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PWR by V of 40M

Muhammad Al-Wasat
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PWR by V of 40M

North Carolina rap group XLM+ is out with a new single “PWR” by artist V of 40M ft. Hippie G and 40M Tye produced by Arab Mxfia, were released on the 12th of December.

“PWR” is a song for the people; a revolutionary power anthem for the 40 million plus African Americans to reclaim their black power.

Politics and rap have had a long intertwined history, with hip-hop artists such as Public Enemy, Tupac, Ice-T, Rage Against The Machine, and many others commentating on politics through their art. The racism in the United States and the oppression of African Americans is not a new topic in this medium, but it is one that needs to be addressed and readdressed through generations of artists as these issues persist.

“PWR” starts with a sample of an arabesque string melody that immediately grabbed my attention. The beat for “PWR” produced by the viral beat maker Arab Mxfia takes notable influences from old school hip hop, boom bap, as well as new wave drill and trap hip hop music.

XLM+ are heavily centered around their political and ideological beliefs and offer more through their art than mere entertainment. These artists are here for real social and political change, and we wish them the liberation and independence they fight for.



Down With You by Lillvi

Youssef Harraz
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Down With You by Lillvi

If you are looking for a new night drive song to add to your playlist then you should check out Lillvi’s latest single “Down With You”  

Lillvi is a Swedish independent singer/songwriter based in London, England, with an ambition to make music that appeals to everyone. Her passion for music comes from a young age, originating from her parent’s interest in music. She discovered her singing ability by the age of 5 and started to create her own songs at the age of 10. She started releasing singles in 2020 racking up more than 800k plays on Spotify.

“Down With You” is the 5th collaboration between Lillvi and her long-time producer and composer Ravi Kumar. It’s an addictive pop song with a mixture of 90’s synth-pop and 80’s beats creating an energetic vibe. The song takes the listener on a nostalgic journey fueled by a groovy and addictive synth bass grounded by a disco beat. With Lillvi’s flawless and bright voice, the song takes on a whole new meaning, creating a memorable and euphoric experience for the listener. A catchy saxophone line gets the spotlight in the song’s hook, adding another nostalgic feeling of early 2000s electronic music.



Everyone You Know Is Sad by Serena Kaos

Youssef Harraz
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Everyone You Know Is Sad by Serena Kaos

Portuguese London-based artist Serena Kaos releases her third single ‘Everyone You Know Is Sad’

Serena is a talented multi-instrumentalist Youtuber and street performer, who sings, and plays the piano and guitar. Left her hometown, Portugal to pursue her musical dream in London, United Kingdom. She released three singles in 2022 starting with ‘Shout’ released in June followed up by ‘Live Again’ in September and ‘Everyone You Know Is Sad’ in December.

‘Everyone You Know Is Sad’ is a dark-pop song that gives the listener a mindset “to dance and to act upon their frustrations” said Serena. The song starts out with a dark-toned guitar highlighted by E. piano bells, backed by a downbeat tom groove and deep bass. This sets the stage for Serena to come in with her flawless emotional voice singing poignant simple lyrics completing the sad soundscape. Halfway through the verse vocal harmonies and a jazzy guitar lick are introduced building up for the pre-chorus where the drum groove changes along with the addition of slide and soft plucking guitar lead lines in the background adding depth to the atmosphere. The chorus is a sing-along sweet-bitter ambiance where Serena shows off her range and variety by going into a higher voice singing her heart out with a catchy vocal line.

 



“SILVER MOON” [A TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL NESMITH] by ERIC ALEXANDRAKIS

Moataz Gwaily
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“SILVER MOON” [A TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL NESMITH] by ERIC ALEXANDRAKIS

À Home recording, taken through a 16-track recorder, completely self-produced, a gorgeous tribute to the amazing Michael Nesmith of The Monkees, recorded on the day of his passing, Silver Moon is a touching ode to one of Pop Rock’s leading visionaries.

Based in the Greek town of Rethymno, Eric Alexandrakis is a singer-songwriter of unusual proportions. His stunning eccentricity is a result of how he is the sole member, of his entire musical project. A vintage recording device, running the vocals through guitar effects, and producing the songs on his own might be the less interesting parts of Eric’s back story. With a family history that involves Cretan Freedom Fighters and tragic altercations with Nazis, Eric is a twice Grammy-nominated artist, with education in some of the world’s most renowned music universities, and it’s a great help that his songs create an outstanding vibe, and “Silver Moon” particularly, serves a noble purpose. 

A spontaneous tribute by Ericks Stadens over the loss of Michael Nesmith, Silver Moon is soft, embracing, acoustic, Americana. The present, a warm acoustic guitar is beautifully accompanied by wonderful threads of piano melodies, as well as Eric’s vocal delivery that’s confident, challenging, and nimble, showcasing a talented singer. The introduction of the buoyant bass later in the song is a genius piece of arrangement, with all the emotional and musical depth that it manages to add. And with sweet, heartfelt, direct, and honest lyrics, Silver Moon is easily elevated to the tier of great acoustic Americana.

A song that oozes with charm from an artist that’s a host of rich, layered back stories.. and he’s talented. A talented arranger, and composer, with a keen, conscious ear for detail, his music deserves all the admiration it receives, and here’s to a whole lot more of that.



https://soundcloud.com/eric-alexandrakis-1/eric-alexandrakis-silver-moon-a-tribute-to-michael-nesmith?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing



J’aime trop by lukx

Youssef Harraz
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J’aime trop by lukx

Son and father duo ‘Lukx’ are back with the release of ‘J’aime trop’ their latest emotional afrobeat single

Lukx is a duo from Ramillies, Belgium with his son Lucas Malmport singer/songwriter, and his father Nils Malmport composer/producer/mixer/master. With more than 19k monthly listeners on Spotify, they have a robust arsenal of English and French singles. Lukx started releasing singles in 2019, and since 2020 they have been releasing one single per month.

‘J’aime trop’ was featured on Spotify’s “New Week Friday Belgium” playlist; it is the result of collaboration with three of Lukx’s friends who helped with the composition while Nils recorded, mixed, and mastered it. Lucas wrote the song while his girlfriend was away, describing how much he misses and loves her while capturing the feeling perfectly with his warm voice and natural flow. With a chilled beat, a swelled one-chord guitar, a beautiful saxophone lead line, and a catchy funky guitar riff in the chorus, the music conveys a sense of love in the air and emotion.

 

 

Fire Lighter by Mary in the Mirror

Youssef Harraz
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Fire Lighter by Mary in the Mirror

After the success of her single “Pain” released back in August, Marry in the Mirror released her 5th and latest single “Fire Lighter” on the 23rd of November.

Mary in the mirror is a soulful alternative singer/songwriter from Bristol, England, who started her musical career in 2021. In 2016 Mary had a terrible health issue affecting her ability to walk. With determination and her music, she overcame these hard times. That influenced Mary to write poetic, honest, and encouraging lyrics about her past experiences and hardships in life, creating a unique connection with her fans.

Mary describes the song as a love song with a twist. “It’s slightly obsessive to want someone who knows you exist but you’re hanging onto the feeling that they might be looking for love when you don’t really know it,” said Mary. The bouncy beat starts the song offsetting a hip-hop groove, accompanied by a siren, ambient pads, and a gnarly 808’s bouncing up and down adding a drill vibe to the environment. As Mary’s expressive and soulful vocals kick in, the atmosphere is mysterious and lucid, with an emotional edge. The song takes on a different vibe as it reaches the outro. Thanks to Sirreal’s rap verse backed by catchy bouncy 808s and atmospheric E.Piano lead line.



Album: Protagonist by Temperature Falls

Muhammad Al-Wasat
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Album: Protagonist by Temperature Falls

Norwegian electronic duo Temperature Falls released their fourth studio album “Protagonist” from Oslo on the 9th of December.

Temperature Falls formed as a duo when vocalist & lyricist Camilla met up with producer Ian J. Ward back in 2018. Only a year later did they release their first album together in 2019, after they felt a musical connection with each other. Three years later, we got “Protagonist”, an album that blurs lines between a vast range of electronic styles.

“Protagonist” is a ten-track electronic album with tons of character and a very appealing sound of its own. Each track is inspired and driven by different elements from old-school and contemporary electronic genres, and every one of the ten tracks on the album has something different to offer.

“Please Don’t Go” is an alternative, dramatic, and a story-driven song about romantic love and painful breakups. The music is slow and ominous. You can tell that something is about to go wrong from the start of the song, and it grabs your attention by not telling you what’s about to happen, especially if you watch the dark and beautifully shot music video.

“Run Away” is a spacious track that has to be listened to with headphones to be appreciated properly, with elements being stereo-panned left and right creating a deep sense of space. Also, Camilla’s vocal technique is very impressive on this record, as she constantly changes her style to suit each section of the song.

“Reach” mixes industrial and mechanical sounds with electronic and organic textures to create a heavy, impactful, and rich soundscape. The vocals and instrumentation trade off the frequency spectrum through filters which is a very interesting production technique that shifts attention between each of them.

“Survivor” is a track that’s a bit on the experimental side, and it’s weirdly melodic as well. The melodies are hypnotic and catchy, and Ian plays around with arpeggiators and off-rhythms to make a trippy sound design, sort of like retro game music on psychedelics.

The rest of the tracks on “Protagonist”, from the contemporary and cinematic “Hide”, the anthemic “Lab Rat”, the emotional and melancholic “Moment of Loneliness”, to the uplifting energy of “I Am Different” and dynamically evolving, boom bap inspired “Fight” all have a life of their own and are definitely worth listening to. You’ll find a song just for you on “Protagonist” guaranteed!

Influences from boom bap, rock, synth wave, techno, and so many other genres can be heard all throughout Temperature Falls’ album “Protagonist”, and this diversity of musical inspiration, coupled with the duo’s unique interpretation of elements and genre conventions take each second on this album to the boundaries of electronic music. Just how much further are Temperature Falls willing to push these boundaries? We’ll see as they release their fresh music out into the wild.

 

Demons by Diamond Blacc

Muhammad Al-Wasat
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Demons by Diamond Blacc

Philadelphian rapper Diamond Blacc released the new trap single “Demons” on the 29th of April.

Since his debut EP release in January of 2021, Diamond Blacc has been making progress towards becoming recognized as a fresh new voice with a unique perspective in the hip-hop global scene, and his latest release “Demons” proves his potential.

Compared to almost all modern and popular rap, “Demons” by Diamond Blacc is difficult to fit in, not because of a lack of flow, slick rhymes, and a hard trap beat. “Demons” certainly has all of those features, but the reason this track is different is its subject matter and unique approach to writing.

The vast majority of rap music is fixated on ‘hustle’ culture and its materialistic mentality, perhaps due to the materialistic inclination of all musical lyrical writing since the start of the 21st century, like love songs about the shapes of human bodies, and motivational songs about money and material wealth, etc., but “Demons” by Diamond Blacc could be described as a ‘spiritual hustle’.

Diamond Blacc’s thoughtful poetry and sage-like preaching delivery shine through each line like a divine spiritual ascension distilled into a journey of trials and tribulations rather than asceticism.

Merry Funk Christmas by M-Rock Emrik

Akram Soliman
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Merry Funk Christmas by M-Rock Emrik

Hailing from Sweden comes to us this mega collaborative album called “Merry Funk Christmas” from M-Rock featuring The Wefunky Band and drummer Eric Bodin, as well as several other guests with a bunch of different musical backgrounds. The album has funky, jazzy, and sometimes even soul elements placed onto known Christmas classics from different parts of the world, so let’s dissect this 8-track opus and see what it has to offer.

1- Jingle Bellzz (feat. Wefunky Band)

Imagine funk, jazz, and rock all in one fantastic rendition that’s full of soulful singing. Although the pace and tempo are somewhat slow, The Wefunky Band does an amazing job of making this version groovy and dance-worthy in ways I couldn’t have imagined.

2- Let It Snow (Strings Version feat. Wefunky Band and Johanna Hjort)

The vocals are nothing less than magnificent on this one. Johanna has the attitude and sassiness of a 60s Jazz/Funk performer. The track is romantic, magical, and soulful. And what better way to capture the essence of a Christmas album (and the whole holiday season) than these wonderful keyboard solos and banjos playing their funky arrangement.

3- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (feat. Wefunky Band, Johanna Hjort, and Tobe Stenson)

All your troubles will be miles away once you hear this number. We can hear a different side of Johanna Hjort here, as she matches the male vocals with a tougher and deeper chest voice that still maintains a lot of passion and breathiness. The amazing saxophone by Mr. Tobe Stenson has got to be my favorite moment on this whole album. But the goosebumps don’t just stop there, the scatting and vocal acrobatics in the last minute of the song will blow your mind away until after Christmas for sure. 

4- Juligen (GBG Funk version feat. Wefunky Band, Gonzo Reyes, and Emrik)

This one had a pleasant surprise which was rapping in the artists’ native language. I was really blown away by how they managed to fit their rapping into the funky arrangement and the all-around nostalgic sound of the song.

5- Driving Home For Christmas (feat. Wefunky band)

This one has a super funky clean guitar playing a chord progression that I’m in love with. The soft drums with the awesome mid-tempo beat they play will definitely get you dancing or at least tapping your feet. They are just so good with their material, to the extent of making a staple Christmas like this their own. 

6- White Christmas (Marimba Funk Version feat. Wefunky Band)

The marimba, the percussion, the bells, the organs, and just about every instrument of this song play in perfect harmony with each other. And I’m not talking about musical harmony, I’m just saying how well they are matched. Take for instance the soft airy head voice in the beginning, and how it contrasts with the bass vocalist that sings the midsection. This guy felt like he could go octaves below a piano with the depth of his bass voice. It’s not really Funk if it doesn’t have such a skilled bass singer, does it?

7- Feliz Navidad (feat. Wefunky Band and Gonzo Reyes)

Gonzo has yet another amazing touch on the album with this Christmas classic. It feels like the album is just the gift that keeps on giving, many places in the world and many cultures and musical subgenres were put together masterfully and coherently. 

8- The Christmas Song (feat. Wefunky Band)

This fabulous album closer puts us to rest after a varied album. It’s simple yet beautiful, and listeners will feel like it captured the essence of all that’s been done on the previous tracks. With groovy drum lines that will get you dancing, more bells, and amazing synth sounds. It just feels like an open jamming session where all the musicians paid tribute to each other. What a majestic finale!

Just A Little Bit Longer by Monroe Moon

Moataz Gwaily
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Just A Little Bit Longer by Monroe Moon

Monroe Moon’s latest single is an outstandingly produced piece of immaculate swoons and delicate timbres. Sensual, chill, unique, and intoxicating, Just A Little Bit Longer is the kind of song you keep returning to over and over again.

Hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Monroe Moon is the accumulation of Theo Malkin and Bunny Monroe, whose guitars and voice, respectively, have joined forces to produce sublime songs such as this one. Inspired by the likes of Portishead, The Smiths, and Massive Attack, their output is exceedingly quirky and personal to them, Just A Little Bit Longer sounds like Shoegaze that’s been sedated, or Dream Pop that has matured to a more sullen and understated phase of life, and either way, it’s succulent. The slow beat is perfectly encapsulated by layer upon layer of reverb-laden instrumental tracks, from expansive, thick chords, to shimmery, clean leads, passing by heavily modulated sound effects that carry an immediate, cooky impact. 

Bunny Monroe’s fluid delivery is eloquent and attractive, his highs are silky and effortless, and his lows are singalong-like and accessible. The warmth of the vocal delivery is easily matched by the impact of the haunting lyrics, confessional and contemplative. 

Just A Little Bit Longer is a haunting single dropping from an up-and-coming iconic duo. Malkin and Monroe’s Monroe Moon have musical sensibilities that can allow them to be compelling to a massive audience that appreciates Dream Pop, Indie Pop, Art Pop, Shoegaze, or any blend of those things. They say they will be working on an album for 2023, and I cannot wait.

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