Papaya Tree – “Radar”
-Unconventional and saucy, Papaya Tree brings a truly spectacular new rock sound. Infusing styles from jazz and hip hop, it’s a funky and satisfying vibe. I can imagine them playing really trendy upscale clubs in places like Manhattan and LA. The horns are absolutely kick ass on this one.
Daniel Feels – “Get By”
-Sometimes the groove of a track is enough to get approval. But the thing about Daniel Feels is that the groove gets him in the door and the vocal gets him on the stage. This fella can straight out sling it. “When the one thing I want from you is the one thing I don’t get…” haha. There’s a lot to say about this track, but maybe that one lyric snippet is all that needs to be said. The attitude here fuses positive vibes with some snarky, celebratory lyrics. It’s a treat.
VIVE – “Stay”
-One of the “sounds like” bands given to us for VIVE was Switchfoot and after a few listens of this track I think that’s on point. There’s a perfect balance of “down to earth” chill rock and atmospheric “fly off the stage” big production. When it all comes together, it’s a band that feels like it cultivates the middle ground really well. It’s a song that lives in the guitars and keys more than the vocals and we’re okay with that.
Telehope – “Reverberate”
-It’s hard to find a comparison band for Telehope, but they have a ton of positive energy in their music. It’s a sound that perfectly rides the line between pop and psych rock. Some of the energetic electro elements show that Telehope is definitely a rock band for the 21st century. The high tenor lead vocal and the on-point “ohhhs” in the chorus make for an up tempo jam track that is ready made for the radio.
My Cruel Summer – “From the Gospels”
-If driving classic rock is your bag, give My Cruel Summer a spin. This track feels like an amalgamation of several different rock tracks from the 70s and 80s. We definitely dig the guitars and organ the most. The break between the verse and chorus is really cool and the highlight of the track for us.
