Monthly Archives: September 2022

Australia-based Singapore singer/songwriter @StHumain delivers compelling “Memento”

ST. HUMAIN, “Memento”

“Memento” is a tightly-woven package of thoughts and rhythms as delivered by Sydney-based Singapore-born singer/songwriter St. Humain. It follows up his infectious single from earlier this year which I wrote about, “Sick Sad Love Song”. In this release, St. Humain encourages you to hang on to good memories as souvenirs of past relationships. While memories do fade, we often miss past lovers at times, and “Memento” helps us keep close to our hearts what we cherish the most.  It’s got bold, Latin-influenced rhythms and continues to showcase St. Humain as an engaging, chameleon-like persona helping to positively represent the Asian community in pop music. “Memento” will entice you with its intrigue and openness all set to an intricate, well-crafted production.

London-based Azerbaijani singer/songwriter @EminEMINZADA releases powerful new single “Sociopath”

EMINZADA, “Sociopath”

During the past while, I’ve been impressed by my introduction to EMINZADA with the thought-provoking “Bloodline”, and I’m glad he has quickly followed it up with an even more striking release, “Sociopath”. The London-based Azerbaijani multi-talented artist, who is an active part of the disabled LGBTQ2S+ community, continues to inform us about provocative themes which are set to music and rhythms heavily inspired from his home country, touches that are almost completely foreign to audiences on the other side of the world. The song is about recognizing and conquering toxicity with others, and leading the life you want to lead. This time, the synths and bass are all amped up and EMINZADA creates another memorable and totally different experience that will resonate with anyone looking for something that’s unique to play on repeat.

Washington DC area pop/R&B artist @Steven_Thad charms with low-fi earnestness of “Do You Remember” and “RNB”

STEVEN THAD, “Do You Remember” and “RNB” 

I’ve been writing about Washington DC area singer/songwriter Steven Thad all year because he is an as-of-yet unheralded talent to watch in a low-fi kind of way. He continues to kick it up a notch with his charm on every release, with “Do You Remember” (above) the latest. While many of his songs make you smile or offer a unique slice-of-life perspective, “Do You Remember” gently but directly confronts a past lover with a reminder of the good times they had together, and that they will always be part of their memories together. As much as we want to erase the bad times, it is important to remember the good ones, and Steven wastes no time getting to the point with his easy-going and thoughtful vocal style and demeanor. “RNB” (below) is a much lighter-themed release, a straight-forward loving ode to that genre of music and how it makes us all feel good. Both songs appear on Steven’s new EP “Mr. R&B”, due for release on September 16.

L.A. based singer/songwriter @LilyLanemusic dazzles with stellar vocals in “Bad”

LILY LANE, “Bad”

With a big voice that can make heads turn quickly, you’ll be hearing a lot more of Boston-born, L.A.-based Lily Lane in the next year or so. Her single “Bad” is one of seven songs from her brand new EP Queen Of Hearts. Getting back to that voice, it’s rich, expressive and soulful, and Lily makes vocal runs sound easy to do, with strong reference to singers like Christina Aguilera and Demi Lovato. With “Bad”, Lily hopes to connect women with their naughty side, in those moments where you throw caution to the wind and seize them as inspiring or even beautiful. Lily, who is also the brother of Tucker from the Grammy-nominated Sofi Tukker (much written about in these blog pages), is a fierce presence indeed, and has already received acclaim for performances in NYC and Boston as she transitions from model to pop star.

L.A.-based dance producer @MRKOmusic releases new banger “I Won’t Feel”

MRKO, “I Won’t Feel”

After releasing the intriguing and moody “Dark Ocean” earlier this year, L.A.-based dance producer MRKO is back, this time with a banger called “I Won’t Feel”. MRKO knows how to create an atmospheric release, even if this one gravitates more to the pop/dance genre. “I Won’t Feel” percolates along to a buoyant rhythm paired with pitched down soulful vocals, and though he makes you wait till around the 2 minute mark before the drop kicks in, the buildup getting there is totally worth the wait. “I Won’t Feel” in its last half becomes an exhilarating release that will help club DJ’s lift any set.

NYC-based electronic producer Greg Oakland shines with complex new instrumental “Convalescence”

GREG OAKLAND, “Convalescence”

Following up his recent trance instrumental “Sanguine Energy”, NYC-based producer Greg Oakland returns with the complex “Convalescence”. This is a dreamy track layered with mixed emotions, one which fans of the trance genre would Shazam if they were in a club or at a festival. It’s best to check out the extended version above for full effect (edit is below), which allows the track to build and for the hook to kick in solidly, allowing the rest of the song to flow by quickly. I’m no expert at this genre so I don’t have many reference points as fans do. But for “Convalescence” to be picked up by no less than trance veterans Aly & Fila for release on the recent Future Sound Vol. 8 EP for their label Future Sounds of Egypt is pretty wild. Right now you can pick it up on Beatport for download.