BADBADNOTGOOD collaborated with Houston musician Reggie to make this latest 70’s soul-inspired smooth listening song. The song is titled “Take What’s Given,” and a little insight reveals that the song was first brought into this world in 2022 when Reggie happened to be present in the music studio. During that time, even though Reggie was a much smaller artist, he played the band some songs, and they really took to liking something special about Reggie. Be it his energy, unique musical mind, or just his great voice, we don’t exactly know. But this collaboration made for a really nice track.
The artist 24kGoldn releases a new track titled “Clarity.” For the most part, I think the song discusses 24kGoldn trying to stay healthy and happy, away from temptation, and focusing on what is good in his life: “I try to keep my heart pure but I’m damned if I don’t, damned if I do.”
The UK dub/DnB/Garage artist Burial has recently released a two-piece single titled 'Dreamfear.' The two songs on the record, titled 'Dreamfear' and 'Boy Sent From Above,' are both really cool and each trying to break their own ground. They are a hazy mix between Jungle, DnB, vocal samples, and overall make it sound like the best fever dream you ever had. Burial is known for his reclusive nature, which is kind of ironic. Anyway, this latest release is supposedly made for raves. I love that longer pieces are accepted, and even though these two tracks have more of a dark/unsettling tone than you would imagine your average party-goer to have, I think they will still fit very well over some nights. Also, just listening to the tracks home alone is a fun experience. I think that if you are not familiar with the genre, this is one of those times I would plead for you to just give it a chance. Don’t turn it off if you think it sounds strange in the first few seconds. Let it cook, as they say.
Billy Joel releases a new soft piano ballad titled 'Turn The Lights Back On.' This is a beautiful song that was also delivered by the iconic singer during a performance at the Grammy Awards stage. This performance was accompanied by a live orchestra which really supported his already amazing vocals very well. Just before the performance, Joel talked a bit about why he took a break from songwriting and, most notably, why he returned. He talked about a dedicated fan, Freddy Wexler, who actually convinced him to re-enter the creative realm. I think this is pretty cool and shows that fan-artist relationships sometimes bring positive things. I think in general if you think about the relationships that artists and fans have, they are like two lanes on the highway going in opposite directions. It is like the artist has one parasocial relationship going one way with the fans, and the fans have their own parasocial relationship going the other way with the artist. I am not saying this is all bad though. Like most things, it carries with it both bad and good aspects.
Ash Grunwald releases a new track with a lot of soul titled “Life Without You”. The song has twangy guitars, decisive steady drums and benefits a lot from Ash Grunwald's vocals. I think the obvious choice would be to suggest this track goes into the main theme of a western movie. The track comes with a pretty cool visualiser that thematically fits really well with the song. The guitar solo is also pretty tasteful, really displaying a good use of the rule “less is more”. By many people, Ash Grundwald would be described as sort of a modern Blues legend. I think he is a hot contender for that status. He is an Australian musician and from what there is to gather, he is about as down to earth of a character as his music sounds.
As we draw the curtains on the initial month of 2024, the undeniable truth of time's finitude looms over us. Regrettably, it's impossible to cover all the abundance of exceptional music that exists out there. Thus, our aim here is to compile a roster of noteworthy albums and singles that graced our ears in 2023.
The artist Cate just released a pop-country, two-track single with the tracks 'Rocket Science' and 'You Don’t Love Me.' I think a lot of people are craving a fix of that pre-808 and trap drum Taylor Swift sound, and there’s a good contender right here. Both tracks are mixed, recorded, and performed excellently for this genre. None of the sounds are really demanding a lot of attention, and all come together to create a slightly groovy but mostly beautiful soundscape.
If you've landed here without knowing who Suzanne Ciani is, a quick search of the name will unveil a lengthy career in sound design, composition, and even logo creation. She's worked on notable sound design commissions for Coca-Cola, designed logos for over 500 companies, and her innovative compositions have earned her 5 Grammy awards throughout her career.
@ In their short tenure, spanning just a single and an album, with the debut album dropping last year, they've managed to amass a listener base of 126,577 per month on Spotify — an impressive feat in a music landscape where their genre isn't pop (And for a group whose name makes them incredibly hard to search on the web). While certain tracks may evoke the experimental pop vibes of the UK scene, the rest meanders through an eclectic fusion of rock, folk, classical strains, and prog rock.
Just days ago, I found myself at The Town Hall in New York, immersed in an interview with the visual maestro Ai Weiwei, delving into the depths of his latest memoir, 'Zodiac.' In the discourse, he asserted that 'art is about losing control,' dismissing the notion that correctness defines artistic expression. Correctness, he contends, is the domain of machines, particularly formidable AI, which masters the craft by replicating and remixing already perfected works from other artists and writers.
There is no doubt that Bruce is a legend. Not just in the satirical sense that a group of frat bros would throw around the word legend. An actual legend. But let’s separate our emotions from the legend and look at “what used to be” and “what is right now” as two separate points to be discussed. I know it sounds like I am setting up for a complete roast of this project. But this is just the springboard. I haven’t even listened yet, let us dive in.
Bad Omens and Poppy release a new song titled “V.A.N.” I’d say this song is going to be my soundtrack when I run through a cyberpunk city with a katana on a quest to find the “true truth.” The sound is pretty unique and could break some new ground. But if this was the norm, I think I would lose it pretty fast. It is intense and extremely full of little sonic tidbits and changes in dynamics. I appreciate this song just in the same way I would appreciate a one-off encounter with some random lunatic in a big city environment. It can be a whole range of emotions for both parts involved: anger, confusion, sadness, fear, and more. By the end, I’m usually left wondering, “I wonder what that was about,” but many times, finding no answer. This song is very interesting. But as a whole for me, it definitely crosses the line where interest loses focus and turns into either confusion or just white noise.
Benjamin Ingrosso released a single titled “Kite.” This song boasts catchy melodies, a high energy level, and feels like someone put effort into selecting sounds rather than opting for the current template of trap drum/lofi pop. I believe the lyrics pass by very easily, but the song is designed for easy listening, so I'm not really upset with that. The story goes, “I’m a kite and I get high on you, it’s the real thing, I fall in love," etc. Most lyrics are simple like this but have some little themes that set them apart from each other (kite, flying high, hitting the sky), all working together.
We have witnessed how Kali Uchis undergoes a dramatic evolution since her appearance on the timeless Gorillaz album "Humanz." Each subsequent release from Kali has brought forth collaborations with renowned artists such as Lana del Rey and Tyler, the Creator. Now, in her latest album, she collaborates with the current biggest hits in Latin America: Peso Pluma and Karol G.
After a two-year wait that felt eternal, Hiatus Kaiyote has finally released new musical material – a single with two tracks to listen to. Unfortunately, the second track is "Red Room," which is one of the most popular materials from their previous album “Mood Variant”. So, for this article, let's just focus on "Everything is Beautiful."
This January 31, prepare for an auditory adventure as Polygonia unveils its latest masterpiece, "Da Nao Tian Gong" – a musical tale with elements from the timeless Chinese classic, "Journey to the West." Released under the storytelling-focused Midgar Records label.
After a 21-year wait, the legendary artist and ex-Genesis member Peter Gabriel has finally released new musical material. Since the beginning of the previous year, 2023, Peter released one song digitally every Full Moon, with its alternative mix released on the following new moon. This continued until December 1st when the official album "i/o" was released. The album, in total, has 12 original songs, each with two different mixes.
An unexpected collaboration between Mumford & Sons and Pharrell Williams has led to the release of a new song “Good People.” It kind of sounds a bit more soulful, something like Imagine Dragons could brew up. The vocals by Mumford & Sons are bluesy and mostly stay in the same tonality for the whole song. The end has an open bridge which rides the song out. The whole song is driven by the repeating eighth-note claps, which everything else sort of revolves around. Many artists are against using monotonous drum samples and patterns in their songs. But remember, if you have one solid anchor that brings the same rhythm to the whole song, then just play with stuff around that; the monotony can actually fit really well. So it does in this song. You often can’t have a song that is pure structure and order with rhythmics and note choices hitting exactly where people expect them to hit. At the same time, you can’t have a song that is pure chaos, with no cohesiveness that leads the listener to just drop interest.
Jennifer Lopez has just released a new song titled 'Can't Get Enough.' This song is supposed to be from her upcoming studio album 'This Is Me… Now.' It has been about a decade since her last release, 'A.K.A,' in 2014. I guess artists kind of think differently when they release singles before their new projects. Some might pick the songs they want or believe will gain the most traction. Some might choose the song they feel represents the feeling of the album in the most coherent way. But whatever the case, I am curious to find out how J.Lo and her team has figured this one out.
Arianna releases new music for the first time in a long time. Most people believe this song will be a part of her upcoming seventh album, referred to as AG7. This is an upbeat, house-inspired banger with a positive message of self-empowerment. One thing that catches you off guard straight away is the choice of groove for Ari. This house thing is fairly new. I dig it.
KOBeats, the 17-year-old musical newcomer from Lancashire, UK, has just unleashed his debut EP, "Find the Light," featuring the resonant vocals of Kelsie McArdle and the dynamic rap of No_Peace. This marks KOBeats' inaugural release, leaving us intrigued about the enigmatic producer's identity.
Bring Me The Horizon releases a new song, “Kool-Aid.” I have to hand it to them. From the first second, the song sounds like how the cover art looks: artistic coherence, that is hard to come by. Another thing that is hard to come by is a band that manages to sound old and fresh at the same time.
Alan Walker, the EDM prodigy from England, releases another banger in conjunction with MER Recordings titled “Who I Am.” The track is a mix of dancehall with a little bit of trap drums, featuring catchy vocal lines and atmospheric string pads. Some EDM acts rode the wave of whatever trend was popular during their first come up. Alan Walker was one of those acts, along with people like Skrillex, who decisively carved out a path for their very own unique sound. He started, and many followed. His sound has certainly changed since super hits such as “Faded,” but the music is impressively fitting for 2024. The vocalists featured on this track are Putri Ariani and Peder Elias. Putri is heard singing with powerful anthemic female vocals, which blends very well with Peder Elias’s still anthemic but raspy voice. The melodic hook in this song is a blend between a voice synth and some other synth sound. The choice of notes gives the melody a bit of an oriental sound, which unsurprisingly fits very well into the whole mood of the song.
It was 1982; an unknown and blind composer named Pauline Anna Strom released her first album, “Trans-Millenia Consort.” The album cover featured a broken egg and a gray eye coming out of it, its expressionless gaze pointing directly at the viewer through a window made of the cosmos and two rainbows.
World's End Girlfriend is widely known for his long-format output, post-rock minimalism, impeccable production skills, and collaborations with prominent artists such as Mono, Palmless Prayer, and Mass Murder Refrain. With each album, their most loyal listeners anticipate a blend of ambient pieces, slowly evolving post-rock tracks, electronic music, and 19th-century classical influences. However, in this album, they surpassed expectations and delivered 32 tracks, totaling an extensive 2 hours and 25 minutes of listening material.
If we search in the history of western music, the middle ages and renaissance music puts a high emphasis and value in vocal music over anything else. The best way to spread the word of the lord in music was by the use of the human voice.
Welcoming the New Year with a fresh perspective and renewed optimism, Catherine McGrath introduces us to her latest musical endeavor, "Next New Year." At Music Talkers, our appreciation extends beyond the mainstream pop trends, embracing artists who carve unique paths without relying on million-dollar marketing campaigns. Catherine McGrath stands out as a rising talent, igniting her musical journey by sharing original compositions and popular covers on platforms like Youtube, all while drawing inspiration from her musically gifted parents and utilizing online video tutorials.
The California based metalcore band Atreyu releases a new full length record. “The Beautiful Dark Of Life” is a compilation of three EPs released in 2023: “The hope of a Spark,” “The Moment You Find Your Flame,” and “A Torch In the Dark.” The album has a mix of new and already released tracks. The lyrics cover topics like the trials and tribulations of modern life, love and more. We also see lyrics about self-doubt, hitting low points in life and similar things. The different emotions are portrayed in the clean/screaming vocals. Everyone listens differently to music. One thing that is very commendable about metal/metalcore (and a lot of its related genres) is that they are very openly discussing the negative things happening around them. This method is not for everyone but for those that think it is cathartic, how wonderful it is that it exists and that these artists continue to tug at heartstrings. In the context of the album these heavy themes are parts of the whole, and the whole is meant to empower or help people.
The vaccines are due to release an album on the 12th january titled Pick-up full of Pink Carnations. “Love to Walk Away” is their latest released cut from that same album. This song is a mix of punk, rock and pop. Making what the public ultimately calls indie rock. The release has two songs “Love to Walk Away” and “Lunar eclipse”. Both songs are full of energy, very danceable and therapeutic with catchy hooks. As long as there are new faces, this branch of indie rock will surely carry on. I ain’t complaining!
Following the release of her iconic album Pink Friday, Nicki Minaj just released Pink Friday 2. Since then, a lot of things have happened in rap, and Nicki herself is probably responsible for paving a path for a lot of it. This album has pretty much a similar sonic picture all the way through, but still features enough diversity in production to keep it interesting. We hear a lot of trap drums, 808s, old school vocal and string sampling techniques frequently used in hip hop. Moreover, some tracks are dancehall, some use distorted kick drums and some use low boomy drums ready for a club. All in all if you listen to this as an album from beginning to end, you might get sonically tired because even though we hear a lot of different tempos, instruments and artists, the sound picture is largely the same. Boomy drums, thin samples and upfront vocals. I think the album is meant to have standout bangers, just fitting hand in glove with how music is consumed less and less by the album and more by the single.
I've never been fond of using the term "New Age" when discussing music. Broadly speaking, "New age" is a term commonly employed to categorize those who colonize or attempt to rationalize areas of knowledge that aren't inherently colonial or scientific. A prominent example is Yoga.
Given our prior review of Marina Herlop's latest album, I'd like to take this opportunity to delve into Igloohost's newest single, featuring Marina as a collaborator. Igloohost mentions that he and Marina are long-time friends, and they collaborated remotely over the internet to construct these tracks. The sources of inspiration behind the music are intriguing, ranging from germs and microbes to illegal oil computers and mechanical systems.
Following the success of his 2016 album, “In My Mind,” BJ The Chicago Kid, or Bryan James Sledge, looks to take his sound in a new direction with his latest release, “Gravy.” The album was recorded in the legendary Royal Studios in Memphis, previously used by soul legend Al Green. Someone put a lot of thought into the structure of making this listenable as a whole album. The intro track really sounds like a proper introduction, and the outro really sounds like a breaking down of the musical elements to their absolute core, pulling further away from the audience while digging deeper into the influences of BJ the Chicago Kid. He mentions in the final acoustic track that “This song sounds like something my grandma would have liked to sing.” Personally, I love the tracks on the record, but the last song speaks to me in a special way.
Surprisingly, Lana Del Rey is sharing with us a one-off cover of John Denver's classic song "Take Me Home, Country Roads." The track features Lana’s impeccable vocals and a simple, reverberated piano. The song manages to hold momentum on its own despite being so simple, just because the musicians involved are so skilled. The track crescendos in a majestic choir section singing to the chorus. The original track by John Denver is country but still has a dreamy feeling to it. Lana’s cover manages to capture and even enhance that dreamy, longing feeling.
Sophie is an Indie Latin artist from the UK, and she just released a strong new ballad. Now the name might not ring a bell, but I’m hoping it will soon. When I heard this track first, I was a bit taken aback. I am a complete and absolute sucker for slow ballads of a certain type. This song fits that type, with a beautiful nylon string guitar and dreamy, Latin-inspired vocals. If you want another gorgeous nylon string guitar section, try listening to “Really Love” by D’angelo, which features Isaiah Sharkey’s playing. Anyway, I was fearful when I listened to this song for the first time because I liked the mood it set so much. I was waiting for it to drop the drums, be it a drill, trap, or dancehall beat. But that drop never came, and I couldn’t be happier for it. This track is a smacker. While you are in the zone, you can discover other similar tracks such as:
If I can find the words to fully describe Sven Wunder’s latest release, Ultramarine, I will be proud of myself. Even though I think an artist like Sven is happy not to be completely boxed up. Sven has a background in scoring for film, which can be heard. Sven released this song on his label, Piano Piano Records. He is very much part of the current vinyl movement, making most of his tracks into vinyl records. His father was a jazz drummer, and he grew up around that, which can be heard. He also has a deep appreciation for traditional sounds, implementing traditional instruments from all around the world into his music, which can be heard. He has previously released records influenced by different traditions. Eastern Flowers (traditional Turkish) and Wabi Sabi (Japanese jazz) are some of my favorites.
Taylor Swift released the song “You’re Losing Me” for the first time in 2022 as a CD exclusive and only to be purchased in-person at certain venues on her “the Eras Tour.” This sneak release, of course, added to the suspense for her superfans who knew that there was a new song finished just waiting to be heard. Now, the song can be heard on all streaming services as part of her latest string of “From the Vault” releases. The song was co-written and co-produced with her music mogul partner, Jack Antonoff. Along with working on other works by Taylor like “1989,” “Reputation,” and “Lover,” Jack Antonoff has also collaborated with Sia, Pink, Lana Del Rey, Lorde, Carly Rae Jepsen, and many more.
A special Bryan Adams box set is set to be released via BMG on Friday, December 8th. This set is put together from three very special nights in 2022 when Bryan Adams played at the iconic Royal Albert Hall. The set will be made available in CD, vinyl, digital, Blu-ray, also containing a photo book with unique images from the shows.
The next year is just two steps away, and I doubt I'll encounter another album in the remaining time that surprises and captivates me as much as Marina Herlop's new album. Undoubtedly, she ranks among the most talented "pop" singers and composers of the last decade.
Have you ever listened to a good '70s R&B or soul track and wondered, “Man, where did all the good times go?” I think Ari Lennox can show you where they went and also where they are going with her new release “Get Close.”
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the iconic album Fallen, Evanescence is releasing a deluxe remastered edition of the entire album. Ted Jensen, who worked as a sound engineer on the original releases, also did the remastering. Now, I came into this review thinking I would have to plead with people hungry to revive their nostalgia to have a listen. I want to do that also, but it turns out Evanescence still has a very active crowd of 14.3 million monthly listeners (on Spotify only).
Dua Lipa releases a new upbeat pop banger with an honorable feature of Kevin Parker from Tame Impala, who produced the song. The lyrics of Houdini are quite simple and build on metaphors around the famous magician, with lyrics in the hook:
Celebrating the 10th-year anniversary of their album Random Access Memories, Daft Punk has released a deluxe version without drums. Many people find themselves asking for the purpose of this release. Some fan sentiments might sound like:
The Zac Brown Band is known for its blend of country, rock, and southern influences. With this release, they are showing how they have been paying homage to a broad range of popular songs and infusing some of their country-rock sound into each one. As the title suggests, the songs on this album were recorded during live shows.
Following the release of the melancholy rock hit “The Glass” by Foo Fighters in June 2023, H.E.R has released her cover version of the song in a single featuring both versions of the track. The lyrics of this song cover the topic of the loss of a loved one. The line “I was left to live without it” keeps repeating in the verses of the song. In the second verse, the “it” changes to “him,” making “I was left to live without him.” Most likely speaking about the loss of Taylor Hawkins, who was the drummer for Foo Fighters up until his early passing on March 25, 2022.
We have been blessed with a jazz album that I feel is a classic upon release. This is definitely one of those albums that, when I listen to it, I wish I had around when I was growing up. But right now will also do just fine.
Just a year has passed since the viral phenomenon of MOTOMAMI, an album released by the Catalan artist Rosalia. She was both praised and criticized for her conceptual album that defied everything we know about pop music. Now, she surprises us again by appearing in collaboration with the great Bjork, another groundbreaking musician who continually reinvents pop in multiple ways each year. This time, they are reviving a song that Bjork wrote around 1997, so the song carries many vibes and resemblances to 'Homogenic' and 'Vespertine.' One of the most satisfying resemblances for me is Bjork's signature way of creating counterpoints with highly reverberated voices.
Discovering this album was quite an unexpected journey. While browsing the internet for new music releases, I stumbled upon an announcement for a new album by Call Super. Initially, I mistakenly thought it was a new release by Supercell, the Japanese rock-pop band known for their cheesy, colorful music filled with rainbows, water pistols, and high school love stories. However, upon delving into the thread, I was met with something entirely different—an album filled with madness, schizophrenic euphoria, and unconventional orthogonal musical structures.
"Eulo Cramps" is a wild experimental album that incorporates improvisatory elements from jazz, daring rhythmic concepts derived from electronic music procedures, and captivating performances using interesting metal idiophone instruments. The album also features collaborations with amazing singers. To heighten the unconventional nature, it appears that the artist and composer behind the album utilized a DIY instrument and invention of his, called the “Eharp.”
The album has a metallic flavor into it, airs of silver and gold blowing in your face, caressing your hair with their cold and pointy melodies and rhythms.
The album opens with a musical piece featuring a harp and employs conventional rhythmic and timbral devices commonly found in electronic and experimental music. However, in the second song, “Fly Black Stork,” the album delves into its most abstract and rhythmic ideas. The energy persists in tracks 3 and 4, now with collaborations from singers like Eden Samara and Julia Holter.
As you dive deeper, it becomes increasingly easier to digest, introducing a diverse array of singers and even softer moments featuring sweet and mellow string instrument motifs (Listen to “Coppertone Elegy” and “Years in the Hospital”). In the final pieces, the inventive shifts from a rhythmic approach to wild melodic ideas (Check out: “Goldwood Feat Elke Wardla”).
For a psychedelic, meditative, rhythm-rich experience, I highly recommend giving this album a try.
Lucky Daye has been one of my favorite names to tell everybody I know about, so I am always delighted to hear a new release. Here are some sentiments I agree with following the release of his latest song "That’s You."
This suite from the ongoing Planet Earth III is very strong. It is an epic piece featuring soaring background choirs, strong majestic horns, clacky metallic percussion, decisive rhythmic patterns and a nice melodic path to follow with your ears. All in all it paints a lovely picture, even without the visuals.
PinkPantheress has turned her unique top-line vocal abilities into the foundation for a discography that I predict will leave a long lasting mark in music history.
When someone brings up the theme of "technology" or “innovation” what springs to mind? What did your imagination conjure when you read the title of the album I'm about to review? AI? Brain-controlled, keyboardless computers? Cars rocketed up to mars? If someone claims that Aesop's latest album offers “a compelling critique of consumerism and technocracy culture”, what do you picture? a new chapter of Black Mirror or a continuation of Brave New World?
I don't write about metal groups very often as I'm not a regular listener of the genre, and impressing me in that realm is a tough feat. Often, I encounter bands relying heavily on strong political messages and disturbing imagery in order to get visibility and attention from young listeners, yet with little investment in their musical craftsmanship to match that intensity.
I'll keep it fair in this review because I have to admit, my introduction to Wednesday Campanella came from Oorutaichi's cover of their song “Sand Castle.” Both versions of “Sand Castle” rank high in my all-time favorite songs collection. When I stumbled upon that track, I explored other tunes from the same album “Galapagos” and got hooked on their super creative take on pop. Songs like “Picasso”, “The Bamboo Princess” and “Melos” bring in the usual pop language, orchestral tricks, and bits from the electronic music scene. But here's the kicker—they throw in these intricate and interesting polyphonic melodic ideas, superb production, and a balanced blend of traditional Japanese instruments with synthesizers and EDM-like sounds, making it all sound unique.
Something utterly unexpected has just occurred: André 300, the beloved rap legend from the Outkast duo, finally released a solo album yesterday, after more than seventeen years. What's even more surprising is that the album is anything but rap.
As we draw the curtains on this year, we're immersed in an array of enthralling collaborations. This time, the spotlight shines on the EP “I Left My Heart in Ladera,” which was released by the American artists Martin Terrace and Alex Isley. These two artists have a long and interesting collaboration history but this release also benefits from the support of the multi-award-winning producer, composer, and arranger Robert Klasper.
With the release of his latest single, we are getting a new glimpse of the upcoming fourth volume of Jacob's “Djesse”' slated for release next February.
You read that title right, folks. British new wavers Duran Duran have broken their mould and gone in a completely different direction on their latest album. We have grown used to them being quirky, but we have never seen them go goth before. And that is exactly what they have done.
On October 6th, Sufjan Stevens released his 9th studio album entitled, Javelin. This album is dedicated to his late partner and best friend, Evans Richardson. Though the album is filled to the brim with themes of grief and loss, the song that most directly discusses Stevens’ experience with it, is the album’s intro, “Goodbye Evergreen”.
American alternative rock trio Dogstar are back and have just released their first album in 23 years. Their third studio album, “Somewhere Between the Powerlines and Palm Trees,” features 12 brand new tracks, and the moment you start listening, you realise just how much we have all missed them.
Ed Sheeran is not just multi-talented; he is also one of the hardest-working musicians around today. After releasing his last album, “Subtract,” he is back a mere four months later, gifting us with another release.
The last few years have brought legions of well-warranted success to alternative pop artists, Jean Dawson and SZA. They each have released albums that have been successful both critically and commercially. One thing I didn’t expect to see, however, was these two artists converging so directly. One of my favorite surprises of this week’s catalog of music was a stunning collaboration between the two visionary artists. The song is titled, “NO SZNS” and it is genuinely astonishing, artful, creative, and innovative.
Shallow Alcove is a band from New York, fronted by Grace Krichbaum and Dan Harris. Last week, they released a 3 song pack, leading off with the single, “Dream Song”. It’s been a long time since I’ve been so immediately infatuated with a song, particularly from a band or artist that I had never heard of before. This song is genuinely beautiful, from its lyrical content to its soundscape. It’s musically sweet, emotionally rich, and profoundly well-written.
Once by the former stage name, “Theodore Sinks”, Teddy Swims has released his debut album, I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1). It’s an intriguing album based on its title alone. It’s both a captivating image and an implication of at least one other iteration of this story. Teddy Swims is someone I find interesting because of his many complexities. His music consistently features genre fusion between R&B, country, pop, hip-hop and more. Such would come as no surprise given the overlap of interests Swims had growing up. He was a football player from a sports-oriented family who fell in love with performing on stage. His musical roots led to making viral covers on YouTube which eventually brought him here, to his debut solo album. Aside from the album title and the prominent lead singles, Teddy Swims further captivates his potential audience right from the first song, “Some Things I’ll Never Know”.
Yesterday was an exciting day for Hip-Hop fans. I was ecstatic to see the catalog of music released by artists I adore, such as Killer Mike, Nas, Denzel Curry, etc. Among the list of stellar Hip-Hop music that came out today was the release of VIC MENSA’s Victor. I’ve been a fan of VIC since his 2017 album, The Autobiography, and I have anticipated this album’s release since I reviewed his single, “Blue Eyes”. When looking at the tracklist last night at midnight, my eyes were immediately thrilled by the tenth track, “$outhside Story”. What excited me most about this song was seeing that fellow Chicago native, Common, was the featured artist. Common is one of my favorite voices in Hip-Hop with his poetic diction and influence on Jazz-Hop. He has multiple classics under his belt and continues to entertain, whether acting in films or releasing music that unifies. Chicago is one of the loudest cities in the world regarding prominent voices in Hip-Hop. Kanye West, Common, Chance The Rapper, Saba, Mick Jenkins, VIC MENSA; the list is seemingly infinite. Chicago rappers tend to flock together both physically and stylistically. They influence each other, and wear their city on their chest in a way other cities have yet to match. Such a cultural dynamic results in an invisible bond that tethers these artists together and constantly pushes the music forward. “$outhside Story” is a wonderful display of Chicago’s talent.
Del Water Gap is a solo project by the songwriter S. Holden Jaffe. He’s from Brooklyn, NY. This past week he released the next single from his upcoming album, I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet. The new song is called “Quilt of Steam”. It’s every bit as well-written as it is dreamy. Del Water Gap takes a moment to live in the mundane, finding poetry in the inner functions of everyday life. Del Water Gap stated, “the song is about coming off tour, feeling scrambled as hell, and trying to find some balance and stillness in the midst of all that. It’s about waking up in your own bed for the first time in months and noticing the little details you hadn’t had the capacity to let in while everything was moving around you.” Due to a sense of whiplash, a break from chaos can be just as jarring as being subject to it. Though not exclusive to the pace of tour life, the only thing that’s truly permanent in life is impermanence. While rapid change is disturbing, it is human nature to get used to what is consistent and when that thing changes, the soul is left looking for something familiar to cling to. “Quilt of Steam” is a thought-provoking perspective on this experience.
American singer-songwriter and High School Musical star, Olivia Rodrigo, has blessed us all with the release of her second studio album. “GUTS” is fierce and brave, while also staying playful and fun, feeling like the perfect complement to Rodrigo’s personality.
Eric Nam is a Korean-American singer born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. This past Friday, he released his 8-song album, House on a Hill. It’s as short and sweet as you’d expect given its single digit tracklisting. In an interview with Vogue, Eric described the album as “an existential crisis, kind of an introspective period where I [had] wanted to get this house on a hill. It made me start to question what is it that makes me really happy? What’s the reason for me wanting to own a house? Is it status, is it happiness? Is it a sense of stability of something that’s mine?” Though the album is an introspective journey exploring themes of materialism, identity, and perseverance, I really enjoy the love song, “Only for a Moment”. It’s an important cut in the tracklist because it highlights the moment in which the speaker first sees a future with someone else. In the metaphorical image of a “house on a hill,” a family tends to be part of that idea. This song notes the moment the speaker finds the person they want to settle down and build that future with.
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