by a heavily verbed and rich choral arrangement which really stands out on the track. It’s the record’s emotional core, creating a swelling in the chest that Great Adamz must feel when he thinks of how much he loves his girl. This cut is pure sunshine.

Dani Twice - Fenix

Fenix - Dani Twice (Pop/Funk) Dani Twice delivers some delicious retro flare with his latest, “Fenix”, a dance floor spinner of summertime funk with a tinge of the 70s to boot. Funky guitars and a sparkling tamborine paint the soundscape on this intoxicating jam, as Dani’s strong pop tenor vocal slips up and down the track, also giving us a sweet falsetto as an earcandy treat. The track has real “Get Lucky” vibes with a dash of Jamiroquai “Canned Heat”, coming in at a tight 2:21—Dani wastes no time in getting the track up and moving. This is the sixth track from Dani’s new EP “Me 77amas”, and if any of those cuts are as strong as this one, we suggest you check it out.

Best Lyric: “Watch me dancing on my grave.”

Jonny Gems - Last Night

Last Night - Jonny Gems (R&B) Jonny Gems isn’t ready to let it go on his smooth R&B groove “Last Night.” Jonny tells us that with his latest track, he hopes to capture the feeling of frustration and difficulty in accepting reality, and that recording the track had his heart feeling heavy in the studio. With a reedy baritone and a subtle autotune effect, Jonny croons that things might not be over between him and a former lover, believing that both recognize that the last time might not be the last time. The cut is a cruisy mid tempo with great earcandy harmonies and double vocals, minimalist in nature to let the lyrics and vocal performance carry the track.

Best Lyric: “What’s the good in goodbyes?”

BLOODLIN3 - No Mercy (ft Twista)

No Mercy - BLOODLIN3 ft Twista (Rap) BLOODLIN3 is bringing us back to the 00s, so much so that he’s giving us a Twista feature! On “No Mercy”, we have a wistful piano and synth line overlaid with a fuzzy bass lead, making for a swirling soundscape. Known for his rapid fire spit, Twista doesn’t disappoint, and boy does BLOODLIN3 keep up on his own merit. Our artist proclaims that he doesn’t fit the current narrative in hip hop, refusing to cuss while still giving a gritty sound to the culture. Honestly, we think the track is better for it—it’s kind of lazy to just layer your track in vulgarity, so to fire 100 words per second without falling back on that is truly impressive. It’s a solid groove, and one that you can certainly lean back to.

Best Lyric: “Haters be watching us with binoculars.”

Love Ghost - DO YOU LIKE ME NOW?

DO YOU LIKE ME NOW? - Love Ghost (Pop/Rock) Love Ghost returns to the blog for the sixth time with “DO YOU LIKE ME NOW?”, following prior tracks “GOD DAMN”, “Time Travel”, “Haunted House”, “Snap” and “Dopeman”. On their latest single, produced by Mike Summers, we’ve got a good deal of grunge going on, with 90s punk infused guitar and bass lines, and in your face vocals screaming pure emotion in the metal tradition. Cinnamon Babe brings some kick ass girl power to the track as a featured artist, helping make the song a full on head banger. This is a catharsis track for sure, one you scream along with at the top of your lungs in the shower or in your car (just wind the windows up please).

Best Lyric: “Your blade, it runs through me.”

IKON - MIND

MIND - IKON (Pop) IKON takes us to church with a mid tempo gospel infused cut, “MIND”. It’s a plucky production, with a thumping kick and minimalist instrumentation that creates a simmering tension throughout. There’s a bit of funk in here, as well as a sound reminiscent of 90s West Coast hip hop—you could totally hear Snoop Dogg rapping over a track line this. IKON’s vocals are pure pop with R&B influence, a tight head voice that slinks all over the seductive track. We really loved the deep choral backing, a baritone that played well as a contrast with IKON’s tenor, similarly the way that the rich bass also does this while centering the track. This one sizzles.

Odelet - PIsces Pie (LP)

Pisces Pie (LP) - Odelet (Jazz/R&B) This week’s LP is “Pisces Pie” by Odelet—a collection of jazzy mid tempos that feels like an intimate concert. With a distinctive sound and style, ODELET’s soulful stylings show a woman in her element—a mature vocalist who knows what she’s doing. Before we break into the lush album, we start with a little about our artist.

Odelet is a singer, songwriter, producer and visual artist born in Detroit, Michigan, though she currently resides on the west coast. She writes and performs all of her own material, impressively including the instrumentals, making herself quite the jack of all trades and a one woman band. Among her inspirations, she sites old school hip hop, soul, R&B, pop and beyond. It shocks us to learn that this entire album was produced on a drum machine and keyboard—we thought it was a live band! This is an incredibly impressive musician and creator working at the highest level. Further impressing us, Odelet has recently begun making an experimental form of music visuals that have been screened in more than fifty film festivals internationally, winning numerous awards.

Odelet keeps things midtempo on her project, with a consistent soundscape of a jazz club instrumental backing. The album evokes the image of a hazy underground club or speakeasy at dusk, with an intimate audience enjoying drinks and allowing themselves to melt into the smooth grooves that Odelet brings. The tracks feel like duets between our vocalist and the bass, with a soft, deep kick and other instrumentation serving as fill to let Odelet shine in the forefront. Though we feel the tracks are jazz at the core, there is an element of R&B to these as well, which helps bring more of a structure to the songs that you might not find in a purely jazz record.

The vocals are a husky resonant alto, smokey and rich. There’s a Toni Braxton feeling here, without the pop sensibility, and Odelet’s unique and distinctive timbre melts like butter throughout her tracks, smooth as honey. Her performance is also heartfelt, the emotion in her voice clear, as it rumbles like a stormcloud from her chest. It brings a sense of foreboding to the tracks—weighty with sincerity and maturity.

Among our favorites is “Supreme”—our most R&B of the tracks. A sizzling high hat brings tension to the song as Odelet’s silky vocals remind us of not only Toni but also NAO. A plucky guitar brings a middle eastern flare to the track, making it stand out from the others.

“Paired” also brings the R&B vibes with Odelet stepping up the vocal backings which elevate the track. It has a great pace and movement, not afraid to pull back the instrumental to relish in the vocals. It also has the strongest melody line of the album. A similar vibe is felt on “Mesh”, where the backing harmonies remind us a lot of fellow R&B songstress Tweet—specifically on her “Southern Hummingbird” album.

So we recommend you turn off the lights, pour a glass of wine, and slip into Odelet’s world.

Ghost Cartridge - Ghost Cartridge (LP)

Ghost Cartridge (LP) - Ghost Cartridge (Hip hop) We’ve got a whopping 36 tracks (20 original, 16 instrumental) on Ghost Cartridge’s self titled LP, standing as a salute to hip hop throwbacks. On this monumental release, Ghost Cartridge is joined by a bevy of collaborators—Stilz, Max Prime, Ricca Razor Sharp, Wyzaker, Iron Lion, King Lou, soleo333, Ol’ Gorilla Bones, D-Sisive and Baggy Lean—to create a complex and layered project that makes us miss the hip hop of yesteryear. Before we dig into some of our favorites below, let’s talk about our artist collective behind the hits.

Ghost Cartridge is a group of rapper/producer hybrids active since 2018, populated by hip hop veterans Mantrakid and The EquAzn—musical partners since the early 2000s—and infused with a crew of Canadian MCs. The crew hopes to take listeners from screw face head nodding to wistful gazing and back again.

This massive LP is steeped in 90s/00s nostalgia and overflows with pop culture references. Arkham Asylum, Sega Genesis and cerebro are thrown into the mix along with Bob Fosse and Andrew Lloyd Webber, displaying a vast array of influences and references to draw from which makes the lyrical content dense, rich and deep. While a lot of the album focuses on boasting the lyrical prowess and artistic value of the artist—as is expected on a hip hop project—we also get quite a few introspective moments, including a really great rhyme exploring the monotony of a corporate 9-5 and the pandemic.

At the beginning, we immediately got some early Eminem vibes, which later infused with some Jay-Z and Neptunes stylings. The 8bit effect is used frequently, which along with distorted vocals gives the entire project a unique identity, while at the same time exploring some vastly different soundscapes, which even include quite a few musical interludes. We have to admit, we wished some of those interludes were fleshed out into full tracks because every beat on this LP is superb.

“Xzibit” is a perfect opening salvo to the project, where Ghost Cartridge is joined by D-Sisive and Baggy Lean to list all the reasons why what you are about to listen to is worth your while—an exhibit list. This gives us that Slim Shady quirk that lets us know that there are some sardonic and tongue in cheek moments to come—that the project doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Our favorite track, however, is “Physics in the Music Section”, which feels right out of The Neptunes’ universe. While all of the tracks are expertly produced, the instrumental here has some extra magic to it, relishing in it for a good minute before Ghost Cartridge even enters the track. The distorted radar blip throughout also reminds us of Missy’s “Wake Up.” It’s trippy and a standout.

“808bit” features the 1950s announcer voice that shows up a few times throughout the project, on top of a retro video game instrumental that is made for all the 90s kids out there. The biggest diversion is “Antennae”, a lo-fi fantasy that’s more R&B than anything—we got Miguel vibes from this one. It’s different than anything else on the album—a lush and rich production which focuses on soundscape over the story, and puts our artist’s versatility and musicality on full display.

Finally, we also want to point out hard hitting “REJECT”, which we imagine would bump in your car. This track sizzles. Fire.

Devon Fouch - Existential

Existential - Devon Fouch (Pop/R&B) Devon Fouch collaborates with Cubanis on the hip-winding new track “Existential”, a song about been smitten with a new love. Straight from the Chicago music scene, Devon takes his inspiration from legends like Drake and Kanye West, additionally influenced by Michael Jackson and Tears For Fears. Beginning with plucky pop synths, the song delivers strong summertime vibes as our rappers pass the baton between them using the heavily tuned vocal effect over an afrobeat inspired instrumental. Make sure to check out not only “Existential”, but the additional six tracks on EP “Devotion On The Rocks.”

Best Lyric: “I’m just a Superman beat by your kryptonite.“