Browsing Tag

US Pop

Chris Vega sends a siren call in his alt-pop single, ‘Dangerous’.

Posted on 19 July 2021
Chris Vega

Cincinnati-hailing self-taught singer-songwriter and music producer Chris Vega is set to release his stormy impassioned pop track, Dangerous. The single shines a light on the darker side of love, the side that tells you it is safer to play with the toaster in the bath than it is to fall in love, but we delve in regardless.

It’s no secret or exaggeration that relationships can allow our mental health to take a hit and vice-versa; Vega encapsulates this perfectly. It’s so much more than you’re archetypally prosaic ‘I can’t live without you’ love song; it’s an extension of compassion to everyone that has ever had to battle with affectionate feelings and mental health issues simultaneously.

Check out Chris Vega on Instagram and Twitter.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rodney Pemberton has made his synthpop debut with Rendezvous (Reboot)

Posted on 13 July 2021

Caribbean-born, US-based pop artist Rodney Pemberton has unleashed his debut synthpop single, Rendezvous (Reboot); the tropic and passionate release runs in the same vein as no other.

Most pop artists unashamedly wear their inspiration on their sleeves only for it to become the entire essence of the sound; Rodney Pemberton certainly can’t be accused of the same. The independent artist has had a lifelong affinity for music, but it is only when lockdown hit that he turned his attention to making his official debut.

The feel-good pop hit comes with Abba-style infectious high vibes paired with dancey synths that strike on the darker side of the tonal palette to create plenty of atmosphere in the promising debut,

Rendezvous (Reboot) is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

John Greska has released his eccentrically introspective indie-folk-pop single, ‘The Big Hill’

Posted on 6 July 2021
John Greska

If Bowie picked up some folky Midwest charm, his Ziggy Stardust days would have run in the same vein as John Greska’s eccentrically psychotropic single, The Big Hill, which explores the pace at which the sands of time slips by.

With the playfully polyphonic synths and keys paired with John Greska’s quaint yet charismatic vocal timbre, this indie-folk-synthpop-single couldn’t be more endearing. Rather than leaving you in an existentialist catatonic state as you ponder just how fleeting your existence is, The Big Hill leaves you with the same ardour for life as exhibited in the reminder that the days will slip by you if you let them.

The Big Hill will officially release on July 19th; you can check it for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sellah reworked Frank Ocean’s ‘Thinkin Bout You’ in his latest release.

Posted on 24 June 2021

For his latest single, the international artist Sellah (Whitney-Michael McCloud) reworked Frank Ocean’s iconic single, Thinkin Bout You; he well and truly made the soundscape his own while still keeping the soulfully alchemic appeal of the original burning right through the release.

With the darker and more reverberant beats paired with Sellah’s stunning vocal range and the sweet sentimentality that he brings to the single through his deep emotional connection to it, it’s impossible not to be drawn in.

The artist, brand manager and editor-in-chief for IMMO magazine has set his sights on becoming a household name. After hearing his Thinkin Bout You cover, it is safe to say that he is on the right trajectory.

The seriously stylistic official video that premiered on YouTube on June 11th has already amassed over 14,000 streams. Check it out for yourselves here.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Ferris shares affectionate coming-of-age anxiety with his latest indie pop-rock earworm, ‘growing up with u’.

Posted on 23 June 2021

Ferris’ colourful melodies and cutting lyricism have already seen his feisty take on indie pop-rock go viral. After racking up over 1-million streams with his, quite literally, infectious single, Zombie, he’s unleashed his sticky-sweet summer pop anthem, growing up with u, which discernibly deserves to go viral too.

His latest single explores the anxiety that kicks in when youth starts to slip away, and our tendency to look around for affectionate ways to stay grounded. It’s a stellar track. In every conceivable way. The commercial potential is resounding, but more impressively, the way Ferris embraces his authenticity and utilises his pop-punk attitude brings a stark sincerity to growing up with u. The candid and sporadically abrasive lyrics that construct sharp lyrical hooks take this radio-ready indie-pop jam to the next level.

The Miami-based artist and model has exactly what it takes to become a household name. Get him on your radar before he does.

Ferris’ latest single is now available to stream via Spotify.

Connect with Ferris via Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sukesha Ray has unleashed her emboldening future pop anthem, ‘We Are the Way We Are’

Posted on 9 June 2021

Prepare your summer pop playlists for the latest euphoria-laced future pop anthem, ‘We Are the Way We Are’ from American singer-songwriter and dancer Sukesha Ray.

Once again, the emotion brings just as much energy to the track as the intense build-ups and colossal future bass drops in the anthem that starts with an all too resonant melancholic tone before the progressive track builds momentum and garners mental resilience along the way.

After racking up over 140,000 streams on Spotify alone with her sophomore single, A Place We Never Knew, it is easy to see how the autonomy-embracing single, We Are the Way We Are, will follow.

You can check out We Are the Way We Are by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lucy Bullock owns her creative expression in her pop-rock earworm, ‘You’ll Find Out’.

Posted on 27 May 2021
Lucy Bullock

If you’ve never spent time contemplating how brave it is for artists to write love songs about people they know, pop-rock singer-songwriter Lucy Bullock’s debut single, ‘You’ll Find Out’, will allow you to do just that. With her boundlessly energetic delivery and unapologetically honest lyrics, ‘I’m not afraid to write a song about you’, it is impossible not to get wrapped up in this high vibe hit.

The choruses are catchy enough that you’ll practically feel the euphoria catch in your throat when the crescendos hit. You’ll Find Out is as quintessential as perennial pop earworms come. Yet, it is the raw soul infused in this single that allows it to stand so far apart from the rest, while the guitar solos make sure that rock isn’t a secondary element in this galvanizingly sweet release.

We can’t wait to watch her debut single climb the charts along with the rest of her debut EP that is due for release on June 1st.

Check out Lucy Bullock via her website or on Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Halle Abadi is set to release her ensnaring Persian pop single, ‘Comfortable’.

Posted on 25 May 2021
Halle Abade

Halle Abadi is set to release her most ensnaring single to date with, ‘Comfortable’, the exotic, sensual and vibrantly authentic track weaves Abadi’s Persian/Afghan culture with dark moody pop sensibilities to create an empowering earworm that we are sure you’ve never heard the like of before.

Abadi wrote Comfortable as a siren call to relationship complacency and mundanity that can ensue when someone gets too comfortable without the invitation to do so; staying true to her lyrically emboldening style.

Halle Abadi’s vocals are just as distinctive as the RnB pop instrumentals that sporadically go baroque with orchestral strings, adding another mesmerising layer to this already intricately complex track that will remind you of the time when Britney and Destiny’s Child reigned to supreme.

The fiery pop track is due for release on June 4th; you can pre-save the single via Halle Abadi’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Aricka J addresses toxic immaturity in her latest pop track, ‘Man Up’

Posted on 6 April 2021

Boston-born pop singer-songwriter Aricka J pushed the feminist movement forward with her latest release, ‘Man Up’, which addresses the toxic immaturity that every woman, at some point, has probably endured in their lives.

Whether you want to vent about a man reaching out with entitlement and expecting you to save them or a partner dragging you down with them in a relationship, Man Up is an empowering track that reminds the listener that there is no virtue in tolerance, and you have full permission to walk away from what no longer serves you. The upbeat pop track, which is accented by afrobeat elements, is powerful enough to put toxic relationships to bed; for good.

You can check out Man Up for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

MYB served a cocktail of pop, blues and jazz with their latest soul-filler, ‘Pessimistic Panorama’.

Posted on 5 April 2021
MYB

If singles charted on the strength of their titles alone, the Michigan-duo, MYB’s single, ‘Pessimistic Panorama’ would be a chart-topper, but that’s not to say the seductively upbeat soundscape itself isn’t aural gold.

The experimental artist who take influence from The Beatles, Prince and Journey deviated from archetypes when orchestrating this uniquely enamouring hit which is a minefield of aural curveballs. While we could never have anticipated being thrown into a jazz-blues style instrumental breakdown, we more than appreciated the jazz piano progressions jaunting next to the soaring guitar riffs; they seemed to parallel the enigmatic soul which MYB effortlessly exuded in their latest single.

You can hear MYB on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast