“The Satellite Station captures the fragility of being human on this track. ‘Only Human’ is a soft and tender ode to the struggles we all face. Delivered in a singer/songwriter vibe, the lyrics are emotional and reflective but also come with an underlying optimism and inspiration that feels invigorating as you listen. ”
“Straight forward honesty always works in art, and this well-written song certainly qualifies in every definition. Something about this hit me as Lorde meets Foster the People. Sure its a bit tough to categorize, but pigeon holes belong under pigeons and nowhere else. This song soared for me no matter how anyone wants to define it. ”
“Oscar and the Wolf brings a shimmering fusion of contemporary R&B and melancholy electro-pop straight out of Belgium. There are definite Drake and Weeknd vibes through there is an added softness that gives the this track a distant vulnerability that allows the emotions to land and dissolve into a smooth progression that keeps you invested in the mood of the piece. ”
“The world is full of them ... people we don’t like for a variety of reasons. ‘I Hate You’ is a tongue in cheek Pop track with a hearty dose of observation about the people who annoy us all.
Sara says on the track, ‘Peter and I were talking about how people will always say, ‘man, I hate that guy.’ So we wanted to figure out who ‘that guy’ was and write a song about how much we hate him. It turned into a very cool song about a very annoying person. I think you’ll hate him too.’”
“Pure musical energy! Arkells is joined by K. Flay on this track on this Poppish Rock track about going after what you want. Don’t hold back! ‘You Can Get It’ is the kind of track that will get you up on your feet and moving both literally and metaphorically.
A great add to your energetic and motivational playlists.”
“A nice melodic groove brings this track alive. Smooth and soulful like something between Bieber and Bruno, this Pop groove works well. The hook of the melody and the straightforward lyrical presentation lends themselves to joining in and singing along. Simply a fun, self-reflective track.”
“A hard-charging song about a girl named ‘Livia.’ On the surface you might wonder why you are supposed to care about Livia or her namesake song, but the energy here is palpable and the rock permeates a timeless vibe that feels both classic and contemporary instantly. A big bold track that hooks you and puts you right there yearning for Livia.”
“Inspired by the great literary love stories, Emlyn has given us a passionate love song of sorts, despite the fact she admits to never having been in love herself.
’A Thousand Parties’ is a big bold Pop track that would be right at time on a Demi Lovato album. The boisterous vocals drive it all home giving this track a huge presence.”
“There is an optimistic energy and spirit about this track from Kama Tala that lifts the song and makes it impossible not to fall in and sing along. A bit of island flair and a dash of Paul Simon brings it all alive. Like a slightly more commercial sounding Jack Johnson.”
“This track is for anyone that has ever taken a leap or gone in search of themselves only to discover that the person you once were is not the same person you are now. Delivered with an emotionally bare and vulnerable performance the track is a ‘Soft Landing’ for the senses that simply feels true and genuine. There is a hint of Folk but the overriding feel is Indie Pop and it simply works well.”
“This past year has left us all feeling like we are stuck in a badly written thriller. Ravaged by both boredom, and a pandemic, we are stuck in the duality of feuding emotions and this track with its sort of rowdy yet lazy vibes captures those contradictions with a simmering brand of energy that gathered me in and left me wanting to shout at the moon.”
“Lauren Spring has a timeless voice that carries hints of Ronstadt, Emmylou, and the entire Wet Coast Folk/Country sound of the 60s and 70s. That is not to say this track has a retro vibe, because Spring infuses plenty of modern touches to make “I Remember You’ stand out and above so many artists trying to put modern spins on classic sounds from that era. The smooth steady progression and lyrical flow feels like a warm hug from a friend on this track. ”
“It’s the vocals for me. The Shadowboxers allows us to not only listen to them but levitate and feel the song. ‘Forever’ is delivered at a smooth tempo that speaks on love and mental connection.”
“This track has a fun light air about it but still brings an honest and earnest vulnerability. AJ Smith is having fun here with a track written to ask his girlfriend to move in with him. the ukulele driven track tips its hat to classic doo wop, as well as other influences, and ends up just be an entertaining delight.”
“Purely intoxicating! Maude Latour offers up her latest single, ‘Walk Backwards’ which is rich and bubbly and and altogether inebriating in the very best ways. Poppy, but without a hint of bubblegum, the track deals with the blurred lines of love, friendship, and romanticism in bold and direct ways.
The song has a voyeuristic feel with a nice groove that makes it impossible not to stay thirsty on.”
“The best art is an expression of true emotions, and while some artists can tap into the emotions of others to convey experiences beyond ones they have faced themselves, sometimes only through the raw sting felt pain can art be distilled. This is the case with ‘To My Face’ from Libby Larkin.
After an uphill battle through self-expression and closure, Libby is finally ready to release her first EP, titled ‘L|A’, in February of this new year. It all started when she caught her best friend and the girl she was seeing in a secret affair. As if a scene from a movie, she caught them revealing the entirety of their fling on a voice recording. With the recording on her phone and an unhealthy desire to bask in her heartbreak, Larkin decided to make a three song EP. Releasing on the Friday before Valentine’s Day, the project is titled “L|A” which stands for the city where this happened, and ironically also for the guilty’s initials. Each song contains a snippet of the recording from that dreadful night, and getting a glimpse of the full story is available by listening to all three songs in order.”
“In today’s musical landscape, we often dismiss a track before it has time to truly land it’s emotional punches. I nearly did that here. The early vocal groove from Raquel Aurilia, while beautifully delivered, did not hit me in the feels, but when blended with the slow deliberate flow of Cam Carter and the message of the track subsequent refrains landed with perfect emotional balance. This is definitely a track that means more with each listen.”
“We all have those old camera shots that transpose us back in time in an instant. With the new single, ‘Camera Roll,’ Lex Holmes unfurls the emotions of such a trip and the times behind it.
The Indie Rock sound, and slow tempo of the track combine to hook the listener in and put them in the perfect place to reflect on their own set of images.”
“This is as honest and emotionally bare as music gets. Zach Hood drops a deeply personal Indie Pop song about the emotional effect on a child when one parent simply walks out of their life. Divorce is rough on all involved, and the imagery of the home videos here doubles down on the emotion of the track.”
“Alyssa Caroline comes with Commercial/Indie Pop single that speaks to to the insecurities lurking in most of us. There is a bit of a Taylor Swift flavor in the emotion, but for me the writing here is more honest and straightforward. ‘Not The One’ is an ode to anyone who feels like they are more of a second choice than a priority for others.”