Don't you hate it when something really exciting happens and you aren't allowed to talk about it. These are all things I will be able to share in the near future, I don't like surprises but that's the way it goes sometimes. Fuck it's like the moment I turned 30 and things just started falling into place. 20's were the "make mistakes but make sure you are also working hard at whatever it is you love to do." Get your heart broken, clean up the mess, pick yourself back up and do it all again until you hit 30 if ...
EXGF – We Are The Hearts (Premiere)
We Are The Hearts...
Have you ever denied yourself the opportunity to make the right decision? i.e. You know shouldn’t take a job for the money, you know the person you’re with isn’t right for you, but you do it anyway, you carry on for the wrong reasons. What makes us so reluctant to choosing our nobler influences and why are we ruled by habitual vices, weak to our desires?
Those are tough questions but often times it’s our own ego hidden in the form of intellect that gives credence to our ego supported qualities. The intellect is nothing more than a middle man ...
Parra For Cuva feat. Anna Naklab – Wicked Games (Original Mix)
The original "Wicked Games" by Chris Isaak has to be one of my favorite songs, the lyrics, and the luring strums of the guitar, it's so effortlessly beautiful and timeless. So when I heard this original mix from Parra For Cuva & Anna Naklab I fell in love all over again. I can shamelessly say that I am in love and it doesn't matter with what or with who, so you can just keep on guessing, but the original is what plays in my head on a weekly basis, and now depending on my mood I now have two versions ...
Marina & The Diamonds – Starring Role
I've been a little under the weather the past few days but I guess that's just the time of year that's why I always like to find new tunes that are a little more upbeat but still have an aggressive message, I just think the majority of us are feeling a little more aggression around this time.
Marina & The Diamonds really hit home lyrically in this track. I have to always stop and remind myself that maybe when we feel a distance from someone in our lives or anything in general its not necessarily us, but maybe the weather or ...
I’ve been a running around a chicken with their head cut off since I have been back in NYC, I mean that’s the NYC lifestyle so I didn’t expect anything less or any relaxation once I got here. It’s been amazing to be back, back on the grind, back blazin’ trails with aggressive hardworking artists such as myself. That’s why I love it here, people don’t stop whether they are working or playing, they just don’t stop, “sleep when you are dead”, I love that and you will probably hear me say it a lot because once you become an adult with conviction it should be a saying that you live by… And die by!
You don’t get me high anymore.”
I am relating to this a lot in terms of the things that have changed in my life. I was only away from NYC for 7 months, but being away for that amount of time I think I was able to look at NYC from a different perspective, decide who I really wanted in my life when I got back, who was there for me, who wasn’t. Things change a lot when you have kids, it’s an eye opener in terms of the way your friends react towards you, how your lifestyle has to change a bit. Don’t get me wrong I love the way my life has changed, I love all of the challenges and learning experiences but it is definitely crazy how your whole world can flip and you are rearranging EVERYTHING! Certain things, certain people, they just don’t get me high anymore…
I needed a good feel good Summer track to get me ready for the weekend in the Hamptons, this one got me in the mood so press play and maybe I will see some of you out there! xx
AWAY and London Thor communicate the experience of being blindsided by love lost in such a stunning fashion on “Sleepwalker”. Thor’s vocals and the production during the verses are decidedly delicate, a strong contrast to the glitchy, chopped-up drop that swings the track from introspective to external upheaval. Rather than basking in sadness or confusion independently, it’s a sonic approach that understands the complex emotions of heartbreak.
I’ve only experienced heartbreak once, heartbreak that was swift and painful. I hope to never experience it again, but I have to level with myself and realize that’s not a realistic expectation. If I offer my love to another human, I’m embracing vulnerability at its peak. Maybe it’s better to wish that future heartbreak at least involves dialogue rather than sudden dissipation, but who am I to dictate that either?
The short answer is I’m not, but as long as there’s emotive music like “Sleepwalker” to fall back on, I think I’ll be alright.
The artwork for Xan Griffin’s “Gemini” looks like it was taken straight from the dust jacket of a Lovecraftian novel, so it goes without saying that I looked for the track to deliver an imagination-inciting sound. There’s no doubt that Griffin and his featured counterparts in WILD deliver on those expectations as the track builds up with enough inspiring tension to fill up an arena. Gang vocals declare in unison “So start a fire!” as it accelerates toward its peak and swells into a gorgeous, synth-laden drop that feels like the culmination of an epic.
Relating the music back to its Lovecraftian visuals, I can’t help but associate the density of the track and its resulting extravagance with that of the best mystical and science-fiction stories. Plenty of books and films can attempt to replicate the awe of a hypothetical world, but it requires layers and layers of compelling material to explore so that the resulting art avoids hollow mimicry and instead achieves esoteric bliss. For every Star Wars or Mass Effect universe, there’s 1,000 Season Of The Witches, so it’s important to cherish those thrilling exceptions. There’s no doubt I’ll apply that appreciative rule of thumb “Gemini.”
I don’t have much of a personal anecdote to relate to Lenis’ “Told Him,” but I do have a laundry list of aspects to her debut solo outing that I’m prepared to rave about. Where to start? She moves with such ease atop Zuma’s production that her vocals feel almost conversational, yet each and every note drips with pathos. They’re phenomenal when isolated, but they’re at their most thrilling when harmonized in layers that harken back to R&B’s ’90s heyday; every declaration of mistrust toward the song’s unnamed “him” is powerful when backed by a vocal entourage.
As for Zuma’s production, I’m genuinely taken aback by the versatility he delivers. It’s a soulful R&B instrumental at its core, sure, but the stuttering drum-patterns and fluttery synthesizers make “Told Him” transcend simply being a genre piece – and that doesn’t even take into consideration the groovy house break near the song’s conclusion. It’s, in turn, ultra-admirable how Lenis is able to sound effortless when working with these atypical sounds and structures that Zuma provides; she has innate talent that shines through with every divergence from the norm.
These two artists have chemistry that simply can’t be replicated. Here’s to hoping more collaborations are in store.
The album artwork for “Somebody Will” feels like vaporwave and neofuturism collided into a timeless display, so I’m naturally infatuated at first sight. The purple and blue hues fading into one another are enchanting while the forthcoming collision between a static relic and a dynamic piece of technology brings to mind countless possibilities. If 2001: A Space Odyssey was actually a Macintosh advertisement from the 1980s, this is what it’d look like.
The music doesn’t embody its visual compliment, but I’m perfectly okay with that as it’s a summery electronic outing that fills me with as much joy as its artwork. Gabrielle Current’s vocals are utterly enchanting while Jesser’s production lends itself to poolside extravaganzas; it’s no 2001: A Space Odyssey soundtrack in vaporwave form, but as the temperature rises by the day in Los Angeles, it’s the perfect soundtrack to life outside the cinematic.
80’s synths got my mind like, YES PLEASE! Hello Summer, where are you? I see you in the distance but I need to feel you on my skin so hurry up please.
Las Vegas duo from New York City, Essex, has been making waves since their debut release of ‘Roads’ which received high praises from the likes of Magnetic Magazine, NestHQ, Tune Collective and more. Composed of Tyler Sherritt and Phil Goodman the duo showcases their unique style of 80’s synth pop with hints of singer/songwriter elements along with bass pop. Equipped with the necessary roots in live vocals and instrumentations, expect to hear organic, ethereal, real music coming from these two.”
I like hearing a musical group that goes in a nostalgic direction. I like to reminisce on my days of total innocence and lesser expectations of the world. So much on my plate these days that I finally understand the statement “You’ll sleep when your dead.” Ain’t that the truth, definitely should have appreciated the days when I was able to sleep till 3 in the afternoon. No use in looking backwards except to remember the sounds that we love so much that gave us our initial love for music. Thanks Essex for the reminder of where my love for music came from.
From the rumbling bass line that sounds like a cousin of the “Another One Bites The Dust” bass line, to the dramatic synth stabs, to the sultry vocal – Birdee’s beautiful “Give Into Love” has all the makings of a nu-disco classic. Every sound and even the placement of each sound recalls the best elements of late 70’s disco music. You truly could throw this record in a mix with 20 other disco-funk smashes from 40 years ago and it would fit right in. It really makes you wonder how the hell there was such a backlash against disco 35 years ago. This was considered cheesy and silly after being the biggest thing in music for a few short years. Now you listen to disco classics and they sound and feel 20x smarter than any generic pop song from the 2000’s.
And “Give Into Love” isn’t just an ode to the classics. It carries with it modern EDM arrangement and sensibilities, resulting in a super refreshing eight minute journey through electronic music. Sure, it’s all broadcast through a disco filter, but you can clearly see Birdee’s understanding of way more than just disco and funk. It’s full of heart and soul and makes me want to take my aging, boring ass out for a little old school fun. Something about the way this track begins carries with it the same feeling of promise you have right before a big night out. When everything has aligned – your best friend is in from out of town, the girl you think about 88% of the day actually texted you FIRST and asked what your plan was for the night. And you actually have something to invite her to! The sheer excitement that comes from endless possibility on a night like that is captured well here by Birdee. His whole EP carries all the same vibes as well, highly recommended!
I sit here writing, looking out of a Helsinki apartment window through crisp Nordic air — the sun rises at 4:45am and sets at 10:30pm — a strange paradox for an expatriate from LA. My view of old bricks, cream & salmon stone, stoic church steeples and tin roofing reminds me that Europe was ancient before America was even a dream. Massive cranes and glass mesh with the historical fabric into a retro future, we don’t get the same juxtaposition in the United States where cities are still young.
Fitting that my soundtrack would be this gem from DEDE & Ed Droste…ephemeral, transitory, capturing crystalline space and time in these moments where I feel removed and foreign. Just an observer in a place that isn’t home, carried along by haunting, almost alien melodic flow. And it should be noted that the duet is executed perfectly — voices fusing each other into a kind of hypno-soothe, the perfect sedative for reflective world travel.
Finally leaking the goods on this hot new artist MVDNESS XIV, if you are loving this check out one of her other hot tracks #1 on Soundcloud.
We aren’t going to say too much about this badass bitch who has been keeping herself under the radar, but we will tell you that there is going to be more, so don’t fret!
Somehow each season always creeps up on me, even though the same thing happens four times a year, every year. Couldn’t be much more clockwork than that, yet I’m always surprised when the weather changes a little and the nights get a little longer or shorter. I often feel like I don’t realize it’s a new season until I hear a song that ushers in the change. There always seems to be a perfect song for each season, and the song almost announces the coming change in energy/vibe/climate/etc. Well, I was just smacked in the face with the reminder that summer is all but here thanks to the sounds of Checo’s new single “Superpowers.”
The melodies, the horns in the chorus, it all sounds and feels like long summer nights and that feeling of freedom that those months bring. Checo sings “This is your love song baby, I hope you know the words” and it feels like those younger days when you spent the summer chasing after your crush – and it was the only thing you “had” to do. No job, no bills, no major responsibilities. You just really had to make sure you kissed this girl by August or else the whole summer was gonna be in ruins.
This song has a great blend of modern electronic production mixed with a live band/live instrumentation feel. The snares reverberate through the track and has the feel of hearing live drums during the day outside at a festival. More of that sunshiny, summery feel. It’s smooth, satisfying and thoroughly relatable. Cheers to the summer months, coming in hot!
