Browsing Category

Top Music Blog & Promoters In The USA

Groove and soul intertwined in Ceesa’s hip-hop debut, Special

Ceesa, an emerging talent from Tifton, Georgia, made an unmissable entry into the hip-hop arena with his single ‘Special’, a track that resonates with the rhythm and soul of hip-hop and showcases his unique flair and potential.

‘Special’ opens with an intro that blurs the lines between genres, featuring female backing vocals that are as powerful as they are emotive, layered over gentle melodies reminiscent of progressive house. This fusion sets the stage for what is a genre-bending experience. Ceesa then takes the reins, proving himself as Georgia’s new flow king. His verses are crafted with a finesse that allows the emotions to resonate deeply, making listeners feel the love in this song as if it were their own.

The seamless blend of trap beats with Latin RnB guitars creates a soundscape that captures the irreplicable bliss of being seen as though the other 8.1 billion people in the world fade away. Ceesa’s debut, infused with personal emotion and stylistic innovation, is a testament to his talent and a hint at his promising future in the music industry. For fans of Yvng.Wolfe, KingTrey, and Ivory Scott, ‘Special’ is a must-listen.

Special hit the airwaves on March 12th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Whoisturso put resilience into rhyme in his viral-worthy hip-hop single, VENT III

Forget mic drop verses, in his standout hit, VENT III, the lyrical hip-hop luminary Whoisturso drops lines that will make your soul sink. After a stylistically atmospheric and contemporary hip-hop intro which lulls you into a contemplative state, the up-and-coming rapper who has moved from the streets into the studio wastes no time delivering lyrical blows that will stick with you for long after the outro.

“I’ve been fighting all my life, you expect rejection to phase me girl?” speaks volumes about the resilience of the human spirit, and our profound capacity to overcome trauma and open ourselves up to vulnerability. From there on out, every line hits hard enough that you’ll be left in awe of his ability to turn confessionalism into achingly affecting wordplay.

Regardless of your life path, as VENT III runs through, you’ll find fragments of yourself within it as you lose yourself in the scintillating production that allows the instrumentals to complement the intimacy in the candour.

If authenticity and lyrical gold got artists to the top of the charts, few artists would sit above Whoisturso. He’s got everything it takes to make it into the mainstream, it’s only a matter of time before he moves from being criminally underrated to being choked in hype. After hearing the themes of determination in VENT III, we know he’s not going to stop until he’s reached the top.

Stream and purchase VENT III on Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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

Baby T echoed the soul of the ‘MISUNDERSTOOD’ in his hauntingly hard-hitting hip-hop hit.

After a four-year break from the airwaves, the Emmy award-winning hip-hop artist, producer and emissary of innovation, Baby T is back, and his sound isn’t just bigger than ever; MISUNDERSTOOD stirs emotions from the depth of the soul to evoke a viscerally profound response.

Waxing lyrical around the nostalgically arcane air and cinematic flair of the 1960s classic, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, may have been a sure-fire way of Baby T playing havoc with heartstrings, but his fiery original verses – modernised for maximum resonance – and the percussive passion which brings bass-drenched depth allowed MISUNDERSTOOD to hit hard enough that you’ll feel the emotional bruises.

As we exist as ideas in the minds of everyone we meet, there’s plenty of our identity that can be lost in translation when we’re poured through everyone’s perception filters, but even the knowledge of this irrefutable fact isn’t enough to take away the sting of feeling unseen, disrespected or underestimated. Baby T’s candid introspection, laid out through instantly ensnaring vocal hooks, is all the consolation and motivation you’ll need to stay on your authentic path.

MISUNDERSTOOD is a flawless testament to his prestige. Haunting and hard-hitting in equal measure, it’s a serious contender for our favourite hip-hop track of the year.

Stream MISUNDERSTOOD on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sarah McCulloch painted a mountainous vignette with her honkytonk hit, Back In Them Hills

Sarah McCulloch’s single Back In Them Hills is a vivid portrayal of the landscape her soul calls home, offering listeners a sanctuary in its upbeat honkytonk rhythms. The track goes beyond a mere tribute to country folk’s roots; McCulloch becomes a conduit for the genre’s enduring spirit. Her vocal lines which spill over with soul are as panoramic as the landscapes she paints with her lyrics.

McCulloch, a renowned folk singer-songwriter and country artist from Florida, is known for her exceptional storytelling and poignant lyrics. Her ability to weave captivating stories through her music has earned her a loyal fan base and critical acclaim, with Americana-UK and Lonesome Highway praising her previous works for her modern yet traditional sound.

McCulloch’s upcoming full-length acoustic album, Driving Me Home, produced by Jim Bickerstaff and featuring Florida musicians like Raiford Starke and Jeanie Fitchen, is an inspiring collection of aural stories which reflect themes of triumph over adversity and the courage to embrace vulnerability. Born in Miami and raised near the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation, McCulloch’s music, recognised by the State of Florida’s Division of Arts and Culture, draws inspiration from her unique upbringing.

Back in Them Hills was officially released on March 22nd; stream the single on SoundCloud.

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

KAotik waxed lyrical on the tragedy of wasted potential in his old-school hip-hop track, Fascinate

KAotik (AKA Bruce Reign) kept old-school hip-hop fresh with his latest track, Fascinate, which strips the instrumentals right back to their fundamentals, allowing his killer canter to take the spotlight in the mid-tempo release.

Following a mellow, almost transcendentally toned intro, the spoken-word verses wax lyrical on everything from the tragedy of wasted potential to accepting fate without consigning yourself to it. By finding plenty of room to assert wordplay, clever cultural references and his ethos on putting lyrics to the forefront of his productions, the Washington-born, Laurel MD-residing artist of Nigerian descent used Fascinate to not only do what the single says on the titular tin, but to inspire, and he hit a home run in doing so.

If KRS One, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, and Black Thought feature heavily on your playlists, make room for this profound hit.

Stream Fascinate on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Beats collided with raw, unbridled energy in DJ Lennon Mercury & Belle’s EDM collab, Midnight

Midnight” by DJ Lennon Mercury featuring Belle is a relentless force. This single, crafted by the masterful hands of DJ Lennon Mercury and penned by the Grammy-winning Belle, redefines the boundaries of EDM with its raw, unbridled energy.

From the get-go, “Midnight” grabs you by the soul. The hard-hitting hard house rhythms are merciless, seizing your rhythmic pulses and refusing to let go. The production is slick, a glossy testament to what the future of EDM can and should be. Belle’s vocals don’t just ride the beats; they electrify them, matching the high-octane, infectious intensity that’s set to dominate airwaves and devour dancefloors.

Picture the wild, unapologetic spirit of Icona Pop’s collaboration with Charlie XCX, then crank it up with hardstyle steroids – that’s the explosive vibe DJ Lennon Mercury has unleashed. Belle, with her history of lighting up stages worldwide, injects a raw, emotional depth into the track.

DJ Lennon Mercury, a maestro of the EDM scene, brings his signature blend of innovation to “Midnight.” Known for shaking up charts and crafting soundscapes that defy convention, his production on this track is a bold statement in a genre that thrives on the cutting edge.

Midnight stormed the airwaves on March 15; stream the single on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Go down the rabbit hole with TaQuan MonChez’s ode to 80s soul, Wonderland

Start your 80s RnB love story by slipping into TaQuan MonChez’s latest single, ‘Wonderland’, which pours the essence of gospel into the heart of RnB. After honing his skills in a 20-year tenure as a church musician and a self-taught pianist, Wonderland showcases TaQuan’s journey and his ability to construct auditory embraces, capable of enveloping listeners in lush, hazy tones.

The ode to an ethereal kind of love, one that allows the material world to dissolve into insignificance, ensures this emotional theme resounds through each element – especially through his velvety magnetic vocals as they effortlessly ascend into a higher vocal register.

The guitar lines in ‘Wonderland’ are also a standout feature, dancing through the track with a pop and groove that’s infectious, intricate, and definitively 80s. These melodies underpin TaQuan’s vocal prowess, creating a layered and immersive soundscape.

Moreover, ‘Wonderland’ is a showcase of TaQuan MonChez’s exceptional songwriting ability. Each musical element is meticulously woven to create a tapestry that visually and sonically represents the sanctity of transcendent love. The song is a testament to TaQuan’s belief in music that resonates with integrity and decency.

Wonderland was officially released on February 16; stream the single on YouTube.

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