Browsing Tag

Cinematic Pop

Imelda Gabs sophisticated the pop genre to the nth degree with her mournfully minimalistic neo-classic pop single, RECKLESS

Posted on 20 December 2022

‘RECKLESS’ is the latest intensely compelling single from the pop innovator Imelda Gabs. From a mournfully minimalistic neo-classic prelude of minor piano keys, the contemporary ballad that comes to terms with a disposition of recklessness seamlessly builds; utilising the dynamic vocal range of Imelda Gabs to orchestrate one of the most strident crescendos to ever grace the pop genre.

The pain exhibited borders on primal as the independent singer and producer gave an intimate view of her own shortcomings to universalise the phenomenon of letting our inner saboteur lead us to a position of self-doubt, regret, and inner hostility.

The 24-year-old Belgian and Congolese artist grew up in Switzerland, where she studied piano, violin and signing before evolving as a composer and songwriter. Since 14, she has been gracing prestigious stages amongst world-renowned artists before she started to focus on her recorded music, and my God, the airwaves were crying out for her elevated balletic grace.

Watch the cinematic official music video for RECKLESS on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Ancestral pain emanates in Million Pebble Beach’s latest beguilingly awakening Witches

Posted on 6 November 2022

In modern culture, witches are often painted with crooked noses and broomsticks beside them; Million Pebble Beach’s latest single, Witches, paints them as what they always were, women powerful enough to evoke enough fear to drive men to burn them at the stake.

That archaic form of misogyny has shifted with the ages but remains just as pertinent in our regression-tainted cultural tapestry. The deep ancestral pain emanates through this sombre yet juxtaposing uplifting single that shimmers with tonal and lyrical beguile as their strength and power is celebrated.

The Hertfordshire-based solo artist has made quite the name for herself with her cinematic and poetic piano oeuvre since 2018, which any fans of Mitski and Phoebe Bridgers will find playlist-worthy,

Witches is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Maella brings the house down in her sultry alt-pop earworm, Tudu Tudu Tu

Posted on 10 October 2022

Prague-born, London-based Alt-Pop artist and producer, Maella brought a smorgasbord of Eastern European flavour to her latest single, Tudu Tudu Tu, which merges juxtaposing nostalgic sonic textures to allow a new wave of retro to crash across the 90s dance percussion and seductive bass.

It is as cinematic as any Tarantino cult hit, and a poignant exposition on a chapter of her life that closed the book on difficult breakups, unfulfilling romances, and the claustrophobia of lockdowns. If Shiny Toy Guns wrote Seven Nation Army, the earworm wouldn’t be a million miles away from the electrically serpentine rhythms that will leave you dying to come back for more. Empowerment never sounded sweeter.

Tudu Tudu Tu, which is part of the Slow Burn EP, is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Angie Hakeem clutches the sands of time in her cinematic pop ballad, Too Soon to Die

Posted on 11 July 2022

Too Soon to Die is the latest classically cut pop single from Ohio’s sincerest singer-songwriter Angie Hakeem, who stretched her glassily dynamic vocals back through the decades to remind us of how sweet our perspectives on love and life used to be.

The real beauty within Too Soon to Die is the lyrical ambiguity that allows you to implant your own experiences with loss, grief, and fear of losing into the cinematic ballad. It certainly wouldn’t be out of place in the Disney music genre with its orchestral arrangement, swoon-worthy crescendos and vocal highs that tempt the floodgates to open.

Too Soon to Die will officially release on July 8th. You can stream it for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

UK indie pop duo ISYLA has unveiled their consciousness-driven cinematic single, Pretty Lies

Posted on 30 April 2022

The UK’s most promising pop duo, ISYLA (Lizzie Freeborn & Woodburn) has further staked their claim with the release of their latest dynamically cinematic single, Pretty Lies.

There is a touch of Nadine Shah’s Kitchen Sink to the jazz-tinged prelude, but ISYLA soon breezed into their ethereal own through the breathy vocals, flamenco guitars and arresting lyricism. “I live and let live but what if a choice takes a life” may just be the most perfect lyric I’ll hear this year. Yet, that’s just a splinter of the refreshing consciousness carried by the duo that formed in 2020 as a musical response to the climate crisis.

Since making their debut, they have featured on BBC Introducing, Music Declares Emergency, and the Consciousness Festival. Their selfless sense of holistic interconnectedness makes every soundscape they touch resound with a rare sense soul that is enough to make everything else on the airwaves feel superficial.

Pretty Lies is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Astroblue Express invite you to let love in through their cinematic dream pop single, Welcome.

Posted on 5 November 2021

We are stoked to see the return of the New York-residing duo Astroblue Express after their trippy ethereal tones in Cotton Candy Dreams gave us a potent dopamine fix earlier this year.

Their latest single, Welcome, is an artfully composed feat of cinematic dream pop that weaves a conceptual narrative of optimism through the pulsating downtempo electronica beats. Welcome is for anyone who has scolded themselves for being naïve in the past and find themselves unable to trust in the present through fear of future pain. In its essence, Welcome is an invitation to let love in again. After being exposed to the gently layered vocals, soft transcendent crescendos and lyrics that pull you into a brighter perspective, how could you possibly refuse?

Welcome is due for release on November 5th. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to Soundcloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sciarra has released her hauntingly profound cinematic single, Dancing in the Dark.

Posted on 5 October 2021

Dancing in the Dark is the latest cinematic pop single from Sciarra, an artist quickly becoming renowned for her velvet soft vocals, ethereal melodies and dramatic art-pop edge.

Her love for a cinematic sonic palette transpired from her time writing TV and Film music. Her experience truly shines through in Dancing in the Dark, which pulls you in by the sheer artistry and her ability to pull on your heartstrings until they’re as raw as the sentiments explored in her deeply conceptual tracks.

Dancing in the Dark was written post-lockdown, shortly after she lost her mum to cancer and she was diagnosed with skin cancer. After overcoming it, she was left to contend with her grief; music became an avenue of reprieve and Dancing in the Dark was born. The airwaves are infinitely richer for it. We can only hope that there are plenty more emotionally iron-wrought singles in the pipeline.

All proceeds from the single will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

Dancing in the Dark is now available to stream on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Start your infatuation with Cherry Makes Waves’ latest avant-garde cine-pop single, Bisket Full.

Posted on 1 July 2021

Amsterdam’s Avant-Garde cine-pop artist Cherry Makes Waves has released her latest artfully sultry earworm, Bisket Full. With her ability to hit high notes with ethereal ease, your infatuation with her authenticity will ensue before the first verse runs through.

Any Kate Bush comparisons that you are tempted to make will quickly slip away while the down-tuned guitars and snappy electronic percussion remind you of the time when Skinny Puppy reigned supreme in the electronica scene.

The playful pop track explores our proclivity to make ridiculous decisions when we are hyped up on lust; considering that you’ll start to feel your inhibitions slip away while embracing the daringly single, Cherry Makes Waves makes a compelling case.

Bisket Full is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Aisyah sets the pace with her RnB pop single, Slow Down (Remix), featuring Pisces Kid and Zalelo.

Posted on 30 April 2021

For her latest release Bruneian singer-songwriter and producer Aisyah reworked her absorbing contemporary RnB pop track, ‘Slow Down’; in doing so, she ironically made us fall even more in love with the single.

The original release was a stunning feat of RnB pop which showcased Aisyah’s harmonic vocals against Pisces Kid’s irresistibly smooth vocal timbre as the two vocalists contended with romantic hesitancy. The remix introduces female vocalist, Zalelo, who acts as the proverbial devil on the shoulder, leading the narrative into one which mimics the conflict that is often fought when making romantic decisions.

While many artists use their tracks to boast how head over heels in love they are, Aisyah takes a more meditative approach to affection. Her hesitancy draws realism into the release but it never detracts from the affection.

It’s a stunning track that has left us assured that big things await Aisyah as she takes a step back from the film music industry, where she worked for Netflix, Marvel and Disney and became the first Bruneian to break into the American film industry.

Slow Down (Remix) officially released on April 30th. You will be able to check it out for yourselves via Spotify.

Keep up to new releases from Aisyah via Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

pb – Atlantis: progressively ambient art-rock

Posted on 2 March 2021

It’s always refreshing to hear a new approach to ambience, with their captivatingly cinematic production style, LA artist, pb, offered just that with his latest album, ‘In Parallels’.

Part progressive art-rock, part avant-garde electronica, part retro indie-pop, the first single, ‘Atlantis’ is the perfect introduction to the artist’s talent when it comes to blending textures to build what has never been constructed before. The best part? The catharsis contained in Atlantis is unhindered by pb’s tendency to let their experimentalism run rampant through their intricate grooves.

Evocatively, Atlantis is just as intense as Porcupine Tree’s acclaimed album ‘Fear of a Blank Planet’. Which feels strange to say about such a low-tempo mellifluous soundscape, but the sentiment still stands.

pb’s 2021 album is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast