Browsing Tag

Contemporary Pop

JANAYAH – Sober: From the Bottom of the Bottle to Pop Supremacy

Posted on 5 December 2024

Artistry and addiction have been hand in toxic hand since the dawn of the music industry, yet few artists have been so candid about their relationship with the bottom of the bottle as JANAYAH in her latest single, Sober.

By revealing the myriad of reasons behind her desire to numb herself in the days of her misspent youth in the pop hit through her signature high-octane soul harmonies, JANAYAH exposed how the substance is rarely the problem for those struggling with addiction while acting as a conduit of consolation for anyone struggling to come to terms with their own tendency to hit the self-destruct button.

The balance of 80s pop aesthetics and pinches of contemporary pop ensures Sober stands as a timeless power pop ballad amongst the throwaway pop tracks which litter the airwaves.

As one of the most affecting icons of pop, the London-based artist is well on her way to scaling the charts with her ability to project pitch-perfect emotion through her vocal melodies while wearing her heart on her harmonies.

Sober was officially released on November 15th; stream the single on all major platforms, including Spotify, now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mia Laren is on rhythmic fire in her latest self-produced pop hit, Woman Like Me

Posted on 16 March 2024

Mia Laren’s latest single, ‘Woman Like Me‘, is a masterclass in contemporary pop production, interweaving nostalgia with a fresh, electrifying approach. The guitar tones shimmer with a transcendental quality, while the basslines run as hot and heavy as the empowered lyrics. The anthem of self-worth and confidence is a striking testament to her burgeoning prowess in the pop music sphere.

Hailing from Baltimore and now based in San Diego, Laren, a singer, songwriter, producer, and professional dancer, infuses her music with the rhythm and expression of her dance background. This is vividly apparent in ‘Woman Like Me’, where she combines sharp rhythmic beats and sultrily magnetic vocal lines which hark back to Shakira’s ‘Whenever, Whenever’ while exhibiting her ability to create aural auras which reflect her lyrical themes. Coupled with her impressive octave range, which borders on the celestial, Laren is undoubtedly on the cusp of becoming a significant name in the pop genre.

‘Woman Like Me’ is a reflection of her belief that music is the connection to the soul. It’s a track that not only awakens the rhythmic pulses but also invites you to connect with its deeper message. The track is the perfect opportunity to align your actions with your worth.

The official music video for Woman Like Me was officially released on March 6th; you won’t want to miss the conceptually fire gender fuckery Laren uses to prove her worth and inspire other women to find their own.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Martina Stokes emancipated her listeners from self-degradation through the empowerment within her pop hit, Lose My Breath

Posted on 22 December 2023

Martina Stokes, a Canadian pop sensation in the making, has made an indelible mark on the music scene with her latest hit, Lose My Breath. Born into a musical family and raised on a diet of soul and powerhouse classics, Martina’s journey from a classical pianist to a pop icon is as inspiring as her music. Her latest offering is a clarion call to a generation, showcasing her as an unstoppable force in the contemporary pop era.

Martina’s voice, powerful enough to slice through the static of superficial pop, places her at the pinnacle of her generation’s pop artists. The track itself is a departure from the typical narratives of vulnerable love and heartbreak. Instead, Martina channels her emboldened energy into this fiery hit, delivering a message of self-worth and empowerment that resonates deeply.

The polished-to-perfection bold rejection of the stereotypical doe-eyed pop protagonist is a proclamation of the power you unchain when you assert your own value in love and life. The theme of emancipation from self-degradation is amplified by the track’s robust, bass-heavy beat, which perfectly complements her vindicating vocal lines. Drawing inspiration from legends like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, Martina’s influence is evident in her vocal delivery and the soulful depth of her music.

Martina Stokes, with her unyielding dedication to her craft and her ability to weave powerful narratives through her music, is a visionary reshaping the landscape of modern pop music. Lose My Breath is a clear indication that Martina’s future in the music industry is not just promising; it’s luminous.

Stream Lose My Breath on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Luchi shows us the weight of empty promises in his pop track, He Said

Posted on 14 January 2023
https://soundcloud.com/luchi_music/sets/me-tears-aint-strangers-ep/s-N5Bx3saLWtN?utm_source=mobi&utm_campaign=social_sharing&utm_terms=prohackedsounds.uploads_in_line&si=ef7e5578e2524059a7574798ac085d79

The Me + Tears Ain’t Strangers EP from the Glasgow-based Italian up-and-coming pop artist, Luchi is a meditation in mindful melancholy. The opening single, He Said, is the perfect introduction to the artist’s introspective candour that inspires empathy and reactive vulnerability in equal measure.

There’s nothing rawer than relaying all the empty promises when a relationship reaches an ennui-laden end, especially after we walked into the dynamic with hesitancy over vulnerability. When those red flags start to wave away every shallow word, we’re the ones left with the shame when it was never ours to carry. He Said stands as the ultimate affirmation of the disparity within romantic accountability.

Bringing new contemporary flair to the pop ballad, Luchi utilises climactic piano crescendos and tensile vocal progressions to stick to the roots before implanting modernist twists through the RnB nuances and utilisation of atmospheric reverb around the gently muted guitar strings that flow in synergy with the soft synths.

The Me + Tears Ain’t Strangers EP is due for official release on January 13th. Hear it on SoundCloud. Follow Luchi on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Expectation meets self-preservation in Aleandro Valente’s blissfully tropic indie pop hit, Not O.K.

Posted on 25 October 2022

The up-and-coming NYC-residing pop artist Aleandro Valente tore off his façade in spectacular fashion in his single, Not O.K. to expose the duality of his determination of being what others perceive him to be and staying true to himself.

The angular indie jangle pop guitars around the sun-bleached tropic RnB pop keys create the perfect platform for the high dynamic stretches of Aleandro Valente’s smooth vocal timbre that pulls you right into the battle of self-preservation and will.

It is Ariana Grande meets the 1975 in this vulnerable earworm that will see the Italian artist and his candour go far. It will undoubtedly be resonant for plenty of his listeners that feel the expectation to amplify their true nature to tick boxes that we never agreed to fill in the first place.

Not O.K. is now available to stream along with the debut album it was taken from, Bite on a Lemon, on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

ADELINE started a riot of optimism in her vibrant pop track, Like it That Way

Posted on 24 September 2022

Being raised in Tokyo, Geneva, Singapore, Copenhagen, and Montreal notably allowed the French-native pop singer-songwriter ADELINE to exude international appeal. Take her single, Like It That Way, from her debut album of the same name as the perfect example of her universally infectious appeal.

The tropical pop earworm is a riot of optimism, sun-blistered melodicism, folky organic notes and lyrical introspection which proves that ADELINE always verses from her emboldened soul. The future pop production of Like It That Way brings a timelessness to modernity to the genre that is often synonymous with superficiality. But with ADELINE shaking up the scene with her autonomously electric positivity, that may just become a thing of the past.

Like It That Way is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jae Cabrera – dancefloor groove and poppy hooks with ‘59Fifty’

Posted on 7 May 2021

Smooth, soulful, and full of spirit, 59Fifty – the new single from Canada-based artist Jae Cabrera – is a classic little R&B/pop single, all dancefloor groove, neat little programmed hi-hat patterns, and high-register vocals. Cabrera’s voice has a kind of sexy, crooning quality, that Michael Jackson high-end that’s almost but not quite breaking into falsetto.

‘59Fifty’, the track, is a mix of Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, and Charlie Puth, that perfect mix of dance-oriented beat and grind and sincere, lifting vocal-line, expressive and passionate yet equally poppy and immediate, catchy without being disposable, with a hook that sticks around long after the final bars have decayed to silence. It’s a perfect summer pop record.

You can hear 59Fifty on Spotify; check out Jae Cabrera on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Lloyd Jerwood takes us To New York with his debut dream-pop single.

Posted on 23 April 2021

After spending years as a session guitarist working alongside Greta Isaac and Hannah Grace, Lloyd Jerwood made his solo debut with his single, ‘To New York’.

The dream-pop track speaks to dreamers, to the ones who live vicariously through fantasy instead of inviting real-life chaos into their lives. Considering that we’ve all had plenty of time to spend with our fantasies and exploring meta possibilities during pandemic life, it is safe to say plenty will find resonance within this evocatively fiery release that utilises driving indie jangle-pop guitars and shimmering synths, to exhilarating radio-ready effect.

After such a promising debut, the rest of 2021 looks bright for Lloyd Jerwood.

To New York is now available to stream via Soundcloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

RnB pop artist Lenken released his soul-loaded summer playlist staple, ‘Into Mine’.

Posted on 2 April 2021

Through tropic trap-pop beats, euphoric imagery and radio-ready RnB vocals, Lenken’s latest single, ‘Into Mine’, has all the makings of a summer playlist staple. We may not be there yet, seasonally, but Lenken has a unique way of bringing tonal warmth through their vibrant soul-loaded sound.

So far, the artist’s vocal timbre has earned him a finalist position in NZ Idol in 2006, an opening spot for JA RULE and the top spot of the iTunes Independent Christian/Gospel Charts. With his influences including soul, contemporary pop and 90s RnB, there’s an instant feeling of familiarity with tracks such as Into Mine. His humble charisma has a way of making you feel right at home. Any fans of Ne-Yo, Usher and Boyz II Men shouldn’t hesitate to hit play.

Into Mine is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Stella Reine bares all in her latest single ‘Who I Am’

Posted on 8 March 2021

American pop singer-songwriter, Stella Reine expressively bares it all in her latest single ‘Who I Am’. Kicking off with a tender and tentative prelude, Who I Am gently eases you into the phenomenally brave single which will show you the true meaning of being lyrically candid.

With angular reverb-laden guitar tones which are almost in the soul-clawing style of Slowdive, Stella Reine’s single doesn’t just boast mainstream appeal but appeal to true aficionados of music which is compelling and refreshing in equal measure.

Who I Am is the perfect introduction to this exceptionally magnetic artist who you’ll undoubtedly hear more about in the imminent future and far beyond.

Who I Am is available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast