Mastria

This amazing EP by The New Citizen Kane titled Causing a Commotion totally caught me off guard with its hypnotising blend of indie-dance synth-thickness and raw emotional appeal. Since I am always in search of that indefinable golden mean between nostalgic warmth and electronic audio brilliance, this seven-song masterpiece of Kane Luke sounds like a conversation with a loved one inside aching electronic pulse. It is the sort of project that takes hold of you at the very first note, wrapping raw honesty and ecstatic moments in crystalline production that channels 80s new wave and cuts out completely new ground. Starting off with the dance floor hit: Subconscious (Primordial Radio Mix), the collection opens with a headlong dive into a trance inducing digital world, integrating rhythmic strata, which build with such natural force that there is no point in resisting. Then there comes one, "Bubble Gum Hot," a happy frolic of infectious energy which left me smiling ear-to-ear as I ...

“This song is like a riptide, beautiful and strong.” The first time I heard Shelita’s “You Will Want My Love”, I immediately started shuffling songs back to it. It was love at first listen. I was spellbound by the warmth of her vocal quality, as the song pulled at my heartstrings with pure soulful emotion. I’m a sucker for a female vocalist who can create those shimmering, glossy moments in pop while offering depth through an earnest approach to singing, and “You Will Want My Love” does just that.  Shelita sounds like a combination of Adele, Bjork, and Beyoncé with a vulnerability that is oddly comforting. Vocally and production wise, the harmonies in the chorus sweetly float with the main melody, intensifying this slow suction into wanting to hit the repeat button over and over again.The lyrics are sappy and heartening, detailing that familiar injection of love, support, and care that leaves your heart racing. I appreciate the lyric “You will want my love” and how it repeats withi...

Lemonade (Charity Release) by Ramblerman is a simple song, which is full of soul and seems like a late-night coffee time within the confession. With Stephen Dobson, who creates under the name, putting his heart into this indie treasure, it becomes evident that the Canberra-based artist is putting his experience as a visual designer and storyteller into some really deep musical flesh. Harnessing the intimacy of folk and the comfort of soul and the indie edge, the song is informed by an impressive array of influences-- consider the poetic grit of Bill Callahan or the defensive sincerity of Big Thief--but it forges its own path. The vocals are conveyed with the intimate candor that draws you near, the timbre is soulful with folk reticence to produce a sound that is both classic and desperately current. It is that voice, intentional and bare, which bears the brunt of the song, drifting between a hush of vulnerability to an unobtrusive, accruing urgency. The tune is slow, open and meditativ...

If you're in the spirit to listen to a song that gets down into the morass of relationships that have failed, you must listen to Fiona Amaka, "No Daylight," song. It inherits the raw quality of the original and boosts it with a contemporary, Frameworks it crashes, assailing passages and growling bass lines that sound to shake like an 80s rock tidal wave that mingles with New British rock. It has that melancholy banger daggers which has been illuminating live performances and social media, and, very plainly, it makes you be part of it due to its ability to touch your heart. In the very core of things, the words depict vividly a picture of betrayal and that rude shock that is wakened upon the misplaced allegiance. It has to do with that sick to-the-stomach feeling of having the person with whom you have spent the last several lives suddenly shift their loyalty in the wrong direction and making you wonder how you could ever trust them to be the best of all of them as they ar...

The opening notes of September by Michellar enveloped me like the hug of a loved one the moment I heard it, and something was awakened in my chest that I could not name. As a San Francisco based artist, who incorporates her visual art work into each of her releases, with the stunning cover artworks that are a product of her recent work, this track is an extension of her soul, a piece that brings you in close with abstraction and music. The vocals by Helen Walford are a revelation, being clear and powerful, bringing a sense of emotionally truthful authenticity, which makes my heart ache. The music is at once mellow yet bittersweet and welcoming, drifting through a scenery of nostalgia which is both calming and awakening. It draws on the heritage of folk music masters such as James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Bob Dylan, but Michellar puts her spin on it by working her phrasing to include the listener in the narrative. The instrumentation is sparse and warm, a slight folk accompaniment tha...

Fire and Tears is the first self-titled song of the debut album  Rise Again  by the French heavy metal project. The moment one begins to hear the riff, the feeling is that of being pulled into the core of a forgotten forge where steel is melting and forming shapes. It is something touching deep inside; the unrefined energy that runs through your body, causing your heartbeat to accelerate as well as you are a part of the story developing. The vocals are powerful and poignant stirring goosebumps in advance of buried battles and victory in your own right. The opening melody bursts in with orchestral flourish, four layers layering over each other, creating a sense of awe-inspiring sights, one where your personal concerns are caught by the wind and carried away. I recall hitting the play button and getting that buzz, that reliving of the reasons metal excites me so much- the rumbling, earth-rattling riffs, the guitar solos that wind and fly with irresistible phrasing, all supported...

  Able to combine sweet soulful vocals and sultry romantic lyrics, Kiah Olivea is already making a name in the R&B/soul scene with a voice like a loving embrace on a bad day. The most recent song of hers, which is called Let Love In, is something that captivated me with the very first note, enveloping me in the feeling of airy, soulful warmth, equal parts vulnerable and encompowering. It is the sort of song which you stop whatever you were doing, close your eyes, and enjoy. The sound in the song is rich and textured to form an emotive background upon which Kiah vocally delivers outstanding performance. The feeling is so much heartfelt and open in her voice and conveys this soulful quality and holds that emotion to come back to long after the song is over. The softness in her voice and diction is intimate as though she is speaking directly to your heart. This song, whose arrangement was created by Josh English (co-written by Amanda Jayne Towler) is perfect in this case, because ...

Chloe Sofia comes on strong with a voice that sounds beyond her age of 15, and her latest single, The Girl Next Door, is the kind of fiery pop-rock statement that had me listening to it many times over. Drawing on her background as a storyteller--previously poured into fiction--she creates songs that are full of energy, passion and a hint of defiance, giving strength to anyone who has ever felt too real to be heard. This song reverses the script on expectations, and it is about the brave and messy aspect of femininity in relationships. It is not your regular sweet pop but rather something heavy on the guitars and pounding on the drums to give that anthemic feeling, something sweet with a rough edge like early Taylor Swift  grittiness. There is maturity and confidence in Chloe, and her vocals have an emotional edge that is hard to ignore, as each note sounds intimate and gritty. The music is catchy, the hooks are pop but the music is kicked up a notch with the rock instrumentation, ...

The first album by Amara Fe called Reborn came as a subtle awakening, one that creeps up and settles deep in your bones, telling you to listen more intently each time you play it. Born in the Mission, United States Amara Fe draws on a family history of musical expression, with tales of her uncles playing out in Tulsa and her grandmother writing songs that were recorded by such luminaries as Minnie Riperton. In 13 songs that last roughly 47 minutes, she establishes herself not as an upstart trying the waters, but as a fully formed artist owning her narrative with grace and fire. The vocals are the core of the matter, daring and acrobatic, similar in emotional power to the likes of Beyonce and Alicia Keys. They flow around electronic textures that are smooth and blended with organic elements of deep bass, shimmering melodies, subtle brass, and piano accents, making the sound smooth and intimate but not overcrowded with the sound of her expressive voice. The production is spot on, sparse ...

The first time I heard the Cravin' by Consequential it was as if a hurricane of bass-filled air came and swept me off my feet and into the world of a sonic adventure. Being a UK producer that originates in Bury St. Edmunds Consequential manages to incorporate liquid drum and bass into their music, with a touch of trance and dub, to create a track that is simultaneously refined and very organic. The quick vocal samples fly across the mix with infectious vigor--driving the rhythm along and impossible not to nod along, my heart throbbing with each overlaying drop. This melody flows like liquid funk at its best, smooth, engaging, and definitely will make you want to get up and move whether it be on the dance floor or even in a long drive. Those clean breaks and airy synths create an atmospheric density that is immersive and uplifting and creates a sense of elevation that seems almost transcendent. The way the production co-opts real world samples, including that quirky touch of the art...