Solid, emotional electronica from Emerati @Ruchirmusic featuring NYC’s @iamDeverano with “Made Of Gold”

RUCHIR featuring DEVERANO, “Made Of Gold” (free DL)

“Made Of Gold” is a song whose infectious calling card is its drop-led instrumental chorus that follows the title words.  That’s not to say that the song is all about the hook.  Emerati producer Ruchir builds the fascination and emotion of the song smoothly to that drop.  It’s carried by Staten Island vocalist Deverano’s earthy vocal that is caught up in the moment to draw everyone in.  “Made Of Gold” is the kind of song that could have been sung by a big belter but it would become less about the song and more about the vocal in that format.  Club DJ’s will dig “Made Of Gold” and can easily showcase that big hook in a late night mix.  Download “Made Of Gold” for free while you can at the link above.

Edgy, spirited rock from Pittsburgh’s @ASummerHigh with “Pretty Little Liar” and “Sad Song”

A SUMMER HIGH, “Pretty Little Liar” and “Sad Song”

I’ve lived long enough to know that music comes in cycles, just not always consistently.  Now seems to be the time for the edgy rock of Blink 182, American Hi-Fi, and All-American Rejects to resurface in fresh forms.  Thus we have Pittsburgh quartet A Summer High with their well-produced EP Pretty Little Liar, yielding the above video for the title song.  I don’t often write about mainstream or pop/rock because it often lately sounds all the same.  The difference for A Summer High is the commitment and honesty in their songs.  As a band they are tight, as I witnessed in concert on Sunday when they opened for Call Me Karizma in my city.  Sure the lyrics are about girls and breaking up, but those themes will be perpetual and as long as the songwriting is on-point, then there are winners like the title song and “Done With It”.  Plus a single released just before the EP, “Sad Song” (below), is well worth checking out for not only its poignancy, but because those emotions are set to a catchy, uptempo guitar-driven rhythm instead of being written as a dreary ballad.  A Summer High are an energetic, spirited band to watch!  Pick up Pretty Little Liar at your favourite online digital store.

There’s a new vocal powerhouse and her name is @YEBBAsmith with “Evergreen” and with @SamSmithworld “No Peace”

YEBBA, “Evergreen”

SAM SMITH featuring YEBBA, “No Peace”

“Evergreen” is the debut for Nebraska-born pop singer YEBBA (née Abbey Smith) whose amazing vocal chops are going to take her far.  She’s got beautiful understated qualities that ooze personality like Jessie Ware.  “Evergreen” (above) is also stunning piece of songwriting that I’m surprised hasn’t passed by Adele’s ears, because if it did, she wouldn’t be able to pass it up.  Nonetheless, YEBBA is one to listen and watch for – she is also featured in Sam Smith’s The Thrill Of It All album on what is the record’s highlight IMO, “No Peace” (below).  She and Sam apparently met a few years ago so it’s great to see that he has been able to include her in his record, and I hope she gets to tour with him.  Their harmonies and individual pieces are fantastic, and the song does not let the album’s preoccupation with soulful choir elements bog it down.  With a golden voice like hers, YEBBA will be very much in the public ear soon and expect a major label battle for her to occur.  In the meantime, check out the independently released “Evergreen” at your favourite digital music store.

“Perfect Mess” is a cornucopia of worldwide talent: @SteveVoidmusic @Navarramusic & @Laurellmusic

STEVE VOID & NAVARRA featuring LAURELL, “Perfect Mess” (free DL)

Music is a global effort, and being from one part of the world or another no longer seems to matter if the talents all gel, as is the case with “Perfect Mess”.  With effervescent synths fashioned by The Netherlands’ prolific Steve Void and fellow Dutch production duo Navarra, it’s a timeless, seamless song co-written and sung by Canadian singer Laurell, who you’ve recently heard on Quintino’s “Good Vibes”.  One of her co-writers here is Germany’s Daniel Volpe, whose songs have graced these blog pages over many years including as recently as Friday co-writing Sean Smith’s “Fire”.  “Perfect Mess” seems to be destined for clubs all over the world with its universal appeal.  It’s got a great balance of potent vocal, graceful melodies that switch it up, and effects that don’t run rampant over the best parts of the song.  Kudos to all involved – get it for free at the link above while you can 🙂

 

NYC’s @Reigenmusic sings ear-catching soulful pop with “Rollin”

REIGEN, “Rollin”

NYC’s Reigen Miller has such a big vocal range that it’s always a pleasure to hear such warm restraint in softer songs like “Rollin”.  It’s the recently-blond singer’s first new music since the sexy “Weekend” earlier this year.  “Rollin” is wrapped up in a soulful vocal that shows off Reigen’s higher register and incorporates a repeated bar of falsetto notes which form the hook of the song.  It’s an ideal song for those carefree moments or lazy Sundays when you can just groove along or put your head back and soak them all in.  Reigen continues to offer consistently high quality music like “Rollin” which deserves your attention.  Add it to one of your playlists using the Spotify link above.

New mystery producer @whatisHumxn releases reflective “Summer Fling” featuring vocals by @crazyKhalil

HUMXN featuring KHALIL, “Summer Fling”

While Humxn may follow the same pattern of mystery as Meatport, Marshmello and Deadmau5, his music goes down a different path with “Summer Fling”.  With a sincere, nuanced and soulful vocal by Justin Bieber’s buddy Khalil, “Summer Fling” doesn’t just longingly remember a recent romance, it becomes a full throttle release as the song breaks out into a powerful and haunting cathartic drop around the three minute mark which makes the last minute of the song as interesting as the first three.  Whoever he is, Humxn has his pulse on what’s current and upcoming with added R&B/hip hop flavour. “Summer Fling” is off to a blazing start in its release through Sony’s Orchard distribution no less.  Add “Summer Fling” to your Spotify playlist at the link above.

.@Madnapmusic’s new original “Disappear” with @Duumu, and remix of @Astresound’s “Shades” with @metsamusic featuring @KevinBlumusic

https://soundcloud.com/madnap/disappear

MADNAP & DUUMU featuring BIEN, “Disappear” (free DL)

ASTRE featuring KEVIN BLU, “Shades” (Madnap & Metsä remix)

Following up the quiet and romantic “Honey”, L.A.’s Madnap has a two-for all ready for you!

First up is his collaboration with Charlie Duumu, who divides his time between the UK and France, with “Disappear” featuring Chicago-based K-Pop vocalist Bien.  Madnap and Duumu have concocted an unconventional EDM ballad/breakup song “Disappear”.  The emotional vocal meshes well with the ever-changing surroundings created by Madnap and Duumu, which will go places that you wouldn’t expect for this kind of record.  At the end, more shaken than stirred, “Disappear” gives you pause for thought and resonates because of the beautiful underlying melody.  Download it for free at the link above.

Madnap in partnership with Washington’s Metsä remixes an equally pretty song by France’s Astre called “Shades” from Astre’s recent EP For So Long.  They take some liberties with US singer Kevin Blu’s fresh-sounding voice and add a dancehall-influenced rhythm to give “Shades” a much more different vibe from the original.  It works like a charm and club DJ’s wanting to segue into a full-blown dancehall-flavoured set might want to set it up with Madnap & Metsä’s remix of “Shades”.  Have a listen at the link below.

Slow burn: @SeanSmithsolo’s “Fire” tantalizes

SEAN SMITH, “Fire”

UK singer (and former member of Same Difference) Sean Smith follows up the bold and sexy “Magic” (which recently got to #7 on my chart in its Andy Sikorski remix) with something more taut called “Fire”.  Co-written by that amazing twosome of Charlie Mason and Daniel Volpe and set to a snappy house rhythm, “Fire” takes the slow burn approach.  It starts off quiet and mysterious and lingers a bit before making its point.  Sean’s diverse vocal makes a fine song even that much better.  Keep “Fire” on that music burner long enough and you’ll feel it in your bones 🙂  Enough plays on words – check out the lyrics video at the link up top.

Australia’s @Dimes_yo and #LOQI pull out all stops with “Back On”

DIMES & LOQI, “Back On” (free DL)

It’s hard to say whether any trick in the dubstep book has been left unturned in “Back On”, brought to you by Aussie duo Dimes as well as fellow Aussie on-the-rise, 17 year old LOQI via MMXVAC.  “Back On” is just so much fun, pulling you in many different directions and tantalizing your ears with a gamut of effects and sounds, yet somehow not managing to overflow the kitchen sink, if you will.  What of course is most important is that there is a steady flow of melody, and through all of its ups and downs there are some constant, dreamy synths that connect all of the dots.  I think Dimes and LOQI are a head of their game with “Back On” and clubs will love it.  Download it for free at the link above.

Welcome to Your Insanity: Nashville duo @SayLessmusic brings you “Asylum”

https://soundcloud.com/saylessmusic/asylum

SAYLESS, “Asylum” (free DL)

To cap off your Hallowe’en, how about some heavy, club-shaking dubstep for some late evening scares?  You may not expect it to come from a Nashville duo, but SayLess likes their art dark and dirty with “Asylum”, available to you as a free download above.  The song takes many surprising turns through a maze of effects and quirky vocal samples while firmly remaining in a grimy dubstep melody.  It may have got a bit caught up in itself as it has a non-ending of sorts when it just sort of stops.  But fans of the sub-genre will appreciate all of the efforts by SayLess to keep dubstep sick and fresh with “Asylum”.