Joey Paradis-MABY
Joey Paradis is an experienced deep house DJ and music producer. When he delves into his ocean of sound, he is usually creating paradise with what he finds. His experience as audience, translating to someone who makes music, might be the prime reason everyone loves what he makes. This is his latest single, MABY. Collaborating with Otto Palmborg, this is a tale of new love. Complete with enveloping beats and synth sounds that rush in like tidal waves, Joey Paradis reigns in the emotions with his brilliant production and beat work. He lays down the background as a wholesome entity in itself, creating these chunks of sounds that transition beautifully. The creative vessel that is his composition is eve-evolving, creating memorable vocal parts with banging choruses. So that the vocals aren’t drowned out, Joey indulges in soft percussion. This interacts & plays with the synth sounds without compromising the message of the song in itself. This song would be perfect in montages of new love, in films like Meet Cute and Entergalactic. There is a charisma and electricity within the song itself, memories and scenes ca stitch together perfectly with the kind of sound that has been produced and engineered with soul. Joey Paradis is no stranger to these stories, his songs like Karma, Coming Through and N8ive have been popular and enjoyable tracks that are soaked with the sound of the season. Be prepared to swing and dance with the environment he creates. Listen to his brilliant music and ability to alter moods with his single here:
The One Tonic-We Can't Fail
The One Tonic is creating the electro-waves others couldn’t even gauge. A Muse fan and stellar composer, his tracks bring an energy and zeal with unique lyrics like no other. Electro-rock is something artists shy away from, but this is starting to look like the epicentre. This is his latest single, We Can’t Fail. From themes of Armageddon and steampunk related soirées, nothing is a limitation for this wunderkind. Just like Muse, complicated themes are ruminated upon. This new one is a solid cracker through and through. The beats resonate with the energy necessary to overturn an 18 ton truck. As we surf through the simple verse section, the kick in the solar plexus is the chorus. The riff is one of the better ones I’ve heard through the years, and the electro kick is the voltage spike you need. Perfectly encapsulated, this song keeps building. The second time around has a larger, wave inducing impact. The harmonics are the perfect touch to the swarming verse section as well. The rock and electro lock horns to increase the kick, and do it with merciless power. This is the kind of song that is the caffeine boost after the first cup of coffee. Rewarding and ruthlessly fun. I instantly imagined scenes from Everything Everywhere All At Once, being perfectly synced with this. The action based theme around this and most songs from The One Tonic is what keeps it alive. His 2021 EP Won’t Stop is filled with bangers having the same kind of energy as this track. Follow him for more superb music!
Robert O’Connor-Separate Ways
Robert O’Connor brings the human back in electronic music. If at some point you heard it become too controlled by the digital aspect, Robert strikes an innate balance. Almost a Zen purpose is found in the music, and he shows us this with his popular single, Separate Ways. This is from his album from last year, Severance. I fell out of love from EDM after the Tommy Trash era. It was a sound and technique explosion I couldn’t keep up with. Robert O’Connor maintains that melodic spine that all music has. With his poignant and heartfelt lyrics, the dynamism is realized. Though a sad conclusion, the danceable song creates a clear and crisp contrast. Robert walks that line with confidence and incredible poise. This is an artist who is making waves with the styles and quality of audio he chooses. You always hear an effort to create a bubble of sound that exists, tailor-made for the song alone. This is a way of approaching music as someone who wants to dissolve those boundaries. Catchy yet sharp and crystalline in the writing style, Robert has made me fall back in love with a genre that was fleeting away. I could clearly see this song being successful in the HBO show, Euphoria. With the electronic influences with melodic turns and twists, you can feel the drama unfold. It is a brilliant song, and for more than one reason one of his most popular. He has re-released it as a single now, for it pulsates with the energy of the summer. You can listen to his album and follow him for more energetic, well arranged music that is definitely to come. Till then, enjoy Severance and this single!
PRATTO-Into the Night
PRATTO controls the digital fabric as a mere mortal. Or so we assume, that he is one. With exploratory soundscapes and magical spheres taking us into each song in depth-music is the method to his madness. With this being the third single released, he already has 67k+ streaming for both his other singles. This is his latest track, Into the Night. I remember the years Hardwell and Guetta used to control radio airplay. People were obsessed with electronic music, and it suddenly dwindled. PRATTO brings that hook, that sprinkling magic back to the portal. Songs that used to inspire people to jump, dance and lose themselves to music. True EDM. Into the Night is such a track through and through, bringing a resonating, pulsating energy to it. This is something that could play at Tommorrowland and would make tsunami waves. With beautiful lyrics and effortless transitions, this is where DJing becomes an art. An artist like this deserves 10 times the streaming numbers, only owing to the quality of what he is making. It is a compounding, organic and building spirit that prefaces the purpose of melding music with technology. It was for high quality audio, beautiful experiences and all coming together for the love of dance. PRATTO makes it possible again. I could totally see this audio unite many moments in TRON:Legacy, all due to how it has been designed. It is an incredible experience, and you must hear it with some powerful surround sound. His other two tracks are The Ode and Just for the Night, raw and vigorous yet polished in execution. Experience energy from dance music like you have never before. Follow him for more music as well!
J. Fur-Man from Oslo
Excellent house music, has to be discovered. Songs that get maximum airplay are formulaic. The emotion and extending the moment is what house music is proficient at. J. Fur is exploring the art behind the best, the essence and where the sound can take you. With exploratory beats and flowing soundscapes, this man’s sound can take you places you’ve never been. This is his latest single, Man from Oslo. If you’ve never been to Oslo, like me, let these words paint you a picture. It is an economic hub, the governmental core. Flourishing with swanky buildings, languishing with people wanting to explore more about themselves. This is why J. Fur has absolutely nailed the title of this track. The mystery within the tune, the slight transitions and the steady beat-all boil towards this broth. I can only imagine the image of this city, being reflected on an office-goer, who has so many other layers to show. Yet, he is lost within this same facade. I might be miles away from the artist's original interpretation, but that’s where this art becomes beautiful. The crayon melting colours within the song leading from one verse to another, spaced out like the buildings on the street. You can imagine the landscape with the soundscape, and that requires a depth and understanding of the genre you create with. I could imagine scenes from John Wick and Trainspotting. The spatial exploration done by J. Fur can also be heard in tracks like El Cielo Estrellado and his brilliant Las Ramblas album, from 2020. So strap in, and enjoy a trip like none other.
Nicky Buell-The Gay Agenda!
You might be one of those poor sods who wonders, what is the gay agenda. Is it radical? What is the part I play in it? Nicky Buell has the answer, and its in the form of an album. With 11 ridiculously catchy songs that drive the point home, there’s no way you’ll not enjoy this album. Let’s dive into, The Gay Agenda! Opening the album with Camp, Nicky shows us the range of his melodic pipes. The balance is in bracing what is to come. With a mostly ambient background intro and harmonics, you’re completely thrown off with his catchy lyrics and vocal execution. There is a balance of electronic artistry and Nicky bringing his stylish vocals in different styles. Am I The Drama? creatively changes the tempo and temperature. There is a soothing salve within Nicky Buell’s voice. Anna Thompson collaborates on this track, trading verses and distributing the voice uniquely, especially the varying rhythms. Gross brings one of my favourite grooves to the fore, Nicky Buell navigating these with grace and impressive charm. His vocals slide into falsetto whenever, and he brings it for every performance. His switches into electric effects and layering are immensely catchy and draw you away into a new vibe. Dance like you own it Oh Boy! Is the kind of romance song you wished you wrote. If it’s Nicky Buell’s fantasy, this specific man has got him infatuated, all caps. As you surf through, this track-you suddenly feel in studio for Bad B*tch. The vocals themselves have a chained swing, and with the funky core, you’ll be dancing in no time. That’s the hallmark of all his tracks, you won’t be just sitting and listening to them. Hips won’t lie. Boy Crazy has a smoother, whiskey kind of quality. The disco softness exists, along with the pop bounce you find in his other songs. That chorus is etched in my mind, thanks Nicky. Bromance-The Gayer Version swings with some more lyrical tributaries. The way he delivers the vocals and navigates the instrumental punctuations are unlike any other artist. Billy Eichner should have dared with a solid A+ soundtrack like this for his movie, Bros. From the lyrics to the joyous instrumentals to listen to, dancing with the vocals-this was the kick the audience needed. Oxytocin pumps in more than your fair share of the chemical to the brain, and soul. It is a proper party track, from the chorus to how it organically builds as well. The percussions won't be lost, they give the pulsing thump which is this songs' spine. Synthetic explores different sound, time and style signatures with Nicky’s vocals. You hear his voice with that raw power you remember, and it gets better with each swell. There's no slowing down I Love U takes a whole new route. It has a new-ballad feeling. The harmonics, strings and Chainsmokers styled chord pushes really pepper this track and spice it up like it needs. The contrast is incredible to listen to. As we close out with Why?, you can relook at the kind of experience Nicky Buell has given you. From romance and broken hearts, to party feels and attitude breaks, this album had it all. Maybe that’s why it was called The Gay Agenda! Either way, Nicky has established himself as a sonic powerhouse, so follow him for more music that kicks the seats back!
The Loud Bangs-Stray Honey
It might be true, the saying that you turn into what you love. The Loud Bangs then, love a lot of things. On paper, what they plan to execute doesn’t work at all. It is a mishmash of many different genres that don’t belong even in the same water. That’s where their musicality comes in. Stray Honey is to shut people like me up. By the end of this rave, it works. They open the track with Electroprize. With the washed out background, you might expect someone to croon about their lovelorn era of romance. With distorted guitar chugs, they break that expectation, and the silence. You’re hooked to this post-grunge instrumental dystopia layered with heavy reverb on the vocals. Welcome to the first wisp of the daze. Sex Complex has a club song core to it. Though you’d think that the flow is maintained by just electronic elements, they amalgamate in different proportions. It is a dreamy result, sounds that flow into each other with an ease. The jangly distortion of the guitar unites more than you think it would. A fusion supreme We Want to Be Alright has some fantastic sound production. It phases between the left and right, creating something that is a stereo dream. You’re lost in the alt-shoegaze aspect of this sound. As the crisp acoustic cuts through the Northern Lights of sound, you settle in expectations. Layers condense into creating this salad of sound, fresh and diverse, yet amicably edible. This Is a Japanese Robot has the alt-rock anticipation you want. It derives from decades of digital variation in rock, creating its own niche with surprising turns. With the vocals hidden way behind in the distance, they are merely cameos in a much larger movie. There is a joy in the disorientation they depict so well with their music-a harmony you wouldn’t typically be able to find. Closing with Bell Gardens, the dream overflows into another dimension. You might be resting on the shoulders of a New Wave movement, but sandwiched between other styles. It is almost meditative in its process, and refreshingly original. Enjoy it live or as this recording, you can imagine the psychedelia strike with only how easily it forms for The Loud Bangs. The only loud bangs till now have been the pleasant shifts of change. A surreal album by a band that isn’t afraid to test the envelope. It might be a long shot, but I could place many of these in Requiem for A Dream. Not only a brilliant depiction, but the opening up of different forays in sound asks for thorough experimentation. It is a solid, fruitful effort by a collective you might never doubt again. Listen to their album Salvation Memories and follow them as well for more music like this:
The Eighty Six Seas-I Need My Girl
You’ll traverse the sounds of the globe with The Eighty Six Seas. An electronic mastermind, Nick Stevens knows how to channel the sounds of the psyche with his skilful arrangements. In one way or the other, you’re in for a new experience every time. This time, we get a beautiful, unique cover of The National’s track, I Need My Girl. If the original was a dive into the spatial acoustics of the guitar, The Eighty Six Seas orient us a little differently, in a digital paradise. It is a uniquely crafted track, having some powerful punches and a surreal, smooth flow. The pianos overlap very soon, having the highlight chord changes. The emotional roots are held, with the delivery of the chorus lines. Elly Kace joins with her duet vocals, with a myriad of instruments layering, creating a festival of electronic sounds. Nick Stevens experiments with the background, making it rife with a collection of sounds unlike any other. The instruments waltz with the vocals, receding for the key changes and holding the sanctity of the original track with fervour. With this cover, Nick shows that he can dive into several spheres of sound, experiment but to keep the core intact. With headphones, you’re treated to acoustics that you wouldn’t have heard to this detail earlier. I’d like to see this song play in the same movie it was featured, Entourage. I think the effects which are produced lead to changes within scenes which are stronger, and poised with purpose. His single, Guy and Girl has close to 30k+ streams on Spotify. Check out his other music and this Bandcamp exclusive and follow him for entrance into electronic wonderland!
6ixth Element-Neon Soul
6ixth Element can sift through the dirt to find gold. He has proved this time and again with his superb singles. When he isn’t writing those profound proses, he is making some powerful rhythms and grooves that his lyrics will rest on. Cheers to a sound which is unlike any other. This is his latest single, Neon Soul. As an image, I am reminded of a retro song lover that has a luminescent glow about them. Someone who is always energetic, despite the circumstance. 6ixth Element gives this particular personality all the power. From the brass section that gives this song the edge and the opening verse, you get completely invested in the song. We knew this when he released Spiritual Form, his single from earlier this year. The structure of the song isn’t revolutionary, we have heard Eminem, Common, Talib and many other legends use this. What makes it originally his is the sense of delivery, his ridiculous flow quality, and power to persevere. As the verse comes back, he makes sure the tombstone is delivered right to your doorstep. Amongst all his singles, this might be climbing to the top as my favourite. I could hear this one in the soundtrack of Southpaw (2015), one of my favourite boxing movies. With the lyrics, he shows an energy and zeal for a protagonist that won’t back down. The instrumental is catchy, original and blends several genres. 6ixth Element might be popular with Kill the Phantom, but this might go on to become the most popular yet. Follow him for more sweet tunes and killer lyrics!
Summi- Wake Up And Smell The Roses
Summi has a way of reaching out and pulling at your heartstrings so effortlessly in his latest album. Wake Up And Smell the Roses is an eclectic mix of electro-pop, rhythmic blues and rap. Summi is clearly breaking boundaries with regard to his music, which makes it truly universal. The album is introspective in nature, you see it immediately when you hear Fallin. Fallin Fallin is the second song in the album and it is sure to have your shoulders groovin'. Before Fallin however there is also a Rise(Intro) a real tone setter. Fallin is where we get to with its synth-pop but also meticulously arranged beat structures that is sure to leave you a little in your head. This one though is not only introspective, it is confessional in nature. He speaks of this overwhelming sense of reality in this number but with a swagger that is infectious. Vices Throughout the album, Summi reflects on our innate tendency to blame others for our problems. When in reality, we are often the root of most of our problems. There is a graph with the album’s soundscape. The first place we see a shift in vibes is in Vices, a collaboration with Daniel Gallardo. We hear the party pop vibes being amped up in this single. It still doesn’t take away from the introspection with an added aspect of self-consciousness as they speak of their vices, even if it means love itself as a vice. “I’ve been looking for something that would give me peace of mind.” Summi and the Nightmare Nightmare is the second last single on the album. It honestly embodies a large portion of our generation. We are exposed to so much from a young age, all sorts of vices. It’s no wonder we can pendulum from “A generation that is capable of so much greatness” to “Crippiling anxiety.”. Films that encapsulates us as a generation in a frame is Bodies Bodies Bodies and Not Okay. These are comedic and satirical gems that have a killer (pun intended) sense of humour. Most songs from Wake Up and Smell The Roses would fit wonderfully within both the film’s playlists. Especially songs like Vices, Bad Ners, Ego and Nightmare. It’s so hard not to give each song its spotlight in this review. Each track has its own importance and texture that cannot be boxed into a single genre. The album is rich with collaborations, adding a mixture of experiences, feelings and moods to the mix. You cannot afford to miss out on this listening experience. You can find the link to Summi’s album and more attached below. Do yourself a favour and heart it.
Nightly Gatherings- Don't Worry
Don’t Worry, The latest album by Nightly Gatherings is an album that is filled with numbers that will make you stop in your tracks. The soulful- synth collection seamlessly blends dance, drama and synth with ease throughout the album. You hear the lush Instrumentals and emotive lyrics blend to create a work that is both introspective and uplifting. Not Like This The album begins with Not Like This, which eases you into the album, a wonderful track that shows you what is to come. The song feels like a forest of sounds that gently lifts you up to embark on an adventure that is filled with all sorts of experiences. Don’t Worry surprises you with the amount of messaging that is folded into the songs, almost as though you are dancing and grooving while you’re having an epiphany. Don't Worry How can I write this article without mentioning Don’t Worry? The underlying soothing trickle synth sounds paired with the thumping melody really get you feeling loose. Love Me At My Lowest is one such song. The electro-dance number showcases vulnerability with its clean production quality. It showcases the clean mixing and blending that the entire album is filled with. With its catchy melody and poignant lyrics, the song is sure to lift your spirits and leave you feeling inspired. A stand-out song personally is Oh Seabright. The single sets itself apart with just the vocals being synthesized and the clean guitar background that adds an intimate atmosphere to it all. Another song that does a similar working of melody is Next To Me. The hauntingly beautiful ballad explores the difficulty of moving on from the past. With its emotive vocals and atmospheric instrumentation, the song showcases Nightly Gatherings' talent for crafting emotionally resonant music. Nightly Gatherings takes a bow There's Always Afterwards A show that showcases so many of these themes and more is Switched at Birth. The Television series showcased a story line that was never heard of. Much like the name, the story-line is about two girls who were switched at birth. One of them however happened to be deaf. This was the first time they showcased a deaf story line as the lead as well as casting an actual deaf person as the lead. Every song would work so well within this series but There’s Always Afterwards would especially well. The song itself is the perfect song to finish off the album. The positive song is the track the bow that finishes off the gift that is this album to the world. Nightly Gatherings showcases their exceptional talent in Don’t Worry. The talent they have for crafting emotive and captivating music is compelling. With its blend of synth and indie-pop influences, the album is a work of art that is sure to resonate with fans of all genres.
Lee Switzer-Woolf -Annihilation Signals
Lee Switzer-Woolf has taken an authentic approach to writing. This particular Album- Annihilation Signals, is a blend of acoustic folk and digital beats. The striking album is his second venture into creating an album and he has now left his listeners wanting more and more. Switzer-Woolf brings forth augmentation with an array of sound effects, creating a rich and immersive listening experience. The Falling Shapnel of a Satellite The Falling Sharpnel of a Satellite is the perfect opening act to the show that is this album. He paints vivid poetic images that are unimaginable to the layman. Through album, he has a dystopian metaphorical writing that leaves you with many possibilities of what he means. Every word has you pausing and soaking it in. He has an extremely unique sense of phrasing and he makes sure you know that as you enter his world. The Bastard Bird A song that particularly shines through is The Bastard Bird. the song begins with a prolonged opening instrumental that feels gives off a futuristic sense. But we also have songs that sound more folk than futuristic much like Tried and Tested Acts of Separation. The duality and dichotomy of such an album is what makes the listening experience all the better, giving you a wide range on the sonic landscape. Comet Watch with Lee Switzer-Woolf Even within the folk digital genre, he gives us an extensive range of sounds that seems incredibly pleasing and intriguing to the ear. For example, the last two songs on this album Kathy in the Seventy and Comet Watch. They are comparatively mellow, much like saying goodbye to a lover after spending all day with them, you have to say goodbye with a heavy heart now. With songs like this and more, he weaves together a blanket of noises and beats filled with different patches of cloths. He gives us a creative tapestry of sounds that leaves a mark. The album can weasel into any film with it rich texture but a film that would benefit from these songs is The Matrix. With Lee’s incredible ability to weld all sorts of sounds together would world incredibly well in The Matrix. Another set of stories that would benefit from his song structure would be absurdist stories. Absurdism focuses more on what the story makes you feel and Lee’s music most definitely would make it on to the list of many such plays and musicals. His experimental senses are tuly unmatched. Annihilation Signals is a powerful and thought-provoking album. It showcases a unique voice by Lee Switzer-Woolf and he gets your senses going! The album blends acoustic folk and digital beats. This combined with Switzer-Woolf's dynamic and expressive lyrics, makes for a compelling and immersive listening experience. You cannot miss this! With Annihilation Signals, Switzer-Woolf proves is not to be ignored by the Indie music scene. He makes sure you listen to him at every corner of this album. You must give him a listen, his socials are attached below.