Browsing Tag

Commercial

Sinnie Kravitz wonderfully upsets the Balance

Posted on 27 December 2017

The art of any cover is bringing something new to a song. There are many ways to do that from a faithfully reworking using a new voice to a complete deconstruction and rebuild to the point where the song almost becomes a musical anagram of the original, both options have varying degrees of success depending on just how invested the listener is in the original song. Sinnie Kravitz has found a whole new approach. He takes a much shorter version of Roy Wood’s Balance and uses this merely as his platform on to which he builds a whole new vocal.

As the inherent sweetness of the original plays out in the background Kravitz adds a more robust vocal sound, one that comes from the harder streets, speaks with an authentic voice and raps tough in contrast to the tender R&B vibe it is threaded through. The result is actually something which is part cover and part creativity, a familiar slice of music subsumed by a wholly new creation. The lines between comfort zones and the cutting edge just became much more blurry.

All You Need is JSY

Posted on 23 December 2017

Taken from his album Love Drug, All I Need sits at the cutting edge of the modern commercial music vibe. Slow, late night R&B grooves built from skittering beats and swirling electronica, half spoken, half sung intimate lyrics and space and atmospherics adding a whole slice of mystery and anticipation. This is music of the understated, the considered, the restrained, where as many fellow artists working in a similar field would through every trick in the book, employ every studio technique known to man to layer and texture their songs, JSY instead turns to the art of deconstruction and the use of space.

The result is a song so elegant and gossamer delicate in its form that with little else to distract, the lyrics become the vocal point. Music for the late night wind down, the after party chill session or the soundtrack to a romantic encounter, this is what happens when an artist concentrates on the lyrical message and not the musical envelope it is delivered in.

Listen To Dan Kastelnik’s Catchy “Over This” – It Will Remain Stuck In Your Head For A Long Time

Posted on 19 September 2017

With an intriguing blend of natural sounding instrumentation in combination with more electronic and heavy sections, a strong vocal tone and an outstandingly catchy melody, “Over This,” is precisely a song for the top of the charts. This song is not just your normal pop tune, it’s a song that will have you press play over and over. Through this fresh sounding song featuring a very colourful arrangement, Dan Kastelnik surprises us with his ability to fuse styles in a way which makes the song appealing for a wide audience. Mixing in a hint of raw and edgy rock vocals while delivering a melody that is catchy and pop-ish in combination with a wide spectrum of instrumental sounds, the way this song is crafted definitely makes it very commercially appealing.

When it comes to the harmonic changes and the way the instruments are arranged, these go hand in hand together to form a very rhythmically moving texture which, from the beginning of the song, pushes through while keeping a steady groove and rhythm, even at points when there are in fact no drum grooves. The natural sounds of guitar, bass and strings make up an expressive basis which surprisingly morphs into a heavy rhythmic and expanded chorus which features a more electronic side. Apart from having a strong element of surprise, “Over This” cleverly features a wide dynamic range and an artistic vision which is clearly performed, produced and delivered, making the song surprisingly impactful.

-Sarah Marie Bugeja

A&R Factory Present: Heffron Drive

Posted on 12 February 2017

Based out of Los Angeles, CA, Heffron Drive is an Alt Pop band started in 2008 by lead singer Kendall Schmidt and Guitarist Dustin Belt. The duo began making music together when they were teenagers. Both Kansas natives met while living on the same street in Burbank, CA called Heffron Drive, which ultimately inspired the name of their band.

Before Heffron Drive had a chance to take off, Kendall booked the lead of a television show/music group and gained worldwide popularity as the lead Singer of the Nickelodeon/Columbia Records project Big Time Rush. After 5 years of success, Kendall, alongside guitarist, Dustin Belt, got back in the studio together as Heffron Drive.

The two best friends and band mates have been busy touring all parts of the world since the revival of Heffron Drive. From Europe to South America, the Philippines and all over the US. Their first album Happy Mistakes was released in 2015, shortly followed up by Happy Mistakes: Unplugged; per the fans request for an acoustic album. Happy Mistakes is a soaring example of how pure songwriting can be. The music is thoughtful and meticulously crafted to go along with lyric and melody that pull on every individual heart string.

So far the band has only impressed and they aren’t slowing down anytime soon. With the release of their two new singles “Rain Don’t Come” and “Don’t Let Me Go” in 2016 they have brought a new sound to their music that has pleasantly surprised the fans and attracted new listeners. These two new singles push the limits of what HD is all about; unforgettable music. “Rain Don’t Come” is a heart racing track full of desert vibes and incredibly thoughtful production. “Don’t Let Me Go” is the new sound for the project, showing the love that Heffron Drive has for electronic music while keeping their unique sound alive.

The band has been hard at work in the studio writing and producing new music. Their first new song of 2017, “Living Room”, was released January 13th, followed by an EP entitled “The Slow Motion EP” released February 10th. They will be playing a few shows in Mexico in January, and then of to Europe for a full European tour in February.