Browsing Tag

Pop

stella. playfully broached the implausibility of equanimity in love with the twee maturity in ‘A Study in Balance’

Posted on 19 May 2024

If you prefer your indie pop sans filters, facades and pretension, the latest convivial offering from stella.’s upcoming EP, A Study in Balance, raises the bar for confessional candour and introspective expression.

The title single from the breakthrough NYC indie pop artist comes alive through innocently playful piano chord progressions and vocal harmonies which soften the blow of the lyricism which holds no prisoners when confronting the most conflicting aspects of relationship dynamics. By finding an affable way to allude to the implausibility of equanimity within a relationship when too much is never enough until it tips the balance in the other way, stella. released one of the most relatable singles of the year.

Somewhat ironically, the symmetry between twee tendencies and songwriting sophistication within A Study in Balance was right on point; we already can’t wait to hear the lyrical wisdom bestowed within the singles that are still to drop from stella.’s sophomore EP.

A Study in Balance was officially released on May 3rd; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dani Enli opened the doorway to the RnB Pop pantheon with ‘till the end of time’

Posted on 19 May 2024

After the phenomenal success of her debut single, used to it, singer-songwriter & producer Dani Enli ensured the momentum amassing around her stayed high by releasing her sophomore single, till the end of time. By synthesising future-forward RnB melodies with a pensive trap beat and the sentimentality of pop balladry, Enli opened the doorway to the RnB pop pantheon with the downtempo release which gives every aching word to breathe and resonate over the synths that echo emotion as much as the lyrical poetry.

The bittersweet RnB pop symphony delivers the heart-wrenching epiphany that in the mind and reality of the one that got away, all you will ever be is a memory that fades. Inspired, written, composed and produced following a breakup, the single tenderly explores the transitions between resentment and longing, regret and mourning, proving that nothing is ever black and white; everything lies on a spectrum which Enli profoundly explores with the blissful tonal hues that drift between the progressions in this mellifluously flawless production.

till the end of time reached the airwaves on May 10th; add the single to your Spotify playlists or stream the single on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Excavate yourself away from anxiety with Jennifer Jess’ alt-pop tour de force, Evergreen

Posted on 18 May 2024

After hitting the 1 million Spotify streams mark with her debut single, Blue, in 2019 and building a loyal 18,000+-strong fanbase, Jennifer Jess has always been dangerous to underestimate. Yet, there was no anticipating what the Atlanta singer, songwriter and producer would bring with her latest single, Evergreen, which digs deep into how fear is the ultimate inhibitor, especially when it plasters a façade on our authenticity and locks us into the stagnation of paralysis.

The lyrical centrepiece, “I’ve been afraid before but more afraid of fear itself”, is all the more resounding when projected through the visceral soul of Jennifer Jess’ striking delivery which cuts as sharp as the orchestral strings which quiver over the dark and moody electronica aesthetic which sonically visualises the metaphorical storm Jess is breaking free from.

Strident, striking and artfully intense, Evergreen is far more than an aurally powerful alt-pop release; it forces you to accept that no one can help you break away from fear or keep your dog in the fight for you. The hurricane force of the production is formidable enough to convince you to create a defining point in your reality by excavating yourself away from anxiety, and that is exactly why Jess has a legion of fans behind her.

Evergreen will be available to stream on all platforms, including SoundCloud, from May 17th.

Discover more ways to connect with Jennifer Jess through her official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Camila Knight Evoked (Day)Dream Pop Perfection in ‘Lavender Fields’

Posted on 17 May 2024
Camila Knight

Otherworldly enough to open a portal to a different dimension, the last self-produced single to be released from Camila Knight’s EP, Spacetime, evokes soulfully arcane alchemy that seduces the senses straight from the chorally lush progression. Even if Lavender Fields solely showcased her spellbindingly ornate and cuttingly crystalline vocal lines the dreamy bedroom pop ballad would be a standing ovation-worthy score.

By filtering the power of her flawlessly tender vocals through a reverb-rich and spacey with timeless soul production, the singer-songwriter, known for her affecting vocals and empowering lyrics, ensured that Lavender Fields is a sonic landscape far too much of a haven to want to leave.

Her words consume as they spill into the paradox of a filmic soundscape that arrests with ethereal textures while reaching the epitome of evocative intensity. The aching exposition of coming to terms with the kind of unattainable love that leaves us inclined to resign ourselves to daydreams because reality is too painful to bear, speaks to a phenomenon we can all relate to on some level. It speaks of the sanctuary of imagination while conjuring an aesthetic of delusional reverie, feeling far too personal to be a diary entry.

By pulling inspiration from an expansive selection of artists including Lorde, Ella Fitzgerald, AURORA and Joni Mitchell, Camila Knight hasn’t just forged a distinctive sonic signature, she’s written an entire chapter with her sound which resounds, most profoundly, in the ears of the outliers and disenfranchised.

Lavender Fields will be available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify, with the rest of Knight’s EP, Spacetime, from May 17th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The rhythms rolled hot and heavy in PRES3T’s latest pop hit, Love Me Like That

Posted on 16 May 2024

Love Me Like That is the latest hot and heavy pop hit from the up-and-coming visionary, PRES3T, who has been working his way through the industry ranks from a young age and now has a safe foothold to serve as a platform for his stylistically rich rap-adjacent hits.

The solid backbeat kicks intently through the moody atmosphere of the modernised wavy-with-reverb production that throws back to 90s pop aesthetics while simultaneously envisioning the future of the pop genre. If you couldn’t get enough of the taste of Ed Sheeran’s Are You Entertained or Lil Nas X’s DON’T WANT IT, you’ll be obsessed with the flavour in Love Me Like That.

Thailand-born singer, songwriter, recording artist and producer PRES3T delivered his debut LP from his home studio at the age of 16 before receiving national radio airplay and attending the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Before working on his new material, which is steadily waterfalling onto the airwaves, PRES3T cut his teeth working on projects with tens of millions of streams on Spotify alone. We have no doubt he has exactly what it takes to achieve the same in his solo career.

Stream Love Me Like That on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Awakening to Bella Gate: ‘Sleepwalking’ Melds Classic and Contemporary with Masterful Artistry

Posted on 15 May 2024

If you’re still sleeping on the breakthrough UK singer-songwriter, Bella Gate, her revolutionary approach to power balladry exhibited in her latest single, Sleepwalking, will prise your heart and soul open to her immensely affecting artistry.

The classic songwriting style is enough to slip you back into the 70s before the Florence and the Machine artful touches pull you right back to modernity as Bella Gate’s vocals channel the spirituality of Stevie Nicks and the deep resonant timbre of Adele, with all the emotive authenticity to boot.

While looking back on chapters of teenage love and self-discovery, most will shudder at the naivety; Bella Gate is viscerally living through the torment within Sleepwalking; vicariously join her as the pop-rock piano keys dance beneath her endlessly ascending vocal register as they spill the agony in a retrospective call for clarity.

With plenty more singles in the pipeline for 2024, the 23-year-old Edinburgh/London residing artist is more than worth a spot on your radar. If she’s esteemed enough to have her debut LP mastered at Abbey Road Studios by Geoff Pesche, she, and her talent in bringing a fresh and innovative vibe to the industry, is one to watch.

Sleepwalking was officially released on April 26th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

J fired shots in his arcane parody pop-rock hymn, Our Men

Posted on 15 May 2024

Satirically blasphemous shots were fired at the military-industrial complex and the absurdity of piety in the latest single, Our Men, from one of the UK’s most enigmatic originators, J.

Having already witnessed J through his single Shame on You, we knew to expect a certain degree of endearing obscurity in this single, described as a stimulation of humour, intellect, emotion, body and soul, yet the one-man powerhouse exceeded all expectations in the spacey chorally psychedelic pop-rock hit that simultaneously gives Jonathan Pie, Prince and The Beatles a run for their money.

The cleverly meta single delivers intricate layers of depth that stack up to stand as a monolithic testament to J’s ingenuity. Not one to throw himself into expositions half-heartedly, Our Men cracks open the psyche of a warped military captain turned priest with a penchant for invasion and occupation. The parallels of tyrannical control were always there, it just took an audaciously bold artist to create a sonic boardwalk between them.

The guitar work that could make angels cry as it soars throughout the gospel-esque pop production towards the outro is the icing on this arcane parody’s cake. Naturally, we can’t wait to hear what J sinks his lyrical teeth into next.

Stream the official music video for Our Men when it premieres on YouTube on May 15th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Entwine with Alba James’s folk-pop reverie, You Belong to Me

Posted on 14 May 2024

In their latest single, You Belong to Me, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Alba James equally exhibited their profound connection to music and nature. Hitting play opens a doorway to a portal of fantasy, constructed by a mind attuned to folk-tale reverie; in the same vein as Cosmo Sheldrake, James rhythmically renders naturalism into her productions, which also tap into the enduring appeal of Dodie and Sufjan Stevens.

Though the title of the single implies possession, the free-spirited energy that breezes throughout the production with the retrospection of affection acts as an unexpected contradiction. James’ arcanely serene vocal lines drift through the organic layers of instrumentation attesting to how integral giving room to breathe is in a world full of confines.

Despite their relatively fresh innings in the music industry, the French Sweden-residing folk-pop troubadour allowed their aural talents to blossom from a young age before releasing their debut single, One in a Million, in 2020. Since then, they’ve shared 13 singles and their critically acclaimed EP, Bedroom Walls ahead of You Belong to Me. Even though nothing is off lyrical limits, themes of ancient mythology, queer love and nature are the cornerstone of the artist’s inspiration.

The next time you feel the need to touch grass, just tune into her discography instead.

Stream the official music video for You Belong to Me which premiered on May 7th via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Experience the intimate opulence of Jonathan Thomas Maiocco’s cinematic pop ‘Heaven’

Posted on 14 May 2024

Jonathan Thomas Maiocco’s latest single, Heaven, is a cinematic pop production far too arcane to dissect; each element converges and creates a divine intervention of vulnerability, exhibited with aching sincerity, thematic intensity, and profound artistry.

The distinction within his harmonic inflections, his ability to come across as the virtuoso next door and the progressive ingenuity of Heaven ensures the single reaches the epitome of striking an emotional chord.

Using the afterlife as a parable for the degree of separation following the dissolution of a relationship that leaves you feeling beneath your former significant other is a striking ode to the artist’s ability to tune into meta phenomena to bring profound meaning to the most tormenting aspects of our mortal coil.

Heaven is the ultimate paradox for the way Jonathan Thomas Maiocco fuses chamber pop opulence and drama with the intimacy of introspection with neither aspect diminished by the gravity of the other. The Atlanta-born singer, songwriter and producer’s strong foundation in music composition evidently culminated in this expansive tour de force.

He’s come a long way from his Christian music beginnings to producing for the Grammy-Award-winning artist for KING & COUNTRY to releasing his debut in 2019. After moving to LA in 2020, Jonathan Thomas Maiocco has written for hit Netflix and ABC shows, including Russian Doll and Carol and the End of the World. Yet, if you tune into his new album, Religious Trauma Syndrome, you’ll find that’s his biggest achievement so far. It’s stunning enough to simultaneously tear your soul apart and lead you to nirvana.

Heaven was officially released on the 29th of April; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Visit the ‘Golden State’ with Out in Front’s Breakthrough Indie Pop-Rock Debut

Posted on 12 May 2024

The indie scene has been crying out for ingenuity; Out in Front answered the plea for sonic salvation from assimilative monotony with their debut single, Golden State, which may have only been on the airwaves for two months, but the LA newcomers have wasted no time racking up close to 100k streams on Spotify alone with their inaugural release.

After the prelude teases just another twee indie pop single to add to the indie landfill, Golden State shifts gears with a brashy crescendo of overdriven guitars that hark back to The Manic Street Preacher’s earlier records before the jangle pop melodies add yet another scintillating dimension to the dynamic earworm that you’ll beg to stay.

With the Southern Cali sound an integral part of their sonic signature, the trio who met by chance at a tennis court before jamming together and realising they had the epitome of creative chemistry to share with fans all across the indie pop-rock spectrum, Golden State drenches the airwaves with glistening golden tonal bliss, wrapped in a hazily hued aura that almost feels like a second skin when you’re immersed in this instant hit.

Golden State is available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast