“Lemonade” Ft. Stonestreet is a bittersweet, synth-filled trip down memory lane. Aaron Cohen reminisces on the highs and lows of an old relationship with a flow that rolls across the beat’s well-paced drums.
Why We Like It: J. Loree’s “Dead or Alive”
“Dead or Alive” expresses rapper J. Loree’s dismay at fighting internal demons while portraying an unfaltering facade to the people in his life. The track blends hip-hop with escalating rock elements and culminates in a powerful crescendo of guitar and rap.
Why We Like It: Chrispin’s “Good Bad”
“Good Bad” runs as a sun-tinged anthem about collision and contradiction, taking the good with the bad and the highs with the lows. Chrispin’s high energy delivery gives the dance beat exciting texture and vibrancy.
Why We Like It: Nora Toutain’s “Bad at Love”
Many love songs try to beautify feelings of love with equivalent sounds in a strain to recreate the artist’s image of the relationship. If it falls short it’s because love is never as perfect as the emotions conjured by the traditional love ballad. “Bad at Love” by Nora Toutain embraces the bumbling realities of real love with a sound that’s as fun as it is honest.
Why We Like It: Alma Cook’s “So Close”
Lyrically, “So Close” tackles the bittersweet lessons of love lost with poise and poetics. If “thank u, next” spelled out such sentiments in upfront phrases, “So Close” takes a wittier approach, the rhymes as natural as the lyrics are sharp.
Why We Like It: otta’s “Small Hours”
“Small Hours” brings a cross-section of emotions into focus. The singer, otta, accompanies an electric keyboard in a gentle but moving track.
Why We Like It: Beau Diako & Jordan Rakei’s “Flamingo”
“Flamingo” walks the line between technical flex and songwriting prowess. No single element feels introduced for the sake of its own existence, and yet the virtuosic guitar licks underpinning the track are pleasantly intricate, both a solid base and a commanding display of Beau Diako’s skills.
Why We Like It: James Deacon’s “HERO aka Rich”
James Deacon’s “HERO aka Rich” is an ode to heroes lost and heroes created. His powerful vocals demand the center of the track, inserting the listener into a war of internal and external conflicts as he battles with changing his perceptions in the aftermath of his world’s desolation.
Why We Like It: Christina Lyon’s “Soul’s On Fire”
There’s something exceptionally beautiful about the way music can transcend time. We can playback old jams and resummon the original emotional connections to the music and even feel inspired to make new creations in the vein of our old inspirations. This is the pocket we found Christina Lyon’s “Soul’s On Fire,” a new track with an old soul.
Why We Like It: DirtyBackPack’s “Get Out of Town” Ft. Curly Chuck
DirtyBackPack could be the second coming of Flatbush Zombies with the darkness of their gruff voices and hypnotic beats that trap the listener within their track. “Get Out of Town” breaks from the comparison to Flatbush Zombies through the feature of Curly Chuck, who adds a subtle poetic touch that’s unexpected for the atmosphere the track creates.
