Mastria

  I can never stop searching for that rare song that goes past just playing and speaks instead. The Horizon by Larry Karpenko is, as its title says, a journey through music, much like a late-night discussion with a familiar companion. Right from the start, the gentle sound of the record brings together old and modern times, layered with electronic warmth and an ever-changing beat. Soft and restrained piano chords are layered over changing rhythms that move like the water. The voice of President Lyndon Johnson from a 1964 speech grafted onto the expressive voice of Nesco Lettsome, talking about the value of choice and the matter of equality. It is more than musical, as it also considers our journey as a species. The Korg MOSS synth creates a raw sound with a gritty growl and never sounds overly polished. It is most touching when The Horizon shows a mix of emotions and thinking. The rhythmic music made by Moby and Bono’s compassion, along with a lingering atmosphere of a movie soundt...

  If you’re a fan of music that stays with you  forever, Zarooni’s Once is exactly what you’re looking for. Being from the UAE, Mohamed Al Zarooni infuses his emotions into the song, creating a sound that is both close and easy to imagine in a song. It surrounds you like a cloak and drags you into its moody atmosphere with all its notes. The song begins with a soft, dreamy feel that mixes indie pop, electronic rhythms and synth rock music. The sweet, tender and delicate singing of Zarooni gives the track a heartfelt and private quality. Even though they produced the song in Dubai and recorded it in London, the sound of the music is polished but still raw and true. Balancing many different ideas makes its world feel personal yet present to people everywhere. The part that moves me most is that Zarooni uses pain as a source of magic. It follows the process of breaking up an old relationship, changing viewpoints with a sharp detail that blends catharsis and connection. The song m...

Being a music  lover who looks for real connection, Sam Garrett’s One Family provides a comforting refuge when things are difficult. This first track from his new album isn’t just a song; it leads a quiet change and reminds us how love unites us all. When I first heard the acoustic guitar, I immediately felt as if I had entered a room full of soft candlelight after having a hard day. Because his voice is sincere and peaceful, listeners can feel both connected to the ground and inspired. It responds to a tender choir and together they sing in a prayerful conversation. After the piano is in the mix, the song appears to breathe a sigh and once the strings get in and the beat gets soft, One Family becomes both enormous yet tender. The song stays quiet and understated, gently bringing you into its world. What I notice the most is Sam’s tendency to make people show their true self. Here, people act only out of sincere motivation. While Bob Marley’s passion for revolution and The Beatles’...

  Having gone through the same, I found that “Distant” gently and sadly recalls memories of drifting apart. This indie pop song from a teenager from Newbury, Massachusetts, is a heartfelt mix of colorful tunes and feelings of longing for friends. Even at 15, Ava’s music has a full and wise expression and this song just shows that. Right away, “Distant” creates a calm and clear mood using gentle guitars and a steady beat and this grows into a beautiful and powerful sound. What stands out most in the song is Ava’s powerful, soulful and really honest vocals. They show the nostalgic feeling of losing childhood friends gently, with no real reason or event that forced it. Because the music is experimental and draws ambient sounds together, it covers Ava’s voice in a pleasing glow that provides comfort to the listener. It amazes me that Ava is able to blend the positive groove with a melancholy heart in the song. It is like you’re both laughing and crying at the same time, remembering the...

   I’m a music lover who loves songs that lift my mood, TR3VON’s “Wake Up The Night” makes me imagine being pulled out of my comfort spot and dancing as life’s music! His new release is a bright pop-R&B song that gives off both vibes and heart, focused as much on helping you rest with its lyrics as its dance moves. With the first acoustic guitar and powerful rhythm, I am sucked into the world of resilience and hope TR3VON brings. His music combines hope with sadness, thanks to his energetic highs and thoughtful lows, created when his mother had recently died. The sound is perfect, bringing together pulsing rhythms and moody, sci-fi backgrounds made for dramatic series. With boldness and honesty, it inspires people to experience connection and find their freedom. I’ve gone through hard times when I felt uncertain or sad and this song is like someone telling me, “Let’s make the night a little brighter.” TR3VON skillfully combines openness about emotions with playing up their...

  Being a writer and music fan, Delta of Venus’ “Intertwined b/w Intertwined (acoustic)” seems to create a soft dialogue with the feelings inside me. This single features two versions from Ellery Twining, Mat Tarbox and their bandmates is a beautiful mix of shoegaze, post-punk, art rock and dream pop and it draws you in to experience real, deep emotions. The first “Intertwined” pulls you in with its dreamy guitars which float like mist above a steady beat. The music is blurred and clear at the same time, leading you into a place where being kind to strangers is a form of quiet protest. I’ve often wondered how to care for people when everything is so busy and loud and this song seems to share that thought with me. The acoustic version which started as a joke during a rehearsal, is simply amazing. With just his acoustic guitar, Twining shows a raw side, making sure the song’s feelings are easy to hear. The shoegaze style isn’t there, so the sound is personal and feels like a friend s...

As a writer and music fan, RISE’s “Dreams” exactly captures that spark of hope when you’re feeling down. Sam Kinley, Paul Kinley, Alex Mahoney and Brian Petch have released a single that’s simply and undeniably full of joy. I love this song, recorded in Whitewood Studios with Rob Whiteley, because it starts with a strong and uplifting beat. From the start, dazzling ‘80s synths and punchy guitars blend, forming a sound that comforts and at the same time bursts with energy. You can hear the honesty in Sam Kinley’s voice and Paul Kinley’s songs fill our ears with the passion and boldness of Blondie, paired with the new wave and strong pop sounds of the ‘80s. The music is full of closeness and the harmonies and drums help fuse the sounds together. The part that stands out to me is the soulful lyrics and melody. It involves aiming for what you hope for without a plan and the unsettling excitement of moving forward. There have been nights when I couldn’t rest, dreaming big and “Dreams” makes...

  Since I am a music lover and writer who has dealt with my share of battles of self doubt, TaniA Kyllikki’s “I AM Good Enough” is like a warm and powerful hug from someone who knows what’s up. As a soothing piano ballad from her forthcoming album ‘Free-Spirited’, this soulful record is a spine tingling anthem about self love and it found me at a time I needed it. From the first gentle piano notes TaniA’s voice so raw and so full of feeling pulls you into a safe haven of peace and yes a beacon as the only thing that lifts your spirits. TaniA’s vocals are a force, utilizing a five-octave range that floats between soft lows and the highest of highs with her husband Rynellton’s harmonies adding a lovely gospel tinge. Rynellton produced the track which quickly builds, the soulful swells climbing into the back of the track with amazing piano playing the melody that feels like a journey from darkness to light. This is intimate and grand – it’s a personal confession to the world. The...

  Since I love music and always look for cozy songs, “Conquer All with Love” has warmed my heart. With Michellar from San Francisco makes music that can’t be limited and this soulful release is truly enchanting. Harrison Black, Christina Rntd and Toby from Tobias Wilson Music Ltd. help create a mix of old influences and new energy in her music. A shimmery, buoyant groove is what kick starts the track, and it propels me right back to the ‘90s when love songs had that effortless soul. Michellar draws on The Police‘s rhythmic finesse and heartfelt interplay of Sonny and Cher and constructs a world of crisp guitar riffs, a lively bassline, and floral pads that gently unfurl around the vocals. Black and Rntd’s duet is electric; their voices intertwine and are dripping with raw emotion straight to the chest. They’re starting to make a pact to live through all the good and all the bad together. What I find most special is the gentle strength in the song. The concept focuses on love holdin...

Danielle Schroeder’s “I’m Ready” is like a private talk you’d have with a quiet cup of coffee. The new song by this Vancouver artist which comes from her future album *Later is Here*, is a true reflection and feels like she’s reading the pages of my own diary. A gentle strumming of the guitar immediately brings me into a simple and emotional state of mind. What really gives the song its energy is Danielle’s voice which is warm, inviting and wraps the listener up tightly just like a trusted pal’s hug. Played and engineered at Monarch Studios by producer Aaron Klassen together with musicians Jeremiah Schneider and Paolo Pietropaolo, the song winds gently like a river. The light piano lines accompany constant percussion which gives a gentle background to the song’s important message: letting go is not as easy as it appears. Even though the ensemble is peaceful, the music suddenly becomes so full of emotion, making you breathless. The fact that the song openly acknowledges desire for chang...