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 ...
Xie’s return on “Jungle Juice” was the perfect party-pop anthem, but she takes an emotional turn on “Seasons” that’s pure chills-inducing fare. The production is intricately melodic as little flashes of keys and chopped up vocals swirl underneath a wake-up call of a lead synth that awakens all the senses. That all goes without mentioning Xie’s wonderful lead vocals which make the perfect centerpiece, all complemented by Reo Cragun’s fitting assist which adds the perfect amount of swagger to balance out the pure emotions flowing. There’s no doubt that “Seasons” is Xie’s best single yet, so give this one a much-deserved listen.
Seasons change, people come and go, everything moves in cycles. We can track internal cycles, cycles of the skies, and intertwine both as above rhymes with so below, our human bodies mirroring the stars. I don’t think that sentiment makes us predictable, though – we’re still spiritual beings that can’t be quantified, it’s more just a recognition that we ebb and flow like every other element in the universe. There’s beauty to the cyclic nature of the lives we live.
We’ve been tracking the trajectory of Lo Lytes throughout his steady stream of singles, always enjoying one more than the next, and man does that kick into overdrive with his new one. It’s called “Fuck With My Heart” and it’s like an ’80s new wave convertible drove through a cloud of r&b smoke, emerging surrounded by a glowing haze that you can’t take your eyes (or ears) off of. His vocals are silky smooth, the production is top notch with crisp percussion that taps into all the right areas, and that little vocoder bridge to top things off just makes this song irresistible. Do yourself a favor and spin this one while blasting off into another dimension.
The manipulation of fucking with someone’s heart is so bizarre. If you’ve earned the trust and respect of someone, why take advantage of that intimacy and hurt another? Allowing access to your heart center is the most spiritual form of connection, not just in a romantic way, but in opening a direct channel with another person. Time and time again, I’ve given someone a look into this intimate space of loving potential and received indifference, or even worse, disrespect. It’s an unfortunate chain of events, but hey, at least it results in some great music like this Lo Lytes single.
The Geek x Vrv are time traveling shapeshifters who are able to embody the aura of any era on command. The opener to their debut album Time Machine is a West Coast sensation that could’ve come directly from the ’90s heyday, vocoder-soaked vocals and all, while “Oh Baby 1939” is a subtle funk jam that feels like cruising down Sunset with the windows down. The singles from this album that I’ve been raving about for months all fit seamlessly into the the trajectory of the Time Machine’s flight path as the seemingly contradictory sounds fit like puzzle pieces with one another. It’s a testament to the fact that The Geek x Vrv are one of the most exciting voices in electronic music right now.
My music taste often feels like a mishmash of eras, from ’90s Brooklyn hip-hop to early ’80s new wave, Mobb Deep and Duran Duran potentially going back to back on a playlist without warning. I can respect people whose tastes like solely within one genre (hey, if you know your interests that well, more power to you), but I personally prefer the dynamic nature of appreciating music beyond boundaries, especially in this limited time on Earth. That goes for everything for me, though; films, art, books, I keep an open mind to all of it because one of the most fulfilling experiences could be hiding right around an unexplored corner.
du0’s new pair of singles feel like being taken to a secular church with a communal channeling of the positive spirit of the universe. There’s a thread of pure joy and optimism running through these tracks, unlocking pleasure centers within the brain that rush upon arrival, overwhelming the self with a sense of comfort akin to the comfort of home. “Come Home” is the slow evolution of this progression, building with an indie-laced beat whose landscape flies by as you’re aboard an imagined train, soaking in what’s in front of you. “Better Place” marks the explosion of color after the introspection, pumping up the tempo with a quicker paced beat more apt to move the feet beneath you.
Even when things are tough and a cloud of grey sets itself upon you, there’s better days ahead. Once you’re driven through the ringer enough and seen the light at the end of the tunnel time and time again, there’s a sliver of understanding that things will eventually be okay. It’s a weird transition period in life right now, not just on a personal level, but at a global level where a current of some sort of change seems to be coursing through our collective fields…you can feel the vibrations fluttering without knowing where they’re going to manifest next, but if you trust in a process that has run through humanity for an endless amount of years, then hope continues to reign free.
I had the privilege of listening to Louie Blue’s debut EP before it came out and man am I excited to share this with you today. In case you’re unfamiliar, he’s a Nordic teenager with the musical maturity of a seasoned veteran. You could place his music somewhere between indie, r&b, and neo-soul, but to narrow his sound down to one genre just wouldn’t do it justice. I could rave about every track on this album, but let me instead direct you to a few personal favorites. “Down The Road” is a groovy anthem that’s fittingly perfect for a late night drive, “Confused” is a loungey yet fiery jaunt bursting at the seams with passion, and “Blue Genes” is a beautiful blend of funk and wavy r&b production. From front to back, Louie has such a detailed sound with endless layers that guarantees him a major entry into the music scene with Notes.
I’ll take my personal anecdote to a literal place today – simply put, I like to take notes. Every morning, I sit down and write a few paragraphs on anything and everything that comes to mind. It calms the chaos of my brain down and focuses in on what’s important in the coming day while also clearing up and resentments or confusion so that I’m grounded. I also take endless notes while reading books, making a point to notate every single thing that I find valuable so that it never leaves my brain. There’s something so inherently powerful about putting pen to paper, and I couldn’t begin to intellectualize or explain it, but trust that I’ll continue to do so and ensure my thoughts are being maximized for contemplation, calming, or anything in between.
Dad returns with a third single that’s easily the enigmatic project’s best work yet. Featuring woozy r&b production like kaleidoscopic cough syrup come to life, the accompanying vocals are a beautiful expose of transcending mental health obstacles in the new millennium. The enchanting cartoon character that fronts the project is a picture perfect complement, making her conjured up appearance feel just as authentic as her flesh-and-blood bedroom pop contemporaries. I really have nothing but exciting things to say about Dad, as their first two singles truly intrigued me but this one totally wowed me on impact. I can’t recommend it enough, so go ahead and give it a listen.
A lot of music traverses the lows of depression without ever showing the light at the end of the tunnel. There’s nothing wrong with that because it offers a cathartic approach to make those positive conclusions on your own time beyond the track’s runtime, but I appreciate the sentiments of pure optimism running through “Fresher”. You feel like you’re right there with Dad, celebrating her victory and letting the sun finally shine down on your skin after a seemingly infinite of days cooped up within the darkness. It’s a really nice sentiment as we enter a new decade.
Brilliant, ahead of his time, utterly gifted, a talent unmatched…those are just a few ways I would describe Kazy Lambist. I’ve been a fan of his for years and he’s never once disappointed. In fact, he raises the bar with every single track and then leaps over that bar into a new stratosphere. Case and point, “Oh My God”, the ultimate body mover to send you into uncontrollable head swaying in your seat. The production is colorful like the colors splashed onto the album art, the vocals are silky smooth, everything whirls into a heady blend that’s both logically constructed to perfection and viscerally pleasing on the deepest levels. I have nothing but praise for Kazy on this one and seriously doubt anyone will deviate from that sentiment for the Frenchman’s newest.
Oh my God, life can be absolute insanity. Much like on this song, though, there’s a method to the madness. If you take a step back and observe, you’ll see a pattern beginning to form that you can follow and trace through its entirety, understanding your past and present moment and thus being able to anticipate the future. It takes practice to become this intuitive, but once you tap into the source and gain this skill, your life will be so much better for it. Things might be overwhelming right now, but trust that you’ll slip into a beautiful groove like “Oh My God”.
You’d never know this track came from France in 2020 because it has all the trappings of a funky, hip-hop fusion that feels straight from the heat of when these two genres originally intersected. The Geek x Vrv have been on an absolute hot streak with the string of singles coming from their upcoming debut LP and yet this very well could be the best release yet. It’s so effortlessly smooth, making you move without any conscious decision as the groove rockets you away in a low-rider toward the sky and beyond. Hi Levelz is the icing on the cake here because his vocals are so infectious and can’t help but put a smile on your face because of the positive energy radiating from every bar. From top to bottom, “Roller Disco 1980” is a beauty to keep on repeat.
In our postmodern era, it’s tricky fusing old sounds with new without coming across as a pastiche that just doesn’t sit quite right with the soul. It’s phenomenal when artists can make the jump, though, so it makes this track all the more impressive to me. Nothing feels forced or like a flimsy ode to the past. The Geek x Vrv know who they are conceptually, have a deep sense of identity, and string that through their music regardless of the era they’re channeling. It’s a skill that’s impossible to quantify and just makes me love them even more!
We hadn’t heard much from Fytch for a minute, but it turns out he’s been working on his best music yet. “Radiate” makes that crystal clear as he takes cosmic electronic synths and blends them with organic guitars, and of course, his emotional vocals to wrap it all into one stunning package. This song really radiates sentiments of pure positivity, not only for Fytch’s career, but for our own personal hopes and dreams as a whole. With the insane amount of trials Fytch apparently went through during his time out of the spotlight, he seems focused on a colorful future that reaches toward the cosmos and beyond.
I’ve been grappling with our place in the cosmos a lot lately, and it always comes back to a positive perspective. I can understand some people’s dread and dismay with our perceived isolation on a logical level, but when it comes to the pathos I experience on a daily basis, I feel nothing but galactic connection. When I look up at the stars, I see sources teeming with life, whether or not it’s bipeds like ourselves wandering this climate. Beyond the physical plane, I see a vast expanse for our spiritual selves to evolve. There’s infinite potential if we’re willing to recognize it and follow the stars.
