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NYC singer/songwriter @PeterWisemusic calls out for individuality in “Window Dressing”

PETER WISE, “Window Dressing”

Peter Wise basks in a classic pop/rock setting and reshapes it and makes it his own in “Window Dressing”. He’s supported as diverse talent as The Eagles and Lisa Fischer, and has his own stories to tell in his own way. Graced with a beautiful tone in his voice, you might think at the start that “Window Dressing” might be full of upbeat whimsy, like early Jason Mraz. But the song is about staying true to yourself and forging your own path, rather than being a cookie-cutter facsimile to the latest trend in pop music. He gets his point across in an earnest, ear-catching way without having the need to create a big anthem about being an underdog. With fine songs like “Window Dressing”, expect Peter Wise to get his due as more people learn about him and his songs.

The double whammy of talent that is @SanHolobeats and @ChetPorter bring you anthemic “you’ve changed, i’ve changed”

SAN HOLO and CHET PORTER, “you’ve changed, i’ve changed”

“you’ve changed, i’ve changed” is a straight-forward song that is loaded with ear-grabbing power, thanks to its larger than life chorus, as brought to you by the dynamic talents that are San Holo and Chet Porter. Although both artists’ biggest successes have been in progressive electronic genre, “you’ve changed, i’ve changed” is a rock song through and through. Included are keyboard and xylophone interjections provided by Chet, who also sings lead with a vocal that will sit especially well with Porter Robinson fans. Anyone else who has seen San Holo in concert knows he is a real crowd pleaser rock star-type who immediately draws in the audience. And likewise, I’ve seen Chet perform, and he’s an unpredictable melodic perfectionist. Bringing the two together is indeed a really good thing that needs to be repeated. I can certainly visualize “you’ve changed, i’ve changed” as the opener at a San Holo concert. It’s included in San Holo’s new album, out this Friday, called bb u ok (album 2).

Check out “rot” by Axel Mansoor @iamaxelm from his EP “i hadn’t ever loved myself”

AXEL MANSOOR, “rot”

While I’ve written several times about SoCal-based singer/songwriter Axel Mansoor, the recent Clubhouse Icon and Emmy Award nominee spent some time overseas in his family home in Mauritius, and has shared a lot of personal release through his EP “i hadn’t ever loved myself”, from which is culled “rot”. The EP also contains “kids can be so stupid”, which I wrote about not long ago. “rot” took me longer to figure out and process, with its jangly arrangement and fuzzy production (below, reminding me of Chet Porter and Alison Wonderland’s wonderful collaboration of last year called “Bummed”) which tends to obscure some of the lyrics but is an enjoyable listen nonetheless. But do check out the acoustic video of “rot” above. What I’ve appreciated most about Axel in writing about him since 2017 is how genuine he is. He takes this with him on the Clubhouse APP in his Lullaby Club, and to his Facebook and Instagram videos. It’s a lovely version of “rot”, and now we can hear all of the lyrics, which strip away the “rot” of our younger years (which we always take with us anyway) in favour of our eventual growth and maturity, which make us better people in the end.

In “Punching Bag”, Brandyn Burnette @EMAN8 gets candid about post-relationship feelings

BRANDYN BURNETTE, “Punching Bag”

Breakups: we all have had them, and some are worse than others, after a longer period of time than others. Since the end of a previous long relationship, Brandyn Burnette has reflected to gather his thoughts about it in “Punching Bag”. Every relationship is different, so these are a unique set of lyrics that capture his perspective. And you can’t just put on airs or trash the relationship in a pop song because neither approach works. Brandyn has opted for some eloquence amid other direct words, including the title, because most people feel exactly like that in the same circumstances. The melody is on the bright side and the song looks out for the better for both parties as they move on. “Punching Bag” is probably one of Brandyn’s best recent songs, capturing the thoughtfulness of some of his earlier songs circa 2015-16 and continuing to show the diversity in the scope of his growing repertoire. The video above has another interpretation of the song, which is the aftermath of a spat rather than a relationship.

Get to know the music of India’s @Ashwynmusic with “Sell My Soul”

ASHWYN, “Sell My Soul”

At only 20 years old, Bangalore, India producer and musician Ashwyn Sriram already kickstarted his platform in pop music as a teenager as electronic dance producer Astra. Even with the support of Hardwell and a release on the producers Revealed Recordings, it was not enough for Ashwyn to get to the heart of what he really wanted to record. Already an accomplished electronic guitarist, Ashwyn has been releasing songs since 2019 rather quietly under his new guise, with growing additional support from Nicky Romero and Axwell as well as Rolling Stone magazine. “Sell My Soul” is a classic story about what you trade off and get back in return, and whether or not it’s worth it. The gentle vocal gives way to some terrific guitar work which makes “Sell My Soul” all the more memorable. As a producer, Ashwyn knows how to make a song flow, filling the gaps with interesting instrumentation and sounds. Currently studying at the Berklee College of Music, Ashwyn has plenty of new music coming, so stay tuned for more.

Australia’s Beamish Brothers are back with the pop/R&B sounds of “Anxious”

BEAMISH BROTHERS, “Anxious”

Ben and Jeremy Beamish have a plan for their music, and it involves a whole lotta fun set to R&B-influenced rhythms and beats in a pop setting that audiences enjoy in releases by the likes of Bruno Mars and Maroon 5. “Anxious” follows up their last release, the pointed but still fanciful “Dollar At The Heart”. While all ears are on Jeremy’s soulful vocal which taps into his spot-on falsetto, it’s the harmonies between the brothers that are really flaunted in the production. Add lyrics which during these strange times anyone can identify with, and “Anxious” has the total package which makes it an enjoyable and often ear-turning release. Check out the cool animated lyric video above.

Chicago’s @AashMehtamusic taps into his Indian influences for deeply personal “Ma” featuring @iamSonez

AASH MEHTA and SONEZ, “Ma”

It’s a bit off the beaten path even for the producer himself, but Chicago’s Aash Mehta is back with a personal but progressive ode with “Ma”. The song incorporates musical elements from his Indian heritage, as well as being bilingual with both English and Hindi verses. Most of the song is recorded at a deliberate pace with focus on a vocal by Sonez that’s subtle and strong in all the right places. At 4:45 it is a little long but is punctuated by two solid buildups, one which really serves as the climactic moment in the song in its last 1:30 or so. It may take a few listens but you can appreciate the unique touches by Aash and the multi-cultural moments all the more. “Ma” is a beautiful, relatable love-letter and reinforces the need for artists to take time to make their songs personal when they can.

Las Vegas neo-soul singer/songwriter @Sabrielmusic is back with old school sound of “Fox In The Henhouse”

SABRIEL, “Fox In The Henhouse”

Despite the common imagery of cheating in its title, “Fox In The Henhouse” by Las Vegas singer/songwriter Sabriel (pronounced shä brē el) is anything but ordinary. I would like to place the music of Sabriel alongside that of Jessie Ware, who has bundled up disco and British R&B into a tightly woven, accessible package in her latest releases. Sabriel’s music takes queues from the softer side of that genre, as well as the ballads of Janet Jackson, with even older school Nina Simone and Billie Holliday influences very apparent. Her sultry voice is versatile, never getting tied down in a particular part of that voice within the song to make it seem one-note. “Fox In The Henhouse” has a strong message about recognizing warning signs in relationships, but it goes down as easily on your stereo as it would in an intimate supper club. After I enjoyed her previous release “Love Again” immensely, Sabriel continues to prove that she is a talent to watch and grow.

Boston’s @GillianHeidi returns with heartfelt and relatable “waves”

GILLIAN HEIDI, “waves”

With every release that I hear from Gillian Heidi, I hear growth, whether it’s in her vocal or songwriting. In “waves”, it’s a little of both, a really tight and well-rounded song that ponders the pressures of becoming an adult, often feeling overwhelmed and in this case underneath the waves of life. Her sound is similar to a lot of pop-folk artists coming out of England. However with being in America, it seems more apt to compare her to Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo and the like, though she’s probably right in the middle of it all. “waves” will make you hang on every word and Gillian’s sweet vocal leaves a long, savoury aftertaste.

L.A.-based multi-instrumentalist @iamJMSN returns with carefree and soulful “Rolling Stone”

JMSN, “Rolling Stone”

Ahead of what will be his 13th album in 10 years (including one instrumental release and two “chopped not slopped” reworks) titled Heals Me, it’s great to hear L.A.-based (but Detroit-bred) multi-instrumentalist JMSN (aka Christian Berishaj) back in form with his first studio release in three years called “Rolling Stone”. It’s also a throwback to his earlier music, to me less complex and more engaging than his more recent work. “Rolling Stone” at its essence is carefree, compelling and soulful. Quietly dynamic, JMSN sounds great and I can picture “Rolling Stone” as the opening song on his upcoming tour. Having seen his live show back in 2013 and written about him many times (hit the search button on my blog page), he’s an engaging and unpredictable performer, so there is no time like the present to join the JMSN train.