Empty-Handed is a new single from artist Derek Lai, who claims the single was made at a “creative low point” for him. This is reflected in the song, which adopts a melancholy tone in the beginning and slowly blossoms into a more optimistic and uplifting anthem. The intro is mellow and somber, while the middle portion gets more and more lively and the last third of the track simply rocks. Derek sings with passion throughout, in a way that you can tell this is a deeply personal song. There’s nothing empty about Empty-Handed. This is a musically full and powerfully passionate pop song.

For more info:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/llewynderek/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/llewynderek
Tiktok: http://vm.tiktok.com/DsugGR/

Karats is a new single from Trap/R&B artist Carlos Cortez. One thing that stands out about this recording immediately is the slick synth beat, with its aquatic reverberations. Carlos has a unique and memorable delivery that manages to pace itself in step with the pauses in the beat. The echo applied to the vocals also blends nicely with the ambiance of the music. His voice is relatively soft spoken, and he alternates between a laid back conversational style and sincere emotive singing. Pretty decent single overall. It’s very chill and relaxing but still has enough power behind it to work as a club track.

For more info:

https://www.instagram.com/carloscortezz_/
https://twitter.com/carloscortezz_

Her Loss ft. Dmxn is a new single from Luclover, a 14 year old rapper from Houston, TX. Apparently he got into music after losing interest in playing basketball. The song is surprisingly advanced production wise, with a professional sounding, pop mix. The beat, which blends elements of mellow video game music and pop is especially pleasant to the ears. Luclover’s delivery is notable for its great timing, keeping with the erratic and unpredictable rhythm. He also actually sings the lyrics, rather than being content to deliver his rhymes like assertive spoken word poetry. This guy is only 14, but this recording already has a lot going for it. He has the fundamentals down. If he sticks with it he could really be a prodigy in a couple years.

For more info:

https://soundcloud.com/luclover/her-loss-feat-dmxn/s-QRjKU
https://www.instagram.com/_luclover/?hl=en

7letter4ever2 Grateful is a new album from hip hop artist, Horsey SUN GOD. The backing beats on the opening track (Open Doors) feature some powerful theatraical music, which boosts the intensity of the songs and gives them a dramatic flair. Other songs like B Movie Actors have more of a golden age 90s backing, with crackle chime and analog tape hiss, reminiscent of vintage 2Pac, Mobb Deep and even Wu Tang. Horsey’s style seems to combine the laid back west coast sound with the east coast substance and grit. The more I listen to these songs, the more impressed I am with the variety and breadth of content. Every one of these songs has an elaborately distinct sound. My favorite aspect of this album though is Horsey’s delivery and the way it’s handled production wise. A lot of newer rappers ruin their songs by overdoing autotune and vocal processing. That Horsey’s rhymes comes through clear and crisp, is one of many elements it shares with classic hip hop.

For more info:

Grandma is the debut EP from Hazansky (real name Joseph Matveyenko). A recipient of the Oregon Music Hall of Fame College Scholarship, Hazansky demonstrates on these recordings exactly why he was the right choice for such an honor. These songs are absolutely fantastic. They have what I would consider to be an authentic 60’s sound, with dreamy reverb and warm analog tones. The music reminds me a bit of Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66, as well as groups like Dino, Desi and Billy. Occasionally it takes surprising turns in more jazzy and soulful directions, while at other times transitioning into piano driven lounge music. Everything is blended together well, and no matter what angle you look at it from, this album is pristine. My favorite song on here is the title track, Grandma, which accurately captures the essence of an old sound while infusing it with a fresh theme and creative sentimentality. I also have a soft spot for this jam because I was always a bit of a “grandma’s boy.”

Evil Loves is a new single from LUNA13 from their album, Wicked Gods. This lovably demonic black metal track features a lush and robust sound despite the band not using stringed instruments or samples. They have the aesthetic and musical ambiance down for this genre, while still managing to innovate and create their own distinct niche. The visuals of the video are powerful, with effective costumes and editing. It actually reminds me of old MTV shows like Headbanger’s Ball when metal music videos were actually exciting and creepy and you would actually look forward to them (I was a metalhead in middle school in the early 90s.) Lyrically, the song consists of an incarnation of “evil” tempting the listener with the offer of liberation and unconditional acceptance. With lines like “My hellfire frees you” “No god can judge you” and “come be the real you” it would seem that you can’t lose! Delete your Tinder app, and instead break out the oujia board. This is horror music at it’s finest.

For more info:

https://www.facebook.com/luna13official
https://www.instagram.com/luna13official/

Ebb is a new album from Attxla, an artist from Houston, TX. The album leads with its best foot forward as this performer really has an amazing voice, and we hear it right at the opening. As far as the sound, it’s a combination of R&B and electronic. It’s not fast paced and pulsepounding though like some frenzied EDM music. The musical backing on these tracks is more ambient and surreal. Yet the beats still manage to have enough life in them so that they would be suitable for dancing, if you know how to slither and slide gracefully rather than just hop around. The songs are very meditative and demonstrate depth, while offering up a delightfully aquatic ambiance. My favorite track on the album is probably Doldrum which features some darkly jarring synths that give the song some added vigor.

For more info:

http://www.attxla.com/
https://www.instagram.com/attxla

Rolex is a new single from King Femi, a hip hop artist based in Atlanta, GA. There are so many rappers coming out of Atlanta, the hip hop scene there must be really thriving. As you might guess from the title, Rolex is a song about entrepreneurial dreams, with lines like I just wanna wear it on my wrist. King Femi has that classic deep south delivery, with a melodic drawl blends with the music to give it an almost psychedelic effect. It’s a pretty straightforward single that clocks in at about 2 minutes. There’s no filler though. It’s nonstop flow throughout the recording, and the jam has some style.

For more info:

https://unitedmasters.com/king-femi/r/rolex/AJLvBq4GryZx
https://www.instagram.com/the.king.femi/?hl=en
https://www.kingfemi.com/

Blue Roses is a new single from Katrina Stuart, an artist originally from Toronto who now lives in Los Angeles. Musically, the song is bright and upbeat, reflecting the artist’s desire to spread optimism, even when the lyrics deal with the bittersweet topic of bad relationships. With lines like “You can take your pretty flowers and burn ’em up,” it’s hard to imagine how the song could give off positive vibes, but it does. The honestly of admitting that a relationship isn’t working out can be empowering. Katrina has a beautiful voice, and this jam is as catchy as any pop song on the radio. Katrina worked with a Grammy-nominated producer (Trevor Muzzy) on this track and it paid off.

For more info:

https://www.facebook.com/KatrinaStuartMusic/
https://www.youtube.com/katrinastuartmusic
https://music.apple.com/us/album/blue-roses/1476767954?i=1476767955

7 Days A Week is a new single from JustUs (Paula Michelle Denise McCall). Another gem from Diac Immortal Records, this one is set to be released Sept 27. There’s a lot more vocal action on this track than what’s typical for this genre. Smooth and melodic, 7 Days A Week has a definite disco/house feel to it. The repetitive lyrics are beautifully sang and never seem to get old: I feel like dancin..seven days a week. This song strikes me as an anthem for anyone who’s stuck in the daily grind at the office and just wishes they could be out cutting loose on the dance floor. As you can tell by the cover, this music has an authentically groovy, solid gold retro vibe. I have to say that the mix and recording quality on the tracks from this label are really top notch (credit Ben Rebel as producer for this particular song.)

For more info:

https://www.instagram.com/diac.immortal.music/
https://twitter.com/DiacRecords