Naro Kim – The Captain

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Aside from being an incredibly talented musician, she managed to recover from a devastating brain hemorrhage two years ago. After losing vision and some of her memories, she had to relearn basic things we take for granted like how to walk, read and write. Within a year of hard work and rehabilitation,she was back to being able to play the piano well again.
She recently recorded a new album, “The Captain.” The title track contains uplifting melodies with oceanic ambiance in the background. Though there are no lyrics, the song manages to evoke positive and optimistic emotions. In contrast, her song “Life,” which is just as terrific, harbors a more somber and varied tone. “I’m in love with…” is another gem that builds to a somewhat epic climax. It’s tough for me to say which of the songs I like the best, as they all kind of represent different moods and experiences. Musically they are top quality. I could envision these songs being used as part of a soundtrack to the emotional scenes of a film. Naro has achieved great things musically with this album, quickly making you forget what she had to go through to create it.

https://soundcloud.com/narokim

http://www.narokim.com/

Jazz – Summer

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Young rapper “Jazz” from Texas has a jam out called summer.  The backing has kind of an early 90’s feel to it, which matches the aesthetic of the cover.  The beats seem to transition back and forth from tribal to modern throughout the song.  Jazz has a very laid back style of spoken word delivery, that’s very easy to listen to.  I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys mellow summertime hip hop songs.

https://soundcloud.com/432jazz/summer-prod-by-heir-tak-1
http://www.twitter.com/432jazz

Africali – You Don’t Love Him Quite Like You Love Me

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California group Africali’s “You Don’t Love Him Quite Like You Love Me” has a pleasant 1970’s folk aesthetic. The percussion elements and musical backing contribute to creating a really authentic ambiance. I would love to hear how this sounds on vinyl. It would make an excellent track to relax to on a summer afternoon. You can listen to it here on Soundcloud.

Follow Africali on Twitter https://twitter.com/africaligenre

Valley Joe

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Valley Joe, a rapper from Vallejo, CA has a new single out called, “If I Got Rich.”  Like the title suggests, the lyrics mostly about what he would do with the money in the event he accumulated a lot of it. The production is good, and the eerie backing is well chosen. Valley Joe has an assertive style and tone to his delivery, which gets the point across clearly and plainly to the listener.  I recommend you check out his music if you are into contemporary  West Coast hip hop / NorCal style.

https://soundcloud.com/valleyjoe/valley-joe-if-i-got-rich

Jerrel Moore Mixtape “Dear Nas”

Hailing from Greensboro, NC, Jerrel Moore has a new mixtape out, titled, “Dear Nas.”  It seems to be somewhat personal and autobiographical as the songs attempt to convey  various aspects of his personality, experiences and outlook to his son(the first sample is one of a baby crying) He has a mellow, echoey kind of delivery style. The production and sample integration seems to fit well.  The lyrics are more personal than you would expect from this kind of recording but often interesting and unpredictable.   You can check out Jerrel Moore’s mixtape here:

http://likethattrack.com/jerrel-moore-drops-fire-ass-mixtape-titled-dear-nas/

 

 

 

That Way

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Jreasn, an artist from Buffalo, NY has a new single out titled, “That Way.” Jreasn seems like you’re average rapper at first,  but what’s especially  impressive about his music is how he manages to avoid falling back on hip hop stereotypes and cliches and is able to create something genuinely new.  “That Way” has an artistic musical quality to it which explores the feelings of a  woman hurt by the past.  The song flows smoothly and has character. It steers clear of the smug aggression and superficialities which are so common  in other indie hip hop.  Give Jreasn’s music a listen here.

 

6 Shots

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The first thing that stands out with Kate Brown’s new single, “6 Shots” is the energy. It has a faster pacing than what I normally expect from the folk/rock genre, and it really engages you from the first second. It also isn’t depressing or bleak. The musical tone feels much more upbeat, even though the difficult subject matter deals with a caustic love and the sensationalism of violence in the media.

The singing is terrific and fits the style rather well. Kate has just the right amount of angst in her vocal delivery of these lyrics, and she doesn’t overdo it. She has a lot to be proud of with “6 Shots,” and I hope it is successful.

You can visit her website at
http://katebrownmusic.com/

Flip That Script

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Pop singer Holly Elle’s new single “Flip that Script” is a catchy song about a girl reclaiming herself from a lover that presumably has treated her badly in the past. She’s a classically trained singer, and it’s apparent in her music, where her voice seems to direct all the action. She seems to be heavily influenced by Mariah Carey, but her style comes off slightly more European, and this is better in my opinion.

My favorite component of the song is the accordion in the background which is played by her father. In addition to giving it a little bit of Eastern European identity, it also provides another a layer of authenticity that most of these types of songs lack.

You can purchase the track on HollyElle.com

https://soundcloud.com/hollyelle/flip-that-script-radio-edit

Gentle Healing

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A longtime musician hailing from Scotland, Dave Bremner is releasing a new single, “Gentle Healing” with Shine On Records. As one of the first to get a listen to the song, my immediate impression is that Bremner’s music is incredibly genuine and heartfelt. The craftsmanship in “Gentle Healing” is apparent from the beginning, and the production quality is excellent. The guitar playing and singing is flawless throughout. There’s nothing amateurish to be found in this recording. Dave Bremner is a total pro. What’s interesting to me is that though he hails from Scotland, the song has almost a country western feel to it, something I wasn’t really expecting but was a pleasant surprise nonetheless. I’d recommend “Gentle Healing” to anyone who enjoys adult contemporary rock. It delivers in this genre but with a sincerity and uniqueness that propel it beyond stereotypes.

You can purchase it here