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New Jersey Pop

Spotlight Feature: Indie Pop Meets Folk Symphony: The Dynamic Contrasts of Woodstone’s ‘Touch of Adrenaline’

Woodstone

Woodstone, a rising indie pop singer-songwriter from New Jersey, offers an emotive glimpse into his forthcoming fourth LP with the release of ‘Touch of Adrenaline.’ The track captures the essence of early 2000s indie pop while throwing back a little further to 90s Britpop, evoking memories of Plain White T’s and stoking the nostalgia of Oasis while infusing his own raw, heartfelt style.

This intricately crafted track intertwines folk elements with chamber pop strings, allowing contrasting layers of ornate orchestration and winding folk guitar lines to showcase Woodstone’s skill in bending and blending texture and tone into affecting aural contours. Reflecting on the ephemeral nature of intense feelings, Woodstone demonstrates a sophisticated approach to scintillating the senses of his growing fanbase.

Woodstone Said:

“Touch of Adrenaline is about a relationship with an end date, with both parties knowing it will end, and the last fleeting moments being marked by intensified emotion. 

The single explores what it really means to truly feel and be present with someone you love for the last time while conveying an image of romance in the midst of a dystopian world. 

Like all songs on the upcoming concept album, it was inspired by a relationship that could have worked but wasn’t the right time, and life forced us to drift apart.”

Touch of Adrenaline will be available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify, from December 13th, with Woodstone’s fourth album, Glass Skin, set to follow in early 2025.

Follow Woodstone on Instagram to stay up to date with all of his latest releases and news.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Bari Mcknight synthed away the pain of ephemeral affection in ‘SUMMER THINGS’

Two things are guaranteed every summer: swathes of stellar summer pop hits and the inevitable ashes of quick-to-burn romances. In his latest single, SUMMER THINGS, the independent artist, Bari Mcknight, brought one of the former and consoled casualties of the latter by fusing echoes of Afrobeat with catchy pop hooks, the soul of stylistically synth-driven RnB and a trappy beat, resulting in an irresistible earworm which is weighted in evocative realism, contrasting the dreamy etherealism of the track.

If the lingering sting of ephemeral affection is making the onslaught of autumn feel that much colder, SUMMER THINGS is the ultimate source of salvation. The echoes of The Weeknd’s aesthetic coursing through the neon-lit, synaesthesia-inducing production leaves enough room for Mcknight’s sonic signature which is scribing his legacy – one hit at a time.

It’s rare to find a pop track with the potential to dominate the charts while resonating with the sincerity of a diary entry, but that’s exactly what the New Jersey-residing independent artist achieved in SUMMER THINGS, which features on his latest album, Summer of Love; a curated anthology of laidback melodies and relatable narratives.

SUMMER THINGS dropped on August 2nd; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Revel in the lovesick euphoria in Analog Beach’s synthpop-meets-indie-rock single, See You Tonight

80s synthpop grooves against angular indie-rock in the NJ-based up-and-coming duo, Analog Beach’s latest convergence of the past and future, See You Tonight. The vocal lines in the chorus easily become the sharpest of hooks, and that’s before you even get to the instrumentals that put white-hot guitar solos against colourful retro synths.

Fans of The Midnight, Wolf Club, and FM-84 will easily make a playlist staple out of this sweet affectionate hit, which doesn’t sugar coat affection. Instead, Analog Beach thrives while narrating just how emotionally crippling infatuation can be. Not all artists succeed in combining reality and romanticism, yet notably, Analog beach is anything but your average artist experimenting with tones and coming up with catchy lyrics. There’s substance by the smorgasbord in this euphorically bright hit that is sure to see the duo go far in 2022 and beyond.

The radio edit of See You Tonight is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast