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Pop Music

As the trends in music evolve, as does the definition of pop music. Pop started as an abbreviation for popular; since the mid-20th-century, it has become the go-to term to define the music currently holding the most favour with the public. The evolving nature of pop makes it hard to pinpoint the pioneers; some say it all started when performers needed a catchy and memorable song in the Victorian area, while others say that pop began with the original crooners in the 30s.

The introduction of the pop music charts in 1952 allowed a cultural shift to form around music. It was at this point in history that teenagers became a massive target for the media. Before this new social reconstruction, there had been no in-between for children and adults. Just as it is now in the TikTok age, where teenagers can make an unknown artist go viral in minutes, teenagers effectively ran the music industry in the 50s too!

After Elvis Presley reigned supreme in the late 50s and early 60s, the Beatles dominated the charts for eight years until they disbanded in 1970. Throughout the 80s, synthpop took the pop limelight until the Boy Band era was born in the 90s. The selling power of East 17, Take That, Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync gave Bob and Chris Herbert the idea to manufacture the world’s ultimate girl group; with the Spice Girls, they discernibly succeeded. After the Spice Girls topped the charts, more manufactured pop acts, such as Britney and Mariah Carey, started to surface. Manufacturing is still a massive part of the pop industry, but more and more pop artists are becoming brave enough to break the mould (think Billie Eilish, St. Vincent and Lorde).

Even though the pop charts are more diverse than ever, with Ed Sheeran sitting next to the Weeknd and Dua Lipa next to Tom Grennan, there are still common factors in their pop tracks. Today, most songs that fall into the pop category follow the extensively tried and tested pop formula. Generally speaking, pop tracks are 3 – 5 minutes in duration, use just one key, contains melodically lyrical soundbites that include the title, have a repeating chorus and keep to 4/4 time signatures. Repetition is quite literally key.

Unless it is a ballad or a stripped back acoustic number, pop tracks usually unfold to danceable tempos and rhythms to complement the lyrical hooks. Elements from every genre can be pulled into pop, the main ones being rock, RnB, hip hop, country, Latin and dance. Indie pop was a force to be reckoned with at the start of the millennium, but two decades in, it has lost its foothold to hip hop and RnB, which have become pop genres in of themselves.

Pop plunged to new emotional depths with Bekah Wilbourn’s debut single, Go Numb

Bekah Wilbourn’sGo Numb‘ envelops you in a world where vulnerability meets a sonic revolution. This debut single from the El Paso native is a journey through the heartstrings, plucked and resonated in a symphony of emotion and sound.

The track begins with gentle guitar strings laying the foundation, upon which Wilbourn’s vocals weave a narrative of emotional rawness. As the production escalates, the listener is drawn into a rhythmic stupor, a blend of moodily turbulent synthetics and a compelling backbeat that commands attention.

As the song progresses, Wilbourn introduces chamber pop orchestral layers, amplifying the emotional resonance, and elevating the track to an almost cinematic scope. The interplay of 90s pop influences with forward-thinking sonic elements ensures that ‘Go Numb’ resonates with a sense of familiarity, yet ventures boldly into uncharted territories.

Lyrically, ‘Go Numb’ is a poignant reflection on the all-too-human desire to retreat into numbness when vulnerability becomes a battleground. Wilbourn captures this sentiment with raw honesty, offering a mirror to our own experiences of emotional turmoil.

Bekah Wilbourn, with ‘Go Numb’, carved her own niche with a blend of introspection, innovation, and undeniable musical prowess. This single is a bold statement of intent from an artist unafraid to bare her soul and push the boundaries of pop music.

Go Numb was officially released on March 15; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Luke Meyn delivered an indie psych dream you’ll never want to wake up from with ‘When It’s Over’

Embark on an indie synth odyssey with the Brisbane, Australia-hailing artist Luke Meyn’s debut single, When It’s Over; finality has never sounded so sweet. Meyn covered the entire spectrum of emotion in this seminally blissful release which proves that endings don’t always need to necessitate bitterness.

The soundscape became the perfect vessel to carry the tenderly expressed emotional themes. The way the psychedelic layers rove through the scintillating cosmos of the production that bleeds all the intimacy of Grandaddy and Yo La Tengo while delivering the same transcendently kaleidoscopic colour of The Beatles and all of the arcane air of Mercury Rev ensures that When It’s Over sonically swallows you whole and transports you to another dimension.

With the promise that no two songs from Luke Meyn are the same, we’re equal parts gutted we can’t anticipate another single in the same vein as When It’s Over and stoked to hear what is to come from the artist who takes a spontaneous approach to song crafting by following his muse, wherever they may roam.

When It’s Over was officially released on March 16th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Show Goes On in Jesse Agan’s Broadway-Esque Pop-Rock Debut, Home

Jesse Agan’s debut single, Home, arrests with the same intensity of a Broadway tune, all of the lyrical affection of naturalism you would expect from a Vermont native, and guitar riffs that cut through the timelines to take you back to the rock-licked eras of the 60s, 70s and 80s.

The sense of soul in the release is effortless to surrender to, exhibiting a sure sign of Agan’s charisma and command; you instantly feel safe in his aural presence, knowing that whichever avenue his progressive revelation of a debut single leads you down, you’ll be enveloped in the sanctifying alchemy of the retro arrangements filtered through modern production. Ironically, with Home, he delivered all the sanctuary of home, whatever that means for you.

Agan’s ethos of creating hook-centric and vocally forward releases after finding a scintillatingly stirring and passionate formula for his releases is sure to see him go far in the music industry that is crying out for authentic talent and artists unafraid to take audaciously vulnerable leaps with their music.

Home was officially released on March 14th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

DNA unveiled the UK RnB debut you don’t want to miss with the dualistically stylistic hit, Love or Let Go

Whether you keep hanging on to a relationship that is showing no lifelines or are too hesitant to let down your barriers, DNA’s alt-indie RnB hit, Love or Let Go, will give you all the permission you need to move forward with no inhibition.

Between the grooves of the Latin guitars and the jarringly immersive electronic aesthetic that rocks turbulence behind the solid backbeat, DNA constructed the perfect platform to sonically visualise the emotional themes of Love or Let Go and carry the weight of his hot and heavy vocal lines.

With his vocal dynamism that shifts effortlessly from Hozier-esque timbres to light pop harmonies to electronically distorted dominance, the UK-based up-and-coming talent ensured that he was more than a new entry in the UK RnB scene; he exhibited himself as an RnB heavyweight right out of the gate. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

Love or Let Go will hit all major streaming platforms on March 22; hear it on SoundCloud first.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tuto Tribe – Magnetize: A Samba Reggae Pop Symphony of Serotonin

Southampton’s Tuto Tribe, a five-piece, multi-national samba rock band, has crafted a stunning symphony of serotonin with their latest single, ‘Magnetize’. The samba reggae-pop song, the band’s first foray into English lyricism music, is a masterclass in blending world music with pop sensibilities.

The band, born in 2022 and led by the effervescent Brazilian, Tuto, draws from a diverse palette of influences, including Jorge Ben, The Doors, and Manu Chao. Their sound is a modern, bright Brazilian-inspired concoction, with catchy hooks and rhythms influenced by samba, rock, Jamaican music, and jazz.

The reggae rhythms in ‘Magnetize’ wrap around the pop hooks seamlessly, while the vocals, sincere and soulful, spill love and light by the smorgasbord. The single showcases Tuto Tribe’s infectiously sunny disposition, burning as bright as a supernova, refreshing your lust for life and highlighting the beauty within sexual connections. With ‘Magnetize’ as a playlist staple, slipping into a feel-good groove becomes effortless.

Every instrumental element in the arrangement breeds an atmosphere of organic euphoria. The horn stabs, intricately eclectic guitars, and jazzy percussive fills create the perfect platform for the impassioned soul in the vocals to breathe through.

Lyrically, ‘Magnetize’ is a lesson in musical purity, as pure as the act of making love itself. It’s a testament to the band’s ability to create a sound that is both unique and universally appealing; it is a holiday you never realised you were going on.

Magnetize was officially released on March 22nd; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Messy Mike – Things Are Crazy: An Alt-Indie Remedy to the Malady of Modernity.

Messy Mike used the cinematic sheen of neo-doo-wop to add transcendent melodic ascendence to his vintage-toned alt-indie rock allegory of how darkness permeates the psyches of us all – regardless of how hard we endeavour to push away the shadows of ennui.

Things Are Crazy goes beyond unravelling as a sonic sign of the times, the kaleidoscopically colourful release that will be a hit with any fans of The Strokes goes one strident step further to deliver vindication and salvation in the same rhythmic breath.

Regardless of how much we know that this dystopia dogs us all, that doesn’t get in the way of bringing our sanity into question; if you can relate, Things Are Crazy will give you all the answers you’re looking for; sift through the layered instrumentals, gentle acoustics and sweeping organs and hone in on the soulfully caressing vocal lines for a remedy to the malady of modernity.

Stream Things Are Crazy on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Slip into the hypersonic vortex of Peach Giraffe’s latest experimental track, Intertwined

Peach Giraffe’s new single, “Intertwined,” is a masterful blend of skate punk, hyper-pop, trap nuances, and a touch of Arcade Fire, creating a vortexical kaleidoscope of avant-garde electronica. The grungy and antagonised vocal lines sink into this eclectic mix, stitching “Intertwined” with a mind-altering amalgam of aural aesthetics.

This daring combination cements Peach Giraffe as one of the most bold, indomitable, and fearlessly innovative artists in the alternative music scene. As genre lines blur in “Intertwined,” Peach Giraffe’s commitment to sonically visualising emotional themes shines through. The single is a lyrically poetic exposition of a relationship where distance doesn’t necessitate disconnection, despite the ambiguous parameters that could easily send the mind into a spiral with too much contemplation.

Peach Giraffe’s approach to music is an unforced journey of experimentation, spanning over a decade. His process involves piecing together a puzzle of sounds and ideas, driven not by genre constraints but by spontaneous inspiration. “Intertwined” is a testament to this organic and free-flowing approach to music creation. It’s a track that doesn’t just fit into the alternative music scene; it stands out as a bold statement of Peach Giraffe’s unique and unbridled creativity.

Intertwined reached the airwaves on March 10; stream the official music video on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Top supermodel Alana Monteiro brought style to the airwaves with her RnB meets dream-pop hit, Miss No More

Fuse wavy indie dream pop with swathes of contemporary appeal and Lynchian sonic cinematography, bed the synthesis into RnB roots, and you will be left with a hypnotic elixir which pours as deliciously as Alana Monteiro’s single, Miss No More.

The single unravels through the juxtaposition of lyrical vulnerability and the strident reclamation of power following a disempowering relationship that turned sour. The timbres in the track may run smooth, but there’s no putting out the fire Alana Monteiro started with her velvety luxe vocal lines that harness all the rage that is left in the ashes of a relationship that will never allow you to live up to your worth.

It’s a stunning release from the multi-faceted powerhouse of talent; when Alana Monteiro isn’t in the studio, she’s making waves in the fashion industry as a top supermodel who has made her way into the ranks of the top 100 black female models and acting in Emmy-award-winning films. Miss No More is definitive proof that her beauty is more than skin deep; it oozes from her soul into the lush production.

Stream the official lyric video for Miss No More which is slick with Burn Book-esque aesthetics and premiered on March 13 on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jenna Louise started a riot of affectionate fervour in her pop-rock hit, You’re Still the One

Harmonising in the middle ground between Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavigne and Paramore, Jenna Louise’s latest fire-branded pop-punk anthem, You’re Still the One, is a riot of affectionate fervour, which proves that few people love harder or are as uninhibited with their candour as the UK-based singer-songwriter.

Released ahead of her debut LP, My Journey, which had been five years in the making before its launch on March 4th, You’re Still the One is the perfect introduction to Jenna Louise’s hook-rife sonic signature that will be scribing through your mind for long after the high-octane hit has faded to a close following the augmented magnetic energy that she keeps a tight rhythmic leash on throughout the production.

The Springsteen-esque riffs that frequently decorate the track with rock-licked euphoria tie the earworm together and bring even more power to the release which reveres romantic connections that prove even after you’ve weathered storms and hit the rocks, passion doesn’t need to falter.

You’re Still the One is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mia Laren is on rhythmic fire in her latest self-produced pop hit, Woman Like Me

Mia Laren’s latest single, ‘Woman Like Me‘, is a masterclass in contemporary pop production, interweaving nostalgia with a fresh, electrifying approach. The guitar tones shimmer with a transcendental quality, while the basslines run as hot and heavy as the empowered lyrics. The anthem of self-worth and confidence is a striking testament to her burgeoning prowess in the pop music sphere.

Hailing from Baltimore and now based in San Diego, Laren, a singer, songwriter, producer, and professional dancer, infuses her music with the rhythm and expression of her dance background. This is vividly apparent in ‘Woman Like Me’, where she combines sharp rhythmic beats and sultrily magnetic vocal lines which hark back to Shakira’s ‘Whenever, Whenever’ while exhibiting her ability to create aural auras which reflect her lyrical themes. Coupled with her impressive octave range, which borders on the celestial, Laren is undoubtedly on the cusp of becoming a significant name in the pop genre.

‘Woman Like Me’ is a reflection of her belief that music is the connection to the soul. It’s a track that not only awakens the rhythmic pulses but also invites you to connect with its deeper message. The track is the perfect opportunity to align your actions with your worth.

The official music video for Woman Like Me was officially released on March 6th; you won’t want to miss the conceptually fire gender fuckery Laren uses to prove her worth and inspire other women to find their own.

Review by Amelia Vandergast