Long Island artist Onik has enlisted FindingVon for a new collaboration called “Couldn’t Find Myself”. Over top of groovy, warm guitars, the vocalists provide a reflective, pensive performance that keeps the listener on their toes.
The instrumental for “Couldn’t Help Myself” is emotive and bittersweet, using reminiscent guitars and bouncy drums to create a pensive mood. Moreover, the bass on the track is catchy and rich, enforcing a driving rhythm that gives the track much replay value. The drifting vocals from Onik and FindingVon convey a sense of longing and add layers to the song both emotionally and sonically, pairing with the beat smoothly to enhance the overall listening experience.
All in all, “Couldn’t Help Myself” is a poignant track from Onik and FindingVon that immediately draws the listener into its nostalgic atmosphere. The two artists share an effortlessly organic chemistry, and complement eachother’s vocal performance in a charming manner.
19 year-old Florida artist BigGuySky has shared a vibrant EP called Been Scarred. Over 6 potent, versatile tracks, the artist showcases his focused technical skills and his ear for catchy melodies.
The title track “Been Scarred” opens the album, introducing the record in a grand fashion. Here, a triumphant beat made up of powerful horns and crisp percussion blasts out, making a confident entrance. BigGuySky himself is a highlight of the song, as he comes through with some electrifying melodies and personal, emotive lyrics that draw one into the song’s atmosphere. Following this track up is “Moveee”, a track that is reflective in tone, slightly calming the energy and providing dynamics on the release. Here, Sky once again delivers some strong melodies, and the chorus is a true earworm.
“Happy” takes the album’s sound and drives it in a brighter direction. The instrumental is centred around sparkling keys and lively 808s, with clean drums locking in the rhythm. He sounds poised as a vocalist here, performing some introspective verses. Finally, the EP closes on a high note with gripping tracks “Your Face (Just Won’t Go Away)” and “Outta Time”. The latter is particularly captivating, with its drifting guitars and heartfelt vocals containing thoughtful lyrics.
Overall, Been Scarred is an engaging, honest release from BigGuySky that shows the young artist’s potential. The title track in particular is an invigorating listen, for it is an underrated banger that provides much replay value. Hopefully more is soon to come from this Florida musician, as this is certainly an enjoyable project from him early on in his career.
Berlin’s Mr Pigeons has returned with an excellent song called “Secret Circle” that “flew” under the radar, but certainly deserves wider attention. Featuring the talented Mehira Cruz, this release is expansive and freeing, containing an intriguing mood that escapes categorization.
The instrumental for “Secret Circle” is dreamlike and grand, conjuring an image of open skies or seas. It is made up of ethereal synths that drift beautifully over crisp percussion. Beneath, muscular 808s add balance to the song, giving it an energetic rhythm. Mr Pigeons comes through with some expressive verses, and caps it off with a mesmerizing hook, sung alongside Cruz. The chorus is especially captivating and well-written, beckoning many re-listens.
Overall, “Secret Circle” is a strong release from Mr Pigeons and Mehira Cruz, which hopefully signals a new full length project from him soon. Fresh off the heels of the boundary-pushing LP Pink Fossil, the artist is sounding better than ever and one can highly anticipate whatever comes up next from him.
Legendary Los Angeles rapper Blu has shared a new single called “People Call Me Blu(e)”, produced by the great Exile. This track finds Blu flowing smoothly over a textured, raw beat full of soul and energy.
Both Blu and Exile sound as sharp as ever on this new release, further proving their longevity and consistency. Following last year’s highly acclaimed album Miles, both artists released a heap of quality music, including Blu’s For Sale EP with Sirplus and Exile’s “Always Summer” with Cousin Brother. Now, the two connect for Blu’s latest single “People Call Me Blu(e)”, a standout song from his upcoming album The Color Blu(e), which will be released on Nature Sounds.
The instrumental for “People Call Me Blu(e)” is evocative and smoky, featuring coarsely chopped vocal samples and dusty horns. Beneath, rugged drums and rich bass create an infectious groove and lay a solid foundation for Blu’s elastic flows. He comes through with some characteristically clever lyrics that cover his mind state on hip-hop and music as a whole. Sounding as focused and poised as ever, he delivers charismatic verses that keep the listener re-winding.
Overall, “People Call Me Blu(e)” is a strong release that has one excited for the upcoming full-length album. This track captures Blu and Exile’s familiar sound while also pushing into new territory. Their chemistry is evident as always, as they deliver a track that is both energetic and welcomingly casual.
Vancouver’s Swabski has returned with a fresh new single called “Ride With Me”. Over top of a jazzy, reflective instrumental, the rapper weaves some laid-back verses that keep the listener engaged throughout.
The instrumental for “Ride With Me” contains nostalgic vocal samples that swirl in psychedelic layers. Accompanied by subtle synths and rich bass, the beat creates an infectious and catchy groove. Moreover, Swabski comes through with some laid-back, flexible verses full of sharply written lyrics. Overall, he flexes his skills as an emcee and shows why he is a rapper to keep an eye on. Hopefully more is soon to come from the West Coast based artist, who’s relaxed, smooth style provides much replay value.
West Coast underground legends Cashus King and Blu have shared an elegant new song called “Boom Bap Cadillac”, which finds the two artists flowing smoothly over gorgeous keys and smoky saxophones.
The instrumental for “Boom Bap Cadillac” is wistful and ethereal, containing reminiscent keys that drift along surreally. Accompanied by warm horns, the beat is truly remarkable, capturing a uniquely nostalgic mood. Furthermore, the two rappers come through with some characteristically powerful verses, full of poetic imagery that stirs deep emotions in the listener. The reflective nature of the verses paired with the sharply written lyrics from Cashus King and Blu make for a highly memorable listening experience. Overall, this song sees the two continue their streak as some of the most consistent and talented rappers out of LA.
East Coast rappers Reed, Hunnaloe, and Sly C have shared a new song called “The Ropes”. The three rising artists continue their prolific output with this new release, a raw, laid-back offering that provides much replay value.
The instrumental for “The Ropes” contains dusky, textured vocal samples that swirl together in an intriguing way. With additional guitars and bass complementing the vocal samples, this track sounds layered and rich. Underscored by rugged drums, the song carries a smooth, relaxed pace. Moreover, the three rappers come through with some clever, candid verses that keep one hooked. Hopefully more will be coming soon from Reed, Hunnaloe, and Sly C, as they have been consistently dropping some high-quality tracks lately.
Western Massachusetts artist Kwynn Reid is a rising voice to watch, having recently shared a strong new EP Home for the Summer. He is admirably diverse in his songwriting, crafting songs in a variety of stylings and moods with ease, as he draws influence from R&B, hip-hop, electronic, pop, and more. His new EP Home for the Summer feels warm in sound and personal in its songwriting, while simultaneously providing bangers that have you nodding your head immediately.
Home for the Summer kicks off with the powerful title track, which uses strong drums and rumbling 808s to create a driving rhythm. Over top of the rhythm section, smooth keys and subtle, high-pitched vocal samples give the song a layered feel. The combination of the keys and vocal samples are engaging and catchy, sticking in one’s head long after listening. Furthermore, Reid comes through with some well-written vocals that introduce his singing style. He sounds confident and heartfelt on this song, beginning the EP in an engaging fashion that hooks the listener in from the get-go.
Reid follows this track up with the thoughtful, charismatic “Can’t Be Helped”, which feels gospel influenced. Here, warm organs pair with energizing synths to create infectious melodies that lift the track up to the clouds. Furthermore, crunchy percussion and deep bass are added to round out the song, giving it a steady pace. Reid’s vocals are memorable, featuring intriguing melodies and introspective lyrics. His lyrics are relatable and heartfelt here, painting a clear portrait of his perspective.
Lastly, Reid switches the pace up for the jaunty, reminiscent “Think Too Much”. This track conjures a unique mood through its usage of rapid drums and dream-like, fluttering acoustic guitars. Paired with soulful, nostalgic vocal samples and underscored by groovy bass, this song is a project highlight. “Think Too Much” is an example of Reid’s diverse songwriting skills, as he brings a different sound and style here and executes it smoothly. This song closes out the EP in a graceful fashion, providing a warm, bittersweet send-off.
All in all, Home for the Summer is an intriguing, memorable release from Kwynn Reid, who is certainly a talented up-and-coming voice coming from Western Massachusetts. His sharp songwriting ability and heartfelt style shines through on this release, as he provides a refreshing sound that contains a lot of personality. Hopefully more is soon to come from Reid, as he shows much promise across these three tracks and leaves the listener wanting more.
Yours, River are a genre-blending group from Washington DC whose authenticity and sharp songwriting shine from the get-go. Founded by James Carline and Zachary Nachbar-Seckel as a side project during the height of the pandemic, the talented group has come into its own, developing a unique sound that combines folk, hip-hop, and electronic influences. Their self-titled new album Yours, River is an adventure in atmospheric, organic sounds that evoke scenes of nature and feelings of youthful longing.
Their self-titled album kicks off with the ambient “I’d Like To Be…”, a track that uses fluttering acoustic guitars and subtle, dream-like synths to create a wistful mood. Beneath, organic sounding bass glues the track together and creates a mellow groove. The instrumental creates a strong foundation for the track’s immersive vocals, as they float gracefully above the guitars. These vocals are easy-going and simultaneously heartfelt, and the lyrics on “I’d Like To Be…” are vivid and introspective, taking on a reflective tone.
They follow this track up with the groovy, hip-hop laced “Oh So Blue!” , a song that introduces their use of rapping vocals. The instrumental for “Oh So Blue!” contains deep bass that rumbles beneath fast-paced drums and brisk, electrifying guitars. The beat is energizing, creating an infectious sound that keeps the listener engaged throughout. Moreover, the track’s use of spoken word-infused rap vocals combined with blues and rock influenced singing gives it even more personality and makes one want to keep re-visiting it.
Next, the band brings in the bittersweet “Honeybee Lane”, a warm track packed with nostalgia. This song contains breezy guitars that ring out over top of rich bass and natural drums. The vocals on this song are catchy, and the lyrics are poetic and evocative, making for a thought-provoking listening experience. Paired with the next track, “Fast Asleep”, Yours, River show their dynamic approach to songwriting, as they demonstrate their ability to play with a wide variety of sounds. Here, energetic drums and tuneful bass bring the track together and provide a strong foundation for the song’s relaxed, dreamy vocals. Furthermore, the guitars on this song are starry and expansive, giving the song more of a layered feel.
The song “Patience” marks the middle of the album, utilizing dense, rapid percussion to give the track a playful feel. “Patience” feels heavily psychedelic and almost has a dance music vibe, further showcasing the band’s diversity. An album highlight is “Where Do We Go From Here?”, a peaceful, smoky song that sticks in one’s memory for days. Once again, Yours, River blends hip-hop in, providing an immersive and raw sound that appeals to a wide variety of music fans. They follow this song up with another album highlight in “Abby”, a sentimental song that uses autumnal guitars and poetic lyrics to create a truly intriguing mood.
The album closes out with a series of reflective yet groovy offerings, including “Winter Lungs”, which centers around wailing guitars and grand keys, and “Beggars Cup”, which features expansive keys and powerful lead vocals. The final song “Rest in Peace?” is particularly unforgettable, containing some of the group’s strongest lyrics. They come through with some thought-provoking lyrical motifs and imagery that draw the listener in to the song’s ruminative mood. Moreover, the track’s atmosphere is enhanced by celestial acoustic guitars and jaunty percussion, creating a stirring backdrop.
Overall, Yours, River’s self-titled album is a dream-like offering that brings back memories of childhood and evokes the feeling of being in nature. It is an introspective, creative ride through the artists’ mind, providing a release that is refreshing and intriguing. Hopefully more is soon to come from this group, as they are new to the scene and evidently have a lot to offer. All in all, their ability to craft songs utilizing a variety of genres and sonic textures is admirable, and they showcase promise in this new album.
Buppy and Eleanor Kingston have shared a heartfelt collaboration called “To My Momma”. Over top of bittersweet keys and reminiscent trumpets, the musicians craft a touching tribute to their Mothers, and Mothers everywhere.
The instrumental for “To My Momma” is centred around warm keys that create a brisk pace, underscored by organic sounding percussion. Later, nostalgic trumpets and swelling synths are added to give the track more layers, creating a concoction of sounds that is mellow and wistful. Moreover, the two vocalists come through with some well-written verses that are emotionally moving, capping the song off in a graceful fashion.
Overall, “To My Momma” is a solid release from Buppy and Eleanor Kingston that hopefully signifies more upcoming music from the pairing. They share a natural chemistry on this collaboration, providing a heartfelt, catchy track that is worth re-visting many times.
ROUNDHOUSE MUSIC 