Getting back to the roots of great music, the kind that we listen to in full – a song that moves us, in the quiet of solitude, in the depths of our own minds; not the sort that needs us to simply repost a short clip and hope for virality.
Alt Pop
An ever-creative Oktavvia delivers one of her most distinct dark power-pop arrangements yet this season, with the darkness, the sweeping synths, the high-octane EDM backdrop, and the anthemic, empowering chorus, of I Decide.
Halen Lock is a published poet, songwriter, producer and artist, whose repertoire of songs is instantly alluring for its genre-free soundscapes and the evocative, honest and interesting melodic stories that accompany them.
Ultimately blending hip hop and RnB within a sweeping arrangement of synths, keys and modest rhythms, F.W.M is beautifully passionate, and close to euphoric as it builds, but there’s never a heavy drop – the song redirects us every time, towards something more mysterious, and again beautifully in tune with the excitement and uncertainty of the topic.
Dolce Wang quite cleverly intertwines melancholy and optimism throughout this album, a subtle sadness countered by a subtle level of excitement from one song to the next. This represents both the limitless and uncertain qualities of traveling really well, in my view.
The single emerges complete with a brand new accompanying video, and in short, the release is refreshingly indie-authentic; particularly amidst the current waves of automatically generated music elsewhere. Real music from real musicians, and great songwriting that draws you right in.
It’s a song about grief, in essence, and how it reshapes our relationships with those we have lost. The arrangement is as passionate as the lyrics, sometimes gentle and calming, at other times more urgent and uncertain.
Essentially carving out a lane that’s purely his own, Sean Waterman presents an art-noir take on modern pop and rock with this song, stylistically exercising the freedom and nuance of acts like Prince, building upon a clear sense of emotional depth, and letting that guide both the lyrical journey and the delivery of the song.
The uniquely angelic, falsetto and soulful vocals of Eli Purks return this summer with an expressive synth-pop and RnB crossover track, in the form of the evocative Feels Like Forever.
Evocative indie pop blending ambient, distinct layers of production, with soulful RnB vocals, and a level of introspection that’s focused and refreshing. AvDiva is an independent artist, songwriter and producer, whose single This Is Not My Story reflects with artistic nuance, upon the fact that over time, some experiences and stories no longer belong to us.
Original songs with creative chemistry and a gripping dynamic appear few and far between these days – something well-written, snappy and accessible but also interesting, alternative, and edgy enough to feel purposeful. In this case, CHELLYX collaborates with the mighty PRAX, for an unexpectedly performative and unmistakable alternative gem, as CRAWLING BACK sinks straight into your subconscious.
If you’re looking for songs that feel real, new, purposeful, fascinating – such as the music of Medium Build, Bo Burnham, Father John Mistry – this album is absolutely one to spend time with.