Flow is a new single from artist, Scott Zosel. The song is set to appear on his album, Tiny Yellow Room. A colorful blend of Americana, rock, and pop, Flow does just what the title says. Melodies interweave gracefully with goosebump inducing hooks. This is really top notch songwriting, structured so well that you can genuinely feel the music effecting your emotions. The guitars are rich with robust detail and have a delightful, bell-like chime to their tone. Scott Zosel’s voice drives the song though. He’s an excellent singer and his voice exudes authentic heartland emotion. Flow is about as close as you can get to a perfectly written and performed song.
James River Swim is a new single from singer-songwriter, Stephen Jacques. Slated for an official release of July, 30th, the song will also appear on the artist’s upcoming album, Soul Hydraulics. Set against a dreamily haunting backdrop, James River Swim is a powerful song, brimming with aquatic and siren-like motifs. The symbolism is effectively interwoven throughout the track, cultivating a deep and mythological ambiance. Stephen Jacques has an engaging vocal presence. He’s a solid singer, and his voice has a hint of gritty alt-rock charm that lends credibility and wisdom to the performance, balanced by the female backing vocals, which provide an element of surreality.
Flashbacks is a new single from artist, Kidd J. Blending elements of hip hop and pop, this track features colorful, piano-driven melodies and a light, smooth beat. The backing music is dreamlike and ethereal, providing a reflective framework for Kidd J’s vocals. The “flashbacks” referred to in the title seem to represent memories of heartbreak and troubling past experiences, faced with pure honesty.
Conveying the lyrics with sentiment and sincerity, Kidd J has a stream-of-consciousness style delivery, as he lets listeners in on his inner ruminations, hopes and even personal vulnerabilities. His actual vocal tone has a unique and distinctive quality to it. It’s not quite like any other I’ve heard, and you can really hear the sensitivity and emotional expression in his voice throughout. As the song builds, the mix becomes fuller and rich in its intensity. Flashbacks is a melodically enjoyable and spiritually powerful jam.
Pretty Savage is a new single from Brooklyn-based artist Mo X. This delightfully hard hitting track is first class hip hop. The backing melodies have a smooth, haunting quality that gives the song a certain mystique and element of suspense. Mo X has a confident, no-nonsense delivery style but also manages to come across as rather poetic. The minimalist mix allows the listener to appreciate the captivating cadence of her voice, which itself provides a hypnotically rhythmic anchor for the music in its own right. She has a very commanding stage presence, giving a performance worthy of the title of “boss.” Pretty Savage is an empowering song that’s action oriented and artful around the edges. Mo X’s upcoming from D.C down to Miami is tentatively scheduled for the end of September. Follow her on Instagram for updates.
The Delight is a new single from artists Van Hechter and Chauncey Dandridge. A Montreal pop star who grew up between Canada, France and the US, Van Hechter teamed up with famed NYC dj, Chauncey Dandridge to create this stylish neo-disco classic. Celebrating unity, hopefulness and a certain zest for life, The Delight is an invigorating and uplifting jam.
A slick, pulsepounding beat keeps the action moving, while the melodies are powered by retro-futuristic synths. The music really does have an authentic disco sound, perfectly capturing the melodic richness and electrifying energy that is the essence of the genre. Given the events of the last year or two, it’s been a while since people could appreciate the extravagant and jovial party atmosphere this song awakens. The lyrics are catchy, and the mix creatively makes use of vocal layering and harmonies to enhance their presence, ultimately giving the vocals a festive quality. Van Hechter and Chauncey Dandridge both offer up lively performances. Van Hechter’s voice exudes confidence while still remaining laid back and approachable. From a technical standpoint, he can actually sing, too.
You really can’t ask for better production values than this. It shouldn’t be surprising, given the professional status of the artists, but sonically this is just better than most contemporary recordings, even the ones you hear on the radio or in department stores. The audio clarity is excellent, and unlike many newer pop songs, the mix isn’t cluttered with autotune and unnecessary processing. The artistry and detail is permitted to flourish, amplifying the track’s emotional impact.
The video for this song is high quality and has already amassed nearly a million views on youtube. It contains footage from an exotic, disco club setting, interspersed with some intriguing and avant garde photo montages. It’s very well put together. As a song The Delight could ultimately be described as 21st century pop (or neo-disco) music at it’s finest. It’s classy, exquisite, emotionally expressive and brimming with positivity.
Time is a new single from New York-based poet and singer-songwriter, Kenny Fame. This song is delightfully catchy with it’s light, modest pace and colorful, summertime beat. Lyrically, Time deals with the way humans experience time, how it seems to go slow when we are bored or unhappy, while seeming to speed up during our most enjoyable moments. The song captures this within a romantic context, and how someone can make you feel alive again. As brief as it may seem, you’ve got to seize that moment. It juxtaposes a healthy sadness with a positive, hopeful disposition. Kenny Fame gives a vocal performance that’s sincere, and his voice just has a very pure and relatable quality. Musically, Time is simple and straightforward, yet it is a profoundly insightful song.
Where Were You When the World Stopped? is a new EP from Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter, Brad Byrd. Blending elements of folk, rock and Americana, the title track is an instant, heartfelt classic. It’s touching and quietly sentimental. The music has an intricate and very personal feel, offering a small, refreshing slice of humanity to contrast the harsh world we live in. One of the songs, When You Need Me is slightly more rocking and features a rich, vibrant mix. It’s peppy, energizing and will just really brighten up your mood. Brad Byrd’s vocals have a trustworthy, reassuring tone. His voice is charismatic while also brimming with thoughtful sensitivity. Musically, this album is nicely polished. It combines the organic, sincere qualities of the classic singer-songwriter genre with 21st century production and contemporary instrumental accents. Where Were You When the World Stopped? is powerful in its tenderness.
Give In is a new single from R&B/Gospel artist, Tyrell Butler on ER the Label. Slated for official release on August 20, 2021, this song is a stylish and creative entry in the genre. One pleasant surprise is that Give In actually incorporates guitars, which isn’t something you hear too often in the contemporary R&B. The guitar tones add a warm, classic feel to the ambiance, which is already melodically rich and colorful. There’s a nice build to the action, which is emotionally invigorating at the song’s climactic points.
Tyrell Butler is an excellent singer. His voice is expressive, and it’s impressive hearing him nail those high notes. As I’ve said a million times before, you just can’t fake it with R&B/gospel, and this guy obviously can sing. The vocal harmonies really drive the energy and are quite moving emotionally. Give In also has a mellow yet danceworthy beat. This song is a high quality and totally professional release. You can’t ask for much more. While you’re waiting for the official release date, you can get ahead of the game by pre-saving the track in the link below.
Tension 3.0 is a single from Soundsex, newly remixed by Decoding Jesus. There’s actually backstory with this track. Originally it was produced back in 2012 as Tension by Chase Wiggs, Jacob Bailey and Miko Franconi under the name of Soundex. The group split up in 2012 but Miko Franconi continued on with the name, and the classic song became a staple for many DJs.
The latest incarnations of this jam are remixes by Let’s Beat Milo Records’ label owner and producer, Decoding Jesus (whom we’ve featured before). There’s the standard mix and a “break beat” mix. As the title accurately hints at, this song does indeed offer a high intensity experience. Featuring a sleak, pulsepounding beat, Tension 3.0 is mesmerizing. It will transport listeners into the zone and dial up the dance floor energy to 11.
It’s the kind of song that’s hypnotic but will wake you up rather than induce you into a deep sleep. Futuristic synths, strategically placed vocal samples, and crisp bass keep the action high throughout. Tension 3.0 also has sensual undertones, balancing a mechanical, deep space ambiance with a more expressive, human component. This is dark techno at its finest. It’s really incredible to see contemporary classics like Tension continue to evolve, shapeshift and reinvent themselves, as they become exponentially interwoven into the fabric of the dance music scene.
Lil Bit of Heaven is a new single from Southern California-based artist, Forces Unknown (aka Fund*Amental). A member of the Smashpop Collective, which also features artists like Recworm, L.O.R.D., Dominic Bowen, and DJ Limegreen, Forces Unknown has been part of the underground hip hop scene for over 25 years and has performed with Wu-Tang Clan, Cypress Hill and a plethora of other iconic acts.
This latest track boasts a surreal, synth-driven backing that’s brimming with melodic appeal. The beat has just the right amount of bass and balances nicely with the enchanting, music. The lyrical delivery is high octane and engaging. Forces Unknown rhymes with a determined intensity. His style reminds be a bit of slam poetry, with its charismatic energy. His voice is powerful, and you could tell people would still listen to this even if there was no music at all.
As the title implies, Lil Bit of Heaven incorporates spiritual metaphors into its message of courage, love and perseverance. There’s actually some really phenomenal singing on this track, which was pleasantly unexpected as I was expecting this to be just a straightforward hip hop jam. The vocals are beautiful and deliciously soulful. Lil Bit of Heaven delivers plenty of action, while somehow managing to retain an insightful and endearing innocence.
