Browsing Tag

Indie RnB

Kay Soul – Silly Love: Empoweringly Evocative Alt RnB  

Posted on 16 November 2020

Most RnB tracks leave you under the impression that love is all about sex and breakups. Kay Soul has obliterated that blind-sighted perception with the release of ‘Silly Love’ which features on her 2020 album ‘In My Mind’.

While plenty of people had fun discussing whether WAP was a feminist track, artist’s such as Kay Soul was cooking up the most empowering track that I’ve heard this year. With the single, the trailblazing artist gently points out that objectification isn’t romance while the amorous instrumentals create a hazily seductive atmosphere for her wisdom to fall into.

At the risk of fangirling, I love her. I utterly adore her for reflecting the frustrations I’ve felt about the hyper-sexualisation of culture back at me with more poignancy and feeling than I could ever muster. Every woman needs this track on their playlists.

You can check out Kay Soul’s empoweringly evocative single Silly Love for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get your self-esteem back with Mitchel Logan’s latest single Don’t Really Need You

Posted on 25 September 2020
Mitchel Logan

Is there anything better than belated epiphanies which occur after you realise that other people in this world are never the source of your happiness or purpose? Mitchel Logan’s Alt Lo-Fi RnB track Don’t Really Need You perfectly captures that liberating feeling of elation.

Don’t Really Need You holds the same accordant appeal of Lou Barlow’s melodically intimate solo project, yet, any comparisons to Mitchel Logan’s sound are incredibly fleeting. What starts out as a lofty minimalist Indie production evolves into a passion-soaked intensely beautiful track which simply drips with empowerment. If your self-esteem needs a boost after a romantically tragic battering, hit play.

You will be able to check out Don’t Really Need You from October 23rd via all major streaming services. In the meantime, you can head on over to SoundCloud to check out their former releases.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Omari lays down the easy melodic grooves in her debut single “Gameboy”

Posted on 28 August 2020

Many RnB artists like to play it safe with their lyricism and end up saying what has been said a thousand times before. Refreshingly, Melbourne artist Omari poured plenty of bold sentiments on the airwaves with her debut single “Gameboy”.

The Indie RnB Pop single has an engaging narrative lyrical style through which Omari assassinates the character of the unworthy waster which inspired Gameboy. Hearing the realisation of Omari’s self-worth in the single which packs in sublimely melodic grooves becomes an empowering aural experience. I can only imagine what it felt like to write it.

Even though you’ll hear plenty of the roots of Soul and RnB within Gameboy, there’s no understating the fresh evocative appeal behind the production. Despite the RnB vibe, it’s safe to say fans of Kate Nash and Florence and the Machine will quickly become enamoured by Omari’s stunning beyond definition vocals.

You can check out Omari’s debut for yourselves by heading over to Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jesenia – Made It: Feisty Fresh RnB

Posted on 28 August 2020
https://soundcloud.com/jesenia4eva/made-it-prod-cuschicooks

Up and coming artist Jesenia has proven just how much feisty attitude can be thrown into RnB with her latest single Made It.

There’s nothing quite like succeeding despite the lack of faith from other people. With Made It, Jesenia perfectly captures that gratifying feeling of being able to say “Bitch I made it”.

Producer Harry Cuschieri AKA cuschicooks ensured that the smooth RnB Trap beats matched Jesenia’s fresh and strong approach to the genre. The soundscape may take some unconventional instrumental turns. But the exhibition of ingenuity will leave you transfixed by the track which drips with style, empowering conviction and magnetic energy which you’d be hard-pressed to find another track offering. Get her on your radar.

You can check out Jesenia’s single Made It for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Shxnnon invites you to get in touch with your emotions with “Feelings”

Posted on 23 August 2020

If you’re a fan of RnB Soul classics but wish they were more fitting for contemporary and confusing times, hit play on breaking artist Shxnnon’s recently released single “Feelings”.

With her 5th single, Shxnnon ensured that Feelings pertained the heart-warmingly resolving effects of classic Soul while offering a colossal amount of stylistic appeal.

Switching between synth notes which are doused with lush reverb and delicately intricate piano keys allowed the past and future of Soul to converge in the deeply evocative hit which gives you a candid view into Shxnnon’s frustration, optimism and passion. It practically begs for repeat attention through sheer authenticity.

Feelings is available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dan B. and Zorenzo teamed up to cook up a powerfully sobering feat of Indie RnB Hip Hop “Please”

Posted on 3 August 2020
https://music.apple.com/us/album/please-feat-zorenzo-single/1516182145

After a string of successful singles, up and coming US Rap artist Dan B. has dropped a firestorm of a hit with his latest release “Please” featuring Zorenzo.

Every time I hear a contemporary track tackling current issues, I feel my perspectives shift. After hearing Please, my perspective took a seismic transposition. The slow and evocatively compelling feat of RnB Hip Hop is sure to hit a nerve if you have a shred of empathy left Their sobering introspection which shows just how deeply systemic racism is ingrained within our society will leave you grounded, but Please is anything but your usual morose RnB single. It’s empowering, it’s comforting, and importantly it’s educational.

I’m not ashamed to say that I couldn’t make it to the end of the mix with dry eyes. The stunning Alt-Rock instrumentals which lay down absorbing riffs behind the solid structure of the drumbeats are the perfect sweetener to this sobering hit.

There’s also plenty to say about the poetic air to Dan B.’s lyrics. I could tell you all about it, but you’ve got ears. You can check out Dan B.’s latest single Please which dropped on June 17th for yourselves via apple music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

SLSTRSS has released her fiercely empowering Neo-Soul single “Better”

Posted on 19 July 2020

Up and coming Neo-Soul artist SLSTRSS dropped the music video for her seminal single Better on July 4th. Prepare to be galvanized.

We’re all feeling a little caged and frustrated at the state of the world right now, SLSTRSS latest single offers you an inspirationally powerful different outlook. Refusing to deal with the world as it is doesn’t have to mean resigning in apathy, as SLSTRSS poignantly alludes, we can simply start to be better.

Despite the smooth soulful production, Better is definitely one of the most hard-hitting tracks I’ve heard this year. If you’re looking for an empowering aural pick me up, look no further.

You can check out the official video to SLSTRSS’ latest single by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Hourigan has released their optimism-invoking Indie RnB Folk Single “Fly Your Kite”

Posted on 6 July 2020

The word ‘arrestive’ may get thrown around a lot in reviews, but in the case of Hourigan’s Indie RnB Folk single “Fly Your Kite”, it’s more than justified.

The unfiltered soul which Hourigan projected into the Indie RnB mix has a way of crawling under your ribs as you drink in the organic accordant ecstasy in the sublimely serene soundscape.

If you could imagine what it would sound like if Jack Johnson, Hozier and Cosmo Sheldrake all collaborated on a single, you’d get an idea of how mesmerizingly transcendent Fly Your Kite is.

Lyrically, Fly Your Kite is a poignant message to the younger generations facing overwhelming levels of uncertainty. It’s a gentle optimism-invoking invitation to keep on going and to see past the crushing illusion society attempts to sell us.

You can check out Hourigan’s single Fly Your Kite for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Indie and RnB Soul Alchemically Combine in Alvin’s Immersively Raw Single “Sentient”

Posted on 15 May 2020

Manchester has another reason to feel smug about their repertoire of musicians after RnB Soul artist Alvin released their latest EP Seven Oaks on May 1st.

Each of the tracks offers unfiltered candid lyrical poetry alongside absorbingly authentic beats, but the best introduction to Alvin’s succinct stylistic sound is undoubtedly Sentient.

By allowing the same haunting guitar tones as you’d expect to find in a Chameleons track to create the perfect platform for their equally as ethereal vocals, Sentient offers plenty of pensively immersive alchemy. But just because Alvin let his soul candidly spill out into the mix, that doesn’t mean that the track is without its soulful catharsis. Warming to new artists may not be easy, but it’s never been easier for fans of Alt Indie RnB.

You can check out Sentient along with the rest of Alvin’s latest EP for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Alex Slay – Cherry Wine: Nostalgically Warm, Stylistically Captivating Alt Indie Neo-Soul

Posted on 8 May 2020
Alex Slay

Nashville-based Indie RnB artist Alex Slay’s upcoming single “Cherry Wine” may be a melodiously soft, soulfully captivating slow jam, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a more hard-hitting Indie Soul track.

Their completely distinctive sound fuses nostalgically warm Neo-Soul Jazz Pop tones around roots-deep RnB and light melodic Blues in a way which I can guarantee you’ve never heard the like of before. But despite the uniqueness of Alex Slay’s signature sound, Cherry Wine is one of the most accessible Indie RnB tracks we’ve heard this year. And those are just a few of the reasons you’ll come to love Cherry Wine once you delve into the soulful creative catharsis.

You’ll have to wait until May 20th to check out Cherry Wine for yourselves. In the meantime, you can check out the artist’s previous releases via SoundCloud and keep up to date with news of the release via Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast