In this week’s edition of LITM Pop Picks, explore powerful emotions through a range of sonic elements and qualities from artists Dave Mohan, Nicole Sophia, Melina Hazewood, Sam Feinstein and Indolore.
Read MoreLITM Pop Picks this week showcases pop wonders with minimalistic, electronic and synth-heavy soundscapes featuring artists Rosina Buck, Toby Tesla, Dame Zina and others
In this week’s edition of LITM Pop Picks, we bring a variety of musical experiences, ranging from intimate revelations, synth-pop indulgences, to emotional electronica from artists Rosina Buck, Toby Tesla, Izzy Pingrey, ARADIA and Dame Zina.
Rosina Buck - Like A Lion
Rosina Buck's “Like a Lion” delicately intertwines gentle melodies, cradling the listener like leaves drifting down a serene stream. The singer's voice exudes honesty and intimacy, making you feel like a witness to a personal revelation. The slow-paced music, characterized by thoughtful sonic minimalism, allows the emotional singing, sustained piano melodies, and purposeful emptiness to invite the listener to absorb the profound energy and emotion conveyed. As the song progresses, a crescendo of intensity emerges, introducing harmonies, strings, and trumpets, crafting a majestic finale. This musical progression mirrors the song's thematic journey of enduring the final stages of a tumultuous relationship, capturing the weight of borrowed love and culminating in a cathartic release and freedom. "Like a Lion" paints a vivid picture of a deeply emotional and personal experience with utmost sincerity.
Toby Tesla - Red Flags
Toby Tesla's "Red Flags" sonically traverses the complexities of twenty-first century love. The Arizona-based artist craftily intertwines raw, reverberating guitar melodies with an infectious, upbeat rhythm reminiscent of Mac Miller's later works. Tesla's vocals are processed for a warbly and echoey vibe, adding an ultra-modernist aesthetic, enhancing the song's character. The composition tinkers around with a fusion of R&B and pop vocal styles, delivering a fresh and idiosyncratic sound. The lyrics serve as a modern-day cautionary tale, exploring the challenges of juggling multiple love interests in a world infected with choices. "Red Flags" is a reminder that while we can have anything, we can't have everything, forcing us to confront the ultimatum: talk to me or him.
Izzy Pingrey - perfume
Izzy Pingrey's "perfume" is a breath of fresh air with its energetic guitar rhythms and groovy beats. Hailing from New York, this young artist's vocals are a revelation—emphatic and voluminous, and is the perfect medium to paint her story. Found in the album 'Junior,' the track beautifully explores the nuances of adolescence, capturing the essence of a coming-of-age narrative. The pop song, reminiscent of early 2010s sounds, carries a timeless quality. The artist’s musical creativity is most evident in her vocal melodies, cohesively stringing together words and the musical backdrop. “perfume” is a celebration of close friendships and the adventures shared, transporting listeners to the nostalgic realms of high school and university. Pingrey eloquently encapsulates the magic of enduring connections and youthful escapades.
ARADIA - Slow Yer Roll
ARADIA's "Slow Yer Roll" is a rich and flavorful synth-pop indulgence, cooked up by the NYC-based alt-pop electronica artist. The track is a kaleidoscope of different synth textures, arranged with colorful precision. The simple yet catchy beat invites involuntary nods and foot taps. Creative vocal effects infuse the voice with vibrancy, creating a warm and euphoric atmosphere. The combination of elaborate synth melodies adds an otherworldly ambience, showcasing ARADIA's imaginative and unique blend of influences. The song's optimistic sounds resonate, and it's earwormy hook lingers long after the music stops. "Slow Yer Roll" is a testament to ARADIA's artistry, delivering a compelling sonic experience that transcends typical genre boundaries.
Dame Zina - La Nuit
Father-daughter alt-pop duo Dame Zina’s “La Nuit”, is part of their latest album “Fairytales”, which immerses the listeners in a bottomless pool of electronica, synth, and pop sounds. The vocalist's glass-like vocal tone, simultaneously delicate and malleable, carries a rawness that truthfully conveys the emotions that are being explored in the song. The intricate musical backdrop unveils layers of sounds and meanings, with each attentive listen. The steady pulsing rhythm, enhanced by deep, sharply distorting synth sounds, that rhythmically implodes and explodes, creates an enigmatic inescapable atmosphere for the listener. The song's mysterious and foreboding air, punctuated by moments of wonder, prompts introspection into neglected corners of the mind. "La Nuit" is a sonic journey, where mystical sounds and truthful vocals intertwine, urging listeners to delve into the depths of concealed emotions and concepts.
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LITM Pop Picks this week brings vibrant hues of pop sounds from artists like SWiiMS, Cian O’Donoghue, QRIAN and others
In this edition of LITM Pop Picks, each track is a pop universe of its own and we invite you to wander through galaxies of genre, to ultimately lose yourself in an array of sonic textures, tones and colors. Embark on a sonic odyssey featuring artists SWiiMS, The Pulltops, Jonny Westwood, Cian O’Donoghue, Ivon Roberts and QRIAN.
SWiiMS - In Puzzles
"In Puzzles" by the Canadian trio SWiiMS, is the opening track to their latest album "Into The Blue Night”. It is an artful mosaic of indie rock, shoegaze and dream pop elements. The track envelops listeners in nostalgic sounds, characterized by curling guitar riffs, energetic drums, and subtle bass notes. The reverberating vocals, reminiscent of a cold and crisp morning breeze, add a dreamy vibe to the song. Despite its relatively fast tempo, the song maintains balance through well-placed pauses, allowing the hazy and chill vocals to take over the mood. Beyond its music, "In Puzzles" thematically explores the complexities of finding one's place in a new relationship, delving into the nuanced dynamics of love. A perfect soundtrack for lively and laid-back moments, it captures the essence of slow days and introspection.
The Pulltops - Make Me Smile
Milwaukee-based duo, The Pulltops bring an enchanting new track titled "Make me Smile," with powerful pop and indie-rock sounds. The song unfolds with tranquil acoustic guitar melodies and lulling vocals, a potent mixture that churns out warm and joyous sounds. The fusion of soulful singing, orchestral piano, and vibrant guitar tones, complemented by an infectious rhythm, elevates the listener's spirit to a place of love and light. As the song nears its conclusion, soaring harmonies transition to a solitary voice before culminating in an intense chorus—a metaphorical ray of light guiding you through a dark tunnel to the world's brightness. "Make me Smile" is a sonic journey that guarantees not just smiles but perhaps even happy tears.
Jonny Westwood - Together Forever
Australian artist Jonny Westwood unveils his emotional prowess in "Together Forever," a song that blends dark and heavy piano melodies with light and flickering keyboard notes; like faint stars in the midnight sky. Infused with somber synth sounds and diverse percussive elements, including steady-paced drums and intently placed pauses, Westwood showcases his modern production flair. The singer's impressive vocal delivery resonates with sincerity and emotion, authentically presenting the highs and lows of new love, revealing its thrilling gravity and negative undertones. "Together Forever" showcases Westwood's skill, both as a composer and producer, expertly bringing together the sonic elements to create a hauntingly beautiful narrative of love's intricacies.
Cian O’Donoghue, Ivon Roberts - Better Guy
Cian O’Donoghue and Ivon Roberts deliver a sensational synth-pop number in “Better Guy”. With an array of pop, RnB and funk elements undergoing nuclear fusion, this song is lustrous with energy and emotions. Blooming synth melodies, swift percussions, and designful acoustic sounds spread across the musical background without enveloping the vocals, allowing the singers’ voices to glow bright. Cian and Ivon masterfully battle out their singing prowess in complex terrains, from baritone trenches to tenor cliffs. Influences from pop giants like Ariana Grande is evident in the singers’ dramatic and passionate delivery of the lyrics. Much like the lyrical message, where two guys are one-upping each other trying to impress the same woman, the two singers have outperformed each other in this track, probably to their amusement, leaving the listener absolutely engrossed and delightfully stunned.
QRIAN - BOSS
QRIAN's "BOSS" is a tastefully blended cocktail of electronic pop, synth-pop, and K-pop sounds that is as intoxicating as it is groovy. Grounding synth bass beats accompanied by a medley of synth percussive sounds create an enticing sonic web, trapping you willingly. The synth melodies, distorting and warbling like voices under water, takes you through a sonic wormhole. The track’s soundscape is a nod to slow trance, flashing neon lights, and club vibes. The infectious hook, "I just don't know what they mean, I just don't know what they mean, say," becomes the siren call to abandon reality and get lost in this futuristic auditory haven.
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Discovered via https://app.musosoup.com #sustainablecurator