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Pearls by Roxercat

Norhan El Sebaie
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Pearls by Roxercat

Lead singer Price Jones, guitarist Stan Lassiter, and bassist Bill Francis; all joined forces to create the one-of-a-kind Nashville rock band, Roxercat. Each band member comes from long years of experience, strong musical background, and a passion like no other.

The band just released their debut single as part of their upcoming 6-track EP composed and arranged by Price Jones who co-produced it along with Grammy award-winning engineer and producer Clarke Schleicher. It was recorded at Sound Emporium Studios with overdubs at Cat Tracks Studio. This is not the band’s first encounter as they previously worked together on a rock opera “The Fortunate Few” composed by Price Jones back in 1997.

“Pearls” is a simple, chill rock ballad with lush melodies, magnetic electric guitar riffs, and a remarkable solo that will draw you in completely leaving you high on its tunes. It’s about the relationships and people that we cross paths with and that no matter what happens, we should always wish them well and move forward. It’s about surrounding yourself with the right people who resonate with you.

The song release is accompanied by a music video release featuring all three musicians performing together out in nature reflecting the peaceful message they are trying to send through their music. Check it out and we can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

Five Minutes (Jon Kennedy Remix) by Frank Joshua

Nadine Elwan
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Five Minutes (Jon Kennedy Remix) by Frank Joshua

London, UK-based artist Frank Joshua released a mesmerizing art pop song called ‘Five minutes, on the 14th of October. The song was beautifully remixed by Trihop producer John Kennedy, who has taken a second bite from Frank’s debut album ‘Sense Life.’ It’s astonishing what Kenndey was able to make of the track after mashing up Trip hop and singing/songwriting, extremely different areas of music together, making something truly timeless. This song is Frank’s 17th release in the past 22 months on Numen records, and we can’t wait for his new album to drop by the new year.

Five minutes is a song about the significance and strange nature of time. Many people think 5 minutes isn’t longtime while in fact, 5 minutes can change your whole life in – well, no time! Through songwriting and vocals, the feeling of time can be felt even by the very fast rhythm and intense beat. The overall sound of the song is really sophisticated and magical, it feels like you would enjoy a theatrical show listening to it. It’s highly melodic, it’s not our average pop song at all.  Frank’s vocals mimic those of a narrator story in a film telling an old, mystical story. His voice sounds venerable, poised, and light, which matches his wisdom as he sings. The musical arrangement is quite complex, with heavy drums and intense cymbal sound effects that emit a very jazzy vibe, magical piano and harp sound that shock you every few seconds as the words 5 minutes are repeated over and over using a notable sound of opera-like vocals at the back of the track. The song is such a spicy treat! The future sounds promising with this duo!



This Moment by Mick J. Clark

Nadine Elwan
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This Moment by Mick J. Clark

Singer and songwriter Mick J.Clark based in Croydon, UK released an enchanting Latin pop duet song called ‘This moment, on the 26th of September. He is signed to Sonorus record label and has written over 60 songs, with 40 of them played in shops. The artist has three albums and three EPs. He has a passion for helping children stop self-harm, bullying, and drug problems, and achieves that through the power of music, his ultimate belief. With that being said, Croydon education used some of his songs on anti-drugs and self-harm in many schools in Surrey! That’s something huge to be proud of. Clark believes that you should never compromise who you are, and be happy. 

The song is a bundle of joyful energy. Although the idea it talks about is saying goodbye, nevertheless it encourages people to look at departing in a loving and open way, dealing with the pain of letting go by embracing the good memories and remembering the love you had for them. The song carries a powerful message we all need. The lyrics are simple and straight to the point: if you ever feel lonely and sad because your loved one isn’t here anymore, remember the beautiful moments you had together. Mick’s vocals are medium pitches and the woman’s voice is so angelic. The overall sound is positive in such a way that makes you want to cry tears of happiness and sadness at the same time. A truly moving piece, the musical arrangement is simple, with light musical notes playing. The music consists of bliss to our ears with some Spanish guitar, a light piano melody, fun drums, and a beautiful maracas sound effect. To relieve your eyes and heart from the pain of a missing loved one, give this song a press on your Spotify application!

For more reviews on this artist. Click here.

 



Blood Bank by ICEBERG

Norhan El Sebaie
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Blood Bank by ICEBERG

Being a musician and an artist isn’t as challenging as it used to be; the music industry has changed drastically in the last few years, and anyone can release their music from their bedroom. Yet amongst all the chaos, you can still spot pure talent, hard work, and experience; they simply stand out.  ICEBERG is a walking force of talent and determination with steady steps and a voice like no other. Her choice of stage name comes from actual icebergs and how they are 90% under the surface which is how she describes her songwriting technique; “I write to trick my brain into telling me how I’m really feeling. To express things that are difficult to speak out loud. Growing up, my favorite feeling in the world was listening to an artist say something I’d felt but couldn’t articulate.”

In only 4 years, the Pennsylvania-born artist and producer worked with top studios during her time in London. She produced and wrote songs for many bands and co-written with X-Factor winner Matt Terry. She even received an Arts Grant from the UK government last August. The artist just released her third single from her upcoming, self-produced EP “Swim”, a new milestone for ICEBERG to finally leave her mark, not just as a producer, songwriter, or classical pianist, but as an independent artist. “Blood Bank” is an indie song with a beautiful ambiance, smooth melodies, and an angelic vocal color. In less than a month; the song reached over 98K streams on Spotify; 2nd highest number after “Can’t Forgive Me”, released earlier this year with 120K streams. Not to mention her previous releases “Swim” reached 78K streams and “Noise” at 95K streams, resulting in an overall number of 34K monthly listeners in such a short time. The song was recorded at Urchin and Flesh n’ Bone studios with co-producer Oscar Moos and Clare O’Connell, Paul McCartney’s previous cellist. We’re looking forward to the upcoming EP release and can’t wait to add it to our playlist!

 

Space from You by Liv Charette

Viola Karmy
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Space from You by Liv Charette

When we get tired of life and just want to be left alone, we tend to build walls to surround us. Nevertheless, comes the chance to meet someone through the brick we didn’t place, and they make us want to let down our guard, open a door and be alone together. Liv Charette totally gets this scenario and portrays it in her latest single, “Space From You.”

The Canadian-born, Nashville-based singer/songwriter, Liv Charette, is changing her known color and trying on a new one in “Space From You.” As in her previous releases, she offers powerful performances rather than the dulcet, affectionate vocals in this lighthearted love-pop output.

Sparkling synths, euphonic beats, and ethereal, soulful vocals serve as the foundation of “Space From You.” It was easy to tell that this soft vocal line is a dressing for a layered wide range of tones, and after taking a tour of Liv’s previous releases and TiktoK’s one-word singing challenge, my theory has been proved. What a talent!

Liv presents the spark in a relationship through all of the elements in the song, and the shiny production highlights this spark. The poetic lyrics smoothly narrate how someone who needed space from everything could gladly share this made-for-one space with their significant other.

It doesn’t matter whether you relate or not; you’ll find yourself delving into the dreamy atmosphere, charmed by Liv’s velvety, airy voice, and vibing in with the vibrant rhythms. 

 



Battle Wounds by Podge Lane

Viola Karmy
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Battle Wounds by Podge Lane

Humans are needy creatures. They essentially need communication, but sadly, not all of them give and take equally, which upsets the balance. Through a light-hearted sound, “Battle Wounds” by Podge Lane, gently opens the scars of one-sided relationships.

Podge Lane is an intelligent musician from Cork City who knows how to create folk music that makes you feel like you’re sitting on a Hawaiian beach enjoying the fresh, sunny atmosphere while hitting you hard with explicit lyrical content that will make you feel like you’re sitting there, in that perfect scene, with a blue, rainy cloud above your head.

“Battle Wounds” has the ideal, well-thought-of balance between brightness and darkness. All of the elements are working on delivering the message in a positive yet realistic manner. Some of them take sides like the instrumentation is on the positive, colorful side, and the lyrics are on the real, emotive side, while the vocals are amidst them with a frisky timbre.

The blended sound of folk, Americana, and the country is subtle enough to soothe the soul that might feel relatable and exposed by the single’s theme. It’s simply an urge to open up and share in a healthy way where there’s no room for self-centered character or a shying-away one, but rather mutual sharing and caring. The mellow melody and the passionate, melodic vocals make sure that the message is spread with a feel-good rainbow of delight.

The artwork by Rebecca Dermody is one of the elements that speak to you, telling you how a one-sided relationship could both water and blossom the taker and wither the all-time giver.

To get a dose of pleasure dipped in an introspective message, listen to “Battle Wounds” below.

 



Beware Wolves Vol.1 by Beware Wolves

Moataz Gwaily
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Beware Wolves Vol.1 by Beware Wolves

While looking up “Beware Wolves” on Spotify for the sake of this review I was met with an artist page that had a simple, but smart and elegant graphic of a howling wolf, and no text whatsoever. There was no artist bio in sight, it was blank, and in the discography section there wasn’t a single Beware Wolves Vol.’X’ release, there were 9. I proceeded to find out that the illusive Bostonian has released his entire body of work over the course of a single month, in 9 distinct collections of songs.

Uniformly hovering around 25 minutes long, each collection is numbered one to nine, with each album featuring a unique anagram on its cover that consists of a geometric shape with the exact same number of strokes as the number of the album itself. No other release data was found. Minor details, I know, but they point in the direction of an artist that values his creations more than any gain, a smart one who has set out to capture the hearts with music and the minds with his puzzling lack of identity. I got hooked before I started listening.

The first volume is enough to give you a taste of what Beware Wolves is all about. What he does is essentially good music with poetic musings. He delivers this using his distinctive, far-reaching vocal capabilities, and an acoustic guitar, sometimes strummes, sometimes picked. Every now and then he features a piano line, an interesting bassline, or a peculiar effect. Simplistic, captivating, and picturesque pieces take shape as their music is suitably arranged on the guitar, and lovingly sung.

After The War is a stunning starter with a unique, dynamic performance that features very little more than guitar and voice that writhe and shapeshift, getting lower and higher, to accommodate the shifting mood of the lyrics. It is boasted that most songs on all albums have been recorded in a single take, mostly on the day they were written. But if there were a few exceptions, Anna would definitely be one of them. The stunning ballad features haunting, loving, and mystical lyricisms on top of a vintage Vaudeville arrangement with a hazy production and a cloudy sound.

The music is definitely tear-jerking with a tasteful guitar that occasionally rips across the soundscape. More highlights include the playful, tongue-in-cheek Another Song. A minimal love song that seems directed to a particular person, like most other songs on the album by the way. Around & Down is a dreamy stunner that has some of the most personal and sweet lyrics, as well as one of the most distinctive vocal hooks on the whole album. Back To You features grand acoustic guitars in a folky arrangement that sounds vintage, familiar, and cozy.

For my personal taste, the album could have benefited from more interesting instrumental hooks, as the singer/songwriter style tends to get a little monotonous and sustained for so long. But the artistic musical value these songs carry is more than enough to keep things fresh and interesting. Add to that the sense of mystery that the artist created with his elusiveness and confidence, and it won’t take you much time to realize that this collection of 81 songs, released in that peculiar manner, is nothing short of bold and admirable. If you’re a fan of heartfelt acoustic folk, then Beware Wolves will be an absolute treasure chest for you to dive into, as you will spend more than four whole hours exploring their impressive and mystical body of work.

Bellevue by EisZ

Viola Karmy
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Bellevue by EisZ

The Mandelieu-based beatmaker/producer, EisZ, is inviting us on a remarkable journey to witness the beauty of the south of France through his heart-felt, spirit-filled EP, “Bellevue.”

 

“Bellevue” is EisZ’s first EP, and throughout its four tracks, you’ll be mesmerized by the organic sound and sharpened musical prowess. The lasting seven-minute soundscape features smoothly blended jazz and hip-hop ingredients, soulful compositions, perky beats, and a pack of talented musicians, such as Odaiba, Jérôme Dragin on guitar, and Mireille Freydier on saxophone.

The EP starts with “Comes from the South”, which carries the EP’s concept in its title and melodies. I listened to this track at 6 AM and it was a heaven match! The natural sounds in the song and the natural morning visual in my window made a perfect compo juiced with peace and serenity. It kicks off with mellow piano notes and tranquil chords that make you believe you’re introduced to a jazz ballad, but soon the hip-hop flair emerges, with an “Ayoo” shout and steady beats. The cherry saxophone and soft guitar chords go together in harmony, giving the best glimpse of the south.

Moving to the title track, “Bellevue,” and its vibrant energy. As I’ve mentioned, I’m listening to the EP in the early morning, and this track got me wanting to get up and go running! It has a funky groove that gets you moving and a bouncy beat that gets you all hyped up. The hip-hop components are showing off here, leaving the subtle space for the sax to shine, the fatty bass line to kick, and the flute to add its touch.

“Soprana” has an atmospheric feel that lures you to grab a partner and dance slowly. The jazzy vibe is spreading, with the saxophone offering a poignant performance and the dreamy chords adding more fantasy. The soothing synth feels like dancing along with the sax, and there’s a background sound that feels like rain, making the vibe more poetic.

A night feel closes the EP with “Odyssée.” It has an edgy ambiance that is also funky in a way. The instruments are going wild in an intense scene, trying to battle but ending up complementing each other, giving us the best closure to this masterful EP. The dynamic percussion, tuneful synth, and bluesy riffs feel like the rhymed lines of a Greek Saga, and the sax is the tragic element that adds more depth. The outro gives the mark on ending the journey.

Isn’t it incredible to be able to go on a cultural tour through musical works of art? It’s been a pleasant adventure that certainly taught a lot about both the south of France and EisZ’s musicianship.

Tanlines/Swimming At Night by VIKINGS

Viola Karmy
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Tanlines/Swimming At Night by VIKINGS

The last couple of years of the pandemic were hard on all of us. But, on some level, it was a brisk period for many industries, such as the music scene, which witnessed the birth of many talents. The Winnipeg-based outfit, VIKINGS, got back in 2020 after three years away and used the lockdown to find its niche. Fast forward to 2022, and here they are releasing the double bang “Tanlines/Swimming At Night,” with a bonus treat.

VIKINGS is a trio that offers an A-class electronic sound. It took Dave McNabb (Synths, Drum Programming), James McNabb (Synth Samples), and Josh Youngson (Keys, Vocals, and Guitar) to produce the topnotch pair “Tanlines” and “Swimming at Night,” with the additional bliss of an Ash Halo Remix of Tanlines and a radio edit of Swimming at Night to keep you pumped for much longer.

“Tanlines” is an extremely vibey love song. It kicks off with a muffled synth note that soon bursts with life. The bright synth, along with the thrilling drum samples and dazzling guitar chords, keeps the groove throughout the track and offers an addictive and dreamy feel. The colorful, sensational vocal line adds further zing to the dreamlike ambiance with its spirited character, which spreads affection and offers a sunny beach scene feel.

The electronic flair in “Swimming at Night” will get you bouncing right from the intro. It has a vintage new-wave flavor that adds authenticity to it. The vocal delivery is more ardent and glowing, rather than melodic and poetic in “Tanlines.” You can see the neon lights swirling in your mind, inviting you to the adventure where you can party all night long and jump into the water at the end. Each single is taking its own direction when it comes to the rhythms, lyrical content, and vocal delivery, showing how these can vary and offer a lot.

It’s not easy for me to like an original song and its remix. I lean towards one version more than the other. But with “Tanlines” and “Tanlines (Ash Halo Remix)”, the equation was hard to make. The remix has an electronic sonic landscape of pulsing cadence. The appealing rhythm gets one electrified as much as the rich bass line. The original has more soul in it, and the remix has a danceable charm.

As Vikings colonized islands and stole what wasn’t theirs, these gifted VIKINGS are here to mark their territory with their musicianship and to steal hearts with their astonishing performance and chemistry.

Album: Building the Bird by Amateur Ornithologist

Nadine Elwan
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Album: Building the Bird by Amateur Ornithologist

Picture this: a small-town boy with a dream, trying to find a place in a big world ruled by flashing lights and bustling noise. We’re talking a sweet tornado of twisty emotional rawness on this one, coming all the way from a northern town in the UK Gateshead, English artist “Amateur Ornithologist” takes us in for a treat with his second album: ‘’Building The Bird’’, on the 21st of October. Artist Daniel Clifford is a creator within the genre of indie pop and rock, who has a special taste for nostalgia, melancholy, and glimmers of joy sliding within his musical creations. 

 The album consists of 11 tracks; 4 of which are already published on his platforms and the rest are yet to be released. The Tracklist comprises these songs: Promises, Hermit Phase, A Better Person, IToldALie, Weird Walking, Sunscreen, Building the Bird, Ecclesia, Like An Amateur, Slip Away, and Willows.

 Looking at the songs, their order, and names; Listening to building the bird makes you think of the fragility of the human experience, and how we need to first feel our weaknesses to build and become the people we are destined to be. Because of the themes of both his albums, the second album looks like a sequel to his first one ‘Bird watching.’. It seems that Daniel has decided to come down from the rooftop this time and actually ‘’become’’ a bird, reaching freedom in all the possible ways; mentally and emotionally, after a long time just being fascinated by the free bird while hiding in safety.

 This artist always delivers straight indie pop tunes that are very similar, but this time, the overall sound and tone of the album are quite a mix.  With a sense to push his boundaries personally and musically, no song is like the other. Yet everything about the album speaks originality and the particular sounds, vocals, and lyrics of the artist. Daniel has been trying different styles of music. With each song, Danial serves us a different kind of feeling.

 The order of the songs is spectacular because it tells us the story of a bird building itself. with Hermit Phase, a playful song that vibrates anxiousness and has a very fast rhythm. It’s about the introvert wishing to find answers for navigation about day-to-day interactions. The second song “Better person’’, a laid-back song with a notable beautiful piano and soothing vocals in the background. The third in order ‘‘I told a lie, with the most complex musical arrangement made up of harmonic parts,  tells us about the struggle of having mental health issues as he tries to face his inner anxieties forcing him to lie about being ok instead of breaking down every time. Lastly, the fourth is “Sunscreen”, made up of a strong power chord guitar rhythm with a feeling of melancholic relaxation, as of the surely soon release of the bird. Daniel hopes that his love will wait for him to come out in the blazing sun, whilst carrying the sunscreen that will yet protect him from the strong rays of underexposure.

 If you want to go down a long road inside of yourself intimately, wait for this album! It is a real post-punk poetic masterpiece, starting from the theme, the arrangement of the music, and the different sounds that evoked the perfect emotional response to the story of coming out of the shadows and into the light. Turn on your notifications!

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