bert. balances scorn and even cursing with clear optimism and poetic colour, and the result is a strangely intoxicating, simple yet striking song, which again proves a memorable highlight from this uniquely compelling album.

If ever the word original should feel completely at ease alongside an independent artist, bert. deserves that title, and the songwriting is wonderful to match.

AcousticFolk PopPop PunkPop RockSongwriter

Created in direct response to the consistent rise of conflict and hate in the USA, Big Bus Dream releases the evocative protest single AMERICAN – an organic soft-rock arrangement and song reflecting on times past and the subsequent downward spiral of division and violence.

AmericanaPop RockSongwriter

Upanishads – a Hindu reference, a sacred text, presented here as a free flowing Hip Hop single. There’s a ton of depth to Upanishads, an plethora of striking scenes and metaphors to unpack as we roll through, and meanwhile the music seeks to calm the soul – opposing forces luring you in deeper and deeper as the walls of these thoughts immerse you.

Conscious RapHip HopRap

Ultra Feminist isn’t purely a call out to all feminists, but a personal ode to an artist’s own liberation from a tumultuous and isolating past. It’s a heavy topic, but the song has a certain lightness and positivity to it, which works well to juxtapose the issues within. In other words – If you like the title; you’ll love the song.

DiscoElectro PopPoetryPopSongwriter

Impressively interconnected with its own conceptual implications, A Passing Memory breathes life into the room for only a few moments – a passing memory encapsulated in the delicacy, the vintage crackle, the unfinished nature of the phrase.

ClassicalJazzPiano

Originality and intrigue pave the way for a fascinating and wholly immersive listen. Lithuanian-Canadian multi-instrumentalist and producer Aistis writes and performs with precision and mystique, for the wonderfully engaging, unique yet satisfying single Plateau Botticelli.

Alt PopSongwriter

Naturally an earworm but also non-intrusive and quite creatively refreshing in everything from production to performance, If u don’t mind appears to almost ignore the sound of the current mainstream in favour of Mikyla Cara’s own artistic identity and musical preference. That authenticity is key, and the humility and heart of If u don’t mind shine brightly in light of it.

Neo SoulPopRnB