Prolific lyricist SiriusB caught our attention for his soulful song “The Great Flood”. A track from his recent album KRITICAL THINKING, which followed up engaging projects like THE ODDYSEY and PLANET SIRIUS, “The Great Flood” is a standout joint that paints vivid lyrical pictures atop a tapestry of warm, soulful production. Featuring insightful verses delivered in Sirius’ confident, energetic tone, “The Great Flood” is a track with lyrics that captivate, making it difficult to not pay attention to each word. With a cathartic, expressive feel and detailed lines analyzing our current times, “The Great Flood” is a poignant offering from SiriusB. Give it a listen below.
Lola Coker, a rising star in music’s underground, is making a profound mark with her latest single, “Unreliable.” This track is an exquisitely written and hauntingly moody composition that draws inspiration from Neo Soul, Contemporary R&B, and Alternative R&B. “Unreliable” delves into themes of introspection, regret, and the complexities of human connection, weaving a tapestry of emotions that deeply resonate with listeners. Lola’s velvety voice and evocative lyrics in this song are bound to leave a lasting impression, showcasing her exceptional talent for creating music that transcends genres and encapsulates the essence of contemporary soul. With its captivating melodies and poignant storytelling, “Unreliable” is a testament to Lola Coker’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of musical expression and solidifying her position in the modern music industry. A highly engaging release and we look forward to hearing more projects from this upcoming artist!
London artist Lynx Cane has shared a new video for his self-produced song “MANNA”. The baritone-voiced emcee has recently been carving his own lane for his spiritually-focused, vivid lyricism and engaging sound. His 2021 Garden of Gethsemane EP demonstrated this with its esoteric verses and jazzy, laid-back sound- while the track in focus, “MANNA” instead finds Cane taking on a hard-edged, trap-laced style. “MANNA”’s bristling, electrifying synths take on a subtle rage influence, while bouncy 808s and crisp percussion build a potent groove. He handles the imposing beat with ease, delivering cutting verses with his textural baritone delivery and contrasts nicely with the instrumental’s highs. The new video, directed by Milo Ricketts-Mason features vibrant, fast-paced shots set in London that suit the song’s off-the-wall energy, featuring an engaging performance from Cane. Give the new video for “MANNA” a watch below.
Josh Tepper makes another appearance at Roundhouse Music! New York City native and rising star, whose talent knows no bounds, brings a heartfelt and relatable narrative to life with his latest release, “Always Everywhere.” This quintessential breakup song delves into the emotional aftermath of a relationship’s end, where the lingering presence of a former love feels inescapable. It’s a poignant exploration of that universal feeling—no matter how hard you try, they’re always everywhere.
Having honed his craft at the prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, and furthering his studies at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a major in Cinema Studies, this artist has a diverse background that shines through in his music. As a New Yorker and a twin, his unique perspective and life experiences infuse his work with depth and authenticity. With an impressive 45,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, this rising star is on a trajectory to captivate audiences worldwide. Keep an eye on this artist as he continues to make waves and touch hearts with his evocative storytelling and musical prowess.
JIG LeFrost has dropped off a fresh new project, titled Once in a Blue Moon: Have You Seen Me?. LeFrost’s lyrics reveal his life’s ups and downs, showcasing his ability to find beauty in the messiness of the world, and connecting with listeners on a deeper level. LeFrost has shared both virtual and physical stages with acts like Blvck Svm, The Good Perry, Maxo Kream, Billie Eilish, TI, and more. The rapper has also collaborated with multiple billboard #1 producers like Juberlee & Sims Cashion. His latest offering, Once in a Blue Moon: Have You Seen Me? is an eclectic 19-song project that demonstrates LeFrost’s creative prowess and vision with a set of songs that keeps the listener on their toes with dynamic, versatile cuts at each turn.
The distorted, futuristic soundscape of “round the world (Intro)” paints a vividly nocturnal picture for LeFrost’s captivating vocals. Atop atmospheric, Jersey-club-influenced production, he delivers rich verses before delving into a truly memorable hook. The swelling, warm production of “NIGHTMARES” follows up next, creating an infectious backdrop for LeFrost’s versatile vocals. Tracks like “WHY?” add a melodic touch with hypnotic vocal lines, while “DO YOU COPY” further demonstrates LeFrost’s versatility with its punchy, hard-hitting sound. The psychedelic, shimmering production and raw flows of “WHAT U KNOW” make for a highlight late in the project, showing focused songwriting from LeFrost atop the ethereal production.
A diverse, potent project overall, Once in a Blue Moon: Have You Seen Me? finds LeFrost refusing to simply conform to one style or sound, and in doing so he captivates across the mixtape’s 19-song runtime.
Listen to Once in a Blue Moon: Have You Seen Me? here:
West Coast legend Blu and prolific production outfit Real Bad Man recently shared their collaborative project Bad News– a blazing 8-track offering that displays Blu’s characteristic penchant for rich, vivid lyricism atop Real Bad Man’s potent instrumentation. The pair have now shared a visual for the title track “Bad News”, an immense cut that opens their recent project with captivating energy. “Bad News” finds Blu lacing the track with poetic, thought-provoking lines at a rapid pace atop dusky, subtly ominous strings and horns. As organic percussion and memorable bass build up a hypnotic groove, he launches into a verbal assault that keeps the listener on their toes with each line. The new visual, features crisp shots and an attention-grabbing performance from Blu, capturing the track’s vigorous energy.
Watch the video for “Bad News” here, from Blu and Real Bad Man’s Bad News project, released on Real Bad Man Records.
Chicago standout D2x captivated us with his song “Waves & Moonlights”, a track from his recent LP Hotel 1105.First hitting the scene in 2018, D2x has since carved a unique lane within Chicago and beyond for his soulful, introspective sound. After his momentum catapulted further with his debut album The Color Blue, D2x continued his run with his potent new album Hotel 1105. “Waves & Moonlights”, a standout track from the project, caught our attention for its elegant sound and sharply-crafted dynamic vocals.
Atop swells of graceful keys, refined percussion, and infectious bass, D2x demonstrates focus and confident mic presence with a series of vivid verses. Underscored by flourishes of electric guitars that add layers to the track, he build eclectic lines into a memorable hook that ties the song’s graceful energy together succinctly.
Give D2x’s track “Waves & Moonlights” a listen below.
Heartbreak Homie has shared a fresh new album, titled Social Butterfly. Heartbreak Homie is a versatile artist from the southside of Chicago, who prides herself on her writing skills, song making skills, ability to change her cadence and flows at the drop of the dime. As a true hip-hop lover, Heartbreak mostly delivers a melodic rap but always manages to sing and give her fans a ballad, deep R&B cut or pop hit. Inspired by greats like Michael Jackson, Drake, Chance the Rapper and Beyonce, Heartbreak makes it a priority to remain vulnerable in her music and give the listeners something they can smoke to. Her latest offering, Social Butterfly, is a potent mix of influences and sounds that draws from hip-hop, rap, R&B, dance, and more, making for a vivid and engaging listen.
Social Butterfly is a dynamic project that showcases Heartbreak’s versatility, with each track introducing new flavors and keeping the listener on their toes. Tracks like “Off With They Head” find her sharp and poised on the mic with raw rap flows atop hard-hitting production, while she is equally in the pocket on “Monarch Moon” and “Falling in Love”- slower tracks that are immersive and laid-back in sound. “Indeed”, with Jefe312 and Morgan Gold, brings in an acoustic element and provides a highlight in the process, with breezy, uplifting guitars and elegant vocal melodies. The rhodes-laden soundscape of “Today” finishes Social Butterfly on a high note, with warm sonics and poignant vocals from Heartbreak.
Heartbreak Homie’s latest project Social Butterfly finds her delivering heartfelt, expressive tracks as she stays true to herself and her creative process in an admirable fashion. Give the new record a listen below.
Nigerian singer JazzZ and Zimbabwean producer Tenten captivated us in July with their collaborative album ABSINTHE, a hazy, dream-like blend of hypnotic alternative R&B cuts. With a warm, immersive feel and poignant, organic sonics, ABSINTHE presents a character-rich, intimate offering from JazzZ and Tenten that remains as one of our favourite releases this summer.
Fatboi Sharif and Steel Tipped Dove- ‘Decay’
New Jersey’s Fatboi Sharif and New York’s Steel Tipped Dove connected for their LP Decay, which dropped in July on Backwoodz Studioz. An uncompromisingly experimental, head-trip of a record that lives up to its namesake with dilapidated, raw instrumentation and apocalyptic lyricism. On Decay, Sharif sounds at home atop Steel Tipped Dove’s frigid, asymmetrical production, weaving together idiosyncratic flows and vivid imagery in a dizzying fashion.
YL- ‘Don’t Feed the Pigeons’
New York mainstay YL’s ‘Don’t Feed the Pigeons’ LP is a refreshing project from June that captures the oft-sought NY hip-hop essence without leaning too heavily into nostalgia. It demonstrates his versatility as he tackles beats ranging from drill to ambient-infused instrumentals, while conjuring a subtly surreal atmosphere that gives it unique character.
Fatboyshaun- ‘BLOOD ON MY CARHARTT’
South Texas’ Fatboyshaun dropped off his project BLOOD ON MY CARHARTT in early July- a tour-de-force of potent lyricism atop raw, soulful instrumentation. Demonstrating the versatility that makes him a layered emcee, BLOOD ON MY CARHARTT both packs a punch with imposing lines and introspects with heartfelt cuts, with Fatboyshaun sounding equally natural in both lanes.
Ché- ‘CHÉ’
New York’s Ché captivated us with his self-titled project from July. CHÉ is an album versatile in sound and heartfelt in content, as it finds the New York artist dropping a series of thoughtful verses atop engaging, diverse instrumentation. Throughout the record, an undercurrent of youthful energy is present- with shades of hope for brighter times, while also touching upon being in the thralls of depression and frustration. Using his bicycle as a motif, the album’s dynamic pace, observational nature, and NYC references are given added context and layers, giving CHÉ a conceptual edge.
Stounson- “Break Bread” (ft. Ricky Mapes)
“Break Bread” is a self-produced cut from Seattle’s Stounson, featuring The Bronx’s Ricky Mapes, released in August. With a DIY feel and psychedelic edge, “Break Bread” makes for a potent cross-coast collaboration between the two artists. Raw layers of samples give the track a pulsating rhythm, complemented by dusty drums and potent, cutting flows from Stounson and Mapes that demonstrate a natural chemistry.
Rising Portland emcee Milc and fellow Portland beatmaker Televangel of the renowned production duo Blue Sky Black Death have dropped off a new single called “Pain & Leather”, featuring New York standout YL. Released ahead of their new collaborative album The Fish That Saved Portland, the single introduces a luscious, silky soundscape that suits the laid-back, charismatic performances of Milc and YL. Televangel’s hypnotic concoction of airy, psychedelic samples, rubbery, infectious bass and minimalistic percussion creates silky backdrop for YL and Milc to lace the track with sleek flows, vivid lyricism, and smooth deliveries. It’s a track that pairs each element together cohesively and in a natural fashion- making for a refreshing listen. Check it out below and prepare for Milc and Televangel’s upcoming project The Fish That Saved Portland.
ROUNDHOUSE MUSIC 