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Stay! by Fish And Scale

Moataz Gwaily
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Stay! by Fish And Scale

Fish And Scale’s latest single is a touching and deep cut of indie folk that exudes soul and intention, bringing a truly fresh and stirring sound that fuses the vintage warmth of the late Tim Buckley with the modern, soulful folk instrumentations and singing of Nick Mulvey and Amen Dunes.

Based in the beautiful German town of Nuremberg, Fish And Scale is the moniker of indie folk singer and songwriter Roland Wälzlein. Fish And Scale boasts a sound that’s acoustic and organic on their latest single, titled Stay. The warmth of the acoustic guitar is matched by the warmth of the sound of the drums on ‘Stay!’. The fingerpicked guitar part is sentimental and gentle, complimented by Roland’s impassioned vocal delivery. With a booming bass that’s elegantly arranged and fits into the song’s composition and a dynamic drum part that evolves from depending on the distinctive sound of brushes in the beginning, to heavy-handed hits in the final crescendo, the result is a song that’s perfectly crafted, nuanced, and well balanced. The production does a beautiful job with the rich organ in the final half of the song. Overall, ‘Stay’ is a beautiful and lush-sounding song that’s as intricately written, as it is sung and produced. A defined, fulfilling listen.

The enriching lyrical themes on Stay are touching and have universal appeal, imploring the listeners to breathe, and to be as honest and emotional as they can be in order to realize that we are alive and to allow ourselves to be engulfed by the present time. Intimate, stirring, and thought-provoking. ‘Stay’ is a weighted and precious listen.



I Can See Clearly Now by Jonny & the Jazzuits

Moataz Gwaily
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I Can See Clearly Now by Jonny & the Jazzuits

Cover songs are often a challenge to tackle and still emerge with a product that stands on its own, with its own musical merit and signature, while paying enough respect for the original artists, and Jonny & the Jazzuits seem to have a living out of nailing this formula, as apparent in their latest cover single of Johnny Nash’s eternally loved I Can See Clearly Now.

Based in the town of Hoofddorp in the Netherlands, Jonny & the Jazzuits have already been bringing joy to thousands, as they toured their home country, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland, bringing their lighthearted, musical, and entertaining jazzy spin on pop epics and jazz standards to jazz festivals, bars, churches, and weddings.

Their take on the legendary ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ manages to retain the original cut’s light breeziness, while imbuing it with their big band energy, particularly with the flamboyant piano performance, a driving drum part, a warm and musical saxophone solo, followed by a grooving piano one, accompanying Jonny Boston’s charismatic vocal presence. The roomy and concise-sounding production manages to give this recording an earthy, organic feel, that surely fits the wholesome aesthetic of the group, and also the optimistic vibes of the original song.

Jonny & the Jazzuits’ take on I Can See Clearly Now is a respectful nod to a timeless classic that exudes elegance from the band’s musical and masterful additions that manage to spice up the original song and bring a fresh take on it to the table, making it definitely worth a checkout.

 



We’ll Answer the Call by John McDonough

Moataz Gwaily
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We’ll Answer the Call by John McDonough

John McDonough combines his veteran singer/songwriter status with his self-confessed obsession for the story of a legendary athletic achievement that took place in the mid-30s to craft an engaging EP of fresh sounds, crisp production, impassioned vocals, and sharp storytelling.

Based in Chicago, Illinois, John McDonough is a singer/songwriter who has a career that spans nearly three decades, having spent most of it performing in and around Austin, Texas, before relocating in 2020 to Chicago. McDonough is a closely followed name in the country/Americana/folk circles, having managed to emerge into the limelight with a streak of successful singles, released between 2014 and 2019. He also managed to attract favorable comparisons between his passionate singing and that of Elton John and Van Morrison and between his compelling storytelling abilities and those of Damien Rice and James Blunt.

We’ll Answer the Call is the title of McDonough’s latest concept EP that recounts the story of Joe Rantz, legendary American rower, and his leading of the Washington Husky rowing team all the way to winning the gold medal in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. Having come from a broken home, and having pushed himself through high school and through a blend of difficulties, until he reached self-actualization, leading a team of Olympic rowers to win Olympic gold, Joe Rantz is one of athletic history’s unsung heroes.

On the titular track, we hear John McDonough’s curious acoustic guitar progression lead us into a gently rocking folk arrangement that’s imbued with a sense of adventure, courtesy of driving beats and powerful vocals, and a sense of grandeur, courtesy of a plush grand piano accompaniment. And with commendable production, we see every element of the composition fall neatly into place, giving the sound of this song a sense of sonic completion, and combined with the soulfully sung story, and the rich instrumental performances, the result is a fully engulfing musical experience. We’ll Answer the Call is an exciting, well-paced chapter of John McDonough’s latest storytelling EP. Shedding light on the life of an inspirational man, and done with the tact and grace of an experienced musician and singer, it’s a fulfilling experience packed with rewards.

 



One Step Stereo by Tape Deck Terrorist

Hamza Sharkas
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One Step Stereo by Tape Deck Terrorist

Tape Deck Stereo’s latest single “One Step Stereo” is a very artistic and smart collage of sampling, vocal hooks, brilliant flow, and the highest production qualities. 

From the very beginning…” One Step Stereo” is a magnum opus of lo-fi sampling hip-hop…the song has strong explicit lyrics that go hand in hand with the attitude and flow of the artist, Tape Deck Terrorist. 

Tape Deck Terrorist is an awesome rapper and hip-hop artist from Las Vegas, USA…he must have seen a lot and experienced a lot more because he’s on a completely another level of flow and performance…and apparently, he’s also invested in all aspects of his art, if you check the artwork of his single “One Step Stereo” you’ll get a deeper look into the details that he has an eye for. 

…with posters of kill bill, Akira, and star wars appearing in the album artwork, huge references, and perhaps a deep insight into who he is…I’m a fan already. 

The intro to “One Step Stereo” is grand, orchestral, cinematic…

…that suddenly pushes us over the edge and into the heart and the locomotion of the song…the drum beat and it is absolutely hard-hitting. 

The choir vocal samples in the background are very cinematic/hip-hop/lo-fi….what? Yes, the fusion of the choir in the track is absolutely beautiful…the vocals are definitely the soul of the track…and including choir samples, it adds to the soul and the whole experience of the track. 

There is a part where Tape Deck Terrorist flows uncontrollably and soars into rap heaven…all other rappers should watch out for this guy coming in hot. 

Tape Deck Terrorist is taking the world by storm, we wish him all the best and will be on the lookout for his new songs whenever he drops them. 

Cheers!



Discover by 5ON5

Hamza Sharkas
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Discover by 5ON5

Summer is almost here…not quite yet, but…

…for the summer to settle in, it needs something, it needs a theme…

…and this time around, we got the soundtrack to our summer from 5ON5 with their addictively catchy new release “Discover”.

5ON5 is a band from Berlin, Germany and they’ve been sharing their music with the world through major platforms for well over a year now.

Their latest release “Discover” exudes high levels of positive and energetic vibes through its 2 minutes and a half runtime…which kept me repeating it for my whole morning routine…the whole vibes that come off of “Discover” are energetic, positive, and hoping for a good day.

From the first second of the song, the keyboard sucks us into “Discover” with its iconic riff…

The drum beat quickly jumps in to take us further into the world that 5ON5 created…

…especially this time around, because the music video for the song literally is a time machine taking us to the early days of video games, where pixel art was reigning king.

If you were born in the 80s…”Discover”’s music videos will take you back to your childhood…

…along with the catchy nature of the song, you will definitely enjoy the whole experience that 5ON5 crafted.

5ON5 has been churning out one hit after another and we wish them all the best in life, we’ll be on the lookout for your new releases.

Cheers!



The Abyss by Pappelallee

Hamza Sharkas
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The Abyss by Pappelallee

I love it when a song or a piece of music creates a unique and mysterious world, then sucks me in its creation…this is happening each time I listen to Pappellalle’s latest single “The Abyss”. 

“The Abyss” is pretty challenging to put under a single genre…you could say it’s techno, or electronic, or even a bit cinematic with storytelling elements and you would still be right…it’s best put as an electronic-techno based storytelling experience…that is the word for it, an experience. 

Papellalle, which is the stage name of artist Nikolaus Wertheris, is an electronic/ techno artist from Cologne, Germany…which has a big electronic music scene, a very well-established one too, garnering fans from all over the world. 

…not just electronic music, but Germany has been one of the birthplaces of music…in general, since the classical and baroque periods and Germany has been at the forefront of the music world…now, when you look at how music evolved in Germany, you’ll see the great contrast and musical history that the country holds in its DNA. 

 “The Abyss” holds the DNA of musical evolution within its core, the music does have a very smooth, minimal melodic approach to storytelling, and the vibes coming off of it are definitely carrying a story. 

If I were to imagine a visualization or a story for Pappellalle’s latest single “The Abyss” I would envision a cyberpunk world…maybe cyberpunk Germany, with the cyberpunk’s distinctive neon signs, futuristic clothes, and holographic advertisements in the futuristic city…

…a mysterious hooded figure is moving through the busy night streets, pacing away from someone…or something.

The hooded figure looks back…he’s been found, and starts running, jumping on his futuristic bike, and driving into the night…

Going fast past the neon signs on the highway…He feels safe…

That is what I saw when I listened to Pappelalle’s latest single “The Abyss”….

But it is also a super chill, minimal techno track that you can vibe to all along the night…pretty sure it will light up clubs around Germany and the world. 

Pappelalle is definitely a force to be reckoned with, with big opportunities in front of him and huge potential to unlock. 

We wish you Nikolaus all the best in the world, looking forward to checking out the new music you come up with. 

Cheers!

Anna by Ilan Bell

Hamza Sharkas
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Anna by Ilan Bell

Shining out of New York, USA, Indie singer/songwriter Ilan Bell has finally released his second single “Anna” to widespread acclaim, and if you still haven’t listened to it, now’s the time, as Ilan is preparing to release his debut album “American Love”.

“Anna” will be included in “American Love” actually…and the album looks like it will be on fire.

Ilan has joined forces with the Grammy award-winning producer Paul Falcone on “American Love”, Paul is an extremely established producer with a long history in the business, he worked with JayZ, Beyonce, Tom Odell, and many more.

“American Love” is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated albums coming from an indie artist for quite some time.

For the time being, till we get the second album, we have Ilan’s latest single “Anna”….which is exactly at the right place, at the right time.

Ilan has tapped into his personal life, and delved deep to write “Anna”…

The song talks about how in life we find someone, meet, get to know each other…and lose that someone…and everything in between, all the emotions and feelings.

The song is a heartfelt story, with strong indie/alternative vibes…the kind of vibe that might take us to Oasis….guitars are in focus, and drum beats drive the pace of the song, smoothly and steadily.

Ilan’s vocals are exceptionally smooth, his performance is a big part of the whole experience too. Ilan is giving us a performance to be remembered…it’s not that often that we have artists recording their performance this transparently…it feels like we’re with him in the studio, while he’s telling us his story.

On the other side, the music is crafted meticulously, with the highest levels of production quality…

The instrumentation is on point, and the choice of sounds goes perfectly with Ilan’s vocals and lyrics…

The whole song is extremely polished, the mixing and mastering are of course among the highest levels of production, and the collaboration between Ilan and Paul is already bearing fruits…with the talent of Ilan and Paul’s experience, I believe this project will not be the last one, this collaboration is special and if it continues on, it will make bigger splashes…I am a fan of this dynamic duo.

Ilan’s first single “Through it All” also garnered huge success everywhere, literally.

It was featured in dozens and dozens of articles, brought in over 1,500 playlists on Spotify, and got more than 10,000 monthly listeners…this success got Ilan in many magazines including Illustrate Magazine, Mesmerized, Sistra, and many more.

Ilan’s success has taken the music world by storm, a very well-deserved storm…and there will be more, I’m sure of it…if this is how he’s introducing himself, with such timeless songs, then we’re in for a treat.

Ilan, we wish you all the best in the world, you’re awesome.

Cheers!

 



EP: The Formless Track Club Mixes by Arman Ray + Hyon Gak

Moataz Gwaily
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EP: The Formless Track Club Mixes by Arman Ray + Hyon Gak

This brand new EP from Arman Ray and Hyon Gak is composed of a collection of hypnotizing techno tracks that follow a specific formula of using spliced, entrancing beats, chill samples, and spoken zen poetry for a result that’s equally soothing to the mind for meditation, and hot enough for the dancefloor.

Based in Kingswinford in the United Kingdom, Arman Ray is a producer, and this compilation EP comes as a companion release for his 2022 full-length release, The Formless Track. The EP consists of five lengthy remixes of pieces from the original album. Those remixes are pure techno in their current guise, shedding their former costumes of Buddhist prayer pieces in favor of another one that’s far more pumping and enthralling, and far more suitable for clubs and dancefloors. 

There is no understating the beautiful production of those pieces. Contrasting the more bare-bones approach of the original album, which focused the attention on the spoken word, for a new direction that makes use of airy pad sounds, pumping, driving beats, and a generally more dynamic and approachable sound. The spoken word lessons remain mostly intact, offering precious insight into the Buddhist state of mind while remaining universally accessible and viable, the sparse lyrical content on this companion EP manages to be enriching and rhythmic, thus adding value to the music and injecting the beautiful instrumentals with a sense of purpose.

This EP of remixes from Arman Ray and Hyon Gak is a lush and driving one. Full of interesting sounds and words. The five songs manage to be effortlessly balanced between electronic music majesty and spoken word wisdom. It is rewarding and unique to listen.

Divine by ŁUКΞ

Moataz Gwaily
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An effervescent new release from ŁUКΞ that takes europop and turns it on its head for terrific results.

Based in Heilbronn, Germany, ŁUКΞ is the moniker for Lukas Kreuzer. A songwriter and producer whose electrifying sound on his latest single is glitchy, thick, saturated, and heavy. 

The latest single, titled Divine, sees ŁUКΞ utilize some terrific and detrimental sounding synths for astonishing results. The granular soundscapes are dreamy, airy, yet dark and dystopian, beautifully in line with the cover art for the single, loaded with rich and dark violets. The sublime production of Divine is lush and, while sparse in its elements, manages to sound full and complete.

Kreuzer’s sensibilities in vocals and production show why he’s been getting so much praise and attention from fellow producers in Germany and elsewhere. The compression and EQing on those gargantuan synths are done so efficiently and they manage to put them right where they belong, managing to also neatly stack the sensual and delicate vocals alongside them without incident. The coupling of such gentle vocal performances so crisply next to massive, destructive synths manage to give a certain grandeur to the vocal track, making the singer sound invincible and unconquerable.

Divine is rich and lush, streamlined and smooth, and masterfully restrained. Lukas has been honing his craft for nearly a decade, and the results speak for themselves.   

Album: Come to DMG by Damage Media Group

Hamza Sharkas
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Album: Come to DMG by Damage Media Group

You think you know Memphis music?

Probably not…

But luckily, we have someone who can change this.

“Damage Media Group”, “DMG” for short, is an establishment, founded by Ryan Olson and Jackson Henderson, and they have 12 artists that collaborated on their album “Come to DMG”.

These 12 artists are sharing their thoughts, voices and music to the whole world with something to say, something to add and they will change how the world views the Memphis music scene.

DMG are a hip-hop/rap group with very catchy musical and vocal hooks…they are doing their own thing, and they are extremely musical and melodic…with hard-hitting lyrics and strong vocal flow.

They released their album “Come to DMG” the first week of April 2023 and it is a powerhouse of an album..you have 10 tracks and 12 different artists, collaborating in multiple ways to get these 10 songs out of their heads and latching onto yours.

Let’s jump in and dive into these 10 songs…let’s see how DMG does it….

They start out with “Remedy”, hitting you with brilliant piano melodies and vocal hooks…

…moving on to the second track “Own” we still have the piano really doing its thing, very melodic, and the flow of the vocals is both smooth and melodic too.

“Get Some Money” is the third track and could easily be a banger at the club and also could be definitely utilized for film…I can clearly see it being used on TV…this one has a darker vibe to it than the previous songs, which is a welcome change.

“Sky is Falling” is more old school in its melody, back to the original vibes…once again, a bit on the darker side…the vocal performance is pretty unique, especially with the backing vocals too, it pops.

The next track is once again, changing things up…”Call You Right Back” is a fusion of lo-fi, Latin, piano, hip-hop, and rap wrapped together in a very catchy song with very high levels of chill and kicking back…a very mellow vibe is coming off of this one.

“Profit” is a serious-sounding track, hard-hitting, musically and vocally.

…going back to the melodic side, we go into “No Faking” with a brilliant piano hook that changes it up, and definitely has a cinematic feeling to it…and the vocals are smooth and it just flows without any effort, I’m glad I got to hear the piano shine once again behind the absolute beasts rapping on this album.

“Savior” captures the soul and essence of a cinematic song, from the starting seconds…you know this one will be a whole different beast…the storytelling vocals, the heartfelt performance…the production…the contrasting female/male vocal performances…everything screams brilliance….this one is more downbeat, and it changes the whole experience of the album and takes it to new heights.

With the next track, it could be a pretty challenging situation…but DMG manages to kick it up and pushes us over the edge and into “No Missing”, with a powerful and dancier mood, the energy pumps you up once again.

…with the choice of songs so far…I’m blown away…and at the same time, I was curious what song will they have as the last song in the album? Here I was, at the tenth song…the last one in the album…

“Complicated” is the last song of the “Come to DMG” album…and it is complicated, really.

The vocal performances jump from smooth, to angry, back to a more relaxed mood…even the music, it’s a fusion of cinematic, uplifting, a bit of jazz, hard-hitting 808s…it a trumpet solo in the middle of the song…this track is an absolute monster of a track…I would have to create a new genre for it…here we go…”Complicated” is the first progressive rap song I’ve come across…

“Come to DMG” is a treasure cove for any hip-hop and rapper fans out there…but really, if you’re into good music, you’ll enjoy this experience.

Wishing everyone at DMG all the best in life, you absolutely rock.

Cheers!

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