Transmission is a new single from San diego-based band, Hemisphere. Appearing on their latest album, American Dreams, the song incorporates elements of rock, pop, jazz, fusion to create an impressive adult contemporary release. I especially love the synths, which sound like something out of Buck Rogers. These synthesizers are positively energizing. The mix is full and rich, with an eclectic mix of instruments and charismatic, emotive vocals. This track rocks in its own unique way and is powerful and invigorating. Combined with a robust beat and euphoric atmosphere, the lyrics are belted out with authentic emotion, resulting in a wave of positive vibes. The musicians are clearly veteran professionals who play their instruments with meticulous precision. This song (and the entire album for that matter) is totally satisfying.

For more info:

https://hemisphereband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Hemisphereband/

Life in the Tropics is a new album from electronic psychedelic artist, CIENFUE. First off, let me just point out what an awesome album cover that is. Aesthetically, it’s right up my alley. They say not to judge a book by its cover, but when I saw that artwork I knew I would like this. The songs combine elements of psychedelia with tropically flavored synth pop, creating a highly enjoyable retro-futuristic concoction. The beat has an organic, relaxed and almost tribal feel, while the instrumentals range from video game style “chip tune” sounds to epic, ethereal synths. Musically, my favorite song on this album is the ultra catchy, Sunset Sesh. The performances are professional and competent. Thematically, everything fits together well, and the sound is consistent throughout. Honestly, this is a masterpiece. It has more than obscure “avant garde” appeal as well, as the stellar (yet sparingly used) vocals bump these jams up a notch. There are songs on here that could genuinely be hits.

For more info:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Cienfue/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/cienfue/

Reason Number One is a new single from Haverill, MA-based hip hop artist, Broot. This is one of those classic hip hop jams that is powered mainly by the rappers impressive flow. The beat is minimalist, while the ambiance is largely composed of a delightfully eerie musical backing. There’s definitely a slightly dark and haunting quality to the recording. Remove the vocals, and this track could be a good fit on any indie horror movie soundtrack. The music is a real attention grabber, right from the opening bell.

For his part, Broot raps in a fast-paced, stream of consciousness style. He demonstrates impeccable timing, and his performance would make this song worth listening to even if there were no music at all. His lyrics are detailed and comprehensive. With his delivery, you’ll want to listen to this at least twice to see if you missed any juicy tidbits. The mix has a nice clarity to it. Unlike many contemporary hip hop artists, Broot doesn’t have a “busy” mix that obscures or distracts from his talent. He’s a solid poet who raps well. What little music there is simply enhances his delivery, by providing a bit of correlative, spooky atmosphere.

For more info:

https://smarturl.it/rn1
https://soundcloud.com/broot603/reason-1

Downbeat is a new single from Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter, Trynket. Originally, she is from the islands of Cebu, Philippines. Trynket has developed a growing cult following with her genre crossing music. She has been working diligently for the past two years in the studio, where she has slowly began to incorporate soul and hip hop into her recordings, which had previously been primarily synth-driven.

This latest track, features a stylish, futuristic beat, with eloquent synths. It combines elements of retro-80s quality with 90s rhythm and a full, rich sound. The production quality is excellent. From a sonic standpoint this is about as good as you can get. The backing music is actually clearer and better than what you hear in most major label pop songs. Trynket’s vocals are ultimately what bring everything to life. Her voice is absolutely entrancing. She has a unique and captivating cadence in her delivery, and there’s an exotic, subtly tropical quality in her tone. This song is basically cutting edge synthpop with a hint of R&B flair. This song is ready for prime time and belongs on the charts.

For more info:

https://linktr.ee/trynketmusic
https://trynketmusic.com/home

Gotta Make It is a new single from hip hop artist, Jak Frawst. It’s not as if you can really go wrong with a moniker like that, but in this case Jak Frawst’s latest jam is indeed awesome. It was produced by JAZ-O, under the Werkshop Music LLC banner. The track re-captures the spirit of 90s golden age hip hop, with its modest pacing and larger than life sound. The backing beat is deep, blending surreal elements of magic and fantasy with a crisp, robust rhythm. I’ve reviewed a lot of hip hop songs this year which have had excellent backing music. This one ranks up there with the best.

For his part, Jak Frawst maintains a charismatic vocal presence, with that casual, old school delivery style that will always be supreme. He lists Run-DMC and LL Cool J as being among his influences, yet he manages to draw from his inspirations while not simply emulating them. He has established his own distinct style. Jak Frawst’s upcoming EP, Trials and Triumphs is slated to be released soon. Stay tuned for his upcoming projects, which include musical collaborations with Sammy Davis Jr.’s son, Women’s D-League B-ball, and others.

For more info:

Beaten but Not Dead is a new single from Swedish melodic rock group, Pressure. The band’s name stems from idea of embracing and overcoming the “pressures” that people face in their daily struggles. Sound wise, the group’s influences include artists like Sabaton, Bon Jovi, Raubtier and Mimikry. Beaten but Not Dead blends elements of hard rock and metal to create a kind of anthem of resilience.

As the title suggests, the song promotes the spirit of perseverance in the face of adversity. Much like coal can produce diamonds, pressure can transform humans into something more powerful. While the pacing is modest, the impact is thunderous, and the song rocks. The production has excellent clarity, and the performances are musically competent. I listened to the English version, but the track is available in Swedish as well. Hot off the presses, Beaten but Not Dead was released officially on Oct 1st (today).

For more info:

Oriental Inspirations is a new song from Italian hang drum and handpan musician, Fabio Bevere. The music combines an organic, hypnotic rhythm with ambient sounds to create an ethereal, contemplative atmosphere. There’s an exotic quality to the track, which mentally transports us to nature inspired parts of the world. This is great music for meditation, but it is more on the powerful and awe-inspiring side than for relaxation. The beat is quietly intense and energizing. The song is impressive even at its most minimalist points, as the rhythm is mathematically perfect, and this is most apparent when it takes center stage in the mix. Oriental Inspirations maintains a spiritually satisfying and slightly mysterious vibe throughout. The song is excellent from a technical perspective and intellectually it is thought provoking.

For more info:

Fatties In the Club is a new single from Minnesota-based artist, YNG Brady. This up and coming performer has a number of releases under his belt and is set to publish his EP/first mixtape. His recent single Fatties In the Club offers fans a tantalizing taste of what’s to come. The song blends elements of country and hip hop, and (as you can probably tell by the title) incorporates plenty of humor as well. Please note that while this particular jam is largely a “joke” track, YNG Brady also does chill rap and hard rap songs that are of a more serious nature and isn’t limited to this particular style. What makes this song work is that he parodies all sorts of recognizable country and redneck cliches (“covered up in muck,” “hop in my truck” etc) yet combines them with a reverence for plus-size women.

The lyrics are made catchy by the vocal delivery and structure. I would actually say that I could see this song going viral (and the artist attracting some hate mail from humorless people) just from the title alone. It’s definitely one of those “stupid” songs that everyone loves to sing along with, which is exactly what its intended to be. Musically, YNG Brady demonstrates some excellent songwriting ability. If you check out some of his more straightforward songs like Too Many you’ll find that he’s a genuinely versatile performer and can produce “legit” works when he feels like it. This guy is super fun and talented. I have no doubt that his upcoming EP will be good.

For more info:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1OmQgph4IAYkMGktT9BHVr
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/yng-brady/1504574887

https://soundcloud.com/yngbrady/fatties-in-the-club-feat-big-rig

NO HOOK is a new single from MOKO FOURLOKO, a hip hop artist based in the iconic Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, NY. The track features an intense and attention grabbing synth intro, and MOKO FOURLOKO quickly gets right into the action. He has a frantic-paced, no-nonsense delivery that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the duration of the song (which also incorporates the talents of Rikothereaper and London Glo). The flow of all participants is on point. NO HOOK is only two-minutes and sixteen seconds long but manages to pack in a lot of heat. The synth-driven backing has a powerful vibe, like that of an action sequence in a horror or urban adventure movie. This is a solid single, with robust performances that don’t waste a moment of their allotted time.

For more info:

Broken is a new single from Hayward, California-based artist, Yhung.Sammy. With his latest song having already nearly hit 20k views on Youtube, Yhung.Sammy is quickly establishing himself as one of the primary up and coming artists in the city of Hayward. Musically, Broken isn’t easy to classify, as it blends elements of hip hop, pop, emo, chillwave and various other genres. Featuring some slick guitar riffs, an ambient beat, vocal layering and a rap interlude, the song manages to pack a satisfying sound variety and complete narrative into its brief, two-minute runtime. The ambiance is mellow and—as the title suggests—the lyrics express an endearing level of emotional openness. Yhung.Sammy has released several singles already, just in 2020. If he keeps releasing notably creative music at this prolific pace, not only Hayward but the rest of California may begin to take notice.

For more info: