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Toxic by Tess Becket

Hamza Sharkas
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Toxic by Tess Becket

Born and raised in a small rural town near Baltimore…

Now, an upcoming artist, a force to be reckoned with…

Making big splashes in and out of the studio…

The 21-year-old super-talented Tess Becket…

Tess is not your ordinary talented or even super-talented artist…

Tess has done a lot and has a lot under her belt at 21 years old.

Tess is an audio engineer…started out in a rap and hip-hop recording studio, and refined her skills as an audio engineer…

Caught on music production…became a producer…

Sings..writes music and lyrics…

Tess’s star is rising and shining brighter every day…and soon, it will shine even brighter with the release of the upcoming single “Toxic”, which will be released on the 30th of March.

“Toxic” is a very personal, emotional, indie-sounding rock ballad that tells a very real life and personal experience for Tess.

Tess wrote “Toxic” about trying to help a close loved one who was in a very dark place emotionally and mentally, it was as Tess described “a mental health crisis”…Tess kept trying to help over and over…and she was pulled closer and closer to that dark place and into the chaos.

Tess thought that by getting pulled into this toxic relationship…over and over and over…somehow…it might seem that Tess liked that toxicity…

Such a personal experience…talk about artists being completely transparent in front of their audience…this is pure art here folks. It takes a lot of courage, confidence, trust, and pure good intentions to talk about a very personal struggle.

…and when it’s true…people get it, the audience knows it and connects with it…and the artist…

I believe in a world that doesn’t have a lot of truth in it, a rare diamond would be that kind of artist, the type that is laying everything on the line…and also has what it takes, for this instance, Tess got all the experience, talent and masterfully written lyrics to convey this personal experience to everyone hearing the song…and making all of us a part of her journey in life.

The song is masterfully recorded, mixed, and mastered…it gives the vibes of a garage-rock-band kind of setup, the vocal performance is stunning, and again…it’s coming from that personal experience well that keeps on giving…absolutely stunning vocal performance.

Production and engineering credits on “Toxic” include Becket, lilacjack, Zachary J. Savage, and Holden Cowburn. Piper Payne (Steven Universe, LeAnn Rimes) with Infrasonic Mastering mastered the track.

Keep your eyes peeled out on the 30th of March when Tess Becket’s new single “Toxic” comes out…it is an absolute hit.

Tess, you have the whole world right in front of you and we wish you all the best in conquering it with your personal and artistic ways.

 

That Will Be Me by Michael Peloso

Youssef Harraz
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That Will Be Me by Michael Peloso

Indie songwriter Michael Peloso is set to release his second single of the year “That Will Be Me” on April 6th, which is part of his upcoming second album. Michael developed a passion for music when he was 8 and at 14 years old he wrote his first song discovering his gift for songwriting. Throughout his career Michael has co-written with various musicians such as Natalie Jean, Christina Gaudet, Kathy Sanborn, and Dennis Sy.  He released his debut album, “Life’s Little Accidents,” in 2021 under his publishing company, “Four Simple Notes.”

“That Will Be Me” is a beautiful and emotional 4-minute song that will touch anyone’s heart. The song features Marisa Frantz’s warm and expressive voice backed by beautiful piano arpeggios. As the song progresses we are met with sweet guitar melodies played by Sami Turunen and an emotional cello line played by Yoed Nir, giving the song more depth and a full touching soundscape with a glimpse of hope.

Michael wrote “That Will Be Me” during his recovery from stage IV colon cancer for his daughters. “I didn’t know if I was going to make it. If I didn’t, I wanted them to know that I would somehow be there for them” said Michael, further adding, “I believe we’re never truly gone. It’s also a message of hope. There will always be someone there in your time of need. Never give up!” 

Michael’s ability to write from his experiences makes his music relatable and heartfelt, and “That Will Be Me” is no exception. Be sure to check out Michael Peloso’s latest single, “That Will Be Me,” and follow him for future releases.

 

EP: Meeting of the Minds by Ari Joshua

Moataz Gwaily
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EP: Meeting of the Minds by Ari Joshua

Seattle’s trailblazer jazzist Ari Joshua’s return comes in the form of a behemoth album of avant-garde and improvised jazz that relies on freeform performances from some of the game’s more illustrious names. Namely, John Medeski, Billy Martin, and Jason Fraticelli on keyboards, drums, and bass respectively, with Joshua handling the guitars.

Joshua is a Seattle-based composer and guitarist who is particularly gifted in crafting technically challenging avant-garde jazz pieces. So gifted that his latest album, titled Meeting of the Minds, sees him finalize twenty pieces of music before bringing them into the studio, where the rest of the group have positively breathed life into them, by being right there in the moment, with an intimate chemistry between them conjured that resulted in some truly fresh and tight, lengthy improv sections, that puts each member of the small ensemble in the right spot at all the right times. The starting piece, aptly titled Meeting of the Minds, is a monumental 27-minute beast that goes through endless sections that vary from the hushed, the whimsical, and the ferocious, to the downright terrifying. 

The titular piece shifts and heaves, and after a mostly ambient and experimental first half, the piece gracefully ramps up in momentum and dynamic until it reaches an explosive final scene of bombastic drumming, flamboyant organ solos, and crazed basslines. The hushed sections are the most whimsical. Usually incorporating slide guitars, drones, and ambient effects, the resulting sounds are equally exotic and alien, at times humorous, but most alarming in their unfamiliarity. 

Provocative and imaginative, the majority of the sounds in this collection have an ample ability to conjure up images and paint sonic landscapes, with loose and expressive brushstrokes that leave enough space to be filled by the listener’s imagination. A scene of a forest with stalking gnomes lurking in the shadows, preparing to ambush, another of a haunted seaside with majestic jellyfish and cetaceans floating in the sky are just two of the plethora of paintings I was able to imagine while immersing myself in the sounds of this rich and rewarding recording.

Meeting of the Minds will surely reward the patience among the listeners, and it luckily doesn’t require much patience, as while its compositions quite often border on harrowing and unintelligible, they more often than not retain a sonic quality that made it easy to go through the whole piece three consecutive times to write this piece. An experimental and demanding piece of work for sure, but one that’s lush, thought-provoking, adventurous, and at many moments, fun.

Album: Sparrow by Tara MacLean

Akram Soliman
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Album: Sparrow by Tara MacLean

It’s been almost a regular misfortune that pop and indie artists who make songs driven by vocals and lyrics don’t bat an eye to making their musical compositions as dynamic or moving as the singing itself. In the case of Canadian award-winning singer-songwriter Tara MacLean though, she does quite the opposite. In her latest record “Sparrow”, which she released on March 31st, Tara put new and fresh versions of some of her older hits, as well as entirely new pieces that are of the same calibre of musical maturity and lyrical brilliance. The album spans 10 tracks, which I will be dissecting for you today.

1- Sparrow

The simple guitar progressions on this track are more emotive and moving than some full-blown orchestral compositions I’ve heard before. This piece is an open heart conversation in the form of a song, where Tara speaks to the listeners and shows a vulnerability that listeners relate to and find too honest and realistic. The way her voice is balanced between having techniques and dynamic and short notes that feel like spoken words show that she cared about emotions more than putting a lot of high notes or flashy techniques, and for that, I loved the song and had it stuck in mind for a couple of days after the first listen.

 

2- Lay Here In The Dark

A string arrangement in the background of a slow-tempo guitar progression and a soft percussion line are the ingredients of a successfully heart-wrenching track. This one feels more folky and more of a ballad in comparison to its predecessor, but that’s the good thing about it. If we call some music uptempo or upbeat then this must definitely be what downtempo is. 

3- If I Fall – Sparrow Version

A more haunting and ethereal approach to the vocals on this one makes it all the more memorable. I love how every note resonates and rings in my ears while piercing my soul with all the emotional authenticity behind it. 

4- That’s Me – Sparrow Version

This track was strongly driven by the sound of a clean guitar and a dark bass line underlying it. I love how the song is arranged with the backing vocals and strings during the verses which build up to a chorus that can be described as melancholic, operatic, and at the same time simple. I love how she balances those poppy elements with the more folky ones effortlessly.

5- Let Her Feel The Rain – Sparrow Version

This one has a lot more country and Americana vibes thanks to the vocal line that’s full of story-telling and blending of different vocal techniques together. It’s all a way to serve the emotional weight of the song and how melancholic the strings and guitars sound. The vocal hook that’s imitated by the lower-pitched strings gave me instant goosebumps the moment I heard it. Whenever you feel the instruments crying in pain and weeping along with the singer’s pain, you know that they’ve done a great job of getting the emotions across and delivering all the meanings behind the song.

 

6- Things Outstanding – Sparrow Version

This song makes use of a piano and brighter-sounding strings to make a generally more hopeful vibe. I love how the songs are mature and honest in the way they mention all the inner (and outer) demons that the person has to face in their life, but how they outlived and survived them. A beautiful notion with an even more beautiful soundtrack to get the message across.

7- Last Kiss

Another folky number and dare I say a happy-sounding one this time. There’s a beautiful contrast between the sound of the chord progression on this track and the melancholic counterparts it’s situated between. The vocals have an airy sound and a wider vowel placement too, giving the whole sound a less tragic vibe than the way other tracks are sung. 

8- Divided – Sparrow Version

This is probably the only track with heavy drums present in its composition in this record. The synths and clean guitars make it super catchy and unique as well, and they are complemented by the vocals. The brighter tone and higher range that Tara is singing with here made this track stand out a lot from the bunch. There is a beautiful string arrangement as well as a backing male vocal line that helps this track have a different vibe it has. The turning point for me though was the saxophone that suddenly became a part of the main melody – a totally unexpected gift to an already awesome album full of awesome sounds. The layering of the vocals on this song with its groundbreaking instrumentation makes it my absolute favorite on the whole record.

9- Evidence – Sparrow Version

Tara sings with a much more grounded and resonant chest register during the verses of this song, that with the accompanying electronic synth and percussion lines, makes a more industrial and borderline gothic atmosphere. This track is very reminiscent of artists like Portishead and Amy Lee and it will pretty much appeal to anyone who generally appreciates this kind of dark and ominous orchestration coupled with modern-style vocals full of belting, riffing, and register changes.

10- SIlence – Sparrow Version

Haunting and ominous lead vocals, with backing vocals that are usually found in RnB/Soul. I was totally surprised by how Tara switched to a completely different method of extending her vowels while emphasizing her consonants like Jazz and Soul singers do- a totally unexpected twist in the indie and folk realm that the rest of the album resides in. Moreover, the clean guitars, the sax, and the well-timed percussion and bass intercepting them will all tae you back to the 50s and 60s with how sweet and dreamy they sound. This track doesn’t feel like it was made by a different artist and while it’s not a huge deviation from some of the other tracks, it’s definitely the album’s most eyebrow-raising number.

Bottom line is, this album has got a lot of different elements coming in from a plethora of genres and styles all serving one purpose: emotion. The instrumentation and vocals see eye to eye here and both of them were a lot more heartfelt than any other album I’ve heard in 2023 (so far). I have to give it to Tara MacLean that she knows how to command the listener’s emotions and thoughts just through the studio versions of these songs, so I wonder how they will sound live and what melancholic eargasms will come to me if I ever got the chance to witness this masterpiece of an album played live.

Twist in the Wind by Carpe Diem

Akram Soliman
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Twist in the Wind by Carpe Diem

The latest single from Carpe Diem is called “Twist In The Wind” and it is equal parts an emotional rollercoaster and a multi-phase musical journey. The track begins with a Metallica-esque clean guitar progression very akin to the good old days of the 80s. 

The moment the lead vocals enter, with the effects and processing on them, I begin to feel a huge gush of emotions with every word and every note that she sings. She has the breathy low notes of Stevie Nicks and a special melodic flavor on her own that comes from the dark color of her voice. 

Every time the lead vocalist weeps and wails the words “I know it’s getting out of control” and her voice cracks, my heart cracks a little with it. It’s great how they can connect the emotional delivery of these vocals, the subject matter of the lyrics, and the musical composition itself. 

They kept building up with a mini solo after the first verse and a violin solo in the middle. That violin wasn’t really expected, especially since the clean guitars were playing a very close melody behind it. The vocalist sings the recurring line “I know it’s getting out of control” one more time but in a more resonant chest register, and then we get to experience a full-throttle solo with the distorted guitar, and every inch of my body was shaken with goosebumps. It was a well-timed surprise worth the wait and the buildup.

EP: L’Architechture de l’Impermenance by Le Grand Salon

Moataz Gwaily
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EP: L’Architechture de l’Impermenance by Le Grand Salon

Le Grand Salon’s latest EP release is a musically rich and challenging offering that equally possesses the qualities to soothe and disturb, threaten, and reaffirm, during its 25-minute runtime, in which it explores four distinct pieces of avant-garde piano compositions accompanied by atmospheric elements.

Recorded in Le Grand Salon’s Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania studio, L’Architechture de l’Impermenance is a bizzare release in the most delightful sense. Le Grand Salon is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist and composer Pier-Luc Boivin who, inspired by the likes of avant-garde composers like Phillip Glass, manages to imbue each of his compositions with a sense of unsettled tension, courtesy of jittery droning and suspended, at times dissonant, musical passages that are passed on in the form of arrhythmic, free-time piano lines.  

Demanding, the album is not in any way devoid of beauty. Quite the opposite, in fact, as the music’s prevalent, gentle textures are never abrasive or harsh. Boivin relies on a soft and pillowy grand piano or the nicest of phased Rhodes keyboard sounds, while the accompanying synths are purely effervescent and granular in quality, lending the sound of the compositions a very comforting effect that Boivin then proceeds to exploit with his experimental compositions.

Le Grand Salon’s intricate musical inspiration, which is the prime tone row, makes the sound atonal and alien, which Pier-Luc Boivin uses to express how he feels observing cities and their non-human constituents, contemplating the eventual decay of their man-made constructs. The deterioration of concrete, the rust, and the deconstruction were the elements that fueled Le Grand Salon’s musical imagination for writing this set of compositions, which he called “an inspiring creative challenge”, and from a listener’s perspective, I can easily confirm that the listening experience was also inspiring, creative, and challenging. 

Her by Pierce Braedon

Moataz Gwaily
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Her by Pierce Braedon

Pierce Braedon drops an elegant, intricate piece of shimmering bedroom pop that’s more rewarding than first meets the eye.

Hailing from Poplar Bluff, Missouri, Pierce Braedon is a singer-songwriter whose color of pop music on his latest single release, a song titled ‘Her.’, is shimmery, airy, and dramatic. Starting on guitar at the age of 13, it’s easy to see it as Pierce’s weapon of choice, as he uses a sparkling clean electric to lay down the foundations of this piece. It comes in the form of arpeggiated power chords, and if you know something about guitar, you’ll know that two words that aren’t usually seen with power chords are ‘clean’ and ‘arpeggiated’, and this tells of a songwriter who’s willing to experiment a bit. 1

The song’s rhythm is driving and its synth bass is juicy and fully populates the lower end of the sonic spectrum. Pierce’s performance is effortless and relatable, and his bittersweet lyrics beautifully fit the composition’s melancholy. The song’s finale is definitely memorable, as it breaks the pace of the rest of the song with a new, descending chord progression that erupts with emotions before the song ends abruptly on a high note.

‘Her,’ sounds like a heartfelt dedication, and if that’s true, then Pierce’s honesty and earnestness earn him just as much praise as his stunning songwriting. But if not, then ‘Her.’ still easily stands out as a heartful piece of bedroom pop that’s meticulously crafted and full of love.  

Me Myself and I by DJ Platinum Vibes

Hamza Sharkas
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Me Myself and I by DJ Platinum Vibes

One of the greatest secrets in life is the formula for crafting a hit song…

…it might be a myth…

But from time to time we do come across a hit song and we might not know what makes it a hit even…but for the sake of argument…let’s say there is a checklist to craft a hit song…

If that’s true, then DJ Platinum Vibes might have checked all the boxes of a hit song on his way to creating his latest single “Me, Myself and I”.

“Me, Myself and I” is an electronic, pop, dance song that tells the story of a woman trying to break free from a troubled relationship…while her male counterpart tries to get her back over and over…the song is performed by two singers, which makes the concept of the song interwoven into the delivery of it. This is special.

Before getting into this checklist of a hit song and how DJ Platinum Vibes did it…let’s get to know the talents behind “Me, Myself and I”…

Under one spotlight, we have Kevin James, DJ Platinum Vibes himself.

Kevin is from New York and he’s an international deejay, producer, and recording artist and a well-known radio personality too.

He also released music under ‘Dgammafiv’ and ‘GammaFi Sound Machine’…and he worked on a wide variety of music genres including pop, hip-hop, R&B, alternative…and many more.

Under the second spotlight, we have SUGAR BEAR. W well an established dancehall and reggae artist that moved from Jamaica to New York and his love of music made him pursue it professionally.

He made several hits, recorded many songs, and performed them all over the world literally…in Japan, Canada, the UK, and all over the US…and he too performed his music in his home country of Jamaica.

…there is another spotlight that was reserved for the female vocalist in “Me, Myself and I”, but I couldn’t really get any information about her, but she definitely deserves a spotlight, her performance is nothing short of great.

So…it’s about time to get back to the checklist of making a hit song…and by dissecting Kevin’s latest hit “Me, Myself and I”, we should get a clearer image of what he’s done…and why this song is an absolute hit.

…starting out…the ambient synth sounds in the first couple of seconds… capture your hearing…

The female vocal that I was talking about…captivates you in an ambient cloud till the dance synths start kicking in…

..taking us to the ramp us and rising into a lovely colorful explosion of dance beat, SUGAR BEAR’s vocal flow…the musical structure is easy on the ears…the sounds are perfect, pads, pianos, drum grooves…the vocal layers of the mellow female vocals along with the flow and passion of SUGAR BEAR, this fusion is a blast to listen to.

So…modern, catchy ambient chill sections…check

…….punchy kick that blows you away….check

…….dancy drum groove that makes you move…check

…….a fusion between female and male vocals with a story to tell…check

…….top notch production value and the highest quality levels of mixing and mastering…check

…….anthemic melodies and musical elements…check

If that’s the formula, then DJ Platinum Vibes has cracked the code and it’s only a matter of time till we hear his latest single everywhere, all the time.

A highly recommended artist to follow for all electronic, dance, and upbeat music in general, really.

Kevin, we wish you all the best in life, and we’ll be on the lookout for your future releases.

Cheers!

Gravity by Jon Henri

Hamza Sharkas
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Gravity by Jon Henri

All the way from Kansas, USA, a groovy funk found its way unto all the biggest music online retailers and all music platforms…this little song is a disruptor and it’s called “Gravity”.

“Gravity” is written by Jon Henri and produced by Daniel Hickman.

Jon is originally from Michigan, but he’s currently based out of Olathe, Kansas.

It looks like Jon and Daniel took the delorean and set the date to somewhere in the 80s, make a disco-funk song as authentic as possible, get back into our current time, and release that tune.

“Gravity” is both minimalistic in its approach from both a production and composition points of view, you get all the authentic sounds of the period…along with period-authentic guitar licks, drum groove…and vocal performance….and let’s not forget about that bass, it’s an integral part of the style, genre and the success of this song for sure.

“Gravity” has been picked up by many radio stations, played in clubs, and found its way into the internet and its infinite branches, reaching all over the globe.

Jon is giving us a period-accurate lead vocal performance along with the layered group backing vocals…which fits rather nicely in the structure and production of the song.

The song starts out with only a drum groove…it reminded me of the approach of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”… especially after the iconic intro synth sound and after it fades away, the drums just start grooving…Jon Henri’s “Gravity” gave me the same energy…and it only builds up from here.

So, right after the drums kick in the vocals start to…I can’t think of anything other than the vocals are ‘funking around’…Jon delivers a vocal performance with a flow and groove that is an absolute highlight.

The closely clean-shaven electric guitar licks are the funkiest of all.

Bass is thick, punchy, and dancing.

You can check out “Gravity” on all major online platforms, it’s written and performed by Jon Henri and produced by Daniel Hickman.

If you are a fan of the 80s disco funk movement and can’t find a time machine…give “Gravity” a listen, that’s the closest thing humanity has right now.

Jon, we wish you all the best in the world and we’ll be on the lookout for your future projects.

Cheers!

EP: Time Heals Everything by TeeshyBaby

Norhan El Sebaie
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EP: Time Heals Everything by TeeshyBaby

TeeshyBaby is back with his latest drop! After last year’s single release: “Homicide” which caused a buzz and gained the liking of his fans, he’s back with an EP this year: “Time Heals Everything” and he’s ready to dazzle his fans once again. TeeshyBaby started releasing his music and sharing it with the world in 2019; with every release, you’ll listen to the artist’s sound evolving and developing into a unique and authentic sound. His music is highly driven by his passion and dedication to influence generations to come by always keeping it real; for everyone who feels left out or doesn’t belong. 

“Time Heals Everything” is highly influenced by R&B, Hip-Hop, and Rap genres with a hint of pop. The EP is short yet striking and emotionally intense; each of the four tracks is about 2-minute long but rich in context. Starting with “Smoking Habits,” a song that portrays how someone is trying to quit their bad habits, like smoking and drinking but can’t. Looking at it from a different perspective, I think it’s a struggle everyone is going through in their own way, making this song relatable to its listeners in more ways than one. The artist uses electronic, psychedelic-like sound effects in the intros of “Smoking Habits” and “X.O,” which puts you in a bubble, setting the mood for what’s coming next and grabbing your attention to the message he’s trying to send through his music. 

“No More” was my personal favorite; it starts with a piano solo of a beautiful, sweet melody, followed by a sudden shift in the mood once the vocal line starts with its intensity, moving the piano line to the background throughout the song. Moving to the last track: “Treat You Right” is a regretful track of how someone should’ve given more attention to his girlfriend rather than himself. 

The EP’s context leaves me wondering whether the lyrics and songs are projected from the artist’s personal life. They’re real, raw, and extremely specific, and I find it hard to be randomly written. This brings us to the EP’s title, which caught my attention too; it’s not the title of the EP’s main track, but it Sounds like a hopeful message the artist is trying to send to himself, anticipating a better tomorrow and wishing that time would heal all his pain portrayed through his music. 

 

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