Louis Fenton “Riptide”
Photo credit: Toby Fenton
“Riptide” sees the alchemy between Louis Fenton’s raw, intimate vocal and the versatile soundscapes that breathe and live along his side. Drawing from a personal place, the song reveals the draining, consuming feelings when dealing with anxiety and depression.
Louis Fenton gives it all on his debut release. As an artist, he doesn’t hold back in his vocal performance or in his unmistaken lyricism. He peels the skins off of those feelings and gets underneath them, then he brings it all into his music. The storming honesty in “Riptide” is what makes it really special.
Producer Raffer sees the potential in the 20-year-old artist, and he seems to exactly how to strengthen and enrich his unique storytelling. In those glistening, melancholy, yet ethereal atmospheres, Fenton’s voice has different shades of light, bathing in a pop-noir cinematic feel with a rock aesthetic coiled into the texture.
There are so many wonderful details in “Riptide” that feels like a treat to the ears. The reverberant drum beats, located mid-song, become almost translucent in the background, while Fenton’s vocal blurs into beautiful chaos. Then the lingering piano at the end of the song shares an imaginative way to create what the ears desire.
Glenn Valles “Want You”
Award-winning songwriter Glenn Valles reveals a new EDM sensational hit “Want You,” featuring addictively catchy melodies and fiery beats. Glenn Valles is a songwriter who transforms the listening experience with a pinch of magic dust from his musical universe.
“Want You” paints vivid imagery of dancing under the neon light. Valles channels the wicked, booming energy of the night into the soundscapes, bringing his listeners an immersive and impressive experience. The music video adds another dimension to its sonic visualization while rendering an irresistible vibe.
Glenn Valles is as versatile as he is imaginative. The international musical artist spans multiple genres, conquering hearts through his undefinable touch of music that always has something special in them. With several international songwriting awards to his credit, Valles’ music has been shortlisted for TV shows and movies.
With his music, Glenn Valles invites listeners to a world without boundaries. As the artist preaches, “see with their ears,” and “feel with their souls,” his music shares a multifaceted depth underneath its obvious catchiness.
Follow Glenn Valles
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Follow Glenn Valles 〰️
Little Miss Higgins “Flock In My Head”
Photo credit: Eric Lemoine
The Fire Waltz is a special project that Little Miss Higgins has longed to create. Fascinated by her great-grandmother, Eva Bersay’s journey from Jersey Island (of the northern coast of France) to Canada during the Great War, Little Miss Higgins traced her footsteps through good photos, journals, and letters, re-imagining the story of a brave woman who achieved the impossible crossing the ocean with her kids among German submarines to a new land in the early 1900s.
The Fire Waltz brought to life with the support of numerous musicians and artists, is a unique blend of drama, storytelling, music, and podcast. Little Miss Higgins goes in great distance to create this one-of-a-kind, immersive experience that is stylistically authentic to the various historical and cultural backgrounds.
From British marching band to colonial folkloric music to musical dialogue, Little Miss Higgins has proven that she is not like any other artist. The award-winning musician chose “Flock In My Head” as an introduction to who she is as an artist. The track finds her in acapella with a simple bass drum beat.
Her versatile vocals that spark her passion for storytelling shine through the track from beginning to the end. By the time you finish, you’ll be awed by her fierce creativity. And The Fire Waltz will surprise you even more.
There is simply no other musical project out there that creates such imaginative storytelling with pure sounds. The Fire Waltz is a podcast that once you start listening, you won’t be able to stop. The storytelling is as unresistible and unforgettable and the project both informs and entertains.
The Fire Waltz
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The Fire Waltz 〰️
Charlotte Snedden “RETROspective”
The ending of a relationship is the starting of a new one that one must embrace themselves. Finding herself alone after a breakup in the middle of the pandemic, Charlotte Snedden dived into her fascination with 80s pop and rock music. Heavily influenced by the sound of Madonna, Joe Sample, SHINee, and Kim Petras, RETROspcective finds Snedden in retrospection underneath the swirling ballroom light.
“All I Want” takes us to the immediate emotional aftermath of a breakup. The song is rich in contrast and strength as Snedden navigates through the heaviness and heartache, breaking up the old patterns, fitting in newly found freedom. The song takes listeners through a journey, landing in the reminiscence of “All I See is You.”
Trapped between four walls, being reminded again and again about the past but there’s no way other than to grin through the pain. “All I See is You” marks a climax in emotions and storytelling of RETROspect, confronting the truth with raw honesty. The Australian Musical Theatre performer showcases her expressive vocal detailing the wrenching journey she went through.
“The Future is Ours” finds a downtime, slowly packing lost items, standing up and saying goodbye to the past. Hope and strength grow brighter as the singer proceeds to the chorus. Like ocean waves, there’s a natural back and forth in the song’s energy, authentic and untamed to the experience.
The rock-infused 80s dream-pop soundscape seems to be a safe place to explore difficult emotions. Charlotte Snedden built a sonic castle for herself as well as for listeners, who have been or are going through heartbreak.
Sun Smash Palace “Do You Know What I Mean?”
Photo credit: Christian Busse
Sun Smash Palace’s “Do You Know What I Mean?” shares the irresistible vibe during travels with a sense of groovy, surf-rock-infused catchiness. Despite the unpredictable, risky, and seedy experiences that occurred during travel, there’s always a ray of sunshine that lightens up the mood.
“Do You Know What I Mean?” almost has a sigh of irony in the sound, while spreading its infectious optimism of good feelings. Fresh from Sun Smash Palace’s upcoming EP, the track marks the first single since they moved from Seoul, South Korea to Luxembourg.
The mood of “Do you Know What I Mean?” starts from a bluesy bass riff, traveling to a slightly distorted guitar that echoes its calling as if a counterpart while the remaining space is filled with an emotive, rhythmic reverberance. With a simple but fun alignment, Sun Smash Palace leaves a strong sonic impression in your head before the lead singer’s smooth, sunshine vocal steals your heartbeat.
The reminiscence of The Beatles, The Growlers, and Oasis is quite obvious with its title and the line “I feel Supersonic,” further exploring a retro fashion.
The dynamic track tends to linger longer even when the music has stopped. That’s the magic of Sun Smash Palace. They seem to swirl in dazzling colors, expanding their horizon, but there’s always a touch of chill and laid-back in their sound that makes you pauce.
Mel Fine “Alone Together”
Boston singer-songwriter Mel Fine tells an emotionally vulnerable yet captivating story about the yearning and doubts in a long-distance relationship on their sophomore single, “Alone Together.” Their smooth, soulful vocal effortlessly flows through melodies with a warm, airy timbre that is both intimate and sexy.
“Alone Together” has a lighthearted arrangement where the singer-songwriter style of storytelling meets a pop-edged aesthetic. Although emotional, the track always leaves you with enough space and oxygen to breathe and feel, safely and fully.
Mel Fine layered the acoustic guitars through multi-tracking, where the nuance between the instrument’s natural entrancing melodic timbre and its woody percussive strums are well-balanced. “Alone Together” also features a silky synth that softly supports the melody while enriching the mood and vibe that so perfectly captured the longing and insecurity of being on the opposite side of the country — “alone, together.”
The doubts, questions, longings, and tender feelings that occurred during a time of vulnerability are so well articulated in Mel Fine’s lyricism — they were words, but they speak the hearts.
Feel Trip “Fame”
Photo credit: Alexis Townsend
“Fame” is the first official single from Feel Trip, a 4-piece band based out of Vancouver, BC, initially formed out of their passion for music, but developed into a lifelong bond. The energetic, hard-hitting punk rock song is inspired by a critical examination of social media influencers and celebrities.
Quirky but impressive. Feel Trip has no trouble transitioning between their own unique rock personalities while quoting several classic rock sounds and different cultural influences. Middle Eastern mode weaved into Western major-minor chordal tonality, sharing a very interesting twist in the flavor.
It’s even more intriguing when you ponder upon the critical insight of influencers and celebrities along with the highly repetitive, almost screaming-in-capital-letter guitar riff and the heavy-staccato lyrical lines. Feel Trip creates a very thoughtful and almost poetic sonic illustration with “Fame.”
Feel Trip remind you of Talking Heads from the late 70s and The White Stripes. The band of frontman Joe Campbell, lead guitarist Jason Garner, bassist Dana O’Higgins, and drummer Eli Costello draws influences from Kings of Leon, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, The Ramones, and The Dead Weather.
Elshuffles “atypical”
Elshuffles, a humble artist with few words, is no doubt a hidden gem in the UK independent music scene. “atypical” surprises you with its unique sound designs and nonverbal storytelling that weights between cinematic soundtrack and industrial techno.
“atypical” is the first single out of Elshuffles’ upcoming album Disinformation Party. The track is the very first piece of music composed, which led to the making of the entire album.
A soft ambiance, hypnotic rhythm, and a drone—this combination sounds like something that normally would be the background or the soundtrack, but “atypical” is more present and dominant in its own expression. It sounds like the music that is driving a video game, the music that paints the scene and engages you on an emotional level.
Like an alternative universe being crafted through sounds, there’s a vague, smog-like atmosphere, but there’s the light and innocence that leads you. At times it may be vague, and at times it might be at its strongest and brightest, but the string of light is always there. It’s symbolic as anything you’d like it to be, and the appearance itself is odd and shocking, but at the same time, natural as the way it is.
“atypical” has an intricate, keen side within its dark and industrial appearance. That’s what moves people, and of course, the intriguing shuffling sounds that are always refreshing to the ears.
The Flashpot Moments “Very Far”
Photo credit: @conordohertyphoto
The haunting, introspective guitar riff is the opening melody that introduces us to Very Far. There’s an instant knowing from the very beginning that this album by The Flashpot Moments is meant to be something different — roof-lifting, stadium-filling different.
The Flashpot Moments give away a solid, unforgettable performance that always makes you question if you’re actually listening to a studio album or witnessing an actual live show. The soaring vocal elevates the air as the fiery, distorted guitar shoves its melodic twists against the eardrum. The energy is unmistakenly lit and the vibe is contagious.
“Jealous,” the dark banger grows on introspection, while “Itch” has the flashing guitar that completely alters your perception. “Trust U” makes a statement while subtly shifting the energy in the room. Moving from three massive bangers, the fourth track “Fun is Hard” shakes up the ground with something entirely different.
The jumpy track is deeper in its nostalgia with the blend of piano into the sonic, which is further explored in the ballad right after — “Don’t Know it Yet” explores a confessional moment filled with feelings, wrapped up in those straight lines on the piano.
“Lat Den Rullia” again bounces back into its restless, cathartic nature. There’s something raw yet maturely orchestrated on Very Far. There are always the little details between transitions or tucked beneath the obvious that fascinates you each time you listen, while the album itself has a flow that is worth exploring.
MadRay “Tearing Me (Radio Edit)”
Photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/dannayetee/
“Tearing Me (Radio Edit)” sends out a strong statement of who MadRay is as a producer and an artist. Effortlessly migrating between Tech House, Bass House, Progressive, and Deep, MadRay’s music never lacks excitement.
The LA-based DJ/producer shares his masterful skills breaking off and constructing new sounds. His artistic vision meets his limitless imagination, spiraling into brilliantly fantastic sonic storytelling that both engages the listeners on a physical, sensuous level but also stimulates and intrigues the mind.
As a producer, MadRay has a natural instinct for melodic, lyrical storytelling that becomes the driving force of his music. From shifting, chopped vocal lines to a smoothly elaborated verse, he invites you to explore the emotions and expressions and form a deeper connection within the sonic experience.
Leonardo Barilaro “Not 63 days without a note”
Photo credit: Nadya Ozdemir
“Not 63 Days without a note” addresses the situation in Ukraine. The piece reflects on the tragic fact of people dying and those who profit from feeding the smokescreen of ignorance. The dark, strengthful low frequencies march in at the very beginning of the piece.
The pianist and aerospace engineer Leonardo Barilaro sends down those chilling high notes that seem to alert and scream, but even in distress, there is warmth within the shimmering light and hope, which the piano again evokes.
The piano as an instrument becomes so much more when Barilaro’s fingertips hit the keyboard, the voice from his heart is joined by the imaginations of his mind. A scratchy hang drum meets the piano somewhere in the middle of the journey. The two instruments engage in an uncanny polyrhythmic dance while the hypnotic rhymic undertone continues to evolve.
“Not 63 days without a note” belongs to Barilaro’s yearlong project “Space Piano Music Everyday,” inspired by his personal mantra, Nullo Die Sine Nota (not a day without a note). Every day, Barilaro will release a piece of new music onto all streaming platforms and a related video on YouTube.
The ib “Oh Meadow”
These elements from different corners of the world and time fame interact with each other in a random, unexpected yet natural way on Oh Meadow, while The ib’s grungy shoegazing aesthetic gives them an otherworldly, obscure flair.
“Done Waisting My Time” opens with a rockability-influenced headstrong rhythm. The ib’s slide guitar work takes on an almost spiritual melodic portrayal. “Olive Tree” takes on a slow-burn span within its heavily shoegazing soundscape. The track evokes a zen-like space with The ib’s blues, jazz, and rock-infused guitar work.
Something really special happens in “Sunshine in Our Life.” The clashing of sounds from his unique pitch fluctuation creates a very interesting psychedelic vibe that cannot be found elsewhere.
“Left Behind” seems to continue this weird sense of dissonance in a melodic manner. Raw and unapologetic. There’s the fast beating between pitches that is both daring and unusual to this type of music. “Bellows of the Lonely Giant” concludes the record with moaning as crying as singing.
Braulio Cruz “An Endless Love”
Photo credit: Cole Witter
“An Endless Love” is off to an urgent start. The bouncy beat tightens around a wavy synth, vertically and horizontally weaving into an intense, cosmic vision. The track takes full advantage of 3-D surroundings, while Braulio Cruz’s smooth airy falsetto takes your thought away into a journey of love.
Simple and effortless, each contraction evokes an energy that is as fierce as passion and as smooth as the healing hands. Before you realize it, the pulsation of sound has become the flames that dance in the dark, spiraling down a mysterious symbolic path.
Braulio Cruz’s hypnotic, atmospheric vocal has calming energy in the spacious sonic. Its poetic, romantic flair feels both intimate and distant with a touch of cosmic psychedelic in the dream-pop soundscape. Inspired by the endless curiosity for the unknown, “An Endless Love” poses a question larger than anything and anyone into its fluid-like, vacant imaginary space.
Originated from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Braulio is a gay artist based in New York City, making music and exploring themes of psychology, psychedelics, spirituality, and homosexuality. His work empowers and embraces the natural sparks and destructive force of creativity. His previous release, “Pool” centers on the feeling of young love and loss of a parent, and “The Braille of the Soul” tackles spiritual crisis and his Brazilian roots.
Enoka “More Than Friends”
The Swedish pop artist Enoka is returning with an 80s-fused single “More Than Friends.” Charged with the dynamic energy of a booming bassline, the nostalgic swirl of time begins in the space-filling soundscapes and Enoka’s lush vocals.
Stylistic, personal, and gracefully, “More Than Friends” remains its spontaneity when it comes to nostalgia. The mesmerizing chorus marks a highlight in the track. Enoka’s melodies are catchy and infectious. She easily steals your heart with her wonderfully powerful vocal that blends pop and R&B so effortlessly and tastefully.
The artist takes the creative liberty to add a little personality into More Than Friends” which makes it phenomenal and unreplicable. Soul-stirring intimacy elevates in the swirling synths and airy pads. “I want to be more than friends, so why do you have to pretend…I want to spend time with you, maybe you feel it too. Give me a chance to change your mind.”
If you look through Enoka’s music history, you’ll notice the versatility and strength in her vocal delivery that glues every song together. Before devoting entirely to her solo career, Enoka has a long-spanning history working as a recording vocalist. She has worked with artists such as Arash, Gunter, Margaret, Bobby Farrell from Bobby M, among others.
Argonauta “Love Is Everything”
The shimmering crescendos of high strings meet the steady, punchy rock n roll rhythm
Photo credit: Milly Choi
“Love is Everything” from the New York-based duo Argonauta explores an immersive underwater sonic palette within the uplifting encouragement of life and love. Emotive, personal, cinematic, and personal, “Love is Everything” is a firm hug that gives you strength. The song was written for a good friend who was struggling with isolation in the early stage of the pandemic as a statement of solidarity.
“Writing and recording this music was an incredibly uplifting experience during the height of lockdown in NYC. We were both really invested in combining our experiences and our creativity to make something personal and relatable,” said Charlie Rauh (guitar/bass) on the making of “Love is Everything.
The underwater theme is a signature when it comes to Argonauta’s sound. Their music has a unique blend of curiosity, innocence, translucence, light, and immersion as if being in an underwater world where the sun becomes the sparkly dreams with a touch of warmth that is either too bleak or too cold.
Argonauta, the duo of Adam Sullivan (vocal/keyboard) and Charlie Rauh (guitar/bass) takes cues from artists such as Radiohead, Japanese House, and Psychedelic Furs. They thrive to channel the speck of light through creativity and music-making.
Shadow Forest “Window to the Soul”
Hiraeth is a home-recorded album by Doug Galante, the creator behind Shadow Forest. Galante’s rich imagination and expressive storytelling blossom in your mind. The album revolves around the emotional journey turn-of-the-20th-century women misplaced and trapped in a different time and space, expressing the feeling of homesickness and nostalgia with paranormal reference of a place/time that doesn’t exist anymore.
Eyes are the windows of the soul. Inspired by a video of a woman sitting down to dinner at a fancy Parisian restaurant in the 1920s, “Window of the Soul” connects to the spiritual and emotional world of a woman from another century. Like a wild dream that fits between reality and imagination, whimsical guitar and echoing string recall the emotive strings of a beautiful connection.
“Daydreaming Wallflowers” is the swirling intensity of soft, blossoming imageries. An intricate blend of silky dreams in a space that doesn’t exist. Low strings and reverberant beats leave a stain in space. The male choir in the background evokes a sense of sacredness and destiny.
“Her Heart Unlocked, Only to be Broken” is a hypnotic sonic tunnel that walked the shattering path of darkness and heartache. The hard-hitting track features a crunchy sound effect and soft vocal. Following the footstep, “Alone in Your Crowd” drifts into the world of loneliness and sadness although surrounded by people. The outside sound is faint, while the inner feelings are highlighted.
(((S)))) “The World Of (((S)))”
The World of (((S))) is a 10-track compilation of revised songs from (((S)))’s acclaimed debut album Ghost and his sophomore release Phantom. With the discovery of modern technology and new sounds, The World of (((S))) reimagines his timeless singles in an unexpected way.
Drawing influences from The Jesus & Mary Chain, Joy Division, and The Cure, (((S))) takes shape in a post-punk soundscape, blending dance and electronic music, reminiscent of New Order in the early aughts.
Compare to (((S)))’s past releases, The World of (((S))) is bolder in experimentation and immersive in nature. “Mesmerized,” taken from his debut album Ghost in 2008, evokes a psychedelic-glared, fluid-like sensation, blurring the edginess with an impressionistic and abstract fade. “Deathtrip,” on the other hand, expands vertically and horizontally in a multi-dimensional setting with a daring, intoxicating groove.
Layered with sonic surprises, “A Crying Shame” came to life in the brand new world. The track makes a strong difference from the original version in his sophomore album Phantom. The sonic visions and emotions are fully realized with ease. Pink Floyd’s ghost enters the album somewhere around “Over and Out,” although not immediate, there’s an obvious haunting mystique in the track, drifting further back the timeline.
The album concludes with a twist in the sound. (((S)))’s rendition of The Beatle’s “Help” has a chilling, hovering impression of a Pink Floyd’s recording. Revolving around a mesmerizing 60s guitar theme and choral passage, (((S)))’s version gives out an entirely different perspective of The Beatle’s composition.
Claire Bradshaw “Stories That Never Happened”
a trip full of surprises and memorable moments that deserve your attention.
The UK-based singer-songwriter Claire Bradshaw explores the stories that “never happened.” This fascinating project takes on multiple creative twists that flow and express themselves in sonic forms. Stories That Never Happened, the 10-track album by singer/songwriter Claire Bradshaw is a trip full of surprises and memorable moments that deserve your attention.
Bradshaw’s vocal swings between PJ Harvey and Patti Smith with her unique sense of playfulness. The poet at heart easily grabs your attention with her smooth, retrospective vocal. Just like her music, the artist is full of surprises herself. At times, she walks between the edgy line of words, while other times, she becomes a mood and an atmosphere that can be only tasted by heart.
Stories That Never Happened evokes a brilliant blend of synth glamouring alternative folk and soft rock texture. The collection of songs sparks curiosity and exception. “Counterfeit History” is a dynamic folk-rock tune featuring vivid visual imageries and heartfelt storytelling about the truth and rewrite of the history: “When I open my eyes, it was somebody else. So unfair, they took your place. And now you have another face, and it’s so much prettier.”
“Boots in the Right Place” drives down the lane of alternative rock with dizzy vocals and psychedelic soundscapes. The track draws you into an alternative sonic universe, pivoting towards a moody euphoria. Setting the scene in a bizarre commercial sound environment, “Jelly Beans” has a weird sense of humor yet strangely catchy and wonderful.
“I Don’t Know” concludes the album with a nostalgic, melancholy mood. The track gently flows between rock, jazzy wah-wah effects, and cloud-like synths.
Cindy Chiche “Download & Delete”
Blunt honesty, and smooth, candy-like vocals.
Photo credit: the_cosmic_supply_co
The emerging Danish-French pop princess Cindy Chiche is bringing a fresh new single, “Download & Delete,” inspired by dating frustration and countless Tinder scenarios with the much-debated national holiday, Valentine’s Day, circled in red. Although the image of love and companionship can be tempting, the road to find love isn’t always smooth and perfect.
"You would die if you knew how many dick pics I've received on Snapchat after texting with a guy for just five minutes," Chiche is blunt about her experience. She’s definitely not alone in this. Almost all the women on the dating apps would nod and relate to this rude and shockingly normal behavior.
Tired of games and disrespect, Cindy Chiche stands her ground in the pre-chorus: "Got a French attitude, Je ne me laisse pas faire (I won’t put up with it).” The chopped vocal in the chorus again vocalizes the refusal of the dating game, “download & delete.” However, it didn’t take long before giving in: “but I keep on.”
“Download & Delete” paints a scenario too familiar for many. Chiches’ unapologetic attitude and humorous approach to a very frustrating yet common situation are simply charming. Her blunt honesty and smooth, candy-like vocal combined with energetic guitars and modernistic electronics in the track create fascinating and appealing effects.
The Nghbrs “Dear,”
Refreshing and aunthetic
Dear, is the debut EP from the producer, singer/songwriter Ryan Venezia, aka The NGHBRS. Spanning three years, Venezia initially started the project in Los Angeles in 2018. Inspired by life, the creative progress is organic and intuitive. Dear, features five short tracks, but it makes you crave more.
The NGHBERS’s music has a speck of the roof-lifting, ground-shaking glance of dance music, the unfiltered, unapologetic storytelling and wordplay share a hip hop aesthetic, while the style stays in the feel-good, mesmerizing singer/songwriter pop genre.
“Chance On You” opens the album with an ocean-inspired, simple yet atmospheric guitar riff that gives an instant authentic feel that puts you in the front role of Venezia’s storytelling. The Track takes off gently with the lifts of airy pads, reverberant production, and minimalistic beats. The pop-infused single is about taking the chance on that love at first sight.
Venezia’s distant yet emotionally intense vocal delivery directly contrasts the beautifully calm, chill soundscape in “Better for You.” The song dives into overthinking mindset and having reservations. From the melody and production, the track features a very refreshing and unique approach to music.
“Better Off” is a twist from optimism. The sad ballad unravels around setbacks, disappointment, and heartbreak of taking a step back from a romantic relationship. The emotions solidify in Venezia’s voice and arpeggiated guitar soundscapes.
The NGHBRS quotes influences from Jeremy Zucker, Travis Barker, and The Lumineers. Ryan Venezia also revealed that the release of Dear, is just the beginning.