Mokita is here to remind you that you are not alone in the music video for his latest single, “Down”. With the somber piano introduction, the video zooms in on Mokita in an old Mercedes Benz. The video was directed by Mika Matinaza and takes the viewer through a journey Mokita’s inner battle. With vibrant yellows and reds that highlight his figure as he sings the hopeful lyrics. The Nashville singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist took to Instagram to talk about struggling with mental health problems. The track is a love letter for those who are struggling, as he has in the past.
“I’ve had some really rough seasons in my life where my depression was just so bad and I didn’t feel like I was ever going climb out of it, but through those times I’ve had some close friends who have walked with me through those seasons; who have encouraged me and just been present,” Mokita writes about the track. “I think the theme of this song was really just a letter to those friends who are going through those things, and to anyone who is having a hard time. Everybody needs a friend to walk with them through the hard seasons and sometimes just being present, being available to listen, and being faithful, is the best way to love someone through those times.”
After working with other artists such as Ella Vos and Maggie Rogers, he is making a name for himself. With the success of his debut EP in 2019, Mokita has been releasing more singles and gaining praise from fans and the press. Check out “Down”, Mokita’s downtempo pop number now.
It has been nine years since David Newton & Thee Mighty Angels released the debut EP, Paint the Town, so there’s no better time than now to release a debut album. A Gateway to a Lifetime of Disappointment is Newton’s debut solo album and a modern contemporary take on the melodic uplifting side of the 80’s post-punk sound. He continues the earlier sounds from his band, The Mighty Lemon Drops, where he wrote songs and played guitar. After the release of Paint the Town, Newton focused on producing and engineering for other artists at his Los Angeles recording studio.
A Gateway to a Lifetime of Disappointment is written, performed, recorded and mixed by David Newton. The first single, “The Songs That Changed Our Lives”, features lead vocals by Eddie Argos from Art Brut. It lists Argos and Newton’s favorite tracks growing up that had an impact on them, accompanied by a video of well-worn 7” singles. With a mix of new and old songs from the previous EP, they flow together and represent the vision Newton had been chasing. “In Love and War” starts off on the right foot, an upbeat pop track to tease the rest of the album. The introduction of “The Kids Are Not Alright” draws you in and repeats through the background of the track. The themes of the tracks chronicle the joys and disappointments of what life can throw at us. “Avoid It” warns to stay clear of anything that will make you crash and burn. The track is somehow similar to the sound of Pink Floyd, but more upbeat.
The album is a prime example of the variety in Newton repertoire, mixing genres and stepping outside of the box with lyrics. “My First Band” and “Paint the Town” fit between the styles of indie-rock and pop. Although Newton took on most of the work on this record, he did have help from other musicians. “Bittersweet” features Sarah Negahdari on vocals and Nick Amoroso on drums, adding some flair to the track. The shortest and sweetest track, “This Time”, is all about happiness and love. Listening to it you can feel the emotion behind his voice, making it the most sincere on the album. Similarly, “Connect With You” has an almost giddy feeling to it, connecting you to Newton. A Gateway to a Lifetime of Disappointment is the return from David Newton & Thee Mighty Angels the world needed.
NYC-based brotherly duo Eighty Ninety’s latest single “Know Me” is an understated love song that is tinged with woe but overcome with sweetness. It talks about how love inspires hope, meaning, and possibly even absolution when faced with tragedy. Formed recently in 2016, Eighty Ninety has been making waves in the music world. Their music, videos, and performances have been featured in prominent blogs and publications such as Ones To Watch, Alternative Press, Billboard, and NME. Their debut single “Three Thirty” reached #2 on Spotify’s Global Viral Chart, and since then they have curried favour with the world, including superstar Taylor Swift, who chose Eighty Ninety’s single “Your Favourite Song” as #13 on her official Spotify playlist “Songs Taylor Loves.”
While “Know Me” stays true to the band’s 80-90’s indie-pop aesthetic, its twangy guitar rift introduces a fresh touch of Americana, a style that the band has not yet explored. The uncomplicated guitar and soft atmospheric background music feels completely genuine. This song isn’t trying to be something it’s not, something that’s quite refreshing in today’s world. The simplicity of the music is also reminiscent of the minimalistic pop productions that the duo is known for creating. Abner James’ refined falsetto is embraced by backing vocals in the chorus, giving the effect of a breeze: easy and carefree. The hills and valleys of his vocal lines are a serene treat for the ears to traverse. Even with the twinge of sadness in the lyrics, the story of this song is beautiful and uplifting, and its universal topic infuses the song with a sense of timelessness.
Eighty Ninety is currently working hard to finish their next full-length album, coming out this Summer. You can pre-save their upcoming single “Happier” here, coming out on August 21st. The down-to-earth clarity of “Know Me” is just the beginning. Be sure to check it out.
Aime Simone is no stranger to misery. He fell victim to intense bullying as a child, the trauma of which led to early symptoms of PTSD and anorexia as a teenager. There were attempts to heal at clinics where he spent his time writing poetry, but there also was a tragic sucide attempt. During a stay at a clinic in 2012, Aime got permission to attend a Pete Doherty show since he was such a big fan of his and an avid songwriter. He took his poetry filled journal along, hoping to give it to Pete. Halfway through the show he still had no idea how he was going to get the journal to Pete, so he resorted to throwing it onstage, and accidentally hit Pete in the face. Pete began to read excerpts to the sold out crowd, and when Aime screamed for Pete’s guitar in exchange, he instead was pulled onstage and given the guitar to play. What resulted was Aime’s first-ever performance in front of a crowd, and after it ended in applause, Aime was invited to go backstage and began working with the Libertines frontman in intense songwriting sessions.
Today, Simone is a Berlin-based, Parisian singer and producer who is still mentored by Doherty. He produces alt-pop music that pulls from post-punk, hip-hop, soul, and 60s pop. The culmination of Simone’s incredible backstory and all his hard work with Doherty comes in the form of his debut album Say Yes, Say No, which was released on July 31st. The album was entirely self-written, produced, and mixed by Simone himself, and plays like his open journal, as earnest and honest as the one that he hurled on stage back in 2012. It’s inspired by Berlin’s iconic techno scene as well as his past life in other European cities.
The music of Say Yes, Say No is somewhat sparse and intimate, made up primarily of vocals, guitar, and a beat. The vocals are blurred by reverb, yet clear enough to hear every word. Its simplicity allows for sentimentality to be the focal point of the work. Although each song deals with emotions, the album doesn’t have a one-track mind. You find moving melancholy in “Don’t Be Sad”, danceable beats in the lead single “What’s Up With The World?”, and even tender love in “Shining Light.” With Say Yes, Say No, you find uplifting movements interwoven through the melancholia, an approach influenced by Simone’s unusual and complex being.
The first three tracks embody this brooding, yet moving trait well. To start us off, “Everything’s Changing” deals with his own mortality and the fear of death and the unknown, but he faces these inevitabilities with acceptance rather than letting them overwhelm him. It was inspired by the thoughts that occupied Simone’s mind when he became a young father. The intimate acoustic guitar, soft, yet emotive vocals, and chill beat behind the soaring line “I’ve got to let go of what I’ve always known,” amplifies the embrace of his feelings, especially in the bridge where Simone and the guitar become more spritely and when harmonies join the vocals in the chorus. “In This Dark Time” was recorded in reaction to the effects of the pandemic. It’s got a bit of a groove, but is pensive in tone, asking “could you take my pain?” a line that recurs throughout, right up to the very last line where the music drops out from behind it, the words stark against the silence. “Don’t Be Sad” progresses the album into a spooky realm, with its slow pace, ghostly harmonies, and morose guitar.
By the time we get to “Strange Inside” we’re enveloped by this eerie aura. The bassline, and minor 2nd interval that the guitar strums alternate between giving the track an ominous sound. The guitar is left bouncing at the end, finishing off the track without a resolution. “Strange Inside” was also influenced by the pandemic, specifically about how it can make one feel blocked, removed from human connection in the face of quarantine and isolation. The video features a performance filmed during lockdown in Berlin, providing a visual representation of the mental and physical barriers that the pandemic has created for many people. “Imaginary Lovers” is tenser, more anguished, with the lines “tell me what to do” and “barely holding on for tomorrow” showing a desperation that we haven’t seen on the record so far. But this desperation with the phantom-like background vocals whispering “imaginary lovers” in your ears throughout the track and the unrelenting off-beat attacks become somewhat unsettling, continuing the subtly haunted sound in “Don’t Be Sad” and “Strange Inside.”
With “Vienna”, the unearthly nature of the last three tracks transforms from eerie to dreamy. The guitar exists both as evanescent chords floating in the background and a solo part that seems to have a mind of its own. Simone sings “I need you baby,” letting some love trickle into Say Yes, Say No, a sentiment that is reinforced in “Hold Me Alive” with lines like “You hold me close, you hold me alive.” This track uses electronic chords that phase in and out to paint an emotional background for Simone’s delicate falsetto. When the guitar joins the chords at the end, it makes for a warm ending that embraces you with love. Even more, “Shining Light” marks the peak of adoration, put into words when Simone sings “All I need is the way that you love me.” A hint of groove comes from the muted guitar riff and calmly snapped beat, and the chord progression is the perfect complement to the tender words.
While Say Yes, Say No as a whole is touched with sorrow, it humbly offers some inspiring words to start to resolve that sorrow. “What’s Up With The World” and “Humankind” are the best examples of this encouragement. “What’s Up With The World”, beyond its rather pertinent title, is a message of hope: “I can defy my fate, I choose love, I will not give up.” The rhythms of this track give the listener a chance to clear their head and dance, comforted and invigorated by the lyrics. “Humankind” brings things down again, but it’s the perfect ending to this album because it’s about Simone’s restored faith in humanity– and himself. It shows just how far this sensitive, inventive artist has come, making it the most uplifting track of all. Say Yes, Say No is a brave and beautiful story of struggle and perseverance. Don’t miss your chance to experience it for yourself.
Alt-pop singer-songwriter Kat Saul released her new single, “Monsters”. She makes music that feels like growing up, inspired by her childhood. Her new project, ‘made in the 90s’, follows this journey. After graduating from Belmont University, Saul moved from Nashville to Los Angeles right before everything shut down as the result of the pandemic. “Monsters” was written following this move and has themes of what could come from starting over in a new place.
“When you’re a little kid, you’re afraid of things like the Boogie Man, Dracula, and Zombies. Now instead of Vampires and aliens, it’s fear of failure, mental health issues, broken relationships, childhood trauma, and all the other shit that goes in a messed-up-baggage-cocktail. All that to say, it turns out real life is way more terrifying than the dark,” Saul says on the inspiration behind the track.
The 22-year-old is back with a fresh alt-pop anthem that is bound to get stuck in your head. It deals with the weight of the world crashing down and wreaking havoc on life, but wishing it was as simple as being scared of monsters. The production of the track fits in perfectly with Sauls’ vocals, marking a great beginning to the whole project.
“Let There Be Love” is the latest release for international, multi-platinum pop artist Ananya Birla. With over 300 million global streams since joining the scene in 2016, Ananya is a major force in the industry. She has opened for big names such as Coldplay and Wiz Khalifa and continues to scale the charts with her releases. Ananya is listed as a Forbes Woman to Watch, as she continues to build a great foundation for her career.
The track “Let There Be Love” was recorded in Los Angeles during lockdown with Grammy-winning producer Aaron Pearce. It is an upbeat electro-pop anthem promoting the fact that beautiful things can come from dark times. The lyrics “Strong for your father / cry for your mother / love one another / pray for your brother / feel for your sister / why can’t we come together / let there be love” is her promoting this consistent message of unity. Ananya promotes joy and love through connections through her lyrics which coincides with her personal philanthropic work. She is an advocate for female empowerment and mental health and has worked with many organizations in the related fields. “Let There Be Love” is featured on Sirius XM Hits 1, making her the first Indian artist to feature on one of the largest pop radio shows in the United States.
They say good things come in threes and in this case it is true. Alt-pop trio, TWIN XL, is back with their latest single, “Problematic”. Cameron Walker-Wright, John Gomez and Stephen Gomez created a new pop anthem that fits in with today’s pop sounds. “Problematic” documents watching things turn wrong, but not being able to do much about it. The music video that accompanies the single cleverly conveys this idea, without saying it outright. In every scene the trio becomes more disheveled and injured, fitting perfectly to what they were trying to say with their lyrics.
The band follows the 2019 release of their debut EP, How To Talk To Strangers, with their third single of 2020 which will be a part of their upcoming debut album. A consistent beat behind Walker-Wright’s vocals makes for a match made in pop music heaven. After writing and producing for other artists like All Time Low and Lindsey Stirling, these three have the right skills to rise to the top themselves. The catchy chorus of the single will be stuck in your head all day.
The English post-punk legend Gang of Four’s new EP Anti Hero dropped today. The EP is a celebration of the life of band member Andy Gill who passed away in February. Gill’s widow Catherine Mayer joined together with the band to memorialize Andy through music and to fundraise for Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital– the hospital that worked tirelessly to try and save his life. All net receipts received by the band from sales and streams of the forthcoming EP and associated singles will be donated to Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust so that they can continue their valuable work. Anti Hero features two new tracks and new versions of old songs that were completed at the time of Andy’s death. “Change the Locks” and “Glass” were written before we were really in the throes of quarantine, but resonate with it nonetheless. “[Andy’s] ability to write songs that remain relevant was unparalleled,” says singer John Sterry. Bassist Thomas McNeice worked with Andy’s longtime friend and collaborator Santi Arribas to produce and mix the EP. McNeice says “I like to think that this EP exhibits a progression in Gang of Four, while paying tribute to a unique talent that I was extraordinarily lucky to work with.”
The title Anti Hero comes from the first single off the EP, “Forever Starts Now.” Written by Gill and Sterry, its original working title was “Hero,” referring to the lyrics which describe “a character who sees himself as the hero of his own life and manipulates his partner into supporting this fantasy,” according to Sterry. Andy was always wary of narratives surrounding supposedly great men, hence the word “anti” in the title. You can hear the aggression and conviction of the character in “Forever Starts Now”, especially in the bass. There are two bass parts, one electronic, one physical, and both attack each note with the ferocity of a deluded man. The rest of the music is made up of these short, fragmented motives in several different voices that give the track an unsettled quality, which also plays into the instability of the character. All these fragments create a really full sound, however, using mostly physical instruments but also some hints of electronica. It’s disjunct and edgy, yet incredibly easy to jam along to.
This unsteadiness is also mirrored in the second single, “Day Turns To Night”, but rather than being fueled by delusion, it’s fueled by the inner turmoil that one experiences after a loss. Sterry wrote the song only days after Andy’s death, and while he didn’t intend the song to be about him, it evolved into a tribute anyway. The track is made up of chaotic electronic sounds interspersed within a foggy musical atmosphere. Touches of angelic, but ghostly harmonies peek through every once in a while. This amalgamation of sounds are overwhelming, like a sensory overload, reflecting how grief can feel. However, the lyrics are clear. They are a plaintive but touching message to Andy with lines like “Is it too late to say thank you?” and “You forever changed my fate.” In some sense, it’s as though the mayhem in the music is giving you an out– something to focus on. Because if you pay attention to the lyrics, the emotions are piercing.
To complete the EP, the two reworked tracks “Change The Locks” and “Glass” update the sound to fit the vibe of the EP. “Glass” retains some of the 80’s energy from the original 1979 version, such as the DEVO-esque vocals, but it feels edgier with the pounding beat of the drums and guitar. The repetitive guitar licks and lyrics bring back the unstable sound of the first two tracks– as though the whole song is twitching. It’s short and restless, ending abruptly.
The original version of “Change The Locks” is much more recent than that of “Glass”, appearing on their 2019 album Happy Now, and consequently sounds more modern with lots of electronic elements and a pop-punk character. The Anti Hero version leans more towards alternative rock, with less bouncy electronic sounds and more distorted guitars that sound almost like buzzing. Funk comes into play in the bassline which maintains a steady groove throughout the track. The bridge adds a deep uniqueness that makes “Change The Locks” the standout track on the EP. It begins with simple, static drums, guitar, and bass. As Sterry sings “bang bang on the drums,” the drum beats ring out like shockwaves. It then dissolves into an old-timey sounding piano part before the chorus comes back, sounding familiar but also different after the mood shift that just occurred in the bridge.
Anti Hero is a wonderful celebration of a valuable band member. It honors him, not in a lachrymose way, but in a way that connects with who he was as a person and musician. The skilled musicians create music that has ties to the 80s post-punk roots of the band that Gills co-founded back in 1976, and highlights songs that Andy wrote, but also songs that capture the impact he had on those around him.
Toronto-based R&B dancehall artist Lexxicon will soon be releasing a single and video from his upcoming EP Tropical R&B, called “I Don’t Deserve You.” Lexxicon is known for fusing his Jamaican roots with pop and world music genres. For this single, the producer, singer, and songwriter used this fusion to create an ultramodern ambiance that combines the genres of dancehall and electro-R&B. The track hones in on the feelings of desolation and detachment that loom over us during quarantine. Lexxicon found solace in the moodiness of R&B and decided to use it to express his feelings during the lockdown when he wrote Tropical R&B. As he reminisced about better days in the past, he developed “I Don’t Deserve You” to be about finding someone who you can brave the world with. The song is bittersweet, however, because although it expresses a deep love, a feeling of unworthiness is also present. “Sometimes when you finally get the love you deserve you don’t know how to accept it and you feel unworthy,” says Lexxicon.
A somber tone engulfs the music video. It alternates between several different scenes, but Lexxicon is alone in each one. His melancholic vocals gently sound in places like a vacant street or empty home. The loneliness in these settings is augmented by the somewhat sparse texture of the music. Some scenes are under a cover of darkness, others are a room with a soft red light. Even Lexxicon’s facial expressions are solemn, his eyes staring into the camera with a look of poignant longing. There is also a subtle tension within both the music and video. Flickers of overlaid patterns, colours, and scenes put you slightly on edge, and the buoyant beat and melodic ornaments clash against another, gloomier countermelody. On top of the rich scene-setting provided by the visuals and music, Lexxicon’s lyrics are compelling and all-embracing.
To listen to “I Don’t Deserve You” is to feel understood in these trying times. Stream it and watch the video when they are released this Friday, July 17th.
