Remake Remix is a new EP from Rhode Island-based singer/songwriter, Nick Duane. Blending elements of classic alternative and pop-rock, these songs would have seemed right at home on the soundtrack of any quintessential late 80s or early 90s indie film. The opening track, That’s What You Want features robust guitars and pleasantly haunting vocals. I can see why he leads with it as it’s peppy, catchy and just feels like a casual hit.
The recordings on this EP are professional, yet retain their intimate and organic indie authenticity. Nick Duane doesn’t wreck the sound with the kind of over processing and sterilizing effects contemporary artists tend to favor. One of my favorite songs on this release is Java Sea, with its hypnotically rhythmic guitars and reverberative oceanic vibes. It’s an avant garde, mini-masterpiece. The album closest out with (Those) Little Acts Of Betrayal a quirky jam with a totally cool beat and a creative delivery style. All in all, Remake Remix is one of the best little albums to slip in under the radar in 2020.
Selfish is a new single from Eva Constance, a singer/songwriter from Hartford, CT. She has a strong vocal background, having originally learned to sing in the church choir as a child. Her first official single, Hold Me, was released in 2018. After a short break she’s back on the scene with her latest track, Selfish. Featuring an exotically futuristic and ambient beat, the song has an original feel. Eva Constance’s vocals are sensual and entrancing. Not only is she a proficient singer, but her voice seems just right for this style of music.
The song is essentially about the positive and romantic desire to be selfish, with the one you love and wanting to have the person all to yourself. The video for this jam has great color usage and setting. Everything from the outfits to the screen tint to the abstract art in the background and the beachfront outside aesthetically capture the mood of the song. The mix is sonically smooth and professional. Selfish is a legit pop song, and Eva Constance has definitely found her sound. Be on the lookout for her next single, Tangler, which is slated for release in January 2021.
When Ink Turns to Blood is a new album from hip hop artist, Yorel. He’s a seasoned musician, having been active in recording and releasing music for decades, going back to when artists would tenaciously market their CDs and cassettes to people directly in person. One interesting bit of trivia is that YoRel is the nephew of Leroy Homer, famed co-pilot and one of the heroes of Flight 93 on 9/11.
This album is simply epic. It contains a whopping 24 tracks, practically qualifying as an anthology. He doesn’t cut any corners either. The songs are all full and rich with prime content. There are also a plethora of guest artists, including iconic rappers like Krayzie Bone, who appears on the track Crossroads II. That particular song is inspired by the legendary Bone Thugz jam, Crossroads (which was probably my favorite hip hop single of the 90s). Crossroads II was made to pay respects to Yorel’s late father. In case you’re wondering, the song definitely lives up to the original, both in terms of musical quality and spirit. The vibe matches 100%.
One of the main singles from this album is Epiphany (feat. Justin J. Moore and Dan Picknell). Powerful and brimming with melodic goodness, the song blends elements of hip hop, R&B and pop. There’s a catchy musical chorus that almost sounds like alternative music. The rap verses are delivered with personality and the lyrics contain some choice lines (“maybe the slave ship was a space ship“). It’s an impressive single that combines serious themes with an approachable, enjoyable presentation, and the songwriting is excellent.
Other songs on here are a bit on the lighter side. Oreo is a fun, casual and slightly humorous track that’s “dating” related. However, even here Yorel demonstrates just how professional his vocal delivery is. He really has a great flow. It’s no wonder these other well known artists are eagerly willing to collaborate with him. There’s so much material on this release it’s difficult to do it justice in a brief review like this. It deserves an essay or even a dissertation. Bottom line though is that it’s all top tier, and there is enough variety to suit your mood and musical tastes, whatever they may be. When Ink Turns to Blood is classy, sincere and lyrically substantive. This is low-key one of the best hip hop albums of 2020.
Like Lito is a new single/video from North Carolina-based hip hop artist, Da Shoota. As the title implies, the track is a memorial to childhood friend and rapper Box Carlito, whom was recently killed. Da Shoota’s delivery is hard hitting and passionate, while his timing is on point. He maintains an incredible flow when he gets on a roll, managing to rap for long stretches without needing to come up for air. This is a worthy tribute that holds nothing back. The video for this jam features a lot of people and demonstrates just how well loved Box Carlito was. I’m not familiar with him at all, but Box Carlito is widely credited with pointing out how ridiculous the US bail system is, after revealing he had to pay 2.5 million dollars bail on a simple marijuana related charge. Anyway, this is a solid track, and you can check out the video below. RIP.
MegaMashUp Best of 2020 is a new mashup from Japan-based artist, Ricardo Katsuki. Fromerly from Peru, he’s a seasoned veteran of the club circuit and has over 20 years under his belt DJing in popular spots all over Japan and Peru. His mashups and megamixes are fast paced and punchy. Ricardo keeps the action moving nonstop. He holds the listener’s attention with a plethora of quick edits that engage the senses. These flash transitions are smooth, and the scope of the mashup covers practically the whole gamut of contemporary pop jams and icons.
The vibe is incredibly high energy and tailor suited for the dance floor. This particular megamashup focuses on reggaeton, hip hop, pop, and latin music but contain elements of other genres as well. The mashups are well choreographed and often so precise you can’t even detect the maneuvers unless you’re already super familiar with the official songs. This guy is a natural DJ and is obviously very good at what he does. He has a good ear for sound and great instincts as far as piecing things together to achieve a desired aesthetic.
Better Part of Me is a new EP from New Jersey-based singer/songwriter, Alex Julia. The songs have an authentic alternative rock sound, while sometimes incorporating elements of synthwave and other genres. Stylewise, this music is like a cross between Alanis Morrisette and the band, Garbage. It’s a little bit more rocking than standard “singer/songwriter” fare, as Alex Julia really belts out the lyrics with passion, her melodic vocals managing to hold their own against a backdrop of powerful guitars and an assertive drum beat.
There are some terrific harmonies and effective usages of vocal layering. I particularly like the effects employed, which give Alex’s voice the organic feel of a live, onstage performance. The overall mix is full-bodied and really just rocks. My favorite track on this EP is Counting Stars, which features some radical synths and darkly hypnotic ambiance. Better Part of Me is a solid collection of jams, and from both a musical and artistic perspective, represents exactly what indie music is supposed to be about.
Evil Degrees (The Warning) is a new single from hip hop artist, Destiny 333. This action packed track is high intensity from start to finish. Destiny 333’s vocal delivery is passionate, fierce and engaging as the artist makes the case for handling business. The lyrical flow is fluid and relentless, against a backing beat that is robust and sonically rich with melody. I’m just listening on my laptop, but I imagine this tracks hits pretty hard if you’re in a car with the bass cranked up. Characterized by a no-nonsense pace and adrenaline-fueled vibe, this jam is as much an anthem as it is a song. It’s both musically competent and emotionally exciting.
Downtown Girl (ft. Soundingblue) is a single from Calgary-based artist, Tre Digga. This guy is one of the most prolific artist in recent memory. Just in the past two years he’s built up a massive catalog of releases (EPs, singles, etc), more than any artist I’ve ever seen. This particular song blends elements of R&B and hip hop with exotic instrumentals and a romantic vibe.
The track oscillates between sentimental, expressive vocals and fresh rapping interludes. The transitions between various segments are smooth, as a tight and colorful beat balances with the melodic chorus. Juxtaposing nicely with the video footage, the brisk pacing really does capture the downtown nightlife energy. Downtown Girl has pop sensibilities and mainstream potential, as the song’s romantic theme should resonate universally. Be sure and follow Tre Digga on Instagram to keep up with his latest releases. I’m certain there will be many more to come.
Web Ghost is a new single from artist, Wigwolf. Suffice to say, this sort of thing is right up my alley. This experimental, eerily psychedelic and avant garde track is an instant lo-fi classic. True to its title, the song’s ambiance is strangely haunting. The guitar effects combined with the quaint vocals really do give the impression that you’re listening to an entity communicating directly from the spirit world. Musical gems like this recording are becoming rare in an indie scene that is largely dominated by electronic music and hip hop. In the 90’s, when every musician had a 4-track recorder, oddities like Web Ghost were plentiful. The song itself is incredibly catchy and definitely memorable.
It’s difficult to find direct comparison’s to Wigwolf’s style because it’s so unique. It’s like a cross between Daniel Johnston, Modest Mouse and something from the 60s like The Seeds. The lyrics can be difficult to make out at times but are quite brilliant, as Wigwolf incorporates a “spider web” metaphor into the song’s lengthy narrative. This is further enhanced by the guitars, which subtly resemble the kind of insect noises you’d hear in an old Vincent Price horror film. I honestly love this song. In a just world, Web Ghost would be number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. For now though, let’s just be thankful that it exists.
Apparitions is a new album from London-based guitarist, Joe Hodgson. Originally from Northern Ireland, this ultra-prolific artist somehow manages to crank out high quality releases left and right. This latest one contains 15 full-bodied tracks. While the songs initially might appear to be just awesome and bluesy rock jams, they actually have a deeper and more personal meaning to the artist.
Apparitions was apparently recorded during a difficult time period, when Joe had returned to Ireland in order to take care of his ailing mother. “It was soul-destroying to see the person I loved most in the world just wither away in front of my eyes, and it had a profound effect on me and my music,” he says. “Playing guitar proved to be my savior though, and writing and recording the album was an incredibly cathartic experience.”
However, the music is by no means downtrodden or bleak. Rather, Apparitions incorporates a wide range of emotions in its soul-searching examination of the human experience. There’s sadness and sentimentality of course, but also anger, excitement, love and optimism. It’s all passionately expressed here (and entirely through instrumentals, I might add). Joe Hodgson is a fantastic guitarist and lets his music do the talking.
There’s so much variety and imagination in these songs, too. This is not just another generic rock guitar album. For example, the song Disruptor opens with a tender sampling of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy and transitions into high energy and impressively technical guitar playing. It’s heavy duty stuff, both musically and in terms of the emotions it evokes. Other tracks like Long Hard Look have a smooth grooving, bouncy, almost 80’s quality. My favorite song on here is probably The Player, with its “hot rod” like, adventurous melody and poolshark ambiance. If I was in the middle of an exciting drag race for the pink slip on my car, this is the song I’d want playing on the stereo as I was cruising toward the finish line.
You can really appreciate how good this music is by how catchy the melodies are even without any lyrics. It’s more than just guitars, too. The vintage organ sounds really add a lot of vitality and dynamicism to the recordings. They give the songs a zestful personality, livening up the action while lightening the mood. The drums also play a big part. They create a robust, practically Earth shattering framework, really dialing up the rock’n’roll power level. Apparitions is quite frankly, a masterpiece on every level. The fact that the project has such a deep personal connection to the artist must make that all the more satisfying.
