Omar - Better Be Lucky

Better Be Lucky - Omar (R&B) We’ve got some serious Chris Brown vibes coming at us from Omar’s latest track “Better Be Lucky.” With a foundation of dreamy retro 80 synths and gated drums, the track takes a tone similar to The Weeknd in blending nostalgia with modern R&B. The record tells the tale of an up and down relationship that is driven by the sexual chemistry, almost to the point of an addiction. With ear candy vocal doubling and a steady mid tempo groove, we find this track just as addicting. Side note - don’t miss Omar’s US tour with fellow artist Russel! beginning on April 24.

Best Lyric: “I know I’m your number three.“

Guess Pre - Clarity (LP)

Clarity (LP) - Guess Pre (Hip hop) For this week’s LP review, we welcome to the blog Guess Pre with his latest work “Clarity”. A newcomer for us, but nearly two decades into the music game, Guess Pre delivers a clear sonic vision driven by big bass and atmospheric instrumentals to back his combination of spit and sung vocals. But before we dig into the the tracks, we start with a bit about our artist.

Guess Pre, or Gregory Stanton. describes himself as a multifaceted artist that defies genre, beginning in punk and metal styles before falling into more of a hip hop feel. After making a splash in the Midwest music scene, Guess Pre established himself as a power player in Southwestern Wisconsin through his performances in rap battles and showcases. RoomMates, a musical collaboration with friend Taco Destiny, led to popularity, which further led to underground classic solo release “Brain Matters” in 2015. In addition to being a musical act, Greg is also a tattoo artist and painter.

Recorded in La Crosse, Wisconsin and mastered by Lia Kahn in Denver, Colorado, Guess Pro describes his latest work, the nine track LP “Clarity”, as a diverse collection that comprises an emotional rollercoaster. Serving introspection, dynamism and atmospheric beauty, Guess Pro hoped to create a dynamic listening experience through genre blending.

Album opener “I’m not Peter Pan, you are” gives us the landscape. First, it’s an impeccably produced album with a strong hip hop base. The booming 808 is overlaid with rap spit that definitely infuses that punk sensibility. it’s a unique and interesting blend of styles that certainly lends itself to crossover appeal.

“Aardvark” slows things down, beginning with an intro from presumably Guess Pre’s son before that booming bass again leads what is now an introspective track with clever lyrics. Greg’s vocals oscillate between spit and sung verse, placed throughout the stereo spectrum for a real ear candy effect.

The twinkling rhodes of “Night Shift” now pulls in some R&B sensibility, painting a vast atmosphere and a real dreamy quality, with “WinterRain (Hang Around)” following in a similar vein. In all these tracks, Guess Pre uses heavy vocal doubling to bring weight to his sharp vocals, each line as worthy of lead placement as the rest with equally emotive performances, often layering the spoken with the sung. “Clarity’ gives a pause for some spoken word pontification on consciousness which we believe is Neil deGrasse Tyson, serving as a midway LP check in and intermission.

“High Drama”, with its descending piano chords, paints a somber mood that immediately captures the listener. It’s imbued with pathos and might be our favorite track on the album, while “Bittersweet” continues the tale of love lost. Rounding out the collection, “A Jedi Song (Take a Mile)” throws the melancholy into a miasma for a more metaphysical feel, while album closer “Earlie Goodbye” closes with a more upbeat instrumental that gives us some 2010s retro vibes and closes with a guitar line that seems to bring Guess Pre’s genre exploration full circle.

With a clear artistic vision, chock full of clever lyrics and heavy subject matter, immaculately produced and boasting a strong emotional core, “Clarity” is a triumph.

TRACK LIST:

I’m not Peter Pan, you are
Aardvark
Night Shift
WinterRain (Hang Around)
Clarity
High Drama
Bittersweet
A Jedi Song (Take a Mile)
Earlie Goodbye

XY Gala - Lifeless Life

Lifeless Life - XY Gala (Hip hop) It’s been two years since we’ve last featured XY Gala on the blog, and so we welcome him back today with latest record “Lifeless Life”. Last we checked in with XY, we reviewed “True Story (Full of Lies)” which to us brought in some old school Eminem vibes. With “Lifeless Life”, we’ve got a lethargic mid tempo that features XY’s vocals. It’s a melancholy track about floating through life without purpose. Intimate and heavily layered vocals convey thought provoking lyrics and overlay a somber instrumental, cutting to a guitar solo which we don’t here very often these days. This is a track for when you’re in your feels.

Best Lyric: “Living this life like a marionette.“

Larry Karpenko - Heart Calls Love

Heart Calls Love - Larry Karpenko (Pop) We welcome Larry Karpenko to the blog this week with “Heart Calls Out”. It’s easy to get lost in the atmosphere of this track as it sort of swirls around you, while buttery soft vocals usher the listener through the experience, split between the ears and placed close in the mix to add an intimacy to the record. When the percussion really kicks in, there’s an 80s sensibility poking through, and the break providing a short but sweet conversation between lovers that is quite smile inducing. From the melancholy of the guitar to the sweetness of the lyrics, this is a track that fills you up.

Proklaim - CELEBRATE

CELEBRATE - Proklaim (Rap) What can we say about Proklaim, the star of our blog, that hasn’t already been said? In his latest of his firehose of releases, “CELEBRATE”, Proklaim taps a soulful R&B vocal sample to underlay his boombap mellow track. Proklaim’s recent work has been utilizing vocal samples more frequently, adding additional texture to his tracks, complimenting his laser focused point of view. Leaning more to the positive uplifting side of his work, “CELEBRATE” encourages the utilization of one’s imagination and always delivers profound messaging with the hopes of opening minds. Proklaim is on a spiritual vibe. The pen game on this one is particularly notable, making it hard to choose a favorite lyric.

Best Lyric: “People get jealous when they souls are never comfortable inside their own flesh.“

KARMA - Anthem

Anthem - KARMA (Pop/R&B) We are excited to have R&B supergroup KARMA back on the blog today with latest track “Anthem”. We had the privilege to review the group’s last EP “SIS (She’s Something)” which featured top notch production and 00s R&B girl group retro vibes that we stan over here on this blog. But this seductive track might be our favorite of all their releases. The record sits very much in the Destiny’s Child “Lose Your Breath” category when it comes to the instrumentation, while the rap sections give us some GloRilla vibes in the flow, and even a touch of Nivea’s sultriness from her “Animalistic” era. Female empowerment and confidence pours out of the track, as we expect from a KARMA record. “Anthem” is an anthem for sure, and a sexy one at that.

Kelsie Kimberlin - Perfume

Perfume - Kelsie Kimberlin (Pop) Following our review of her 8-track collection “The Drawer”, Kelsie returns to the bog today with new track ”Perfume.” Reviewing her prior work, including “The Drawer”, we’ve always been impressed with Kelsie’s versatility as she commonly crosses the barriers of genres in her releases. On “Perfume”, Kelsie delivers a siren song, telling her lover that he will always be drawn to her. It’s a sparkling mid tempo track with a catchy chorus and strong storytelling. This is a sing-along in the shower kind of record. Kelsie pairs the release with another slickly produced music video showing how her lover trails her, forever drawn to her as if on an invisible leash.

Best Lyric: “Boy you know you’re doomed by my sweet perfume.”

Dax - I Hate That I Love You

I Hate That I Love You - Dax (Pop)  One of our favorites is back for his tenth feature on our blog. Dax returns to us with “I Hate That I Love You”, an emotional track about the regret of falling in love with someone who breaks your heart. Dax has a knack for creating tracks with a broad crossover appeal, and “I Hate That I Love You” is no exception. Returning to his hip hop roots, this latest track feels like classic Eminem, specifically in the raw delivery of his lyrics, Dax’s voice often breaking from telling a story that is clearly pulled from his personal life. The heartbreak is palpable on this record. And as always, Dax accompanies his new release with a slickly produced music video, starting with a narrative that might shock you.

Ainsley Costello - Exless

Exless - Ainsley Costello (Pop) Well we sure hope Ainsley’s current partner doesn’t hear this plucky and upbeat number where our artist fully admits to settling, and only temporarily. For her first feature on our blog, Ainsley Costello brings us pop-rock number “Exless”, which has all the elements of a top 40 bop from the earcandy chorus to the chant-along spelling of the song’s title. With a very Taylor Swift esque vibe—in the “Shake It Off” category we think—Ainsley’s strong vocal and delightful doubles tell a relatable story of sticking with the one you’re with until your true love arrives. With clever lyrics and a unique perspective, this one’s a pop playlist must have.

Best Lyric: “Never crying over someone so replaceable.”

Dara Blaxx - The Mission

The Mission - Dara Blaxx (R&B/Soul) Dara Blaxx joins our blog’s roster this week with latest R&B bop “The Mission”, a track overflowing with sultry and sexy vibes. The record is silky smooth, starting with a vibey piano before a bassy kick starts the mid tempo pulse, overlaid with a lo fi percussion production. The star of the track, however, is the vocal. Round and rich, Dara’s vocals are supported a Brandy-level doubles and harmonies that paint a swirling soundscape that is nothing less than intoxicating. Despite the Brandy of it all, the track most reminds us of some early Jill Scott records. Dara’s inviting you to intercept the mission, and after hearing the track, we recommend that you do.

Casey McQuillen - Better

Better - Casey McQuillen (Pop/R&B) We welcome Casey McQuillen to the blog this week with crossover R&B bop “Better.” Casey is on her independent woman vibe with a record that tells listeners she’s perfectly fine on her own, though the addition of a lover would make life so much better. We’re getting huge modern Mariah Carey vibes on this track, with the track sounding like it could have come right from the “Caution” album of a few years ago. It’s incredibly catchy, bumping along at a steady midtempo in an Ariana Grande kind of way, with sultry vocals that range from a whisper in the ear to a confident belt. Sassy and strong, this track is one for the ladies.

Best Lyric: “I don’t wanna wake up, messy make-up.”

Great Adamz - Fantastic

Fantastic - Great Adamz (Afrobeat) Today we get our third track from Great Adamz on the blog, with the aptly titled “Fantastic”, because that’s exactly what this record is. It’s a simple message with a stellar production—an ode to the beauty of a partner’s body. On previous effort “Talk To Me”, we lauded Great Adamz’s afrobeat island jam being elevated by an emotional core, and on “Love Your Neighbour”, we noted how catchy the track was and our artist’s attention to movement in their music. On “Fantastic”, we are again treated to an afrobeat/tribal sound with a bouncing synth in the back that reminds us a lot of Rihanna’s “work”. The swells are there as with previous tracks, which fill you up while making you dances. There’s something about Great Adamz’s vibe that feels like a warm beverage. These tracks give you the warm and fuzzies.

Al Kenizo - Don't lock me out

Don’t lock me out - Al Kenizo (Pop/Funk) We’ve got some retro funk vibes with the latest from Al Kenizo, “Don’t lock me out”, the release of which gives us both an original and remastered version. The track is an eclectic mix of instrumentation. The foundation sits in funk with the groovy bassline providing the base on which the patter of tribal drums are added. Then we’ve got an extremely unique horn arrangement, including what sounds like a didgeridoo, which when paired with the swelling strings in the chorus adds a layer of intensity and danger. Then, out of nowhere, we get the sudden influx of eastern world music sounds that truly make this track unique. Yet when it comes to melodies and harmonies, we’re talking straight 90s neo soul. Truly nothing like we’ve heard before and a total jam session. If you like Lucy Pearl, like we do, you’ll dig this track.

GlassJack - HERO (Just for Today)

HERO (Just for Today) - GlassJack (Pop) GlassJack is holding out for a hero on latest record “HERO (Just for Today)”. A retro pop track, the beats call to 80s/90s dance floors and feels primed for summertime outdoor tea dances. It’s a sizzling mix with great instrument separation as the thudding kick drives us relentlessly forward while synths, a pounding piano and wailing guitar create the sonic soundscape. All of this supports GlassJack’s strong belt that never gets overpowered by the full instrumentation. Aside from the title, we have to believe that the Bonnie Tyler track provided some inspiration for this one, as we can hear it right alongside that classic along with “It’s Raining Men”, “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and “Flashdance What A Feeling”.

Best Lyric: “The monster in the mirror is looking back at me every day.”

Jovial Phenom - Seductive Flow

Seductive Flow - Jovial Phenom (Hip-Hop) Seductive flow is exactly what Jovial Phenom brings with her aptly titled new track “Seductive Flow”. Giving you all the warm and fuzzies of those retro lo-fi hiphop vibes, Jovial’s vocals are like honey on the track as she straddles the line between R&B melody and rap spit, accompanied by the ear candy of dropped and raised octave vocal hits. Jovial pulls the listener into a liminal state on the record, with the introduction of a twinkling piano and sultry guitar throughout the track that take the baton from Jovial to lead the way forward. This is a dim the lights and pour a glass of wine on a rainy night kind of track.

Best Lyric: “We dance to the rhythm, chemistry thick.”

Matya - Night Light

Night Light - Matya (Pop) This week we welcome Matya to the blog with two-step inducing “Night Light”. From the moment the track starts, it’s an instant groove with an old school vibe and 80s/90s neo funk feels with just a touch of disco. A bass guitar propels the track forward as Matya’s silky smooth vocals are pure pop perfection, reminding us a bit of Kylie Minogue. While boasting a modern production, there’s a fair amount of nostalgia as well (if you remember loving The Cardigan’s “Love Fool”, this is a track for you). The vocal doubling is pure ear candy, and the chorus begs for a sing along. And don’t miss the dazzling music video where Matya takes to the spotlight to bring this dance floor spinner to life.