The Satellite Station – “No escape from the rain”
-I really appreciate the way the lyrics of this track meld the natural occurrence of rain with the emotions of being overwhelmed by something beyond your control. This is something that happens quite often for people but is hard to put into words. The cascading elements of the melody and overall pop rock mix help the lyrics permeate through the track. This is a really well made track that will be quite welcome on your playlist.
WRENN – “Craigslist Personals”
-It’s not every day that I listen to a vocal that gives me chills, but WRENN has that gift. The breathy, intimate style on the verses hardly seems like the same voice that can blow the doors off on the chorus. At times the lyrics are a bit hard to follow in the Gwen Stefani-esque chorus work, but the song is just so enjoyable that I bang my head along with it and don’t worry about the lyrics too much. This song is an experience and WRENN is an instant follow.
Emily Chambers – “Disappear”
-This neosoul track from Emily Chambers is amazing. I don’t throw that word around lightly. The quality on the vocal is LITERALLY “stop you in your tracks” good. The overall mix is really satisfying, too, mixing a bit of the classic Quincy Jones production with some modern electro elements. I’d love to shake the hand of the person who put this all together. It’s a stroke of brilliance from lead down to the most minute detail. Very impressive!
Theaterkids – “Echoes”
-Ok so this is a band and not a singer songwriter, but forgive me just this once because trust me the chill vibes here are what you want on your playlist. The lead vocal on this track feels like it’s in a constant falsetto, but still works really well. It’s got shades of 80s and 90s blended together quite nicely. The beat will have you moving while the infectious pop melody will have you singing along in no time. It’s a wonderful track!
Evan Button – “Gentle Heart”
-Of course the easy comp here is someone like Jack Johnson, but I invite listeners to give Button a chance to make his own connection. The phrasing and use of space feels like there’s a bit of a bluegrass background as much as the overall “island” vibe here. The resulting sound puts me more in mind of an act like Bela Fleck than it does the Jason Mraz pop that hits at first. It’s more complex than initially meets the ear, giving it a bit more staying power.
Photo credit: Emily Chambers IG
