Emily James – “Dancing with a Thief”
-We’ve been following Emily James on YouTube for a while. We share pretty much everything she sends us because it’s always classy and wonderful. I love the lyrical concept of this track; we associate someone stealing our heart as sweet but thieves are generally considered criminals. The combination, all made palatable by James’s sweet guitar and vocal, makes for a beautiful pseudo-pop track that’s worth a listen.
Violetta Zironi – “Little Wound” ft Ed Prosek
-This acoustic track is beautiful with a quality lead vocal and some intricate jazzy elements. The softness in the vocal highlights the tenderness of the lyrical message. Anyone who has been in a long term relationship can connect with the wounded-yet-always-love-you message of the song. It’s super sweet, especially when the duo vocal comes in.
Anna Stine – “Growing Pains”
-Stine has a really chill folk feel with her music. I think the easy comparisons are vocalists like Joni Mitchell or even some of Stevie Nicks’ chill tracks, but I am happy to put Stine in her own category. There’s a relaxed element here that feels like mid 70s pop rock chill. At the same time, it’s got a crispness that makes it feel fresh and modern.
Darryl Rahn – “Reason to Run”
-I absolutely love this track and became an overnight Rahn fan. Check out the intricate finger picking on the guitar. Then, enjoy the relaxed and almost friendly tone of Rahn’s vocal. I feel like I’m just sitting around the fire and he’s singing this with a bunch of friends. It’s a deceptive track that sounds “simple” but has layers of complexity that produce this song. The lyrics are engaging, too, almost painfully true for me personally.
Soham De – “Confession”
-Sometimes I find a track like this and feel like I probably shouldn’t type anything. I should just shut up and let you listen to this soulful, engaging vocal. If I could explain “authenticity” in a vocal to someone, I would play them this clip. He doesn’t sound like he’s auditioning for Phantom of the Opera; he sounds like he’s absolutely heartbroken and he’s singing straight from his heart. This. Is. Art.
