A meandering, beautiful piano intro? Check. An ethereal, intense voice dancing along staccato notes in an endearing and almost haunting way? Check! Teghan Devon has pulled out all the stops in new single “V.I.P.,” for which we have the exclusive premiere right here. Let yourself get lost in the building momentum of a song that feels like a warm hug. Singing of engaging with true, genuine friendship and “Good vibes only,” this is a song we can absolutely get on board with in 2022. Get your first listen below, and be sure to let Teghan know how much you love her over on Facebook!
Indie folk artist Amy Jay continues to impress, carving out delicate landscapes and memories as her story unfolds in front of us all. 2 EPs and an array of singles in, we have grown quite attached to her sound. Jay’s new track “Lucid Dreaming” gives us a taste of what’s to come with her first full-length release, due out next month.
We’ve not been as impressed with a lyricist in a moment and are absolutely thrilled by the specificity that the end of each breathless line brings with it. Jay’s whisper of a voice seems to trace shadows across our skin, while we fall into the comfort of her sweet melody. Lines like “sunscreen and cigarettes/smells like childhood birthdays” give you just a hint of nostalgia attached to the simplicities of early years and seemingly unimportant memories. Explains Jay of the track:
I somehow ended up in the front subway car on the A express train zooming down Manhattan on my way to work, and was mesmerized by the prisms that were forming out of the double-paned window of the train door. As I was in some sort of hypnotic, half asleep, morning commute state, I also picked up the smells of sunscreen and cigarettes, which was probably someone on their way to the beach. But it brought me straight back to a specific, vivid just-like-yesterday memory of a childhood pool party in Miami Lakes where I grew up. Contrasting that past memory with the current state of my mind asking, ‘Am I really an adult?’ and, ‘What is truth, does it even exist?’ is what brought me to write this song. It was a strange train ride.
Sure, the idea of lucid dreaming is a magical concept; having the ability to be aware and make decisions within your dreams can make it feel like two realities exist. Daydreaming, night dreaming, lucid dreaming… what a comforting and strange thing to consider. (And no, we have never identified with a line more than with “nothing’s making sense, nothing’s making sense.”)
Awake Sleeper is out February 11. Keep up with Amy Jay here.
Ray Angry just may have been involved in crafting the most truly engaging and vibrant music video experience of the holiday season, if you ask us. That is, based on the gorgeous color play in the visual release for “#Toyland,” a seductive R&B remake that features some iconic names. Public Domain – the musical collaboration project Ray Angry operates – has released a party-themed gem that will have you getting in the mood for the new year. Explains the caption on the official music video:
‘Toyland’ is a song from the 1903 Christmas-themed operetta. The song is originally a saccharine tune about a wistfulness for childhood and how once you cross it’s borders, you can never return again.. It’s a nostalgic exploration of loss of innocence. With that theme in mind, our updated song is about an acid trip and psychedelic/spiritual experiences in general, tying it to Toyland in that once you cross the border of self exploration and rebirth in that way, you don’t necessarily return the same person. We have Perverted the original meaning and created a new narrative that explores the continued and perpetual losses of innocence that occur throughout adulthood that are sad, beautiful, and complex.
Questlove, Black Thought, Marcus King, Pino Palladino, and Liv Warfield all feature, as you watch a literal kaleidoscope of lights and theatrics through the screen. Equal parts Tim Burton, Cirque du Soleil, and Southern California rave, this video is a really fun direct reflection of its concept and lyrical twist, a psychedelic experience you won’t want to miss.
Emerging as a solo artist after her time as the frontwoman of surf-pop band High Wasted, Jessica Louise Dye returns with a new side to her musical persona under the moniker Hello Lightfoot. Taking cues from her experience DJ’ing at clubs and throwing chaotic themed parties, her solo work takes listeners into a more intimate look at herself while keeping a gritty and high octane indie-pop sound. Hello Lightfoot’s sophomore single “shame” is no different, serving as an anthem for personal release.
Backed by a punchy synth-pop instrumental, the track rebels against trauma with an emphatic drive to take back control of one’s own emotions. The beat and vocal melodies in this song does a great job of sonically painting a turbulent journey out of a storm- psychologically speaking, as if Hello Lightfoot and the listener fights through their demons with a sense of optimism and relentlessness. Whereas other songs on similar subjects captures a feeling of suffering, “Shame” feels like a middle finger to your inner self’s spiritual attacker, daring it to try hitting again. On the single’s message, Jessica explains:
The concept of feeling shame is one I can relate to and is distinctly tied to feeling embarrassed or even just shy in social situations. It’s something I’ve worked on a lot. I consider myself an extrovert with introvert tendencies. The line “muzzle be damned” is a reference to silencing your own opinions around others as a means to be more amicable. It’s very easy to lose yourself if you’re catering to the likes and dislikes of others. Being a nice guy can be a curse sometimes.
“Shame” is out on all platforms and stay tuned for Hello Lightfoot’s upcoming project.
Toronto-based R&B artist Dylan Sinclair returns with new music to provide much needed warmth to listeners with sentimentality towards past and current lovers over the incoming winter season. Fresh off the release of his JUNO award-nominated debut album Proverb and subsequent release 3511, the 20-year singer-songwriter has seen his career soar with features on tracks such as “Hindsight” by Motown Records artist Emanuel, appearances on CTV News’ Etalk with Tyron Edwards, and music placements on TV shows like The CW’s The Republic of Sarah. Sinclair continues his artistic growth by capturing experiences of his newfound independence as a young artist facing a rise in his profile. In collaboration with producers Jordan Manswell, Zachary Simmonds, Bryan Allen, and Jason Amos, Dylan drops a silky smooth single with “Regrets”.
With a minimalist and piano-driven mid-tempo groove, the ballad recalls the earnest introspection of peers such as Brent Faiyaz, Giveon, and Snoh Aalegra. Sinclair delivers a painful retrospective on a soured relationship, with lyrics such as “No, I don’t think that I should be/Way back where we started three years/If you get how I feel right now/Don’t feel forced to come back around”. His stacked harmonies and pitched vocal effects adds to the track’s brooding atmosphere, the soundtrack of a moment of pained reflection in isolation from others. The single’s solumn yet soulful vibe embraces heartbreak as much needed healing for R&B fans in turbulent relationships.
Check out “Regrets” on all streaming and music platforms!
Comprised of vocalist/guitarist Matt Connelly and bassist Will O Connor, Wilmah aims to make listeners think while simultaneously creating grooves to make them move. Blending blunt introspection in their approach to songwriting with some humor and multi-genre fusion, the band’s alt-pop sound attempts to make sense of life’s intricacies while retaining some uplifting vibes. Using the opportunity from the pandemic in creating new music, Wilmah returns with a growth in their sound that fully represents themselves as individuals. In succession to the romance and nostalgia based “Television ” and politically charged “Welcome to America”, their new single “Wait Until Tomorrow” aims to reach the psyche and spirits of their audience.
The track immediately hits with a burst of upbeat mix of acoustic and electric guitar licks with the rhythmic punch of 80s new wave-esque drums. The production of this song can automatically get one to think it is a breezy feel-good anthem, while the lyrics seem to tell a different story. As heard in the passionate hook “If you’re gonna break my heart, can it just wait until tomorrow”, Wilmah makes a plea to push off negativity for the time being to revel in temporary happiness. The juxtaposition of the single’s sonic bubbliness with its therapeutic subject matter makes for an interesting anthem that can comfort listeners while not sugarcoating their true feelings.
“Wait Until Tomorrow” drops on November 19th and check out Wilmah’s preceding singles.
