Showing posts with label Music Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music Review. Show all posts

3/07/2022

Apex God emerges with hard-hitting new single 'Sugar Ray'


Having started rapping in 2017, Apex God dropped freestyles on YouTube, and now has music across all platforms. Taking the town of Missoula by storm, Apex God founded a record label with other local talents. Their record label has amassed over 500,000 streams and embraces an old-school, ugly style of rap that always leaves the listener wanting more.
Speaking about the new release, Apex God shares, “Feeling like you are the GOAT. It talks about combining defensive masterminds like Sugar Ray, Ali, and Mayweather, With offensive powerhouses like Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson. That's how I rap, light on my feet yet a heavy hitter. It goes hand in hand with the mixtape I'm dropping next month.” “Sugar Ray” is a fierce, hip-hop number that comes across as adventurous and hard-hitting. Adding to how the track was created, Apex God shares, “I was making beats and I liked this one, I knew I wanted to do a mixtape with a boxing theme so I decided to write about some of my favorite boxers to get started.”


2/25/2022

Alternative rock band Public Theatre reveal iconic new release 'The Hunt'


Alternative rock band Public Theatre clearly state that the Seattle music scene will forever be iconic. The band is composed of Logan Britsch on lead vocals, Cory Meldrom on guitar, Grayson Malone on bass and guitar, and Matthew Tran on drums. Drawing heavy inspiration from music in the early 2000’s such as The Killers, Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes, Public Theatre are back with their finest release to date, ‘THE HUNT’. 


Speaking about their new release, Public Theatre share, “THE HUNT is a song about somehow always falling into toxic or abusive relationships and hopefully this song will help a few people realize the cycle that they're stuck in. We wrote this song just like any other one of our songs, one person comes in with either a guitar lick or vocal melody at practice and we all just jam around that person until it feels right. We've all been playing together for years and years, so it's easy to pick up what someone is trying to get across.


Receiving support from Spotify’s All New Rock, New Music Friday: Norway & New Music Friday: Iceland to name a few, Public Theatre are certainly turning heads across the globe. The first track from the band in two years, ‘The Hunt’ is certainly a triumphant return. Public Theatre plan to release one track each month for the foreseeable future!


Musically a hard-hitting number with elements of grunge throughout, ‘THE HUNT’ requires you turning the volume up to eleven straightaway.

12/17/2021

Jafar Curry is back with enchanting new release 'Loving My Girl'

 



American international recording artist Jafar Curry returns with soul meets funk offering ‘Loving My Girl’. Armed with an electrifying R&B sound that embodies the greats such as Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Michael Jackson and Prince. Jafar was born to Caribbean-American parents in Harrisburg. The family later relocated to Atlanta, Georgia where Jafar began learning, singing, writing and performing music. Finding his love for music in middle school with a group of friends, the rest is simply history.


Typically staging his shows with live horn sections, multiple keyboards and a full rhythm section including percussion, ‘Loving My Girl’ certainly lives up to expectations. Taken from his forthcoming album ‘The Tuxedo Bartender’ due for release December 2021. This track sits perfectly on the 13-track release.


Standing for creativity and creating music that will leave fans empowered, Jafar is also an advocate for music and the arts being taught in primary and secondary schools. Inspired by live performance, Jafar is the type of artist you’d be proud to support along his career. 


Speaking about the new release, Jafar Curry shares, “This song talks about the redemptive power of love, the mistakes we make in love & relationships and the beauty of our experience impacting the end result. The song has a funky and original backbeat rooted in hip-hop and funk while maintaining a nice melodic and vocally rich R&B/Soul timbre.”

Vanessa Hillman returns with stunning new single 'Tongue Tied'

 

Having grown up attending local festivals and restaurants, Vanessa Hillman is certainly a captivating storyteller. Fast forward to the present day, and this songwriter is about to change the industry forever. Back with latest release ‘Tongue Tied’, the prominently pop track has elements of fierce R&B throughout.

Sharing her thoughts on the new release, Vanessa explains, “Tongue Tied is about being so into someone that you're reckless. You're hypnotized to go along with anything even when you know better.”

Taking you back to where it all began, Vanessa used to sing at her local bar. Obsessed with songwriting from a young age, Vanessa’s parents sent her off to college to study business and she signed up for all the music classes instead. Being taught to write songs on piano and learning how to produce on her laptop, you could say the rest is simply history.

Her debut single “Let Me Go” has received over 100,000 streams on Spotify since its release, and “Tongue Tied” could easily follow in the same footsteps. Musically, the track is fuelled with sassy vocals that come across as entirely empowering and states that this songwriter means business.

Ramzi releases gorgeous new ballad 'Amazing'

 

Multi-cultural artist Ramzi was born to Lebanese parents, he grew up in Nigeria and later moved to London where he now resides. An accomplished musician, singer-songwriter and producer whose music is influenced by the likes of pop, soul, afrobeat and power ballads, there’s no limiting Ramzi to one genre. As an artist he has amassed over 6 million Spotify streams and 16 million views on YouTube. He has written for and collaborated with a number of well known artists such as The Overtones, Backstreet Boys, Rudimental, Taio Cruz and Kenny Thomas. On social media, Ramzi has been praised by artists like Ne-Yo and Afrobeat superstar Tiwa Savage. In 2018 Ramzi discovered a heart problem which resulted in a life saving operation. Since then Ramzi has had one goal in mind, to make as much music as possible, to make people feel good and have a positive effect on peoples lives. 


Back with inspiring single ‘Amazing’ - that’s certainly one word to call it!

Speaking about the empowering number, Ramzi shares, “It’s about love and how amazing it is even with all the struggles that come with it. The song sums up my marriage and every time I’ve been in love throughout my life. I felt it was important to draw on real life experiences that others could also relate to.”

Amazingis based around a diverse ballad arrangement that will certainly pull at your heartstrings. A track that could easily give the world’s biggest pop stars a run for their money, the new single is best described as enchanting. Building into an unforgettable soundscape that continues to gain momentum, ‘Amazing’ feels like the perfect first dance song.



11/04/2021

ECHLO shares artistic vision 'Puppeteer'


ECHLO is finally back with the enthralling new release, ‘Puppeteer’, from her upcoming first full album ‘I was I’.

ECHLO is an artist that knows a thing or two about breaking free. Chloe Charles introduced ECHLO to the world with her 2019 successful introductory EP ‘Echolocation‘. “ECHLO is my artistic reinvention. ECHLO evolved from Chloe. I’m not disassociating from what I’ve done in the past; I’m proud of that work and it’s a part of me. Besides being an anagram of my name, ECHLO makes music in a different genre, is further reaching, allows me to be more outspoken, less reserved and unapologetic about concepts and feelings.”, she says. ECHLO, as Chloe Charles, has certainly been turning heads ever since she broke onto the music scene by winning multiple awards, performing upwards of 1,000 shows across twelve countries and gaining accolades from sites such as Rolling Stone and Billboard.

Speaking about her new release Puppeteer, ECHLO had this to say, “Sometimes we find ourselves in a position of power over someone else, the master in a love affair. Sometimes we take advantage of this and sometimes we wake up and cut the strings. We have all been masters and puppets in some form or another. At some point we have to cut our strings and break free.”

Sounding somewhere between the realms of atmospheric dark-pop, electronica and with a touch of trip-hop, Puppeteer will have you hooked from the first notes. ECHLO hypnotizes you with her enchanting vocals, and makes Puppeteer the type of track that Portishead and Massive Attack would love to have in their discographies. Armed with a creative use of beats and percussion, Puppeteer comes across as experimental yet able to win the hearts of all types of music lovers. Inspired by a past relationship where the power was unbalanced, the track feels relatable to anyone out there struggling to cut the strings in a toxic relationship, whether platonic or romantic.

10/30/2021

Santi Storm reveals colourful new offering 'Cyber Boy'

Santi Storm is a complete visionary in vibrant new single ‘Cyber Boy. Known for their candy coloured, cute aesthetic and highly energetic music, Santi plays the part of both Barbie and Ken. Building a strong fanbase of over 342,000 followers on TikTok alone, this social media creative has received praise from publications such as Paper Magazine.

Speaking about the iconic new single, Santi Storm shares, “The story of Cyber Boy is about falling in love with someone online and fantasising about meeting them. It's about wanting to jump through a computer screen into cyberspace and joining that person in a virtual reality fantasy world and flying off together in happiness. But it’s mainly about fantasising about this concept and that person who you only have an online relationship with. It's about dreaming of a fake world that you so wish to be in, with a person who you don't even know but you love.”

Having performed and travelled across the world as a Nightlife Drag Performer/lip sync artist for five years, Santi quickly realised that they wanted to be performing their own music as opposed than other people's songs. Inspired by virtual reality, video games and anime, you can hear Santi Storm’s vivid aesthetic throughout their ear-catching music.

“Cyber Boy '' comes across as a song that refuses to be left on any shelf. Bathed in bubblegum, hyper pop sensibilities, the track may have Santi Storm thinking of their dream fantasy, but we think it could become a reality very soon. An artist that’s destined for greatness simply because they stand up for what they believe in, this LGBTQ+ icon uses music as a form of escapism.

I wrote the song when at a time when I was unwell, I was fantasising about an idea of creating a story of being in a virtual reality world where I was the best version of myself. I wanted to write a song and a story that was about meeting perfect people in a perfect world online,” adds Santi Storm.

10/29/2021

Northeast based duo PSiMiTAR reveal vibrant release 'Better Believe It'

 


Northeast based duo PSiMiTAR return with the new contender ‘Better Believe It’. Composed of producer/rapper Steesh aka Baron Von Alias, and vocalist & DJ, LKP, they’ve been putting out their unique take on UK hip-hop soul under this alias since 2020. Receiving praise from BBC Radio 1, Grammy award-winning Brasstracks, BBC Introducing and Narc Magazine to name a few, the duo has had tens of thousands of streams and support from DJs across the globe. Back with the astonishing new single, ‘Better Believe It’ sounds somewhere between the grooves of Tom Misch and the style of Anderson .Paak.


Speaking about their new release, the duo share, “Better Believe is about the little voice in your “head that tells you to never give up, and how we have to have self-belief to succeed at anything.”

Dedicated to self-belief and finding your feet, ‘Better Believe It’ comes across as entirely empowering and able to give anyone a well-needed serotonin boost. Jam-packed with a range of live instruments, the track includes a talk-box, skilful melodic bars from rapper Steesh and soulful R&B vocals from LKP that will leave you with goosebumps. Already receiving great support from Nick Roberts and Lee Hawthorn at BBC Introducing in North East and Yorkshire, HyperTribe and Wayne C McDonald's key tastemaker Sugar Radio show, it’s safe to say, the track is becoming the talk of the town.

10/22/2021

Indie pop artist Christine Sako reveals latest gem 'Coda'


LGBTQIA+ icon and singer-songwriter Christine Sako knew she wanted to be a star after hearing Avril Lavigne’s ‘Complicated’ in 2002. Born and raised in Minneapolis, MN, Christine drove solo cross-country to San Diego, CA in 2012 with just her guitar and a 25 key MIDI controller. No stranger to the industry, Christine had an opportunity in 2009 to tour with indie-pop band Now, Now. After two years of opening for bands such as Paramore and Paper Route, she decided to head down her own solo venture.

Back with indie-pop infused contender ‘Coda’, Christine had this to say about the release, "“Coda” is about the experience of having a person come back into your life and re-open a chapter in a book you thought was already well-read and closed. This reopening turns into re-writing of sorts - as emotions, conversations, and places are all revisited. It can feel like the revived relationship is being transformed into something new, or at least different, something that maybe this time will last. But none of these changes change the outcome.  Instead they end up being a temporary distraction from the inevitable retelling of the same story. The central tension of the song is on the one hand,  being tired and wanting to move on and on the other,  feeling compelled to relive  history as it repeats itself. In spite of the desire to let go, there is an underlying friction, a tugging in the direction opposite of freedom. It’s this conflicted feeling that results in pleading with the other party to “give it a rest,” since the strength to break the pattern on one’s own isn’t quite there yet.

The word “coda” comes from a musical term in which a passage in a song (the coda) concludes a recapitulated theme. The hope is that this final rendition is truly the final adaptation in the story."

Receiving praise from the likes of The Hype Magazine, Volatile Weekly, Jammerzine and Get In Her Ears to name a few, Christine’s energetic pop music will leave you weak at the knees. Written in the summer of 2021, the track was recorded in the songwriter’s home studio. Musically endearing and everything you’d expect from a Christine Sako

10/04/2021

JJ Doze releases brooding single 'Who Am I?'


New York based artist JJ Doze is clearly stating he means business in latest offering, ‘Who Am I’. An energetic number with a hard-hitting message, the new single is expressive and speaks upon themes the world needs to hear. Gaining over 100,000 streams on Spotify alone across five releases, JJ continuously turns the heads of Spotify listeners. Sharing his true thoughts, emotions and personal experiences with his fans, JJ is a relatable artist that everyone deserves in their collection. 

Speaking about the release, JJ shares, “In the song 'Who Am I', I talk about my ability to fail on knowing my purpose as I try to find the answers I'm seeking for. However, that would be the problem. As I fail to realize that there aren't any answers, I kept ignoring the fact that there are choices. A choice to be patient with myself. A choice to understand myself. A choice to accept myself. But, that was difficult to do as I kept trying to help everyone around me that I completely forgot about myself.

So, whenever I would feel frustrated, angry, drained, &/or other feelings, I wouldn't necessarily know what to do... so that's when I try to brush it off, which diminishes my path to understand myself, & to know who I am & how I react to certain things during a certain situation. In the song, I bring up other situations that also block that path I deeply want to find. This song means a lot to me. It's a song that can get you feeling hyped (mainly from the chorus) while also leaving you thinking deeply if you listen closely to the lyrics. It surely expresses my vulnerability, & that is exciting to me but also nerve-wracking”


9/09/2018

New Age/Classical/Ambient Review: Karen Olson-SongPath

Release Date: July 13th, 2018
Label: Soundview Records

SongPath is Karen Olson's 8th CD release and is a companion to her soon to be published book entitled, SoundPath: Using the Power of Sound and Silence for Health, Harmony, and Happiness. Notably, SongPath is in the top 10 on four Billboard charts including Classical and #3 as the Highest-Ranking Debut New Age Album so far in 2018.

According to Karen’s website:  She combines her unique background as a Violist, Recording Artist, Composer, Author, and intuitive Holistic Healer, to make a positive difference in the lives of others through interactive programming, events, and concert performances that are fun, inspiring, and transformative.
Karen Olson is a respected healer, practitioner, and musician. With SongPath she adds to her already incredibly impressive resume of releases and has reached the pinnacle (thus far) of her musical achievements for variety, depth, and healing. 

I think after listening to her latest offering I can agree with that statement. I covered A Hero’s Journey in 2016 and was quite impressed. It is nice to find out 2 years later that I feel the same about her music. 

SongPath is very wide-ranging. One of the tracks that caught me completely off guard was “New Ways.” It is an electronic-R&B- rap style song. I think it was titled appropriately considering I never expected to hear such a big change in direction on this album. Olivia Meihofer provides the excellent vocals as she does on other songs as well. I give Karen credit for stretching out musically and taking a chance. I enjoyed the song because it was so different and done very well. I imagine there will be new age fans that will probably not appreciate it but that is ok. All the rest of the album is more along the lines of what you would expect from Karen.

With her “New Ways” you will find “Inspiration” and “Serenity” and an “Adventure” inside the music. All of that is wrapped in a nice package for the prospective listener. 

Personally, if I can find pleasure in any type of music, it is healing. It doesn’t necessarily have to have a certain tag on it for it to work, but that is for me. In this case, the label of new age, classical and ambient certainly fits. What you will discover is joy, healing and quite a range of sounds and styles that would satisfy any musical palette. 

SongPath is a prolific release from my viewpoint mainly based on the fact the lead instrument is a viola. That my music loving friends is not an easy task to accomplish, yet Karen Olson makes it sound like it is all very natural, with very concise musicianship and a flow that syncs with your inner voice and soul.  That covers it all as far as I am concerned.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
September 9, 2018

Founder of:

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Tracks: 
1. Ever Peace
2. Why Not
3. Adventure
4. Moving Higher
5. Reminding
6. Inspiration
7. New Ways
8. Gaining Grace
9. Serenity

 

2/02/2017

Ginny Vee Releases New Single 'Give Me Dynamite'




Italian born singer Ginny Vee releases dance pop anthem ‘Give Me Dynamite’ after being spotted by former LA producer Christian DeWaldenwho set her up with Vanni Giorgilli and Pete Chiesa at Mind The Floor. The infectious single has a Northern European house sound, with a feel good style featuring Vee’s raw clear vocals. The upbeat single was arranged by Steve Manovski (co producer and co writer of Sigala’s hit single ‘Give Me Your Love’). It was recently taken to the Amsterdam Dance Event where it was immediately snapped up by Disco:Wax (Sony).

Listen here to 'Give Me Dynamite'

It’s been a tough road for Ginny, with her family often suggesting she “get a secure job” any time she spoke of a career in music. Firstly Vee went law school but she soon left to follow her passion and joined a creative arts school. She then worked as a model and travelled to LA where she pursued an acting career, working on set with Michael Rooker. However Ginny’s passion was always singing and the cover group Belle Ma Belle was formed where she has worked alongside some of the biggest names in the Italian music industry. After a few years she made the break from the group and headed in her own direction.


Links:

Ginny Vee Releases ‘Give Me Dynamite’ After Being Snapped Up By Disco:Wax – Sony Music



Italian born singer Ginny Vee releases dance pop anthem ‘Give Me Dynamite’ after being spotted by former LA producer Christian DeWalden who set her up with Vanni Giorgilli and Pete Chiesa at Mind The Floor. The infectious single has a Northern European house sound, with a feel good style featuring Vee’s raw clear vocals. The upbeat single was arranged by Steve Manovski (co producer and co writer of Sigala’s hit single ‘Give Me Your Love’). It was recently taken to the Amsterdam Dance Event where it was immediately snapped up by Disco:Wax (Sony).

Listen here to 'Give Me Dynamite'

It’s been a tough road for Ginny, with her family often suggesting she “get a secure job” any time she spoke of a career in music. Firstly Vee went law school but she soon left to follow her passion and joined a creative arts school. She then worked as a model and travelled to LA where she pursued an acting career, working on set with Michael Rooker. However Ginny’s passion was always singing and the cover group Belle Ma Belle was formed where she has worked alongside some of the biggest names in the Italian music industry. After a few years she made the break from the group and headed in her own direction.


Links:

1/06/2017

Corinna Jane Releases Feisty Single ‘Three Faces Of You’


“Corinna Jane is a seriously talented young woman, with strong
vocal ability, who is also a mighty fine instrumentalist.” – Tom Robinson BBC Radio 6




Franco-British singer-songwriter Corinna Jane brings back the ethos of old school pop music with her new single ‘Three Faces Of You’ taken from her upcoming EP ‘Hard In Love’.

Watch ‘Three Faces Of You’ live here:


Fed on a diet of 90s MTV, Corinna had a passion for music from a young age. By the age of five she had taken up piano and singing lessons, soon composing her own music and establishing herself as a sing-songwriter in her teens.

Corinna has never been afraid of being herself, crafting her own unique brand of piano driven alternative rock. The keen actress, model and radio presenter has a quirky style and personality, which has led to her receiving airplay on the likes of BBC Radio 6, Amazing Radio and BBC Introducing and making the top 5 solo artists at the Rock The House Competition.

‘Three Faces Of You’ follows the fascinating story of Corinna’s relationship with someone who lived in their own fantasy world with various personalities residing in him. The feisty song is mirrored in Corinna Jane and her band’s performance, which has strong resemblance of the powerhouse of Fleetwood Mac and No Doubt.

Having supported Leddra Chapman and been a guest vocalist/co-writer with German DJ Mark-Oh, it’s clear Corinna is ready to take the music industry by storm.

Links:


9/29/2016

New Video Release - Ashely Iona - 'Thunder Come'



New video 'Thunder Come' by rising pop star Ashley Iona

Combining a compelling ear for storytelling and a mesmerising vocal tone, Ashley Iona comes through with a fresh sound comparable to the likes of Florence and the Machine, Sia and Chet Faker. Currently based in Los Angeles, she has previously lived in countries across the globe from Australia to the UK to Uganda and moved more than 20 times in her life. 

“I wanted the video to be a journey – explains Ashley – I wrote the song when I was coming to terms with where my life was and I had this urge to be brutally honest with myself. It also coincided with 3 days of Thunderstorms in LA, which never happens.

Rain can be really cathartic, especially when you’re not used to it, so when I was thinking about the video I wanted it to be very tied up with nature to give the audience a similar feeling.
I saw some of Alex’s artwork at a friend’s house and got in touch with him to see if we could make something like an ‘otherworldly journey’…”

She adds: “We used light orbs rolling their way through spaces and put the viewer within the camera frame. We made the environments familiar but also completely fabricated and unique, because it’s landscape that’s meant to exist in your mind.


At the end of the journey the orbs return to the same structure that was once in a barren desert, because sometimes the biggest challenges we face are what inevitably make us richer people and force us to know ourselves from the inside out. I’d love to do a real life version of this video some time.”

Watch the video for 'Thunder Come' here:
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Intimate New EP Ibrahim From The Great Divide


New-Zealand-born, London-based film composer Gerald Clark (aka The Great Divide) teams up with an eclectic mix of artists, including the legendary Robert Wyatt, to bring this impressive and intimate new EP Ibrahim.

The EP’s three pensive and melancholic tracks each explore the feeling of being caught up between the ‘old world’ to and the new, feeling a loyalty to the traditions of the past, but unable to fully embrace the value system of the present.

The record features a guest appearance from iconic progressive rock vocalist Robert Wyatt, who sings and contributes tenor horn on the title track ‘Ibrahim’.

As Gerald explains: ‘Robert liked a jazz album I made 3 years ago. He gave it as one of his ‘albums of 2013’ in an interview. I frequently hear his voice in my head when I’m writing, so I wrote to him and asked if he’d consider it and fortunately he did.’

A future full-length album is in the works, set to include performances from other well-established names including esteemed trumpet virtuoso Byron Wallen, guitarist Neil Taylor (who has worked with the likes of Tears for Fears, Robbie Williams and Chris De Burgh), jazz composer Alex Roth (who has worked with Alice Zawadski and contributes guitar) and West End vocalist Daniel Fletcher (stars in Rock of Ages).

Ibrahim is set to be released on Gerald’s own label The Interrupting Sheep available on 16th September.


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