Lizzy McAlpine releases a heart-clenching piano ballad titled “Older”. The soundscape is incredibly full even though it is only piano and voice. This is the type of track I would put on in the late night or in a long car ride to really gain some introspection. Currently, it is 6 am and I just woke up. This song is too sentimental and beautiful to listen to right now, for me at least. But I will indulge.
Madison Beer releases a sensual pop banger with lo-fi elements and a steady house beat titled “Make You Mine”. This track was produced by Leroy Clampitt and Madison Beer. Leroy is less known, but if you look into it, he is also, just like Madison, a known bop maker. This track very much feels like something that belongs in a dimly lit room or late-night party. That is because none of the sounds really pop out in the high register; everything blends together in a low-fi sort of way. Now, this could be something very bad, but in the case of Make You Mine, the blend is very nice. A lot of producers who lack experience will make a low effort track and call it lo-fi just because it sounds better than low quality. Then, there are a lot of producers and songwriters like Madison Beer and Leroy Clampitt who have mastered the art of blending lo-fi sounds together to release that comforting energy that lo-fi brings.
Little Simz just released a new track titled “Mood Swings.” This track has impeccable production and vocal flow; let’s dive into it. After a few seconds, I can personally say with great confidence that I am going to enjoy this tune a whole lot. The track starts off very minimalistic with dark alien percussion, really hard-hitting 808s, and Little Simz doing what she does. The mix of everything together is very good. The percussive elements are clacky in just the right way, the vocals are naturally fitting where they need to be, and the low end with kick/bass is quite satisfying. The track gives a pretty hypnotic mood, even though it keeps switching up, alluding to the theme of “mood swings.” If you look at the little visualizer that came with the track, it enhances the whole futuristic sound pretty well. If I am not careful, I think I’ll listen to this track 240 times.
Bella Poarch, in collaboration with 6arelyhuman, released a new track titled “Don’t Like Anybody.” Both artists have a really interesting path, which if you explained to a musician 30 years ago, would sound made up. But they are both prestigious within their certain genres and branches. Bella Poarch used to be just an enormous TikTok star, but the following she has amassed on streaming services also gives her a lot of validity for being a musical artist in the eyes of the public.
BADBADNOTGOOD collaborated with Houston musician Reggie to make this latest 70’s soul-inspired smooth listening song. The song is titled “Take What’s Given,” and a little insight reveals that the song was first brought into this world in 2022 when Reggie happened to be present in the music studio. During that time, even though Reggie was a much smaller artist, he played the band some songs, and they really took to liking something special about Reggie. Be it his energy, unique musical mind, or just his great voice, we don’t exactly know. But this collaboration made for a really nice track.
The artist 24kGoldn releases a new track titled “Clarity.” For the most part, I think the song discusses 24kGoldn trying to stay healthy and happy, away from temptation, and focusing on what is good in his life: “I try to keep my heart pure but I’m damned if I don’t, damned if I do.”
The UK dub/DnB/Garage artist Burial has recently released a two-piece single titled 'Dreamfear.' The two songs on the record, titled 'Dreamfear' and 'Boy Sent From Above,' are both really cool and each trying to break their own ground. They are a hazy mix between Jungle, DnB, vocal samples, and overall make it sound like the best fever dream you ever had. Burial is known for his reclusive nature, which is kind of ironic. Anyway, this latest release is supposedly made for raves. I love that longer pieces are accepted, and even though these two tracks have more of a dark/unsettling tone than you would imagine your average party-goer to have, I think they will still fit very well over some nights. Also, just listening to the tracks home alone is a fun experience. I think that if you are not familiar with the genre, this is one of those times I would plead for you to just give it a chance. Don’t turn it off if you think it sounds strange in the first few seconds. Let it cook, as they say.
Billy Joel releases a new soft piano ballad titled 'Turn The Lights Back On.' This is a beautiful song that was also delivered by the iconic singer during a performance at the Grammy Awards stage. This performance was accompanied by a live orchestra which really supported his already amazing vocals very well. Just before the performance, Joel talked a bit about why he took a break from songwriting and, most notably, why he returned. He talked about a dedicated fan, Freddy Wexler, who actually convinced him to re-enter the creative realm. I think this is pretty cool and shows that fan-artist relationships sometimes bring positive things. I think in general if you think about the relationships that artists and fans have, they are like two lanes on the highway going in opposite directions. It is like the artist has one parasocial relationship going one way with the fans, and the fans have their own parasocial relationship going the other way with the artist. I am not saying this is all bad though. Like most things, it carries with it both bad and good aspects.
Ash Grunwald releases a new track with a lot of soul titled “Life Without You”. The song has twangy guitars, decisive steady drums and benefits a lot from Ash Grunwald's vocals. I think the obvious choice would be to suggest this track goes into the main theme of a western movie. The track comes with a pretty cool visualiser that thematically fits really well with the song. The guitar solo is also pretty tasteful, really displaying a good use of the rule “less is more”. By many people, Ash Grundwald would be described as sort of a modern Blues legend. I think he is a hot contender for that status. He is an Australian musician and from what there is to gather, he is about as down to earth of a character as his music sounds.
As we draw the curtains on the initial month of 2024, the undeniable truth of time's finitude looms over us. Regrettably, it's impossible to cover all the abundance of exceptional music that exists out there. Thus, our aim here is to compile a roster of noteworthy albums and singles that graced our ears in 2023.
The artist Cate just released a pop-country, two-track single with the tracks 'Rocket Science' and 'You Don’t Love Me.' I think a lot of people are craving a fix of that pre-808 and trap drum Taylor Swift sound, and there’s a good contender right here. Both tracks are mixed, recorded, and performed excellently for this genre. None of the sounds are really demanding a lot of attention, and all come together to create a slightly groovy but mostly beautiful soundscape.
If you've landed here without knowing who Suzanne Ciani is, a quick search of the name will unveil a lengthy career in sound design, composition, and even logo creation. She's worked on notable sound design commissions for Coca-Cola, designed logos for over 500 companies, and her innovative compositions have earned her 5 Grammy awards throughout her career.
@ In their short tenure, spanning just a single and an album, with the debut album dropping last year, they've managed to amass a listener base of 126,577 per month on Spotify — an impressive feat in a music landscape where their genre isn't pop (And for a group whose name makes them incredibly hard to search on the web). While certain tracks may evoke the experimental pop vibes of the UK scene, the rest meanders through an eclectic fusion of rock, folk, classical strains, and prog rock.
Just days ago, I found myself at The Town Hall in New York, immersed in an interview with the visual maestro Ai Weiwei, delving into the depths of his latest memoir, 'Zodiac.' In the discourse, he asserted that 'art is about losing control,' dismissing the notion that correctness defines artistic expression. Correctness, he contends, is the domain of machines, particularly formidable AI, which masters the craft by replicating and remixing already perfected works from other artists and writers.
