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Waiting Syndrome by IRYS

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The Berlin-based artist IRYS has been carving her name among the electro music scene since she started two years ago, and as she releases new music, her trademark shines day after day. Her most recent song, “Waiting Syndrome,” which she used to wrap up the year 2022, mixes her ambient, moody musical style with alluring vocals and expressive lyrics.

I firmly believe that in order to create a masterpiece, one does not require sophisticated tools; rather, one requires exceptional talent. IRYS, who is a multi-talented artist, set a valid example of my theory. She does all of her songs in her bedroom, resulting in compelling and dope pieces that she wrote, recorded, and produced all by herself, like a proband.

“Waiting Syndrome” takes on a hypnotic journey in the darkest galaxies of the mind, where the procrastinator’s self-destructive thoughts try to take the lead and cause one to crash. IRYS, as a talented singer and songwriter, has a knack for using her blended sound and seductive vocals to depict this inner struggle.

From the intro to the outro, the single offers an edgy atmosphere and a haunting aura, like a mind being reset to be led by negativity. The atmospheric, smokey arrangement is made up of hypnotic backdrops, mystical beats, and a driving, thick synth. The entire murky production draws attention to the musician’s skills, her coherent writing and performing, and her distinctive, peculiar sound, which features the best elements of diverse genres.

What ties all the ingredients together is IRYS’ seductive vocal line. She has the ability to sound both angelic and devilish at once. Owning both dulcet and daring timbres makes her performance irresistible.

IRYS is surely a rising star who aims to deliver polished music. She gives every component her attention; even the track titles are carefully chosen to be subtle and catchy. I wonder what else she has up her sleeve and how she’ll outdo herself next.

 



Dreams Within Dreams by Ali George

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British artist Ali George released his latest single “Dreams Within Dreams” on the 6th of January, which will be followed by a music video on the 17th.

Ali George is an exceptional guitarist, singer, and songwriter based in Bath, United Kingdom. He is known for his distinctive guitar fingerstyle, soulful voice, and striking songwriting. Ali’s musical journey started at the age of 6 years when he picked up his first guitar and by the age of 10 he was already in his first band “Mental Lightning”. By the age of 16 he decided to begin his solo career, he sold his electric guitar to get an acoustic. This encouraged him to perform solo live gigs in pubs, cafes, and venues in his hometown and record demo albums which helped in the development of his songwriting skills.

“Dreams Within Dreams” is an emotional song that hits very close to the heart with its beautiful ambiance. The warm and soothing voice of Ali, combined with a melodic guitar line filling the room, creates a cozy atmosphere. While the lyrics boost the emotional vibe while giving it a sad theme, as Ali explained “I wrote this song from the perspective of a lonely woman, who feels that her husband has neglected her”. In the last chorus before the song ends ambient synth comes in, boosting the overall warm vibe of the song. “Dreams Within Dreams” is a complete piece of art that speaks directly to your heart and soul. Don’t miss out on this beautiful song and stay tuned for his upcoming album “Watchful Days” which will be released next summer.

Moonlight by CHARLES HS

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“Moonlight” by CHARLES HS is a deep and mindful indie-pop/indie-rock tune that will provoke a lot of repressed emotions. The emotional vulnerability that Charles sought to show here really shines in the lyrics of “Moonlight”. It gave me a sense that there is some sort of hidden comfort in this panic, and some necessity for this vulnerability to show itself some more.

As far as the music goes, the track has a clean guitar chord progression with a very soothing-yet-melancholic type of strumming pattern. It is further accompanied by Charles’ melodious low notes during the verses, followed by his wailing mid-range during the chorus. The drum arrangement is simple and the distorted guitar lines have some reverb and special production techniques that make them lean more toward post-rock and alternative rock. The melodic guitar solo techniques, on the other hand, made me think that this track is what a breed between blues and alternative would sound like – It’s that much inspired and that diverse, yes. 

Putting into consideration that all of this was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Charles in the comfort of his own home I think it would be fair to say that he is musically experienced, honest, authentic, and most importantly a great songwriter. If you were ever looking for a song that describes (and gives closure) to the concept of unhiding vulnerability and accepting its existence, then look no further because this track has the potential to make you feel all of these emotions, and then some more.

Git It by Reue

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Reue, like a wizard, a shaman, and a time traveler, combined into one artist, blends psychedelia, future bass, and jungle EDM into a unique and rich sonic experience.

Electronic producer Reue released a deep breakbeat track “Git It” on the 22nd of December from Austin Texas as part of his biweekly released series.

“Git It” starts with a jazzy drum break loop layered with organic-sounding tonal textures and wooden or ceramic percussions. Already interesting from the git-go, the drums slowly are faded away with a filter in what could only be described as Reue pulling the jungle floor from under the listener’s feet, only to bring it back with a melodic and groovy bass line that takes center stage on the drop, and we hear a stripped down —and more powerful— version of the drums without the cymbals and ghost notes, but with a lot more oomph in the kick and snare.

The bass line is performative and captivating, while completely serving the melodic and rhythmic functions of “Git It” and every element in this production is perfectly designed, arranged, and mixed. Even his use of atonal and arhythmic sounds is perfectly placed.

I was deeply mesmerized by the sonic quality of this one element that seems like a complete mystery, and while other producers may shy away from these brave and explorative sound design choices, Reue mixed it in LOUD and PROUD! It is completely audible in the mix and tastefully done, left in as a challenge for listeners to figure out what it is. I think it’s one of those hollow wooden bars hanging on a string type of thing, but I’m 80% sure that I’m wrong.

Reue has been releasing his singles as part of a 27-song biweekly-released series, with “Git It” being number thirteen in that series. I reviewed another track from his series which you can read about here as well.

 

Heavyweight by TOP NINJA

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Rapper TOP NINJA released a hard-hitting trap single and music video for his latest track “Heavyweight” on the 20th of December of last year from Clearwater, United States.

“Heavyweight” mixes the swag and lyricism of old school hip hop, with the production and flows of modern new school, and it motivates even my skinny soul to go and hit the gym.

Like the namesake of the song, “Heavyweight” features heavy and hard drums, thick 808s, and sizzling hi hats that sound like the spinning stars of being knocked unconscious.

TOP NINJA’s delivery of each line is powerful, and drips with confident swag, as his deep voice alone would give you a picture of the impact of his boxing gloves.

The music video is colored in earthy and aqua tones with the vibes of Florida and the west coast. It is an action-packed and stylish music video that highlights a powerful side of TOP NINJA, with grabbing choreography and camera movement in every shot.

“Heavyweight” is a high-quality production by the Florida-based rapper TOP NINJA, with both audio and video offerings delivering a unique and energetically deep performance.

 

CRISTIANO RONALDO by RAI

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Artist RAI pays tribute to one of the most iconic footballers in his baile funk single “CRISTIANO RONALDO” which was released during the world cup on the 24th of November 2022 paired with a well-produced video clip.

(Baile funk is a genre that originated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It’s a mix between funk and hip-hop)

RAI is a singer based in Toronto, Canada. He has more than 8.5k monthly listeners on Spotify with more than 11k listening to the single “CRISTIANO RONALDO”.

An upbeat hip-hop groove with synth brass sets the energetic groovy atmosphere of the song giving space for RAI to take the entire spotlight. With an amazing flow laced with top-notch enthusiastic adlibs, RAI does an amazing job of engaging his listeners by forcing them to sing along with him completely despite the fact that the lyrics are in Spanish. With a catchy chorus repeating the words “Tengo’l Toque’ Midas” which means in English “I have the Midas Touch” referring to Greek mythology’s King Midas who has the ability to turn everything he touches into gold, then he ends the chorus with two lines of “Cristiano Ronaldo”. Don’t miss this earworm song from RAI as you will definitely become addicted to it.

 

 

 

Cereal by Pri Abrol

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Beyond the festivities and the cheerful vibes of Christmas, there is a dark side of sadness to the holiday that some of us feel. Pri Abrol takes this different approach as she sings her heart out in the cozy and emotional single “Cereal” to start off the year while creating a buzz for her upcoming album release.

Influenced by Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Lorde, Pri Abrol is a singer/songwriter based in Orange County, United States. At the beginning of the year 2022, she committed herself to her art and started her musical journey. She is also a part of the dynamic duo “Prerun” with her best friend Ren who sings and plays piano.

“Cereal is about winter. It tells a story of realization, regret, confusion, anger, and so many other layers to capture how complicated life can feel sometimes” said Pri Abrol. The music of the song definitely simulates the cozy warm feeling of winter with a blend of strumming acoustic guitar, ambient synths, and beautiful piano melodies that are played by Ren, giving an inviting and comfy vibe. The music is topped by Pri’s expressive and pleasant voice, which paints the lyrics over the music in a storytelling style, serenading the listener further into the cozy environment of the song. If you ever feel sad during this cold winter, don’t hesitate to listen to this song that gives your ears a warm cozy hug.

 



PTSD by Dax

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As usual, the least you can expect from Dax is a mind-altering and hardcore realistic song that is able to convey feelings that pang you like never before. Dax released a new song called ‘ PTSD’, all the way from Wichita, US, on the 8th of January. Inspired by Tupac Elvis and Life, Dax really gets gritty with his lyrics and music, a true artist with a vision and a desire to communicate the deepest and hardest parts of the human experience. He really uses his music as a sonic vessel for people to hop on and take a ride through the things we most neglect and fear in our lives. We hope that Dax will play a gig soon like the one he did at the Canadian Country Music awards. 

A tune made of rap and soul, you’ll find Dax both performing rap lyrics in slow vocals as he emits the true pain of being a survivor. The song talks about dealing with the aftermath of trauma and how it’s really difficult to heal and get past extremely shocking experiences. From death, sexual assaults, and accidents to wars and famine, the world can really scar the human soul so easily, and Dax gives us a raw and meaningful song about living PTSD. The overall sound of the song is serious and depressing. The soundscape is slow, and the musical arrangement is rich with notable sound effects like gunshots.  There is acoustic guitar leading the melody and trumpet sound effects that’s giving the song a haunting vibe. There’s a big role for bass too. Dax just does it again with his music and never fails to give something really good to hold on to.

 



Nightmare by Sarah Anne Fernandez

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A bombastic electro-pop anthem from Sarah Anne Fernandez seeks to find solace and confidence within the turmoil of a messy breakup, and it does so with a particular charm that carried the song forward, and directly into the hearts of listeners.

Based in New York, Sarah Anne Fernandez is a singer-songwriter whose sound can be categorized as fairly modern, electronic pop, with a focus on the singer’s compelling deliveries and rich textures. Nightmare, Sarah Anne’s latest single is about getting through a rough breakup, finding back your courage through allowing yourself to be petty for a while, and simply rolling with the feelings, instead of blocking them. A song that aims to empower the listeners, while simultaneously telling them that every end is a new beginning.

The relatively short runtime of this single is absolutely jam-packed; with intricate production details, neat vocal chops, and invigorating sounds. Starting from Fernandez’s strong and commanding vocal presence, passing the grand and dramatic chord progressions, and ending with the charged, electronic production, for a result that’s dark, memorable, and oozing with personality. 

Nightmare is surely playlist material. A song that checks all boxes necessary to make it a radio hit, this short, sweet, sharp, and concise song is memorable, fun, and compelling.

 

Darling by Aggressive Soccer Moms

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Heading into this new single from the Swedish group Aggressive Soccer Moms, I was inclined to call it an acquired taste, but having been completely won over somewhere around the middle of its runtime, I was inclined to change my mind, or maybe I “acquired” its taste a little bit sooner than I anticipated. 

Aggressive Soccer Moms are an amazingly named post-punk trio that hails from Stockholm. Composed of Anders Bergström, Thomas Wahlström, and Stefan Wistrand, the trio’s sound is without a doubt steeped into punk, but it is a kind of punk that’s electrified, modernized, industrialized, and machinated. Darling is another single from their upcoming album, titled Quint, which is set to be their 7th studio album. Released in the tails of their latest brilliant single ‘That’s How I Feel’, which has a throbbing, electronic sound, with its fair share of Aphex Twin and Massive Attack influence, Darling heads in a totally different direction that’s concurrently similar, in relation to all their latest studio album. The similarity is in the throbbing synths, sleazy sax lines, aggressive vocals, and the deep, dark, melancholic, and the similarities are superficial because while Darling shares those elements with the latest single, it manages to effortlessly carry its own weight, and be its own thing.

The throbbing, 3-minute punk gem, is unnerving. With the aggressive, borderline yelled vocal delivery, the exotic-sounding modal composition that lends yet another layer of darkness to the sound, the unsettling processed vocal samples, and the choice of skeletal synths, Darling is horrific cool. The saxophone is a catchy addition that adds a layer of oddness that’s very welcome, and the very first guitar solo in a song by Aggressive Soccer Moms is juicy, minimal, colorful, and serves its role delightfully, for an end result that’s a trip of pure punk oddness that sounds fresh, invigorating, and succulent. 

ASM are a creative bunch, and their continually renewed musical direction at their 7th album is clear evidence of that. Consistently punk, the trio keeps exploring different, less common alleyways of punk, and they do it with loads of confidence, character, and obvious love for what they do. I can’t wait for Quint to drop.