High on Wheels is a new single from hip hop artist, Speaker Child. This song is the title track of the upcoming EP. What stands out about this particular jam is that it has a very retro 90’s hip hop vibe. The beat, the vocal effects and the delivery all seem to draw inspiration from hip hop’s golden age, and that is a very good thing. I can picture my old teenage self bumping this in a lowered 1992 Honda Civic hatchback on the way to the skatepark. The lyrics are catchy, and the repetitive chorus gets the song stuck in your head almost immediately. Speaker Child’s voice is deep and commanding while maintaining a stylish diction. The song ultimately deals with the concept of fluidity, and the importance of living a life that is always remaining in motion, never stagnant. The pacing and tone of High on Wheels reflects the content, and remains fresh througout.
Operation Bifrost is a new EP from Nuell Martin, a conceptual music artist. The electronic compositions on this album are ambient, enigmatic and very avant garde. The music has a very science fiction soundtrack feel to it. Stylewise, I would describe it as “refined retro-futuristic.” The songs contains elements of early 80s electro but without any of the cheesiness. These tracks are more artful and meditative. If listened to chronologically, the songs form a kind of narrative, like a short film. The Gift for example is brimming with intensity and represents climactic action in the “story.” Stealing the Secret operates as an attention grabbing opening, while the mellow Monegros eases us in with intrigue and sets the stage for the rising action. The final track Betrayed features a dark and bleak intro, which transitions into an ethereal finale, the ending open to interpretation. The album is very engaging, and I would recommend it for meditation, especially for those that want to traverse to the darker, more brooding corners of their mind.
In A Jam is a new single by TonAsh, a hip hop artist from The Bahamas. The song actually is available in two different versions, a “clean” version and another which features uncensored lyrics. It’s actually kind of a romantic track. The title, In A Jam refers to the feeling of being all wrapped up emotionally in one’s love for a girl. Intense feelings for someone can cause a person to lose control and put their life responsibilities on hold. In the song, our protagonist vows he will “get his shit together” but that it will have to wait until tomorrow.
In A Jam features a colorful, EDM style beat. TonAsh’s delivery is laid back and sincere. His dynamic pitch fluctuations mirror the backing music and are a good fit for the emotional roller coaster associated with the song’s content. The whole thing has a very bright and upbeat feel, and TonAsh’s confidence and willingness to show a vulnerable side is refreshing. Both musically and metaphorically, In a Jam is the good kind of jam.
The Mexican Plug is a new mixtape from Pittburgh based rapper “Stunna Quad.” Stunna classifies his sound as “flava music,” and that is actually a pretty apt description, both literally and figuratively. The first track on the album is titled Nachos and includes lyrics like “We make a lotta nachos.” So yeah, some of these jams are ineed flavorful. Most of Stunna’s songs on here are impressively catchy. He utilizes a lot of repetition in his creative delivery and incoporates a lot of interesting vocalizations in addition to just spouting words. His voices functions like an instrument in its own right. Blue Snow is probably the second cathiest song on here after Nachos, and in my opinion Ignition is the track with the grooviest backbeat. Overall, this mixtape showcases Stunna Quad’s lively and vivacious personality. His performance exudes an upbeat confidence while maintaing a chill vibe.
Philly based jazz/funk outfit “Hambone Relay” is one of those bands that seems to radiate professionalism and musiciansmanship from the moment you hear them. You just can’t get away with playing this kind of music without seasoned musicians and technical proficiency. In their new album Say Hi To Earl, the trio demonstrate that they have the style, the chops, and the know how required to create top notch jams. The organic opening track, Dustbowl Circus, has a crisp and gritty analog quality to it and reminded me of indie bands from the early 90s funk scene (although minus the ska and hip hop elements which were prevalent at that time.)
The band plays tight together which works well with the minimalist style. The guitar and organ playing on this album are absolutely killer, which is vital because there’s no place to bury anything in this mix. There are of course zillions of great guitar players out there, but what elevates the work on this album is that it’s combined with really authentic vintage tones. Guitarists experiment with vacuum tubes and boutique amps for decades looking to achieve the kind of tone which manifests throughout this entire album. The same can be said for the organ, which oscillates between a classic Hammond and Farfisa-like sound. As for veteran organist Mark Brown, well he can can really play.
Songs like The Low Down and New Soul Tune II have more of smooth and mellow vibe. Here Come the Fuzz features some groovy retro-futurist synths, straight out of Buck Rogers. It’s probably my favorite song on the album. Every track on here though is solid though. It’s just a question of your particular flavor or mood. Say Hi To Earl is slated for release on May 3. It’s not out yet, but you can pre-order it from the band’s website, and I recommend you go ahead and do that because it’s worth it.
Closer To Me is a new single from Doc Jazz, a Palestinian musician based in United Arab Emirates. A lot of musicians have unusual day jobs (telemarketers, waiters, shoe salesman, etc) but Doc Jazz is actually a surgeon! He makes music in his spare time. His music is very professional and well produced and he is fairly well known though, so I would say that he is more than just hobbyist.
Closer To Me is a fascinating song in that it appeals for romance as a reprieve from the chaos and frustation associated with geopolitical current events. Doc Jazz is a good singer, and his voice reminds me a bit of Wayne Newton. Closer To Me has a jazzy, lounge music vibe. My favorite part of this song is the organ/electric piano, which has a delightfully groovin’ tone, really just a perfect fit for this style of music. Lyrically and musically, Closer To Me is an endeavor in temporary escapism. Doc Jazz employs a bit of dark humor / casual nihilism to lighten the mood: “While they rule the world outside this room, let’s pretend the globe is far from doomed.” I’m tempted to try some variation of that line on a girl and see if it works.
Anyway, this is a solid song, and Doc Jazz has one of those lively personalities that really adds a bit of flavor to the whole experience.
Stories is a new single from musical duo, “The Jon Johns.” The track appears on their freshly released album, Road Trip Mixtape.Stories, with it’s deep reverb and earthy ambiance, has a recognizably vintage, 60’s folk rock sound. It reminds me a bit of old school Simon and Garfunkel or Jake Holmes. The tone is bright and upbeat, as the song projects a lot of feel good vibes. The reverb/echo has an added effect of giving a kind of “openness” to the music. It’s like the band is performing on mountain top in the middle of nowhere. Stories fits well within the framework of the overall album, and does a good job of conveying the free spirit of travelers on the open road. Right now this band is totally independent and loving it, but if they ever decide to get big and sell out, this song would work very well in a car or airline commercial.
Singaporean multmedia artist, filmmaker and pianist Lhu Wen Kai has completed a musical project, High School Musical Piano Medley. The project is an homage to the movie, High School Musical, a movie which Lhu credits with being his inspiration to make music. The components of the medley are arranged in such a way as to mirror the emotional journey of the film itself. Believe it or not, I’ve actually never seen High School Musical, so I’m not in a position to pontificate as to whether Lhu’s medley successfully captures the “spirit” of the film. However, his piano playing is exquisite in its own right. Lhu navigates the keys with finesse and attention to detail. The performance is crisp and meticulous. It’s important for an artist to foster a connection with artifacts from his/her formative years, as these things are intertwined with one’s identity (for better or worse.) We must revisit our inspirations from time to time and acknowledge them. Not all of us are as gifted as Lhu Wen Kai, who is able to pay tribute with such skill and technical precision.
Borders is a new album from UK based composer and producer, Dr Optimiser. There’s quite a bit of variety on this 12 track release. The songs range from retro-futurist synthwave to house to electro-acoustic. The opening track The Theorist sounds like something about of early 90’s science fiction film, while Dementia reminds me of the music in SNES RPG classics like Secret of Evermore. The final track Memories serves as a lovely acoustic finale and is the least “electronic” sounding song on the album.
Maybe it’s because the production is so pristine and the composositions are so meticulously precise, but I feel like Borders has the feel of a film/television soundtrack. One gets a sense they are not just listening to a record but are experiencing various stages and scenes in some kind of tale or overarching narrative. The songs are aesthetically cohesive while retaining their individual uniqueness. Atmospheric clues are often provided in the brief titles, many of which are associated with border disputes (Crimea, Damascus, County Lines, etc.) Don’t expect overt political commentary or banter on any of these hot button issues though. The album is strictly ambient and abstract in its approach. Borders is an excellent conceptual album and will provide the listener with a lot to meditate on.
Moment is a new track from PaperFace, a producer and masked DJ who’s been on the scene for a while. The song has an ambient and surrealistic backing, sporting a chill beat and futuristic synths. This isn’t some EDM, pulsepunding Eurobeat jam. It’s a low key, hip hop song (featuring E. Berrios.) The lyrical delivery is contemplative rather than confrontational and takes on an almost dreamlike quality. The pacing is laid back but the tone and material are engaging. Everything blends together nicely. There’s nothing abrasive about this mix at all, and the echoey reverberations bring the listener further out into the ether. Lyrically and thematically, Moment articulates the struggle and uncertainty involved with trying to “make it” and forge a better life. The song is a mental journey, and we soon recognize the artists are working out their own inner demons and seeking to motivate themselves just as much as inspire the audience.
