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Album: Beware Wolves by Beware Wolves

Moataz Gwaily
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Album: Beware Wolves by Beware Wolves

We may debate the reasoning behind “greatest hits” albums for some time. It can be a tool to bring an out-of-sight artist back into the public eye, it can be a way to compile music of a certain sonic style from the artist as a foreshadowing for a future direction, and maybe it can be an affair of simply meeting contract obligations, among many other reasons. We might never know for sure what Beware Wolves’ reasoning is for compiling this album, but what it does is show us what a Beware Wolves album would sound like if it was composed of a chosen tracklist, not a pre-set arrangement based on alphabetical order. The twist is; the songs chosen for this compilation album are arranged in alphabetical order… Sigh.   

Check out all Sistra’s Beware Wolves features here.

Beware Wolves starts his compilation with Badsome, the smokey blues number from volume 1. Badsome is a relatively hyped up song with a jubilant character, making it an energizing entrance into the album. Blackout is the opener of volume 2, and it comes next. The characterful chorus of this song is super memorable, and was one of my favorite songs on the second volume, so its inclusion in this compilation feels natural and expected. Envy of Stars is a similarly paced song. With pristine acoustic production and gorgeous lyrics, it is a song that keeps a pleasant and easy-rolling pace to this compilation record. July is fast-paced and charismatic. With cowboy-tinted vocals and the distinctive slap-back echo sound, it’s a song that keeps this collection in a clearly positive and peppy direction. 

Long Shot in the Dark has muted guitar and prominent singing that’s loaded with emotion. It’s a song that draws the energy back a notch, and introduces a new chapter in this record; one that’s more introspective and less energized. Me For You is a gorgeous song with a dreamy soundscape courtesy of a bright chord progression and beautifully orchestrated vocals. The memorable chorus turnaround is a highlight. Rather Be Fishing is one of my favorite Beware Wolves songs. The fantastic lyrics on this song are compelling, witty, and fun, and the chorus has one of the most impressive vocal arrangements on all of his songs. A must listen. U.S. Mail is soft and expansive. With a heartfelt vocal delivery and a melodic line, as well as sweet and thought-provoking lyrics. Water & Stone is a full band affair that’s rich and entertaining. With a steady, driving rhythm, overdriven guitars and a crunchy, succulent sound and melody. It’s a solid song that surely deserves a spot on this record

Relatively free from the restricting alphabetical establishment that Beware Wolves has set for himself for 9 albums, this compilation shows us another face from the Bostonian artist, one that’s composed, poised, and dedicated. A collection of what he deems to be his best, or maybe most presentable songs, or songs which hold the most sentimental value. Regardless, it’s a collection of songs that holds Beware Wolves’ legendary quality, and it’s a perfect entry point into his rich world of sensitive, stripped-down Americana.

Album: Beware Wolves Volume 8 by Beware Wolves

Moataz Gwaily
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Album: Beware Wolves Volume 8 by Beware Wolves

Starting the penultimate collection of songs from the nameless Bostonian wizard of Americana, Beware Wolves, I was anticipating more of his genuinely impressive consistency, his trademark shapeshifting voice, that’s at once baritone, tenor, and alto, and his easy-to-follow, yet compelling songwriting. So, what did I find? Let’s see. 

Check out all Sistra’s Beware Wolves features here.

Beware Wolves’ formula is truly simple and approachable. Bold and admirable. He writes songs, based mostly on an acoustic guitar, then he writes words to go along with the music, then he runs the recorder and captures those ideas, right then and there, in one take most of the time, with inconsistencies and imperfections as essential parts of those performances. The resulting output resembled an album that has 81 songs and runs roughly for 4 hours. He cut this up into 9 parts, and voila, an anthology is born. His decision to arrange the 81 songs in a purely alphabetical fashion has cost him one or two issues with pacing, but the quality has remained solid, and the songs have remained precious little heartfelt gems.

I’m glad to report that the 8th volume has more of just that. Take It From Me starts the album on an exceptionally hazy, chill note. A country cut with a sound that’s sweet and reaffirming like the sun on a cold winter morning. Slow tempo, effortless delivery, and accommodating harmonies make this song cozy and gentle. The Cure has an infectious, bluesy undercurrent that shows up in the characterful riffs, and the swooning vocal delivery. a short stunner. The Difference has Beware Wolves’ distinctive slap-back sound and a Pop inspired chord progression. The vocals are slightly nondescript, and they get submerged beneath the guitar on multiple occasions, but the beautiful guitar performance provides sufficient compensation. The Odds starts a magnificent streak of gorgeous songs. This intoxicating song has a fingerpicking pattern that plays a minimal, yet rich and loaded progression, coupled with an equally rich and emotional vocal delivery, and introspective, heartfelt, inquisitive lyrics, to make this song a contemplative masterpiece. The Take is one of Beware Wolves’ rare songs with a full arrangement. This song is one of the richest Beware Wolves songs and is among my personal favorites. With a driving, simple beat, a charismatic composition with attractive lead guitar lines, these fuller offerings are what ultimately give meaning to Beware Wolves’ generally stripped-down sound. Pay attention to the dazzling piano instrumental that kicks off near the end. Following is The Tell. With one of the more memorable vocal and lyrical performances on his discography, melodic guitar accompaniment, and a dynamic composition that accommodates the lyrical themes, this is one of the more inspired songs on his catalog. Beware Wolves closes this collection with Today. A hypnotic, minimal composition and some serene vocal melodies carry this song forward, along with an understated and restrained string section that wails in the background. A beautiful closer to one of the most memorable of Beware Wolves’ volumes.

The 8th volume has easily climbed to be among my favorite of the 9 volumes. It’s the luck of the draw, with the alphabetical arranging, but it is what it is. The waning crescent is over, and the blood moon comes next, and last, in Beware Wolves illustrious anthology.

High Go Down by JOSHUA MARTIN

Moataz Gwaily
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High Go Down by JOSHUA MARTIN

Joshua Martin’s jubilant new single is a peppy electro-pop anthem that draws from many influences. Let’s see how it manages to stay afloat.

Joshua Martin is an English/Spaniard who is based in Los Angeles, and it’s there that he comes up with, records, and produces his music. Joshua’s main source of inspiration is music from the 80s, as would be perfectly noticeable, 15 seconds into the song. 

High Go Down is his latest single. This Popper is full of pure, summery soul. Endlessly bright, open, and expansive. From the get-go, a sharp square synth arpeggio hits hard, sounding dry and frenetic, it’s a perfect 80s synth, then the gated reverb on the drum part reminds us of Phil Collins’s most infamous contribution to the 80s music tech. The dense phasing is also a clear nod toward that time. The composition is light and vast, allowing massive space for the melodies to go a million different places, but what Joshua does is come up with a couple of really soulful and spaced-out melodies that are heartfelt, effortless, and so much fun. This 2-chord song manages, quite impressively if I might add, to have a distinct verse, chorus, and bridge sections, using smart production techniques, and inspired, simplistic songwriting tactics, ending up ultimately with a compelling, late summer hit, that has potential to land easily on a ton of playlists.

Joshua’s effort is noticeable and his shortcomings are tastefully evaded (or handled) by his intelligent songwriting skills, production finesse, and by a generally solid piece of music that’s endlessly fun to listen to.

Album: When Dreams End by Chris St. John

Moataz Gwaily
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Album: When Dreams End by Chris St. John

 When Dreams End is an unlikely marriage between Richard Hawley’s homely swoons and Nick Cave’s mythical atmospheres, watered down on both sides, with added sentimentality, and a subtle subtraction of direction. Chris St. John is a New Yorker. A prolific singer/songwriter who is at his third studio album of 2022. Hardworking, with a distinctive taste, and an undeniable ear for melodies and vibes, Chris St. John’s When Dreams End is a thoroughly enjoyable record of soft, acoustic folk. Half romantic, half tragic.

 Incredibly talented, Chris’s last album sees him expanding his output with a dazzling array of sounds, and a vastly varying style, that’s knit together by his reaffirming tenor. Composed, yet fluid. Heartful and romantic. Exquisitely produced. The album starts with the stunning Lost Without Your Love. This song is based on top of a cushiony string section, and a dreamy, airy composition that’s comforting and emotional. The slide guitar work is sensational, and the arrangement swells and contracts naturally, like heaving lungs. Sublime. Oh, Papa is a characterful lament for a lost father. This triumphant acoustic folk tune is lyrically loaded. A tearjerker. With an intriguing composition that remains familiar and approachable for most of the song, before a colorful interlude introduces a handful of unexpected chords that manage to aptly spice up the room. The solo is epic, tastefully distorted, short, and sweet.

 What’s Wrong With Me has a largely predictable sound, minus an ingenious violin that soars and wails, and another delicious solo. The lyrics tend to be overly simplistic, and while not devoid of meaning and depth, they can sound a little too easy at times. The title song is a grand song, based around a grand piano and an intricate acoustic guitar arrangement. the composition is simplistic and perfectly approachable, but the bass is mixed way too low in the mix, sometimes entirely disappearing, which is a missed opportunity. Growing stable and content, the song could have benefited from being a little shorter in length as it starts to feel a little timid towards the end, before a gorgeous shift in rhythm upends the arrangement and makes the length entirely worth it. Her Name Was Lilly is a softened down Murder Ballad. For those familiar with the work of Nick Cave, this piece has an undeniable flair that recalls to mind some of the finer days of his career. No murders here, thankfully, just a tragic composition and a stunning, dramatic string arrangement. Bitter Tears has the by-now-usual beautiful string arrangement. A sweet, soft, and sad closer to an album that’s full of heartbreak and emotion.

Backwards Sideways by Jack Phemister

Moataz Gwaily
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Backwards Sideways by Jack Phemister

Jack Phemister’s Backwards Sideways is a dazzling stunner with Jazzy potentials that it ends up effortlessly exceeding.

Phemister is based in Melbourne, Australia. His music explores the blurry boundaries between Jazz, Folk, and Rock. Backwards Sideways lies heavily in the Jazz side of things. This song has it all. The intricacies in the arrangements, the ambiguous tonalities, and the harmonic boldness make a Jazz tune stand out. 

Starting with a stuttering, chromatically descending motif, the song then opens up into a verse section that’s beautifully orchestrated. With Phemister’s warm voice efficiently leading the way. The guitar part is nuanced and full of detail. A beautifully executed performance that never gets in the way. The second verse then includes a flute part that flutters and adds so much color and personality to the tune, courtesy of Thomas Bell. An expansive bridge follows, with grand, dramatic chords and a sublime performance from Kieran Rule on the drums. The whole song is arranged professionally and the production is spotless and clean.

Backwards Sideways is a delightful, light, calculated, and efficient piece of modern Jazz. Made true by a group of professional musicians, led by the musical vision of the talented Jack Phemister. It’s a tasteful offering that will be endlessly easy to recommend to anyone that has a soft spot for Jazz.



The End of the Ride by Blue Work

Viola Karmy
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The End of the Ride by Blue Work

Imagine walking in a gallery and each painting or photograph doesn’t have a lapel or interpreter; it rather has a song in a loop that tells you the entire story while leaving some mystery for your imagination. That’s what Blue Work’s music sounds like—like a delicate canvas with moving lines and colors coming to life.

Blue Work is the musical project of the interdisciplinary artists’ Hortensia and Vee. They both craft visual art and create sonic escapism, like their latest track, “The End of the Ride.” Their secret lies in enticing you with their mystical blended sound that gathers sparked retro wave and dreamy alt-pop with bouncy electronica and trip-hop elements.

“The End of the Ride” has a calming effect despite its blue lyricism. The peaceful intro sets the mood for an introspective delivery through the dark ambiance. Hortensia’s hypnotic vocals convey the lyrical depth smoothly through the silky, bittersweet tone. Vee’s genius beats simulate the hazy vibe, giving a spooky sense, yet the synth and percussion unite to spread bright rays of light through the mist.

A yin-yang perspective of a tiny borderline between heavenly harmony and an emotional hell is presented by the profound, expressive lyrical theme presented by the hunting vocals and dynamic cadences.

A painting’s aesthetic is not immediately apparent at first glance. The same is true of this ethereal piece! It takes several listens for you to fully immerse your soul in it and enjoy discovering a new dimension of its realm. 

 



EP: re//combinator by Combinator

Hazem Mahani
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EP: re//combinator by Combinator

Experimentation, genre-breaking, and multi-layered are three words that popped into my mind when I was checking the brainchild of the Seattle-based artist Sean Fairchild Combinator. Combinator dropped his latest EP “Re//combinator” on June 17th and it offers a deep sound journey into Combinator’s mind with 4 original singles and 3 remixes of his previous works “Respira” and “Through The Fog” by Hesse Hol and Chi:Child, so let me tell you about this trip 

Our journey starts with “Guest in Your Own Skin”, a pure modern progressive piece with balanced industrial and electronic elements, extremely heavy bass, and excellent layering. “Things That Should Be” seamlessly comes next taking things to a more serious and experimental level, its fast and dynamic beats were mixed with subtle melodies, fluid vocals, and balanced changing dynamics in a solid structure that surprisingly kept all these sounds intact. Combinator tuned things down a lot on “Hide and Seek” creating a more-pop-like ballad with well-arranged and layered effects and flowing emotional melodies. “Cartoon Character Child” comes next with dreamy spacey sounds and some improvisational vibes, I believe this is one of Combinator’s beautiful creations and my favorite of this EP. The two “Respira” remixes “Jesse Hold Club Mix” and “Jesse Holt Chill Mix” took the original tune to different territories, with the 1st focusing on its upbeat energetic side and even upgrading it, while the 2nd builds upon its subtle dark vibes adding some extra soothing chill layer, with both extending its length and taking the time they need. “Through The Fog (Chi:Child Mix)” preserved its blues-rock roots and swinging groove, this one says a lot about Combinator influences and deep rocking roots and shows his diverse sound and songwriting skills and this diversity made me want to dig more into Combinator’s catalog. 

“Re//combinator” is an enjoyable and unpredictable sonic journey led by Combinator, mixing heavy high-tech proggy tunes with chilling ballads and bluesy melodies all in one EP blew my mind and teased Combinator’s writing skills, sense of melody, and musicianship to those who’re just getting into his music, I’m definitely keeping an eye on Combinator and will be looking forward to more, cheers and keep on rocking!

Fly Patrol by J.Outlaw

Nadine Elwan
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Fly Patrol by J.Outlaw

 Hip hop artist J. Outlaw releases a super banger on the 28th of September from Los Angeles, US called “Fly patrol.” Outlaw discovered his passion for music in the 2000s, which is a clear inspirational sound in his music. Since then, he devoted his life to understanding making music and lyrics. His first-ever project “One Way Street Vol.1”, solidified his mark on the music world. 

Flexing and flaunting a superstar-style living, this song has Outlaw show us his take on indulging in wealth and fame. The overall sound of the song is chill, laid back, and a little nostalgic to the late 90s, and early 2000’s hip hop and rap style. With that being said, there is an undertone of sexiness and swaying smoothness from the vibe of the song, it feels like the track is almost flirting with your ears. The song is medium paced and the soundscape is a slow R&B tone with a breezy flow, and magical sound effects that create the main feel of the song, like sparkles sprinkled on the beat every 5 seconds. I mean, this is the sophisticated and chic kind of sound to hip hop and we’re thanking Outlaw for bringing this type of rap music back in style. The song is medium-paced with a lot of texture added by playing and replaying Outlaw’s verses. 

Of course, Outlaw spits bars in a nonchalant, glamorous manner that is the voice of a winner, and we can’t help but fall a little in love with the attitude he is giving us in the song!

 

Mr. Strange by Jenn Vix

Nadine Elwan
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Mr. Strange by Jenn Vix

Artist Jenn Vix released an interesting and controversial concept video and song that shatters the glass wall between art and society’s ‘normal, with her new song ‘Mr. strange’ all the way from Rhode Island, US, on the 7th of October. Totally out there in flesh, bones, and power, Vix is a multi-instrumentalist who is adept at bass, lead guitar, synth, and vocals. Nothing like the sound or ideas of pop music, Vix really pushes the boundaries with notions, the unspoken, and the representation of them through art and music. You just know you’re in for something different when it’s Vix. The song is mastered by Colin Leonard who has worked with Cardi B and Beyonce.

Dark, daring, and authoritative, Vix introduces us to a feminist narrative in an astounding and unconventional way. In her song, she talks about adventures with a male blow-up doll. Lifeless, plastic, and binding to her will, it seems that Vix dreams of a world where women are the dominating force. We may think, that the doll, Mr. strange, is smart imagery of the unfamiliarity of the dismantlement of the patriarchy, and how she wishes that this feeling is the true reality of the world. A true artist Vix doesn’t use the usual storytelling to convey her message. The overall sound of the song is dark, mysterious, and weird in a good way. The soundscape is edgy pop and there is an undertone of erotic energy that takes this pop song to a whole new level. The rhythm is medium paced and the melody is sweet and created with xylophone sound effects or what imitates it. There are also creepy magical sounds that create a scary atmosphere, with electric guitar outbursts that make the song even darker. Vix’s vocals are strong and high-pitched, with her vocals used to make more texture with echoes. This song is a must-hear for all the feminists out there who want the world to be rid of the undeniable patriarchal reality.

EP: my life so far by Ava Bryant

Nadine Elwan
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EP: my life so far by Ava Bryant

New York-based indie pop singer and songwriter Ava Bryant released a fun series of emotional recollections that are rich and cheerful in her newest EP on the 23rd of September, called “My life so far”. Ava started recording solo in 2018, and since her debut album, she has released half a dozen singles and 2 EPs. Her most famous song ‘always you’, has 2 million streams alone on Spotify. 

Mellow, fun, and easy on the ears, Bryant flaunts her talent with her voice and she makes the perfect candidate for a new commercial pop sound. The Ep is made up of 5 songs, and its general tone is cheerful and comforting, although there are a lot of existential questions about the situations life throws at us. The idea of the Ep seems to be revolving around the ideas of regret and how not to take this notion into movement at all. The Ep is a collection of some fragments of life situations and how she feels about them, with topics like identity, making the right choices, bad decisions,  and not wanting to go by society’s rules. It is about embracing your choices, no matter what they resulted in. The overall sound of the Ep is a slow burn of cheeriness and emotional vulnerability, with undertones of rebelliousness and recklessness. The soundscape is mostly slow pop sounds, and the musical arrangement is not very complicated,  but high in textures made with Bryant’s vocals and tune-humming, taking her pop singing to a higher level. The rhythms of the tracks are slow or medium paced which is unlike commercial pop because of Ava’s character and choice of emotional representation.  Most of the melodies are created with fun and light piano notes, heavy snare, and clapping sound effects, and heavy drums in one note, or several. Some notable sounds are the fun backing vocals of the lyrics and backing humming tunes that create a more dynamic effect on the songs. 

The order of the songs is just a grouping of ideas starting with herself with “Who the hell am i” and then moving to decisions with “it’s so fun”, and moving to more sensitive topics of love with ‘ forget me’ and ‘Give me you’, and ending with a comforting song, “we’ll be oka”’, as a conclusion to the heavy questions and reflections on bad decisions and reckless attitude. Ava really shakes things up with her new EP, making complicated emotions sound simple.

 

 

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