Miami based Hip hop artist, RawJxw’s new jam Rawcula is something else. Set to a backdrop of Draculian thematic elements, the slow and methodical beats combine with his quick witted delivery to create a unique and darkly effective track. Rawcula is appropriately titled as the lyrics are often unpredictably humorous in a very and raw kind of way which will leave the listener laughing uncomfortably throughout the song. The tone is very ominous and low key, but one thing that’s apparent is that this guy can really rap. His ability to maintain precise timing while delivering in short quick bursts is impressive. He also has something many indie rappers lack, which is his own distinct sounding voice. I feel like it would be easy to recognize if I heard it again. That should help this guy stand out. Rawcula does a great job creatively incorporating the dracula gimmick into a talented hip hop song for maximum effect.
Maze is a new single from Spida Collins. Drawing from an eclectic range of musical styles, Maze contains elements of hip hop, pop and EDM. These are blended synergistically to create an energetic and vibrant sound. Approached from a positive perspective, the lyrics center upon the theme of perseverance. As the title of the song suggests, our lives are often analogous to a maze. The walls represent problems that we run into, which we must bounce back from and keep moving, as we attempt to find our way out of the maze. The maze can also be seen as the obstacles in our own mind toward achieving inner peace and harmony.
The production on this track is very impressive for an “indie” hip hop song. I don’t just mean the recording quality but also the arrangements and complex juxtaposition of complementing musical vocals, rapping and various synths and beats. Some great musical craftsmanship here which makes for a genuinely effective and emotionally uplifting song. Maze manages to strike the right balance between being a song with intellectual depth and a cool party track that people can get down to on the dance floor. The music allows the listener to experience the message of the song, even if they’re just having a swell time dancing and not even listening to the words.
Set to be released on January 18, 2019, Pretty Noise is the debut album of Connecticut based band, The Twelve AM. The title of the album itself serves as an apt (if minimal) description of the sound. It’s a noisy kind of alternative power pop with delightful melodies and occasionally romantic undertones. The distortion laden but impressively precise guitars compel the listener to take the album seriously from the get go. With the opening track, Punk Drunk one can immediately detect the instrumental skill here combined with top tier production quality and mixing and realize these aren’t just a bunch of kids playing around. Many of the songs have a pretty straightforward 90s alternative, post-grunge vibe, but the 6th track Guitar Boys pleasantly surprises as a crystal clear, pop gem. It’s the best song on the album in my opinion and has the most potential to be a hit. Empty is a later track which has a similar feel and is also very good. What’s notable to me about this album is how dynamic the songs are. Every song on the album seems to have its own musical personality. Even tracks which are done in the same style are still distinct and display a lot of variation in pacing, rhythm and content. Nothing here seems redundant. The vocals sound pleasant and emotive, and most importantly they are clean and haven’t been processed into oblivion (unlike many contemporary recordings.) This is a pretty solid debut album. There are indie bands out there who end up putting out 20 albums which may never come close to being as good as this.
Mango is the debut EP from Austin based artist, Jony Shelby. It combines elements of pop, hip hop and electronica to create a very contemporary and accessible sound. Unpredictable usage of synths and samples keeps the listener on their toes, never quite knowing which direction a track is going to go. The songs on Mango are notable for their attention grabbing intros. Lobby Party, which gives off a darkly haunting, trip hop vibe, is a good example of this. Faux is closer to a more straightforward pop song, yet with with a delightfully dreamy and surreal synth backing throughout. Ash Heart on the other hand seems more like an indie dance track, where industrial electronica is at the forefront and hip hop merely accentuates the song. Production wise, Mango is very good. All in all I’d say this is a fairly solid , genre transcending debut entry that grows on you after each listen.
The artist behind the project known as “Feather Thief” grew up in a cold and wooded area of Northern Minnesota. He had played in a band for many years, and when it broke up he considered quitting music altogether. Well thankfully that didn’t happen, and Feather Thief was born. His impressive new single is Slip-Dodge, a calmly emotive and cerebral indie jam. The song blends light guitar with synths and vocals set to a dreamlike reverbial backdrop. The pacing of Slip-Dodge presents itself as slow and methodical. Clocking it at over 4 minutes, the track is always engaging, with the synths positioned for dramatic effect at strategic moments of the song. Feather Thief’s vocals are almost haunting in their authenticity. You can sense the genuine emotion in his tone. Just a sold effort all the way through. Feather Thief is scheduled to release an EP in 2019.
Forest Robots is the musical project of Francisco Dominquez. He describes the endeavor as being a “letter to his daughter about the wonders of nature.” The name “Forest Robots” itself offers a clue as to the nature of the sound of his latest album release titled Timberline and Mountain Crest. What’s immediately notable about the music here is that it strives to capture the spirit of the outdoors while not conforming to stereotypical tropes of what we’ve come to expect with “nature” music. Instead of the cliche, serene meditation music, wind instruments, and other bromides that one commonly encounters while perusing the tarot card section of an incense filled, New Age bookstore, we’re treated to futuristic synths and some genuinely stimulating ambiance. What “Forest Robots” seems to be telling us here is that the wonders of the outdoors are every bit as exciting (if not more so) as the latest smart phone technology that’s at your fingertips.
In fact, the opening track, Sudden Bioluminescence sounds more like something you’d hear in a dystopian, John Carpenter science fiction film than what one would expect to be listening to on an office nature retreat. From my perspective, that is a very refreshing development. Another excellent example of this is On A Desolate Shore Under A Full Moon, which is subtly dark and captivating. It could even be considered a low-key dance track. The closest to a familiar kind of sound associated with outdoors on the album is the open and eloquent The Sun Rises Between Timberline And Mountain Crest, a song that embodies the quietness of the morning. The album covers all its bases and leaves the listener with a complete experience. The juxtaposition of the natural world with what is typically deemed futuristic music is a poignant concoction in that it provokes the listener to think of parks and public lands not as a weekend getaway or relic of the past to be appreciated, but something which should be thought of as an integral part of an exciting future.
Canadian artist Blow_Flyy’s single BLEED 4 YOU packs a lot of punch into its 2:40 run time. Off of his freshly completed album, BLOOD N HONEY this jam gives you a taste of what kind of delightful goodness is in store. The melodically eerie and attention grabbing synth-like intro draws the listener’s consciousness into the music immediately. The song doesn’t waste any time. Like a confident chess player bringing out his best pieces early, Blow_Flyys colab partner Keonte Beals’s vocals appear toward the beginning of the song. His voice dazzles and leaves an immediate impression that the song is a professional endeavor. The harmony and dynamic tone of his delivery are stylistically comparable to legends like Usher. The singer can hit some high notes. For his part, Blow_Flyy’s delivery is crisp and punchy, right on point. His voice helps to anchor the track and adds a second layer of emotion to balance out the female expression.
Blow_Flyy prides himself on having clean content. BLEED 4 YOU is a genuine song which never veers from the realm of respectability and occasionally touches on sensitive issues like loss and family quarrels in a very personal way. There’s real passion here. The song is the expression of a man pursuing ambitious dreams while maintaining an eye for doing the right thing.
Hazey is a new album from hip hop artist Jake Haze. A good way to describe it is that it’s almost like a family photo album in musical form. With intensely personal lyrics and touching anecdotes the release serves as an ajar window to one man’s world. At 15+ substance filled tracks, the sheer volume of content in Hazey is impressive in and of itself. What is uniquely awesome about this album though is that the level of creativity (especially in formatting) is off the charts. For example, Voicemail to Savannah isn’t simply a metaphor, it’s a song that’s literally in the form of a voicemail on someone’s answering machine. It is artfully done though, in a way which the musicality captures the awkwardly genuine romanticism of the moment. None of these songs are “cookie cutter” either. There is a great deal of musical variance with the backing tracks, and none of the tracks feel like padding or filler. Jake’s delivery comes across as humble and unassuming. He keeps his ego in check and is not shy about revealing his vulnerabilities in these lyrics, which deal with family issues, the pursuit of dreams and often just the mundane struggle to make ends meet. This album is a genuine work of art, one which deserves much more exposure than it is likely to receive in mainstream hip hop circles.
Give Me More, a new single from Alisa Chirco, hypnotizes like a kind of slow motion disco. The background music in this jam is laser-like and ethereal. This song is a light show in musical form, and Alisa’s charismatic vocals take center stage. Her voice has enormous presence and she sings passionately and professionally. With advancements in recording technology, it’s very easy for people to record pop songs nowadays that sound decent. However, this track is top tier and if it accomplishes one thing, it manages to establish Alisa Chirco as an artist who’s a cut above the vast majority of aspiring vocalists.
I Will Find You is a new track from Kevin Edward. It’s a laid back, summertime pop song. It offers a bright romantic ambiance with tropical vibes. After listening to this song a few times, I admit that it kind of grows on you. The chorus lyric, “I will find you” is quite catchy and gives this jam a legit pop hit feel. The best way I could describe this music is that it reminds me of something that might be playing in the background at a store like Hollister. They usually have pretty decent soundtracks with a lot of indie cred compared to places likes H&M, so that is a good thing. Musically, I Will Find You is pretty groovy and has elements of surf, though my perception of the sound is likely influenced quite a bit by the high quality video, which is positively aquatic. Kevin Edward is actually a decent singer, too and isn’t afraid to take chances, pushing his vocals to the limit. The song is set to be released on the live album, “The Kev & Janis Show” on Thanksgiving.
