WE is a new single from Stig Gustu Larsen, an artist from Norway most recently known for being a contestant in season 5 of the show, The Voice Norway. However, his career spans back much further than that, having released a plethora of albums and singles dating back over a decade. So, it pretty much goes without saying that this guy can sing. They don’t let people on those shows that can’t.

Stig displays his vocal prowess in WE, as his passionate and dynamic delivery drives the song. What’s notable about this track though are the tropical vibes. The music has a very late 80s/early 90s feel to it, bringing to mind The Beach Boys’ Kokomo as well as soundtracks to films like Captain Ron and Weekend at Bernie’s. The tone and lyrics are very uplifting. This is a summertime song for sure. Ultimately though it’s a song about fulfillment in finding one’s “home,” in finally reaching the destination where they are in their element, whether it be a physical location or an emotional state of inner peace (perhaps both.) In any case, this is a professional single that’s sure to resonate with adult contemporary audiences internationally.

For more info:

Website: www.gustu.no

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stiggustularsen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JabvqeTM9Qg

Dark Mode 2: Suffocate is an album from hip hop artist “Tripple D” from Norway. Tripple D got into making music at the age of 10 and became prominent locally around the time he turned 15 years old. The album is massive, containing nearly 20 full tracks. The beats feature a lot of killer synth variations, though some incorporate a piano sound. The songs are very well produced, professional studio quality. While the backing beats are generally mellow and chill, the lyrics are often explicit and of the aggressive variety (as the title suggests.) Tripple D maintains his intensity throughout and has a charismatic vocal presence, but the awesome music and blended guest vocals help soften things up a bit to make these songs accessible as party jams as well.
My favorite track on the album is Atmosphere (Bloodline.) It opens with an intriguing sample and is brimming with dark and melodic ambiance throughout. Musically it’s just beautiful. As a whole this album contains a lot of variety and is rich with content. It is simply an epic endeavor. You’ll definitely get your money’s worth.

For more info:

https://www.facebook.com/OffisiellTrippleD

Guns is a new music video from Beav, a Charleston, MO based hip hop artist. The video opens with a card game and titles like you’re watching a film or documentary, and that’s almost what it is. Guns blends hip hop with Beav’s social and political messaging. He raps about the issue of guns while “Cops” style footage is reenacted in the background through much of the vid. From a cinemtagraphy standpoint this just as much a short film as it is a music video. In ths song itself, Beav takes lyrical aim at almost everyone associated with this issue, from cops to thugs to a lot of people in between. Whatever one thinks of his opinions on these hot buttom issues, Beav is a charismatic rapper whose commanding presence drives the song. His hard hitting delivery style is slow, blunt and matter of fact. The song hits on a lot of talking points and is sure to resonate with audiences. Check it out below and see what you think.

For more info:

https://www.facebook.com/beavlife/
https://twitter.com/@youngflygenius

Civilizado Como Los Animales is a new release from Catalan artist, Macaco. The title essentially means “Civilized Like Animals.” Dani Macaco’s musical fundamentals are very strong, as is the production. While containing elements of rumba and reggae, the songs are also very avant garde and experimental. Macaco is not afraid to go a little wild and push the envelope in terms of structure and predictability. There’s synth, slick beats and even some spoken word mixed in. No Nos Pararan is one of the more memorable jams for me. It has a catchy intro and some really cool synth sounds I’ve never even heard before. My other favorite track is De Serie which features numerous guest artists and collaborators. It has a Mediterranean quality to it. The album as a whole is a nice blend of traditional and experimental music that hits just the right balance.

For more info:

https://www.facebook.com/Macaco/
https://twitter.com/macacomusic
https://www.youtube.com/MACACOOficial

Infiernos is a new album from Panteón Rococó, a very well known ska band from Mexico City. Production on this album is top notch, better than what you hear from most major labels. The songs remind me a lot of the ska bands I grew up listening to in the 90s, except that all the lyrics are in Spanish. I do speak a little bit of Spanish but not enough to seriously analyze the lyrical content. The songs on here are lively and brimming with energy. You can just picture everyone having a ball dancing to this. The tone is very upbeat and fun throughout. Botella is probably my favorite track on the album, with it’s catchy horn lines and elaborate interludes. Most importantly I want to mention that the musiciansmanship on here is phenomenal and expertly performed to meticulous detail. It doesn’t take much to figure out this is an excellent ska album from a seasoned group of professionals.

For more info:

https://www.panteonrococo.com
https://www.facebook.com/panteonrococo/
https://twitter.com/RococoTweets

Legend You Never Knew is a full length album from hip hop artist, Zone00 (pronounced “Zone double O.”) Zone00 grew up in Texas but is well-traveled thanks to his stint in the military. He’s been around the block musically as well and has released several independent projects.

While the album cover is pretty epic and grandiose, the album itself has a lot of artistic, grounded substance to it. There’s no empty flash and posturing here. It’s also awesome that Zone00 actually raps over a variety of productions to include LoFi beats, rather than canned, overproduced pop. It gives the songs an old school analog quality while retaining top notch mixing and production standards. These tracks are smooth and easy on the ears right from the get go with Birthday Flow. A lot of indie rappers are just dudes tinkering around and seeing what they can do, but Zone00 stands out as an obvious professional. These tracks are polished and meticulous, and he raps like someone you can tell has been in the game a long time and has his own style totally perfected. He makes it look easy in fact. Don’t try this at home folks.

The main single of this album is The Pimp. Even though it’s only the second track on the album, this is the jam where he reveals his power level. The piano backing gives the song an intensity which is matched by Zone00’s speedy delivery and substantive lyrics. He displays a knack for conversational storytelling and run-on monologues that would leave lesser men breathless. Each occasional well-timed pause and echoey vocal interlude functions as a unique moment for the listener to reflect with a “wow.”

Excerpt from The Pimp:

Bars in my bars
I never been behind the bars
But still hold down the bars
I never did buy the bar
but I also didn’t buy my bars

Also worth noting is that on the hook for The Pimp, Zone00 is paying homage to late great “Pimp C,” and one half of legendary super group UGK whom he is an absolute fan of.

Another notable track is Ride Wit Me, which features a kind of candyland, circus music beat which both charms and serves to provide a nice complement to the casual, laid back seriousness of the song itself. My favorite musical backing though is the one on Usual Suspects Part I (there is no part II yet.) It has a light folkish rock tune that is both futuristic and retro 50s/60s.

Every song on this album is worth listening to, and there’s both variety and artistic consistency. Zone00 clearly has a recognizable style and persona, something which is crucial for success as a hip hop artist. I kind of wish I had some constructive criticism to give so this review doesn’t seem too over the top gushing. This is just a really solid release and Zone00 is no amateur. He has this down an exact science.

For more info:

Legend You Never Knew: https://ffm.to/zone00.ois
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealzone00/

Extra Mile is a new song from rapper/producer/singer-songwriter/composer/multi-instrumentalist, Khaleel Mandel. The son of professional bass player Carl Carter, Khaleel cultivated his interest in music at a very young age. Khaleel was born in Boston Massachusetts, and raised in Bridgeport, CT.

This particular track stands out for it’s groovin’ surf-like backbeat which reverberates throughout the song, creating a deep vintage ambiance. Mandel’s lyrical delivery is casual yet low-key passionate and physically expressive. The video helps to magnify this expressiveness and allows the listener to recognize Khalees as almost an avant-garde performance artist rather than just a mere musician. His rapping can stand on its own, like a slam poetry reading. The pacing is mellow and the timimg is unconventional, while the beat is psychedelically hypnotic. Khaleel doesn’t rely on smoke and mirrors. He’s clearly more interested in creating art than hype, and this song delivers the goods.

For more info:

https://khaleelmandel.com/

Beware is the long awaited album from Stephon Foster, an artist whose singles have been featured here a number of times in the lead up to this highly anticipated release. The songs on this album are notable for featuring Stephon Foster’s fun attitude, sincerity and often intensely personal lyrics.

The opening track Boy, I Quit is a brief but breezily catchy R&B/pop jam, which isn’t afraid to express emotional vulnerability while still being empowering. Songs like I’m Not the One venture further into hip hop territory, where Stephon frequently displays a more sassy side and incorporates guest rappers like “Noah Soundz.” The use of these guest hip hop artists brings an added element to some of these songs, as they often chime in unexpectedly with a rapping interlude, creating a multi-dimensional relationship dynamic to the composition. Rain (featuring Surron the 7th) is hypnotic and dreamy. It has an ethereal flow and is probably my favorite of the light hip hop songs on this album.

Stephon often displays an unpredictable and bold side. Every song shows a willingness to experiment and spice things up a bit with tonal twists and musical turns. Another consistent component is Stephon’s willingness to be emotionally honest. Every song on the album has a personal touch, and this heartfelt sincerity is ultimately what lends the record its charm. Many pop artists now (regardless of technical talent level) do not write sincere or substantive songs or lyrics which are about anything real. But Stephon Foster’s songs all have in depth backstories and deep personal meaning. There’s more than just a voice and a beat here. When you listen to Stephon’s song’s you’re getting a human being’s story on the real.

It’s a roller coaster ride and the album closes out strong, first with the romantically hopeful Wonderland. This is actually I think the catchiest, most well written and biggest “hit” song in the collection. Wonderland also contains what I believe is Stephon’s best vocal performance. It just comes together nicely. The final song is Blue, a sentimental and bittersweet track which could give any Disney tear-jerker song a run for its money Beware is an album which was a long time in the making. Filled with substantive lyrical content and substantial musical variety, this emotionally charged package was worth the wait.

For more info:

Monster is a new song/video from Annapolis based band, “Water on Mars.” This track maintains a clean and polished sound for the duration. The production has almost a 90s quality to it, in that the music is high quality but not loaded to the brim with unnecessary effects and processing. Tonally, it’s a also a bit on the darker side, reminiscent of bands like “Garbage,” something which is accentuated with the female, avant garde vocals. The sound just has that special mix of alternative and rock, with maybe a bit of post-punk. The guitars are too crisp and meticulously performed to be classified as full on neo-grunge. There are however, some ambient interludes throughout the song that give off psychedelic, space age vibes.

Really this song is largely driven by the technically proficient yet radical guitars as well as the excellent and passionate vocals. Both exert a powerful musical presence, which give the song its energizing, adrenaline inducing vitality. This song will give you a bit of a rush. “Water on Mars” as a band definitely has a lot going for them talent wise. If we still lived in a just world, songs like this one would be on the radio, but at least you can still listen to these jams if you take the time to find them.

For more info:

http://www.wateronmarsmd.com

http://www.twitter.com/realwateronmars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFwgCsAd2JQ