Planet Suicide is a new single from Johnny the Hobby Artist. This clean and crisp apolactypic jam combines elements of hip hop, EDM and spoken word poetry with armageddon fueled anime visuals. This unique blend stands out, mostly owing to the commanding vocals and powerful delivery. Johnny the Hobby Artist (a native Texan whom is also known as JRS3) is a talented poet. The lyrics have a coherently creative structure to them and flow smoothly. Johnny has some oratory skills and would actually do very well as a narrator or voiceover artist. While the tone of the track initially appears ominous due to the aesthetics and subject matter, the message is actually a hopeful call to action as Johnny the Hobby Artist offers up his prescriptive vision for a path out of this mess. Believe it or not, there’s enough high octane energy that you could still dance to this music. I think it would be interesting to see this live as a performance art piece, complete with props and set design. Some cool stuff here. I’d like to hear more from this guy.

For more info:

Be There For You is a new single from singer/songwriter, Red Tan. The song was written for her son while Red Tan was alone for a period of time in Southampton during 2019. The vibe is bright and optimistic, with a colorful and snappy synth backing. Blending elements of light EDM and pop, the song is ultimately driven by Red Tan’s delicately passionate vocals. Her voice combines sincerity with sentimentality, the tone conveying personal strength while retaining its softness around the edges. Red Tan proves she can really sing, too. Her vocals are prominent in the mix and can hold their own.

Lyrically, Be There For You reinforces the bond between mother and son, but the song will also resonate with anyone who has ever cared for someone deeply, whether a friend or family member. The reassurance of the commitment to mutual safety and security between two people is one of the central themes. Danny Hall is credited as the sound engineer on this recording, and it must be said that he does a fine job of capturing the spirit of what the song is trying to accomplish.

For more info:

Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/redtanofficial
Website: www.redtanmusic.com

How can I is a new single from Dallas-based hip hop artist, Dom3stic. This song is a touching tribute to his late uncle Manuel, but the sentiments will resonate with anyone who has lost a loved one. Dom3stic’s vocals are honest and gritty, as emotion reverberates through every word. One has to believe that his uncle would have been proud to be on the receiving end of such a deeply moving homage. The song is well made, too. It features a suave, synth driven intro, and the beat has a groovy ambiance. The song maintains a modest and respectful pacing, escalating at certain points as the emotional intensity culminates. As the title suggests, How can I ultimates deals with the challenge of finding the strength to go on when you’ve lost someone you care about. Dedications like these and artistic expression of heartfelt emotions can be a great step in the right direction. RIP.

For more info:

Double Down is a new single from hip hop artist, Misfit. The song is vocally drive, with Misfit’s formidable delivery front and center. Backed by thick southern bass and a minimalist melody, Misfit chronicles and celebrates series of accomplishments, vowing to continue pushing forward in pursuit of his dreams. He has a commanding vocal presence and lays everything down in a very straightforward manner. One thing that shouldn’t be overlooked is his storytelling ability. He relays these personal anecdotes in vivid detail rather than vague platitudes. You really get a high resolution picture of these events he describes, giving this song a substance that makes it stand out among similar tracks from other artists. The production is clean and clear. This is fairly solid hip hop jam that gets the job done without trying to be flashy.

For more info:

https://www.instagram.com/misfit_gc/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4_sg70i7N0

Earth Without Art is a new track from singer-songwriter, Nick Davies. This timely track is about as immediately relevant as it gets, since it deals with the subject of the current COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the song is to inspire artists to continue creating in this uncertain age and resist the inclination to be discouraged. Nick wants you to keep making music and pursuing your artistic goals. The arts are now as important to society as ever.

Earth Without Art is an impressive single in its own right. The song features an electric piano/Wurlitzer style backing which builds into a wider array of brightly symphonic pop instrumentation. This guy is a phenomenal singer. He’s so good that I’m surprised his music isn’t playing in grocery stores everywhere. Excellent radio quality production and a performance that ranks up there with Billy Joel and Michael Buble. Whether you’re currently involved in the arts or not, Give Earth Without Art a listen, and maybe it will inspire you to create something. It’s a strong message bolstered by an equally powerful performance.

For more info:

https://www.facebook.com/nickdaviesmusic
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/nickdavies/earth-without-art

Power of Praise Vol. 1 is a compilation album released by Palmdale-based record label, Elmark Music. This inspirational gospel album features 15 uplifting tracks, aiming to set people on the right path in their lives. The songs combine themes of empathy and struggle with the promise of salvation. What makes this album astonishing though is that from a musical perspective, it defies stereotypes normally associated with gospel music. I have a ton of respect for traditional gospel music (and those who can perform it,) but I have to admit this is groundbreaking. Power of Praise Vol. 1 is high energy and downright futuristic, blending elements of synth-driven disco, EDM and soul. Melodic and fast paced, these songs offer listeners a bright, pulse-pounding ambiance that will appeal to a wide demographic of people. Having music that’s this accessible and fun is a great way to open up people to being receptive to a positive, spiritual message.

For more info:

https://www.elmarkcompany.net/

Circle up the Wagons is a new self-titled single from Venica (CA) based duo, Circle up the Wagons. This soulful and contemplative Americana song dives down deep. Filled with introspective lyrics that deal with struggle, optimism and vulnerability, the track is quietly inspirational. The production quality on this release is among the best I’ve seen from this genre, which typically trends toward a more lo-fi orientation. This however is on par with mainstream, major label productions. It still maintains the raw emotion and grass roots charm though. The best of both worlds. While the ambiance is mellow, the lyrics have an intensely personal feel. Circle up the Wagons is a beautifully performed piece that captures the spirit of reflection.

For more info:

Website: https://lovemeinthedark.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/wearelovemeinthedark
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2qMPWPnjjh2rxPBktFstpn?si=Hz6r0DhiQB28JqqgBTmzYA

Debussy’s Fawn is a new album from Los Angeles-based act, Music By Gestalt. This avant garde EP combines elements of the classical and the futuristic. The track titles allude to an accord with nature, with appellations such as The Frog’s Song and Rabbit in a Snowstorm (parts 1-3) and of course the title track itself. There’s a playful innocence that shines through in these recordings, despite their sophisticated craftsmanship and professionalism. A pattern emerges where the songs often begin with mellow, piano driven intros as they slowly develop into jazzy, artfully kaleidoscopic richness. It is in fact, very difficult to classify this music due to its uniquely eclectic character. It could work just as well on a video game soundtrack as it could in a highbrow film.

Ultimately Debussy’s Fawn is colorful, vibrant and brimming with vitality. The music is dynamic and adaptive, with frequent transitions and unexpected, instrumental twists and turns. My favorite songs on this album are those that comprise of the Rabbit in a Snowstorm trilogy. They emit a “classic fairy tale” kind of energy and give the imaginative listener an abstract, “wintry warren” narrative to visualize. This is some of the most creative classical adjacent music you will ever hear. It’s quite good.

For more info:

https://musicbygestalt.com/
https://www.instagram.com/musicbygestalt/
https://www.facebook.com/musicbygestalt
https://soundcloud.com/user-666266537

Well well well, this is right up my alley. Ambient Psychedelic Gnawties is a collaborative release from a number of Norwegian artists and producers. I can’t even pronounce most of the artists’ names because they are in non-English characters, but refer to the Spotify playlist below for the full lineup.

What makes this album incredible from a creative standpoint is that it blends the sound of 60s psychedelic rock with contemporary hip hop. These 14 mind-bending jams will tune your brain in to uncharted frequencies. The songs are very dreamlike, not in a cute and sparkly, “Rainbow Brite” sort of way but more along the lines of a dark, slow motion, time circuit altering trip. As you might guess, with so many artists involved, there is a lot of musical variety, (particulary in the vocal delivery department but in the backing sounds as well). Some tracks are more beat oriented while in others an Alice in Wonderland style psychedelia is emphasized. Still, the sound is remarkably cohesive and has the feel of an epic. The album can take your mind to some strange places if you allow yourself to really vibe out, so tread lightly. My favorite song on here is probably alvenes siste dans which sounds like a cross between relaxing music from a love scene in an old western film and a post apolcapytic dream sequence from Logan’s Run. Ambient Psychedelic Gnawties is a cool album. I really dig it.

For more info:

Shoot Shots Forever is a new EP from Vaughantego. Legend has it, this artist walked away from music a decade ago. He was ahead of the tech curve and working with computers to create beats long before that practice became mainstream though. Shoot Shots Forever marks Vaughantego’s continued return to music, with a promise of taking chances, regardless of where they may lead. Production quality on this release is obviously very good, as this guy clearly knows his way around a mixing program. The backing music is very ambient and contains a lot of EDM elements, which is somewhat unique for this genre. It’s like if you were to combine vaporwave with soul and R&B. He somehow is able to make this concostion work. The songs are very dynamic and fluid, working in a lot of transitions and essentially functioning like well organized sound collages. There are just a lot of changes within each of these tracks, keeping them fresh from start to finish. Vaughantego tends to describe his comeback musical efforts in very humble terms, stating that they could either lead to “one hell of an inspirational story or a complete train wreck.” Well, this isn’t a train wreck by any means. Shoot Shots Forever demonstrates both creative imagination and technical ability. He can get somewhere with this.

For more info:

Bandcamp – https://vaughantego.bandcamp.com/album/shoot-shots-forever
IG – https://www.instagram.com/vaughantego/
Website bio – https://vaughantego.com/my-story/