Wasted Away is a new single from artists Drew Ramz and Alex Scott. The song cultivates a tropical, summertime ambiance and lyrically pays homage to the classic Jimmy Buffett hit, Margaritaville. Giving things a contemporary twist, the track chronicles the modern experience of leisurely club culture. There are elements of nostalgia and reflection. Musically, the song is casual and melodic, with bright, oceanic vibes. It has a bit of an early 90’s, retro feel even though the lyrical content largely relates to the 2020s. Wasted Away is catchy, quirky and fun, while the tone implies an underlying sadness. It manages to enjoy the fruits of derivativity while creatively establishing its own identity. The brief hip hop interlude adds another nostalgia-activating dimension, reminiscent of the light, once prevalent summertime pop songs of yesteryear. Wasted Away is scheduled to be released officially on August 21st, 2020.
Reflections is a new album from Manchester-based singer/songwriter, David Cummins. Inspired by legends like James Taylor and Roger Waters, David is a veteran musician, who honed his craft during a late 70s and early 80s golden age period of UK classic rock. After a lengthy hiatus, he recently returned to making music as a way to come to terms with the death of a love one.
A powerful album, Reflections immediately brings to mind comparisons to Pink Floyd and The Moody Blues. This isn’t surprising, given that David collaborates with guitarist Calum Robertson, whose work makes an appearance on several of these tracks. A surreal and synth-driven atmosphere gives each song an epic, orchestral aura. Meanwhile, rocking guitars and engaging vocals constitute the heart of the music. The vaguely psychedelic ambiance is entrancing, allowing the listener to take a meditative mental journey. This music has cinematic, almost fantasy quality. Indeed, one such mesmerizing track is even titled It’s Like Living in a Movie. One of the darker songs musically, Save Our Soul, opens with a synth intro that sounds like something you’d hear on a John Carpenter film soundtrack. My second favorite jam on this album is Caterpillar Eyes, which features funky guitar work and some penetrating lyrics.
Perhaps what’s most impressive about Reflections is the level of depth. This is a true “full album,” and it explores a vast array of subject matter: romance, spirituality, angst, societal struggles…the list goes on. The lyrics don’t take any superficial shortcuts either. The lyrics (often abstract) are rich with detail and symbolism. There’s a voyeuristic element here, as the listener often feels like they’re eavesdropping on someone’s private thoughts. It’s almost finding a diary or a stack of deeply personal, yet profound letters. The final (and title) track, Reflections clocks in at over nine minutes and contains probably the best vocal performance. This song is absolutely outstanding and is truly a cut above. David Cummins clearly has a passion for the material and is a very cerebral songwriter. Regardless of the circumstances, it’s always great to see someone inspired to get back into music and manage to produce work of this caliber.
A debut self-titled EP will soon be available from singer/songwriter, Walking Apollo (the stage name of Fort Worth-based artist, Buddy Taccolini). Slated for official release on August 8, 2020, this indie folk
gem features sentimental lyrics and a quietly rocking melodies. Reflective tracks like The Apple Falls cultivate an ambiance that’s reflective and naturalistic. Vocals and acoustic guitars drive much of the action, blending elements of folk, rock and Americana.
Though the artist describes his recording equipment as “rudimentary,” I have to say the production quality is quite good. From a sonic standpoint, these songs are practically commercial grade, which may not be what an independent folk artist is aspiring to achieve, but the performance leave plenty of indie cred to spare. The meticulous, delicate guitar playing is rich with detail and even contains a hint of twang. The minimalist mix allows the listener to fully appreciate the caliber of musicianship, as everything is out in the open. There is nowhere to conceal or obscure any potentially weak links in the chain. Female vocals appear often and their complementary effect helps to accentuate the album’s folk charm. Though the album has a compact and open feel, it does incorporate some effective layering to give things a bright, full sound. There are romantic undercurrents in some of these songs, but they take on a subdued, innocent form. The mood here would best be described ad the musical equivalent of a landscape painting.
It’s difficult to standout in a genre this crowded, but that’s largely a marketing obstacle. Taccolini has proven himself to be a more than capable songwriter. If this guy was around in the 70s, he’d probably be a household name by now. The songs on this EP are indeed very good, combining heartfelt sincerity with technical ability. There’s potential for this project to go a long way, but even just the artistic purity of it will brighten the listener’s spirits a bit.
Amethyst is a new EP from artist, “Kev, Just Kev.” The ambiance is bright and casually uplifting, as these songs are performed in the spirit of promoting change and well-being. Blending elements of pop and hip hop with a light, tropically futuristic vibe, the music is poignant and enjoyable. This album has a jovial and innocent quality, inspiring people to push forward with a positive attitude. It makes for a very pleasant afternoon listen. The backing beats are colorful and pretty, really setting the mood. Kev, Just Kev’s vocals are laid back, quietly sentimental and occasionally profound. He has a knack for writing clever lyrics, which he often delivers in creative and unpredictable ways. My personal favorite track is probably Aura, which has a vaguely retro 1960’s pop feel. It’s just very cool and classy.
How’d I Get Here? is a new EP from Southern California-based hip hop artist, Kris Greer. His delivery is tight, and the flow is off the charts, especially in the attention-grabbing first track, Losin’ Control. This fast paced and multi-dimensional jam impresses on many levels, as it incorporates complex songwriting structure and vocal choreography. Everything is just very well timed. Black Roses has more mellow, minimalist and ambient backing music, with Greer’s vocals up front driving the action. He has a sharp and quick cadence when rapping normally, but his freestyle takes on a more “stream-of-consciousness” style vibe. The final two songs are the most melodic and feature elements of pop and R&B. They also show a little bit of the artist’s sentimental side. On these tracks he goes beyond rapping and demonstrates that he’s a fairly capable singer. This little album is fresh, and the performances live up to the polished production and stylish beats.
Savages is a new single from French multi-genre musician, composer,writer, artist and producer, DALMAS Emmanuel. This guy is something of a musical warlock, as he seems to be incredibly proficient in every genre and can shapeshift at a moment’s notice. This latest track is a hip hop piece. The song is well choreographed, and the vocal delivery maintains precision timing even at impressive speeds. The lyrics are rich with clever creativity, and the artist manages to pack a lot of words into the 3:09 runtime. Featuring a high intensity backing beat that will keep listeners engaged from beginning to end, (with some allowance for taste/mood) this jam is about as close as you can get to a “perfect” hip hop jam. While his talents may already have been well known in his locale, with Savages, DALMAS Emmanuel has revealed his power level to the wider world.
Looking For You is a new single from electropop duo, Martin Brothers. This retro-futuristic track combines 80’s nightclub aesthetic with contemporary production flair. Well crafted and brimming with high-octane energy, the song seems tailor made for the dance scene. Visually, the group yields comparisons to outfits like Daft Punk, but Martin Brothers give off more of a Californian, Americanized vibe. While the vocals have a Top 40 pop-like quality, the pacing is quick, pushing the odometer into EDM territory. The synth backing creates an energizing and mildly euphoric ambiance, setting the overall mood.
Featuring a professional mix and studio tier production levels, the song wouldn’t sound out of place if you heard it on the radio. Nothing too shabby here. The group has put a great deal of effort into cultivating a certain image. Fortunately, they haven’t neglected the musical side, so the listener won’t be disappointed. The video for this summertime club jam is cinematically impressive and boasts some incredible picture quality (this isn’t VHS-C “home video”). It really comes down to whether or not you dig this style of music or the surrounding scene. These guys know what they’re doing and have done a fine job carving out their niche in this genre.
$ippin on the Tree$ is a new single from Brooklyn-born hip hop artist, King Soloman. The short and sweet track features eerily engaging backing music and King Soloman’s stream of consciousness style delivery. Everything flows together like an exotic dream. The mix is very fluid and smooth. Some of the lyrics deal with practical subject matter like not being able to fix the air conditioning. King Soloman’s laid back and down to earth demeanor juxtaposes neatly with the tropical rainforest-like musical atmosphere. In the spirit of quarantine life, $ippin on the Tree$ is a song that seems ideal for kicking back with close friends, and it just has a generally chill vibe.
Silver Rain 4 is a recent tape from hip hop artist, Tra Bolo. It has already been given a shoutout by Bronx-based legend, Mickey Factz. You get the idea right away with the first track, Desert Storm. Tra Bolo employs some unique backing music that’s a real attention grabber and sets the tone for his distinctive delivery style. Not content to just bust rhymes, Tra Bolo often creatively uses his voice like an extra instrument, really getting the most out of it. He doesn’t try to be too flashy with his performance either. Rather, his delivery is organic and naturally larger than life. There’s a couple of cover songs on here that in my opinion are more imaginative than the originals. The backing music is much better than what you find on most contemporary hip hop releases and demonstrates that the artist incorporates an aesthetic vision into his releases. In other words, the guy has good taste. These tracks are never boring. Tra Bolo dials up the entertainment level to the max. This tape punches above its weight. It’s not surprising to see that it already has so many streams.
Escape From Ohio is a new single from Ohio-based duo, Fam Band. It’s just a rich and dynamic rock song with a well-written, complex structure. There a traces of alternatives and the verses have a fun and quirky vibe. Basically the artists aren’t talking about a permanent escape from Ohio (which seems like a pretty nice place) but merely escaping for a little while. Apparently the song itself was inspired by such an excursion. Sometimes you’ve just got to get away and clear your head. One thing the song somehow manages to pull off is to rhyme the word “while” with Ohio. It’s one of those catchy, memorializing hooks that give the song character. The musicianship is “classic rock-tier excellent” throughout, with technically proficient guitar playing and some very impressive vocals. It’s refreshing to see artists that don’t hype themselves up so much for a change. The talent and substance on here speaks for itself. Great jam.
