Browsing Tag

Prince

Robbie Maroon paid homage to Prince in his latest single, Take a Bow

Posted on 21 January 2022

For his latest single, Take a Bow, the luminary up and coming soul singer, Robbie Maroon, paid tribute to Prince and shone a light in the creative void he left on our planet when he departed too soon in 2016.

One of the most beautiful kinds of relationships that can exist in our strange and loveless world are the ones that exist between an icon and an ardent and inspired fan. Take a Bow perfectly encompasses this sentiment through the stunning choir vocal that accent the Prince-inspired, endlessly arresting guitar riffs. The single is practically a religious experience – especially for anyone that has previously knelt at Prince’s purple altar.

He may not be with us anymore, but his legacy will always live on through the passion of artists such as Robbie Maroon. While some artists would simply rip off his riffs, Maroon chose to give the icon the credit he’s due; the result is nothing short of breathtaking.

Take a Bow is now available to stream via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Oh No! – Royals’ Dylan De Bono is ‘Feeling S**t Right Now’

Posted on 3 May 2021

‘Maltese singer-songwriter’ isn’t a phrase you get to use all that often as a music reviewer, but when it comes to Dylan De Bono it’s one that we can fully expect to become much more common in 2021 and beyond. As one half of pop duo Royals, Dylan’s no stranger to musical acclaim, but with this – the first single from forthcoming solo album ‘Loose Wire’ – De Bono brings us an absolute belter of an electro-pop banger.

Dark yet humorous, edgy and sexy, with one eye on that perfect pop mix of accessibility and catchiness whilst avoiding cliché or ‘throw-away-ness’ (is that a thing?) and the other on an absolutely spot on understanding of dancefloor groove and pop-radio immediacy (aided, no doubt, by the writing and production collaboration with maestro David Vella), ‘Feeling S**t Right Now’ is a superb melting pot of clubby dance stunner and autobiographical songwriting, a mix of 70’s disco, 80’s club classic, and totally up-to-date electro-pop killer. Prince and Bowie mix with the Pet Shop Boys, Years & Years, and David Guetta here, to produce what may be one of the first ‘spot-on’ pop songs of 2021. The sound of the summertime might have just landed.

Check out the official video for ‘Feeling S**t Right Now’ on YouTube, and follow Dylan De Bono on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Ristlynn takes us with him in his funk pop hit ‘I’m Going Down’.

Posted on 9 January 2021

Anchorage, Alaska-hailing artist, Ristlynn, dropped their debut single, ‘I’m Going Down’, on November 20th. The party pop-rock anthem has already received an exponential amount of attention; it is almost like we are all simultaneously experiencing the most confusing period of our lifetimes and need an aural pick-me-up.

Timeliness aside, I’m Going Down is a riotously enamouring single, while the instrumentals adrenalize, the lyrics raise an eyebrow and ask “really?” at self-destructive behaviour patterns which have previously been mindlessly glamorised by alt-rock artists. The single was penned during a transitional phase where the artist was starting to acknowledge the pitfalls of hedonism-aided avoidance, I’m Going Down is a subversively-titled reflection of that turning point which led to the commitment of making positive change.

Through pulsating bass, funk-riddled riffs, snappy rhythmic temper and Ristlynn’s sardonically charismatic vocals, you will be pulled into the infectious piece of hyperpop rock from a plethora of angles. Ristlynn’s talent is exhibited throughout the release, but it is in the chorus where he proves that he deserves a spot on your radar with their soul-filling sound. Especially, as there will be plenty more to come in 2021 and beyond.

Any fans of Panic! at the Disco, Prince, Maroon 5, Fallout Boy and Maroon 5 will undoubtedly find the same appeal in the artist’s funk-pop earworms.

You can check out the official video to Ristlynn’s single, I’m Going Down, via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

R&B and Soul fave Shayne Durbin longs for his ‘’Weekend Lover’’

Posted on 25 May 2020

Being just a weekend lover can be tough, especially if you want more from that person. Should you just ignore these feelings or carry on as normal?

Inspired by the likes of ‘Prince’, ‘D’Angelo’, ‘P-Funk’, ‘Tame Impala’, and ‘The 1975’, Shayne loves music and you can see that different genres really get his blood flowing.

Shayne is a self produced artist who plays guitar, bass, and piano. He is currently mastering and getting ready for the release of his debut EP entitled “Shades of Blue”.

‘Shayne Durbin’ is definitely talented and has a strong voice. You can tell that he really cares about what music is put out. A future R&B star in the making, keep an eye out for ‘Shayne Durbin’ and remember the name.

Stream more from his link here on SoundCloud.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Orlando Indie Pop/Soul band G.W. Souther bust out new track ‘’We Don’t Wanna Talk About It’’

Posted on 17 May 2020

Known for their breakout reggae infused debut song ‘’”Freedom on the Line” from 2016, G.W Souther are back with ’We Don’t Wanna Talk About It’’. It’s a solid song, with all the right moves and top musicianship. This is the final song on their new ‘’F I S H’’ album from 2020.

After working with Christina Milian, G Eazy, Jeremih, and Snoop Dogg lately, this band is growing each day and are making quite a name for themselves with festival appearances in the US. 

I do feel like they should go back to their reggae roots but totally understand the change of direction on new album ‘’F I S H’’. Each band must evolve but I do prefer the earlier releases from ‘’Freedom On The Line’’. They had a special groove going that I miss.

Look out for more quality music from G.W. Souther, a band who seem like good guys that just want to make good music and entertain. They have soul and make people happy, the whole point of music in the first place.

Listen here on Spotify

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Skylar Bennett releases Pop single Lately

Posted on 23 April 2020
https://soundcloud.com/skylarbennett/lately/s-q1SLyB1xGrJ

Skylar Bennett has dropped his single ‘Lately’ this Pop track has this happy and uplifting feeling about it, with its super energetic vocals and infectious melodies.

Starting off with this soft instrumentation that collides in the background, always making sure that it’s upbeat and lively throughout as the beat does tend to get louder and a bit more crazy.

This song is powerful and as you listen, you instantly feel good and it’s one that boosts your mood within a few seconds because it has this high energy and fun way about it and that’s why it’s such an amazing piece of music.

Skylar has some incredible vocal ranges, keeping that same soft texture as the overall sound has and having the rather modulated melodic vocal that really makes this song stand out. The way in which the instrumental flows in an out of the unique vocals is perfect.

Listen to Skylar Bennett’s Lately by heading over here.

Review by Karley Myall

PREMIERE: Soul Newcomer Kai Exos Announces Video For Fire & Brew

Posted on 2 February 2018

The softspoken LA-based singer-songwriter Kai Exos answered fan requests for a video with a simple Instagram post last week: “my new music video by Indrani drops 02-02.”

An independent rep for the elusive artist revealed that the genre-bending single achieved 750K digital streams this past week. Exos spent the past couple years as a songwriting gun-for-hire, but seems to have shifted back to solo performer with a series intimate pop-up shows across North America. Fire & Brew sees his first release since the critical acclaim of the title track off his debut album, Telegraph, that reached #18 on U.S. radio charts in 2015.

“We co-created such a natural love story here… the piece is a powerful expression of masculine and feminine energy,” says celebrated music video director, Indrani, best known for her work with Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Alicia Keys and David Bowie.

Written about the vulnerability of love when physical aspects fall away, the strong melody rides lush production with all-female background vocals on a wave of emotion. Self-penned and recorded at the legendary Capitol Records, opaque visuals explore light play to hauntingly reveal the all-consuming nature of the [now dissolved] couple’s relationship.

With nods to Sam Cooke and Prince, Fire & Brew was co-produced with Atlanta powerhouse R&B duo POKET. The artist instantly connected with the drummer-half of the duo, Bennie Rodgers II (Mariah Carey, Keri Hilson) when Exos appeared for his notable live Daytrotter session. Ron Avant (of Anderson.Paak’s Free Nationals), a longtime collaborator, played keys on the original recording. “Kai started out in church and a lot of his roots are on this record; it’s that classic song structure that takes you back to The Motown Era,” added Rodgers.

The video premieres worldwide on VEVO at the close of Grammy Week, Friday 2nd February and streams there, and is also available on TIDAL. Toronto’s VMP Music Group in an earlier statement, said “He [Exos] wanted Fire & Brew to be a standalone single. We’re excited about his next album and can right now only say… it’s Kai doing what he does best. Kai’s sophomore project is slated for Summer 2018.”

Connect with Kai Exos

Instagram // YouTube // Facebook

Dozenz – The Truth: 80’s Pop Hype with A Little Extra Bite

Posted on 4 December 2017

Dozenz is the latest solo project from British singer song writer and producer, that brings the essence of essential 80’s pop to life. His latest track The Truth borders on the classic sound with a contemporary hype. Fans of the genre are in for a treat. His latest track which is now available for download has quickly gained notoriety amongst fans with his unique approach to his music. Inspired by Britpop artists such as Frankie Goes to Hollywood for their playful approach to rhythmic energy and lyrics. Dozenz has created a sound that will almost surely end up just as notorious. He creates an infectiously atmospheric sound, that’s a rich synthesised cacophony as he mixes his unique brand of Hip Hop into the mix

The talent that lies behind Dozens is Saleh Hamed and his passion for mixing trailblazing anthems that are piqued with the essence of diversity. He creates music out of his passion for unity, and uses his platform to spread messages of positivity that can resonate within everyone. With such a charming reproach to music production, it’s hard not to love Dozens.

So, check out the official music video to The Truth on the Youtube link below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xEgjz8l8_w

Dream-Rap? Is That Even A Thing?

Posted on 2 December 2017

Even with the amount of new music being made every day, with sheer weight of collective imaginations, the genre splicing experiments, the fusing and fusion of styles Garrison Carver seems to be on to something new here. Yes, there is a trippy trap beat, a cool R&B vibe and a rap delivery but that is then cocooned in something totally unexpected. Around these more expected elements he wraps a dream-pop haze, chilled psychedelia and electronic washes.

It’s confusing, but experience tells us that is a good thing, expectations are made to be subverted, rules are made to be broken and new musical horizons are their to be explored and DD does all of those things and more. Blissed out hip-hop? Ethereal R&B? Dream-rap? Are those even a thing? The fact that you have to invent whole new genres to put the music in is an indication of just how original this music is and how singular and lateral Garrison Carver’s thinking is.



Damask – Inner City: Pop with a Punch

Posted on 7 November 2017

Damask are an innovatively underground act from Essex, UK who have recently celebrated the release of their first single Inner City. Their sound is a concoction of Pop Rock & Funk styling, which is wonderfully produced into an enigmatic universal sound. The idea behind the sound came from band members; Duncan Haslam and Takahide George combined desire to create sweet, soulful vibes with a touch of class.

Inner City boasts the unmistakable soul jingle which introduces the track before it starts to flow with infinite possibility. I adore the darker undertones to this music, it transcends the usual cheap styling of the genre to create a dulcet sound which are resonant of bands such as The Killers, Editors and Chris Cornell.

The lyrics are as catchy as the hooks in the music, put them both together and you get an infectious melody, not too dissimilar for Daft Punk’s cult hit with Get Lucky. However the lyrics have a far Deeper Indie Rock resonance behind them thanks to the monumental vocal arrangements of the lead vocalist.

Check out their debut hit on the Soundcloud link below!

https://soundcloud.com/damaskmusic/tracks

Why not stay connected with Damask via Facebook on the link below?

https://www.facebook.com/akindofmodernlove