Three tracks to prove that not all “pop” music has to sound the same

Julia DeTomaso – “Rest”
-This song is listed as alt pop and I hear that; it feels like it takes some of the juicy chords that sound good, blended with these dynamic production layers that really pull the listener in. DeTomaso’s vocal has this accessible quality to it that makes it feel like you could listen all day, which balances nicely with a lyrical style that feels like sitting down with a friend to talk over a cup of coffee. The dynamic energy on the chorus “are you getting what you wanted?” It has just the right level of intimacy. It’s not dance pop, per se, but it has a vibrancy that really engages the listener. I dig it.

PORTEOUS – “Think I’ve Fallen”
-There’s a jazzy flavor to the melody of this song that wins my heart right away. The whole composition feels like it’s a sound made for the 21st century. The electronic distortion in the background creates this unsettling element that is brought back into a chordant cohesion with the quality vocal and the synths in the background. It’s a really unique style that feels “pop adjacent” in many ways, cultivating this friction between typical pop and this more abrasive, progressive style. But at the end of the day, these jazzy chord movements feel like they could have emerged in the 1920s with the genre itself; to blend together contemporary production and classic genre elements… it’s a style that you just need to hear to believe.

Lainey Richardson – “get to dance”
-I’m sure there’s a fancy musical term for the type of guitar fingerpicking in the background here, but let me just say it gives me energy and makes me want to fall asleep, all at the same time. This is a dynamic sound with timeless elements that remind me a bit of classic “pop” from the 50s, all while including a contemporary production style that really pops. The lead vocal is outstanding, a rich and rewarding sound that soars over the instrumentation with a message about the missed opportunity to dance. Ultimately, the lyrics are about a dance that didn’t or couldn’t happen (it’s not clear exactly why), but if you’ve ever experienced unrequited love, I do think this song will resonate sincerely.

Image courtesy: PORTEOUS IG