Music Genre

The Forever Now – Reciprocals (Spotify)

Categories: Audio, Pop, The Latest|Tags: , , , |

“The Forever now with their song "Reciprocals" deliver us a top notch sound layering minimalism, where through their solid mix and production level push all the shine out of those warm vocals and place it among the wonderful pop chill track we have listen lately.”

-Nagamag.com

At times an honest and naked statement about the end of a relationship, while others the relationship becomes a metaphor for broader statements about the world, “Reciprocals” is a bittersweet song about failing to recognize one’s own shortcomings and over-analyzing a situation rather than acting out of compassion. Beautifully mixed by Ken Andrews (m83, Nine Inch Nails, The Naked and Famous) and mastered by Randy Merrill (Adele, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga) It plays on the double meaning of the word, “is that reciprocal?” as in “do you feel the same?” and “I’ve been spending time with reciprocals” as in “I keeping looking at this as an equation”.

After 10 years of demos, this song is the professional debut for The Forever Now. The song was a true labour of love with 4 years of songwriting, 1 lifetime savings, 2 (thankfully negative) Covid tests, and 1 band break up in the making. Written and re-written, recorded and re-recorded countless times over the 4 years it took to complete the song around a master’s thesis and a full-time job, the song marks a return to form for the The Forever Now, coming back to the indie synth-pop sound of their earliest demos, while adopting a more organic sonic textures.

Vera Blue – Lie To Me (Spotify)

Categories: Audio, Pop, The Latest|Tags: , , |

“Lie To Me by Vera Blue is a wonderful electro pop track vibes that could definately soundtrack the memories of a summer relationship. Breathy, minimalistic and with solid mix!”

-Nagamag.com

Following her smash hit “Rushing Back” with Flume, Australian electro pop powerhouse Vera Blue delivers the next exhilarating chapter with the release of her new single “Lie To Me” out now via Republic Records—listen HERE!

If the tracks on the Australian sensation’s debut album Perennial were written in the ashes of a devastating break up, then “Lie To Me” is Vera Blue (a.k.a Celia Pavey) losing her mind at the other end of the romantic spectrum—falling IN love. “Lie To Me” is anchored to a pulsating, tropical beat with a shrewd hybrid of live and electronic drums, interweaving a scattering of ominous sounding vocal samples and synths. It’s a summery dance hit with extra layers of sonic tension, as Vera Blue sings, “Would you lie to me? If I lie, would you lie? Say goodbye to me?”

Intriguingly, Vera Blue is not directing these lyrical questions at the object of her affection but at the warring voices in her own head—some validating and amplifying her panic and jealousy, the others imploring her to take hold and not destroy a good thing. Of “Lie To Me,” Vera Blue says, “When you go through a lot of emotional shit, you can’t imagine yourself in a new relationship. Then you suddenly fall into one, and the fear and mistrust can be overwhelming: ‘Is this as amazing as it seems, or is it going to blow up in my face again?’”

The song has been brought to life with Vera Blue’s producing/co-writing team of Andy and Thom Mak and engineer Jackson Barclay. Vera Blue says, “The lyrics and melodies that I wrote with Thom came from a more poetic and obscure experimental place for both of us, with Andy digging into new exciting sonic landscapes imitating the raw emotion and Jackson bringing the tones to life tracking various instruments through the amazing sounding console and outboard gear at the grove studios. This song had us all wide eyed and buzzing.”

For “Lie To Me,” Vera Blue’s extraordinary vocals are at capacity which she credits to three years of relentless live performing and projecting her voice over festival crowds. As well as her sold out headline shows, she has played Splendour in the Grass and Lollapalooza, both as a solo artist and as part of a world tour with Flume.

She says, “I recently watched some video of myself when I first started performing—my voice was so sweet and innocent! I could not have reached the belting moments at the end of ‘Lie To Me’ back then. My voice is stronger than it ever has been, which enhances what we create in the studio.”
https://www.instagram.com/verabluemusic/

Valencia James – Friend I Can’t Keep (Spotify)

Categories: Audio, Pop, The Latest|Tags: , , , |

“A pure bliss of vocals and electronica in "Friend I Can't Keep" from Valencia James. Solid prodiction which caught your attention in first seconds with signature vocal pop style of Valencia and explodes to a colourful harmonic electronic synth groove. From the tracks you are in hurry to open shazam to add it in your collection.”

-Nagamag.com

Sydney-based Valencia James is back with a new single “Friend I Can’t Keep”. Back out of the shadows after her debut EP Light & Shade and in the midst of a pandemic, Valencia now dives into more playful soundscapes while retaining her brand of edge and sarcasm.

Valencia has previously been featured prominently on online media such as Earmilk, Idobi Radio, and VarianceMagazine.
“Friend I Can’t Keep” signals a new era for Valencia James, aligning EDM influences with her signature dark-pop voice.
https://instagram.com/valenciajamesofficial

The Sultan – Bling Bling (Video)

Categories: Pop, The Latest, Video|Tags: , , |

“3 minutes of summer perfume in “Bling Bling” from The Sultan, released in Cube Music. Good vibes all the way and smiley atmosphere which move you up and removes any shades in your mood. Wonderful moody song.”

-Nagamag.com

Summer 2020 is not cancelled! “Bling Bling” brings the right summer vibes to your speakers. The video to The Sultan’s catchy new pop song has been shot during his trip to Australia and Vanuatu.

Few Words About “The Sultan”:
The Sultan describes his music as “the sound of your soul” as it replicates the sensation of speaking out about what’s inside of oneself, the inner voice bursting out and radiating light.

The Sultan flirts with an eclectic sound. His music melts eastern and western culture into words and melody to convey a soulful message full of heart.

He most notably traverses the genre of pop, but his versatile abilities allow him to branch out into other styles. The sound is dreamy, spiritual, and uplifting with a strong focus on vocals. Catchy, almost timeless melodies and lively singing convey a bright, exuberant mood.

“Music should be a positive power in this world – a force to connect people of all walks of life, bringing them together in peace and harmony.”

The lyrics gush with inspirational and heart-warming messages that encourage one to live life to the fullest. They stand for humanity, love, the universe, and peace and aim to bring people and cultures together. His personal ethos makes its way into each stanza: believe in your dreams, in love, in the spirit of the universe.
https://www.instagram.com/thesultanmusic

Wiese – Somebody Else (Spotify)

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“Somebody Else from Norwegian DJ and producer Wiese is an all about feeling good emotive pop song. Forget any worries of the tomorrow, live today nd daydream through its positive outlook and euphoric vibes.”

-Nagamag.com

Few words about Wiese:
Wiese is a Norwegian DJ, producer and writer with millions of Spotify plays. He grew up in the same block as Kygo and Alan Walker in Bergen, and hence, shares the same inspiration for his music. Wiese has previously been signed to Warner Music but recently decided to go by his own label.

Spotify placed "Never Let Me Go" in their three largest editorial lists in Norway, with a total of 500,000 followers. It's currently 10th place on "Hits Don't Lie", above artists such as Kygo, Alan Walker, The Weeknd and Martin Garrix.

Sly (with Emily Warren) – Cotton Candy (Video)

Categories: Pop, The Latest, Video|Tags: , , |

Enticing alt-pop newcomer Sly joins the Village with his riveting debut single “Cotton Candy,” featuring the talented Emily Warren (multi-billion-stream driving force behind hits for Dua Lipa, Khalid, Sigrid, Rita Ora and Charli XCX) on vocals.

Sly, aka Sylvester Sivertsen, has racked up esteemed credits over the past few years, having collaborated and produced for notable artists including The Chainsmokers, Liam Payne, Cheat Codes, the Jonas Brothers and many more. Now he returns to the forefront of emerging artists as a songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist with his debut release.

Having grown up to parents involved in the arts, music runs deep in Sly’s bloodline. His father is renowned producer and drummer Jan Sivertsen and his mother, perhaps his greatest inspiration, is the legendary Danish singer and songwriter Lis Sørensen. The Copenhagen-based artist grew up watching his parents work with analogue equipment which led him to begin teaching himself how to produce in Logic, drawing inspiration from Daft Punk and Justice but continuing to experiment with his personal sound.

By his late teens Sly had perfected his skill for mixing live instrumentation and synthesized beats, landing him an early cut with Liam Payne. His success soon spiraled into bigger cuts like “Side Effects” which went on to hit hundreds of millions of streams for The Chainsmokers. “When I started making the music I wanted to hear, I hit a vein,” he says. In turn, inspired by his work with major artists and noticing that he was building a catalogue of idiosyncratic, compelling and human pop, Sly really did start making music for himself.

2020 is here and Sly has begun to emerge as a dynamic artist in his own right. In his scintillating debut release “Cotton Candy,” Sly shares his own music with the world: combining state-of-the-art pop production, emotion, and humanity.

“Human emotion is what music is about,” proclaims Sly. “I’m very particular about whether music makes me feel something – in its lyric, its melody, its sound, or all three at once,” he explains.

New single “Cotton Candy” hits the mark. Sly captures a dark, moody, and sexy energy in this new track and Warren’s luxurious vocals were just what the song needed. He explains that the single is about not giving up on love. “Emily was going through a breakup and we were talking about how difficult love can be, and how to know when you should let go or keep fighting.

‘Cotton Candy’ is a song about not being ready to give up and Emily got back with her boyfriend the next day.”

Sly effortlessly blends pop-forward production with a passion for analogue synths and real drums and guitars, making for a sonic palate that feels both fresh and familiar. Sly seamlessly introduces new elements to the pop lane and “Cotton Candy” is his first official offering.

https://www.instagram.com/sly/

Earthphish – ‘Rite Of Life’ (Video)

Categories: Hip-Hop, The Latest, Video|Tags: , , , , |

Rite of Life from Earthphish is about the challenges in life and to embrace them as a learning experience.
A downtempo electronica, trip hop infused and with solid groove, certainly will move your body through its ritual vibes.

Few words about Earthphish:
Formed in Switzerland 2001 by Donovan John Szypura, Aleksandra Mirjana Crossan, and Andre Ledergerber. Earthphish later converted to a duo – Choreographer and Singer Aleksandra Mirjana Crossan and Composer and Producer Donovan John Szypura became a symbiosis of music and dance. They produced numerous award-winning contemporary dance pieces between 2001 and 2005. Their demo CD ‘Metropolis’ was produced in 2001, followed by their debut CD ‘Soft Green Exit’ in 2003. The last EP ‘Earthphish’ was released in 2006.

Earthphish fell into hibernation. They appeared in Australia in 2012 and are now based in Tasmania. Earthphish awakened in 2020 and released the single ‘Rite Of Life’. Earthphish announced to release a set of singles before releasing the album called ‘Turtles All The Way Down’ in November 2020.

Lee Scratch Perry, the grandmaster of Reggae and Dub will be featured on the song ‘Deadlock’.

Sierra Bohnet – Machine (Video)

Categories: Blogwave, The Latest, Video|Tags: , , , |

This single has a big industrial beat with a droning bass throughout. There are layers spun layers of harmonies and backing vocals, as well as a catchy melody. This song is about someone who is coming out of a dark time of their life. The metaphor is a “machine coming back to life”, like the gears start spinning again.

Few words about Sierra Bohnet:
American singer/songwriter/producer Sierra Bohnet performs progressive pop music, emphasizing lush, layered vocal harmonies, heavy synth melodies, and a wide mix of percussions/world beats. In many of her songs, she strives for an epic feel; where her high vocals carry an emotional, electronic symphony. Her inspirations include Aurora, Grimes, Banks, Scott, Allie X, Two Feet, and Cautious Clay.

Sierra Bohnet started writing music as the age of 9, in Truckee California, and has been developing original music ever since. She was fortunate to train for years with a vocal coach who fed her passion for writing and recording music. She launched her first single “Reflection” at the age of 16 and followed that up with new singles each year. She continued to develop her sound, and found a passion for producing her own music while studying at Berklee College of music. In May 2020, Sierra launched her debut EP, Eradøn, with six songs, each of which she wrote, performed, and produced. Ëradøn is the combination of two words – “era” and “done” to signify the end of an era in her life; a sort of rebirth.

While she considers voice to be her primary instrument, Sierra is also a classically trained flautist and a jazz saxophonist. She is self-taught on the piano and ukulele, which she often uses when writing music.

When not making music, Sierra loves goofing off, not taking the world too seriously, and being just crazy enough to help make this world more sane.
https://www.instagram.com/sierra__b__/

Ian Abel – Mirror Mirror (Video)

Categories: Pop, The Latest, Video|Tags: , , |

Queer alt-pop artist Ian Abel sings about getting over his ex in a tender, uplifting, and powerfully driving ballad “Mirror Mirror,” released Aug 11. The confessional, pining track came from an experience Abel had years after his first big breakup while sifting through old emails.

“I was honestly still totally hung up on it,” says Ian. “I thought my ex and I were meant for each other. But reading old emails it suddenly dawned on me that we weren’t perfect after all… I realized that the version of us I had in my head wasn’t really how it was, and it was like a huge weight was lifted.”

“Mirror Mirror” is Abel’s second single of 2020. His first single “Taste” was released in May and received praise from numerous blogs and playlisters, including a glowing review from American Pancake’s Rob Donker Curtius, who called it a “deeply engaging blend of genres and art pop tones.”

Streaming & Purchase: fanlink.to/ianabelmirror
Website: ianabelmusic.com
Socials: @ianabelmusic

Sleepwoka – How I Was Wrong (Spotify)

Categories: Audio, Pop, The Latest|Tags: , , |

Whereas for many 2020 has been the year that stood still, for Sleepwoka he has been busy songwriting, recording, filming music videos and broadcasting live stream gigs. Sleepwoka’s music is produced in his bedroom in North London. The strong use of analog synthesizers brings a nostalgic 80s vibe and the dream-like atmospheric visuals add a surreal tone to the whole project.

Sleepwoka’s lyrics often reflect on the human condition and he is fascinated by how we change over time as human beings. Particularly poignant to the times we find ourselves currently living in, "How I Was Wrong" explores the notion we often believe in our youth that our best years are yet to come. The song challenges what we think is important and whether that is actually true, especially when we come to reflect on simpler times that may have been harder but were somehow freer.

Sleepwoka explains, “When we were younger, we always felt that the best times were always ahead of us and that we would be the kings of this life! As the years go by, and we begin to achieve our life goals, we realise that those carefree times were actually the years where we felt most free and alive. Although we had nothing, somehow life felt more Authentic.”

It’s an interesting challenge to the common trajectory of life to achieve success by working hard and often sacrificing the things that are truly important in the process. "How I Was Wrong" is a timely reminder to perhaps return to simpler yet fulfilling lives – an awakening many are pondering in 2020.

https://www.instagram.com/sleep_woka
https://www.facebook.com/sleepwoka
https://twitter.com/sleep_woka

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