“This is a matter of outhinking yourself as an artist. There are great moments to this performance and the premise was rock solid.
The problems were all in the production dynamics and arrangement. Had Wiseoff simply unleashed this track with a steady flow and build I’d have been all in, but the embellishment and add-ons got in the way emotionally for me and left the overall track feeling disjointed and needlessly chaotic. ”
“Shannon Dooley has the vocal chops to do whatever she wants and while this track doesn’t showcase all of her range it does offer a nice emotive experience. Perhaps darker than most Indie Pop, ‘Make Some Noise,’ is a grittier ode track that gets in your mind and makes you think as it entertains.”
“Unfurling smooth R&B vocals with a hint of Pop sensibility, Kailaya invites the listener in to her intimate world. ‘To Be Loved By You,’ brings some old school sultriness to the contemporary world with a heartfelt build of emotion and vulnerability.”
“Peace and tranquility rule the day on this track from Sehou. ‘Falling Through The Air’ is one of those tracks that could fit the musical landscape over the last twenty years or so.
The Electro/Dance Pop track is smooth and uplifting and will carry you along when you need that pick me up or recharge.”
“Super Massive unleashes a high energy summer time track with their latest single, ‘Caught in A Web.’
Wait, what? Summertime? Yep, you read it right. Super Massive is an Aussie based dance/rock band that blends electro, electro-pop, dance-pop, synthpop and EDM and while here in North America we are the cusp of winter they are ready to bask in some summertime fun down in the Southern Hemisphere.
Th track is a throwback of synth glory and a fun romp.”
“Getting out on the dance floor and losing all sense of place and time is what we all need from time to time. ‘Tantalizing’ by Tiesto and Soaky Siren is the perfect track to do so.
Clean production and a tasty build keep you leaning in. No, this offering isn’t going to shatter expectations lyrically, but then again it doesn’t need to. It says and does enough to be perfect for just letting everything go and getting your body moving.”
“The groove is pleasing and I like that side of this track, but for me the vocals felt a bit melodramatic.
Overall this song was a case of trying to do and be too much. The talent is there and could have shined, but for all the world this one felt like a group of talented people saying ... Hey let’s throw everything we got up against the wall and see what sticks.
The end result felt like an unorganized mess lyrically, and the varying performance style felt at odds rather than complementary to each other.”
“Lil Primo feels anything but lil on this big bold track. ‘Starburst’ has that old school, in-your-face vibe, and Primo infuses that hard flow with fresh linds and a crisp delivery that lands the lyrical punches with skill and precision.
This LA are rapper brings the perfect verve to his flow and the writing hits with grit and emotion.”
“Hannah Larkin escaped a religious cult only to find herself on the streets of LA. Music is therapy of a sorts for the exotic dancer turned Pop songstress, and this track, ‘Girls Like Me.’ highlights her journey as much as it does Larkin’s talent.
The songwriting and performance is tender and vulnerable and still manages to also be gritty and genuine.”
“Illiterate Light gives us a languid, thinking man kind of track with ‘Montauk.’
Inspired by the theme of the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the song takes on the emotional and mental game of attempting what you suspect will ultimately go down as a failure.
The track has what I’d called an organized chaos feel and vibe. Which is apt given that is pretty much how our brains function.
The song is long for modern music, and that, along with the deeper subject matter, will probably keep it from reaching hit status. Though it is the kind of Alternative/Indie Rock release that is likely to develop a cult following of very dedicated fans.”
“Halo Kitsch has some fun calling out the fake hypocrisy of those who work so damn hard to be perfect. Perfect and predictable is a manufactured illusion fed these days by social media likes and follows. ‘BETWEEN YOUR TEETH’ is an ode to the real ones, the true friends that will tell you not what you want to hear, but what you NEED to hear.”
“Luci began her career as a an EDM producer and that influence is clear on this track, though the vocal side certainly has Pop sensibilities.
’Loner’ is an emotive and vulnerable track in its best moments, though for me the harder drops and production that turned toward a Future Bass/EDM style got in the way of the emotions at times.
For me this track shined the brightest with Luci’s emotive delivery and less production behind it clouding the song. ”
“Some songs simply grab hold and refuse to let go. Tamar Berk certainly has talent and a pleasing tone though I can’t fully explain why this one stuck to me so fiercely. The delivery and melody are nice, but the hook and lyrical refrain of the song is what grabbed me and refused to let go.
Like an ear worm in the best of ways!”
“I have probably featured Estella Dawn more than any other artis in my time here at LA on Lock. And this is perhaps my favorite track from the talented San Diego artist yet. ‘Detached’ is an in your face anthem of sorts. The vocal tone is emotive and layered and hits you right in the gut. The songwriting is just as rich and developed and the production as always is spot on.
The video is well rendered as well and the imagery help you feel the track that much more.”
“A smooth R&B groove might not be what you first think of when it come sto an inpirational and uplifting track but Ladi Seoul manages to create exactly that on this track. ‘Eyes On The Prize,’ is about maintaining your focus on the goals you are chasing even when the road gets tough. The vocals are smooth and genuine and come with a rich tone that soothes the soul.”
“Lewis Fitzgerald has the vocal chops to do whatever he wants. Here the South London artist utilizes and Afrobeat to back his performance and while the vocals and music are on point, the lyrical build is sparse and just never quite hit that next level for me. I was intrigued by the talent and sound, but slightly let down by the lack of lyrical substance.”
“Julia Kate will probably draw some comparison to Taylor Swift because people are basically lazy and reach for the name everyone knows at the moment. I suppose botha re Pop songwriters delving into the emotions of humanity but for me, Julia Kate stands out on her own for the way she takes her time and doesn’t rush or try to shoehorn in that glistening hook. She relies on vulnerability and genuine emotion on ‘Beverly Hills’ to reveal the story of her love and hook the listener.”
“Oslo, Norway’s Aiida wastes no time getting right to the pint on ‘Got No Strings.’
The attitude is palpable, and the writing as sharp and pointed as the delivery.
This is pure Pop Gold in the vein of Britney at her best. ”
“Most of us long to find that elusive soulmate, and while waiting, we come up with our ideas and ideals of what that person will be like. Joshua Golden taps into those expectations with his tack, ‘I Can’t Wait To Meet You.’
The song straddles that line between Pop and Rap to create a Commercial track that should appeal to a wide audience. The emotion and performance and added snippets of conversation on each end really come together to feel true and genuine.”
“This track is a classic example of so many submission we receive here at LA on Lock. There is clear and obvious vocal talent, and even the arrangement has musical potential, the overall track lacks a clean production and build.
From a few pauses and skips that at least felt unintentional, to the mix, which left the vocals feeling too distant at times this track just didn’t quite realize its full potential for me. And yet, I can tell the artistry and talent it is simply a matter of getting it all put together in a tidier package.”