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Rattling Beats and Soulful Heat: Denaron’s ‘On My Way’ is RnB Reloaded

With ‘On My Way,’ Denaron proves why he’s a voice worth paying attention to in the contemporary pantheon of RnB greats. Rooted in the soul of the genre’s pioneers, the track blends the raw passion of Luther Vandross and David Ruffin with a modern vibrancy reminiscent of Musiq Soulchild and Bruno Mars. Yet, Denaron’s artistry doesn’t settle for imitation – his voice carries an honesty and dynamism that harmonises leagues away from assimilation.

The instrumentals bring a kaleidoscope of colour to the mix, their smooth contortions wrapping around beats that hit with a confident pulse. It’s the kind of groove that feels simultaneously nostalgic and refreshingly current, bridging the roots of RnB with the shimmering motifs of contemporary production. Meanwhile, Denaron’s vocal agility weaves through the track, his kinetic range delivering hooks that strike with as much emotion as precision.

Denaron’s path to this moment started in the pews of his local church, where he began singing at just 12 years old. Drawing inspiration from legends like Ronald Isley, his early foundation in soul music fuels his goal of creating tracks that shine a light on life’s complexities, from love to faith. His open-hearted approach has earned him recognition far beyond his home turf of Texas, whether winning talent shows, featuring on tracks for hip-hop artists, or sharing stages with the likes of Ginuwine and Wale.

With ‘On My Way,’ Denaron doesn’t just blur the lines between eras of RnB – he redefines them, leaving listeners swaying to his rhythm and arrested by his unapologetic soul.

Stream the official video for On My Way on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Contrasts Collide: The Eclectic World of ‘Abyssinian’ by The Soft Parts

With abyssinian, the standout single from their sophomore album, The Soft Parts unfurled a texturally intricate sonic tableau which refuses to settle into predictability.

Opening with cinematic neo-classical grandeur, abyssinian invites listeners to stroll through the golden age of film scores, before the chill of avant-garde influences begins to weave through the organic warmth of the basslines. Playful polyphonic keys soon take centre stage, creating a delicate tension as each instrumental element works in purposeful juxtaposition to the next. When the neo-classical keys return with greater tenacity, they anchor the composition, ensuring it never spirals into abstraction despite its eclecticism.

The Soft Parts, the project of a Houston-based composer and sound artist, brings together a unique palette of influences spanning classical music, art rock, cocktail jazz, and lounge music. These influences shaped abyssinian into what could best be described as funk-inflected art pop, dipped in the moody magnetism of New Tango and Arab musical textures.

abyssinian pulls listeners into its orbit, making them feel the landscape of its creation as it swaggers, scintillates, and soothes in equal measure. If you want to stray away from sonic monotony, hit play.

Abyssinian was officially released as part of The Soft Parts’ sophomore LP, innuendo, on January 3rd; stream the single on all major platforms, including Spotify, now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Defy gravity with the interstellar psychedelia in Olek The Vyne’s debut alt-RnB single, Labels

Olek, The Vyne’s debut single, Labels, pulls you from the mundane and drops you into a vibe-soaked alternate dimension. Rooted in trippy alt-RnB yet transcending genre conventions, the track’s interstellar pulse melds with Olek’s lush, honeyed harmonies to create an intoxicating panorama of affectionate warmth.

It’s an invitation to surrender to a smooth, mellifluous flow capable of altering states of mind while reflecting on the lyrical underpinnings which advocate for embracing the messiness of relationship dynamics and finding peace in uncertainty.

The Houston-grown experimentalist, who is set to be known for pushing boundaries and colouring outside the lines, lets his mastery of intimate storytelling shine in Labels. Inspired by his personal journey and longing for meaningful connections, Olek crafts lyrics that cut to the emotional core while his reverberant vocals smooth over hypnotically rich instrumentals.

The track’s magnetic pull stems from the boldness of its experimental alt-RnB framework, which invites vulnerability and raw expression. As a flag planted firmly in the ground for his artistry, Labels is a testament to his ambition and the precision of his craft.

Labels will be available to stream on all major platforms, including SoundCloud, from January 17th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

‘!! Stand’ by RoBB!EMAC: Reinventing Pop with Y2K Nostalgia and Emotional Cadence

The prolific pop prodigy, RoBB!EMAC, may have only made his official debut in 2023 with the drop of his LP, The Anecdotes of Mr. Songsmith, but he’s already delivered his fifth album, Howling at the Moon, proving that there’s no end to the flow of his creativity or his ability to find fresh alt-pop intersections to explore.

The standout single from his expansive 16-track anthology of pop-hooked vulnerability, ‘!! Stand’ kicks into rhythm through a melodic piano-driven prelude followed by a mash of pseudo-trap, Y2K nostalgia and the twang of alt-country pop; a synthesis which orchestrates a dreamy sense of reverie to drift within as you lock into the vocal cadence which sinks into synergy with the solid backbeats.

If anyone can bring back the trend of putting lighters in the air instead of iPhone cameras, it’s RoBB!EMAC, with his sound that leans into nostalgia while illuminating the path to the pop pantheon which is ready and waiting for his arrival.

RoBB!EMAC, the New Jersey-Hailing, Dallas-based innovator, is far from your average genre-fusionist; he’s mastered the art of ensuring every aesthetic at his disposal lends itself to the mood and meaning of his sound. In ‘!! Stand’, the singer-songwriter strips back all sense of pretence to outpour a vignette that assures the listener that, as we all make our way through the disillusionments of life, we’re all a work in progress, regardless of how perfect our facades appear to be.

Stream RoBB!EMAC’s Howling at the Moon LP on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Honey Made stirred the spirit of soul with ‘Pass Me By’

Honey Made

Honey Made, hailing from Austin, has yet again lived up to their moniker with their latest single, ‘Pass Me By’. The track, which taps into the aura of retro soul with a fusion of silky smooth RnB, jazz and blues, is an aphrodisiac for the rhythmic pulses.

Drawing inspiration from legendary figures such as James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, and Earth, Wind & Fire, Honey Made may revisit the past, but based on the creative synergy within Pass Me By, the only place this ensemble is going is forward.

The band’s connection to their RnB roots is evident in every note, offering an easy listening session that is both tantalisingly paced and deliciously seductive. With mellifluous melodies that the oceans could envy, slipping into the groove of this track is as effortless as it is inevitable. Honey Made distinguishes themselves as one of the few remaining RnB powerhouses capable of serenading the heart, mind, and soul with just their instrumental arrangements.

With the crescendo of the track which escalates with an intensity poised to leave a lasting impact paired with the graceful vocals, Pass Me By is nothing short of cinematic.

As an official 2022 SXSW showcasing artist and acclaimed as one of the best live bands in Austin, Honey Made has a reputation that precedes them. Their performances not only capture the raw energy of their music but also amplify their commitment to reviving and expanding the audience for classic soul sounds. Join their revolution of retro soul today.

Pass Me By was officially released on November 8th; stream the single on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Henry Bitzer’s ‘25th Hour’ Radiates Rapturous Soul and Swagger

Henry Bitzer’s standout single, 25th Hour, from his debut LP Skydive, delivers some of the swankiest sounds of 2024. The track is a testament to the solo artist’s knack for nostalgically leaning songwriting chops, which remain sharp even when held up against his musical heroes.

Any attempt to resist the euphoric energy of 25th Hour is futile; the rapturous euphony he coaxes from the keys showcases his comfort and charisma in crafting soulful soundscapes that simultaneously nod to the past and stride confidently into the future.

Blending blues, 70s pop rock, and a smattering of jazz, Bitzer conjures a unique sonic synthesis that defies easy categorisation. The seamless fusion of styles creates a distinctive sound that harks back to the golden era of rock without feeling stuck in the past. His ability to weave eclectic influences into a seamless tour de rapturous force ensures that his legacy is already carving itself a place in the annals of contemporary alternative music. It’s only a matter of time before major labels are vying for his signature.

At just 19, the Minnesota native has been compared to the likes of Elton John and Billy Joel for his magnetic stage presence and infectious melodies. Now a second-year student at Belmont University in Nashville, Bitzer has spent the last four years performing live across the U.S., honing his craft and building a loyal following.

Stream Henry Bitzer’s debut LP, Skydive, on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lauren Presley lost the past to history in her empowering rock-licked EDM pop anthem, H-I-N-T

https://on.soundcloud.com/XqdqHcpudoAN7A7Z9

Texas’ freshest pop icon-in-the-making Lauren Presley shunted Taylor Momsen and Hayley Williams to the wayside when she dropped, H-I-N-T, her latest dark pop anthem, which uses the augmentation of rock to add even more electricity to the head-spinningly hot EDM pop choruses.

The only thing bigger than the sound in H-I-N-T is the cross-over appeal of this high-octane earworm which sends pulsating surges of adrenaline to your rhythmic pulses as Lauren Presley harmonises over the distortion-slicked hyper-sonic guitars which caustically cut their way through the Grammy-worthy production.

The energy in H-I-N-T gives the recently romantically scorned all the empowerment they could possibly harness to walk away from a toxic dynamic. With this hit on your playlists, you will be unreckonable.

Presley may have gone viral since her debut single, A Little Longer,  after garnering 1 million streams on Spotify and 5.6 million views on YouTube. Yet, she remains committed to delivering unpretentious pop with universally relatable lyrics. Even if she reached the same heights as Chappell Roan, there’s a sense that Presley would never be out of touch.

H-I-N-T will drop on September 27; stream the single on all major platforms, including SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Noah Hamlin has unveiled a debut of panoramic Folk romanticism with ‘Bluebonnet Girl’

With a vocal timbre that would make any fans of Cohen, Cave or Dylan quiver at the knees, folk singer-songwriter, Noah Hamlin’s debut single, Bluebonnet Girl revisited old Americana roads while injecting fresh fervour into the folk genre.

The Austin, Texas-hailing troubadour’s artistic maturity belies his 23 years; with oceans of poetic depth in the lyrics which paint a vignette of panoramic landscapes which become the backdrop to a love story for the ages, sinking into the sepia hues of Bluebonnet Girl becomes an all-consuming sensory experience for the soul.

The finger-picked acoustic guitar notes, influenced by the likes of Townes Van Zandt, puts the romanticism into mellifluous motion, exhibiting Noah Hamlin as not just another artist entering the oversaturated folk genre, but a true purveyor of artistic ingenuity. After one hit, you will be stoked for the sophomore.

Bluebonnet Girl was released on August 18th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The melodies leap off the page in Go Metric USA’s installation of folk mysticism, Old Books No One Remembers

 In an unflinching mission to keep the traditions of folk storytelling alive, the Texan ensemble Go Metric USA has unveiled their tribally hypnotic sense-awakening serenade, Old Books No One Remembers. You can practically hear notes of opium drift through the production in the arcanely atmospheric alt-country vignette which allows poetry to acquiesce with seraphic folk melodies.

With an evocative potency which tears through the centuries, Old Books No One Remembers is inexplicably efficacious in its ability to consume the psyche. It is only when you reach the outro in the Legendary Pink Dots-reminiscent production that you realise how intertwined you’ve become in the eloquently enlightening narrative which can hold its own against Robert Frost’s poetry.

Old Books No One Remembers is now available to stream on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mt Bonnell – Mistake: A Little Bit of Country, An Unholy Load of Rock n Roll

It’s almost worth enduring agonising lapses in romantic judgement to prise maximum resonance from Mt Bonnell’s latest lyrically bitter, sonically euphoric alt-rock single, Mistake.

The revelation in genre fusion fuses the twangy, intimate and narratively expansive warmth of upbeat country folk with all the fire and furore of a grungy rock anthem and the stylistic edge of indie to establish the artist as one of the most veritable outfits pouring sound out of Austin.

There’s clearly something in the Texan water which breeds peerless talent, but the flavour of Mt Bonnell is something no other outfit is capable of making you savour. Intensity and authenticity run in the veins of the infectiously zealous melodies ensuring you feel every ounce of the affecting weight in this anthem which epitomises what it means to wear your heart on your guitar strings.

As much as the emotively seismic vocals make you feel, that’s nothing compared to the compulsion to succumb to the rhythmic pulse which speaks volumes of how Mt Bonnell has honed their eclectic sound since forming in 2002, with each member bringing their own sonic proclivities to the table.

Mistake was officially released on August 8th; stream the single on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast