There are always tons of artists putting out new music every day, but what makes someone stand out from the crowd? Their ability to put themselves into their music. Up-and-coming artist MalikOnMusik did just that with his debut EP SparringSessions. The EP consists of six tracks that show the Philadelphia native’s true vocal ability and music ventures. With inspiration from artists like Whitney Houston, Kehlani, and John Legend, MalikOnMusik is ready to pave his own path.
It’s always hard to start out an album because most people tend to judge a book by its cover. “Don’t Think Too Much” and dive into this EP. The track is your first impression and you easily can appreciate his vocals. Followed up by “I.W.M.H.B”, which stands for I want my hoodie back, one of the singles off the EP is based on his real experiences. The production on this track could be the best out of this collection of songs. Each of the songs is different in its own way, but one thing that remains the same is the quality of MalikOnMusik’s vocals. With a similar sound to Miguel, his voice floats effortlessly from start to finish.
In his most personal track, “Consolation”, the pop/R&B artist goes deep into his life. We take a look into his soul and how he is all about being real. “Kicks (Bruce Lee)” and “Me And My Musik” have beats that will get you vibing with all your friends. Although the two aren’t very similar, they somehow seem to fit together and each chorus could easily get stuck in your head. “Saw You In My Dreams” has the most pop elements and stands out from the rest. All the elements in this track fit together just right and give off a happy vibe, a fitting ending to the EP.
These six tracks are what set him apart from other artists in the genre. He is honest and putting his all into his dreams, and it shows. Step out of your comfort zone and check out an artist like MalikOnMusik, who you might not have listened to before.
There’s something so incredible about the connection of an artist to their work, and then the work’s fans to that artist. The announcement of the death of indelible singer-songwriter Cady Groves at the tender age of thirty this spring has left a large demographic of both pop/punk fans and country aficionados floored. I, myself, remember the days when she toured with punk banks and I requested her haircut at the salon. (College was a trip, and she has always been gorgeous.) Seeing her name in headlines in my social media feed made my heart stop, and I haven’t heard much of her more recent work. But the world has been celebrating her all along, and her fandom has been wrecked over the news.
Cady spent the last four years of her life writing and preparing new music in Nashville that both reflects her personal experiences, and makes her even more relatable than before. Her EP Bless My Heart was released at the end of May posthumously, and she couldn’t have hit the mark more if she tried.
With a little whimsy, she approaches the collection with the first track “Bartender,” a quirky, honest, beautiful ballad to the carefree nature of a full bar on a hot summer night. Perhaps the reality of political unrest and pandemic make this song feel that much more nostalgic, because we actually felt ourselves tearing up, listening to a song about drinking. The title track comes in quick to justify the tears, however, as Cady addresses personal anecdotes and makes us feel that even those who fall – hard – have the opportunity to be blessed in life. She rips any wounds wide open in this track, and this vulnerable side is going to be the thing we miss most.
“Camo” seems to have a title that is very stereotypical – and perhaps widely indicative – of its audience, but the metaphor prevails as a gorgeous reminder to make yourself seen. “Cigarettes and Sunsets” takes on a rhythm and pace that lure us into the thought that we might be about to watch 1996 blockbuster hit Phenomenon. (That is not an insult in the slightest. We imagine this track sounds like the perfect amalgamation of Clapton-style guitar and the Northern California cowboy demographic that surrounded the cast of Phenomenon during filming. But I digress.) Either way, the track belongs in a film. (Do you hear that, sync friends?!)
Last track “Crying Game” visits personal anecdotes, and reminds us a bit of earlier Cady Groves’ work sonically. The song specifically addresses the deaths of two of her brothers (Casey and Kelly), and the emotions that come along with their memories. It all feels like a way to round back to the beginning, as she takes her final, audible, bow.
To feel as though you have witnessed an entire career in just five songs seems a bit cheesy. But this release makes us feel closer to Cady than ever before.
Canadian singer, rapper, producer, and songwriter Keffa released his new EP Victimless Crimes on June 1st. Produced by the Multi-Platinum and GRAMMY award winners Ken Lewis and Brent Kolatalo, the EP delves into the melancholia that results from failed relationships, but in a light-hearted way. While the music is classic R&B in many ways, it also includes elements from many other genres such as indie and experimental. Keffa compares it to the controversial 1994 film Bitter Moon which featured similar themes of relationships and heartbreak in different ways.
Each track gives us a glimpse into the types of complicated, failed relationships that one can have.
“Bethlehem” stirs up emotions you may not even know you have deep down inside you. It begins atmospheric, and includes hopeful messages like “It’ll be alright, I’ll be by your side.” But halfway through the clouds clear, the line “pick up a loaded gun” cuts through, and things become more painful. “Bethlehem” exposes the listener to this pain, setting the stage for the rest of the EP.
“Rock You” tackles loneliness, the idea of being with someone only for companionship and not for true love. As Keffa says “There’s no point in loving me, ‘cause I have no empathy,” the hard-hitting bass notes and upward synth gestures in the music sound like slow, steady breaths. It’s as though the music is breathing through the pain, through the loneliness. Immediately after, we get “Twenty Four Days” in which Keffa switches gears and starts talking about how he’s in it for the long run with this girl he loves, although there seems to be a lack of trust in the relationship.
“Disconnect” is a standout track. It deviates from the other tracks as it prominently features dreamy, broken guitar chords and surprising turns of harmony. It deals with space, “disconnecting” from a stifling relationship. “Victimless Crimes” is the most unsettling song on the EP. In essence, it’s about how things that were once uncomplicated can become twisted.
Keffa ends the EP on a cheerful note, musically speaking. “Try Harder” is fun to listen to, with a catchy chorus amidst smoothly rapped verses that just glide on top of the jazzy background music. The lyrics still continue the theme, however, highlighting a one-sided relationship where one person isn’t making as much of an effort as they could.
Listening to Victimless Crimes, it’s easy to see why The Source Magazine hailed Keffa as a “Canadian mastermind” after his second EP release, and why he was featured in Respect Magazine as “Toronto’s Emerging Creative Enigma.” Keffa not only shows how it’s possible to innovate R&B music, but also shows the world what Canada has to offer in the hip-hop genre.
Did you happen to know that Spiders Make Great Poets? That’s the truth, at least, that Blake English will stick to when asked, since that also happens to be the title of his new 5-track EP. Beginning with an otherworldly soundscape, “Sad Girls Dance Party” bursts into an honest yet fun, high energy space worthy of Warped Tour. Maintaining a similar pace doesn’t seem to be difficult for English, as second track “This Is the End” builds to quite an impressive and catchy chorus as well.
It is only with “The Neighbors” that the release slows down, back to the power punk ballad life we will absolutely come to expect from English. But it’s only the first few seconds that allow this sonic reprieve, as everything revs up before we even hit the 45 second mark. If ever there were a physical representation of the Energizer bunny – especially mid-pandemic – we would go ahead and give that honor to English. But don’t mind that assessment, as we are speaking of tourniquets very early on in “A Ghost I Knew from Yesterday,” a track that comes in to remind us that we are hanging out in the emo genre. This, this is the ballad we thought we were getting previously. This is the song we needed to prepare for post-pandemic karaoke nights.
But let’s not get ruffled, thinking the EP will end with no attitude. We jump right into “United States of Depression,” a very sharp commentary on current times. A very open and vulnerable song might lean to the dark a little more than anticipated, but it’s honest. And honesty is what we’ve all been craving.
So revel in it. Then do it again. And let us know which track is your favorite!
With the release of their second full-length Cry All The Time, Impulsive Hearts delve into darker themes of love and loss, while keeping true to their bright and fierce style of songwriting.
The album opens with “MELODY” is a look at a relationship that fell apart where one knew it was coming and the other didn’t. This uses the idea of creating a melody of music to capture one’s love for the other, “I could build a melody, it’s in a song u would write it down all summer long, oh I would build the world you love, who you waiting on?” and the realization that person wants out of the relationship with: “you took it back what you said / … / you said forget the rest, the rest of what we said.”
The album ends with the track “some heartbreakers” a slower and slightly upbeat tempo track that encompasses the theme of Cry All The Time, love, heartbreak, and loss.
Impulsive Hearts creates music that has a touch of sadness to the world of neo-girl garage rock bands. With Danielle Sines providing captivating vocals and fuzzy guitar, Doug Hoyer (bass) and Dan Julian (drums) hold down the rhythm section bringing each track to its peak moment, and Fallon McDermott (saxophone) and Jess LeMaster (violinist) add a depth to these tracks. All parts come together to create the larger than life sound of Impulsive Hearts.
Cry All The Time comes full circle from its start to finish, with “MELODY” presenting an example of heartbreak and loss while “some heartbreakers” shows that we all have stories of heartbreak, each song on this record is a story of heartbreak.
When Ryan Lee of Santa Cruz, Cali was familiarizing himself with his new studio Paradise Garage came his own musical project, Magic Waters. After recording the songs that would make up his debut EP Pinky Swear, it became clear these songs needed to be heard. This 3-song EP showcases Lee’s writing abilities, skills as a producer, and him as a performer. Through his songwriting Lee is able to blend personal stories, and observations on real-world problems.
A big political inspiration of Pinky Swear is Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. The title of the EP and the single comes from Warren making pinky swears to young women to be a constant reminder that women can also be leaders.
The single “Pinky Swear” revolves heavily around politics. The chorus and outro shout out female political leaders like Senator Warren, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Katie Hill. Lee also makes reference to powerful women in his life, such as his wife, mother, and grandmother. While the verses tackle the NRA and Trump. This back and forth of female politicians that provide optimism, versus the current political climate showcases Lee’s view of the world today and where he hopes it can go.
Pinky Swear is out this Friday, and will be available on streaming platforms everywhere for your quarantine enjoyment. Keep up with Magic Waters here.
It’s often said that music is a universal language, but even so it’s rare to see a group that represents that so literally. Progressive-indie electronic group Me & the Monster all came together when they met at their shared university in Berlin, but they possess an additional layer that sets them apart from the typical cliche of starting a band in college; the 4 musicians all hail from different countries.
While most bands start off arguing about when they’re going to rehearse or who’s going to bring snacks, this group had to immediately face an obstacle that most would never even consider; figuring out how to deal with the cultural and linguistic differences that existed as a result of their varied backgrounds. But luckily, they all had one overwhelmingly important thing in common that transcended these barriers: their love and appreciation for music. Their self-titled EP, dropping January 31st, 2020, is the group’s debut.
The influences of their different homelands come through in their music, and the result is a beautiful melting pot of sounds and ideas. A range of modern influences can be heard in The Monster’s music; Of Monsters and Men seem to show on their indie folk-rock side and Alt-J in their experimental sounds and concepts. The progressive debut EP touches on political issues such as the rapidly-changing coral reefs and the controversial political scenes in the hometowns of some of the band members. Their debut is representative of who the group is and what they stand for, and everything about them supports this; even the name Me & the Monster itself is a take on describing “modern man and his connection to the most original part of himself, the subconscious: his monster.”
The opening track, “My House”, is an introduction into the Monsters’ world, and they waste no time in welcoming their listeners into their melting pot of music. Hearty tribal drums and soulful vocals immediately draw you in; “Greetings / This is the jungle of my feelings” sings vocalist Andrea Trujillo. Here, home exists not as a place but as an idea, as a feeling, and as the people that become home for you when you leave the place you’ve always known. The opening track is the perfect intro to the group, who are all familiar with this concept as they hail from Spain, Venezuela, and Italy and all found unity and this idea of home through their common love for music.
“The Shadow” touches on the concept that the group is named for; the idea of recognizing the monster inside of yourself and the battle that everyone goes through with that. Meanwhile “Give Me Fire” stresses the importance of finding a source of light to keep you fighting through dark times. “Here” is a brightly-colored river of sounds that winds slowly before building into an explosive chorus heavy with tribal drums and echoing harmonies. The passionate political anthem introduces a sense of urgency as the group makes a call to action; “We cannot pretend / That this isn’t real / This is not the end”.
The closer, “Colours” touches on the issue of the damage of the coral reefs as a result of climate change. “It’s in my body / It’s in my bones / I must keep fighting,” Trujillo repeats, her passion for the cause evident in her moving and soulful voice. Smoothly rolling guitar riffs reminiscent of the ocean waves themselves accent the anthemic chorus. Shouting background vocals call for unity as the group reminds listeners of the importance of using music as a channel for activism for important causes.
The debut is a rare case that leaves listeners not only with a crystal clear idea of where the group stands musically, but also politically. While each track shows off a varied side of who the Monsters are and what they’re all about, the EP has a strong feeling of unity and coherence that makes the group’s debut body of work feel strong and memorable.
Indie-pop act DEWR, consisting of songwriter Brian Dawer, is set to release his new EP Dream Pop Is Over on January 31st.
This release differs from his past works because the EP shies away from the regular indie-pop formula. While DEWR’s previous releases seem cluttered and unorganized, Dream Pop Is Over, is anything but.
This 5-song EP flows like a stream of consciousness giving Dewar the space to be honest.
Accompanied by swaying rhythms and dynamic changes, this EP is both unique and listenable. The opening track “Front Line” drops listeners into Dewar’s mind, and every song following continues this exploration. Through these 5 songs, listeners are exposed to Dewar’s inner turmoils as he comes to terms with the idea that you can’t have it all, and that life keeps moving forward.
The EP’s title feels like a play on words. While his other works fall victim to indie-pop tropes of being over digitally-enhanced, Dream Pop Is Over feels natural and organic.
Anybody else ready to see an improvement in climate change law and the way we take advantage of our precious baby Earth? Alt-pop collective Little Dume has taken their environmentally conscious thoughts and placed them in their first 5 track EP, Waking Up. Theatrical and intense, the entirety of the release could be found in the soundtrack to a romance novel-turned modern major motion picture. Perhaps it’s their location in Malibu that brings the message of the environment to us disguised within sticky sweet pop sounds, either way we’re falling in love with their musicianship while “Waking Up” to the beauty to be lost.
A true love song, “As Always” showcases a raspier, slightly grittier soundscape. It utilizes the metaphor of natural disaster alongside descriptions of other gorgeous scenery to play with the meaning of love and the collective, it seems. Don’t be disappointed that Beyonce doesn’t make an appearance on “Halo”, the song itself is more Coldplay than anything else sonically (fight me). It’s gorgeous, and plays with the meaning of “bad” and “good”.
For some reason, we get quick flashbacks to music from The Cab with the opening of “That Could Be Me”, another clear love ballad that is hopeful and emotional, vocals that rip to your very core. “Kings and Saints” wraps up the EP smartly. It can be classified as a leisurely then powerful self-reflective and, once again, hopeful song, reminiscent of the energy of recent Top 40 releases. (Cough cough nudge nudge.)
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