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Angel Dust by Kid Riz

Nadine Elwan
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Angel Dust by Kid Riz

Montreal, Canada-based artist Kid Riz released a new R&B song called ‘Angel dust’, smothered in rich and raw emotions, on the 11th of November. Riz is usually inspired by relationship narratives in his music writing, which include the ups, downs, and in-betweens of intimate encounters of all kinds. His goal is to write music that speaks to the soul. His music style is best described as a melange of R&B with afrobeat sounds.

The artist is mainly influenced by the likes of; The Weeknd, Joji, and Bruno Mars. If you’re experiencing the rush of new feelings of love, or want to gift somebody a song that you feel is most reflective of your romantic state, then Angel dust is the song for you! You will not miss Riz’s sensitive and profound ways with his words that slide through the music like a race car on a midnight street, smooth and immaculate. The overall sound of the song is a neat collection of genuine and open feelings of affection. The soundscape is a slow and easy R&B soundscape with not much of a musical arrangement complication, but you can focus on the vocals and lyrics of the song which stand out against the dreamy beat. There are a lot of hi-hats and light drums that lead the beat and vocals of the music. Musical and sincere, this song is for all the new lovers out here bursting with emotion. 

 

One Evening in July by Marina Osk

Moataz Gwaily
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One Evening in July by Marina Osk

One Evening in July is an album of pure jazz, from the masterful composer, and delightful singer, Marina Osk.

Hailing from the capital of ice and snow, Reykjavik, the music on this album feels just as magical, mythical, and haunting as the place they were birthed in. With the writing done in most part by Marina, and with a band of outstanding backing players, this album manages to sound masterful and calculated too. Add to this that half the songs are written and sung in Icelandic, for an end result that’s captivating.

An album that’s arranged with stark, elegant simplicity, no songs feature any more than Marina’s charismatic vocal presence, the wonderfully inventive guitar improvs from the Icelander Mikael Mani Asmundsson, and the sweet, snappy, melodic trumpets and fragile, ornamenting drums of the Swedish brothers Erik, and Johan Tengholm, respectively.

This album dropped in August, making it a few months old at this point, and during that time, it managed to gain reasonable traction, selling almost all of its physical copies, and receiving hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify. So let’s take a look at some of its highlights. Samtal Vid Solu is a playful, quirky starter. With a plucky guitar motif in the introduction that quickly develops to incorporate the traditional, bouncing, jazzy upright bass. The smooth, modal sound that persists throughout this whole album is a massive pointer to the quality of the composition, continually modulating and discovering new territories, effortlessly, without a hint of drama or excess. The lengthy solos on the first cut are also clear enough indicators to the quality of the musicians on this record. The sophomore song, Einsemd, fully utilizes the magical, foreign sounds of Icelandic, with a stellar, sensual performance from Marina Ost. The composition is more vintage, paying homage to the modal jazz sounds of the 50s, with the modulations feeling smoother and even more effortless. Silky soloing from Asmundssen is just as captivating and inventive as Marina’s delivery, resulting in a jazz cut of the highest standard. Following that is ‘Hey Love!’.

As the name suggests, this playful, ballroom jazz number is jubilant and cheerful. With major tonalities and a giggling trumpet solo, it has amazing rhythm chops, melodic, sweet, and tasteful. The Moon and the Sky is restrained and down-stated. The tender, provocative, and minimal soundscapes are equally warm, and chilling, with a persistent vintage vibe. The trumpet solo that lives in the middle of this song is seductive and haunting, creating an immaculate atmosphere of pure jazz goodness. Vid Tjornina has an inspired, melancholic composition. Again, utilizing the captivating vibes created by the Icelandic language, this piece is a lilting, colorful waltz with poignant sorrow. The instrumentation is exceptionally sweet and delicate.

Marina Ost’s One Evening in July is an outstanding jazz album. Filled with inspired, provocative performances from all members of the roster, this album’s songs are one haunting composition after the other. With hints of quirkiness, playfulness, sorrow, and romance, it’s a full package of beautiful music.

So Serious by Noel Johnson NDJ

Moataz Gwaily
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So Serious by Noel Johnson NDJ

Just looking at the cover art for this single, I felt an air of humor and professionality, in the gentle color palette, and Noel’s fantastic shot, full of perplexity. Listening did not disappoint either.

Birmingham, Alabama is where Noel Johnson’s base of operations is. With a ton of contradicting influences, including Post Malone, Queen, and The Beach Boys, it was bound for his music to have a quirky sound. So Serious is a song about self-reflection and betrayal. Its electronics make a grand statement, bombastic, but paired with Noel’s introspective, restrained delivery, they are put in their perfect spot. The solid, slow groove is punchy and effective with the fuzzy synth bassline. A haunting choir hits, beautifully performed and masterfully orchestrated in a moment that clearly displays Noel Johnson’s wholesome songwriting talents.

The wonderful production can not be ignored. The sound is polar from the charismatic, organic vocals, and the heavily processed drums and bass, creating an amazingly compelling contrast, that alone, sells the song.

Noel Johnson’s latest single is a groovy, bombastic groove, with a classy, rich edge. A truly unique single that will get your body moving, and your mind thinking about those witty lyrics.

Sugar Shine by Emily McLoud

Akram Soliman
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Sugar Shine by Emily McLoud

Emily McLoud is an Austin, Texas-based singer-songwriter who just released her debut EP entitled “Sugar Shine”. The six-track opus is a back-to-basics offering with Americana, folk, and country elements that have something for everyone. While there are moments on the record that show some experimentation and creativity, there are other times when it feels like the tracks play it safe within the genre’s boundaries. Let’s see how these 6 tracks hold up.

1- So they Say

The track has a simple and beautiful acoustic guitar arrangement with some stompy percussion and electric guitars in the background. The experimentation was mostly on the instrumental part which has a sweet and short solo with a string instrument (probably a mandolin). It’s not traditional to have solos with clean or acoustic strings like this, so that’s what makes the track special and memorable. Emily’s vocals feel like she’s telling a story, which is very true to the legacy of Americana and folk music.

2- Sugar Shine

The title track has a more complex arrangement, albeit being somber and ballad-like. Emily has got one of the most beautiful voice timbres and she knows how to make it shine with her mixed register and airy/breathy technique that’s both calming and addictive. The song’s endearing lyrics seamlessly match its romantic melody.

3- Furies and Angels

This track has a little faster tempo and has some male backing vocals. It’s good to hear different voices harmonizing and the (presumably Steelcase) guitar playing a nice solo between the verses. If I heard this song on my Spotify shuffle, I would have probably thought it was a modern rendition of a 1920s classic. Emily once again shows her mastery of the “storytelling” technique of vocalizing.

4- Ain’t As It Seems

This one begins with a bit more gloomy vocals and an overall sad vibe. It’s the longest song on the EP, clocking in at nearly four and a half minutes. With the electric guitars giving the atmospheric background sounds, the formula is perfect for a sad moment in an authentic western drama movie. The mental picture this song paints is someone wandering on their own and contemplating lost love and how reality fails to meet our expectations. “Don’t you know that damn near everything ain’t as it seems” is one of the strongest statements I’ve ever heard in any song.

5- Disguise

This is another long song, with exactly four minutes of Emily’s angelic vocals and some different elements this time. There are some keyboards utilized in this one to create a more moody atmosphere along with some backing vocals and it made me visualize Emily singing this number on stage with everyone in the audience waving their lighters and flashlights. The beautiful electric guitar solo in here compliments the soft and slow nature of the percussion and the vocals making this one a charmer, and my personal favorite from the whole EP.

6- Ordinary Day

Fingerstyle guitar and more vintage-like country vocals make up most of this song. The melody that Emily hums remained stuck in my head for days on end. I would be the richest man in the wild west if I had a dollar for every time that Emily’s voice sent shivers down my spine and made me travel in space and time to the American countryside.

In conclusion, this EP shows a lot more than a promising beginning of a young artist. You could feel the musicianship, the emotion, and the immense talent that Emily has in every note of her airy vocals. It blew my mind how she was telling stories in her regular speaking voice like a bard or a modern-day poet but still hit her notes harmoniously and precisely. This record marks the start of an amazing musical journey of an angelic vocalist.

Blue Jeans by Cancion Franklin

Akram Soliman
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Blue Jeans by Cancion Franklin

Cancion Franklin’s latest single, “Blue Jeans”, captures the essence of what Americana songs should sound like. Between the soothing nature of the genre and the strength of his performance, there is a margin of originality and quality that I haven’t seen other artists do before. It wouldn’t be unfair to say that Cancion has tremendous emotional input into his vocals and while the song isn’t so challenging when it comes to high notes or techniques, his emotional delivery makes it a unique masterpiece. The arrangement that aids with these heavenly vocals is a nice chord progression with some diverse strumming and soft percussion that sounds like a Cajon drum.

The guitar in the chorus has that tremolo sound with a delay effect, which is a staple of Americana and was very pleasant to hear. Another surprise for me was that he managed to fit a brief guitar solo after the second chorus which added to the emotional punch. After that, he sings a bridge and one last chorus with even more grit and emotion, and believe me when I tell you this song made me live in the whole Americana state. For it wasn’t just a group of elements or genre tropes, it was the whole mood and dedication to the genre as well as the unique voice timbre of the great Mr. Cancion. This song is highly recommended for Americana fans and for those of you who would like something soft and simple to soothe them.

Walking Medicine by miQa.El

Akram Soliman
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Walking Medicine by miQa.El

Based in Stockholm, Sweden, chart-topping singer-songwriter Miqael Persson just debuted his latest single “Walking Medicine” under his new stage name “miQa.El”. The changes that miQa.El made were not only in his stage name or its stylization but also in how he wanted to present himself and his music to the world. On this new track, “Walking Medicine”, he sort of assumes the role of a guru that guides the listener to inner peace and harmony with their surroundings. It’s rare to find these themes done with such beauty and skill in western styles of music, specifically in the brand of country music that Mr miQa.El is giving us here.

With a very simple and soothing arrangement of guitars and percussive elements, miQa.El takes us from raspy verses to a hummed chorus in a beautiful harmony of both melody and lyrics. The female backing vocals and occasional tribal/folk sounds made me eager to hear this chorus more than once and it never felt repetitive, but rather cheerful and positive.

Certain lyrics make you envision yourself on vacation in a beautiful place where only good things can happen, and this serves to prove how good songwriting is that which involves heart, soul, and dedication like those provided by Mr. Miqael here. I know I will keep this song among my best discoveries of 2022, as it’s one of the most unique numbers I’ve heard and it can instantly uplift my mood.

TREASON (feat. Alba Rose) by Bravo Bonez

Youssef Harraz
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TREASON (feat. Alba Rose) by Bravo Bonez

 Bravo Bonez is a musician, composer, producer, and arranger from New Zealand. He has pursued his musical dream since the age of 21. Set to release on 25/11/22 his new Acid Jazz single “Treason” features Alba Rose on vocals.

 The song starts in a cinematic atmosphere with a strings section that grabs attention followed by a grounded groovy disco-like drum and bass that makes the listener dance his feet away flavored by an echoed flute which provides the song with a world music vibe preparing the listener for the introduction of the vocals. As Alba Rose comes in with her beautiful voice she makes the listener fall in love with her warm voice immediately changing the atmosphere of the song to what some people might call a James Bond theme accompanied by layered vocals that complete the picture. As the song reaches the end there is a musical interlude allowing the listener a moment to take a breath, with low strings sustained in the background topped by a back and forth high strings and flute giving room for the horn section to come in and giving the song an entirely new dimension and atmosphere. The last section of the song is where the horns blend into the background with the strings giving the song a brand-new flavor.



Pan by OneNamedPeter

Youssef Harraz
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Pan by OneNamedPeter

He goes by the alias OneNamedPeter, singer/songwriter Peter from Sussex, England is promising a project of what he refers to as opposition to “crowd-pleasing music” which he hopes people will listen to. Although not your typical celeb talk OneNamedPeter actually has a story behind this project, stories unhidden about his other projects and his “Awfully big adventure” as JM Barry’s Peter Pan said, and how he is destined to make his work adventures “I wanted my music to be more adventurous too“ said OneNamedPeter. OneNamedPeter presents “PAN” which is set to be released on 25/11/22.

The experimental melodies and the multi-culturally influenced percussions are the album’s main bases. The album opener is “Heart of Stone” the song starts in an ambient atmosphere with an escalating drum machine that gives the song a new mood giving room for the guitar to come in followed by Peter’s expressive vocals saying “you never answer when I talk to you” setting the theme of a man who loves a statue and is not loved back by it. Many songs in the album are piano-based such as “Blue Boy”, “scorched earth”, “Never Never”, and “wings”.

Blue boy is built upon a heartfelt piano line accompanied by sad cello and guitar OneNamedPeter talks about a boy who feels out of place and unsure of himself. While the song “Let It Rain” is an acoustic guitar-driven song fueled by a melodic bass line and atmospheric strings. “The lost boys” is a Rhodes-based song with strange fx and progressive drum beats all over it. “Alchemy” is powered by a swelling guitar that gives a chemical-infused feeling to it and a tabla beat grounding it and as a great finale, an uplifting synth-based song “Under Your skin” leaves the listener with an adventurous trip, flavored with echoed guitar and piano lines.

Story of a Houseparty by Danny Olocklin

Nadine Elwan
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Story of a Houseparty by Danny Olocklin

Artist Danny Olocklin from Dublin, Ireland will release a hyping indie pop song called “Story of a houseparty, on the 25th of November. Inspired by Dua Lipa’s disco sounds, Danny quit his corporate job at one of the largest financial corporations to pursue a career as a music producer. In his childhood years, he rebelled against classical music training when he was 9 years old, and resorted to playing other genres like rock and blues against his parent’s will, which forced them, even more, to make him complete his piano studies. 

The song is inspired by true events, a houseparty he hosted a while back. It tells the audience the shenanigans that were happening through an upbeat, dancy tune that will surely bring you to release all your negative energy. The overall sound of the song is groovy, laidback, and fun.

With a fun pop soundscape, the musical arrangement is dynamic, with many transitions through the catchy verses. The song includes fast bursts of violin, a guitar melody, and prominent cymbals guiding the beat with some backing drums. This song is suitable for the club or the beach, it’s hard not to vibe to it instantly!

EP: BREAK THE MATRIX (Episode Two) by Moon and Aries

Moataz Gwaily
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EP: BREAK THE MATRIX (Episode Two) by Moon and Aries

The Break The Matrix trilogy of EPs are 3 songs each, making a total of 9 sweet, immaculately written, and produced synthpop delights.

 As I was exploring the second “episode” of this trio of mini albums, there was one pervasive quality that kept recurring to me every minute of this miniature, 11-minute offering, and it is how hypnotic the sounds are. Moon and Aries is a duo, made by combining the efforts of German composer/producer Tom Aries, and Canadian singer/songwriter Jordana Moon, with Cologne being their base of operations.

 The first cut on this brilliant little release is called Codes and Circles, and it is an apt introduction to the delirium-inducing sound of this duo. A slow tempo with puffy, trippy drum modeling, snappy, clicky, percussive synths, an expansive, airy pad, and a lush, smooth-as-silk arrangement of delicious synthetic strings. Combine this with Jordana Moon’s poetic lyrics, charged with spirituality and introspection, and layered intelligently, with rich harmonies, and a delicate, distinctive delivery and the result is one captivating piece of satisfying, hypnotic Synthpop. I’m pleased to report that the second cut, The Butterfly Effect, offers more of the same goodness. This time with a more restrained treatment of electronics, in favor of a more direct, melancholic composition, and a vocal part that’s more focused and prominent. The composition is still cyclical and the drums sound just as crunchy and soothing, for a sound that’s just as hypnotic. Rescued tries to break the mold with a more expansive sound. The arena-sized synths and the most familiar-sounding chord progression yet work amazingly with the lush vocal layering and the massive, timeless synth sounds. Ultimately, it offers the same package as the 2 prior cuts, and I have nothing against it, this makes it 3-out-of-3 for me.

 Moon and Aries’s second episode of the ‘Break The Matrix’ trilogy hugely compelled me to try out the first one, and I’ll be waiting for the third episode. The sound is tight, enjoyable, timelessly familiar, and brilliantly arranged and produced. 3 sublime songs.  

 

 

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